BY
JACK LONDON
AUTHOR OF “VALLEY OF THEMOON,” “JOHN BARLEYCORN”
“MUTINY OF THE ELSINORE,” ETC.
“Yes have heard the beat of the offshorewind,
And the thresh of the deep-sea rain;
You have heard the song—how long! how long!
Pull out on the trail again!”
MILLS & BOON, LIMITED
49 RUPERT STREET
LONDON, W.1
Copyright in the United Statesof America by The MacmillanCompany
To
CHARMIAN
THE MATE OF THE“SNARK”
WHO TOOK THEWHEEL, NIGHT OR DAY,
WHEN ENTERING
OR LEAVING PORT OR RUNNING APASSAGE,
WHO TOOK THE WHEEL IN EVERY EMERGENCY,AND
WHO WEPT
AFTER TWO YEARS OF SAILING, WHENTHE
VOYAGE WAS DISCONTINUED
It began in the swimming pool atGlen Ellen. Between swims it was our wont to come out andlie in the sand and let our skins breathe the warm air and soakin the sunshine. Roscoe was a yachtsman. I hadfollowed the sea a bit. It was inevitable that we shouldtalk about boats. We talked about small boats, and theseaworthiness of small boats. We instanced Captain Slocumand his three years’ voyage around the world in theSpray.
We asserted that we were not afraid to go around the world in