se BOSK — @REAT INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION, 1 Q2 1883 LONDON, 1883. KEL | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. KE. mae WHALE FISHERY | AND fee wk PIF A NCHS. BY JAMES TEMPLE. BROWN, Assistant in the Department of Art and Industry, U. 8. National Museum. W AS EN GT ON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1883. ie. ts TO bpytn Ms ste 08 i 8 ARI GREAT INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION. ASX LONDON, 1883. . 1%65 KEL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. E. Peri WAL Huber Raley Bro AP PLEANOErS. / JAMES TEMPLE. BROWN, Assistant in the Department of Art and Industry, U. 8S. National Museum. JUn JS /993 WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1883. ss ~ a Y Pond ie bole; ree DAY) UE ye ra iiabiy oni oe Pa 3 ¥ } ‘ at ‘ = £ a. : Mi pape ry he eR $e) 4a iy i Ms Es f mene iene 4 ‘. i, a Sie Rare by a 7 4 % a vy ; . i weet oy (red INR dein core J 4 - , ‘ie é l y res \ ' i OR Ge, fe vi % 4 —_- Ps die ea ‘ hg i vie © Waitt ‘ w : _ ‘ ie AN ‘ ied a Wes: ARO ae | hy ti, wie nla ( & PENAL Av ORME pane ont Pie 4) OE) i ey tilt) Lees a i NRC PN POU Crt Oon: Pursuant to instructions received from the United States Commis- sioner of Fish and Fisheries, to take charge of the collection and prep- aration of an exhaustive exhibit illustrative of the whale fishery, to be displayed at the International Fisheries Exhibition of the present year, I proceeded to the principal whaling ports of the eastern coast. The field work was conducted mainly at New Bedford, Provincetown, Nan- tucket, Edgartown, and New London. The object of my visits being known, the whalemen, agents, owners of vessels, and others interested in this industry, with one accord, offered their services to the Govern- ment, and generously responded to its call, in order that the vast ma- chinery of the whale fishery of the United States might be represented in the friendly contest among all the prominent maritime nations of the world. From the fresh material collected on this tour, as well as from objects previously deposited in the Fisheries Division of the National Museum, selections have been made and prepared for final exhibition in London. In the preparation of the whaling craft it has been my desire that the objects should be exhibited as nearly as possible in the same condition in which they are usually placed on whaling, vessels. The only exceptions allowed to this plan of operations occur in regard to several objects nickel-plated by one manufacturer, who is anxious to dispiay his goods in an attractive manner. As is well known, the best kinds of wood, rope, iron, and steel are sought by whalemen, and the manufacturers, either through pride or fear of competition, employ the best grades of material, and finish some of their goods in an artistic manner. The exhibit embraces, for the most part, the apparatus used at pres- ent; but some rare and interesting implements that were hastily con- structed on vessels in times of necessity, as well as some that were developed as experiments both at sea and ashore, have also been in- eluded. The unique designs of the last-named series afford an interest- ing study. Some of them are obsolete, while others have developed into more perfect and acceptable forms, and though they have, in part, been superseded by improved contrivances, they have been, nevertheless, actively employed, and are worthy of prominent places. Several objects made and used by the Eskimo tribes of the Hudson Bay region appear in this series. New Bedford has been in the habit of send- ing two vessels every season to Hudson Bay, but owing to the small profits, as well as the dangerous method of prosecuting this fishery, it is more [3] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [4] than probable that this ground will be abandoned. The vessels, usually schooners or brigs, leave their port in late spring, and after killing as many whales during the season of fishing as it is possible to do, go into winter quarters at Marble Island, where they are frozen in, and when the ice goes out make their home passages, arriving at New Bedford about September or October. When the whalemen go into winter quarters the coastal tribes build their igloos upon the ice and shores about the vessels. During the winter the Eskimo are anxious to trade, and many interesting articles of ethnological value, as well as objects of natural history, might be obtained in this manner. The whalemen— that is, the crew—trade merely for such curiosities as have an interest for them, while the vessel obtains furs and skins of land mammals. In the season of 1881-82, two vessels, the brig ‘“‘George and Mary” and the schooner ‘* Helen Rodman,” were dispatched to Hudson Bay. The latter was wrecked shortly after her arrival. Her crew returned on the “George and Mary,” which arrived October 3, 1882, and from this vessel I obtained quite a number of articles, consisting of bows and arrows, domestic utensils, and several suits of fur clothing, besides boots, shoes, and stockings, some of which are included in the series sent to London. The returning vessel brought in part of a cargo of oil and whale-bone, and skins of the polar bear, musk-ox, and foxes. DISPOSITION AND ARRANGEMENT OF OBJECTS. Owing to the weight and size of some very essential objects employed in this fishery, it was decided not to send them to London, as consider- able risk, delay, and inconvenience might be experienced, both in pack- ing and in transportation; but they will be permanently installed in the National Museum. Such objects as have been selected are arranged singly and in groups, as follows: (1) Models; (2) a full sized whaleboat, with apparatus of capture; (3) upright screens, 92 by 95 inches, con- taining harpoons, guns, and lances; (4) a frame-work of wood, contain- ing implements used in manipulating dead whales, blubber, and oil; (5) glass cases, containing articles of decorative art, and “ scrimshaw” work peculiar to whalemen; curiosities; a series of blubber-knives; papers carried by outward-bound vessels; whalemen’s journals of voy- ages; samples of lines and ropes used in this fishery, and accessories; and (6) a series of photographs. 1.—MODELS., In this group are represented the whaleship, the “ camels,” the try- works common to all whaling vessels, and the present American whale- boat. [5] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Suip.—When coast-whaling was first essayed by Americans, the smaller class of vessels, such as sloops and schooners, were employed, but very short voyages were made. When, however, it was found necessary, as well as profitable, to “whale out in the deep,” the smaller class of vessels gave way to barks and ships, principally the latter. These were invariably sailing vessels, until, in 1880, a bark with auxilliary steam- power, the “ Mary and Helen,” afterwards the “ Rodgers,” was success- fully introduced in the North Pacific, and subsequently similar vessels owned in New Bedford and San Francisco have been sent to the same ' grounds. The largest fleet employed in this industry, consisting of schooners, barks, brigs, and several ships, varying from 66 to 440 tons, is owned by New Bedford. The majority of these are barks, which, as is well known, are as large as ships, the only difference being the “rig.” The vessels hailing from San Francisco are principally barks, varying from 175 to 533 tons, the latter being the tonnage of the recently con- structed steamer ‘‘ Bowhead.” The vessels owned at Provincetown, with the exception of one brig, the “‘D. A. Small,” 119 tons, are schooner-rigged, and vary from 69 to 117 tons. Boston owns one bark of 395 tons, and several brigs and schooners of from 92 to 123 tons. Edgartown has two barks, of 301 and 314 tons, respectively, and several schooners, varying from 89 to 100 tons. New London is engaged in sealing, as well as whaling, and sends from her wharves schooners of from 134 to 250 tons. Stonington owns two schooners of 70 tons each, and Marion one or two schooners of about 84 tons. CAMELS.—Owing to the difficulty experienced by the heavily laden whale-ships in crossing Nantucket Bar, a kind of lighter, consisting of water-tight compartments, was constructed in 1842. Since the decline of the fishery at this port the camels have been destroyed, and about the only pieces of this peculiar craft that have been saved are to be found in the garden of Mr. F. C. Sanford, of Nantucket, having been utilized in the construction of a dike or terrace. TRY-WORKS.—The try-works peculiar to whale-ships are built of brick and mortar, framed with wood, the base resting upon the wooden sheathing of the deck. It was formerly the custom to use three try- pots, but at the present time none of the vessels have more than two. The early form of try-pot employed by Americans was manufactured in Scotland, some of which are still to be found sunning themselves about the docks at New Bedford and elsewhere, being known as the “ En- glish pot,” but they are not used at present. The majority of Ameri- can vessels are now fitted with try-pots manufactured at the New Bed- ford foundry. The largest of these weighs 1,200 pounds, with acapacity of 200 gallons; but smaller sizes of about 180 gallons are more generally used, There is also included in this series the “head,” full size, of the whaleboat, with a lay figure of the boatsteerer in the act of darting a harpoon. , FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [6] 2.—THE WHALEBOAT. American whaleboats have smooth bottoms, battened seams, logger- head aft, five thwarts, and invariably mast, mainsail, and jib. The lengths vary from twenty-eight to twenty-nine or thirty-feet. The term “craft” includes the harpoons, lances, boat-spade and boat-hook, but is oftentimes more specifically applied to the implements used to strike and kill the whale. ‘“ Boat-gear” comprehensively includes the entire outfit of the boat, but more particularly refers to the implements other than craft, such as the boat-bucket, piggin, water-bucket, line-tubs, lantern- keg, oars, paddles, and the like. It also includes the warps, but in this classification I shall mention them separately, as the main-warp or whale- line, lance-warps, short-warp and the boat-warp. A boat’s crew consists of six men; the officer of the boat, who is one of the mates, with the title of ‘“‘ boat-header”; the harpooner, a petty officer whose rank is next to that of a mate, known as “ boat-steerer;” and five oarsmen. The boat-steerer strikes the whale, and the officer usually kills it. The oarsmen have their appointed places in the boat, and their respective duties to perform as whalemen. 3.—HARPOONS, GUNS, AND LANCES. The implements used in the capture, pre-eminently the most impor- tant, are arranged upon the faces of four screens with maroon back- grounds, and, as far as possible, the serial and chronological order has been preserved. The first screen contains forty-seven hand-harpoons, among which may be found the forms used by the Basque, Dutch, Eng- lish, French, and American fishermen, as well as a full series of the various types introduced from time to time by Americans. The second screen contains the primitive and modern types of the whaling guns, the English swivel gun, and the rocket-gun—seventeen objects in all. Upon the third screen the numerous patterns of the gun-harpoons are arranged, comprising thirty-three objects. The fourth screen is devoted to the explosive and non-explosive lances, the explosive harpoons, the rocket-bomb, seal, sea-elephant, and walrus harpoons, comprising thirty- eight implements. These four screens may be compared to four volumes—each imple- ment constituting a chapter—containing an exhaustive treatise on the past and present methods of the capture of the whale adopted by all nations that have participated in this fishery. The chapters, though complete in themselves, are subordinate, the subjects of the one being merely an introduction to the other, and may be used as stepping-stones as we proceed from the beginning of the seventeenth century to the present time. HAND-HARPOONS. The harpoons thrust by hand for striking whales may be divided into four classes: (1) the typical harpoon; (2) the common toggle-iron, and [7] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. the darting-gun harpoon; (3) the hump-back iron; and (4) the prussic- acid iron. (1) THE PRIMITIVE HARPoon.—Of this class there are properly two types: the typical harpoon with a fixed head and two barbs, and the harpoon with a fixed head and one barb. These are familiarly known as the “two-flued” and ‘“one-flued” irons. Innovations have been made by hinging or pivoting one or two additional barbs or “flukes” in the rear of the heads of both types. None of this class are used at present by American whalemen, except possibly at times the former on the California coast, for raising “sunk” whales. (2) THE ToGGLE-IRon.