Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-10
WaIrus and Seal Fishing on the
Coast of Norway.

DOOlICID VI 1IAthCSC3 ttiANA Ola III W
perienced seamen; and the vessel must
be equipped with harpoons, lines,
lances, seal-hooks, axes, blubDer-
knives, oars, shafts for lances and
harpoons), casks for blubber, salt for
skins, and ample provisions for the
crew. A couple of boats are indiS-
pensable.
A well-cOnstructed walruS-bOat, for
five men. is twenty-one feet long, with
a fiye-foOt beam, having the main
breadth one-third from the bow. 1t
must be bow-shaped at both ends, and
easily turned upon its own center.
The harpooner sits in the bow. A
deep notch is cut in the sternpiece Of
the boat, and three others in piece of
hard wood on each side of it; these are
for the lines, which must be pre-
vented from slipping farther aft on the
gUnwale than the notches, as, if they
do, the boat may upset. The boats
are painted white to resemble the ice.
Each boat is usually provided with six
ldI DOOllS, uOCd 1Oi DOUlI SCttI ClilNl " ell-
rus. A lire of twelve or fifteen faith
oms is grummeted to the harpoOn-head,
and when the harpOOn is thrust into
an animal the struggles draw the line
tight; the large outer barb takes up
loop in the hide or flesh, and the
smaller inner barb, like that of a fish
hook, prevents it from becoming olsen
gagged. The harpOOns are thrown from
shafts of twelve OF thirteen feet in
length, and an inch and half in thick
ness, the ends being pointed to fit into
the sockets Of the heads. The harpOOns
are placed and fixed on these shafts,
and are used in this manner for either
thrusting or darting. A skilful har-
pooper, they say, will throw one with
sufficient force and precision to secure
a seal or walrus thirty feet distant.
Four or five heavy lances, with large
shafts, are required to dispatch the sea-
horse. In the case of seals lance is
not used, as it spoils the skin, and here
the h0Gk-pick, or seal-hoOk, which is
driven or stuck into the brain, is had
recourse to.
Two axes are necessary, one large
one for decapitating dead walruses,
and another small, handy ak, for cut
ting the line should the maneuvers of
the walrus threaten to capsize the boat.
Blubber-knives, half dozen or so, are
headed for "fensing," that is, strip
ping the skin and blubber from the an
finals when caught. An ice-anchor,
purchase blocks, ETC., are also en-
ployed.
A good quantity of food should also
be slowed in the boat before leaving
the ship for chase, as circumstances,
such as floating ice, or fOggv weather,
may intervene to prevent approach for
ten, or even twenty or more days.
Many pc or people have been left to
perish miserably on the bleak and de-
sert islands of Spitzbergen by accidents
arising from fog, ice and currents. A
story is told of a Skyppar and seven
seamen who, in 1855, [ think it was,
having anchored their sloOp to an ice
berg, landed to attack herd of bears,
leaving the vessel in charge of two
seamen only. These found cask of
brandy and got drunk, like the real
jolly tars they were. In the mean
time a dense fog arose, the iceberg
tioated and was soon out of sight of
the island. The fog lasted several
days, and when it lifted the SbyppGr
and his companions saw no signs of
their own or any other sloOp upon the
sea, and there stared them in the face
the dread alternative of passing WIN
ter of severe cold and starvation, pro-
badly death, upon the island, or of at
tempting to cross the stormy $50 miles
of sea, which divided them from Nor
way, in an open boat. The latter
chance was chosen like bold fellows,
One of the boats was abandoned, and
the eight men got into the other, with
as much bear meat as they could stow,
and rowed for dear life to the south;
hungry, thirsty and fatigued, they
reached the coast of Finmarken in eight
days.
Old seal and WalruS hunters are &C.
static in their descriptions of the sum-
mer weather in the Spitzbergen seas,
and even ''nipping and an eager air.
is needed very little when occasionally
felt as the Wild excitement of chasing
the noble sea quarry renders them
quite oblivious to the temperature.
Nothing, they say, can exceed the sub
lime grandeur of a really fine day-the
sea calm and bright, with thousands of
floating icebergs and ice-hoes; no
sound save the cracking of the glaciers
or the hoarse believing of the sea-
horse and sea-dog, and the wild screams
of the gulls and the croaks of the
divers. Such day is an interestingly
beautiful and enjoyable one for row
ord bro+ anoonC the fiOatiDU ice