Oct., 1889. the fin whale fishery in north lapland. 
229 
these ; formerly always with a harpoon thrown by hand, but 
now usually small swivel harpoon guns are used in addition, 
the guns being some 7olb. in weight.* The harpoons are 
necessarily somewhat small and light, and the whale-line 
measures only 2f inches in circumference. Poison has been 
tried in the 8outli Sea fisheries with some success, as also 
small explosive bombs ; but nothing of the nature of the 
formidable weapons used by the Finmarken whalers has 
been used elsewhere. It is only comparatively recently, in 
fact, that the Northern Rorquals have been regularly sought 
after at all, and this for various reasons.! Firstly they are 
far less valuable individually than the Greenland or Sperm 
Whales, and secondly they are extremely active and powerful, 
frequently of enormous size, far exceeding the dimensions of 
the Greenland Whale. They are, therefore, very dangerous 
to approach in small boats, which would stand but a poor 
chance if pitted against these vigorous animals. These were, 
however, some years back, extremely abundant along the 
north coast of Finmarken, and were seen in numbers close 
in shore, and even far up the larger fjords. Especially con¬ 
spicuous was the huge Blue Whale ( B . Sibbaldii), the most 
valuable of the Rorquals, which used to infest the Varanger 
fjord in large numbers. 
It is now about twenty-three years since the enterprising 
Norwegian sailor, Svend Foyn, commenced a systematic 
pursuit of these animals. He obtained a monopoly of this 
fishery for some years, and conducted it on an entirely 
new plan. In 1882 other companies were able to engage in 
this then lucrative pursuit, and since then many companies 
have entered upon the business, and the whales are becoming- 
scarcer and far more shy every year, having to be sought for 
much further afield than formerly. Svend Foyn’s first 
factory was established at Vadso, at the entrance of the 
Varanger Fjord, so much frequented by the Blue Whale, 
which at first was alone the object of pursuit. Since then 
this factory has been closed, and Foyn has moved his business 
westwards, as the fishery has become somewhat played 
out in these regions. The business is becoming very 
precarious, and companies frequently break up in consequence 
of poor seasons, or move their establishments elsewhere. 
* Harpoon guns were first used in Greenland whale fishery about 
the year 1730. 
f Scoresby, as long ago as 1818, made several attempts to capture 
the Blue Whale (B. Sibbaldii), but he met with no success, as his lines 
were invariably broken. 
