Chapter 4. Ned Land

           CaptainFarragutwasagoodseaman,worthyofthefrigatehecommanded.Hisvesselandhewereone.Hewasthesoulofit.Onthequestionofthemonstertherewasnodoubtinhismind,andhewouldnotallowtheexistenceoftheanimaltobedisputedonboard.Hebelievedinit,ascertaingoodwomenbelieveintheleviathanbyfaith,notbyreason.Themonsterdidexist,andhehadsworntoridtheseasofit.EitherCaptainFarragutwouldkillthenarwhal,orthenarwhalwouldkillthecaptain.Therewasnothirdcourse.

           Theofficersonboardsharedtheopinionoftheirchief.Theywereeverchatting,discussing,andcalculatingthevariouschancesofameeting,watchingnarrowlythevastsurfaceoftheocean.Morethanonetookuphisquartersvoluntarilyinthecross-trees,whowouldhavecursedsuchaberthunderanyothercircumstances.Aslongasthesundescribeditsdailycourse,theriggingwascrowdedwithsailors,whosefeetwereburnttosuchanextentbytheheatofthedeckastorenderitunbearable;stilltheAbrahamLincolnhadnotyetbreastedthesuspectedwatersofthePacific.Astotheship’scompany,theydesirednothingbetterthantomeettheunicorn,toharpoonit,hoistitonboard,anddespatchit.Theywatchedtheseawitheagerattention.

           Besides,CaptainFarraguthadspokenofacertainsumoftwothousanddollars,setapartforwhoevershouldfirstsightthemonster,werehecabin-boy,commonseaman,orofficer.

           IleaveyoutojudgehoweyeswereusedonboardtheAbrahamLincoln.

           FormyownpartIwasnotbehindtheothers,and,lefttonoonemyshareofdailyobservations.

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