THE AMERICAN WHALE- FISHERT. 



207 



in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, or upon the coast of the Spanish Main. 

 Soon after, they extended their voyages to the South Atlantic, around the Falkland 

 Islands, and to the coast of Patagonia, where Fur Seal skins and Sea Elephant oil 

 were sometimes obtained. In such instances these whaling and sealing expeditions 

 were called "mixed voj'ages." "Between the years 1770 and 1775," according to 



six diminutive beings, should dare to pursue and 

 to attack, in its native element, the largest and 

 strongest fish that Nature has created. Yet by 

 the exertion of an admirable dexteiity, improved 

 by a long practice, in ■which these people are 

 become superior to any other whalemen ; by 

 knowing the temper of the whale after her first 

 movement, and by many other useful observa- 

 tions, they seldom fail to harpoon it, and to 

 bring the huge leviathan on the shores. Thus 

 they went on, until the profits they made ena- 

 bled them to purchase larger vessels, and to pur- 

 sue them farther, when the whales quitted their 

 coasts. * * By degrees they went a -whaling 

 to Newfoundland, to the Gulph of St. Lau- 

 rence, to the Straits of Belleisle, the coast of 

 Labrador, Davis's Straits, even to Cape Desola- 

 tion, in 70° of latitude ; where the Danes carry 

 on some fisheries, in spite of the perpetual sever- 

 ities of that inhospitable climate. * * Would 

 you believe that they have already gone to the 

 Falkland Islands, and that I have heard several 

 of them talk of going to the South Sea! Their 

 confidence is so great, and their knowledge of 

 this branch of business so superior to that of 

 any other people, that they have acquired a 

 monopoly of this commodity. 



"Such were their feeble beginnings, such the 

 infancy and progress of their maritime schemes ; 

 such is now the degree of boldness and activity 

 to which they are arrived in their manhood. 

 After their examples several companies have 

 been formed in many of our capitals, where 

 evBry necessary article of provisions, implements, 

 and timber, are to be found. But the industry 

 exerted by the people of Nantucket hath hither- 

 to enabled them to rival all their competitors ; 



consequently this is the greatest mart for oil, 

 whalebone, and spermaceti on the continent. 



"The vessels most proper for whale-fishing 

 are brigs of about one hundred and fifty tons 

 burden, particularly when they are intended for 

 distant latitudes ; they always man them with 

 thirteen hands, in order that they may row two 

 whale-boats; the crews of which must necessa- 

 rily consist of sis, four at the oars, one stand- 

 ing on the bows with the harpoon, and the 

 other at the helm. It is also necessary that 

 there should be two of these boats, that if one 

 should be destroyed in attacking the whale, the 

 other, which is never engaged at the same time, 

 may be ready to save the hands. Five of the 

 thirteen are always Indians ; the last of the 

 complement remains on board to steer the ves- 

 sel during the action. 



"As soon as they arrive in those latitudes 

 where they expect to meet with whales, a man 

 is sent up to the mast-head; if he sees one, 

 he immediately cries out, 'Aivaile paivana' (here 

 is a whale ) ; they all remain still and silent 

 until he repeats ' Pawana' (a whale), when in 

 less than six minutes the two boats are launched, 

 filled with every implement necessary for the 

 attack. They row toward the whale with aston- 

 ishing velocity ; and as the Indians early became 

 their fellow -laborers in this new warfare, j'ou 

 can easily conceive how the Naitich expressions 

 became familiar on board the whale-boats. For- 

 merly it often happened that whale -vessels were 

 manned with none but Indians and the master ; 

 recollect also that the Nantucket people under- 

 stand the Nattick, and that there are always 

 five of these people on board. 



' ' There are various ways of approaching the 



