WHALERS AND WHALING. 



Whalers and whaling have not stood still any more than the 

 rest of the world, and although the life I have been trying to de- 

 scribe still exists, and quaint whaling barks still sail from New Bedford, 

 the live industry has been transferred from the Atlantic to the Pacific 

 coast, and enterprising San Francisco is now its chief port, where big 

 steam whalers are fitted out for the Arctic Ocean. The first steam 

 whaler was built for Capt. William Lewis, of New Bedford, in 1879. 

 She was called the "Mary and Helen" after the two daughters of 

 one of her principal owners, and sent to San Francisco the following: 

 year for Arctic whaling. About that time came the news of the loss 

 of De Long — the Arctic explorer — and the Government bought the 

 "Mary and Helen" for a hundred thousand dollars, changed her name 

 to the "Rogers" and sent her in search of that dauntless and ill- 

 fated officer. 



A steam whaler arrived in San Francisco some time ago from 



61 



