d told him so, he
laughed at me, and asked me if I would show him any written agreement on
the subject, for that he knew nothing at all about it. All he could say
was, that I was entered as a ship's boy; that as such I must be berthed
and messed, and do duty. If I did not like it, he would see what Mr
Stovin had to say to me. I saw that there was no help for me; so,
following Silas Flint's advice, I determined to grin and bear it.

We sighted Cape Clear, the south-westernmost point of Ireland. I longed
to be able to swim on shore and return home. I did not the less wish to
see the world, but I did not much like the company with whom I was
likely to see it; Mr Stovin and his rope's-ending were not agreeable
companions. From Cape Clear we took a fresh departure. A ship is said
to take her departure from a point, the distance and the bearing of the
point being ascertained when her course is marked off from the spot
where she then is. At four p.m. Cape Clear bore five miles north-east
of us, or rather we were five miles south-west of the Cape. This spot
was marked on the chart; and the distance run, and the course by
compass, were each day afterwards pricked off in like manner on the
charts. The distance run is measured by the log, which is hove every
two hours.

The log is a small triangular piece of wood, secured to the end of a
long line, on which divisions are marked, bearing the same proportion to
a mile which a half-minute bears to an hour. One man holds a
half-minute glass in his hand--another a reel on which the line is
rolled--a third, the mate, takes the log and heaves it overboard,
drawing off the line with his left hand. Thus, as the log remains
stationary in the water, according to the number of divisions or knots
run off while the sand in the glass is running, will be shown the number
of miles the ship is going in the hour. Instead of miles, the word
knots is used, evidently from the knots marked on the line.

The mode I have thus briefly described of finding the ship's course is
called "dead reckoning." This, of course, is liable to errors, as
careless steering, the compasses being out of order, or a current, may
carry her far from her supposed position; at the same time, when the sky
is obscured, it is the only mode of finding the way across the ocean.
It can be correctly ascertained by observation of the sun, moon, and
stars, taken with a sextant and a chronometer; but I shall be led to
giv