Iron County register., 1904-03-03
WHALE HUNTING FROM SHORE.
The Chase Out in the Azores Where
They Seek Perfume for My
Lady's BOud0ir.

The first island of the Azorean group
approached from the westward is
Flores-the island of flowers. Only in
fair weather can a vessel anchor off the
island, as there is no harbor. The
shore is precipitous cliff with so
fathoms of dark blue water laving the
basaltic sea walls. But approaching
the little stone quay over which the
forcible Atlantic waves wash with de-
structive fury in stormy weather is
seen narrow passage between walls OF
black lava and scoriae, rising from
which are columns of basalt. This
small channel leads to basin about an
acre in extent
Long before the anchor has been
dropped, the voyager has noticed lit
tie shed perched high on a command
ing point of the island. The glass shows
a patient watcher sitting there, spy
glMs in hand, from sunrise to sunset.
Between the basin far below and the
lonely watchman alert on the hill there
is vital connection. The man with
the spyglass is looking for whales,
and though months may pass without
his seeing "a blow" the vigil is never
relaxed
On the beach of the basin are boats,
each fitted with the latest instruments
for killing whales. There are lines
nicely coied in the tubs, frightened
harpoons-both for hand and for use in
the guns. Everything necessary is in
readiness for quick and successful
chase.
There is regular crew under COM
mand of an old whaler, and but short
| time elapses from the moment the
watcher on the hill gives the signal
/ that whale is in sight to the depart
ure of the boats. The men get a GER
tain percentage of the value of the
catch. 1t needs all the pluck, knowl-
edge and daring ever belonging to
whaling, and many boat has gone out
never to return. A fighting bull whale,
or an angry COW whale protecting her
calf, is the same whether met in Beh-
ring sea or off the western islands.
Why all this slaughter in these days
when petroleum has almost driven
whale oil out of the market? 1t is to
give my lady delicate perfumes. The
ambergris found in the intestinal tract
of the whale now causes the pursuit of
the cetacean.
In the older times the whales were
brought alongside the whaling vessel,
and there, by means of sharp spades,
the blubber was cut into squares and
hoisted aboard to be dried out. The
head was cut open and the spermacetti
hoisted out in buckets, while the whale
bone was extracted from the throat.
After this was done the carcass was cut
adrift, often carrying with 1t thousands
of dollars worth of ambergris. The de-
mand for ambergris at that period was
limited, and it was the prevailing idea
that ambergris was a morbid product
vomited by the whale.
Up to few years ago all the amber
girls that came into the hands of the
manufacturers of perfumes was picked
up on the sea, generally in the neigh
borhood of the West Indies and along
the edges of the gulf stream up to lati-
tude 80 degrees. 1t was found floating
In cakes weighing over 100 pounds. In
color it is not unlike striped marble
with blackish spots here and there.
At present ambergris is worth in the
London market about $3.50 pound.
The carcass of a whale on the beach at
Fayal not long ago yielded 100000
worth, so one can readily understand
the vigilance of the watcher on the
hill