14 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



one with another, and they have sometimes differed as much as 5 degrees in assigning their limits. 

 Their position, no doubt, varies much in different years ; but even this will not explain all the 

 discrepancies of the statements. t 



" If we examine the seasons of the appearance of whales at certain islands, they will generally 

 be found to be between the beginning and the end of the summer of the climate, during which 

 time animal life is most prolific, and the food of the whale consequently abounds near the par- 

 ticular group. I have frequently been told, and it is generally believed, that whales are partial to 

 warmth, and frequent few places outside the tropics. This, if true, would be singular enough; 

 but the main reason for their frequenting the summer seas at particular seasons is the procure- 

 ment of food, which is there to be found in greater abundance ; and there appears to be little 

 doubt that iu migrating these animals move with the currents until they find their food in plenty, 

 and then continue in such locality until it is exhausted. 



"A number of instances are known, * * in which, at certain seasons, strong currents have 

 been experienced iu places where three months afterward they were found to have ceased altogether, 

 or even to have changed their direction. I have now particular reference to the northwest coast. 



"Having pointed out the different belts iu the Pacific, I will now refer to the localities in the 

 Atlantic and Indian Oceans where the sperm-whale fishery is most successful. 



" These, in like manner, are found to correspond, and are connected with the obstructions of 

 the submarine currents, or the places where, from opposing currents, they become lost. 



" In the Atlantic Ocean : (1) Off the Azores or Western Islands ; (2) off the Cape de Verdes; 

 (3) north of Bahama Banks ; (4) Gulf of Mexico; (5) Caribbean Sea; (G) to the eastward of the 

 Windward Islands ; (7) north coast of Brazil ; (8) south coast of Brazil ; (9) Carrol Ground, or a 

 space of ocean lying between St. Helena and Africa. 



" In the Indian Ocean : (1) Off the south end of Madagascar, and between it and Africa ; (2) 

 off the north end of Madagascar; (3) the coast of Arabia; (4) west coast of Java; (5) northwest 

 coast of New Holland ; (6) south coast of New Holland, and between it and Van Diemen's Land. 



" The periods of time allotted to these fisheries coincide with the time at which it might be 

 expected that the food of the whale would be most plentiful if brought by the polar streams. 



"The Atlantic fishery is, for the most part, carried on in a smaller class of vessels than those 

 used iu the Pacific ; the voyages are of less duration, and less capital is therefore required in this 

 business than the other. In speaking of the cruisiug-grounds, I shall follow the order in which 

 they are visited. 



" The first in point of time is that near the Azores. This ground does not extend more than 

 200 miles from these islands, and lies principally to the southwest of them. Here whales are 

 found during the summer mouths, and as late as October. These islands, it will be well to 

 remark here, lie in the route of the great north polar stream, and form an obstruction to its passage; 

 consequently the food is arrested iu its progress, and is accumulated here. 



" The next ground visited is off Cape Blanco and the Cape de Verdes, and it is also searched 

 by the outward-bound ships of the Pacific fleet. The whalers of the Atlantic next pass to the north 

 coast of Brazil, in the months of October, November, and December, aud thence to the Brazil 

 Bank, and off the mouths of the Rio de la Plata, where they fish in January aud February ; after 

 this they .seek Saint Helena aud Carrol Ground, which lies from 50 to 200 miles south of that 

 island, toward the Cape of Good Hope. On the latter ground they remain during the, mouths of 

 .March, April, and May; and thence they pass to the westward along the South American coast, 

 to the eastward of the Windward Islands; thence to the Bahama Banks, Cape Hatteras, and 

 along the coast of the United States, home. 



