20 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



encouragement they soon became experienced whalemen and conversant 

 with all the details of the business.* 



The first sperm whale taken by Nantucket whalemen was captured by 

 Christopher Hussey, about the year 1712, and the capture, destined to 

 efl'ect a radical change in the pursuit of this business, was the result of 

 an accident. "He was cruising," says Macy,t "near the shore for 

 Eight whales, and was blown off some distance from the land by a 

 strong northerly wind, where he fell in with a school of that species of 

 whales, and killed one and brought it home. * * * * This event 

 gave new life to the business, for they immediately began with vessels 

 of about thirty tons to whale out in the 'deep,' as it was then called, 

 to distinguish it from shore whaling. They fitted out for cruises of 

 about six weeks, carried a few hogsheads, enough probably to contain 

 the blubber of one whale, with which, after obtaining it, they returned 

 home. The owners then took charge of the blubber, and tried out the 

 oil, and immediately sent the vessels out again." | In 1715 Nantucket 

 had six sloops engaged in this fishery, producing oil to the value of 

 £1,100 sterling, the shore fishery being, in the mean time, still continued. 

 There was no perceptible diminution in the number of whales taken 

 from along the coast for quite a number of years after the establishment 

 of the fishery. 



In 1720 the inhabitants of Nantucket made a small shipment of oil 

 to London in the ship Hanover, of Boston, William Chadder, master. § 



* Macy's Hist., p. 30. 



UUd.,]).26. 



tThe first sperm -wbale Tcnotvn to Nantucket "was found dead, and ashore, on the 

 southwest part of the island. It caused considerable excitement, some demanding a 

 part of the prize under oue pretence, some under another, and all were anxious to 

 behold so strange an animal. There were so many claimants of the prize, that it was 

 difficult to determine to whom it should belong. The natives claimed the whale 

 because they found it " (not a bad reason surely) ; "the whites, to whom the natives 

 made known their discovery, claimed it by a right comprehended, as they affirmed, in 

 the purchase of the island." (Ah! what lawyers they must have been!) "An officer 

 of the crown" (here steps in the lion) "made his claim, and pretended to seize 

 the fish in the name of His Majesty, as being property without any particular 

 owner. * * * * It was finally settled that the ■u.'Mte inhabitants who first found 

 the whale, should share the prize equally amongst themselves." (Alas for royalty, and 

 alas for the finders !). The teeth, considered very valuable, had been prudently taken 

 care of by a white man and an Indian before the discovery was made public. The de- 

 cision in regard to ownership certainly justified their precaution. This compromise 

 made, the whale was cut up and the oil extracted. What the amount of it was is un- 

 known. " The sperm procured from the head was thought to be of great value for 

 medical purjioscs It was used both as an internal and an external application ; and 

 such was the credulity of the people, that they considered it a certain cure for all 

 diseases ; it was sought with avidity, and, for a while, was esteemed to be worth its 

 weight in silver." — (Macy's Hist.) 



§ " Shipped by the grace of God, in good order and well conditioned, by Paul Starbuck, 

 in the good ship called the Hanover, whereof is master under God for the 



fN. S.] present voyage, William Chadder and now riding in the harbour of 



Boston, and by God's grace bound for London; to say :— six barrels of 



