36 THE WHITE-FISH HARPOON. 



or darting, and a skilful harpooner will throw 

 tliem with sufficient force to secure a walrus 

 at four or five fathoms distance; when pos- 

 sible, however, they are always thrust or 

 stabbed into the animal, and in that case it 

 is customary to give the weapon a twist 

 or wrench, both for the purpose of withdraw- 

 ing the shaft, that it may not be lost or 

 broken, as well as to entangle the barbs more 

 securely in the walrus's skin or blubber ; if 

 this precaution is neglected the harpoon may, 

 perhaps, come out by the cut which it made 

 on entering ; this is more likely to happen 

 if the intended victim be lying with his skin 

 slack. 



When there is much likelihood of falling in 

 with white whales {Beluga or Balcena al- 

 bicans), it is usual to carry one harpoon of a 

 different construction, and with fifty fathoms 

 of line attached for their especial benefit. 

 The reason for requiring a different harpoon 

 for these cetaceans is, that their skin is not, 

 like that of a walrus, the toughest part 

 of their body ; but the skin of Balcena 

 albicans, on the contrary, is quite tender, 

 gristly, and gelatinous, and the barbed iron, 

 therefore, requires to be driven in until it 



