NOTES. 307 



to pursue the objects of the fishery whenever they were with- 

 in reach. 



Through the goodness of God, however, I felt the line of 

 duty to be otherwise. The strict command concerning the 

 Sabbath, rendered, in my apprehension, the duty imperative 

 to refrain from laboring in a worldly calling for worldly 

 advantage on that holy day ; and this, for several of the most 

 recent voyages in which I was engaged, became our unde- 

 viatiug line of conduct. 



On the 13th of July, blowing hard, with rain or sleet, we 

 moored to a large and heavy floe (a sheet of ice about three 

 or four miles in diameter), in order the more commodiously 

 to enjoy the Sabbath day's repose. A ship from Peterhead, 

 which had for some days been accompanying us, followed our 

 example, and a considerable number of her officers and crew 

 joined us in our usual Sabbath devotions. An evening serv- 

 ice, designed chiefly for the instruction and benefit of the ap- 

 prentices, had been concluded, the sacred day of the Lord 

 was drawing to a close, and our visitors were preparing to 

 return to their ship, when a large whale was descried by one 

 of our own seamen in a situation very inviting for attempting 

 its capture. 



No doubt it was contemplated by many with an ardent 

 and longing gaze ; but the orders for sanctifying the Sabbath 

 being quite peremptory, no attempt, on the part of any of our 

 people, was made to pursue the tempting object. Our fel- 

 low-worshipers, however, being less scrupulous, instantly 

 manned the boat which had brought them on board of the 

 Baffin, and set forth, along with some others from their own 

 ship, in eager pursuit. Nor were their ardent hopes disap- 

 pointed ; for in a short time, the usual quietness of the day, 

 with us, was broken in upon by the shout of success from the 

 pursuing boats, followed by vehement respondings from the 

 contiguous ship. The attack, being followed up with the 

 wonted vigor, proved successful, and the prize was fully se- 

 cured by the middle of the night. 



