224 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



lies, from religious communities, sons of Christ- 

 ians, and have been taught to fear God and keep 

 his commandments. A few of them profess 

 godliness. All of them are alike in this, that 

 they are rational, accountable men, under 

 obligation to keep God's law, and having man's 

 natural right to, and need of, the Sabbath for 

 rest and religious worship.* 



But what is the law to which they are all 

 alike subjected in whale ships ? With very few 

 exceptions, to be stated in their place, it is a law 

 that acknowledges no Sabbath, but compels them 

 to labour alike on the seventh day and all days, 

 in order to capture whales and fill their ship. I 

 repeat it, for the information of those whom it 

 may concern, there is no Sabbath known in the 

 whale fishery. 



As generally conducted, it makes eighteen 

 or twenty thousand habitual Sabbath-breakers. 

 Men are kept at the fore and main mast heads, 

 boats are lowered, whales are taken and " cut- 

 in/' and all the work incident thereto is done 

 on the Sabbath just as much as on any day, 

 * See Note C. 



