224 3IARINE 3IAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 



six feet wide. It is sharp at both ends, Avith flaring sides, and is of a model that 

 insures great swiftness, as well as the qualities of an excellent sea -boat. At the 

 bow (or "head," as whalers usually term it) is a groove, in which is placed a 

 metal sheave, over which the line runs ; near the end and upper edges of the 

 groove, a slender pin, of tough wood or whalebone, passes across through holes 

 above the line, to prevent it from flying out when running. This groove is called 

 the "chocks." About three feet from the stern is the "clumsy -elect," a stout 

 thwart with a rounded notch on the after side, in wliich the officer or boat-steerer 

 braces himself by one leg against the violent motion of the boat, caused by a 

 rough sea, or the efforts of the whale while being "worked upon." The space 

 between the clumsy -clcet and the chocks is covered with a sort of deck, six inches 

 below the gunwales, and is called the "box," or "box of the boat." Five thwarts, 

 or seats, for the accommodation of the rowers, are placed at proper distances apart, 

 between the clumsy -elect and stern sheets; and opposite each rowlock, near the 

 bottom of the boat, is a well -fastened cleet, to receive the end or handle of the 

 oar, which is called a "peak-cleet ;" and when fast to a whale, or when the crew 

 are resting, the end of the oar is placed in the hole of this cleet, while the 

 heavy portion still rests in the rowlock, thereby elevating the blade far above the 

 water. About four feet of the stern is decked over, through the forward part of 

 which, a little to one side, is placed the loggerhead, shaped like a post with a 

 large head, which projects six or eight inches above the gunwales, and by this log- 

 gerhead the line is controlled when the boat is fast to the object of pursuit. The 

 equipment belonging to a modern whale-boat consists of one mast and yard, or 

 sprit, one to three sails (but usually a jib and mainsail), five pulling-oars, one 

 steering -oar, five paddles, five rowlocks, five harpoons, one or two line -tubs (into 

 which the line is coiled), three hand -lances, three short -warps, one boat -spade, 

 tliree lance -warps, one boat -warp, one boat- hatchet, two boat -knives, one boat -waif, 

 one boat - compass, one boat-hook, one drag, one grapnel, one boat -anchor,* one 

 sweeping -line, lead, buoy, etc., one boat -keg, one boat -bucket, one piggin, one 

 lantern -keg (containing flint, steel, box of tinder, lantern, candles, bread, tobacco, 

 and pipes), one boat -crotch, one tub -oar crotch, half a dozen chock -pins, a roll 



■•• The full equipment as here enumerated, is the bays or lagoons, the anchor is indispensable, 



modified to suit the particular branch of whaling and the grapnel, sweeping-line, lead, and buoy, 



pursued, as for instance, in deep - sea -whaling are of much service. But many other articles 



there is no use for the anchor, and in sperm are left out or supplied to a limited extent, so 



whaling the sweeping -line, buoy, etc., are not that the boat may be as light as possible, and 



required ; while in California Gray whaling in work easily and quickly in shallow water. 



