Whales were not plenty here. We took one in two weeks, and then we gave it up, and bore away for the Falklands, for Port Stanley. Here the captain went ashore, and we stood off shore and on for some hours. At this point and this season the current sets to the northeast about fifteen or twenty miles a day, and we made a rough allowance for that by standing off shore for thirty minutes, and on shore for thirty-five, until Captain Nelson came back. We had strong westerly winds for days, and the crew had much time to themselves. They used this time in mending their clothes or in scrimshawing. Peter was getting on with his model, which was beginning to look like a glorified Clearchus, a tiny ghost of the ship. The masts were in {191} place, and most of the yards, and he had finished one of the wee whaleboats, which he had hung at the davits. It was completely equipped, even to the harpoons, lances, and the bomb gun lying under the cleat, to which it was attached by a thread through the stock. Although my duties were not affected by the lightening of the duties of the crew, I could almost always find time for doing the things which I ought not to do, if I watched my chance. I studied rather harder in periods of a letting up of work, for at such times Mr. Brown could give me more attention. He seemed to like to do it; and I had reached a pitch of admiration for him which was almost worship, so that I did willingly and gladly anything which I thought would please him. He was pleased, I think, and satisfied. At any rate, he knew that I was doing my best, and he rewarded me with a greater intimacy than I had ever known with a man as much older than myself, not excepting even my father. True intimacy involves an equal footing, and that was what I never felt in the case of my father—never could feel, from the nature of the relationship. There was always plenty of work for the carpenter and sailmaker and cooper, and I used to watch the boatsteerers overhauling the boat gear, and the consequent sharpening of harpoons and lances and spades. The sound of the grindstone was almost continuous. I had talks with Peter Bottom, of course, and some with the Prince. It was always hard to talk with him, for he had very little to say except with respect to the use of his especial tools and the chasing of whales. He would deliver long discourses upon this subject, and I might have profited greatly if it had been easier to understand him. I should have preferred to have him talk about his own country, which I was firmly convinced was a savage country, in which all the inhabitants wore nothing but straw skirts and nose rings and skewers through their lips; and where {192} they stood around in groups, holding long spears and oval shields, like the pictures in my geography.