26 



Equipping the Boats. 



spliced round a thimble in the former, and round 

 the shank of the latter. This rope is called the 

 fore gore or fore ganger. 1 It is stronger and more 

 supple than ordinary rope. To the other end of 

 the fore gore is spliced the remaining whale lines, 

 of which there are five in each boat, of 120 fathoms, 

 the united length of which is over 600 fathoms, 



Hand Harpoon. 



Gun Harpoon. 



or a little more than half a mile. These whale 

 lines are made of tarred rope (2^ in.) of the 

 very best quality. The boats having been first 

 thoroughly cleaned, the lines are carefully flaked 

 down in the stern sheets, in a compartment specially 

 set apart for that purpose, with the exception of 

 100 fathoms, which is flaked down in a box in the 

 centre of the boat, called the fore line heck. 2 A 

 portion of the line last put into the boat, of a few 

 fathoms in length, is called the stray line. It lies 



1 From the Dutch voorganger, he who goes before another. 



2 Beck from the Dutch bah, a trough, locker. 



