520 CURRENTS AND WHALING. 



A number of instances are known, as will be seen by referring to 

 the Track Map, which will be found in the atlas to these volumes, in 

 which, at certain seasons, strong currents have been experienced in 

 places where, three months afterwards, they were found to have 

 ceased altogether, or even to have changed their direction. I have 

 now particular reference to the Northwest Coast. 



Having pointed out the different belts in the Pacific, I will now 

 refer to the localities in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, where the 

 sperm whale fishery is most successful. 



These, in like manner, are found to correspond, and are connected 

 with the obstructions of the submarine currents, or the places where, 

 from opposing causes, they become lost. 



In the Atlantic Ocean : 



1. Off the Azores or Western Islands. 



2. " Cape de Verdes. 



3. North of the Bahama Banks. 



4. Gulf of Mexico. 



5. Caribbean Sea. 



6. To the eastward of the Windward Islands. 



7. North coast of Brazil. 

 9. South coast of Brazil. 



9. Carrol Ground, or a space of ocean lying between St. Helena and Africa. 



In the Indian Ocean : 



1. Off the southern end of Madagascar, and between it and Africa. 



2. " northern end " " " " " 



8. The coast of Arabia. 



4. West coast of Java. 



5. Northwest coast of New Holland. 



6. South coast of New Holland, and between it and Van Diemen's Land. 



The periods or times allotted to these fisheries coincide with the 

 times at which it might be expected that the food of the whale would 

 be most plentiful if brought by the polar streams. 



The Atlantic fishery is for the most part carried on in a smaller 

 class of vessels than those used in the Pacific ; the voyages are of less 

 duration, and less capital is therefore required in this business than 

 the other. In speaking of cruising-grounds, I shall follow the order 

 in which they are visited. 



The first in point of time is that near the Azores. This ground 

 does not extend more than two hundred miles from these islands, and 

 lies principally to the southward of them. Here whales are found 



