The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-07-25
BRAZILIAN WHALE FISHING.
A United States Consul Gives Interest,"
 ing Particulars.

| the numerous bays or NoFlhSfA bIdAH' or of the whale hunting near Caravel- las and Bahai. The fishing industry, like nearly all the industries of Brazil in which foreigners have not taken the lead, is medieval in it's methods and unsatisfactory in it's results, but it could be made very important and very lucrative, and I desire to draw to it the attention of American enter prise.
 Whales seem to be animated in spring by the indehnable desire to wander which the Germans call wan derlust." Regularly every year, at the beginning of spring (which in this part of the world is August and Sep tember, numerous shoals or cetaceans leave the southern waters and swim lnorthward. Formerly they passed close to the entrance of the Bay of Rio de Janerio. Of late years they have changed their route, giving Rio de Janeiro a wide berth. Near the 22d degree of southern latitude they turn westward toward the coast of Bahal, so rich in the fish and animalculae they seek. The reefy waters between lthe Abrolhos Islands and the port of Caravellas (between 19 degrees and Is degrees southern latitude) are their feeding grounds. While they are feasting on the almost ineXhaustible supply of fish the natives lie ill wait for them. Fortunately for the whales (which belong to the species of cacha- Hot or sperm whale and are neither very swift nor very courageous) their human enemies are centuries behind the times lacking modern weapons and equipments.
 From the Abr6lhos the whales, on their journey to the equator, keep close to the shore until they reach the Bay of Bahia, where in the vicinity of the Island of Itaparia. within sight of the city of Bahia, the conditions are very much like those of the AbrolhOs, The fishermen keep a sharp lookout for the passing whales, and at signal prepare an organized attack, exactly in the manner their ancestors did 300 years ago. Two clumsy, flat bot toned whaleboats, manned by six or eight oarsmen accompanied by half a dozen small canoes, with four colored fishermen in each, take strategical po- sitlons. The men never think of ven- turing out in the open sea with their primitive craft, but scheme to sur- round their victims and drive them toward the shoals inside the bay. After they have succeeded in isolating a whale, the whalebbats are rowed up to it, one on each side, and the "balea- dores" (harpooners) drive their heavy, old fashioned spears into the neck of the animal. The whale tries to es- cape, but the boats Keep up hot pur- suit, an the 'baleadores" continue ap- bearing their victim whenever they have chance. This struggle lasts many hours until the whale, exhausted through loss of blood, gives up the fight. Then comes the moment for driving the harpoon home, which is delayed until the agony of death has set in for fear the harmless monster might try to defend itself or madly rush out into the open ocean and es- cape. With their antiquated methods the hunters can kill but few of the whales within their reach. But, strange to say, they hardly ever lose one after they have attacked 1t, and accidents to the men are of very rare occurrence.
 When the troubles of the whale have ended the real trouble of the hunters begins-the transportation of the dead whale (generally from 75 to 100 feet ilong) to the island. It often takes these fishermen (Brazllian half~breeds or negroes) several days to pull the carcass ashore. It's landing, of course, causes the greatest tumult among the insular population gathered at the shore and eager to help. When the monster is securely on shore, 20 or 30 negroes, armed with heavy cutfasses, throw themselves on the carcass and cut it too pieces. The choice portions, in chunks of 50 to 80 pounds, are taken to the 'saladeiros' or .salting places, where they are prepared for the market in Bahia, whose negro population furnishes read customers for the meat in spite of it's very nauseatfng smell. The blubber and other portions with out being properly fiensed, are carri- ed to the whale factory" where the oil is tried out. The rest of the krang, nearly half of the carcass, as we'll as the skeleton and the flesh, after the oil is pressed out, are left to decay. Neither the skin, out of which high grade leather might be manufactured, nor the blood, the baleen, the fine nor I the bones are utilized by the ignorant whale hunters of Bahia. The presses used for obtaining the oil are remnants lof the, colonial period. The oil is neither purified nor clarified, but is sold in it's crude state to Bahia deal CTS.
 The catch in the neighborhood of IItaparica is now about 30 or 40 whales annually. I am informed on reliable authority that with rational methods and modern equipments this catch could easily be quadrupled, and with proper treatment of the fat and oil and by-products extraordinary profits could be derived. The cost of estab- fishing and equipping an adequate plant is estimated at $100000.
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