15. CHAPTER XV.
A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE.
Like most silent earnest sort of people, my good Viking
was a pattern of industry. When in the boats after whales,
I have known him carry along a roll of sinnate to stitch
into a hat. And the boats lying motionless for half an
hour or so, waiting the rising of the chase, his fingers would
be plying at their task, like an old lady knitting. Like an
experienced old-wife too, his digits had become so expert and
conscientious, that his eyes left them alone; deeming optic
supervision unnecessary. And on this trip of ours, when
not otherwise engaged, he was quite as busy with his fingers
as ever:—unraveling old Cape Horn hose, for yarn wherewith
to darn our woolen frocks; with great patches from
the skirts of a condemned reefing-jacket, panneling the
seats of our “ducks;” in short, veneering our broken garments
with all manner of choice old broadcloths.
With the true forethought of an old tar, he had brought
along with him nearly the whole contents of his chest.
His precious “Ditty Bag,” containing his sewing utensils,
had been carefully packed away in the bottom of one of
his bundles; of which he had as many as an old maid on
her travels. In truth, an old salt is very much of an old
maid, though, strictly speaking, far from deserving that
misdeemed appellative. Better be an old maid, a woman
with herself for a husband, than the wife of a fool; and
Solomon more than hints that all men are fools; and every
wise man knows himself to be one.
When playing the sempstress, Jarl's favorite perch was
the triangular little platform in the bow; which being the
driest and most elevated part of the boat, was best adapted
to his purpose. Here for hours and hours together the
honest old tailor would sit darning and sewing away, heedless
of the wide ocean around; while forever, his slouched
Guayaquil hat kept bobbing up and down against the horizon
before us.
It was a most solemn avocation with him. Silently he
nodded like the still statue in the opera of Don Juan. Indeed
he never spoke, unless to give pithy utterance to the
wisdom of keeping one's wardrobe in repair. But herein
my Viking at times waxed oracular. And many's the hour
we glided along, myself deeply pondering in the stern, hand
upon helm; while crosslegged at the other end of the boat
Jarl laid down patch upon patch, and at long intervals precept
upon precept; here several saws, and there innumerable
stitches.
