the next day, where we found a large number of vessels engaged in the
fishery, dry and green.

On the 18th of the month, we departed from Ile Percee, passing in latitude
42 deg., without sighting the Grand Bank, where the green fishery is carried
on, as it is too narrow at this altitude.

When we were about half way across, we encountered a whale, which was
asleep. The vessel, passing over him, awakening him betimes, made a great
hole in him near the tail, without damaging our vessel; but he threw out an
abundance of blood.

It has seemed to me not out of place to give here a brief description of
the mode of catching whales, which many have not witnessed, and suppose
that they are shot, owing to the false assertions about the matter made to
them in their ignorance by impostors, and on account of which such ideas
have often been obstinately maintained in my presence.

Those, then, most skilful in this fishery are the Basques, who, for the
purpose of engaging in it, take their vessels to a place of security, and
near where they think whales are plenty. Then they equip several shallops
manned by competent men and provided with hawsers, small ropes made of the
best hemp to be found, at least a hundred and fifty fathoms long. They are
also provided with many halberds of the length of a short pike, whose iron
is six inches broad; others are from a foot and a half to two feet long,
and very sharp. Each shallop has a harpooner, the most agile and adroit man
they have, whose pay is next highest to that of the masters, his position
being the most dangerous one. This shallop being outside of the port, the
men look in all quarters for a whale, tacking about in all directions. But,
if they see nothing, they return to the shore, and ascend the highest point