Whaling , Modern Phillip

At the time that Melville wrote Moby Dick, the basic technology of whaling had remained essentially unchanged for centuries. Whaling ships plied their trade under sail, and the small boats that they lowered to pursue whales were also powered by wind, or by the brute strength of their crew’s arms at the oars. The killing of whales required men to bring their frail craft alongside the huge quarry, subduing and fastening to it with hand-thrown harpoons. If this dangerous series of actions succeeded, the whale might ultimately be despatched with a lance thrust deep into some vital organ. Once killed, the carcass would be either towed to shore, or brought alongside the whaling vessel for the time-consuming process of butchering.