230 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



absent friends falls upon the ears of those at 

 home. 



Many have had painful experience in these 

 particulars. Wives, parents, and relatives have 

 been as suddenly reminded of the decease of 

 those near and dear to them, as would be the 

 change of noonday into the darkness of mid- 

 night. 



How many hearts have been made to bleed in 

 anguish! how many earthly prospects, hitherto 

 bright, have suddenly become shaded and over- 

 cast at such an announcement! Indeed, they 

 shortly expected to hear that those abroad were 

 in health and prosperity ; or soon to embrace 

 them on the homeward arrival of the ship ; but 

 alas! some mysterious contingency in providence 

 supervened, and terminated their earthly voyage. 



Broad oceans, remote seas, distant islands, and 

 foreign ports are consecrated to the memory of 

 seamen, as their last resting places on earth. In- 

 deed, such localities are of impressive and affect- 

 ing significance, illustrating at once both the na- 

 ture of the employment and daring adventures 

 of whalemen. But interest for the sailor may 

 not be wholly confined to seaport places. Nor 

 is it. Wherever intelligence reaches, or the pub- 

 lic print finds its way through the various avenues 

 of society, or wherever works pertaining to sea- 



