Some of them were beginning to try the dreadful "grub" (I cannot
libel "food" by using it in such a connection), thereby showing
that their interest in life, even such a life as was now before
them, was returning. They had all been allotted places in the
various boats, intermixed with the seasoned Portuguese in such
a way that the officer and harpooner in charge would not be
dependant upon them entirely in case of a sudden emergency.
Every endeavour was undoubtedly made to instruct them in their
duties, albeit the teachers were all too apt to beat their
information in with anything that came to hand, and persuasion
found no place in their methods.
The reports I had always heard of the laziness prevailing on
board whale-ships were now abundantly falsified. From dawn to
dark work went on without cessation. Everything was rubbed and
scrubbed and scoured until no speck or soil could be found;
indeed, no gentleman's yacht or man-of-war is kept more
spotlessly clean than was the CACHALOT.
A regular and severe routine of labour was kept up; and, what was
most galling to me, instead of a regular four hours' watch on and
off, night and day, all hands were kept on deck the whole day
long, doing quite unnecessary tasks, apparently with the object
of preventing too much leisure and consequent brooding over their
unhappy lot.
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