SABBATH OBSERVANCE. 87 



CHAPTER VI. 



Sabbath Observance. — Rewarded for ditto. — Our first Bear 

 seen. — Kill him. — Lose the Sloop. — Quantities of Eggs. — 

 Drift-wood. — Comes from Siberia. — Can not be in situ. — 

 Geology of Thousand Islands. — Red Snow. — Caused by 

 Mute of Alca Alle. — Bear Battue, and its Consequences. — 

 Deplorable Effects of smelling Brandy. 



Sunday the 17th was calm, with heavy banks of 

 fog hanging about. We got an occasional glimpse 

 of the precipitous rocky promontory of Black Point, 

 distant four or five miles. Did not leave the ship, 

 but read Morning Service in the cabin. We never 

 hunt on Sundays, although sometimes the appear- 

 ance of a fat seal or a troop of walruses floating 

 past is eminently tantalizing, and severely tries our 

 respect for the fourth commandment. I am sorry 

 to state that the greater part of the sealing vessels 

 make little or no distinction between the seventh 

 day and the rest of the week, although some of them 

 compromise with their consciences by refraining 

 from searching for animals with the boats, merely 

 attacking those which come within sight of the ves- 

 sel. I must leave to theologians to decide how far 

 these men are justified by the peculiar nature of 

 their occupation in this entire or partial desecration 

 of the Sabbath ; but of one thing I am certain, and 



