tanding that letters, on the same interesting subject,
should pass between them.

That afternoon, Captain Daggett found means to remove the chest of his
late kinsman, across the bays, to Sag Harbour, whither he proceeded
himself by the same conveyance. There, he passed an hour or two in making
inquiries touching the state of equipment, and the probable time of the
departure of the Sea Lion. The fitting out of this schooner was the cause
of a good deal of discourse in all that region, and the Martha's
Vineyard-man heard numberless conjectures, but very little accurate
information. On the whole, however, he arrived at the conclusion that the
Sea Lion would sail within the next ten days; that her voyage was to be
distant; that her absence was expected to exceed a twelvemonth; and that
it was thought she had some other scheme in view, in addition to that of
sealing. That night, this hardy mariner--half agriculturist as he was--got
into his whale-boat, and sailed for the Vineyard, all alone, taking the
chest with him. This was nothing, however; for quite often, before, had he
been off at sea, in his boat, alone, looking out for inward-bound vessels
to pilot.

Chapter VI.

"Launch thy bark, mariner!
Christian, God speed thee!
Let loose the rudder-bands,
Good angels lead thee!
Set thy sails warily,
Tempests will come;
Steer thy course steadily,
Christian, steer home!"

Mrs. Southey.

The visit of Captain Daggett, taken in connection with all that he had
said and done, while on Oyster Pond, and at Sag Harbour, had the effect
greatly to hasten the equipments of the Sea Lion. Deacon Pratt knew the
characters of the seamen of the island too well, to trifle in a matter of
so much moment. How much the Vineyard folk had been told, in reference to
his great secrets, he did not know; but he felt assured that they knew
enough, and had learned enough in this visit, to quicken all their desires
for riches, and to set them in motion towards the antarctic circle. With
such a people, distance and difficulties are of no account; a man who has
been cradling oats, to-day, in his own retired fields, where one would
think ambition and the love of change could never penetrate, being ready
to quit home at twenty-four hours' notice, assuming the marlingspike as he
lays aside the fork, and setting forth for the uttermost confines of the
earth, with as little hesitation as another might quit his home for