The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-12-03
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

! /SpERM WHALING OFF HoNoLULu--Hearing that
the ship Cor. Troup. lying off and on outside. had
taken n sperm whale on the passage down from Hilo
10 this port. and having some curiosity to witness the
hoiuS operGadi of extracting oil from blubter, and
whatever else was TO be seen, we started for the
wharf to find Capt. Ashley, from whom we expected
10 obtain n letter OF introduction to his first officer.
Upon finding the Captain, and stating our errand,
he kindly offered to accompany US off; so getting into
n boat, the Captain, ourselves and TWO gentlemen as
companions for the voyage. started for the roads. with
a stiff trade wind, where. on setting a signal for
the vessel, she stood in for US. and we were soon
alongside. Upon reaching the deck we we're intro
duced to Mr.. Hayes the LIST officer, from whom we
received every attention. After the distribution of
letters which the Captain had brought off, we COM
menced our search after knowledge.
But before we proceed, q word to the good folks
at home about letters and letter writing. Our worthy
friend the Rev. Mr.. Damon has often. through the
columns of the Friend, urged upon seamen the ne
cessity of writing letters home, and We now say to
you. do your duty and write letters to the feet. Don't
put it off until there is n bare possibility of reach
ing here in time for the fall or spring season, but
write frequently, and send the letters on. They are
safely kept here, and always welcome to the receiver,
be they never so old. We witnessed the emotions of
part VI d snip = Tx vi OOiAA TX oOt tIOupS
while the names were being called off. Anxious ex-
pectation marked every cOuntenance. All faces were
len gtheued until the name was called, when suddenly
the length was the other way and broad smiles of
satisfaction cleaned forth. Proceeding to examine
the whale, we first inspected a huge mass of blubber
which was securely dashed to the rail. called in whale
mems parlance the junk. a part of the head from
which oil was fast oozing out. Casting our eyes below
We saw a pile of blubber cut into pieces about two
feet in length, and six or eight inches wide, called
a. horse pieces ready for the minciug machine. from
which they were passed into a tub, waiting their
turn for the try pots. After boiling they were thrown
into q press from which they came well cleared of oil
and then served as fuel under the pots. We were
shown the spermaceti as it came from the case or
heal, the material from which sperm candles are
made. The jaw was lying on deck, in which we
counted AZ teeth. The whale was large enough TO /
have made 30 or so barrels, but was poor, and so
barrels is probably all that it will yield. This oil
will be shipped per Yankee for San Francisco, and
from there 10 Eastern ports, TO take advantage of the I
present high prices. Our questions. not a few. were !
kindly answered, and We felt amply repaid for the |
trip. After inspecting the cabin and officers accom- !
modations. We were again on deck, and the vessel !
was headed in shore and We were dropped handy in, !
and after a half hours pull were again on shore. 3
San Francisco papers are somewhat %jubilant from !
the fact, that humpbsck oil has been taken outside of
their port and urge it rs a reason that the whaling /
fleet should reht there; but they must try agsin, I
for twice in the past two years have vessels taken !
from so to 20 barrels of sperm oil of this port.
The New HOSE CARRIAGE-The hose carriage i'm I
ported by Pacific Company, by the Yankee, has been {
landed and set up, and is now in the Harris store !
house on the Esplanade. 1t is a light four-wheeled !
carriage, with springs, and appears as if it might be I
drawn by one or two persons as easily as a hand cart. 5
1t is most beautifully and t~astefully painted, with the :
name PACIFIC in front, and the motto ITO THE {
Rescue on the back, and has also four very hand {
some lamps attached. 1t is altogether an establish 5
ment which the company may justly be proud Of !
With good hose and plenty Of it, the company will be Z
able to do good service in any FIRE that may occur. 6
Not less than "a thousand feet Of hose ought TO be :
provided for the company. 8
Now's Your CH~ANCE.-Christmas is coming and :
so is New Years-at least the young folks say so, 8
and judging from their talk, they expect the old {
folks to buy up the entire town and distribute gratis )
among them. Well, Mr.. J. H. Cole promises to sell s
out an endless lot of - fxins' as Artemus Ward &
says. on Saturday evening next, and says that the s
ladies and all the rest Of the world will be welcome z
there and expected too. Goods open for inspection 8
on Saturday -