THE DUTCH WHALERS PREDOMINANT ,151 



6 li. ios., the Steersman 3 li., and to each Oar 305., 

 in all for each boat 15 li. ios., which we call whale 

 money. 



" We have several men and boats upon several 

 convenient places, which we call Look-outs, that 

 constantly remain looking out <by turnes for the 

 Whale, which when we fish in Harbour, cometh into 

 a smooth Bay, where there is a good Harbour for 

 our ships; and having discovered the Whale, which 

 swimmeth with her back above the water, or is 

 descried by the water which she bloweth into the 

 Air, one Lookout maketh signes to another, by 

 hoysing up a basket upon a Pole, and then all the 

 boats row after her, and having opportunity to row 

 up with her before she goeth down, strike a Harping- 

 iron into her, to which is a stafie joyned being about 

 six foot long, called a harping-staffe, to the Socket 

 of which Iron is a white rope, with an eye seazed 

 very fast; This Rope is about five fathoms long, 

 which Lying upon the forepart of the Boat (which 

 we call a Shallop) always coyled over a little pin, 

 ready to take up, to give scope to the iron, when it 

 is thrown at the Whale; and to this hand-rope is a 

 warpe of three hundred fathoms seazed, to veer after 

 the whale, lest, when she is struck, by her swift 

 motion (which is often down to the ground, where 

 the water is sixty, seventy, or eighty fathom deep) 

 she should sink the boat. 



* Thus having gotten our Iron into her, our boats 

 row where they think she will rise (after she hath 

 been beating her selfe at ground) and get two or 



