THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 25 



that there were many whales which kept before tlie ])ay [Delaware Bay], and the 

 oil, at sixty guilders a hogshead, he thought would realize a good profit, and con- 

 sequently that fine country be cultivated. 



"The 20th of same month, we understood that our yacht was taken the day 

 but one before as it was I'unning out the Texel, by the Dunkirkers, through the 

 carelessness of the large ship. . . . (Pp. 15-16.) 



"Anno 1631. . . . The ship conveyed the rest [of a lot of emigrants] to 

 the South River [Delaware River] in New Xetherland, and brought a sample of oil 

 flora a dead whale found on the shore. . . . (P. 16.) 



"Anno 1632. The 12th of February we again entered into an agreement to 

 equip a ship and yacht for the whale fishery, in which much profit had not been 

 realized ; because we had had such a losing voyage, and no retui'ns from the whale 

 fishery, and saw no prospect of any. But Samuel Godyn encouraged us to make 

 another attempt. He said the Gi'eeuland Com[)any had two bad voyages with 

 Willen Van Muyen, and aftei'wai'ds became a thi-ifty company. It was thei-efore 

 again I'esolved to undertake a voyage for the whale fishery, a!id that T myself 

 should go as pati'oon, and as commander of the ship and yacht, and should 

 endeavor to be there in December, in order to conduct the whale fishing during the 

 winter, as the whales come in tke winter and remain till March. (P. 16.) 



"The 12th of September [St. Martin's Id., West Indies], I let the ship have 

 room, but the capture of a whale brought me to anchor. In New Netherland and 

 in Patria [in Holland], this would have been a valuaVde pi'ize. (P. 20.) 



"The 5th [of Dec], the wind southwest, we weighed anchor, and sailed into 

 the South bay [Delaware Bay], and lay, with our yacht, in four fathoms water, 

 and saw immediately a whale near the ship. Thought this would be royal work — 

 the whales so numei'ous — and the land so fine for cultivation. (P. 22.) 



"Anno 1633. The 1st of January . . . saw a whale at the mouth of the 

 South I'iver [Delaware River] : 



"The 2d [Jan.], in the moi'ning, fine and pleasant, saw two large whales near 

 the yacht. (P. 24.) 



"The 11th [Jan.]. Arrived about a half-a-mile above Minqua's kill, where 

 we anchored, and saw a whale there that evening six or seven times. We were 

 surprised to see a whale seven or eight miles up into fresh water. (P. 27.) 



"The 13th [Jan.]. Came to the ship at Swanendael, where our friends were 

 rejoiced to see us. We found that they had shot two whales, liut they furnished 

 little oil. (P. 27.) 



"The 29th [March], we arrived again in the South Bay [Delaware Bay], at 

 Swanendael, at our ships, where we were very welcome. Found that our people 

 had caught seven whales, but there were only thirty-two cartels of oil obtained, so 

 that the whale-fishery is very expensive, when such meagre fish are caught. We 

 could have done moi'e if we had had good harpooners, for they struck seventeen 

 fish, and only secured seven, which is astonishing. They had always struck the 

 whales in the tail. I afterwards undei'stood fiom some Basques, who were old 

 whale-fishers, that they always struck the harpoon in the fore-part of the back. 

 . . . Having put our oil in the ship, taken down our kettle, and hauled in 

 wood and water, we cot ready to sail. (P. 38.) 



"The 16th [A [nil]. Arrived at noon before Fort Amsterdam [New York], 

 and found a Company's ship there. She had biought a new governor, Wouter 

 Van Twiller of Newkirk. ... I went ashore to the iovt, out of which he 

 came to welcome me, and inquired of me also, how the whale-fishery succeeded. I 

 answeivd him that I had a sample ; but that they were foolish who undertook the 



