("Slops" Ledger from a Whaling Ship).

Anonymous

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(New Bedford, MA): (1862, 1863). Octavo. (120)pp. Twenty pages of this ledger contain hand-written notes for the whaling bark Morning Star from New Bedford during an Atlantic voyage from August, 1862 to April, 1863; the remaining pages are blank. "Slops" is a naval term referring to a sailor's outfit and items of equipment, and the word eventually expanded to encompass a sailor's small cash purchases. This ledger, also known as a "slop chit," lists sailors' names followed by a tally of their purchases, which consist primarily of clothing and large amounts of tobacco: around twenty-six pounds of tobacco were purchased by individual sailors, and more than 100 pounds by the company. Articles of clothing listed include wool shirts and drawers, stockings, a monkey jacket, and straw hats. In addition to the accounts of individual crew members, the ledger also itemizes expenses for the owners' account with the captain, Hervey E. Luce, which includes food purchased for the ship, customs house fees, and postage for letters. The entries are dated between September 1862 and March 1863, during the peak years of whaling in New England. A fascinating glimpse into the provisions needed to supply a whaling ship and its crew. Fine in original marbled boards with a leather spine. (Item ID: 23264)