218 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



whales were taken. Beale thought that the whales 

 were now migrating south-west (October, 1831). 

 The Bonins were left on the loth December, 



1831, for New Guinea, and, after passing to the 

 windward of the Ladrones, they fell in with the 

 Carolines on the 24th December, " a range of large 

 islands scarcely known, and not even placed 

 correctly on the charts." 



On the ist January, 1832, the Kent crossed 

 the Equator for the third time, and made New 

 Ireland on the 6th, having passed St John's Island 

 on the 5th. On the 7th they found themselves 

 in St George's Channel, separating New Ireland 

 (Neu Mecklenburg of the late German colonies) 

 from New Britain (late German Neu Pommern). 

 No whales were met with here, so the course was 

 continued to the southward, towards the north-east 

 of Australia, passing the Louisiade Archipelago en 

 route. Here again no whales were encountered. 

 On account of the lack of success, the course was 

 now set in a northerly direction and Bougainville 

 Island reached on the 2Oth January, 1832. 



Here, on the 22nd January, the first whale, since 

 the Kent left the Japan grounds, was taken, yielding 

 sixteen barrels of oil. The Ladrones were now the 

 next objective, New Ireland being sighted on the 

 29th January, and St John's on the 3ist. 



The line was again crossed on the 8th February, 



1832, and Rota, one of the Ladrones, sighted on the 

 2ist, Guam the chief island being reached on the 

 following day. Here the Kent remained some 



