A night of reflection had quieted our fears, and we all woke
up next morning, as indifferent to the fate of the Sea-Otter, as was
at all decent.
CHAPTER XIII.
"The monarch mind--the mystery of commanding,
The godlike power--the art Napoleon,
Of winning, fettering, moulding, wielding, banding
The hearts of millions, till they move as one;
Thou hast it."
HALLECK--_Red Jacket_.
Smudge and the Dipper behaved admirably all next day. Beef, pork and
bread--those great desiderata of life, which the European is apt to
say form the _primum mobile_ of American existence--seemed to
engross their thoughts; and when they were not eating, they were busy
with sleep. At length we grew ashamed of watching such mere animals,
and turned our thoughts to other subjects. We had understood the
Dipper, that eight-and-forty hours must elapse before we might expect
to see any more skins; and Captain Williams, passing from alarm to
extreme security, determined to profit by a lovely day, and send down,
or rather strip, all three of the top-masts, and pay some necessary
attention to their rigging. At nine o'clock, accordingly, the hands
were turned-to, and before noon the ship was pretty thoroughly _en
deshabille_. We sent as little down as possible, keeping even the
top-sail-yards aloft, though without their lifts or braces, steadying
them by guys; but the top-masts were lowered as far as was found
possible, without absolutely placing the lower yards on the
hammock-cloths.
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