His CAPTORS. 269 



Last Cabin Meetings. Better than Spermaceti, 



I preached for the last time, it is likely, at sea, 

 yesterday afternoon. This evening we have had 

 a very happy prayer -meeting, and probably our 

 final one on shipboard. The captain, a boat- 

 steerer, one of the fore-mast hands, and myself, 

 led each successively in fervent supplication and 

 thanks to the throne of grace. The two first 

 have been converted during this absence from 

 home, and they return evidently regenerated by 

 the grace of God. Would that every pro/ es sing- 

 ship-master gave as good evidence of possessing 1 

 the reality of religion as ours. 



When, lately, we were in the midst of a herd 

 of sperm whales, it was my inward earnest 

 prayer that God would give him good success 

 in their capture, in order that he might yet re- 

 alize a profitable voyage for his owners at its 

 close, and enter port with a full ship, after all its 

 first losses and misfortunes. Through no fault 

 of his, however, this was not so to be. But the 

 voyage has been productive to him, personally, 

 of a better portion than many ship-loads all of 

 spermaceti, for he has found during the course 

 of it, and partly through the very discipline of 

 disappointment, the pearl of great price, which 

 he would not now part with for the wealth of 



