Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/113

Rh yielded 46 tuns of oil and 60 cwt. of bone, the latter largely in excess of the average, as is generally the case with very large Whales, the ordinary proportion being about 1 cwt. of bone to each tun of oil.

The 'Esquimaux,' after returning from Newfoundland, as already stated, proceeded to Davis Strait, where she killed her first Whale in Pond's Bay on July 9th, and a second on the day following. On the 14th of the same month a larger Whale was killed, but it was not till Sept. 23rd that another was harpooned. This was in Coutts Inlet; but it unfortunately broke away, carrying with it three hundred fathoms of line. Thereafter the weather was too stormy for fishing, and the 'Esquimaux' returned with three small Whales, yielding 20 tuns of oil and 20 cwt. of bone. This, with the sealing venture, constituted a very fair season's return.

The 'Diana' was the most fortunate vessel of the fleet. During May fifty-four Walruses were secured at the south-west fishing; on July 7th she killed her first Whale, and before the end of the month she had two others on board. A fourth was killed in Coutts Inlet on Sept. 9th, and two others on the 23rd of the same month. After encountering frightful weather, the 'Diana' arrived at Dundee with 6 Whales, 54 Walruses, and 24 Bears—yielding 76½ tuns of oil and 77 cwt. of bone.

The 'Nova Zembla' killed her first Whale in Coutts Inlet on Aug. 11th—a fine fish of 11 ft. bone—and on the 23rd of the same month an even finer fish of 12 ft. bone; but a third to which she fastened unfortunately broke away, and was lost. Her catch was 2 Whales, 12 Walruses, and 4 Bears—producing 38½ tuns of oil and 41 cwt. of bone.

The 'Active' visited the station in Hudson Strait (see Zool. 1900, p. 71), where she found all well. One small Whale had been killed on June 10th, also a number of Walruses and Bears. In all she brought back with her 28 tuns of oil, 7 cwt. of bone, 327 Walruses, and 76 Bears.

The season of 1900 will long be remembered by the Davis Strait whalers as one of the most stormy within the experience of the oldest hands, and this was rendered the more tantalising from the fact that fish were in plenty; but it was impossible to send the boats away, and even when this could be done the ice hampered their movements, or enabled the Whales to escape.