The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-05-07
TBERG SHE BIO ws.
Row Fin-Baek Whales are EnIiced from
Their Briny Homes.
(Rockland Courier.)

A Courier Gszstte reporter visited steamer
Hurricane, Capt VIM. G. Butnam, recently.
This Hurricane was fitting out for whaling
cruise, and the curious reporter wanted to
learn the modns operandi OF the business.
Capt. Butman Is young man, and halls from
Round Pond. He commanded the Hurricane
last year, she being engaged in mackereling.
"Yes, ''said the captain, 1--WE are fitting up for
a whaling cruise. 1 see that some of The pa
pers speak of the presence of whales in the vi
cinity of BOothbay something entirely new.
Whales have always been plenty in that locali-
ty. They ar of the fn-baek variety, so called
because one fin shows above the water, jast as
we call another variety the humpback. be-
cause the back is adorned with large aud
symmetrical hump. The fnbaeks average
about 65 feet in length, go in schools aud sci.
dom show fight. Wherever you find herring
you will ind tinbacks feeding upon them.
"The method of capturing them is simple.
When a whale is seen soaking around on his
feeding ground, we start for him, endeavoring
to get within twenty yards, so as to get fair
shot. We use bomb-lance aud gun. Here is
one of our guns, breech-lOader. 1t is entire
ly of metal, and weighs about thirty pounds.
The lance, as you see, is also OF metal, with a
csrtridge attached to the end. This lance is Is
inches long, heavily charged, the charge and
cartridge being connected by a fuse. The
lance is provided with rubber fans to keep it in
line when sent.
"If we Can get near enough we also intend
to put harpoon into the fish. Here is one Of
the little ticklers. You see the point is hinged
and when ready for action is bent back,
wooden pin holding one end up against the
shaft. When the weapon is thrown the point
penetrates the flesh. the pin is broken, and
any attempt to withdraw the weapon turns
the hinged blade crosswise in the flesh, and
the iron thus becomes immovable
"a cork buoy is attached to the hsrpoon by
one hundred fathoms of line. II the whale
sinks, the buoy will betray his hiding place.
In eight or nine dags the body will rise. or
sooner il it is sunk in shallow water. II the
fish sinks in fifty fathoms of water, it will
probably never rise, owing to the great pres
sure. We shall carry seven men all told, four
as crew, consisting of one 9heelman, two gun
ners, and one masthead man. who roosts on
the cross-trees watching for game. II we sue.
ceed in sinking whale by putting bomb aud
harpoon into him, we shall trust the rest to
our buoy, and cruise around for more whales
to conquer.
"a factory is to be erected on Green's ISL
and, situated about three-qnarters Of mile to
the eastward of Hurricane. A small boiler,
kettles and press will be put in. In the kettles
they will try out the flesh, and in the press
they will squeeze out the oil. A whale will
weld anywhere from twenty to thirty gallons
of oil. The bone is worth SIS ton. No use
has SO far been made OF the carcass, but there
is talk OF utilizing the refuse for fertilizing
purposes.
"Last year the Fanny Sprague, q Boothbay
steamer, began whaling and this last winter
she caught twenty of them. She tows them to
Linekin's Bay where there is an oil factory.
The Sprague few weeks ago sighted whale
of Monhegan, and steaming up to it fred a
bomb which struck the whale in the head,
The fish sunk and after a while came to the
surface in shore, instead of off shore as Is their
custom. When he came to the surface he
jumped clear out of the water, heading of
shore. The Sprague steamed up towards the
wounded monster which kept coming to the
surface jamOing completely out Of the water
each time. Ia one OF the jumps the fish iusk
cleared the steamer. Ten feet nearer and the
Sprague would have had broken bow to care
for.
The business is comparatively new one in
this section, the Fanny Sprsgue being the only
one making pursuit of whaling exclusively.
but there will be dozens of steamers before
long. We believe there is money in it, and
consequently ars going 10 try it. II we can't
find whales we shall not turn up our noses at
swordfsh and Dorpoises. L have had some
experience whaling, have an old whaler with
me, a good crew, good boat, and expect to do
q good business"
The Hurricane fulfilled the Captains proph-
ecy By towing to Green's Island last week q
large whale captured near Mohegan Three
others were struck bat we're not secured.