THE WHALE FISHERY. 13 



of the year, and those who are acquainted with the business endeavor to be early on the cruising 

 grounds. I shall now point out the times, according to the best information, at which the whales 

 visit the several grounds, and, although not a whaler, I hope to ive such information as may be 

 useful to this class of my countrymen. 



" For convenience of description, the cruising-grounds may be considered as included within 

 four sections or belts. 



" These belts are from 20 to 25 degrees of latitude iu width. 



" The first of which I speak is that between the equator and the northern tropic ; the second, 

 between the tropic and 50 north ; the third, between the equator and the southern tropic and 

 latitude 50 south. 



" Within the tropics whales are almost always to be met with. There are, however, particular 

 places within this zone where they chiefly congregate. Whales are found iu the first belt on the 

 north side of the equator, to the southward of the Sandwich Islands, and thence westward as far 

 as the Mulgrave Islands, for the greater part of the year ; but the only spot or space they are 

 known to abound in at any particular season, within this belt is to the westward of the Galapa- 

 gos; they pass and repass over the rest of this space in their migrations, and may generally be 

 found near to or around the small islands. 



" In the second belt they range from the coast of Japan to the northwest coast of America and 

 California; this they frequent from May till November. In the month of July they are found off the 

 Boniu Islands, and between them and the coast of Japan. They frequent the space lying to the north- 

 ward of the Hawaiian Islands, and comprehended between the parallels of 28 and 35 north ; and 

 within the meridians of 145 and 156 west, from June to October ; and resort to the northwest 

 coast of America in August and September, and to that of California in November and January. 



" The third belt comprises the ocean from the coast of South America to the King's Mill Group, 

 including the Marquesas, Society, and Friendly Islands, the Samoan and Fiji Groups. Within 

 these are spaces known as the on-shore and off-shore grounds. The latter the whalers frequent 

 from November to February, and along this belt they are found until the mouths of July and Au- 

 gust, by which time they reach the King's Mill and Fiji Groups. There are, however, stragglers to 

 be met with in this space during all seasons. 



"The fourth belt extends from the southern tropic to the latitude of 50 south. The most 

 profitable time for cruising within it is in the months of March, April, and May, to the eastward 

 of New Zealand. After that date, along and between the parallels of 22 and 28 south, from the 

 coast of New Holland to that of South America. The portion of sea between New Holland and 

 New Zealand is called the 'middle ground,' and is frequently found very profitable. 



"From an examination of the particular localities iu which whales are found most at certain 

 seasons, and connecting these with my own observations on currents, I am induced to believe the 

 places of their resort will point more correctly to the neutral points or spaces of no current, than 

 any other data that we yet possess. 



"These must necessarily become the rendezvous, or feeding-places, of these animals. The 

 determination of these points will, therefore, throw additional light on the systems of currents iu 

 the ocean, by pointing out the neutral spaces. The chief resort of whales will be seen on the map 

 at one view ; and when these are connected with the currents shown to exist by the observations 

 of the expedition and others, they will be found to correspond in a remarkable manner with the 

 neutral spaces. 



" I have myself paid much attention to acquiring information in relation to the position of 

 these grounds from the masters of whale-ships, but have usually found their reports at variance 



