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- 2820
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:14.838Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 2754
- text
- asked me how I had found the captain, and whether the next time I went,
I would not take a friend along and introduce him.
The upshot of this business was, that before I went to sleep that
night, I felt well satisfied that it was not customary for sailors to
call on the captain in the cabin; and I began to have an inkling of the
fact, that I had acted like a fool; but it all arose from my ignorance
of sea usages.
And here I may as well state, that I never saw the inside of the cabin
during the whole interval that elapsed from our sailing till our return
to New York; though I often used to get a peep at it through a little
pane of glass, set in the house on deck, just before the helm, where a
watch was kept hanging for the helmsman to strike the half hours by,
with his little bell in the binnacle, where the compass was. And it
used to be the great amusement of the sailors to look in through the
pane of glass, when they stood at the wheel, and watch the proceedings
in the cabin; especially when the steward was setting the table for
dinner, or the captain was lounging over a decanter of wine on a little
mahogany stand, or playing the game called _solitaire,_ at cards, of an
evening; for at times he was all alone with his dignity; though, as
will ere long be shown, he generally had one pleasant companion, whose
society he did not dislike.
The day following my attempt to drop in at the cabin, I happened to be
making fast a rope on the quarter-deck, when the captain suddenly made
his appearance, promenading up and down, and smoking a cigar. He looked
very good-humored and amiable, and it being just after his dinner, I
thought that this, to be sure, was just the chance I wanted.
I waited a little while, thinking he would speak to me himself; but as
he did not, I went up to him, and began by saying it was a very
pleasant day, and hoped he was very well. I never saw a man fly into
such a rage; I thought he was going to knock me down; but after
standing speechless awhile, he all at once plucked his cap from his
head and threw it at me. I don’t know what impelled me, but I ran to
the lee-scuppers where it fell, picked it up, and gave it to him with a
bow; when the mate came running up, and thrust me forward again; and
after he had got me as far as the windlass, he wanted to know whether I
was crazy or not; for if I was, he would put me in irons right off, and
have done with it.
But I assured him I was in my right mind, and knew perfectly well that
I had been treated in the most rude and un-gentlemanly manner both by
him and Captain Riga. Upon this, he rapped out a great oath, and told
me if I ever repeated what I had done that evening, or ever again
presumed so much as to lift my hat to the captain, he would tie me into
the rigging, and keep me there until I learned better manners. “You are
very green,” said he, “but I’ll ripen you.” Indeed this chief mate
seemed to have the keeping of the dignity of the captain; who, in some
sort, seemed too dignified personally to protect his own dignity.
I thought this strange enough, to be reprimanded, and charged with
rudeness for an act of common civility. However, seeing how matters
stood, I resolved to let the captain alone for the future, particularly
as he had shown himself so deficient in the ordinary breeding of a
gentleman. And I could hardly credit it, that this was the same man who
had been so very civil, and polite, and witty, when Mr. Jones and I
called upon him in port.
But this astonishment of mine was much increased, when some days after,
a storm came upon us, and the captain rushed out of the cabin in his
nightcap, and nothing else but his shirt on; and leaping up on the
poop, began to jump up and down, and curse and swear, and call the men
aloft all manner of hard names, just like a common loafer in the
street.
- title
- Chunk 3