When first Spitzbergen was discovered, in the good old times, there were whales here in abundance; then a hundred Dutch ships, in a crowd, might go to work, and boats might jostle with each other, and the only thing deficient would be stowage room for all the produce of the fishery.

Now one ship may have the whole field to itself, and travel home with an imperfect cargo.

It was fine fun in the good old times; there was no need to cruise.

Coppers and boilers were fitted on the island, and little colonies about them, in the fishing season, had nothing to do but tow the whales in, with a boat, as fast as they were wanted by the copper.

No wonder that so enviable a Tom Tidler's ground was claimed by all who had a love for gold and silver.