144 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



there would no longer be any need to import oil 

 or fins from Holland, and the state would be 

 strengthened by the increase of shipping. 



In reply, the Greenland Company stated that 

 where several ships fish in the same bay there are 

 bound to be disputes and quarrels. 



According to the Company's agents the whales at 

 this time came into the bays in schools of from two 

 to three hundred " to gender, feed, and rubb them- 

 selves," staying many days. The schools consisted 

 of families of two, three or four together; when one 

 was struck with a harpoon the other members of the 

 family dispersed, but whales not of the family paid 

 little attention. " So that when one interest is 

 onely there, they can take or pursue such as are 

 most likely to goe first out, and to follow the rest 

 at leisure ; whereas if there be divers interests, 

 each party disturbs the fish wheresoever it 

 appeares, having onely respect to their owne 

 profitt, and so suddanily scares or drives away 

 the whales." 



In the light of modern opinion the demands of the 

 Greenland Company seem quite unreasonable, and 

 it must have been evident to the Company that 

 Parliament would not exclude the free traders 

 entirely from the fishery. The free traders wanted all 

 the harbours open to everyone, first comers to have 

 a choice of place, and only a certain number of boats 

 to fish in each harbour. Eventually a compromise 

 was arrived at. 



Twelve ships of an aggregate tonnage of three 



