ger　tongues；　his　one　eager　glance　took　in　all　the　faces；　with　every　other　object　about　him。　　　　　Always　upon　first　boarding　a　large　and　populous　ship　at　sea；　especially　a　foreign　one；　with　a　nondescript　crew　such　as　Lascars　or　Manilla　men；　the　impression　varies　in　a　peculiar　way　from　that　produced　by　first　entering　a　strange　house　with　strange　inmates　in　a　strange　land。　Both　house　and　ship；　the　one　by　its　walls　and　blinds；　the　other　by　its　high　bulwarks　like　ramparts；　hoard　from　view　their　interiors　till　the　last　moment；　but　in　the　case　of　the　ship　there　is　this　addition：　that　the　living　spectacle　it　contains；　upon　its　sudden　and　complete　disclosure；　has；　in　contrast　with　the　blank　ocean　which　zones　it；　something　of　the　effect　of　enchantment。　The　ship　seems　unreal；　these　strange　costumes；　gestures；　and　faces；　but　a　shadowy　tableau　just　emerged　from　the　deep；　which　directly　must　receive　back　what　it　gave。　　　　　Perhaps　it　was　some　such　influence　as　above　is　attempted　to　be　described　which；　in　Captain　Delano's　mind；　heightened　whatever；　upon　a　staid　scrutiny；　might　have　seemed　unusual；　especially　the　conspicuous　figures　of　four　elderly　grizzled　Negroes；　their　heads　like　black；　doddered　willow　tops；　who；　in　venerable　contrast　to　the　tumult　below　them；　were　couched　sphynx…like；　one　on　the　starboard　cat…head；　another　on　the　larboard；　and　the　remaining　pair　face　to　face　on　the　opposite　bulwarks　above　the　main…chains。　They　each　had　bits　of　unstranded　old　junk　in　their　hands；　and；　with　a　sort　of　stoical　self…content；　were　picking　the　junk　into　oakum；　a　small　heap　of　which　lay　by　their　sides。　They　accompanied　the　task　with　a　continuous；　low；　monotonous　chant；　droning　and　drooling　away　like　so　many　grey…headed　bag…pipers　playing　a　funeral　march。　　　　　The　quarter…deck　rose　into　an　ample　elevated　poop；　upon　the　forward　verge　of　which；　lifted；　like　the　oakum…pickers；　some　eight　feet　above　the　general　throng；　sat　along　in　a　row；　separated　by　regular　spaces；　the　cross…legged　figures　of　six　other　blacks；　each　with　a　rusty　hatchet　in　his　hand；　which；　with　a　bit　of　brick　and　a　rag；　he　was　engaged　like　a　scullion　in　scouring；　while　between　each　two　was　a　small　stack　of　hatchets；　their　rusted　edges　turned　forward　awaiting　a　like　operation。　Though　occasionally　the　four　oakum…pickers　would　briefly　address　some　person　or　persons　in　the　crowd　below；　yet　the　six　hatchet…polishers　neither　spoke　to　others；　nor　breathed　a　whisper　among　themselves；　but　sat　intent　upon　their　task；　except　at　intervals；　when；　with　the　peculiar　love　in　Negroes　of　uniting　industry　with　pastime；　two…and…two　they　sideways　clashed　their　hatchets　together；　like　cymbals；　with　a　barbarous　din。　All　six；　unlike　the　generality；　had　the　raw　aspect　of　unsophisticated　Africans。　　　　　But　the　first　comprehensive　glance　which　took　in　those　ten　figures；　with　scores　less　conspicuous；　rested　but　an　instant　upon　them；　as；　impatient　of　the　hubbub　of　voices；　the　visitor　turned　in　quest　of　whomsoever　it　might　be　that　commanded　the　ship。　　　　　But　as　if　not　unwilling　to　let　nature　make　known　her　own　case　among　his　suffering　charge；　or　else　in　despair　of　restraining　it　for　the　time；　the　Spanish　captain；　a　gentlemanly；　reserved…looking；　and　rather　young　man　to　a　stranger's　eye；　dressed　with　singular　richness；　but　bearing　plain　traces　of　recent　sleepless　cares　and　disquietudes；　stood　passively　by；　leaning　against　the　main…mast；　at　one　moment　casting　a　dreary；　spiritless　look　upon　his　excited　people；　at　the　next　an　unhappy　glance　toward　his　visitor。　By　his　side　stood　a　black　of　small　stature；　in　whose　rude　face；　as　occasionally；　like　a　shepherd's　dog；　he　mutely　turned　it　up　into　the　Spaniard's；　sorrow　and　affection　were　equally　blended。　　　　　Struggling　through　the　throng；　the　American　advanced　to　the　Spaniard；　assuring　him　of　his　sympathies；　and　offering　to　render　whatever　assistance　might　be　in　his　power。　To　which　the　Spaniard　returned；　for　the　present；　but　grave　and　ceremonious　acknowledgments；　his　national　formality　dusked　by　the　saturnine　mood　of　ill　health。　　　　　But　losing　no　time　in　mere　compliments；　Captain　Delano　returning　to　the　gangway；　had　his　baskets　of　fish　brought　up；　and　as　the　wind　still　continued　light；　so　that　some　hours　at　least　must　elapse　ere　the　ship　could　be　brought　to　the　anchorage；　he　bade　his　men　return　to　the　sealer；　and　fetch　back　as　much　water　as　the　whaleboat　could　carry；　with　whatever　soft　bread　the　steward　might　have；　all　the　remaining　pumpkins　on　board；　with　a　box　of　sugar；　and　a　dozen　of　his　private　bottles　of　cider。　　　　　Not　many　minutes　after　the　boat's　pushing　off；　to　the　vexation　of　all；　the　wind　entirely　died　away；　and　the　tide　turning；　began　drifting　back　the　ship　helplessly　seaward。　