258 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



entirely different meaning. The master arranges the system of signals and explains its significance 

 t<> the boat-headers. Some of the Provincetown masters lower with the boats, especially when an 

 " ugly" whale or a large school is attacked, and some prefer to take an active part in the capture. 

 On large vessels it is to the interest of all concerned that the commander should remain on board; 

 for when he lowers, the office of " ship keeper" devolves usually upon the cooper, and, as might be 

 expected, the officers, when detached from the vessel, prefer to rely upon the judgment of the com- 

 mander. The master can also take upon himself more responsibility than the cooper, or any other 

 subordinate would dare or care to assume. Great skill and experience is required at times in 

 directing the movements of the boats, and such tactics may be compared, on a smaller scale it is 

 true, to handling a body of men in attacking a wily enemy. The captain, by staying aloft with the 

 marine glass, has better opportunities than the men in the boats for ascertaining the positions of the 

 whales and for observiug their movements ; and he can telegraph his orders by means of sails or 

 Hags to the boat-headers, and direct the movements of the vessel viva voce of the men below. 



The men at the first alarm come swarming up the companion-way of the forcastle. In the 

 extreme southern fishery they divest themselves of superfluous articles of clothing and scatter them 

 indiscriminately about the deck; rolling up their trousers and girding their loins with their 

 leather belts, taking a double reef until supper time, they hold themselves in readiness to go over 

 the side of the vessel at the word of command. There, is a certain order, or systematic action, 

 observed on all first-class whaling vessels, however imperfectly disciplined some of the boats' 

 crews may be. The captain indicates the boats he wishes to attack the whales; the boat-header 

 and the boat-steeier take their proper positions in the boat the former at the stern and the latter 

 at the head while suspended from the davits. At the proper moment the davit-tackles are run 

 out by men on deck, and the boats drop with a lively splash. The sprightly oarsmen meantime 

 leap the ship's rail, and swinging themselves down the side of the vessel, partly assisted by the 

 chains or channels, and jump into the boats just about the time the latter strike the water. 

 Although it may lie said there is a general scramble, there is not the least confusion; every 

 person and thing has the proper place assigned to it in a whale-boat. 



GOING ON TO A WHALE. When squarely in the water the sail may be set, or the men spring 

 lively to their oars. If they approach a whale during a calm, oars are thrown aside and the boat 

 propelled with paddles. As soon as the boat leaves the ship the order is to line the oars. It is 

 important that this should be attended to before the whale is harpooned or a capsized boat may 

 be the result. The whale-line is passed forward and arranged in such a manner* that it may be 

 taken out by the whale without fouling. 



well. We will suppose ;i vessel to be uniler top-gallant sails (the royals are seldom, if ever, used on a cruising- 

 ground), and nearly or quite calm ; the boats down after whales -which may come up ahead of the ship, a long distance 

 from ;incl not in sight of the .boats; the flying-jib being hauled down, signals for ahead, and the boats then proceed in 

 this direction. If the whales are going quickly, the flying-jib should be run up and down rapidly for the boats to go 

 fiister. Gail-topsail or spanker down, whales astern. Should the whales come up on the weather bovr, say four points, 

 the weather clew of foretop-gallaut sail goes up ; on weather-beam, maintop-gallant sail ; weather quarter, say four 

 points, mizzentop-gallaut sail, or if the vessel is a bark, the gaff-topsail, in connection with weather clew of main- 

 top-gallant sail. Either of the gallant-sails lowered on the cap is a signal for the boats to heave to gone far enough ; 

 and so on, by working the light sails, separately and conjointly, a very comprehensive code may be established. 



"In right whaling a pointer in connection with the whaling-signal is often used. The pointer is a large basket 

 or frame of wood covered with canvas and painted black, placed at the end of a 12-foot pole, used at mast-head and 

 pointed in the direction of the whale. This does not answer the requirements of sperm whaling. The sperm whales 

 are very timid, and we cannot approach near enough with the ship to make the pointer understood without danger 

 of galley ing them. 



"I have also seen large balls (canvas-covered baskets painted black) worked on the fore and aft stays for signals, 

 but can give but little information regarding them." 



* The top end of the line in the largo tub is led forward, and about 3 or 4 fathoms coiled iu the box of the boat. 



is n luiv-warp. The bight of the line is carried aft and thrown over the loggerhead. The line runs fore and aft 



