DIVIDING THE SPOllS. 61 



Baking the few hundreds of dollars, which is th 

 sum of thoir savings, have returned to live at ease 

 in the home of their youth. It is not possible 

 that men who cherish such recollections, and en- 

 ter on life with such hopes and determinations, 

 ehould fall to the depths of depravity and vice in 

 which whalemen generally lose themselves. 



Early on the morning succeeding our arrival in 

 [>ort, several large boatloads of fruit, with some 

 potatoes, and half a dozen razor-backed pigs were 

 brought along side and taken on board. Im- 

 mediately thereafter we once more got under 

 weigh, and departed on our long voyage. When 

 the anchor was stowed and all snug for sea, the 

 oranges which had been brought on board were 

 divided among the crew, each one receiving a 

 share to take care of, and eat as he saw fit. This 

 is the usual manner of proceeding in such cases, 

 on board a whaleship, and prevents all after 

 quarrels, inasmuch as each one can make as much 

 of his hoard as he pleases. 



My share amounted to nearly three hundred. 

 They lasted three weeks, and it was with an anx- 

 ious desire for more that I put the last and juciest 

 one to my lips well knowing that many month? 

 would, in all probability, elapse before we should 

 be favored with another run into port. 



Once more at sea, the old wearisome drudgery 

 recommenced. Here a patch and there a mat, in 

 one place a new rope, in another an old one refit- 

 ted, tarring ar.d slushing, scraping and scrubbing 



