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The Whaling Journal of Captain W. B. Rhodes: Barque Australian of Sydney 1836 - 1838

19. Account of Whale Oil and Bone — [From the Captain's 'Rough Day-Book']

page 111

19. Account of Whale Oil and Bone
[From the Captain's 'Rough Day-Book']

Sept. 1836. 370 Barrels Right Whale Oil procured which is equal to—
42 Tons Imperial at 13 £ per ton 546 0 0
Also 2⅛ Tons Whale Bone @ £50 112 10 0
Barrels G.
Up to March 9th 1837 — 121 28— Sperm Oil procured but say—
15 Tons Old Measure @ £30.6.8 455 0 0
18 Tons up to 9th April 1837 546 0 0
since leaving the bay
38 Tons up to nth Aug. @ £30.6.8 1152 13 0
6½ Tons Black Oil @ £13 p. Ton 84.10.0 £ s.d. Whale Bone @ 50 £ 84 10 0
18¾ Tons up to April 1st @ £30.6.8 558 15 0
3465-8-0
£3419 18 0

[It should be noted that the captain's figures are incorrectly added. At another place in the 'Rough Day-Book' appears the following pencilled summary.]

To 45 Tons B. Oil Imp @ 10 £ 450 2¾ Tons Bone @ £100 212 662 0 0
89¾ Tons or 718 barrels Sperm @ £50 per Ton O.M. 4487 10 0
£5149 10 0
page 112

[In the list of 'contents of casks filled', the final total of sperm oil is 22,626 gallons, this being also stated as 718 barrels. Right oil is shown as 13,671 gallons and as equalling 434 barrels or 45 tons imperial. From these figures and from the accounts set out above it is apparent that although Rhodes follows the standard procedure of calculating in half-hogshead barrels of 31½ gallons, and of eight barrels to the ton (or tun) old measure for sperm oil, he converts to imperial tons for right oil. The day-to-day list shows also that the casks actually used on the ship varied considerably in size, their contents ranging from as low as 18 gallons up to actual tuns holding 252 gallons.]