MASSACHUSETTS: BA11NSTABLE DISTRICT. 229 



fished at a short distance from laud. In 1SSO tlicy secured about 1.000 quintals of fish and GOO 

 pounds of sounds, the total value of which was a little less than $12,000. 



THE LOBSTER FISHERY. Lobsters some ten years ago were abundant, and during the summer 

 a large number of fishermen engaged in this fishery. It was a good and profitable employment for 

 our fishermen from the middle of Juue to September. They have since become very scarce, so 

 that the fishery will uot pay, and only a few old men that have nothing better to do engage iu it. 

 In 1880 eight men were employed and averaged only about $00, making a gross stock of $480. 



THE WHALE FISHERY. Of the early whale voyages made from Provincetown there is no 

 record. From the best information we can get we are led to believe that many years ago there 

 were vessels fitted out from this place that made voyages to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and coast 

 of Labrador and thence northward for right whale. We have been informed that some vessels 

 belonging here made voyages for sperm whale ; if so, we have no record of the number of vessels so 

 engaged, the length of their voyages, their cruising grounds, or the quantity of oil taken. 



In 1820 five schooners sailed from this port to engage iu the sperm-whale fishery. They 

 went directly to the Azores and made their cruising ground near those islands, and thence to the 

 northwest. They all arrived home iu the autumn; the result of their voyages proved better than 

 vessels that were engaged in the cod fisheries that season, so that in 1821 the whaling fleet was 

 increased to twelve vessels. All of them went direct to the Azores and cruised in the vicinity of 

 those islands iu spring and early part of the summer, after which they went out northwest of the 

 islands some 100 to 200 miles and made that their cruising ground the rest of the season. They 

 met with fair success and all returned home iu the fall. The following year (1822) the whaling fleet 

 was increased to eighteen vessels. All went to the Azores, making their cruising ground the same 

 as the year before. Most of their voyages proved a failure, owing to the small quantity of oil brought 

 in and the low price of sperm oil. Nearly all of the vessels were withdrawn from the business to 

 be employed in the cod fisheries. In the spring of 1823 the brig Ardent, Captain Soper, sailed 

 from here on a whaling voyage to the Azores. On her passage Louie in the fall she was wrecked. 

 The crew were fourteen in number, and many of them died of hunger and exposure. The survivors, 

 after living on the wreck 20 days, were taken off by the British ship Lord Sidmouth on her passage 

 from New York to England. Captain Soper and three of his crew returned homo via England. 



After this the sperm whale voyages were generally discontinued from this port for a number 

 of years, though occasionally one or two vessels made short voyages. In the spring of 1830 two 

 schooners sailed from this port ; schooner Fair Lady, Captain Atkins, and schooner Vesta, Captain 

 Holmes, made voyages to the Azores for sperm whales. They cruised in the vicinity of the islands 

 through the season, and returning home in the fall, the Fair Lady with 300 barrels and Vester 

 with 100 barrels sperm oil. In the spring of 1833 the brig Imogene (Smalley, master) sailed from 

 this port for the Indian Ocean. She returned in December, 1834. after an unsuccessful voyage. 

 The above-named vessel sailed again in April, 1835 (Atkins, master), to cruise in the Atlantic; she 

 returned home iu the fall after a successful voyage. The following year (1836) the Imogene and 

 schooner Louisa sailed from this port on a whaling voyage. These two vessels made another 

 voyage in 1837, after which the Louisa was withdrawn. The Imogeue continued in the business 

 the two following years, 1838 and 1839. After her return home in the fall she was wrecked in 

 Proviucetowu Harbor in December, 1839. In all her Atlantic whaling voyages she was successful. 

 Iu the spring of 1840 three brigs sailed from this port Franklin, Captain Soper; Fairy, Captain 

 Gennj and Pheuix, Captain Small. They all returned in the fall with a large catch of sperm oil. 

 The Pheuix when four months and eighteen days from home was all full having taken 700 barrels 



