Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-08

period down to the outbreak Of the Civil
War the sails Of our whalemen we're spread
in every zone Of the South seas, and the
jubilant cry Thar she blows" was heard in
every degree Of their watery kingdom. The
early cruising grounds were mainly Of the
coasts of Chill, Peru, Ecuador and near the
Galapagos Islands. These grounds are still
considered as being among the best in the
world. The sperm whale was the only cap
ture sought in these waters.
After several years of incessant pursuit,
finding the game more shy and scarce. few
ships struck out into the hitherto unknown
ocean to the westward, through the Archi-
pelagos which stud those seas, finding there
the cachalot in almost countless numbers,
and new feeding grounds at intervals from
thecoastof South America to the bays of New
Zealand. Other ships soon followed, and
hundreds of islands were discovered and re-
ceived their first visit from white men, and
were made known to civilization by the ad-
venturous captors of these ceteceans. The
sperm whale, as is generally known, fire.
quents both cold and warm latitudes, al
though it seems to prefer the warmer zones.
Is has been seen and captured in all the
great oceans from 800 north to 600 south.
The right, OF "bone" whales, are, however,
found only in Polar seas, except when win
ter brings them as a casual visitor to higher
latitudes. They cannot cross the tropics,
and the right whale of the Arctic differs in
marked characteristics from that Of the
Antarctic ocean.
PAYING BUSINESS.
In the devious voyages of the sperm whale
hunters it naturally was of frequent occur
renee, from their covering so wide an extent
of meridians, that they encountered right
whales. Especially in the North Pacific
they were met in immense numbers. When
it became more difficult to ''6lI up" with
sperm oil, ships were fitted out for the
northern fishery, with astonishing results,
it being at first not uncommon occurrence
The right whale also yielded larger guam
tity of oil in addition to the bone of COM
merce. 1t was likewise more peaceable and
easy to kill, not having the unpleasant
habit of 'jawing back" SO characteristic of
whale, however, ranked in value but little
more than one-half the price oi sperm.
The rapid discovery of new and distant
whaling grounds necessitated nearer and
more convenient ports for reftting, and the
OanQWlcn 4S1dnOs Decame .bne principal
rendezvous TOR the North Pacific feet In
1878 the ships Equator and Balaena entered
Honolulu. they being the first American
whalemen to touch at those islands. With
in less than 20 years after it was not an un-
usual sight to witness from 80 to 75 of these
ships anchored there at the same time.
Aside from the advantages of proximity to
the whaling grounds the vessels found an
abundance Of fresh supplies and tropical
fruits, so welcome after a long sea fast.
Homeward bound ships would also take oil
from other vessels as freight to the United
States. The kindly disposition Of the ma
tives and genial climate OF these islands
were also strong attractions to "Jaek,
as well as his master, which led
to frequent deseftions Of the sail
ors, as the lite Of "beach-comber"
in the midst of such delicious environments,
with its luxurious ease and lack of moral
and social restraints, was doubly acceptable
to the happy-go-lueky style Of many of this
class of sesmen alter the severe discipline of
the ship and the contrast to the severe ex-
posure of cruise in the Northern ice.
From 1916 to 1856 were the golden days Of
whaling. At the commeneemeuto Of that de-