BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 179 



14 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WHAKE FISHERY OF NANTUCKET, MASS., 



ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO,* 



By J. HECTOR ST. JOHN. 



The vessels most proper for whale fishing are brigs of about 150 tons 

 burthen, particularly when they are intended for distant latitudes; they 

 always man them with thirteen hands, in order that they may row two 

 whale-boats, the crews of which must necessarily consist of six — four at 

 the oars, one standing on the bows with the harpoon, and the other at 

 the helm. 



It is also necessary that there should be two of these boats, that if 

 one should be destroyed in attacking the whale the other, which is never 

 engaged at the same time, may be ready to save the hands. Five of 

 the thirteen are always Indians; the last of the complement remains on 

 board to steer the vessel during the action. They have no wages; each 

 draws a certain established share in partnership with the proprietor of 

 the vessel, by which economy they are all proportionally concerned in 

 the success of the enterprise, and all equally alert and vigilant. None 

 of these whalemen ever exceed the age of forty; they look on those who 

 are past that period not to be possessed of all that vigor and agility 

 which so adventurous a business requires. Indeed, if you attentively 

 consider the immense disproportion between the object assailed and the 

 assailants; if you think on the diminutive size and weakness of their 

 frail vehicle; if you recollect the treachery of the element on which this 

 scene is transacted, the sudden and unforeseen accidents of winds, &c, 

 you will readily acknowledge that it must require the most consummate 

 exertion of all the strength, agility, and judgment of which the bodies 

 and the minds of men are capable, to undertake these adventurous 

 encounters. 



As soon as they arrive in those latitudes where they expect to meet 

 with whales, a man is sent up to the mast-head; if he sees one he imme- 

 diately cries out, "Aivaite Pawana' 1 '' ("Here is a whale"). They all re- 

 main still and silent until he repeats Patvana (a whale), when in less 

 than six minutes the two boats are launched, filled with every imple- 

 ment necessary for the attack. They row toward the whale with aston- 

 ishing velocity; and as the Indians early became their fellow-laborers 

 in this new warfare, you can easily conceive how the Nattiek expres- 

 sions became familiar on board the whale-boats. Formerly it often hap- 

 pened that whale vessels were manned with none but Indians and the 

 master; recollect, also, that the Nantucket people understand the Nat- 

 tick, and that there are always five of these people on board. 



There are various ways of approachiug the whale, according to their 



* From "Letters of an American Farmer," &c. London. 8°. 1782. \yp. 162-171. 



