22 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



of the whale was eighty-seven feet, circumference 

 thirty-six feet, and it weighed about two hundred 

 tons. The whale was taken in the Pacific Ocean by 

 the bark " Islander," Capt. Win. Cash of Nantucket, 

 in 1865. 



There are in the museum perfect models of the ships 

 used for the whale fishery; and in one (made by the 

 late Capt. John Gardner) can be seen the whole minu- 

 tiae of " cutting in and trying out " the whale. There 

 is a model of the " camels" (a species of dry docks), 

 that were used to float the ships over the bar at the 

 entrance of the harbor. There are many other inter- 

 esting relics and curiosities too numerous to mention 

 in a brief description. 



The library at the present time contains 6,000 vol- 

 umes. The books are systematically classified and 

 arranged in a manner which makes them convenient 

 and accessible to visitors. 



The historical department is large, also the bio- 

 graphical, and there are many valuable works of 

 reference. The arts, sciences, and poetry are well 

 represented, and there is a good, selection of travels. 

 The department of fiction is large, but carefully se- 

 lected. The leading English and American periodi- 

 cals are always found on the tables. 



Proprietors have the privilege of the library by pay- 

 ing two dollars a year, and non-proprietors three dol- 

 lars. During the summer months, strangers can take 

 books from the library by paying fifty cents a month, 

 and have free access to the library as a reading-room. 



The institution has received bequests from William 

 Hadwen, Esq., Hon. David Joy, Hon. George B. 



