IlovetorecallthegladmonotonyofaPacificvoyage，whenthetradesarenotstinted，andtheship，dayafterday，goesfree。
　　Themountainsceneryoftrade-windclouds，watchedandinmycasepaintedundereveryvicissitudeoflight——blottingstars，witheringinthemoon’sglory，barringthescarleteve，lyingacrossthedawncollapsedintotheunfeaturedmorningbank，oratnoonraisingtheirsnowysummitsbetweentheblueroofofheavenandthebluefloorofsea；thesmall，busy，anddeliberateworldoftheschooner，withitsunfamiliarscenes，thespearingofdolphinfromthebowspritend，theholywaronsharks，thecookmakingbreadonthemainhatch；reefingdownbeforeaviolentsquall，withthemenhangingoutonthefoot-ropes；thesquallitself，thecatchattheheart，theopenedsluicesofthesky；andtherelief，therenewedlovelinessoflife，whenallisover，thesunforthagain，andourout-foughtenemyonlyablotupontheleewardsea。Ilovetorecall，andwouldthatIcouldreproducethatlife，theunforgettable，theunrememberable。Thememory，whichshowssowiseabackwardnessinregisteringpain，isbesidesanimperfectrecorderofextendedpleasures；
　　andalong-continuedwell-beingescapesasitwere，byitsmassourpettymethodsofcommemoration。Onapartofourlife’smapthereliesaroseate，undecipherablehaze，andthatisall。
　　Ofonething，ifIamatalltotrustmyownannals，Iwasdelightedlyconscious。Dayafterday，inthesun-gildedcabin，thewhiskey-dealer’sthermometerstoodat84。Dayafterday，theairhadthesameindescribablelivelinessandsweetness，softandnimble，andcoolasthecheekofhealth。Dayafterdaythesunflamed；nightafternightthemoonbeaconed，orthestarsparadedtheirlustrousregiment。Iwasawareofaspiritualchange，or，perhaps，ratheramolecularreconstitution。
　　Mybonesweresweetertome。Ihadcomehometomyownclimate，andlookedbackwithpityonthosedampandwintryzones，miscalledthetemperate。
　　“Twoyearsofthis，andcomfortablequarterstolivein，kindofshakethegritoutofaman。”thecaptainremarked；“can’tmakeouttobehappyanywhereelse。Atownieofminewaslostdownthisway，inacoalshipthattookfireatsea。HestruckthebeachsomewhereintheNavigators；andhewrotetomethatwhenhelefttheplace，itwouldbefeetfirst。He’swelloff，too，andhisfatherownssomecoastingcraftDownEast；butBillyprefersthebeach，andhotrollsoffthebread-fruittrees。”
　　AvoicetoldmeIwasonthesametrackasBilly。Butwhenwasthis？OuroutwardtrackintheNorahCreinalaywelltothenorthward；andperhapsitisbuttheimpressionofafewpetdayswhichIhaveunconsciouslyspreadlonger，orperhapsthefeelinggrewuponmelater，intheruntoHonolulu。OnethingI
　　amsure：itwasbeforeIhadeverseenanislandworthyofthenamethatImustdatemyloyaltytotheSouthSeas。Theblankseaitselfgrewdesirableundersuchskies；andwhereverthetrade-windblows，Iknownobettercountrythanaschooner’sdeck。
　　Butforthetugginganxietyastothejourney’send，thejourneyitselfmustthushavecountedforthebestofholidays。Myphysicalwell-beingwasover-proof；effectsofseaandskykeptmeforeverbusywithmypencil；andIhadnolackofintellectualexerciseofadifferentorderinthestudyofmyinconsistentfriend，thecaptain。Icallhimfriend，hereonthethreshold；butthatistolookwellahead。Atfirst，IwastoomuchhorrifiedbywhatIconsideredhisbarbarities，toomuchpuzzledbyhisshiftinghumours，andtoofrequentlyannoyedbyhissmallvanities，toregardhimotherwisethanasthecrossofmyexistence。Itwasonlybydegrees，inhisrarehoursofpleasantness，whenheforgotandmademeforgettheweaknessestowhichhewassoprone，thathewonmetoakindofunconsentingfondness。Lastly，thefaultswereallembracedinamoregenerousview：Isawthemintheirplace，likediscordsinamusicalprogression；andacceptedthemandfoundthempicturesque，asweacceptandadmire，inthehabitablefaceofnature，thesmokyheadofthevolcanoortheperniciousthicketoftheswamp。
