mati:
I know that in the library there was a fish used as an implement, but a whalebone?
I have no idea. I had assumed the whalebone the searcher had in mind was the whalebone stays used in corsets.
But...a search on google came up with a cane made from whalebone :
"Canes are made from a variety of materials, with rattan being the most popular, due to its unique combination of light weight and extreme flexibility. They can also be made from malacca and bamboo-both unsuitable materials in my opinion, since malacca is too "knobbly" and bamboo is liable to splinter-and also from whalebone, a very severe form indeed of this instrument. And of course, ad hoc punishment ferrules can be shaped very easily from switches cut from any hedgerow-hazel, willow and young ash-plants all being suitable, though only the last-named will last for more than one punishment.
http://www.seekers.org.uk/canes.html"and a switch:
http://www.hardacre.screaming.net/punishments/imperial3.html