myself the coming passage through the Malay Archipelago, down the Indian Ocean, and up the Atlantic.  All its phases were familiar enough to me, every characteristic, all the alternatives which were likely to face me on the high seas—­everything! . . . except the novel responsibility of command.  But I took heart from the reasonable thought that the ship was like other ships, the men like other men, and that the sea was not likely to keep any special surprises expressly for my discomfiture.

Arrived at that comforting conclusion, I bethought myself of a cigar and went below to get it.  All was still down there.  Everybody at the after end of the ship was sleeping profoundly.  I came out again on the quarter-deck, agreeably at ease in my sleeping suit on that warm breathless night, barefooted, a glowing cigar in my teeth, and, going forward, I was met by the profound silence of the fore end of the ship.  Only as I passed the door of the forecastle, I heard a deep, quiet, trustful sigh of some sleeper inside.  And suddenly I rejoiced in the great security of the sea as compared with the unrest of the land, in my choice of that untempted life presenting no disquieting problems, invested with an elementary moral beauty by the absolute straightforwardness of its appeal and by the singleness of its purpose.

The riding light in the forerigging burned with a clear, untroubled, as if symbolic, flame, confident and bright in the mysterious shades of the night.  Passing on my way aft along the other side of the ship, I observed that the rope side ladder, put over, no doubt, for the master of the tug when he came to fetch away our letters, had not been hauled in as it should have been.  I became annoyed at this, for exactitude in some small matters is the very soul of discipline.  Then I reflected that I had myself peremptorily dismissed my officers from duty, and by my own act had prevented the anchor watch being formally set and things properly attended to.  I asked myself whether it was wise ever to interfere with the established routine of duties even from the kindest of motives.  My action might have made me appear eccentric.  Goodness only knew how that absurdly whiskered mate would “account” for my conduct, and what the whole ship thought of that informality of their new captain.  I was vexed with myself.

Not from compunction certainly, but, as it were mechanically, I proceeded to get the ladder in myself.  Now a side ladder of that sort is a light affair and comes in easily, yet my vigorous tug, which should have brought it flying on board, merely recoiled upon my body in a totally unexpected jerk.  What the devil! . . .  I was so astounded by the immovableness of that ladder that I remained stockstill, trying to account for it to myself like that imbecile mate of mine.  In the end, of course, I put my head over the rail.