ThefirstoftheseincidentsbroughtmeinacquaintancewithacertainSanFranciscocharacter，whohadsomethingofanamebeyondthelimitsofthecity，andwasknowntomanyloversofgoodEnglish。Ihaddiscoveredanewslum，aplaceofprecarious，sandycliffs，deep，sandycuttings，solitary，ancienthouses，andthebutt-endsofstreets。Itwasalreadyenvironed。
Theranksofthestreet-lampsthreadeditunbroken。Thecity，uponallsidesofit，wastightlypacked，andgrowledwithtraffic。To-day，Idonotdoubttheverylandmarksareallsweptaway；butitofferedthen，withinnarrowlimits，adelightfulpeace，and(inthemorning，whenIchieflywentthere)aseclusionalmostrural。Onasteepsand-hill，inthisneighbourhood，toppled，onthemostinsecurefoundation，acertainrowofhouses，eachwithabitofgarden，andall(Ihavetopresume)inhabited。ThitherIusedtomountbyacrumblingfootpath，andinfrontofthelastofthehouses，wouldsitdowntosketch。TheveryfirstdayIsawIwasobserved，outoftheground-floorwindowbyayoungish，good-lookingfellow，prematurelybald，andwithanexpressionbothlivelyandengaging。Thesecond，aswewerestilltheonlyfiguresinthelandscape，itwasnomorethannaturalthatweshouldnod。
Thethird，hecameoutfairlyfromhisintrenchments，praisedmysketch，andwiththeimpromptucordialityofartistscarriedmeintohisapartment；whereIsatpresentlyinthemidstofamuseumofstrangeobjects，——paddlesandbattle-clubsandbaskets，rough-hewnstoneimages，ornamentsofthreadedshell，cocoanutbowls，snowycocoanutplumes——evidencesandexamplesofanotherearth，anotherclimate，anotherrace，andanother(ifaruder)culture。Nordidtheseobjectslackafittingcommentaryintheconversationofmynewacquaintance。
Doubtlessyouhavereadhisbook。Youknowalreadyhowhetrampedandstarved，andhadsofineaprofitofliving，inhisdaysamongtheislands；andmeetinghim，asIdid，oneartistwithanother，aftermonthsofofficesandpicnics，youcanimaginewithwhatcharmhewouldspeak，andwithwhatpleasureIwouldhear。Itwasinsuchtalks，whichwewerebotheagertorepeat，thatIfirstheardthenames——firstfellunderthespell——oftheislands；anditwasfromoneofthefirstofthemthatIreturned(ahappyman)with_Omoo_underonearm，andmyfriend’sownadventuresundertheother。
Thesecondincidentwasmoredramatic，andhad，besides，abearingonmyfuture。Iwasstanding，oneday，nearaboat-
landingunderTelegraphHill。Alargebarque，perhapsofeighteenhundredtons，wascomingmorethanusuallycloseaboutthepointtoreachhermoorings；andIwasobservingherwithlanguidinattention，whenIobservedtwomentostrideacrossthebulwarks，dropintoashoreboat，and，violentlydispossessingtheboatmanofhisoars，pulltowardthelandingwhereIstood。Inasurprisinglyshorttimetheycametearingupthesteps；andIcouldseethatbothweretoowelldressedtobeforemasthands——thefirstevenwithresearch，andboth，andspeciallythefirst，appearedundertheempireofsomestrongemotion。
“Nearestpoliceoffice！”criedtheleader。
“Thisway。”saidI，immediatelyfallinginwiththeirprecipitatepace。“What’swrong？Whatshipisthat？”
