The atmosphere was horribly close and fishy in this place, reeking of
oil, yet cold as ice, as though the ship lay drowned a thousand
fathoms deep. I called to Sweers to bring his lamp, for my candle gave
so poor a light I could scarce see by it; and in the berth that looked
to have been used as a pantry we found half a barrel of pork, a bag of
ship's biscuit, and a quantity of Indian meal, beans, and rice, a
canister of coffee, and a few jars of pickles. But we could find
nothing to drink.
I was now exceedingly thirsty; so I took a pannikin--a number of
vessels of the sort were on the shelf in the pantry--and carried it
with the lamp on deck. I had taken notice during the day of four or
five buckets in a row abaft the mainmast, and, approaching them, I
held the light close, and found each bucket full. I tasted the water;
it was rain and without the least flavour of salt: and, after drinking
heartily, I filled the pannikin afresh and carried it down to Sweers.
There was a spiritlessness in this man that surprised me. I had not
thought to find the faculties of Salamon Sweers so quickly benumbed by
what was indeed a wild and dangerous confrontment, yet not so
formidable and hopeless as to weaken the nerves of a seaman.
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