Part 14

In larger specimens the slabs of “bone” reached twelve feet or more in length.

CLEANING WHALEBONE

The “slabs” were cut from the jaw, and after being scraped and washed were tied in bundles.

DEAD MAN’S CHEST

When a man died or deserted, unless the captain chose to take his effects back to his family, they were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

As often as not the chest was worth more than the contents.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Instead of sailing for home when the ship was full, many whalers discharged their oil at the Hawaiian Islands or San Francisco and set out for more.

This oil was put aboard large cargo ships capable of carrying the catch of several whalers, and taken round the Horn to New York, Boston, or the whaleships’ home port.

But at last the “spouter” was filled up and ready for the long passage home, the captain served grog, and all hands were hailed aft to “splice the main brace.”

“SCRIMSHAW”

With a four or five months’ passage home before him, the whaleman occupied himself by carving and fashioning all manner of articles out of bone and whales’ teeth;--scrimshaw work. He had usually some particular person in mind as he scraped and sawed, filed and drilled, often with tools made from nails or odd bits of metal.--Model ships or boats, knives, forks, combs, ladles, yarn winders, bodkins, and a thousand other nick-nacks were turned out.

The favourite article however was the “jagging wheel,”--a contrivance for decorating pie crust and pastry, and many were the variations on the handles of these jaggers.

The visitor inspecting the fine collection of these what Herman Melville calls “Skrimshandered” articles, in the Nantucket and New Bedford Whaling Museums, cannot help being struck with the exquisite workmanship of most of the specimens and the high degree of artistry attained in the decoration of them.

* * * * *

The whaleman and his trim little ships have gone on the long passage, but if in nothing else, he has left in this a delightful and worthy record behind him.

Transcriber’s Notes

Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected.

Archaic and unusual spelling has been retained as in the original.