{"id":"01KG8AJQ3M7E80FKRV9JD65Y3T","cid":"bafkreig4oihvpkzcis2i37lxewr27xatzgzuunbao5taoigkjswvcqxhzm","type":"chapter","properties":{"description":"# CHAPTER X. FROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS.\n\n## Overview\nThis is Chapter X of the novel *White-Jacket*, titled \"FROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS.\". It details the prevalence of theft and dishonest practices among sailors on a man-of-war, contrasting their actions with conventional morality.\n\n## Context\nThis chapter is part of the novel [White-Jacket](arke:01KG8AJ89Z18FKVJV5H0488ZAZ), a work by Herman Melville. It was extracted from the file [white_jacket.txt](arke:01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY) and is included within the larger collection [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW). This chapter follows \"CHAPTER IX. OF THE POCKETS THAT WERE IN THE JACKET.\" and precedes \"CHAPTER XI. THE PURSUIT OF POETRY UNDER DIFFICULTIES.\".\n\n## Contents\nThe chapter discusses how sailors, due to their lifestyle and circumstances, often develop a relaxed view of morality and the law. It describes various forms of theft, from petty pilfering and pranks like cutting buttons off a sleeping shipmate's coat, to more organized robberies where a group might target a sailor known to carry money. The text notes that such acts were not uncommon, even mentioning specific instances occurring on the ship \"Neversink.\" The author suggests that the sheer number of individuals on board makes it difficult for officers to enforce discipline and punish thieves, leading to a situation where, in terms of small possessions, a form of communal ownership almost emerges through constant reciprocal theft.","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:49:50.624Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"CHAPTER X. FROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS.","end_line":1587,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:39.667Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"CHAPTER X. FROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS.","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":1529,"text":"CHAPTER X.\r\nFROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS.\r\n\r\n\r\nAs the latter part of the preceding chapter may seem strange to those\r\nlandsmen, who have been habituated to indulge in high-raised, romantic\r\nnotions of the man-of-war’s man’s character; it may not be amiss, to\r\nset down here certain facts on this head, which may serve to place the\r\nthing in its true light.\r\n\r\nFrom the wild life they lead, and various other causes (needless to\r\nmention), sailors, as a class, entertain the most liberal notions\r\nconcerning morality and the Decalogue; or rather, they take their own\r\nviews of such matters, caring little for the theological or ethical\r\ndefinitions of others concerning what may be criminal, or wrong.\r\n\r\nTheir ideas are much swayed by circumstances. They will covertly\r\nabstract a thing from one, whom they dislike; and insist upon it, that,\r\nin such a case, stealing is not robbing. Or, where the theft involves\r\nsomething funny, as in the case of the white jacket, they only steal\r\nfor the sake of the joke; but this much is to be observed nevertheless,\r\ni. e., that they never spoil the joke by returning the stolen article.\r\n\r\nIt is a good joke; for instance, and one often perpetrated on board\r\nship, to stand talking to a man in a dark night watch, and all the\r\nwhile be cutting the buttons from his coat. But once off, those buttons\r\nnever grow on again. There is no spontaneous vegetation in buttons.\r\n\r\nPerhaps it is a thing unavoidable, but the truth is that, among the\r\ncrew of a man-of-war, scores of desperadoes are too often found, who\r\nstop not at the largest enormities. A species of highway robbery is not\r\nunknown to them. A _gang_ will be informed that such a fellow has three\r\nor four gold pieces in the money-bag, so-called, or purse, which many\r\ntars wear round their necks, tucked out of sight. Upon this, they\r\ndeliberately lay their plans; and in due time, proceed to carry them\r\ninto execution. The man they have marked is perhaps strolling along the\r\nbenighted berth-deck to his mess-chest; when of a sudden, the foot-pads\r\ndash out from their hiding-place, throw him down, and while two or\r\nthree gag him, and hold him fast, another cuts the bag from his neck,\r\nand makes away with it, followed by his comrades. This was more than\r\nonce done in the Neversink.\r\n\r\nAt other times, hearing that a sailor has something valuable secreted\r\nin his hammock, they will rip it open from underneath while he sleeps,\r\nand reduce the conjecture to a certainty.\r\n\r\nTo enumerate all the minor pilferings on board a man-of-war would be\r\nendless. With some highly commendable exceptions, they rob from one\r\nanother, and rob back again, till, in the matter of small things, a\r\ncommunity of goods seems almost established; and at last, as a whole,\r\nthey become relatively honest, by nearly every man becoming the\r\nreverse. It is in vain that the officers, by threats of condign\r\npunishment, endeavour to instil more virtuous principles into their\r\ncrew; so thick is the mob, that not one thief in a thousand is\r\ndetected.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"CHAPTER X. FROM POCKETS TO PICKPOCKETS."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ89Z18FKVJV5H0488ZAZ","peer_type":"novel","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AJPBJ6WR7ZB9FQD50J7CN","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AJQ3MFENWE9QH4GT9XM2M","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:40.660Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:50.922Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}