354! WHALE-FISHERY. 



One of tlie most calamitous evciits^ which, iu 

 modern times, has occurred in the fishery, was 

 that above alluded to, which happened to the crew 

 of the Ipswich, Captain Gordon, about fifteen 

 years ago. A whale was struck and killed by 

 tlie Ipswich's people, early in the spring of the 

 year; a season in which the weather is most un- 

 certain. A storm commenced, accompanied with 

 snow, before the capture was completed, but never- 

 theless the fish was taken to the ship, and having 

 shelter from the ice, it was flensed. INIean while 

 four boats' crews were employed on a piece of ice, 

 in hauling in the lines of the fast-boats, &c. ; du- 

 ring tlie performance of which duties, the ship drift- 

 ed out of sight of them. Every effort was then 

 made by the captain, for discovering these ifnhappy 

 rnen, who, being above twenty in number, constituted 

 nearly lialf of his crew. But the weather conti- 

 nuing thick and stormy, and the frost m^ost intense, 

 it is probable they all perished before the conclu- 

 sion of the gale ; at least none of them were saved, 

 nor can I learn that any of their bodies were ever 

 found *. 



The remarkable property of oil in smoothening 

 the surface of the sea when considerably agitated, 



* The particulars of this unhappy affair I was desirous to 

 have given at some lengtli ; but tliough I applied to those ca- 

 pable of affording the information, I have not yet been favour* 

 ed with any reply. 



