THE WHALE CUT UP. 259 



when the whalers put a noose about the tail and towed it 

 slowly towards their vessel. We then lowered our boat 

 and went alongside the whaler, which proved to be the 

 '' Ellen Jane " of Gaspe, commanded and owned by Mr. 

 Boyle, a respectable and kind-hearted man, who received 

 us on board with much civility, and was evidently much 

 gratified with the valuable capture his men had made. He 

 showed us through every part of his vessel with a subdued 

 cheerfulness and a thoughtful alacrity. 



'■ And then in his pockets he made a grope, 

 And then, in the fulness of joy and hope. 

 Seemed washing his hands with invisible soap, 

 In imperceptible water." 



We witnessed the process of cutting the blubber off the 

 carcass of the whale, which was done with a sharp instru- 

 ment with a long handle called a spade, the men while 

 they used it standing upon the floating body of their 

 victim. We remained looking on until one of the fins was 

 cut off and hoisted on board the vessel, and this required 

 the strength of four able-bodied men with a powerful tackle 

 to effect, and until Mr. Boyle had caused a large piece of 

 the flesh resembling an immense round of beef, to be put 

 into our boat- — during the whole of which the unfortunate 

 old whale kept snorting and snoring and blowing around 

 us, showing many symptoms of rage and fury, which 

 caused us to remark to Mr. Boyle that " his was a dan- 



s 2 



