Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/177

 we drifted. In the winter eaon, when the winds are more freh, thee difficulties might not occur, otherwie, it would be impoible for any veel, which was not a very prime ailer, to whale here with ucces; though at a certain eaon any quantity of perm oil might be procured. The oldet whale-fihers, with whom I have convered, as well as thoe on board my hip, uniformly declared that they had never een permaceti whales in a tate of copulation, or quid their principal food in hoals before; but both thee objects were very common off thee iles, and we frequently killed the latter, of four or five feet in length, with the granes. Young permaceti whales were alo een in great numbers, which were not larger than a mall porpoie. I am dipoed to believe that we were now at the general rendezvous of the permaceti whales from the coats of Mexico, Peru, and the Gulf of Panama, who come here to calve: as among thoe we killed, there was but one bull-whale. The ituation I recommend to all cruizers, is between the South end of Narborough ile and the Rock Rodondo: though great care mut be taken, not to go to the North of the latter; for there the current ets at the rate of four and five miles an hour due North. Narborough Ile falls gradually down to a point at the North, South, and Eat ends, and may be equal in produce to any of the neighbouring iles; but of this I can only