82 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



rundlet of twentie gallons." This was estimated to 

 last them seven or eight months, and of course they 

 could pick up fish, fowl and beasts as they went 

 along. 



Jonas Poole was appointed grand pilot; Steven 

 Benet, master of the Mary Margaret, having to 

 follow his directions. 



The Commission to Thomas Edge 1 to go as 

 Factor in the Mary Margaret for the killing of whale 

 and morses upon the coast of Greenland or any 

 other place in the North Ocean dated the 3ist 

 March, 1611, is probably the earliest set of 

 instructions for a whaling voyage and is quoted here 

 in some detail. 



The adventures and losses in the first voyages 

 are enumerated. Of two prior voyages to Cherry 

 Island the first resulted in a loss of one thousand 

 pounds, by reason of one Duppers, a brewer of 

 London, together with certain men of Hull going 

 thither and " glutting the said place." The second 

 Xoyage (1609) by reason of ice was also unsuccessful, 

 resulting in a loss of five hundred pounds. For 

 this reason Edge is urged to encourage and stir up 

 his mind to do his utmost endeavour to further the 

 business in this his third employment, that the 

 Company might recover the losses it had sustained. 

 " And for that end we have made choice of you 

 again to goe as our factor." Six men of Saint John 

 de Luz accustomed to the killing of the whale were 

 engaged for the voyage ; " whose names are as 



1 Purchas, "His Pilgrims," Vol. xiv., p. 30 (1906 edition). 



