{"id":"01KG8AKXZS814P0P59RVX99YND","cid":"bafkreico7s2aaoqarpzqc6o7ughkjse7iu6qabxurjbsoks2bb4ultf4eu","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":11405,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.153Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":11337,"text":"a sort of collateral evidence against us. For, curiously enough, an\r\nAmerican sailor is generally distinguished by his red frock; and an\r\nEnglish tar by his blue one: thus reversing the national colours. The\r\ncircumstance was pointed out by the captain; and we quickly explained\r\nthe anomaly. But, in vain: he seemed inveterately prejudiced against\r\nus; and, in particular, eyed the doctor most distrustfully.\r\n\r\nBy way of propping the tatter’s pretensions, I was throwing out a hint\r\nconcerning Kentucky, as a land of tall men, when our Vine-yarder turned\r\naway abruptly, and desired to hear nothing more. It was evident that he\r\ntook Long Ghost for an exceedingly problematical character.\r\n\r\nPerceiving this, I resolved to see what a private interview would do.\r\nSo, one afternoon, I found the captain smoking a pipe in the dwelling\r\nof a portly old native—one Mai-Mai—who, for a reasonable compensation,\r\ndid the honours of Partoowye to illustrious strangers.\r\n\r\nHis guest had just risen from a sumptuous meal of baked pig and taro\r\npudding; and the remnants of the repast were still visible. Two reeking\r\nbottles, also, with their necks wrenched off, lay upon the mat. All\r\nthis was encouraging; for, after a good dinner, one feels affluent and\r\namiable, and peculiarly open to conviction. So, at all events, I found\r\nthe noble Vineyarder.\r\n\r\nI began by saying that I called for the purpose of setting him right\r\ntouching certain opinions of his concerning the place of my nativity:—I\r\nwas an American—thank heaven!—and wanted to convince him of the fact.\r\n\r\nAfter looking me in the eye for some time, and, by so doing, revealing\r\nan obvious unsteadiness in his own visual organs, he begged me to reach\r\nforth my arm. I did so; wondering what upon earth that useful member\r\nhad to do with the matter in hand.\r\n\r\nHe placed his fingers upon my wrist; and holding them there for a\r\nmoment, sprang to his feet, and, with much enthusiasm, pronounced me a\r\nYankee, every beat of my pulse!\r\n\r\n“Here, Mai-Mai!” he cried, “another bottle!” And, when it came, with\r\none stroke of a knife, he summarily beheaded it, and commanded me to\r\ndrain it to the bottom. He then told me that if I would come on board\r\nhis vessel the following morning, I would find the ship’s articles on\r\nthe cabin transom.\r\n\r\nThis was getting along famously. But what was to become of the doctor?\r\n\r\nI forthwith made an adroit allusion to my long friend. But it was worse\r\nthan useless. The Vineyarder swore he would have nothing to do with\r\nhim—he (my long friend) was a “bird” from Sydney, and nothing would\r\nmake him (the man of little faith) believe otherwise.\r\n\r\nI could not help loving the free-hearted captain; but indignant at this\r\nmost unaccountable prejudice against my comrade, I abruptly took leave.\r\n\r\nUpon informing the doctor of the result of the interview, he was\r\ngreatly amused; and laughingly declared that the Vineyarder must be a\r\npenetrating fellow. He then insisted upon my going to sea in the ship,\r\nsince he well knew how anxious I was to leave. As for himself, on\r\nsecond thoughts, he was no sailor; and although “lands—’ men” very\r\noften compose part of a whaler’s crew, he did not quite relish the idea\r\nof occupying a position so humble. In short, he had made up his mind to\r\ntarry awhile in Imeeo.\r\n\r\nI turned the matter over: and at last decided upon quitting the island.\r\nThe impulse urging me to sea once more, and the prospect of eventually\r\nreaching home, were too much to be resisted; especially as the\r\nLeviathan, so comfortable a craft, was now bound on her last whaling\r\ncruise, and, in little more than a year’s time, would be going round\r\nCape Horn.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJNK08HXR546X612JSYB6","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKXZSG5S1B8C4ZPMXP5XY","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKXZSFJY64BE6SEX7TEGP","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:20.473Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:33.185Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}