256 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
depends upon the prompt performance of all duties, and they hold in utter 
contempt those malcontents, who, as faithful Jack terms it, "are in everybody's 
mess and in nobody's watch." It is to the interest of the commander of a 
whaler, to keep his crew in good heart and spirit ; to this end they must be well 
fed, and otherwise made as comfortable as circumstances will permit. If thece 
sanitary measures are not carried out, sickness and discontent ensue, which defeat 
the object of the expedition. On an average, the whale -ship's company is not 
actually on duty more than eight hours out of the twenty -four, and they are pro- 
vided with an abundance of wholesome and substantial food, and as good quarters 
as the vessel will afford. If duty permits, during the hours from four to eight 
o'clock in the evening, all hands, except those immediately engaged in sailing the 
vessel, are allowed to amuse themselves in any way they please, so long as the 
ship is not disgraced. 
When cruising for whales, the day's work begins and ends as regularly as the 
sun rises and sets ; and a vessel engaged in sperm - whaling may remain on one 
cruising - ground for months (sometimes nearly half the year) without "breaking 
black -skin" — a whaler's term for not having an opportunity to harpoon a whale — 
and with nothing to change the monotony of the surrounding sea and sky view, 
except a transient sail, or some consort, who may have been more fortunate than 
herself, sending forth the signal of good luck in wreaths of blackened smoke from 
the try -works. During these discouraging times, if there is any insubordinate 
element in human nature, it is very sure to manifest itself in no mild form ; and 
he is no ordinary man, although he may be a good disciplinarian, who can 
command and maintain implicit obedience. From the moment the captain steps 
upon the quarter-deck, until the voyage terminates, he leads a life of constant care 
and anxiety, for the expedition is fraught with uncertainty as to its results ; 
moreover, his compensation for years of watchful toil, as well as of those under 
his command, depends entirely upon the amount of cargo gathered from the ocean. 
And, in these times of adversity, the indefatigable qualifications of the Ameri- 
can whaling- master are promptly brought out; for, with the co-operation of the 
owner at home, who has well "fitted" his ship, the finale of the voyage is crowned 
with success. A landsman can not imagine the disheartening situation of the 
whalers, after months of watchfulness, from "sun to sun," when not even the 
shadow of a whale is seen; but when the spout of the long- sought prey is discov- 
ered in the distance, and the welcome cry of the men on the lookout is heard, the 
ship, fore and aft, becomes the scene of hopeful excitement. All hands are called 
— or they are already on deck without calling; orders are vehemently given and 
