Chapters 33-36 Summary and Analysis

To save time, Alert runs north inside the Falkland Islands The crew is enthusiastic as it maximizes the canvas up forward, causing Alert to bound through the water as never before. It takes two men to steer her. Spirits rise as Alert enters the tropics and see again the northern constellations. They are traveling at the rate of steam ships. Quarter, clothes, and bodies are washed. Vessels require as much preparation for returning to port as for getting ready for sea at the start of a voyage. They must look good to the owners and critics; this is called "hard usage."

Early in the process, Thompson ignores the tradition that the captain makes his wishes known to the mate and leaves execution to him. As Thompson micromanages the task of staying the foretopmast plumb, Mr. Brown notes sarcastically that...