Whaling was a dangerous, yet exciting job for those who could handle it. However, it took much dedication. Whalers loved the thrill of the chase, as well as the execution involved. Every whale was like a prize to them. In order to be successful, whalers had to undergo several steps in catching a whale.
             First, the whale had to be spotted. There was a lookout posted at the masthead from dawn to dusk that looked for a spout from a whale. When a whale was seen, the lookout would have to first identify the species. The crew would then scramble to their whaleboats and lower them into the water. That was when the chase began.
             Next, each crew had to find the whale by chasing it down. This was the part all whalers looked forward to. The men rowed their boats as hard as they could while the boatheader would steer them toward the enormous mammal. As they neared the whale, they quieted their approach because of the whale's sharp hearing. The harpooner would pick up his weapon to get ready to strike. Each shipmate's heart would beat in anticipation of the attack.
             Finally, the whale would be overtaken. At this point the harpoon, which had a rope attached, would have to be thrust into the mammals back. The crew would be in immediate danger because the wooden boats could be pulled up to speeds of twenty miles per hour or be dragged underwater. After the whale tired from its thrashing, the boat header would jab a lance into a vulnerable spot in the whale, such as the heart or lungs, making sure it spouted blood with each breath. The death of a whale was an amazing sight for all who observed it.
             Whaling was a long and tiring process. Spotting, chasing, and capturing the whales took patience and courage. There were many long boring hours upon the whaleboats. Whalers knew the waiting would be replaced by the adrenaline rush they felt from killing a whale. Each whaler knew that when he took off
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