160 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



starting a month earlier than this. When the vessel 

 reached the latitudes of 61 to 66 north, the 

 whaling apparatus was got ready, the distribution of 

 the various duties at the whaling also being settled. 

 For the flensing the cutters, harpooners, a " blubber 

 king " and " blubber queen " were appointed. 

 Each harpooner had his boat provided with se^en 

 lines, each one hundred and twenty fathoms long, 

 of the best hemp. The whaling apparatus was at 

 this time primitive, Martens describes the harpoons 

 and lances, the best harpoons being of steel. Zorg- 

 drager divides the fishery into three main parts : 

 (i) The capture of the whale. (2) The flensing. 

 (3) The treatment of the blubber. 



The officers and harpooners keep a sharp look out 

 for whales. The crew are also on the qui vwe for 

 a dead whale, the first sighting of which was re- 

 warded with a ducat. As soon as a whale is seen the 

 cry " Val Val," is raised, and the men tumble into 

 the boats. When the boat is near enough to the 

 whale, the harpooner throws his weapon. Attached 

 to the harpoon is a line of the best hemp, the " Voor- 

 ganger," to which five other lines can be attached in 

 succession, after which another boat can be called 

 up, and its lines in turn attached. The line is 

 wound round a bollard (Slupsteven), a wet cloth 

 being kept at hand to prevent the bollard from 

 taking fire from the friction of the lines. Care has 

 to be taken that the line passes out over the bow and 

 not over the side, as in the latter case there is 

 danger of capsizing. 



