National Geographic

HarpoonerLancesWhale line, 720 ftthe whale lineAx to cut Buoy5 ftfrom aboveShown at right49 ft60 tonsQuietly rowing, the crew would close in onthe whale from behind—its blind spot.``````Sneak attack First harpoon Second harpoonStanding in the bow, the harpooner struckthe whale’s body when it surfaced to breathe.``````If the whale broke free of a first harpoon, abuoy on a second one helped track the animal.``````Hunks of blubber boiled down in onswhere oretsryworks, tiled-roof helters covering stoneovens with cauldrons.``````Bmelted, purified, and lubber was slowlypoured into barrels.Baleen was extracted,cleaned, and bundled.``````Aswimming baleen whales a prime target. thick layer of blubber made these slow-their higher oil yield—oBowheads—the whalers’ fpten swam near rize catch forpack ice alone or in family groups.BOWHEADS AND RIGHT WHALESMastsSailsChalupa skipperSSaddle Islandaddle Island2 26 ft 6 ftOOvenven 5 ft5 ft5 ftTTryworks stationryworks stationWhale’s head Whale’s headfrom aboveWhale’s head from above NortEuEubalaena glacialisNorth Atlantic right whalebahlaena g Atlantic riglacialisht whaleShown at riShown at rightghtBowBalaena mysticetusBowhead whaleBalaena mysticetuhead whales 56 56 ft 1 100 tons00 tonsft 4 49 ft60 tons 60 60 tons (^9) tonftsHOW THEY HUNTEDScouts patrolled in small boats called chalupas, signaling toother crews when they spotted whales in the Strait of Belle Isle.Skippers of the chalupas, each typically carrying six oarsmenand a harpooner, directed their crews to row in haste—butstealthily—toward the surfacing or sleeping giants.The top two planks oa chalupa overlappedf(rest were set edge toclinker style), while theedge (carvel style).First, stFirst, slings were attachedto the whale; the capstano the wlings were attachale; the capstan hedaand pulleys were thenuused to rotate the carcassnd pulleys were then sed to rotate the carcassaas men stripped blubber.s men stripped blubber.The whale carcass was buoso processing could begin on theyant,water. At ber was boiled down to oilland-based trywor; barrelsks, blub-of it were floated back to the ships.Oak whaleboats, called chaluso fast and maneuverable that natipas, werevepeoples of the region adopted the technology. With adjustable masts,chalupas could also be sailed.STRAIT OF BELLE ISLE, CANADATHE CHALUPAPROCESSING THE PRIZE