152 
RISE AND PROGRESS OF 
two former had done, still the voyage of the “ Swan’" 
to those places had the effect of opening the new fishery 
of the u Seychelles” to the great advantage of the 
commercial interests of this country, which was mani- 
fested by the number of ships which soon resorted to it 
for the purpose of whaling. For although the “ Swan ” 
did not return until the 27th of April 1825, and had 
only procured forty tons of sperm oil during all the time 
of her absence, yet her want of entire success was not 
owing to the absence of whales at the places to which 
they were sent, for the crew saw immense numbers, but 
from a series of misfortunes which befei them, and 
which rendered them incapable of prosecuting the 
fishery with all the energy and entire devotion which it 
requires to bring about a successful termination. The 
ship which resorted to the “ Seychelles” after the return 
of the “ Swan,” had good reason to be well satisfied with 
the success which attended their efforts, not only from the 
number of whales which they found there, but from its 
being so much nearer home than the Japan fishery, by 
which much time was saved in the outward and home- 
ward passages. 
During the year 1821, the government finding that 
the sperm whale fishery was fully established, thought 
proper to discontinue the system of the bounties — so 
that the crews of the various ships which resorted to 
the fisheries were made to depend altogether upon the 
success of their own exertions. 
In 1823, the first introduction of sperm oil from the 
colonies took place, the principal part of which was 
