214 THE WHALEMAN J OB, 



CHAPTER XII. 



A Whaling Community. — Interest felt for absent Ones. — The 

 first Intelligence from the Whaling Fleet. — California Mail. — 

 Further News from the Islands. — " Missing Ships." — No Report 

 of the Citizen. — No Letters. — Fears as to her Safety. — When 

 last spoken with. — Either lost or frozen up in the Arctic. — Sup- 

 posed Fate of Officers and Crew. — Distressing Suspense. —Hoping 

 against Hope. — Prayer answered. — The first Intelligence from 

 the Citizen. — Joy in Families. — Captain Norton's Arrival at 

 Home, and subsequently the Arrival of his Officers, belonging to 

 this Place. 



In a community like ours, in which the chief 

 and principal occupation of the male portion of 

 it is in the whale fishery, there is scarcely a fam- 

 ily, and perhaps not one, but has some near or 

 more remote relative absent at sea. It is, there- 

 fore, by no means surprising that more than or- 

 dinary interest should be felt and manifested in 

 behalf of those who " do business upon the great 

 waters." 



In some towns upon the seaboard, the inhabit- 

 ants are engaged in other kinds of fishery, such 

 as the cod and mackerel fishery ; but from the 

 port of Edgartown not a solitary vessel of this 

 description sails. It is wholly whaling, with 



