THE A3IERICAN WHALE - FISHEBY. 



219 



We speak of the whaling merchants as being not of that chiss who anticipated 

 large profits and quick returns, but only a legitimate compensation for their labors, 

 and a fair interest upon the capital invested in the voyages, which required from 

 one to four years' time to accomplish ; and often, though the expedition terminated 

 unsuccessfully, the ship was again sent out on another voyage, trusting that con- 

 tinued perseverance would bring about final success, which in many cases was fully 

 realized. There are over one thousand different articles required to complete the 

 outfit of a first-class whale -ship, many of them of trifling value to be sure, yet all 

 important to the success of the voyage. Then there are the officers and crew to 

 be shipped, "on a lay." The latter may be without much difficulty obtained from 

 the shipping agents ; but to select and engage a set of officers, of the highest char- 

 acter and undoubted skill in their profession, is not so easy a matter, and it is 

 but rarely accomplished. If half their number are really "crack whalemen," the 

 voyage will usually be a successful one, if whales are found in sufficient numbers. 



courageinent I thought would induce a removal, 

 ■which I estimated at one hundred pounds ster- 

 ling transportation for a family of five persons, 

 and one hundred pounds sterling settlement — 

 say twentj' thousand pounds sterling, for a hun- 

 dred families. 'Ah!' said he, 'that is a great 

 sum ! and at this time, too, when we are all 

 endeavoring to encourage our own expeditions.' 

 I replied, ' Thou mayst think it a great sum 

 for this nation to pay — I think two -thirds of it 

 a great sum for you to have taken from me as 

 an individual, unjustly and illegally!' "VVe had 

 a long conversation, and I left him, to call again 

 in a few days, which I did. I then added to 

 my demand the liberty to bring thirty ships — 

 American ships — for the fishery. '0, no!' said 

 he, ' that can not be ; our carpenters must be 

 employed.' I mentioned that we had some ships 

 that were built before the war, ' those can sure- 

 ly be admitted?' 'No; they must be British- 

 built.' 'Will it be any advantage, if an emigra- 

 tion takes place, for the emigrants to bring 

 property with them?' I replied. 'Yes, certainly.' 

 'If thej^ can invest their money in articles that 

 will be worth double here to what they are at 

 home, will that be any additional advantage to 



this country ? ' ' Yes ! ' ' Then why not bring 

 ships, when two of ours will not cost one of 



yours i 



• O ! wo don't make mercantile calcu- 



lations ; 'tis seamen we want!' 'Then, surely, 

 two of our vessels will answer j'our jourpose 

 better than one of yours, as they will make 

 double the number of seamen, which is the thing 

 aimed at?' He saw that he was in a dilemma, 

 out of which he could not reason himself, and 

 stniggled through with some violence. He had 

 made his own nice calculations of eighty - seven 

 pounds ten shillings for ti-ansportation and set- 

 tlement of a family, and said he, 'I am about 

 a fishei-j' bill, and want to come at something I 

 can insert!' My answer was, 'Thou canst go 

 on with thy fishery bill. Thy offer is no object 

 to me!' 'Well, Mr. Eotch, you will call on me 

 again in two or three days?' 'I see no neces- 

 sity for it.' 'But I desire you would.' 'If thou 

 desirest it, perhaps I may call.' However, he 

 let me rest but one day, before he sent for me 

 again. He had the same storj' over again, but 

 I told him it was unnecessaiy to enter again 

 upon the subject. I then informed him that I 

 had heard a rumor that Nantucket merchants 

 had agreed to furnish France with a quantity of 



