He Signed No Pledge, And
Made No Vow, But Relied On His Own Strength Of Purpose.
The first
thing with him was a reason, and then a resolution, and the thing
was done.
The date of his resolution he knew, of course, to the
very hour. It was three years before I knew him, and during all
that time, nothing stronger than cider or coffee had passed his
lips. The sailors never thought of enticing Tom to take a glass,
any more than they would of talking to the ship's compass. He was
now a temperate man for life, and capable of filling any berth in
a ship, and many a high station there is on shore which is held by
a meaner man.
He understood the management of a ship upon scientific principles,
and could give the reason for hauling every rope; and a long
experience, added to careful observation at the time, and a
perfect memory, gave him a knowledge of the expedients and resorts
in times of hazard, which was remarkable, and for which I became
much indebted to him, as he took the greatest pleasure in opening
his stores of information to me, in return for what I was able to
do for him. Stories of tyranny and hardship which had driven men
to piracy; - of the incredible ignorance of masters and mates,
and of horrid brutality to the sick, dead, and dying; as well
as of the secret knavery and impositions practised upon seamen
by connivance of the owners, landlords, and officers; all these
he had, and I could not but believe them; for men who had known him
for fifteen years had never taken him even in an exaggeration, and,
as I have said, his statements were never disputed.
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