288 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [18] 



it is made fast to a bitt in the deck. The chain may be veered out or 

 hauled taut as the circumstances attendant upon the cutting may re- 

 quire. 



The Fin-Chain. — The fin-chain and fluke-chain are similar in appear- 

 ance, but differ in length and weight, and in the fact that the fin-chain has 

 a large link near the middle which is used, as it is termed, for " short- 

 ening up," in order that a "longer heave" may be obtained before 

 " coming two blocks." The fin-chain may be made without the middle 

 loose link or ring ; but those with such a ring are to be preferred. The 

 whale having been fluked, the process of cutting is initiated by passing 

 the end of the chain with the small ring around the fin, by means of a 

 rope which is made fast to the ring. The rope and chain are then rove 

 through the large ring, which is slacked to the fin. The blubber-hook 

 is attached either to the middle ring or end ring ; the officer cuts through 

 the blubber around the fin, and across the whale abaft the head. The 

 men heave away on the windlass, and both blubber and fin are hoisted 

 " two blocks." 



The Head-Chain. — The head-chain, or " head-strap," as it is more 

 frequently called, is an endless chain, with smaller links than those of 

 the two preceding chains. It is used in right- whaling and bowhead- 

 ing for hoisting in the "head" (upper portion of the head) and baleen; 

 in sperm-whaling, for hoisting in the " head," which is, in this instance, 

 that portion consisting of the " case" and the "junk." If the whale is 

 small, the entire "head" (junk and case) may be hoisted in ; if large, 

 these parts are taken separately. Hence, we have the apparently conflict- 

 ing terms which are indiscriminately applied to this chain, namely, the 

 " head-strap," the "case-strap," and the "junk-strap," as well as " head 

 chain." 



WHALEMAN'S SPADES. 



Instruments of this character denominated "spades" by whalemen 

 have nothing in common with the agricultural implement of the same 

 name. In making a comparison, they may be said to resemble more 

 nearly the common chisels used by carpenters, both in appearance, so 

 far as the heads or blades are concerned, and in the manner in which 

 they are used. These implements preserve their identity with remark- 

 able accuracy. The narrow spade for " scarfing" has the same char- 

 acteristics on all whaling vessels, and the same may be said of the other 

 spades. 



Of this class, used at the present time by all whaling vessels, there 

 are (1) the "cutting-in spades," which include the "head-spade," the 

 "throat-spade," and properly the "deck-spade;" (2) the "blubber- 

 room spade;" (3) the "pot-spade," and (4) the "boat-spade," which, 

 though mentioned last, was at one time an instrument of the greatest 

 importance in capturing a whale. 



The heads of these spades are made at some of the whaling ports — 



