148 THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 



Last in order, and so unimportant as to be sought only in 

 the absence of other game, was the humpback. This species 

 was to be found in comparatively shallow water, especially 

 along certain coast lines in the South Pacific, and was hunted in 

 boats which left the vessel each morning for long hours of 

 rowing. The humpback was not only difficult to approach and 

 highly tenacious of life, even after having been severely 

 wounded, but in addition was likely to sink after being killed. 

 As a result an immense amount of labor was required in at- 

 tempting to hoist the carcass to the surface and to tow it back 

 to the ship. Often, too, it was lost entirely or was devoured 

 by sharks. These facts, together with the inferior quality of 

 the oil which it yielded, insured its comparative safety from 

 the harpoons of the whalemen except in dull seasons. 



The bodies of the whales slain in the fishery furnished five 

 important products. From the cachalot came sperm oil, found 

 in a pure state in its head, and of such high quality that it re- 

 quired little or no refining before being used for illuminating 

 and lubricating purposes j spermaceti, a spongy, fatty substance, 

 inodorous and nearly tasteless, which was extracted from the 

 oily matter of the whale's head, and was used in the manufac- 

 ture of the finest grades of candles j and ambergris, an opaque, 

 ash-colored matter found in rare instances in the intestines of 

 diseased sperm whales.^ The remaining species furnished 

 whale oil, a heavier, inferior oil used as a lubricant and for the 

 cruder forms of illumination j and whalebone, light, strong, 

 and flexible, incomparably adapted to the manufacture of stays, 

 corsets, hoops, whips, umbrellas, and other articles combining 

 toughness and flexibility. 



II — WHALING GROUNDS, ROUTES, AND SEASONS 



The term whaling ground was used to describe those stretches 

 of water, never precisely defined or bounded, which were most 



3 Ambergris was used particularly in the manufacture of fine perfumery, 

 since it possessed the property of uniting thoroughly and permanently all the 

 other ingredients. It was also in demand in certain Oriental countries, espe- 

 cially Turkey, as an aphrodisiac. Owing to its rarity it was exceedingly 

 valuable. The whole American whaling fleet produced only 1667 pounds dur- 

 ing the years 1836 to 1880. In 1878 the Adeline Gibbs, of New Bedford, 

 secured a fabulous catch of 136 pounds, worth $23,000. See Goode, G. B. 

 (Editor), "Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States," II, p. 4. 



