Whales hunted for their oil

Madugundu Krishna February 03, 2012

As the elephant is the largest land animal, the whale is the largest creature in the sea.

Whales are hunted for the oil which they contain which called `whale-oil’, and which is used for different purposes. Hunting the whale is called `whaling’ and it is a hard and dangerous job. The whales go out in special strong ships into the northern seas and search for a school, or shoal, of whales; for these animals move about in companies. When they see one in the distance, they leave ship in strong boat and raw towards it.

In the bows, or front, of the boat, stands the `harpooner,’ who is a skilled sailor armed with a kind of heavy spear called a `harpoon’, to which is fastened a very long and strong rope. When, the boat gets bear enough, he throws and strong rope. When the boat gets near enough, he throws this harpoon so as to pierce and stick in the side of the whale. The wounded whale at once dives, and rushes away; but it is held by the rope. A wounded whale often drags the heavy boat after it for miles before it dies, and sometimes upsets the boat. But if the harpoon has been well thrown the whale at last gets worn out and dies, ad its body comes to the surface and flats there. Then the whales get out of the boat on to the whale’s back, and begin to cut the `blubber’, or oily fat, from its body, which they take back and store in their ships.