PrvEPAHATIONS rOR THE FISHERY. 23a 



the command of the hoat. When on board of the 

 ship, he has different occupations, according to tlie 

 nature of the operations which are going on. 



The boat-steercr, who ranks next to the harpoon- 

 er. At the same time that he guides the course of 

 the boat in the most favourable direction, likewise 

 watches the motions of the whale pursued, — inti- 

 mates its movements to the harpooner, — and stimu- 

 lates the crew to exertion by encouraging exclama- 

 tions. The line-manager rows the " after oar" m tlic 

 boat, and, conjointly with the boat-steerer, attends to 

 the lines, v.hen in the act of running out, or coiling 

 in. The remainder of the crew of the boat is com- 

 posed of seamen, or others, whose chief qualification 

 consists in their capability of " pulling an oar." 



Besides the division of the seamen of a whaler 

 into boats' crews, they are likewise classed, as in 

 other vessels, into watches. A xcatch is a certain 

 proportion of the ship's crcAV, generally a third, or 

 a half, who, when at sea, are on duty, while the 

 others rest. AVlicn in thirds, each watch consist?: 

 of two boats' crews, with an equal share of those 

 men constituting the crews of what may be called 

 extra boats, or the excess above six. This division 

 is usually, but very improperly, called " the quarter 

 v/atch." In this kind of arrangement*, which is only 

 adopted on the passages, or in the fishing country, 

 when no whales are seen, nor any particular busi- 

 ness going on, each man watches four hours, aiul 



