144 IlISTOliY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



Atlantic, the Indian and Pacific Oceans. On the 9th of July, 1815, the first returning whaling 

 vessel arrived at Nantucket ; in all probability this was the first arrival at any port in the United 

 States after the war. This vessel was the sloop Mason's Daughter, which, after a six weeks' 

 voyage, returned with 100 barrels of oil." 



8. WHALE FISHERY OF PROVINCETOWN. 



BY CAPT. N. E. ATWOOD. 



In early days the whale fishery was prosecuted off along the north shore of Cape Cod with 

 .small boats, and whales were very plenty in fie fiist part of the present century. In 1820, owing 

 to the scarcity of codfish on the Grand Bank, Provincetown ship-owners were casting about for 

 new fields of industry to employ their vessels, and five schooners were fitted out to engage in the 

 sperm- whale fishery. In most cases experienced whalers were engaged at Wellfleet and elsewhere, 

 but one vessel, the Nero, sailed without having on board a man who had ever seen a sperm whale. 

 These vessels left Proviucetown about the 1st of April and went directly to the Azores, where they 

 cruised for a mouth or two. In June they went to the northwestern ground, as it was called (situ- 

 ated from 100 to 200 miles northwest of Cowo and Flores), and staid there through the remainder 

 of the cruise, coming home in the fall. These vessels did rather better than the codfishermen. 

 In 1821 the codfishery was still low and the whaling fleet was increased to twelve vessels, quarter- 

 deck schooners mostly, the largest of which measured 98 tons (about equivalent to 70, new measure. 

 ment), and several were over 90 tons. There were the Neptune, the Kero, the Minerva, the President, 

 the Mary, the General Jackson, the Charles, the Four Brothers, the Hannah and Eliza, the Vesta, 

 the brig Ardent, and the brig Laurel. The fleet went on the same grounds as in the previous year, 

 and in August went into the islands to recruit and afterwards cruised about the islands. They 

 caine home in September and October, having done a fair business, a little better than the cod fleet. 

 The Nero had the best fare, obtaining 260 barrels of sperm oil, valued at $1 a gallon. In 1822 the 

 fleet was increased to eighteen vessels, the Fair Lady, the Sophronia, the Olive Branch, the Sev- 

 enth Son, and the Betsey being added. They accomplished very little, and all returned in the fall 

 except the Laurel, which went to the West Indies, and the Fair Lady to the Gulf of Guinea, In 

 1823 the two vessels returned in March from the south, and the brig Ardent went to the Azores, 

 obtaining 200 barrels of sperm oil, and was wrecked at sea on her return. The schooner Seventh 

 -Son went to Africa, obtaining very little. 



In 1824 no whalers were sent out, nor in succeeding years, until 1830, when the schooner 

 Fair Lady and the schooner Vesta went to the old ground about the Azores, the former getting 

 300 and the latter 140 barrels. In 1832 the brig Iinogene, 170 tons, was bought in Boston for 

 sperm whaling. She went into the ludian Ocean and was absent two years, obtaining 400 

 barrels of sperm oil. In 183.5 the Iinogene went another voyage to some of the Western Islands 

 and the Gulf of Mexico. In 1836 the schooner Louisa (Flora?) was added to the fleet. They 

 went to the West Indies, where they got some humpback whales, then to the Gulf of Mexico, 

 and later to the Western Islands ; the Louisa obtaining 175 barrels and the Imogene 560. In 

 1837 the Imogene got 450 barrels in fJie Atlantic and the schooner Louisa 100. In 1838 the 

 Imogene went to the Gulf of Mexico, getting 400 of sperm and 200 barrels of whale oil. In 

 1839 the Imogene cruised in the Atlantic, getting 350 barrels of sperm and 250 of whale oil. In 

 1837 the Edward and Eienzi was bought for black fishing and went on the ground south of the 

 Georges Banks and toward Cape Hatteras. No whaling vessels had ever been there ln-lbre. and 

 she found sperm whales abundant, and since that lime the Hatteras ground and the Charleston 



