The allusion to the waifs and waif-poles in the last chapter but one, necessitates some account of the laws and regulations of the whale fishery, of which the waif may be deemed the grand symbol and badge.

上上章曾经提到过旗标和标杆，有必要就捕鲸业中的规则和惯例做一番说明，其中旗标可以视为一种重要的象征和标记。