Nevertheless, the enterprise hinted at was no light one; and I
resolved to weigh well the chances. It's worth noticing, this way we
all have of pondering for ourselves the enterprise, which, for
others, we hold a bagatelle.

My first thoughts were of the boat to be obtained, and the
right or wrong of abstracting it, under the circumstances. But to
split no hairs on this point, let me say, that were I placed in the
same situation again, I would repeat the thing I did then. The
captain well knew that he was going to detain me unlawfully: against
our agreement; and it was he himself who threw out the very hint,
which I merely adopted, with many thanks to him.

In some such willful mood as this, I went aloft one day, to stand my
allotted two hours at the mast-head. It was toward the close of a
day, serene and beautiful. There I stood, high upon the mast, and
away, away, illimitably rolled the ocean beneath. Where we then were
was perhaps the most unfrequented and least known portion of these
seas. Westward, however, lay numerous groups of islands, loosely laid
down upon the charts, and invested with all the charms of dream-land.
But soon these regions would be past; the mild equatorial breeze
exchanged for cold, fierce squalls, and all the horrors of northern
voyaging.

I cast my eyes downward to the brown planks of the dull, plodding
ship, silent from stem to stern; then abroad.

In the distance what visions were spread! The entire western horizon
high piled with gold and crimson clouds; airy arches, domes, and
minarets; as if the yellow, Moorish sun were setting behind some vast