—The improved harpoon has a movable barb, known as the “ toggle,” pivoted at its center to the anterior end of the shank. When the instrument is to be used, the toggle is adjusted in a position parallel to the shank, and held, with the cutting point forward, by a small wooden peg. When darted into the whale the peg is broken by the resistance upon the whale line, the toggle is thrown at right angles to the shank, somewhat in the form of the letter T, and becomes transfixed in the ligamentous flesh. The heads, toggles, or flukes, as they are also termed, may be slot- ted, or recessed, for the reception of the shanks; or the ends of the shanks may be slotted and the barbs pivoted between the cheeks. The latter is known as the “Temple toggle,” or ‘Temple gig,” having de- rived its name from the inventor, a colored man, Lewis Temple, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who first made this kind of harpoon in about 1847 or 1848. Another mode adopted by the early manufacturers for holding the toggle in position when darted, was by means of rope, iron, or leathern grommets, which gave to the instruments the name of “ grom- met-irons,” or “grummet-irons,” as they were more frequently called. The instruments, with heads mortised for the ends of the shanks and held in position with wooden pegs, are exclusively employed by all American whalemen of the present day for fastening the whale to the boat. To this class also belongs the present walrus-iron, which is in every particular, with the exception of size, a counterpart of the improved harpoon, and is used by whalemen in the Arctic Seas for the capture of walrus. This kind of harpoon was formerly made with a double- barbed fixed head. | Friderich Martens, in an account of a whaling voyage to the Green- land fishery during the year 1671, says: “The harpoon for a sea-horse (Trichecus Rosmarus, walrus or morse),* and the launce also, are short, of the length of one span, or one and a half, and an inch thick, and the wooden staff thereof is about six foot long; the harpoon for a whale is much too weak to pierce his thick skin withal, yet both of them are very well tempered and of good tough iron, and not much hardened.”t. * Rosmarus obesus (Illig.) Gill. t Hakluyt Society, vol. 18, p. 90. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [8] The same author also says, in continuation of his account of the cap- ture of the walrus, that ‘‘when they dart the harpoon at them, they always take the opportunity to do it when he is precipitating himself from the ice, or when he diveth with his head under water, for then his skin is smooth and extended, and therefore the harpoon striketh through the skin on his back the better; but when he lyeth and sleepeth, his skin is loose and wrinkled, so that the harpoon doth not pierce the skin, but falls off.” DARTING-GUN HARPOON.—The main difference between the darting- gun harpoon and the common toggle-iron is, that instead of terminating in a socket for the handle or ‘‘pole,” the former has a. tapering blunt point, which is intended to be placed, or, technically, “ships” into two lugs on the barrel or lock-case of the darting-gun; and also that it has a projecting iron eye, or loop, welded to the shank near the butt, into which one end of the iron-strap should be made fast. Further reference _ will be made to this iron in connection with the darting-gun. (3) THE HumpBack-IRon.—A toggle-iron of large proportions, in- tended to be used only in raising sunk whales (Megaptera sp.) principally, Harpoons of this character are of the average length. The shanks are made of wrought iron, about 1 inch in diameter, and the heads or toggles about 10 or 104 inches long, or almost twice the length of the ordinary toggle, and heavier. These irons are thrown into the “neck” (properly speaking the whale has no neck) or into the region about the spiracles of the humpback whale, where the blubber is exceedingly tough, as this species almost always sinks when dead. The whale remains at the bottom for two or three days, and becoming somewhat buoyant by the gases generated by incipient decomposition, it is very materially aided in making its reappearance upon the surface by the whalemen in their boats, who haul upon the large lines which are attached to the harpoons. (4) THE PRUSSIC-ACID HARPOONS.—These harpoons were used, to a limited extent, to kill whales with prussic acid. The two instruments of this character in this series, it is supposed, were made in France and brought to Nantucket as patterns by which others might be made and introduced into the American fleet. The use of this kind of harpoon was soon abandoned, as several of the crew of a French ship were poisoned when handling the blubber of a whale killed by the acid. Although instruments of this type were carried by several American vessels, notably the ship “Susan,” of Nantucket, and others, none of them, so far as the record shows, have been used, the crews having been deterred by the disastrous results experienced by the French. POLES, STRAPS, AND SHEATHS.—One end of a rough hickory pole, oftentimes with the bark attached,is inserted into the socket of the hand-harpoon. The shank at its junction with the socket, or the socket, is served with rope yarn, to prevent iron-rust from affecting the iron- strap. [9] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. The “‘iron-strap,” a piece of whale-line, is fastened at one end around the shank with a round turn and a splice just above the serving, and has an eye-splice in the other into which the tow-line is made fast. The iron-sheaths for the heads of the instruments are made of white pine, two pieces, gouged or scooped out; fastened together with wooden pins, or slugs of lead, covered with canvas, and painted; usually made at sea. WHALING-GUNS. The guns employed. in the whale-fishery were primarily intended to impel modified harpoons known as “ gun-harpoons” or ‘‘ gun-irons,” but have been subsequently used with better success in connection with the explosive lance. Guns of this description may be classified as (1) small arms, (2) ord- nance, and (3) rocket-guns. This classification does not embrace the so-called ‘“harpoon-gun,” which is merely an instrument with an explosive head thrust by hand, and is properly an explosive harpoon. It should be mentioned, how- ever, that the darting-guns are sometimes known as harpoon-guns. Of the first class there are two types: the single muzzle-loaders and the single breech-loaders* ; the second class embraces the swivel-guns; and the third, the Roys gun and the California whaling-rocket. SMALL ARMS. THE SHOULDER-GUN.—The first shoulder-guns used for the capture of the whale were ‘‘ muzzle-loaders,” and were made with either metal or wooden stocks, and the ordinary percussion locks. Various devices have been resorted to to perfect guns of this character, some of which have not been patented. Among the most prominent may be mentioned ©. C. Brand’s guns with skeleton iron stocks, embracing three numbers, ranging from 1 to 3 inclusive, No. 1 being the smallest; the “Grud- chos & Eggers” whaling rifle with walnut stock; the “ Brown” gun with gun-metal stock and barrel; and several other kinds whose identity cannot at present be determined, among which may be mentioned those with steel barrels and walnut stocks and those with steel barrels and brass stocks. Muzzle-loading guns were successfully employed in connection with the bomb-lances until about 1877 or 1878, at which time the improved breech-loading guns were patented and introduced. The whalemen of Provincetown, Massachusetts, prefer to use the “‘ Brand” guns, and the whalemen of New Bedford and elsewhere invariably use the breech- loaders, which are known respectively as the “Pierce & Eggers” and the “Cunningham & Cogan.” A new shoulder-gun has recently been placed on the market by H. W. Mason, of New Bedford. The guns are discharged from the head of the boat, and are made fast * Magazine guns are not used in the whale-fishery. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [10] to the hoisting-strap by means of a lanyard to prevent them from being lost overboard, as the recoil of the shoulder-guns, for example, is often so great as to prostrate the gunners. THE DARTING-GuN.—The darting-gun is a harpoon and bomb-gun combined, the former for fastening the whale to the boat, and the latter for simultaneously killing or wounding it by discharging the explosive lance, or darting-bomb, as itis termed. Thedarting-guns of the original pattern were muzzle loading, but more recent inventions have developed the breech-loaders which are known as the “ screw-gun” and the “ hinge gun.” The whalemen recognize the two kinds in use at present as the ‘¢ Pierce” and the “‘ Cunningham,” having borrowed these names from those of the inventors and manufacturers, Captain Eben Pierce and Mr. Patrick Cunningham, of New Bedford, Massachusetts. The darting-guns are very successfully employed in all kinds of whal- ing, and are chiefly relied upon in the Arctic regions, where, before they were introduced, many whales escaped by running under ice after being fastened to; in which case, as it became necessary to cut the line to save the crew, the whale, as well as the harpoon and line, were lost. One end of an ordinary pole, by which the apparatus is manipulated, is inserted in the rear end or socket of the gun. A harpoon is made especially for this apparatus, with a tapering blunt point which ships into the lugs on the barrel. The gun being charged and the lance in- serted it is thrust by hand; the harpoon is buried in the whale, and the gun is automatically discharged by a long wire rod, which is in fact a trigger, extending beyond the muzzle, and which by impact operates the internal mechanism and projects the lance. The apparatus having been darted the whale starts off with the harpoon and exploded lance, and the gun may be hauled into the boat by a small rope and used in dis- charging other lances. THE SWIVEL-GUN.—The swivel gun is of English origin, and was in- vented, according to Scoresby, in the year 1731, and used, it seems, by some individuals with success. Being, however, difficult and somewhat dangerous in its application, it was laid aside for many years. In 1771 or 1772 a new one was produced for the Society of Arts, which differed so materially from the instrument before in use that it was received as an original invention. This society took a great interest in promoting its introduction, and with some difficulty and great expense effected it.* This kind of gun has been used by the English and Scotch whale- men in the Greenland fishery and elsewhere. American whalemen have also used the English gun, but principally in “devil fishing” and ‘“humpbacking,” in the bays and lagoons of California, ‘“humpbacking” on the southern coast of Africa, “bowheading” in the Ochotsk sea, and in other localities where the fishery is prosecuted on soundings. Capt. John Heppingstone, of South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, tells me that *Arctic Regions, vol. ii. [11] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. the first guns made by Capt. Robert Brown, of New London, Connec- ticut, were made of iron and mounted on swivels. This is the first swivel-gun, of which I have any information, manufacturd in America, with the exception of the present Mason gun. H. W. Mason and Patrick Cunningham, of New Bedford, Massachu- setts, have recently constructed a breech-loading swivel-gun, cartridge inserted in the breech, and the harpoon bomb (56376) in the muzzle, which is to be mounted in such a manner that the effects of the recoil of the gun upon the boat will be neutralized by rubber cushion-springs, for which letters-patent were issued December 12, 1882 [No. 269080, U.S. Patent Office]. Owing to the recent date of this invention, very little can be said of it, except that one of these guns has been used very successfully in the Arctic regions, and that others are being manufact- ured for the same fishery. The early Dutch whalemen also used a gun with a flint lock and bell- shaped muzzle, a kind of blunderbuss, which was mounted on a swivel, notwithstanding it was provided with a wooden stock similar to that of the shoulder-gun. The first English guns were also provided with flint locks. THE RockET-GuN.