THE WHALE FISHERY. 227 



of the quarters for both officers and men depend upon the size of the vessel ; in schooners and 

 brigs the apartments are necessarily circumscribed, and the domestic felicity is sometimes marred 

 by too intimate association or unfriendly contact, while on barks and ships there is much more 

 latitude. 



MESSING. The modes of life and customs of whalemen are essentially in keeping with their 

 surroundings, and common to the majority of seafaring men engaged in the mercantile marine 

 service in all quarters of the globe. The bills of fare are not varied or comprehensive, since the 

 vessels are confined principally to what may be termed out-of-the way places. Seldom touching a 

 port, the men are deprived of those things which, though "called by landsmen the necessaries of 

 life, are regarded by whalemen as luxuries. Although wanting in variety, ample provision is other- 

 wise made; for well-cooked, wholesome food, and plenty of it, such as it is, constitutes a bond of 

 sympathy between the men and the ship, and while there is a disposition on the part of some men 

 to " growl," the majority feel satisfied that the best that can be done under the circumstances is 

 being done for their welfare, and so accept it. 



A whaling vessel is furnished with all the large and small conveniences known in the house- 

 keeper's economy. Since the improved methods of preserving fish, meats, vegetables, and other 

 food stuffs have been introduced, the vessels sailing from New Bedford are provided with all of 

 the modern conveniences in the way of provisions that may be kept in any climate; but the main- , 

 stay after all is salt beef, salt pork, commonly known as "salt horse," or "salt junk," and ship- 

 bread. The last-named article occupies an important place in the whaleman's dietary. It is better 

 known perhaps as " hard tack," to distinguish it from the bread sometimes made on board ship, 

 which is called " soft bread." About 50 barrels of flour produce 100 barrels of bread, which amount 







was usually included in the outfit of a vessel of the largest class ; -but at present so large a quan- 

 tity is seldom taken by one vessel, since fresh bread may be " freighted " by others. 



When fitting the ship for a voyage several casks of bread, pork, beef, and other provisions 

 " in bulk," are placed in accessible places where they may be opened as required, the remaining 

 and larger number being brought to light from time to time during the voyage when stowing down 

 the oil or as they may be needed. A careful and closely calculating master will order the entry 

 in his log of every cask of bread, pork, beef, and the like, opened during the voyage. Beef and 

 pork for immediate use are oftentimes kept on deck in a wooden receptacle called a "harness-cask," 

 lashed to the deck in a convenient place for the cook, who draws his daily supplies from it. There 

 are two apartments in such a cask ; one for pork and the other for beef; and as fast as their con- 

 tents are exhausted, they are replenished from the original packages. Potatoes and other vege- 

 tables may in warm latitudes be kept in a wooden compartment called a " potato pen," a structure 

 which is made with a view to a thorough ventilation. 



The cook is an important personage on board a whaler, as he is indeed everywhere. He is 

 usually a colored man, and generally known as " Doctor," or perhaps " Skillet." The " cook's 

 office," or galley, is furnished with all the modern appliances in the way of " cooking gear " for 

 vessels, which embraces a range' or "caboose," and the accompanying boilers or steamers, usually 

 called " coppers." cast-iron baking-pans, and articles of this kind. The captain and the mates mess 

 together in the forward cabin ; their tables are furnished with glassware and chinaware ; the boat- 

 steerers, cooper, and carpenter, mess in the steerage. The foremast hands mess in the forecastle ; 

 their meals are cooked in the galley and served to them on the commonest tinware. They use 

 their "donkeys" as tables and keep their pans and dishes in a locker in the after part of the fore- 

 castle. They wash their own dishes and clean up everything after meals. 



