{"id":"01KG8AKWWNGNQBFSW7JT9VAZWZ","cid":"bafkreieixfzw45ivxxct6crcusxmzbpvfaincyqjvvs3fknwptpp3hylbi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":742,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.534Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","start_line":669,"text":"CHAPTER IV.\r\nA Chat In The Clouds\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Skyeman seemed so earnest and upright a seaman, that to tell the\r\nplain truth, in spite of his love for me, I had many misgivings as to\r\nhis readiness to unite in an undertaking which apparently savored of a\r\nmoral dereliction. But all things considered, I deemed my own\r\nresolution quite venial; and as for inducing another to join me, it\r\nseemed a precaution so indispensable, as to outweigh all other\r\nconsiderations.\r\n\r\nTherefore I resolved freely to open my heart to him; for that special\r\npurpose paying him a visit, when, like some old albatross in the air,\r\nhe happened to be perched at the foremast-head, all by himself, on the\r\nlookout for whales never seen.\r\n\r\nNow this standing upon a bit of stick 100 feet aloft for hours at a\r\ntime, swiftly sailing over the sea, is very much like crossing the\r\nChannel in a balloon. Manfred-like, you talk to the clouds: you have a\r\nfellow feeling for the sun. And when Jarl and I got conversing up\r\nthere, smoking our dwarfish “dudeens,” any sea-gull passing by might\r\nhave taken us for Messrs. Blanchard and Jeffries, socially puffing\r\ntheir after-dinner Bagdads, bound to Calais, via Heaven, from Dover.\r\nHonest Jarl, I acquainted with all: my conversation with the captain,\r\nthe hint implied in his last words, my firm resolve to quit the ship in\r\none of her boats, and the facility with which I thought the thing could\r\nbe done. Then I threw out many inducements, in the shape of pleasant\r\nanticipations of bearing right down before the wind upon the sunny\r\nisles under our lee.\r\n\r\nHe listened attentively; but so long remained silent that I almost\r\nfancied there was something in Jarl which would prove too much for me\r\nand my eloquence.\r\n\r\nAt last he very bluntly declared that the scheme was a crazy one; he\r\nhad never known of such a thing but thrice before; and in every case\r\nthe runaways had never afterwards been heard of. He entreated me to\r\nrenounce my determination, not be a boy, pause and reflect, stick to\r\nthe ship, and go home in her like a man. Verily, my Viking talked to me\r\nlike my uncle.\r\n\r\nBut to all this I turned a deaf ear; affirming that my mind was made\r\nup; and that as he refused to accompany me, and I fancied no one else\r\nfor a comrade, I would go stark alone rather than not at all. Upon\r\nthis, seeing my resolution immovable, he bluntly swore that he would\r\nfollow me through thick and thin.\r\n\r\nThanks, Jarl! thou wert one of those devoted fellows who will wrestle\r\nhard to convince one loved of error; but failing, forthwith change\r\ntheir wrestling to a sympathetic hug.\r\n\r\nBut now his elderly prudence came into play. Casting his eye over the\r\nboundless expanse below, he inquired how far off were the islands in\r\nquestion.\r\n\r\n“A thousand miles and no less.”\r\n\r\n“With a fair trade breeze, then, and a boat sail, that is a good twelve\r\ndays’ passage, but calms and currents may make it a month, perhaps\r\nmore.” So saying, he shook his old head, and his yellow hair streamed.\r\n\r\nBut trying my best to chase away these misgivings, he at last gave them\r\nover. He assured me I might count upon him to his uttermost keel.\r\n\r\nMy Viking secured, I felt more at ease; and thoughtfully considered how\r\nthe enterprise might best be accomplished.\r\n\r\nThere was no time to be lost. Every hour was carrying us farther and\r\nfarther from the parallel most desirable for us to follow in our route\r\nto the westward. So, with all possible dispatch, I matured my plans,\r\nand communicated them to Jarl, who gave several old hints—having\r\nulterior probabilities in view—which were not neglected.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJP4HZWA8VMNFE6TNVVGJ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKWWN0NEYR577R84EN7XJ","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:19.349Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.658Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}