| Deck
of whaler, showing try-works, scraphopper, and utensils
employed in trying-out oil, 1902. The "try-works"
were central to the work of whaling until factory ships were built
and more modern technology was applied to the job of getting oil
from blubber. They are seen here as the rectangular
chest-like structure amidships. They were closed up when not in use. Essentially very large simple cauldrons heated
by an enclosed fire separated from the deck by fire-bricks and a
shallow bath filled with sea water, the
try-pots accepted cut-up chunks of blubber from whales where the
oil would melt and be collected into barrels. When the skin or
other parts had given up all the oil they were going to, they
would be fished out of the try-pots and used to fuel the fire.
Picture courtesy NOAA |
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