—The rocket-gun is of recent invention; it is sup- ported by an iron standard, and fired while resting on, and not against, the shoulder of the gunner. It throws a large rocket and explosive lance weighing eighteen or twenty pounds, which acts in the capacity of a harpoon and bomb, and is used mainly in coast whaling or on sound- ings. The rocket-gun was patented January 22, 1861, by Thomas W. Roys, of Southampton, New York, from which the California whaling-rocket isan outgrowth. Mr. C. D. Voy, of California, tells me that it was used, as far as the apparatus was concerned, very successfully on the steamer “ Daisy Whitelaw,” and also on the “ Rocket” off the California Heads; but owing to the scarcity of whales (finbacks) in that locality, the en- terprise was a failure. Mr. Wilson, of Sitka, Alaska, tells me that it is also used successfully, from the deck of a small steamer, by the Northwest Whaling Company in the capture of finbacks and hump- backs on the southern coast of Alaska. GuNn-HARPoons.—The harpoons intended to be projected from guns, technically known as “ gun-irons,” may be used in connection with the shoulder-guns or with the swivel-guns. The shoulder-gun irons are sel- dom used, as the weight of the whale-line has a tendency to deflect the instrument from a true course of flight. The swivel-gun irons are em- ployed on soundings, the heavy charge of the gun at short range over- coming the difficulty just mentioned. Harpoons of this class may be made with double shanks joined at either end with adjustable loops composed of several wires so deftly intertwined as to conceal the ends, or of rope into which one end of the iron strap (rope) is made fast; they may be made with single shanks FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [12] and sliding iron collars with rigid eyes, into which the iron straps are made fast, which, as is the case with the loops when the irons are placed in the barrel of the guns, remain on the outside; or they may be made with fluted shanks and the iron strap folded in the grooves and placed in the barrel with the instrument, the ends of the straps, to which the whale line is made fast, hanging from the muzzle. From the following account of this kind of instrument contained in Falconer’s Marine Dictionary (1830) it appears that the English at that date used a chain strap instead of rope for making fast the whale line. “Gun harpoon (harpoon qui se darde dans un mousqueton, Fr.), a weapon used for the same purpose as above [the Harpoon, Harping-iron, Har- pon, @ pécher les baleines], but is fired out of a gun instead of being thrown by hand. It is made of steel and has a chain attached to it, to which the line is fastened.” The shoulder-gun irons are lighter and usually shorter than those intended for the swivel gun, and are almost always made with a mova- ble barb or toggle; those intended for the swivel gun, though the “‘tog- gle” is the prevailing style, are sometimes manufactured with fixed double-barbed heads. WHALEMAN’S LANCES. The lances used in the whale fishery may be divided into two classes: (1) the non-explosive and (2) the explosive. Of the first class there are several types, including those which may be used as hand instruments or as projectiles from guns; and of the second class many styles have been introduced which were designed to be used exclusively with guns. For convenience’ sake, and in order that a more intelligent classification may be made, and a less compli- cated system adopted, the whale lances will be provisionally grouped as foilows: (1) The non-explosive hand-lance, (2) the explosive hand- lance, (3) the non-explosive gun-lance, and (4) the explosive gun-lance or bomb. HAND-LANCES. THE NON-EXPLOSIVE HAND-LANCE.—The hand-lance with non-ex- plosive head was the primitive instrument adopted by civilized races for killing whales after they had been fastened to with the harpoon and line. The shanks of these instruments are manufactured from the best Swedish iron, and, including the heads, vary in length from five and a half to six feet. The heads, cast-steel, are about three inches long and two inches wide, spoon-shaped, convex on both sides, and in some in- stances have grooves or longitudinal furrows which were probably de- signed, after the manner of some of the Indian arrows, to permit the egress of blood in order that it might flow freely from the wound and weaken the victim. The heads of the hand-lances have four cutting edges, and are, of course, barbless, as it is intended that the instrument [13] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. should cut its way both in and out of the flesh. This instrument, which has been superseded by the bomb-lance, was always manipulated by the officer of the boat. The bow oarsman, by means of the main warp as well as by main strength, hauled the boat alongside the running whale, and the officer thrust the lance into the region of the heart and lungs, called the “life,” of the cetacean, and by up and down motions, known as “churning,” inflicted the mortal wound. Notwithstanding that the explosive lance has practically done away with the use of the hand-lance, three of these instruments are at pres- ent always included in the outfit of a whale-boat, to be used in cases of emergency. In this class should be mentioned the “ fluke-lance” (56358), an ille- gitimate offspring of the thick boat-spade and the hand-lance, which was devised to take the place of the former during the dangerous pro- cess of “spading flukes,” for stopping a running whale, in order that the boat may be hauled alongside the animal and an opportunity afforded for killing it with the hand-lance. I have been able to obtain only one example of the fluke-spade, which owes its origin to the fancy of a whaleman, and is regarded as a monstrosity by all the fraternity. The seal lances, which may also be employed in killing the sea-elephant and walrus, but never used in whaling, on account of the short shanks, should also be grouped under this head. Such instruments have heads of varying sizes, and the ordinary shanks which terminate at the rear in sockets for the poles. They are thrust by hand, and are employed at present. Friderich Martens, in his account of a whaling voyage to Spitzbergen, in 1671, describes as follows the method adopted by the early Dutch whalemen for the capture of the sea-horse, or sea-morse: “When great multitudes of them lie upon a sheet of ice, and they do awake and fling themselves into the sea, you must keep off your boat at a distance from the ice until the greater part of them are got off; for else they would jump into the boat to you and overset it, whereof many instances have been; then the harpoonier runs after them on the ice, or he darts his harpoon out of the boat at the sea-horse, who runs on a little until he is tired; then the men draw on the rope or line again and fetch him to the boat, where he begins to resist to the utmost, biting and jumping out of the water, and the harpoonier runs his launce into him until he is killed.’”* THE HAND-LANCE WITH EXPLOSIVE HEAD.—The hand-lance with a non-explosive head remained for nearly two centuries the solitary type of this kind of whaling apparatus, technically known to the whalemen as “craft.” On March 26,1878, Daniel Kelleher, of New Bedford, Massa- chusetts, received letters-patent for an instrument, to be used as a hand- lance, which, being operated by a mechanical device coming in contact ‘with the blackskin of the whale, should automatically explode the mag- * Hakluyt Society, vol. 18, p. 89. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [14] azine and imbed the fragments in the most vulnerable parts of the in- ternal structure of the animal. BomsB-HARPOONS.—The bomb-harpoons, or harpoons with explosive heads, also known as “ harpoon-guns,” of which there are two examples in this series (42762 and 56370), have detachable lance-like heads, which are chambered to receive the charge of powder, and the ordinary harpoon shank and socket. When used they are attached to poles, and thrust by hand, serving the double purpose of “ fastening on to” and killing or seriously wounding the whale. Although these instruments are undoubtedly very effective, they are not regarded with much favor by the whalemen, who aver that they ‘ are afraid of them.” One of the Provincetown schooners, when on a whaling voyage, “ doubled the cape” with a box of bomb-harpoons stowed in her run; but the box was never unpacked—as the captain was unwilling to run the risk of lowering his boats with its contents—until some time after the return of the vessel to her home port, when I found the box in an old loft, and sent one of the instruments (56,370) to the National Museum. Upon its arrival the head was ‘ soaked” in kerosene and the powder removed. Owing to the prejudices of whalemen, these instruments have never been fairly tested, and few of the whalemen know anything of them by practical experience. GUN-LANCES. The lances, which are discharged from the different kinds of guns, and used with better effect and at a safer distance from the whales than were the hand-lances, are explosive and non-explosive ; the former are by far the most effective, and are universally used in preference to the latter, which, although they were the results of American genius ex- erted in revolutionizing the system of whaling, are seldom met with in the American fishery, though worthy of mention in this class. THE NON-EXPLOSIVE GUN-LANCE.—Subsequent to the introduction of the whaling-gun, various efforts were made to perfect a projectile for killing whales. The result was the non-explosive lance and the bomb- lance. The former has never been successfully employed. Among the most prominent of this type is the one made by Captain Josiah Ghenn, of Provincetown, Massachusetts, which was used principally for “ waif- ing” dead whales; the one made and patented by Robert Brown, of New London, Connecticut, and several other patents of which very little is known. This kind of instrument has been supplanted by the bomb- lance. EXPLOSIVE GUN-LANCES.—Of the explosive gun-lances there are prop- erly four types: (1) The primitive bomb-lance for killing whales, and its modified successors, of which latter there are many kinds and which shall be designated here as bomb-lances to distinguish them from the fol- lowing; (2) the rocket-bomb, which was invented expressly for the [15] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. rocket-gun, and pre-eminently the most deadly missile that has ever been constructed for the capture of the whale; (3) the darting-bomb; and (4) the bomb-lance harpoon. The Bomb-Lance.—The first bomb-lance iiieiestnedi in the United States for killing whales was invented by Oliver Allen, of Norwich, Connect- icut, and is recorded in the United States Patent Office (No. 4764), under date of September 19, 1846. This instrument, unlike those which have been subsequently devised, was constructed without guiding- wings, and with an unnecessarily long tubular shank or shaft, in which was inclosed the fuse that penetrated the magazine near the anterior end of the instrument. Mr.C.C. Brand, of Norwich, Connecticut, made improvements in the Allen lance, and was, in his day, the most successful and energetic agent in developing and introducing this new mode of capturing the whale. At the death of Mr. Brand, his son, Mr. Junius A. Brand, to whom the genius of the father was transmitted, perfected the Brand lances, which are now used by all classes of whalemen. In _ the mean time numerous devices were constructed and patented, many of which live only in name. The evolution of this kind of lance has resulted in the “ Brand,” the “ Pierce,” and the “Cunningham & Cogan” lances, which, standing upon their special merits, are the standard lances of the age, and are to be met with in all parts of the globe where the whale fishery is prosecuted. Although the systems of manufacturing the present lances are for the most part based upon patents recently issued, yet the inventions date back, respectively, as follows: C. C. Brand, June 22, 1852; Eben Pierce, June 1, 1869; Cunningham & Cogan, December 28, 1875, and Junius A. Brand, November 25, 1879. The term ‘new model? em- ployed in the individual references to the Brand lances, is applied to those constructed at present under the patents of Junius A. Brand to distinguish them from the “old models” formerly made under the C. C. Brand system. The magazines, or shells, of the Brand lances are cast iron, annealed, cast with heads or points which have three cutting edges, and resemble in appearance an ‘‘engraver’s scraper.” This lance is exploded by a time-fuse ignited by the detonation of a primer, to which fire is com- municated by a firing-pin; the latter being operated upon by the dis- charge of the gun. The wings are of vulcanized rubber. The shell or chamber of the Pierce lance is composed of seamless brass-tubing; the instrument has metal wings; the internal operative mechanism for exploding the lance is placed in or near the anterior end, and the explosion is caused by the concussion of the discharge of the gun, which ignites a time-fuse by means of a percussion cap. The Cunningham & Cogan lance is composed of iron piping, to which is affixed (screwed) a malleable cast-iron point with three cutting edges. The instrument has rubber wings, and is exploded by a time- FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [16] fuse ignited by a central-fire cartridge rigidly fixed to the lance and forming a part of it. The above patents differ in their internal construction and arrange- ment; and, with the exception of the Brand No. 4, which is especially designed for Greener’s swivel-gun, they may be used in connection with the shoulder-guns. The Allen lance prevented the egress of water by the issue of flame in its rear caused by the burning of the fuse; the present lances are rendered impervious to water, either by tight screw-joints or by being hermetically sealed. Pierce’s and Cunningham’s lances weigh, each, one and a quarter pounds, and the Brand No. 2 (new model, for example) two pounds. These weights do not include the amount of powder required for the charges. The Rocket-Bomb.