“That’stheGleaner。”hereplied。“Iamchiefofficer，thisgentleman’sthird；andwe’vetogetinourdepositionsbeforethecrew。Youseetheymightcorraluswiththecaptain；andthat’snokindofberthforme。I’vesailedwithsomehardcasesinmytime，andseenpinsflyinglikesandonasquallyday——butneveramatchtoouroldman。ItneverletupfromtheHooktotheFarallones；andthelastmanwasdroppednotsixteenhoursago。Packetratsourmenwere，andastoughacrowdaseversand-baggedaman’sheadin；buttheylookedsickenoughwhenthecaptainstartedinwithhisfancyshooting。”
“O，he’sdoneup。”observedtheother。“Hewon’tgotoseanomore。”
“Youmakemetired。”retortedhissuperior。“Ifhegetsashoreinonepieceandisn’tlynchedinthenexttenminutes，he’lldoyet。Theownershavealongermemorythanthepublic；they’llstandbyhim；theydon’tfindassmartacaptaineverydayintheyear。”
“O，he’sasonofagunofafinecaptain；thereain’tnodoubtofthat。”concurredtheother，heartily。“Why，Idon’tsupposethere’sbeennowagespaidaboardthatGleanerforthreetrips。”
“Nowages？”Iexclaimed，forIwasstillanoviceinmaritimeaffairs。
“Nottosailor-menbeforethemast。”agreedthemate。“Menclearedout；wasn’tthesoftjobtheymaybetookitfor。Sheisn’
thefirstshipthatneverpaidwages。”
Icouldnotbutobservethatourpacewasprogressivelyrelaxing；andindeedIhaveoftenwonderedsincewhetherthehurryofthestartwerenotintendedforthegalleryalone。
Certainitisatleast，thatwhenwehadreachedthepoliceoffice，andthemateshadmadetheirdeposition，andtoldtheirhorridtaleoffivemenmurdered，somewithsavagepassion，somewithcoldbrutality，betweenSandyHookandSanFrancisco，thepoliceweredespatchedintimetobetoolate。
Beforewearrived，theruffianhadslippedoutuponthedock，hadmingledwiththecrowd，andfoundarefugeinthehouseofanacquaintance；andtheshipwasonlytenantedbyhislatevictims。Wellforhimthathehadbeenthusspeedy。Forwhenwordbegantogoabroadamongtheshore-sidecharacters，whenthelastvictimwascarriedbytothehospital，whenthosewhohadescaped(asbymiracle)fromthatfloatingshambles，begantocirculateandshowtheirwoundsinthecrowd，itwasstrangetowitnesstheagitationthatseizedandshookthatportionofthecity。Menshedtearsinpublic；bossesoflodging-houses，longinuredtobrutality，andaboveall，brutalitytosailors，shooktheirfistsatheaven：ifhandscouldhavebeenlaidonthecaptainoftheGleaner，hisshriftwouldhavebeenshort。Thatnight(sogossipreports)hewasheadedupinabarrelandsmuggledacrossthebay：intwoshipsalreadyhehadbravedthepenitentiaryandthegallows；andyet，bylastaccounts，henowcommandsanotherontheWesternOcean。
AsIhavesaid，IwasneverquitecertainwhetherMr。Nares(themate)didnotintendthathissuperiorshouldescape。Itwouldhavebeenlikehispreferenceofloyaltytolaw；itwouldhavebeenlikehisprejudice，whichwasallinfavouroftheafter-guard。Butitmustremainamatterofconjectureonly。
WellasIcametoknowhiminthesequel，hewasnevercommunicativeonthatpoint，norindeedonanythatconcernedthevoyageoftheGleaner。Doubtlesshehadsomereasonforhisreticence。Evenduringourwalktothepoliceoffice，hedebatedseveraltimeswithJohnson，thethirdofficer，whetherheoughtnottogiveuphimself，aswellastodenouncethecaptain。Hehaddecidedinthenegative，arguingthat“itwouldprobablycometonothing；andeveniftherewasastink，hehadplentygoodfriendsinSanFrancisco。”Andtonothingitcame；
thoughitmusthaveverynearlycometosomething，forMr。
Naresdisappearedimmediatelyfromviewandwasscarcelesscloselyhiddenthanhiscaptain。
