On the other hand, I have known many captains who, directly their ship had left the narrow waters of the Channel, would disappear from the sight of their
ship's company altogether for some three days or more.
The captain interposed no obstacles to the arrangement, and so the great anthropoid was tacitly admitted to membership in the
ship's company. Once aboard he examined each new face minutely, evincing the same disappointment in each instance that had marked his scrutiny of the others.
It was given me by the
ship's company after our African cruise.
By a miracle no member of the
ship's company had been injured by the blast, the origin of which remained for ever a total mystery to all but one--the sailor who knew that Paulvitch had been aboard the Kincaid and in his cabin the previous night.
The great hatch is scrubbed and placed upon the try-works, completely hiding the pots; every cask is out of sight; all tackles are coiled in unseen nooks; and when by the combined and simultaneous industry of almost the entire
ship's company, the whole of this conscientious duty is at last concluded, then the crew themselves proceed to their own ablutions; shift themselves from top to toe; and finally issue to the immaculate deck, fresh and all aglow, as bridegrooms new-leaped from out the daintiest Holland.
Oftentimes, when we had occasion to break out in the hold, and I beheld the successive tiers of casks and barrels, whose contents were all destined to be consumed in due course by the
ship's company, my heart has sunk within me.
So down we went into the cabin, and to my great joy Queequeg was soon enrolled among the same
ship's company to which I myself belonged.
As to the
ship's company, they desired nothing better than to meet the unicorn, to harpoon it, hoist it on board, and despatch it.
Unlike any one else in the
ship's company, I now found myself with no quarrels on my hands and in the good graces of all.
I have related to what extremity the poor young woman was reduced; how her mistress was starved to death, and died on board that unhappy ship we met at sea, and how the whole
ship's company was reduced to the last extremity.
But while the King was still instructing the courtier exactly what he was to say, the first man of the
ship's company, the one with the miraculous power of hearing, had overheard the King's words, and hastily reported them to the poor Simpleton.
I mention it also, because I think some of our
ship's company did not give him as full credit for his excellent services as he deserved.