156 WHALE-FISHERY. 



ways carver-built, — a structure which is easily re- 

 paired. They are usually of the following dimen- 

 sions. Those called " six oared boats/' adapted for 

 carrying seven men, six of whom, including the har- 

 pooner, are rowers, are generally 26 to 28 feet in 

 length, and about five feet niue inches in breadth. 

 Six men boats, that is, with five rowers and a steers- 

 man, are usually 25 to 26 feet in length, and about 

 live feet six inches in breadth. And " four bared 

 boats," are usually twenty-three to twenty-four in 

 length, and about live feet three inches in breadth. 

 The main breadth of the two first classes of boats 

 is at about three-sevenths of the length of the boat 

 reckoned from the stem; but, in the last class, it 

 is necessary to have the main breadth within one- 

 third of the length of the boat from the stem. The 

 object of this is, to enable the smaller boat to sup- 

 port, without being dragged under water, as great a 

 strain on the lines as those of a larger class; other- 

 wise, if such a boat were sent out by itself, its lines 

 would be always liable to be lost before any assist- 

 ance could reach it. The five oared or six men 

 boat, is that which is in most general use; though 

 each fishing ship generally carries one or two of the 

 largest class. These boats are now commonly built 

 of fir-boards, one-half or three-fourths of an inch 

 thick, with timbers, keel, gunwales, stem and stern- 

 post of oak. An improvement in the timbering of 

 whale-boats lias lately been made, by sawing the 

 timber out of very straight grained oak, and bend, 

 ing them to the required form, after being made 



