CHAP. XL.J WHALE FISHERY. -2G5 



a distance of 239 miles, at the rate of thirty miles an hour, in a 

 commodious, lofty, and well- ventilated car, the charge being only 

 three dollars, or thirteen shillings. We went by a route newly 

 opened, first through Long Island, ninety-five miles in length, 

 over a low, level tract, chiefly composed of fine sand ; and wo 

 then found a steamer ready to take us across the Sound to New 

 London in Connecticut, where we were met by the cars at Point 

 Allen ; after which we enjoyed much delightful scenery, the rail 

 way following the margin of a river, where there were cascades 

 and rapids foaming over granite rocks, and overhung with trees, 

 whose foliage, just unfolded, was illumined by a brilliant sun 

 shine. 



In the estuary of New London we saw many large whalers, 

 arid a merchant talked to me with satisfaction of the success of 

 the United States whale-fishery in the Pacific, saying it amounted 

 to 200,000 tons, while that of Great Britain did not exceed 

 60,000. &quot;Five fish,&quot; said he, &quot;is the usual cargo of an English 

 whaler, as they boil the blubber at home, whereas the Americans 

 boil it in a huge cauldron on deck, and after staying out three years, 

 return with the oil of ninety whales in one ship. Our fishery 

 in the Pacific is becoming a most important nursery for seamen, 

 giving occupation to about 20,000 men, which would enable us 

 at any moment to man a powerful fleet. The possession of 

 California is therefore much coveted by us, because the port of 

 San Francisco is the only one in the northern Pacific not exposed 

 to the west wind, or blocked up by a bar of sand, such as that 

 which renders the mouth of the Columbia River impassable to 

 large ships. It is not territory but a sea-port we need, and this 

 advantage a war with Mexico may give us.&quot; 



There was besides much characteristic conversation in the cars, 

 about constructing a railway 4000 miles long from Washington 

 to the Columbia River ; and some of the passengers were specu 

 lating on the hope of seeing in their lifetime a population of 15,000 

 souls settled in Oregon and California. A variety of plans was 

 also freely discussed for crossing the isthmus from the Gulf of 

 Mexico into the Pacific, so as to avoid the long and dangerous 

 voyage round Cape Horn. A ship-canal across the isthmus of 



VOL. II. M 



