WHALING VOYAGE. 
267 
CHAPTER VI. 
After a short visit to Atooi, where we procured a few 
yams and several Muscovy ducks, we bid adieu to the 
Sandwich Islands, and the beginning of June found 
us under all sail for the “ off-shore ” Japan fishery, 
which embraces that part of the Pacific Ocean lying 
between the longitude of 140° to 160° east, and the 
latitude of 28° to 32° north. Ships which visit this 
fishery continue to cruise somewhere within this space 
from the beginning of June to the latter end of Sep- 
tember ; during this period, if well conducted, they will 
take from 800 to 1400, and even as much as 2000 
barrels of sperm oil. Nothing remarkable occurred to 
us during this cruise, except that we were so unfortunate 
as to lose one of our apprentices, who slipped overboard 
and was drowned before our boat could be lowered to 
rescue him from his melancholy fate ; the poor fellow 
was totally unable to swim, and he therefore remained 
at the surface but a very short time, when he sank to 
rise no more ; and what made his fate the more distress- 
ing to most of us was, that at the time of the accident 
we were surrounded with large numbers of ravenous 
sharks, who no doubt soon mangled his remains,— they 
had been seen about the vessel for several days, as if 
anticipating the catastrophe. 
