CHAPTER V. 



THE FIFTH VOYAGE MORE EXPERIENCES THE SELECTION 

 OF BOATS' CREWS. 



THIS voyage commenced early in March. Having all 

 prepared, we left Hull with a fine fair wind, and in three 

 days arrived at Stromness in the Orkney Islands. We only 

 stayed here two days to ship our complement of men, and 

 again got under weigh, and proceeded to the westward 

 through Hoy Sound. This time I was promoted to the rank 

 of boat-steerer. We took all our harpooners from Hull. 

 Formerly part of our principal officers were from Scotland. 

 One or two of the present officers were old men in the trade, 

 and were very slow compared to those of the present day. 

 They seemed to work in one groove, and could not on any 

 consideration get out of it. I was appointed boatsteerer to 

 a rough but nice man of the old school. You could not 

 choose your boat or watch. They are all divided into three. 

 The plan of allotting or choosing was thus : When every- 

 thing was stowed, and lashed ready for sea, the crew were 

 all called aft (the boat-steerers first), and placed in six rows. 

 Next came the line managers and the other members of the 

 crew. When the rows were filled up, the harpooners gave 

 their pocket knives to a boy who had not been to sea before. 

 He placed a knife at the foot of each row, and those to 

 whom the knife belonged became the harpooner's boat's 

 crew for the voyage. 



The captain's boat consisted of the cook, carpenter, 

 cooper, cabin boy, or steward, and one or two spare hands. 

 The boats were allotted in a similar way, so there could not 



