Captain Paddack from Nantucket spent a long career at sea, first on whaling vessels but mainly on merchant ships sailing throughout the world, including around Cape Horn.
p. 3-4: Between this time and the day appointed for sailing, my mother had provided me with a sea-chest, well stocked with clothing, small stores, books, and such other matters as she thought necessary for my comfort.
p. 20-22, Sunday, August 1, 1847: …some captains are so conscientious that they will not lower for whales on Sunday. The men occupy their time in reading, smoking, and mending their clothes. If the weather is pleasant, they bring their work and their books on deck, and sit down upon the forecastle and windlass. This is the only day on which these privileges are allowed them.
p. 47, Abington Island enroute to Galapagos: December 14…. This day was spent like all Sundays at sea. The decks were washed down, the rigging all coiled up, and everything put in order. The men were all dressed up in their clean clothes, and occupied themselves in reading, mending their clothes, smoking, etc.
p. 86-87, a burial at sea after a whale kills a sailor by smashing the whaleboat: After the crew assembled, Captain Hussey commenced the reading of the service of the Episcopal Church. There was a moment’s pause as he came to the sentence, “We now commit his body to the deep.” It was read, a deep splash was heard, and the body of our poor shipmate sank beneath the blue wave, there to rest until the sea shall give up its dead….
p. 109, Sunday, October 3: A sailor is literally a jack-of-all-trades. On Sundays the men in the forecastle are at work, some making or mending shoes, some cutting out clothing, hats, and caps; some occupy their time in reading, while others are learning navigation, etc.
p. 129: During the preceding ten days nothing transpired of importance to interrupt the usual monotony resulting from a long spell of fair winds and good weather. But about ten o’clock this morning the cry was heard, “There she blows!”
p. 236: Porpoises and dolphins were continually darting across our bows. There is always something to be seen, and life is never monotonous.