His Strength Must Have Been Great, And He Had The
Sight Of A Vulture.
It is strange that one should be so minute in
the description of an unknown, outcast sailor, whom one
May never
see again, and whom no one may care to hear about; but so it is.
Some people we see under no remarkable circumstances, but whom,
for some reason or other, we never forget. He called himself Bill
Jackson; and I know no one of all my accidental acquaintances to
whom I would more gladly give a shake of the hand than to him.
Whoever falls in with him will find a handsome, hearty fellow,
and a good shipmate.
Sunday came again while we were at Monterey, but as before, it brought
us no holyday. The people on shore dressed themselves and came off in
greater numbers than ever, and we were employed all day in boating and
breaking out cargo, so that we had hardly time to eat. Our cidevant
second mate, who was determined to get liberty if it was to be had,
dressed himself in a long coat and black hat, and polished his shoes,
and went aft and asked to go ashore. He could not have done a more
imprudent thing; for he knew that no liberty would be given; and besides,
sailors, however sure they may be of having liberty granted them always
go aft in their working clothes, to appear as though they had no reason
to expect anything, and then wash, dress, and shave, after they get
their liberty.
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