Part 7
Seventeen of these islands are habitable. They are rugged, mountainous, and rocky; the intervening currents deep and rapid; the sea around them turbulent, and at times so much agitated by whirlwinds, that vast quantities of water are forced up into the air, and the fishes contained therein frequently deposited on the tops of the highest mountains. These are equally resistless on land, tearing up trees, stones, and animals, and carrying them to very distant places. Whirlpools, too, are numerous in these seas, and extremely dangerous; that near the island of Suderoe is the most noted. It is occasioned by a crater, sixty-one fathoms deep in the centre, and from fifty to fifty-five on the sides. The water forms four fierce circumgyrations. The point they begin at is on the side of a large bason, where commences a range of rocks running spirally, and terminating at the verge of the crater. This range is extremely rugged, and covered with water from the depth of twelve to eight fathoms only. It forms four equidistant wreaths, with a channel from thirty-five to twenty fathoms in depth between each. On the outside, beyond that depth, the sea suddenly sinks to eighty and ninety. On the south border of the bason, is a lofty rock, called _Sumboe Munk_, noted for the number of birds which frequent it. On one side, the water is only three or four fathoms deep, on the other, fifteen. The danger at most times, especially in storms, is very great. Ships are irresistibly drawn in: the rudder loses its power, and the waves beat as high as the masts, so that an escape is almost miraculous; yet at the reflux, and in very still weather, the inhabitants will venture in boats for the sake of fishing. _Arct. Zool._ 2d edit. vol. i. p. 56.
On arriving at these southerly latitudes, the appearance of the moon and stars was, to use the language of Captain Phipps, almost as extraordinary a phenomena as the sun at midnight, when we first got within the Arctic circle.
On the 20th, lay becalmed off Fair Isle, a barren spot, about three miles long, situated midway between the Shetland and Orkney Isles, and inhabited by about 170 persons. The shores are high and rugged; greatest depth of the water near it twenty-six fathoms. The tide here runs with great velocity, and forms at the east end a considerable eddy. Some ships belonging to the famous Spanish Armada were lost on this isle.
When lying off Fair Isle, we sent the men we had got from Shetland ashore in the row-boats.
22d, Passed North Ronaldshaw light in the Orkneys. The wind being but little, and at S.E. we were drifted by the tide down the Murray Firth, or _Tuum Æstuarium_ of the Romans, as far as Spey Bay. Tacked and stood in for Kinnaird’s Head, the _Taizalum Promontorium_, which, with the north-eastern extremity of Caithness, forms this capacious bay.
July 23d, Off Fraserburgh, to which we sent letters by a fishing boat. Tacked and stood in for Peterhead, the most eastern part of Scotland, and famous for its medicinal waters; it is situated about thirty miles north of Aberdeen.
25th, Fell in with a cutter off Saint Abb’s Head, which we at first took for a French privateer: to our satisfaction, however, she proved to be the Try-All of London, a privateer of 14 guns, and 70 or 80 men.
26th, Came in sight of Whitby. It blowing very hard, we could not anchor in the roads. Sailed farther to the south; then tacked and hoisted a flag for a pilot. In the evening a pilot came off in his cobble; but it blew so remarkably hard, that he could not get any person to come along with him but an intrepid _lame tailor_. They came on board, but being heavy laden, and the tides low, we could not get into Whitby. We therefore determined to run for Hull; but, calling at Scarborough, we got a brig to come to Whitby roads in order to lighten us.
July 27th, Fourteen of our men being afraid of the press, took two boats, and ran into Robbin Hood’s Bay. Anchored this evening in Whitby Roads.
28th and 29th, The brig lightened us about 100 tons, and the evening of the latter day we got withinside the bridge, and were mustered by the custom-house officers, as is usual on those occasions.
31st, Paid off.
* * * * *
In concluding the account of this voyage, it would be unpardonable in me to neglect mentioning the kindness and attention with which I was always treated by Captain Scoresby, and his son the mate. Captain Scoresby is well known to the world at large, for his vigorous, enterprizing character, as well as for consummate skill in nautical matters. As Captain of the ship, his conduct was most exemplary. He was attentive to all the duties of religion, and preserved a proper decorum, and strict discipline, without harshness, among the crew.
APPENDIX.
No. I.
The following extract from Dr. Edmonston’s work on the Shetland Isles, gives a curious account of the popular superstitions still prevalent among their inhabitants. “On no subject are they more superstitious than in what relates to fishing. Some of the more skilful prophets can foretell, from the knots in the bottom-boards of a boat, whether it will be lucky to fish or not; and whether it will be overset under sail, or be otherwise cast away; and boats have been rejected and torn up in consequence of such a prophecy. When they go to the fishing, they carefully avoid meeting any person, unless it be one who has long enjoyed the reputation of being lucky; nor, when the boat has floated, is it deemed safe to turn it but with the sun. If a man tread on the tongs in the morning, or be asked where he is going, he need not go to the fishing that day. When at sea, the fishermen employ a nomenclature peculiar to the occasion, and scarcely a single thing then retains its usual name. Most of their names are of Norwegian origin; for the Norwaymen were reported to have been successful fishers. Certain names must not be mentioned while they are setting their lines, especially the minister and the cat; and many others equally unmeaning.
