WHALE. 
129 
necessary: the rope is made to run over a swivel 
at the edge of the boat, and the friction occasioned 
by its swift motion is so great, that the wood would 
soon take fire if a person did not constantly keep 
it wetted. When the whale returns to the surface 
he is again attacked, and once more retreats in the 
same manner : — this is continued till he becomes 
faint with the loss of blood ; when they venture to 
row close along side, and plunge a lance into his 
breast and through his intestines, which soon de- 
cides his fate, and the enormous animal expires. As 
soon as the carcase begins to float, it is towed to the 
ship by ropes passed through holes cut for that pur- 
pose in the fins and tail. 
When the body has been properly secured to the 
side of the ship, they proceed to take out the blub- 
ber and whalebone, after cutting off the tail, which 
is hoisted upon deck. It is proper to observe, that 
the persons who are employed in this operation 
are furnished with a sort of iron spurs to prevent 
their slipping from off the animal. After the tail 
is separated, they cut out square pieces of blubber 
weighing two or three thousand pounds each, which 
are likewise hoisted on board, where they are di- 
vided into smaller pieces and thrown into the hold 
to drain : in this manner they proceed till all the 
blubber is secured, after which they suffer what re- 
mains of the carcase to float away, having pre- 
viously cut out the two upper jaw-bones, which 
are considered as the captain’s perquisite '; and ac- 
VOL. II. K 
