{"id":"01KG6GMPESQQXW9JCGPAHXM61S","cid":"bafkreifunpnuoaxrq5vxfu3k57hilqghyz3yxkpdzq2i6mpuh2btt5r4cy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":8699,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T03:55:03.883Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG6FXSCNX5F3D880P3YP3PKR","start_line":8635,"text":"become bankrupt. But thanks to the volcano’s prodigality in its time,\r\nthe soil of Fogo is such as may be found of a dusty day on a road newly\r\nmacadamised. Cut off from farms and gardens, the staple food of the\r\ninhabitants is fish, at catching which they are expert. But none the\r\nless do they relish ship biscuit, which, indeed, by most islanders,\r\nbarbarous or semi-barbarous, is held a sort of lozenge.\r\n\r\nIn his best estate the ’Gee is rather small (he admits it), but, with\r\nsome exceptions, hardy; capable of enduring extreme hard work, hard\r\nfare, or hard usage, as the case may be. In fact, upon a scientific\r\nview, there would seem a natural adaptability in the ’Gee to hard times\r\ngenerally. A theory not uncorroborated by his experiences; and\r\nfurthermore, that kindly care of Nature in fitting him for them,\r\nsomething as for his hard rubs with a hardened world Fox the Quaker\r\nfitted himself, namely, in a tough leather suit from top to toe. In\r\nother words, the ’Gee is by no means of that exquisitely delicate\r\nsensibility expressed by the figurative adjective thin-skinned. His\r\nphysicals and spirituals are in singular contrast. The ’Gee has a great\r\nappetite, but little imagination; a large eyeball, but small insight.\r\nBiscuit he crunches, but sentiment he eschews.\r\n\r\nHis complexion is hybrid; his hair ditto; his mouth disproportionally\r\nlarge, as compared with his stomach; his neck short; but his head round,\r\ncompact, and betokening a solid understanding.\r\n\r\nLike the negro, the ’Gee has a peculiar savour, but a different one--a\r\nsort of wild, marine, gamey savour, as in the sea-bird called haglet.\r\nLike venison, his flesh is firm but lean.\r\n\r\nHis teeth are what are called butter-teeth, strong, durable, square, and\r\nyellow. Among captains at a loss for better discourse during dull, rainy\r\nweather in the horse-latitudes, much debate has been had whether his\r\nteeth are intended for carnivorous or herbivorous purposes, or both\r\nconjoined. But as on his isle the ’Gee eats neither flesh nor grass,\r\nthis inquiry would seem superfluous.\r\n\r\nThe native dress of the ’Gee is, like his name, compendious. His head\r\nbeing by nature well thatched, he wears no hat. Wont to wade much in the\r\nsurf, he wears no shoes. He has a serviceably hard heel, a kick from\r\nwhich is by the judicious held almost as dangerous as one from a wild\r\nzebra.\r\n\r\nThough for a long time back no stranger to the seafaring people of\r\nPortugal, the ’Gee, until a comparatively recent period, remained almost\r\nundreamed of by seafaring Americans. It is now some forty years since he\r\nfirst became known to certain masters of our Nantucket ships, who\r\ncommenced the practice of touching at Fogo, on the outward passage,\r\nthere to fill up vacancies among their crews arising from the short\r\nsupply of men at home. By degrees the custom became pretty general, till\r\nnow the ’Gee is found aboard of almost one whaler out of three. One\r\nreason why they are in request is this: An unsophisticated ’Gee coming\r\non board a foreign ship never asks for wages. He comes for biscuit. He\r\ndoes not know what other wages mean, unless cuffs and buffets be wages,\r\nof which sort he receives a liberal allowance, paid with great\r\npunctuality, besides perquisites of punches thrown in now and then. But\r\nfor all this, some persons there are, and not unduly biased by\r\npartiality to him either, who still insist that the ’Gee never gets his\r\ndue.\r\n\r\nHis docile services being thus cheaply to be had, some captains will go\r\nthe length of maintaining that ’Gee sailors are preferable, indeed every\r\nway, physically and intellectually, superior to American sailors--such\r\ncaptains complaining, and justly, that American sailors, if not decently\r\ntreated, are apt to give serious trouble.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG6GKZ3KXPTVRM0MM88X3G8V","peer_type":"section","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG6FXSCNX5F3D880P3YP3PKR","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG2T49K0H5GDRB0G4YDTPG8H","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG6GMPER3V52NX6SV5RF48QF","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG6GMPES5W77GDZB7ZXACF6J","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T03:55:08.121Z","ts":"2026-01-30T03:55:19.757Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}