Whalers And Traders Flashcards
When did ships start coming regularly to New Zealand?
1790
What did the whalers and traders come for ?
Sealskins , flax , timber , whale oil,and ambergris
How many sealskins could a gang expect to collect in a season ?
14,000
What were sealskins used for ?
Fashionable felt hats
What type of whale did the deep sea whalers hunt ?
Catchallot or sperm
What 2 products were they after ?
Whale oil and the spermacetic wax ambergris
What was whale oil used for ?
Lubrication and lighting
What was ambergris used for ?
Perfumes and candles
What type of whale did the bay whalers hunt ?
Black or right whale
What 2 products did they want from the black or right whales?
They hunted the black or right whale for its oil and bone
Why did both sealing and whaling eventually stop in New zealand ?
Whaling in New Zealand stopped because of a lack of whales rather than because of public distaste. Sealing in New Zealand stopped because sealers killed too many seals for the trade to be important.
Approximately what year was both whaling and sealing stopped in New Zealand ?
Whaling = 1850
Sealing = 1810
What was flax used for ?
Rope and cordage
What was it swapped for ?
Muskets
Why did the trade in flax stop ?
Because it was very difficult to prepare the flax fibre in large enough amount to satisfy the demand and manilla fibre from the Phillipines proved to be more suitable for making ropes.
