The Indians
There Appeared, By The Decency Of Their Manners, Their Industry, And
Neatness, To Be Wholly Europeans, And Nowise Inferior To Many Of The
Inhabitants.
Like them they are sober, laborious, and religious,
which are the principal characteristics of the four New England
provinces.
They often go, like the young men of the Vineyard, to
Nantucket, and hire themselves for whalemen or fishermen; and indeed
their skill and dexterity in all sea affairs is nothing inferior to
that of the whites. The latter are divided into two classes, the
first occupy the land, which they till with admirable care and
knowledge; the second, who are possessed of none, apply themselves
to the sea, the general resource of mankind in this part of the
world. This island therefore, like Nantucket, is become a great
nursery which supplies with pilots and seamen the numerous coasters
with which this extended part of America abounds. Go where you will
from Nova Scotia to the Mississippi, you will find almost everywhere
some natives of these two islands employed in seafaring occupations.
Their climate is so favourable to population, that marriage is the
object of every man's earliest wish; and it is a blessing so easily
obtained, that great numbers are obliged to quit their native land
and go to some other countries in quest of subsistence. The
inhabitants are all Presbyterians, which is the established religion
of Massachusetts; and here let me remember with gratitude the
hospitable treatment I received from B. Norton, Esq., the colonel of
the island, as well as from Dr. Mahew, the lineal descendant of the
first proprietor. Here are to be found the most expert pilots,
either for the great bay, their sound, Nantucket shoals, or the
different ports in their neighbourhood. In stormy weather they are
always at sea, looking out for vessels, which they board with
singular dexterity, and hardly ever fail to bring safe to their
intended harbour. Gay-Head, the western point of this island,
abounds with a variety of ochres of different colours, with which
the inhabitants paint their houses.
The vessels most proper for whale fishing are brigs of about 150
tons burthen, particularly when they are intended for distant
latitudes; they always man them with thirteen hands, in order that
they may row two whale-boats; the crews of which must necessarily
consist of six, four at the oars, one standing on the bows with the
harpoon, and the other at the helm. It is also necessary that there
should be two of these boats, that if one should be destroyed in
attacking the whale, the other, which is never engaged at the same
time, may be ready to save the hands. Five of the thirteen are
always Indians; the last of the complement remains on board to steer
the vessel during the action. They have no wages; each draws a
certain established share in partnership with the proprietor of the
vessel; by which economy they are all proportionately concerned in
the success of the enterprise, and all equally alert and vigilant.
None of these whalemen ever exceed the age of forty: they look on
those who are past that period not to be possessed of all that
vigour and agility which so adventurous a business requires. Indeed
if you attentively consider the immense disproportion between the
object assailed and the assailants; if you think on the diminutive
size, and weakness of their frail vehicle; if you recollect the
treachery of the element on which this scene is transacted; the
sudden and unforeseen accidents of winds, etc., you will readily
acknowledge that it must require the most consummate exertion of all
the strength, agility, and judgment, of which the bodies and minds
of men are capable, to undertake these adventurous encounters.
As soon as they arrive in those latitudes where they expect to meet
with whales, a man is sent up to the mast head; if he sees one, he
immediately cries out AWAITE PAWANA, here is a whale: they all
remain still and silent until he repeats PAWANA, a whale, when in
less than six minutes the two boats are launched, filled with every
implement necessary for the attack. They row toward the whale with
astonishing velocity; and as the Indians early became their fellow-
labourers in this new warfare, you can easily conceive how the
Nattick expressions became familiar on board the whale-boats.
Formerly it often happened that whale vessels were manned with none
but Indians and the master; recollect also that the Nantucket people
understand the Nattick, and that there are always five of these
people on board. There are various ways of approaching the whale,
according to their peculiar species; and this previous knowledge is
of the utmost consequence. When these boats are arrived at a
reasonable distance, one of them rests on its oars and stands off,
as a witness of the approaching engagement; near the bows of the
other the harpooner stands up, and on him principally depends the
success of the enterprise. He wears a jacket closely buttoned, and
round his head a handkerchief tightly bound: in his hands he holds
the dreadful weapon, made of the best steel, marked sometimes with
the name of their town, and sometimes with that of their vessel; to
the shaft of which the end of a cord of due length, coiled up with
the utmost care in the middle of the boat, is firmly tied; the other
end is fastened to the bottom of the boat. Thus prepared they row in
profound silence, leaving the whole conduct of the enterprise to the
harpooner and to the steersman, attentively following their
directions. When the former judges himself to be near enough to the
whale, that is, at the distance of about fifteen feet, he bids them
stop; perhaps she has a calf, whose safety attracts all the
attention of the dam, which is a favourable circumstance; perhaps
she is of a dangerous species, and it is safest to retire, though
their ardour will seldom permit them; perhaps she is asleep, in that
case he balances high the harpoon, trying in this important moment
to collect all the energy of which he is capable.
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