2 STUDIES OF TASMANIAN CETACEA, 



Henderson, writing in 1832 (-), states that tlie "black 

 whale" and the "black fish'' are found on the Southern 

 Coasts of N.S.W. "The latter are frequently observed 

 "collected in shoals, at a great distance from any land, 

 "lying motionless upon the surface, as if basking in the 

 "sun beams; while the former resort, during their breeding 

 "seasons, to the deep estuaries of rivers, and particular 

 "bays around Van Diemen s Land, and Bass's Straits, 

 "etc." (3). 



The initial system of whaling was continued until 

 1841, when the "black whales" almost ceased to visit the 

 coast. Attention was then paid to the sperm whales, 

 which usually kept further out to sea as they passed from 

 the westward — often followed by numbers of "blacli 

 whales." Up till this period the system of ocean whaling 

 had besn carried on by vessels from overseas, but the 

 Oolony had now to providei its own whaling fleet if it was 

 to derive any profit from the industry. The first of the 

 Tasmanian fleet was the Maria Orr, built at Macquarie 

 Point (River Derwent) in 1839. This vessel's career was a 

 limited one as she was wrecked on the Actions two years 

 later. 



As the industry increased, Hobart became a great re- 

 fitting centre, and as many as* thirty or forty wdialing ves- 

 sels have been in port at the same time. The refitting 

 usually took considerable time owing to the lack of docking- 

 facilities and the old method of "heaving down" having to 

 be resorted to. This trouble was overcome in 1854 by the 

 erection of a patent slip at Battery Point (4). 



In 1857 the late Dr. W. L. Crow^ther fitted out an 

 expedition to whale in high southern latitudes, and Ker- 

 guelen Island was selected as a suitable locality. Captain 

 Robinson being placed in command. His barque — Ofey 

 — was in charge of the expedition, but owing to the failure 

 of the tenders (the brigantine Flying Squirrel and th© 

 schooner Elizabeth Jane) to keep him supplied with pro- 

 visions, the venture was not very successful. 



In 1860 there were about thirty vessels engaged in 

 the Tasmanian whaling industry, but in ten years this 

 number had diminished by half. In 1870 the rise in price 

 of sperm oil to £120 per tun caused a revival, and many 



(2) Henderson. Observations on the Colonies of N.S.W. and V.D.L. 



(1832), p. 136. 



(3) When Mr. Lord and a party were engaged in a collecting trip in 



D'Entrecasteaux Channel in Novembet, 1916, a whale was noticed 

 in shallow water in Ford Bay. Upon closer mvesti.gation it was 

 found to be a female Balxnoptera together with a calf. 



(4) Erected by Mr. John Ross at Secheron. Afterwards removed by 



Mr Ross in 1868. and subsequently purchased by Kennedy 

 and Sons. Messrs. McGregor and Co. also laid down a sli,p 

 at the Domain. 



