304 MU. T. SOUTHWELL ON ANCIENT RECORDS OF CETACEANS. 
The extracts were made from a MS. volume of “Notes by 
Sir Hamon (1583 — 1654) aud Sir Nicholas le Strange, relating to 
their estates,’’ extending from the year 1612 to 1723; the first of 
which, as follows, occurs on p. 101, and is in the hand-writing 
of Sir Hamon : — 
Ye Whale. 
Dec: 6. 1626. A whale of the kinde called Jobertus was 
cast upon Holme Shoare, the wind blowing stronge from 
Northwest, the length of it was 57 feete. the bredth of the nose ende 
8 feete, from the nose ende to the eyes 15 f l, the eyes about the bigness 
of an oxe eye. The netherchapp did close and shutt about 4 feete short 
of the length of the upp r chappe. The netherchapp narrowe towards the 
ende and therein 46 teeth like the short tusks of an elephant, the upperchapp 
had no teeth but sockets of bone for to receive the teeth that fell thereinto, 
the netherchapp about . . feete bigge, betwixt the eyes about . . feete broade; 
It had only two small finnes, on ech syde one. It was a male whale, and 
had a pizle about 6 feete longe, & about a foote in diani att the body, & from 
thence conically taperinge. the belly of the fish was a little whitish, upon 
the backe itt had a very short & small finne ; the bredth of the tayle from 
one outward tipp to another was 13i. 
The Manner of the takeing the sperme & oyle was this & first of the 
sperme. 
the fish being like a woollpaoke w th a greate 
head hath many and diverse cells (lyeing crosse 
the head) wherein the sperme lyeth. then 
the cutter toke a great knife of iron fastned 
to the end of a pole or stafife w th a socket to 
putt the staffe fast like a cow rake or such like, & cutteth lengthwayes in the 
head a greate hole or cant towards the nose and but short thereof a foote or 
two, then doth he take a dish or cupp of wood & w th the same taketh out 
the sperme w ch when it is hott runneth out of the fish like liquid cristall 
haveing a more glassye & shininge coulour & brightnesse than any water 
that w ch runneth purest is putt into wooden vessells by it selfe, that w** 
congeales by it selfe, and the foule or durty sperme w ch is soraped up from 
the sand or other foule place by it selfe. the Cutter works from the nose ende 
upward toward the fish & cutting the bagge or cell on the upward part 
forceth the cell w th his knee (he standing in the hole he cutts out) as one 
setteth his knee to a beare vessel 1 & draweth out the sperme as beare or 
water out of a vessell, & slitts the skinn & thicke filme of the cell next unto 
him lower and lower untill he come to the bottome, and then cuttinge away 
the unprofitable spongy cells w ch are drawne out, he cutteth & broachetb 
another cell, and so pceeds until he have wrought out all. 
The Oyle is thus made. 
The fleshy part w oh is fattest ever on the backe & the best is outt w 111 a 
greate knife into peeces as bigge as a man can well oarrye upon an hand 
