THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 265 



polished, and it is my intention, as time is nothing, to give her 

 every appointment of a brig above deck. Her shrouds are 

 now neatly ratlined up to the top-gallant head, and some of 

 her yards are across. In scrimshoning, we carve and work 

 much in the ivory of whales' teeth, and by inlaying with 

 pearl, some beautiful objects are wrought. Handsome canes 

 are made of the white bone from the broad pan of the jaw 

 of younger sperm-whales ; also from plates of black whale- 

 bone, heated and twisted. 



Heretofore the pig has been described by me as only the 

 source of sea-pie, but it has another claim on our attention. 

 The pig is naturally a big-hearted, affectionate creature, and 

 by no means lacking in intelligence. He is easily attached 

 by kindness, and clean enough on board ship, where there is 

 no mud to wallow in. We have two pigs that are quite petted 

 by the hands. We don't understand all they say, but they 

 talk away to us in every imaginable variation of chuckle, 

 grunt, and squeal, and I imagine their vocabulary is al- 

 most as copious as the Kanaka. But after sea-pie, the chief 

 comfort we take in these good-natured porkers, is to convert 

 them into pillows for a snooze on deck, and for this occu- 

 pation they are admirably adapted in consistence, form, and 

 disposition. It is wonderful how complaisant they become 

 under the influence of a well-applied scratch from the horny 

 nails of their human deckmates. By a vigorous rasping 

 along the bristles of their backs their confidence is secured ; 

 by a tickling behind the ear and a gentle push we lead them 

 to a secluded nook beside the bowsprit-bitts ; and a little 

 more scratching thrills their very hearts, and with a grunt 

 of satisfaction they wilt place their soft, warm sides in a 

 most convenient position for the head. So piggy and Jack 

 pass to the land of dreams. 



Jan. 24. A person of observing mind is thrown much on 

 his own resources in the tedium of the idle cruise, and is led 



12 



