FISHERIES AND GUANO INDUSTRY OF PERU. 353 
to 30 cents the quarter or less, but the real object of the fishery is the oil, which 
is valued for miners’ lamps. 
A net for turtles, or ‘‘tortugera,”’ at Pisco may be about 80 fathoms long 
by 2 fathoms or a little more in depth. A net observed had a mesh of 30 centi- 
meters (1 foot) bar. In the use of this net the fishermen, working near the 
shores, watch carefully, and when a turtle is seen, put the net out as quickly as 
possible. One to 5 or 6 may be taken at a time, or, when they are especially 
abundant, as many as 10 may be taken at one haul. Two fishermen, working 
together, may take as many as 8o turtles per week. January, February, and 
March are regarded as the best months in which to take them, because they are 
fattest in those months.* The fat is thrown into a big pot of 8 to 10 gallons 
capacity and slowly cooked, while the shells are used for fuel. The fishermen 
state that 80 or go turtles yield 16 to 20 tins of oil, selling at 3 soles (about $1.50). 
Computing from these figures, the oil yielded by an individual turtle would be 
worth from 27 to 38 cents, while the total catch of two fishermen in one week 
might be worth $24 to $30 for oil, besides the value of the meat. 
The fishery for whales off the coast of Peru has been pursued by foreign 
vessels for more than a hundred years. After an English vessel, manned by 
American whalemen, made a most successful voyage around Cape Horn in 
1788-1790, the coasts of Chile and Peru soon became favored whaling grounds 
for both English and American vessels. The agreeableness of the climate off 
the coast of Peru, the freedom from dangerous storms, the convenience of certain 
ports, the abundance of whales, all conspired to make it a favored cruising 
ground, and Callao, Paita, and Tumbes became places of common resort for 
refitting and provisioning. Peru derived a direct commercial benefit from this 
fishery. Tumbes gained more than this; for sometimes the crews were recruited 
with local sailors, and occasionally these native recruits, acquiring experience 
and skill, rose to the rank of officials of the boat crews. In this way the ‘‘Tum- 
besefios”’ learned the methods of the whale fishery, and the way was opened 
for a national fishery. For at least twenty years persons or companies of 
Tumbes have followed this fishery, employing the well-equipped whaleboats left 
behind by the foreign whalers. It is, however, a small fishery, 10 to 14 whales 
in a season being accounted a good catch. The season of 1907 was a very poor 
one, only 4 whales being captured, with a yield of about 6,500 gallons of oil, 
valued in Tumbes at about $1,300. 
The coast has long been abandoned by all foreign whalers except a few 
Chilean boats, which are supposed to take about 150,000 gallons of oil each year. 
At the local valuation this would amount to approximately $30,000. The 
, 
a Turtles are not known to come on the beaches to lay in this region, nor so far as I know, south 
of the region of Tumbes, where it is said that the nests are made about September. The only common 
turtle of the coast is the Pacific green turtle. The tortoise-shell turtle is said to be found very rarely. 
B. B. F. 1908—23 
