Chapter 75

After giving these instructions, Hong Tao directly sailed the sailboard onto the beach, not even bothering to lower the centerboard. He was too exhausted, and if it weren't for the two elderly Dan people supporting him, he wouldn't have been able to remove the chest hook. His arms were completely numb.

The Dan people fear whales because they don't understand their origins. They might have been attacked by toothed whales in the past, so they spread rumors, treating all large whales as terrifying sea monsters that cannot be defeated by human strength. However, when the whales were beaten to near death by Hong Tao, the Dan people's courage returned. They simply tied a few hooks to ropes, attached them to the whale's back, and dragged it to shallow water. The whale didn't even struggle, lying still on the shore, bleeding continuously.

"Little Tao, this is Old Rong, our Dan community's sea leader. He has been leading us out to sea for over ten years. He can navigate these waters with his eyes closed." When Bo Xiao'er ran to the bonfire with seawater dripping from his body, Hong Tao and Karl were lying on the sand, letting two young Dan men cover them with hot sand. This was Hong Tao's idea; the best way to treat overly fatigued muscles is with cold compresses, but since there was no ice, the next best thing was a hot compress, especially with salt from the sea sand, which can promote blood circulation and reduce bruising. Otherwise, the next morning, their four arms would be useless for at least a few days.

"Old Rong... Oh, my back..." Hong Tao lifted his eyelids, intending to sit up and greet the old man, but he collapsed again as soon as he tried. It was too painful to get up. He didn't care about being polite anymore. As for what "Old Rong" meant, he didn't bother to ask. It was probably something like "grandpa" or even "great-grandpa."

"Don't move, don't move! Good job, kid. I know your grandfather. He was the most literate person among the Dan people. Many Dan children were named by him. He had good judgment!" Old Rong didn't mind that Hong Tao was lying down while speaking. He even came over and grabbed a handful of hot sand to apply to Hong Tao's back.

"Old Rong, I'm fine, but my big fish... Oh, my..." Hong Tao felt a bit of relief in his back and tried to turn over, but he gave up halfway. Every part of his body hurt.

"Don't worry, no one will touch your fish. I'll keep an eye on it. We Dan people don't have that kind of problem. If anyone dares to touch it, I'll sink them in the sea!" Old Rong thought Hong Tao was afraid someone would take the whale, so he gave him a clear answer.

"It's not that I'm afraid of others touching it, but this whale has a great use. It's very valuable and can't be killed casually... Help me up, I can't explain it here!" Hong Tao knew the old man had misunderstood him. The whale weighed at least ten tons, and it would be useless to him alone. He couldn't eat it all in one day. He wasn't thinking about how to distribute the whale meat. For a whale, the meat was the least valuable part. Every part of it was precious, even in this era. It couldn't be wasted, or it would be a waste of effort.

"Xiao'er, what are you looking at? Come, carry your brother-in-law and follow me to the beach!" Old Rong, being the leader of the Dan people in Hainan, was very reasonable. Although he didn't know what Hong Tao wanted, he respected a person who could kill a giant whale alone and was willing to listen to his opinion. He and Bo Xiao'er lifted Hong Tao and placed him on Bo Xiao'er's back.

What else can a whale be used for besides its meat? The uses are numerous. Otherwise, European and American countries in the 19th century wouldn't have gone to such lengths to hunt whales. The meat was only a small part; the most important parts were other parts of the whale. The Industrial Revolution in the West would have been much slower without whales, which played a crucial role in both daily life and industrial production.

First, there's whale oil, not the essential oil we use for bathing, but whale oil! It's oil extracted from whale fat. A third of a whale's body weight is fat. After cutting open the whale's skin, the layer of light pink material underneath is the blubber. This thick layer of blubber not only maintains the whale's body temperature but also provides nutrients when food is scarce. By heating this blubber, you can obtain the initial form of whale oil, which is excellent for lamp oil. It burns very brightly without producing smoke or any unpleasant odor. If filtered and refined at high temperatures, whale oil becomes a viscous liquid like honey. It is a high-grade industrial lubricant that remains stable at high temperatures, neither thinning nor solidifying. Many precision instruments require this type of whale oil for lubrication.

Second, there's whale meat. Many people say whale meat is unpalatable, but this is a biased claim from later times. Whale meat is sold in markets in Norway and Japan, and you wouldn't be able to tell it's whale meat unless someone told you. It has no fishy taste and is very similar to beef, especially good beef. Whale meat is rich in protein. In modern times, we have many alternatives, so we don't need to eat whale meat. However, in the Song Dynasty, when many poor people relied on yams for sustenance, having whale meat was like being in heaven.

Third, there are baleen plates, which only baleen whales have. The name "baleen" suggests a connection to "whiskers," but they are actually teeth. These teeth are located in the whale's lower jaw, made of a cartilaginous material, and arranged in rows on both sides. When baleen whales feed, they don't eat but drink, taking in a large mouthful of seawater and small fish or shrimp. They then close their mouths, raise the baleen plates, which act as filters, allowing the seawater to drain out while retaining the small fish and shrimp.

The length of these baleen plates varies from half a meter to over three meters, and their weight can range from a few ounces to several pounds. They are very resilient and elastic, capable of bending and stretching, making them useful for many things. For example, they can be used for hoop skirts, undergarment supports, medical surgical instruments, and the stays and spars of ship sails. The Inuit even use baleen to make bows, with whale tendons as the strings. These bows are light but powerful, making them excellent hunting tools.

The material of baleen is similar to ivory and is excellent for crafting. After polishing and carving, it can be indistinguishable from ivory. Many ivory crafts in later times were actually made from the cores of large baleen plates, and it's difficult for non-experts to tell the difference.

PS: Click, collect, and recommend! Throw them all to Hong Tao...

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