TO THE IDEAL AMERICAN SAILOR
TO THE IDEAL AMERICAN SAILOR
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
Captain Ralph E. Peasley, of Jonesport, Maine,
Who skippered the first five-masted schooner ever built, brought her, on that first voyage, through the worst typhoon that ever blew, and upon arriving at the Yang Tse Kiang River for the first time in his adventurous career, decided he could not trust a Chinese pilot and established a record by sailing her up himself!
Captain I. N. Hibberd, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Sometime master of the American clipper ship, Cyrus Wakefield, who, at the age of twenty-five, broke three world's records in one voyage: San Francisco to Liverpool and back, eight months and two days; Liverpool to San Francisco, one hundred days; from the equator to San Francisco, eleven days. The clipper ship is gone but the skipper remains, an undefeated champion.
Captain William P. Cantey, of San Francisco, California,
Sometime mate of the brig Galilee, who, with his naked hands, convinced in thirty-five minutes nine larger men than himself of the incontrovertible fact that you cannot keep a good man down.
TO THE AMERICAN SHIPOWNER
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
John H. Rossiter, Manager of W. R. Grace & Co., of San Francisco.
Edwin A. Christenson, President of the Sudden & Christenson S.S. Line, of San Francisco.
John R. Hanify, President of the John R. Hanify Company, of San Francisco.
TO THE PACIFIC COAST LUMBERMAN
As exemplified in the person of my good friend,
Augustus J. (“Gus”) Russell, California Manager for the Portland Lumber Company, and my personal representative, without salary, in the wholesale lumber trade, ever since I abandoned lumber for literature.
TO FREIGHT, SHIP, AND MARINE INSURANCE BROKERS
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
Messrs. E. B. Smith, Oscar J. Beyfuss, and Allan Hayes.
This volume is dedicated, without charge for the advertising but with profound appreciation of the part they have made in making this book possible. With the author they must bear an equal burden of whatever of praise or censure shall entail.
CONTENTS
TO THE IDEAL AMERICAN SAILOR
CHAPTER I. MASTER OF MANY SHIPS AND SKIPPER OF NONE
CHAPTER II. THE MAN FROM BLUE WATER
CHAPTER III. UNDER THE BLUE STAR FLAG
CHAPTER IV. BAD NEWS FROM CAPE TOWN
CHAPTER V. MATT PEASLEY ASSUMES OFFICE
CHAPTER VI. WORDY WAR AT A DOLLAR A WORD
CHAPTER VII. CAPPY RICKS MAKES BAD MEDICINE
CHAPTER VIII. ALL HANDS AND FEET TO THE RESCUE
CHAPTER IX. MR. MURPHY ADVISES PREPAREDNESS
CHAPTER X. THE BATTLE OF TABLE BAY
CHAPTER XI. MR. SKINNER RECEIVES A TELEGRAM
CHAPTER XII. THE CAMPAIGN OPENS
CHAPTER XIII. AN OLD FRIEND RETURNS AND CAPPY LEADS ANOTHER ACE
CHAPTER XIV. INSULT ADDED TO INJURY
CHAPTER XV. RUMORS OF WAR
CHAPTER XVI. WAR!
CHAPTER XVII. CAPPY FORCES AN ARMISTICE
CHAPTER XVIII. THE WAR IS RENEWED
CHAPTER XIX. CAPPY SEEKS PEACE
CHAPTER XX. PEACE AT LAST!
CHAPTER XXI. MATT PEASLEY MEETS A TALKATIVE STRANGER
CHAPTER XXII. FACE TO FACE
CHAPTER XXIII. BUSINESS AND—
CHAPTER XXIV. THE CLEAN UP
CHAPTER XXV. CAPPY PROVES HIMSELF A DESPOT
CHAPTER XXVI. MATT PEASLEY IN EXILE
CHAPTER XXVII. PROMOTION
CHAPTER XXVIII. CAPPY HAS A HEART
CHAPTER XXIX. NATURE TAKES HER COURSE
CHAPTER XXX. MR. SKINNER HEARS A LECTURE
CHAPTER XXXI. INTERNAL COMBUSTION
CHAPTER XXXII. SKINNER PROPOSES—AND CAPPY RICKS DISPOSES
CHAPTER XXXIII. CAPPY'S PLANS DEMOLISHED
CHAPTER XXXIV. A GIFT FROM THE GODS
CHAPTER XXXV. A DIRTY YANKEE TRICK
CHAPTER XXXVI. CAPPY FORBIDS THE BANS—YET
CHAPTER XXXVII. MATT PEASLEY BECOMES A SHIPOWNER
CHAPTER XXXVIII. WORKING CAPITAL
CHAPTER XXXIX. EASY MONEY
CHAPTER XL. THE CATACLYSM
CHAPTER XLI. WHEN PAIN AND ANGUISH WRING THE BROW
CHAPTER XLII. UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS
CHAPTER XLIII. CAPPY PLANS A KNOCK-OUT
CHAPTER XLIV. SKINNER DEVELOPS INTO A HUMAN BEING
CHAPTER XLV. CAPPY PULLS OFF A WEDDING
CHAPTER XLVI. A SHIP FORGOTTEN
CHAPTER XLVII. THE TAIL GOES WITH THE HIDE
CHAPTER XLVIII. VICTORY