18 
eessity. We were at this time in com- 
pany with the ship Lyra, of New-Bed- 
ford, the Captain of which, had been on 
board the Globe during the most of the 
day, but had returned in the evening to 
his own ship. An agreement had been 
made by him with the Captain of the 
Globe, to set a light at midnight as a 
signal for tacking. It may not be amiss 
to acquaint the reader of the manner in 
which whalemen keep watch during the 
night. They generally carry three 
boats, though some carry four, five, and 
sometimes six, the Globe, however, be¬ 
ing of the class carrying three. The 
Captain, mate, and second mate stand 
no watch except there is blubber to be 
boiled; the boat-steerers taking charge 
of the watch and managing the ship with 
their respective boats crews, and in this 
instance dividing the night into three 
parts, each taking a third. It so hap¬ 
pened that Smith after keeping the first 
watch, was relieved by Comstock, 
(whom we shall call by his sir name in 
contradistinction to his brother George) 
