FORECASTLE AND CABIN 49 



each of these communities drew an adequate labor supply, for 

 the most part, from its own tiny hinterland of a few square 

 miles. Not until the middle of the eighteenth century was 

 Nantucket, the most prosperous of the whaling ports, compelled 

 to import a few extra hands from her neighbors on Cape Cod 

 and Long Island. Consequently these early crews were per- 

 vaded by a strong and intimate community spirit. The captain 

 was likely to know the business and social position of the family 

 of every man in his crew, and to be related, by birth or mar- 

 riage, to several of them. 



Whaling, too, was the recognized pathway to the local fame, 

 fortune, and social prestige afforded by these isolated ports. 

 Vessels were manned by the "sturdy, intelligent, and compar- 

 atively virtuous yeomanry of New England," as well as by 

 the sons of the wealthiest and most prominent families.-*- 

 The latter began as cabin-boys and foremast hands in order 

 to acquire a first-hand knowledge of the industry before filling 

 a captain's berth and then retiring to the life of a whaling 

 merchant ashore. Whaling was at the very heart of com- 

 munity lifej and the man who had actually handled lance and 

 harpoon in action was a clear business and social favorite. So 

 strong was this feeling in Nantucket, in particular, that at one 

 time the most eligible maidens looked with scorn upon 

 would-be suitors who had not harpooned at least one whale 5 

 while the chock-pin, worn on the lapel of the coat as the mark 

 of a boatsteerer, was the ambition of every boy on the island." 

 As a result of this combined social and financial pressure the 

 youths of the whaling villages went about their tasks with a 

 serious purpose, and soon became skilled navigators and cour- 

 ageous whalemen. Since desertion was practically unknown, 

 and most of the men sailed for several successive voyages, the 

 crews contained a relatively high percentage of experienced 

 and efficient hands. 



In addition to the dominant Yankee, the early whaling fore- 

 castles housed two other significant elements — the Indian and 



1 See Cheever, H. T., "The -Whale and His Captors," p. 303. 



2 The chock-pin was a small wooden peg used in keeping the whaleline 

 straight while it was being taken out through the bow of a boat by a harpooned 

 whale. At certain times and places it was worn on shore by boatsteerers as 

 a mark of rank. 



