DEBITS AND CREDITS 247 



The slop-chest, however, was used not only for supplying 

 the crew, but also for "recruiting ship" — a term describing the 

 practice of taking aboard whatever fresh provisions and other 

 supplies might be needed during the months and years spent 

 away from the home port. Only occasionaly did the pur- 

 chase of these provisions demand specie. Instead, it was cus- 

 tomary to fill the slop-chest with goods to be bartered directly 

 for desired commodities. Barter was the general procedure 

 in the little-frequented harbors of the South Seas, where fresh 

 provisions were secured in exchange for cotton cloth, powder, 

 tobacco, knives, beads, and cheap ornaments and novelties. In 

 the larger civilized ports, where barter often presented serious 

 difficulties, it was common to sell certain slop-chest supplies to 

 established merchants and then to purchase needed articles 

 through other dealers. 



This strong predilection for barter influenced most whal- 

 ing vessels to leave their home ports with surprisingly small 

 sums in specie. One hundred dollars, or thereabouts, was 

 often considered an adequate provision for thirty to forty 

 months at sea. One New Bedford whaler once set sail with 

 only $97.60 in the captain's strong-box. These relatively 

 small amounts, however, often proved to be quite ample j for 

 with the exception of official port charges and occasional inci- 

 dental expenses, all payments were made from the slop-chest 

 or by robbing the cargo of oil and bone. 



This method of financing a voyage combined several ad- 

 vantages. It was convenient j it was safe, since it avoided the 

 obvious risks and temptations which would have accompanied 

 the presence of large sums of money on shipboard j and it af- 

 forded an opportunity for securing a handsome profit. For 

 if the captain were a shrewd bargainer (and the average Yankee 

 whaling master was nothing if not a keen tradesman) the rate 

 of exchange emerging from the bartering process was likely to 

 be decidedly favorable to the owners of the vessel. 



In short, the slop-chest was invaluable to whaling. But 

 what of its contents? For the most part, it was stocked with 

 assorted articles of clothing, with much cheap cloth in the bolt, 

 and with endless pounds of tobacco. But there were also sheath 

 knives and belts^ needles and thread, combs, spoons, tin pots 



