24 NIMROD OP THE SEA; OB, 



the softest and toughest iron, with lances of a quality of 

 steel and capacity of cutting edge that might excite the envy 

 of a diplomaed "sawbones;" also cutting -in spades, boat 

 hatchets and knives ; casks for the oil, stowed with water, 

 food, or clothing ; and all the very many necessaries to cov- 

 er the wear and tear of long years of arduous service. An 

 important and peculiar feature in the equipment of a whale- 

 ship is the " try-work." This consisted in our ship. of three 

 large iron pots, built in brick-work, and so supported by iron 

 stanchions, that a body of water was maintained between 

 the hearths and the deck to intercept the heat of the fur- 

 naces. For stores we carried as a staple, ship^biscuit, pork, 

 and beef, with coffee, tea, molasses, rice, beans, Indian meal, 

 flour, and pickles. Our worthy major was a professor of 

 religion, and I am quite sure that on the day of final account 

 he may safely call upon the Ghelsea^s crew to testify to his 

 liberality in our outfit. We might confuse the accountants 

 if we gave our entire list of luxuries, which included " dough- 

 boys," "choke-dog," "lobscouse," "dough jeBovahs," and 

 " menavellins." Each day. of the week some one of the 

 above delicacies accompanied the inevitable salt-junk; and, 

 believe it who may, we had pork every day, not two or three 

 days a week, as some unfortunates have it. Furthermore, 

 access to the bread cask and the molasses tank was never 

 denied. Perhaps there is no single article, I may say in pa- 

 renthesis, in which the superiority of the American whale- 

 man's outfit is more manifest, than in the excellent ship-bis- 

 cuit which all carry, the greatest care being taken to exclude 

 dampness or decaying influences. It will be noticed at once 

 how well we were provided for. 



