Never did a voyage begin more prosperously, or a passenger start in
better spirits. The interior of the _Halbrane_ corresponded with its
exterior. Nothing could exceed the perfect order, the Dutch
cleanliness of the vessel. The captain's cabin, and that of the
lieutenant, one on the port, the other on the starboard side, were
fitted up with a narrow berth, a cupboard anything but capacious, an
arm-chair, a fixed table, a lamp hung from the ceiling, various
nautical instruments, a barometer, a thermometer, a chronometer, and
a sextant in its oaken box. One of the two other cabins was prepared
to receive me. It was eight feet in length, five in breadth. I was
accustomed to the exigencies of sea life, and could do with its
narrow proportions, also with its furniture--a table, a cupboard, a
cane-bottomed arm-chair, a washing-stand on an iron pedestal, and a
berth to which a less accommodating passenger would doubtless have
objected. The passage would be a short one, however, so I took
possession of that cabin, which I was to occupy for only four, or at
the worst five weeks, with entire content.

The eight men who composed the crew were named respectively Martin
Holt, sailing-master; Hardy, Rogers, Drap, Francis, Gratian, Burg,
and Stern--sailors all between twenty-five and thirty-five years
old--all Englishmen, well trained, and remarkably well disciplined
by a hand of iron.

Let me set it down here at the beginning, the exceptionally able man
whom they all obeyed at a word, a gesture, was not the captain of
the _Halbrane_; that man was the second officer, James West, who was
then thirty-two years of age.

James West was born on the sea, and had passed his childhood on
board a lighter belonging to his father, and on which the whole
family lived. Ail his life he had breathed the salt air of the
English Channel, the Atlantic, or the Pacific. He never went ashore
except for the needs of his service, whether of the State or of
trade. If he had to leave one ship for another he merely shifted his
canvas bag to the latter, from which he stirred no more. When he was
not sailing in reality he was sailing in imagination. After having
been ship's boy, novice, sailor, he became quartermaster, master,
and finally lieutenant of the _Halbrane_, and he had already served
for ten years as second in command under Captain Len Guy.

James West was not even ambitious of a higher rise; he did not want
to make a fortune; he did not concern