to be smiling all the time. But it was just the way his face was.
‘I applaud you, gentlemen, on a magnificent performance,’ the captain said, his eyes travelling over all of us, his face revealing nothing. We, who didn’t know, took our cues from those more experienced hands who laughed, instinctively knowing somehow that this was a good-natured jibe and not rank sarcasm. A hint of a smile appeared upon the captain’s face. ‘We shall get along,’ he said, with his eyes never lighting anywhere, ‘if we all remember one thing.’ Long pause, roaming eyes. ‘A ship is a dangerous place, a whale ship especially so.’ Long pause. ‘You will obey orders from myself and any of the mates instantly. There will be no exceptions. It’s as simple as that.’
He had a clear ringing voice, well spoken, stronger and far more impressive than his face, which was too boyish for a captain’s. The dog, lolling with a stupid expression against his leg, did nothing to lessen the impression. He talked enthusiastically for ten minutes about duty and obedience and pulling together, and said that those of us who’d not sailed before would be given minders, and were to do what we were told. ‘Some of you will know that this voyage has a secondary purpose,’ he said. ‘We have on-board Mr Rymer’ – a nod towards Dan – ‘whose commission is to hunt wildlife. When we reach the Dutch East Indies we will be briefly diverted somewhat from our primary concern, which is, of course, to take as many barrels of oil as we can. But that need not concern any of you now. You are whale catchers and that is a great and dangerous profession. Your job now is to learn everything you possibly can as fast as you can.’
There was a law on ship as tight as any, he said, with clear rules and clear punishments for the breaking of them. It was very simple. These rules could be consulted at any time as a copy of them was permanently on display in both steerage and fo’c’s’le. Anyone who could not read could avail himself of the help of a reader.
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