67 
the main top-gallant stay by the last 
married man, as is usual among the 
Greenland ships. It is formed by the 
crossing of three small hoops in the form 
of a globe, and is covered with ribbons, 
&c. The crew on this occasion blacken 
their faces with a mixture of grease and 
soot, and dance round the decks, their 
chief musical instruments being frying- 
pans, mess-kettles, fire-irons, &c. This 
rough mode of festivity they continued 
till the Captain ordered them a plentiful 
allowance of grog. After regaling them¬ 
selves with the very acceptable donation 
of their commander, they washed them¬ 
selves, and began to coil away the boat¬ 
lines, and prepare for the fishing. In 
every boat there is a line 720 fathoms 
long, to the end of which is fixed a har¬ 
poon about eight feet five inches long; 
the iron part is better than two feet long, 
and is extremely sharp. On each side 
of the point is placed a barb, or wither, 
i ■ 
