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a daily one； without rest or respite； I got unspeakably tired of it。
I wanted another change。 The vagabond instinct was strong upon me。
Fortune favored and I got a new berth and a delightful one。 It was to go
down to the Sandwich Islands and write some letters for the Sacramento
Union； an excellent journal and liberal with employees。
We sailed in the propeller Ajax； in the middle of winter。 The almanac
called it winter； distinctly enough； but the weather was a compromise
between spring and summer。 Six days out of port； it became summer
altogether。 We had some thirty passengers； among them a cheerful soul
by the name of Williams； and three sea…worn old whaleship captains going
down to join their vessels。 These latter played euchre in the smoking
room day and night； drank astonishing quantities of raw whisky without
being in the least affected by it； and were the happiest people I think
I ever saw。 And then there was 〃the old Admiral〃 a retired whaleman。
He was a roaring； terrific combination of wind and lightning and thunder；
and earnest； whole…souled profanity。 But nevertheless he was tender…
hearted as a girl。 He was a raving； deafening； devastating typhoon；
laying waste the cowering seas but with an unvexed refuge in the centre
where all comers were safe and at rest。 Nobody could know the 〃Admiral〃
without liking him； and in a sudden and dire emergency I think no friend
of his would know which to chooseto be cursed by him or prayed for by a
less efficient person。
His Title of 〃Admiral〃 was more strictly 〃official〃 than any ever worn by
a naval officer before or since； perhapsfor it was the voluntary
offering of a whole nation； and came direct from the people themselves
without any intermediate red tapethe people of the Sandwich Islands。
It was a title that came to him freighted with affection； and honor； and
appreciation of his unpretending merit。 And in testimony of the
genuineness of the title it was publicly ordained that an exclusive flag
should be devised for him and used solely to welcome his coming and wave
him God…speed in his going。 From that time forth； whenever his ship was
signaled in the offing； or he catted his anchor and stood out to sea；
that ensign streamed from the royal halliards on the parliament house and
the nation lifted their hats to it with spontaneous accord。
Yet he had never fired a gun or fought a battle in his life。 When I knew
him on board the Ajax； he was seventy…two years old and had plowed the
salt water sixty…one of them。 For sixteen years he had gone in and out
of the harbor of Honolulu in command of a whaleship； and for sixteen more
had been captain of a San Francisco and Sandwich Island passenger packet
and had never had an accident or lost a vessel。 The simple natives knew
him for a friend who never failed them； and regarded him as children
regard a father。 It was a dangerous thing to oppress them when the
roaring Admiral was around。
Two years before I knew the Admiral； he had retired from the sea on a
competence； and had sworn a colossal nine…jointed oath that he would
〃never go within smelling distance of the salt water again as long as he
lived。〃 And he had conscientiously kept it。 That is to say； he
considered he had kept it； and it would have been more than dangerous to
suggest to him； even in the gentlest way； that making eleven long sea
voyages； as a passenger； during the two years that had transpired since
he 〃retired；〃 was only keeping the general spirit of it and not the
strict letter。
The Admiral knew only one narrow line of conduct to pursue in any and all
cases where there was a fight； and that was to shoulder his way straight
in without an inquiry as to the rights or the merits of it； and take the
part of the weaker side。And this was the reason why he was always sure
to be present at the trial of any universally execrated criminal to
oppress and intimidate the jury with a vindictive pantomime of what he
would do to them if he ever caught them out of the box。 And this was why
harried cats and outlawed dogs that knew him confidently took sanctuary
under his chair in time of trouble。 In the beginning he was the most
frantic and bloodthirsty Union man that drew breath in the shadow of the
Flag； but the instant the Southerners began to go down before the sweep
of the Northern armies； he ran up the Confederate colors and from that
time till the end was a rampant and inexorable secessionist。
He hated intemperance with a more uncompromising animosity than any
individual I have ever met； of either sex； and he was never tired of
storming against it and beseeching friends and strangers alike to be wary
and drink with moderation。 And yet if any creature had been guileless
enough to intimate that his absorbing nine gallons of 〃straight〃 whiskey
during our voyage was any fraction short of rigid or inflexible
abstemiousness； in that self…same moment the old man would have spun him
to the uttermost parts of the earth in the whirlwind of his wrath。 Mind；
I am not saying his whisky ever affected his head or his legs； for it did
not； in even the slightest degree。 He was a capacious container； but he
did not hold enough for that。 He took a level tumblerful of whisky every
morning before he put his clothes on〃to sweeten his bilgewater；〃 he
said。He took another after he got the most of his clothes on； 〃to
settle his mind and give him his bearings。〃 He then shaved； and put on a
clean shirt； after which he recited the Lord's Prayer in a fervent；
thundering bass that shook the ship to her kelson and suspended all
conversation in the main cabin。 Then； at this stage； being invariably
〃by the head；〃 or 〃by the stern；〃 or 〃listed to port or starboard；〃 he
took one more to 〃put him on an even keel so that he would mind his
hellum and not miss stays and go about； every time he came up in the
wind。〃And now； his state…room door swung open and the sun of his
benignant face beamed redly out upon men and women and children； and he
roared his 〃Shipmets a'hoy！〃 in a way that was calculated to wake the
dead and precipitate the final resurrection； and forth he strode； a
picture to look at and a presence to enforce attention。 Stalwart and
portly； not a gray hair； broadbrimmed slouch hat； semi…sailor toggery of
blue navy flannelroomy and ample； a stately expanse of shirt…front and
a liberal amount of black silk neck…cloth tied with a sailor knot； large
chain and imposing seals impending from his fob； awe…inspiring feet； and
〃a hand like the hand of Providence；〃 as his whaling brethren expressed
it； wrist…bands and sleeves pushed back half way to the elbow； out of
respect for the warm weather； and exposing hairy arms； gaudy with red and
blue anchors； ships； and goddesses of liberty tattooed in India ink。
But these details were only secondary mattershis face was the lodestone
that chained the eye。 It was a sultry disk； glowing determinedly out
through a weather beaten mask of mahogany； and studded with warts； seamed
with scars； 〃blazed〃 all over with unfailing fresh slips of the razor；
and with cheery eyes； under shaggy brows； contemplating the world from
over the back of a gnarled crag of a nose that loomed vast and lonely out
of the undulating immensity that spread away from its foundations。
At his heels frisked the darling of his bachelor estate； his terrier
〃Fan；〃 a creature no larger than a squirrel。 The main part of his daily
life was occupied in looking after 〃Fan；〃 in a motherly way； and
doctoring her for a hundred ailments which existed only in his
imagination。
The Admiral seldom read newspapers； and when he did he never believed
anything they said。 He read nothing； and believed in nothing； but 〃The
Old Guard；〃 a secession periodical published in New York。 He carried a
dozen copies of it with him； always； and referred to them for all
required information。 If it was not there； he supplied it himself； out
of a bountiful fancy； inventing history； names； dates； and every thing
else necessary to make his point good in an argument。 Consequently he
was a formidable antagonist in a dispute。 Whenever he swung clear of the
record and began to create history； the