Nantucket in the War of the Revolution 87 



along the American coasts." The Quakers of 

 England interceded in behalf of their Nantucket 

 brethren; but the bill passed 215 to 61, and war 

 became inevitable. The people of Nantucket 

 had kept in touch with the political movements 

 of the day, of course, and yet they were by no 

 means prepared for war when it came. Their 

 ships were out cruising for whales as usual, and 

 their coasting vessels were plying to and fro, 

 carrying oil to Boston and bringing food and 

 other supplies to the island. The coasters were 

 easily provided for, when war came; but the 

 sound of the shot that was fired at Lexington, 

 and was "heard around the world," was a long 

 time reaching many of the whalers. In some 

 cases, British cruisers took the echo to them 

 with a summons to surrender that was not to be 

 disobeyed. Those that escaped this misfortune 

 hastened home as soon as they learned that war 

 had been declared. 



The story of the Nantucket whalemen during 

 the years of war is tragic. The ships that reached 

 home were no safer than they were on the high 

 seas; they were not as safe, in fact. The British 



