Radney and Steelkilt
Had it not been for two men aboard—the brutal mate Radney, a Vineyarder and part-owner, and the bitterly provoked Steelkilt, a Lakeman and desperado from Buffalo—the Town-Ho would have reached port in perfect safety.
The Lakeman of Buffalo
When Don Sebastian hears “Lakeman” and “Buffalo,” he rises from his mat of grass to ask for an explanation of these unfamiliar terms, prompting the narrator to elaborate.
The Great Fresh-Water Seas
The narrator describes the Great Lakes—Erie, Ontario, Huron, Superior, and Michigan—as grand fresh-water seas with ocean-like expansiveness, contrasting nations, remote forests, and shipwrecks as terrible as any at sea. This inland maritime environment nurtured seafaring men like Steelkilt despite their never having seen saltwater.
Steelkilt’s Character and Origin
Steelkilt is portrayed as a tall, noble, golden-bearded figure of great intelligence and heart, who by his character could have been a Charlemagne. Radney, by contrast, is ugly as a mule yet hardy, stubborn, and malicious—a Nantucketer as vengeful as a backwoods Bowie-knife frontiersman. Despite his fierce exterior, Steelkilt had long been docile and harmless aboard ship.
At the Pumps
After two days at her island haven, the Town-Ho’s leak worsened again, requiring an hour or more at the pumps daily. The narrator explains that pumping across a calm ocean is considered trivial, but in isolated waters without safe refuge, an undetected leak becomes a serious concern.
The Mate’s Solicitude
When the leak was found gaining again, the mate Radney showed unusual solicitude about the ship’s safety. Some seamen, however, suspected his concern stemmed from his being a part-owner of the vessel rather than from cowardice, noting that he was otherwise fearless.
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