The Captain’s Best Mate. The Journal of Mary Chipman Lawrence on the Whaler Addison 1856-1860.

Not strictly polar; the Addison rounded Cape Horn in 1856 and returned in May 1860.

p. 4: December 7. Another Sabbath has dawned upon us. It seems somewhat different from the other days, even here. No one unnecessarily employed, most of the company engaged in reading, it seems like a day of rest. But no Sabbath bell greets our ear, no holy man of God proclaims to us the glad tidings of the Gospel.

p. 235, May 30, 1860 at end of voyage: Commenced packing for home today. Packed a basket of books and three boxes of books and clothing.

p. 298, notes cite journal of George Bowman Dec 1859 at Providence, and comment on keeping Sabbath by rotating the days to avoid days when whales were hunted: It is a very wrong thing to shift the days so as to fit ones convenience.

p. 301, Bowman speaks of bad discipline aboard ship: I am now reading a book called The Voices of the Dead by the Rev. John Cumming, D.D., from whence I derive sweet consolation.