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'That's a funny course, I said; 'tell me again. He repeated his statement; whereupon I remarked that the course was quite a new one to me. 'Oh, yes, ma'am, he answered, 'but them's the new compass-cards. This man is one of the best helmsmen in the ship, but certainly seems to be an indifferent scholar. Friday, December 15th. We crossed the line at half-past four this morning.
Our compass-cards were getting worn out, and Tom gave out new ones before leaving Tahiti. I was very much amused to-night, when, as usual, just before going to bed, I went to have a look at the compass and see how the yacht was lying, and asked the man at the wheel what course he was steering. 'North and by west, half-east, ma'am, he replied.
Then going through some small strange motions with it whether indispensable to the magnetizing of the steel, or merely intended to augment the awe of the crew, is uncertain he called for linen thread; and moving to the binnacle, slipped out the two reversed needles there, and horizontally suspended the sail-needle by its middle, over one of the compass-cards.
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