The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-12-29
| MARINE PHILOSOPHER.
CAPT. RICHARDSON WRITES ON CON-
DITI0NS AT SEA, AND OF A TRIP
AROUND CUBA.

CAPT. RICHARDSON WHITES UN Gun
DITIONS AT SEA, AND OF A TRIP
AROUND CUBA.
ClENFUEGos, Dec. 16, 1904. Man may
become SO used to stormy conditions at
sea that he forgets to complain; but it
is doubtful if there is one SO water
soaked and storm-hardened that he
does not prefer fairly good weather to
that of another kind. He may desire
that the sea be just high enough at all
times to make things bit strenuous,
and the force of the wind always such
as to give good Roadway; for ii the
weather prevails too lazily fine, with a
sail craft, it becomes impossible to
keep up with, the mail; and the great
est pleasure to be had from the life is in
holding up to a reasonable schedule of
time, and little ahead if that be pos
sible. There are men who may pro-
TESS no desire to show any special ener-
gy, and seem to think it undignified to
do so; but that may sometimes be an
over-modest pretense, rather than from
the heart.
The inducements that lead one to do
his best are various; the prime reason
may be the one that most strongly
moves the energies of all creatures
personal gain. The next may be COM
mendable pride in wishing to prove
himself alive and up to the require
ments of live world and a strenuous
age. And then his future prospects,
his continued or increasing chances Of
holding profitable positions, all depend
upon his energy and ability to meet the
expectations of the always ready and
discerning eye of employing commerce.
And, beyond these reasons, but not
least, may be a thought for the general
manager of the home. Though reason
able, she may be ambitious and slight
ly impatient that the subject of all her
trials and woes shall be at appointed
places on expected dates, and manfully
meet all obligations due to his position,
almost regardless of winds or tides.
And | would the more admire a man
who will value above other considera-
tons any pride that he may be able to
inspire within the heart of one who
knows him better and is by far more
vitality interested in his aims, achieve
ments, and welfare, than are all others
combined.
In making sea-passages the race is
not always to the swift, but rather to
the attentive leader who never grows
weary; to one who in making best use
of the passing winds can make truest
forecast of the next change and govern
himself accordingly; never, for sake of
comfort, holding the wrong tack until
daylight. But it sometimes seems that
the more years one has studied the
weather the more often his judgment
may be at fault. If one had but the
divine gift of always knowing just
what the wind and weather would be
for one day in advance he could easily
beat the world at this game. Nor is
the battle always to the strong; he
who bears on too hard in trying to
''break records" may break other things
instead. The more profitable kind is
one who makes general good speed and
nearly. always comes in with no loss
and be ready to 60 out again without
repairs to the craft or a continual re-
fitting.
Successful men never believe in luck;
the prominently unsuccessful always
do. One who has failed of election to
the first class, but by hard work has
overcome his natural stupidity so far
as to keep out Of Office in the second
class, may have no settled convictions
in the matter and be open to unpreju-
t diced observation or arguments. If
there can be an eternal deviation of
the compass caused by the way the
ship was heading while building, then
why may it not be possible that from
an antecedent cause there may be some
subtle influence continually following
her paths or leading her on, for good or
for evil, to safety or to destruction? l
do not argue that it is so, nor deny the
possibility. l only know that some
vessels are full of trouble and others
have none, and the same fate applies to
mankind.
The Stole Philosophers taught that
the fate of man or things could not be
turned aside, and even in these days of
independent thought and wisdom we
all believe that the most of their teach
ings were wondrously wise. By high
er authority we are taught that the
same kind of weather falls alike upon
the just and the unjust; yet there are
men who must be lonesome when it
does not storm, and others who seem
to sail along in paths of almost contin-
ual fair weather. 1t is true that some
men are always counting the pulse and
searching the face of the heavens, the
earth, and the atmosphere, for signs of
bad weather, and one generally finds
what he earnestly seeks for. Such an
unhappy person must be very un-