When We Were Called Aft To Be Divided Into Watches,
I Had A Good Specimen Of The Manner Of A Sea Captain.
After the
division had been made, he gave a short characteristic speech,
walking the quarter deck with a cigar in his mouth, and dropping
the words out between the puffs.
"Now, my men, we have begun a long voyage. If we get along well
together, we shall have a comfortable time; if we don't, we shall
have hell afloat. - All you've got to do is to obey your orders and
do your duty like men, - then you'll fare well enough; - if you don't,
you'll fare hard enough, - I can tell you. If we pull together, you'll
find me a clever fellow; if we don't, you'll find me a bloody rascal.
- That's all I've got to say. - Go below, the larboard watch!"
I being in the starboard or second mate's watch, had the opportunity
of keeping the first watch at sea. S - - -, a young man, making, like
myself, his first voyage, was in the same watch, and as he was the
son of a professional man, and had been in a counting-room in Boston,
we found that we had many friends and topics in common. We talked
these matters over, - Boston, what our friends were probably doing,
our voyage, etc., until he went to take his turn at the look-out,
and left me to myself. I had now a fine time for reflection. I felt
for the first time the perfect silence of the sea.
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