Whaling as a Business Enterprise 315 



reprehensible among shipowners, and that is a 

 fact of some importance, perhaps, in any account 

 of any branch of sea commerce. 



The Envoy sailed from New Bedford on July 14, 

 1848. Going to Wytootacke, she carried Cap- 

 tain Walker's oil to Manila, whence it was shipped 

 to London, and sold at a profit of $9000. Then 

 the Envoy went cruising, and in fifty-five days 

 took 2800 barrels of whale oil besides bone. Re- 

 turning to Manila, Captain Walker shipped 1800 

 barrels of the oil and 40,000 pounds of the bone 

 to London, where it was sold at a net profit of 

 $37>5- Meantime on going for another cruise 

 Walker had the extraordinary luck to secure 2500 

 barrels of whale oil and 35,000 pounds of bone. 



As the old ship was now loaded in every nook 

 and hollow, Captain Walker headed for San 

 Francisco, where he arrived in 1851. Here oil 

 and bone were sold to the value of $73,450; 

 bone that netted $12,500 was shipped to New 

 Bedford, and then, to end all, he sold the ship for 

 $6000. On an investment of $8000 the Envoy 

 made $138,450. 



The records show that as early as 1616 in 



