OCEAN FISH AND OCEAN FISHING 53 



davits, whence hung the dinghy, and from her low, 

 heavy bulwarks were suspended on each side, from 

 similar davits, three of the most perfect models 

 of clincher-built whale-boats, painted a pure white, 

 about thirty-five feet long, sharp-ended at bow and 

 stern, and with graceful sheer, all ready to be 

 lowered at a moment's notice, propelled by sixteen- 

 feet oars, and steered by a great nineteen-footer. 



Clumsy as the Susannah looked, there could be 

 no steadier craft in a gale of wind, and I was told 

 she would ride like a duck, as dry as a bone, over 

 the great billows of the southern seas, when the 

 decks of ships five times her size would be 

 drenched with salt water. 



I hired a boat and boarded her. She looked 

 very weather-worn, but was scrupulously clean. 

 The smell of train-oil, however, could not be 

 washed away, and she reeked of it. The fore- 

 castle was very low and stuffy, and, judging from 

 the number of berths, there was a large crew. 

 Below, in the hold, were many puncheons and 

 huge tuns full of oil, for the Susannah had been 

 lucky, and was almost a full ship. Below a small 

 skylight, was an apology for a cabin, and the 

 state-rooms (!) were almost in darkness, being 

 lighted by very small glass ports. 



I exchanged civilities with the Yankee captain, 



