,transcriber's ,notes      ,italic text 
displayed as3 italic                    
,,the                       ,,northern  
,,whale-,,fishery4            ,,the     
,,northern    ,,whale-,,fishery4        
,,by    ,,captain ,,scoresby1           
,f4,r4,s4,e4      ,,london3    ,,the    
,,religious ,,tract ,,society3          
,instituted #agii4                      
,,preface4      ,the following pages are
 an abridgment1 with some modifications 
and additions1 of the second volume of  
captain 7now the rev4 ,dr47  ,scoresby's
 work on the ,arctic ,regions and       
,whale-fishery1 ,edinburgh1  #ahbj2 the 
substance of the former volume having   
already appeared  in this ,monthly      
,series4 ,the second chapter of the     
work1 on the  comparative view of the   
whale-fisheries of different ,european  
nations1 has been entirely omitted1 as  
less interesting1 it is  supposed1 to   
the general reader1 than the other      
chapters4                               
,,contents4                             

,,chapter ,i4                           
,,page      ,,chronological ,,history   
,,of ,,the ,,northern                   
,,whale-,,fisheries              #i     
,,chapter ,,ii4      ,,situation ,,of   
,,the ,,early ,,whale-,,fishery--,,the  
,,manner ,,in ,,which ,,it ,,was        
,,conducted--,,and ,,the                
,,alterations ,,which ,,have ,,taken    
,,place                                 
#bi                                     
,,chapter ,,iii4      ,,account ,,of    
,,the ,,modern ,,whale-,,fishery1 ,,as  
,,conducted    ,,at ,,spitzbergen       
#dj                                     
,,chapter ,,iv4      ,,account ,,of     
,,the ,,davis',s ,,strait               
,,whale-,,fishery1    ,,with            
,,statements ,,of ,,expenses ,,and      
,,profits ,,of    ,a ,,fishing-,,ship   
#adi                                    
,,chapter ,v4      ,,method ,,of        
,,extracting ,,oil ,,and ,,preparing    
,,whale-,,bone1    ,,with ,a            
,,description ,,of ,,these ,,articles1  

,,and ,,remarks ,,on ,,the ,,uses ,,to  
,,which ,,the ,,several    ,,products   
,,of ,,the ,,whale-,,fishery ,,are      
,,applied                        #aeg   
,,chapter ,,vi4      ,,narrative ,,of   
,,proceedings ,,on ,,board ,,the ,,ship 
,,esk1 ,,during ,a ,,whale-,,fishing    
,,voyage ,,to ,,the    ,,coast ,,of     
,,spitzbergen1 ,,in ,,the ,,year #ahaf2 
,,particularly    ,,relating ,,to ,,the 
,,preservation ,,of ,,the    ,,ship     
,,under ,,circumstances ,,of ,,peculiar 
,,danger                      #age      
,,the                        ,,northern 
,,whale-,,fishery4                      
,,chapter ,i4            ,,chronological
 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,northern ,,whale
 ,,fisheries4      ,in the early ages of
 the world1 when beasts of prey began to
 multiply  and annoy the vocations of   
man1 the personal dangers to which he   
must  have been occasionally exposed    
would oblige him to contrive some  means
 of defence4 ,for this end1 he would    
naturally be induced1 both  to prepare  

weapons1 and also to preconceive plans  
for resisting the  disturbers of his    
peace4 ,his subsequent rencounters with 
beasts of  prey would1 therefore1 be    
more frequently successful1 not only in 
effectually repelling them when they    
should attack him1 but also1 in  some   
instances1 in accomplishing their       
destruction4 ,hence1 we can  readily and
 satisfactorily trace to the principles 
of necessity the  adroitness and courage
 evidenced by the unenlightened nations 
of  the world1 in their successful      
attacks on the most formidable of the   
brute creation2 and hence we can        
conceive that necessity may impel  the  
indolent to activity1 and the coward to 
actions which would not  disgrace the   
brave4 ,for man to attempt to subdue an 
animal whose  powers and ferocity he    
regarded with superstitious dread1 and  
the  motion of which he conceived would 
produce a vortex sufficient to  swallow 
up his boat1 or any other vessel in     
which he might approach  it--an animal  

of at least six hundred times his own   
bulk1 a stroke of  the tail of which    
might hurl his boat into the air1 or    
dash it and  himself to pieces--an      
animal inhabiting at the same time an   
element in  which he himself could not  
subsist2 for man to attempt to subdue   
such  an animal1 under such             
circumstances1 seems one of the most    
hazardous  enterprizes of which the     
intercourse with the irrational world   
could  possibly admit4 ,and yet this    
animal is successfully attacked1 and    
seldom escapes when once he comes within
 reach of the darts of his  assailer4   
,it seems to be the opinion of most     
writers on the subject of the           
whale-fishery1 that the ,biscayans were 
the first who succeeded in  the capture 
of the whale4 ,this opinion1 though     
perhaps not correct1  deserves to be    
mentioned in the outset of an           
investigation into the  probable origin 
of this employment4 ,a species of whale1
 probably  the ,balna rostrata1 was a   

frequent visitor to the shores of       
,france and ,spain4 ,in pursuit of      
herrings and other small fishes1  these 
whales would produce a serious          
destruction among the nets of  the      
fishermen of ,biscay and ,gascony4      
,concern for the preservation of  their 
nets1 which probably constituted the    
whole of their property1  would         
naturally suggest the necessity of      
driving these intruding  monsters from  
their coasts4 ,with this view1 arrows   
and spears1 and  subsequently gunpowder1
 would be resorted to4 ,finding the     
whales  timid and inoffensive1 the      
fishers would be induced to approach    
some individual of the species1 and even
 to dart their spears  into its body4   
,afterwards they might conceive the     
possibility of  entangling some of the  
species1 by means of a cord attached to 
a  barbed arrow or spear4 ,one of these 
animals being captured1 and its  value  
ascertained1 the prospect of emolument  
would be sufficient  to establish a     

fishery of the cetaceous tribe1 and lead
 to all the  beneficial effects which   
have resulted in modern times4    ,those
 authorities1 indeed1 may be considered 
as unquestionable1 which  inform us that
 the ,basques and ,biscayans1 so early  
as the year #aege1  exposed themselves  
to the perils of a distant navigation1  
with a view  to measure their strength  
with the whales1 in the midst of an     
element  constituting the natural       
habitation of these enormous animals2   
that the ,english1 in #aeid1 fitted an  
expedition for ,cape ,breton1  intended 
for the fishery of the whale and the    
walrus1 7sea-horse17  pursued the       
walrus-fishing in succeeding years in   
high northern  latitudes1 and1 in #afaa1
 first attacked the whale near the      
shores of  ,spitzbergen2 and that the   
,hollanders1 and subsequently other     
nations  of ,europe1 participated in the
 risk and advantages of these northern  
expeditions4 ,some researches1 however1 
on the origin of this fishery1  carried 

on in the northern seas1 will be        
sufficient to rectify the  error of     
these conclusions1 by proving that the  
whale-fishery by  ,europeans may be     
traced as far back at least as the ninth
 century4    ,the earliest authenticated
 account of a fishery for whales is     
probably that contained in ,ohthere's   
voyage1 by ,alfred the ,great4  ,this   
voyage was undertaken about #hij1 by    
,ohthere1 a native of  ,halgoland1 in   
the diocese of ,dronthein1 a person of  
considerable  wealth in his own country1
 from motives of mere curiosity1 at his 
own risk1 and under his personal        
superintendence4 ,on this occasion1     
,ohthere sailed to the northward1 along 
the coast of ,norway1 round  the ,north 
,cape1 to the entrance of the ,white    
,sea4 ,three days after  leaving        
,dronthein1 or ,halgoland1 8he was come 
as far towards the  north as commonly   
the whale-hunters used to travel40 ,here
 ,ohthere  evidently alludes to the     
hunters of the walrus1 or sea-horse2 but

  subsequently1 he speaks pointedly as  
to a fishery for some species  of       
cetaceous animals having been at that   
period practised by the  ,norwegians4   
,he told the king1 that with regard to  
the common kind of  whales1 the place of
 most and best hunting for them was in  
his own  country1 8whereof some be      
forty-eight ells of length and some     
fifty10  of which sort1 he affirmed1    
that he himself was one of the six who1 
in the space of three 7two7 days1 killed
 threescore4    ,from this it would     
appear1 that the whale-fishery was not  
only  prosecuted by the ,norwegians so  
early as the ninth century1 but  that   
,ohthere himself had personal knowledge 
of it4 ,the voyage of  ,ohthere is a    
document of much value in history1 both 
in respect to  the matter of it1 and the
 high character of the author by whom it
  has been preserved4 ,by a slight      
alteration in the reading of the  ,saxon
 manuscript1 as suggested by ,turner1 in
 his ,history of the  ,anglo-,saxons1 it

 is possible to suppose that the        
threescore animals  slain by ,ohthere in
 two days were not whales but dolphins4 
,this  supposition removes the          
improbability of the exploit recorded1  
and  does not contradict or explain away
 the fact of larger whales having  been 
likewise hunted and captured4    ,a     
,danish work1 which there is reason to  
believe is of a date much  earlier than 
that which we assign to the first       
fishery of the  ,basques1 declares that 
the ,icelanders were in the habit of    
pursuing  the whales1 which they killed 
on the shore1 and that these islanders  
subsisted on the flesh of some one of   
the species4 ,and ,langebek does  not   
hesitate to assert1 that the fishery of 
the whale 7hovlfangst1  by which he     
probably means a species of delphinus17 
was practised  in the most northern     
countries of ,europe in the ninth       
century4    ,under the date of #hge1 in 
a book entitled the 8,translation and   
,miracles of ,st4 ,vaast10 mention is   

made of the whale-fishery on the        
,french coast4 ,in the 8,life of ,st4   
,arnould1 bishop of ,soissons10 a  work 
of the eleventh century1 particular     
mention is made of the  fishery by the  
harpoon1 on the occasion of a miracle   
said to have  been performed by the     
saint4 ,there are also different        
authorities  for supposing that a       
whale-fishery was carried on near the   
coast of  ,normandy and ,flanders1 from 
the eleventh to the thirteenth century4 
,the ,english1 it is to be expected1 did
 not remain long behind their           
continental neighbours in this lucrative
 pursuit4 ,it is difficult to  determine
 whether the whales referred to in the  
few early documents  which we possess1  
were such as were run on the ,english   
shore by  accident1 or subdued by the   
,english on the high sea4 ,by ,acts of  
,parliament1 ,a4,d4 #acae and #acbd1 the
 wrecks of whales1 cast by chance  upon 
the shore1 or whales or great sturgeons 
taken in the sea1 were  to belong to the

 king4 ,henry ,,iv4 gave1 in #adae1 to  
the church of  ,rochester1 the tithe of 
the whales taken along the shores of    
that  bishopric4 ,in the sixteenth      
century1 the inhabitants of the shores  
of the ,bay of ,biscay were the most    
distinguished whale-fishers4 ,at  first1
 they confined their attacks to those   
animals1 probably the  ,balna rostrata  
of ,linnus1 which used to present       
themselves in  the ,bay of ,biscay at a 
certain season every year4 ,gradually   
becoming  bolder1 the ,biscayans        
advanced towards the coasts of ,iceland1
  ,greenland1 and ,newfoundland1 in the 
pursuit4 ,the ,icelanders united  their 
energies with the ,biscayans1 and       
conducted the whale-fishery on  so      
extensive a scale1 that1 towards the end
 of the sixteenth century1  the number  
of vessels annually employed by the     
united nations  amounted to a fleet of  
fifty or sixty sail4    ,the first      
attempt of the ,english to capture the  
whale1 of which we  have any            

satisfactory account1 was made in the   
year #aeid4 ,different  ships were      
fitted out for ,cape ,breton at the     
entrance of the ,gulf of  ,st4          
,lawrence1 part of which were destined  
for the walrus-fishery1  and the        
remainder for the whale-fishery4 ,the   
,grace1 of ,bristol1 one  of these      
vessels1 took on board #gjj or #hjj     
whale-fins1 or lamin of  whalebone1     
which they found in the ,bay of ,st4    
,george1 where two large  ,biscayan     
fishermen had been wrecked three years  
before4 ,this is the  first notice ,i   
have met with of the importation of this
 article into  ,great ,britain4         
,however doubtful it might have appeared
 at one time whether the  ,english or   
the ,dutch first visited ,spitzbergen1  
the claim of the  ,english to the       
discovery and first practice of the     
whale-fishery on  the coasts of these   
islands stands undisputed1 the ,dutch   
themselves  allowing that the ,english  
preceded them four years4 ,the merchants

 of  ,hull1 who were ever remarkable for
 their assiduous and enterprizing       
spirit1 fitted out ships for the        
whale-fishery so early as the year      
#aeih1 which they continued regularly to
 prosecute on the coasts of  ,iceland   
and near the ,north ,cape for several   
years2 and after the  re-discovery of   
,spitzbergen by ,hudson1 in #afjg1 they 
were the first  to push forward to its  
coasts4 ,captain ,jonas ,poole was1 in  
the  year #afaj1 sent out on a voyage of
 discovery by the 8,company for  the    
,discovery of unknown ,countries10 the  
8,muscovy ,company10 or the  8,russia   
,company10 as it was subsequently       
denominated4 ,on his return1  the       
company fitted out two ships for the    
fishery2 the ,marie ,margaret1  of #afj 
tons1 under the direction of ,thomas    
,edge1 factor2 and the  ,elizabeth1 of  
#fj tons1 ,jonas ,poole1 master4 ,in    
this voyage1 both  ships were lost1 but 
the cargo was brought home in a ,hull   
ship4    ,such a novel enterprize as the

 capture of whales1 which was rendered  
practical1 and even easy1 by the number 
in which they were found1  and the      
convenience of the situations in which  
they occurred--an  enterprize at the    
same time calculated to enrich the      
adventurers  far beyond any other branch
 of trade then practised--created a     
great  agitation1 and drew towards it   
the attention of all the commercial     
people of ,europe4 ,with that eagerness 
which men invariably display  in the    
advancement of their worldly interests1 
but which is seldom  directed with equal
 vigour to objects of higher and eternal
  importance1 the mercantile spirit was 
concentrated on this new  quarter1 and  
vessels from various ports began to be  
fitted for the  fishery4 ,in the next   
year1 three foreign ships made their    
appearance  along with the two belonging
 to the ,russia ,company4 ,the ,english1
  jealous of the interference of the    
,dutch1 would not allow them to  fish1  
and obliged them to return home4 ,in the

 following year1 the  ,english ,russia  
,company obtained a royal charter1      
excluding all  others1 both natives and 
foreigners1 from the fishery1 and they  
equipped seven armed vessels for the    
purpose of maintaining their            
prerogative4 ,in the course of the      
season1 the ,english attacked  the      
foreign vessels1 and took from them the 
greater proportion  of the blubber1 or  
oil1 and whale-fins1 which they had     
procured1  driving them1 together with  
some ,english ships fitted out by       
private individuals1 out of the country4
 ,in #afad1 a company was  established  
in ,amsterdam1 and a charter obtained   
for three years2  ships of war were sent
 out1 and the ,hollanders1 in defiance  
of  the ,english1 were able to fish     
without interruption4 ,the ,english  got
 but half-laden1 and the ,dutch made but
 a poor fishing4 ,after  various        
disagreements1 and the arrival of the   
vessels of other  powers on the         
fishing-stations1 which tended to divide

 the quarrel1  a conference for the     
purpose of adjusting their differences  
ensued  between the captains of the     
rival nations1 and they agreed at length
  to a division of those fine bays and  
commodious harbours with which  the     
whole coast of ,spitzbergen abounded4   
,the ,english obtained the  first       
choice1 and a greater number of bays and
 harbours than any  of the rest4 ,after 
the ,english1 the ,dutch1 ,danes1       
,hamburghers1 and  ,biscayans1 and1     
finally1 the ,spaniards and ,french1    
took up their  positions4 ,thus we      
perceive the origin of the names of the 
different  places called ,english ,bay1 
,hollanders' ,bay1 ,danes' ,bay1 etc4   
,these arrangements having been adopted1
 each nation prosecuted the  fishery in 
its own possession1 or along the        
sea-coast1 which was  free for all4 ,it 
was understood1 however1 that the ships 
of any  nation might resort to any of   
the bays or harbours whatever1 for  the 
convenience of awaiting a favourable    

wind1 taking refuge from  a storm1 or   
any other emergency4 ,to prevent the    
prosecution of the  fishery in bays     
belonging to other nations1 it was      
agreed that  whenever a boat was lowered
 in a strange harbour1 or happened to   
row  into the same1 the harpoon was     
always to be removed from its rest1 so  
as not to be in readiness for use4      
,all the early adventurers on the       
whale-fishery were indebted to  the     
,biscayans for their superintendence and
 help4 ,they were the  harpooners1 and  
the coopers 8skilful in setting up the  
staved cask40  ,at this period1 each    
ship carried two principals2 the        
commander1  who was a native1 was       
properly the navigator1 as his chief    
charge  consisted in conducting the ship
 to and from ,greenland2 the other1  who
 was called by the ,dutch1 specksynder1 
or cutter of the fat1 as  his name      
implies1 was a ,biscayan1 and had the   
unlimited control of  the people in the 
fishery1 and1 indeed1 every operation   

belonging to  it was entirely confided  
to him4 ,when1 however1 the fishery     
became  better known1 the commander     
assumed the general superintendence1 and
  the specksynder1 or specksioneer1 is  
now the principal harpooner1 and  has   
the 8ordering of the fat10 and the      
extracting or boiling of the  oil of the
 whale1 but serves under the direction  
of the commander4    ,the ,dutch pursued
 the whale-fishery with more vigour than
 the  ,english1 and with still better   
effect4 ,it was no uncommon thing  for  
them to procure such vast quantities of 
oil that empty ships  were required to  
take home the superabundant produce4 ,in
 #afbb1 the  charter of the ,amsterdam  
,company was renewed for twelve years1  
and  the charter of the ,zealand        
,society was extended about the same    
time1  whereby the latter were allowed  
to establish themselves in ,jan ,mayen  
,island1 and to erect boiling-houses and
 cooperages in common with  their       
associates4 ,the privileges of these    

companies1 occasioning the  exclusion of
 all other persons belonging to the     
,united ,provinces1  produced a         
considerable degree of discontent1 when 
the fishery1  towards the expiration of 
these last charters1 was in its most    
flourishing state4 ,the states-general  
of ,friesland were induced to  grant a  
charter to a company formed in that     
province1 which endowed  them with      
similar privileges to those of the other
 companies of  ,holland4 ,the           
,frieslanders1 in the year #afcd1       
perceived the advantage  of procuring   
the sanction of the ,zealand and        
,amsterdam companies to  their right to 
participate in the fishery1 and after   
negotiation1 the  three companies1      
according to stipulated conditions1     
contracted a  triple union4 ,the ,dutch 
followed the whale-fishery with         
perseverance  and profit1 and were      
successfully imitated by the            
,hamburghers and  other fishermen of the
 ,elbe1 but the ,english made only      

occasional  voyages4    ,it became      
apparent to the adventurers in the      
whale-fishery1 that  considerable       
advantages might be realized could      
,spitzbergen be  resorted to as a       
permanent residence1 and they were      
desirous of  ascertaining the           
possibility of the human species        
subsisting  throughout the winter in    
this inhospitable climate4 ,the ,english
  merchants offered considerable        
rewards1 and the ,russia ,company       
procured the reprieve of some culprits  
who were convicted of capital  offences1
 to whom they promised pardon and a     
pecuniary remuneration  if they would   
remain a single year in ,spitzbergen4   
,the fear of  immediate death induced   
them to comply2 but when they were      
carried  out and showed the desolate1   
frozen1 and frightful country they  were
 to inhabit1 they shrank back with      
horror1 and solicited to be  returned   
home to suffer death in preference to   
encountering such  appalling dangers4   

,with this request the captain who had  
them in  charge humanely complied1 and  
on their return to ,england the company 
interceded on their behalf1 and procured
 pardon4    ,probably it was about the  
same time that nine men1 who were by    
accident separated from one of the      
,london fishing-ships1 were left  behind
 in ,spitzbergen2 all of them perished  
in the course of the  winter1 and their 
bodies were found in the ensuing summer 
shockingly  mangled by beasts of prey4  
,the same master who abandoned these    
poor  wretches to so miserable a fate   
was obliged1 by the drifting of the  ice
 towards the shore1 to leave eight of   
his crew1 who were engaged  in hunting  
reindeer for provision for the passage  
home1 in the year  #afcj4 ,these men1   
like the former1 were abandoned to their
 fate2 for  on proceeding to the usual  
places of resort and rendezvous1 they   
perceived with horror that their own1   
together with all the other             
fishing-ships1 had departed4 ,by means  

of the provisions procured by  hunting1 
the fritters of the whale left in       
boiling the blubber1  and the accidental
 supplies of bears1 foxes1 seals1 and   
sea-horses1  together with the judicious
 application of the buildings which were
  erected in ,bell ,sound1 where they   
took up their abode1 they were  enabled 
not only to support life1 but even to   
maintain their health  little impaired1 
until the arrival of the fleet in the   
following  year4 ,it is surely permitted
 us to hope1 that amidst the retirement 
and dreariness of these frozen regions1 
these hardy sailors found  opportunities
 for serious reflection and prayer to   
the ,god of  heaven1 and that their     
minds1 with eternity so near to them1   
were  sufficiently acquainted with the  
one way of salvation to yield           
themselves to ,him who is able to       
preserve his servants unto life         
eternal4    ,the preservation of these  
men revived in the ,dutch the desire of 
establishing colonies1 and in           

consequence of certain encouragements   
proclaimed throughout the fleet1 seven  
men volunteered their  services1 were   
landed at ,amsterdam ,island1 furnished 
with the needful  articles of           
provisions1 etc41 and were left by the  
fleet on the  #cjth of ,august1 #afcc4  
,about the same time1 another party1    
likewise  consisting of seven           
volunteers1 were landed on ,jan ,mayen  
,island1 and  left by their comrades to 
endure the like painful service with the
  former4 ,on the return of the fleet in
 the succeeding year1 this last  party  
were all found dead from the effects of 
the scurvy2 but the  other1 which was   
left in ,spitzbergen1 nine degrees      
further towards  the north1 all         
survived4 ,other seven volunteers       
proposed to repeat  the experiment in   
,spitzbergen during the ensuing winter1 
and were  quitted by their comrades on  
the #aath of ,september1 #afcd4 ,they   
all  fell victims to the scurvy4    ,the
 ,dutch1 encouraged by the hope that the

 profitable nature of  the whale-fishery
 would continue unabated1 incurred very 
great  expenses in making secure1 ample1
 and permanent erections1 which  they   
gradually extended in such a degree that
 at length they assumed  the form of a  
respectable village1 to which1 from the 
,dutch words  8smeer10 signifying fat1  
and 8bergen10 to put up1 they gave the  
name  of ,smeerenberg4 ,their           
expectations of continued success were  
not1  however1 justified1 and the       
fishery began to decline so rapidly from
  the year #afcf-g1 to the termination  
of the company's charters1 that  their  
losses are stated on some occasions to  
have exceeded their  former profits4 ,on
 the expiration of the charters1 in the 
year #afdb1  their renewal was refused  
by the states-general1 and the trade was
  laid entirely open to all adventurers4
 ,it increased in consequence  almost   
tenfold2 and on the dissolution of the  
monopoly1 the shipping  in the          
whale-fishery commerce accumulated to   

between two and three  hundred sail4    
,prior to the time when the trade was   
laid open1 the ,jan  ,mayen             
whale-fishery1 like that of             
,spitzbergen1 attained its maximum4     
,the prodigious destruction of whales   
occasioned their withdrawal1  and the   
island was at length abandoned as a     
whale-fishing station4    ,the          
whale-fishery of the ,dutch was somewhat
 suspended by the war  with ,england in 
#afec2 but between the years #affj and  
#afgj1 four or  five hundred sail of    
,dutch and ,hamburgh ships were yearly  
visitants  to the coasts of             
,spitzbergen1 while the ,english        
sometimes did not  send a single ship4  
,the ,british government saw with regret
 such  a profitable and valuable        
speculation entirely laid aside4 ,to    
encourage1 therefore1 its renewal1 an   
,act of ,parliament was passed  in      
#afgb1 whereby the rigours of the       
,navigation ,act were dispensed  with1  
and its essential properties so modified

 for the ten following  years that a    
vessel for the whale-fishery1 being     
,british-built1 and  having a master and
 one-half of the crew ,british subjects1
 might  carry natives of ,holland1 or   
other expert fishers1 to the amount of  
the other half4 ,in the year #afic was  
formed the 8,company of ,merchants  of  
,london1 trading to ,greenland10 to whom
 was granted an extension  of the       
indulgences allowed by this ,act of     
,parliament4 ,from various  losses1     
combined1 probably1 with unskilful      
management1 this company  was so        
unfortunate that1 before the conclusion 
of their term1 their  capital of #hb1jjj
 was entirely expended4 ,these          
circumstances tended  much to discourage
 the subjects of ,great ,britain from   
making any  vigorous attempt to renew   
the fishery4 ,the direct importation of 
,greenland produce into ,england being  
inconsiderable1 its importation  from   
,holland or other foreign states was    
permitted2 whalebone1  however1 was     

required to be brought into the country 
in fins only1  and not cut1 or in any   
way manufactured2 nor could it be landed
  before the duty chargeable thereon was
 secured or paid1 under penalty  of the 
forfeiture of the goods and double their
 value4 ,immense sums  were annually    
paid to foreigners for whalebone at this
 period4    ,it was not1 it appears1    
until the whale-fishery was on the      
decline  at ,spitzbergen1 that the      
,davis's ,strait fishery was resorted   
to4 ,the  ,dutch sent their first ships 
in the year #agai4 ,the shipping        
employed  in the ,greenland and ,davis's
 ,strait whale-fisheries1 in #agba1 by  
foreign nations1 amounted to three      
hundred and fifty-five sail4 ,when1  by 
the lapse of some years1 the            
unfavourable impression produced on  the
 minds of speculative persons by the    
immense losses suffered by  ,english    
adventurers in the whale-fishery had    
partly worn off1 the  propriety of      
attempting this trade was suggested by  

,henry ,elking1 and  was proposed to the
 directors of the well-known ,south ,sea
 ,company4  ,the ,british legislature1  
by exempting the produce of the         
,greenland  ,seas from existing duties  
on the condition of its being imported  
in  ,british ships1 held out            
encouragements to the company similar to
  those offered to former adventurers4  
,the ,south ,sea ,company caused a      
fleet of twelve new ships1 about #cjf   
tons' burden each1 to be built  in the  
river ,thames1 equipped each vessel with
 the necessary supplies  of cordage1    
casks1 and fishing instruments1 and     
engaged for their  use the duke of      
,bedford's wet-dock at ,deptford1 where 
boiling-houses  and other conveniences  
were constructed4 ,in the spring of     
#agbe1 the  fleet being all in          
readiness1 put to sea1 and returned safe
 with  twenty-five and a half whales4   
,the proceeds of this voyage1 though    
scarcely sufficient to pay the expenses 
incurred by the fitments  and the hire  

of foreign harpooners1 were yet superior
 to those of  any succeeding year during
 the period in which the company pursued
  the trade4 ,for eight successive years
 the company persevered in the          
whale-fishery1 with indifferent or bad  
success1 and after the season  of #agcb 
were compelled to abandon it4 ,in #agcf1
 a ,london ship1 which  visited the     
whale-fishery1 procured a cargo of seven
 fish--a degree  of success which was   
fortunately different from that of most 
of the  antecedent ,english whalers4    
,the ,english government offered a      
bounty  of twenty shillings per ton on  
the burden or tonnage of all ,british   
whale-fishing ships of #bjj tons or     
upwards2 and this1 in #agdi1 was        
increased to forty shillings per ton4   
,gradually the ,british whale-fishery   
began to assume a respectable  and      
hopeful appearance4 ,the combined fleets
 of ,england and ,scotland1  in the year
 #ageb1 amounted to forty sail2 in      
#agec1 to forty-nine2  in #aged1 to     

sixty-seven1 in #agee1 to eighty-two2   
and in the year  following1 to          
eighty-three sail--which was the        
greatest number of  ships employed in   
the trade for the twenty years          
following2 while the  least number      
amounted to forty sail during the same  
period4 ,on the  establishment of the   
,british whale-fishery1 the legislature 
directed  its attention to the means for
 securing the perpetuity of the trade1  
and the economical application of the   
bounty4 ,these enactments were  not     
carried in the ,house of ,commons       
without considerable debate4  ,in #agfh1
 the king of ,prussia1 interesting      
himself in the ,greenland  fishery1     
caused some ships to be equipped from   
,emden2 and in #aghd1  the king of      
,france attempted the revival of the    
whale-fishery1 by  equipping1 at his own
 expense1 six ships in the port of      
,dunkirk4 ,in  #aghe1 the king of       
,denmark1 in imitation of the ,english1 
granted a  bounty of about thirty       

shillings sterling per ton1 to all      
vessels in  the ,greenland and ,iceland 
fisheries1 on the condition of the ships
  being fitted out and their cargoes    
sold in a ,danish port4    ,the ,act of 
the ,british ,parliament of #aghf1      
embodying several  additional           
regulations on the subject of the       
whale-fishery1 and  rehearsing and      
revising former acts1 has ever since    
been considered  the fundamental act on 
the subject of the ,greenland and       
,davis's  ,strait whale-fishery4 ,by    
accounts laid upon the table of the     
,house of  ,commons during this session1
 it appeared that the bounties granted  
for the encouragement of the ,british   
whale-fisheries1 carried on  in the     
,greenland ,sea and ,davis's ,strait1   
from the year #agcc1 when  bounties were
 first given1 to the end of #aghe1 had  
amounted to  #a1jfd1bgb4 #ahs4 #b;d4 for
 ,england1 and #bjb1aeh4 #afs4 #aa;d4   
for  ,scotland4 ,by a subsequent act1   
the bounty was reduced to twenty-five   

shillings per ton1 from the #beth of    
,december1 #agib1 to the #beth of       
,december1 #agie2 and from this period  
until the expiration of the  act in     
#agih1 to twenty shillings per ton1 at  
which latter rate it  has continued ever
 since4 ,from a list1 it appears1 that  
in #aghh1  #bee ,british ships sailed   
for the whale-fishery1 of which #abi    
were  of a burden under #cjj tons2 #ig  
of #cjj to #cej tons2 #af of #cej to    
#djj  tons2 #aa of #djj to #ejj tons2 #a
 of #efe tons2 and #a of #ihg tons4     
,they  were fitted out from the ports of
 ,london1 ,hull1 ,liverpool1 ,whitby1   
,newcastle1 ,yarmouth1 ,sunderland1     
,lynn1 ,leith1 ,ipswich1 ,dunbar1       
,aberdeen1 ,bo'ness1 ,glasgow1          
,montrose1 ,dundee1 ,exeter1            
,whitehaven1  ,stockton1 ,greenock1     
,scarborough1 ,grangemouth1 and         
,queensferry4                           
,,chapter ,,ii4     ,,situation ,,of    
,,the ,,early ,,whale-,,fishery--,,the  
,,manner ,,in ,,which ,,it ,,was        

