APP. N" VIII.] ACCOUNT OK THE S. SEA WII.ALE-ri.SlIEIlV. 535 



geals when it is cold ; it is put into casks in its crude state, 

 and refined on sliore at the conclusion of the voyage. The 

 blubber, however, is reduced mto oil soon after it is taken, 

 in " try- works,"" with which every ship is providetl for this 

 purpose. The coppers in the try-works are two in number, 

 and are placed, side by side, near the fore hatcliway ; these, 

 with their furnaces, and casing of brick-work, occupy a space 

 of 5 or 6 feet fore and aftways, 8 or 9 feet athwart ships, and 

 4 or 5 feet in height. The cavity of the arches of brick- 

 work, on which the coppers and furnaces are raised, forms a 

 cistern for water ; so that when the fire is on, the deck is de- 

 fended from injury by the changing of the water in the cis- 

 tern twice or thrice every watch. As the oil is extracted, it 

 is put into coolers, from whence, after standing about twenty- 

 four hours, it is transferred into casks. The coppers are heat- 

 ed, in the first instance, with wood, but subsequently with the 

 fritters of the blubber, which, containing a considerable quan- 

 tity of oil, produce a fierce fire. A large fish, of the species 

 most usually taken, produces about three tons of oil; a small fish 

 from one to two tons. Sometimes, the cargo of the ship will 

 consist of above 100 whales, the produce of wlpch, in boiled 

 spermaceti oil, may be from 150 to 200 tons, besides head- 

 matter. 



2. Fishery of the " right Whahy'' or Mysticetus. — This 

 animal is found in soundings, on the western coast of Africa, 

 on the eastern coast of South America, &c. It seldom oc- 

 curs so large as the kind met with in the seas of Greenland 

 and Davis"* Straits, the most usual size being that of 9 feet 

 (whale) bone ; perhaps 35 or 40 feet in length. The head 

 is frequently covered with a bed of bernicles, consisting of 

 several strata, so that its appearance is very different from 

 that of the northern mysticetus, being altogether of a white 

 colour. "When struck, the southern mysticetus often dives to 

 the bottom, the depth being seldom more than 200 fathoms, 

 returns to the surface after an interval of a few minutes, and 

 occasionally dives a second, a third, or a fourth time. But 

 sometimes it takes a horizontal course, and " runs"'"' along 