Johnson，ontheotherhand，Ioftenmet。Icouldneverlearnthisman’scountry；andthoughhehimselfclaimedtobeAmerican，neitherhisEnglishnorhiseducationwarrantedtheclaim。InalllikelihoodhewasofScandinavianbirthandblood，longpickledintheforecastlesofEnglishandAmericanships。Itispossiblethat，likesomanyofhisraceinsimilarpositions，hehadalreadylosthisnativetongue。Inmind，atleast，hewasquitedenationalised；thoughtonlyinEnglish——tocallitso；andthoughbynatureoneofthemildest，kindest，andmostfeeblyplayfulofmankind，hehadbeensolongaccustomedtothecrueltyofseadiscipline，thathisstories(toldperhapswithagiggle)wouldsometimesturnmechill。Inappearance，hewastall，lightofweight，boldandhigh-bredoffeature，dusky-haired，andwithafaceofacleanevenbrown：
theornamentofoutdoormen。Seatedinachair，youmighthavepassedhimoffforabaronetoramilitaryofficer；butlethimrise，anditwasFo’c’s’leJackthatcamerollingtowardyou，crab-like；lethimbutopenhislips，anditwasFo’c’s’leJackthatpipedanddrawledhisungrammaticalgibberish。Hehadsailed(amongotherplaces)muchamongtheislands；andafteraCapeHornpassagewithitssnow-squallsanditsfrozensheets，heannouncedhisintentionof“takingaturnamongthemKanakas。”IthoughtIshouldhavelosthimsoon；butaccordingtotheunwrittenusageofmariners，hehadfirsttodissipatehiswages。“GuessI’llhavetopaintthistownred。”
washishyperbolicalexpression；forsurenomaneverembarkeduponamildercourseofdissipation，mostofhisdaysbeingpassedinthelittleparlourbehindBlackTom’spublichouse，withaselectcorpsofoldparticularacquaintances，allfromtheSouthSeas，andallpatronsofalongyarn，ashortpipe，andglassesround。
BlackTom’s，tothefront，presentedtheappearanceofafourth-
ratesaloon，devotedtoKanakaseamen，dirt，negroheadtobacco，badcigars，worsegin，andguitarsandbanjosinastateofdecline。Theproprietor，apowerfulcolouredman，wasatonceapublican，awardpolitician，leaderofsomebrigadeof“lambs“or“smashers。”atthewindofwhoseclubsthepartybossesandthemayorweresupposedtotremble，and(whathurtnothing)anactiveandreliablecrimp。Hisfrontquarters，then，werenoisy，disreputable，andnotevensafe。Ihaveseenworsefrequentedsaloonswheretherewerefewerscandals；forTomwasoftendrunkhimself；andthereisnodoubttheLambsmusthavebeenausefulbody，ortheplacewouldhavebeenclosed。
Irememberoneday，notlongbeforeanelection，seeingablindman，verywelldressed，leduptothecounterandremainalongwhileinconsultationwiththenegro。Thepairlookedsoill-
assorted，andtheawewithwhichthedrinkersfellbackandlefttheminthemidstofanimpromptuprivacywassounusualinsuchaplace，thatIturnedtomynextneighbourwithaquestion。Hetoldmetheblindmanwasadistinguishedpartyboss，calledbysometheKingofSanFrancisco，butperhapsbetterknownbyhispicturesqueChinesenicknameoftheBlindWhiteDevil。“TheLambsmustbewantedprettybad，Iguess。”
myinformantadded。IhavehereasketchoftheBlindWhiteDevilleaningonthecounter；onthenextpage，andtakenthesamehour，ajottingofBlackTomthreateningawholecrowdofcustomerswithalongSmithandWesson：tosuchheightsanddepthsweroseandfellinthefrontpartsofthesaloon。
