516 CURRENTS AND WHALING. 



the Azores, Cape de Verdes, and South Sea islands, which would 

 probably amount to an eighth or a tenth more. 



The number of those on shore to whom this branch of business 

 gives employment, will readily be admitted to be twice as great as 

 that of the crews. When we add to this profitable occupation of so 

 many persons, the value of the domestic products consumed by them, 

 and the benefit that is thus conferred upon both our agricultural and 

 manufacturing interests, the importance of this branch of business 

 will appear greatly enhanced. 



By a large majority of persons, it is believed that the whale-fishery 

 is a mere lottery, in which success is more owing to good luck than 

 to good management. Those, however, who entertain such an opinion, 

 are in error. There is, perhaps, no employment on the ocean wherein 

 a sound judgment is more necessary, and no business where success 

 depends more upon the experience, enterprise, and industry, of the 

 commander, than in that of whaling. 



Voyages may indeed be made by incompetent persons, and by 

 fortuitous circumstances success may be obtained ; but those who 

 are well acquainted with the business, will almost certainly "fill up" 

 in the time allotted to a voyage, and frequently in a much shorter 

 period. 



There are two kinds of whales that are principally the object of 

 search by our whalers. These are the sperm whale (Macrocephalus) 

 and the right whale (Mysticetus). These two animals differ exceed- 

 ingly, both in their form and in their habits. The first is furnished 

 with teeth, the last with a collection of laminae ; they are therefore 

 adapted to different kinds of food ; the former feeds on the large 

 medusee of the ocean, termed by the whalers squid ; the other on 

 small Crustacea, and small fish. Their feeding-grounds are seldom 

 in the same places ; for, while the latter frequents the coasts and 

 bays, the former is seldom found except in the deep sea, and gene- 

 rally far from the land. 



Whales of the two different kinds are easily distinguished at a 

 distance by the experienced, from the volume of their spout; its 

 direction and elevation; the number of times it is repeated; the 

 manner in which they dive; the length of time they disappear; and 

 the body they expose to view. 



I shall now proceed to point out the cruising-grounds, and explain 

 the operations of the whalers, directing my attention first to the 

 sperm whale fishery, not only because it is the most valuable, but 



