24 NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



the softest and toughest iron, with lances of a quality of 

 steel and capacity of cutting edge that might excite the envy 

 of a diplomaed "sawbones;" also cutting -in spades, boat 

 hatchets and knives; casks for the oil, stowed with water, 

 food, or clothing ; and all the very many necessaries to cov- 

 er the wear and tear of long years of arduous service. An 

 important and peculiar feature in the equipment of a whale- 

 ship is the " try-work." This consisted in our ship of three 

 large iron pots, built in brick-work, and so supported by iron 

 stanchions, that a body of water was maintained between 

 the hearths and the deck to intercept the heat of the fur- 

 naces. For stores we carried as a staple, ship-biscuit, pork, 

 and beef, with coffee, tea, molasses, rice, beans, Indian meal, 

 flour, and pickles. Our worthy major was a professor of 

 religion, and I am quite sure that on the day of final account 

 he may safely call upon the Chelsea's crew to testify to his 

 liberality in our outfit. We might confuse the accountants 

 if we gave our entire list of luxuries, which included " dough- 

 boys," "choke-dog," "lobscouse," "dough jehovahs," and 

 " menavellins." Each day of the week some one of the 

 above delicacies accompanied the inevitable salt-junk; and, 

 believe it who may, we had pork every day, not two or three 

 days a week, as some unfortunates have it. Furthermore, 

 access to the bread cask and the molasses tank was never 

 denied. Perhaps there is no single article, I may say in pa- 

 renthesis, in which the superiority of the American whale- 

 man's outfit is more manifest, than in the excellent ship-bis- 

 cuit which all carry, the greatest care being taken to exclude 

 dampness or decaying influences. It will be noticed at once 

 how well we were provided for. 



