The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-12-12
Discovery of the Northern Vyhai
ing Grounds.

AAE
1t may not be generally known that the discov-
cry Of the Arctic and Ochotsk whaling grounds
was the result Of an accident, but such is the case.
We met n few days since an old acquaintance,
! Captain Roys, and from him heard the story
Of the first Arctic and Ochotsk whaling seasons.
IL seems that the Captain was in command of the
wlaleship JoSephine. in 1915, and was Right
) Whaling on the northwest ground, and during
the season met with an accident, Il whale break
ing two Of his ribs, causing him to pat away for
P~etroraul0ski for medical aid. Arriving at that
port, he sent his ship of in charge of the mate
and remained on shore some months. Daring
this stay on shore he became acquainted with n
Russian officer who had been through Bhcring
Straits, in charge of n government vessel, and rs
the officer spoke English, he had many n pleasant
Chat with him In relation TO his cruise. While
recounting his experience in the Arctic Ocean,
the Russian mentioned having seen large num-
bers Of whales. This of course Interested Cap
tain Roys, and after questioning and cross-ques-
tioning, tine Russian officer even sketching the
style of whale me had seen, the Captain obtained
ormati which set him 10 thinking. The
Captain also asceTtained that large quantities of
whalebonc came to Petropauloski every year, on
FAei-IE ~ NAf AAN VI NA~ ShlN.
Mercator Cooper, of the whaleship Manhattan,
came into Petrorauloski while GaFt. Roys was
sick, and to hin, CIT. r.. communicated the intel
!igezcc ne had obtained regarding the whalebone
from the Ochotsk, and they concluded naturally
that whales must be abundant. in that sea. Capt.
Cooper proceeded 70 the Ochotsk, and soon filed
his ship without working over sixty miles into the
sea. Captain e. then came to these islands and
reported his discovery.
The Josephine returning, Capt. Il. left his quar-
tiers in PetroIauloski, and afterwards fell i'll with
the Captain of the Danish whaleship Neptune, and
in the course of n talk learned from the Captain
that he had taken, off Petropauloski, three
whales Of 4 new species, and in answer 10 Cap
tain Roys' request, drafted the whales, noting Its
pcculiarities, length Of bone, dc. This was
something more to add to his store of informa-
ton. Shortly after, ne fell in with Captain Eli
White, of the American whaleship SheDfeid, and
from him obtained more information concerning
the new whale. Captain Roys being bound home,
kept his secret. After remaining at home one
year he obtained command of the whaleship SUI
perior. owned by Grinnell, Minturn and Co., and
fitted out for m eight months cruise on tie Gro
get ground and Desolation Island. Captain Roys
dAllti ~ liz IVA AIS I" ANcN@ DNN '1c SNaAAN
if his desire to 20 into the Arctic Ocean was known
that he would be taken out Of the ship. Proceeding
on the VOYAGE marked out, lac took but seven
whales. poor ones, making but one hundred bar
rels Of oil. This determined the Captain 10 make
a bold move for the Arctic; before doing it, how
ever, he must rcft his ship. Proceeding TO Ho-
he shipped his oil to England and fitted
for a years cruise. Writing TO his owners, he
told them Of his project, and remarked, if the
ship was never heard Of they might know where
she had gone. After leaving port he steered To
the nOrthwarl and made the ice in the Anadir
carly in May. Never having pushed n ship
INTO the ice, ~ i now frequently done, the Cap
was intimidated and wore ship to the south
ward. and went back to the right whale ground,
lie remained for about q month, when he
again turned his Prov for the north, passing st.
Lawrence Island on the fifteenth Of July, 1913.
Keeping on his course he came up with the
whales, bOwheads, just south of the Diomeie Isl
nnds. and took his first whale, which slowed
down one hundred and ten barrels. For thirty
three days the ship worked slowly to the north
ward. the fires under the ~try-works never being
rxtinguishcd. and reached north latitude seventy
one degrees.
This seasons work was eleven whales, making
sixteen hundred barrels of oil. The ship was
then put away for these islands, and the account
IF the discovery of the new grounds was published
in the Friend Of that year. The Captain fitted
Iis ship and sailed for the United States. On
home he sought for 4 larger ship. and
ouni the right ship in the SigtTed, but as the
CalhsFuis geId fever was then raging, the Shifted
chartered to take a cars3 70 san Francisco.
Roys took command and stored hns try .
pts below with the cargo. put boats on the
1unes, took 4 deck-load of edsk shocks and set
all for san Frlnci-co. After dischar-ing his