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Show 972 MR. C. R. M A R K H A M ON T H E WHALE-FISHERY OF [Dec. 13, 1536. Two large whales and one small. 1538. Six whales killed. 1542. Two whales killed. . , , , . A/rni.-„_ 1543. One whale wounded by the Lequeitio people, but captured at Motrico. Divided between the two towns. ^^u*. 1543. Two wbales killed, mother and young. The Mayor-domo working all day at the whalebone, and received 2 rials. 1546. February 24 a whale killed in front of St. Nicholas Island. Ine bones yielded 9^ ducados. 1550. Two whales killed. 1570. One whale killed. 1576. One wbale killed. 1578. One whale killed. 1580. Three and a young one. 1608. One whale killed. 1609. Three whales killed. 1611. Two small whales killed, in concert with the men of Andarroa, which led to a law suit. 1617. One whale killed. 1618. One whale killed. 1619. One whale killed. 1622. One whale killed with its young. 1649. Two whales killed. 1650. Two whales killed. 1657. Two whales killed and two young. 1661. One whale killed. In the "UBro defaBrica " including the years from 1731 to 1781 there is no mention of a whale, nor in the two succeeding books. The sailors went long voyages in search of them. But in 1712, fifty years after the last entry in the books, there were boats and apparatus for catching whales". In 1 740 it was said that there were no sailors in Lequeitio, all having gone on long whaling voyages. In a record of a marriage at Lequeitio on July 15th, 1712, among the goods of the bride are mentioned a whale-boat with sails, lines, harpoons, and apparatus complete. Of the bridegroom it is said that "he was clothed decently, having four coats of London cloth, a good chest to keep his clothes in and another for travelling, a mattrass, pillow, and blanket, and needful clothes for going to sea." So that between them they were well prepared for a whaling expedition. These entries at Lequeitio indicate that during the sixteenth century the whales were abundant; for if this was the catch of only one village out of at least twenty along the coast, we may fairly multiply it by at least ten for the average yield of the fishery. In the books of the " Cofradia de Marchantes' of Zarauz there are similar records, from which it appears that between the years 1637 and 1801 as many as 55 whales were killed by the Zarauz people, whose prowess was known throughout the Cantabrian coast. There is one noteworthy tradition at Zarauz, to the effect that two young sailors, without any help, chased, harpooned, and killed a large whale, and brought it safely to the beach. This deed is immortalized on imperishable stone. Over the portal of a house in Zarauz, no. 13 Calle de Azara, there is an inscription, now in the greater part rendered illegible by time, but with letters of the shape and style used in the |