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one。 Now you look back at his home。 His wife's a feeble woman； she's a
stranger in New York； shut up in blazing hot or freezing cold lodgings；
according to the season； don't know anybody hardly； no company but her
lonesomeness and her thoughts； husband gone six months at a time。 She
has borne eight children； five of them she has buried without her husband
ever setting eyes on them。 She watches them all the long nights till
they diedhe comfortable on the sea； she followed them to the grave she
heard the clods fall that broke her heart he comfortable on the sea； she
mourned at home； weeks and weeks； missing them every day and every hour
he cheerful at sea； knowing nothing about it。 Now look at it a minute
turn it over in your mind and size it： five children born； she among
strangers； and him not by to hearten her； buried； and him not by to
comfort her； think of that！ Sympathy for the poor mariner's perils is
rot； give it to his wife's hard lines； where it belongs！ Poetry makes
out that all the wife worries about is the dangers her husband's running。
She's got substantialer things to worry over； I tell you。 Poetry's
always pitying the poor mariner on account of his perils at sea； better a
blamed sight pity him for the nights he can't sleep for thinking of how
he had to leave his wife in her very birth pains； lonesome and
friendless； in the thick of disease and trouble and death。 If there's
one thing that can make me madder than another； it's this sappy； damned
maritime poetry！〃
Captain Brace was a patient； gentle； seldom speaking man； with a pathetic
something in his bronzed face that had been a mystery up to this time；
but stood interpreted now since we had heard his story。 He had voyaged
eighteen times to the Mediterranean； seven times to India； once to the
arctic pole in a discovery…ship； and 〃between times〃 had visited all the
remote seas and ocean corners of the globe。 But he said that twelve
years ago； on account of his family； he 〃settled down；〃 and ever since
then had ceased to roam。 And what do you suppose was this simple…
hearted； lifelong wanderer's idea of settling down and ceasing to roam？
Why； the making of two five…month voyages a year between Surinam and
Boston for sugar and molasses！
Among other talk to…day； it came out that whale…ships carry no doctor。
The captain adds the doctorship to his own duties。 He not only gives
medicines； but sets broken limbs after notions of his own； or saws them
off and sears the stump when amputation seems best。 The captain is
provided with a medicine…chest； with the medicines numbered instead of
named。 A book of directions goes with this。 It describes diseases and
symptoms； and says； 〃Give a teaspoonful of No。 9 once an hour；〃 or 〃Give
ten grains of No。 12 every half…hour；〃 etc。 One of our sea…captains came
across a skipper in the North Pacific who was in a state of great
surprise and perplexity。 Said he：
〃There's something rotten about this medicine…chest business。 One of my
men was sicknothing much the matter。 I looked in the book： it said
give him a teaspoonful of No。 15。 I went to the medicine…chest； and I
see I was out of No。 15。 I judged I'd got to get up a combination
somehow that would fill the bill； so I hove into the fellow half a
teaspoonful of No。 8 and half a teaspoonful of No。 7； and I'll be hanged
if it didn't kill him in fifteen minutes！ There's something about this
medicine…chest system that's too many for me！〃
There was a good deal of pleasant gossip about old Captain 〃Hurricane〃
Jones； of the Pacific Oceanpeace to his ashes！ Two or three of us
present had known him； I particularly well； for I had made four sea…
voyages with him。 He was a very remarkable man。 He was born in a ship；
he picked up what little education he had among his shipmates； he began
life in the forecastle； and climbed grade by grade to the captaincy。
More than fifty years of his sixty…five were spent at sea。 He had sailed
all oceans； seen all lands； and borrowed a tint from all climates。 When
a man has been fifty years at sea he necessarily knows nothing of men；
nothing of the world but its surface； nothing of the world's thought；
nothing of the world's learning but it's a B C； and that blurred and
distorted by the unfocused lenses of an untrained mind。 Such a man is
only a gray and bearded child。 That is what old Hurricane Jones was
simply an innocent； lovable old infant。 When his spirit was in repose he
was as sweet and gentle as a girl； when his wrath was up he was a
