122 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



meal, molasses and biscuit were supplied 

 in liberal quantities. 



The same cooperative principle which 

 worked so well in the case of the sailor 

 applied more strongly to the captain, since 

 on his business management, as well as his 

 ability as a seaman, depended the success 

 of the voyage. The monthly pay might be, 

 and often was, merely nominal, but his 

 primage, 1 commission on sales and pur- 

 chases, and adventure, often netted what 

 would be even in these days a handsome 

 sum. 



In 1737 some of the captains trading 

 with the West Indies received as pay 

 twenty shillings a month and one third the 

 profits of the voyage. 2 In 1784 Nathaniel 

 Tracy of Newburyport writes to Captain 

 Tucker, in command of one of his vessels, 

 "I will allow you 3 6s. a month, five per 

 cent on your sales and two and a half per 



1 Primage was sum paid to captain in addition to 

 freight for general oversight of the cargo. 



2 Bourne, History of Wells and Kennebunk, p. 567. 



