NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE. L57 



in right of the Crown two whales on shore at Town-Neck'" ' This evidence of friction between 

 the zealous officials of the Crown, and the local whalers is further seen in an earnest and quaintly 

 misspelled communication from a certain William Clapp, who made complaint to Governor 

 Paul Dudley at Boston, that many 'drift' whales were unlawfully appropriated by the whalers 

 to their own uses, for he had "very often every year sien that her maiesty has been very much 

 wronged of har dues by these contry peple and other whall men as coms hear a whallen every 

 year which tacks up drift whals which was neuer killed by any man which fish i understand 

 belongest to har magiesty and had i power i could have seased severl every year." ^ It does 

 not appear, however, that the irate official was given the power he desired to seize such whales 

 for the Crown. Governor Dudley, nevertheless, seems to have taken matters into his own 

 hands, and in 1705 retaliates by seizing certain whales taken by boats, "under a Pretence of 

 drift fish." He refuses to try the questions at common law but decides the matter in the 

 Admiralty.^ Notwithstanding these frequent records of controversy, we are not to suppose 

 that they are more than an occasional discordant echo of an important and flourishing industry. 



Try-houses, in which the blubber of whales killed was boiled, and the oil prepared, seem 

 to have been set up in many of the towns. A small tax was imposed for this privilege, and in 

 1701, Constant Freeman and Benjamin Small were appointed a committee on behalf of the 

 town of Truro, "to look after such persons as shall set up whale-houses, or other houses, upon 

 any of the common or undivided lands belonging to Pamet," and "to agree with them, . . .for 

 not less than Is. per man." ■* 



As early as 1706, an attempt was made to utilize the carcasses of stranded whales after 

 the blubber was stripped. For in this year certain of the people of Eastham and thereabouts, 

 addressed a petition to the General Court on the behalf of one Thomas Houghton, of Boston, 

 or his assigns, that for the space of ten years, he be allowed the exclusive privilege in New 

 England of carrying off such waste and putting it to some profitable use. This petition sets 

 forth that "all or most of us are concerned in fitting out Boats to Catch & take Whales when 

 ye season of ye year Serves: and whereas when wee have taken any whale or whales, our Cus- 

 tom is to cutt them up, and to take away ye fatt and ye Bone of such Whales as are brought 

 in. And afterwards to let ye Rest of ye Boddy of ye Lean of whales Lye on shoar in lowe water 

 to be washt away by ye sea, being of noe valine nor worth any Thing to us"; wherefore it is 

 desired that Houghton apply his 'discovery' to the great profit of the people concerned. The 

 Council in granting his patent, stipulates "that within the space of Four years he shew forth 

 to the Satisfaction of the Govern"^ Council & Assembly That his Projection will take effect, 



» Freeman, F. History of Cape Cod, 1862, vol. 2, p. 82. 

 2 Ibid., vol. 1, p. 342, footnote. 



^ Coll. Mass. Hist. See, 1879, ser. .5, vol. 6, quoted by Weeden, Economic and Social History of New England, ISOO, 

 vol. 1, p. 436. 



* Freeman, F. History of Cape Cod, 1862, vol. 2, p. 543. 



