56 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



(7) Bowhead, seen only in Arctic regions. 



(8) Russian whale. Scarce and only in Arctic regions. Very large. 



The humpback whale goes north in summer, returning in the fall. Some migrate as far as 

 Alaska, but many not beyond Point Concepcion. This is therefore almost the only species taken 

 in summer. Four have been taken at Cojo this year. The cows are about 50 feet long, and the bull 

 whales about 45. The former produce about 70 barrels of oil, the bulls about half as much. The 

 four taken at Cojo produced 148 barrels of oil. This species was formerly much more abundant than 

 now. Since 1875 it has become quite scarce. The whalebone of this species is black, but of little 

 value ; said to be worth .045 per pound in Japan, but not worth shipping. The oil of this species 

 is white and quite thick. The reddish and thinner oil of the gray whale sells more readily, but 

 both bring the same price. The oil of the sulphur-bottom whale is like lard, and becomes solid 

 in cold weather. All these oils are chiefly used in rope-making; some of it in leather working. 

 The oil made from blubber is more valuable than that taken from the inside, and is kept sep- 

 arate from the latter. The gray whale is usually about 45 feet long, the bulls 35. They gen- 

 erally follow the line of the edge of the kelp in going southward. There are usually two or three 

 together. " They feed on sardines and shrimps." They go southward from December to February 

 to calve in the Gulf of California. Then they return northward from the latter part of February 

 to May. The most of February is a " slack time," when few are seeu. When they return north- 

 ward the cows and calves usually keep well out to sea, the bulls farther toward shore. The 

 whalebone of this species is white, scanty, and worthless. A gray cow whale sometimes yields 

 about 90 barrels of oil ; a bull less than half as much. 



CAMP AT Cojo VIEJO. The company consists of twenty men in winter and eighteen in 

 summer. Fifteen of these constitute the management, own the property, and share the proceeds 

 equally. Captain Anderson is employed by these, receiving $100 in cash and one-seventeenth of 

 all receipts (above freights and commission). There are two others receiving one thirty fifth of 

 the proceeds, one one fortieth, and another one fifty-fifth. Two Chinamen also accompany the 

 camp, receiving for their services the sinews of the whale, which are shipped to China, supposably 

 for soup. These sinews used to sell at 50 cents per pound to the Chinese in San Francisco, then 

 at 40 cents, and afterwards there was no market. They are now worth about 25 cents per pound 

 in San Francisco, and are said to sell at $1 per pound in China. There are 20 to 30 pounds of 

 sinews in a whale. 



The whole company at Cojo came originally from the Azores, with the exception of two or 

 three from the Madeiras. The same persons constituted the company on Pigeon Point. The com- 

 pany have built for themselves a large house, in which they eat and sleep, and store their guns 

 and harpoons. Beside this, the captain, who is accompanied by his wife, has a separate smaller 

 house, and the Chinese another after their fashion. These are on a bluff above the beach. On a 

 cliff above is a signal-port, where two men watch for whales. On the beach below are the kettles 

 for trying the oil, the barrels, and other things of that sort. In a little laguna are the two whale- 

 boats not in use. 



The entire outfit cost about $2,000, exclusive of the houses, &c. The total expenses of the camp 

 are $4,000 to $5,000 yearly. There are four whaling-boats, two being in use each half of the year, 

 while the others are being repaired, painted, &c. These were made in New Bedford, where they 

 cost $145 each, but cost $200 at San Francisco. The outfit of a boat when ready to attack a 

 whale is worth about $GOO. It consists of eight bomb-lances, two harpoons, one 200-fathom line, 

 two guns, a swivel-gun, worth $200, for the harpoons and large bombs, and a smaller gun, worth 

 $55, for the bomb-lances. The smaller bomb-lances are made in Norway, and come twenty-five in 



