Harpoon

From Free net encyclopedia

For other uses, see Harpoon (disambiguation).

Image:Whaling harpoon.jpg A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or other large aquatic animals such as whales.

The Greek historian Polybius (ca 203 BC-120 BC), in his Histories, describes hunting for swordfish by using a harpoon with a barbed and detachable head. [1]

Formerly the harpoon was thrown by hand but now is shot from specially constructed guns. Usually a harpoon consists of a launcher (mostly a cannon) and a projectile which is a large spear connected to a thick rope. The spearhead is shaped in a manner that it will penetrate the thick layers of whale fat and stick in the flesh. It has sharp spikes to prevent the spear from sliding out. Thus, by pulling the rope with a motor, the whalers can drag the whale back to their ship.

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