76 , THE WHALE EISHERY. 



CHAPTER yil. 



THE WHALE FISHERY. 



The records of the whale fisheries are so incomplete that 

 it has not been possible to find material for a succinct and 

 connected account of their j^rogress. A great deal of the 

 matter Avhich aj)pears in the following pages has been 

 gathered from a perusal of " Brett's Early New Zealand," 

 and the writer gratefully acknowledges the assistance that 

 work has afforded him. 



The first notice of whaling at Sydney dates in August, 

 1790, when about the latter end of the month a sjiermaceti 

 whale made its appearance in the harbour. A few days later 

 another whale pursued a punt and overturned it, drowning a 

 midshipman and two soldiers, and though its capture was 

 attempted it escaped for the time, but eventually stranded in 

 Manly Bay, and was killed by the natives. 



Amongst the transport ships which arrived in Port 

 Jackson during the year 1791 was the " Britannia," owned 

 by the Messrs. Enderby, of London. On the voyage, after 

 doubling the south-west coast of Yan Diemen's Land, she 

 sighted a large sperm whale off Maria Island, and more were 

 met with within fifteen leagues of the latitude of Port Jackson. 

 Within three leagues of the shore sperm whales were seen in 

 numbers ; the vessel passed through different shoals of them 

 from noon of one day until after sunset ; from the masthead 

 shoals were visible all around the horizon. The crew were 

 in the highest spirits at the sight, and the master, Thomas 

 Melville, determined as soon as he had got rid of his living 

 freight to make all possible despatch to this newly-found 

 fishery. 



On arrival, however. Captain Melville, had the misfortune 

 to find that Governor Phillip wanted to despatch him with 

 convicts to Norfolk Island. He thereupon related the 

 account of the whales, thinking that it would release 

 him from the projected visit, and advised that there was a 

 prospect of establishing a fishery which might be of immense 



