The Night Watchman
" Captain George Pollard, Captain George Worth, Insurance Agent Mr. Jerrard Ransom in the same office of the Ship-owning company September l823. Mr. Ransom takes notes of the proceedings.)
MR. RANSOM
Name?
GEORGE POLLARD
George Pollard.
MR. RANSOM
Occupation?
GEORGE POLLARD
Night Watchman.
MR. RANSOM
What?
GEORGE WORTH
No. It's Captain George Pollard, whale-ship master, member of the Pacific Club, driver of the Nantucket sleigh, fueler for the lamps of the world.
MR. RANSOM
Then it's Captain Pollard.
GEORGE POLLARD
Yes.
MR. RANSOM
You are too modest Captain.
GEORGE POLLARD
I did not mean to be modest.
MR. RANSOM
Your present employment is temporary, surely.
GEORGE POLLARD
I think not.
GEORGE WORTH
You should not prejudge this hearing Captain.
GEORGE POLLARD
I am not prejudging it.
MR. RANSOM
It will not garner any sympathy for you, the case must be decided on the facts.
GEORGE POLLARD
What do the facts tell of it?
MR. RANSOM
We must have the facts to make our decision.
GEORGE POLLARD
Which facts do you want?
MR. RANSOM
You have been through this before Captain
GEORGE POLLARD
With the Essex?
MR. RANSOM
Indeed Sir. And you were given another ship.
GEORGE POLLARD
The Two Brothers.
MR. RANSOM
Yes, it is the destruction of that ship that we are inquiring about.
GEORGE POLLARD
Do you not think they are related?
MR. RANSOM
How can they be related, they were two different ships, two different owners, different crews . . .
GEORGE POLLARD
They are related by..., I believe they are related.
MR. RANSOM
Sir, it is only the Two Brothers that we are concerned about.
GEORGE WORTH
Let him tell his story as he wishes. If you do not care to take it all down, Mr. Ransom, then just take down that which concerns the Two Brothers.
MR. RANSOM
Very well.
GEORGE POLLARD
Thank you Captain Worth.
GEORGE WORTH
Proceed Captain Pollard.
GEORGE POLLARD
Mr. Ransom, I will satisfy you first and tell you what happened to the Two Brothers. As you know we sailed on October 8, 1821 for the Azores and from there round the Horn to the Pacific. We were in the Pacific over a year. Having fished off the coast of South America and taken on a good store of whale oil, we were bound out for the hunting grounds off Japan. We even passed near to where the Essex was stricken and from where we...where I had pushed off two years before on a fateful voyage in a small boat. Sir, might I have some water, if it would not be too much trouble.
MR. RANSOM
Certainly Captain (he hands a glass of water to Pollard).
GEORGE POLLARD
Thank you. Have you ever been thirsty Mr. Ransom?
MR. RANSOM
Of course!
GEORGE POLLARD
No, Mr. Ransom, I mean truly a thirst?
MR. RANSOM
I am not sure I know what you mean.
GEORGE POLLARD
I mean, Mr. Ransom, have you ever been so droughty that your skin was stitched to your bones, that your tear ducts could produce no tears, and your groans had to be lightered to pass over your lips.
MR. RANSOM
Captain, I do not understand you.
GEORGE POLLARD
No, I can see that you do not.