CREW DISCOURAGED. 137 



since we had taken any oil, and, consequently, since 

 a single penny had been earned by any of us. Some 

 took it very easily, but they were those to whom 

 whaling was distasteful ; others chafed with im- 

 patience; but, finally, all of us settled down into the 

 belief that we had about all the oil we should get 

 this voyage. The captain kept his spirits up, and was 

 continually foretelling better luck. Our time, during 

 this interval, was got rid of in various ways. In 

 warm weather, the watches on deck, as well as those 

 below, were for the most part slept away ; in cold 

 weather, walking fore and aft the deck, with hands 

 thrust deep into breeches pockets, seemed the only 

 occupation any of us had. There was no work to be 

 done, in fact, but to break out our provender from 

 the ship's hold and consiime it. 



On the 11th, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we 

 squared our yards and steered for the land. At 9J 

 the following morning we let go our anchor in Bun- 

 bury Bay, opposite to, and about a mile distant from, 

 the town of Bunbury. This little town is the neatest 

 that I have seen on the coast ; and, although the class 

 of population, to a great extent, is similar to that in 

 Vasse and the Sound, still there are many reside 

 in it who are worthy, respected, hospitable, and in- 

 telligent. Ours was the first ship that had been in 

 the harbor for j'ears, and our captain received the 

 title of " the opener of the port." At one time it was 

 a place of great resort for American whale-ships, but 

 several having, by some means, been driven ashore 

 and lost, it became unpopular, and was superseded 

 by Vasse. The high price of provisions and generally 

 disobliging character of the inhabitants in the latter 

 12* 



