WHALE FISHERY. 251 



plenty of cod on this coaft is very great, quite 

 from Hornhead to Mount Charles, in winter, 

 when the herrings fet in, and may then be ta- 

 ken in any quantities. Some wherries come 

 for cod, ling, glalTen, &a all which are plenti- 

 ful; but on the banks they are to be taken in 

 fummer, and in the winter they follow the 

 herrings. 



In all the bays on the coaft, in March and 

 April, there are many whales, the bone fort-, 

 they appear on the coaft in February, and go 

 off to the northward the beginning of May - y 

 fometimes they are in great plenty, and in No- 

 vember to February, there are many fpermaceti 

 whales ; this is what induced Thomas Nefbit, 

 Efq; of Kilmacredon, to enter into a fcheme 

 for eftablifhing a fifhery on the coaft, and in ex- 

 ecuting it, was the inventor of the gun har- 

 poon. Mr. Nefbit firft ufed the gun harpoon, 

 for killing whales, in the year 1759; he was 

 induced to try this, from great difficulties he 

 met with among the harpooners, who he had 

 engaged for the fiihery ; in this year he began 

 " it, with firing lances at them, after they were 

 ft ruck by the hand, in order to kill them the 

 fooner. From this he palled, in 176 1, to firing 

 the harpoon itfelf from the gun. He was then 

 engaged with a company, for the purpofe ot 

 carrying on the fifhery, with feveral perfons in 

 Ireland, England, and the Weft-Indies. In the 

 year 1758, he went to London, and bought a 

 vefltl of 140 tons, and engaged perfons to 

 come over as harpooners. In 1759, one whale 



was 



