HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY. 147 



In 1845 the Lowell, Captain Benjamin, and the General Williams, 

 Captain Holt, arrived at New London, the former having been gone 21 

 and the latter 22 months, each bringing about 4,500 barrels of whale-oil 

 and 43,000 pounds of bone, each cargo being valued at about $01,400. 

 The Lowell was said to have had alongside at one time sixteen ivhalcs. 



In 1849 the South America, of Providence, Capt. R. X. Sowle, re- 

 turned from a voyage of 26 months, with 5,300 barrels of whale and 200 

 barrels of sperm oil, and 50,000 pounds of bone, worth $89,000. As 

 she fitted at $40,000, it will be seen that she paid her cost and a divi- 

 dend of about 125 per cent. The Eussell, of New Bedford, Captain 

 Morse, also brought to her investors, in the same year, a cargo valued 

 at $92,000, (2,050 barrels of sperm-oil.) She was absent three years 

 and four months. The cargo of the Plymouth, of Sag Harbor, Capt. 

 L. B. Edwards, which also returned in 1849, was worth $71,000. She 

 brought 4,873 barrels of whale-oil, and was gone 41 months. 



In 1850 the Coral, of New Bedford, Captain Seabury, returned from 

 a three years' voyage with 3,350 barrels of sperm-oil, worth $126,630. 



Probably the most extraordinary voyage ever made was that of the 

 Envoy, of New Bedford, which sailed in 1848. She returned to Provi- 

 dence in 1847 from a whaling voyage, and was there condemned and 

 sold to William C. Brownell, esq., of New Bedford, to be broken up. 

 Mr. Brownell, however, concluded to fit her for another voyage, and did 

 so, sending her to sea under the command of Capt. W. T. Walker.* 

 She sailed immediately to Wytootacke, and took on board 1,000 barrels 

 of oil that Captain Walker had purchased from a wreck on a previous 

 voyage at a merely nominal price,t and stored there; thence he pro- 

 ceeded to Manila and shipped this oil to London. From Manila he 

 cruised in the North Pacific Ocean, and in fifty-five days took 2,800 

 barrels of whale-oil. Of this he shipped to London from Manila 1,800 

 barrels, and also 40,000 pounds of bone. Cruising again he took 2,500 

 barrels of whale-oil and 35,000 pounds of bone. Captain Walker now 

 put into San Francisco, sold 25,000 gallons of oil at $1 per gallon, and 

 the remainder (85,000 gallons) at 51 cents i)er gallon, and shipped 

 $12,500 worth of bone to New Bedford. While at San Francisco an 

 offer of $6,000 was made for the vessel. The gross amount of oil ob- 

 tained was 5,300 barrels, and of bone 75,000 pounds. Summing up, 

 then, the entire result of the voyage, we find: 



Net profit on 1,000 barrels first shipped to London . , $9, 000 



Net profit on catchiugs for first season 37, 500 



Sales at San Francisco 73, 450 



Value of bone shipped home 12, 5U0 



Value of vessel at San Francisco 6, 000 



138, 450 

 The Envoy was fitted at about $8,000. 



* The underwriters declined to insure ber. 



t Wrecked oil was sometimes purchased at from fifty cents to one dollar a barrel. 



