ABSTRACT
BeforediscussingVanderBrugge's"Journal,"itisnecessarytoconsiderthecircumstancesthatdeterminedthe expeditionofwhichitisarecord.Theyearsinwhich PellhamandVanderBruggewinteredatSpitsbergenfell withinthemostsuccessfulperiodofthebaywhale-fishery. Atthattimewhaleswereplentifulinthenorthernseas. Theytravelledeastwardintheearlypartoftheyear,and arrivedonthewestcoastsandinthewestbaysofSpitsbergenintheearlysummer.Itwastheirhabittoenterthe baysingreatschools,andhavingentered,tostaytherefora considerabletime.Ofcourse,tohuntthemincalm,landlockedwaterswasfareasierthantokillandflensethemin theopensea.Thusthemethodofthefisheryatthattime, pursuedbothbyEnglish,Dutch,Danes,andFrench,was tosendshipsuptoconvenientharboursalittlebeforethe timeofthearrivalofthewhales.Theshipsanchored closetotheshore,wherehutshadbeenbuilt,whichthey calledtheirtents.Inthesehutsthetackleofthefishery waslaidupfromyeartoyear,andthewhale-boatswere drawnupandturnedoveronthebeachbeforethem.Here, also,thecoopersworkedatmakingthenecessarycasks. Beforethehutsalsotheyhadtheirfurnaces,coppers,and coolersforboilingthetrain-oiloutoftheblubber.When ashiphadarrivedatitsanchorage,thewhale-boatswere mannedout,thecoopersandotherworkmenlanded,and allpreparationsforthefisherycompleted.Assoonasthe whalescameintothebaythehuntcommenced,andeach whalewhenkilledwastowedtotheforeshorenearthe tents,andthereflensed,itsblubberboileddown,the
