126 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



harbours north of the English, their principal resort 

 being the bay at north-west angle of Spitsbergen, 

 which they called Mauritius Bay. 



The two islands to the west of it, shown on 

 Edge's map, but not named on it, are now known as 

 Amsterdam and Danes Islands ; on the former, 

 Hackluits headland is marked. On the east part of 

 the south shore of Amsterdam Island the Dutch 

 built their village of Smeerenburg or Blubbertown. 

 At the commencement of the fishery the Noordsche 

 Compagnie was mainly an Amsterdam venture, but 

 at each renewal of the charter other towns were 

 admitted. Each town had a chamber or committee, 

 and the united chambers formed the company. The 

 older chambers had larger shares and better stations 

 than those admitted later. Each chamber had its 

 own " tent " at Smeerenburg, with a complete 

 equipment for the fishing. The Amsterdam tent had 

 the best position at the east end of Smeerenburg. 

 In order to the west were the following tents: 

 Middleburg, Flushing, the Danes, Delft, and 

 Hoorn. 



The Danes afterwards separated from the Dutch. 

 Enkhuisen also had a tent and Van der Brugge 

 mentions a Veere tent. 



Each chamber probably had a capstan of its own 

 for hauling in the whales and the ships to their 

 moorings, and for hoisting the blubber and casks. 

 The ships were moored in a row with their sterns to 

 the shore, and room between each for a rowing-boat 

 to pass. 



