|
This photograph was taken aboard the Peterhead whaler SS Eclipse
during a voyage to the Greenland Sea in 1888. It was taken by Australian
traveler Walter Livingstone-Learmonth who sailed as the guest of
Captain David Gray (Junior).
In
the latter part of the 19th century Greenland right whales, the
main quarry of the whalers, were quite rare and other species, such
as the walrus, were shot and skinned to help cover the costs of
the voyage.
In
this picture the skins of walrus are being scraped clean and salted
for storing in the hold. The blubber was barrelled and taken home
to the Peterhead boilyards where the oil was extracted.
Note
the explosive harpoon gun, covered with a tarpaulin, on the bow
of the whaling boat.
©SCRAN/Aberdeenshire
Council
Scraping walrus skins aboard SS Eclipse |
|
