PREPARING FOR ACTION. 13 



placed in eacTi boat, fitted one above the other in the 

 starboard bow, the first for use being always one unused 

 before. Opposite to them in the boat were fitted three 

 lances lor the purpose of killing whales, the harpoons 

 being only the means by which the boat was attached 

 to a fish, and quite useless to inflict a fatal wound. 

 These lances were slender spears of malleable iron 

 about four feet long, with oval or heart-shaped points of 

 fine steel about two inches broad, their edges kept keen 

 as a surgeon's lancet. By means of a socket at the 

 other end they were attached to neat handles, or " lance- 

 poles," about as long again, the whole weapon being 

 thus about eight feet in length, and furnished with a light 

 line, or " lance-warp," for the purpose of drawing it 

 back again when it had been darted at a whale. 



Each boat was fitted with a centre-board, or sliding 

 keel, which was drawn up, when not in use, into a case 

 standing in the boat's middle, very much in the way. 

 But the American whalemen regard these clumsy con- 

 trivances as indispensable, so there's an end on't. The 

 other furniture of a boat comprised five oars of varying 

 lengths from sixteen to nine feet, one great steering oar 

 of nineteen feet, a mast and two sails of great area for so 

 small a craft, spritsail shape; two tubs of whale-line 

 containing together 1800 feet, a keg of drinking water, 

 and another long narrow one with a few biscuits, a 

 lantern, candles and matches therein; a bucket and 

 " piggin " for baling, a small spade, a flag or " wheft," a 

 shoulder bomb-gun and ammunition, two knives and two 

 small axes. A rudder hung outside by the stern. 



With all this gear, although snugly stowed, a boat 



looked so loaded that I could not help wondering how 



six men would be able to work in her; but like most 

 3 



