Spanning on. 25 



charming weather, as it is a curious fact that ships 

 seldom pass Cape Farewell without some little 

 touch of dirty weather. The day is really beautiful ; 

 we seem to have suddenly emerged into a totally 

 different climate, cold, but with a bright sun and 

 clear sky. We are now fairly in Davis' Straits, 

 and, taking advantage of the fine weather, active 

 preparations for the capture of whales have been in 

 progress the whole day. All hands have been as 

 busy as bees, employed in the operation of spanning 

 on, 1 which literally means attaching the lines to the 

 harpoons, and coiling them away in the boats. 

 The first operation was to get the boats out, which 

 are always stowed in board for the passage across 

 the Atlantic ; and before sunset we had sis boats, 

 three hoisted up on each side, ready to go away at 

 a moment's notice. After the lines are served 

 out — everybody, from the captain downwards, being 

 employed — it is quite a race as to which boat 

 shall be first equipped, the crew that has been most 

 expeditious giving three cheers on the completion 

 of its work. 



The manner in which the harpoons are fitted is 

 first with about twelve fathoms for a gun harpoon, 

 and three for a hand harpoon, of the best white 

 untarred hemp rope (2 *- in.) The end of this is 



1 From the Dutch aanspanneu, to put the horses to the 

 carriage. 



