HISTORY OP THE AMERICAN WHALE FISHERY. 173 



1762. 



Seventy-eight vessels cleared this year for the whaling-grounds. Of 

 these 50 went to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The produce of the fishery 



was 9,440 barrels of oil, valued at $102,518.40. A schooner, 



Bickford master, was lost on Seal Islands. The sloop Polly, from 

 Martha's Vineyard, was lost while whaling at the southward, and her 

 crew of thirteen men perished with her. A sloop from Nantucket was 

 taken by a privateer while whaling near the Gulf Stream. Among the 

 captains who sailed were, Shubael Bunker, Benjamin Paddock, Henry 

 Folger, and Nathan Coffin. 



1763. 



More than 80 vessels sailed this year from Massachusetts for the Gulf 



of St. Lawrence. 



1764. 



Seventy-two vessels sailed this year, returning with 11,9S3 barrels of 

 oil, valued at $131,135.38. One of these vessels was commanded by 

 Jonathan Negers, of Dartmouth. While fast to one whale the boat 

 which Captain Negers headed was struck by a second, and the captain 

 received injuries from which he died a few days after. A brig from 

 Nantucket, Solomon Gardner, master, was lost. 



17G5. 



One hundred and one vessels sailed in 1765, and the produce was 

 11,512 barrels of oil, valued at $125,020.32. A new whaling-sloop from 

 Dartmouth was run down and sunk by another whaleman from the 

 same port. The majority of the vessels fished in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence and Straits of Belleisle. 



1766. 



One hundred and eighteen vessels, of an average of 75 tons each, went 

 whaling from Nantucket, producing 11,909 barrels of oil, valued at 

 $129,983.24. Captain Peter Wells arrived at Boston, August 18, and 

 between September 25 and October 2 quite a number of whalemen 

 arrived at the same port. From one of them the son of the captain 

 (Clark) was lost while striking a sperm-whale off George's Banks. Sev- 

 eral vessels also sailed from Warren, R. I., most of them going 

 southward, and one of them from the Western Islands, bringing in 

 over 300 barrels of oil. Newport sent some vessels too. 



1767. 



Nantucket sent 108 vessels, averaging 75 tons each, producing 10,561 

 barrels of oil, worth $179,852.46. Two sloops, one commanded by Cap- 

 tain Coleman and the other by Captain Coffin, both of Nantucket, were 

 lftst in the Straits of Belleisle. 



