36 ORIGIN OF 



pose; and, we are told, that these adventurers were 

 so successful in their occupation, that not less 

 than nine hundred, or a thousand, animals were 

 captured, in the short space of seven hours, by 

 the crew of a single vessel. 



In the course of time, as might be expected, 

 this indiscriminate slaughter frightened away the 

 survivors, and the island soon becoming deserted, 

 the benefit of the trade was lost. 



This circumstance, however, proved the fore- 

 runner of a source of far greater profit to indivi- 

 duals, and, ultimately, of material benefit to our 

 country at large ; and is one of those striking 

 instances which sometimes occur, but which are 

 often suffered to pass unheeded where important 

 results arise from circumstances of the most tri- 

 vial nature. As Cherie Island was, at this time, 

 the only source whence England derived her 

 supply of oil, the failure above-mentioned induced 

 the merchants to seek that material elsewhere, 

 and hence originated the English whale-fishery, 

 once one of the most important branches of our 

 commerce, and the most approved nursery for our 

 seamen. Purchas, adverting to this event, says, 

 " Now the often using of Cherie Island did make 

 the sea-horse grow scarce and decay, which made 

 the companie look out for further discoveries,"* 



* Purchas, p. 4(34, folio. 



