Calculation of all kinds was his delight.
He had, in his chest, several volumes giving accounts of inventions in
mechanics, which he read with great pleasure, and made himself
master of. I doubt if he ever forgot anything that he read. The only
thing in the way of poetry that he ever read was Falconer's Shipwreck,
which he was delighted with, and whole pages of which he could repeat.
He knew the name of every sailor that had ever been his shipmate,
and also, of every vessel, captain, and officer, and the principal
dates of each voyage; and a sailor whom he afterwards fell in with,
who had been in a ship with Harris nearly twelve years before, was
very much surprised at having Harris tell him things about himself
which he had entirely forgotten. His facts, whether dates or events,
no one thought of disputing; and his opinions, few of the sailors
dared to oppose; for, right or wrong, he always had the best of the
argument with them. His reasoning powers were remarkable. I have had
harder work maintaining an argument with him in a watch, even when I
knew myself to be right, and he was only doubting, than I ever had
before; not from his obstinacy, but from his acuteness.
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