APPENDIX C. 



To the sperm-whaleman who now sails to the distant grounds 

 of New Zealand or Japan in pursuit of his gigantic game, the jour- 

 nal annexed may prove interesting, as it shows how near home the 

 business was prosecuted, and how plentiful the sperm-whale once 

 was directly at our doors. It is extracted from the log of the 

 sloop Betsey, of Dartmouth : 



"Aug. 2, 1761. Lat. 45 54' N., long. 53 37' W., saw sperm-whale ; killed 

 one. 



"Aug. 6. Spoke John Clasbcrry ; be had got one hundred and five barrels ; 

 told us Seth Folger had got one hundred and fifty barrels. Spoke with two 

 Nantucket men ; they had got one whale between them ; they told us that 

 Jenkens and Dunham had got four whales, and Allen and Pease had got 

 two whales between them. Lat. 42 57' N. 



"Aug. 22. Took a spermaceti, etc., etc. 



" Aug. 28. Saw spermaceti; foggy; lost sight of him. 



"Aug. 30. Saw spermaceti, but cotrtd not strike. Lat. 43. 



"Aug. 31. Saw spermaceti plenty ; squally, with thunder. 



"Sept. 2. Saw spermaceti; foggy and dark. 



"Sept. 3. This morning at eight saw a spermaceti; got into her two 

 short warps and the tow-iron,* but she ran away. In the afternoon came 

 across her again ; got another iron in, but she went away. 



" Sept. 5. Saw spermaceti ; chased, but could not strike. 



" Sept. 6. Saw whales ; struck one, but never saw her again. 



" Sept. 7. Saw small school of spermaceti. Captain Shearman struck one 

 out of the vessel, and killed her. Lat. 43." 



It is evident that the methods of capture were very imperfect, 

 from the great numbers seen, and the few captured. 



* This was evidently before the tow-line was introduced in this fishery. 



