260 MARINE 31 A 31 31 A LS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 



so that her tired offspring may keep near, thereby presenting the opportunity to 

 the "harpooniersman" to thrust effectively with his weapon, the murderous blow 

 often causes the animal to recoil in its anguish, and give a swoop of its ponderous 

 flukes, or a toss of its head, which, coming in contact with the boat, produces a 

 general wreck, and more or less injury to the men. In the winter of 1856, we 

 were whaling about the esteros of Magdalcna Bay, where, in attacking sixteen 

 whales, two boats were entirely destroyed, while the others were staved fifteen 

 times ; and out of eighteen men who officered and manned them, six were badly 

 jarred, one had both legs broken, another three ribs fractured, and still another 

 was so much injured internally that he was unable to perform duty during the 

 rest of the voyage. All these serious casualties hapjoened before a single whale 

 was captured. Ilowever, after a few days' rest, while the boats were being 

 repaired and new ones fitted to take the place of those destroyed, the contest with 

 the "Devil-fish" was again renewed, and with successful results. Several whales 

 were taken without accident, and no serious casualty occurred during the rest of 

 the season. 



During the spring and summer months of 1857, we were engaged with the 

 brig Boston in whaling, sealing, and Sea Elephant hunting, but with ill success. 

 The crew was shipped for eight months only ; hence we would have been obliged 

 to return to port with nearly an empty vessel, had not nearly all the men volun- 

 teered to engage for the winter season, rather than leave the vessel, penniless. 

 Only three men desired to leave the brig, who were landed at Santa Barbara. 

 Having previously ascertained that a large lagoon branched from the Bay of San 

 Sebastian Yiscaino (heretofore unknown to whalers), where the California Grays, in 

 the season, probably resorted, a small schooner as a tender, with men to increase 

 our deficient ship's company, was dispatched from San Francisco, and joined the 

 brig at the appointed place of rendezvous, in the snug harbor of Catalina Island. 

 All being in readiness, both vessels sailed, the last of November, 1857, for the new 

 whaling -ground. Nothing of special interest transpired until we arrived off our 

 first landmark — now known as Lagoon or Safety Head. Under this land both 

 vessels anchored for the night. On the following day, three boats and the 

 tender were dispatched to explore the coast to the southward, and "sound out" the 

 channel into the lagoon. Two days passed, when a messenger returned with the 

 report that the tender had entered the estuary without difficulty, and that there 

 was sufiicient depth of water on the bar for the brig to pass over. It was after- 

 noon before we got under way. A brisk breeze was blowing, and would have car- 

 ried us to a land-locked harbor before evening, had it not failed us when nearly 