Meanwhile，awayinthebackquarters，satthesmallinformalSouthSeaclub，talkingofanotherworldandsurelyofadifferentcentury。Oldschoonercaptainstheywere，oldSouthSeatraders，cooks，andmates：finecreatures，softenedbyresidenceamongasofterrace：fullmenbesides，thoughnotbyreading，butbystrangeexperience；andfordaystogetherI
couldheartheiryarnswithanunfadingpleasure。Allhadindeedsometouchofthepoetic；forthebeach-comber，whennotamereruffian，isthepoorrelationoftheartist。EventhroughJohnson’sinarticulatespeech，his“Oyes，thereain’tnoharminthemKanakas。”or“Oyes，that’sasonofagunofafineisland，mountainiousrightdown；Ididn’tneveroughttohaveleftthatisland。”therepiercedacertaingustoofappreciation：andsomeoftherestweremaster-talkers。Fromtheirlongtales，theirtraitsofcharacterandunpremeditatedlandscape，therebegantopieceitselftogetherinmyheadsomeimageoftheislandsandtheislandlife：precipitousshores，spiredmountaintops，thedeepshadeofhangingforests，theunrestingsurfuponthereef，andtheunendingpeaceofthelagoon；sun，moon，andstarsofanimperialbrightness；manmovinginthesescenesscarcefallen，andwomanlovelierthanEve；theprimalcurseabrogated，thebedmadereadyforthestranger，lifesettoperpetualmusic，andtheguestwelcomed，theboaturged，andthelongnightbeguiled，withpoetryandchoralsong。Amanmusthavebeenanunsuccessfulartist；hemusthavestarvedonthestreetsofParis；hemusthavebeenyokedtoacommercialforcelikePinkerton，beforehecanconceivethelongingsthatattimesassailedme。Thedraughty，rowdycityofSanFrancisco，thebustlingofficewheremyfriendJimpacedlikeacagedliondailybetweentenandfour，even(attimes)theretrospectofParis，fadedincomparison。
Manyamanlesstemptedwouldhavethrownupalltorealisehisvisions；butIwasbynatureunadventurousanduninitiative：
todivertmefromallformerpathsandsendmecruisingthroughtheislesofparadise，someforceexternaltomyselfmustbeexerted；Destinyherselfmustusethefittingwedge；
andlittleasIdeemedit，thattoolwasalreadyinherhandofbrass。
Isat，oneafternoon，inthecornerofagreat，glassy，silveredsaloon，afreelunchatmyoneelbow，attheothera“conscientiousnude“fromthebrushoflocaltalent；when，withthetrampoffeetandasuddenbuzzofvoices，theswing-doorswereflungbroadlyopenandtheplacecarriedasbystorm。Thecrowdwhichthusentered(mostlyseafaringmen，andallprodigiouslyexcited)containedasortofkernelorgeneralcentreofinterest，whichtherestmerelysurroundedandadvertised，aschildrenintheOldWorldsurroundandescortthePunch-and-Judyman；thewordwentroundthebarlikewildfirethatthesewereCaptainTrentandthesurvivorsoftheBritishbrigFlyingScud，pickedupbyaBritishwar-shiponMidwayIsland，arrivedthatmorninginSanFranciscoBay，andnowfreshfrommakingthenecessarydeclarations。
PresentlyIhadagoodsightofthem：fourbrown，seamanlikefellows，standingbythecounter，glassinhand，thecentreofascoreofquestioners。OnewasaKanaka——thecook，Iwasinformed；onecarriedacagewithacanary，whichoccasionallytrilledintothinsong；onehadhisleftarminaslingandlookedgentlemanlike，andsomewhatsickly，asthoughtheinjuryhadbeensevereandhewasscarcerecovered；andthecaptainhimself——ared-faced，blue-eyed，thicksetmanoffiveandforty——woreabandageonhisrighthand。Theincidentstruckme；I
