365 Day Project: Day 62

What Sailors Do on Sunday

Richard Henry Dana, Jr. (1815–1882).?Two Years before the Mast.?

[Vol. 23, pp. 112-119 of The Harvard Classics]

"A sailor's liberty is but for a day," as Dana explains. Dressed in his Sunday best, the sailor feels like a dashing Beau Brummel; and sets out to enjoy his freedom. "While it lasts it is perfect. He is under no one's eye and can do whatever he pleases."

Today’s reading includes a chapter from Richard Henry Dana Jr.’s book, Two Years before the Mast.?Two Years before the Mast is a first-hand account of the author's time spent working on a merchant ship during the mid-1880s.?

While Dana was a student at Harvard University, he contracted the measles, which ultimately caused his vision to become impaired. During this personal infliction point, he decided to drop out of college and instead pursue a life at sea. After securing a position on a merchant ship, Dana set sail from Boston to California. During the voyage, Dana witnessed and documented in his journal the harsh conditions that sailors were subjected to during the 19th century. ?He also described the various ports that the ship visited, and the different cargo that were transported. ?After two years at sea, Dana returned to Boston and eventually completed his studies at Harvard.

In chapter XVI, Dana describes having time off from his work on the boat as he and his shipmates visit the city of San Diego. They are met with a warm welcome from the locals, who invite them to stay in their homes and enjoy the city's sights and sounds.

“I shall never forget the delightful sensation of being in the open air, with the birds singing around me, and escaped from the confinement, labor, and strict rule of a vessel—of being once more in my life, though only for a day, my own master. A sailor’s liberty is but for a day; yet while it lasts it is perfect. He is under no one’s eye, and can do whatever, and go wherever, he pleases. This day, for the first time, I may truly say, in my whole life, I felt the meaning of a term which I had often heard—the sweets of liberty.”

Dana’s decision to leave college and to do the unexpected by becoming a crew member on a merchant ship for two years epitomizes a real journey of self-discovery.?He left a life of privilege and comfort deliberately so that he could understand a different life experience.?As you can ascertain from the passage above, experiencing the hardships and loss of freedom as a merchant sailor enabled him to have more appreciation for a life of security and liberty.

I will definitely read the rest of his book to learn as much as I can about his trip and how that shaped the rest of his famous life.?

This is one of my favorite days of reading so far during this project.?

Best,

Matt

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To learn more about me, as well as my coaching services, please visit my website at?https://www.silverarrowcoaching.com/?or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Resources

Kindle version of The Harvard Classics ($1.99):?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089K4RP1F/