254 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



inserted into the barbed head, and the end of the 

 lanyard fastened to a buoy, which is simply a seal 

 skin taken from the animal whole, the hair being 

 left inwards. The apertures of the head, feet, and 

 tail are tied up airtight, and the skin inflated like a 

 bladder. 



When the harpoon is driven into the whale, the 

 barb and buoy remain fast to him, but the staff comes 

 out and is taken into the canoe. The harpoon 

 thrown into the whale's head has but one buoy 

 attached, but those thrown into the body have as 

 many as can conveniently be tied on; when a 

 number of canoes join in the attack it is not unusual 

 for thirty or forty of these buoys to be made fast to 

 the whale, which cannot then sink, and is despatched 

 by lances. The buoys are fastened together by 

 means of a stout line made of spruce roots, first 

 slightly roasted in hot ashes, then split by knives 

 into fine fibres and finally twisted into ropes, which 

 are very strong and durable. These ropes are also 

 used for towing the dead whale to the shore. 



The whaling canoe invariably carries eight men, 

 a harpooner, steersman, and six rowers. The canoe 

 is divided by sticks, which serve as thwarts, into six 

 spaces. The fishery is, of course, carried on near 

 the land, and it is customary to have a look-out on 

 a conspicuous position, and this look-out signals to 

 the canoes when one of their number has struck a 

 whale, so that all may join in the kill. When the 

 whale is dead, it is towed ashore, as near a village 

 as possible, and hauled up on the beach. When the 



