NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE. 1G7 



Whales was discovered and the crew succeeded in kiUing one and bringing it back to the island. 

 Following the example thus set, a number of vessels were shortly fitted out and sent on cruises 

 of six weeks or so, and tliese on capturing whales, returned at once with the blubber, for trying 

 out. These vessels usually carried two boats, one of which was held in reserve while the other 

 was sent to attack the whale. To facilitate the landing of the spoil and the rendering of the 

 oil, try-houses were erected near the landing, so that the vessel might at once discharge her 

 cargo and return to the chase. Gradually, as the Right Wliales diminished in the vicinity 

 of Nantucket, the vessels went farther and farther afield. About 17G0, says Nantucket's 

 historian, their numbers had so greatly decreased, that their pursuit in the home waters was 

 gradually abandoned. Witli the increasing development of the sperm whaling came the fitting 

 out of larger vessels for the uncharted seas of distant parts of the world. During the last cen- 

 tury, the records as elsewhere detailed, still show the occasional occurrence of Right Whales 

 off the coast of Nantucket but for many years no special effort was made to capture these stray 

 individuals. In 1880, however, the appearance of several Right Whales near at hand, roused 

 again the whaling blood of the islanders, boats and harpoons were hastily prepared and three 

 or four whales were eventually killed. Since then as I am told by one of the townspeople, a 

 boat is kept in readiness at Tuckernuck and on Nantucket, should a Right Whale appear, but 

 years may now pass without ever a spout to call forth the hunters. 



Martha's Vineyard.— In the Vinyard Gazette (quoted by Starbuck, 1878, p. 17) occurs 

 the earliest mention of whaling at Martha's Vineyard. This was in November, 1652, "when 

 Thomas Daggett and William Weeks were appointed 'whale cutters for this year.' The en- 

 suing April it was 'Ordered by the town that the whale is to be cut out freely, four men at 

 one time, and four at another, and so every whale, beginning at the east end of the town.'" 

 This appears to signify that, beginning with the householders at the east end of the town, the 

 first four should take charge of the first whale cast ashore, and should 'save' its oil for the 

 town free of cost. The next four men in like manner were to attend to the next that should 

 come, and so all would take their turn in working for the common good. It is therefore to be 

 inferred that the appointment of but two 'whale cutters' the previous year had proved insufli- 

 cient. From the same source, we are informed that in 1G90, "Mr. Sarson and William Vinson 

 were appointed by ' the proprietors of the whale ' to oversee the cutting and sharing of all whales 

 cast on shore within the bounds of Edgartown, 'they to have as much for their care as one 

 cutter.'" Probably, then, as at Cape Cod, it had later become convenient to give the entire 

 charge of saving 'drift' whales into the hands of a certain few persons, who in return paid the 

 town a rental, and made what profit they might. Such were the "proprietors of the whale." 

 No doubt these gentlemen, eager for a large return, did not take extraordinary pains to ascer- 

 tain whether such dead whales seemed to have died from natural causes (and so were a legiti- 

 mate prey) or were marked by harpoons or lance thrusts so as to be identifiable by the whalers 



