Part 5

THE DECK

This diagram shows the deck arrangement of “Lagoda” of New Bedford and was characteristic of all square-rigged whalers.

A--B--C--D--E--Boats hanging on the davits. Many ships did not swing a boat in the position of “B.”

In their order the boats were named as follows:--“Bow”--“Starboard Bow”--“Waist”--“Larboard”--“Starboard.” The latter was known as the captain’s boat, though in later years the captain did not leave the ship.

The first mate had the larboard boat--second mate the waist--third mate the bow.

The senior boatsteerer took the starboard bow boat unless the ship carried a fourth mate.

F--Spare boats on the skids--or boat bridge.

G--The main hatch.

H--The try works.

J--The steering wheel.--To left of the wheel, the companion stairs to captain’s quarters.

K--The galley.

L--The “cutting-in” stage. At this point a section of the bulwarks was removed during cutting in.

M--The foc’s’le hatch leading to crew’s quarters below.

N--The windlass.

The Whaleboat

Boats varied from 28 to 30 feet in length, with a beam of 5-1/2 to 6 feet.

A--Bow showing the “chocks,” a channel in the stem through which the whale line ran. This was fitted with a bronze roller--or lined with sheet lead.

Through a hole across the chocks a slender spindle of wood was inserted--to be easily broken should necessity arise.

This “chock pin” kept the line from jumping out of its groove,--and was, moreover, when worn in the buttonhole ashore, the badge of the whaleman who had killed his whale.

B--Main line tub--containing 225 fathoms of whale line.

C--Reserve tub--holding from 75 to 125 fathoms.

D--Loggerhead--a heavy snubbing post around which the whale line ran from the tub and thence forward to the bow.

E--Mast step.

F--Padded notch in the edge of the forward box into which the harpooneer braced his thigh when darting his irons.

L--Centreboard.

Except when under sail the boat was propelled by five oars, and in order to balance the power from this unequal number, oars of different lengths were used.

G--Harpoon oar 16 feet long

H--Bow oar 17 “ “