THE DUTCH WHALERS 95 



mother to her child. Here it is on the deck below you; 

 a little wet perhaps, but all there just the same.' 



He opened the bag and spread the contents to dry upon 

 the deck. 



*Thank you, Joseph,' said Jonathan. 'But tell me 

 about this ship in which we find ourselves.' 



'When I have brought you some food I will. You must 

 eat first.' 



As Jonathan munched hungrily at salted pork and 

 hard tack Joseph told him about the ship. 



'She is the Der Browery of Hoorn and she is one of a 

 fleet of nearly a hundred Dutch whalers working in the 

 Davis Straits this season. She is about four hundred 

 tons and carries at least six whale boats and she has a 

 hold big enough to contain the blubber of many whales. 

 She spends the summer in the Arctic and then returns to 

 Holland to boil the blubber in the try-works there. I 

 have learned this much from one of the crew who speaks 

 English but there are many new things we shall see when 

 we are able to go to the upper deck.' 



Joseph climbed with some difficulty into the hammock 

 next to Jonathan's. 



'Yes,' said Jonathan. 'I remember poor old Pierre 

 telling me how expert the Dutch whalemen are. But 

 what are the chances of our returning to New England 

 now that we are in a Dutchman?" 



'Poor, I fear, seeing that the Pilgrim was probably the 

 only American vessel to visit the Arctic this summer,' 

 replied Joseph, 'but perhaps we shall be transferred to one 

 of the English whalers of which I know there are a few 

 hereabouts.' 



After another full day's rest Jonathan and Joseph 

 ventured to the spacious upper deck of the Der Browery. 

 They looked aloft with wonder at her three tall masts 

 and gazed with awe upon the features of this massive ship 

 against which their beloved little Pilgrim would have 



