864 A JOURNEY TO THE 



as Churchill River, and I was present at the killing of three 

 there ; but this was in the course of twenty years. To the 

 Northward, particularly near Marble Island, they are more 

 plentiful ; but notwithstanding the Company carried on a 

 fishery in that quarter, from the year one thousand seven 

 hundred and sixty-five till one thousand seven hundred and 

 seventy-two, they were so far from making it answer their 

 expectations, that they sunk upwards of twenty thousand 

 pounds ; which is the less to be wondered at, when we 

 consider the great inconveniencies and expences [393] they 

 laboured under in such an undertaking. For as it was 

 impossible to prosecute it from England, all the people 

 employed on that service were obliged to reside at their 

 settlement all the year at extravagant wages, exclusive of 

 their maintenance. The harpooners had no less than fifty 

 pounds per annum standing wages, and none of the crew 

 less than from fifteen to twenty-five pounds ; which, together 

 with the Captains salaries, wear and tear of their vessels, 

 and other contingent expences, made it appear on calcula- 

 tion, that if there were a certainty of loading the vessels 

 every year, the Company could not clear themselves. 

 On the contrary, during the seven years they persevered 

 in that' undertaking, only four Black Whales were taken 

 near Marble Island ; and, except one, they were so small, 

 that they would not have been deemed payable fish in 

 the Greenland service.* But the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 with a liberality that does honour to them, though per- 

 fectly acquainted with the rules observed in the Greenland 

 service, gave the same premium for a sucking fish, as for 

 one of the greatest magnitude. 



* I have heard that no Whale caught by our Greenland ships is called 

 a Pay-fish ; that is, that no emolument arises to the harpooner that strikes it ; 

 unless the longest blade of the bone, usually called Whale-bone, measures six 

 feet ; whereas those killed in Hudson's Bay seldom measured more than four 

 feet and an half. 



