286 HISTORY AND MimiODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



the oil usually remains in the holds of their vessels much longer than is the custom in the Arctic 

 fleet. In sperm whaling, as a rule, the captain directs all \vork, measures the hold, and gives 

 orders for the casks, which, in his opinion, should be coopered for riders, forelaying to run the 

 ciisks of the proper size in order that they may be ready for coopering. The first officer generally 

 Has charge of all work on deck; at times, however, he may superintend the work in the hold, in 

 which case the second mate remains on deck. Une of the officers or boat-steerers also tends the 

 hose cock when filling the casks. The cooper has all he can do in coopering such casks as fast 

 as they are called for. As the Arctic whalemen are usually beset by ice, which momentarily 

 threatens their ship, and on account of the presence of ice they are unable to get as much sea 

 loom as the sperm whalemen, they are in consequence compelled to store away their oil as speedily 

 as possible, and at times under great difficulties. The master usually devotes his attention to 

 stowing down, but at times he may shift the greater part of the responsibility on his officers, and 

 will himself look after the ship, spending perhaps the greater portion of his time at the mast-head, 

 "conning" his vessel and looking for whales. The first officer has charge of the deck, iiiuuiugdown 

 the oil, inspecting I lie cooperage, sending the disks below as fast as they arc needed, and pushing 

 the work with the utmost speed and vigor. This custom, however, often varies, for sometimes the 

 first officer may stow the hold and the second mate may remain on deck. Since the oil cools rap- 

 idly in the Arctic regions, the crews under favorable circumstances are enabled to clear their 

 decks much sooner after boiling out than in the southern fishery. Stowing down, boiling out. 

 and the performance of other necessary work required in working the ship, may be carried on 

 simultaneously; one man may be called upon to perform the duties which, in the regular order of 

 things, properly belong to another, but the master, under all circumstances, feeling his responsi 

 bility, always satisfies himself that the oil casks are properly stowed away. If the mates in the 

 Proviucetown fleet are efficient and trustworthy, the captain devotes very little attention to the 

 process of stowing down, other than to designate such casks as should be filled. The mate has 

 charge of the deck ; it is his duty to see that the casks are well swabbed out and free from water; 

 that the oil is sufficiently cool; that no dregs have been transferred from the cooler, and that the 

 work in all details is properly attended to. The second mate usually has entire charge of the 

 hold. One boat-steerer bails the oil from the cooler, and one cuts off the oil as fast as the sepa- 

 rate casks are filled. 



MAKING-OFF ; SCRUBBING. 



MAKING-OFF. Paring and barreling blubber, termed making- off, was, and is now, conducted 

 by the Dutch, English, and Scotch whalemen. Commander Scoresby* and Lafngt give a full ac- 

 count of the process. Maldng-off blubber was carried on at leisure hours when the crew were not 

 engaged in the pursuit of whales. The blubber in this condition was transported to the English 

 and Scotch ports and the oil extracted on shore, by which time the blubber was more or less rancid, 

 and it is not much of a wonder after all that the odor should be offensive when the cargo was broken 

 out in port, or when the oil was extracted. 



The process of inaking-off is not practiced among the American whalemen. At the inception 

 of the Aiueiican whale fishery (as before referred to) it was the custom, in shore whaling, to brin.L; 

 the blubber home and extract the oil, but as the voyages were short, the blubber was compara- 

 tively in a good and healthy condition. In the Arctic regions, however, it is now customary with 

 some ships, when they find whales abundant, not to delay matters by boiling out, but they stow 

 away the blubber 'tween decks (where, in this cold climate, it will hold its own for a long time), and, 

 when full, put out for Plover May and boil out at anchor. In Hudson Bay it is said by some 



* Arctic Kegious, vol. ii. t Voyage to Spitzbergeu, pp. 133, 134. 



