Chapter 3 Summary

Henry Vidal, a forecastle-hand, is promoted to acting lieutenant to fill West's post. The ships' crews are comprised of a mix of old-timers and recent additions, and various ransomed individuals freed from Franklin fill the ranks. Among Surprise's old-time hands are a variety of men from the town of Shelmerston, famous for producing excellent seamen but equally famous for a wide variety of religious beliefs. Among the crews are found adherents of various Christian-like religions including Sethians, Thraskites, and Knipperdollings. The various religious groups share a common hatred of imposed tithes, but are often at odds about things such as the nature of the trinity, infant baptism, the practice of communal property, and polygamy. Ashore, the groups are usually at bitter odds, but aboard ship, they set aside their differences and worship as Anglicans. Aubrey inquires of Martin, regarding the different beliefs of...