The Rise of American Whaling. 29 
changed. But before discussing the effects of the war, 
it is necessary to consider the condition of some of the 
other principal ports. 
The Long Island fishery, which had been among the 
most prominent at the close of the seventeenth century, 
receives but meager mention in the records during the 
eighteenth century. In the first decade or two there are 
occasional orders relative to whales and whaling,” but 
little to indicate that the business was growing to much 
extent. During most of these early years, just as in 
the century before, whaling was a constant source of 
conflict between the whalemen and the colonial author- 
ities. Thus in 1711 the latter issued a writ to the sheriffs 
directing them to seize all whales. In later years, 
Southampton, Easthampton and the other early whaling 
towns seem to have been supplanted by the younger ’ 
port, Sag Harbor,** but even as late as 1760 only three 
sloops were fitted from that port. Nantucket had far 
outstripped its early rival. 
On Cape Cod the fishery was more progressive. The 
‘‘Boston News Letter,” in 1727, says, ‘“We hear from 
the towns on the Cape that the whale fishery among 
them has failed much this winter, as it has for several 
winters past, but having found out the way of going to 
sea upon that business, and having had much success in 
it, they are now fitting out several vessels to sail : 
this spring, more than have ever been sent out from 
among them.’’ From this item it seems safe to conclude 
that the people of Cape Cod had followed the example 
of the Nantucket whalers, and that at least as early as 
1726 the original shore whaling had been supplemented 
by deep-sea whaling. 
Ten years later the same authority states*® that a 
= Starbuck, p. 26 ff: 
38 Starbuck, p. 43. 
84 Mar. 20, 1727, quoted by Starbuck, p. 31. 
“Boston News Letter,’ Apr. 21, 1737, quoted by Starbuck, 
MOLE p: 32. 