,,conducted--,,and ,,the ,,alterations  
,,which ,,have ,,taken ,,place4         
,immediately after the discovery of     
,spitzbergen by ,hudson1 in the year    
#afjg1 the walrus-fishers1 who carried  
on an extensive and profitable  business
 at ,cherie ,island1 finding the animals
 of their pursuit  become shy and less  
abundant1 extended their voyage to the  
northward1  until they fell in with     
,spitzbergen1 the newly discovered      
country1  about the time when the       
,russian ,company equipped their first  
ships  for the ,greenland whale-fishery4
 ,as the coast abounded with whales  and
 sea-horses1 ,cherie ,island was        
deserted1 and ,spitzbergen became  the  
scene of future enterprize4 ,at this    
time1 the mysticetus was  found in      
immense numbers throughout the whole    
extent of the coast1  and in the        
different capacious bays with which it  
abounds4 ,never  having been disturbed1 
these animals were unconscious of       
danger2  they allowed themselves to be  

so closely approached that they fell  an
 easy prey to the courageous fishermen4 
,it was not necessary that  the ships   
should cruise abroad1 throughout the    
extended regions of  the ,polar ,seas1  
as they do at the present time1 for the 
whales being  abundant in the bays1 the 
ships were anchored in some convenient  
situation1 and generally remained at    
their moorings until their  cargoes were
 completed4 ,not only did the coast of  
,spitzbergen abound  with whales1 but   
the shore of ,jan ,mayen ,island1 in    
proportion to its  extent1 afforded them
 in like abundance4    ,the method used 
for capturing whales1 at this period1   
was usually  by means of the harpoon and
 lance1 though the ,dutch inform us that
  the ,english made use of nets made    
with strong ropes for the purpose4  ,the
 harpoon1 which was the instrument used 
in general practice for  effecting their
 entanglement1 consisted1 as at present1
 of a barbed  or arrow-shaped iron dart1
 two or three feet in length1 to which  

was  attached a wooden handle1 for      
convenience in striking or throwing  it 
into the whale4 ,fastened to the harpoon
 was a line or rope three  hundred      
fathoms in length2 more than sufficient 
to reach the bottom  in the bays1 where 
the depth of the water seldom exceeds   
eighty  or one hundred fathoms2 so that 
on a fish descending after being        
struck1 the end of the line could always
 be detained in the boat4  ,the         
movements of this boat1 of course1      
corresponded with those of  the whale2  
and so closely pointed out its position1
 that1 on its  reappearance at the      
surface1 the other assisting boats were 
usually  very near the place4 ,it was   
then vigorously pursued1 secured by a   
sufficient number of harpoons1 and      
lastly attacked repeatedly with  lances 
until it was killed4    ,the lance in   
use was an iron spear with a wooden     
handle1 altogether  ten or twelve feet  
in length4 ,the capture of the fish1 in 
which1  owing to the particular         

excellence of the situation1 they seldom
  failed1 being accomplished1 it was    
towed by the boats1 rowing one  before  
another 8like a team of horses10 to the 
ship's stern1 where  it lay untouched   
from one to two or three days4 ,the fat 
being then  removed was carried to the  
shore1 where ample conveniences being   
erected1 it was afterwards subjected to 
heat in a boiler1 and the  greater part 
of the oil extracted4    ,as the usual  
process of the early fishers for        
extracting the oil  may be interesting  
to some readers1 ,i shall attempt to    
describe it1  following the accounts by 
captains ,anderson and ,gray1 whose     
papers  are preserved among the         
manuscripts in the ,british ,museum4    
,the blubber being made fast to the     
shore1 a 8waterside man10  standing in a
 pair of boots1 mid-leg in the sea1     
flayed off the  fleshy parts1 and cut   
the blubber into pieces1 of about two   
hundred  weight each4 ,two men1 with a  
barrow1 then carried it1 piece by       

piece1 to a stage or platform1 erected  
by the side of the works1  where a man1 
denominated a 8stage-cutter10 armed with
 a long knife1  sliced it into pieces1  
one and a half inches thick1 and about a
  foot long1 and then pushed it into an 
adjoining receptacle1 called  a 8slicing
 cooler40 ,immediately beyond this      
cooler1 five or six  choppers were      
arranged in a line1 with blocks of      
whales' tails  before them2 and         
adjoining these blocks was another      
vessel1 called a  8chopping cooler10 of 
two or three tons' capacity4 ,these men1
 being  situated between the two        
coolers1 took the sliced blubber from   
the  slicing cooler1 and1 after reducing
 it into little bits1 scarcely          
one-fourth of an inch thick1 and an inch
 or two long1 pushed it into  the       
chopping cooler4 ,these operations were 
carried on as near as  convenient to the
 place where the copper was erected4    
,the copper held only half a ton4 ,it   
was furnished with a furnace1  and the  

requisite appendages4 ,a man1 designated
 8tub-filler10 with  a ladle of copper1 
was employed in filling a hogshead with 
chopped  blubber1 dragging it to the    
copper1 and emptying it in1 until the   
copper was full4 ,a fire of wood was1 in
 the first instance1 applied1  but after
 a copper or two had been boiled1 the   
finks or fritters  were always          
sufficient to boil the remainder without
 any other fuel4  ,when the blubber was 
sufficiently boiled1 two men1 called    
8copper  men10 with two long-handled    
copper ladles1 took the oil and finks   
out of the copper1 and put it into a    
8fritter barrow10 which1 being          
furnished with a grating of wood in     
place of a bottom1 drained the  oil from
 the fritters1 from whence it ran into a
 wooden tank or  cooler1 of about five  
tons' capacity4 ,three coolers were     
usually  provided1 and placed some feet 
asunder1 a little below each other2  a  
quantity of water was put into each     
before the oil1 and the oil1  whenever  

it came to a certain height in the first
 cooler1 escaped  through a hole1 by a  
spout1 into the second1 the same way    
into the  third1 and from thence1 by a  
plug-hole1 into the casks or butts  in  
readiness for its reception4 ,when the  
oil in these butts was  thoroughly cold1
 whatever it had contracted was filled  
up1 and the  casks then rolled into the 
water1 and1 in rafts of twenty together1
  were conveyed into the ship4    ,the  
whalebone was separated from the gum1 or
 substance in which it is  imbedded1    
rubbed clean1 packed in bundles1 of     
sixty lamin or blades  each1 and taken  
to the ship in the longboat4 ,thus      
prepared1 the cargo  was conveyed home1 
either when a sufficiency was procured1 
or the  close of the season put an end  
to the fishing occupations4 ,while some 
of the people belonging to the          
whale-ships were engaged in boiling  the
 blubber1 the rest of the crew1 it is   
probable1 were occasionally  employed in
 the capture of other whales4 ,besides  

the buildings made  use of in boiling   
the blubber1 the whale-fishers had other
 buildings  on shore for lodging the    
blubber-men in1 and for the use of the  
coopers employed in preparing the casks4
    ,so long as the whales remained in  
the immediate vicinity of the  fishing  
establishments1 the boats were sent out 
of the bay1 the fish  captured at sea1  
towed into the harbour1 stripped of the 
fat1 and the  blubber boiled in the     
manner described2 but as the whales     
increased  their distance1 this plan of 
procedure became inconvenient1 so that  
the ships began to cruise about the sea1
 to kill the whales wherever  they found
 them1 to take on board the blubber1 and
 only occasionally  to enter a port4 ,so
 far now from having occasion for empty 
ships  for carrying away the            
superabundant produce1 it was a matter  
of  difficulty and uncertainty to       
procure a cargo at all2 and1 with the   
most prosperous issue1 there was not    
sufficient time for landing  the cargo  

and extracting the oil2 the blubber was 
therefore merely  packed in casks and   
conveyed home1 where the remaining      
operations of  extracting the oil1 and  
cleaning and preparing the whalebone1   
were  completed4 ,hence1 the various    
buildings1 which had been erected at  a 
great expense1 became perfectly useless2
 the coppers1 and other  apparatus that 
were worth the removal1 were taken away1
 and the  buildings of all the different
 nations1 both at ,spitzbergen and  at  
,jan ,mayen ,island1 were either        
wantonly razed to the ground1 or        
suffered to fall into a state of decay4 
,when the whales first approached the   
borders of the ice1 the fishers  held   
the ice in such dread1 that whenever an 
entangled fish ran  towards it1 they    
immediately cut the line4 ,experience1  
through time1  inured them to it2       
occasionally they ventured among the    
loose ice1  and the capture of small    
whales at fields was at length          
attempted1  and succeeded4 ,some        

adventurous persons sailed to the east  
side of  ,spitzbergen1 where the        
current1 it is believed1 has a tendency 
to  turn the ice against the shore2 yet 
here1 finding the sea1 on some          
occasions1 open1 they attempted to      
prosecute the fishery1 and1 it  seems1  
with some success1 a great whale-fishery
 having been made  near ,stansforeland1 
in the year #agjj4 ,the retreat of the  
whales  from the bays to the sea-coast1 
thence to the banks at a distance  from 
land1 thence to the borders of the ice1 
and finally to the  sheltered situations
 afforded by the ice1 appears to have   
been fully  accomplished about the year 
#agjj1 or from that to #agbj4 ,the plan 
of  prosecuting the fishery now         
underwent a material change1 especially 
in reference to the construction of the 
ships1 and the quality and  quantity of 
the fishing apparatus4    ,when the     
fishery could be effected entirely in   
the bay1 or even  along the sea-coast1  
any vessels which were sea-worthy1      

however old  or tender1 were deemed     
sufficient to proceed to ,spitzbergen1  
and  were generally found adequate to   
the purpose1 especially as they  did not
 set out till the spring was far        
advanced1 thereby avoiding  obstructions
 from the ice and from sudden and       
destructive storms4  ,when1 however1 the
 fishing had to be pursued in the open  
sea1 new1  or at least very substantial 
ships1 became requisite1 and even these 
it was found necessary to strengthen on 
the bows and stern1 and on  the sides1  
by additional planks4 ,a greater        
quantity of fishing-stores  also became 
needful4 ,when fishing among the ice1   
the whales1 after  having been struck1  
frequently penetrated to a great        
distance out  of the reach of their     
assailants1 dragging the line away1     
until  at length they found it necessary
 to cut it to prevent further  loss4    
,hence1 by the frequency of disasters   
among their ships1 the  increased       
expense of their equipment1 and the     

liability of losing  their              
fishing-materials1 such an additional   
expense was occasioned as  required the 
practice of the most rigid economy to   
counterbalance it4  ,the destruction of 
the shipping by the ice1 in the ,dutch  
fleet alone1  was frequently near twenty
 sail in one year1 and on some occasions
  above that number4 ,the ,greenland men
 of the present day being mostly        
ice-fishers1 an account of the improved 
mode of fishing now practised  will be  
sufficient for the illustration of the  
method followed by the  ,dutch and other
 nations at a more early period1        
particularly as the  way in which the   
whale is pursued and killed is pretty   
nearly the  same at this time as it was 
a hundred years ago4    ,davis's        
,strait1 or the sea lying between the   
west side of ,old  ,greenland and the   
east side of ,north ,america1 and its   
most northern  islands1 has generally1  
since the close of the seventeenth      
century1  been the scene of an          

advantageous whale-fishery4 ,this       
fishery was  first attempted by the     
,dutch1 in #agai2 after which period it 
was  usually resorted to by about       
three-tenths of their whalers1 while    
seven-tenths proceeded to ,spitzbergen4 
,this fishery differs only  from that of
 ,spitzbergen or ,greenland1 in the sea 
being1 in many  districts1 less         
incommoded with ice1 and in the climate 
being  somewhat more mild4 ,the         
alterations which have taken place in it
 are1  in some measure1 similar to those
 which have occurred at ,spitzbergen4   
,the fish which1 half a century ago1    
appear to have resorted to all  parts of
 the western coast of ,old ,greenland1  
in a few years retired  to the          
northward1 but they still remained about
 the coast4 ,of late1  however1 they    
have deserted some of the bays which    
they formerly  frequented1 and have been
 principally caught in icy situations in
  a high latitude1 or in the opening of 
,hudson's ,strait1 or at the  borders of

 the western ice1 near the coast of     
,labrador4    ,baffin's ,bay was        
suggested as an excellent               
fishing-station1 by the  voyager whose  
name it bears1 so early as the year     
#afaf1 when his  memorable navigation   
was performed4 ,baffin1 in a letter     
addressed to  ,j4 ,wostenholm1 esq41    
observes1 that great numbers of whales  
occur  in the bay1 and that they are    
easy to be struck2 and1 though ships    
cannot reach the proper places until    
toward the middle of ,july1 8yet  they  
may well tarry till the last of ,august1
 in which space much  business may be   
done1 and good store of oil made40 ,to  
this situation1  where the whales have  
never been molested until recently1 it  
appears  they still resort in the same  
manner1 and in similar numbers1 as  in  
the time of ,baffin4 ,in #ahag1 two or  
three of the ,davis's ,strait  whalers  
proceeded through the strait into       
,baffin's ,bay1 to a much  greater      
length than they were in the habit of   

adventuring1 where1  in the months of   
,july and ,august1 they found the sea   
clear of ice1  and in some parts        
abounding with whales4 ,a ,leith ship1  
which1 it  appears1 advanced the        
furthest1 made a successful fishery in  
lat4  #gf-gg1 after the season when it  
was usual for ships to depart4 ,this    
fact having become generally known1     
several other ships followed the        
example1 in the season of #ahah1 and    
persevered through the barrier  of ice  
lying in #gd-ge towards the north4      
,after they had succeeded  in passing   
this barrier1 they found1 as in the     
preceding year1 a  navigable sea1 where 
several ships met with considerable     
success in  the fishery1 at a very      
advanced period of the season4 ,this    
discovery  is likely to prove of great  
importance to the fishery of ,davis's   
,strait4 ,ships1 which fail of success  
in the old stations1 will still1  in the
 new fishery1 have a reserve of the most
 promising character4  ,hence1 instead  

of this fishery being necessarily closed
 in ,july1 the  period when the whales  
have usually made their final retreat   
from  the old fishing-stations1 it will 
in future be extended to the end  of    
,august at least2 and it may ultimately 
appear that there will be  little danger
 of ships being permanently frozen up1  
unless previously  beset in the ice     
during any part of the month of         
,september4                             
,,chapter ,,iii4      ,,account ,,of    
,,the ,,modern ,,whale-,,fishery1 ,,as  
,,conducted ,,at ,,spitzbergen4      ,we
 commence this chapter with a           
description of a well-adapted           
,greenland ship1 and of the manner in   
which it should be strengthened  to     
resist the concussions of the ice4 ,a   
ship intended for the  ,greenland or    
,davis's ,strait trade1 should be of    
three or four  hundred tons'            
admeasurement1 very substantially built1
 doubled1 and  fortified2 should have   
six or seven feet perpendicular space   

between  decks2 should be furnished with
 a description of sails which are       
easily worked2 and should possess the   
property of fast sailing4 ,the  most    
appropriate dimensions of a ship        
intended for the northern               
whale-fisheries1 seems to be that which 
is so large as to be capable  of        
deriving the greatest advantage from the
 best opportunity1 and no  larger4 ,a   
vessel of #bej tons requires nearly the 
same number of men1  the same quantity  
of provisions and stores1 and the same  
expense of  outfit1 as a ship of #cej   
tons' burden2 while the difference in   
the  cargoes of the two vessels when    
filled1 is in one voyage more than  a   
compensation for the difference in the  
first expense4 ,besides1 for  want of   
similar room and convenience1 the       
smaller ship has not always  an equal   
chance of succeeding in the fishery with
 the larger4 ,and1  as ships of about   
#cej tons' burden have been occasionally
 filled1  vessels of #bej tons are too  

small for the fishery4 ,ships of #cej   
tons'  burden have1 we observe1 been    
occasionally filled1 but we know of no  
instance in which a ship of #djj tons1  
of the usual capacious build1  has been 
deficient in capacity for taking in as  
large a cargo as of  late years there   
has been any opportunity of procuring4  
,we therefore  conclude1 that an        
increase of dimensions above #djj tons  
is an actual  disadvantage1 and that a  
ship of intermediate size1 between #cjj 
and  #djj tons1 is best adapted for the 
fishery4    ,greenland ships1 in the    
early ages of the fishery1 were very    
indifferent structures1 and even of late
 shipping of inferior quality  were     
generally deemed sufficient for the     
trade4 ,at present1 however1  when a    
good fishery is rarely made without     
frequent exposure to  the ice1 and      
sometimes in very critical situations1  
the vessels  require to be substantially
 built1 for the purpose of resisting the
  occasional pressure of1 and frequent  

blows from1 the ice1 to which  the ships
 of persevering fishermen must always be
 more or less  exposed4 ,the requisites 
peculiar to a ,greenland ship1 the      
intention  of which is to afford        
additional strength1 consist of         
doubling1  and sometimes trebling1 and  
fortifying4 ,the terms 8doubling0 and   
8trebling10 are expressive of the number
 of layers of planks1 which  are applied
 to the exterior of a frame of timbers2 
hence1 a ship  which has one additional 
series of planks1 is said to be doubled1
  and such ships as are furnished with  
two1 or part of two1 additional  layers 
of planks1 are said to be trebled4      
,doubling generally consists  of the    
application of two or two half inches   
oak plank1 near the bow1  diminishing   
towards the stern to perhaps half that  
thickness1 and  extending in one        
direction from the lower part of the    
main-wales1  to within six feet         
perpendicular of the keel forward1 and  
to within  eight or nine feet abaft2    

and1 in the other direction1 that is1   
fore  and aft-wise1 from the stem to the
 stern-post4 ,doubling is used  for     
producing an increase of strength1 and  
at the same time for  preserving the    
outside or main planks of the ship from 
being injured  by the friction of       
passing ice4 ,trebling1 which commonly  
consists of  one and a half to two      
inches oak plank1 is generally confined 
to the  bows of the ship1 and rarely    
extends farther aft than the fore-chains
  or chesstree4 ,it is seldom applied   
but to second-rate ships4 ,its          
principal use is to increase the        
strength of the ship about the bows1    
but it also1 serves to preserve that    
part of the doubling which it  covers   
from being destroyed by the ice4        
,fortifying is the operation of         
strengthening a ship's stern and  bows  
by the application of timber and iron   
plates to the exterior1  and a vast     
number of timbers and stanchions to the 
interior4 ,four  straight substantial   

oak timbers1 called ice-beams1 about    
twelve  inches square and twenty-five   
feet in length1 are placed beneath the  
hold-beams1 butting with their foremost 
extremity against a strong  fore-hook1  
and extending nearly at right angles    
across three or four  of the hold-beams1
 into each of which they are notched and
 secured1  at the point of intersection1
 by strong iron bolts1 with the addition
  of 8cleats0 on the aftermost-beams4   
,the fore-part of the ice-beams1  which 
butt against the hook1 are placed at a  
small distance from  each other1 from   
whence they diverge in such a way that  
their other  extremities divide the     
aftermost beams under which they pass   
into  five equal parts4 ,the next       
important part of the fortification is  
the  pointers1 which consist of four or 
more crooked timbers1 fitting  the curve
 of the ship's bow on each side2 these  
are placed below the  hold-beams1       
against the inside of the ceiling1      
nearly parallel with  the direction of  

the planks1 some butting against the    
fore-hooks1  and others passing between 
them4 ,across these pointers1 four or   
five  smaller timbers1 called 8riders10 
disposed at regular distances1 are      
placed at right angles1 that is1 in the 
same direction as the ribs of  the ship4
 ,now1 from each of the points of       
intersection of the riders  and         
pointers1 consisting of eighteen or     
twenty on each side of the  ship1 a     
stanchion1 or shore1 proceeds to the    
edge of one of the two  ice-beams1      
placed on the same side1 where it is    
secured in a rabbet4  ,the ice-beams are
 supported and connected by several     
strong pieces of  wood1 placed between  
each two1 in different parts1 called    
8carlings10  whereby they are made to   
bear as one4 ,it is evident that a blow 
received on the starboard-bow will be   
impressed on the adjoining  pointers1   
and the impression communicated1 through
 the medium of the  lateral timbers1 or 
shores1 to the two ice-beams on the same

 side1  thence by the carlings to the   
other ice-beams1 and then1 by the       
shores on the opposite side to the      
larboard-bow and annexed pointers4  ,a  
blow cannot be received on any part of  
one bow1 without being  communicated by 
the fortification to every part of the  
opposite bow1  while every part to and  
through which the impression is         
communicated  must tend to support that 
place on which the blow is impressed4   
,to preserve the stem from being        
shattered or bruised by direct blows    
from the ice1 it is strengthened by an  
extra piece called the false1  or       
ice-stem4 ,on the side of this are      
placed the ice-knees1 which are  angular
 chocks1 or blocks of wood1 filling the 
concavity formed by  the stem and bow   
planks1 and extending from about the    
eight feet mark  to the loading mark4   
,in the best style1 the ice-knees are   
twelve to  fifteen inches in thickness  
at the stem1 diminishing to1 perhaps1   
six or eight inches thick at the        

distance of about eight feet from  the  
stem1 from thence gradually becoming    
thinner1 until they fall  into and      
incorporate with the common doubling1   
below the fore-part  of the fore-chains4
 ,this makes a neat bow1 and in point of
 strength  is much preferable to the    
angular chocks or knees1 which usually  
extend about five or six feet from the  
stem1 and then terminate  somewhat      
abruptly upon the doubling4 ,ice-knees  
not only strengthen  the front of the   
bows1 and prevent the main planks from  
being bruised  or shattered1 as far as  
they extend1 but likewise protect the   
stem  from the twisting effect of a side
 blow4 ,the stem and the small part  of 
the ice-knees adjoining1 are still      
farther defended by plates of  half-inch
 iron1 called ice-plates1 which are     
nailed upon the face of  the ice-stem1  
and partly on the ice-knees1 to prevent 
them being cut  by the ice4    ,for     
additional strength1 as well as         
convenience1 the hold-beams of  a       

,greenland ship should be placed low1 or
 at a greater distance  from the        
deck-beams than is usual in other       
merchantmen1 leaving a  clear space of  
six or seven feet between decks4 ,the   
strength thus  derived is principally   
serviceable when the ship is squeezed   
between  two sheets of ice2 because the 
nearer the pressure acts on the         
extremities of the beams1 the greater is
 the resistance they are  calculated to 
offer4 ,a large space between decks is  
found also1 for  many reasons1 to be    
most convenient4    ,hammocks1 as       
receptacles for sailors' beds1 being    
incommodious1 the  crew are lodged in   
cabins or berths1 erected in the        
half-deck2 these  consist of twelve to  
twenty in number1 each of which is      
calculated  to contain two or three     
persons4 ,when a ship is on             
fishing-stations1  the boats are        
required to be always ready for use2 as 
such they  are suspended from cranes1   
fixed on the sides of the ship1 and are 

usually so contrived that a boat can be 
lowered down into the water1  manned1   
and pushed off from the ship1 in the    
short space of a minute  of time4 ,prior
 to the year #ahac1 a ship having seven 
boats carried  one at each waist1 that  
is1 between the main-mast and fore-mast1
 two  at each quarter1 one above the    
other and one across the stern4 ,an     
improvement on this plan1 adopted in    
#ahac1 is to have the boats fixed  in a 
line of three lengths of boats on each  
side4    ,the masts and sails of a      
,greenland vessel are not without their 
peculiarities4 ,as it is an object of   
importance that a fishing-ship  should  
be easily navigated1 under common       
circumstances1 by a boat's  crew of six 
or seven men1 it is usual to take down  
royal masts1 and  even top-gallant      
masts1 and sometimes to substitute a    
long light pole  in place of a mizen    
top-mast2 also1 to adopt such sails as  
require  the least management4 ,courses 
set in the usual way require a number   

of men to work them when the ship is    
tacked2 a course1 therefore1  made to   
diminish as it descends1 that is1       
narrowest at the foot  or lower part1   
and extended by a boom1 or yard below as
 well as  above1 and this boom fastened 
by a tackle fixed at its centre to  the 
deck1 swings with the yards1 with little
 or no alteration1 and  is found        
particularly convenient4 ,fore-sails1 on
 this principle1  have been in use about
 six or seven years4 ,in #ahaf1 ,i      
fitted a  main-sail or cross-jack1 in   
the same way1 the former of which we    
found of admirable utility4             
,boom-courses are not only convenient in
  tacking1 but are likewise a valuable  
acquisition when sailing among  crowded 
dangerous ice4 ,as the safety of the    
ship depends1 next to the  skilfulness  
of the piloting officer1 on a prompt    
management of the  yards and sails1     
boom-courses are strikingly useful on   
account of the  little attention they   
require when any alteration in the      

position  of the sails becomes          
necessary2 and when the ship's head-way 
is  required to be suddenly stopped in a
 situation where she cannot be  luffed  
into the wind1 boom-courses swinging    
simultaneously with the  top-tails are  
backed without any annoyance from tacks 
or sheets1 and  of course assist        
materially in effecting the intention4  
,such is the  advantage of this         
description of sails1 that on one       
occasion1 when  all the rest of my crew 
were engaged in the capture of a whale1 
with  the assistance of only two men1   
neither of them sailors1 ,i repeatedly  
tacked a ship of #cej tons' burden under
 three courses1 top-sails and           
top-gallant sails1 together with jib and
 mizen1 in a strong breeze  of wind4    
,gaf-sails between the masts1 in the    
place of stay-sails1  are likewise      
deservedly in much repute4 ,to the mizen
 and try-sail1  or gaf main-sail1 that  
have been long in use1 ,i have added a  
gaf  fore-sail of similar form1 besides 

which1 my father has also adopted  gaf  
top-sails between each mast4 ,these     
sails produce an admirable  effect when 
a ship is 8on a wind10 which is the kind
 of sailing most  required among the    
ice4    ,having now described a         
,greenland ship1 it is time to detail   
the  proceedings on board of her1 from  
putting to sea to her arrival  on the   
coast of ,spitzbergen4 ,when all        
necessary conditions have  been         
fulfilled1 and the ship cleared out at  
the custom-house1 the  first opportunity
 is embraced for putting to sea4 ,this  
is generally  accomplished in the course
 of the month of ,march1 or at least    
before  the tenth of ,april4 ,the crew  
of a whale-ship usually consists of     
forty to fifty men1 comprising several  
classes of officers1 such as            
harpooners1 boat-steerers1              
line-managers1 carpenters1 coopers1     
etc41  together with fore-mast men1     
landmen1 and apprentices4 ,as a stimulus
  to the crew in the fishery1 every     

individual1 from the master down  to the
 boys1 besides his monthly pay1 receives
 a gratuity for every  size fish caught 
during the voyage1 or a certain sum for 
every tun  of oil which the cargo       
produces4 ,masters and harpooners1 in   
place of  monthly wages1 receive a small
 sum in advance before sailing1 and if  
they procure no cargo whatever1 they    
receive nothing more for their  voyage2 
but in the event of a successful        
fishing1 their advantages  are          
considerable4 ,the master usually       
receives three guineas for each  size   
fish1 and as much for striking a size   
whale or discovering a  dead one1       
together with ten shillings to twenty   
shillings per tun  on oil1 and commonly 
a thirtieth1 a twenty-fifth1 or a       
twentieth of  the value of the cargo    
besides4 ,he also has about #e per month
 for  his attendance on the ship while  
he remains on shore4 ,each harpooner    
has usually #fs4 per tun on oil1        
together with half a guinea for  every  

size fish he may strike during the      
voyage4 ,in addition to  which the      
chief-mate1 who is generally also       
harpooner1 has commonly  two guineas per
 month when at sea1 and a guinea for    
each size fish4  ,the specksioneer1 or  
chief-harpooner1 has also half a guinea 
per  fish1 and sometimes a trifle per   
tun of oil additional2 and the          
second-mate1 and other officers who     
serve in a compound capacity1  have some
 additional monthly wages4              
,boat-steerers1 line-managers1  and     
fore-mast-men1 commonly receive about   
#as4 #f;d4 per tun each1  besides their 
monthly pay1 and landmen either a trifle
 per tun on  oil1 or a few shillings for
 each size fish4    ,from the difference
 in the wages paid in different ports1  
it is not  easy to say what is the      
amount received by each class of        
officers  belonging to the whale-ships4 
,in the general1 however1 it may be     
understood that1 on a ship with #bjj    
tuns of oil1 which is esteemed an       

excellent cargo1 the chief-mate receives
 about #ie for his voyage1  a harpooner 
about #gj1 and a common sailor1 or      
foremast-man1 about  #be4 including     
advance money and monthly pay4 ,as the  
master's wages  depend as much on the   
value of the cargo as upon its quantity1
 it is  difficult to give an opinion as 
to the amount2 generally speaking1      
however1 with a cargo of #bjj tuns of   
oil1 he will receive about #bej  or     
#cjj1 when his pay is according to the  
lowest scale2 and perhaps  #ejj or #fjj1
 or upwards1 when he is paid after the  
highest rate4    ,in time of war1 the   
manning of the whale-ships at the ports 
where  they were respectively fitted out
 being sometimes impracticable1  and    
always a matter of difficulty1 it was   
usual for the owners  and masters of    
such ships to avail themselves of the   
privileges  allowed by act of parliament
 of completing their crews in ,shetland 
and ,orkney4 ,these islands were1       
therefore1 the frequent resort of  most 

of the fishermen2 those bound for       
,spitzbergen commonly put  into         
,shetland1 and those for ,davis's       
,strait into ,orkney4 ,but in the       
present time of peace1 also1 several    
ships1 in consequence of the  higher    
wages demanded by the ,english seamen1  
have availed themselves  of a late      
extension of the act for permitting a   
certain amount of  extra men to be taken
 on board in ,shetland or ,orkney1      
during the  continuance of the bounty   
system4    ,in ,shetland1 it is usual   
for the fishermen to trim their ships1  
and complete their ballast1 by filling  
most of their empty casks with  water1  
where it has not previously been done1  
to replenish their  fresh water1 to lay 
in stocks of eggs1 fish1 fowls1         
sea-sand1 etc41  to divest the ships of 
all elevated lumber and gaudy appendages
 to  the masts and rigging1 by way of   
preparing them for enduring the  ,polar 
storms with greater safety and          
convenience1 and lastly1 to fix  a      

8crow's nest0 or 8hurricane house10 on  
the mast of each ship1 and  prepare a   
passage to it as safe and convenient as 
possible4    ,the 8crow's nest0 is an   
apparatus placed on the main top-mast1  
or  top-gallant mast-head1 as a kind of 
watch-tower for the use of the  master  
or officer of the watch in the          
fishing-seas1 for sheltering  him from  
the wind1 when engaged in piloting the  
ship through crowded  ice1 or for       
obtaining a more extensive view of the  
sea around when  looking out for whales4
 ,when sailing among much drift-ice1 as 
seen  from the deck1 it seems at a small
 distance impervious1 although  it may  
happen that scarcely any two pieces are 
connected2 but from  the mast-head1 the 
relative position of almost every piece 
may be  distinctly seen1 and an opinion 
may be formed by the experienced        
observer of the probable and actual     
movements of such pieces as  the ship is
 required to pass4 ,this is an object of
 the greatest  importance1 because the  

varied movements of the different pieces
  occasion such an alteration in the    
channel pursued1 that1 were it not  for 
a constant1 attentive1 and judicious    
watch by the master or an  able officer1
 a ship would not pass through any      
crowded collection of  drift-ice without
 the imminent risk of being stove4      
,in difficult situations1 a master's    
presence at the mast-head is  sometimes 
required for many hours in succession1  
when the temperature  of the air is from
 #aj to #bj below the freezing point1 or
 more4  ,it is therefore necessary for  
the preservation of his health1 as  well
 as for his comfort1 that he should be  
sheltered from the  piercing gale4 ,a   
piece of canvas tied round the head of  
the main  top-mast1 and heel of the     
top-gallant mast1 extending only from   
the cap to the cross-trees1 or at best1 
a canvas stretched round  the base of   
the top-gallant rigging1 but open on the
 after-part1  was the most complete     
contrivance of a crow's nest1 until a   

few  years ago my father invented an    
apparatus1 having the appearance of  a  
rostrum1 which afforded an admirable    
defence against the wind4  ,this        
contrivance1 from the comfortable       
shelter it affords to the  navigator1   
having come into very general use1 it   
may not be improper  to describe it more
 particularly4    ,the one most approved
 by the inventor is about four and a    
half feet  in length1 and two and a half
 in diameter4 ,the form is cylindrical1 
open above and close below4 ,it is      
composed of laths of wood1 placed  in a 
perpendicular position1 round the       
exterior edge of a strong  wooden hoop1 
forming the top1 and round a plane of   
mahogany or  other wood which forms the 
bottom1 and the whole circumference of  
the cylinder is covered with canvas or  
leather4 ,the entrance is  by a         
trap-hatch at the bottom4 ,it is fixed  
on the very summit of  the main         
top-gallant mast1 from whence the       
prospect on every side  is unimpeded4   

