Part 9

WHALES

4--FINBACK WHALE. This and the Sulphurbottom are much longer than the Sperm, Right, and Bowhead--but were ignored because of the fact that they sank when killed, and because of their rapidity of movement, claimed by some to be as much as fifty miles an hour.

Modern whalers have met these difficulties by employing fast motor boats and by inflating the dead whale with compressed air.

5--SULPHURBOTTOM--or BLUE WHALE. The longest of the whale family. Some specimens have been taken exceeding one hundred feet in length.

6--HUMPBACK WHALE. This whale is one of the “bone” species, but its baleen was too short to be of commercial value.

It sank when killed, but as it was almost always found in shoal water gases due to decomposition brought it to the surface in a short time.

THE MASTHEAD

From the day of sailing until the home port was reached at the end of a long voyage, lookouts were always kept at the fore and mainmastheads.

Even with his ship “full to the eyebrows” the whaling skipper could not resist the taking of one more whale, until every possible container, large and small, was full to running over.

The call of the lookout was a sort of wail, running through a scale of five or six notes, each man putting in his own curlicues according to the quality of his voice.

He would sustain the call as long as the blow lasted:

“A blow!--A blo-o-o-o-ow! A blow. A blow!!”

“Where away?” from the skipper.

“Two miles--weather beam--Blo-o-o-ow! Blo-o-o-o-! There she breaches--A blo-o-o-ow! A blow!--A blow!”

LOWERING

The boats were kept ready for instant lowering. The tubs were first put aboard and a man took his station at each of the “falls” or davit tackles, one man remaining in the boat to fend her off the side of the ship.

“Lower away!”

Down went the boats, the crew following the best way they could, sliding down the falls or scrambling down the side. The hooks were cast off, mast stepped, sail hoisted, and the race for the whale began.

A RACE UNDER SAIL

When the wind was favourable the approach was made under sail.

Various rigs were used: lug, spritsail, and sometimes a jib was set, all designed, however, for quick manipulation.

When sailing, the boat was steered by a rudder; at all other times by the long steering oar.

Meantime the harpooneer was busy with the whale line, running it from the tub, round the loggerhead and forward to the chocks, coiling the “box warp” and attaching his two irons.

WAIFING

When a heavy swell was running it was often impossible for the men in the boats to see the whale, so the lookout at the masthead signalled the direction by means of a flag or “waif.”

“GOING ON”

The angle of vision of the whale was very limited, so the approach was made, if possible, from the right rear, except in the case of a left handed boatsteerer.

On nearing the quarry oars were sometimes replaced by paddles. At the right moment the officer made a sign to the boatsteerer to stand by.