12 WHALING AN D FISHING. 



" Persons desirous to avail themselves of 

 the present splendid opportunity of seeing 

 the world, and at the same time acquiring a 

 profitable business, will do well to make 

 early application to the undersigned." 



Such were the contents of a flaring poster, 

 whose bright capitals caught my eye, as one morn- 

 ing I was rambling with a shipmate along South 

 street, on the East River side of New York. Such 

 notices are no rarity in the Eastern seaports. 

 "Whale crews" are in almost constant demand, 

 and these " Wants " and " Fine Chances," stare 

 one in the face on nearly every street corner. They 

 are the lures by means of which the farm -boys, 

 the factory -boys, and the city -boys are drawn to 

 the net of the shipper. The very hopeful, and 

 delightful, but somewhat overdrawn picture of a 

 whaleman's life, here in few words set forth, has 

 enticed many a tolerably honest, but withal lazy 

 lad to seek the shipper's office, and engage himself 

 for a three or four years cruise. 



To a sailor this avenue to a whaleship is 

 hermetically sealed. Neither here nor in New 

 Bedford is he at all likely to be shipped for 

 experience has taught the captains and owners of 

 whaling vessels that your real tar is too uneasy 

 a creature to be kept in good order for so long a 

 cruise as whalemen now-a-days generally make. 



Knowing very well that the shippers will not 



