I 

 168 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



which gives great detail, is of interest, though 

 naturally, it must be discounted a little since it is 

 obviously partisan. 



The Dutch Greenland merchants say that at this 

 time, at an expense per ship of ten thousand guilders, 

 the total was one million eight hundred thousand 

 guilders, or, as they put it, eighteen tons of gold, 

 which must be paid out even if not a single whale be 

 caught. Provisions and gear cost five hundred and 

 forty thousand guilders, advances of pay to captains 

 and crew, etc., one million two hundred thousand 

 guilders. A usual catch is about forty-four thousand 

 quartels of blubber and one hundred and twenty 

 thousand pounds of whalebone, besides walrus teeth 

 and seal-skins, the total value being two million one 

 hundred thousand guilders. Of this, one hundred 

 and fifty thousand guilders must be allowed for the 

 cost of working up the products for the market, 

 showing a total income of one million nine hundred 

 thousand guilders. Of this, one million three 

 hundred and fifty thousand guilders represent the 

 goods sold abroad, and three hundred thousand 

 that consumed at home. 



An empty ship represents a loss of twelve thousand 

 six hundred florins. 



The Davis Strait fishery commenced in 1719. In 

 the first ten years the Dutch sent seven hundred 

 and forty-eight ships. The Hamburgers sent four 

 ships in 1719, the Bremeners two in 1725. The 

 chief fishery was on the south side of Disco Island 

 where, until quite recently, the whalers of Dundee 