—The bomb which was designed especially for the Roys’ gun, is propelled by a rocket affixed to its rear, and is the sole representative of its kind, so far as the American fishery is con- cerned. Further reference will be subsequently made to this projectile. The Darting-Bomb.—The darting-bombs are short, wingless lances, made for the darting-guns, patented and manufactured by Captain Eben Pierce, Patrick Cunningham, and Mr. Junius A. Brand, respectively, and known as the ‘ Pierce darting-bomb,” “Brand darting-bomb,” and the “Cunningham darting-bomb.” Bomb-Lance Harpoon.—Projectiles discharged from guns consisting of a bomb and harpoon combined have met with little success. Such instruments are,intended to fasten to a whale and at the same time kill or disable it. Owing to the weight of a combination of this nature, which is unavoidable in its peculiar construction, it cannot be used in connection with shoulder-guns, as it would be impossible for man to withstand the shock of the recoil. In addition to this, the weight or “drag” of the whale-line, which must of necessity be at- tached, deflects the projectile from its true course, and it consequently fails to strike the whale. A harpoon of this nature, however, has re- cently been introduced which bids fair to overcome the obstacles just mentioned. This instrument is intended to be fired from an improved swivel-gun, and was designed by H. W. Mason and Patrick Cunning- ham, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is mentioned in the specifi- cation forming part of letters-patent (269080, United States Patent Office) dated December 12, 1882. An example of this projectile (United States National Museum, No. 56366) is included in this exhibit, and the success of the contrivance will, undoubtedly, in a short time be made known through its introduction into the fishery of the Arctic regions. 4._IMPLEMENTS USED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE VESSEL. The various implements employed in cutting-in the whale, and in mine- ing and boiling the blubber, are grouped upon and about a pyramidal [17] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. frame-work of wood, from the center of which the immense blubber tackle lashed to mast-head shackles is suspended. The necessary chains and toggles for fuking the whale and for hoisting in the blubber, head, case, etc., are placed about the front. A forward cutting stage is suspended at the right, upon which a lay figure, life size, of the second mate stands with a wide cutting-spade in its hands in the act of scarfing the blubber. A semicircular rack in the rear contains full-sized cutting-spades of all kinds, including the heavy head-spades and the throat-spade. The case- bucket, boarding-knives, hand and machine knives for mincing blubber are displayed at the ends. The blubber-gaffs, pikes, and forks are arranged in a small rack in front, upon the left. These, together with the bailers and scrap-dippers which are in the rear, where length of space may be obtained, constitute a fair representation of the imple- ments employed when boiling-out. About the top of this immense struct- ure of whaling apparatus, which is strongly suggestive of the odor pecu- liar to a whaling vessel, the boat-waifs for locating dead whales are placed in prominent positions. Slabs of whalebone cross each other nearthetop. The superstructure consists of a main royal pole to which lookout bows are shackled. An American ensign, saturated in oil, car- ried by the schooner “‘ Abbie Bradford ” twelve years in the Hudson Bay whale-fishery, floats from the pole, and at the lookout a petty officer stands with a marine glass at his eye, sweeping the horizon for whales. This display contains sixty-eight objects. CHAINS. The chains used when working about a dead whale are the “ fluke- chain,” the “fin-chain,” and the “ head-chain.” These large heavy chains are employed in the order stated: (1) for fastening the whale to the ship; (2) for raising the first “‘ piece” of blubber with either the lar- board or starboard fin, according to the side on which the whale is lying, and (3) for hoisting in the head. These chains have large triangular loose links at one end, fitting the broad thread of the blubber-hook, to prevent the strain from bursting the links, or, as they are commonly called, the “rings,” although they have the form of an isosceles tri- angle. THE FLUKE-CHAIN.—A large rope, known as the fluke-rope, was for- merly used for fluking awhale, and is used now, toa limited extent; but, on the majority of the whaling vessels the chain is preferred. The pro- cess of fluking a whale, especially in rugged weather, or at night, is often accompanied by vexatious annoyances and delays. One end of the chain, with the large link, is passed around the small of the whale by means of a large buoy and rope, or by an instrument recently intro- duced, known as the “fluker” (55817); the other end, with the smaller link, is rove through the large link, which is slacked to the whale; the * free end is taken inboard, and when the chain has been hauled taut, FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [18] it is made fast to a bitt in the deck. The chain may be veered out or hauled taut as the circumstances attendant upon the cutting may re- quire. THE Frn-CHAIn.—The fin-chain and fluke-chain are similar in appear- ance, but differ in length and weight, and in the fact that the fin-chain has a large link near the middle which is used, as it is termed, for “ short- ening up,” in order that a “longer heave” may be obtained before ‘coming two blocks.” The fin-chain may be made without the middle loose link or ring; but those with such a ring are to be preferred. The whale having been jfluked, the process of cutting is initiated by passing the end of the chain with the small ring around the fin, by means of a rope which is made fast to the ring. The rope and chain are then rove through the large ring, which is slacked to the fin. The blubber-hook is attached either tothe middle ring or end ring; the officer cuts through the blubber around the fin, and across the whale abaft the head. The men heave away on the windlass, and both blubber and fin are hoisted “two blocks.” THE HEAD-CHAIN.—The head-chain, or “head-strap,” as it is more frequently called, is an endless chain, with smaller links than those of the two preceding chains. It is used in right-whaling and bowhead- ing for hoisting in the “head” (upper portion of the head) and baleen; in sperm-whaling, for hoisting in the ‘‘ head,” which is, in this instance, that portion consisting of the “‘case” and the “junk.” If the whale is small, the entire “head” (junk and case) may be hoisted in; if large, these parts aretaken separately. Hence, wehave the apparently conflict- ing terms which are indiscriminately applied to this chain, namely, the ‘‘head-strap,” the ‘“case-strap,” and the “ junk-strap,” as well as “head chain.” WHALEMAN’S SPADES. Instruments of this character denominated “spades” by whalemen have nothing in common with the agricultural implement of the same name. In making a comparison, they may be said to resemble more nearly the common chisels used by carpenters, both in appearance, so far as the heads or blades are concerned, and in the manner in which they are used. These implements preserve their identity with remark- able accuracy. The narrow spade for “ scarfing” has the same char- acteristics on all whaling vessels, and the same may be said of the other spades. Of this class, used at the present time by all whaling vessels, there are (1) the “cutting-in spades,” which include the “head-spade,” the “throat-spade,” and properly the “deck-spade;” (2) the ‘ blubber- room spade;” (3) the ‘“pot-spade,” and (4) the “boat-spade,” which, though mentioned last, was at one time an instrument of the greatest importance in capturing a whale. The heads of these spades are made at some of the whaling ports— ~ [19] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. principally at New Bedford—by blacksmiths who are engaged almost wholly in the manufacture of such “craft,” including harpoons, hand- lances, etc. The best cast steel is used for the heads, and wrought iron for the sockets and shanks. About thirty cutting-spades without poles are included in the outfit of a whaling vessel. The poles, which are made of spruce, from fifteen to twenty feet long, are “rigged” at sea. CUTTING-IN SPADES.—The cuttin g-in spades include the narrow spade for “scarfing,” which is a term for cutting the blubber into spiral strips as it is unwound, or peeled, from the body of the whale; the wide cut- ting-spade for “leaning,” severing the small pieces of flesh and muscles which adhere to the blubber; the head-spade for cutting the bone in decapitating a whale; the “sliver-spade” for detaching the pieces of flesh and blubber which connect the head and body when cutting off the head; the ‘‘throat-spade” for making a passage through the blub- ber of the head for the head-strap, and for taking out the baleen which remains in the throats of the right-whales; and the ‘‘deck-spade” for reducing to small sections the large blanket-pieces which may possibly, during the process of boarding, have to be temporarily placed on deck, before they can be lowered down the main hatch. The above spades are used by the officers, sometimes the captain, but usually the mate and the second mate, who stand upon stages slung over the side of the vessel. THE BLUBBER-RoomM SPADE.—The blubber-room spade, with a wide blade and short handle, is used between decks for the reduction of the large blanket-pieces to smaller sections, known as “ horse-pieces,” which are pitched upon deck, minced, and thrown into the try-works. THE Pot-SpapE.—The pot-spade is similar to the deck-spade, with the exception of the handle, which must, of necessity, be longer, as this instrument is used about the seething cauldrons of oil, for spading the pots to prevent the scrap from burning on the sides and bottoms and discoloring the oil. THE BoAT-SPADE.—The boat-spade is a small, thick-set, gigantic chisel, with chamfered edges and sides, and always included in the out- fit of a whale-boat, though seldom used by modern whalemen. It was mainly relied upon by the early whale-fishermen for ‘‘stopping a run- ning whale,” a process commonly known as “spading flukes.” For this purpose the boat was propelled to the junction of the caudal-fin and the body—the ‘‘small” of the whale—and the animal disabled by discon- necting the cords, or by spading a large vein which underlies the ‘‘small”; a feat which required considerable skill and bravery, and was the most dangerous in the fishery. The introduction of the bomb-lances, however, has done away with this performance, and the whales are “stopped” as effectually at a greater distance. This spade is always carried in the boat, and used for making holes in the lips of the whale for reeving the tow-rope. