COLERIDGE ’S W ALLENSTEIN
TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST
CHAPTER I
I AM unwilling to present this narrative to the public
without a few words in explanation of my reasons for
publishing it. <...> Since Mr. Cooper’s Pilot and Red Rover,
there have been so many stories of sea-life written, that I
should really think it unjustifiable in me to add one to the
number without being able to give reasons in some measure
warranting me in so doing. <...> With the single exception, as I am quite confident,
of Mr. Ames’ entertaining, but hasty and desultory work,
called “Mariner’s Sketches,” all the books professing to
give life at sea have been written by persons who have
gained their experience as naval officers, or passengers, and
of these, there are very few which are intended to be taken
as narratives of facts. <...> Now, in the first place, the whole course of life,
and daily duties, the discipline, habits and customs of a
man-of-war are very different from those of the merchant
service; and in the next place, however entertaining and
well written these books may be, and however accurately
they may give sea-life as it appears to their authors, it
must still be plain to every one that a naval officer, who
goes to sea as a gentleman, “with his gloves on,” (as the
phrase is,) and who associates only with his fellowofficers, and hardly speaks to a sailor except through a
boatswain’s mate, must take a very different view of the
whole matter from that which would be taken by a
common sailor.
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R. H. Dana. <...> Two Years before the Mast
Besides the interest which every one must feel in
exhibitions of life in those forms in which he himself has
never experienced it; there has been, of late years, a great
deal of attention directed toward common seamen, and a
strong sympathy awakened in their behalf. <...> Yet I believe
that, with the single exception which I have mentioned,
there has not been a book written, professing to give their
life <...>
Two_years_before_the_mast.pdf
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.........................................................................7
DEPARTURE....................................................................11
CHAPTER II......................................................................15
CHAPTER III ....................................................................23
CHAPTER IV....................................................................31
CHAPTER V......................................................................41
CHAPTER VI....................................................................51
CHAPTER VII...................................................................57
CHAPTER VIII..................................................................65
CHAPTER IX....................................................................73
CHAPTER X......................................................................83
CHAPTER XI....................................................................89
CHAPTER XII...................................................................95
CHAPTER XIII..................................................................99
CHAPTER XIV...............................................................111
CHAPTER XV.................................................................125
CHAPTER XVI...............................................................141
CHAPTER XVII..............................................................151
CHAPTER XVIII.............................................................159
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R. H. Dana. Two Years before the Mast
CHAPTER XIX...............................................................175
CHAPTER XX.................................................................193
CHAPTER XXI...............................................................203
CHAPTER XXII..............................................................211
CHAPTER XXIII.............................................................219
CHAPTER XXIV............................................................241
CHAPTER XXV..............................................................249
CHAPTER XXVI............................................................269
CHAPTER XXVII...........................................................279
CHAPTER XXVIII..........................................................293
CHAPTER XXIX............................................................309
CHAPTER XXX..............................................................333
CHAPTER XXXI............................................................347
CHAPTER XXXII...........................................................373
CHAPTER XXXIII..........................................................387
CHAPTER XXXIV.........................................................399
CHAPTER XXXV...........................................................407
CHAPTER XXXVI.........................................................417
CONCLUDING CHAPTER............................................427
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—— Crowded in the rank and narrow ship, —
Housed on the wild sea with wild usages, —
Whate’er in the inland dales the land conceals
Of fair and exquisite, O! nothing, nothing,
Do we behold of that in our rude voyage.
COLERIDGE’S WALLENSTEIN
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TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST
CHAPTER I
I AM unwilling to present this narrative to the public
without a few words in explanation of my reasons for
publishing it. Since Mr. Cooper’s Pilot and Red Rover,
there have been so many stories of sea-life written, that I
should really think it unjustifiable in me to add one to the
number without being able to give reasons in some measure
warranting me in so doing.
With the single exception, as I am quite confident,
of Mr. Ames’ entertaining, but hasty and desultory work,
called “Mariner’s Sketches,” all the books professing to
give life at sea have been written by persons who have
gained their experience as naval officers, or passengers, and
of these, there are very few which are intended to be taken
as narratives of facts.
Now, in the first place, the whole course of life,
and daily duties, the discipline, habits and customs of a
man-of-war are very different from those of the merchant
service; and in the next place, however entertaining and
well written these books may be, and however accurately
they may give sea-life as it appears to their authors, it
must still be plain to every one that a naval officer, who
goes to sea as a gentleman, “with his gloves on,” (as the
phrase is,) and who associates only with his fellowofficers,
and hardly speaks to a sailor except through a
boatswain’s mate, must take a very different view of the
whole matter from that which would be taken by a
common sailor.
www.elibron.com
7
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