154 THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN 



Then a similar long sweep, parallel to but a number of miles 

 to one side of the first, was made in the opposite direction. 

 This process, often involving an indefinite number of tacks 

 and interminable periods of beating to windward, was repeated 

 time after time until a great area had been carefully surveyed 

 with surprising thoroughness. On a clear day and in calm 

 weather a man at the mast-head of a ship could see a whale's 

 spout at a distance of four to six miles. This meant that un- 

 der normal conditions a circular area eight to twelve miles in 

 diameter was constantly visible from any given vessel during 

 the daylight hours. 



In order to make the inspection as complete as possible all 

 progress was halted for the night. At sundown each day the 

 light sails were taken in, the topsails close-reefed, and the ves- 

 sel brought close to the wind, with the helm hard down and 

 the remainder of the sails so balanced that she would remain 

 nearly stationary. In addition it was not uncommon to wear 

 around once or twice during the night in order to counteract 

 whatever slight progress might be made. As a result of these 

 measures it was possible to keep a whaler in almost exactly the 

 same spot during an entire night, ready to take up the search 

 in the morning precisely where it had been discontinued 

 twelve hours before. 



In order to stimulate the lookouts to the greatest vigilance 

 it was customary for the officers to offer certain prizes to the 

 man who "raised," or reported, the first whale which was ac- 

 tually captured and "stowed down" in the form of oil. Such 

 rewards usually consisted of money or tobacco, in amounts de- 

 termined by the nature of the circumstances and the gen- 

 erosity of the captain. From five to ten dollars in cash or 

 five to ten pounds of tobacco were normal amounts. Some- 

 times such offers were allowed to stand for an indefinite period, 

 and a stipulated amount was given to every man who raised a 

 whale which was captured. 



In a few cases the foremast hands themselves agreed to 

 provide a further sum. One such agreement read as follows: 

 "The undersigned, hands before the mast, agree to pay the 

 sum affixed to our respective names, on every barrel of oil 

 raised by a subscriber, to said subscriber j the oil to be measured 



