The Whale, and the Perils of the Whale-Fishery

10 THE WHALE-FISHERY. them is usually near where the Whale X comes up to breathe. As soon as he x rises he is attacked with the lances, X which are struck as deep as possible, x in order to reach a vital part. Blood, x mixed with oil, then streams from his x wounds, and becoming exhausted with X his violent struggles, and with pain, he x turns upon his side and expires. 3E The crews now give shouts of vic- x tory ; they then make holes in the tail x of their victim, through which ropes x are passed, and being fastened to the % boats, they tow the carcass to the ship X with shouts of joy. X The body is now fastened to the X ' sides of the vessel, where the whale- x ; bone is taken out, and the blubber cut ; off in large pieces and hoisted on ’ board ; there it is put into casks and X > kept till the vessel arrives home ; then x ’ put into large copper boilers, and the X 3 oil extracted in the same way that tai- X low is tried. If a Spermaceti Whale X is taken, the oil is extracted on board, x

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