human
I am happy to say that we had very pleasant weather to cut in, and secured every gallon of the oil of both our whales, as did Captain Daggett all of his. Our largest bull made one hundred and nineteen barrels, of which forty-three barrels was head-matter. I never saw better case and junk in a whale in my life. The smallest bull turned out well too, making fifty-eight barrels, of which twenty-one was head. Daggett got one hundred and thirty-three barrels from his three fish, a very fair proportion of head, though not as large as our own. Having this oil on board, we came in here after a pleasant run; and I have shipped, as per invoice enclosed, one hundred and seventy-seven barrels of spermaceti oil, viz., sixty-four barrels of head, and rest in body-oil, to your order, care of Fish & Grinnell, New York, by the brig Jason, Captain Williams, who will sail for home about the 20th proximo, and to whom I trust this letter
gpt
Stop, Mary, my dear--this news is overpowering--it is almost too good to be true, interrupted the deacon, nearly as much unmanned by this intelligence of his good fortune as he had previously been by his apprehensions.
human
Yes, it does seem too good to be true; read it again, child; yes, read every syllable of it again!
gpt
Why, uncle, said the deeply-interested girl,
human
More! Ay, nearly as three for one. Hunt me up the last Spectator, girl--hunt me up the last Spectator, and let me see at once at what they quote spalm.
gpt
Yes, here it is, and quoted $1.12-1/2 per gallon, as I live! That's nine shillings a gallon, Mary--just calculate on that bit of paper--thirty times one hundred and seventy-seven, Mary; how much is that, child?
human
I make it 5310, uncle--yes, that is right. But what are the 30 times for, sir?
gpt
Gallons, gal, gallons. Each barrel has 30 gallons in it, if not more. There ought to be 32 by rights, but this is a cheating age. Now, multiply 5310 by 9, and see what that comes to.
human
Just 47,790, sir, as near as I can get it.
gpt
Yes, that's the shillings. Now, divide 47,790 by 8, my dear. Be actyve, Mary, be actyve.
human
It leaves 5973, with a remainder of 6, sir. I believe I'm right.
gpt
I dare say you are, child; yes, I dare say you are. This is the dollars. A body may call them $6000, as the barrels will a little overrun the 30 gallons. My share of this will be two-thirds, and that will nett the handsome sum of, say $4000!