hurricane that made his nickname seem tamely descriptive。 He was
formidable in a fight； for he was of powerful build and dauntless
courage。 He was frescoed from head to heel with pictures and mottoes
tattooed in red and blue India ink。 I was with him one voyage when he
got his last vacant space tattooed； this vacant space was around his left
ankle。 During three days he stumped about the ship with his ankle bare
and swollen； and this legend gleaming red and angry out from a clouding
of India ink： 〃Virtue is its own R'd。〃 （There was a lack of room。） He
was deeply and sincerely pious； and swore like a fishwoman。 He
considered swearing blameless； because sailors would not understand an
order unillumined by it。 He was a profound biblical scholarthat is；
he thought he was。 He believed everything in the Bible； but he had his
own methods of arriving at his beliefs。 He was of the 〃advanced〃 school
of thinkers； and applied natural laws to the interpretation of all
miracles； somewhat on the plan of the people who make the six days of
creation six geological epochs； and so forth。 Without being aware of it；
he was a rather severe satire on modern scientific religionists。 Such a
man as I have been describing is rabidly fond of disquisition and
argument； one knows that without being told it。
One trip the captain had a clergyman on board； but did not know he was a
clergyman； since the passenger…list did not betray the fact。 He took a
great liking to this Reverend Mr。 Peters； and talked with him a great
deal； told him yarns； gave him toothsome scraps of personal history； and
wove a glittering streak of profanity through his garrulous fabric that
was refreshing to a spirit weary of the dull neutralities of undecorated
speech。 One day the captain said； 〃Peters； do you ever read the Bible？〃
〃Wellyes。〃
〃I judge it ain't often； by the way you say it。 Now； you tackle it in
dead earnest once； and you'll find it 'll pay。 Don't you get
discouraged； but hang right on。 First； you won't understand it； but by
and by things will begin to clear up； and then you wouldn't lay it down
to eat。〃
〃Yes； I have heard that said。〃
〃And it's so； too。 There ain't a book that begins with it。 It lays over
'm all； Peters。 There's some pretty tough things in itthere ain't any
getting around thatbut you stick to them and think them out； and when
once you get on the inside everything's plain as day。〃
〃The miracles； too； captain？〃
〃Yes； sir！ the miracles； too。 Every one of them。 Now； there's that
business with the prophets of Baal； like enough that stumped you？〃
〃Well； I don't know but〃
〃Own up now； it stumped you。 Well； I don't wonder。 You hadn't had any
experience in raveling such things out； and naturally it was too many for
you。 Would you like to have me explain that thing to you； and show you
how to get at the meat of these matters？〃
〃Indeed； I would； captain； if you don't mind。〃
Then the captain proceeded as follows： 〃I'll do it with pleasure。 First；
you see； I read and read； and thought and thought； till I got to
understand what sort of people they were in the old Bible times； and then
after that it was all clear and easy。 Now this was the way I put it up；
concerning Isaac＇This is the captain's own mistake＇and the prophets
of Baal。 There was some mighty sharp men among the public characters of
that old ancient day； and Isaac was one of them。 Isaac had his failings
plenty of them； too； it ain't for me to apologize for Isaac； he played
it on the prophets of Baal； and like enough he was justifiable；
considering the odds that was against him。 No； all I say is； 'twa'n't
any miracle； and that I'll show you so's't you can see it yourself。
〃Well； times had been getting rougher and rougher for prophetsthat is；
prophets of Isaac's denomination。 There was four hundred and fifty
prophets of Baal in the community； and only one Presbyterian； that is；
if Isaac was a Presbyterian； which I reckon he was； but it don't say。
Naturally； the prophets of Baal took all the trade。 Isaac was pretty
low…spirited； I reckon； but he was a good deal of a man； and no doubt he
went a…prophesying around； letting on to be doing a land…office business；
but 'twa'n't any use； he couldn't run any opposition to amount to
anything。 By and by things got desperate with him； he sets his head to
work and thinks it all out； and then what does he do？ Why； he begins to
throw out hints that the other parties are this and that and t'other…
nothing very definite； maybe； but just kind of undermining their
reputation in a quiet way。 This made talk； of course； and finally got to
the king。 The king asked Is