34 WHALE-FISHERY. 



blishment of the fishery, was annulled, notwithstand- 

 ing that ships had been purchased, provisions contract- 

 ed for, and other considerable preparations made by 

 the different parties, for commencing the fishery. The 

 Kussia and East India Companies being therefore 

 still allowed to monopolize the trade, with their 

 joint stock, equipped thirteen ships and two pin- 

 naces for the Greenland fishery. 



But on this occasion the event proved most vui- 

 fortunate ; for the Zealanders, exasperated by the 

 rescinding of the Scottish patent, the seizure of 

 their oil, and other insults, appeared in the country 

 with twenty-three well appointed ships. They pla- 

 ced themselves in the most frequented bays where the 

 English fished, and setting on watch a great number 

 of boats, prevented their success. Towards the end 

 of July, ten sail being collected in the harbour at the 

 Foreland, where lay two English ships and a pin- 

 nace, a division of five in number attacked them, 

 killed a number of their men, shot away their 

 sails, and overpowered them. They then plunder- 

 ed them of their cannon and ammvuiition, burnt 

 their casks, and made prize of one of their ships for 

 their indemnification. The rest of the English were 

 dispersed, and most of them returned home empty 

 as they were *. 



* Purchas, vol. iii. p. 46"p. ; Beschryving der Walvisvangst, 

 vol. i. p. 26. 



