COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 481 
NOTES OF FORMER FISHERIES OF IMPORTANCE. 
At different periods during the past century the islanders have 
prosecuted certain fisheries with varying success. While some of 
these proved very successful and were carried on for many years, 
others soon ceased, owing to the destruction of the object sought, or 
for other reasons. Among these may be mentioned the whale, seal, 
otter, shark, pearl, and béche-de-mer fisheries. 
THE HAWAITAN WHALE FISHERY. 
Owing to the immense importance of the foreign fleet, especially 
the American, which made its headquarters at the islands, the feeble 
struggles of the domestic fleet are frequently swallowed up and lost 
sight of in those of its giant competitors. While the files of early 
Honolulu newspapers contain much which refers to the foreign fleet, 
there appears but little, and that very fragmentary, on the home fleet. 
Every effort possible was made to fill in the numerous gaps, but this 
was found impossible in many instances, and the following can be 
considered merely as notes on the industry. 
VESSEL WHALING. 
The first mention of a whaler being fitted out from the islands was 
in an early number of the Polynesian, of Honolulu, which stated that 
the first whaler fitted out was in 1832, in which H. A. Pierce, of 
Honolulu, was interested. Later and more thorough inquiries would 
seem to fix the period at 1834, when the brig Waverly was fitted out 
for whaling and searching among the islands to the westward for 
Captain Dowsett and others. While engaged in this search she her- 
self was cut off and all her crew massacred at Strong’s Island. 
In the Polynesian, of Honolulu, under date of April 12, 1851, occurs 
the following: 
We are happy to notice, in connection with the whaling business, that the ship 
Chariot has been purchased in this place by an enterprising company and will soon 
sail on a whaling voyage under the command of Captain Spencer. We wish them 
every success, and believe they will meet with it, as Capt. S. is well skilled in the 
business and has filled ships before. We know of no good reason why this lucrative 
branch of commerce can not be prosecuted from this port, with many advantages 
over all others, as we have frequently suggested in the Polynesian. It is certainly 
worthy of the experiment, and we are glad to see it undertaken. 
During the fall season of 1852 only one Honolulu vessel was engaged 
in whaling, the brig Jno. 
On January 8, 1855, as the ship //eroine, owned by R. Coady & Co., 
of Honolulu, was being towed out of the harbor preparatory to starting 
on a cruise, the hawser parted and shé was wrecked on the reef at the 
entrance to the harbor. 
In the /rzend, of Honolulu, on March 3, 1858, occurs the following 
list of vessels owned in and fitted from Honolulu during the spring 
season of 1858, with the amount of capital invested in each. 
F.C. 1901 
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