One of Captain Pincher's own sons was assistant to the engineer,
Ducat, and helped in the cargo work. The lad lived forward with the
crew, so that we saw nothing of him socially, and his father never
spoke to him save to give an order or a reprimand. Native mothers
mourn often the lack of fatherly affection in their white mates.
Illegitimate children are held cheap by the whites.

[Illustration: Lieutenant L'Hermier des Plantes, Governor of the
Marquesas Islands]

[Illustration: Entrance to a Marquesan bay]

For two days at sea after leaving Papeite we did not see the sun.
This was the rainy and hot season, a time of calms and hurricanes,
of sudden squalls and maddening quietudes, when all signs fail and
the sailor must stand by for the whims of the wind if he would save
himself and his ship. For hours we raced along at seven or eight
knots, with a strong breeze on the quarter and the seas ruffling
about our prow. For still longer hours we pushed through a windless
calm by motor power. Showers fell incessantly.

We lived in pajamas, barefooted, unshaven and unwashed. Fresh water
was limited, as it would be impossible to replenish our casks for
many weeks. McHenry said it was not difficult to accustom one's self
to lack of water, both externally and internally.

There was a demijohn of strong Tahitian rum always on tap in the
cabin. Here we sat to eat and remained to drink and read and smoke.
There was Bordeaux wine at luncheon and dinner, Martinique and