32 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



lowing extract from a letter from Chatham, dated "February 6, 1 729-30 : " 

 " There has been a remarkable Provideucein the awful death of some of my 

 neighbors ; On the day commonly called New Year's Day, a whaleboat's 

 Crew (which Consists of a Stersman, an Harpineer, and Four Oarmen) 

 coming home from a Place called Hog's-Back, where they had been on 

 a Whaling design, the Boat was overset, and all the Men lost, on a reaf 

 of Sand that lies out against Billingsgate. When the Boat was found 

 bottom upward, and the Stern post broken off, there were two Chests 

 found in it, which were wedged so fast under the Thwards that the 

 water had not washed them out ; in which were found the Pocket books 

 of two of the Men, by which it plainly appears what Boat it was ; but 

 none of the Bodies are, as yet found, that I can hear of; tho' they found 

 an iron Pot which they had with them, upon the reaf, and discovered 

 the Whaling Irons at the bottom of the Water, where it is about 8 feet 

 deep. 



"P. S. — Before I had done writing I had News that two of their Bod- 

 ies were found." 



In March, 1736, the inhabitants of Provincetown captured a large whale 

 at sea, cut him up, and brought the blubber into that port. The esti- 

 mated quantity of oil that this blubber would produce was 100 barrels.* 

 In the News-Letter of May 27 of the same year a statement is published 

 to the effect that on the 11th of May a whaling-sloop, of which Solomon 

 Kenwick was master, arrived at Chatham, and reported that while on 

 the voyage, "about forty leagues to the eastward of George's Banks, 

 they struck and wounded two Whales, which then lay upon the Water 

 seemingly in a dying Posture : but one of them suddenly rush'd with 

 great Violence over the midst of one of their Boats, and sunk both the 

 Boat and Men into the Sea ; one Man was thereby kill'd outright, and 

 two others much wounded : Tis a wonder they were not all destroy'd, 

 for the Whale continued striking and raging in a most furious Manner 

 in the midst of them (now in the Water) for some Time, but the other 

 Boat came and took them all up (except the Man that was kill'd, who 

 sunk immediately) and carried them safe to the Sloop." 



The season of 1737-8 must have been an unfortunate one at Province- 

 town, for up to January 5, 1738, the people of that town had only killed 

 two small whales, and some of the inhabitants took into serious consid- 

 eration a change of residence.t In July, 1738, Captain Anthony Haugh, 

 master of a whaling-vessel, took "in the Straits" a large whale, and 

 brought him to the vessel's side to cut in. In hoisting the blubber into 

 the hold the runner of the block gave way, by which Benjamin Hamlin, 

 of Eastham, was killed instantly.} In February, 1738, the Yarmouth 



* Boston News-Letter, April 1, 1736. 



t Boston News-Letter. According to the News-Letter of April 21, 1737, a dozen ves- 

 sels were fitting that spring from Provincetown for the Davis's Straits whale-fishery, 

 some of them of a hundred tons burden each. So many were going on these voyages 

 continues the account, that not more than twelve or fourteen men would be left at 

 home. 



t Boston News-Letter, August 31, 



