The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-01-18
HUNTING THE BOW HEAD
A WHALES TEETH WORTH A FOR
TUNE IN THESE DAYS.

Arctic BOwheads - They Have Iee'"
About Fourteen eet Long at the FRONT
OF Their Mouth-One set " orth S2O,oOo'
There Is a certain class OF generai
not to be found in printed
books, and frequently the most intel
lectual person or even an extensive
traveller will surprise you by his ig-
norance on some subjects. SAID a
seafaring man, as he sat under an |
awning on the poop deck OF a coast
wise schooner lying at anchor IN the
bay. The old salt was in a talkative
mood. Cigars had just been passed
around and the jovial and weather.
beaten sailor readily acceded to the
requests of the crowd to go on with
his yarn.
probably many of the ladies who
appear on the streets OF Charleston
today attired in elegant silks ana
satins," he continued, ARE not aware
that the material from which their
costly clothing was manufactured
came from the teeth of the Arctic
Ocean bowhead whales, and that nun
dreds of men are every year risKins
life and limb to supply the ever-in-
creasing demand for this expensive
article. Possibly you may not know
that the bowhead whales are to be
found only in the Arctic ocean and that
they are the only whales from winch
the well-known whalebone is taken.
This bone is the same that was FORM
erly used in umbrellas and corsets
and was not until a few years back
thought to be of any special value.
A great many people think this whale
bone is the bone of the fish's BODY,
| whereas IL IL only It's teeth. The
body bones are not, nor have they ever
been. used in any manner whatever.
These teeth are about fourteen feet
long at the front Of the mouth, ana
gradually taper back until only a few
inches in length. The longest are
about eighteen inches in width and
half an inch thick. the other proper
tionately smaller. The bowhead
whales tooth is of very fine hbre SO
tightly woven together as to closely
resemble solid substance. Inc
whale has only an upper set OF teeth
which are not used for masticating the
food. The big fish takes in great
i quantities of water through its mouth
/ and spouts it out high In the air
through a small opening on the back
close to the head. One edge OF the
teeth is fringed by some three or four
} inches of unwoven fibre, which serves
to strain the water as 1t comes
through, thus catching the small bugs
and insects of which the monsters
food consists. The bowheads are the
only species that have this sort Of
teeth. The teeth of all other species
] are of ivory. Some ten years ago
Frenchman named Jean La Coste dis
covered that the fibre of whalebont
e could be woven into a much f1nel
. grade of silk than that OF any PREV
! ously put on the market. Immediate
J, " the price of whalebone rose to
U very high figure, and is still increas
ing every year. There are, on al
: average. 1000 pounds of this bone to
whale, (which brings s12 per pound
: wholesale. The teeth OF singh
whale are worth about $4,000. Whe'
the teeth are taken from the whal
the carcass is cut loose from the shi
Z and allowed to float away. No Arcti
: whalers care for the oil; the sperr
whalers, who go down in the Sout
seas, supply the oil market.
!, "a poor sailors life is thankles
y task at best, but the brave fellows wh
. 20 up in the Arctic regions and unde
60 the terrible sufferings and har'
= ships Of the frigid climate, OF whic
= the world knows and hears nothin
have to sing their praises themselve
If their praises are sung at all. VIVA
fishing is one of the most hazardot
occupations a person can pursue an
there are probably more lives To-
!. every year in this industry than in ar
- other occupation in the world. Tn
~ statement is true in regard to Il
\ South Seas, where the weather 10
ways mild and pleasant, but MOI
- especially does it apply to the frozt
waters of the Arctic Ocean. Coil
~ out in small boats chasing whales II
:. uuently from eight to ten hours
~ weather often as cold as Is deg.Sb
-. low zero, is not so pleasant. But
~ spite of all this there is certa
20 fascination and a subtle charm abo
Is it that makes the life of whaler t
nd most difficult thing imaginable
= swear off after once getting into 1t.
no 81 spent five years in the Arc
nd Ocean and Behring Sea as third ma
n. aboard a whaling ship from San Fra
cisco. Just now recall particul
to " bitter experience. One morni
IRA about 10 o'clock, while cruisi
OK along the coast of the Northwest T
an ritory we discovered a school Of viii
20 some two or three miles off our
as. bow. Immediately all seven DO;
were lowered away. The weather "
re- utterly cold, 90 deg. below zero. a
u's a very dangerous, choppy sea had be
si- famed up by biting wind from
cal north. After we were out about h
ia. and hour the breeze began to incre,
III. and the sea so high that had to ia
en-. down the mainsail and jib of {
nd whale boat and set the storm s
rth Presently we saw a whale blow"
zap rectly of our weather beam. abou
half mile away. Instantly I brou
the tiller to starboard and eased
the sheet. AS soon as the wind
ad- astern of us our little boat leaped
her ward like a frightened deer. Aim
his before we knew it the whale loon
the ND in full view only a few yards abe
lily The monster fish presented a formi
nd BILE appearance as he lay up close
the the surface, spouting fountains
the spray high In the air. Only a port