WHALE FISHERY. 447 



human pursuit. It must be remembered that the capture 

 of every whale shortens the voyage. The ship is to re- 

 main upon the station until her cargo is completed ; and 

 of course the sailor sees in every victory, that the time 

 of his return to country and home draws nigh. This 

 consideration produces no trifling effects, as we may 

 easily conceive, by taking into consideration the length 

 and the distance of the voyages. 



Besides, it is, in this country we believe, the uniform 

 practice to allow every sailor a share of the cargo for 

 his pay. This makes the business a common cause. In 

 fact, it would probably be difficult or impossible to man- 

 age so laborious and hazardous a business, with any 

 proper degree of spirit, in any other way. Upon this 

 plan of allowing each sailor a regular share of the profits, 

 each one considers every captured whale as in part his 

 property. He pursues him with the spirit and energy 

 which a man feels who is toiling for himself, and during 

 the return voyage he feels the interest of an owner in the 

 ship and cargo. He is joint owner. The valuable com- 

 modities which his skill and courage have procured, are 

 in part his property and he inquires with eager interest, 

 on his landing, into the state of the market, the price 

 of the whalebone and oil ; for the pecuniary result of 

 the voyage, to him, is not decided till the cargo is sold. 

 So completely does the system identify the interest of the 

 sailor with the final success of the enterprise. 

 In a future number we may pursue this subject, by de- 

 scribing the processes in this business, subsequent to the 

 capture of the whale. 



