292 WHALING AND FISHING. 



I found the little craft to steer very nicely aft 

 indeed was to be expected, from her build, A 

 spoke of the wheel either way, was quite suffi- 

 cient to keep her along straight. But I never 

 before saw any one watch the compass so closely 

 as did our captain. He seemed to make this his sole 

 business. If he was walking the quarter deck, he 

 looked into the binnacle every time he passed it. 

 If he was talking to the mate, he would stop in 

 the middle of a sentence to ask how she headed 

 ''exactly." If he was obliged to walk forward, he 

 kept his eyes constantly ahead, to see how much 

 she swung about. And as it was necessary that 

 he should sometimes at meals, and during the 

 night be below, he had prepared himself for this 

 by having the steering compass placed in the cabin 

 sky-light, and having it fitted with a transparent 

 card and bottomless box, so that by looking up 

 from where he eat or slept, he could know as well 

 HS the steersman how she headed. 



All this was excessively disagreeable. To steer 

 is, under any circumstances, the most irksome task 

 which falls to the lot of the foremast hand. It 

 requires unceasing vigilance, and an entire con- 

 centration of thought upon one object the ves- 

 sel's course. The mere skill necessary to guide a 

 ship is the least part of the accomplishment. 

 With so quick motioned a little craft as the Annie, 

 a constant watch was necessary, to keep her from 

 shooting off her course. With this unceasing care, 

 it was quite possible to keep her exactly upon her 



