Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-03-23
ARCTIC WHALING.
A CoNsULS ACCOUNT OF AN EX.
CITING PURSUIT.
The Arctic Flotilla Cruising for
Monsters of the Deep-The
Deadly HarpOon Gun
Cod Fishing.

Consul-General r. B. Anderson, who
represents our Republic in Denmark,
went out of his way to study Scandi-
navian people and conditions of life, and
in his report to the State Department,
tells at length of his interesting tour. In
the extreme north of Norway, he says,
is found an extensive Arctic flotilla,
ships which prosecute their search Tor
whales, seals and fish even to the coasts
of Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla. Neat,
compact powerful vessels they are,
sometimes of iron, with steam power,
made for short cruises after whales in the
watels of the vicinity Some of them are
of wood, rugged as sailers, with steam
auxiliary and screw propeller set in a
frame so that it may be hoisted out of
the water when not in use, or lowered
into position with little or no trouble
upon the failure of the wind at an i'm
portant point or at the beginning of a
chase for a whale. The length of the
voyages made by these, together with
the small room which can be afforded
for the storage of coal, all possible space
being required for the blubber wells or
vats, make the use of steam impracti-
cable, save on occasions of great i'm
portance.
One feature of many of the whaling
vessels, and one which attracts the great.
est interest, is the harpoou gun, an i'm
plement invented some years ago by Mr..
Sven Foyn, a retired captain, whose
name is known in whaling circles the
world over. 1t was this invention which
first made possible the capture of the
larger and more powerful species of
whale, an animal formerly Stunned by
all the boats which did not care to be
sent to the bottom at once. The gun or
cannon when used is fixed to the vessel
itself, such vessels as carry it having
neither bowspr.t nor iib-stay. A clear,
roomy platform extends wei out over
the bow in order to give the gunner full
swing to all sides. Above the centre of
this the gun is fixed on ball and socket
or universal swivel, which allows it free
and easy play, while being furnished
with pistol grip, the gunner has full
and rapid command of it. In front Of
the platform shelf of iron, having a
somewhat downward slant, is hinged for
the support of the strong line coiled in
such manner as to permit it to pay out
with the least resistance or chance of en-
tanglement. In stormy weather this coil
is taken inboard and the iron shelf turned
up in front of the gun as sort of pro
lection. The harpoon used is entirely
of iron, the shaft being spread and flat
tened at the inner end to fit the bore of
the gun. About two-t thirds of the way
down the shaft is grommet, to
which the line is attached, playing
lengthwise in slot and bound be-
fore firing, at its lower end, together
with the hinged barbs, which are folded
back along the shaft in resistance to the
springs, which tend to keep them ex-
panded. In the outer end of the har-
poon bored cavity is filled with piece
of rubber tubing enclosing small glass
test tube filled with an acid explosive,
while to the end is screwed sharp conf
cal metal shell containing the explosive
charge which causes death to the whale.
The charge used in discharging the
harpoon is common gunpowder, p 1t up
in bags the size of base ball, this being
fred by various devices in the shape OF
hammers and caps or quilts filled with
Illuminating powder and touched off by
the jerk of string. The one great
drawback of this apparatus is the length
of time required to prepare it for action,
nothing less than half an hour sufficing
to get it into trim between one shot and
another so that in case of a miss much
valuable time and often good shot OIL
two are lost, circumstances VIII ch toe
often mean one, two or three days more
cruising without sight of another whale
The range of the gun, owing to the
small charge, the hea'y projectile anC
the resistance offered by the line, is not
great-say what is ordinarily known as &
pistol shot.
While cruising the gunner remains
aloft IN the "crow's nest" or barre
fastened to the maintop-mast as a look
out. Immediately upon the cry, "There
she blows" or "a school in sight" hi
descends, takes his position at the gun
the steamer is headed round and the
chase begins, during which the gunner
remains at his post for hours only snatch.
ing what food he can, brought by the
steward. At night steam is let down and
the vessel drifts with the waves, but as
long as daylight lasts the gunner stand:
alert at his post. On the approach of the
steamer the whale, now sounding, now
blowing, comes sporting about its bows
but once within range the gunner jerks
his weapon round quickly and fires, anc
in an instant the strong harpoon is fast il
the animals back or side-that is, alway.
providing the apparatus does not snap o.
miss fire, or the harpoon does not fal
short or long. Immediately the leviathal
''sounds," and the line rattles from tn
coil at terrible rate until having gon,
far enough down the whale again rise
to the surface, where he may get to th'
end of his rope, or the line may have beer
slackened from the ship. In either cas-,
the first strain on the line breaks the frai
bindings which hold the grommet ant
the ends of the barbs, and these latter
forced apart by their springs, meet at thei
lower ends, which pro Get slightly be
yond their pivots, in such manner as t.
pinch and crush the glass tube in tn,
end cavity thus forcing the acid int
contact with the rubber and explod NJ
the charge contained in the conica
shell or cap at the end Should this ex
plo.ive not prove fatal TO the ANIMAL
The whale may tow the vessel at fear
full speed for miles into the sea, but some
times II boat is sent out to lance him. anC
in course of time he is himself town!
alongside the steamer tail foremost
minus his fms, on the way tc one of tn
numerous oil relineries and guam
factories along the coast.
The cod fishing in this extreme North
crn latitude is Of eve more importanc
than the pursuit of whales. Tne catcl