Treść książki
Przejdź do opcji czytnikaPrzejdź do nawigacjiPrzejdź do informacjiPrzejdź do stopki
Part1:LandfallsandDepartures
I
Andshippesbythebrinkecomenandgon,
Andinswichformeendureadayortwo.”
TheFrankeleyn’sTale.
LandfallandDeparturemarktherhythmicalswing
ofaseaman’slifeandofaship’scareer.Fromland
tolandisthemostconcisedefinitionofaship’searthly
fate.
ADeparture”isnotwhatavainpeopleoflandsmen
maythink.ThetermLandfall”ismoreeasily
understood;youfallinwiththeland,anditisamatter
ofaquickeyeandofaclearatmosphere.The
Departureisnottheship’sgoingawayfromherport
anymorethantheLandfallcanbelookeduponasthe
synonymofarrival.Butthereisthisdifferenceinthe
Departure:thatthetermdoesnotimplysomuchasea
eventasadefiniteactentailingaprocess–theprecise
observationofcertainlandmarksbymeansofthe
compasscard.
YourLandfall,beitapeculiarly-shapedmountain,
arockyheadland,orastretchofsand-dunes,youmeet
atfirstwithasingleglance.Furtherrecognitionwill
followinduecourse;butessentiallyaLandfall,good
orbad,ismadeanddonewithatthefirstcryofLand
ho!”TheDepartureisdistinctlyaceremony
ofnavigation.Ashipmayhaveleftherportsometime
before;shemayhavebeenatsea,inthefullestsense
ofthephrase,fordays;but,forallthat,aslongasthe
coastshewasabouttoleaveremainedinsight,
asouthern-goingshipofyesterdayhadnotinthe
sailor’ssensebeguntheenterpriseofapassage.
ThetakingofDeparture,ifnotthelastsightofthe
land,is,perhaps,thelastprofessionalrecognition
ofthelandonthepartofasailor.Itisthetechnical,
asdistinguishedfromthesentimental,good-bye.”
Henceforthhehasdonewiththecoastasternofhis
ship.Itisamatterpersonaltotheman.Itisnotthe
