THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC, 23 
some of them came neere our shipp; this creature did astonish us that saw them 
not before; their back appeared like a little island.”—(P. 42.) ' 
On another page” are again mentioned “huge whales going by companies and 
puffing up water-streames.” 
Richard Mather, in his voyage to New England in 1635, mentions seeing near 
that coast “mighty whales spewing up water in the air like the smoke of a chimney.” * 
In 1689, according to Starbuck, the Massachusetts colonies began to pass acts 
relating to the fisheries. The earliest paper relating to whales which he quotes is 
a proposition of the general court of Plymouth Colony respecting “ drift fish,” dated 
October 1, 1661.4 Neither this nor the later documents give any clue to the kind 
of whales pursued, beyond passing references to whalebone and statements of the 
amount of oil obtained, but it is probable, judging from evidence of later date, that 
it was the Atlantic Right whale, Balena glacialis. 
NEW YORK BAY. 
The only early historian of New York whose writings, so far as I have been 
able to ascertain, contain references to whales, is Adriaen Van der Donck. He 
came to New York about 1645, and about 1653 published the first edition of his 
Description of the New Netherlands. In this history he turns aside to mention the 
appearance of two whales in the Hudson River in 1647, and of four others which 
occurred there the same year, as follows: 
[1656. VAN DER DONCK’s “DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW NETHERLANDS.” 
“JT cannot refrain, although somewhat out of place, to relate a very singular 
occurrence, which happened in the month of March, 1647, at the time of a great 
freshet caused by the fresh water flowing down from above, by which the water 
of the [Hudson] river became nearly fresh to the bay, when at oF dinary seasons the 
salt water flows up from twenty to twenty-four miles from the sea. At this season, 
two whales, of common size, swam up the river forty miles, from which place one 
of them returned and stranded about twelve miles from the sea, near which place 
four others also stranded the same year. The other run farther up the river and 
grounded near the great Chahoos falls, about forty-three miles from the sea. This 
fish was toler ably fat, for although the citizens of Rensselaerwyck broiled out a 
great quantity of train oil, still the whole river (the current being still rapid) was 
oily for three weeks and covered with grease. As the fish lay rotting, the air was 
infected with its stench to such a degree that the smell was offensive and percepti- 
ble for two miles to leeward. For what purpose those whales ascended the river 
so far, it being at the time full forty miles from all salt or brackish water, it is dif- 
ficult to say, unless their great desire for fish, which were plenty at this season, led 
them onward.” > 
‘A True Relation of the Last Voyage to New England, begun the 25th of April, 1629, written 
from New England, July 24, 1629. Hutchinson’s Coll. Orig. Papers on Hist. Mass. Bay, 1769. 
VOpuctt pe AG: 
*See his Journal. Quoted by Starbuck, of. cé¢., p. 5, foot-note. 
“STARBUCK, op. cit., p. 7. 
* VAN DER Donck, A., A Description of the New Netherlands, 2d ed., 1656. 2 4. Y. Aizst. 
Coll., 1, pp. 142-143. The first edition, according to the editor, was published about 1653. 
