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directlytheirshiphadleftthenarrowwatersofthe
Channel,woulddisappearfromthesightoftheirship’s
companyaltogetherforsomethreedaysormore.They
wouldtakealongdive,asitwere,intotheirstate-
room,onlytoemergeafewdaysafterwardswith
amoreorlessserenebrow.Thosewerethemeneasy
togetonwith.Besides,suchacompleteretirement
seemedtoimplyasatisfactoryamountoftrustintheir
officers,andtobetrusteddispleasesnoseamanworthy
ofthename.
OnmyfirstvoyageaschiefmatewithgoodCaptain
MacW–IrememberthatIfeltquiteflattered,andwent
blithelyaboutmyduties,myselfacommanderforall
practicalpurposes.Still,whateverthegreatness
ofmyillusion,thefactremainedthatthereal
commanderwasthere,backingupmyself-confidence,
thoughinvisibletomyeyesbehindamaple-wood
veneeredcabin-doorwithawhitechinahandle.
Thatisthetime,afteryourDepartureistaken,when
thespiritofyourcommandercommuneswithyou
inamuffledvoice,asiffromthesanctumsanctorum
ofatemple;because,callheratempleorahell
afloat”–assomeshipshavebeencalled–thecaptain’s
state-roomissurelytheaugustplaceineveryvessel.
ThegoodMacW–wouldnotevencomeouttohis
meals,andfedsolitarilyinhisholyofholiesfromatray
coveredwithawhitenapkin.Ourstewardusedtobend
anironicglanceattheperfectlyemptyplateshewas
bringingoutfromthere.Thisgriefforhishome,which
overcomessomanymarriedseamen,didnotdeprive
CaptainMacW–ofhislegitimateappetite.Infact,the
stewardwouldalmostinvariablycomeuptome,sitting
inthecaptain’schairattheheadofthetable,tosay
inagravemurmur,Thecaptainasksforonemoreslice
ofmeatandtwopotatoes.”We,hisofficers,couldhear
himmovingaboutinhisberth,orlightlysnoring,
orfetchingdeepsighs,orsplashingandblowinginhis
bath-room;andwemadeourreportstohimthrough
thekeyhole,asitwere.Itwasthecrowning
