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shipthattakesherdeparture;theseamantakeshis
Departurebymeansofcross-bearingswhichfixthe
placeofthefirsttinypencil-crossonthewhiteexpanse
ofthetrack-chart,wheretheship’spositionatnoon
shallbemarkedbyjustsuchanothertinypencilcross
foreverydayofherpassage.Andtheremaybesixty,
eighty,anynumberofthesecrossesontheship’strack
fromlandtoland.Thegreatestnumber
inmyexperiencewasahundredandthirtyofsuch
crossesfromthepilotstationattheSandHeadsinthe
BayofBengaltotheScilly’slight.Abadpassage...
ADeparture,thelastprofessionalsightofland,
isalwaysgood,oratleastgoodenough.For,even
iftheweatherbethick,itdoesnotmattermuch
toashiphavingalltheopenseabeforeherbows.
ALandfallmaybegoodorbad.Youencompassthe
earthwithoneparticularspotofitinyoureye.Inall
thedevioustracingsthecourseofasailing-shipleaves
uponthewhitepaperofachartsheisalwaysaiming
forthatonelittlespot–maybeasmallislandinthe
ocean,asingleheadlanduponthelongcoast
ofacontinent,alighthouseonabluff,orsimplythe
peakedformofamountainlikeanant-heapafloatupon
thewaters.Butifyouhavesighteditontheexpected
bearing,thenthatLandfallisgood.Fogs,snowstorms,
galesthickwithcloudsandrain–thosearetheenemies
ofgoodLandfalls.
II
SomecommandersofshipstaketheirDeparture
fromthehomecoastsadly,inaspiritofgriefand
discontent.Theyhaveawife,childrenperhaps,some
affectionatanyrate,orperhapsonlysomepetvice,
thatmustbeleftbehindforayearormore.
Irememberonlyonemanwhowalkedhisdeckwith
aspringystep,andgavethefirstcourseofthepassage
inanelatedvoice.Buthe,asIlearnedafterwards,was
leavingnothingbehindhim,exceptawelterofdebts
andthreatsoflegalproceedings.
Ontheotherhand,Ihaveknownmanycaptainswho,
