REFLECTIONS ON OUR MALADVENTURES. 289 



hundreds of barrels of oil that we had anticipated to 

 have stowed below, we had two hundred barrels of 

 salt-water; and to counterbalance our other disap- 

 pointments we had — just nothing at all. Yet, had 

 we not made the attempt, none of us would have 

 been satisfied ; and I think the captain perfectly jus- 

 tified, although the result was so disastrous. 



But there is no use in repining : for this was only 

 one of the series of maladventures we experienced 

 throughout our voyage. The season in the Bight and 

 that on New Zealand (on both of which we had 

 counted largely) returned us almost nothing. We 

 had, however, solaced ourselves with the reflection 

 that the Abrolhas' season was yet to come ; and, al- 

 though we preferred the sperm oil, still we had made 

 up our minds to be satisfied with a cargo of that of 

 the humpback, which we were assured we could get 

 without trouble, except hard work. And now, when 

 this too had failed, our sheet-anchor was gone: for, 

 if there were any who still had an idea of making a 

 good voyage, they were hoping against hope. For 

 us, certainly, the day had gone by ; unless, indeed, 

 when we returned, the market for oil should by some 

 strange revulsion have become so much exhausted 

 as to cause it to bring an almost fabulous price. 

 Then, and then only, would any of us make pin- 

 money enough to repay us for more than three 

 years of a hard, wearisome life. However, as I said 

 before, there is no use in repining. We must grin 

 and bear it, and at the same time admit ourselves 

 convinced of the aptness of that axiom which reads 

 " Blessed are they who expect nothing ; for they are 

 sure not to be disappointed." 

 25 T 



