204 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
the coast. As early as 1712 or 1713, sloops of thirty - eight to fifty tons were fitted 
out from Nantucket, for voyages east to Newfoundland and south to the Gulf 
Stream. They had two boats each, and were manned with a crew of twelve or 
thirteen men, half of the number being natives.* In some instances the whole 
company, except the captain, were Indians; and the ''Nattick" language was, in a 
great measure, adopted on board. f With these vessels, thus manned, and with the 
addition of an occasional representative of the African race, the fishery was success- 
fully pursued up to 1746, J when larger ones, schooners and brigs, from one hun- 
dred to one hundred and thirty tons, were employed. These more capacious whaling 
craft stretched across the Atlantic, in their voyages, to the coast of Africa, traversed 
the Banks of Newfoundland, and contended with the ice of Baffin's and Hudson's 
bays, in search of their mammoth prey, and in open seasons reached the latitude 
of 81°. 
According to Bieketson's History of New Bedford, the founder of that city, 
Joseph Bussell, Esq., was the first to engage in the whale-fishery at that point, 
which dates back to 1755. In 17C5, he, with others, employed in the enterprise 
the sloops Nancy, Polly, Greyhound, and Hannah, each of which was about fifty tons 
burden. Their cruises were extended during the milder months of the year as far 
south as the " Capes of Virginia." In these primitive voyages, the oil was not 
extracted from the blubber until the vessel's return, when the hoy -like craft was 
hauled broadside upon the shore, and an ox-cart was the means of transporting 
* Pitkins mentions that the American whal- spouted thick blood, with irons in them, and 
ing-fleet, in 1731, amounted to thirteen hundred drags ("droges") fastened to them, which are 
tons. — Pitkins on Commerce, p. 43. thick boards about fourteen inches square." It 
■f It has been stated by several 'writers that was considered presumption to attempt to capt- 
the American colonists followed up the Indian ure the huge creatures "in small boats, and by 
mode of capturing the whale, by first striking the aid of lines, from the end of which was 
it with a harpoon having a log of wood attached attached the harpoon, by which they could draw 
to it by a line, even as late as the commence- themselves to the harpooned whale whenever 
ment of the Sperm Whale fishery. It is quoted they wished to destroy it with the lance." "We 
that the Hon. Paul Dudley stated: "Our peo- are of the opinion, however, that the colonial 
pie formerly used to kill the whale near the whalers did not follow the Indian mode of 
shore, but now they go off to sea in sloops and whale - fishing ; for it is well known that the 
whale-boats. Sometimes the whale is killed by British whalers, as early as 1G70, used the line 
a single stroke, and yet at other times she will attached to the boat, and, so far as the drags 
hold the whalemen in play near half a day to- or "droges" are concerned, they are used at 
gether, with their lances; and sometimes they the present day in cases of emergency, 
will get away after they have been lanced and % Hunt's Merchants Magazine, vol. iii, p. 356. 
