SPITZBERGEN 81 



many harpooners as there were boats, five or more coopers, 

 and one or two pursers. Finally, but of importance, were the 

 two "cutters of the whale," for whom the master provided 

 ''three pair of boots great and strong." 



The immediate preparation for the voyage began in March, 

 when they made hard bread of two thirds rye and one third 

 wheat. In early April they made soft bread. They stowed 

 down first the casks of water — two hundred more or less — then 

 casks of hard bread, and sacks of soft bread and peas; quantities 

 of fish, meat, bacon, butter, and cheese; barrels of beer and 

 brandy; the empty casks to be filled with blubber, and later 

 with oil; and between the casks, wood to start the fires for 

 boiling out the oil, if driftwood should fail them. 



As the time of sailing drew near, the master would inspect the 

 vessel and the supplies, and examine the casks and sailcloth 

 and whale lines and harpoons and lances and blubber knives, 

 new and old. 



In the cabins of those old whaling vessels of more than three 

 hundred years ago, there were porcelain coffee services, mirrors, 

 even table napkins. Times have not changed so much, after all. 

 I have a two-fluked iron wrought by an East Boston smith, 

 which looks for all the world like any one of the harping irons 

 in the old engravings. A few months ago I went down into 

 the forecastle of a New Bedford whaler, and then into the 

 cabin, and found just such rough boards forward and such 

 upholstered luxury aft, as prevailed in the whalers of three 

 hundred years ago. 



At some inn beside the water, the master would engage his 

 crew and early in April he would sign them on in the presence of 

 the owner and advance them substantial sums. 



Here is a translation of the articles of a German whaler 

 which sailed in 1671 : 



Contract Between the Commander and Crew who are 

 Engaged for the Greenland Fishing 



"We, the undersigned, officers, seamen, and others, have 

 engaged ourselves at Hamburg, on board the ship Jonah in the 



