BY \V. LODEWYK CROWTHER, D S.O., MB. 141 



tended with boats' crews and no ships, the industry devel- 

 oped until in 1834 there were many sea-going ships em- 

 ployed around the Tasmanian coast, and occasionally in 

 New Zealand waters. Although primarily fitted out for 

 the Black whaling, naturally if the chance ai"ose tho more 

 valuable Spenii whale wciild be taken. 



From the Forties, however, the ships were fitted for 

 Blue Water cruising, with. the Sperm as their objective 

 and not the Right whale. Occasional references to the 

 Sperm whaling are found in the early V.D.L. publications, 

 rarely, however, with much detail. 



The first ship to have rounded Cape Horn and taken 

 whales in the Pacific appears to have been a ship from 

 New Bedford (U.S.A.) in the year 1790 (Beddoe, linok uf 

 Wliales). 



In 1803 the "Albion," with Bowen's expedition on 

 board, took three Sperm whales off the East Coast, and in 

 the succeeding year the "Alexander" took Right whales in 

 the estuary of the Derwent. 



In 1816 the Engli.sh whaler "Adamant" refits at 

 Hobart Town before leaving for the whaling ground. 

 (//. T. G'azeite, 1816.) 



The y^ars between 1816 and 1830, as already shown, 

 wore devoted by the Hobart Town ships almost entirely 

 to local Black whale fishing. The Editor of the (inzette 

 in tho issue of September 1st expresses the hope that the 

 profits of this successful year will induce V.D.L. busi- 

 ness men to take up the pursuit of the Sperm whale, which 

 he realises to be the mainstav of whaling. (//. T . (lazettf, 

 September 1st, 1827.) 



The tendency to sail oversea from V.D.L. coasts cul- 

 minated in 1830 with the despatch of the "Clarence" to 

 the SpeiTii fishing, the first Tasmanian ship to do so. 

 (Ross, //. T. Ahminacl\ 1830.) 



By 1831 the overseas movement had gained more 

 impetus. Ross states {H . T. AInuinnrk, 1831): — "Several 

 "additions have been made to our Colonial shipping during 

 "the past year, and the present spirit for embarking in 

 "the Sperm Whale Fishing is likely to increase still more. ' 



In addition to the "Deveron" already mentioned the 

 following ships are found on the register as having arrived 

 back to Hobart Town durTng the year : — 



January 1st, "Clarence," Capt. Lindsay, from N.Z., 

 Sperm Oil. 



Januaiy 24th, "Caroline," Capt. Smith, from Whaling 

 voyage, Sperm Oil. 



