154 MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 



other was struck, about 14 miles to the south of David's Head, of the 

 length of 40 feet. One boat alone attacked this whale, and after some 

 difficulty the crew succeeded in killing it and towed it the whole way 

 to Saint George's Whale House, a feat which occupied no less than sev- 

 enteen hours. It was followed by a large number of sharks, which cut it 

 considerably. This wha^le appears to dislike the shallow waters within 

 soundings, and therefore has to be sought for almost out of sight of 

 land. Some are captured off the islands occasionally by passing Amer- 

 ican whalers. Ambergris, the well-known product of this species, is 

 alluded to in the very earliest accounts of the islands. 



In the commission of Governor Moore, granted to him by the Ber- 

 muda Company on his entering upon his official duties in the year 1612, 

 we find the following: 



"Forasmuch as we cannot expect any greate returne of comodities 

 by this shipp, by reason of her short staye yet we advise and pray you 

 to be as pruident as you may, to send us some fruits of your labors to 

 give encouragement to the adventurers, to make the more speedie and 

 better supi)lie vnto you, especially of Ambergreece wch wee doubt not 

 but you shall flnde readye gathered by those three who were left by the 

 last shipp, or ells by the industrye of suche of yo'r own companie as 

 you shall employe to seek for yt, for whose better encouragement we 

 are contented to alio we for everye once (Troye weight) that you shall 

 receaue from any of them, the some of thirteene shillinges fowre pence, 

 but yf you shall finde any man to goe about to conceale yt and appro- 

 priate yt to his owne prticuler use, then you are to seaze upon yt, as 

 you forfeite to the vndertakers, and inflict such other punishment ui)on 

 the offenders as the qualitie of these offences shall deserve." 



In the Laws of the Bermuda Company enacted in 1622, we find a pro- 

 tective clause concerning this commodity : 



" There is likewise and shall be forever reserved to the Company a 

 fifth part of all the Ambergreece that shall be found ; and the rest shall 

 be divided equally betweene the finder and the owner of the land where 

 the same is found; save that three shillings four pence upon every ounce 

 of the said Ambergreece shall be allowed to the Governour of the said 

 Islands. And whosoever shall not discover to the said Governour and 

 i^heriffe and some one other of the Couucell, the true quantity of the 

 Ambergreece so found, within five days after the finding of the same, 

 shall forfeit his owne intire part to the Company, and be subject to such 

 other punishment as the Generall Court shall award." 



