280 Appendix A. 



NOTE ON THE BOILING DOWN OF THE 

 BLUBBER. 



fHE blubber on board the whaling steamers arrives 

 at Dundee in large tanks. It is there filled into 

 casks, and taken to the boil-yard, to have the oil 

 extracted. This operation is done by steam, in large coppers 

 holding blubber sufficient to yield ten tons of oil. The seal 

 blubber is so fresh when landed that it used to be kept stored 

 in the boil-yard for six or eight weeks, until it was so decom- 

 posed that the oil might be easily taken out of it. But within 

 the last year, the "Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Com- 

 pany" have fitted up machinery for cutting and crushing the 

 blubber, and can now boil it down as soon as it is landed. 

 For some purposes the oil thus reduced is more valuable. 

 After being boiled, the oil is allowed to settle in coolers, and 

 is then run into large storing tanks, ready for delivery as 

 required. 



