William Hope Hodgson

“ A strange company they were, each man bearded, aged, and grizzled, yet there was nothing of the inhumanity of old age about them, save it might be in their freedom from grumbling, and the calm content which comes only to those in whom the more violent passions have died. ”

“ Skipper Abe was speaking.
"It's harder'n I'd thought," he said, and looked away from the mate, staring hard along the worn, white-scoured decks.
"Dunno w'at I'll du, Abe, w'en she's gone," returned the old mate. "She's been a 'ome fer us these sixty years an' more." He knocked out the old tobacco from his pipe as he spoke, and began to cut a bowlful of fresh.
"It's them durned freights!" exclaimed the skipper. "We're jest losin' money every trip. It's them steam-packets as hes knocked as out." ”

“ The man who held the block between his knees shook his head and stared away moodily over the sea.
"Dunno, Job, as I know what I'll do w'en ther old 'ooker's sold," he muttered. "Sence M'ria went, I don't seem nohow ter care 'bout bein' 'shore."
"I never 'ad no wife," said Job, pressing down the burning tobacco in the bowl of his pipe. "I reckon seafarin' men don't ought ter have no wives."
"Thet's right 'nuff, Job, fer yew. Each man ter 'is taste. ”

“ Healthy age sleeps little, and they were in health, though so ancient.
Presently one of those who walked the lee side of the main deck, chancing to cast a glance forrad, observed Nuzzie still to be out upon the jibboom, jerking his line so as to delude some foolish bonito into the belief that the white rag was a flying fish.
The smoker nudged his companion.
"Time thet b'y 'ad 'is sleep."
"Aye, aye, mate," returned the other, withdrawing his pipe and giving a steadfast look at the figure seated out upon the jibboom. ”

“ He nodded his head mournfully and struck a match with shaky hands.
"It's like ter be," said the smaller man—"it's like ter be."
And, with that, he and his companion moved over to the spar that lay along under the starboard bulwarks, and there seated themselves to smoke and meditate.
III.
Skipper Abe and Josh Matthews, the first mate, were standing together beside the rail which ran across the break of the poop. As with the rest of the men of the Shamraken, their age had come upon them, and the snows of eternity rested upon their beards and hair. ”

“ That was the "b'y's" job, and Nuzzie was a little late in coming out on deck. When, in a minute, he appeared, Skipper Abe spoke sternly to him.
"Up, now, b'y, an' loose thet sail. D'y think to let er grown man dew such-like work? Shame on yew!"
And Nuzzie, the grey-bearded "b'y" of five-and-fifty years, went aloft humbly, as he was bidden.
Five minutes later he sung out that all was ready for hoisting, and the string of ancient ones took a strain on the halyards. Then Nehemiah, being the chaunty man, struck up in his shrill quaver—
"Thar wor an ole farmer up Yorkshire way." ”

“ Nehemiah nodded his head slowly, and the nod seemed to run round the group of white-haired ancients.
"Reckon my datter's gel 'll be thar," he said, after a space of pondering. "Be s'prisin' ef she 'n' M'ria 'd made et up ter know one anuther."
"M'ria wer' great on makin' friends," remarked Zeph meditatively, "an' gels wus awful friendly wi' 'er. Seemed es she hed er power thet way."
"I never 'ad no wife," said Job at this point, somewhat irrelevantly. ”