5i8 MODERN SEA FISHING 



rating, so much bone and oil money in addition to the low rate 

 of pay he signs articles for, and the voyage often ends in 

 disappointment ; indeed, 'clean 'ships (as unsuccessful whalers 

 are termed) have become much more frequent of late years, 

 and this fishing industry seems to be declining. 



By referring to Martin's 'Voyage to Spitzbergen' (Hak- 

 luyt Society, 1855), it will be seen that formerly whales 

 abounded along the ice at various points from Jan Mayen to 

 Spitzbergen, and in the bays of the latter island ; but even in 

 Scoresby's time they had deserted many of their former haunts, 

 and every year they retire for protection from their greatest 

 enemy, man, further and further into the ice. The writer has, 

 however, heard whalers assert that there are as many fish as 

 ever, if you can only find them, and the conditions of the ice 

 will allow of their capture. 



That there are as many as ever is very doubtful ; but if the 

 ice is suitably placed as it is in some years, with a good ship 

 and crew, a very prosperous voyage might still be made. Old 

 hands also say that, owing to the bad catches of late years, a 

 much inferior class of seaman follow this calling, which results 

 in whales being scared by jealousy, misses, and bad manage- 

 ment when a fish is fastened. The vessels employed in this 

 fishing run from about 250 to 500 tons, and are built as strong 

 as wood and iron can make them. Wood is found to bear the 

 pressure of ice better than iron ; for although a wooden ship 

 may be almost squeezed out of shape, provided nothing gives 

 way when the nip eases off, she will regain her lines. 



In 1857 the Innuit, the first steamer ever employed in 

 this fishing, an iron vessel, made a good voyage to Davis 

 Strait ; but she was lost in 1859, together with the iron 

 steamers Empress of India and the Recruit, in rough weather, 

 by striking the ice. Since this, only one other iron whaler ap- 

 pears to have been employed, viz. the River Tay which shared 



