SCORESBY'S EXPERIENCE. 251 



of the voyage often seemed to be in the way, 

 duty to the owners of the ship seemed to forbid, 

 yet we persevered in waiting upon God, and 

 certain I am that we found his blessing. 



"At three bells (half past nine A.M.) every 

 Sabbath morning, the hands were ' turned up,' 

 to prepare themselves for the forenoon service ; 

 then, according to the state of the weather, or 

 the accomodations we had in the ship, the 

 church was either ' rigged' upon deck, or ar- 

 rangements made for divine worship below. 

 At eleven the service commenced, and generally 

 concluded a few minutes after twelve. From 

 the calling of all hands until this time, every 

 man was on Sabbath-day duty; and, although 

 no man was made to join in the prayers against 

 his will, yet he had only this option, either to 

 watch or to pray. 



" Before each of our services, whenever the 

 weather was at all unsettled, the ship was put 

 under a somewhat snug sail, and, the deck 

 being left to the charge of the proper officer of 

 the watch, with the assistance of the helmsman, 

 all the rest of the crew, or nearly all, could 



