RIGHT WHALES 139 



whale was at its height at this period, and for some 

 time afterwards. Its importance is shown by the 

 fact that a whale is incorporated into the coats-of- 

 arms of many cities lying upon the Bay of Biscay. 

 " This charge," remarks Sir C. Markham, " is in 

 the arms of Fuentarrabia. Over the portal of the 

 first old house in the steep street of Guetaria there 

 is a shield of arms consisting of whales amidst waves 

 of the sea. At Motrico the town arms consist of a 

 whale in the sea, harpooned, and with a boat with 

 men holding the line. The same device is carved 

 on the wall of the townhall of Lequeito. The arms 

 of Bermeo and Castro-Udiales also contain a whale." 

 Other traces of the former prevalence of this industry 

 are to be seen in the remains of " vigias," or look- 

 out towers, whence the whales were first espied and 

 the fleet of boats sent out in pursuit. In the six- 

 teenth century the trade was still important. We 

 find Rondeletius (1568) remarking upon Bayonne as 

 a centre of the trade, and the flesh, especially the 

 tongue, was eaten, being exposed in the markets of 

 Bayonne, Biarritz, and other towns. A curious 

 example is given by Sir Clements Markham in 

 proof of the importance of the industry, even so 

 late as 1712. In the records of a marriage at Le- 

 queito the bride and bridegroom between them pos- 

 sessed all the necessary outfit for a whaling voyage. 

 Ambroise Pare (quoted by Fischer) has given an 

 elaborate account of whale fishing in the Bay of 

 Biscay in the year 1564, a part of which we shall 

 quote here as serving to illustrate how the Biscayan 



