140 A YEAR WITH A WHALER^ 



the whale over gradually. Thus the whale was 

 peeled much as one would peel a roll of bologna 

 sausage. When the great carcass had been 

 rolled completely over, the blanket piece of 

 blubber came off. The upper end of it fast to 

 the tackle hook was up almost against the cross- 

 trees as the lower end swung free. The largest 

 blanket pieces weighed perhaps ten tons. Six 

 were taken off in the process of skinning. The 

 weight of the whale, I should estimate, was 

 roughly something like one hundred tons, per- 

 haps a little more. 



When the blanket piece was cut free from the 

 whale it swung inboard, and as it came over the 

 main hatch, it w^as lowered into the hold. There 

 men fell upon it with short spades, cutting it 

 into small pieces and distributing them equally 

 about the ship to prevent the vessel from listing. 

 It took most of the day to strip the whale of its 

 blubber. When this had been finished the great 

 flensed carcass stretched out along the ship's 

 side a mass of blood-red flesh. The final work 

 was cutting in the " old head." 



Long John with an axe climbed down upon 



