The rules and regulations affecting ships and sailors have always been stern. The first mate of a certain vessel, having spent an entirely too active day on shore, staggered on board, utterly incapable of assuming his duties. It was not until the second day at sea that he managed to stand watch.
To his horror, he noted the ship's log for the prior day. The captain had written the damning statement:
"Unfortunately, First Mate Johnson was drunk all day."
He sought out the captain at the first opportunity.
"Captain," said he, "this is the first time in all my many years of service that I have been unable to serve. Please remove the notation."
The captain, a severe old salt, scowled.
"Mr. Johnson, you know very well that the log cannot be changed."
The mate replied, "But with that record I may have trouble getting a captain's berth of my own."
"I can't help that," replied the captain remorselessly. "The log is perfectly correct and that is all we must be concerned with."
Whereupon the mate, returning to his duties, entered a notation of his own in the log:
"Fortunately, Captain Simpson was sober all day."
--------------- A Final Thought ...
"There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting, and enslaving than the life at sea."
- Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), Polish-born English novelist. Lord Jim, ch. 2 (1900)