Jack London

The Cruise of the Snark Jack London

IT began in the swimming pool at Glen Ellen. Between swims it was our wont to come outand lie in the sand and let our skins breathe the warm air and soak in the sunshine. Roscoewas a yachtsman. I had followed the sea a bit. It was inevitable that we should talk aboutboats. We talked about small boats, and the seaworthiness of small boats. We instancedCaptain Slocum and his three years' voyage around the world in the Spray. We asserted that we were not afraid to go around the world in a small boat, say forty feetlong. We asserted furthermore that we would like to do it. We asserted finally that therewas nothing in this world we'd like better than a chance to do it."Let us do it," we said . . . in fun. Then I asked Charmian privily if she'd really care to do it, and she said that it was too goodto be true. The next time we breathed our skins in the sand by the swimming pool I said to Roscoe,"Let us do it.