THE DUTCH WHALERS PREDOMINANT 129 



It is not clear how many oil cookeries and ware- 

 houses there were in all. In 1720 the foundations 

 and ruins of eight or ten oil-coppers were distinguish- 

 able, and those of the warehouses. The rest were 

 all decayed by the passage of time so that no trace 

 remained. 



Seeing that the ships, as previously stated, 

 brought up double crews, it was very dull, not only 

 on the ships and boats, but also on shore. There 

 came up, therefore, as in a camp, some sutlers, who 

 sold their wares, such as brandy and tobacco and 

 the like, in their own huts or in the warehouses. 

 Bakers also went there to bake bread. In the 

 morning when the hot rolls and white bread were 

 drawn from the oven, a horn was blown, so that 

 some enjoyment was then to be had at Smeeren- 

 burg. 



In addition to the buildings for the carrying on 

 of the whalers' business, there .was a church and a 

 fort with several batteries. 1 



The great days at Smeerenburg were those 

 following 1633, when the place was annually 

 visited by over a thousand whalers, in addition to 

 what may be considered the camp-followers. 



There is evidence that the buildings at Smeeren- 

 burg were commenced in 1619; twenty years later 

 the place was in a condition of decay. 2 



During the time the fishing was confined to the 

 Dutch chartered companies, the number of ships 



1 Miiller. " Noordsche Compagnie," p. 147. 

 3 Miiller, p. 148. 



