Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-06-09

cXI3Qulu6 dlOA6 JAW
of the state of Bahia from
Assn da Tore, 121s de-
gre-s south latitude, to Caravellas' 10
degrees south latitude.
According to Monk Vincent do Sal
vador, contemporaneous with the time'
its history dates back to 1913, wnen
Pedro Urecha came from Portugal
bringing two whale boats with crews
expert in hunting. Soon other learned
whaling, and it was not long before
there was quite fleet engaged IN tnis
pursuit. The industry has continued
from that day to the present tlme'
though it has been gradually on the
wane during the last 20 years, chiefly
due to decline In price OF whale OIL
as a result of the Introduction OF the
cheaper competitor, petroleum and Its
products.
The variety of whale hunted Is the
Balaenoptera Misculus (Linnaeus).
The family of Roquals, to which 1t be-
longs, Is characterized by the large
folds running along the lower jaw and
forward half of the abdomen.
This is whale bone" whale, hav-
ing on an average about $50 plates OF
whalebone hanging from the roof of
its upper jaw. The plates of bone
are short as compared with those of
the fright whale" They average
about 80 inches in length and because
OF their shortness have little COM
mercial value. The length of this
variety Of whale is said to reach
from 60 to 70 feet. The largest one
taken in this section gave 5,104R
quarts of oil from blubber and 412
quarts from scraps. Its lower jaw
bone was 17.3 feet long and its total
length is given as 70 feet. The av-
erage size killed Is from 30 to so
feet.
Each year this variety Of whale mi
CRATES northward as winter approach
es the south pole, and the return COM
mences as soon as spring sets in
there. They are first sighted off
Caravellas. They reach Bahia about
the middle of May, and have entirely
disappeared south by November, &C.
curing in such quantities in July, Au-
gust and September that the number
which may be killed is only limited by
the number of boats in their pursuit.
AS they pass along the coast they may
be encountered from a mile and up
ward out at sea, frequently entering
Bahia bay. 1t is no uncommon sight
to see them gamboling in the steamer
anchorage.
Other varieties Of whales, such as
the fright whale" and the sperm
whale" have from time to time been
encountered along this coast. but
their appearance has been very rare.
At present there are 10 whaling sta
lions. OF these, eight are in the vi
cinity of Bahia City and five are To-
Gated on Itaparica island, in the bay
facing the city. The other stations,
with the exception of that the Carav-
elias at the extreme south. are all to
the north OF Bahia City.
The boats used in whaling are very
heavy, handmade native affairs. cana
BILE Of standing great strain. Their
sides are from one to two inches
thick. The ribs. keel, ETC., are moi
bent to form, but are hewn from
pieces naturally approximating the de
sired shape. The boats average &c
feet in length, with eight-foot bean
and 31-foot depth. On each side Of
the PROV is arranged a horn-like pro
lection Of natural bent wood, around
which pass the ropes attached to the
harpoons. The sail is PRACTICAL,
Quadrangular, of immense area, aver
aging 30 by 40 feet. It is dashed to
yard which is tied at its outer thirt
to long rope passing through sin
gle pulley at the top of mast, which
Is AZ feet high, and situated slight,
forward Of the center of the boat. B,