32 HISTORY AOT) METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



it was cut. The blubber was then put iuto their carts and carried to their try -houses, which, at 

 that early period, were placed near to their dwelling-houses, where the oil was boiled out and 

 fitted for market." * 



Shore- whaling continued till about the middle of the eighteenth century, when whales became 

 scarce and were pursued by vessels, when the boat-whaling, as a regular business, was, according 

 to Macy, abandoned. "The first sperm-whale known to the islanders was found ashore on the 

 southwest part of Nantucket. It caused considerable excitement, some demanding a part of the 

 prize under one pretense, some under another, and all were anxious to behold so strange an 

 animal. There were so many claimants of the prize, that it was difficult to determine to who it 

 should belong. The natives claimed it because they found it ; the whites, to whom the natives 

 made known their discovery, claimed it by a right comprehended, as they affirmed, in the pur- 

 chase of the island by the original patent. An officer of the crown made his claim, and pretended 

 to seize the fish in the name of his majesty, as being property without any particular owner. 

 After considerable discussion between these contending parties, it was finally settled that the 

 white inhabitants, who first found the whale, should share the prize equally amongst themselves. 

 The teeth, which were considered very valuable, had been extracted by a white man and an Indian, 

 before any others had any knowledge of the whale. All difficulty being now settled, a company 

 was formed, who commenced cutting the whale in pieces convenient for transportation to their try- 

 works. The sperm procured from the head was thought to be of great value for medical purposes. 

 It was used both as an internal and external application ; and such was the credulity of the people, 

 that they considered it a certain cure for all diseases ; it was sought with avidity, and, for awhile, 

 was esteemed to be worth its weight in silver. The whole quantity of oil obtained from this 



whale is not known."! 



RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT. 



In 1731 Rhode Island passed an act for the encouragement of the fisheries, giving " a bounty 

 of five shillings for every barrel of whale oil, one penny a pound for bone, and five shillings a 

 quintal for codfish, caught by Rhode Island vessels, and brought into this Colony." f 



The fishery had been carried on to some extent in boats from the shore, and whales were taken 

 in the waters of Narragansct Bay. 



The first official document to be found connecting the State of Connecticut with the whale 

 fishery is a resolve passed at a meeting of the general court held at Hartford, May 25, 1647, which 

 says: 



" Yf Mr. Whiting, w th any others shall make tryall and p r secute a designe for the takeing of 

 whale w th in these libertyes, and if vppou tryall w th in the terme of two yeares. they shall like to 

 goe on, noe others shalbe suffered to interrupt the, for the tearine of seauen yeares." 



It is probable that drift-whales were occasionally taken along the coast of Connecticut in early 

 times, but we find no special reference to show that boat-whaling was ever engaged in by the 

 inhabitants. 



NEW YORE. 



Long Island, with its long stretch of sandy beaches, was in early times a favorite resort for 

 boat whalemen. It was the rival of Cape Cod, and the inhabitants on its eastern end found much 

 profit in capturing whales, and shipping oil and bone to London. The following interesting account 

 of shore-whaling along those shores is taken entire from Mr. Starbuck's|| report on the whale 

 fishery. 



* Hist. Nantucket, p. 31. ilbid., p. :. t ARNOLD : Hist. Rhode Island, ii, p. 103. 



$ Comi. Col. Reu., i, p. 154. 1 U. 8. Fisli Commissioner's Report, Part IV, 1875-76. 