　　HewascomeofgoodpeopleDownEast，andhadthebeginningsofathorougheducation。Histemperhadbeenungovernablefromthefirst；anditislikelythedefectwasinherited，andtheblameoftherupturenotentirelyhis。Heranawayatleasttosea；sufferedhorriblemaltreatment，whichseemedtohaveratherhardenedthanenlightenedhim；ranawayagaintoshoreinaSouthAmericanport；provedhiscapacityandmademoney，althoughstillachild；fellamongthievesandwasrobbed；workedbackapassagetotheStates，andknockedonemorningatthedoorofanoldladywhoseorchardhehadoftenrobbed。Theintroductionappearsinsufficient；butNaresknewwhathewasdoing。Thesightofheroldneighbourlydepredatorshiveringatthedoorintatters，theveryoddityofhisappeal，touchedasoftspotinthespinster’sheart。“Ialwayshadafancyfortheoldlady。”Naressaid，“evenwhensheusedtostampedemeoutoftheorchard，andshakeherthimbleandheroldcurlsatmeoutofthewindowasIwasgoingby；Ialwaysthoughtshewasakindofpleasantoldgirl。Well，whenshecametothedoorthatmorning，Itoldherso，andthatIwasstone-broke；andshetookmerightin，andfetchedoutthepie。”Sheclothedhim，taughthim，andhadhimtoseaagaininbettershape，welcomedhimtoherhearthonhisreturnfromeverycruise，andwhenshediedbequeathedhimherpossessions。“Shewasagoodoldgirl。”hewouldsay。“Itellyou，Mr。Dodd，itwasaqueerthingtoseemeandtheoldladytalkingapasearinthegarden，andtheoldmanscowlingatusoverthepickets。Shelivedrightnextdoortotheoldman，andIguessthat’sjustwhattookmethere。I
　　wantedhimtoknowthatIwasbadlybeat，yousee，andwouldrathergotothedevilthantohim。Whatmadethedigharder，hehadquarrelledwiththeoldladyaboutmeandtheorchard：I
　　guessthatmadehimrage。Yes，IwasabeastwhenIwasyoung。ButIwasalwaysprettygoodtotheoldlady。”Sincethenhehadprospered，notuneventfully，inhisprofession；theoldlady’smoneyhadfalleninduringthevoyageoftheGleaner，andhewasnow，assoonasthesmokeofthatengagementclearedaway，secureofhisship。Isupposehewasaboutthirty：apowerful，activeman，withablueeye，athickheadofhair，aboutthecolourofoakumandgrowinglowoverthebrow；clean-shavedandleanaboutthejaw；agoodsinger；agoodperformeronthatsea-instrument，theaccordion；aquickobserver，aclosereasoner；whenhepleased，ofareallyelegantaddress；andwhenhechose，thegreatestbruteupontheseas。
　　Hisusageofthemen，hishazing，hisbullying，hisperpetualfault-findingfornocause，hisperpetualandbrutalsarcasm，mighthaveraisedamutinyinaslavegalley。Supposethesteersman’seyetohavewandered：“You——，——，little，mutton-facedDutchman。”Nareswouldbawl；“youwantabootingtokeepyouonyourcourse！Iknowalittlecity-frontslushwhenIseeone。Justyouglueyoureyetothatcompass，orI’llshowyouroundthevesselatthebutt-endofmyboot。”
　　Orsupposeahandtolingeraft，whitherhehadperhapsbeensummonednotaminutebefore。“Mr。Daniells，willyouobligemebysteppingclearofthatmain-sheet？”thecaptainmightbegin，withtruculentcourtesy。“Thankyou。Andperhapsyou’llbesokindastotellmewhatthehellyou’redoingonmyquarter-deck？Iwantnodirtofyoursorthere。Istherenothingforyoutodo？Where’sthemate？Don’tyousetMEtofindworkforyou，orI’llfindyousomethatwillkeepyouonyourbackafortnight。”Suchallocutions，conceivedwithaperfectknowledgeofhisaudience，sothateveryinsultcarriedhome，weredeliveredwithamiensomenacing，andaneyesofiercelycruel，thathisunhappysubordinatesshrankandquailed。Toooftenviolencefollowed；toooftenIhaveheardandseenandboiledatthecowardlyaggression；andthevictim，hishandsboundbylaw，hasrisenagainfromdeckandcrawledforwardstupefied——Iknownotwhatpassionofrevengeinhiswrongedheart。
　　ItseemsstrangeIshouldhavegrowntolikethistyrant。ItmayevenseemstrangethatIshouldhavestoodbyandsufferedhisexcessestoproceed。ButIwasnotquitesuchachickenastointerfereinpublic；forIwouldratherhaveamanortwomishandledthanonehalfofusbutcheredinamutinyandtherestsufferonthegallows。Andinprivate，Iwasunceasinginmyprotests。
　　“Captain。”Ioncesaidtohim，appealingtohispatriotism，whichwasofahardyquality，“thisisnowaytotreatAmericanseamen。Youdon’tcallitAmericantotreatmenlikedogs？”
