THE AMERICAN WHALE - FISIIERY. 
219 
We speak of the whaling merchants as being not of that class who anticipated 
large profits and quick returns, but only a legitimate compensation for their labors, 
and a fair interest upon the capital invested in the voyages, which required from 
one to four years' time to accomplish ; and often, though the expedition terminated 
unsuccessfully, the ship was again sent out on another voyage, trusting that con- 
tinued perseverance would bring about final success, which in many cases was fully 
realized. There are over one thousand different articles required to complete the 
outfit of a first-class whale -ship, many of them of trifling value to be sure, yet all 
important to the success of the voyage. Then there are the officers and crew to 
be shipped, "on a lay." The latter may be without much difficulty obtained from 
the shipping agents ; but to select and engage a set of officers, of the highest char- 
acter and undoubted skill in their profession, is not so easy a matter, and it is 
but rarely accomplished. If half their number are really "crack whalemen," the 
voyage will usually be a successful one, if whales are found in sufficient numbers. 
couragement I thought would induce a removal, 
which I estimated at one hundred pounds ster- 
ling transportation for a family of five persons, 
and one hundred pounds sterling settlement — 
say twenty thousand pounds sterling, for a hun- 
dred families. 'Ah!' said he, 'that is a great 
sum ! and at this time, too, when we are all 
endeavoring to encourage our own expeditions.' 
I replied, ' Thou mayst think it a great sum 
for this nation to pay — I think two -thirds of it 
a great sum for you to have taken from me as 
an individual, unjustly and illegally!' We had 
a long conversation, and I left him, to call again 
in a few days, which I did. I then added to 
my demand the liberty to bring thirty ships — 
American ships — for the fishery. '0, no!' said 
he, ' that can not be ; our carpenters must be 
employed.' I mentioned that we had some ships 
that were built before the war, 'those can sure- 
ly be admitted?' 'No; they must be British- 
built.' 'Will it be any advantage, if an emigra- 
tion takes place, for the emigrants to bring 
property with them?' I replied. 'Yes, certainly.' 
' If they can invest their money in articles that 
will be worth double here to what they are at 
home, will that be any additional advantage to 
this country?' 'Yes!' 'Then why not bring 
shirks, when two of ours will not cost one of 
yours ? ' ' O ! we don't make mercantile calcu- 
lations ; 'tis seamen we want!' 'Then, surely, 
two of our vessels will answer your purpose 
better than one of yours, as they will make 
double the number of seamen, which is the thing 
aimed at?' He saw that he was in a dilemma, 
out of which he could not reason himself, and 
struggled through with some violence. He had 
made his own nice calculations of eighty - seven 
pounds ten shillings for transportation and set- 
tlement of a family, and said he, 'I am about 
a fishery bill, and want to come at something I 
can insert!' My answer was, 'Thou canst go 
on with thy fishery bill. Thy offer is no object 
to me !' 'Well, Mr. Kotch, you will call on me 
again in two or three days?' 'I see no neces- 
sity for it.' 'But I desire you would.' 'If thou 
desirest it, perhaps I may call.' However, he 
let me rest but one day, before he sent for me 
again. He had the same story over again, but 
I told him it was unnecessary to enter again 
upon the subject. I then informed him that I 
had heard a rumor that Nantucket merchants 
had agreed to furnish France with a quantity of 
