GAMMONING. 43 



"Whilst l^'ing here off and on shore we gammoned 

 the ship E. L. Jones, of ISTew Bedford ; the barque 

 Sea Flower, of same port, and schooner Antarctic, 

 of Provincetown. This is an excellent whaling- 

 ground — numbers of large and small craft are con- 

 tinually cruising here, and in the course of a voyage 

 generally do well. Gammoning at sea is the term 

 for an interchange of civilities between two or more 

 ships, and is much in vogue amongst whalemen, who 

 have so much time that hangs heavy on their hands, 

 and are glad to vary the monotony by the sight of a 

 stranger, or, if a later arrival, receiving intelligence 

 from home. When a ship wishes to gammon another, 

 or, as it is pronounced at sea, gam', the second sylla- 

 ble being dispensed with, the lee ship hauls aback 

 her mainyard, or sets a signal signifying her wish, 

 the weather craft squares her yards, puts her helm 

 np, runs across the other's stern and speaks her. 

 Then the captain of one lowers away and boards the 

 other, the mate returns in the boat with a fresh crew, 

 the officers resort to the cabin, the boatsteerers to 

 the steerage, and the crew to the forecastle. As soon 

 as breathing time is allowed to the visitors they are 

 beset by a dozen querists, who, all at once, want to 

 know how long they are from home, what success 

 they have had, and the birth-place, or place of resi- 

 dence of each. For instance, here one steps up and 

 inquires, "Any New Yorkers here," or " AnyPhila- 

 delpliia, New Bedford, or Boston chaps," whichever 

 place to him is best known ; and if, perchance, he 

 finds a townsman, in a few minutes they are as thick 

 as lovers, and as far advanced in friendship as an 

 acquaintance of twenty years ashore would warrant ; 

 and ere they part chests are thrown open, with the 



