AT SEA: ON THE WHALING GROUNDS 171 



times the vessel was simply permitted to drift, with no at- 

 tempt to steer a course j and practically every normal activity 

 of shipboard life was given up in a frantic endeavor to get the 

 oil and blubber on board at the earliest possible moment. The 

 decks of the whaler literally ran with oil 5 and everyone, from 

 the captain to the latest green hand, was fairly coated with oil, 

 blood, and grease/^ 



If several whales were captured in rapid succession, the work 

 of cutting-in might continue uninterruptedly for an entire 

 week, or even longer. In one instance, after an unusual run 

 of luck which brought six whales alongside at one time, "cut- 

 ting in, trying out, and clearing up the decks, occupied us for 

 the next six days. We had an average of five hours' sleep 

 out of the twenty-four. Working incessantly in oil, which 

 penetrated to the skin, and kept us in a most uncomfortable 

 condition, besides being continually saturated with salt water, 

 produced a very disagreeable effect upon those who were not 

 accustomed to such things, by chafing the skin, and causing 

 painful tumors to break out over the whole body. Before I 

 had half finished my share of the labor, I heartily wished 

 myself in the meanest dog-kennel ashore." ^^ 



Such a strenuous schedule necessitated a specific allocation of 

 tasks for all members of the crew. The captain, first, and 

 second mates were busy on the cutting-stage j the third mate, 

 stationed in the waist, had charge of hoisting and stowing away 

 the blanket-pieces J the fourth mate divided his attention be- 

 tween the waist and the windlass j and the boatsteerers per- 

 formed the most exacting tasks in the blubber-room, in the 

 waist, and on the whale. Most of the foremast hands were 

 employed in heaving at the windlass. But there were other 

 assignments as well. One man was detailed to turn the grind- 

 stone for the cooper, who was interminably sharpening the 

 cutting-spades 5 another handled a "scoop-net" in an effort to 

 save the small scraps of blubber which were set adrift 5 a third 



13 In some cases so much oil collected on the decks that the scupper-holes 

 were stopped up to prevent it from running into the sea. When the operations 

 were completed it could then be soaked up and saved. It need scarcely be 

 remarked that the mere attempt to move about on a rolling and pitching vessel 

 with such decks was exceedingly precarious. 



1* Browne, J. R., "Etchings of a Whaling Cruise," p. 135. 



