The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-06-02

OF the state of Bahia from
Assn da Tore, 121a de-
gre-s south latitude, to C~aravellas, Is
degrees south latitude.
According to Monk Vincent do Sal
vador, contemporaneous with the time,
it's history dates back to 1908, when
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 a feet engaged in this
pursuit. The industry has continued
from that day to the present time,
though it has been gradually OF 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 ~CLinnaeus).
The family of Roquals, to which it be-
longs, is characterized by the large
folds running along the lower jaw and
forward half of the abdomen.
This is a whale bone whale, hav-
Ing on an average about $50 plates OF
w~halebone hanging from the roof of
its upper jaw. The plates of bone
are short as compared with those OF
the right 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 n
taken In this section gave 5,1041a
quarts of oil from blubber and Alp
quarts from scraps. It's lower jaw
bone was 17.3 feet long and it's total
length Is given as 70 feet. The av-
erage size killed is from 80 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
Carayellas. They reach Bahia about
the middle of May, and have entirely
disappeared south by November, oc-
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 right 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 IS whaling sta
tons. 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, capa-
BILE of standing great strain. Their
sides are from one to two inches
thick. The ribs. keel, ETC., are not
bent to form, but are hewn from
pieces naturally approximating the de-
sired shape. The boats average 80
feet in length, with eight-foot beam
and 3k-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
h%arpoons The sail is practically
quadrangular, of immense area, aver
aging 80 by 40 feet. 1t is dashed to a
yard which is tied at Its outer third
to a long rope passing through a sim
gle pulley at the top Of a mast, which
is AZ feet high. and situated slightly
forward of the center of the boat. BY