FITTING A NEW BOAT. 113 



and boat-compass, and water-breaker, ^nd boat- 

 sail, and divers nameless little necessaries to pro- 

 vide and fit. 



To see all these articles lying together upon 

 deck, before they were placed in the new boat, one 

 would scarcely have believed that one little whale 

 boat would contain them, and her crew of six full- 

 sized men into the bargain. 



We made all possible haste with our new boat, 

 that we might not be left on board, should whales 

 be seen. Our shipmates had laughed at us on 

 account of our mishap, and we felt therefore anx- 

 ious to retrieve our credit, by a more successful 

 stroke. There can be no one more ready to suc- 

 cor the really distressed, nor any kinder sympa- 

 thizer in affliction, or more faithful nurse to the 

 sick, than the sailor. But a long familiarity with 

 danger hardens him to it, and no one gets credit 

 for being accidentally placed in an awkward or 

 helpless position. 



Had any one of our crew been injured by the 

 blow of the whale which destroyed our boat, that 

 individual would have met with the kindest of 

 treatment from every soul on board. And when 

 the captain's boat's crew saw us lying helpless on 

 the remnant of the boat, nothing 'jould have 

 equaled the heartiness with which they pulled to 

 our rescue. But when it was once found that we 

 were in no immediate danger, the sympathy which 

 they were prepared to extend to us vanished, and 

 was replaced at once by a desire to laugh at the 

 8 



