Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-06-15
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this arrangement the sail can be
raised or lowered speedily, and with
out much trouble can be changed for
tack. The boats are constructed
on such lines that they are very buoy
ant, seaworthy, fast sailing. and easily
managed.
In boats equipment are from s to
10 harpoons, each attached to about
$50 feet of one-inch manila rope. The
harpoons are of various shapes and
makes. from those of local manufac-
ture and ancient pattern to the latest
American model, though the latter
are few and far between. A boat also
contains from two to four lances,
spear-pointed rods of iron mounted
in long poles, to which are attached
35 feet of three-quarter-inch manila
rope, which lances are used for kill
ing whales; large knife used for
cutting away the rope should danger
threaten; on each side forward a 580-
foot coil of two-inch rope, to which is
attached the harpoon rope; and on
each side aft 440-foot coil Of similar
rope, to be attached to the 590-foot
rope If necessity warrants; q couple
of pairs of oars; and provisions and
cooking utensils for the crew.
A boat has a crew of ten men, each
having his particular duty and all
under the direction Of the harpooner,
who is stationed in the PROV of the
boat and directs the movements.
The boats leave for the open sea
at sunrise and put in port each night.
When whale is sighted 1t requires
considerable seamanship to sail near
enough to permit throwing the har-
poon, the chief use of which is to
hold the whale. AS soon as har-
poon is thrown, II 1t strikes, the whale
leaps in the water and starts away at
great speed, the rope whistling as It
pays out round the horns already mem
toned. At once the sail is lowered
and the rudder taken in. AS soon as
opportunity will permit blight Is
taken In the rope, and then the boat,
towed by the whale, shoots forward at
torpedo-boat speed. From time to
time the whale slackens his speed.
and opportunity is given to shorten
the tow rope, until finally the whale
is near enough to permit lances to be
thrown into 1t. The lances easily pen
citrate the whale, and are as easily
jerked out to be hurled again, until
either a vital point is struck or a
~
Often when a whale has been fre'
quently lanced 1t suddenly turns, the
boat gives a lurch the harpoon pulls
out, and the whale escapes. Perhaps
three-fourths of the whales har-
pooned get away. The system leaves
much to be desired, but the harpoon-
ers are averse to trying new and inn
proved methods. Guns shooting ex-
plosive bullets, darts, ETC., have been
imported, but their use is by no means
common.
When the boatmen are successful
in killing a whale it is the particular
duty of one of the crew to dive under
the whale as soon as dead and pass
a rope with which to tie up the
mouth; otherwise such a quantity OF
water would be taken in that the
whale would soon sink. AS this takes
place usually on the high sea and the
whale is always surrounded by vo-
racious sharks which have been at
tracted by the blood flowing from 1t.
the task requires no little courage and
skill Later on, the diver assists in
passing the three other ropes with
which the whale is lashed alongside
the whaleboat that it may be towed to
the station.
Arriving at the station, the whale
Is drawn up on the beach and cut up.
the fat, called "blubber," being sepa-
rated from the meat and bones. The
pieces of blubber are then taken to
the oil factory, where they are placed
In large caldrons and the oil is tried
out. HENRY w. FURNlSS.