The story of whaling is really linked up with that of exploration, especially of the northern regions, from the very first. Greenland had been discovered by the Norse in the ninth century, and during the following century two colonies had been founded there, but later on there ensued a long interval. However, towards the end of the sixteenth century there was a wonderful burst of commercial ambition in Northern Europe and a desire to find both new markets as well as new resources. The solution lay in discovering fresh territories and unknown sea routes. Merchants banded themselves together into small companies, fitted out ships and placed their goods aboard. Now the Dutch were fired with si…
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