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [20] ROPES USED BY WHALEMEN. It is not intended that the ropes exhibited in this series should include the cordage employed in the rigging of a vessel, but simply those which are used in ‘ working about a whale,” dead or alive, such as the whale- line and lance-warps used during the capture; the fluke-rope, cutting- falls, and guys, used while stripping off amd hoisting in the blubber; and bone-yarn, for tying up bundles of baleen. Whale-lines are manufactured from the best grades of Manila, loose laid, pliable, capable of bearing immense strains, and free from tar. The raw material is sprinkled with right-whale oil, during the process of dressing, to prevent the lines from rotting when exposed to salt water. WHALEMAN’S HOOKS. Hooks employed in the whale-fishery may be used for handling lines, chains, and blubber. The line-hook may be used from the vessel for catching stray lines or any object afloat, but chiefly when the boat comes alongside the vessel with a dead whale, for hauling on board one end of the tow-rope, in order that the whale may be ‘ fluked.” The large boat-hook is used from the stage, when “ cutting-in,” for detaching pieces of whale-line fastened to the harpoons which have been thrown into the whale during the capture, &c. The common boat-hook is used in the whale-boat, as is any other hook of this character. The large ring boat-hook belongs to the “ cutting-gear” of the ves- sel, and is used from the stage, when cutting-in, for pressing upon the back of the blubber-hook and directing the point into the hole made in the blubber; for adjusting the fin-chain, and for hauling large pieces of blubber about deck. The blubber-hook proper is the large hook, weighing from seventy- five to one hundred and fifty pounds, attached to the blubber-tackle and used in hoisting in the blubber. The fin-chain hook and the small blubber-hook, or lip-hook, will be fully discussed in the subsequent individual references. BLUBBER-TOGGLES. The “ throat-chain toggle,” formerly used for taking in the throat, is essentially a toggle, notwithstanding the hermaphroditic sense in which the term is used. It consists of an iron toggle about eighteen inches or two feet long, and with a diameter of about three inches, with an iron strap welded around its center, forming a rigid eye, into which the “tail” or chain is made fast, and a stiff eye at one end which is used for binding or thrap-lashing the apparatus when toggled in the blubber. The free end of the chain has the regulation triangular link. [21] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. The common blubber-toggle is made of hard wood, and is about two feet long and six or eight inches in diameter. The wooden toggles have been used for many years for boarding the blubber, and are still pre- ferred, since such an implement cannot be broken as readily as an iron toggle, especially when affected by the action of the frost. This kind of toggle, or “‘ blubber-fid,” is used in connection with the cutting-tackle, when the lower block is strapped with rope, and is, in appearance, un- gainly and insignificant, but withal an important agent in the whale- fishery. A hole having been cut or mortised in the blubber near the fin, the eye of the block-strap (the purchase-strop of the English—Ad- miral Smyth) is pushed through and toggled with the fid, and the blub- ber hoisted in, the toggle being alternately shifted as the sections of blubber are cut from the main-piece, and lowered down the main-hatch. WHALEMAN’S KNIVES. It is the intention to discuss here only the knives used in connection with the blubber, which, comprehensively, may be termed blubber-knives. Of these the “ boarding-knife,” the “ leaning-knife,” and the “‘ mincing- knife” are the most prominent, and are used in the order named when manipulating the blubber. Next in importance are the sheath-knives worn by the foremast hands at all times, and by the officers when down Jor whales, and the boat-knives. The former are so well known as not to require special mention here; the latter are always carried in the boats to be used in cutting the whale-line provided it ‘ nulls” when fast to a whale, and for other purposes. THE BOARDING-KNIFE.—Whalemen, as well as blacksmiths ashore who manufacture whale “craft,” pick up and preserve all kinds of knives, especially those with long blades, that may be utilized either ashore or afloat in making boarding-knives. The cavalry saber and the navy cutlass are especially well adapted for the blades of this kind of knife, and are frequently used for the purpose. The whalemen visiting foreign ports also obtain by ‘“ trade,” or otherwise, various kinds of knives, some of which are comparatively little known in this country. Some of them are brought home as curiosities, but others as material for the blades of boarding-knives, or for the construction of other in- struments. They are, however, rarely seen in the interior, as they may be “‘ shipped” on another voyage either in the fore-hold or in the run of the vessel, or as blades of boarding-knives; they may be consigned to the lofts where all kinds of cutting-gear are stowed, and remain for ages, or they may be lost in the mighty current which sweeps through the junk-shops, carrying with it thousands of tons of worthless material, as well as some valuable and interesting specimens which should be preserved. The ‘macheta” knife, so well known in tropical South America, which the natives use with such remarkable dexterity both in felling trees and in carving one another, frequently finds its way to the whaling-ports of this country. This kind of knife, an example of FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [22] which is included in this series, is known to the Provincetown whale- men as the “ cane-knife,” and is used, I am told, by natives of the West Indies for cutting sugar-cane; butit is not so well adapted for the man- ufacture of boarding-knives as are the saber and cutlass, and is simply mentioned as a specimen of the knives sometimes found on whaling- vessels. The boarding-knife is used by one of the officers of the vessel, usually the third mate, during the process of “boarding” the blubber, for cutting the holes, by making longitudinal thrusts through the immense blanket-piece, into which the blubber-tackle is made fast. This having been accomplished, the blanket-piece 1s unwound from the whale until its upper end or “head” is hoisted to the main-top, or ‘two blocks.” The officer with his formidable-looking boarding-knife cuts off, near the planksheer, a section of the blubber, about 14 feet long, 6 feet wide, and as thick as nature has made it. This section is lowered into the blubber-room, where it is stowed away, and subsequently ‘‘ leaned.” LEANING-KNIFE.—The leaning-knife resembles the ordinary butchers’ knife of medium size, or the common kitchen knife, and is used in the blubber-room for “leaning blubber,” that is, detaching small pieces of flesh or muscles which cling to the fat when cut from the whale, and which otherwise would blacken the oil when boiled-out. MiIncING-KNIVES.—The mincing-knives may be used, as it is termed, ‘by hand,” or in connection with a machine designed expressly for minc- ing or slicing the blubber. Although these knives are used for the same purpose, yet they differ in form, and will be treated separately. Hand Mincing-Knife.—Mincing by hand was the first method adopted and is largely in use at the present time, notwithstanding labor-saving machines have been constructed for the purpose. Hand mincing is extremely laborious, but some of the whalemen prefer this way of pre- paring the blubber for the try-pots, claiming that the horse-pieces are minced more uniformly, and that the oil, in consequence, is more freely boiled out. The horse-pieces are laid upon a rudely constructed bench called the “ mincing-horse,” and cut into slices varying from one- fourth to three-fourths of aninch thick. These slices are called “ bibles” or “books”; they are not detached at the base of the piece, but are held together as are the leaves of a book, and resemble an enormous piece of fat pork. In this condition they are pitched into the try-pot. The Mincing-Machine Knives.—This sort of knife, without handles, is rigidly fastened to a frame on the machine, and is automatically manipulated by the revolutions of a crank. The shapes of such knives vary, depending upon the kind of machine for which they are especially designed. The work of mincing is more rapidly accomplished with the machine than with the hand-knife. It is not always practicable to use the machine, owing to the yielding nature of the blubber of some spe- cies of whales, and therefore the hand-mincing knives are always ¢car- ried, though the machine is included in the outfit. [23] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 5.—GLASS CASES CONTAINING CURIOSITIES AND SCRIMSHAW WORK, PAPERS AND LOGS, WHALE-LINE, AND ACCESSORIES. These cases contain the “pans” (posterior portions of the jaw-bone of the sperm-whale, Physeter macrocephalus), the teeth of the same species, and tusks of walrus, engraved and carved in an artistic manner by the whalemen, as well as sundry articles manufactured from ivory and bone. Other cases are devoted to a class of objects known as “curios,” brought home by whalemen from different parts of the world, including implements made and used by Eskimos of Hudson Bay, from the islands of the South Pacific, and elsewhere. This series also in- cludes lines and ropes manufactured by the New Bedford Cordage Com- pany, journals of voyages, copies of papers carried by the bark “ Gos- nold,” of New Bedford, and other objects of minor importance. 6.— PHOTOGRAPHS. A series of photographs has been made at New Bedford of whaling- vessels, docks, buildings, and whalemen. The American whaleman is represented by a group composed of both active and retired whaling- masters.* Other groups illustrative of the foreign element employed in this fishery, consist of Kanakas, Portuguese of Cape Verde, negroes from an island on the coast of Africa, and from Virginia (the latter an immense man over six feet three inches tall), Chilmark Indians from Gay Head, Massachusetts, West Indiamen, and a group of Hudson Bay whalemen attired in their fur clothing. There are also photographs of the residences of retired whaling captains, including the houses of Cap- tain H. W. Seabury, of New Bedford, and Captain James V.Cox, of Fair- haven, and photographs of the Mariners’ Home, a charitable institution where unfortunate whalemen are entertained temporarily, and the Sea- men’s Bethel, a place of worship erected especially for whalemen. These photographs have been enlarged by electric light, and mounted on frames thirty by forty inches. THE SPECIES OF WHALES FROM A COMMERCIAL STANDPOINT. In the ninth century, when Ohthere made his famous voyage in the Northern seas—the first record we have of killing the whale—it is be- lieved that his captures consisted of the smaller species of cetaceans, probably of the family Delphinide, though we have no positive knowl- edge of the fact. Markham? states that the Basque fishermen captured a baleen whale *Group of whaling-masters of New Bedford, photographed September 14, 1882. Isaiah West, ship ‘‘Florida;” H. W. Seabury, ship ‘‘Coral;” L. Braley, schooner “William Wilson;” M. W. Taber, ship ‘‘ Trident;” J. H. Cornell, ship “Janus;” Amos C. Baker, bark ‘A. R. Tucker;” James V. Cox, bark ‘‘Draco;” and James A. Crowell, bark ‘‘ Arnolda.” +Clements R. Markham, C.B.,F.R.S., paper read at the Zoological Society De cember 13. Published in Nature. Littell’s Living Age, No. 1972, April 18, 1882. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [24] (Balena biscayensis) which had frequented their coast from time imme- morial; but that this species had become nearly extinct in the seven- teenth century, and that the last capture made by the Basque fisher- men was on February 11, 1878, when a whale appeared off the coast between Guetaria and Zarauz. In the early part of the seventeenth century the English, Dutch, and several other contemporary European nations devoted their attention to the “ whale,” or Greenland whale, known to the scientific men of that age as Balena mysticetus, a species of great commercial value on account of its oil and baleen. These early whalemen also made occasional captures of the sea-horse, or morse (the common walrus, Rosmarus obesus (Illig.), Gill, and rarely of the Beluga. Nantucket, at one time the leadin g whaling port of the world, paid exclu- sive attention to the capture of thesperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), whose habitat is in the warmer seas; and shortly afterwards England sent vessels to engage in this fishery. ‘The sperm whale or nothing,” seems to have been the motto of Nantucket, as none of her vessels would lower their boats for the right whale until it was too late to rectify her error. New Bedford also inaugurated her fishery on the same plan of operation, but since the decrease in value of sperm oil her vessels have willingly captured the two species of the right whale (Eubalena cullamach (Chamisso) Cope, of the Pacific, and Hubalena cisarctica, Cope, of the Atlantic), and the bowhead whale (Balena mys- ticetus, Linn.), as well as humpbacks and gray whales, of which fur- ther mention will be made. The sulphur-bottom whales (Sibbaldius sul- JSureus and 8. borealis) are seldom captured, owing to theirremarkableshy- ness and swiftness. The California gray whale (Rhachianectes glaucus), ranging from the Arctic seas to Lower California, is captured by vessels at sea, by whalemen who establish stations on the California coast, as well as by the the Indians of Cape Flattery. The humpback whales (Megaptera versabilis, Cope, and M. Osphyia, Cope), frequent all oceans and are also captured. One species of this family (Osphyia), oceasion- ally appears on the Cape Cod coast, following the herring inshore, and other small fish upon which it largely feeds. The finback whale of the Pacific (Balenoptera velifera, Cope), like the sulphur-bottom, is remark- able for its swiftness, and is therefore difficult of capture. The two At- lantic finbacks (Sibbaldius tectirostris Cope, and S. tuberosis, Cope), fre- quent the Cape Cod coast at certain seasons, and are captured by shore whalemen. As is well known, Physeter macrocephalus, aside from the oil found in its blubber, furnishes the spermaceti, which at one time yielded hand- some financial profits. But at present the demand for this product is limited, spermaceti having, been supplanted by cheaper and better sub- stitutes. This species also affords ivory and the valuable ambergris. The right whales, so called, are now the principal objects of pursuit. Besides their oil they yield the whalebone of commerce, which, not- withstanding the numerous substitutes that have been introduced into [25] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. the market, always meets with a ready sale at remunerative prices. Of the bone-bearing whales the most profitable are the B. mysticetus, EL. cul- lamach, and H. cisarctica. The former also yields a fine grade of oil, known commercially as ‘ bowhead oil” or “arctic oil.” The other spe- cies, consisting of the humpback and California grays, and finbacks, yield ‘‘ short bone,” which is not of so much commercial importance. The principal grades of bone are known in market as “arctic,” ‘north- west,” “South Sea,” humpback,” and “calf.” The smaller pieces, which are bundled separately, are known as “cullins.” According to the New Bedford Shipping List, February 6, 1883, the importation of bone from January 1 of the present year to February 5, inclusive, amounted to 138,200 pounds, against 18,700 pounds during the same length of time in 1882. Blackfish (Globiocephalus sp.) are also captured for their oi], and rarely the sperm-whale porpoise (Hyperoddon bidens) or the ‘*‘square- headed grampus” of the whalemen. The latter yields a fine grade of oil, but, owing to the difficulties attendant upon its capture, whalemen seldom encounter it. The former are taken at sea, and at times on the coast of Cape Cod. The white whale (Delphinapterus catodon (Linn.) Gill) is occasionally captured in the rivers flowing into Cumberland Inlet, by the New London and New Bedford whalemen. As to the present condition and statistics of the whale fishery, I sub- mit herewith the following paper, prepared. by Mr. A. Howard Clark, Assistant, United States National Museum. STATISTICS OF THE WHALE FISHERY. By A. HOWARD CLARK. The American whale fishery is now of small importance when com- pared with its greatly prosperous condition of thirty or forty years ago. There is still, however, a considerable number of vessels scattered over the whaling grounds in different parts of the world, and enough energy manifested in the pursuit of whales to make the business profitable in spite of the drawbacks with which it has to contend. ; Three-fourths of the fleet is owned at New Bedford, which is the head- quarters of the fishery. Other places, as Provincetown, Boston, and New London, in New England, and San Francisco on the Pacific coast, have an interest in the business and meet with fair success. The entire fleet in 1880 numbered 171 vessels, aggregating 38,637.88 tons, valued, with outfits, at $2,857,650. In this fleet there were 119 bark- rigged vessels, 7 ships, 9 brigs, and 46 schooners. Two of the barks were fitted with propellers. The largest vessel of the fleet was the steam- bark Belvidere, measuring 440.12 tons, and the smallest vessel employed in ocean whaling was the schooner Union, 66.22 tons. Most of the schooners and the smaller vessels of the other classes were employed in the Atlantic Ocean whaling, while the largest and best equipped vessels were in the Pacific and Arctie fleets. The men required for these vessels numbered 4,198, and were of many nationalities, from the native American to the natives of the Sandwich or South Pacific Islands. A large proportion of the whalemen were Azorean and Cape de Verde Portuguese. The distribution of the fleet in 1880 was as follows: Hud- son Bay, 5 vessels; North and South Atlantic grounds, 111 vessels; Bering Strait, 25 vessels; Pacific Ocean, 22 vessels; in port through- out the year, 8 vessels. The ownership of the vessels was divided be- tween the different ports as follows: Ports in Massachusetts: Boston, 6 vessels; Provincetown, 20; Marion, 2; New Bedford, 123; Dartmouth, 1; Westport 2,and Edgartown,7. In Connecticut there were 5 vessels, hailing from New London, and in San Francisco, California, 5 vessels. The interest of San Francisco in this fishery cannot, however, be meas- ured by the number of vessels owned there, for almost the entire Arctic fleet and vessels cruising in the North Pacific are accustomed to make San Francisco a fitting-port and the headquarters for the reshipment of oil and bone to the Atlantic coast. The value of the products of the whaling industry in 1880 was $2,636,322; the yield included 37,614 barrels of sperm oil and 34,626 bar- rels of whale oil, valued at $1,723,808; 458,400 pounds of whalebone, worth $907,049; and $5,465 worth of ambergris and walrus ivory. The [26] [27] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. ‘ Pacific Arctic Ocean grounds were the most productive, yielding oil and bone worth $1,249,990. From the Atlantic Ocean grounds oil and bone were taken worth $908,771. Most of the vessels owned at Provincetown were of the smaller class and employed exclusively in cruising in the Atlantic Ocean. The Hud- son Bay and Davis Strait grounds have always been favorite resorts for the New London fleet. New Bedford vessels are found in almost all seas, with the exception of the Indian Ocean, which has been aban- doned by American whalers. Besides the vessel fishery there is a boat or shore-whaling industry, which at times is quite profitable. The only points on the Atlantic coast where boat-whaling is carried on are at Provincetown, on Cape Cod, and, one or two points in North Carolina. Onthe coast of California there are several stations, manned mostly by Portuguese, and on the coasts of Washington Territory and Alaska whales are taken by the Indians and Eskimo. The principal species on the Atlantic coast is the finback whale, and on the Pacific coast the California gray whale. Neither of these whales yields bone of much value, and both furnish but a limited quantity of oil. Humpback, sulphur bottom, and right whales are ocea- sionally taken along the California and Alaskan coasts, but seldom on the Atlantic. The whale fishery of this country was in its zenith of prosperity about the middle of the present century, when the fleet numbered 736 vessels, aggregating 231,406 tons. From 1554 to the present time there has been an almost constant decrease in the size of the fleet. The chief cause of this decline has been the introduction of mineral and cotton- seed oils, at very low prices, which made a great reduction in the value of whale oils, and has rendered the cost of production equal to if not greater than the market value of those articles. The products of the whale fishery in 1854 were of greater value than for any year before or since, being $10,766,521, against $2,056,069 in 1879, which was the lowest value since 1828, when the fishery yielded $1,995,181. The largest quantity of sperm oil was in the year 1837, when the fleet landed 5,329,138 gallons, worth $6,650,000. The largest quantity of whale oil was in 1851, when there were landed 10,347,214 gallons, worth $4,656,000. In 1853 the amount of whalebone taken was 5,652,300 pounds, worth $1,917,000; the largest amount in any year of the history of the busi- ness. The value of bone has, however, greatly increased since that period, and is now more than of $2 per pound. The relative importance of the various whaling grounds during the past years, from 1870 to 1880, is shown by the following facts. Of the sperm-oil landed during that period, 55 per cent. was taken in the North and South Atlantic Oceans, 33 per cent. in the Pacific, and 12 per cent. in the Indian Ocean. Of whale-oil, 58 per cent. came from the North Pacific and the Pacific fleets, 24 per cent. from the North and South Atlantic fleets, 10 per cent. from the South Pacific, 5 per cent. from the FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [28] Indian Ocean, and 3 per cent. from Hudson Bay, Cumberland Inlet, and Davis Strait. Of the whalebone secured in the same decade, 88 per cent. was from north of the fiftieth parallel in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans, and 5 per cent. from Hudson Bay and Cumberland Inlet, and the balance from the Atlantic, Indian, and other oceans. The number of voyages undertaken by the fleet for 1870 to 1880 was $10, which includes Arctic whalers annually refitting at San Fran- cisco and other ports. Of these voyages 382 were to the North and South Atlantic, 254 to the Pacific, Arctic, and adjacent grounds, 98 to the South Pacific, 45 to the Indian Ocean, and 36 to the Atlantie Arctic grounds, Hudson Bay, Davis Strait, and Cumberland Inlet. a . “| Year. Ships and Brigs. | Schooners. Total vee bares PAL 22 77 316 72,173 214 18 48 280 67, 909 170 12 28 210 51, 252 151 12 28 191 46, 230 129 i 25 161 39, 788 118 8 26 152 36, 230 121 i 30 158 37, 182 120 8 34 162 36, 476 128 11 39 178 39, 976 123 12 42 177 39, 391 126 9 46 | 181 38, 637 | Table showing the value of sperm-oil, whale-oil, and whalebone landed by the American fleet, the value of the consumption in the United States, and the value of the exportation annually from 1870 to 1880. Consumption Year. mares the inthe United | Exportation. : States. $4, 529, 126 2, 896, 883 $1, 476, 864 3, 691, 469 2, 798, 408 1, 479, 153 2, 954, 783 2, 081, 468 1, 374, 098 2, 962, 106 1, 947, 037 929, 247 2, 713, 034 2, 154, 638 1, 179, 286 3, 314, 800 1, 700, 823 1, 494, 727 2, 639, 463 1, 346, 828 1, 487, 533 2, 309, 569 1, 113, 681 924, 175 2, 232, 029 849, 043 1, 357, 162 2, 056, 069 1, 345, 582 582, 994 2, 659, 725 | 1, 165, 944 795, 657 * From half a million to a million dollars’ worth of products are carried over from year to year. [29] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Table showing the number of barrels of sperm and whale oil and pounds of whalebone landed by the American fleet, the quantities consumed in the United States, and the quantities exported annually from 1870 to 1880. SPERM-OIL. Year. Amountlanded.| Consumption. | Exportation. Barrels. Barrels. Barrels. if ECM ASE od lee la le Be OL 55, 183 28, 812 29,733 TST ane cte SUB BOe pe Cee oe ee RE OE ec enter 41, 534 33, 528 22, 156 POG en eee ene memctbaccalsancs cc eceewa ates encucccae 45, 201 24, 052 24, 344 (Eee ee Son am ale els orsia onc fein aie miele aieln aiclewimieja a a's 42, 053 24, 190 16, 238 RUE RIN ar aiovetn lola winretel clelnjarelslaiaie alsicatale eo simwieln miptja ota 32, 203 21, 768 18, 675 LEA ete ete te alaia s Stata o/a mia iaie etcin/niare Sisieisicielelee cele mips 42,617 18, 453 22, 802 PEST eteeteio es cystaraice ia s/alcinie Gc ciciaiatsinje Sela aeln craleteeinnioelone xine 39, 811 14, 473 23, 600 SGM eae oe eee oe nine Jose este Sate oadsducsetececos- be 41,119 31, 737 18, 047 LOTS) Ko SASS PRR ea Aen lan I SR ge 43, 508 11, 124 32, 769 ES ged earn ialoe lac eieintecicincaicwisiais midis. cise eine aielveeewiclniacsmce 41, 308 238, 315 11, 843 PSE ee ne tee eras ctsice ais (ois aainialw slate cblnncin crsia sisiniaewisines 37, 614 13, 750 12, 283 WHALE-OIL. 72, 691 68, 452 9, 872 75, 152 63, 011 18, 141 31, 075 42, 852 1, 528 40, 014 33, 881 2, 153 37, 782 44, 357 3, 300 34, 594 31, 860 5, 424 33, 010 22, 620 10, 300 27, 191 20, 501 6, 390 33, 778 12, 557 14, 371 23, 334 24, 885 7, 874 34, 776 238, 856 4, 395 WHALEBONE. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. 708, 365 255, 347 347, 918 600, 655 319, 856 387, 199 193, 793 74,141 177, 932 206, 396 155, 351 120, 545 345, 560 208, 807 165, 553 372, 303 148, 067 205, 436 150, 628 150, 628 133, 400 160, 220 67, 820 70, 800 207, 259 96, 859 113, 400 286, 280 183, 565 75, 715 MES Oteeat tiene neice meet cece as ce vcct tice de coosacknences 464, 028 176, 770 171, 258 > DESCRIPTIVE LABELS ACCOMPANYING THE OB- JECTS. MODELS. WHALE-SHIP, “‘CAMELS,” WHALE-BOAT, AND TRY-WORKS. MODEL OF WHALE-SHIP. Sails clewed up and down for cutting. Sperm-whale alongside, de- capitated ; forward and after stages rigged outboard. Try- works between foremast and mainmast. Four boats on the cranes; two spare boats on the skids. Officers engaged in cut- ting and boarding; crew at windlass. American ensign at miz- zen peak. Length over all, 4 feet 4 inches; beam, 114 inches. Edgartown, Massachusetts, 1876. 25726. OC. H. Shute & Son. CAMELS. Two water-tight compartments; each provided with a propeller, a smokestack, and a series of windlasses. Scale, 1 inch to5 feet 5inches. Length,2 feet 14inches. 25027. William H. Chase. A kind of lighter made in two sections, divided lengthwise, for floating loaded vessels over Nantucket Bar. The model with the hull of a vessel shows the manner in which the “camels” were operated. WHALE-BOAT. One-sixth the length of a thirty-foot boat, from which it was drafted, illustrative of all the parts of a boat used in Arctic whaling, with mast, oars, and rowlocks. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1883. 57199. Made by James Beetle. U.S. Fish Commission. TRY-WORKS. Model of try-works common to all whaling vessels. Two pots “set”; copper cooler, wooden scrap-hopper, cast-iron deck-pot, accom- panied by miniature models of the bailer, dipper, oil-scoop, and pot-spade. 174 by 12 by 8? inches. New Bedford, Massachu- setts. 25013. Captain L. W. Howland. [30] [31] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. APPARATUS OF CAPTURE. AMERICAN WHALE-BOAT FULLY EQUIPPED FOR THE CAPTURE. WHALE-BOAT. A full-sized whale-boat with apparatus of capture. Length, 28 feet ; beam, 5 feet 10 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72795. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. OARS. White ash. One steering-oar, 22 feet in length; and 5 pulling- oars, used by the boat-steerer, bow-oarsman, midship-oarsman, tub-oarsman, and stroke-oarsman. The oars for the oarsman vary in length as follows: Two about 16 feet long, two 17 feet, and one 18 feet. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1852. Steering oar, 72796; harpoon-oar, 72797 ; bow-oar, 72798; midship-oar, 72799; tub-oar, 72800; stroke-oar, 72801. Gift of I. H. Bart- lett & Sons. PADDLES. Made in two pieces, handle and blade. Sometimes used when ap- proaching a whale in calm weather. Six paddles complete the outfit. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72802; 72803; 72804; 72805; 72806; 72807. I. H. Bartlett & Sons. ROWLOCKS. Common spur oarlocks, iron, used by the boat-steerer, bow-oars- man, midship-oarsman, and stroke-oarsman. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72821. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. TUB-OARLOCK. A double-decked oarlock, iron, with two rests for the oar, used by the tub-oarsman, who, when propelling the boat, uses the lower lock, and when fastened to the whale shifts the oar to the upper lock in order that the line may run out freely. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72822. I. H. Bartlett & Sons. HARPOONS. zm Six toggle-irons; two on the iron crotch, and four spare irons. First iron attached to end of whale-line, second iron connected with the standing part of tow-line with the short warp. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72824. I. H. Bartlett & Sons. HAND-LANCES. Three hand-lances, wrought-iron shanks, steel heads, wooden poles, strapped and rigged. Tied with nettles. New Bedford, Mas- sachusetts. 72825. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [32] BOAT-SPADE. ‘ Wrought-iron spade edged with steel, wooden pole, strapped and rigged. Formerly used for stopping a running whale by sever- ing the tendons at the junction of the caudal fin with the body, and used at present for cutting holes in the lips of the whale for reeving the tow-rope. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72827. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. WHALING-GUN. Brand gun No. 2; muzzle-loading, skeleton iron stock. New Bed- ford, Massachusetts. 72820. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. WHALEMAN’S LANCE-BAG. Canvass bag used as a receptacle for bomb-lances in the boat when down for whales. The lances having been placed in the bag, which is painted or tarred, to render it impervious to water the wooden stopper or plug is inserted at the mouth and tightly bound with the twine. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72819. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. BOAT GRAPNEL. An iron hook, with four barbless arms, used for picking up lines or other objects floating in the water when working about a dead whale prior to towing it to the vessel. Stiff ring for rope. Height 9 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72829. Presented by J. Barton. IRON CROTCH. A two-pronged implement in which the handles of the harpoon are placed when the boat is approaching a whale. Wood. One piece scarfed in two places at the top, and filled in with wedge- shaped pieces of wood, the projecting ends forming “ crotches,” into which the iron poles are placed. Small iron spike inserted into the foot, which is protected by a brass ferule. The iron spike ships into a socket in a cleat nailed to the inner edge of the gunwale on the starboard bow. Fastened to the boat with asmalllaniard. Length, 19 inches. Laniard, 22 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72823. I. H. Bartlett & Sons. SHORT WARP. A piece of whale-line fastened to the main warp with a bow-line and used to connect the second iron. Length,4 fathoms. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72828. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. LINE-TUBS. Receptacles for the whale-line. Oak staves bound with iron hoops. Bottoms perforated with numerous holes intersected by cross- [33] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. LINE-TUBS—Continued.° grooves cut into the wood, forming outlets and channels, through which such water as may accidentally get in the tubs may escape. Semicircular cut in upper end of one stave, through which the line is paid out when fast to a whale. Two ropes are spliced in staves on opposite sides and used as lash- ings, with which the tubs are made fast to thwarts to prevent their loss overboard. Large, 72808. New Bedford, Massachu- setts, 1882. Small, 72809. GiftofI.H. Bartlett & Sons. Two tubs: The large tub, circular, contains 225 fathoms of line; the small tuh, elliptical, contains 75 fathoms. WHALE-LINE. Manila, slack laid, three strands, circumference 2 inches. Three hundred fathoms of whale-line are usually carried in a boat, seventy-five fathoms in the small tub and two hundred and twenty-five in the large tub. Laid in Flemish coils in order that the line may run out freely when fastened to a whale. The ‘“‘top end” of the line in the large tub is led forward and fastened to the tirst iron, and the bight of the line thrown over the loggerhead. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1881. Large line, 72810. Small line, 72811. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. - DRUG (DRAG). A drug made in the form of a tub, with a thick and strongly made bottom to withstand the resistance of water. Oak staves bound with iron hoops. Upright piece of hard wood morticed and toggled in bottom. Rope tail for bending on to harpoon. Used to impede the progressive motions of a wounded adult whale, or fastened to a calf to attract the attention and sym- pathy of its mother or other females. New Bedford, Massa- chusetis, 1882. 72843. I. H. Bartlett & Sons. LANTERN-KEG. A utensil included in the outfit of every American whale-boat, sometimes made by the cooper on board the vessel, and some- times ashore. Oak staves; three iron hoops. Headed up at both ends. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72812. I. H. Bart- lett & Sons. The lantern-keg contains the boat-lantern, matches, tinder box, candles, pipes, and tobacco, and some- times ship-bread. Its position in the boat is invariably in the apartment aft, known as the cuddy, under which it is “slung” by rope-lashings. BOAT-BUCKET. A strongly made tub, heavy oak staves, with two projecting staves with holes in upper ends for a knotted rope bail or handle ; iron hoops. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 72813. I. H. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STAT2S. [34] BoatT-BUCKET—Continued. Bartlett & Sons. As soon as the boat is fast to a whale the order is given to ‘ Wet line!” and the man whose duty it is grasps the boat-bucket, and, dipping water from overboard, pours it into the line-tub to prevent friction as the line runs rapidly round the loggerhead. . BOAT-PIGGIN. An ordinary piggin with a projecting stave as a handle, used for bailing the boat. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1881. 72814. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. WATER-KEG. Oak staves, headed at both ends, bound with iron hoops, with an outlet for water on the upper end. Used as a receptacle for fresh water for the men when down for whales. New bedford, Massachusetts, 1881. 72815. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. BOAT-LANTERN. A small oblong lantern with glass sides, and a tin socket for the reception of candles. Used as an ordinary lantern in the boat when down for whales if the capture is prolonged until night, and as a signal for the ship. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1881. 72816. Gift of I. H. Bartlett & Sons. BLACKFISH POKE. The stomach of the Blackfish (Globiocephalus) deprived of its mer membrane, inflated, and dried, painted white, wooden plug in- serted and seized in neck. Provincetown, Massachusetts. 72844. Gift of Stephen Cook. At times, when a whaie is fast to a boat, it may run so rapidly, or sound to such a depth, as to take out all the line. Under such conditions the poke is bent on to the end of the line before it leaves the boat, and when the whale ceases its progressive motions the poke or buoy appears on the surface and the line is regained. It is also used in waif- ing dead whales or blackfish. BOAT-HORN. Used in a whale-boat as a fog-horn. Tin, japanned ; mouth-piece, tin. Length, 134inches. Diameter of mouth, 2} inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72818. U.S. Fish Commission. TINDER-BOX. A water-proof box carried in the lantern-keg. Tin, small ring handle, painted. Contents: Flint, steel, and cloth, for lighting pipes when down for whales, or, perhaps, making fires on shore, if the boat should be engaged in whaling on soundings, and the crew feel disposed to warm themselves or to have a hot meal. Height,2 inches. Diameter, 44 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 72817. Presented by John McCullough. [35 ] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. CRAFT. WHALEMAN’S HARPOONS. Non-EXPLOSIVE—THRUST BY HAND. TWO BARBS AND FIXED HEAD. HARPOON. Harpoon with fixed head, double barbed. Slender neck. Length, 37 inches. 25010. U.S. Fish Commission. HARPOON. A very old harpoon, with a double-barbed fixed head, worn out in service by frequent applications to the grindstone. Wrought iron. Eye-splice for iron strap grafted at socket. Cut from a dead whale. Length, 304 inches. 25902. U.S. Fish Commis- sion. THE CARSLEY HARPOON. Patented by William Carsley, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, July 29, 1541. A two-flued harpoon with fixed head, so con- structed that the barbs are made to stand obliquely to the axis of the shank. On entering the whale the instrument cuts ‘its way in an oblique or spiral direction, making the incision such that when a strain is brought to bear upon the line attached to the harpoon, either by the resistance of the animal, its efforts to escape, or otherwise, the flukes or barbs will be brought into a position more or less nearly at right angles with the lips of the incision, making it vastly more difficult than is the case with the common harpoon for it to be drawn out backward by returning in the direction of the cut or wound.”—(Specification of patent.) Length, 37 inches. Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 1882. 56226. Painted vermilion. Manufactured and pre- sented by Luther Cole. DOUBLE-BARBED HARPOON. Primitive style. Has evidently been used in capturing a whale. Not employed at present. Length, 312 inches. 56246. U.S. Fish Commission. TWO-FLUED HARPOON. A kind of harpoon known as the “ English harpoon,” formerly used in the American fleet, having been obtained from English ves- sels. Head fixed; two barbs with reverse barbs or “beards” on the rear ends. Chilled wrought iron. Marked “L. B. & Co.” (Manufacturers). Length, 354 inches. New London, Con- necticut. 