496 
CURRENTS AND WHALING. 
and July, of great size; although the season is of short duration, yet 
large ships have obtained a full cargo before its close. 
It is impossible to meet a whale-ship on the ocean without being 
struck by her mere appearance. The vessel under short sail, with 
look-outs at the masthead, eagerly scanning the wide expanse around 
them, has a totally different air from those engaged in a regular voyage. 
But admiration is excited on becoming a looker-on at the chase and 
capture. When the cry from aloft of “ There she spouts!” and the 
quick response of “ Where aw r ay ?” are heard, the bustle on the deck 
shows a state of animation that would scarcely be supposed possible 
among such a looking set of men. The boats are immediately put in 
requisition, lowered and manned, and within a few minutes the pursuit 
is begun. The boats dash on until the boat-steerer comes within sight 
of his object; the whale is soon reconnoitred, and endeavours are made 
to approach him unobserved, and plunge the harpoon as near the fin as 
possible; a wound in this place is sometimes fatal, and no further injury 
is necessary to secure the animal’s capture. 
On being struck, the whale at once dives, carrying out the line 
(which is kept coiled up in tubs) with great velocity, through a notch 
in the stem of the boat. The velocity of the line is at times so great, 
that in order to prevent the boat from being set on fire by the friction, 
water is applied. After the whale dives, some fifteen or twenty minutes 
pass, during which time the “ fast” boat is often carried a great dis¬ 
tance from the others, for the whale in descending generally takes an 
oblique course. The boat is so much buried in her rapid flight, that I 
have at times only been able to see the persons in her, for the water on 
each side was thrown so high as to conceal the hull from a distant 
observer, although the sea was otherwise quite smooth. 
As the w’hale rises, a skilful boat-steerer will be ready at hand, and 
the moment the animal makes his appearance, lances are plunged in 
quick succession into his vital parts; when off he again bounds with 
the life-blood streaming from him, and shortly after, this huge monster 
is seen to turn over lifeless on his back. The shortness of time that 
seems to elapse from the first onset to the capture and death of so large 
an animal, is almost inconceivable; and the apparently insufficient 
means that are employed to accomplish it, are likewise remarkable. 
The whale being slain, signal is made for the ship, if to windward, 
to come down, or if to leeward, the monster is taken in tow by the 
boats and brought alongside, when the “ fluke hooks” and chains are 
used to secure him; the operation of baling out the head-matter then 
begins, which is followed by stripping off the blubber in large pieces, 
called “ blankets,” from four to six feet wide, to which tackles are 