“Witchcraft is still believed by the peasantry to exist in Zetland; and some old women live by pretending to be witches, for no one ventures to refuse what they ask. About six years ago, a man entered a prosecution in the sheriff-court at Lerwick against a woman for witchcraft. He stated, that she uniformly assumed the form of a raven, and in that character killed his cattle, and prevented the milk of his cows from yielding butter. The late Mr. Scott, then sheriff-substitute, permitted the case to come into court, and was at great pains to explain the folly, and even criminality of such proceedings.
“Nearly allied to witchcraft is a firm belief in the efficacy of alms. When a person is anxious for the accomplishment of any particular event, or considers himself in danger, he vows alms to some person, generally an old woman who enjoys the reputation of being provided for in that manner; and, if his wishes are realized, he scrupulously performs his vow. There are the ruins of an old church in the parish of Weesdale, called _Our Lady’s Church_, which is supposed to possess a still greater influence in this respect than any living being. Many are the boats which are said to have arrived safe at land in consequence of a promise to this effect, where death, without such an intervention, appeared inevitable. Several coins have been found at different times concealed in the walls of this Loretto of Zetland.
“A belief in the existence of _Brownie_, the tutelar saint of husbandry, is beginning to be exploded; but the fairies or _trows_ have still a “local habitation and a name.” They occupy small stony hillocks or _knowes_, and whenever they make an excursion abroad, are seen mounted on bulrushes riding in the air. If a person should happen to meet them, without having a Bible in his pocket, he is directed to draw a circle round him, on the ground, and in God’s name forbid their nearer approach, after which they commonly disappear. They are said to be very mischievous, not only shooting cattle with their arrows, but even carrying human beings with them to the hills. Child-bed women are sometimes taken to nurse a prince, and although the appearance of the body remain at home, yet the immaterial part is removed. Such persons are observed to be very pale and absent; and it is generally some old woman who enjoys the faculty of bringing soul and body together.” Vol. ii. p. 73.
No. II.
In order to make this little work as complete as possible, I have annexed the following accounts of the Dutch, English, and American whale-fisheries. The two former I have compiled from authentic documents, and the latter is extracted from the late valuable work of Mr. Pitkin on the Commerce of the United States.
_Dutch Whale Fishery._--Towards the latter end of the sixteenth century, the whale-fishing on the coast of Spitzbergen became considerable. It was entirely in the hands of the English till the year 1578. This fishery was first carried on by a company, which sent thither annually a few ships, to the exclusion of the rest of their countrymen, and who also endeavoured to exclude foreigners. In the year 1613, the company’s ships amounted to seven sail, who, on their arrival at Spitzbergen, found there fifteen Dutch, French, and Flemish ships, besides English interlopers. Next year, the Dutch sent eighteen sail, of which four were men of war. In 1615, the king of Denmark sent a squadron of three men-of-war to assert his exclusive right, but with such indifferent success, that his majesty thought fit to give up the point. In 1617, our company were more lucky than in any other year, and actually made one thousand nine hundred tun of oil. The Dutch made, for many years after, very indifferent voyages; and, as their great statesman, M. De Witt, well observes, had certainly been forced to relinquish the trade, _had it not been laid open by the dissolution of their Greenland Company_, to which he attributes their having in his time, beat the English, and almost all other nations, out of that trade, which they then carried on to a prodigious extent.
