This lithograph depicts a harpooner about to strike a giant whale. As the men's clothing indicates, this is a drawing of southern, not arctic, whaling, but the technique was similar. At the same instant that the harpooner finds his mark, the steersman must swing the boat clear of the animal's tail, which might measure seven and a half metres across and could easily smash the boat and drown its crew. After it was struck the whale usually sounded, drawing out line and dragging the boat behind it until it finally died from loss of blood and exhaustion. In the background, another whale is being stripped of blubber beside a ship. Notice the birds hovering over the carcass in the right background. These were scavengers which fed on the oil, blood and flesh of the dead animals.
Courtesy: Picture Division, Public Archives of Canada (C-32708)
