We had a quick run to Cape Horn, which we rounded in safety; and then
standing across the Pacific, we steered for the fishing-ground off the
coast of Japan. We were, as in our former voyage, very successful
indeed. I suspect that success in whaling, as in most other affairs of
life, depends very much on the practical knowledge, the perseverance,
and talent of those engaged in it. The master of a successful whaler
will be found to unite all these qualifications. He meets with whales,
because, exercising his judgment, and making use of the information he
has collected, he goes to the ground where they are likely to be met
with; he catches them, because he sets about it in the best way; and he
brings his ship home in safety, because he never for a moment relaxes
his care and watchfulness to guard against misfortune. For my own part,
I do not believe in luck. I have never yet met with an instance of a
lucky or an unlucky man in which I could not trace the effect to the
cause.
We were lucky, because Captain Carr was a judicious, persevering,
sensible man; and thus, in our first year's fishing, we got more than a
third full. At the end of that time we found ourselves brought up once
more off Batavia.
The captain, in the kindest way, invited Newman at once to accompany him
on shore. "Bring your drawings with you for Mynheer Von Kniper," said
he. "I doubt not that he will be glad to see them."
On receiving the invitation, Newman dived below. When he returned on
deck his appearance was completely changed. Instead of the rough
seaman, he appeared as a well-dressed gentleman, and certainly more
refined in appearance than either the captain or any of the officers.
Captain Carr looked at him with an eye of satisfaction; and it was very
pleasant to observe how perfectly free he was from any petty feeling of
jealousy at seeing himself eclipsed by one of his own men. As the boat
shoved off from the ship's side I thought to myself--"Depend on it,
there is something in store for Newman; he will not come back in the
cynical spirit in which he seemed to be after his first visit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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