,on the after-side is a seat1 with a    
place beneath  for a flag4 ,in other    
parts are receptacles for a             
speaking-trumpet1  telescope1 and       
occasionally for a rifle-piece1 with    
utensils for  loading4 ,for the more    
effectual shelter of the observer1 when 
in  an erect posture1 a movable screen  
is applied to the top on the  windward  
side1 which increases the height so much
 as effectually to  shield his head4    
,when the ship is tacked1 nothing more  
is necessary  for retaining the complete
 shelter than shifting the screen to the
  opposite side1 which is done in an    
instant4    ,the ,greenland ships       
usually leave ,shetland towards the end 
of ,march1  or the beginning of ,april4 
,from thence1 if their view be to avail 
themselves of the benefit of the        
seal-fishery1 they steer to the         
northward1 on the meridian1 or a little 
to the westward1 and commonly  make the 
ice in the latitude of #gj to #gb north4
 ,but if the month  of ,april be much   

advanced before they leave ,shetland1   
they generally  steer for the           
whaling-stations on a course to the east
 of north1 with  the view of falling    
into that remarkable indentation of the 
,polar  ice1 lying in #e or #aj east    
longitude1 which ,i have denominated    
the 8,whale-,fishers' ,bight40 ,it used 
to be the practice to remain on         
sealing-stations until the beginning of 
,may1 and not to enter the ice  until   
about the middle of the month2 but of   
late it has become usual  to push into  
the ice at a much earlier period1 though
 the practice  is neither without its   
dangers nor disadvantages4 ,if a barrier
 of  ice prevents the fisher from       
reaching the usual fishing-station1 he  
sometimes perseveres in search of whales
 on the southward margin of  the ice1   
but more generally endeavours to push   
through it into an  opening1 which is   
usually formed on the west side of      
,spitzbergen1 in  the month of ,may1    
where he seldom fails of meeting with   

the objects  of his search4 ,it is a    
common remark1 that the more difficulty 
there  is attending the passage through 
the ice1 the better is the fishery  when
 that passage is accomplished4 ,in close
 seasons1 very few ships  pass the      
barrier before the middle or end of     
,may4 ,those which first  succeed       
immediately proceed along the edge of   
the western ice to  the latitude of #gh 
or #gi1 until they meet with whales4    
,but in  open seasons1 the most         
recommendable plan is to sail direct to 
the  latitude of #hj1 when it can be    
accomplished at a very early period1    
where large whales are generally at this
 season to be found4    ,it is not yet  
ascertained what is the earliest period 
of the year in  which it is possible to 
fish for whales4 ,the danger attending  
the  navigation amidst massive          
drift-ice1 in the obscurity of night1 is
  the most formidable objection against 
attempting the fishery before  the      
middle of the month of ,april1 when the 

sun1 having entered the  northern       
tropic1 begins to enlighten the ,polar  
regions throughout the  twenty-four     
hours4 ,some ships have sailed to the   
northward of the  #ghth degree of       
latitude1 before the close of the month 
of ,march2 but  ,i am not acquainted    
with a single instance where the hardy  
fishers  have1 at this season1 derived  
any compensation for the extraordinary  
dangers to which they were exposed4 ,in 
the course of the month of  ,april1 on  
certain occasions1 considerable progress
 has been made in  the fishery1         
notwithstanding the frequency of storms4
 ,at the first  stage of the business1  
in open seas1 the whales are usually    
found in  most abundance on the borders 
of the ice1 near ,hackluyt's ,headland1 
in the latitude of #hj4 ,a degree or two
 further south they are  sometimes seen1
 though not in much plenty2 but in the  
#gfth degree  they sometimes occur in   
such numbers1 as to present a tolerable 
prospect of success in assailing them4  

,some rare instances have occurred      
wherein they have been seen on the  edge
 of the ice1 extending from ,cherie     
,island to ,point ,look-out1 in  the    
early part of the season4 ,grown fish   
are frequently found at the  edge1 or a 
little within the edge1 of the loose    
ice1 in the #gith  degree of north      
latitude1 in the month of ,may2 and     
small whales1  of different ages1 at    
fields1 and sometimes in bays of the    
ice1 in  the #hjth degree4 ,usually the 
fish are most plentiful in ,june1 and1  
on some occasions1 they are met with in 
every degree of latitude  from #ge to   
#hj4 ,in this month1 the large whales   
are found in every  variety of          
situation2 sometimes in open water1 at  
others in the loose  ice1 or at the     
edges of fields and floes1 near the main
 impervious  body of ice1 extending     
towards the coast of ,west ,greenland4  
,the  smaller animals of the species    
are1 at the same time1 found further  to
 the south than in the spring1 at floes1

 fields1 or even among  loose ice1 but  
most plentifully about fields or floes1 
at the border  of the main western ice1 
in the latitude of #gh or #gh4 ,in      
,july1  the fishery generally           
terminates1 sometimes at the beginning  
of the  month1 at others1 though more   
rarely1 it continues throughout the     
greater part of it4 ,few small fish are 
seen at this season4    ,the parallel of
 #gh to #gh is1 on the whole1 the most  
productive  fishing-station4 ,the       
interval between this parallel and #hj1 
or any  other situation more remote1 is 
called the 8northward10 and any         
situation in a lower latitude than #gh  
is called the 8southward40  ,though the 
#gith degree affords whales in the      
greatest abundance1  yet the #gfth      
degree affords them1 perhaps1 more      
generally4 ,in this  latter situation a 
very large kind of the mysticetus is    
commonly  to be found1 throughout the   
season1 from ,april to ,july inclusive4 
,their number1 however1 is not often    

great2 and as the situation in  which   
they occur is unsheltered1 and1         
consequently1 exposed to heavy  swells1 
the southern fishery is not much        
frequented4 ,the parallel  of #gg to #gg
 is considered a 8dead latitude0 by the 
fishers1 but  occasionally it affords   
whales also4    ,from an attentive      
observation of facts1 it would appear   
that  various tribes of the mysticetus  
inhabit different regions1 and  pursue  
various routes on their removal from the
 places where first  seen4 ,these tribes
 seem to be distinguished by a          
difference of age  or manners1 and1 in  
some instances1 apparently by one of    
species  or subspecies4 ,the            
systematical movements of the whales    
receive  illustration from many         
well-known facts4 ,sometimes a large    
tribe1  passing from one place to       
another1 which1 under such              
circumstances1  is denominated a 8run of
 fish10 has been traced in its          
movements1 in  a direct line from the   

south towards the north1 along the      
seaward  edge of the western ice1       
through a space of two or three degrees 
of latitude2 then it has been           
ascertained to have entered the ice1    
and penetrated to the northward beyond  
the reach of the fishers4 ,in  certain  
years1 it is curious to observe1 that   
the whales commence a  simultaneous     
retreat throughout the whole fishing    
limits1 and all  disappear within the   
space of a very few days4    ,having now
 mentioned1 generally1 the principal    
places resorted to by  the whales in the
 ,spitzbergen seas1 it will1 possibly1  
be interesting  to such as are in any   
way concerned in the fishery1 to notice 
more  distinctly their favourite haunts 
under particular circumstances4         
,experience proves that the whale has   
its favourite places of resort1         
depending on a sufficiency of food1     
particular circumstances of  weather1   
and particular portions and qualities of
 the ice4 ,thus1  though many whales may

 have been seen in open water when the  
weather  was fine1 after the occurrence 
of a storm perhaps not one is to be     
seen2 and1 though fields are sometimes  
the resort of hundreds of  whales1 yet1 
whenever the loose ice around separates 
entirely away1  the whales quit them    
also4 ,hence1 fields seldom afford      
whales in much  abundance1 excepting at 
the time when they first 8break out10   
and  become accessible2 that is1        
immediately after a vacancy is made on  
some side by the separation of adjoining
 fields1 floes1 or drift-ice4  ,whales  
are rarely seen in abundance in the     
large open spaces of  water which       
sometimes occur amidst fields and floes1
 nor are they  commonly seen in a very  
open pack1 unless it be in the immediate
  neighbourhood of the main western ice4
 ,they seem to have a preference  for   
close packs and patches of ice1 and for 
fields under certain  circumstances2 for
 deep bays1 or bights1 and sometimes for
 clear  water situations2 occasionally  

for detached streams of drift-ice1  and 
most generally for extensive sheets of  
bay-ice4 ,bay-ice is a  favourite       
retreat of the whales1 so long as it    
continues sufficiently  tender to be    
conveniently broken for the purpose of  
respiration4 ,in  such situations1      
whales may frequently be seen in amazing
 numbers1  elevating and breaking the   
ice with their crowns1 the eminences on 
their heads in which their blow-holes   
are situated4    ,the most favourable   
opportunity for prosecuting the fishery 
commonly  occurs with north1 north-west1
 or west winds4 ,at such times1 the  sea
 near the ice is almost always smooth1  
and the atmosphere1  though cloudy and  
dark1 is generally free from fog or     
thick snow4  ,the fishers prefer a      
cloudy to a clear sky1 because1 in very 
bright  weather1 the sea becomes        
illuminated1 and the shadows of the     
whale-boats are so deeply impressed in  
the water by the beams of the  sun1 that
 the whales are very apt to take the    

alarm1 and evade the  utmost care and   
skill of their pursuers4 ,south-east or 
east winds1  though disagreeable1 cause 
a violent agitation of the pieces of    
ice1  and so annoy the whales as to     
induce them to leave their retreat  and 
appear in the open sea4 ,although the   
fishery requires a cloudy  atmosphere1  
yet it must be free from fog or         
continued snow2 smooth  water1 with a   
breeze of wind1 and navigably open1 or  
perfectly solid  ice4    ,the boats and 
principal instruments employed in the   
capture of  the whale next claim a      
description4 ,whale-boats are1 of       
course1  peculiarly adapted for the     
occupation they are intended to be      
employed in4 ,a well-constructed        
,greenland boat possesses the  following
 properties3--,it floats lightly and    
safely on the water1 is  capable of     
being rowed with great speed1 and       
readily turned round2  it is of such    
capacity1 that it carries six or seven  
men1 seven or  eight hundred weight of  

whale-line1 and various other materials1
  and yet retains the necessary         
properties of safety1 buoyancy1  and    
speed1 either in smooth water1 or where 
it is exposed to a  considerable sea4   
,whale-boats1 being very liable to      
receive damage1  both from whales and   
ice1 are always carver-built--a         
structure which  is easily repaired4    
,they are usually of the following      
dimensions4  ,those called six-oared    
boats1 adapted for carrying seven men1  
six of  whom1 including the harpooner1  
are rowers1 are generally twenty-six  to
 twenty-eight feet in length1 and about 
five feet nine inches in  breadth4      
,six-men boats1 that is1 with five      
rowers and a steersman1  are usually    
twenty-five to twenty-six feet in       
length1 and about  five feet three      
inches in breadth2 and four-oared boats 
are usually  twenty-three to twenty-four
 feet in length1 and about five feet1   
three inches in breadth4 ,the main      
breadth of the two first classes of     

boats is at about three-sevenths of the 
length of the boat1 reckoned  from the  
stern2 but in the last class it is      
necessary to have the  main breadth     
within one-third of the length of the   
boat from the  stern4 ,the object of    
this is to enable the smaller boat to   
support1  without being dragged under   
water1 as great a strain on the lines   
as those of a larger class2 otherwise1  
if such a boat were sent out  by itself1
 its lines would be always liable to be 
lost before any  assistance could reach 
it4    ,the five-oared or six-men boat  
is that which is in general use2  though
 each fishing-ship generally carries one
 or two of the largest  class4 ,these   
boats are now commonly built of fir     
boards1 one-half or  three-fourths of an
 inch thick1 with timbers1 keel1        
gunwales1 stern1  and stern-post of oak4
 ,an improvement in the timbering of    
whale-boats  has lately been made1 by   
sawing the timber out of very straight  
grained oak1 and bending them to the    

required form after being made  supple  
by the application of steam1 or         
immersion in boiling water4  ,this      
improvement1 which renders the timbers  
more elastic than when  they are sawn   
out of crooked oak1 and at the same time
 makes the  boat stronger and lighter1  
was suggested by ,thomas ,brodrick1     
esq41  of ,whitby1 ship-builder4 ,though
 the principle has long been acted  upon
 in clincher-built boats1 with ash      
timbers1 the application to             
carver-built whale-boats is1 ,i believe1
 new4 ,the bow and stern of  ,greenland 
boats are both sharp1 and in appearance 
very similar1  but the stern forms a    
more acute angle than the bow4 ,the keel
 has  some depression in the middle from
 which the facility of turning is       
acquired4    ,the instruments of general
 use in the capture of the whale are the
  harpoon and the lance4 ,the harpoon is
 an instrument of iron1 of about  three 
feet in length4 ,it consists of three   
conjoined parts1 called  the 8socket10  

8shank10 and 8mouth10 the latter of     
which includes the  barbs or 8withers40 
,this instrument1 if we except a small  
addition  to the barbs and some         
enlargement of dimensions1 maintains the
 same  form in which it was originally  
used in the fishery two centuries  ago4 
,at that time1 the mouth or barbed      
extremity was of a triangular  shape1   
united at the shank in the middle of one
 of the sides1 and  this being scooped  
out on each side of the shank formed two
 simple  flat barbs4 ,in the course of  
last century1 an improvement was made by
  adding another small barb1 resembling 
the beard of a fishhook1 within  each of
 the former withers in a reverse        
position4 ,the two principal  withers in
 the present improved harpoon measure   
about eight inches in  length and six in
 breadth1 the shank is eighteen inches  
to two feet  in length1 and four-tenths 
of an inch in diameter1 and the socket1 
which is hollow1 swells from the size of
 the shank to near two inches  diameter1

 and is about six inches in length4     
,now1 when the harpoon  is forced by a  
blow into the fat of the whale1 and the 
line is held  tight1 the principal      
withers seize the strong ligamentous    
fibres of  the blubber1 and prevent it  
from being withdrawn2 and1 in the event 
of its being pulled out so far as to    
remain entangled by one wither  only1   
which is frequently the case1 then the  
little reversed barb1  or 8stop-wither10
 as it is called1 collecting a number of
 the same  reticulated sinewy fibres1   
which are very numerous near the skin1  
prevents the harpoon from being shaken  
out by the ordinary motions of  the     
whale4 ,the point and exterior edges of 
the barbs of the harpoon  are sharpened 
to a rough edge by means of a file4     
,this part of the  harpoon is not formed
 of steel1 as it is frequently          
represented1 but  of common soft iron1  
so that when blunted it can be readily  
sharpened  by a file1 or even by        
scraping it with a knife4    ,the most  

important part in the construction of   
this instrument is the  shank4 ,as this 
part is liable to be forcibly and       
suddenly extended1  twisted1 and bent1  
it requires to be made of the softest   
and most  pliable iron4 ,that kind which
 is of the most approved tenacity is    
made of old horse-shoe nails or stubs1  
which are formed into small  rods1 and  
two or three of these welded together1  
so that should a  flaw happen to occur  
in any one of the rods1 the strength of 
the  whole might still be depended on4  
,some manufacturers inclose a  quantity 
of stub-iron in a cylinder of best      
foreign iron1 and form  the shank of the
 harpoon out of a single rod4 ,a test1  
sometimes used  for trying the          
sufficiency of a harpoon1 is to wind its
 shank round a  bolt of inch-iron1 in   
the form of a close spiral1 then to     
unwind it  again1 and put it into a     
straight form4 ,it bears this without   
injury  in the cold state1 it is        
considered as excellent4 ,the breaking  

of a  harpoon is of no less importance  
than the value of a whale1 which is     
sometimes estimated at more than #ajjj  
sterling4 ,this consideration  has      
induced many ingenious persons to turn  
their attention towards  improving the  
construction and security of this       
instrument1 but  though various         
alterations have been suggested1 such as
 forming the  shank of wire1 adding one 
or two lateral barbs1 etc41 etc41 they  
have  all given place to the simplicity 
of the ancient harpoon4    ,next in     
importance to the harpoon is the lance1 
which is a spear  of iron of the length 
of six feet4 ,it consists of a hollow   
socket1  six inches long1 swelling from 
half an inch1 the size of the shank1  to
 near two inches in diameter1 into which
 is fitted a four feet  stock or handle 
of fir2 a shank1 five feet long and half
 an inch  in diameter2 and a mouth of   
steel1 which is made very thin1 and     
exceedingly sharp1 seven or eight inches
 in length1 and two or two  and a half  

in breadth4 ,besides these instruments1 
there is also the  harpoon gun4 ,it was 
invented in the year #agca1 and used by 
some  individuals with success4 ,being  
however difficult1 and somewhat         
dangerous in its application1 it was    
laid aside for many years4  ,in #agga or
 #aggb1 a new one was produced to the   
,society of ,arts1  and received as an  
original invention4 ,between #aggb and  
#agib1 the  ,society expended large sums
 in premiums to whale-fishers and to    
artisans for improvements in the gun and
 harpoon4 ,since #agib1 they  have      
generally been in the habit of offering 
a premium of ten guineas  to the        
harpooner who should shoot the greatest 
number of whales  in one season1 not    
being less than three4 ,this premium1   
however1  though it has been frequently 
offered1 has been seldom claimed4 ,in   
its present improved form1 as made by   
,mr4 ,wallis1 gunsmith1 ,hull1  the     
harpoon-gun consists of a kind of       
swivel1 having a barrel  of wrought-iron

 #bd or #bf inches in length1 of #c     
inches exterior  diameter1 and #a inches
 bore4 ,it is furnished with two locks1 
which  act simultaneously1 for the      
purpose of diminishing the liability of 
the gun missing fire4 ,the shank of the 
harpoon is double1 terminating  in a    
cylindrical knob1 fitting the bore of   
the gun4 ,between the two  parts of the 
shank is a wire ring1 to which is       
attached the line4  ,now1 when the      
harpoon is introduced into the barrel of
 the gun1 the  ring with the attached   
line remains on the outside near the    
mouth  of the harpoon1 but the instant  
that it is fired1 the ring flies  back  
against the cylindrical knob4 ,the      
harpoon-gun has been rendered  capable  
of throwing a harpoon near forty yards  
with effect1 yet1 on  account of the    
difficulty in the management of it1 it  
has not been  very generally adopted4   
,in the course of the outward passage1  
the different utensils are  fitted for  
immediate use4 ,one preparation is that 

which is known  by the name of 8spanning
 harpoons40 ,a piece of rope1 of the    
best  hemp1 called a 8fore-ganger10     
about two and a quarter inches in       
circumference1 and eight or nine yards  
in length1 is spliced closely  round the
 shank of the harpoon1 the swelled      
socket of which prevents  the eye of the
 splice from being drawn off4 ,a stock1 
or handle1 six  or seven feet in length1
 is then fitted into the socket1 and    
fastened  in its place through the      
medium of the fore-ganger4 ,the         
fastening of  the stock is sufficient   
only for retaining it firm in its       
situation  during the discharge of the  
weapon1 but is liable to be disengaged  
soon afterwards2 on which the harpoon1  
relieved from the shake and  twist of   
this no longer necessary appendage1     
maintains its hold with  better effect4 
,after the stock drops out1 it is seldom
 lost1 but  still hangs on the line by  
means of a loop of cord1 fixed openly   
round it1 for the purpose of preventing 

the stock from floating  away4 ,every   
harpoon is stamped with the name of the 
ship to which it  belongs2 and when     
prepared for use1 a private mark1       
containing the  name of the ship and    
master1 with the date of the year       
written upon  leather1 is concealed     
beneath some rope-yarns1 wound round the
 socket  of the instrument1 and the same
 is sometimes introduced also into the  
fore-ganger4 ,these marks serve to      
identify the harpoons1 when any  dispute
 happens to arise relative to the claims
 of different ships  to the same fish   
and have sometimes proved of essential  
service  in deciding cases which might  
otherwise have extended to vexatious    
litigations4    ,a harpoon thus         
prepared1 with fore-ganger and stock1 is
 said to be  8spanned in40 ,in this     
state1 the point or mouth1 being very   
clean  and sharp1 is preserved in the   
same condition by a shield of oiled     
paper or canvas2 and the instrument1    
with its appendages1 laid up in  a      

convenient place1 ready for being       
attached to the whale-line in a  boat   
when wanted4    ,the principal          
preparations for commencing the fishery 
are included  in the 8fitting of the    
boats40 ,in this work all the people    
belonging  to the ship are employed4    
,the boats are first cleared of all     
lumber1  and then the whale-lines1 each 
consisting of #abj fathoms of rope1     
about two and a quarter inches in       
circumference1 are spliced to each      
other1 to the amount of about six to    
each boat1 the united length of  which  
is about #gbj fathoms1 or #d1cbj feet2  
and the whole carefully  and beautifully
 coiled in compartments in the boat     
prepared for the  purpose4 ,a portion of
 five or six fathoms of the line first  
put into  the boat1 called the          
8stray-line10 is left uncovered by that 
which  follows1 and coiled by itself in 
a small compartment at the stern of  the
 boat3 it is furnished with a loop or   
8eye10 for the facility of  connecting  

the lines of one boat with those of     
another4 ,to the upper  end of the line 
is spliced the fore-ganger of a spanned 
harpoon1 thus  connecting the harpoon   
with all the lines in the boat4         
,every boat completely fitted is        
furnished with two harpoons 7one        
spare17 six or eight lances1 and five to
 seven oars1 together with  the         
following instruments and apparatus3--,a
 8jack10 or flag1 fastened  to a pole1  
intended to be displayed as a signal1   
whenever a whale  is harpooned2 a       
8tail-knife10 used for perforating the  
fins or tail  of a dead whale2 a 8mik10 
or rest1 made of wood1 for supporting   
the  stock of the harpoon when ready for
 instant service2 an 8axe10 for  cutting
 the line when necessary2 a 8pigging10  
or small bucket1 for  bailing the boat  
or wetting the running lines2 a         
8snatch-block20  a 8grapnel20 two       
8boat-hooks20 a 8fid20 a wooden         
8mallet10 and  8snow-shovel20 also1 a   
small broom and a 8swab10 together with 

spare  tholes1 grommets1 etc4 ,in       
addition to these1 the two six-oared or 
other swiftest boats are likewise       
furnished with an apparatus1  called a  
8winch10 for heaving the lines into the 
boat after the  fish is either killed or
 has made his escape2 and in some ships 
they also carry a harpoon-gun1 and      
apparatus for loading4 ,the whole  of   
the articles above enumerated are       
disposed in convenient places           
throughout the boat4 ,the axe is always 
placed within the reach of  the         
harpooner1 who1 in case of an accident1 
can cut the line in an  instant2 the    
harpoon-gun is fixed by its swivel to   
the boat's stern2  the lances are laid  
in the sides of the boat1 upon the      
thwarts2 the  hand-harpoon is placed    
upon the mik1 or rest1 with its stock1  
and on  the bow of the boat with its    
point1 and the fore-ganger is clearly   
coiled beneath it1 so that the harpoon  
can be taken up and discharged  in a    
moment4 ,an oar is used for steering1 in

 preference to a rudder1  in consequence
 of its possessing many advantages3 an  
oar does not  retard the velocity of the
 boat so much as a rudder2 it is capable
  of turning the boat when in a state of
 rest1 and more readily than a  rudder  
when in motion2 and it can be used for  
propelling the boat in  narrow places of
 the ice1 where the rowers cannot ply   
their oars1 by  the process of sculling1
 and in calms for approaching a whale   
without  noise1 by the same operation4  
,the crew of a whale-ship are separated 
into divisions1 equal in  number to the 
number of the boats4 ,each division1    
consisting of a  harpooner1 a           
boat-steerer1 and a line-manager1       
together with three  or four rowers1    
constitutes a boat's crew4 ,the         
harpooner's principal  office is1 as his
 name implies1 to strike the whale1 also
 to guide  the line1 or to kill an      
entangled whale with his lances4 ,when  
in  pursuit he rows the bow-oar4 ,he has
 the command of the boat4 ,the          

boat-steerer ranks next to the          
harpooner2 he guides the course of  the 
boat1 watches the motions of the whale  
pursued1 intimates its  movements to the
 harpooner1 and stimulates the crew to  
exertion by  encouraging exclamations4  
,the line-manager rows the 8after-oar0  
in  the boat1 and1 conjointly with the  
boat-steerer1 attends to the lines  when
 in the act of running out or coiling   
in4 ,the remainder of the  crew pull the
 oars4 ,besides these divisions of the  
seamen of a whaler  into boats' crews1  
they are classed on the passages1 and   
when no  whale-fishing is going on1 as  
in other vessels1 into watches4    ,on  
fishing-stations1 when the weather is   
such as to render the  fishery          
practicable1 the boats are always ready 
for instant service1  suspended from    
davits1 or cranes1 by the sides of the  
ship1 and  furnished with stores1 as    
before enumerated2 two boats at least1  
the crews of which are always in        
readiness1 can in general be  manned and

 lowered into the water within the space
 of one minute  of time4 8,wherever     
there is a probability of seeing whales1
 when  the weather and situation are    
such as to present a possibility of     
capturing them1 the 8crow's nest0 is    
generally occupied by the  master1 or   
some one of the officers1 who1          
commanding from thence  an extensive    
prospect of the surrounding sea1 keeps  
an anxious watch  for the appearance of 
a whale4 ,assisted by a telescope1 he   
views  the operations of any ship which 
may be in sight at a distance2 and      
occasionally sweeps the horizon with his
 glass1 to extend the limited  sphere of
 vision in which he is able to          
discriminate a whale with the  naked eye
 to an area vastly greater4 ,the moment 
that a fish is seen1  he gives notice to
 the 8watch upon deck10 part of whom    
leap into a  boat1 are lowered down1 and
 push off towards the place4 ,if the    
fish  be large1 a second boat is        
immediately dispatched to the support of

  the other4 ,when the whale again      
appears1 two boats row towards it  with 
their utmost speed1 and though they may 
be disappointed in all  their attempts1 
they generally continue the pursuit     
until the fish  either takes the alarm  
and escapes1 or they are recalled by a  
signal  to the ship4 ,when two or more  
fishes appear at the same time in       
different situations1 the number of     
boats sent in pursuit is commonly       
increased4 ,when the whole of the boats 
are sent out1 the ship is said  to have 
8a loose fall40 ,during fine weather1   
when there is great  probability of     
finding whales1 a boat is generally kept
 in readiness1  manned and afloat1      
sometimes towed by a rope astern1 or1 if
 the ship  be still1 at a little        
distance4 ,there are several rules      
observed  in approaching a whale1 as    
precautions1 to prevent the animal from 
taking the alarm4 ,as the whale is dull 
of hearing1 but quick of  sight1 the    
boat-steerer always endeavours to get   

behind it1 and1 in  accomplishing this1 
he sometimes takes a circuitous route4  
,in calm  weather1 when guns are not    
used1 the greatest caution is necessary 
before a whale can be reached2 smooth   
careful rowing is always  requisite1 and
 sometimes sculling4    ,when it is     
known that a whale seldom abides longer 
on the surface  of the water than two   
minutes1 that it generally remains from 
five  to ten or fifteen minutes under   
water1 that in this interval it         
sometimes moves through the space of    
half a mile or more1 and that  the      
fisher has very rarely any certain      
intimation of the place in  which it    
will reappear--the difficulty and       
address requisite to  approach          
sufficiently near1 during its short stay
 on the surface1 to  harpoon it1 will be
 readily appreciated4 ,it is1 therefore1
 a primary  consideration with the      
harpooner always to place his boat as   
near  as possible to the spot where he  
expects the fish to rise2 and he        

considers himself successful in the     
attempt when the fish 8comes up  within 
a start10 that is1 within the distance  
of about two hundred  yards4 ,a whale   
moving forward1 at a small distance     
beneath the  surface of the sea1 leaves 
a sure indication of its situation in   
what  is called 8an eddy10 having       
somewhat the resemblance of 8the wake10 
or track of a ship2 and in fine calm    
weather1 its change of position  is     
sometimes pointed out by the birds1 many
 of which closely follow  it when at the
 surface1 and hover over it when below1 
whose keener  vision can discern it when
 it is totally concealed from human eye4
 ,by  these indications many whales have
 been taken4    ,the providence of ,god 
is manifested in the tameness and       
timidity of  many of the largest        
inhabitants of the earth and sea1       
whereby they  fall victims to the       
prowess of man1 and are rendered        
subservient to  his convenience in life4
 ,and this was the design of the lower  

animals  in their creation1 for ,god1   
when he made man1 gave him 8dominion    
over  the fish of the sea1 and over the 
fowl of the air1 and over the  cattle1  
and over all the earth1 and over every  
creeping thing that  creepeth upon the  
earth40 ,the holy psalmist1 when        
considering the  power and goodness of  
,god in the creation1 exclaimed1 8,what 
is man1  that thou art mindful of him2  
and the son of man1 that thou visitest  
him80 ,and1 in contemplation of the     
glory and honour put upon man by  the   
,almighty1 in the power given him over  
created nature1 he adds1  8,thou madest 
him to have dominion over the works of  
thy hands2 thou  hast put all things    
under his feet3 444 the fowl of the air1
 and the  fish of the sea1 and          
whatsoever passeth through the paths of 
the  seas4 ,o ,lord our ,lord1 how      
excellent is thy name in all the earth60
  ,hence1 while we admire the cool and  
determined intrepidity of those  who    
successfully encounter the huge         

mysticetus1 if we are led to  reflect on
 the source of the power by which the   
strength of men is  rendered effectual  
for the mighty undertaking1 our         
reflections must  lead us to the great  
,first ,cause as the only source from   
whence such  power could be derived4 ,if
 there be peril in the encounter between
  man and ,god's most powerful          
creatures1 how much more dangerous must 
be the struggle between man and the     
,lord his ,maker2 and how certain1  if  
it be prolonged1 the terrible issue of  
such a contest6 ,the power  of the      
mighty monster of the deep1 or even of  
the most glorious  archangel1 is as     
nothing in comparison with ,him to whom 
power  belongeth1 and who will overwhelm
 his adversaries with a fearful  and    
final perdition4 ,now1 however1 there is
 no fury in him1 and he  is as          
condescending as he is powerful1        
entreating his rebellious  subjects to  
receive the peace of his reconciliation1
 and to draw near  to him with a        

penitent and contrite heart1 through the
 merit and  intercession of his ,son1 in
 whom he assures us of a free and       
complete  forgiveness4    ,whenever a   
whale lies on the surface of the water1 
unconscious of  the approach of its     
enemies1 the hardy fisher rows directly 
upon it2  and1 an instant before the    
boat touches it1 buries his harpoon in  
its back2 but if1 while the boat is at a
 little distance1 the whale  should     
indicate its intention of diving1 by    
lifting its head above  its common      
level1 and then plunging it under water1
 and raising its  body till it appears  
like a large segment of a sphere1 the   
harpoon  is thrown from the hand1 or    
fired from a gun1 the former of which   
methods1 when skilfully practised1 is   
efficient at the distance of  eight or  
ten yards1 and the latter at the        
distance of thirty yards1  or upward4   
,the wounded whale1 in the surprise and 
agony of the  moment1 makes a convulsive
 effort to escape4 ,then is the moment  

of  danger4 ,the boat is subjected to   
the most violent blows from its  head or
 its fins1 but particularly from its    
ponderous tail1 which  sometimes sweeps 
the air with such tremendous fury1 that 
both boat  and men are exposed to one   
common destruction4    ,the head of the 
whale is avoided1 because it cannot be  
penetrated  with the harpoon2 but any   
part of the body between the head and   
the  tail will admit of the full length 
of the instrument1 without danger  of   
obstruction4 ,the moment that the       
wounded whale disappears1 or  leaves the
 boat1 a jack or flag1 elevated on a    
staff1 is displayed1  on sight of which 
those on watch in the ship give the     
alarm1 by  stamping on the deck1        
accompanied by a simultaneous and       
continuous  shout of 8a fall40 ,this    
word1 derived from the ,dutch language1 
is  expressive of the conduct of the    
sailors in jumping1 dropping1  falling  
to man the boats on an occasion         
requiring extreme dispatch4  ,at this   

sound1 the sleeping crew arouse1 jump   
from their beds1 rush  upon deck1 with  
their clothes tied by a string in their 
hands1 and  crowd into the boats4 ,with 
a temperature of zero1 should a 8fall0  
occur1 the crew would appear on deck1   
shielded only by their drawers1         
stockings1 and shirts1 or other         
habiliments in which they sleep4 ,they  
generally contrive to dress themselves  
in part1 at least1 as the  boats are    
lowered down1 but sometimes they push   
off in the state in  which they rise    
from their beds1 row away towards the   
8fast-boat10  and have no opportunity of
 clothing themselves for a length of    
time  afterwards4 ,the alarm of 8a fall0
 has a singular effect on the  feelings 
of a sleeping person unaccustomed to the
 whale-fishing  business4 ,it has often 
been mistaken as a cry of distress4 ,a  
landsman  in a ,hull ship1 seeing the   
crew on an occasion of a fall rush upon 
deck1 with their clothes in their hands1
 and leap into the boats1  when there   

was no appearance of danger1 thought the
 men were all mad2  but with another    
individual the effect was totally       
different4 ,alarmed  with the           
extraordinary noise1 and still more so  
when he reached the  deck with the      
appearance of all the crew seated in the
 boats in their  shirts1 he imagined the
 ship was sinking4 ,he therefore        
endeavoured to  get into a boat himself2
 but every one of them being fully      
manned1  he was always repulsed4 ,after 
several fruitless endeavours to gain  a 
place among his comrades1 he cried out1 
with feelings of evident  distress1     
8,what shall ,i do8--will none of you   
take me in80    ,the first effort of a  
8fast-fish10 or whale that has been     
struck1  is to escape from the boat by  
sinking under water4 ,after this1 it    
pursues its course directly downward1 or
 reappears at a little  distance1 and   
swims with great celerity near the      
surface of the water  towards any       
neighbouring ice among which it may     

