LIST OF STORES AND OUTFITS. 319 



termed, ordinarily involves the time of three j-ears or more, A ship that takes three seasons north, 

 after arriving in the Pacific, generally prolongs her absence from home to three years and a half. 

 Sperm whalers are not so much confined to the regular annual seasons for pursuing their prey as 

 are the Right or Polar whalemen, as they change from one ground to another tlirough the year, 

 and their voyages are frequentlj' extended from three and a half to four years. Vessels fitted out 

 for the North Pacific, Arctic Ocean, Okhotsk Sea, or Japan Sea, generally sail from home in the 

 fall of the year, in order to make the passage of Cajje Horn or Cape of Good Hope during the 

 summer season of that region ; and all whalers, as far as practicable, return to the home coast in 

 the spring months; yet we may say they are continually coming and going. But the old routine 

 of whaling -voyages is now much changed, especialh' with the larger class of vessels which ply their 

 vocation in the Pacific and contiguous waters. Many of the ships are now ordered by their owners 

 to San Francisco, California, at the termination of each northern season, where au agent meets the 

 vessels, and transacts the business of transshipping oil and Ijoue, refitting ship, and changing officers 

 and crews, which now often occurs. 



