70 WHALE-FISHER y. 



Thus, 152 foreigners employed in the first voyage, 

 cost 3056/. 18*. Sd., while above twice their num- 

 ber of British subjects cost only 3151/. 15,y. 5(1. * 



In the year 1730, the company's ships were in- 

 creased to twenty-two sail. The combined cargoes 

 of this fleet consisted only of twelve fish, and their 

 year's loss, in consequence, besides wear and tear, 

 was 8921/. 5s. 9d. f 



The next year the same fleet v/as sent out, where- 

 of one of the ships was lost, the remaining twenty- 

 one sail captured but fourteen whales ; consequently 

 this voyage was little better than the one prece- 

 ding X' 



The company's ships were at this time provided 

 with a new invented gun for shooting a harpoon, 

 which enabled the possessor to strike the whale at 

 a much greater distance than he could possibly ef- 

 fect by hand. This instrument was productive of 

 little advantage. It was ^vith great difficulty that 

 the Dutch harpooners could be induced to make 

 use of it ; these men, like the older fishers of the 

 present day, having a particular aversion to adopt 

 any new plan, however excellent, conceiving the me- 

 thod which experience had established, to be the 

 most effectual for ensuring success ; so that, with 



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



t Idem, A. D. 1730. • + Idem, a. d. 1731. 



