The Harpooneer’s Role
Striking the first iron into the fish requires a strong, nervous arm. In what is called a long dart, the heavy harpoon must sometimes be thrown a distance of twenty or thirty feet, demanding significant physical strength and precision from the harpooneer.
The Long Dart
The implementation used in these long-distance throws is heavy, and the distances involved can be considerable—sometimes reaching twenty to thirty feet from the boat to the target whale.
The Critical Moment
When the exciting cry goes out—“Stand up, and give it to him!”—the harpooneer must instantly drop and secure his oar, turn halfway around on his center, seize his harpoon from its resting place in the crotch, and with whatever remaining strength he possesses, attempt to pitch it into the whale.
The Exhaustion of the Harpooneer
Despite the prolonged and exhausting nature of the chase, the harpooneer is expected to continue rowing to the uttermost while simultaneously setting an example of superhuman activity to the rest of the crew. This includes incredible rowing effort combined with repeated loud, intrepid exclamations. The difficulty of shouting at the top of one’s lungs while all other muscles are strained is known only to those who have attempted it.
Failures in the Fishery
When considering the entire fleet of whalemen, it is hardly surprising that out of fifty fair chances for a dart, fewer than five prove successful. Many harpooneers are madly cursed and demoted, and some have actually burst blood-vessels in the boat. Some sperm whalemen return home after four years with only four barrels of oil—a disastrous outcome. For many ship owners, whaling becomes a losing concern, since the harpooneer makes the voyage possible, and if his strength is exhausted before the critical moment, he cannot possibly perform when most needed.
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