222 HISTORY AND ME3THODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



as a carpenter or blacksmith. Three-boat vessels usually have about twenty-cue men, and two- 

 boaters about sixteen. A fifth mate is usually shipped on steam whalers to head the starboard 

 bow-boat. He is shipped as " tilth mate and boat-header," but does not receive as profitable a 

 lay as the other mates, although he ranks as au officer. He may sometimes be required to stand 

 \v;itch, more especially if another officer is sick. The steam whalers usually carry a cabin steward 

 and a cabin boy. A whaling vessel does not always leave New Bedford with her full complement 

 ol men, since she may obtain the balance of her crew at the Western Islands, where she almost 

 always stops for supplies on her way to the Pacific. 



The captain. The captain has of course absolute command of the ship, and is responsible for 

 her well-doing and safe return to port. When the wide nature of his functions are taken into 

 consideration, it is not surprising that he should be a man above the average ability, and pecu- 

 liarly adapted to his profession; for he has sometimes to serve in the capacity of physician, 

 surgeon, lawyer, navigator, peace-maker, and paterfamilias* ; besides, he must have good execu- 

 tive ability. The captain's is also an office of both dignity and responsibility, and if he acquits 

 himself in it zealously and circumspectly, he may, in the course of time, be enabled to retire to 

 private life with all of the honors of his profession. 



Formerly the captain always participated in the capture of whales, but at present, especially 

 on large vessels, he remains on board when the boats are down. It was the custom, and I believe 

 it is now practiced on some ships, for the master to lower during the first part of the voyage. The 

 captains of the steam barks in the Arctic regions seldom if ever engage in actual capture. There 

 seems to be a diversity of opinion as to the captain's place at such times, but it is generally con- 

 ceded that when the boats are down he should remain on his vessel, as the boat-crews have more 

 confidence in him as a ship-keeper than they would in a subordinate who takes his place iu his 

 absence. The master can, of course, take upon himself more responsibility in managing the ship 

 and in directing the movements of the boats.t 



The mates. There areas many mates on a whaling vessel as there are boats for active duty, or, 

 to use a technical expression, " on the cranes." The mates are the executive officers of the vessel, 

 as is well known, and also the officers in charge of the boats when engaged in the capture, and in 

 this capacity they are known as "boat-headers." They are, of course, subordinate to the captain 

 and act under his orders; but when down for whales they oftentimes exercise their own discre- 

 tion and carry out their own plans, subject, however, to the directions of the master signaled from 

 the ship. 



The mates kill the whales, cut off the blubber, superintend the " boarding," and have direct 

 charge of boiling out the oil and of stowing it away. 



The boat-steirers. The boat-steerer has several names. His legitimate title is perhaps har- 

 pooner; but his comrades, and others intimately connected with the fishery, seldom call him by 

 that name. If shipped to enter immediately upon the duties of his office, his name is recorded on 



* The captain is known to his own crew, behind his back, as the "old man" ; but to the crew of another vessel ;is 

 captain or skipper. A man serving on one vessel recognizes his commander as his "old man"; but when ho ships on 

 another vessel, his present commander becomes the "old man " and his former commander the captain. 



tThe Prpvincetown captains sometimes lower with their boats, but usually only oil rare occasions, as when they 

 strike a large school of whales or when the boat gets fast to a vicious \vliale. If a Provincetown captain lowers he 

 takes charge of his own boat, and the third mate strikes the whale ; should the caplaiu deeide not to lower, the third 

 mate heads the captain's boat, and either the ship-keeper, steward, or <>n> of the foremast hands, usually the former, it' 

 competent, strike.sthe whale ; but on three-boat vessels tlie mate, usually lowers his boat iirst, and ' takes the lead of 

 the whaling." 



If the captains from New Bedford think it policy to lower for whales, they leave the vessel in charge of a. compe- 

 tent person, usually the cooper the office being known as " ship-keeper " who takes ent ire charge for the time being, 

 assisted by about six men, when all the boats are down, to " work ship." 



