So much for our petition for the redress of
grievances. The matter was however set right, for the mate, after
allowing the captain due time to cool off, explained it to him, and at
night we were all called aft to hear another harangue, in which, of
course, the whole blame of the misunderstanding was thrown upon us. We
ventured to hint that he would not give us time to explain; but it
wouldn't do. We were driven back discomfited. Thus the affair blew
over, but the irritation caused by it remained; and we never had peace
or a good understanding again so long as the captain and crew remained
together.
We continued sailing along in the beautiful temperate climate of the
Pacific. The Pacific well deserves its name, for except in the
southern part, at Cape Horn, and in the western parts, near the
China and Indian oceans, it has few storms, and is never either
extremely hot or cold. Between the tropics there is a slight haziness,
like a thin gauze, drawn over the sun, which, without obstructing or
obscuring the light, tempers the heat which comes down with
perpendicular fierceness in the Atlantic and Indian tropics.
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