Кінець рабства
IV
Amaster-attendantisasuperiorsortofharbor-master;aperson,outintheEast,ofsomeconsequenceinhissphere;aGovernmentofficial,amagistrateforthewatersoftheport,andpossessedofvastbutill-defineddisciplinaryauthorityoverseamenofallclasses.ThisparticularMaster-Attendantwasreportedtoconsideritmiserablyinadequate,onthegroundthatitdidnotincludethepoweroflifeanddeath.Thiswasajocularexaggeration.CaptainEliottwasfairlysatisfiedwithhisposition,andnursednoinconsiderablesenseofsuchpowerashehad.Hisconceitedandtyrannicaldispositiondidnotallowhimtoletitdwindleinhishandsforwantofuse.Theuproarious,cholericfranknessofhiscommentsonpeople’scharacterandconductcausedhimtobefearedatbottom;thoughinconversationmanypretendednottomindhimintheleast,otherswouldonlysmilesourlyatthementionofhisname,andtherewereevensomewhodaredtopronouncehim“ameddlesomeoldruffian.”ButforalmostallofthemoneofCaptainEliott’soutbreakswasnearlyasdistastefultofaceasachanceofannihilation.
