walrus-hunters' profits. 59 



every walrus and seal that they possibly can. The 

 usual system I believe to be as follows : The own- 

 ers fit out and provision the vessel, and advance to 

 the men on credit what money they require to buy 

 clothing and to provide necessaries for their fami- 

 lies during their absence: whatever the cargo ob- 

 tained may consist of, one third of the gross pro- 

 ceeds is then set apart for the crew, and divided 

 into shares, of which the captain gets three, each 

 harpooner two, ancf the other men one each. Thus, 

 if the gross proceeds of a voyage in skins, blubber, 

 and ivory be estimated at $2000, and the number 

 of hands amounts to ten, which is the usual num- 

 ber for a vessel with two boats, the shares will be 

 worth $47£, or about £10 each ; £10 is a much 

 more important sum of money in Norway than it 

 is in Britain ; and so (putting aside the exciting 

 nature of the occupation) it is not suprising that 

 the best seamen and boldest spirits of the north 

 of Norway should be generally found in the Spitz- 

 bergen sealers. These are the true descendants 

 and successors of the gallant Vikings and Berserk- 

 ars, who of old ravaged and conquered the coasts 

 of Europe from Jutland to Otranto. This pursuit 

 to these men has all the excitement of a lottery, 

 because, in the case of a very successful season, 

 they may make a good deal more than the above- 

 stated amounts, and I dare say a good deal of the 

 spirit of the gambler enters into their calculations. 

 They are always over head and ears in debt to the 



