THE AMERICAN WHALE-FISHERY. 
2G9 
whaling, left to cruise in the open sea for Sperm Whales, until the northern season 
should come round again. Disappointed in their new whaling enterprise, they 
usually left with many maledictions on Margarita Bay (as it was usually called), 
and on the whales especially, which had already been given a multitude of signifi- 
cant names. After suspending whaling for a few days, and a number of ships 
leaving meanwhile, the whales again returned to their favorite haunt, and, the 
whalemen soon learning how to "work around them," the ships that remained 
generally made a fair season's catch. 
The dangers incident to whaling in Magdalena Bay and lagoons gave rise to 
many a marvelous tale, some of which were literally true, while others, though 
amusing, partook strongly of that flavor which sailors term "fishy." After the first 
few years of "gray "-whaling, the pursuit came to be regarded as somewhat 
impracticable; and the oil obtained being of an inferior quality, without the 
accompanying yield of bone, as in the Bight Whale and Bowhead, this branch of 
the fishery was for a time nearly abandoned. A few ships, however, passed a 
portion of the winter months in pursuing the Devil-fish of Magdalena; and one 
captain in particular made periodical visits to a favorite estuary, where the animals 
were found in great abundance, and were captured with less than the usual diffi- 
culty; but a season never passed without casualties occurring— sometimes serious 
ones. This indefatigable master (whom we will call Captain L.), in order to 
play a little game of bluff with his boon companions, would, on his return to the 
Sandwich Islands to recruit ship for the north, bring with him one of his boats 
which had been staved beyond repair, that those interested might have convincing 
proof of the terrors of "ripsack- whaling." Added to this, his spicy yarns when 
dilating upon the dangerous chase, created in those unacquainted an aversion to 
engage in so precarious a pursuit. At length, however, the northern whales 
becoming scattered and difficult to capture, caused some of the most enterprising 
captains to try their hand with the Grays. At the time we are writing about, 
a large fleet had concentrated at Honolulu, after the accustomed summer cruise to 
the north; and at these periodical gatherings, the whalers, from the steerage -boy 
to the captain, enjoyed a season of relaxation from the restraint of strict disci- 
pline, as well as from the duties on board ship, and a good deal of familiarity was 
tolerated on shore during their brief stay, which at sea would have been promptly 
suppressed. Everyone seemed to follow his own inclinations in seeking pleasure 
wherever, or in whatever way, it could be found. And one of Captain L.'s 
felicitous amusements was in dilating upon the terrors of "devil-fishing" (he famil- 
iarly termed it) "over to Margarita," At one time, when in the midst of a 
