The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-07-31
The North American whale and Seal
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area anu MY shlPs are employed, measuring
10000 tons, and manned by 165oO men. These
vessels, when ready for sea, with their stock Of
provisions on board, are worth $50, 100000 The
returns in 1641 were ,O22. After paying
the lays Of the men and the expenses Of the voy-
age, there was left the profits the $50 ,OOO 600
$4,5S5, 1874. The whale ships are owned by citi-
zens exclusively. for the statutes Of the United
States expressly prohibit foreigners from entering
into the whale fishery under the American nag
A singular case occurred in New Bedford aooul
fifteen years ago. An individual who owned me
sixteenth of ship, became very indignant because
in some particular, the owners Of the ni.een-slA-
lteeutbs did not adopt his views. The ship was
inst ready for the South Seas. He sold for one
dollar one half Of his sixteenth, to little English
tailor in the town. for the express purpose Of effect
ing forfeiture Of the whole ship He imme-
diately caused information to be communicated to
tbe Custom house officers, and had the vessel
ssized as she was about to weigh anchor
/ The other owners at once filed their libel in
| Admiralty setting forth the fraudulent sale and
| the Illegal intent Of the parties While the suit
was pending, the self-wiled owner became fearful
that the affair would terminate in the forfeiture Of
his own part and no more, and consented to sell
out to the others at fair price; and the Federal
officers consented to the canceing of the pretend
ed sale. We have spoken of the pecuniary value
of the fisheries; but it is as nursery for seamen
that they are subject of such interest and impor-
lance. Their dangers and hardships form the
character of the American seaman.
From Macgregor's book we make an extract,
| which describes the manner of life of the New
England fishermen This is the prose:
" The Americans follow two or more modes of
| fitting out for fisheries. The first is accomplished
by six or seven farmers, or their sons building
schooner during winter, which they man them
selves, las all the Americans on the sea-coast are
more or less seamen as we'll as farmers,) and after
fitting the vessel with necessary stores, they pro-
coed to the Banks, Gulf OF St. Lawrence, or La
brador, and loading their vessels with fish, make
voyage between spring and harvest. The proceeds
they divide, after paying any balance they may
owe for outfit. They remain at home to assist in
gathering their crops, and proceed again for anoth
err cargo-which is sailed down, and not after
wards dried this is termed mud fish, and kept for
home consumption. The other plan is, when
merchant, or any other person owning vessel, lels
her to ten or fifteen men on shares, he finds the
vessel and nets the pay for all the provisions,
hooks and lines, and for the salt necessary to
their proportion of the fish, One Of the number is
acknowledged master, but he has to catch fish as
well the others, and receives about twenty shil
lings per month for navigating the vessel; the crew
have fve-eighths Of the fish caught, and the own
J ers three-eighths Of the whole.
The first spring voyage is made 10 the Banks;
the second either TO the Banks Gulf Of St Law
renee, or the Coast of Labrador; the third or fall
voyage, is again to the Banks; and a fourth, or
second fall voyage, is also made, sometimes, to the
Banks.
Il From the Pilgrim address of Mr.. Prentiss we
give the fact, but adorned with all the orna-
ments that gorgeous imagination could throw over
the subject This is the poetry of the sailors life
"They drive the Dryads from their accustomed
haunts, and force them to desert each favorite
grove for upon river, creek and bay they are busy
transforming the rude forest into staunch and gall
liant vessels. From every inlet or indeniure along
| the rocky shore, swim forth these ocean birds
/ born in the wild wood 1edged upon the wave.
Behold how they spread their white pnons to the
favoring breeze, and wing their flight to every
quarter Of the globe--the carrier pigeons of the
world II is upon the unstable element the sons
Of New England have achieved their greatest tri-
| umphs Their adventurous prows the waters
| Of every Bold and restless the old North
ern Vikings, they 60 forth to seek their fortunes
in the mighty deep. The Ocean is their pasture,
and its wide praries, they follow the mon
strous herds that feed upon the azure fields As
the hunter casts his lasso upon the wild horse,
they throw their lines upon the tumbling whale.
/, They draw out the Leyiathan with hook ); they
fill his skin with barbed iron, and in spite Of his
terrible strength, they part him among the
merchants. To them, there are no pillars of Her
cules.' They seek with avidity regions, and
fear not to be the first that ever burst into un-
a known Had they been the companions OF
Columbus, the great mariner would not have been
! urged to return, though he had sailed Westward
to his dying day"
Macgregor also furnishes graphic description
of the Seal Fishery, with which we conclude this
article. We think the term of Goldfish Aristoc-
racy . need not be deemed SO very offensive after
all:
SEAL FIsHERY,-The great and primary business
Of the people of Newfoundland is that Of pursuing
and catching the inhabitants of the ocean. If
habit, as is generally allowed, becomes nature,
the Newfoundanders are naturally, from their
pursuits, certainly the most adventurous and fear
less men in the world. Courage and industry,
which certainly prevail, are to them absolutely
necessary
The Seal Fishery, as it is generally termed has
only become important within the present century.
Ii is little more than thirty years since the first
vessels veniured among those formidable fields of
ice that float from the Northern regions, during the
months Of March, April and May, down to the
j coast Of Newfoundland Those VINO acquaint-
ed with the terrific grandeur particularly during
4 stormy weather, of the lofty islands and mountains
of ice, covering often from two hundred to three
hundred miles OF the ocean, and occasionally ar
! rested by the coasts or shoals, will admit that it
requires more intrepidiiy to brave the dangers of
these elements than to encounter military fori-
ication.
The vessels equipped for the seal fishery, are
y teen to thirty men. They are always prepared for
sea, with necessary Stores firearms poles to defend
them from the ice, etc, before the feast of Saint
Patrick. Immediately after, the crews at the har-
bors, then frozen over, collect together, with all
l. assistance from the shoremen, and dividing them
selves into two the ice and provided with
hatches, large saws and strong poles fixed on two
lines far enough separate to allow their largest
schooners to pass
Each party cuts along its respective line, and
: they divide the solid mass between them into
/ squares, which are showed with poles under the
firm ice, continuing this laborious operation until
channel is open to the sea. The vessels then pro-
coed to the feldce, pushing their way through the
openings, or working to windward of it until they
: meet it covered with vast herds of seal.
s Where these occur, the part on which they are
n is called seal-meadows. These animals are sur.
l. prised by the seal hunters while they are sleeping
10 on the ice, and attacked with fre-locks or with
strong bludgeons, which are considered preferable
But the hunters have frequently shoot the large
ones, which will turn upon the men and make
resistance. The piteous moan and cry of the young
ones during the slaughter, require more than com,
rs mon nerves to disregard The hooded seals will
ne draw their hoods, which are shot proof over the
heads.
The skins, with the fat, surrounding the bodices
e, are shipped of together and the scaped
he lett on the ice The pelts scaps are carried L
IN the vessels and packed close in the hold but the
IN weather often is such to leave no time to scalr
the seal on the ice, and the oareasses are then car
u ried whole to the vessel
MI.