　　“Americans？”hesaidgrimly。“DoyoucalltheseDutchmenandScattermouches[1]Americans？I’vebeenfourteenyearstosea，allbutonetripunderAmericancolours，andI’veneverlaideyeonanAmericanforemasthand。Thereusedtobesuchthingsintheolddays，whenthirty-fivedollarswerethewagesoutofBoston；andthenyoucouldseeshipshandledandrunthewaytheywanttobe。Butthat’sallpastandgone；andnowadaystheonlythingthatfliesinanAmericanshipisabelaying-pin。Youdon’tknow；youhaven’taguess。Howwouldyouliketogoondeckforyourmiddlewatch，fourteenmonthsonend，withallyourdutytodoandeveryone’slifedependingonyou，andexpecttogetakniferippedintoyouasyoucomeoutofyourstateroom，orbesand-baggedasyoupasstheboat，orgettrippedintothehold，ifthehatchesareoffinfineweather？ThatkindofshakesthestarchoutofthebrotherlyloveandNewJerusalembusiness。Yougothroughthemill，andyou’llhaveabiggergrudgeagainsteveryoldshellbackthatdirtieshisplateinthethreeoceans，thantheBankofCaliforniacouldsettleup。No；ithasanuglylooktoit，buttheonlywaytorunashipistomakeyourselfaterror。”
　　[1]Insea-lingoPacificDUTCHMANincludesallTeutonsandfolkfromthebasinoftheBaltic；SCATTERMOUCH，allLatinsandLevantines。
　　“Come，Captain。”saidI，“therearedegreesineverything。YouknowAmericanshipshaveabadname；youknowperfectlywellifitwasn’tforthehighwageandthegoodfood，there’snotamanwouldshipinoneifhecouldhelp；andevenasitis，somepreferaBritishship，beastlyfoodandall。”
　　“O，thelime-juicers？”saidhe。“There’splentybootinginlime-
　　juicers，Iguess；thoughIdon’tdenybutwhatsomeofthemaresoft。”Andwiththathesmiledlikeamanrecallingsomething。
　　“Lookhere，thatbringsayarninmyhead。”heresumed；“andforthesakeofthejoke，I’llgivemyselfaway。Itwasin1874，I
　　shippedmateintheBritishshipMaria，from’FriscoforMelbourne。ShewasthequeerestcraftinsomewaysthateverIwasaboardof。Thefoodwasacaution；therewasnothingfittoputyourlipsto——butthelime-juice，whichwasfromtheendbinnodoubt：itusedtomakemesicktoseethemen’sdinners，andsorrytoseemyown。Theoldmanwasgoodenough，I
　　guess；Greenwashisname；amild，fatherlyoldgaloot。ButthehandswerethelowestgangIeverhandled；andwheneverI
　　triedtoknockalittlespiritintothem，theoldmantooktheirpart！ItwasGilbertandSullivanonthehighseas；butyoubetI
　　wouldn’tletanymandictatetome。’Yougivemeyourorders，CaptainGreen，’Isaid，’andyou’llfindI’llcarrythemout；that’sallyou’vegottosay。You’llfindIdomyduty，’Isaid；’howIdoitismylookout；andthere’snomanbornthat’sgoingtogivemelessons。’Well，therewasplentydirtonboardthatMariafirstandlast。Ofcourse，theoldmanputmybackup，and，ofcourse，heputupthecrew’s；andIhadtoregularfightmywaythrougheverywatch。Themengottohateme，so’sIwouldhearthemgrittheirteethwhenIcameup。Atlast，oneday，I
　　sawabighulkingbeastofaDutchmanbootingtheship’sboy。
　　ImadeoneshootofitoffthehouseandlaidthatDutchmanout。Uphecame，andIlaidhimoutagain。’Now，’Isaid，’ifthere’sakickleftinyou，justmentionit，andI’llstampyourribsinlikeapacking-case。’Hethoughtbetterofit，andneverleton；laythereasmildasadeaconatafuneral；andtheytookhimbelowtoreflectonhisnativeDutchland。Onenightwegotcaughtinratheradirtythingabout25south。Iguesswewereallasleep；forthefirstthingIknewtherewasthefore-royalgone。Iranforward，bawlingbluehell；andjustasIcamebytheforemast，somethingstruckmerightthroughtheforearmandstuckthere。Iputmyotherhandup，andbyGeorge！itwasthegrain；thebeastshadspearedmelikeaporpoise。’Cap’n！’I
　　cried——’What’swrong？’sayshe——’They’vegrainedme，’saysI——
　　’Grainedyou？’sayshe。’Well，I’vebeenlookingforthat。’——
　　’AndbyGod，’Icried，’Iwanttohavesomeofthesebeastsmurderedforit！’——’Now，Mr。Nares，’sayshe，’youbettergobelow。IfIhadbeenoneofthemen，you’dhavegotmorethanthis。AndIwantnomoreofyourlanguageondeck。You’vecostmemyfore-royalalready，’sayshe；’andifyoucarryon，you’llhavethethreesticksoutofher。’ThatwasoldmanGreen’sideaofsupportingofficers。Butyouwaitabit；thecream’scoming。WemadeMelbournerightenough，andtheoldmansaid：’Mr。Nares，youandmedon’tdrawtogether。
　　You’reafirst-rateseaman，nomistakeofthat；butyou’rethemostdisagreeablemanIeversailedwith；andyourlanguageandyourconducttothecrewIcannotstomach。Iguesswe’llseparate。’Ididn’tcareabouttheberth，youmaybesure；butI