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InmyearlydaysIwasaman，themostweddedtohisidolsofmygeneration。Iwasadwellerunderroofs：thegullofthatwhichwecallcivilisation；asuperstitiousvotaryoftheplasticarts；acit；andapropofrestaurants。Ihadacomradeinthosedays，somewhatofanoutsider，thoughhemovedinthecompanyofartists，andamanfamousinoursmallworldforgallantry，kneebreeches，anddryandpregnantsayings。He，lookingonthelongmealsandwaxingbelliesoftheFrench，whomIconfessIsomewhatimitated，brandedmeas“acultivatorofrestaurantfat。”AndIbelievehehadhisfingeronthedangerousspot；Ibelieve，ifthingshadgonesmoothwithme，Ishouldbenowswollenlikeaprize-oxinbody，andfalleninmindtoathingperhapsaslowasmanytypesofbourgeois——theimplicitorexclusiveartist。ThatwasahomewordofPinkerton’s，deservingtobewritinlettersofgoldontheporticoofeveryschoolofart：“WhatIcan’tseeiswhyyoushouldwanttodonothingelse。”Thedullmanismade，notbythenature，butbythedegreeofhisimmersioninasinglebusiness。
Andallthemoreifthatbesedentary，uneventful，andingloriouslysafe。Morethanonehalfofhimwillthenremainunexercisedandundeveloped；therestwillbedistendedanddeformedbyover-nutrition，over-cerebration，andtheheatofrooms。AndIhaveoftenmarvelledattheimpudenceofgentlemen，whodescribeandpassjudgmentonthelifeofman，inalmostperfectignoranceofallitsnecessaryelementsandnaturalcareers。Thosewhodwellinclubsandstudiosmaypaintexcellentpicturesorwriteenchantingnovels。Thereisonethingthattheyshouldnotdo：theyshouldpassnojudgmentonman’sdestiny，foritisathingwithwhichtheyareunacquainted。Theirownlifeisanexcrescenceofthemoment，doomed，inthevicissitudeofhistory，topassanddisappear：
theeternallifeofman，spentundersunandrainandinrudephysicaleffort，liesupononeside，scarcechangedsincethebeginning。
IwouldIcouldhavecarriedalongwithmetoMidwayIslandallthewritersandthepratingartistsofmytime。Dayafterdayofhopedeferred，ofheat，ofunremittingtoil；nightafternightofachinglimbs，bruisedhands，andamindobscuredwiththegratefulvacancyofphysicalfatigue：thescene，thenatureofmyemployment；theruggedspeechandfacesofmyfellow-
toilers，theglareofthedayondeck，thestinkingtwilightinthebilge，theshrillmyriadsoftheocean-fowl：aboveall，thesenseofourimmitigableisolationfromtheworldandfromthecurrentepoch；——keepinganothertime，someerasold；thenewdayheraldedbynodailypaper，onlybytherisingsun；andtheState，thechurches，thepeopledempires，war，andtherumoursofwar，andthevoicesofthearts，allgonesilentasinthedayseretheywereyetinvented。Suchweretheconditionsofmynewexperienceinlife，ofwhich(ifIhadbeenable)Iwouldhavehadallmyconfreresandcontemporariestopartake：
forgetting，forthatwhile，theorthodoxiesofthemoment，anddevotedtoasingleandmaterialpurposeundertheeyeofheaven。
Ofthenatureofourtask，Imustcontinuetogivesomesummaryidea。Theforecastlewaslumberedwithship’schandlery，theholdnighfullofrice，thelazarettecrowdedwiththeteasandsilks。Thesemustallbedugout；andthatmadebutafractionofourtask。Theholdwasceiledthroughout；apart，whereperhapssomedelicatecargowasoncestored，hadbeenlined，inaddition，withinchboards；andbetweeneverybeamtherewasamovablepanelintothebilge。Anyofthese，thebulkheadsofthecabins，theverytimbersofthehullitself，mightbetheplaceofhiding。Itwasthereforenecessarytodemolish，asweproceeded，agreatpartoftheship’sinnerskinandfittings，andtoauscultatewhatremained，likeadoctorsoundingforalungdisease。Uponthereturn，fromanybeamorbulkhead，ofaflatordoubtfulsound，wemustupaxeandhewintothetimber：aviolentand——fromtheamountofdryrotinthewreck——amortifyingexercise。EverynightsawadeeperinroadintothebonesoftheFlyingScud——morebeamstappedandhewninsplinters，moreplankingpeeledawayandtossedaside——andeverynightsawusasfaraseverfromtheendandobjectofourarduousdevastation。Inthisperpetualdisappointment，mycouragedidnotfailme，butmyspiritsdwindled；andNareshimselfgrewsilentandmorose。Atnight，whensupperwasdone，wepassedanhourinthecabin，mostlywithoutspeech：I，sometimesdozingoverabook；Nares，sullenlybutbusilydrillingsea-shellswiththeinstrumentcalledaYankeeFiddle。Astrangermighthavesupposedwewereestranged；asamatteroffact，inthissilentcomradeshipoflabour，ourintimacygrew。
Ihadbeenstruck，atthefirstbeginningofourenterpriseuponthewreck，tofindthemensoreadyatthecaptain’slightestword。Idarenotsaytheyliked，butIcanneverdenythattheyadmiredhimthoroughly
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