Which jobs did Herman Melville hold before becoming a full-time writer?

Before establishing himself as a writer, Herman Melville held several positions as he sought financial stability. His early employment history included:

• Schoolteacher: He taught briefly at a school that eventually closed without paying him.12
• Merchant Seaman: He served as a cabin boy on the merchant ship St. Lawrence, which sailed from New York City to Liverpool in 1839.2
• Whaler: He worked on multiple whaling vessels, including the Acushnet, the Australian whaler Lucy Ann, and the Charles & Henry, serving in roles such as a harpooner.12
• Navy Seaman: In 1843, he signed on as an ordinary seaman aboard the frigate United States, serving until his discharge in 1844.2

Although he attempted to study surveying to work on the Erie Canal project, that position never materialized. Following his career as a successful author of novels, he spent his final decades working as a customs inspector.21