But　trusting　this　would　not　last；　Captain　Delano　sought　with　good　hopes　to　cheer　up　the　strangers；　feeling　no　small　satisfaction　that；　with　persons　in　their　condition　he　could…　thanks　to　his　frequent　voyages　along　the　Spanish　main…　converse　with　some　freedom　in　their　native　tongue。　　　　　While　left　alone　with　them；　he　was　not　long　in　observing　some　things　tending　to　heighten　his　first　impressions；　but　surprise　was　lost　in　pity；　both　for　the　Spaniards　and　blacks；　alike　evidently　reduced　from　scarcity　of　water　and　provisions；　while　long…continued　suffering　seemed　to　have　brought　out　the　less　good…natured　qualities　of　the　Negroes；　besides；　at　the　same　time；　impairing　the　Spaniard's　authority　over　them。　But；　under　the　circumstances；　precisely　this　condition　of　things　was　to　have　been　anticipated。　In　armies；　navies；　cities；　or　families…　in　nature　herself…　nothing　more　relaxes　good　order　than　misery。　Still；　Captain　Delano　was　not　without　the　idea；　that　had　Benito　Cereno　been　a　man　of　greater　energy；　misrule　would　hardly　have　come　to　the　present　pass。　But　the　debility；　constitutional　or　induced　by　the　hardships；　bodily　and　mental；　of　the　Spanish　captain；　was　too　obvious　to　be　overlooked。　A　prey　to　settled　dejection；　as　if　long　mocked　with　hope　he　would　not　now　indulge　it；　even　when　it　had　ceased　to　be　a　mock；　the　prospect　of　that　day　or　evening　at　furthest；　lying　at　anchor；　with　plenty　of　water　for　his　people；　and　a　brother　captain　to　counsel　and　befriend；　seemed　in　no　perceptible　degree　to　encourage　him。　His　mind　appeared　unstrung；　if　not　still　more　seriously　affected。　Shut　up　in　these　oaken　walls；　chained　to　one　dull　round　of　command；　whose　unconditionality　cloyed　him；　like　some　hypochondriac　abbot　he　moved　slowly　about；　at　times　suddenly　pausing；　starting；　or　staring；　biting　his　lip；　biting　his　finger…nail；　flushing；　paling；　twitching　his　beard；　with　other　symptoms　of　an　absent　or　moody　mind。　This　distempered　spirit　was　lodged；　as　before　hinted；　in　as　distempered　a　frame。　He　was　rather　tall；　but　seemed　never　to　have　been　robust；　and　now　with　nervous　suffering　was　almost　worn　to　a　skeleton。　A　tendency　to　some　pulmonary　complaint　appeared　to　have　been　lately　confirmed。　His　voice　was　like　that　of　one　with　lungs　half　gone；　hoarsely　suppressed；　a　husky　whisper。　No　wonder　that；　as　in　this　state　he　tottered　about；　his　private　servant　apprehensively　followed　him。　Sometimes　the　Negro　gave　his　master　his　arm；　or　took　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　pocket　for　him；　performing　these　and　similar　offices　with　that　affectionate　zeal　which　transmutes　into　something　filial　or　fraternal　acts　in　themselves　but　menial；　and　which　has　gained　for　the　Negro　the　repute　of　making　the　most　pleasing　body…servant　in　the　world；　one；　too；　whom　a　master　need　be　on　no　stiffly　superior　terms　with；　but　may　treat　with　familiar　trust；　less　a　servant　than　a　devoted　companion。　　　　　Marking　the　noisy　indocility　of　the　blacks　in　general；　as　well　as　what　seemed　the　sullen　inefficiency　of　the　whites；　it　was　not　without　humane　satisfaction　that　Captain　Delano　witnessed　the　steady　good　conduct　of　Babo。　　　　　But　the　good　conduct　of　Babo；　hardly　more　than　the　ill…behaviour　of　others；　seemed　to　withdraw　the　half…lunatic　Don　Benito　from　his　cloudy　languor。　Not　that　such　precisely　was　the　impression　made　by　the　Spaniard　on　the　mind　of　his　visitor。　The　Spaniard's　individual　unrest　was；　for　the　present；　but　noted　as　a　conspicuous　feature　in　the　ship's　general　affliction。　Still；　Captain　Delano　was　not　a　little　concerned　at　what　he　could　not　help　taking　for　the　time　to　be　Don　Benito's　unfriendly　indifference　toward　himself。　The　Spaniard's　manner；　too；　conveyed　a　sort　of　sour　and　gloomy　disdain；　which　he　seemed　at　no　pains　to　disguise。　But　this　the　American　in　charity　ascribed　to　the　harassing　effects　of　sickness；　since；　in　former　instances；　he　had　noted　that　there　are　peculiar　natures　on　whom　prolonged　physical　suffering　seems　to　cancel　every　social　instinct　of　kindness；　as　if　forced　to　black　bread　themselves；　they　deemed　it　but　equity　that　each　person　coming　nigh　them　should；　indirectly；　by　some　slight　or　affront；　be　made　to　partake　of　their　fare。　　　　　But　ere　long　Captain　Delano　bethought　him　that；　indulgent　as　he　was　at　the　first；　in　judging　the　Spaniard；　he　might　not；　after　all；　have　exercised　charity　enough。　At　bottom　it　was　Don　Benito's　reserve　which　displeased　him；　but　the　same　reserve　was　shown　toward　all　but　his　personal　attendant。　Even　the　formal　reports　which；　according　to　sea…usage；　were　at　stated　times　made　to　him　by　some　petty　underling　（either　a　white；　mula