26 3IABINE MAM3IALS OF THE NOBTH-WESTEBN COAST. 



the boats cutting through the water at their utmost speed. At other times, when 

 the cub is young and weak, the movements of the mother are sympathetically 

 suited to the necessities of her dependent offspring. It is rare that the dam will 

 forsake her young one, when molested. When within "darting distance" (sixteen 

 or eighteen feet), the boat-stccrer darts the harpoons, and if the whale is struck 

 it dashes about, lashing the water into foam, oftentimes staving the boats. As 

 soon as the boat is fast, the officer goes into the head,* and watches a favorable 

 opportunity to shoot a bomb -lance. Should this enter a vital part and explode, it 

 kills instantly, but it is not often this good luck occurs ; more frequently two or 

 three bombs are shot, which paralyze the animal to some extent, when the boat is 

 hauled near enough to use the hand -lance. After repeated thrusts, the whale 

 becomes sluggish in its motions; then, going "close to," the hand- lance is set into 

 its "life," which completes the capture. The animal rolls over on its side, with fins 

 extended, and dies without a struggle. Sometimes it will circle around within a 

 small compass, or take a zigzag course, heaving its head and flukes above the water, 

 and will either roll over, "fin out," or die under water and sink to the bottom. 



Thus far we have spoken jorincipally of the females, as they are .foimd.in^ the 

 lagoons. Mention has been made, however, of that general habit, common to both 

 male and female, of keeping near the shore in making the passage between their 

 northern and southern feeding -grounds. This fact becoming known, and the bomb- 

 gun f coming into use, the mode of capture along the outer coast was changed. 

 The whaling parties first stationed themselves in their boats at the most favorable 

 points, where the thickest beds of kelp were found, and there lay in wait watching 

 for a good chance to shoot the whales as they passed. This was called "kelp 

 whaling." 



The first year or two that this pursuit was practiced, many of the animals 



* Whalemen call the forward part of a whale- is twenty-three inches in length; diameter of 



boat the head, differing from merchantmen, who bore, one and one -eighth of an inch; weight 



term it the bow; still, the oar next to the for- twenty-fom- pounds. It shoots a bomb-lance 



ward one in a whale-boat is named the bow- twenty-one and a half inches long, and of a 



oar. And, likewise, when the boat is hauled size to fit the bore. It is pointed at the end, 



close up to the whale by heaving the line out with shaqoened edges, in order to cut its way 



of the "bow -chocks," and taking it to one side through the fibrous fat and flesh, and is guided 



against a cleat which is placed a few feet by three elastic feathers, which are attached 



aft of the extreme bow, it is called "bowing- along the fuse tube, folding around it when in 



on." the barrel. The gun is fired from the shoulder, 



f The bomb -gun is made of iron, stock and in the same way as a musket. For illustration, 



all. It is three feet long, the barrel of which see plate sxiii. 



