40 WHAJING AND FISHING 



CHAPTER III, 



THE Sag Harbor Whaleman Shipped at Last Arrangement 

 of a Whaleship's Decks The Try Works The Boats The 

 Lower Deck Sailing Day Our Crew Sea-Sickness Train- 

 ing the Greenhorns Labors of an Outward Bound Whale- 

 man Drudgery. 



IT was on the third day after the shipment of 

 my old friend, that my turn at length came. I 

 had begun to despair of getting a ship not hav- 

 ing the resources at my command by which mj 

 friend had circumvented the owner; but the ship- 

 pers desired me to wait some few days longer, as 

 a chance would soon turn up. Accordingly, one 

 morning I was desired to step down on board a 

 Sag Harbor ship, which had just come up for the 

 purpose of engaging a crew, and completing her 

 outfit. 



I was the bearer of a note to the captain ; who, 

 having read it, looked at me a few moments, and 

 then asked : 



"Have you ever been whaling?" 



"No sir." 



"How long have you been at sea?" 



I mentioned the number of years. 



" Do you intend to run away at the first port 

 we make ?'' 



