WHALING. 329 



it, and the waters of the harbor on the other; in trav- 

 elling a distance of only three hundred yards, one can 

 get the finest surf bathing, or what is more preferable 

 to many, equally as good still- water bathing. Here one 

 can find beautiful shells, can go bluefishing, or if one 

 wants more exciting sport, a boat can be found in 

 which a visit can be made to the " sharking grounds." 

 There is a fresh-water pond but a short tramp away, 

 where abound a great number of perch, and a beauti- 

 ful view can be had at all times of the harbor, the 

 ocean, and the old town sitting queen-like in the dis- 

 tance. 



Whaling. 



The following article upon that great industry which 

 made Nantucket, in years gone by, known in every 

 part of the globe, was written expressly for this book 

 by Mr. Alexander Starbuck of Waltham, Mass., au- 

 thor of " History of the American Whale Fishery.' ' 

 Mr. Starbuck has for many years been engaged upon 

 a" History of the Island of Nantucket, " and has col- 

 lected a vast amount of very valuable material which 

 it is hoped will before long be given to the public. Ac- 

 knowledging his indebtedness to Mr. Starbuck for the 

 article, the compiler now leaves it to the reader, know- 

 ing it will be perused with interest. 



The Nantucket Whale Fishery. 



By Alexander Starbuck. 



The prosecution of the whale fishery from the little 

 island of Nantucket was an undertaking that might 

 well have been a matter of pride for any community 