obtain an imaginary  shelter2 or it     
returns instantly to the surface1 and   
gives evidence  of its agony by the most
 convulsive throes1 in which its fins   
and  tail are alternately displayed in  
the air and dashed into the water  with 
tremendous violence4 ,the former        
behaviour1 however1 that is1 to  dive   
towards the bottom of the sea1 is so    
frequent in comparison  of any other1   
that it may be considered as the general
 conduct of  a 8fast-fish40 ,a whale1   
struck near the edge of any large sheet 
of  ice1 and passing underneath it1 will
 sometimes run the whole of the  line   
out of one boat in the space of eight or
 ten minutes of time4 ,to  retard1      
therefore1 as much as possible1 the     
flight of the whale1 and  to secure the 
lines1 it is usual for the harpooner to 
cast one1 two1  or more turns of the    
line round a kind of post1 called a     
bollard1  which is fixed within ten or  
twelve inches of the stern of the boat  
for the purpose4 ,such is the friction  

of the line1 when running round  the    
bollard1 that it frequently envelopes   
the harpooner in smoke2 and  if the wood
 were not repeatedly wetted1 would      
probably set fire to  the boat4         
,during the capture of one whale1 a     
groove is sometimes cut in the  bollard1
 near an inch in depth1 and were it not 
for a plate of  brass1 iron1 or a block 
of lignum vit1 which covers the top of  
the stern1 where the line passes over1  
it is apprehended that the  action of   
the line on the material of the boat    
would cut it down to  the water's edge  
in the course of one season of          
successful fishing4  ,the approaching   
distress of a boat for want of line is  
indicated  by the elevation of an oar in
 the way of a mast1 to which is added  a
 second1 a third1 or even a fourth1 in  
proportion to the nature  of the        
exigence4 ,the utmost care and attention
 are requisite on  the part of every    
person in the boat when the lines are   
running  out1 fatal consequences having 

been sometimes produced by the most     
trifling neglect4 ,on my first voyage to
 the whale-fishery1 such an  accident   
occurred4 ,a thousand fathoms of line   
were already out1 and  the fast-boat was
 forcibly pressed against the side of a 
piece of  ice4 ,the harpooner1 in his   
anxiety to retard the flight of the     
whale1  applied too many turns of the   
line round the bollard1 which1 getting  
entangled1 drew the boat beneath the    
ice4 ,another boat providentially  was  
at hand1 into which the crew1 including 
myself1 who happened to  be present1 had
 just time to escape4 ,the whale1 with  
near two miles  length of line1 was1 in 
consequence of the accident1 lost4      
,when fish have been struck by myself1  
,i have1 on different occasions1        
estimated their rate of descent4 ,for   
the first #cjj fathoms1 the  average    
velocity was usually after the rate of  
eight to ten miles per  hour4 ,in one   
instance1 the third line of #abj fathoms
 was run out in  sixty-one seconds1 that

 is1 at the rate of #haf miles1 or #gah 
nautical  miles1 per hour4 ,the average 
stay under water of a wounded whale1    
which steadily descends after being     
struck1 according to the most  usual    
conduct of the animal1 is about thirty  
minutes4 ,the longest  stay ,i ever     
observed was fifty-six minutes2 but in  
shallow water ,i  have been informed it 
has sometimes been known to remain an   
hour and  a half at the bottom after    
being struck1 and yet has returned to   
the surface alive4 ,the greater the     
velocity1 the more considerable  the    
distance to which it descends1 and the  
longer the time it  remains under water1
 so much greater in proportion is the   
extent of  exhaustion1 and the          
consequent facility of accomplishing its
 capture4  ,immediately that it         
reappears1 the assisting boats make for 
the  place with their utmost speed1 and 
as they reach it1 each harpooner        
plunges his harpoon into its back1 to   
the amount of three1 four1  or more1    

according to the size of the whale and  
the nature of the  situation4 ,most     
frequently1 however1 it descends for a  
few minutes  after receiving the second 
harpoon1 and obliges the other boats to 
await its return to the surface before  
any attack can be made4 ,it  is         
afterwards actively plied with lances1  
which are thrust into its  body1 aiming 
at its vitals4 ,at length1 when         
exhausted by numerous  wounds and the   
loss of blood1 which flows from the huge
 animal in  copious streams1 it         
indicates the approach of its           
dissolution by  discharging from its    
8blow-holes0 a mixture of blood along   
with the  air and mucus which it usually
 expires1 and finally jets of blood4    
,the sea to a great extent around is    
dyed with its blood1 and the  ice-boats 
and men are sometimes drenched with the 
same4 ,its track is  likewise marked by 
a broad pellicle of oil1 which exudes   
from his  wounds1 and appears on the    
surface of the sea4 ,its final capture  

is  sometimes preceded by a convulsive  
and energetic struggle1 in which  its   
tail1 reared1 whirled1 and violently    
jerked in the air1 resounds  to the     
distance of miles4 ,in dying1 it turns  
on its back1 or on its  side1 which     
joyful circumstance is announced by the 
capturers with  the striking of their   
flags1 accompanied with three lively    
huzzas4    ,the remarkable exhaustion   
observed on the first appearance of a   
wounded whale at the surface1 after a   
descent of #gjj or #hjj fathoms         
perpendicular1 does not depend on the   
nature of the wound it has  received1   
for a hundred superficial wounds        
received from harpoons  could not have  
the effect of a single lance penetrating
 the vitals1  but is the effect of the  
almost incredible pressure to which the 
animal must have been exposed4 ,the     
surface of the body of a large  whale   
may be considered as comprising an area 
of #a1edj square feet4  ,this1 under the
 common weight of the atmosphere alone1 

must sustain  a pressure of #c1ajd1fdj  
lbs41 or #a1chf tons4 ,but at the depth 
of #hjj  fathoms1 where there is a      
column of water equal in weight to about
  #aed atmospheres1 the pressure on the 
animal must be equal to #baa1bjj  tons4 
,this is a degree of pressure of which  
we can have but an  imperfect           
conception4 ,it may assist our          
comprehension1 however1 to be  informed1
 that it exceeds in weight sixty of the 
largest ships of the  ,british navy1    
when manned1 provisioned1 and fitted for
 a six months'  cruise4    ,by the      
motions of the fast-boat1 the movements 
of the whale are  estimated4 ,every     
fast-boat carries a flag1 and the ship  
to which  such boats belong also wears a
 flag1 until the whale is either killed 
or makes its escape4 ,these signals     
serve to indicate to surrounding  ships 
the exclusive title of the fast-ship to 
the entangled whale1  and to prevent    
their interference1 excepting in the way
 of assistance  in the capture4    ,with

 respect to the length of time requisite
 for capturing a whale1  it may be      
remarked that this greatly depends on   
the activity of  the harpooners1 the    
favourableness of situation and weather1
 and  on the peculiar conduct of the    
whale attacked4 ,i have myself          
witnessed the capture of a large whale  
in twenty-eight minutes1 and  have also 
been engaged with another fish1 which   
was lost1 after it  had been entangled  
about sixteen hours4 ,under the most    
favourable  circumstances1 the average  
length of time occupied in the capture  
of a whale may be stated as not         
exceeding an hour1 and the general      
average1 including all sizes of fish and
 all circumstances of  capture1 may     
probably be two or three hours4 ,the    
mode described  in the preceding pages  
of conducting the fishery for whales    
under  favourable circumstances1 may be 
considered as the general plan  pursued 
by the fishers of all ports of ,britain1
 as well as of those  of other nations  

who resort to ,spitzbergen4    ,the ease
 with which some whales are subdued1 and
 the slightness of  the entanglement by 
which they are taken1 are truly         
surprising2  but1 with others1 it is    
equally astonishing1 that neither line  
nor  harpoon1 nor any number of each1 is
 sufficiently strong to effect  their   
capture4 ,whales have even been taken in
 consequence of the  entanglement of a  
line1 without any harpoon at all2       
though1 when  such a case has occurred1 
it has evidently been the result of     
accident4 ,a harpooner belonging to the 
,prince of ,brazils1 of ,hull1  had     
struck a small fish4 ,it descended1 and 
remained for some time  quiet1 and at   
length appeared to be drowned4 ,the     
strain on the line  being then          
considerable1 it was taken to the ship's
 capstern1 with  a view of heaving the  
fish up4 ,the force requisite for       
performing  this operation was extremely
 various2 sometimes the line came in    
with ease1 at others1 a quantity was    

withdrawn with great force and          
rapidity4 ,as such1 it appeared evident 
that the fish was yet alive4  ,the      
heaving1 however1 was persisted in1 and 
after the greater part  of the lines had
 been drawn on board1 a dead fish       
appeared at the  surface1 secured by    
several turns of the line round its     
body4 ,it was  disentangled with        
difficulty1 and was confidently believed
 to be the  whale that had been struck4 
,but when the line was cleared from the 
fish1 it proved to be merely the        
8bight10 for the end still hung         
perpendicularly downward4 ,what was then
 the surprise to find that  it was still
 pulled away with considerable force6   
,the capstern was  again resorted to1   
and shortly afterwards they hove up1    
also dead1  the fish originally struck1 
with the harpoon still fast4 ,hence1 it 
appeared that the fish first drawn up   
had got accidentally entangled  with the
 line1 and1 in its struggles to escape1 
had still further  involved itself1 by  

winding the line repeatedly round its   
body4 ,the  fish first entangled1 as was
 suspected1 had long been dead1 but it  
was this interloper that occasioned the 
jerks and other singular  effects       
observed on the line4    ,the method    
already described is that which is      
adopted for the capture  of whales under
 the most favourable circumstances1 and 
is subject to  many alterations when the
 situation or circumstances are         
peculiar4  ,hence arise various modes of
 capturing the whale1 which furnish     
abundant opportunities for the exercise 
of ingenuity and skill1 and  are        
attended by their peculiar dangers4 ,to 
an enumeration of these  various        
methods1 according to local             
circumstances1 we now proceed to  direct
 the reader's attention4    #a4         
,pack-fishing4--,the borders of close   
packs of drift-ice are  frequently a    
favourite resort of large whales4 ,to   
attack them in  such a situation        
subjects the fisher to great risks in   

his lines and  boats1 as well as        
uncertainty in effecting their capture4 
,when a  considerable swell prevails on 
the borders of the ice1 the whales1  on 
being struck1 will sometimes recede from
 the pack1 and become  the prize of     
their assailers2 but most generally they
 flee to it  for shelter1 and frequently
 make their escape4 ,to guard against   
the  loss of lines as much as possible1 
it is usual either to strike two        
harpoons from different boats at the    
same moment1 or to bridle the  lines of 
a second boat upon those of the boat    
from which the fish is  struck4 ,this   
operation consists in fixing other lines
 to those of the  fast-boat1 at some    
distance from the harpoon1 so that there
 is only  one harpoon and one line      
immediately attached to the fish1 but   
the  double strength of a line from the 
place of their junction to the  boats4  
,hence1 should the fish flee directly   
into the ice1 and proceed  to an        
inaccessible distance1 the two boats    

bearing an equal strain on  each of     
their lines can at pleasure draw the    
harpoon1 or break the  single part of   
the line immediately connected with it1 
and in either  case secure themselves   
against any considerable loss4    ,when 
a pack1 from its closeness1 prevents    
boats from penetrating1  the men travel 
over the ice1 leaping from piece to     
piece1 in pursuit  of the entangled     
whale4 ,in this pursuit they carry      
lances with them1  and sometimes        
harpoons1 with which1 whenever they can 
approach the  fish1 they attack it2 and 
if they succeed in killing it1 they drag
 it  towards the exterior margin of the 
ice1 by means of the line fastened  to  
the harpoon with which it was originally
 struck4 ,in such cases1  it is         
generally an object of importance to    
sink it beneath the ice2  for effecting 
which purpose1 each lobe of the tail is 
divided from  the body1 excepting a     
small portion of the edge1 from which it
 hangs  pendulous in the water4 ,if it  

still floats1 bags of sand1 kedges1  or 
small cannon1 are suspended by a block  
on the bight of the line1  wherewith the
 buoyancy of the dead whale is usually  
overcome4 ,it then  sinks1 and is easily
 hauled out by the line into the open   
sea4    ,to particularize all the       
variety of pack-fishing1 arising from   
wind  and weather1 size of the fish1    
state and peculiarities of the ice1     
etc41 would require more space than the 
interest of the subject to  general     
readers would justify4 ,i shall         
therefore only remark1 that             
pack-fishing is1 on the whole1 the most 
troublesome and dangerous  of all       
others2 that instances have occurred of 
fish having been  entangled during forty
 or fifty hours1 and escaped after all2 
and  that other instances are           
remembered1 of ships having lost the    
greater  part of their stock of lines1  
several of their boats1 and sometimes1  
though happily less commonly1 some      
individuals of their crews4    #b4      

,field-fishing4--,the fishery for       
whales1 when conducted at the  margin of
 those wonderful sheets of solid ice1   
called fields1 is1  when the weather is 
fine1 and the refuge for ships secure1  
the most  agreeable1 and sometimes the  
most productive of all situations which 
the fishery of ,greenland presents4 ,a  
fish struck at the margin of a  large   
field of ice generally descends         
obliquely beneath it1 takes  four or    
eight lines from the fast-boat1 and then
 returns exhausted  to the edge4 ,it is 
then attacked in the usual way with     
harpoons  and lances1 and is easily     
killed4 ,there is one evident advantage 
in field-fishing1 which is this3 when   
the fast-boat lies at the  edge of a    
firm unbroken field1 and the line       
proceeds in an angle  beneath the ice1  
the fish must necessarily arise         
somewhere in a  semicircle described    
from the fast-boat as a centre1 with a  
sweep  not exceeding the length of the  
lines out2 but most generally it        

appears in a line extending along the   
margin of the ice1 so that  the boats1  
when dispersed along the edge of the    
field1 are as  effectual and as ready   
for promoting the capture as twice the  
number  of boats or more when fishing in
 open situations2 because1 in open      
situations1 the whale may arise anywhere
 within a circle1 instead of  a         
semicircle1 described by the length of  
the lines withdrawn from  the fast-boat1
 whence it frequently happens that all  
the attendant  boats are disposed in a  
wrong direction1 and the fish recovers  
its  breath1 breaks loose1 and escapes  
before any of them can secure it  with a
 second harpoon4 ,hence1 when a ship    
fishes at a field with an  ordinary crew
 and six or seven boats1 two of the     
largest fish may  be struck at the same 
time with every prospect of success2    
while  the same force attempting the    
capture of two at once in an open       
situation1 will not unfrequently        
occasion the loss of both4 ,there  have1

 indeed1 been many instances of a ship's
 crew1 with seven  boats1 striking at a 
field six fish at the same time1 and    
succeeding  in killing the whole2       
generally speaking1 six boats at a field
 are  capable of performing the same    
execution as near twice that number  in 
open situations4 ,besides1 fields       
sometimes afford an opportunity  of     
fishing1 when in any other situation    
there can be little or no  probability  
of success1 or1 indeed1 when to fish    
elsewhere is utterly  impracticable4    
,thus1 calms1 storms1 and fogs1 are     
great annoyances in  the fishery in     
general1 and frequently prevent it      
altogether1 but at  fields the fishery  
goes on under any of these              
disadvantages4 ,as there  are several   
important advantages attending the      
fishery at fields1  so likewise there   
are some serious disadvantages1 chiefly 
relating  to the safety of the ships    
engaged in the occupation4 ,the motions 
of fields are rapid1 various1 and       

unaccountable1 and the power with  which
 they approach each other1 and squeeze  
every resisting object1  immense2 hence 
occasionally vast mischief is produced1 
which it is  not always in the power of 
the most skilful and attentive master to
  foresee or prevent4    ,such are the  
principal advantages and disadvantages  
of fields of ice  to the whale-fishery4 
,the advantages1 however1 as above      
enumerated1  though they extend to large
 floes1 do not extend to small floes1   
or to such fields1 how large soever they
 may be1 as contain cracks  or holes1 or
 are filled up with thin ice in the     
interior4 ,large  and firm fields are   
the most convenient1 and likewise the   
most  advantageous for the fishery2 the 
most convenient1 because the  whales1   
unable to breathe beneath a close       
extensive field of ice1  are obliged to 
make their appearance again above water 
among the  boats on the look out2 and   
they are the most advantageous1 because 
not only the most fish commonly resort  

to them1 but a greater number  can be   
killed with less force1 and in a shorter
 space of time1 than  in any other      
situation4 ,thin fields1 or fields full 
of holes1 being  by no means            
advantageous to fish by1 are usually    
avoided1 because a  8fast fish0         
retreating under such a field1 can      
respire through the  holes in the centre
 as conveniently as on the exterior2 and
 a large  fish usually proceeds from one
 hole to another1 and if determined  to 
advance1 cannot possibly be stopped4 ,in
 this case1 all that can  be done is1 to
 break the line or draw the harpoon out4
 ,but when the  fish can be observed    
blowing in any of the holes in a field1 
the men  travel over the ice1 and attack
 it with lances1 pricking it over the   
nose to endeavour to turn it back4 ,this
 scheme1 however1 does not  always      
answer the expectations of the fishers1 
as frequently the fear  of his enemies  
acts so powerfully on the whale that he 
pushes forward  towards the interior to 

his dying moment4 ,when killed1 the same
  means are used as in pack-fishing to  
sink it1 but they do not always         
succeed2 for the harpoon is frequently  
drawn out1 or the line broken  in the   
effort4 ,if1 therefore1 no attempt to   
sink the fish avails1  there is scarcely
 any other practicable method of making 
a prize of  it1 7unless when the ice    
happens to be so thin that it can be    
broken  with a boat1 or a channel       
readily cut in it with an ice-saw17 than
  cutting the blubber away1 and dragging
 it piece by piece across the  ice to   
the vessel1 which requires immense      
labour1 and is attended  with vast loss 
of time4 ,hence we have a sufficient    
reason for  avoiding such situations1   
whenever fish can be found elsewhere4   
,as connected with this subject1 ,i     
cannot pass over a circumstance  which  
occurred within my own observation1 and 
which excited my  highest admiration4   
,on the #hth ,july1 #ahac1 the ship ,esk
 lay by the  edge of a thin sheet of    

ice1 in which were several thin parts   
and  some holes4 ,here a fish being     
heard blowing1 a harpoon1 having a  line
 connected with it1 was conveyed across 
the ice by a boat on  guard1 and the    
harpooner succeeded in striking the     
whale1 at the  distance of #cej yards   
from the verge4 ,it dragged out ten     
lines1  7#b1djj yards17 and was supposed
 to be seen blowing in different holes  
in the ice4 ,after some time1 it        
happened to make its appearance on  the 
exterior1 when a harpoon was struck at  
the moment it was on the  point of      
proceeding again beneath4 ,about a      
hundred yards from the  edge1 it broke  
the ice where it was a foot in thickness
 with its  crown1 and respired through  
the opening4 ,it then determinately     
pushed forward1 breaking the ice as it  
advanced1 in spite of the  lances       
continually directed against it4 ,it    
reached at length a kind  of basin in   
the field1 where it floated on the      
surface of the water  without any       

encumbrance from ice4 ,its back being   
fairly exposed1 the  harpoon struck from
 the boat was observed to be so slightly
 entangled  that it was ready to drop   
out4 ,some of the officers lamented this
  circumstance1 and expressed a wish    
that the harpoon were better fast1      
observing at the same time that if it   
should slip out1 the fish would  either 
be lost1 or they would be under the     
necessity of flensing it  where it lay1 
and of dragging the pieces of blubber   
over the ice to  the ship1 a kind and   
degree of labour every one was anxious  
to avoid4  ,no sooner was the wish      
expressed1 and its importance made      
known1 than  one of the sailors1 a smart
 and enterprising fellow1 stepped       
forward  and volunteered his services to
 strike it better in4 ,not at all       
intimidated by the surprise which was   
manifested in every countenance  by such
 a bold proposal1 he pulled out his     
pocket-knife1 leapt  upon the back of   
the living whale1 and immediately cut   

the harpoon  out4 ,stimulated by this   
courageous example1 two of his          
companions  proceeded to his assistance4
 ,while one of them hauled upon the     
line1  and held it in his hands1 the    
other set his shoulder against the      
extremity of the harpoon1 and1 though it
 was without a stock1 he  contrived to  
strike it again into the fish more      
effectually than it  was at first4 ,the 
fish was in motion before this was      
finished4 ,after  they got off its back1
 it advanced a considerable distance1   
breaking  the ice all the way1 and      
survived this uncommon treatment ten or 
fifteen minutes4 ,this admirable act was
 an essential benefit4 ,the  fish sunk  
spontaneously after being killed1 on    
which it was hauled  out to the edge of 
the ice by the line1 and secured without
 further  trouble4 ,it proved a stout   
whale1 and a very acceptable prize4     
,when a ship approaches a considerable  
field of ice1 and finds  whales1 it is  
usual to moor to the leeward side of it1

 from which  the adjoining ice generally
 first separates4 ,boats are then placed
  on watch on each side of the ship1 and
 stationed at intervals of  one hundred 
or one hundred and fifty yards along the
 edge of the  ice4 ,hence1 if a fish    
arises anywhere between the extreme     
boats1  it seldom escapes unhurt4 ,it is
 not uncommon for a great number of     
ships to moor to the same sheet of ice4 
,when the whale-fishery of  the         
,hollanders was in a flourishing state1 
above one hundred sail of  ships might  
sometimes be seen moored to the same    
field of ice1 each  having two or more  
boats on watch4 ,the field would in     
consequence1 be  so nearly surrounded   
with boats1 that it was almost          
impossible for  a fish to rise near the 
verge of the ice without being within   
the  limits of a start of some of them4 
#c4 ,fishing in crowded ice or in open  
packs4--,in navigable open  drift-ice1  
or amongst small detached streams and   
patches1 either  of which serve in a    

degree to break the force of the sea1   
and to  prevent any considerable swell  
from arising1 we have a situation  which
 is considered as one of the best       
possible for conducting the  fishery in2
 consequently1 it comes under the same  
denomination as  those favourable       
situations in which ,i have first       
attempted to  describe the proceedings  
of the fishers in killing the whale4    
,but  the situation ,i now mean to refer
 to is when the ice is crowded  and     
nearly close1 so close1 indeed1 that it 
scarcely affords room  for boats to pass
 through it1 and by no means sufficient 
space for  a ship to be navigated among 
it4 ,this kind of situation occurs  in  
somewhat open packs1 or in large patches
 of crowded ice1 and  affords a fair    
probability of capturing a whale1 though
 it is seldom  accomplished without a   
considerable deal of trouble4 ,when the 
ice  is very crowded1 and the ship      
cannot sail into it with propriety1  it 
is usual1 especially with foreigners1 to

 seek out for a mooring  to some mass of
 ice1 if such can be found1 extending   
two or three  fathoms or more under     
water4 ,a piece of ice of this kind is  
capable  not only of holding the ship   
8head to wind10 but also to windward  of
 the smaller ice4 ,the boats then set   
out in chase of any fish  which may be  
seen1 and when one happens to be struck1
 they proceed  in the capture in a      
similar manner as when under more       
favourable  circumstances1 excepting so 
far as the obstruction which the quality
  and arrangement of the ice may offer  
to the regular system of  proceeding4   
,among crowded ice1 for instance1 the   
precise direction  pursued by the fish  
is not easily ascertained1 nor can the  
fish  itself be readily discovered on   
its first arrival at the surface  after 
being struck1 on account of the         
elevation of the intervening  masses of 
ice1 and the great quantity of line it  
frequently takes  from the fast-boat4   
,success in such a situation depends on 

the boats  being spread widely abroad1  
and on a judicious arrangement of each  
boat2 on a keen look out on the part of 
the harpooners in the boats1  and on    
their occasionally taking the benefit of
 a hummock of ice1  from the elevation  
of which the fish may sometimes be seen 
blowing  in the interstices of the ice2 
on pushing or rowing the boats with  the
 greatest imaginable celerity towards   
the place where the fish may  have been 
seen2 and lastly1 on the exercise of the
 highest degree of  activity and        
dispatch in every proceeding4    ,if    
these be neglected1 the fish will       
generally have taken breath1  recovered 
its strength1 and removed to some other 
quarter1 before  the arrival of the     
boats2 and it is often remarked1 that if
 there be  one part of the ice more     
crowded or more difficult of access than
  another1 it commonly retreats thither 
for refuge4 ,in such cases1 the  sailors
 find much difficulty in getting to it  
with their boats1  having to separate   

many pieces of ice before they can pass 
through  between them4 ,but when it is  
not practicable to move the pieces1 and 
when they cannot travel over them1 they 
must either drag the boats  across the  
intermediate ice1 or perform an         
extensive circuit before  they can reach
 the opposite side of the close ice1    
into which the  whale has retreated4    
,a second harpoon in this case1 as      
indeed in all others1 is a material     
point4 ,they proceed to lance whenever  
the second harpoon is struck1  and      
strike more harpoons as the auxiliary   
boats progressively arrive  at the      
place4 ,when the fish is killed1 it is  
often at a distance from  the ship1 and 
so circumstanced that the ship cannot   
get near it4  ,in such cases1 the fish  
must be towed by the boats to the ship2 
an  operation which1 among crowded ice1 
is most troublesome and laborious4      
#d4 ,bay-ice fishing4--,bay-ice         
constitutes a situation which1 though   
not particularly dangerous1 is yet1 on  

the whole1 one of the most  troublesome 
in which whales are killed4 ,in sheets  
of bay-ice1 the  whales find a very     
effectual shelter2 for so long as the   
ice will  not carry a man1 they cannot  
be approached with a boat without       
producing such a noise as must certainly
 warn them of the intended  assault2 and
 if a whale1 by some favourable         
accident1 were struck1  the difficulties
 of completing the capture are always   
numerous1 and  sometimes prove          
insurmountable4 ,the whale having free  
locomotion  beneath the ice1 the fishers
 pursue it under great disadvantage4    
,the fishers cannot push their boats    
toward it but with extreme  difficulty1 
while the whale1 invariably warned by   
the noise of their  approach1 possesses 
every facility for avoiding its enemies4
    ,in the year #ahac1 ,i adopted a new
 plan of fishing in bay-ice1 which  was 
attended with the most successful       
result4 ,the ship under my  command1 the
 ,esk1 of ,whitby1 was frozen into a    

sheet of bay-ice1  included in a        
triangular space1 formed by several     
massive fields and  floes4 ,here a      
number of small whales were seen        
sporting around us in  every little hole
 or space in the bay-ice1 and           
occasionally they were  observed to     
break through it for the purpose of     
breathing4 ,in various  little openings 
free of ice near the ship1 few of which 
were twenty  yards in diameter1 we      
placed boats1 each equipped with a      
harpoon and  lines1 and directed by two 
or three men4 ,they had orders to place 
themselves in such a situation that if a
 fish appeared in the same  opening they
 could scarcely fail of striking it4    
,previous to this1 ,i  supplied myself  
with a pair of ice-shoes1 consisting of 
two pieces of  thin deal1 six feet in   
length1 and seven inches in breadth4    
,they were  made very thin at both ends1
 and in the centre of each was a hollow 
place1 exactly adapted for the reception
 of the sole of my boot1 with  a loop of

 leather for confining the toes4 ,i was 
thus enabled to  retain the ice-shoes   
pretty firmly to my feet when required1 
or1 when  ,i wished it1 to disengage    
them in a moment4 ,where the ice was    
smooth1  it was easy to move in a       
straight line1 but in turning ,i found a
  considerable difficulty1 and required 
some practice before ,i could  effect it
 without falling4 ,i advanced with      
tolerable speed1 where  the ice was     
level on the surface1 by sliding the    
shoes alternately  forward1 but when ,i 
met with rough hilly places ,i          
experienced great  inconvenience4 ,when1
 however1 the rough places happened to  
consist of  strong ice1 which generally 
was the case1 ,i stept out of my        
ice-shoes  until ,i reached a weaker    
part4 ,equipped with this apparatus1 ,i 
travelled safely over ice which had not 
been frozen above twenty-four  hours1   
and which was incapable of supporting   
the weight of the  smallest boy in the  
ship4    ,whenever a fish was struck1 ,i

 gave orders to the harpooner1 in       
running the line1 to use every means of 
drowning it2 the trouble of  hauling it 
up1 under the circumstances in which the
 ship was placed1  being a matter of no 
consideration4 ,this was attempted by   
holding  a steady tight strain on the   
line1 without slacking it or jerking  it
 unnecessarily1 and by forbearing to    
haul the line when the fish  stopped4   
,by this measure1 one fish1 the stoutest
 of the three which  we got1 was        
drowned4 ,when others were struck1 and  
the attempt to  drown them failed1 ,i   
provided myself with a harpoon1 and     
observing  the direction of the line1   
travelled towards the place where ,i    
expected the fish to rise4 ,a small boat
 was launched1 more leisurely1  in the  
same direction for my support2 and      
whenever the ice in my  track was       
capable of supporting a man1 assistance 
was afforded me  in dragging the line4  
,when the wounded fish appeared1 ,i     
struck my  harpoon through the ice1 and 

then1 with some occasional assistance1  
proceeded to lance it1 until it was     
killed4 ,at different times1 the  fish  
rose beneath my feet1 and broke the ice 
on which ,i stood2 on  one occasion1    
where the ice was happily more than     
usually strong1  ,i was obliged to leave
 my ice shoes1 and skip off4 ,in this   
way we  captured three fish1 and took   
their produce on board1 while several   
ships near us made not the least        
progress in the fishery4 ,after they    
were killed1 we had much trouble in     
getting them to the ship1 but  as we    
could not employ ourselves to advantage 
in any other way1 we  were well         
satisfied with the issue4 ,this part of 
the business ,i could  not effect alone1
 and all hands1 who were occasionally   
employed in  it1 broke through the ice4 
,some individuals broke in two or three 
times1 but no serious accident ensued4  
,as a precaution1 we extended  a rope   
from man to man1 which was held in the  
hands of each in their  progress across 

the ice1 and which served for drawing   
those out of  the water who happened to 
break through4 ,sometimes ten or a dozen
 of  them would break in at once1 but so
 far was such an occurrence from        
exciting distress1 that each of their   
companions indulged a laugh at  their   
expense1 notwithstanding they probably  
shared the same fate a  minute or two   
afterwards4    #e4 ,fishing in          
storms4--,excepting in situations       
sheltered from the  ice1 it would be    
alike useless and presumptuous to       
attempt to kill  whales during a storm4 
,instances1 however1 occur1 wherein fish
 that  were struck during fine weather1 
or in winds which do not prevent  the   
boats from plying about1 remain         
entangled1 but unsubdued1 after  the    
commencement of a storm4 ,sometimes the 
capture is completed1 at  others the    
fishers are under the necessity of      
cutting the lines1 and  allowing the    
whale to escape4 ,sometimes1 when they  
have succeeded  in killing it1 and in   

securing it during the gale with a      
hawser to  the ship1 they are enabled to
 make a prize of it on the return of    
moderate weather2 at others1 after      
having it to appearance secured by      
means of a sufficient rope1 the         
dangerous proximity of an ice-pack      
constrains them to cut it adrift and    
abandon it for the preservation  of     
their vessel4 ,after thus being         
abandoned1 it becomes the prize of  the 
first who gets possession of it1 though 
it be in the face of the  original      
capturers4 ,a storm commencing while the
 boats are engaged  with an entangled   
fish1 sometimes occasions serious       
disasters4  ,generally1 however1 though 
they suffer the loss of the fish1 and   
perhaps some of their boats and         
materials1 yet the men escape with      
their lives4    #f4 ,fishing in foggy   
weather4--,the fishery in storms can    
never be  voluntary2 but in foggy       
weather1 though occasionally attended   
with  hazard1 the fishery is not        

altogether impracticable4 ,the fogs     
which  occur in the icy regions in ,june
 and ,july are generally dense and      
lasting3 they are so thick1 that objects
 cannot be distinguished at  the        
distance of #ajj or #aej yards1 and     
frequently continue for several  days   
without attenuation4 ,to fish with      
safety and success1 during  a thick fog1
 is1 therefore1 a matter of difficulty1 
and of still  greater uncertainty4 ,when
 it happens that a fish conducts itself 
favourably1 that is1 descends almost    
perpendicularly1 and1 on its  return to 
the surface1 remains nearly stationary1 
or moves round in a  small circle1 the  
capture is usually accomplished without 
hazard or  particular difficulty2 but   
when1 on the contrary1 it proceeds with 
any considerable velocity in a          
horizontal direction1 or obliquely      
downwards1 it soon drags the boats out  
of sight of the ship1 and  shortly so   
confounds the fishers in the intensity  
of the mist1 that  they lose all traces 

