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Slocum, Joshua, 1844-1910?

"Sailing Alone Around the World"

And so instead of springing to the sails at once to shift, I
said I would leave outright as soon as I could procure a chart, which
I begged he would send and get for me. "But I say you mus' move befo'
you gets anyt'ing't all," he insisted, and raising his voice so that
all the people alongshore could hear him, he added, "An' jes now!"
Then he flew into a towering passion when they on shore snickered to
see the crew of the _Spray_ sitting calmly by the bulwark instead of
hoisting sail. "I tell you dis am quarantine" he shouted, very much
louder than before. "That's all right, general," I replied; "I want to
be quarantined anyhow." "That's right, boss," some one on the beach
cried, "that's right; you get quarantined," while others shouted to
the deputy to "make de white trash move 'long out o' dat." They were
about equally divided on the island for and against me. The man who
had made so much fuss over the matter gave it up when he found that I
wished to be quarantined, and sent for an all-important half-white,
who soon came alongside, starched from clue to earing. He stood in the
boat as straight up and down as a fathom of pump-water--a marvel of
importance. "Charts!" cried I, as soon as his shirt-collar appeared
over the sloop's rail; "have you any charts?" "No, sah," he replied
with much-stiffened dignity; "no, sah; cha'ts do'sn't grow on dis
island." Not doubting the information, I tripped anchor immediately,
as I had intended to do from the first, and made all sail for St.


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