TO THE IDEAL AMERICAN SAILOR
Reading edition
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
Captain Ralph E. Peasley, of Jonesport, Maine,
Who skippered the first five-masted schooner ever built, brought her, on that first voyage, through the worst typhoon that ever blew, and upon arriving at the Yang Tse Kiang River for the first time in his adventurous career, decided he could not trust a Chinese pilot and established a record by sailing her up himself!
Captain I. N. Hibberd, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Sometime master of the American clipper ship, Cyrus Wakefield, who, at the age of twenty-five, broke three world's records in one voyage: San Francisco to Liverpool and back, eight months and two days; Liverpool to San Francisco, one hundred days; from the equator to San Francisco, eleven days. The clipper ship is gone but the skipper remains, an undefeated champion.
Captain William P. Cantey, of San Francisco, California,
Sometime mate of the brig Galilee, who, with his naked hands, convinced in thirty-five minutes nine larger men than himself of the incontrovertible fact that you cannot keep a good man down.
TO THE AMERICAN SHIPOWNER
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
John H. Rossiter, Manager of W. R. Grace & Co., of San Francisco.
Edwin A. Christenson, President of the Sudden & Christenson S.S. Line, of San Francisco.
John R. Hanify, President of the John R. Hanify Company, of San Francisco.
TO THE PACIFIC COAST LUMBERMAN
As exemplified in the person of my good friend,
Augustus J. (“Gus”) Russell, California Manager for the Portland Lumber Company, and my personal representative, without salary, in the wholesale lumber trade, ever since I abandoned lumber for literature.
TO FREIGHT, SHIP, AND MARINE INSURANCE BROKERS
As exemplified in the persons of my good friends,
Messrs. E. B. Smith, Oscar J. Beyfuss, and Allan Hayes.
This volume is dedicated, without charge for the advertising but with profound appreciation of the part they have made in making this book possible. With the author they must bear an equal burden of whatever of praise or censure shall entail.
CONTENTS
TO THE IDEAL AMERICAN SAILOR CHAPTER I. MASTER OF MANY SHIPS AND SKIPPER OF NONE CHAPTER II. THE MAN FROM BLUE WATER CHAPTER III. UNDER THE BLUE STAR FLAG CHAPTER IV. BAD NEWS FROM CAPE TOWN CHAPTER V. MATT PEASLEY ASSUMES OFFICE CHAPTER VI. WORDY WAR AT A DOLLAR A WORD CHAPTER VII. CAPPY RICKS MAKES BAD MEDICINE CHAPTER VIII. ALL HANDS AND FEET TO THE RESCUE CHAPTER IX. MR. MURPHY ADVISES PREPAREDNESS CHAPTER X. THE BATTLE OF TABLE BAY CHAPTER XI. MR. SKINNER RECEIVES A TELEGRAM CHAPTER XII. THE CAMPAIGN OPENS CHAPTER XIII. AN OLD FRIEND RETURNS AND CAPPY LEADS ANOTHER ACE CHAPTER XIV. INSULT ADDED TO INJURY CHAPTER XV. RUMORS OF WAR CHAPTER XVI. WAR! CHAPTER XVII. CAPPY FORCES AN ARMISTICE CHAPTER XVIII. THE WAR IS RENEWED CHAPTER XIX. CAPPY SEEKS PEACE CHAPTER XX. PEACE AT LAST! CHAPTER XXI. MATT PEASLEY MEETS A TALKATIVE STRANGER CHAPTER XXII. FACE TO FACE CHAPTER XXIII. BUSINESS AND— CHAPTER XXIV. THE CLEAN UP CHAPTER XXV. CAPPY PROVES HIMSELF A DESPOT CHAPTER XXVI. MATT PEASLEY IN EXILE CHAPTER XXVII. PROMOTION CHAPTER XXVIII. CAPPY HAS A HEART CHAPTER XXIX. NATURE TAKES HER COURSE CHAPTER XXX. MR. SKINNER HEARS A LECTURE CHAPTER XXXI. INTERNAL COMBUSTION CHAPTER XXXII. SKINNER PROPOSES—AND CAPPY RICKS DISPOSES CHAPTER XXXIII. CAPPY'S PLANS DEMOLISHED CHAPTER XXXIV. A GIFT FROM THE GODS CHAPTER XXXV. A DIRTY YANKEE TRICK CHAPTER XXXVI. CAPPY FORBIDS THE BANS—YET CHAPTER XXXVII. MATT PEASLEY BECOMES A SHIPOWNER CHAPTER XXXVIII. WORKING CAPITAL CHAPTER XXXIX. EASY MONEY CHAPTER XL. THE CATACLYSM CHAPTER XLI. WHEN PAIN AND ANGUISH WRING THE BROW CHAPTER XLII. UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS CHAPTER XLIII. CAPPY PLANS A KNOCK-OUT CHAPTER XLIV. SKINNER DEVELOPS INTO A HUMAN BEING CHAPTER XLV. CAPPY PULLS OFF A WEDDING CHAPTER XLVI. A SHIP FORGOTTEN CHAPTER XLVII. THE TAIL GOES WITH THE HIDE CHAPTER XLVIII. VICTORY