of the situation of their vessel4 ,if   
the fish1  in its flight1 draws them    
beyond the reach of the sound of a bell1
  or a horn1 their personal safety      
becomes endangered2 and if they are     
removed beyond the sound of cannon1     
their situation becomes extremely       
hazardous1 especially if no other ships 
happen to be in the immediate  vicinity4
 ,meanwhile1 whatever may be their      
imaginary or real danger1  the mind of  
their commander must be kept in the most
 anxious suspense  until they are found2
 and whether they may be in safety or   
near  perishing with fatigue1 hunger1   
and cold1 so long as he is uncertain  of
 their fate1 his anxiety must be the    
same4    ,before entering on the        
subsequent operations of the whalers1   
connected with a successful fishery1 ,i 
shall give a few examples  of remarkable
 strength1 activity1 or other           
peculiarity1 in the  behaviour of whales
 after they have been struck1 being a   
few of the  curious circumstances       

connected with the fishery which ,i have
 myself  observed1 or have received from
 unquestionable authority4 ,on the      
#beth ,june1 #ahab1 one of the          
harpooners belonging to the ,resolution1
  of ,whitby1 under my command1 struck a
 whale by the edge of a small  floe of  
ice2 assistance being promptly afforded1
 a second boat's  lines were attached to
 those of the fast-boat in a few minutes
 after  the harpoon was discharged2 the 
remainder of the boats proceeded to     
some distance in the direction which the
 fish seemed to have taken4  ,in about a
 quarter of an hour1 the fast-boat1 to  
my surprise1 again  made a signal for   
lines4 ,as the ship was then within five
 minutes'  sail1 we instantly steered   
towards the boat1 with the view of      
affording assistance by means of a spare
 boat we still retained on  board4      
,before we reached the place1 however1  
we observed four oars  displayed in     
signal order1 which1 by their number1   
indicated a most  urgent necessity for  

assistance4 ,two or three men were at   
the same  time seen seated close by the 
stern1 which was considerably elevated1 
for the purpose of keeping it down1     
while the bow of the boat1 by  the force
 of the line1 was drawn down to the     
level of the sea1 and  the harpooner1 by
 the friction of the line round the     
bollard1 was  enveloped in smoky        
obscurity4 ,at length1 when the ship was
 scarcely  one hundred yards distant1 we
 perceived preparations for quitting    
the boat4 ,the sailors' pea jackets were
 cast upon the adjoining ice2  the oars 
were thrown down2 the crew leaped       
overboard2 the bow of  the boat was     
buried in the water2 the stern rose     
perpendicularly1  and then majestically 
disappeared4 ,the harpooner having      
caused the  end of the line to be       
fastened to the iron ring at the boat's 
stern  was the means of its loss2 and a 
tongue of the ice1 on which was  a depth
 of several feet of water1 kept the     
boat1 by the pressure of  the line      

against it1 at such a considerable      
distance as prevented  the crew from    
leaping upon the floe4 ,some of them    
were1 therefore1  put to the necessity  
of swimming for their preservation1 but 
all of  them succeeded in scrambling    
upon the ice1 and were taken on board   
the ship in a few minutes4 ,it may be   
here observed1 that it is an  uncommon  
circumstance for a fish to require more 
than two boats'  lines in such a        
situation2 none of our harpooners1      
therefore1 had  any scruple in leaving  
the fast-boat1 never suspecting1 after  
it had  received the assistance of one  
boat with six lines1 or upward1 that  it
 would need any more4    ,several ships 
being about us1 there was a possibility 
that some  person might attack and make 
a prize of the whale1 when it had so far
  escaped us that we no longer retained 
any hold of it2 as such1 we set  all    
sail the ship could safely sustain1 and 
worked through several  narrow and      
intricate channels in the ice in the    

direction ,i observed  the fish had     
retreated4 ,after a little time1 it was 
descried by the  people in the boats at 
a considerable distance to the eastward2
 a  general chase immediately commenced1
 and within the space of an hour  three 
harpoons were struck4 ,we now imagined  
that the fish was secure1  but our      
expectations were premature4 ,the whale 
resolutely pushed  beneath a large floe 
that had been recently broken to pieces 
by the  swell1 and soon drew all the    
lines out of the second fast-boat1 the  
officer of which1 not being able to get 
any assistance1 tied the  end of his    
line to a hummock of ice and broke it4  
,soon afterwards1  the other two boats1 
still fast1 were dragged against the    
broken  floe1 when one of the harpoons  
drew out4 ,the lines of only one  boat1 
therefore remained fast to the fish1 and
 this1 with six or  eight lines out1 was
 dragged forward into the shattered floe
 with  astonishing force2 pieces of ice1
 each of which were sufficiently  large 

to have answered the purpose of a       
mooring for the ship1 were  wheeled     
about by the strength of the whale2 and 
such was the tension  and elasticity of 
the line that1 whenever it slipped clear
 of any  mass of ice1 after turning it  
round into the space between any two    
adjoining pieces1 the boat and its crew 
flew forward through the  crack with the
 velocity of an arrow1 and never failed 
to launch  several feet upon the first  
mass of ice that it encountered4        
,while we scoured the sea around the    
broken floe of the ship1 and  while the 
ice was attempted in vain by the boats1 
the whale continued  to press forward in
 an easterly direction towards the sea4 
,at length1  when fourteen lines1 about 
#a1fhj fathoms1 were drawn from the     
fourth  fast-boat1 a slight entanglement
 of the line broke it at the stern4     
,the fish again made its escape1 taking 
along with it a boat and  twenty-eight  
lines4 ,the united length of the lines  
was #f1gbj yards1  or upwards of three  

,english miles and three-quarters2 value
 with  the boat above #aej sterling4    
,the obstruction of the sunken boat to  
the progress of the fish must have been 
immense1 and that of the  lines likewise
 considerable1 the weight of the lines  
alone being  thirty-five hundred weight4
 ,so long as the fourth fast-boat1      
through  the medium of its lines1       
retained its hold of the fish1 we       
searched  the adjoining sea with the    
ship in vain1 but in a short time after 
the line was divided we got sight of the
 object of pursuit at the  distance of  
near two miles to the eastward of the   
ice and boats1 in  the open sea4 ,one   
boat only with lines1 and two empty     
boats1 were  reserved by the ship4      
,having1 however1 happily fine weather  
and a  breeze of wind1 we immediately   
gave chase under all sails1 though it   
must be confessed with the insignificant
 force by us1 the distance  of the fish1
 and the rapidity of its flight         
considered1 we had but  very small hopes

 of success4 ,at length1 after pursuing 
it five or  six miles1 being at least   
nine miles from the place where it was  
struck1 we came up with it1 and it      
seemed inclined to rest after its       
extraordinary exertion4 ,the two        
dismantled or empty boats having  been  
furnished with two lines each1 7a very  
inadequate supply17  they1 together with
 the one in good state of equipment1 now
 made an  attack upon the whale4 ,one of
 the harpooners made a blunder2 the     
fish saw the boat1 took the alarm1 and  
again fled4 ,i now supposed it  would be
 seen no more2 nevertheless1 we chased  
nearly a mile in the  direction ,i      
imagined it had taken1 and placed the   
boats to the best  of my judgment in the
 most advantageous situations4 ,in this 
instance  we were extremely successful4 
,the fish rose near one of the boats1   
and was immediately harpooned4 ,in a few
 minutes1 two more harpoons  entered its
 back1 and lances were plied against it 
with vigour and  success4 ,exhausted by 

its amazing exertions to escape1 it     
yielded  itself at length to its fate1  
received the piercing wounds of the     
lances without resistance1 and finally  
died without a struggle4 ,after  all1 it
 may seem surprising that it was not a  
particularly large  individual1 the     
largest lamina of whalebone only        
measuring nine feet  six inches1 while  
those affording twelve feet bone are not
 uncommon4  ,the quantity of line       
withdrawn from the different boats      
engaged in  the capture was singularly  
great4 ,it amounted altogether to       
#aj1ddj  yards1 or nearly six ,english  
miles4 ,of these1 thirteen new lines    
were  lost1 together with the sunken    
boat1 the harpoon connecting them  with 
the fish having dropped out before the  
whale was killed4 ,thus  terminated with
 success an attack upon a whale1 which  
exhibited the  most uncommon            
determination to escape from its        
pursuers1 seconded by  the most amazing 
strength1 of any individual whose       

capture ,i ever  witnessed4    ,when    
engaged in the pursuit of a large whale1
 it is a necessary  precaution for two  
boats at all times to proceed in        
company1 that  the one may be able to   
assist the other on any emergency4 ,with
  this principle in view1 two boats from
 the ,esk were sent out in  chase of    
some large whales1 on the #acth of      
,june1 #ahad4 ,no ice was  within sight1
 the boats had proceeded some time      
together1 when they  separated in       
pursuit of two whales1 not far distant  
from each other1  when1 by a singular   
coincidence1 the harpooners each struck 
his fish  at the same moment4 ,they were
 a mile from the ship4 ,urgent signals  
for assistance were immediately         
displayed by each boat1 and1 in  a few  
minutes1 one of the harpooners was under
 the necessity of  slipping the end of  
his line4 ,happily1 the other fish did  
not descend  so deep1 and the lines in  
the boat proved adequate to the         
occasion4  ,one of the fish being then  

supposed to be lost1 five of the boats1 
out of seven1 attended on the fish which
 yet remained entangled1 and  speedily  
killed it4 ,a short time afterwards1 the
 other fish supposed  to be             
irrecoverably lost1 was descried at a   
little distance from the  place where it
 was struck2 three boats proceeded      
against it2 it was  immediately struck1 
and in twenty minutes also killed4 ,thus
 were  successfully captured two whales1
 both of which had been despaired  of4  
,they produced us near forty tuns of    
oil1 value at that time  #a1djj4 ,the   
lines attached to the fish last killed  
were recovered in  a remarkable manner4 
,the harpooners were busily engaged in  
attempting  to secure them1 when the    
harpoon1 by which alone they were       
prevented  from sinking1 slipped out2   
but as it descended in the water1 it    
luckily hooked the line belonging to    
another boat1 by which both  harpoon and
 lines were preserved4    ,it is very   
generally believed by the whalers1 that 

fish have  occasionally been struck1    
which1 by sudden extension or heave of  
the  body1 have instantly disengaged    
themselves from the harpoon4 ,this      
usually happens when the whale is struck
 8with a slack back10 as  that position 
of the fish is denominated1 in which the
 back being  depressed the flesh is     
relaxed4 ,a harpoon then struck         
occasions  an uncommon wound4 ,hence1 if
 the fish suddenly extends itself and   
elevates its back1 the wound appears of 
twice the size of the  harpoon1 and     
consequently the weapon is capable of   
being thrown  out by the jerk of the    
body4 ,under such circumstances as      
these1 a  large whale was struck by a   
harpooner belonging to the ship ,howe1  
of ,shields4 ,the fish extending and    
lifting its back with uncommon          
violence1 the harpoon was disengaged and
 projected high into the air1  when1 at 
the same moment1 the fish rolled over   
upon its back1 and  received the point  
of the falling weapon in its belly1     

whereby it was  captured and caught4    
,this circumstance1 romantic as it may  
appear1  is so well authenticated by the
 person who struck the fish1 together   
with others who were in the boat at the 
same time1 and were witnesses  of the   
fact1 that ,i have no scruple in        
introducing it here4    ,on the #bhth of
 ,may1 #ahag1 the ,royal ,bounty1 of    
,leith1 captain  ,drysdale1 fell in with
 a great number of whales1 in the lat4  
#gg #be  north1 and long4 #e or #f east4
 ,neither ice nor land was in sight1    
nor was there supposed to be either the 
one or the other within fifty  or sixty 
miles4 ,a brisk breeze of wind          
prevailed1 and the weather  was clear4  
,the boats were1 therefore1 manned and  
sent in pursuit4  ,after a chase of     
about five hours1 the harpooner1        
commanding a boat1  who1 with another in
 company1 had rowed out of sight of the 
ship1  struck one of the whales4 ,this  
was about four ,a4,m41 of the #bith4    
,the  captain1 supposing from the long  

absence of the two most distant  boats  
that a fish had been struck1 directed   
the course of the ship  towards the     
place where he had last seen them1 and  
about eight ,a4,m4  he got sight of a   
boat which displayed the signal for     
being fast4  ,some time afterwards1 he  
observed the other boat approach the    
fish1 a  second harpoon struck1 and the 
usual signal displayed4 ,as1 however1   
the fish dragged the two boats away with
 considerable speed1 it was  midday     
before any assistance could reach them4 
,two more harpoons were  then struck1   
but such was the vigour of the whale    
that1 although it  constantly dragged   
through the water four to six boats1    
together  with a length of #a1fjj       
fathoms of line which it had drawn out  
of the  different boats1 yet it pursued 
its flight nearly as fast as a boat     
could row and such was the terror that  
it manifested on the approach  of its   
enemies1 that1 whenever a boat passed   
beyond its tail1 it  invariably dived4  

,all their endeavours to lance it were1 
therefore1  in vain4    ,the crews of   
the loose boats being unable to keep    
pace with the  fish1 caught hold of and 
moored themselves to the fast-boats2 and
  for some hours afterwards1 all hands  
were constrained to sit in  idle        
impatience1 waiting for some relaxation 
in the speed of the  whale4 ,its most   
general course had hitherto been to     
windward1  but a favourable change      
taking place1 enabled the ship1 which   
had  previously been at a great         
distance1 to join the boats at eight    
,p4,m4  ,they succeeded in tacking one  
of the lines to the ship which was  fast
 to the fish1 with a view of retarding  
its flight4 ,they then  furled the      
top-gallant sails1 and lowered the top  
sails2 but after  supporting the ship a 
few minutes head to wind1 the wither of 
the  harpoon upset or twisted aside1 and
 the instrument was disengaged  from its
 grasp4 ,the whale immediately set off  
to windward with  increased speed1 and  

it required an interval of three hours  
before  the ship could again approach   
it4 ,another line was then taken on     
board1 which immediately broke4 ,a fifth
 harpoon had previously been  struck1 to
 replace the one which had been pulled  
out1 but the line  attached to it was   
soon afterwards cut4 ,they then         
instituted various  schemes for         
arresting the speed of the fish1 which  
occupied their  close attention nearly  
two hours4 ,but its velocity was yet    
such that  the master1 who had himself  
proceeded to the attack1 was unable to  
approach sufficiently near to strike a  
harpoon4 ,after a long chase1  however1 
he succeeded in getting hold of one of  
the lines which the  fish dragged after 
it1 and in fastening another line to it4
 ,the  fish then happily turned towards 
the ship1 which was a considerable      
distance to leeward4    ,at four ,p4,m4 
of the #cjth1 thirty-six hours after the
 fish had been  struck1 the ship again  
joined the boats1 when1 by a successful 

manuvre1 they secured two of the fast   
lines on board4 ,the wind  blowing a    
moderately brisk breeze1 the top-gallant
 sails were taken  in1 the courses      
hauled up1 and the top sails clewed     
down1 but1  notwithstanding the         
resistance a ship thus situated must    
necessarily  offer1 she was towed by the
 fish directly to windward with the     
velocity of at least one-half to two    
knots during an hour and a half2  and   
then1 though the whale must have been   
greatly exhausted1 it beat  the water   
with its fins and tail in so tremendous 
a way1 that the sea  around was in a    
continual foam1 and the most hardy of   
the sailors  scarcely dared to approach 
it4 ,at length1 about eight ,p4,m41     
after  forty hours of almost incessant1 
and for the most part fruitless         
exertion1 this formidable and           
astonishing animal was killed4 ,the     
capture and the flensing occupied       
forty-eight hours4 ,the fish was  eleven
 feet four inches in bone1 7the length  

of the longest lamina of  whalebone17   
and its produce filled forty-seven      
butts1 or twenty-three  and a half tun  
casks1 with blubber4    ,i proceed now  
to enumerate the proceedings of the     
fishers after a  whale is killed4 ,some 
preliminary measures are requisite      
before a  whale can be flensed4 ,the    
first operation performed on a dead     
whale  is to lash it with a rope1 passed
 several times through two holes        
pierced through the tail to the bow of  
the boat4 ,the more difficult  operation
 of freeing the whale from the          
entanglement of the line is  then       
attempted4 ,as the whale1 when dead1    
always lies on its back or  on its side1
 the lines and harpoons are generally   
far under water4  ,when they are seen   
passing obliquely downwards1 they are   
hooked  with a grapnel1 pulled to the   
surface1 and cut4 ,but1 when they hang  
perpendicular1 or when they cannot be   
seen1 they are discovered by  a process 
called 8sweeping a fish40 ,this is      

performed by taking  a part of a        
whale-line in two different boats1 ten  
or fifteen  fathoms asunder1 and while  
one boat lies at rest1 supporting the   
end of a line1 the other is rowed round 
the fish1 and the bight or  intermediate
 part of the line allowed to sink below 
the fish as it  proceeds1 until each of 
the parts held in the two boats are     
again  brought together4 ,hence1 when   
one part of the line has made a circuit 
of the fish1 it must evidently inclose  
every other line or appendage  affixed  
to it4 ,thus inclosed1 they are pulled  
up to the surface of  the water1 and    
each of them cut at the splice of the   
fore-ganger1  leaving the harpoon       
sticking in the fish1 with its          
fore-ganger  attached1 and allowing the 
end of the line to sink1 and be hauled  
on  board of the boat from whence it was
 withdrawn at the convenience of  the   
crew4 ,while this is in progress1 the   
men of other boats1 having  first lashed
 the tail to a boat1 are employed in    

lashing the fins  together across the   
belly of the whale4    ,on one occasion 
,i was myself engaged in the capture of 
a fish1 upon  which1 when to appearance 
dead1 ,i leaped1 cut holes in the fins1 
and was in the act of 8reeving0 a rope  
through them to lash them  together1    
when the fish sank beneath my feet4 ,as 
soon as ,i observed  that the water had 
risen above my knees1 ,i made a spring  
towards a  boat1 at the distance of     
three or four yards from me1 and caught 
hold of the gunwale4 ,scarcely was ,i   
helped on board1 before the fish  began 
to move forward1 turn from its back upon
 its belly1 reared its  tail aloft1 and 
began to shake it with such prodigious  
violence1 as  to resound through the air
 to the distance of two or three miles4 
,in  the meanwhile all the sailors very 
properly kept aloof1 and beheld  its    
extraordinary power with the greatest   
astonishment4 ,after two or  three      
minutes of this violent exercise1 it    
ceased1 rolled upon its  side1 and died4

    ,a fish being properly secured1 is  
then 8taken in tow20 that is1 all  the  
boats form themselves in a line1 by     
ropes always carried for the  purpose1  
and unite their efforts in rowing       
towards the ship4 ,towing  a fish is    
usually considered a cheerful though    
laborious operation1  and is generally  
performed with great expressions of joy4
 ,a large  whale1 by means of six boats1
 can be towed at a rate of nearly a     
mile per hour4 ,the fish having reached 
the ship1 is taken to the  larboard     
side1 arranged and secured for flensing4
 ,for the performance  of this          
operation1 a variety of knives and other
 instruments are  requisite4 ,towards   
the stern of the ship the head of the   
fish is  directed1 and the tail1 which  
is first cut off1 rests abreast of the  
fore-chains2 the smallest or posterior  
part of the whale's body1  where the    
tail is united1 is called the rump1 and 
the extremity or  anterior part of the  
head1 the nose or nose-end4 ,the rump1  

then1  supported by a tackle1 is drawn  
forward by means of a stout rope1       
called the rump-rope2 and the head is   
drawn in an opposite direction1  by     
means of the 8nose-tackle40 ,hence the  
body of the fish is forcibly  extended4 
,the right-side fin1 being next the     
ship1 is lashed upwards  towards the    
gunwale4 ,a band of blubber1 two or     
three feet in width1  encircling the    
fish's body1 and lying between the fins 
and the head1  being the fat of the     
neck1 or what corresponds in other      
animals with  the neck1 is called the   
kent1 because by means of it the fish is
  turned over1 or kented4 ,now1 to the  
commencement of this imaginary  band of 
fat1 or kent1 is fixed the lower        
extremity of a combination  of powerful 
blocks1 called the kent-purchase4 ,its  
upper extremity  is fixed round the head
 of the main-mast1 and its fall or rope 
is  applied to the windlass1 drawn      
tight1 and the upper surface of the     
fish raised several inches above the    

water4 ,the enormous weight of  a whale 
prevents the possibility of raising it  
more than one-fourth  or one-fifth part 
out of the water1 except indeed when it 
has been  some days dead1 in which case 
it swells1 in consequence of air        
generated by putrefaction1 until        
one-third of its bulk appears above  the
 surface4 ,the fish then lying belly    
upward1 extended1 and well  secured1 is 
ready for commencing the operation of   
flensing4 ,in this  state a suspension  
of labour is generally allowed1 in which
 the crew  refresh themselves and       
prepare for the ensuing duties4    ,an  
unhappy circumstance once occurred in an
 interval of this kind4  ,at that period
 of the fishery1 7forty or fifty years  
ago17 when a  single stout whale was    
sufficient to remunerate the owners of a
  ship for the expenses of the voyage1  
great joy was exhibited on  the capture 
of a whale by the fishers4 ,they not    
only had a dram of  spirits1 but were   
sometimes provided with some favourite  

8mess10  on which to regale themselves  
before they commenced the arduous  task 
of flensing4 ,at such a period1 the crew
 of an ,english vessel  had captured    
their first whale4 ,it was taken to the 
ship1 placed  on the lee-side1 and      
though the wind blew a strong breeze1 it
 was  fastened only by a small rope     
attached to the fin4 ,in this state  of 
supposed security1 all hands retired to 
regale themselves1 the  captain himself 
not excepted4 ,the ship being at a      
distance from any  ice1 and the fish    
believed to be secure1 they made no     
great haste in  their enjoyment4 ,at    
length1 the specksioneer1 having spent  
sufficient  time in indulgence and      
equipment1 with an air of importance and
  self-confidence1 proceeded on deck1   
and naturally turned to look on  the    
whale4 ,to his astonishment it was not  
there4 ,in some alarm1 he  looked       
astern1 ahead1 on the other side1 but   
his search was useless2  the ship       
drifting fast had pressed forcibly upon 

the whale1 the rope  broke1 the fish    
sank1 and was lost4 ,the mortification  
of this event  may be conceived1 but the
 termination of their vexation will not 
easily be imagined1 when it is known    
that no other opportunity of  procuring 
a whale occurred during the voyage4 ,the
 ship returned home  clean4 ,the        
blessings of ,divine ,providence1 of a  
temporal and also  of a spiritual kind1 
are bestowed and continued in union with
 the  activity and watchfulness of those
 who receive them1 and it is a law  of  
the earthly1 and also of the heavenly   
treasure1 that 8whosoever  hath1 to him 
shall be given2 and whosoever hath not1 
from him shall  be taken even that which
 he seemeth to have40    ,after the     
whale is properly secured1 and the men  
are sufficiently  refreshed1 the        
harpooners1 having their feet armed with
 8spurs10  to prevent them from         
slipping1 descend upon the fish4 ,two   
boats1  each of which is under the      
guidance of one or two boys1 attend upon

  them1 and serve to hold all their     
knives and other apparatus4 ,thus       
provided1 the harpooners1 directed by   
the specksioneer1 divide the  fat into  
oblong pieces1 or 8slips10 by means of  
8blubber-spades0  and 8blubber-knives20 
then affixing a 8speck-tackle0 to each  
slip1  progressively flay it off as it  
is drawn upward4 ,the speck-tackles1    
which are two or three in number1 are   
rendered effective by  capsterns1       
winches1 or other mechanical powers4    
,each of them consists  of a simple     
combination of two single blocks1 one of
 which is  securely fixed in a strong   
rope1 extended between the main-top and 
the fore-top1 called a guy1 and the     
other is attached by a strap  to the    
blubber of the whale4 ,the flensers     
commence with the belly  and under-jaw1 
being the only part then above water4   
,the blubber1  in pieces of half a ton  
to a ton each1 is received upon deck by 
the  boat-steerers and line-managers1   
the former with 8strand-knives0  divide 

it into portable1 cubical1 or oblong    
pieces1 containing near  a solid foot of
 fat1 while the latter1 furnished with  
8pick-haaks10  pass it between decks1   
down a hole in the main-hatches4 ,it is 
then  received by two men styled kings1 
who pack it in a receptacle  provided   
for it in the hold1 or other suitable   
place1 called the  flense-gut1 where it 
remains until further convenience4      
,all the fat being taken away from the  
belly1 and the right fin  removed1 the  
fish is then turned on its side1 by     
means of the kent1  which1 by the power 
of the windlass1 readily performs this  
office4  ,the upper surface of fat is   
again removed1 together with the left   
fin1 and after a second kenting one of  
the 8lips0 is taken away1  by which the 
whale-bone of one side of the head1 now 
lying nearly  horizontal1 is exposed4   
,the fish being a little further turned1
  the whalebone of the left side is     
dislodged by the use of the 8bone       
hand-spikes10 8bone-knives10 and        

8bone-spades40 ,four instruments1       
which1 when combined1 constitute what is
 called the bone-geer1 are  used1 with  
the assistance of two speck-tackles1 for
 taking up the  whalebone in one mass4  
,on its arrival on deck1 it is split    
with  8bone-wedges0 and 8junks10        
containing from five to ten blades each1
  and stowed away4 ,a further kenting   
brings the fish's back upward1  and the 
next exposes the second side of bone4   
,as the fish is turned  or kented round1
 every part of the blubber becomes      
progressively  uppermost and is removed4
 ,at length1 when the whole of the      
blubber1  whalebone1 and jawbones have  
been taken on board1 the kent1 which now
  appears a slip of perhaps thirty feet 
in length1 is also separated1  together 
with the rump-rope and nose-tackle1 on  
which the carcase  being at liberty1    
generally sinks in the water and        
disappears4 ,when  it floats1 however1  
it becomes food for bears1 sharks1 and  
various  kinds of birds1 all of which   

attack it with the most voracious       
earnestness4 ,it is known by the name of
 the kreng4    ,when sharks are present1
 they generally take the liberty of     
helping  themselves very bountifully    
during the progress of the flensing1 but
  they often pay for their temerity with
 their lives4 ,fulmars pay close        
attendance in immense numbers4 ,they    
seize the fragments occasionally        
disengaged by the knife while they are  
swimming in the water1 but  most of the 
other gulls who attend on the occasion  
take their share  on the wing4 ,the     
burgomaster is decidedly the master of  
the feast4  ,hence1 every other bird is 
obliged to relinquish the most delicious
  morsel when the burgomaster descends  
to claim it4 ,bears seldom  approach so 
near the ship as to become partakers of 
the banquet4  ,when dispatch is seconded
 by ability1 the operation of flensing  
can be accomplished on a fish affording 
from twenty to thirty tons  of blubber  
in the space of three or four hours1    

and1 probably1 the  average time with   
,british fishers but little exceeds four
 hours4    ,some years ago1 ,i was      
witness of a circumstance in which a    
harpooner  was exposed to the most      
imminent risk of his life1 at the       
conclusion  of a flensing process1 by a 
very curious accident4 ,this harpooner  
stood on one of the jaw-bones of a fish 
with a boat by his side4 ,in  this      
situation1 while he was in the act of   
cutting the kreng adrift1  a boy        
inadvertently struck the point of the   
boat-hook1 with which  he usually held  
the boat1 through the ring of the       
harpooner's spur1  and in the same act  
seized the jawbone of the fish with the 
hook of  the same instrument4 ,before   
this was discovered1 the kreng was set  
at liberty1 and began instantly to sink4
 ,the harpooner then threw  himself     
towards the boat1 but being firmly      
entangled by the foot1  he fell into the
 water4 ,providentially he caught the   
gunwale of the  boat with his hands1    

but1 overpowered by the force of the    
sinking  kreng1 he was on the point of  
relinquishing his grasp when some of    
his companions got hold of his hands1   
while others threw a rope round  his    
body4 ,the carcase of the fish was      
suspended entirely by the  poor fellow's
 body1 which was1 consequently1 so      
dreadfully extended  that there was some
 danger of his being drawn asunder4 ,but
 such was  his terror of being taken    
under water1 and not1 indeed1 without   
cause1 for he could never have risen    
again1 that1 notwithstanding  the       
excruciating pain he suffered1 he       
constantly cried out to his  companions 
to 8haul away the rope40 ,he remained in
 that dreadful  state until means were  
adopted for hooking the kreng with the  
grapnel1 and bringing it back to the    
surface of the water4 ,had he not       
caught hold of the boat as he was       
sinking and met with such prompt        
assistance1 he must infallibly have     
perished4    ,next to the process of    

flensing is that of making-off4 ,when   
the  flens-gut is filled with blubber1  
or when1 no fish being seen1 a          
favourable opportunity of leisure is    
presented1 the operation of  making-off 
is generally commenced4 ,this consists  
of freeing the fat  from all extraneous 
substances1 especially the muscular     
parts and  the skin1 then cutting it    
into small pieces1 and putting it into  
cask through the bung-holes4 ,in the    
first instance1 the ship must be  moored
 to a convenient piece of ice1 or placed
 in an open situation1  and the sails so
 reduced as to require no further       
attention in the  event of bad weather  
occurring4 ,the hold of the ship must be
 cleared  of its superstructure of      
casks1 until the 8ground tier10 or      
lowest  stratum of casks is exposed1 and
 the ballast-water must be 8started10   
or pumped out of all the casks that are 
removed upon deck1 as well  as out of   
those on the ground tier1 which are     
first prepared for  the reception of the

 blubber4 ,in 8breaking out the hold10  
it is not  necessary to lay open more of
 the ground tier at a time than three or
  four casks extend in length4    ,while
 the line-managers1 together with the   
8skee-man10 7the officer  who has the   
direction of operations in the hold17   
the cooper1 and  perhaps a few others1  
are employed in breaking out the hold1  
the rest  of the crew on the deck       
arrange all the variety of apparatus    
used  for the preparation of the blubber
 before it is put into the casks4  ,of  
this apparatus1 the most considerable   
part is the 8speck-trough10  with its   
appendages4 ,it consists of a kind of   
oblong box or chest1  about twelve feet 
in length1 one and three quarters feet  
in breadth1  and one and a half feet in 
depth4 ,the speck-trough is fixed upon  
the  deck1 as nearly as possible over   
the place where the casks are to  be    
filled in the hold4 ,a square hole made 
in its bottom is placed  either over the
 nearest hatchway to the scene of       

operations1 or  upon a corresponding    
hole cut in the deck4 ,the speck-trough 
is then  secured1 and its lid turned    
backwards into an horizontal position4  
,the surface of the lid1 forming a level
 table1 is then covered with  blocks of 
whale's-tail from end to end4 ,this     
substance makes an  excellent           
chopping-block1 and preserves the       
chopping-knives from  injury when used  
for dividing the blubber upon it4 ,into 
the square  hole in the bottom of the   
speck-trough is fitted an iron frame1 to
  which is suspended a canvas tube1 or  
8hose10 denominated a 8lull40  ,the lull
 is open at both ends4 ,its diameter is 
about a foot1 and its  length sufficient
 to reach from the deck to the bottom of
 the hold4  ,to the middle1 or towards  
the upper part of the lull1 is attached 
a 8pair of nippers10 consisting of two  
sticks fastened together by  a kind of  
hinge at one end1 and capable of being  
pressed together  at the other4 ,the    
nippers being passed across the body of 

the lull1  and their detached           
extremities brought together1 they      
embrace it so  closely that nothing can 
pass downward while they remain in this 
position2 but when1 on the other hand1  
the nippers are extended1 the  lull     
forms a free channel of communication   
between the speck-trough  and the hold4 
,everything being in readiness1 the     
blubber1 as it is now thrown  out of the
 flens-gut by the kings1 undergoes the  
following several  operations4 ,it is   
received upon deck by the 8krengers10   
whose office  is to remove all the      
muscular parts1 together with such      
spongy or  fibrous fat as is known by   
experience to produce very little oil4  
,when these substances1 which go under  
the general denomination  of kreng1 are 
included among the blubber in the casks1
 they pass  through a kind of           
fermentation1 and generate such a       
quantity of  gas as sometimes to burst  
the containing vessels1 and occasion the
  loss of their contents4 ,from the     

krengers the blubber passes to the      
harpooners4 ,each of these officers1    
provided with a blubber-knife1  or a    
strand-knife1 places himself by the side
 of the 8closh10 fixed  in the deck4 ,an
 attendant1 by means of a pair of       
8hand-hooks10 or a  8pick-haak10 then   
mounts a piece of blubber upon the      
spikes of the  closh1 and the harpooner 
slices off the skin4 ,from the skinners1
  the blubber passes into an open space1
 called the bank1 prepared  as a        
depository in front of the speck-trough1
 and it is then laid  upon the          
chopping-blocks as wanted4 ,it now falls
 under the hands of  the boat-steerers1 
who1 armed with chopping-knives1 are    
arranged  in a line by the side of the  
chopping-blocks with the speck-trough   
before them4 ,thus prepared1 they divide
 the blubber1 as it is  placed on their 
blocks1 into oblong pieces1 not         
exceeding four  inches in diameter1 and 
push it into the speck-trough intended  
for  its reception4 ,and finally1 the   

