460 



HISTORY AND METHODS OF TE1E FISHERIES. 



ANTARCTIC SEALING VOYAGES FROM 1870 TO 1880 Continued 

 (Arranged according to year of ailing.) 



7. NARRATIVE OF AN ANTARCTIC SEALING VOYAGE IN THE SHIP NEPTUNE, 



1796 to 1799. 



Through the kindness of Mr. Charles Peterson, of New Haven, Conn., we are permitted to give 

 the following extracts from letters written by Mr. Eben Townsend, supercargo of the ship Neptune, 

 of New Haven, on her voyage to the fur-seal islands and China. The voyage lasted from Novem- 

 ber 29, 1796, to July 11, 1799. The Neptune was built in 1796, measured 353 tons, and was owned 

 by several merchants of New Haven. The return cargo from China was a very valuable one, con- 

 sisting of teas, silks, nankeens, and chinaware, and paid United States customs duties amounting 

 to $55,438.71. Mr. Townsend says: 



It is my intention to write you every month the principal events during the voyage which I have undertaken in the 

 ship Neptune, Capt. Daniel Greene, on a sealing voyage into the Pacific Ocean aiid to China. This I can very 

 conveniently do by a recapitulation from my daily journal of such events as are in any way interesting und would 

 save you the trouhle of searching a dry sea journal in which you would not look in expectation of many incidents. 

 We sailed from New York on the '29th of November. You will remember that I left New Haven about the lOtli with 

 the ship's crew. I did not expect to leave you the evening that I did, but having hired a vessel to take that part of 

 the crew, being about twenty pretty crazy fellows, I dare not trust them alone. Our entire crew consisted of thirty-six 

 men and boys. 



On the 2d of January the Neptune arrived off Buena Vista, Cape de Verds. Saw a ship and brig standing off and 

 on. Boarded the brig, which was commanded by Captain Hathaway. The ship was an Englishman under American 

 colors and hailed from Philadelphia, commanded by Captain French. As the surf was here so high that there would 

 be great difficulty in taking off salt, we proceeded to the Isle of May, and the next day on arriving there found the 

 ship Eliza, of Boston, Captain Jones, from Bremen, taking in salt, which we found rather dearer than at Buena Vista. 

 We took on board 8j moy of salt, each moy 60 bushels, at $5, which is about 8 cents a bushel. Paid also a duty of 



