Early harpoons, or irons as the whaling men called them, were simply spears with barbed heads. In the nineteenth century a more sophisticated toggle harpoon, pictured above, was devised. Once the moveable head was lodged sideways in the animal withdrawal was difficult. Harpoons were made from soft iron so that they could be twisted out of shape by the furious wounded animal without breaking. A further improvement was the darting gun, pictured below. This weapon was thrust by the harpooner into the whale just like the old fashioned harpoons. The difference was that when the short metal rod struck the animal it triggered the explosive missile which detonated inside the whale. When used properly, the darting gun allowed the whaler to harpoon and kill his prey in the same motion.
Courtesy: The Whaling Museum, New Bedford, Massachusetts
