THE WHALE FISHERY. 259 



The officer, or boat-header, is at this time in the stern sheets manipulating the steering oar, 

 or, as the term implies, he "heads the boat," or lays the harpooner on the whale. He has standing 

 room only, being the only one for whom a thwart has not been provided. His duties are. among 

 others, to so shape the course of the boat as to get within "darting distance" without "gallying" 

 the whale. As the sail oftentimes obstructs the view of the officer, preventing him from seeiii" 

 the whale, he must rely upon the harpooner for instructions to steer the boat. 



The boat-steerer is at the head of the boat attending to his duties as oarsman. When the 

 proper moment arrives he springs to his feet, sometimes at the word of command from the boat- 

 header, and, with his harpoon well in hand, darts it into tlTO whale. When the animal has been 

 fastened to "good and solid" the harpooner and officer immediately change places. The former 

 attends to steering the boat, while the latter proceeds to kill the whale with the hand-lance, if 

 such an instrument is used. If the whale is to be towed to the vessel, the header and harpooner 

 again shift ends, the former taking the steering oar; but when the ship goes to the whale, they 

 remain in the positions they occupied when the lancing was done, and the header passes the tow- 

 line to the ship. In traversing the distance between the ship and the whale, the boats may move 

 in single file or en Echelon, with a total disregard, however, to the order of these evolutions, since 

 it is not intended that such tactics should be employed. As may naturally be inferred, there is, 

 even among the boat's crews that belong to the same ship, sharp competition in getting fast to 

 whales. Many whales are lost in this way. This is called by the New Bedford whalemen "whaling 

 for victory," or "victorious whaling," and is merely the result of the desire of certain officers 

 to kill whales themselves or prevent others from doing so. This utter disregard, which some of 

 the boat-headers seem to have had in olden times, for the success of the voyage may be attributed 

 to that desire on the part of many men, in all stations of life, to be the leading spirits in certain 

 exploits or movements, without regard to their own ability or the consequences. As an illustration 

 of this kind of whaling, I shall merely say that when the three port boats are lowered, they usually 

 proceed systematically and cautiously to the windward of the whales, with favorable chances of 

 success; but when the starboard boat is ordered down, if its officer, a "victorious whaleman," 

 instead of following the same course taken by the other three and coming in behind, takes a shorter 

 course for the whales, he invariably gallies them. The result will be, in a majority of cases, that 

 none of the boats will get fast. This practice, though universally condemned, is oftentimes 

 resorted to, and can only be broken up by the strictest discipline. As Oapt. W. H. Seabury 

 remarked, in conversation with the writer on this subject, "the first duty that an officer of a whale- 

 boat should be taught is that he is on a voyage for oil and not for whales." 



Notwithstanding there is, more or less, a spirit of rivalry among the boat's crews, and a sharp 

 competition among the captains of the vessels, it is oftentimes imperative as a mutual protective 

 policy that harmonious action should be paramount to all others. When down for whales the 

 boats belonging to the same vessel are obliged to assist one another. Sometimes two or more 

 crews belonging to different vessels unite in the capture, and if successful an equitable division 

 of the oil is afterwards made. Tints is called " mating." Two vessels may be gamming* when 

 whales are raised, and in order to render the capture certain, and for the purpose of working 

 together harmoniously and effectively, the vessels generally mate. " If there has been no previous 



of the boat over the oars. This is done after the oarsmen have taken their seats. The extreme end of the lino is first 

 o;irric:<l through the chocks, then brought inboard and bent into the eye-splice of the rope strap of the first harpoon. 

 "Exchanging visits, getting the latest news, or probably letters from home, and otherwise extending the cour- 

 tesies beiittiug the occasion when two whalers meet on the broad ocean and "speak " each other. 



