643. Gilmae WHITE WHALE (2) 1931 indicates a mortal wound, and upon a small weighted grappling hooks on the end of a heavy cord is thrown out over the spot where the whale was shot & dragged back over the spot in question. This procedure is repeated until the whale is "hooked" & then it is gently eased up to the water's edge with the keep of the waves. There it is fastened by a free flipper to the end & dragged along the water to the camp. The process is much the same as towing a canoe. At the beach in front of Camp a rope is fastened to a flipper & passed around the body half a dozen times so that when the rope is pulled the body rolls up over the sand out of the water. Before cutting starts, all gather about the body in solemn attention, while one of the natives (the killer) kneels on one knee at the head of the whale & recites a silent whispered prayer.