THE WHALE FISHERY. 283 



one man to each tackle, called " falls tenders/' Two men in each watch belong to the " blubber- 

 room gang," employed in stowing away the blubber. One man, on sperm whaler, is stationed on 

 the main or mizzen chains or in the starboard boat with a scoop net, to "skim slicks" while the 

 head of the whale is being severed from the body, that is, to save the small pieces of blubber and 

 "loose" oil which float upon the water. On some ships, however, the man whose duty it is to 

 assist the cooper has charge of the scoop-net, or is "captain of the scoop-net," and in this case, 

 when his services are required, especially when cutting about the roots of the "case," whence the 

 spermaceti flows, the cry of "Scoop-net! Scoop-net!!'' calls him from his ignominious post at the 

 grindstone to the more exalted position of "skimming slicks^ the contents of the net being placed 

 in a wooden receptacle on deck, called a scrap-tub, and afterwards boiled out.* 



TIME CONSUMED IN CUTTING IN. The time consumed in the process of "cuttiug-iu" depends 

 upon the age of the whale, the condition of the weather, the kind of apparatus and accessories, 

 and the skill and ability of the cutters. Under favorable conditions a small or medium sized whale 

 might be disposed of in five or six hours, and a large one, a "one hundred barreler," perhaps in 

 twelve hours ; but in a rough sea the crew may be four or five days in cutting in a whale which, in 

 smooth weather, should be cared for in six or eight hours. Three d"ays is about the average time for 

 boiling out the blubber of a large sperm whale ; but this also depends upon the weather, fatness of 

 the cetacean, and size of the pots. Formerly, if a one-hundred-barrel whale were captured, cut-in, 

 boiled out, and stowed down in a week, it was regarded fair work ; but with the modem appli- 

 ances the same work should, under favorable circumstances, be accomplished in less time. The 

 blubber of right whales may be boiled out with greater facility than that of sperm whales. Less 

 skill and time is required to cut a right or bowhead whale than a sperm wtyale ; three or four hours 



* During the process of cutting, as the crew heave away at the windlass they are urged to their work by the inspira- 

 tion of song, peculiar to them. The order from the captain is to " heave away and chanty up," the word " chanty " 

 meaning to sing, the songs being known as "shanty songs." 



Touching this point I reproduce here the following extract from a letter from (.'apt. William M. Barnes: 

 " When a whale ship is so fortunate as to liml whales, time becomes of importance, and as a ship when in the act 

 of cutting is in a great degree motionless, whalemen are anxious to finish the work and to get under sail again. Often 

 a storm is seen approaching, or the ice is close at hand to leeward, or night and darkness are near. Experience has 

 shown that the men work more cheerfully at the windlass when their quite tiresome and monotonous labor is enlivened 

 with a good song, and masters of whalers congratulate themselves if they lind among their crew one who can lead off 

 at the windlass with a rousing song. The men forget their fatigue; they quit grumbling, and with merry laughter 

 join in a rattling chorus, while creaking falls and clanking pawls, and the frequent shout of Board, Oh!' tell them 

 that the work is fast being accomplished. It will be a happy change when the tireless, uncomplaining power of steam 

 is used in the ' cutting-iu.' The work will be done more quickly, and the men will be available for other uses. I wish 

 I could give you a few of the songs the 'shanty men' sing, but as a great part of the singing is extempore, and only 

 suited to the occasion, one does not remember it unless himself a singer. Many popular tunes are brought into requisi- 

 tion, being often changed by the singers. The words seldom amount to much, unless the singer chances to be witty, 

 when he may make happy allusions to passing events. The tunes are exhilarating and selected on this account. 

 Among the songs, I may mention here, 'John Brown's body,' 'Dixie,' 'Marching through Georgia,' 'Old Dan 

 Tucker,' with many variations, to which could be added many others. I think au Arctic whaleman would prefer a 

 lively chorus at his windlass to the operas of the best masters. I can recollect when on my first voyage when the 

 work was lagging the captain would hail the cook, with ' Doctor, where are you ? Come ! Wake 'era up there!' And 

 the old darky would roll along forward, and ripening a capacious mouth start a song and the work at the same time. 

 His songs were few in number, but they were not injured by repetition. I remember a line or two: 



Cook. A dandy ship and a dandy crew, 



All. Hi ho, my dandy, Oh ! 

 Cook. A dandy mate and skipper, too, 



AU. Hi ho, my dandy, Oh ! 



(Repeat with variations.) 



Cook. Oh, what shall I do for my dandy crewT 



All. Hi ho, rny dandy, Oh! 

 Cook. I'tt give them wine and brandy, too, 



All. Hi ho, my dandy, Oh! " 



