220 
MA BINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
When the ship is nearly in readiness for her voyage, she leaves the wharf, and is 
anchored in the offing, to complete her necessary requirements. When the last 
article is taken in, the crew and officers embark, the pilot goes on board, and the 
managing agent informs the captain that the vessel is ready to sail ; he gives him 
his general instructions for the voyage, shakes him by the hand, and wishes him a 
"full ship" and a safe return; and he (the agent) feels relieved to get the expe- 
dition temporarily off his hands ; but not so the captain, for he keenly feels his 
responsibility. A long, anxious, and tedious vo}'age is before him ; if successful, he 
may return to be amply rewarded for his toils ; if unfortunate, he meets with 
reproach and an empty purse. But there is no time for dallying, and he acknowl- 
edges the compliments of his employer, bids him a hurried good -by, steps into the 
waiting boat, and repairs on board. The pilot gives his orders, the ship speeds 
away under a press of canvas, and at length she is plunging and reeling on the 
broad expanse of waters. The pilot is now the only connecting link between them 
oil. He stepped to his bureau and took out a 
file of papers, from which he pretended to read 
an entire contradiction of the report, though I 
was satisfied there was not a line there on the 
subject. I said ' it was only a vague report that 
I heard, and I can not vouch for the truth of 
it, but we are like drowning men, catching at 
every straw that passes by. Therefore, I am 
determined to go to France and see what it is. 
If there be any such contract, sufficient to retain 
us at Nantucket, neither you, nor any other na- 
tion can have us ; and if it is insufficient, I shall 
endeavor to enlarge it.' 'Ah!' said he, 'Quak- 
ers go to France?' 'Yes, but with regret!' I 
then parted with Lord Hawkesbury for the last 
time. 
"I immediately embarked with my son Ben- 
jamin, for Dunkirk, where I drew up my pro- 
posals and sent them to Paris, not wishing to 
proceed farther until I found the disposition of 
the French Court. They sent for us to come 
immediately. We lost no time in answering the 
summons, and proceeded at once to Paris. The 
Master of Requests, who was the proper minis- 
ter to receive our proposals and make his re- 
marks on the several articles, had examined them 
and made his remarks- accordingly. The propo- 
sals were : 
" ' 1st. A full and free enjoyment of religion 
according to the principles of the people called 
Quakers.' 
"To which he annexed, ' Accorde/' 
" ' 2d. An entire exemption from military reg- 
ulations of every kind.' 
"To this he annexed the following just re- 
marks : ' As they are all peaceable people and 
meddle not with the cpiarrels of princes, neither 
internal nor external, this proposition may be 
granted.' 
' ' The other proposition related to the regula- 
tion of the whale-fishery. 
""We next proceeded to the several ministers, 
five in number, at Versailles. First, to Calonne, 
Comptroller of Finance. We gave our reasons 
for not taking off our hats on being introduced 
to them all. Calonne replied : ' I care nothing 
for your hats, if your hearts are right.' Next, 
we went to the aged Vergennes, Minister of For- 
eign Affairs ; then to the Marshal de Castro, 
Minister of Marine ; then to the Prince of Rubec, 
Generalissimo of Flanders ; at last, to the In- 
tendant of Flanders — who all agreed to my pro- 
