Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-16

and -, them whales is getting away
from you at the rate of nineteen miles u
minute"
The rest of the ''after guards" on the
Elisabeth comprised the carpenter, the
cooper, the steward and the cabin boy.
These and the boat steerers bunked in
the steerage, ate at tire second table. the
captain and mates eating at the first,
were allowed to lounge abaft the main
mast and possessed some other privileges
not accorded to common sailors.
The cook, an old Scotchman who never
wore shoes on shipboard no matter what
the thermometer said, bunked in the
forecastle with the "inen," as the sailors
were termed. These latter were twelve in
number and classified as cable seamen,"
"ordinary seamen and landsmen."
Whalemen are not paid regular wages
they get certain share of the net pro-
ceeds of the voyage, which is called
clay" The green hand or landsman
gets from the 10th to the l9oth lay I;
that is, if the net proceeds of the voyage
foot up $3S, 900 he would have about
5000 coming to him, IRON which would
be deducted the cost of his outfit and any
other advances with interest to date.
The outfit is generally put in at extrava-
gantly high prices, and the interest is
slapped OH at u rate of 10 per cent or so.
An ordinary seaman gets about the l6oth
lay; an able seaman about the l4Oth; a
boat steerer about the S0th; third mate
about the 50th; second mate about the
Both or 10th; n first mate about the 10Th
oi 25th, and captain from the 9TH to
the 10th lay. Of course, this system has
the double advantage of making the men
interested in the success of the present
VOYAGE, and anxious to so conduct them
selves as to step into a boat steerer's
berth in the next voyage. To the young
man fitted for the sea, who makes himself
useful, never shirks his duty and i'm
proves his spare moments, the chances
for promotion in the whaling service are
good.
After these remarks the following song,
which is favorite on board of American
| whaleships, and goes to tune a little
| like ''Wearing of the Green," with some
of the vivacity of "oh, Susanna !" thrown
in, will be readily understood. Longfel-
low and some other fellows may have
written more euphonious verses, but they
never wrote anything that contains more
solid truth to the square inch:
|
| If YOU 20 down to New York, on the sign
boards there you'll see
| Five hundred hold Americans are wanted FOL
the sea-
| They will take you to New Bedford, or some.
They will give you to the thieving sharks and
they will ft you out.
| And a-cruising You will go,
| =.- And a-crniSing you Will go,
| Cheer mp my lively fellows, Tor were all true
| blues YOU know.
| They will take you to the owners and they vii
talk you bland,
| They will give you the one hundred ana mn
| tieth Law and that amt worth a d;
| They'll put you on board of some old tub ant
| send you out tn sea,
| And then they'll quickly drill you into the lin'
| of ship duty.
Its first at the mast head, they'll place you a
| the tere, 80 ,
And then this reefing and furling they'll drill
| you DER and DER,
| And next will come the compass, twill griev'
| YOUR hearts full sore,
Although there's only thirtytwo points, VIII,
you'll have sixtyfour.
Some cold and busrry morning when wave
are running high,
| When cloudy is the weather and threatening
looks the sky,
A man at the masthead he sings out, 'rher
she blows y
So, hoist and swing your boats my boys, am
after them Wen go.
| After three or four hours nara nulllnB III
whales are drawing nigh,
In the course of four or five hours alongsid
the will ride;
Then. its "cut in'-"try out, my boys; it's al
hands, you know;
It's eighteen hours out of twenty four, an
| damn the watch below.
Now your clothes are giving ont. my boys, I
tile slop chest you must go;
Yon'l pay two dollars for Il shirt the wind I
pieces will blow,
And if You want u pair of pants, four dollar
for them you'll pay,
And these together with other leaks will ea
up all your lay.
Now we're anchored in some foreign port All
we will all agree
To 90 ashore on liberty and have a littl
Spree
| And II YOU want some money, my boys,
keep yolr spirits alive,
Why, they hand You out fifty cents-and chal
down seventy-tive.
Now our cargo is full my boys, and hom
ward we will steer;
Wen soon be with our wives and friends an
those whom we hold dear.
Come, all you bold Americans, who live upo
dry soil,
You had better go and hang yourselves tina
go cruising after oil.
And a-cruising never go;
And ta-cruising never go.
Cheer up, my lively fellows, for we're all trl
blues, you know.