FORECASTLE AND CABIN 63 



fifth voyages of the same vessel saw the discharge of two first 

 mates and several other officers/^ 



The accounts of numerous whalers reflect a kaleidoscopic 

 succession of hands which was little short of chaotic. During 

 the course of one voyage extending from 1866 to 1869 the 

 ship Adeline y carrying a normal crew of thirty-one, shipped 

 one hundred hands. Of this number, twenty-two deserted, 

 forty-nine were discharged (including twenty "seasoners" who 

 were hired only for a season), and one died. For another 

 voyage, made between 1854 and 1859, the accounts of the 

 Isaac Howland showed that nineteen hands deserted, eighteen 

 were discharged, eight were put ashore because of an at- 

 tempted mutiny, one refused duty, two "disappeared," thirty 

 had no indicated settlements whatever, and only ten received 

 cash balances. 



But the master of the Montreal capped the climax by ship- 

 ping no less than one hundred and fifty-eight hands for a 

 single cruise extending from 1857 ^^ 1862. There were 

 seventy-nine discharges (including that of the first mate) 

 and thirty desertions. In addition, two men were taken out 

 of the ship by an American consul, one was put on board an- 

 other vessel, five were "left" at foreign ports, seven died, and 

 fifteen were not even deemed worthy of having their accounts 

 closed. As a result of such hectic shifting, only five members 

 of the original crew of thirty-nine were still on board when 

 the Montreal returned to her home port. 



Because such instances are admittedly exceptional, the aver- 

 age figures for larger numbers of voyages are even more sig- 

 nificant. Thus thirty-six voyages made by thirteen vessels 

 during the period 1839— 1879 were responsible for three hun- 

 dred and twenty-six desertions, three hundred and forty-four 

 discharges, and thirty-seven deaths. These figures represent 

 an approximate average of nine desertions, nine and one-half 

 discharges, and one death per voyage — or an average of 

 almost twenty men out of original crews which seldom con- 



12 Figures and statements applying to all vessels mentioned by name through- 

 out the following pages have been taken directly from the original manu- 

 script accounts of the whalers in question. Unless otherwise stated, these 

 accounts have been deposited in the New Bedford Public Library. 



