HUNTING OF WHALES 113 



interesting dialogue preserved, written by one Aelfric, 

 Abbot of Ensham, in which the subject of whaling 

 is dealt with.* This is in the form of a conversation 

 between the master and his pupils, written in order 

 to familiarise the pupils with Latin conversation. 

 The master begins by inquiring what is to be caught 

 in the sea. The pupil then enumerates the following 

 curious assortment of "marketable marine fishes": 

 " Aleces et isicios, delphinos et sturias, astreas et 

 cancros, musculos et torniculos, neptigallos, platerias 

 et platessas et polypodes et multa alia." Then the 

 master : " Vis capere aliquem cetum ? " " Nic." The 

 reason is then demanded. The youth is supposed to 

 reply : " Quia periculosum est capere cetum. Tutius 

 est mihi ire ad amnem cum nave mea quam ire cum 

 multibus navibus in venationem balaenae." " Et 

 tamen," the master goes on to say, "multi capiunt 

 cetos et evadunt pericula." It is plain, therefore, that 

 whaling was practised, presumably in this country, 

 at that date. It should be explained that the word 

 cetus alone means whale ; balana means a sea 

 monster generally. This is rather remarkable con- 

 sidering the derivation of Cetus from the Homeric 

 word, which seems to mean a sea monster generally. 

 Batena usually definitely means whale. But the 

 words " hwael " and " hranes " seem to put the matter 

 beyond a doubt. The American whale fishery began 

 at any rate as early as the year 1614. At first the 

 animals were pursued from the shore ; and the island 

 of Nantucket was the headquarters of the industry. 



* For this I am also indebted to the Rev. W. Hunt. 