The following is a list of the ships sent from Holland to the Greenland and Davis’ Straits whale-fishery, from the year 1661 to 1788, both inclusive, with an account of the number of whales catched each year:
_A List of Greenland and Davis’ Straits Ships, from Holland, since the year 1661, with the number of Fish caught each year._
+---------+----------+------------------+ | _Years_ | _Ships._ | _Fish._ | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1661 | 133 | 452 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1662 | 149 | 862 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1663 | 202 | 932 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1664 | 193 | 782 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1665 | } | +---------+ } War with | | 1666 | } England, no | +---------+ } Ships out. | | 1667 | } | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1668 | 155 | 573 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1669 | 138 | 1013 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1670 | 148 | 792 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1671 | 158 | 1088 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1672 | } | +---------+ } War with | | 1673 | } England, no | +---------+ } Ships out. | | 1674 | } | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1675 | 147 | 900 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1676 | 145 | 812 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1677 | 145 | 785 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1678 | 120 | 1118 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1679 | 126 | 792 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1680 | 151 | 1373 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1681 | 175 | 876 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1682 | 195 | 1444 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1683 | 242 | 1338 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1684 | 233 | 1153 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1685 | 200 | 1283 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1686 | 189 | 664 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1687 | 194 | 621 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1688 | 214 | 340 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1689 | 160 | 241 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1690 | 117 | 785 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1691 | 2 | War with France. | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1692 | 32 | 56 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1693 | 90 | 175 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1694 | 63 | 161 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1695 | 97 | 187 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1696 | 122 | 428 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1697 | 131 | 1279 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1698 | 139 | 1483 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1699 | 151 | 775 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1700 | 173 | 913 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1701 | 208 | 2071 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1702 | 224 | 687 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1703 | 207 | 644 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1704 | 130 | 652 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1705 | 157 | 1678 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1706 | 151 | 986 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1707 | 131 | 126 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1708 | 122 | 533 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1709 | 126 | 192 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1710 | 137 | 62 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1711 | 117 | 631 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1712 | 108 | 373 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1713 | 93 | 237 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1714 | 108 | 1291 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1715 | 134 | 698 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1716 | 153 | 535 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1717 | 179 | 392 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1718 | 139 | 280 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1719 | 211 | 346 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1720 | 228 | 455 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1721 | 260 | 733 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1722 | 254 | 1101 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1723 | 233 | 314 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1724 | 232 | 358 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1725 | 226 | 530 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1726 | 218 | 244 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1727 | 202 | 402 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1728 | 182 | 363 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1729 | 184 | 229 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1730 | 168 | 248 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1731 | 164 | 298 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1732 | 176 | 314 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1733 | 184 | 360 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1734 | 186 | 327 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1735 | 185 | 496 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1736 | 191 | 857 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1737 | 196 | 504 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1738 | 195 | 472 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1739 | 192 | 728 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1740 | 187 | 665 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1741 | 178 | 312 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1742 | 173 | 558 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1743 | 185 | 937 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1744 | 187 | 1494 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1745 | 184 | 568 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1746 | 180 | 1036 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1747 | 164 | 776 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1748 | 94 | 278 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1749 | 157 | 619 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1750 | 158 | 590 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1751 | 162 | 330 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1752 | 159 | 546 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1753 | 166 | 639 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1754 | 171 | 672 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1755 | 181 | 720 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1756 | 186 | 508 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1757 | 180 | 423 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1758 | 159 | 371 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1759 | 155 | 464 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1760 | 154 | 454 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1761 | 161 | 357 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1762 | 165 | 189 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1763 | | | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1764 | 161 | 224 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1765 | 165 | 477 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1766 | 167 | 189 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1767 | 165 | 179 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1768 | 160 | 600 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1769 | 152 | 1127 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1770 | 150 | 523 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1771 | 150 | 143 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1772 | 131 | 768 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1773 | 134 | 444 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1774 | 130 | 450 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1775 | 129 | 105 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1776 | 123 | 509 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1777 | 116 | 427 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1778 | 111 | 306 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1779 | 105 | 168 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1780 | 82 | 476 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1781 | } | +---------+ } War with England, | | 1782 | } no Ships out | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1783 | 55 | 330 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1784 | 62 | 198 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1785 | 65 | 300 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1786 | 67 | 476 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1787 | 67 | 239 | +---------+----------+------------------+ | 1788 | 69 | 190 | +---------+----------+------------------+
N. B. From the year 1719 are included the Davis’ Straits Ships.
From this period the Dutch whale-fishery rapidly declined, and was at length totally annihilated during the late war.
_English Whale Fishery._--The English Whale Fishery, like that of Holland, was originally carried on by an exclusive company. The first association of merchants for this purpose was soon dissolved; but, owing to successive grants of the same kind, the trade continued fettered for a considerable period posterior to the Revolution. During this time, it was, as might have been expected, carried on with almost no success.--In 1724, the South Sea Company embarked largely in this department of industry; but, having, in the course of eight years, incurred an immense loss, they were glad to abandon it. In 1733, the government being determined to encourage this fishery, a bounty of 20s. per ton was granted to all ships of 200 tons and upwards, employed therein; as this bounty, however, was found insufficient, in 1749 it was doubled. This extraordinary encouragement, by factitiously determining a portion of the national capital into this channel, had at last a considerable effect; but a long time elapsed ere the English could, even with these superior advantages, successfully compete with the Dutch. Since this epoch many alterations have been made in the laws respecting the Greenland fishery; and at the commencement of the late war, the bounties were reduced, owing to the market being overstocked with oil.
The following account of the number of English and Scottish vessels employed in the Greenland whale fishery, and of their tonnage, from 1771 to 1800, both inclusive, is extracted from M’Phersons Annals of Commerce: