 However, by 1840 the whale numbers had declined to the point that little money was to be made, and in 1844 the last of the early onshore stations closed.Still, Captain Nye of the barque "Mount Wolleston" reported in 1879 that the northern whales averaged 10lbs of whale bone to each barrel of oil, and at that time were the most profitable whales caught.The following table presents the average yield of oil and bone to the northern and southern whale