Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1874-04-30
Fishing In the Tropics.
The Chase and Capture of the Whale
An Exciting Scene.


Whaling stations we're established
nearly forty years ago at Trinidad, and
eight or ten boats leave the shore early
every morning during the months OF
February, March, and April, in search
of these monsters of the deep. Each
boat is manned with five or six pullers,
a harpooner and steersman, the har-
pooner being captain of the boat. The
crews, mostly Africans or of African de-
scent, are, as a rule, remarkable for
their great physical development OF
chest and arm.
The moment O whale is seen, either
blowing or stretched on the water, the
greatest excitement prevails OF board.
The fisherman is at all times easily ex-
cited, and may be excused in case OF
this kind, when he sees a fish worth
from five hundred to seven hundred
aud fifty dollars not far of; perhaps
in short time to be moored q lifeless
mass alongside his boat, OFF goes the
shirts of the pullers, the boats head is
turned in the directson Of the whale,
and with their muscular back and arms
shining in the sun, the boat, impelled
by the regular stroke OF six oars, dashes
in pursuit. When within fifteen or
twenty feet of the whale, the harpooner
drives his ha1poon into the huge fish as
near the breast as possible, and throw
np over ten or fifteen fathoms of loose
rope coiled in the bow, draws his long
knife, and stands prepared to cut away,
in case OF accidents from ENHANCEMENT
of the rope with the clothes or limbs OF
an;y on board. The oarsmen have mean
while. laid in their oars, and sit ready
to check the rope on one OF the thwarts,
as soon as this may be done without
risk to the boat, or injury to the palms
OF their hands.
If the whale goes straight down, or
"sounds," as they term it, rope must
be allowed to run out till it takes it into
it's head to rise again towsds the sur
face. When partially exhausted after
its first burst, the rope is hauled in
hand over hand, and the harpooner
prepares his lance. A good harpooner,
If he gets sufficiently near to strike tho
whale in some vital part, may cause 1t
to blow blood with the first lance-thurst,
and so end its struggles at once. This,
is, however, the exception, not the rule.
When the chase takes place within
sight of those on shore, the excitement
among the relations or friends OF the
o,ors Lpo,ro n n honnds
The yells OF delight that hail each
lance-thrust. and the "paan" that rises
when the monster blows blood, echo
and re.scho from the hillsides behind.
Even stranger feels the blood course
more quickly through the veins as he
sees the harpooner strike, and the boat
almost instantly bound over the water,
in obedience to the first rush OF the
wounded whale, then bury itself be-
tween the waves, which form like a
wall on each side, leaving only the
heads of the crew visible to the srec-
tator.
The whale is now dead; the other
boats coming up, assist in towing lt to
the station, where, as soon as daylight
permits, all hands are employed, some
cutting off the blubber, while others
attend to the caldrons, set in a row on
b1ickwork. The blubber, when it has
passed through these caldrons, and
been made to part with as much OF the
oil as possible under the circumstances,
is then used for fuel. While thus en-
ployed, the different groups OF work
men present fine study for any ram
bling photographer who may chance to
come that way. The scene is enllvened
by songs often by fighting, owing to
the great facility with which rum may
be obtained in exchange for fat OF
whale-beef :" and the proprietor OF
the station must keep a sharp
lookout at this stage OF the
proceedings on the fleet OF small canoes
that crowd around, ready to carry of
any blubber they can lay their hands
on. :,
In the case of female whale, the
sea is often whitened by the milk that
flows while she is being cut up. Steaks
cut from n young whale are not bad
eating when fresh, and possess this ad'
vantage over other kinds Of fish, that
they may be eaten by Roman Catholics
through Lent, the whale, though in
habiting the sea, being a mammal.
Great numbers of vulture-like crows
blacken the trees round the station,
and regard the proceedings below with
much interest, descending now and
again to steal any flesh or fat they car
Law their beaks on. 1t is often amusing
to see couple of them fighting over
long strip of beef Having begun tc
swallow it at the same time at opposite
ends, then perhaps having got down
some five or six inches of it, each crow
becomes aware of sudden jerking
sensation impaired to the meat from
the other end. One or other must dis
gorge, and then regular fight ensues.
The fishermen of the neighborhood
cut the meat into slices, and hang 1t tc
dry for future use. After exposure tc
the sun it becomes quite black in ap
pearance, and very rank both in smell
and taste; but for all that they seem te
like it, and what is more to the pur
pose, get fat on it. Pigs, dogs, anc
cats improve the occasion, and all be
come quite round and sleek during tht
whaling season. For some days after
whale has been taken, every bush anc
tree near the fsherman's house is hung
with this jerked meat, rather tempting
morsels for the crows that hovel
round ready to take advantage OF ever,
chance that may offer of filching.