This is a great want, for man is but a rugged creature when away from the refining influence of woman; but, in the circumstances, of course, it can't be helped.
We had a gam one day, on this voyage, with a Yankee whale-ship, and a first-rate gam it was, for, as the Yankee had gammed three days before with another English ship, we got a lot of news second-hand; and, as we had not seen a new face for many months, we felt towards those Yankees like brothers, and swallowed all they had to tell us like men starving for news.
It was on a fine calm morning, just after breakfast, that we fell in with this ship.

We had seen no whales for a day or two, but we did not mind that, for our hold was almost full of oil-barrels.

Tom Lokins and I were leaning over the starboard bulwarks, watching the small fish that every now and then darted through the clear-blue water like arrows, and smoking our pipes in silence.

Tom looked uncommonly grave, and I knew that he was having some deep and knowing thoughts of his own which would leak out in time.

All at once he took his pipe from his mouth and stared earnestly at the horizon.
"Bob," said he, speaking very slowly, "if there ain't a ship right off the starboard beam, I'm a Dutchman." "You don't mean it!" said I, starting with a feeling of excitement.
Before another word could be uttered, the cry of "Sail ho!" came ringing down from the mast-head.