blubber falls under the direction  of   
the line-managers1 stationed in the     
hold1 who receive it into  tubs through 
the lull1 and pass it with their hands  
into the casks1  through their          
bung-holes4 ,when a cask is nearly      
filled1 the packing  is completed by the
 use of a 8pricker10 one piece after    
another being  thrust in by this        
instrument until it can contain no more4
 ,it is then  securely bunged up4       
,when the ground-tier casks1 as far as  
they have been exposed are  filled1 the 
second-tier of casks is stowed upon it1 
and likewise  filled with blubber1      
together with the third-tier casks when 
necessary4 ,when fish can be had in     
sufficiency1 the hold is filled  and    
likewise the space between decks4 ,when 
a ship is deficient in  casks1 vacancies
 adapted for the reception of the cargo 
are filled  with blubber in bulk4 ,the  
operation of making off was in the early
  ages of the fishery performed on      
shore1 and even so late as the  middle  

of the last century1 it was customary   
for ships to proceed  into a harbour1   
and remain while this process was going 
on4    ,in the ,greenland whale-fishery1
 the importance of a code of laws  was  
at a very early period apparent4 ,a fish
 struck by the people  of two different 
ships became an object of dispute1 the  
first  striker claiming the whole1 and  
the second demanding a share for his    
assistance4 ,stores saved from wrecked  
vessels1 and especially the  cargoes of 
wrecks1 being objects of much moment1   
were also liable to  occasion disputes  
in a still higher degree4 ,hence1 about 
the year  #afgg1 the ,dutch issued a    
code of regulations1 founded on         
equitable  principles1 for the          
prevention of quarrels and litigation   
among the  fishers4 ,as these were found
 to be insufficient1 the                
,states-,general  of ,holland and ,west 
,friesland1 in the year #afif1 approved 
and  confirmed the general regulations  
with respect to the saving of the  crews

 and stores of vessels wrecked in the   
ice1 the right to whales  under peculiar
 circumstances1 and other matters       
connected with the  fishery4 ,they      
consisted of twelve articles1 and every 
captain1  specksioneer1 and officer     
concerned in the fishery1 was obliged to
  subscribe them4 ,after being duly     
announced1 these articles were  enforced
 by commissioners1 chosen from among the
 principal ,greenland  owners of        
,holland1 for conducting and carrying   
into effect this and  other matters     
connected with the prosperity and       
regulation of the  fishery4    ,among   
the ,british whale-fishers1 it does not 
appear that any  particular laws were   
ever expressly laid down for the        
adjusting  of differences2 yet custom   
has established certain principles as   
constituting the rule of right1 the     
legality of which is sufficiently       
acknowledged by their being universally 
respected4 ,the fundamental  articles   
are two4 ,first1 that a fast fish1 or a 

fish in any way in  possession1 whether 
alive or dead1 is the sole and          
unquestionable  property of the persons 
so maintaining the connection or        
possession2  and secondly1 that a loose 
fish1 alive or dead1 is fair game4 ,the 
first of these regulations can need no  
modification1 but the second  can only  
be recommended for its simplicity and   
tendency to prevent  litigation1 since  
circumstances may1 and do1 sometimes    
occur1 in  which its application is     
liable to some objection4 ,in this1 as  
in  other departments of human conduct1 
it is impossible by any strict          
regulations to prevent all kinds of     
injustice4 ,the highest code of  human  
morals enjoins on men what they shall   
be1 as well as what they  shall do1 and 
provides for them the one golden        
precept1 8,whatsoever  ye would that men
 should do to you1 do ye even so to     
them40 ,conduct1  which it is impossible
 to punish by appeal to any human       
tribunal1 is  often most fearfully in   

violation of this law1 and must await   
the  decisions of that day1 when ,god   
shall try every man's work of what  sort
 it is4    ,the following circumstance1 
which occurred a good many years ago1   
has a tendency to illustrate the        
existing ,greenland laws1 and to  set   
them in a prominent light4 ,during a    
storm of wind and snow1  several ships  
were beating to windward1 under easy    
sail1 along the  edge of a pack4 ,when  
the storm abated and the weather        
cleared1 the  ships steered towards the 
ice4 ,two of the fleet approached it    
about  a mile asunder1 abreast of each  
other1 when the crews of each ship      
accidentally got sight of a dead fish at
 a little distance1 within  some loose  
ice4 ,each ship now made sail to        
endeavour to reach the  fish before the 
other1 which fish1 being loose1 would be
 the prize  of the first that should get
 possession of it4 ,neither ship could  
outsail the other1 but each continued to
 press forward toward the  prize4 ,the  

little advantage one of them had in     
distance1 the other  compensated with   
velocity4 ,on each bow of the two ships 
was stationed  a principal officer1     
armed with a harpoon1 in readiness to   
discharge4  ,but it so happened that the
 ships came in contact with each other1 
when within a few yards of the fish1 and
 in consequence of the shock  with which
 their bows met1 they rebounded to a    
considerable distance4  ,the officers at
 the same moment discharged their       
harpoons1 but all  of them fell short of
 the fish4 ,a hardy fellow1 who was     
second-mate  of the leeward ship1       
immediately leaped overboard1 and with  
great  dexterity swam to the whale1     
seized it by the fin1 and proclaimed it 
his prize4 ,it was1 however1 so swollen1
 that he was unable to climb  upon it1  
but was obliged to remain shivering in  
the water until  assistance should be   
sent4 ,his captain1 elated with his good
 luck1  forgot1 or at least neglected1  
his brave second-mate1 and before  he   

thought of sending a boat to release him
 from his disagreeable  situation1      
prepared to moor his ship to an         
adjoining piece of ice4  ,meanwhile1 the
 other ship tacked1 and the master      
himself stepped  into a boat1 pushed    
off1 and rowed deliberately towards the 
dead  fish4 ,observing the trembling    
seaman still in the water1 holding by   
the fin1 he addressed him with1 8,well1 
my lad1 you've got a fine  fish here10  
to which1 after a natural reply in the  
affirmative1  he added1 8,but don't you 
find it very cold80 8,yes10 replied the 
shivering sailor1 8,i'm almost starved2 
,i wish you would allow me to  come into
 your boat until ours arrive40 ,this    
favour needed no second  solicitation2  
the boat approached the man1 and he was 
assisted into  it4 ,the fish being again
 loose and out of possession1 the       
captain  instantly struck his harpoon   
into it1 hoisted his flag1 and claimed  
his prize4 ,mortified and displeased as 
the other master felt at this  trick1   

for so it certainly was1 he had         
nevertheless no redress1  but was       
obliged to permit the fish to be taken  
on board of his  competitor's ship1 and 
to content himself with abusing the mate
 for  his want of discretion1 and with  
condemning himself for not having  more 
compassion on the poor fellow's         
feelings1 which would have  prevented   
the disagreeable misadventure4          
,success in the whale-fishery has been  
very generally supposed to  depend1 not 
upon the exercise of talent and industry
 on the part  of the masters and crews  
of the fishing-ships1 but solely upon   
the freaks of fortune4 ,that the        
fishery1 however1 is altogether a  chain
 of casualties1 is as false as it is    
derogatory to the credit  of the persons
 employed in the enterprise4 ,the most  
skilful1 from  adventitious and         
unavoidable circumstances1 may          
occasionally fail1  and the unskilful   
may be successful2 but if we mark the   
average of  a number of years1 that is1 

where the means are equal1 a tolerable  
estimate may be formed of the           
adventurer's ability1 and his fitness   
for the undertaking in which he is      
engaged4    ,the great variety of       
success1 which is observed to result    
from the  exertions of the different    
,greenland commanders1 when the average 
of several voyages is taken1 confirmed  
the above position1 and the             
circumstance of some masters1 in        
whatever ship they may sail1 almost     
always succeeding1 whilst others1       
however favourably circumstanced1       
seldom or ever procure a whole cargo1   
warrants this conclusion1  that1 most   
generally1 successful fishery depends on
 the experience1  determined            
perseverance1 and personal talent of the
 master of the  vessel1 supported by a  
necessary degree of skill among the     
people  composing his crew4 ,there are  
occasions1 however1 especially in those 
seasons when the ,greenland ,seas are   
open1 or in some measure free  from ice1

 in which personal talent becomes of    
comparative little  avail4 ,this was    
strikingly the case in the year #ahag1  
and in some  degree in #ahah4 ,in the   
former season1 the ice lay at a distance
 so  remote from ,spitzbergen1 that a   
space of about two thousand square      
miles of the surface of the sea1 which  
is usually covered with ice1  was wholly
 void of it4 ,whatever decisions the    
judicious fisher was  led by experience 
to form and act upon proved fallacious1 
and tended  only to embarrass him in all
 his proceedings4 ,the only indication  
which could be of the least service to  
the fisher to assist him in  the choice 
of a situation1 was the colour of the   
sea4 ,in places where  the water was    
transparent1 and blue1 or greenish blue1
 it was in  vain to look for whales1 but
 in a certain stream of cloudy water1 of
  a deep olive-green colour1 all the    
whales which were seen throughout  the  
season1 or at least nine-tenths of them1
 occurred1 and the chief  part of those 

which were caught were found in the same
 stream of  water4 ,this kind of        
sea-water is the favourite resort of    
whales  during the fishing season1      
evidently because it abounds with       
various  descriptions of actini1 sepi1  
medus1 and cancri1 which  constitute the
 chief1 if not the sole nourishment of  
the whale4    ,success in the fishery is
 more certain in close than in open     
seasons1 and has some dependence on the 
suitable equipment of  the ships        
employed in the trade1 on a sufficient  
apparatus1 and  frequently in no        
inconsiderable degree on that valuable  
property  of the ship called            
fast-sailing4 ,when any opening occurs  
in the  ice of a tempting appearance1 it
 frequently happens that a number  of   
ships enter it together4 ,the fastest   
sailers lead the way1 and  often procure
 a whale or two or more before the heavy
 sailing ships  can perform a           
navigation1 and by the time the latter  
accomplish it1  the run of fish is      

frequently over4 ,not a little depends  
in the  fishery on the confidence the   
sailors have in the skill of their      
captain1 and the efficiency of the      
personal talents and exertions  of their
 officers4 ,if the officers are         
generally unsuccessful1 they  are apt to
 lose confidence in them1 and proceed1  
even when good  opportunities occur1    
without spirit to the attack4 ,the      
greater  their spirits and confidence   
are1 the greater is the probability of  
their success4 ,hence1 the crew of a    
ship which has met with success  can    
generally fish better1 and more         
advantageously under the same           
circumstances1 than the people of a     
clean ship4 ,for the regulation of  the 
ship's movements1 for the choice of a   
situation1 for direction in             
difficulties1 for a stimulus when       
discouraged1 for encouragement when     
weary1 and for a variety of other       
important matters1 the master alone     
must be looked to1 on whom1 indeed1     

almost every considerable effort  of    
judgment or forethought devolves4    ,i 
now subjoin a few instances of the      
dangers which accompany the             
whale-fishery1 most of which presented  
themselves within the sphere  of my own 
observation4 ,those employed in the     
occupation of killing  whales are1 when 
actually engaged1 exposed to danger from
 three  sources1 namely1 from the ice1  
from the climate1 and from the  whales  
themselves4 ,of these1 the casualties on
 the ice are the most  uncommon1 and the
 least fatal2 those from the climate the
 most fatal1  but not the most frequent2
 and the whale itself is the source of a
  great proportion of the accidents     
which occur4    ,the following instance 
illustrates the danger from overhanging 
masses  of ice falling on the boats4    
,the crew of one of the ,hull whalers1  
having killed a fish by the side of an  
iceberg in ,davis's ,strait1  the fins  
were lashed together1 and the tail      
secured to a boat in the  usual way1 but

 by the efforts only of one boat's crew1
 all the other  boats belonging to the  
same ship being engaged in the capture  
of two  more whales1 neither of which   
were yet subdued4 ,this circumstance    
occasioned some altercation among the   
crew of the boat1 as to the  propriety  
of their remaining by the dead whale1 or
 of quitting it1  and proceeding in an  
empty boat which was at hand to the     
assistance  of their companions4 ,the   
latter measure was carried1 but as it   
was  deemed expedient that one man      
should remain in the boat1 to which     
none of them would consent1 they were   
under the necessity of either  remaining
 in idleness by the fish1 or leaving the
 fish and the boat  by themselves4 ,but 
every one being anxious to participate  
in the more  active exercises of the    
fishery1 they at length agreed          
unanimously  to quit the boat connected 
with the dead fish1 and to proceed to   
the  aid of their comrades4 ,the        
arrangements were just accomplished in  

time1 for they had not rowed many       
fathoms from the place before a         
tremendous crash of the berg ensued1 an 
immense mass of ice fell upon  the boat 
they had just quitted1 and neither it   
nor the fish was ever  seen afterwards4 
,another danger arises from ice when    
boats are inclosed and beset1  and their
 crews prevented from joining their     
ships4 ,on ,june #agth1  #ahac1 several 
,greenland fishing-ships penetrated the 
ice into an  enticing opening1 in which 
a number of whales were sporting in     
fancied security4 ,the ,john1 of        
,greenock1 ,neptune1 of ,aberdeen1 ,earl
  ,percy1 of ,kirkcaldy1 were           
immediately1 to appearance1 successful4 
,the crew of the ,john in a short time  
killed several fish2 the people  of the 
,neptune killed one1 and struck a       
second2 and the crew of the  ,earl      
,percy struck one also4 ,things were in 
this state when ,i arrived  in the same 
situation with the ,esk4 ,my harpooners1
 happily as it  proved1 did not succeed 

in any measure4 ,the sea was as smooth  
as the  surface of a pond1 but the ice  
,i observed was in a strange state of   
disturbance4 ,some floes1 and some large
 pieces1 moved with a velocity  of three
 to four miles per hour1 while other    
similar masses were  at rest4 ,the      
,john1 which1 on her first arrival in   
this situation1  had navigated an open  
lake some leagues in circumference1 was 
in  the space of a few hours closely    
beset4 ,the captain of the ,neptune1    
alarmed by the danger to which his men  
and boats were exposed1 left  his ship  
to the care of his second-mate1 with    
eleven or twelve  men1 and proceeded    
himself in a boat1 making the fifth1 to 
their  assistance4 ,in a few minutes1   
these five boats1 together with two     
belonging to the ,earl ,percy1 were     
closely fixed in the ice4 ,the ships    
were forced to a distance2 the ice in   
the course of the following  morning    
spread to the width of seven or eight   
miles1 and shortly  afterwards the      

people in the boats and those in the    
corresponding  ships lost sight of each 
other4    ,my father1 who at this time  
commanded the ,john1 had anticipated    
the consequences of the ice closing1 and
 found refuge in a cove in  an adjoining
 field filled with bay-ice1 into which  
he thrust his  ship1 and obtained       
shelter for himself and his comrades who
 were  thus beset4 ,after three days1   
the ice slackened1 and the ,neptune     
boats1 together with those belonging to 
the ,earl ,percy1 left the  ,john1      
although neither the sea nor their ships
 were visible4 ,in this  adventure they 
proved successful4 ,when they had rowed 
many hours to  the south-eastward1 they 
discovered a ship1 on their approach to 
which they were invited on board1 and   
received some refreshment4  ,after this1
 having received information of the     
relative situation  of their ships1 they
 put off1 and soon after had the        
happiness of  regaining their respective
 vessels4 ,this circumstance1 which was 

the  occasion of so much anxiety1       
danger1 and loss of time to the crews of
  the ,neptune and ,earl ,percy1 proved 
the contrary to the people of the       
,john1 as they added to her cargo       
seventeen whales1 within the space  of  
five days1 and on the sixth1 the ice    
having again slackened1 they  made their
 escape into a place of safety4    ,the 
climate of the ,polar regions becomes a 
source of danger to the  whale-fishers  
when boats are separated from the ship  
to which they  belong1 in foggy weather 
when they are overtaken by a storm and  
prevented from joining their ship1 and  
when the people in the boats  are long  
exposed to inclement winds4    ,on the  
commencement of a heavy gale of wind1   
,may #aath1 #ahac1 fourteen  men put off
 in a boat from the ,volunteer1 of      
,whitby1 with the view  of setting an   
anchor in a large piece of ice1 to which
 it was their  intention to moor the    
ship4 ,the ship approached2 on a signal 
being  made the sails were clewed up1   

and a rope fixed to the anchor1 but  the
 ice shivering with the violence of the 
strain1 when the ship fell  astern the  
anchor flew out1 and the ship went      
adrift4 ,the sails being  again set1 the
 ship was reached to the eastward1 7wind
 at north17 the  distance of about two  
miles1 but in attempting to wear and    
return1  the ship1 instead of performing
 the evolution1 scudded a considerable  
distance to leeward1 and was then       
reached out to sea1 thus leaving        
fourteen of her crew to a fate most     
dreadful1 the fulfilment of  which      
seemed inevitable4 ,the temperature of  
the air was #ae or #af  of ,fahrenheit1 
when these poor men were left upon a    
detached piece  of ice1 without food1   
without shelter from the inclement      
storm1 and  deprived of every means of  
refuge1 except in a single boat1 which1 
on account of the number of men1 and    
violence of the storm1 was  incapable of
 conveying them to their ship4 ,death   
stared them in the  face whichever way  

they turned1 and a division in opinion  
ensued4    ,some were wishful to remain 
by the ice1 but the ice could afford    
them  no shelter from the piercing wind1
 and would probably be soon broken  to  
pieces by the increasing swell2 others  
were anxious to attempt  to join their  
ship1 while she was yet in sight1 but   
the force of  the wind1 the violence of 
the sea1 and the smallness of the boat  
in  comparison of the number of men to  
be conveyed1 were objections which      
would have appeared utterly             
insurmountable to any persons but men in
  a state of despair4 ,judging that by  
remaining on the ice death was  but     
retarded for a few hours1 as the extreme
 cold must eventually  benumb their     
faculties1 and invite a sleep which     
would overcome the  remains of          
animation1 they determined on making the
 attempt to row  to their ship4 ,poor   
creatures6 what must have been their    
sensations  at this moment1 when the    
spark of hope yet remaining was so      

feeble  that a premature death even to  
themselves seemed inevitable4 ,they     
made the daring experiment1 when a few  
minutes' trial convinced them  that the 
attempt was utterly impracticable4 ,they
 then1 with longing  eyes1 turned their 
efforts towards recovering the ice they 
had left1  but their utmost exertions   
were unavailing4 ,every one now viewed  
his  situation as desperate1 and        
anticipated as certain the fatal event  
that was to put a period to his life4   
,how great must have been their         
delight1 and how overpowering their     
sensations1 when1 at this most  critical
 juncture1 a ship appeared in sight6    
,she was advancing  directly towards    
them2 their voices were extended1 and   
their flag  displayed4 ,but although it 
was impossible they should be heard1 it 
was not impossible they should be seen4 
,their flag was descried by  the people 
on board the ship1 their courses were so
 directed as to  form the speediest     
union1 and in a few minutes they found  

themselves  on the deck of the ,lively1 
of ,whitby1 under circumstances of      
safety4  ,they received from their      
townsmen the warmest congratulations1   
and  while each individual was forward  
in contributing his assistance  towards 
the restoration of their benumbed       
bodies1 each of the rescued  appeared   
sensible that their narrow escape from  
death was highly  providential4    ,the 
forbearance of ,god is wonderful4       
,perhaps these very men a few  hours    
before were impiously invoking their own
 destruction1 or  venting imprecations  
upon their fellow-beings4 ,true it is1  
the  goodness of the ,almighty extendeth
 over all his works1 and that  while 8he
 delighteth in mercy0 he is 8slow to    
anger40 ,it is no  exaggeration to      
affirm1 that every guilty soul of man   
unpardoned and  uncleansed through the  
blood of the ,mediator1 is exposed to a 
peril  equally portentous with that     
which threatened these fishermen4 ,god  
has1 however1 provided an ark of mercy1 

floating on the billows of  life's      
tempestuous1 dangerous ocean1 within    
which every soul may  find perfect and  
permanent peace4 ,that ark is even now  
present1 and  entrance to it may be     
instantly secured4 ,to delay is to      
increase the  peril1 perhaps beyond the 
possibility of future relief4 8,behold1 
now  is the accepted time2 behold1 now  
is the day of salvation40 ,reader1      
enter into this ark of mercy by faith in
 the ,lord ,jesus6    ,one of the most  
calamitous events which in modern times 
has occurred  in the fishery1 was that  
which happened to the crew of the       
,ipswich1  captain ,gordon1 about       
fifteen years ago4 ,a whale was struck  
and  killed by the ,ipswich's people    
early in the spring of the year1 a      
season in which the weather is most     
uncertain4 ,a storm commenced1          
accompanied with snow1 before the       
capture was completed1 but  nevertheless
 the fish was taken to the ship1 and    
having shelter from  the ice it was     

flensed4 ,meanwhile1 four boats' crews  
were employed  on a piece of ice1 in    
hauling in the lines of the fast-boats1 
etc41  during the performance of which  
duties the ship drifted out of sight  of
 them4 ,every effort was then made by   
the captain for discovering  these      
unhappy men1 who1 being above twenty in 
number1 constituted  nearly half of his 
crew4 ,but the weather continuing thick 
and stormy1  and the frost most intense1
 it is probable that they all perished  
before the conclusion of the gale2 at   
least none of them were saved1  nor can 
,i learn that any of their bodies were  
ever found4    ,the remarkable property 
of oil in smoothing the surface of the  
sea  when considerably agitated1 and of 
preventing breakers in the main  ocean1 
was sometimes resorted to by the ancient
 whale-fishers for  their preservation1 
when overtaken by storms at sea4 ,it was
 not  unusual1 ,i believe1 a century    
ago1 for every whale-boat to carry      
along with it a keg of oil for this very

 purpose2 which oil1 being  slowly      
poured overboard in a storm1 afforded a 
sort of defence to  the boat as it      
drifted to leeward4 ,the height of the  
waves1 it is  true1 is not affected by  
the action of the oil1 but as it        
intercepts  the attraction which dry air
 possesses for water1 it prevents the   
immediate action of the wind1 quells the
 ruffled surface of the  waves1 and in a
 great degree prevents the tendency to  
breakers1 which  constitutes the        
principal danger in a storm4    ,the    
most extensive source of danger to the  
whale-fisher1 when  actively engaged in 
his occupation1 arises from the object  
of his  pursuit4 ,the fisher is liable  
to receive contusions from oars         
forcibly struck by the fish1 or from    
direct blows from its fins or  tail2 he 
is liable to accidents from getting     
entangled by the lines1  or from the    
boat being drawn under water by the fish
 through the  medium of the lines2 and  
he is in danger of being thrown         

overboard  by the heeling or jerking of 
the boat1 or more particularly from the 
boat being stove1 upset1 sunk1 or       
projected into the air1 by the  force of
 a blow from the whale4    ,one of the  
crew of the ,john1 of ,greenock1 who was
 in a fast-boat in  the fishery of      
#ahah1 unfortunately slipped his foot   
through a coil of  line in the act of   
running out1 which drew him forward to  
the boat's  stern1 and separated his    
foot by the ancle4 ,he was conveyed by  
the  first boat to the ship1 where the  
assistance of several surgeons  being   
procured1 the lower part of the leg was 
cut off4 ,after this1  the poor fellow1 
having received the most unremitting    
attention from  captain ,jackson1 with  
the best sustenance and accommodation   
the ship  could afford1 was restored to 
health1 and his wound nearly healed     
before the conclusion of the voyage4 ,it
 is worthy of being remarked1  that the 
captain and crew of the ,john subscribed
 upwards of #bd for  his relief1 which  

was increased by the owners of the ship 
and others1  on arrival1 to about #cg4  
,this sum was placed in the 8,provident 
,bank10 at ,greenock1 from whence he was
 permitted to draw it1 after  the rate  
of #gs4 per week4    ,a harpooner1      
belonging to the ,henrietta1 of ,whitby1
 when engaged  in lancing a whale1 into 
which he had previously struck a        
harpoon1  incautiously cast a little    
line under his feet that he had just    
hauled into the boat1 after it had been 
drawn out by the fish4 ,a  painful      
stroke of his lance induced the whale to
 dart suddenly  downward1 his line began
 to run out from beneath his feet1 and  
in an  instant caught him by a turn     
round his body4 ,he had but just time   
to call out1 8,clear away the           
line60--8,oh dear60 when he was almost  
cut asunder1 dragged overboard1 and     
drowned4 ,the line was cut at  the      
moment1 but without avail4 ,the fish    
descended a considerable  depth and     
died1 from whence it was drawn to the   

surface by the lines  connected with it1
 and secured4    ,on the #crd of ,june1 
#ahaa1 a boat from the ship ,resolution1
 commanded  at the time by myself1 put  
off in pursuit of a whale1 and was rowed
  upon its back4 ,at the moment that it 
was harpooned1 it struck the  side of   
the boat a violent blow with its tail1  
the shock of which  threw the           
boat-steerer to some distance into the  
water4 ,a repetition  of the blow       
projected the harpooner and line-manager
 in a similar  way1 and completely      
drenched the part of the crew remaining 
in the  boat with the sprays4 ,one of   
the men regained the boat1 but1 as the  
fish immediately sank and drew the boat 
away from the place1 his  two companions
 in misfortune were soon left far beyond
 the reach of  assistance4 ,the         
harpooner1 though a practised swimmer1  
felt himself  so bruised and enervated  
by a blow he had received on the chest1 
that  he was totally incapacitated from 
giving the least support to his         

fellow-sufferer4 ,the ship being happily
 near1 a boat1 which had been  lowered  
on the first alarm1 arrived to their    
succour at the moment  when the         
line-manager1 who was unacquainted with 
the art of swimming1  was on the point  
of sinking to rise no more4 ,both the   
line-manager  and harpooner were        
preserved2 and the fish1 after a few    
hours' close  pursuit1 was subdued4     
,while the same ship navigated an open  
lake of water in the #ha north  lat41   
during a keen frost and strong north    
wind1 on the #bnd of ,june1  #ahjf1 a   
whale appeared1 and a boat put off in   
pursuit4 ,on its second  visit to the   
surface of the sea it was harpooned4 ,a 
convulsive heave  of the tail which     
succeeded the wound struck the boat at  
the stern1  and1 by its reaction1       
projected the boat-steerer overboard4   
,as the  line in a moment dragged the   
boat beyond his reach1 the crew threw   
some of their oars towards him for his  
support1 one of which he  happily       

seized4 ,the ships and boats being at a 
considerable distance1  and the         
fast-boat being rapidly drawn away from 
him1 the harpooner  cut the line1 with  
the view of rescuing him from his       
dangerous  situation4 ,but no sooner was
 this act performed than1 to their      
extreme mortification1 they discovered1 
in consequence of some oars  being      
thrown towards their floating comrades1 
and others being broken  or unshipped by
 the blow from the fish1 one oar only   
remained1 with  which1 owing to the     
force of the wind1 they tried in vain to
 approach  him4 ,a considerable period  
elapsed before any boat from the ship   
could afford him assistance1 though the 
men strained every nerve for  the       
purpose4 ,at length1 when they reached  
him1 he was found with his  arms        
stretched over an oar1 almost deprived  
of sensation4 ,on his  arrival at the   
ship he was in a deplorable condition4  
,his clothes  were frozen like mail1 and
 his hair constituted a helmet of ice4  

,he  was immediately conveyed into the  
cabin1 his clothes taken off1 his  limbs
 and body dried and well rubbed1 and a  
cordial administered to  him4 ,a dry    
shirt and stockings were then put upon  
him1 and he was  laid in the captain's  
bed4 ,after a few hours' sleep1 he      
awoke1 and  appeared considerably       
relieved4 ,he complained of a painful   
sensation  of cold4 ,he was therefore   
removed to his own berth1 and one of his
  messmates ordered to lie on each side 
of him1 whereby the diminished          
circulation of the blood was            
accelerated1 and the animal heat        
restored4 ,the shock on his             
constitution1 however1 was greater than 
was anticipated4 ,he recovered in the   
course of a few days so as to  be able  
to engage in his ordinary pursuits1 but 
many months elapsed  before his         
countenance exhibited its wonted        
appearance of health4    ,a remarkable  
instance of the power which the whale   
possesses in its  tail was exhibited    

within my own observation1 in the year  
#ahjg4  ,on the #bith of ,may1 a whale  
was harpooned by an officer belonging   
to the ,resolution4 ,it descended a     
considerable depth1 and on its          
reappearance evidenced an uncommon      
degree of irritation4 ,it made  such a  
display of its fins and tail1 that few  
of the crew were hardy  enough to       
approach it4 ,the captain1 7my father17 
observing their  timidity1 called a     
boat1 and himself struck the second     
harpoon4  ,another boat immediately     
followed1 and1 unhappily1 advanced too  
far4 ,the tail was again reared into the
 air in a terrific attitude4  ,the      
impending blow was evident4 ,the        
harpooner1 who was directly  underneath1
 leaped overboard4 ,at the next moment1 
the threatened  stroke was impressed on 
the centre of the boat1 which buried it 
in  the water4 ,happily no one was      
injured4 ,the harpooner1 who leaped     
overboard1 escaped certain death by the 
act1 the tail having struck  the very   

spot on which he stood4 ,the effects of 
the blow were  astonishing4 ,the keel   
was broken1 the gunwales and every      
plank1  excepting two1 were cut through1
 and it was evident the boat would  have
 been completely divided had not the    
tail struck directly upon a  coil of    
lines4 ,the boat was rendered useless4  
,the ,dutch ship1 ,gort-,moolen1        
commanded by ,cornelius ,gerard         
,ouwekaas1  with a cargo of seven fish1 
was anchored in ,greenland1 in the year 
#affj4 ,the captain1 perceiving a whale 
ahead of his ship1 beckoned  his        
attendants1 and threw himself into a    
boat4 ,he was the first to  approach the
 whale1 and succeeded in harpooning it  
before the arrival  of the second boat1 
which was on the advance4 ,jacques      
,vienkes1 who  had the direction of it1 
joined his captain immediately          
afterwards1  and prepared to make a     
second attack on the fish when it should
  remount to the surface4 ,at the moment
 of its ascension1 the boat of  ,vienkes

 happening unhappily to be              
perpendicularly above it1 was so        
suddenly and forcibly lifted up by a    
stroke of the head of the whale1  that  
it was dashed to pieces before the      
harpooner could discharge  his weapon4  
,vienkes flew along with the pieces of  
the boat1 and fell  upon the back of the
 animal4 ,this intrepid seaman1 who     
still retained  his weapon in his grasp1
 harpooned the whale on which he stood1 
and  by means of the harpoon and the    
line1 which he never abandoned1 he      
steadied himself firmly upon the fish1  
notwithstanding his hazardous           
situation1 and regardless of a          
considerable wound that he received  in 
his leg1 in his fall along with the     
fragments of the boat4 ,all  the efforts
 of the other boats to approach the     
whale and deliver  the harpooner were   
futile4 ,the captain1 not seeing any    
other method  of saving his companion1  
who was in some way entangled with the  
line1 called to him to cut it with his  

knife1 and betake himself to  swimming4 
,vienkes1 embarrassed and disconcerted  
as he was1 tried  in vain to follow this
 counsel4 ,his knife was in the pocket  
of his  drawers1 and1 being unable to   
support himself with one hand1 he could 
not get it out4 ,the whale meanwhile    
continued advancing along the  surface  
of the water with great rapidity1 but   
happily never attempted  to dive4 ,while
 his comrades despaired of his life1 the
 harpoon by  which he held at length    
disengaged itself from the body of the  
whale4 ,vienkes1 being then liberated1  
did not fail to take advantage  of this 
circumstance4 ,he cast himself into the 
sea1 and1 by swimming1  endeavoured to  
regain the boats which continued the    
pursuit of the  whale4 ,when his        
shipmates perceived him struggling with 
the waves1  they redoubled their        
exertions4 ,they reached him just as his
 strength  was exhausted1 and had the   
happiness of rescuing this adventurous  
harpooner from his perilous situation4  

