Life and Adventure in the South Pacific

"Life and Adventure in the South Pacific" by John D. Jones is a mid-1800s story capturing five years in the lives of two young men at sea. The story, pieced together from logs and memories, paints a picture of whaling life, the different places they visited while on their journey, and what they faced on the open ocean. The story starts in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a busy whaling town, where a ship gets ready to leave. Readers meet young, new sailors—called "green hands"—who are drawn into whaling, sometimes without really knowing what they're getting into. The book describes the start of their trip, the captain trying to get everyone excited, and the sad feeling of leaving home to face the dangers of the sea, including the seasickness that makes many new sailors regret their choice.