THE WHALEMAN ASHORE loi 



fuddled, that the temptation to cheat them thoroughly was 

 irresistible. And since these two groups, taken together, com- 

 prised the overwhelming majority of all whaling crews, the 

 outfitters found but a small field in which to practice honesty 

 and fair dealing! 



Unfortunately, serious abuses would seem to have been in- 

 herent in the very nature of the situation. The outfitter's 

 occupation involved heavy risks, arduous and aggravating toil, 

 constant vigilance, and many unpleasant associations. For 

 these activities his only reward came from the profits obtained 

 through the sale of outfits. His customers, on the other hand, 

 were either inexperienced, unfortunate, or dissipated and reck- 

 less j and in practically all cases they were penniless at the 

 time when they required his goods. These considerations, 

 coupled with the fact that a relatively expensive outfit was a 

 sine qua non for a whaling voyage, meant that the foremast 

 hands were left without a shred of bargaining power. And 

 their economic helplessness constituted a temptation to resort 

 to sharp practices which proved quite too strong for the shrewd, 

 penny-loving Yankee merchants of the whaling ports. In 

 fact, in many instances the temptation would seem to have 

 been welcomed and cherished, rather than resisted. 



But contributions to the outfitters' profits came not only 

 from consumers, but also from producers. For much of the 

 clothing sold to the crews was made in the whaling ports under 

 a plan known to economic historians as the "putting-out sys- 

 tem." Cloth was purchased by the outfitters and given out to 

 women of the town in order to be made up into garments. 

 These women did the work in their homes, and were paid by 

 the piece at rates strangely prophetic of the later sweated trades 

 in the clothing industry. Thus during the years 1 855 to 1 870, 

 inclusive, the piece-rates paid by a New Bedford firm were 

 121/4^ to iS^ for trowsers (denim, plaid, or duck); is^ to 20^ 

 for "thick trowsers"; 8^ for drawers; 9^ or 10?^ for under- 

 shirts; 12^^ for "denim frocks;" 10^^ to 12^^ for shirts 

 (blue, kersey, cotton, or mixed); and 35?^ to 58^ for reefing 

 jackets and monkey jackets.^^ One contemporary writer re- 



is These figures were found in the accounts of Cook and Snow, a New Bed- 

 ford QUtfitting firro, for the years given above. The manuscript "Sewing- 



