CURRENTS AND WHALING. 517 



because it depends more upon the skill and information of those 

 engaged in it. 



The master of a whale-ship should be a good seaman and navi- 

 gator, well acquainted with the winds and currents, as well as with 

 the cruising-ground of his prey. When he is thoroughly acquainted 

 with these, and possesses a good ship, with a spirit of perseverance 

 and energy, there is little fear of his returning home with a " clean 

 ship." 



The principal whaling-grounds in the Pacific are shown on the 

 map annexed to this chapter ; they are confined particularly to spaces 

 which have been known in the Pacific Ocean by names well under- 

 stood among the whalers, such as the "on-shore ground" and the 

 "off-shore ground," "middle ground," &c. These spaces, however, 

 have wide limits; thus, for instance, the " on-shore ground" embraces 

 the whole extent of ocean along the coast of Chili and Peru, from the 

 island of Juan Fernandez to the Gallipagos Islands; and the "off- 

 shore ground" the space between latitude 5° and 10° S., longitude 

 90° and 120° W. 



The following list embraces all the different grounds in the Pacific 

 visited by our whalers. 



1. The on-shore ground. 



2. " off-shore ground. 



3. In the neighbourhood of the Hawaiian Islands. 



4. " " Society Islands. 



5. " " Samoan Group. 



6. " " Feejee Group. 



7. " " Kingsmill Group. 



8. Along and to the south of the equator, from the coast of South America to the 



Kingsmill Group. 



9. Across the South Pacific between the parallels of 21° and 27° S. 



10. " North " " " 27° and 35° N. 



11. In the neighbourhood of the east coast of New Zealand. 



12. The Middle Ground, between New Holland and New Zealand. 



13. The coast of Japan, and between it and the Bonin Islands. 



14. The Northwest Coast of America. 



15. Coast of California. 



These, it will be seen, embrace a large field, and it might be sup- 

 posed that a ship could hardly miss finding the animals. Such, how- 

 ever, is not the case. A vessel may visit all these places, and yet 

 return home a "clean ship," if she happened to be out of season. It 

 appears from experience that whales in their migrations congregate in 



vol. v. 130 



