VI 
home the surplus quantity. But the 
coasts of these countries, were soon vis¬ 
ited by ships from Denmark, Hamburgh, 
and Holland, as well as from England; 
and from frequently being killed in the 
shoal water near the coasts, the whales 
gradually receded from the shores, and 
have since been found only in deeper 
water, and at a much greater distance 
from the land. 
In the earlier stages of the whale fish¬ 
ery, of which we are now treating, the 
ships were generally on the whaling 
waters, early in May, and whether suc¬ 
cessful or not, they were obliged to 
commence their return by the succeed¬ 
ing August, to avoid the early accumu¬ 
lation of ice in those seas. But it not 
unfrequently happened, that ships pro¬ 
cured and returned with a cargo in the 
months of June and July, making a voy¬ 
age only about three months, whereas, 
a voyage to the Pacific Ocean is now 
often protracted to three years ! 
Among the early whalers it was cus¬ 
tomary to have six boats to a ship, and 
six men to a boat, besides the harpoon- 
er. What at that time was considered 
an improved method in killing whales, 
consisted in discharging the harpoon, 
