File:The marine mammals of the north-western coast of North America, described and illustrated; together with an account of the American whale-fishery (1874) (14782490094).jpg

Identifier: marinemammalsofn00scam (find matches)
Title: The marine mammals of the north-western coast of North America, described and illustrated; together with an account of the American whale-fishery
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Scammon, Charles Melville, 1825-1911
Subjects: Marine mammals Cetacea Sealing Whaling Whales Dolphins
Publisher: San Francisco, J.H. Carmany New York, Putnam
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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der, and ships company, the article was well ascertained to be greatly inis of peculiar interest, as portraying the char- demand, and held at prices that furnished goodacter of all those who, at that period, entered grounds upon which to hope that a very hand-so practically yet enthusiastically into commer- some profit would be realized. Another greatcial pursuits. In the early part of the month inducement held out in favor of the attempt,of May, 1797, writes Captain Fanning, it was was the probability that Captain Whetten him-the good fortune of the author to meet at New self, in the Ontario, would be at Canton atYork with Captain John Whetten, a gentleman about the period of the arrival there (whichdistinguished as an able navigator, and at the would be in our fall part of the year, say thetime in command of the ship Ontario, in the month of September, October, or November) ofChina trade. With him originated, and with any vessel shortly fitted out. The intimate knowl- FUR SEALS. J47
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< fs,H < o 25 148 31A BINE MA 3131A LS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. that there were left on the island at least five hundred thousand seals. Subse-quently, there were taken from the island but little short of one million skins. The seal fishery was extensively prosecuted for many years by our countrymen.The sealing fleet on the coast of Chile alone, in 1801, amounted to thirty vessels,many of which were ships of the larger class, and nearly all were under the Amer-ican flag. Up to the present day, American vessels are the pioneers in the mostremote and unexplored regions, wherever the migratory animals are to be found insufficient numbers to induce that class of our seamen who are fond of a sportsmanslife, in addition to that of sea-faring, to embark in the enterprise. In the midst of the Crimean War, an enterprising firm in New London, Con-necticut, fitted out a clipper bark, which was officered and manned expressly for a edge Captain Whetten had of the manner of doingbusiness w

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