 the peculiar usages of whaling-vessels when meeting each
other in foreign seas, and especially on a common cruising-ground.
    If two strangers crossing the Pine Barrens in New York State, or the equally
desolate Salisbury Plain in England; if casually encountering each other in such
inhospitable wilds, these twain, for the life of them, cannot well avoid a
mutual salutation; and stopping for a moment to interchange the news; and,
perhaps, sitting down for a while and resting in concert: then, how much more
natural that upon the illimitable Pine Barrens and Salisbury Plains of the sea,
two whaling-vessels descrying each other at the ends of the earth - off lone
Fanning's Island, or the far away King's Mills; how much more natural, I say,
that under such circumstances these ships should not only interchange hails, but
come into still closer, more friendly and sociable contact. And especially would
this seem to be a matter of course, in the case of vessels owned in one seaport,
and whose captains, officers, and not a few of the men are personally known to
each other; and consequently, have all sorts of dear domestic things to talk
about.
    For the long absent ship, the outward-bounder, perhaps, has letters on
board; at any rate, she will be sure to let her have some papers of a date a
year or two later than the last one on her blurred and thumb-worn files. And in
return for that courtesy, the outward-bound ship would receive the latest
whaling intelligence from the cruising-ground to which she may be destined, a
thing of the utmost importance to her. And in degree, all this will hold true
concerning whaling-vessels crossing each other's track on the cruising-ground
itself, even though they are equally long absent from home. For one of them may
have received a transfer of letters from some third, and now far remote vessel;
and some of those letters may be for the people of the ship she now meets.
Besides, they would exchange the whaling news, and have an agreeable chat. For
not only would they meet with all the sympathies of sailors, but likewise with
all the peculiar congenialities arising from a common pursuit and mutually
shared privations and perils.
    Nor would difference of country make any very essential difference; that is,
so long as both parties speak one language, as is the case with Americans and
English. Though, to be sure, from the small number of English whalers, such
meetings do not very often occur, and
