THE WHALE FISHEBY. 221 



ship. When a rebellions seaman is guilty of a misdemeanor, it lies within the province of the 

 captain, so long as he keeps within the bounds of the law, to determine what punishment should be 

 commensurate with the offense. In early days complaints of harsh treatment were frequently 

 entered against overbearing masters; bat such is rarely the case now. The present captains in 

 the; fleet are intelligent men with broad and enlightened views, and kindly disposed towards their 

 men. By the judicious system of pay which grants each man a certain interest in the proceeds of 

 the voyage, the men are kept in a better state of subordination than would be the case if they 

 received stipulated sums in compensation for their services. On the one hand, they have every 

 motive to promote the interests of the ship; in doing flrisjthey contribute to the success of the 

 voyage and put money in their own pockets; on the other hand, they would naturally feel as a 

 wage-earuing people, whether they worked early or late, their pay would still go on, and the suc- 

 cessful termination of the voyage would be a matter of indifference to them. 



LIFE ASHORE. One word in regard to the ordinary whaleman's boarding-house. I visited 

 several of these institutions, both in the day-time and at night. Those located in the section of 

 New Bedford known as Fayal are two-story frame structures with no pretensions whatever to any- 

 thing but plainness and simplicity. On an average, they compare favorably with other cheap 

 boarding-houses patronized by the laboring classes in almost any section of the country. The fare 

 is plain and substantial, and while there are no superfluous articles of domestic furniture, there is 

 no lack of such articles as the actual necessities of a boarder require. I noticed a marked dif- 

 ference between the houses kept by the Gape Verdes and those kept by the Bravas. The former 

 were cleaner, better furnished, and more homelike and inviting. The Cape Verdes also are more 

 particular as to the kind of men they entertain, while the Bravas indiscriminately take any one who 

 applies for board, provided he is able to pay for it. The price for board and lodging varies from 

 $3 to $5 a week. The boarding-house keepers "drum up" customers in different ways. Some of 

 them write letters to their friends or relatives in their native islands, requesting them to notify the 

 whalemen who ship on American vessels that touch at their ports for supplies and men that board 

 and lodging can be obtained upon their arrival at such and such a number on a certain street in 

 New Bedford. As soon as a whale-ship is reported, the boarding-house keepers and outfitters 

 charter a small vessel and board the whaler, usually after she gets into the harbor. In some cases, 

 I am told, the foreigners arriving in this country for the first time, have letters from parties in 

 their native islands addressed to the New Bedford boarding-house keepers. In this case, the 

 immigrants gladly avail themselves of their opportunities; but if they have no letters, they become 

 the prey of the " sharks." 



The Portuguese have their regular weekly dances on certain nights. The spare moments of 

 late arrivals seem to be occupied in sitting idly about the wharves or stores, or in standing hi 

 little knots or groups about, the streets, awaiting the settlement of the voyage. Those who live 

 at a distance sometimes take the train, shortly after the arrival of the vessel, for their homes, and 

 return within a few days for their lays ; those; who have no homes repair to the boarding-houses, 

 iiud impatiently wait for their money, and hasten to ship again. The truly unfortunate and indi- 

 gent whaleman may find a temporary abode at a charitable institution, the Mariner's Home, until 

 he is enabled to shift for himself, provided he does not stay too long. The Seamen's Uethel is 

 open for divine service every Sunday. 



THE pEUisoNSEL OF A WHALING VESSEL. The personnel of a whaling bark or ship carrying 

 four boats consists of the captain, four mates, four boat-steerers, a cooper, a blacksmith or carpenter, 

 a cook, a steward, a cabin boy, and about sixteen or eighteen foremast hands, making all told about 

 thirty-one or thirty-two men. Sometimes an ordinary seaman, or a green hand, may also be D 



