192 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
trade on board the Henrietta, Captain Crispin Bean, and 
devoted himself to the work. After his fifth voyage he 
was made speksioneer and second mate, when the 
whaler was laid up. When Captain Bean retired, he 
recommended Scoresby to succeed him, and in 1792 he 
became Captain of the Henrietta and afterwards of the 
Resolution of Whitby, 290 tons. 
We may here glance for a moment at the ordinary 
mode of procedure in the taking of a whale. Directly 
one is viewed from the crow's-nest the look-out man 
gives notice, and instantly a boat is lowered and another 
follows. The harpooneer pulls the bow, the line manager 
the stroke oar. The whale is dull of hearing but quick 
of sight. He seldoms remains more than two minutes 
on the surface, and is generally 10 to 15 minutes below, 
moving half a mile or more. The knowledge and skill 
needed to harpoon him during his short stay on the 
surface will be understood. There is often danger when 
the fish is struck, from the violent movement of fins 
and tail. 
The moment a wounded whale goes down the flag 
is shown from the boat, and there is a cry on deck, 
" A fall ! a fall ! " In an instant all hands are on deck, 
boats lowered, and many of the crew go away half 
dressed. When struck a whale goes down to a great 
depth. Sometimes a whale gets under the ice and will 
run all the line out in ten minutes, when it is probably 
lost. One or two turns of the line are taken round the 
bollard, but the line flies out at such a pace that smoke 
rises and it has to be kept wetted. If the line runs foul 
the boat is drawn under water. 
The struck whale goes down into the depths at a rate 
of ten miles an hour, and keeps under water for half 
an hour or more. The longest recorded time is 56 
minutes. When, after a dive to 700 or 800 fathoms, the 
great beast returns to the surface, he is again harpooned 
and plied with lances, blood rises from the blow holes, he 
turns on his side and expires. 
All the boats in a line then tow the carcase to the 
ship, and it is cleared of lines and placed alongside with 
the tail abreast the fore chains and the head at the 
ship's stern. The process of flensing follows, the blubber 
