140 WHALE-FISHERY. 



pin-poses of the fishery, and for reducing the blub- 

 ber into oil. These buildings were principally made 

 at the expence of the joint-stock companies, which 

 were at different periods chartered by the States- 

 General, prior to the year 1642, the period when 

 the trade was laid entirely open to all adventurers *. 

 The principal edifices of the Dutch were rais- 

 ed on Amsterdam Island ; where the rapid in- 

 crease of the shipping employed in the fishery, their 

 universal good success, and the expectation that the 

 trade would never fail, induced them to extend their 

 buildings in such a degree, that the place became 

 of considerable importance, and was characteristicly 

 designated Smeerenberg. During the first twenty or 



* 1st Charter for 3 years, bears date 27th January I6l4, 

 (Beschryvmg, vol. i. p. 3,-4^.); extended in l6l7 for 4 years; 

 and in l621 for 1 year : 2d, The charter of the Zealand Com- 

 pany, allowing them to participate in the trade, bears date 

 28th May 1622, (Id. vol. i. p. 9.) : 3d, The charter of " the 

 Greater and Lesser Northern Societies of Holland/' for 12 

 3'^ears, bears date 22d December 1622, (Id. vol. i. p. 6,-8.) ; 

 4ih, The Frieslanders' charter for 20 years, bears date 22d No- 

 vember 1634, (Id. vol. i. p. 10,-12) ; 5t/i, The charter of the 

 North Holland and Zealand Companies, united with that of 

 West Friesland for 8 years, bears date 25th October l633, 

 (Id. vol. i p. 18,-20.) This charter expired in l641, and 

 was not afterwards renewed : 6ili, The Frieslanders joined, by 

 agreement, with the Companies of Zealand and Holland, to be 

 partakers of the benefit of their charter for 8 years : this agree- 

 ment consists of 24 articles, and bears date 23d June l6S6, 

 (Id, vol. i. p. 13,-16.) 



