Excerpt from The Whale Fishery and Its Appliances

Ship. - When coast-whaling was first essayed by Americans, the smaller class of vessels, such as sloops and schooners, were employed, but very short voyages were made. When, however, it was found necessary, as well as profitable, to whale out in the deep, the smaller class of vessels gave way to barks and ships, principally the latter. These were invariably sailing vessels, until, in 1880, a bark with auxilliary steam power, the Mary and Helen, afterwards the Rodgers, was success fully introduced in the North Pacific, and subsequently similar vessels owned in New Bedford and San Francisco have been sent to the same grounds. The largest fleet employed in this industry, consisting of schooners, barks, brigs, and several ships, varying from 66 to 440 tons, is owned by New Bedford. The majority of these are barks, which, as is well known, are as large as ships, the only difference being the rig. The vessels hailing from San Francisco are principally barks, varying from 175 to 533 tons, the latter being the tonnage of the recently con structed steamer Bowhead. The vessels owned at Provincetown, with the exception of one brig, the D. A. Small, 119 tons, are schooner-rigged, and vary from 69 to 117 tons. Boston owns one bark of 395 tons, and several brigs and schooners of from 92 to 123 tons. Edgartown has two barks, of 301 and 314 tons, respectively, and several schooners, varying from 89 to 100 tons. New London is engaged in sealing, as well as whaling, and sends from her wharves schooners of from 134 to 250 tons. Stonington owns two schooners of 70 tons each, and Marion one or two schooners of about 84 tons.

Camels. - 0wing to the difficulty experienced by the heavily laden whale-ships in crossing Nantucket Bar, a kind of lighter, consisting of water-tight compartments, was constructed in 1842. Since the decline of the fishery at this port the camels have been destroyed, and about the only pieces of this peculiar craft that have been saved are to be found in the garden of Mr. F. O. Sanford, of Nantucket, having been utilized in the construction of a dike or terrace.

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