Translation 2783

..... 537
metres, and he imr:lediately informs the harpooner of the direction in
which the i•rha.le is moving.
:iavin,!: chosen the correct moment, the harpooner aims the "un at
the whale's most vulnerable spot and fires. The gun shôuld be aimed
two or three metres behind the flipDer (the most lethal places to hit
are the whale's thoracic and abdominal cavities).
At the souniL of trie shot tiie engine is immediately stopped,
because the line might accidentally get under the stern and be cut by
a rro-oeller blade.
To ?arevent that hap-penine.,, at the moment that the
shot is fired. the rudder is turned to the side on which the whale is.
,fllhe harpooncr makes sure that tiie rope Dulled by the whale is
in a direct line with tLe bow of the ship. '.t'he ha.rpooner's assistant,
218
Mclcd by
the look-out man, ieload-sthe gun for the coup de grace.
On being, shot the whale tries to dive to agrea.t depth in an attempt to
escane .from the ship.
At that time the brake is applied to the rope.
When the whale is only slightly wounded the ship moves in order to
lessen'the strain on the rope, and when the whaJ.e maï.,-.es violent move--
-raents the rone is paid out. As soon as the rope slackens it is pulled
Jr .and p..r^red in i+s box,
Pi ^;. 78. The 1•11^alint; factory-ship Peder Huse.
:;oil].ï F; and the ro-,e b',' ^1:r1C'. takP.s t'•r!o sailors un to 30
;ni.nutes. Or. some Far .;a.s >;^^i_alint,; sili^^s i;::e ropes are packed by
means of automatic drunis.
';.'reat7,.t_:nt of the carcass. Af te::: the whale 's carcass has been
-i•owei?: -^o bow of k,;.e shi -) it is i>>f1.a.te