12 Pay of the Crew. 



page 11 comprises the usual scale of pay allotted to 

 officers and men serving on board whalers. 



In addition to the above wages there is also a 

 bonus paid to each one of the crew composing the 

 boat that first strikes a whale, provided the fish is 

 afterwards captured, and is what is termed a " pay- 

 able fish." 1 The harpooneer in this case receives 

 10s. if he gets fast with the gun harpoon, 10s. 6J. 

 if with the hand harpoon, and £1 Is. if with both, 

 each member of the boat's crew receiving 2s. 6d. 

 This is termed i( sticking-money," or "fast-boat 

 money ." c It is also usual for the master to receive 

 £1 for every payable fish struck by a bona fide har- 

 pooneer, and £3 for those struck by a loose har- 

 pooneer, whose position may be looked upon as a 

 harpooneer in embryo, or on probation, and who 

 generally holds that office for a couple of years, 

 or until he has proved himself, to the satisfaction 

 of his captain, to be a willing, persevering", and 

 dexterous officer. 



The duties of the crew of a whaler are allotted 

 according to the abilities and qualifications which 



1 By " payable fish " are meant all those fish whose whale- 

 bone is six feet and over in length. 



2 No " sticking-inoney " is awarded for the capture of a 

 fish whose bone is under six feet. The whalebone is regarded 

 as the most valuable part of a fish, its price at the present 

 time being about £500 per ton ! A large whale of ten or 

 eleven feet bone will yield a ton of whalebone 



