Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-28
killing whales by Cannon.

The inventive genius of America has
of late years been directed very largely
toward improved modes of capturing
fish, in which not satisfied with the com.
paratively rude methods of hooks and
lines, spears, and even nets, an effort is
made to destroy them in a much more
wholesale manner. Even the whale fish
cry, which for so long time has been
carried on by means of the harpoor,
has, as is well known, lately been prose-
cuted by firing explosive substances into
the body of the animal with shoulder
guns or with cannon, and thus disabling
it very quickly. This method has been
adopted by many whalers in the Green
land seas, and has been especially ap-
piled, of late, to the taking of the large
fin-back whales of the Norwegian coast.
These animals have hitherto been but
little disturbed by whalers, as, although
of an enormous size from sixty to
ninety feet), they possess comparatively
little blubber, and are so active as to be
rarely, if ever, successfully attacked by
the harpoon.
A recent writer in Land and Water
recounts late visit to the establishment
of Herr Foyen, in the Varanger Fiord
where, from small island, the fishery is
prosecuted by means of two small steam
ers of about seventy tons each. The
special apparatus employed consists of a
harpoon, inclosing in its head half a
pound of gunpowder, and with jointed or
hinged barbs containing some percus-
sion powder between them. When the
whale is within gunshot, this harpoon,
attached to the end of a long cord coiled
around drum, is fred into the animal
from a cannon about the size of four
FOUNDER. AS the fukes penetrate the
side Of the whale, they are naturally
brought together or pressed down toward
the shaft, and in so doing ignite the per-
cussion powder, which sets fire to the
gunpowder, causing an explosion in the
body of the animal that usually produces
a mortal wound The whale, of course,
starts off under stimulus of the pain, and
the rope is carried out for a time, being
uncoiled from the drum precisely like a
fishing line from the reel Of a fishing-rod,
the steamer following after so as to pre-
vent any undue strain If necessary, a
second discharge takes place, which
almost invariably produces death.
The steamer then tows the animal
back to the station, where the blubber is
taken off in long strips by means of
properly constructed apparatus, after
which the flesh is removed in a some
what similar manner, and finally the
bones are separated and hauled out. 1t
is the intention of the proprietor to pre-
pare a fertilizer by drying the flesh and
reducing it to powder, and brisk trade
has already sprung up in Germany in
this article. The bones are likewise to
be ground and utilized in various ways;
so that the entire animal-blubber, flesh
and bones--will be put to economical
uses. The carcasses Of over thirty
whales were heaped up on the island at
the time Of the visit referred TO, forming
red hill of very considerable magni-
tude, visible at a great distance. The
proprietor stated that the factory would
not answer its expectations unless fifty
whales could be taken every summer.
1t was thought, however, that there
would be comparatively little difficulty
in securing this number; and in fact, as
we learn from later adyices, over sixty
in all were captured during the season.
-Hdrper's Magazine for Nay.