[!lemma=difficult | lemma=few] [word=to] [!□=□]
[!lemma=difficult | lemma=few] [word=to] [!tag=□]
[!lemma=difficult | lemma=few] [word=to] [!lemma=□]
As you go toward Nantucket , it changes to a dark sand ; then , sand and white shells ; and on George 's Banks , white sand ; and so on . The first point I 'd make about technology is that it is a necessary but not sufficient part of the solution to our difficulties . As soon as she rose out of it , I looked aft , and everything forward of the main-mast , except the long-boat , which was griped and doublelashed down to the ring-bolts , was swept off clear . After this , the ship was scraped , inside and out , decks , masts , booms and all ; a stage being rigged outside , upon which we scraped her down to the water-line ; pounding the rust off the chains , bolts and fastenings . Large boats , manned by Indians , and capable of carrying nearly a thousand hides apiece , are attached to the missions , and sent down to the vessels with hides , to bring away goods in return . One of them was able to eat , and he soon brought himself to , by gnawing upon raw potatoes ; but the other , by this time , was hardly able to open his mouth ; and the cook took the potatoes raw , pounded them in a mortar , and gave him the juice to drink . With a great deal of trouble , we managed to get them down to the boats , though not without many angry looks and interferences from the Spaniards , who had marked them out for their prey . As I was known for a hide-curer , this post was assigned to me , and I continued at it for six or eight days , tossing , in that time , from eight to ten thousand hides , until my wrists became so lame that I gave in ; and was transferred to the gang that was employed in filling the boats , where I remained for the rest of the time . Old " Mr. Bingham " and " King Mannini " went down to the boat with me , shook me heartily by the hand , wished us a good voyage , and went back to the oven , chanting one of their deep monotonous songs , the burden of which I gathered to be about us and our voyage .