,in one of my earliest voyages to the   
whale-fishery1 ,i observed a            
circumstance which excited my highest   
astonishment4 ,one of our  harpooners   
had struck a whale2 it dived1 and all   
the assisting boats  had collected round
 the fast-boat before it rose to the    
surface4 ,the  first boat which         
approached it advanced incautiously upon
 it4 ,it rose  with unexpected violence 
beneath the boat1 and projected it and  
all  its crew to the height of some     
yards in the air4 ,it fell on its side1 
upset1 and cast all the men into the    
water4 ,one man received a severe  blow 
in his fall1 and appeared to be         
dangerously injured2 but1 soon  after   
his arrival on board of the ship1 he    
recovered from the effects  of the      
accident4 ,the rest of the boat's crew  
escaped without any hurt4    ,captain   
,lyons1 of the ,raith1 of ,leith1 while 
prosecuting the  whale-fishery on the   
,labrador coast1 in the season of #ahjb1
  discovered a large whale at a short   

distance from the ship4 ,four  boats    
were dispatched in pursuit1 and two of  
them succeeded in  approaching it so    
closely together1 that two harpoons were
 struck at  the same moment4 ,the fish  
descended a few fathoms in the direction
  of another of the boats1 which was on 
the advance1 rose accidentally  beneath 
it1 struck it with its head1 and threw  
the boat1 men1 and  apparatus1 about    
fifteen feet into the air4 ,it was      
inverted by the  stroke1 and fell into  
the water with its keel upwards4 ,all   
the  people were picked up alive by the 
fourth boat1 which was just at  hand1   
excepting one man1 who1 having got      
entangled in the boat1 fell  beneath it1
 and was drowned4 ,the fish was soon    
afterwards killed4    ,when a ship has  
on board an ample cargo1 or when the    
fogs set in1 and  the whales totally    
disappear1 so as to put a period to the 
fishery  for that season1 there remains 
no sufficient motive to induce further  
stay in the country2 the course of each 

ship is therefore directed  immediately 
homeward4 ,on the arrival of a          
fishing-ship at the port  from whence   
she sailed1 the mustering-officer of the
 customs repairs  on board1 receives the
 manifest of the cargo1 7which is a kind
 of  schedule in writing1 containing all
 particulars respecting it17 with  a    
true copy thereof1 examines into the    
identity and number of the  crew1 by the
 usual form of mustering1 and places an 
officer or two  on board1 to take charge
 of the cargo on the part of the        
revenue4  ,the duty of these officers is
 to take account of every cask or  other
 article of which the cargo consists1 as
 it is discharged from  the ship1 and   
one of them accompanies the same to its 
destination1  carrying an account       
thereof in writing1 and not quitting the
 lighter1  wherein it is contained1     
until he is relieved by another officer1
 who  is placed in the capacity of      
landing-waiter on the premises where the
  blubber is warehoused or boiled4      

,within twenty-four hours after the ship
 arrives in port1 the master  is        
required1 under the penalty of one      
hundred pounds1 to attend at  the       
custom-house to make his report2 that   
is1 to make affidavit  of the built1    
burden1 and cargo of the ship he        
commands2 on which  occasion he must    
deliver his manifest to the collector or
 other  chief officer1 7if it has not   
before been demanded of him17 under  the
 penalty of two hundred pounds4 ,at the 
same time1 the log-book  must be        
produced1 and its contents1 as required 
by law1 verified on  the oath of the    
master and mate1 and affidavit also made
 by the same  persons of their faithful 
dealings according to the requirements  
of the law during the voyage4 ,after    
these things are accomplished1  the     
mustering-officer's certificate and     
schedule of the crew1 the               
commissioners' license1 and the         
affidavits of master and mate are       
transmitted to the commissioners1 who1  

being satisfied of the  faithfulness of 
all the proceedings1 are required to    
order payment of  the bounty on demand4 
,previous to the cargo being admitted to
 entry1 free from the duties  imposed on
 the produce of foreign fishery1 the    
owner1 importer1 or  consignee of the   
cargo1 together with the master or      
commander of the  vessel1 must severally
 make oath1 each to the best of his     
knowledge  and belief1 that the said    
cargo was the produce of fish1 etc41    
actually caught by the crew of a        
,british-built vessel1 wholly owned  by 
her ,majesty's subjects1 usually        
residing in ,great ,britain1 etc41      
registered and navigated according to   
law4 ,the importer or consignee  of any 
goods imported into ,britain is         
required1 within twenty  days after the 
master should have made his report1     
under certain  penalties1 to make a due 
entry with the collector or other chief 
officer of the customs1 at the port     
where the ship shall arrive1  of all the

 goods by him imported therein1 and pay 
the full duties  thereon4               
,,chapter ,,iv4     ,,account ,,of ,,the
 ,,davis',s ,,strait ,,whale-,,fishery1 
,,with ,,statements ,,of   ,,expenses   
,,and ,,profits ,,of ,a                 
,,fishing-,,ship4      ,ships intended  
for ,davis's ,strait commonly put to sea
 a little  earlier than the ,greenland  
ships4 ,some years ago1 they were in the
  habit of sailing in the latter part of
 ,february1 but at present they  seldom 
leave their ports before the beginning  
or middle of ,march4  ,on their passage 
outward1 the ,davis's ,strait fishers   
usually touch  at ,orkney or ,shetland1 
for the purpose of procuring men1 and   
such  trifling stores as are furnished  
at a cheap rate in these islands1       
together with a view of trimming and    
preparing their vessels for             
accomplishing the passage across the    
,atlantic4 ,in consequence of  the      
frequent storms and high seas which     
prevail in the spring of  the year1 the 

passage across the ,atlantic is often   
attended with  difficulty4 ,the whalers 
are constantly liable to meet with      
icebergs1  after passing the meridian of
 ,cape ,farewell1 up to their arrival at
  the face of the ice connected with the
 shore of ,labrador4 ,in the  night1 or 
in thick weather1 they are particularly 
hazardous1 and  especially in storms4   
,in moderate winds1 indeed1 such an     
intimation  of their proximity is to be 
obtained1 either from their natural     
effulgence in some states of the        
atmosphere1 or from their intense       
blackness in others1 that they can be   
generally avoided4 ,but in  storms1 when
 the ship ceases to be under command1   
they become one of  the most appalling  
dangers which can be presented to the   
navigator4    ,two most fatal shipwrecks
 occurred in the ,davis's ,strait       
fleets2 the  ,royalist1 captain         
,edmonds1 and the ,london1 captain      
,matthews1 were  lost1 with all hands2  
the former among icebergs1 in #ahad1 and

 the  latter1 as it is supposed1 in a   
similar way1 in #ahag4 ,captain ,bennet1
  of the ,venerable1 was in company with
 the ,royalist immediately  before she  
was wrecked4 ,they fell in with         
drift-ice at eight ,a4,m41  ,april the  
#adth1 when a heavy gale of wind        
commenced1 and continued  twelve hours1 
after which the wind abated1 but        
suddenly veering to  the north-west1 a  
tremendous storm arose1 which1          
accompanied with  sleet and snow1       
continued without intermission during   
twenty hours4  ,before dark of the      
#aeth1 7nautical day17 captain ,bennet  
saw several  icebergs1 at which time he 
believed the ,royalist was lying to     
windward of an extensive chain of these 
islands of ice1 among which  she was    
wrecked in the course of the same night4
 ,the crew probably  perished           
immediately1 as the sea was uncommonly  
high4 ,in the case  both of the         
,royalist and the ,london subscriptions 
were generously  opened at ,hull1 by the

 owners of the whalers1 for the relief  
of the  bereaved relatives of the crew4 
,the fishery on the coast of ,labrador  
commences occasionally in the  month of 
,march4 ,on this station1 which is      
inhabited by a large  description of    
whales1 some fishers have persevered    
altogether1 and  have sometimes procured
 great cargoes4 ,it is1 however1 a      
dangerous  fishery4 ,the nights being   
long and dark on their first arrival1   
they  are obliged to use lanterns in    
their boats1 when fish happen to be     
struck1 or to remain unsubdued at close 
of day1 for the purpose  of keeping the 
ships and boats together2 on which      
occasions the  stormy weather that      
frequently occurs at this season exposes
 them to  continued danger4 ,those who  
prosecute the northern fishery1 after   
making the ice at the 8south-west10 as  
the neighbourhood of the  ,labrador     
coast is usually denominated1 proceed   
almost immediately  up ,davis's ,strait 
towards ,baffin's ,bay4 ,if in the month

 of ,april  or beginning of ,may they   
commence this navigation1 and sail along
  the edge of the western ice to the    
northward1 they often find it  joining  
the ice connected with the west coast of
 ,greenland1 in the  latitude #ff or    
#fg1 and meet with a considerable       
barrier of it  in #fh1 immediately      
beyond which1 a few leagues from land1  
is a  good fishing-station4 ,as the ice 
opens to the northward1 the whales      
retreat in that direction1 and the      
fishers follow as promptly as  possible4
 ,the whalers often reach ,disko early  
in ,may1 but it is  generally the latter
 end of this month1 or the beginning of 
,june1  before they can pass the second 
barrier of ice1 lying about ,hare       
,island1 in the #gast degree of         
latitude1 and enter the northern inlets 
frequented by the whales4 ,the three    
inlets called the ,south-east  ,bay1    
,jacob's ,bight1 and the ,north-east    
,bay1 were most productive              
fishing-stations some years ago1 but of 

late they have afforded but  few whales4
 ,from hence1 if no fish are found1 the 
whalers proceed  to the western part of 
the strait1 towards ,cumberland ,island1
 or  persevere along the east side of   
,davis's ,strait towards ,baffin's      
,bay1 to the eastern parts of which the 
fish appear to retreat as the  season   
advances1 and as the ice clears away    
from the northern and  eastern shores4  
,in ,baffin's ,bay1 and in the inlets of
 ,west ,greenland1 the fishery  is      
conducted under the most favourable     
circumstances4 ,the water  being shallow
 in many situations1 the boats require  
only a small  quantity of line1 and the 
weather being warm1 the sailors perform 
their operations1 if not with pleasure1 
at least with comfort to  themselves4   
,but at the south-west1 each operation  
of the fishery is  performed under      
rather unpleasant and even dangerous    
circumstances4  ,darkness of night1     
exposure to storms1 and frequency of    
swells1  are all unfavourable to the    

fishers4 ,the flensing of a whale at    
the south-west is usually more          
troublesome and more hazardous than     
elsewhere1 owing to the prevalent swell1
 which rarely altogether  subsides4     
,davis's ,strait fishers1 within the    
present century1 after making a         
successful fishery at a distance from   
land1 have been in the habit of         
resorting to the bays1 there mooring in 
safety1 until the troublesome  process  
of making-off was accomplished4 ,on the 
passage homewards1  the ships usually   
steer down the middle of the strait1 and
 proceed  sufficiently far south for    
avoiding the 8,cape-ice10 before they   
haul  up to the eastward4 ,from thence1 
the prevalence of westerly winds in  the
 summer season generally affords them an
 easy passage across the  ,atlantic4    
,the legislative regulations on the     
importation of ,davis's  ,strait produce
 are the same as on cargoes obtained in 
the ,greenland  fishery4    ,among the  
,dutch fishers1 we find that1 during a  

period of a hundred  and seven years1   
included between #affi and #aggh1 each  
ship in a  fleet of a hundred and       
thirty-two sail1 which proceeded        
annually to  ,greenland1 afforded to the
 owners1 on an average1 a profit of     
#c1abf  florins2 and that1 in a period  
of sixty years1 ending with #aggh1 a    
fleet of fifty-three ships1 which sailed
 annually to ,davis's ,strait1  realized
 to the owners a profit of #c1dfi       
florins per voyage2 thus  exceeding the 
produce of the ,greenland fishery by    
#cdc florins on each  ship1 per voyage1 
after ample allowance is made for the   
greater  length of the voyage to        
,davis's ,strait1 together with the     
additional  wear and tear4 ,among the   
,british fishers1 the advantage seems   
also to  have been on the side of       
,davis's ,strait1 particularly of late  
years4  ,but if we deduct the value of  
skins taken by the ,greenland fishers1  
but not estimated in their cargoes1 say 
#bj to #cj per ship1 and the  additional

 expenses of a ,davis's ,strait voyage1 
occasioned by the  greater wear and     
tear1 and the provisions and wages for a
 voyage1  longer by one or two months   
than that to ,greenland1 we shall reduce
  the balance in favour of the ,davis's 
,strait fishers to a very small  sum4   
,during the four years1 ending with     
#ahag1 the amount of the cargoes  of the
 ,british ,greenland whale-fishing      
ships1 7consisting of three  hundred and
 seventy-six sail1 repeated voyages     
included17 was  #c1ejh whales1 which    
produced #cc1jgj tuns of oil1 and #a1fhb
 tons of  whalebone4 ,at the same time1 
#baj ships employed in the ,davis's     
,strait  fishery procured #a1ebb whales1
 yielding #ba1dch tuns of oil1 and      
#a1jae  tons of whale-fins4 ,it seems   
worthy of remark1 that the whales caught
  near ,spitzbergen afforded a larger   
proportion of whalebone1 compared  with 
the quantity of oil1 than the fish of   
,davis's ,strait2 the  ,greenland fish  
yielding a ton of fins for every #ai    

tuns of oil1 and  the ,davis's ,strait  
fish a ton of fins for every #ba tuns of
 oil4 ,it  is remarkable that this      
should have been the case1 when we      
consider  that small fish afford less   
whalebone than large fish in proportion 
to their produce in oil1 and yet the    
,greenland fish1 which1 on  the average 
of four years1 were much smaller than   
those caught in  ,davis's ,strait1 have 
produced the largest proportion of      
whalebone4  ,the whales taken at the    
,greenland fishery in four years only   
average  #i tuns of oil each1 but those 
caught at ,davis's ,strait average #ad  
tuns4 ,it would1 therefore1 appear that 
the large whales caught near            
,spitzbergen are much stouter than those
 taken in ,davis's ,strait1 and  afford 
such a large proportion of fins as more 
than compensates for  the deficiency in 
the small whales4    ,the fluctuating   
value of shipping renders it difficult  
to give a  fair estimate of the expenses
 of a whale-ship4 ,the ,resolution1  of 

,whitby1 burden #bai tons1 when new1 in 
the year #ahjc1 cost but  #g1gia1       
including all expenses of stores and    
outfit1 premiums of  insurance1 and     
advanced money of seamen2 while the     
,esk1 of #ced tons  of measurement1     
launched and fitted out at the same port
 in #ahac1  cost about #ad1jjj4 ,the    
ship ,resolution was sold in eight      
shares1  and the sums subscribed by the 
owners and deposited in the hands of    
the managing owners was #h1jjj4 ,the    
balance in favour of the owners  of the 
,resolution for fifteen voyages appeared
 to be #ai1dgc4 #ajs4  #b;d41 besides   
the value of the ship1 and the value of 
the outfit  for the sixteenth voyage4   
,if we reckon these at #f1ebj1 the      
profit  derived from #h1jjj1 originally 
advanced1 in addition to the interest   
of the capital embarked1 will amount to 
#bf1jjj1 notwithstanding the  last three
 voyages were but indifferent1 of which 
sum #be1bjj has  actually been divided4 
,it is1 however1 necessary to mention1  

that the  ,resolution1 in her first ten 
voyages1 procured six hundred or seven  
hundred tuns of oil above the average of
 the fishery during that  period1 if not
 more4    ,the usual expenses of a      
,greenland voyage1 including outfit1    
when no  cargo is obtained1 may be      
stated at #b1bjj1 exclusive of interest 
of capital and wear and tear4 ,for every
 ten tuns of oil procured1  there will  
be an additional expense of #hj or #ij  
for discharging  and boiling the cargo1 
for oil money and fish money1 and for   
other  extraordinaries connected with a 
successful fishing4 ,thus the expense   
of a ship1 with a cargo of two hundred  
tuns of oil1 will be at least  #d1jjj4  
,,chapter ,v4     ,,method ,,of         
,,extracting ,,oil ,,and ,,preparing    
,,whale-,,bone1 ,,with ,a               
,,description ,,of ,,these ,,articles1  
,,and ,,remarks ,,on ,,the ,,uses ,,to  
,,which ,,the   ,,several ,,products    
,,of ,,the ,,whale-,,fishery ,,are      
,,applied4      ,on the margin of the   

river1 wet dock1 canal1 or other sheet  
of water1  communicating with that      
wherein the whale-fishing ship          
discharges her  cargo1 are usually      
provided the necessary premises for     
reducing the  blubber into oil1         
consisting commonly of the following    
articles4    #a4 ,a copper vessel or    
boiler1 three to six1 or even ten or    
more tuns'  capacity1 of a circular form
 in the horizontal view1 and elliptical 
in the perpendicular section1 is fixed  
at the elevation of six to  ten feet    
above the ground1 provided with an      
appropriate furnace1 and  covered with a
 tiled or slated shed4    #b4 ,on the   
same1 or on a little lower level than   
that of the  copper1 is fixed a square  
or oblong back or cooler1 built of wood 
generally1 capable of containing from   
ten to twenty tuns of oil1 or  upwards4 
,adjoining to this is another back1     
sometimes a third1 and  occasionally a  
fourth or fifth1 each placed a little   
lower than the  one preceding it1 so    

that the lowest shall stand with its    
base about  two or three feet above the 
level of the ground4 ,in some very      
modern  works1 the coolers are all fixed
 at the same elevation4 ,each of the    
backs is provided with one or more      
stop-cocks on the most accessible  side1
 for convenience in drawing the oil off 
into casks4    #c4 ,altogether above the
 level of the copper1 and immediately   
adjoining it1 on the side directed      
towards the river or canal1  an oblong  
wooden cistern1 called the              
8starting-back10 is usually  erected1   
for containing blubber1 which ought to  
be a vessel of equal1  or nearly equal1 
capacity to that of the copper4 ,it is  
generally  provided with a crane1 which1
 with a winch1 or other similar engine  
attached1 is so contrived as to take    
casks either from the quay1 or  from a  
lighter by the side of the quay1 and    
convey them at once to  the top of the  
starting-back4 ,over this vessel is     
extended a kind of  railing or          

8gauntree10 on which the casks rest     
without being injured1  and are easily  
movable4    #d4 ,the starting-back being
 elevated two or three yards above the  
level of the ground1 occasionally admits
 of a 8fenk-back10 or  depository1 for  
the refuse of the blubber1 immediately  
beneath it2  which fenk-back is         
sometimes provided with a clough on the 
side  next the water1 for 8starting0 the
 fenks into a barge or lighter  placed  
below4    #e4 ,the premises likewise    
comprise a shed for the cooper1 and     
sometimes a cooper's1 or                
master-boiler's1 dwelling-house2 the    
inhabitant of which takes the charge of 
all the blubber1 oil1  whalebone1 and   
other articles deposited around him4    
#f4 ,warehouses for containing the oil  
after it is drawn off into casks  are   
also used1 not only for preserving it in
 safe custody1 but for  defending the   
casks from the rays of the sun1         
otherwise they are apt  to pine and     
become leaky1 and1    #g4 ,sometimes    

8steeping-backs0 and apparatus for      
preparing whalebone  are comprised      
within the same inclosure4    ,the      
blubber1 which was originally in the    
state of fat1 is found1  on arrival in a
 warm climate1 to be in a great measure 
resolved  into oil4 ,the casks1         
containing the blubber1 are conveyed1 by
  the mechanical apparatus above        
mentioned1 to the top of the            
starting-back1 into which their contents
 are emptied or started  through the    
bungholes4 ,when the copper is properly 
cleansed1 the  contents of the          
starting-back1 on lifting a clough at   
the extremity1  or turning a stop-cock1 
fall directly into the copper1 one edge 
of  which is usually placed beneath4    
,the copper is filled within two or     
three inches of the top1 a little space 
being requisite to admit  of the        
expansion of the oil when heated2 and   
then a brisk fire is  applied to the    
furnace1 and continued until the oil    
begins to boil4  ,this effect usually   

takes place in less than two hours4     
,many of  the fritters or fenks float on
 the surface of the oil before it  is   
heated1 but after it is 8boiled off10   
the whole1 or nearly so1  subside to the
 bottom4 ,from the time the copper      
begins to warm until  it is boiled off1 
or ceases to boil1 its contents must be 
incessantly  stirred by means of a pole1
 armed with a kind of broad1 blunt      
chisel1  to prevent the fenks from      
adhering to the bottom or sides of the  
vessel4 ,when once the contents of the  
copper boil1 the fire in the  furnace is
 immediately reduced1 and shortly       
afterwards altogether  withdrawn4 ,some 
persons allow the copper to boil an     
hour1 others  during two or three hours4
 ,the former practice is supposed to    
produce  finer and paler oil1 the latter
 a greater quantity4 ,the same copper   
is usually boiled twice in every        
twenty-four hours1 ,sundays excepted4   
,after the oil has stood to cool and    
subside1 the 8bailing0 process          

commences4 ,one of the backs or coolers 
having been prepared for the  reception 
of the oil1 by putting into it a        
quantity of water1 for  the double      
purpose of preventing the heat of the   
oil from warping  or rending the back1  
and for receiving any impurities which  
it may  happen to hold in suspension1 a 
wooden spout1 with a large square       
box-like head1 which head is filled with
 brushwood or broom1 that  it may act as
 a filter1 is then placed along from    
8the copper-head0  to the cooler1 so as 
to form a communication between the two4
 ,the  oil in the copper being now      
separated from the fenks1 water1 and    
other impurities1 all of which have     
subsided to the bottom1 is in a  great  
measure run off through the pipe        
communicating with the cooler1  and the 
remainder is carefully lifted in copper 
or tin ladles1 and  poured upon the     
broom in the spout1 from whence it runs 
into the same  cooler1 or any other     
cooler1 at the pleasure of the          

8boilers40    ,besides oil and fenks1   
the blubber of the whale likewise       
affords a  considerable quantity of     
watery liquor1 produced probably from   
the  putrescence of the blood1 on the   
surface of which some of the fenks1  and
 all the greasy animal matter1 called   
foot-je1 or footing1 float1  and upon   
the top of these the oil4 ,great care   
therefore is requisite1  on approaching 
these impure substances1 to take the oil
 off by  means of shallow tinned iron or
 copper ladles1 called 8skimmers10      
without disturbing the refuse and mixing
 it with the oil4 ,there must  always1  
however1 be a small quantity towards the
 conclusion1 which  is a mixture of oil 
and footing2 such is put into a cask or 
other  suitable vessel by itself1 and   
when the greasy part has thoroughly     
subsided1 the most pure part is skimmed 
off and becomes fine oil1 and  the      
impure is allowed to accumulate by      
itself1 in another vessel1  where in the
 end it affords 8brown-oil40 ,from a    

ton1 or #beb gallons  by measure of     
blubber1 there generally arises from    
fifty to sixty  gallons of refuse1      
whereof the greater part is a watery    
fluid4  ,the constant presence of this  
fluid1 which boils at a much lower      
temperature than the oil1 prevents the  
oil itself from boiling1  which is      
probably an advantage1 since1 in the    
event of the oil being  boiled1 some of 
the finest and most inflammable parts   
would fly off  in the form of vapour1   
whereas the principal part of the steam1
  which now escapes1 is produced from   
the water4 ,some persons make a         
practice of adding a quantity of water1 
amounting perhaps to half a  tun1 to the
 contents of each copper1 with the view 
of weakening or  attenuating the viscid 
impurities contained in the blubber1 and
 thus  obtaining a finer oil2 others    
consider the quantity of watery fluid   
already in the blubber1 as sufficient   
for producing every needful  effect4    
,each day1 immediately after the copper 

is emptied1 and while it is  yet hot1   
the men employed in the manufacture of  
the oil1 having their  feet defended by 
strong leathern or wooden shoes1 descend
 into it1  and scour it out with sand   
and water1 until they restore the       
natural  surface of the copper wherever 
it is discoloured4 ,this serves to      
preserve the oil from becoming          
high-coloured1 which will always be  the
 case when proper cleanliness is not    
observed4    ,when prepared and cooled1 
the oil is in a marketable state1 and   
requires only to be transferred from the
 coolers into casks1 for  the           
convenience of conveyance to any part of
 the country4 ,each of  the coolers1 it 
has been observed1 is furnished with a  
stop-cock1  beneath which there is a    
platform adapted for receiving the      
casks4  ,at the conclusion of the       
process of boiling each vessel's cargo  
manufactured on the premises1 the backs 
are completely emptied of  their        
contents4 ,to effect this water is      

poured in1 until the lower  part of the 
stratum of oil rises within a few lines 
of the level of  the stop-cock1 and     
permits the greatest part of the oil to 
escape4  ,the quantity left amounts1    
perhaps1 to half an inch or an inch in  
depth2 to recover this oil without water
 requires a little address4 ,a  deal    
board1 in length a little exceeding the 
breadth of the cooler1  is introduced at
 one end1 diagonally1 and placed1       
edge-ways1 in  its contents4 ,the ends  
of the board being covered with flannel1
  when pressed forcibly against the two 
opposite sides of the cooler1  prevent  
the oil from circulating past4 ,the     
board is then advanced  slowly forward  
towards the part of the back where the  
stop-cock  is placed1 and1 in its       
progress1 all the oil is collected by   
the  board1 while the water has a free  
circulation beneath it4 ,when the  oil  
accumulates to the depth of the board1  
its further motion is  suspended until  
the oil thus collected is drawn off4    

,another similar  board is afterwards   
introduced1 at the furthest extremity of
 the  cooler1 and passed forward in the 
same manner1 whereby the little  oil    
which escapes the first is collected4   
,the remnant is taken up  by skimmers4  
,the smell of oil during its extraction 
is undoubtedly  disagreeable2 but1      
perhaps1 not more so than the vapour    
arising from  any other animal          
substance1 submitted to the action of   
heat when in  a putrid state4 ,it is an 
erroneous opinion that a whale-ship must
  always give out the same unpleasant   
smell4 ,the fact is1 that the fat  of   
the whale1 in its fresh state1 has no   
offensive flavour whatever1  and never  
becomes disagreeable until it is brought
 into a warm  climate1 and becomes      
putrid4    ,whale-oil1 prepared by the  
method just described1 is of a pale     
honey-yellow colour2 but sometimes1 when
 the blubber from which it  is procured 
happens to be of the red kind1 the oil  
appears of a  reddish-brown colour4     

,when first extracted1 it is commonly   
thick1  but after standing some time a  
mucilaginous substance subsides1 and  it
 becomes tolerably limpid and           
transparent4 ,its smell is somewhat     
offensive1 especially when it is long   
kept4 ,it consists of oil1  properly so 
called1 a small portion of spermaceti1  
and a little  gelatine4 ,at the         
temperature of #dj the latter substances
 become  partially concrete1 and make   
the oil obscure2 and at the temperature 
of #cb render it thick with flaky       
crystals4 ,it is sold by the tun1  of   
#beb gallons1 wine measure4 ,its        
specific gravity is #jibad4 ,the  tun   
weighs #ag cwt4 #a qr4 #a lb4 #ab oz4   
#ad dr4 ,the value of whale-oil1  like  
that of every other similar article1 is 
subject to continual  variations4 ,in   
the year #agdd1 oil sold in ,england for
 #aj4 #as4 per  tun2 in #aged1 for #bi2 
in #ahja1 for #ej2 in #ahjg1 for #ba2   
and in  #ahac1 when the price was the   
highest ever obtained1 for #ee or #fj   

per tun4    ,the application of gas1    
produced by the distillation of coal1   
for  lighting the public streets and    
buildings1 manufactories1 shops1  etc41 
which formerly were lighted with oil1 it
 was apprehended  would be ruinous to   
the whale-fishery trade1 and certainly  
had a  very threatening appearance2 but 
hitherto1 owing to the amount  of       
whale-oil lately imported having been   
less than the ordinary  quantity1 this  
expected effect of the employment of    
gas-lights has  not been felt4    ,when 
blubber is boiled in ,greenland1 the oil
 produced from it is  much brighter1    
paler1 more limpid1 and more inflammable
 than that  extracted in ,britain4 ,it  
is also totally free from any unpleasant
  flavour1 and burns without smell4     
,hence it is evident1 that whatever  is 
disagreeable in the effluvia of         
whale-oil arises from an admixture  of  
putrescent substances4 ,these consist of
 blood and animal fibre4  ,this latter  
is the reticulated and cellular fibres  

of the blubber1  wherein the oil is     
confined1 which produces the fenks when 
boiled4  ,when putrefaction commences1 a
 small portion of the blood contained   
in the blubber is probably combined with
 the oil1 and the animal  fibre1 in     
considerable quantity1 is dissolved in  
it4 ,these substances  not only occasion
 the unpleasant smell common to         
whale-oil1 but1  by being deposited on  
the wick of lamps1 in burning1 produce  
upon  it a kind of cinder1 which1 if not
 occasionally removed1 causes a  great  
diminution in the quantity of light4 ,a 
sample of oil1 which  ,i extracted in   
,greenland1 about ten years ago1 is     
still fine1 and  totally free from      
rancidity4 ,it has certainly acquired a 
smell1  but is not more unpleasant than 
that of old ,florence oil4 ,hence1  were
 whale-oil extracted in ,greenland      
before the putrefying process           
commences1 or were any method devised of
 freeing it from the  impurities which  
combine with it in consequence of this  

process1 it  would become not only more 
valuable for common purposes1 but would 
be  applicable to almost every use to   
which spermaceti oil is adapted4 ,in    
fact1 it would become a similar kind of 
article4    ,in performing some         
experiments on oil in ,greenland1 during
 the  fishing season of #ahah1 ,i       
adopted a process for refining oil      
extracted from blubber before the       
putrefying process commenced1 by  which 
,i procured a remarkably fine oil4 ,it  
was nearly colourless1  beautifully     
transparent1 and very limpid4 ,this oil 
retains its  transparency1 even at a    
very low temperature4 ,it is more       
inflammable  than spermaceti oil1 and so
 pure1 that it will burn longer1 without
  forming a crust on the wick of the    
lamp1 than any other oil with  which it 
has been compared4    ,besides the oil  
produced from blubber by boiling1 the   
whalers  distinguish such as oozes from 
the jawbones of the fish by the name  of
 jawbone oil2 and inferior oils1 which  

are discoloured1 by the  denominations  
of brown oil and black oil1 or bilge    
oil4 ,brown oil is  produced in the way 
described in the process of boiling2    
black or  bilge oil is that which leaks 
out of the casks in the course of the   
voyage1 or runs out of any blubber which
 may happen to be in bulk1  and         
accumulates in the bottom of the ship4  
,this oil is always very  dark coloured1
 viscous1 and possessed of little       
transparency4    ,whalebone1 or         
whalefins1 as the substance is          
sometimes1 though  incorrectly1 named1  
is found in the mouth of the common     
,greenland  whale1 to which it serves as
 a substitute for teeth4 ,it forms an   
apparatus most admirably adapted as a   
filter for separating the  minute       
animals on which the whale feeds from   
the sea-water in which  they exist4 ,the
 ,lawgiver of all the creatures1 whether
 rational or  irrational1 has fitted    
them with organization appropriate for  
the  purposes for which they live1 and  

has provided them with all that is      
needful1 according to their rank1 for   
the happiness of their lives4  ,the care
 which is bestowed upon the animals who 
do not recognise ,him  is in unison with
 that more tender kindness which he has 
manifested  to such as have a mind to   
meditate on his perfections1 and a heart
  wherewith to love him and adore4      
,the whalebone is a substance of a horny
 appearance and consistence1  extremely 
flexible and elastic1 generally of a    
bluish black colour1  but not           
unfrequently striped longitudinally     
white1 and exhibiting  a beautiful play 
of colour on the surface4 ,internally1  
it is of a  fibrous texture1 resembling 
hair1 and the external surface consists 
of a smooth enamel1 capable of receiving
 a good polish4 ,when taken  from the   
whale1 the whalebone consists of lamin1 
connected by what  is called the gum in 
a parallel series1 and ranged along each
 side  of the mouth of the animal4 ,the 
lamin are about three hundred in        

number1 in each side of the head4 ,the  
length of the longest blade1  which     
occurs near the middle of the series1 is
 the criterion fixed  on by the fishers 
for designating the size of the fish4   
,its greatest  length is about fifteen  
feet4 ,the two sides or series of the   
whalebone are connected at the upper    
part of the head or crown-bone  of the  
fish1 within a few inches of each other1
 from whence they  hang downwards1      
diverging so far as to inclose the      
tongue between  their extremities2 the  
position of the blades with regard to   
each  other resembles a frame of saws in
 a saw-mill2 and1 taken altogether1     
they exhibit in some measure the form   
and position of the roof of  a house4   
,the smaller extremity and interior edge
 of each blade of  whalebone1 or the    
edge annexed to the tongue1 are covered 
with a long  fringe of hair1 consisting 
of a similar kind of substance to that  
which constitutes the interior of the   
bone4 ,whale-bone is generally  brought 

