114 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



In 1620 seven ships were sent out under the 

 command of William Goodlad and William Heley. 

 Owing to the great number of Dutch and Danish 

 ships the English were compelled to pass from 

 harbour to harbour, so that they eventually returned 

 half laden with about seven hundred tons of oil. 



In 1621 eight ships departed, seven for the 

 whaling and one for discovery, with a partial success, 

 eleven hundred tons of oil being obtained. 



In 1622 the Greenland section of the Muscovy 

 Company's trade was put up to auction and sold 

 for an annual sum of five hundred and twenty 

 pounds. The purchasers formed a separate con- 

 cern known as the " Greenland Adventurers." 

 Eight ships were sent to the whaling and one for 

 discovery. 



Bad luck again attended them. One of the 

 largest ships was wrecked on the coast of " King 

 James Newland " and twenty-nine of the crew lost. 

 The remainder returned with one thousand three 

 hundred tons of oil. 



Purchas prints three letters concerning the 

 whale fisheries of 1623, from Nathaniel Fanne, 

 Master Catcher and William Goodlad. The last 

 named was Admiral, William Heley being Vice- 

 Admiral. 



This year the Dutch were represented by very 

 large ships, up to five hundred tons burden, furnished 

 with material for the building of houses and taber- 

 nacles at Spitsbergen, for the living quarters of the 

 shore gang, and preparation of the train oil. 



