Evening star., 1902-01-18
WHALE SHOOTING
What 1t Really Means to Assist in
This Sport.
FHE LAND LUBBER'O MISTAKES
HarpoonsAre Expensive and Rarely
Wasted.
CARCASSES WORTH MONEY

Written for The Evening Star by Prof. ]. H. Gore.
Come to Troldfjord," said Captain Inge-
britsen, "and I'll let you see some whale
| shooting" This was an invitation too
tempting to be declined, and though able to
Snake en- lidt Norsk' only, this little was
| deemed sufficient when most of the infor-
| nation would be taken in through the eyes
rather than the ears.
Is there a boy large enough to bait q
] hook who has not on more than one occa-
sion declared I've got whale7' OF course
when the luckless fish was duly landed the
envious comrades declared that 1t was
| only g. minnow, but for the time being x
was whale. The recollection Of the joy
| Gus tugging at the supposititious whale was
| so vivid that the wait until the sure
enough article should be on the line seemed
| very long.
The "skytte" OF Shooter steamed out
from the well-protected bay on which the
| factory Is located, with her consort the
| Tower, following. Our boat was similar to
| a small ocean tugboat; low in the water,
not speedy but strong, and built on such
lines as made her quick to answer the
| helm. This was important, for her sole ar
| mament, the swivel gun, was on the bow,
and Its effective arc was only little moro
| than semi-circumference.
While steaming westward, threading In
| and out among the many islands-all Of
which look so alike that 1t is marvel that
a pilot can ever find his way-in order to
| reach the open ocean, there was time
| enough to examine more closely the char
| acteristic features of our vessel. Unlike
other small steamers, ours had tall mast
| not for sailing evidently, as there was a.
noticeable lack Of such rigging as q sail
| ship would require. The white barrel firm
| ly attached to the mast some thirty feet
! above the deck showed that its main pur-
| pose was to serve as a support for the
! crows nest, or lookout station.
At the prov the rail was cut away, and
! In its stead there was platform eight feet
| IN diameter. From its center arose a pier
| like support for the odd-looking cannon
| now under a canvas cover. To the platform
| itself were nailed radial wooden strips for
| one can easily imagine that with the rapid
movement Of the target the marksman
| would need good footing, especially if the
platform was kept wet by the waves wash
| Ing over 1t. On the deck there was also
| coal pen. The bunkers could hold coal
enough Tor only three or four days steam
| ing, and the energetic captain had no idea
| or returning in so short a time as that un-
| less he had a good string of fish. He has
gone as far as Bear Island, half way to
| and some people think he would strike for
| Greenland If his coal supply were suffi-
Client. rather than go back empty-handed.
| In fact, when the Tower is sighted coming
| how many has hep
We were hardly out Of the skirting fringe
| OF islands when the lookout went aloft
| and took his place in the crows nest. He
| was not discharging duty in a perfunc-
tory manner. He was compelled to keep a
! sharp watch not only by sportsmans In.
| stinct, but because Of the fact that for each
| oarrel OF oil shipped from the factory he
would receive a certain bonus. The enei-
| neer, with his ears alert for the signal full
speed ahead or stop" did not forget that
ne. too, would profit by the skill Of each
| one, and the promptitude Of all In obeytng
| orders.
The Captain shoots.
When the question is asked, "why is II
| that Capt Ingebritsen is go successful?'
the answer always is, Because he shoots
| the whales himself" But this is only a part
| OF the real reason. He leads, and does not
drive; he has come up from a fisherman
with little saiiboat until now he is the
proprietor OF large establishment. Con-
sequently, he knows from experience the
labors. duties and hardships which confront
each man in his employ; he realizes how
workmen become dfsinterested II not dis
satisfied, when they see their employer
growing rich while their condition Is not
improved thereby. and SO he does more
than share his profits. for without waiting
to see II the expenses have been met by
the receipts he pays into the workmen's
fund certain sum for each barrel of oil
and every pound Of bone that is sent from
the factory.
While looking over the boat, becoming ac-
and striving to show Indifference to that
provokingly incessant motion which the
ocean insists upon imparting to all craft
especially those of small dimensions-we
get well out to sea and turn northward
Every available eye Is strained to catch
sight Of some evidence Of the presence of
our prey. The landlubber, mistaking an
unusual roll of q wave for the back of
whale. has already raised a false alarm by
repeating the erroneous cry Of his youth:
There's a whale" The crew had had ex-
perience and paid but little attention to
this call.
After a while, however, there Is a slight
commotion on deck, and In answer to the
questioning look Of the landsman a sailor
every now and then dart down to the
waters surface and up again, evidently
seeking game Just as we were doing. In
fact. they were fishing, feeding upon the
school Of fish that was being driven for
ward by the whales, whose ponderous jaws,
opening and shutting, so frightened the
fish that without halting to assure them
selves that it was seaweeds and not fish
that were being taken into the cavernous
opening, they made a beeline dead ahead.
Poor things! Instinct or experience had
taught them that they can swim fastest
near the surface; but there they agitate the
water so much that they attract the atter-
tion Of the sharp-eyed birds, and thus in
seeking to escape an imaginary foe many
are overtaken by real one.
Brighten Away Small Fish.
Just now the relation of the whales to
the fishing industry of northern Norway is
under serious consideration. Some assert
that the herring are frightened by the
whales into shallow water where they can
easily be caught, and declare that with the
killing of the whales the fish do not fire.
Quent the coast In such numbers as for
merry. Hundreds Of persons holding this
belief have petitioned the government that
whaling be interdicted. Others say that
the larger movements of herring are In
consequence of causes wholly independent
of the presence or absence of whales They
therefore antagonize the effort to suppress
this important industry. The government