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SIT 71 



THE WHALE FISHERY. 31 



use, on Conditions that he follow the trade of whalling on this Island two years in all seasons 

 thereof beginning the first of March next Insning ; also he is to build upon his Land and when 

 he leaves Inhabiting upon this Island then he is first to ofl'er his Laud to the Town at a valuable 

 price and if the Town do not buy it he may sell it to whom he please; the commonage is granted 

 only for the time of his staying here." "At the same meeting," continues Starbuck, " John Sav- 

 idge had a grant made to him, upon condition that he took up his residence on the island for the 

 space of three years, and also that he should 'follow his trade of a cooper upon the island, as the 

 Town or whale Company have need to employ him.' Loper beyond a doubt never improved this 

 opportunity offered him of immortalizing himself, but Savidge did, and a perverse world has, 

 against his own will, handed down to posterity the name of Loper, who did not come, while it has 

 rather ignored that of Savidge, who did remove to that island." 



In the mean time the people of ('ape Cod were becoming more proficient in whaling than those 

 of Nan tucket, so that the latter sent to tile cape in 1690, and "employed a man by the name of 

 Ichabod Paddock to instruct them in the manner of killing whales and extracting their oil."* 

 From small beginnings the industry increased, and reached its greatest prosperity in 1726, when, 

 says Macy, eighty-six were taken, "a greater number than was obtained in any one year, either 

 before or since that date. The greatest number ever killed and brought to the shore in one day 

 was eleven." Shore whaling at this period was the principal employment of the islanders. "The 

 Indians even manifested a disposition for fishing of every kind, readily joined with the whites in 

 this new pursuit, and willingly submitted to any station assigned them. By their assistance, the 

 whites were enabled to fit out and man a far greater number of boats than they could have done 

 of themselves. Nearly every boat was manned in part, many almost entirely, by natives ; some 

 of the most active of them were made steersmen, and some were allowed even to head the boats; 

 thus encouraged, they soon became experienced whalemen, and capable of conducting any part 

 of the business." 



The following incident illustrates their bravery when in danger: 



" It happened once, when there were abont thirty boats about six miles from shore, that 

 the wind came round to the northward and blew with great violence, attended with snow. The 

 men all rowed hard, but made but little headway. In one of the boats were four Indians and 

 two white men. An old Indian in the head of the boat, perceiving that the crew began to be 

 disheartened, spake out loud in his own tongue, and said, ' Momadichchator auqua sarshJcee sarnkee 

 plnchee eynoo sememooclikce chaqiianks icihchee pinchee eynoo;' which in English is, 'Pull ahead with 

 courage ; do not be disheartened ; we shall not be lost now; there are too many Englishmen to 

 be lost now.' His speaking in this manner gave the crew new courage. They soon perceived 

 that they made headway, and after long rowing they all got safe on shore."! 



Whales were abundant close in shore for many years, so that a plentiful supply of oil was 

 obtained without going out of sight of land. "The south side of the island," says Hector St. 

 John, " was divided into four equal parts, and each part was assigned to a company of six, which, 

 though thus separated, still carried on their business in common. In the middle of this distance 

 they erected a mast, provided with a sufficient number of rounds, and near it they built a tem- 

 porary hut where five of the associates lived, whilst the sixth, from his high station, carefully 

 looked toward the sea, in order to observe the spouting of whales." { 



"The process of saving the whales, " says Macy, "after they had been killed and towed ashore, 

 was to use a crab, an instrument similar to a capstan, to heave and turn the blubber off as fast as 



"MACY: j). at., p. :). tMass. Hist. Soc. roll.. Hi p. 175. 



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