The above was found in the log of the Ocean Rover of New Bedford (Massachusetts), dated 1859. The songs Huntington collected are often found in other sources.
There's another rendition of this "Fitting Out" list/poem in a book called The Whale and His Captors, Or, The Whaleman's Adventures: And the Whale's Biography as Gathered on the Homeward Cruise of the "Commodore Preble, by Henry Theodore Cheever, published in 1864 by Harper & Bros., pages 321-322.
It's in very readable fashion here: http://mysite.du.edu/~ttyler/ploughboy/cheever.htm
APPENDIX. LEAVES FROM THE LOG OF A PRACTICED WHALEMAN. Since the publication of the first edition of "The Whale and his Captors," a townsman and school-mate of the author (Mr. Joseph B. Gow, now of Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard) has submitted to our perusal certain desultory leaves from the log of his whaling life. Believing they will add somewhat to the value of this volume, as a memoir of the whaleman's adventures and the whale's biography, we give portions of them here in due order, and with such divisions and connectives as were naturally suggested. We begin with our friend's report in doggerel respecting a whaleman's outfit, which he made for a raw hand who had shipped for the South Pacific. A FITTING OUT. A chest that is neither too large nor too small Is the first thing to which your attention I'd call; The things to put in it are next to be named. And if some I omit, I am not to be blamed. Stow first in the bottom a blanket and quilt, To be used on the voyage whenever thou wilt; Thick trowsers and shirts, woolen stockings and shoes, Next your papers and books to tell you the news; Good, substantial tarpaulins to cover your head; Just to say, keep a journal, "N. C., nuff sed," Carry paper and ink, pens, wafers, and wax, A shoemaker's last, awls, pegs, and small tacks; Some cotton and thread, silk, needles, and palm, And a paper of pins as long as your arm; Two vests and a thimble, a large lot of matches, A lot of good cloth that will answer for patches. A Bible and hymn-book, of course, you must carry, If you expect at the end of the first voyage to marry. Don't forget to take essences, pipes, and cigars; Of the sweetest of butter, a couple of jars. A razor you'll want, a pencil and slate; A comb and a hair-brush you'll need for your pate; A brush and some shaving-soap, plenty of quills; A box of those excellent Richardson's pills: Opodeldoc and pain-killer surely you'll need, And something to stop the red stream, should you bleed. Some things I've omitted, but never mind that; Eat salt-junk and hard bread, laugh and grow fat.
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