[21] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 291 



The common blubber-toggle is made of hard wood, and is about two 

 feet long and six or eight inches in diameter. The wooden toggles have 

 been used for many years for boarding the blubber, and are still pre- 

 ferred, since such an implement cannot be broken as readily as an iron 

 toggle, especially when affected by the action of the frost. This kind 

 of toggle, or " blubber-fid," is used in connection with the cutting-tackle, 

 when the lower block is strapped with rope, and is, in appearance, un- 

 gainly and insignificant, but withal an important agent in the whale- 

 fishery. A hole having been cut or mortised in the blubber near the 

 fin, the eye of the block-strap (the purchase-strop of the English — Ad- 

 miral Smyth) is pushed through and toggled with the fid, and the blub- 

 ber hoisted in, the toggle being alternately shifted as the sections of 

 blubber are cut from the main-piece, and lowered down the main-hatch. 



WHALEMAN'S KNIVES. 



It is the intention to discuss here only the knives used in connection 

 with the blubber, which, comprehensively, may be termed blubber-knives. 

 Of these the u boarding-knife," the " leaning-knife," and the " mincing- 

 knife" are the most prominent, and are used in the order named when 

 manipulating the blubber. Next in importance are the sheath-knives 

 worn by the foremast hands at all times, and by the officers when down 

 for whales, and the boat-knives. The former are so well known as not 

 to require special mention here ; the latter are always carried in the 

 boats to be used in cutting the whale-line provided it " nulls" when fast 

 to a whale, and for other purposes. 



The Boarding-Knife. — Whalemen, as well as blacksmiths ashore 

 who manufacture whale " craft? pick up and preserve all kinds of 

 knives, especially those with long blades, that may be utilized either 

 ashore or afloat in making boarding-knives. The cavalry saber and the 

 navy cutlass are especially well adapted for the blades of this kind of 

 knife, and are frequently used for the purpose. The whalemen visiting 

 foreign ports also obtain by " trade," or otherwise, various kinds of 

 knives, some of which are comparatively little known in this country. 

 Some of them are brought home as curiosities, but others as material 

 for the blades of boarding-knives, or for the construction of other in- 

 struments. They are, however, rarely seen in the interior, as they may 

 be " shipped" on another voyage either in the fore-hold or in the run of 

 the vessel, or as blades of boarding-knives ; they may be consigned to 

 the lofts where all kinds of cutting-gear are stowed, and remain for 

 ages, or they may be lost in the mighty current which sweeps through 

 the junk-shops, carrying with it thousands of tons of worthless material, 

 as well as some valuable and interesting specimens which should be 

 preserved. The "macheta" knife, so well known in tropical South 

 America, which the natives use with such remarkable dexterity both 

 in felling trees and in carving one another, frequently finds its way to 

 the whaling-ports of this country. This kind of knife, an example of 



