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manly motive or sustainment in his own breast for facing dangers； unless
he has well considered what they are； and is able quietly to say to himself；
〃None of these perils can now take me by surprise； I shall know what to
do for the best in any of them； all the rest lies in the higher and greater
hands to which I humbly commit myself。〃 On this principle I have so
attentively considered （regarding it as my duty） all the hazards I have ever
been able to think of； in the ordinary way of storm； shipwreck； and fire at
sea； that I hope I should be prepared to do； in any of those cases； whatever
could be done； to save the lives intrusted to my charge。
As I was thoughtful； my good friend proposed that he should leave me
to walk there as long as I liked； and that I should dine with him by…and…by
at his club in Pall Mall。 I accepted the invitation and I walked up and
down there； quarter…deck fashion； a matter of a couple of hours； now and
then looking up at the weathercock as I might have looked up aloft； and
now and then taking a look into Cornhill； as I might have taken a look
over the side。
All dinner…time； and all after dinner…time； we talked it over again。 I
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gave him my views of his plan； and he very much approved of the same。 I
told him I had nearly decided； but not quite。 〃Well； well；〃 says he； 〃come
down to Liverpool to…morrow with me； and see the Golden Mary。〃 I liked
the name （her name was Mary； and she was golden； if golden stands for
good）； so I began to feel that it was almost done when I said I would go to
Liverpool。 On the next morning but one we were on board the Golden
Mary。 I might have known； from his asking me to come down and see her；
what she was。 I declare her to have been the completest and most exquisite
Beauty that ever I set my eyes upon。
We had inspected every timber in her； and had come back to the
gangway to go ashore from the dock…basin； when I put out my hand to my
friend。 〃Touch upon it；〃 says I； 〃and touch heartily。 I take command of this
ship； and I am hers and yours； if I can get John Steadiman for my chief
mate。〃
John Steadiman had sailed with me four voyages。 The first voyage
John was third mate out to China； and came home second。 The other three
voyages he was my first officer。 At this time of chartering the Golden
Mary； he was aged thirty…two。 A brisk； bright； blue…eyed fellow； a very
neat figure and rather under the middle size； never out of the way and
never in it； a face that pleased everybody and that all children took to； a
habit of going about singing as cheerily as a blackbird； and a perfect sailor。
We were in one of those Liverpool hackney…coaches in less than a
minute； and we cruised about in her upwards of three hours； looking for
John。 John had come home from Van Diemen's Land barely a month
before； and I had heard of him as taking a frisk in Liverpool。 We asked
after him； among many other places； at the two boarding…houses he was
fondest of； and we found he had had a week's spell at each of them； but； he
had gone here and gone there； and had set off 〃to lay out on the main…to'…
gallant…yard of the highest Welsh mountain〃 （so he had told the people of
the house）； and where he might be then； or when he might come back；
nobody could tell us。 But it was surprising； to be sure； to see how every
face brightened the moment there was mention made of the name of Mr。
Steadiman。
We were taken aback at meeting with no better luck； and we had wore
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ship and put her head for my friends； when as we were jogging through
the streets； I clap my eyes on John himself coming out of a toyshop！ He
was carrying a little boy； and conducting two uncommon pretty women to
their coach； and he told me afterwards that he had never in his life seen
one of the three before； but that he was so taken with them on looking in at
the toyshop while they were buying the child a cranky Noah's Ark； very
much down by the head； that he had gone in and asked the ladies'
permission to treat him to a tolerably correct Cutter there was in the
window； in order that such a handsome boy might not grow up with a
lubberly idea of naval architecture。
We stood off and on until the ladies' coachman began to give way； and
then we hailed John。 On his coming aboard of us； I told him； very gravely；
what I had said to my friend。 It struck him； as he said himself； amidships。
He was quite shaken by it。 〃Captain Ravender；〃 were John Steadiman's
words； 〃such an opinion from you is true commendation； and I'll sail
round the world with you for twenty years if you hoist the signal； and
stand by you for ever！〃 And now indeed I felt that it was done； and that the
Golden Mary was afloat。
Grass never grew yet under the feet of Smithick and Watersby。 The
riggers were out of that ship in a fortnight's time； and we had begun taking
in cargo。 John was always aboard； seeing everything stowed with his own
eyes； and whenever I went aboard myself early or late； whether he was
below in the hold； or on deck at the hatchway； or overhauling his cabin；
nailing up pictures in it of the Blush Roses of England； the Blue Belles of
Scotland； and the female Shamrock of Ireland： of a certainty I heard John
singing like a blackbird。
We had room for twenty passengers。 Our sailing advertisement was no
sooner out； than we might have taken these twenty times over。 In entering
our men； I and John （both together） picked them； and we entered none but
good handsas good as were to be found in that port。 And so； in a good
ship of the best build； well owned； well arranged； well officered； well
manned； well found in all respects； we parted with our pilot at a quarter
past four o'clock in the afternoon of the seventh of March； one thousand
eight hundred and fifty…one； and stood with a fair wind out to sea。
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It may be easily believed that up to that time I had had no leisure to be
intimate with my passengers。 The most of them were then in their berths
sea…sick； however； in going among them； te