56257. Gift of C. A. Williams & Co. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [36] TWO-FLUED HARPOON. A kind of harpoon with fixed head employed in the American fleet during the early days of whaling. Has been used in capturing a whale. Wroughtiron. Length of harpoon, 42 inches. Length of barbs, 62 inches. New London, Connecticut, 1882. 56258. Gift of Lawrence & Co. HARPOON. Harpoon with a double-barbed fixed head; wrought iron. Marked “Macy” (Manufacturer). Length, 30 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56259. Presented by Mackey & Pindar. A style of harpoon with a large head. Formerly used. TWO-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with double barb and fixed head. Length, 295 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts 1882. 56263. U.S. Fish Commission. TWO-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with two fixed barbs, and one movable barb pivoted at one side at rear of fixed head. Barbs and shank wrought iron. Length, 33 inches. Provincetown, Massachusetts. 56264. U. S. Fish Commission. TWO-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with double-barbed fixed head; wrought iron. Diameter of shank reduced by tractile force. Length, 32? inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56265. Gift of Mackey & Pin- dar. TWO-FLUED HARPOON. Common harpoon with a fixed wrought-iron head; two barbs. Shank, wrought iron, reduced in diameter by tractileforce. Cut from a dead whale. Marked “BK P T” (initials of bark). Length, 34inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56266. Gift of John A. Sawyer. TW0O-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with double-barbed fixed head; wrought iron. Stamped “G.S.” (Manufacturer). Length, 36 inches. Nantucket, Mas- sachusetts, 1882. 56267. Gift of Joseph B. Macy. WHALEMAN’S HARPOON. The typical harpoon, with pole and iron strap, formerly used for striking whales, but superseded by the improved style techni- cally termed the “ toggle-iron.” Total length, 9 feet 5 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts. 56403. Gift of John McCullough. This harpoon is over thirty years old, and was found in the loft of a warehouse where it had remained for as many years. [37] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. WHALEMAN’S HARPOON—Continued. It belongs to that series of harpoons which have fixed heads and two barbs, and is in the condition in which it is intended to be used, with the exception that the points should be ground to a razor’s edge and the shank cleaned and polished, in order that no obstruction may be offered when penetrating the blub- ber and flesh. SINGLE-BARBED HARPOONS—FIXED HEADS. ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with single recurved barb. Marked “8. Lydia.” Length, 324 inches. New London, Connecticut, 1882. 56249. Gift of Lawrence & Co. ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with a fixed single barb and hinged toggle. Barbs and shank, wrought iron. Length, 35 inches. Provincetown, Mas- sachusetts, 1882. 56250. U.S. Fish Commission. HARPOON. Harpoon with one recurved fixed barb and one adjustable barb. The latter is rigidly fastened to the forward end of a wrought- iron rod. The rod is made fast to a cast-iron sliding collar or socket. The sliding socket has an eye into which one end of the iron strap may be bent. The combination of sliding socket, arm, and adjustable barb moves around, or parallel to, the shank. A wrought-iron eye is welded near the rear end of the shank, through which the iron strap may be rove. When the instrument is to be darted, the adjustable barb is closely fitted to the rear of the fixed barb, where it is held in position by a small wooden pin. The resistance upon the line, which is rove through the stationary eye and made fast to the rigid eye on the sliding socket, gives the under barb a twisting motion which brings it at right angles, or otherwise, to the point of incision, more firmly fastening the instrument in the flesh of the whale. Length, 35 inches. New London, Con- necticut, 1882. 56251. Giftof C. A. Williams & Co. Probably a modification of a harpoon patented October 20, 1857, by James Q. Kelly, of Sag Harbor, New York. ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with fixed head, single barb. Barb and shank, wrought iron. Marked “EH, Park” (Manufacturer). Cut from a dead whale.. Length, 36 inches. Nantucket, Massachusetts, 1882. 56252. Gift of Joseph B. Macy. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [38] ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with single barb and fixed head; diameter of neck of shank reduced, in order that it may be bent in the weak place by the action of the flesh and act upon the principle of a tog- gle; head and shank, wrought iron. Length, 37 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56255. Manufactured by Mr. James D. Driggs and presented by Capt. James V. Cox. This style of harpoon was at one time used, and it is believed by some whalemen that it suggested the idea of the toggle-iron. None of them are used at present. ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with one fixed barb and hinged toggle; barbs and shank, wrought iron. Socket, partly wrapped with marline. Marked “J. B. Morse” (Manufacturer). Length, 334 inches. HEdgar- town, Massachusetts, 1882. 56254. U.S. Fish Commission. ONE-FLUED HARPOON. Harpoon with fixed head; single wrought-iron recurved barb. Shank, wrought iron. Marked ‘Howard, 1111” (Name of vessel and number of boat). Cut from adead whale. Length, 33 inches. New London, Connecticut, 1882. 56255. Gift of Lawrence & Co. IMPROVED HARPOON, OR TOGGLE-IRON. TOGGLE-IRON. Toggle, malleable cast iron, mortised and pivoted to shank. Shank, wrought iron; slotted for toggle. Point broken. Length, 314 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1876. 25642. Gift of W. H. Cook & Co. Has been used in capturing a whale. TOGGLE-IRON. Diameter of shank reduced by tractile force. Head, malleable cast iron, mortised. Shank, wrought-iron. Cut from a dead whale. Length, 36 inches. Provincetown, Massachusetts. 29398. Presented by Capt. J. G. Fisher. Used by Captain Fisher in capturing a whale. THE DOYLE HARPOON. A kind of harpoon invented by George Doyle, of Provincetown, Massachusetts, November 2, 1858. The nature of this inven- tion consists in attaching the shank to the head in such a manner that when the harpoon has been thrust into the whale it shall present the broad flat side of the head instead of the rear edge. The head may be made of cast steel or other suitable material, with a longitudinal slot extending from the center backward to receive the end of the shank. Shank, wrought iron, pivoted to the head with a steel pin. Length, 344 inches. / [39] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. THE DoYLE HARPOON—Continued. Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1882. 56231. Gift of I. A. Small. TOGGLE-IRON. Shank twisted to show the tenacity and durability of the iron em- ployed in the manufacture of harpoon-shanks. Head consists of the common malleable cast-iron toggle, with a diamond point. Shank, wrought-iron. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1876. 56233. Gift of E. B. & F. Macy. TOGGLE-IRON. Shank twisted by the actions of a dying whale. Marked “D. & B.” (Manufacturers); ‘BK D A R”) (initials of bark). Length, 293 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56237. Gift of Jonathan Bourne. TOGGLE-IRON. Shank elongated by tractile force. Head, malleable cast iron, mortised. Shank, wrought iron. Cut from awhale. Length, 324 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56242. Gift of John A. Sawyer. TOGGLE-IRON. A kind of harpoon, with a small toggle known as the ‘Sag Har- bor iron.” Head, malleable cast iron. Shank, wrought-iron. Length, 383 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56243. Gift of Mackey & Pindar. TOGGLE-IRON. Head, wrought iron, pivoted in cheeks of forward part of shank. Toggle has two flukes, one at forward and one at after end. Shank, wrought iron; head mortised for toggle. Marked * E., S.” (Manufacturer). Length, 384 inches. New Bedford, Massa- chusetts, 1882. 56244. Gift of Jonathan Bourne. NICKEL-PLATED TOGGLE-IRON. Head, malleable cast iron, mortised ; shank, wrought iron. Length, 34 inches. Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 1882. 56245. Manu- factured and presented by Luther Cole. The kind of harpoon, commonly known as the “ toggle-iron,” used at present by all American whalemen. Full size. TOGGLE-IRON. Harpoon with movable head or toggle pivoted in cheeks of shank, with two barbs at point and a flaring barb or fluke at rear ex- tremity. Shank, wrought iron, slotted for toggle. Cut from a dead whale. Length, 33 inches. New Bedford, Massachu- setts, 1882. 56247. Gift of Jonathan Bourne. FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [40] TOGGLE-IRON. Toggle-iron with loop twisted in the shank by the actions of a wounded whale. Head, malleable cast iron; shank, wrought iron. Length, 30? inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56248. Gift of Aiken & Swift. (Manufactured by Luther Cole, Fairhaven, Massachusetts.) GROMMET-IRON. Head consists of a mortised steel toggle, with a smooth point and a barb or fluke at the rear extremity; shank, wrought iron; socket served with marline and with an eye-splice for bending on the whale-line ; two rope grommets for holding the toggle in position when darted. Length, 26 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56256. Giftof Messrs. L. & W.R. Wing& Co. A kind of iron known as the “ grommet-iron;” may be used in striking the walrus, but not used at present in captur- ing the whale. GROMMET-IRON. Head, toggle with diamond point, wrought iron, held in position when darted by an iron link or “ grommet;” shank, wrought iron ; socket wound with marline, around which the iron-strap is fastened. Length, 264 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 56268. Gift of John McCullough. A kind of harpoon manufactured at an early date and known as the “ grommet- iron” from the fact that its barb or toggle was confined to the shank with a “ grommet” instead of a small wooden pin, which latter is now in general use. None of the irons of this char- acter are used at present. They have been used in striking the whale or walrus, being better adapted for the latter on account of the short shank and small head. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of common toggle-iron. Toggle pivoted toshank. Length, 9?inches, 56404, Gift of A. R. Crittenden. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of common toggle-iron. Toggle, mal- leable castiron. Length, 62inches. 56405. Gift of A. R. Crit- tenden. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of toggle-iron. Evidently a kind of lily-iron intended to be used for striking the sword-fish or por- poise. Toggle with double diamond point; slotted and hinged at center to end of shank. Shank, wroughtiron. Length, 104 inches. 56406. Gift of A. R. Crittenden. [41] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of toggle-iron. Evidently intended for striking sword-fish, porpoises, and black-fish. Head, steel, mortised. Shank, wrought iron. Length, 10 inches. 56407. Gift of A. R. Crittenden. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of toggle-iron. Toggle pivoted between the cheeks of shank. Toggle has two barbs; one front and rear. Length, 9% inches. 56408. Gift of A. R. Crittenden. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of toggle-iron. Toggle, wrought iron, elongated point, fluked at rear,end; slotted and pivoted to end of shank. Jntended to be used in striking sword-fish or por- poises. Length, 10? inches. 56409. Gift of A. R. Crittenden. TOGGLE-IRON. Head and portion of shank of a harpoon known as “ Doyle’s iron.” Patented November 2, 1858, by George Doyle, of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Head, malleable castiron. Length, 123 inches. 56410. Gift of A. R. Crittenden. The peculiarity of the head of this kind of iron is thatit is so arranged as to present the flat side of the blade when fastened in the whale. TOGGLE-IRON, WITH POLE. Toggle, malleable cast iron; shank, wrought iron. New. Length, including pole, 10 feet 4 inches. Length of harpoon, 33 inches. Length of toggle, 8 inches. Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 1883. 56416. U.S. Fish Commission. The present form of harpoon used by American whalemen. TOGGLE-IRON, WITH POLE. Toggle made of hoop-iron, held by a rope grommet. Roughly-made pole. Socket served and iron strap attached. Length, 9 feet. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 57698. Gift of Jonathan Bourne.