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young fellow to be trusted； apparently without any supervision； by
such a commander as Captain S…； though； as far as I can remember；
neither the tone； nor the manner； nor yet the drift of Captain S…'s
remarks addressed to myself did ever； by the most strained
interpretation； imply a favourable opinion of my abilities。 And he
was； I must say； a most uncomfortable commander to get your orders
from at night。 If I had the watch from eight till midnight； he
would leave the deck about nine with the words； 〃Don't take any
sail off her。〃 Then； on the point of disappearing down the
companion…way； he would add curtly： 〃Don't carry anything away。〃
I am glad to say that I never did； one night； however； I was
caught； not quite prepared； by a sudden shift of wind。
There was； of course； a good deal of noise … running about； the；
shouts of the sailors； the thrashing of the sails … enough； in
fact； to wake the dead。 But S… never came on deck。 When I was
relieved by the chief mate an hour afterwards； he sent for me。 I
went into his stateroom； he was lying on his couch wrapped up in a
rug； with a pillow under his head。
〃What was the matter with you up there just now？〃 he asked。
〃Wind flew round on the lee quarter； sir；〃 I said。
〃Couldn't you see the shift coming？〃
〃Yes； sir； I thought it wasn't very far off。〃
〃Why didn't you have your courses hauled up at once； then？〃 he
asked in a tone that ought to have made my blood run cold。
But this was my chance； and I did not let it slip。
〃Well； sir；〃 I said in an apologetic tone； 〃she was going eleven
knots very nicely； and I thought she would do for another half…hour
or so。〃
He gazed at me darkly out of his head； lying very still on the
white pillow； for a time。
〃Ah； yes； another half…hour。 That's the way ships get dismasted。〃
And that was all I got in the way of a wigging。 I waited a little
while and then went out； shutting carefully the door of the state…
room after me。
Well； I have loved； lived with； and left the sea without ever
seeing a ship's tall fabric of sticks； cobwebs and gossamer go by
the board。 Sheer good luck； no doubt。 But as to poor P…； I am
sure that he would not have got off scot…free like this but for the
god of gales； who called him away early from this earth； which is
three parts ocean； and therefore a fit abode for sailors。 A few
years afterwards I met in an Indian port a man who had served in
the ships of the same company。 Names came up in our talk； names of
our colleagues in the same employ； and； naturally enough； I asked
after P…。 Had he got a command yet？ And the other man answered
carelessly：
〃No； but he's provided for； anyhow。 A heavy sea took him off the
poop in the run between New Zealand and the Horn。〃
Thus P… passed away from amongst the tall spars of ships that he
had tried to their utmost in many a spell of boisterous weather。
He had shown me what carrying on meant； but he was not a man to
learn discretion from。 He could not help his deafness。 One can
only remember his cheery temper； his admiration for the jokes in
PUNCH； his little oddities … like his strange passion for borrowing
looking…glasses； for instance。 Each of our cabins had its own
looking…glass screwed to the bulkhead； and what he wanted with more
of them we never could fathom。 He asked for the loan in
confidential tones。 Why？ Mystery。 We made various surmises。 No
one will ever know now。 At any rate； it was a harmless
eccentricity； and may the god of gales； who took him away so
abruptly between New Zealand and the Horn； let his soul rest in
some Paradise of true seamen； where no amount of carrying on will
ever dismast a ship！
XIII。
There has been a time when a ship's chief mate； pocket…book in hand
and pencil behind his ear； kept one eye aloft upon his riggers and
the other down the hatchway on the stevedores； and watched the
disposition of his ship's cargo； knowing that even before she
started he was already doing his best to secure for her an easy and
quick passage。
The hurry of the times； the loading and discharging organization of
the docks； the use of hoisting machinery which works quickly and
will not wait； the cry for prompt despatch； the very size of his
ship； stand nowadays between the modern seaman and the thorough
knowledge of his craft。
There are profitable ships and unprofitable ships。 The profitable
ship will carry a large load through all the hazards of the
weather； and； when at rest； will stand up in dock and shift from
berth to berth without ballast。 There is a point of perfection in
a ship as a worker when she is spoken of as being able to SAIL
without ballast。 I have never met that sort of paragon myself； but
I have seen these paragons advertised amongst ships for sale。 Such
excess of virtue and good…nature on the part of a ship always
provoked my mistrust。 It is open to any man to say that his ship
will sail without ballast； and he will say it； too； with every mark
of profound conviction； especially if he is not going to sail in
her himself。 The risk of advertising her as able to sail without
ballast is not great； since the statement does not imply a warranty
of her arriving anywhere。 Moreover； it is strictly true that most
ships will sail without ballast for some little time before they
turn turtle upon the crew。
A shipowner loves a profitable ship； the seaman is proud of her； a
doubt of her good looks seldom exists in his mind； but if he can
boast of her more useful qualities it is an added satisfaction for
his self…love。
The loading of ships was once a matter of skill； judgment； and
knowledge。 Thick books have been written about it。 〃Stevens on
Stowage〃 is a portly volume with the renown and weight （in its own
world） of Coke on Littleton。 Stevens is an agreeable writer； and；
as is the case with men of talent； his gifts adorn his sterling
soundness。 He gives you the official teaching on the whole
subject； is precise as to rules； mentions illustrative events；
quotes law cases where verdicts turned upon a point of stowage。 He
is never pedantic； and； for all his close adherence to broad
principles； he is ready to admit that no two ships can be treated
exactly alike。
Stevedoring； which had been a skilled labour； is fast becoming a
labour without the skill。 The modern steamship with her many holds
is not loaded within the sailor…like meaning of the word。 She is
filled up。 Her cargo is not stowed in any sense； it is simply
dumped into her through six hatchways； more or less； by twelve
winches or so； with clatter and hurry and racket and heat； in a
cloud of steam