OLD WHALING DAYS 



CHAPTER I. 



ENTERING LIFE BOUND FOR DAVIS'S STRAITS THE FIRST 



WHALE RETURNING HOME NEWS OF CHOLERA AT HULL. 



ON the 25th March, 1849, I left the Trinity House 

 School, Hull, having completed three years in that 

 excellent institution for training boys for the sea service. 



On the 27th of the same month, I was bound apprentice 

 in the barque "Truelove," 296 tons register, which was built 

 in Philadelphia in 1 764. She had carried a letter of marque, 

 and fought her own convoy during the Napoleonic wars. 

 Her owner was T. Ward, Esq., at that time one of the 

 principal shipowners of Hull. Two days after I was bound 

 apprentice we sailed for Davis's Straits. Captain J. Parker 

 was the commander of our ship at this period, and he was 

 one of the cleverest and most experienced navigators then 

 sailing to that country. I was to receive ^35 for my six 

 years' service, and an additional remuneration of 6s. per 

 week during my stay in port. The ^35 made an average 

 of nearly six pounds per year, with which to provide for 

 clothes and other necessaries. It went a very little way in 

 those days, especially for such a cold quarter of the world. 

 I first took up duty as cabin boy, having the master, mate, 

 and doctor to attend upon, and make myself generally 

 useful. I had no idle moments. When I went on board, I 

 was ordered to scrub part of the 'tween decks at a moment's 



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