A finely-executed nineteenth-century technical drawing showing the tryworks and various implements involved in on-board whale processing. This drawing, with its various manuscript corrections, may have been a preliminary work for a French publication on whaling. It is drawn with the usual competence and finesse associated with French maritime art of this period.

A finely-executed nineteenth-century technical drawing showing the tryworks and various implements involved in on-board whale processing. This drawing, with its various manuscript corrections, may have been a preliminary work for a French publication on whaling. It is drawn with the usual competence and finesse associated with French maritime art of this period.

The upper section of the drawing shows different types of harpoon, lance, forks, ladles and strainers, and a sail-buoy used to mark whale carcasses. The lower section of the drawing shows the "tryworks" - the on-board furnace used for rendering whale blubber into oil. The tryworks was the most distinguishing feature of a whaleship, and consisted of two cast-iron trypots set into a brick furnace.

At the time when this drawing was made, French whaling activity was mainly concentrated in the Pacific, where a formidable fleet operated even before any French colonies were established in the area.