THE AMERICAN WHALE-FISHERY. 259 



at some port to obtain fresh supplies ; and sometimes the season's catch of oil is 

 discharged or reshipped before she returns to the Arctic cruising -grounds. Cali- 

 fornia bay and kelp whaling has been a peculiar feature of the fishery. The whales 

 there pursued are a distinct species of the baleen tribe, whose natural history is 

 given in this work, under the head of "The California Gray Whale." They are the 

 most dangerous of all whales to attack, and, compared with the number of ships 

 which formerly engaged in their capture, more casualties have occurred than in 

 any other branch of whaling, many men having lost their lives, while others have 

 been irrecoverably crippled. But we have never yet learned of any place of resort 

 for whales which can possibly be approached, either by ship or boat, that has not 

 been the scene of slaughter by their human captors. Many whaling -masters — after 

 buffeting the gales and ice of the Arctic regions — have hurriedly fled to this 

 inland whaling -ground on the California coast, and in order to reach the most 

 advantageous localities,, far up the shallow estuaries, lightened and careened their 

 vessels, and by means of their heavy ground -tackle forced them across shoals 

 which were nearly bare at low tide. The difficulty and danger connected witli 

 this fishery seems to have lured on many a reckless and venturesome spirit to the 

 encounter, which has been appropriately named "devil -fishing," and the successful 

 whaler is christened a good "devil -fisherman." While engaged for six years in 

 whaling, sealing, and Sea Elephant expeditions upon the coast of California and 

 Mexico, we passed the winter seasons in lagoon or bay whaling, and our experience 

 in the capture of the California Grays may serve as an outline picture of whaling- 

 life in those inland waters. 



LAGOON - WHALING. 



When arrived in the lagoons, a suitable anchorage is selected, and the ship is 

 moored for the season ; the heavy sails are unbent, and much of the running 

 rigging unrove, landed and housed under canvas, together with shooks, spare 

 lumber, etc., so as to clear the ship of cumbersome materials not recjuired until 

 the vessel is nearly filled with oil or the season is over. The "tender" is fitted 

 for cutting -in the whales, the cutting -gear of the ship is sent aloft, and with the 

 cutting -stage placed over the side, preparations for the slaughter are completed. 

 When sufficient numbers have assembled at the head -waters of the estuaries, the 

 boats are lowered in pursuit. A cow with a young calf is usually selected, so 

 that the parent animal may be easily struck ; yet the race is sometimes so pro- 

 longed as to nearly exhaust the boats' crews ; and when at last the creature lags. 



