1725.] CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY. 69 



suing spring (1725), the fleet being all in readiness, 

 put to sea, and returned safe with 25 1 whales. The 

 proceeds of this .voyage, though so moderate as 

 scarcely to be sufficient to pay the expenccs of 

 wages, provisions, and interest of the capital enga- 

 ged, were yet superior to those of any succeeding 

 year, during the period in which the company pur- 

 sued the trade *. This cargo would have made a 

 saving voyage, and even have afforded a tolerable 

 profit, if procured by the same number of Dutch 

 ships ; but owing to the extraordinary expences to 

 which the English were subjected, they carried on 

 the trade with much less chance of success than any 

 of their contemjioraries. One additional expence, 

 and that a very prominent one, was occasioned by 

 their being obliged to procure their fishing officers 

 Irom foreign ports, the English at this time being 

 entirely unacquainted with the trade. Excepting, 

 therefore, a few natives of Scotland, who were indu- 

 ced to leave the service of the Dutch, on the com- 

 mencement of the South Sea Company's fishery, 

 and engage in their employ, the whole of their har- 

 pooners, boat-steerers and line-managers, were pro- 

 cured from Fohrde in Holstcin. These men, from 

 their superior pay as officers, and the expences of 

 their passages, which the company were obliged to 

 bear, regularly cost them about 20/. each man. 



* Anderson's Commerce, a. d. 1725. 