from ,greenland in the same state as    
when taken from the fish1  after being  
divided into pieces1 comprising ten or  
twelve lamin in  each4 ,of late years1  
the price has usually been fluctuating  
between  #ej and #aej per ton4 ,it      
becomes more valuable as it increases in
  length and thickness4    ,in cleansing
 and preparing the whalebone1 the first 
operation1 if  not already done1        
consists of depriving it of the gum4 ,it
 is then  put into a cistern containing 
water1 till the dirt upon its surface   
becomes soft4 ,when this effect is      
sufficiently produced1 it is taken  out 
piece by piece1 laid on a plank placed  
on the ground1 where the  operator      
stands1 and scrubbed or scoured with    
sand and water1 by  means of a broom or 
piece of cloth4 ,it is then passed to   
another  person1 who1 on a plank or     
bench1 elevated to a convenient height1 
scrapes the root-end1 where the gum was 
attached1 until he produces  a smooth   
surface2 he1 or another workman1 then   

applies a knife or a  pair of shears to 
the edge1 and completely detaches all   
the fringe  of hair connected with it4  
,another person1 who is generally the   
superintendent of the concern1          
afterwards receives it1 washes it in a  
vessel of clean water1 and removes with 
a bit of wood the impurities  out of the
 cavity of the root4 ,thus cleansed1 it 
is exposed to  the air and sun1 until   
thoroughly dry1 when it is removed into 
a  warehouse or other place of safety   
and shelter4    ,before it is offered   
for sale1 it is usually scrubbed with   
brushes  and hair-cloth1 by which the   
surface receives a polish1 and all  dirt
 or dust adhering to it removed2 and1   
finally1 it is packed in  portable      
bundles1 consisting of about one hundred
 weight each4 ,the  size-bone1 or such  
pieces as measure six feet or upwards in
 length1  are kept separate from the    
under size1 the latter being usually    
sold  at half the price of the former4  
,each blade being terminated with a     

quantity of hair1 there is sometimes a  
difficulty in deciding whether  some    
blades of whalebone are size or not4    
,owing to the diminished  value of      
under-sized bones1 and more particularly
 in consequence of  the captain and some
 of the officers engaged in a           
fishing-ship having  a premium on every 
size fish1 it becomes a matter of some  
importance  in a doubtful case to decide
 this point4 ,from a decision which1 ,i 
understand1 has been made in a court of 
law1 it is now a generally  received    
rule1 that so much of the substance     
terminating each blade  as gives rise to
 two or more hairs is whalebone2 though 
in fact the  hair itself is actually the
 same substance as that of which the    
whalebone is composed4    ,the oil      
produced from the blubber of the whale1 
in its most common  state of            
preparation1 is used for a variety of   
purposes4 ,it is used  in the lighting  
of the streets of towns1 and the        
interior of places  of worship1 houses1 

shops1 manufactories1 etc42 it is       
extensively  employed in the manufacture
 of soft soap1 as well as in the        
preparing of leather and coarse woollen 
cloths2 it is applicable in  the        
manufacture of coarse varnishes and     
paints1 in which1 when duly  prepared1  
it affords a strength of body more      
capable of resisting  the weather than  
paint mixed in the usual way with       
vegetable oil2 it  is also extensively  
used for reducing friction in various   
kinds of  machinery2 combined with tar1 
it is much employed in ship-work1 and   
in the manufacture of cordage1 and      
either simple1 or in a state of         
combination1 it is applied to many other
 useful purposes4    ,one of the most   
extensive applications of whale-oil1    
that for  illumination1 has suffered a  
considerable diminution1 in consequence 
of the appropriation of gas from coal to
 the same purpose4 ,this  discovery1    
brilliant as it is acknowledged to be1  
which in its  first application bore    

such a threatening aspect against the   
usual  consumption of oil1 may be the   
means of bringing the oil of the  whale 
into more extensive use than it has at  
any former period  been4 ,whale-oil1 in 
the most inferior qualities1 is found to
 afford  a gas which1 in point of       
brilliancy1 freeness of smell1 and ease 
of manufacture1 is greatly superior to  
that produced from coal4 ,in  places    
where coal is not very cheap1 gas1 it   
seems1 can be produced  from oil at     
about the same expense as coal-gas2     
consequently1 the  numerous advantages  
of the former will render it highly     
preferable4  ,whale-oil1 when free from 
the incombustible and contaminating     
animal matters which are usually        
dissolved in it in consequence of       
putrefaction1 is1 then1 applicable to a 
variety of purposes1 in which  the      
common oil cannot conveniently be       
employed4 ,even in its unrefined  state1
 whale-oil frequently obtains an        
unmerited bad character for  burning1   

when the fault lies in those who have   
the charge of the  lamps in which it is 
consumed4 ,want of proper cleanliness1  
the use  of wicks of too great diameter1
 and sometimes in a damp state1 are     
common errors inimical to the obtaining 
of a good light4    ,the fenks1 or      
ultimate refuse of the blubber of the   
whale1 form an  excellent manure1       
especially in soils deficient in animal 
matter4  ,fenks might be used1 it is    
probable1 in the manufacture of         
,prussian  blue1 and also for the       
production of ammonia4 ,footing1 which  
is  the finer detached fragments of the 
fenks1 not wholly deprived  of oil1 may 
be used as a cheap material in the      
formation of gas4  ,whale's tail can be 
converted into glue1 and is extensively 
used in  the manufacture of this        
article1 especially in ,holland4 ,it    
forms1  as ,i have already mentioned1   
chopping-blocks for the fishers4 ,the   
jawbones1 with the skull or crown-bone  
of the whale1 are the largest  found in 

nature4 ,they are sometimes met with of 
the length of  twenty-five feet4        
,jawbones are used as the ribs of sheds1
 and in the  construction of arches and 
posts of gateways4    ,whalebone1 when  
softened in hot water1 or simply by     
heating it  before a fire1 has the      
property of retaining any shape which   
may then  be given to it1 provided it be
 secured in the required form until  it 
becomes cold4 ,this property1 together  
with its great elasticity  and          
flexibility1 renders it capable of being
 applied to many useful  purposes4 ,the 
first way in which it seems to have been
 employed was  in the stays of ladies4  
,its application to this purpose was at 
one  period1 when the quantity imported 
was small1 so general that it  attained1
 in the wholesale way1 the price of #gjj
 per ton4 ,of late  years1 however1 it  
has fallen somewhat into disrepute1 some
 ladies  preferring to support          
themselves with plates of steel4 ,there 
has  been for many years an extensive   

consumption of this article in the      
manufacture of umbrellas and parasols4  
,the white enamel 7found in  some       
specimens of whalebone7 has been        
fabricated into ladies' hats1  and a    
variety of ornamental forms of          
head-dresses2 and the black  enamel is  
employed1 in the same way as cane1 in   
the construction  of the seats or backs 
of chairs1 gigs1 sofas1 etc4 ,the hair  
on  the edge of the whalebone answers   
every purpose of bullock's hair  in     
stuffings for chairs1 sofas1 settees1   
carriages1 mattresses1  cushions1 etc4  
,an attempt has been made to build      
whale-boats of  this material1 but the  
great alteration which takes place in   
its  dimensions1 in different states of 
the atmosphere1 on account of its  ready
 absorption of moisture1 renders it     
inapplicable4 ,it has been  used with a 
much better effect1 in the construction 
of portmanteaus1  travelling-trunks1    
hygrometers1 the ram-rods of            
fowling-pieces1  fishing-rods1 the      

shafts1 springs1 and wheels of          
carriages1 and  various other articles4 
,,chapter ,,vi4     ,,narrative ,,of    
,,proceedings ,,on ,,board ,,the ,,ship 
,,esk1 ,,during ,a   ,,whale-,,fishing  
,,voyage ,,to ,,the ,,coast ,,of        
,,spitzbergen1 ,,in ,,the ,,year        
#ahaf2 ,,particularly ,,relating ,,to   
,,the ,,preservation ,,of ,,the ,,ship  
,,under   ,,circumstances ,,of          
,,peculiar ,,danger4      ,the ship ,esk
 sailed from ,whitby on the #bith of    
,march1 #ahaf4 ,we  entered the frigid  
confines of the ,icy ,sea1 and killed   
our first  whale on the #beth of ,april4
 ,on the #cjth of ,april1 we forced into
  the ice with a favourable wind1 and   
after passing through a large  body of  
it1 entered an extensive sea1 such as   
usually lies on the  western coast of   
,spitzbergen at this season of the year1
 early on  the morning of the following 
day4 ,the wind then blowing hard south  
south-east1 we kept our reach to the    
eastward until three o'clock in  the    

afternoon1 when we unexpectedly met with
 a quantity of ice1 which  interrupted  
our course4 ,we then wared by the way of
 avoiding it1  but soon found1 though   
the weather was thick with snow1 that we
 were  completely embayed in a situation
 that was truly terrific4    ,in the    
course of fourteen voyages1 in which ,i 
had before visited this  inhospitable   
country1 ,i passed through many dangers 
wherein my own  life1 together with     
those of my companions1 had been        
threatened2 but  the present case1 where
 our lives seemed to be at stake for a  
length  of time1 exceeding twelve hours1
 far surpassed in awfulness1 as well  as
 actual hazard1 anything that ,i had    
before witnessed4 ,dangers which  occur 
unexpectedly and terminate suddenly1    
though of the most awful  description1  
appear like a dream when they are past2 
but horrors  which have a long          
continuance1 though they in some measure
 decrease  in their effect on the mind  
by a lengthened contemplation of them1  

yet they leave an impression on the     
memory which time itself cannot         
altogether efface4 ,such was the effect 
of the present scene4 ,whilst  the wind 
howled through the rigging with         
tempestuous roar1 the sea  was so       
mountainous that the mast-heads of some 
accompanying ships1  within the distance
 of a quarter of a mile1 were           
intercepted and  rendered invisible by  
the swells1 and our ship frequently     
rolled the  lee-boats into the water1   
that were suspended with their keels    
above  the roughtree-rail6    ,at the   
same time1 we were rapidly approaching a
 body of ice1 the  masses of which1 as  
hard as rocks1 might be seen at one     
instant  covered with foam1 the next    
concealed from the sight by the waves1  
and instantly afterwards reared to a    
prodigious height above the  surface of 
the sea4 ,it is needless to relate the  
means by which  we attempted to keep the
 ship clear of the threatened danger1   
because those means were without avail4 

,at eleven ,p4,m4 we were close  to the 
ice1 when perceiving through the mist an
 opening a short  distance within1 we   
directed the drift of the ship towards  
it4 ,as we  approached the ice1 the     
sails were filled1 so that the first    
blow  was received obliquely on the bow1
 when the velocity of the ship was      
moderate4 ,in this place the pieces of  
ice were happily of smaller  dimensions2
 at least1 all the larger masses we were
 able to avoid1  so that1 after         
receiving a number of shocks1 we escaped
 without any  particular accident into  
the opening or slack part of the ice    
above  noticed4 ,this opening1 as far as
 we could see1 promised a safe and      
permanent release4    ,but in this we   
were grievously disappointed3 for1 when 
we attempted  to ware the ship1 which   
soon became necessary1 she refused to   
turn  round1 notwithstanding every      
effort1 in a space which1 in ordinary   
circumstances1 would have been far more 
than sufficient for the  evolution4 ,in 

consequence of this accident1 which     
arose partly from  the bad trim of the  
ship1 and partly from the great violence
 of  the wind1 she fell to leeward into 
a close body of ice1 to which we  could 
see no termination4 ,the ,mars1 of      
,whitby1 and another vessel1  which     
closely followed us as we penetrated the
 exterior of the ice1  being in better  
trim than the ,esk1 performed the       
evolution with  ease1 and were in a few 
minutes out of sight4 ,in this dreadful 
situation1 we lay beating against the   
opposing ice1 with terrible  force1     
daring eight successive hours1 all which
 time ,i was rocked  at the top-gallant 
mast-head1 directing the management of  
the  sails1 to avoid the largest masses 
of ice1 any one of which would  have    
perforated the side of the ship4 ,by the
 blessing of ,god1 we  succeeded        
wonderfully2 and at eight ,a4,m41 the   
#bnd of ,may1 gained a  small opening1  
where we contrived to navigate the ship 
until the  wind subsided1 and we had the

 opportunity of forcing into a more     
commodious place4 ,on examining the     
ship1 we found our only apparent  damage
 to consist in the destruction of most  
of our rudder works1 a  few slight      
bruises on the sides1 and a cut on the  
lower part of the  stern of the ship4   
,from this time1 to the #bjth of ,may1  
the fishery was generally  interrupted  
by the formation of new ice1 insomuch   
that during this  interval we killed but
 one whale1 while few of our neighbours 
succeeded so well4 ,during the          
succeeding week1 we became so fixed     
that we never moved except occasionally 
a few yards4 ,the next twelve  days were
 spent in most arduous labour in forcing
 the ship through  the ice4 ,at length1 
on the #abth of ,june1 we happily       
escaped1 though  our companions were1   
for a short time1 all left behind4 ,on  
the #bgth  of ,june1 we had secured     
thirteen fish1 and our quantity of oil  
was  about #abe tuns4 ,this was a larger
 cargo than any ship had procured  that 

we had yet met with1 excepting only one4
 ,on the #bhth1 the ,john1  of          
,greenock1 commanded by my              
brother-in-law1 ,mr4 ,jackson1 joined   
us4    ,after proceeding to the         
westward1 the greater part of the #bhth1
 we  arrived at the borders of a compact
 body of field-ice1 consisting of       
immense sheets of prodigious thickness4 
,as ,i considered the situation  not    
favourable for fishing1 the ship was    
allowed to drift to the  eastward all   
night4 ,in the morning of the #bith1 ,i 
found1 however1  that she was very      
little removed from the place where she 
lay when  ,i went to bed4 ,i perceived  
that the floes1 between which there had 
been extensive spaces1 were now in the  
act of closing2 and attempted1  by      
lowering four boats1 to tow the ship    
through an opening at a  short distance 
from us4 ,at the moment when we were    
about to enter  it1 it closed4 ,in      
attempting to get the ship into the     
safety of an  indentation1 which        

appeared calculated to afford a secure  
retreat1 a  small piece of ice came     
athwart her bow1 stopped her progress1  
and  she was in a minute afterwards     
subjected to a considerable squeeze4    
,from none1 however1 of the pieces of   
ice around us did we apprehend  any     
danger1 particularly as the motion of   
the ice soon abated4 ,there  was a      
danger1 however1 on the larboard        
quarter1 of which we were  totally      
unconscious4 ,the piece of ice that     
touched the ship in that  part1 though  
of itself scarcely six yards square1 and
 more than one  yard above the water1   
concealed beneath the surface of the    
sea1  at the depth of ten or twelve     
feet1 a hard pointed projection of  ice1
 which pressed against the keel1 lifted 
the rudder1 and caused  a damage that   
had nearly occasioned the loss of the   
ship4 ,about an  hour and a half after  
the accident1 the carpenter1 having     
sounded  the pump1 discovered to our    
great concern and amazement a depth of  

eight and a half feet water in the hold4
 ,this was most alarming2  with despair 
pictured in every face1 the crew set on 
the pumps2 a  signal of distress was at 
the same time hoisted1 and a dozen boats
  approached us from the surrounding    
ships4 ,in the space of four hours1  the
 water had lowered to nearly four feet1 
but one of the pumps  becoming useless1 
and bailing being less effectual than at
 first1 the  water once more resumed its
 superiority and gained upon us4        
,something1 therefore1 was now to be    
done1 to stop1 if possible1 the  influx 
of the water4 ,as the pumping and       
bailing could not possibly  be continued
 by our own ship's company1 it was      
necessary to make use  of some means to 
attempt a speedy remedy whilst our      
assistants were  numerous4 ,as there was
 a probability that a bunch of          
rope-yarns1  straw1 or oakum1 might     
enter some of the larger leaks1 and     
retard  the influx of water1 if applied 
near the place through the medium  of a 

fothering-sail1 7that is1 a sail drawn  
by means of ropes at  the four corners1 
beneath the damaged or leaky part17 we  
in the  meantime prepared a lower       
studding-sail1 by sewing bunches of     
these materials1 which1 together with   
sheets of old thin canvas1              
whalebone-hair1 and a quantity of ashes1
 fitted it well for the  purpose4 ,thus 
prepared1 it was hauled beneath the     
damaged place1 but  not the least effect
 was yet produced4 ,we set about        
unrigging the  ship1 and discharging the
 cargo and stores1 upon a flat place of 
the  floe1 against which we had moored1 
with the intention of turning the  ship 
keel upward4 ,my own sailors were       
completely worn out1 and most  of our   
auxiliaries wearied and discouraged2    
some of them evinced1 by  their improper
 conduct1 their wish that the ship      
should be abandoned4  ,before putting   
our plan in execution1 we placed twenty 
empty casks  in the hold1 to act against
 a quantity of iron ballast which was in

  the ship1 caulked the dark lights1    
removed all the dry goods and           
provisions that would injure with the   
wet1 secured all the hatches1  skuttles1
 companion1 etc41 then1 erecting two    
tents on the ice1  one for sheltering   
myself1 and the other for the crew1 we  
ceased  pumping1 and permitted the ship 
to fill4 ,at this crisis1 men of whom   
,i had conceived the highest opinion for
 firmness and bravery greatly           
disappointed my expectations4 ,among the
 whole crew1 indeed1 scarcely  a dozen  
spirited fellows were to be seen4    ,as
 no ship could with propriety venture   
near us1 to assist in turning  the ,esk 
over1 on account of the hazardous       
position of the ice around  her1 we had 
no other means of attempting this       
singular evolution  than by attaching   
purchases to the ice from the ship4     
,everything  being prepared1 while the  
water flowed into the ship1 ,i sent our 
exhausted crew to seek a little rest4   
,for my own part1 necessity  impelled me

 to endeavour to obtain some repose4 ,i 
had already been  fifty hours without   
rest1 which unusual exertion1 together  
with the  anxiety of mind ,i endured1   
caused my legs to swell and become so   
extremely painful1 that ,i could        
scarcely walk4 ,spreading1 therefore1  a
 mattress upon a few boards1 laid on the
 snow within one of the  tents1         
notwithstanding the coldness of the     
situation1 and the  excessive dampness  
that prevailed from the constant fog1 ,i
 enjoyed a  comfortable repose of four  
hours1 and arose considerably refreshed4
    ,immediately afterwards1 about three
 ,p4,m41 on the #ast of ,july1 ,i       
proceeded with all hands to the ship1   
which1 to our surprise1 we  found had   
only sunk a little below the sixteenth  
mark externally1  while the water but   
barely covered a part of 8'tween decks  
within40  ,perceiving that it was not   
likely to sink much further1 on account 
of  the buoyancy of the empty casks1 and
 the materials of which the ship  was   

composed1 we applied all our purchases1 
but with the strength of  #aej men we   
could not heel her more than five or six
 stakes4 ,when thus  careened1 with the 
weight of two anchors suspended from the
 mast1  acting with the effect of       
powerful levers on the ship1 ,i         
accompanied  about #abj men on board4   
,all these being arranged on the high   
side  of the deck1 ran suddenly to the  
lower side1 when the ship fell so       
suddenly on one side that we were       
apprehensive she was about to  upset1   
but after turning a little way the      
motion ceased4 ,the tackles  on the ice 
being then hauled tight1 the heeling    
position of the ship  was preserved1    
until we mounted the higher part of the 
deck1 and  ran to the lower as before4  
,at length1 after a few repetitions of  
this manuvre1 no impression whatever was
 produced1 and the plan of  upsetting   
the ship appeared quite impracticable4  
,the situation of the ship being now    
desperate1 there could be no            

impropriety in attempting to remove the 
keel and garboard strake1  which        
prevented the application of the        
fothering1 for1 whatever might  be the  
result1 it could scarcely be for the    
worse4 ,these incumbrances  being       
removed1 the sail for fothering was     
immediately applied to  the place1 and a
 vast quantity of fothering materials   
thrown into  its cavity1 when it was    
fairly underneath4 ,over this sail we   
spread  a fore-sail1 and braced the     
whole as tight to the ship as the       
keel-bolts1 which yet remained in their 
horizontal position1 would  admit4 ,the 
effect was as happy as we could possibly
 have anticipated4  ,some time before   
all these preparations were completed1  
our people1  assisted by the ,john's    
crew1 who1 after a short rest1 had      
returned to  us1 put the three pumps and
 bailing tubs in motion1 and applied    
their  energies with such effect that in
 eleven hours the pumps sucked6 ,in     
this time1 a depth of thirteen feet     

water was pumped out of the  hold1      
besides the leakage4 ,the ,john's crew  
on this occasion exerted  themselves    
with a spirit and zeal which were truly 
praiseworthy4  ,as the assistance of    
carpenters was particularly needed1 we  
fired  a gun1 and repeated our signal of
 distress1 which brought very           
opportunely two boats1 with six men     
each1 from the ,prescot1 and the  same  
number from our tried friend1 ,mr4      
,allen1 of the ,north ,britain4  ,as we 
likewise procured the carpenters of     
these ships1 together with  those of the
 ,john1 they commenced operations by    
cutting through the  ceiling1 between   
two frames of timbers directly across   
the hold1  at the distance of about     
twenty-six feet from the stern-post2 a  
situation which1 we were assured1 was on
 the fore part of the leak1  or between 
the leak and the body of the ship4 ,the 
timbers in this  place were unhappily   
found so closely connected that we had  
to cut  away part of one of the floors1 

that we might come at the outside       
plank1 and caulk the crevices between it
 and the timbers2 which  operation1 on  
account of the great depth of timber1   
and the vast  flow of water that issued 
at the ceiling1 was extremely difficult1
  tedious1 and disagreeable4            
,meanwhile that we had good assistance1 
,i allowed our crew four hours'  rest1  
half of them at a time1 for which       
purpose some of their beds  were removed
 from the ice to the ship4 ,here1 for   
the first time  during four days1 they  
enjoyed their repose2 for on account of 
the  cold and damp that prevailed when  
they rested on the ice1 several of      
them1 ,i believe1 never slept4 ,some of 
the ,john's people returning to  us1    
swayed up the top-mast1 and rigged most 
of the yards1 while our  men were       
employed stowing the main-hold1 which1  
by the floating of  the casks1 was      
thrown into a singular state of         
disorder4 ,some of the  casks were found
 without heads1 and all the blubber     

lost1 and many  were found bilged1 or   
otherwise damaged4    ,after the        
carpenters had completely cleared the   
roomstead--that is1  the space between  
any two ribs or frames of timbers in a  
ship--they  drove oakum into it1 along  
with an improved woollen sheathing      
substance2 and occasionally1 where the  
spaces were very large1 pieces  of fat  
pork4 ,the spaces or crevices between   
the planks of the ceiling  and the      
timber being then filled1 all the above 
substances were  firmly driven down by  
means of pine wedges1 and the spaces    
between  each of the wedges caulked4    
,this would have been very complete1 had
  not the increased flow of the water   
overcome the pumps1 and covered  the    
ceiling where the carpenters were at    
work4 ,they were therefore  obliged to  
wedge up the place with great           
expedition2 and being at  the same time 
greatly fatigued1 the latter part of the
 operation was  accomplished with much  
less perfection than ,i could have      

wished4    ,hitherto calm weather1 with 
thick fog1 having constantly prevailed1 
was the occasion of several ships       
remaining by us and affording           
assistance1 which would otherwise have  
left us4 ,but the weather  having now   
become clear1 and a prospect of         
prosecuting the fishery  being          
presented1 every ship deserted us1      
except the ,john1 and she  was preparing
 to leave us likewise4 ,in the state of 
extreme jeopardy  in which we were still
 placed1 the love of life1 on the part  
of the  crew1 determined them to attempt
 to quit the ship1 and take refuge in   
the ,john as soon as she should attempt 
to leave us4 ,i was confident1  through 
the information ,i had received1 that   
unless the assistance of  the ,john were
 secured1 the ,esk1 after all the labour
 bestowed on her1  and the progress     
which had been made towards her         
preservation1 must  yet be abandoned as 
a wreck4 ,at length1 ,i yielded to the  
request of  my whole crew1 and made a   

proposal to captain ,jackson1 who agreed
 on  certain conditions1 involving the  
surrender of a large proportion of  our 
cargo1 to stay by us and assist us until
 our arrival at some port  of ,shetland4
 ,the original of this contract was     
voluntarily signed by  every individual 
of both ships' companies4 ,a subsequent 
agreement of  a more explicit kind1 on  
the part of masters and owners of the   
,esk  and the ,john1 was drawn out and  
signed by myself and ,mr4 ,jackson4     
,these agreements being fully understood
 and signed1 the ,john hauled  alongside
 of the ice1 which had now opened near  
the ,esk for the first  time since the  
accident1 and took on board the whole of
 our loose  blubber1 estimated at       
seventy-eight butts and fifty-eight     
butts1  in twenty-five casks1 together  
with half our whalebone1 as agreed4     
,everything now went on favourably1 and 
whilst our crew and assistants  were in 
full and vigorous employment1 ,i retired
 to seek that repose  which my wearied  

frame stood greatly in need of4 ,on the 
#eth ,july1  assisted by all hands from 
the ,john1 the stowing of the hold and  
the rigging of the ship were completed1 
and1 under a moderate  breeze of wind1  
we left the floe1 but what was our      
astonishment and  mortification to find 
that the ship could not be guided6 ,the 
rudder  had become perfectly useless1 so
 that with the most appropriate         
disposition of the sails possible1 and  
the requisite position of the  helm1 the
 ship could not be turned round1 or     
diverted in the least  from the course  
in which the impetus of the wind on the 
sails was  the most naturally balanced4 
,this was an alarming disappointment4   
,however1 as the ship was in such       
constant danger of being crushed  in the
 situation where she lay1 the ,john1    
with the greatest  difficulty           
imaginable1 towed us three or four miles
 to the eastward1  into a place of      
comparative safety4 ,here we rectified  
our rudder1  and arranged for the       

trimming of the ship more by the stern1 
to  compensate in some degree for the   
loss of the after-keel4 ,when these     
matters were completed1 on account of   
strong wind and thick weather1  we could
 not1 without imminent danger1 attempt  
to penetrate the  compact body of ice   
which at this time barred our escape to 
the sea1  and ,i took the advantage of  
the opportunity to procure a long rest4 
,the attention of the carpenters in     
caulking the ceiling of the ship1       
together with the advantage derived from
 the fothering sails1 had now  produced 
an effect so considerable1 that on      
,sunday1 the #gth of ,july1  the        
original leakage was found to be reduced
 nearly four-fifths4  ,during an hour1  
in which we were engaged in ,divine     
service1 the pumps  were allowed to     
8stand20 two and a half feet of water1  
which in this  interval flowed into the 
hold1 was pumped out in twenty minutes4 
,after various alarms and careful       
attention to the leakage1 together  with

 the unremitting diligence of the crew  
in the use of the pumps1  we descried   
land on the #bcrd of ,july1 and         
approached within three  or four miles  
of the coast of ,shetland4 ,in the      
evening1 the ,john  having fulfilled the
 articles of agreement as far as was    
required1  we sent the twelve men       
belonging to her crew on board1 and     
after  receiving from them a supply of  
fresh water1 they left us with three    
cheers1 and the usual display of        
colours4 ,we were now left to sail by   
ourselves2 our progress was in          
consequence rather slow4 ,at daylight   
of the #bgth1 we were rejoiced with a   
sight of our port4 ,knowing  the flow of
 water to be sufficient for the ship1   
and there being a  probability of       
reaching the harbour before the tide was
 too much  fallen1 we pressed towards it
 with every sail we could set1 and      
having received a pilot as we approached
 the pier1 we immediately  entered the  
harbour1 and grounded at half-past five 

,a4,m4 in a place  of safety4    ,thus1 
through the peculiar favour of ,god1 by 
whose influence our  perseverance was   
stimulated1 and by whose blessing our   
contrivances  were rendered effectual1  
happily terminated a voyage at once     
hazardous1 disastrous1 and interesting4 
,men whose lives have  been exposed to  
dangers so fearful and imminent1 may    
reasonably  be expected to be influenced
 by a vivid sense of the nearness of    
eternity1 and to feel the powers of the 
world to come4 ,it is the  prerogative  
of the ,christian religion1 whilst it   
prepares men for  death1 to take away   
undue apprehensions of it2 to furnish   
consolation  of unspeakable value1 when 
it is present2 and to light up the      
distant  and unknown future1 with the   
peace and happiness of the hope of      
eternal life4 ,to the rude and          
courageous mariner1 as well as to the   
inhabitants of refined and luxurious    
homes1 ,god's message is one  and the   
same4 ,it is suitable1 and worthy of    

acceptation1 on sea and  on land1 in    
sickness and in health1 when we expect  
instant removal  from our present       
temporary dwelling-place1 or look       
forward to the  activities and cares of 
a protracted life4 ,to every one of us  
the  ,almighty is saying1 ,repent1      
believe1 and live--promising a free and 
complete pardon through the death of his
 ,son1 and engaging1 to those  who      
welcome and obey his message1 that they 
shall live under the  smile of ,his     
countenance and the protection of his   
power4    ,intelligence relative to the 
distressed state of the ship1 and the   
helplessness of her situation1 reached  
,whitby the day before us1 and1  in     
consequence of exaggerations respecting 
the loss of the crew1  involved every   
interested person in deep distress4     
,throughout the  town1 and in a great   
measure throughout the neighbourhood1   
the event  was considered as a general  
calamity4 ,some of the underwriters on  
the  ,esk1 ,i was informed1 had offered 

sixty per cent4 for the reassurance  of 
the sums for which they were liable1 but
 such was the nature  of the risk1 as   
ascertained from the information of some
 ships'  crews1 by whom we had been     
assisted1 that no one would undertake   
the assurance1 even at this             
extraordinary premium4 ,the hearty      
congratulations ,i received on landing1 
from every acquaintance1 were  almost   
overwhelming1 and these1 with the       
enhanced endearments of my  affectionate
 and enraptured wife1 amply repaid for  
all the toils and  anxieties of mind    
that ,i had endured4    ,on the tide    
ebbing out1 the ,esk was left dry1 on   
which1 for the first  time since the    
accident1 the whole of the water was    
drawn out of the  hold by the pumps4    
,the next tide1 the ship was removed    
above the  bridge to a place of perfect 
safety1 where the pumps being neglected1
  the water in the course of two tides  
rose nearly as high within as  without4 
,after the cargo was discharged1 the    

ship was put into dock1  and it was     
found that1 excepting the loss of       
twenty-two feet of  keel1 and the       
removal of a piece of the starboard     
garboard strake1  nine feet in length1  
with a portion of dead-wood brought home
 upon  deck1 no other damage of         
consequence had been produced by the    
ice4  ,the whole expense of repairs did 
not1 ,i believe1 exceed #bjj4 ,though   
the sacrifice of nearly one-half of our 
cargo was a considerable  disappointment
 to the owners1 who had been apprized of
 our success in  fishery1 yet1 when     
compared with the salvage1 which might  
have been  demanded had no contract been
 entered into for the assistance of the 
,john1 the sacrifice appeared to have   
been a material benefit1 having  been   
productive of the saving of perhaps     
#b1jjj4 ,the approbation  of my conduct 
by the owners1 ,messrs4 ,fishburn and   
,brodrick1 was  testified by their      
presenting to me a gratuity of #ej2 and 
the sense  entertained by the ,whitby   

underwriters1 of the preservation of the
  ship1 was pleasingly manifested by a  
present of a handsome piece of  plate4  
,i may add1 in conclusion1 that the     
whole of my crew1 excepting one         
individual1 returned from this          
adventurous and trying voyage in        
safety1 and in general in a good state  
of health4 ,several of the  men1 indeed1
 were affected more or less by the      
excessive fatigue1  and by the painful  
exposure to cold and damp1 while resting
 on the  ice2 but all of them were1 in a
 great measure1 restored before our     
arrival at home1 excepting one man2 he1 
poor fellow1 being of a weak            
constitution1 suffered severely from the
 inclement exposure1 and died  soon     
after he arrived in port4      ,,the    
,,religious ,,tract ,,society3          
,,instituted #agii4                     
,transcriber's ,notes      pg #bf       
,changed period after3 this1 in #agdi   
to3 comma    pg #bg ,changed equipped   
from ,embden to3 ,emden    pg #dg       

,changed misspelling of sails becomes   
neccessary to3 necessary    pg #fd      
,removed repeated word it from3 ,it it  
bears this    pg #gd ,added period to   
the end of3 moment of danger    pg #ge  
,changed comma to period at3 requiring  
extreme dispatch    pg #gh ,changed rate
 of #haf to3 #haf and #gah to3 #gah     
pg #hj ,added period to3 #c1ajd1fdj lbs 
pg #aae ,changed to provent them to3    
prevent    pg #afe ,added period to3 not
 been felt    pg #ahe ,changed swayed up
 the topmast to3 top-mast    ,various   
hyphenated and non-hyphenated words left
 as written