244 HISTORY AND DETAILS OP WHALING. 



Mr. Brodhead, under the authority of the State of New York, 

 and called " London Documents." 



Vol. iv. pp. 9-12. In the instructions of the Duke of York 

 to his agent, John Lewen, he is directed to "inquire what 

 number of whales have been killed near ye place within six 

 years last past, and what quantities of whale bone and oyle 

 have been made or brought in there, and how much my share 

 hath amounted to in that time. . . . And you are also to 

 informe yourself how many whales are taken and brought in 

 there, commibus annis. Given May 24th, 1680." 



Ibid. p. 71. In his answer, Lewen says "that the number 

 of whales killed is never observed by any person, nor the oil 

 or bone." 



Ibid. p. 84. General Andros, on this point, states, Decem- 

 ber 31, 1681, that " very few whales have been driven on ashore 

 but what have been killed and claymed by the whalers ; and, 

 if not proved theirs, then claymed by the Indian natives, or 

 Christians clayming the shores in said Indian's right. And 

 tho I have not been wanting in my endeavors, I never could 

 recover any part thereof for his Royal Highness." 



Vol. ii. p. 277. " On ye east of Long Island there were 12 

 or 13 whales taken before ye end of March, and what since wee 

 heare not ; here are some dayly seen in the very harbour, some- 

 times within Nutt Island. Out of the pinnace, the other week, 

 they struck two, but lost both ; the irons broke in one, the 

 other broke the warpe. Samuel Maverick. 



July 5, 1669." 



" The first whaling expedition from Nantucket was under- 

 taken by some of the original purchasers of the island, the cir- 

 cumstances of which are handed down to us by tradition, and 

 are as follows : A whale of the kind called the ' scragg ' came 

 into the harbor, and continued there three days. This excited 

 the curiosity of the people, and led them to devise measures to 

 prevent his return out of the harbor. They accordingly in- 

 vented, and caused to be wrought for them, a harpoon, with 



