Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

The whaling barque Superior, Capt. Royce of Sagharbor, arrived at Honolulu on the 4th Sept. last, with 1,800 barrels of whale oil, which she took in the Arctic Seas. In an account of his successful voyage, furnished the “Friend,” Capt. Royce says:
I entered the Arctic Ocean about the middle of July, and cruised from continent to continent, going as high as lat. 70, and saw whales wherever I went, cutting in my last whale on the 23rd of Aug. and returning through the Behring Straits, on the 28th of the same month. On account of powerful currents, thick fogs, and near vicinity of land and ice, combined with the imperfection of charts, and want of information respecting this region, I found it both difficult and dangerous to get oil, although there was plenty of whales. Hereafter, doubtless, many ships will go there, and I think some provision ought to be made to save the lives of those who go there, should they be cast away. During the entire period of the cruise no ice was seen, the weather was ordinarily pleasant, so that the men could work in light clothing.
In most parts of the Ocean there was good anchorage, from 14 to 35 fathoms, and a part of the time the vessel lay at anchor. The first whale was taken at 12 o’clock at night. It was not difficult “to whale the whole 24 hours; so light was it at midnight it was easy to read the cabin. The whales were quite tame, but quite different from any Captain Royce had ever before taken. He took three different species much resembling the Greenland whale, yielding 160 or 170 barrels; the second was a species called Polar whale, a few of which have been taken on the Northwest coast; and the third a small whale peculiar to that Ocean. The last three whales which were taken yielded over 600 barrels.
The American coast has been explored and found inhabited. Capt. R. discovered that the Asiatic coast was also peopled by numerous tribes of Indians, and he is of the opinion that they are well supplied with valuable furs that could be easily purchased. There are no good charts of the Asiatic coast, unless they are in possession of the Russians. On entering the Straits, seven canoes, containing forty men each, were seen crossing from the American to the Asiatic coast. Capt. Royce did not hold any communication with the Indians, his vessel being only partially armed; and in one instance the Indians showed that they were disposed to make him a hostile visit when becalmed, but a favorable breeze springing up soon carried the vessel beyond the region of danger. The success which has attended the Superior’s cruise will doubtless stimulate others to follow her adventurous track.