Globalization of the United States, 1789-1861

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Little, George. Life on the Ocean; or Twenty Years at Sea: Being the Personal Adventures of the Author. Boston: Waite, Peirce and Company, 1846.

George Little. Life on the Ocean; or Twenty Years at Sea: Being the Personal Adventures of the Author. Boston: Waite, Peirce and Company, 1846. opposite p. 147.

Little cautioned his fellow American sailors to behave like a proper “representative of his countrymen” whenever encountering the “uncivilized portions of mankind.”

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Sailors, during the progress of their calling, are occasionally in the habit of visiting every portion of the habitable globe. Their business frequently leads them among the less informed, the uncivilized, portions of mankind. And it is here that the examples taught by the white men, who mingle with the natives, may have a mighty influence on their conduct. The white man is soon known to possess a mind of a higher order than the savage, and is by him looked up to as a superior being. If the moral feelings of the white man correspond with his intellectual power, the influence which he may thus exercise will be unbounded. But if the savage finds that the white man seeks to deceive him, is dishonest, cunning, licentious, and intemperate, he can no longer respect him, although it is possible he may fear his power.

The ignorant, untutored savage can discriminate between good and evil; and although he, perhaps, has never cultivated the moral sentiments, he will despise, from the bottom of his heart, the pale-faced stranger who allows the animal passions to predominate over the nobler faculties of the mind. If you take away virtue, you will deprive intellect of half its force. It is therefore evident, that sailors who visit those countries should be men correct in their moral conduct, and thus be able to set before the savage a copy for his imitation, not a picture for his abhorrence. It will thus be seen that the bearing of the sailor, when abroad, is always of the greatest importance, and should every where be characterized by frankness, benevolence, decorum, and virtue. This conduct is particularly necessary when holding communication with the savage.

The sailor might pave the way for the missionary or the philanthropist, who would be able to instruct them still further in their religious and moral duties. But if, on the contrary, sailors should exhibit a character, to them, marked with vice and sensuality, the savage would soon see enough of the white man, and be more disposed to drive him from his territories, or take his life, than to receive from his lips the lessons of advice or the precepts of morality. It is evident that, before a person can be successful in instructing others, whether children or adults, he must be respected; and he cannot be respected, either by the white man or the savage, unless he strictly fulfils his moral duties. An American sailor, when abroad, should recollect that he is a representative of his countrymen, and that it is in his power to convey to those among whom he mingles a favorable impression of the general conduct, manners, and morals, of his countrymen, or to excite their prejudice against the name of an American, by a bearing unjustifiably incorrect or immoral. And this consideration alone, if he have a proper love for his country, and a due regard for the character of an American, will be sufficient to induce him to be circumspect in his actions, and desirous of gaining a good name among foreigners, whether civilized or barbarous, whether Christians or pagans. But there are better and nobler motives to influence the conduct of the seaman, when acting in some sort as the representative of his countrymen in a distant land, — a just sense of moral duty; a wish to act correctly wherever he may be placed, or in whatever circumstances; a regard to his own character, and happiness, and welfare in a future state. But, in order that seamen may the more effectually exert a moral influence among those with whom they have intercourse, it is absolutely necessary that they should become temperate men. After all, the great prolific cause of all their miseries and wretchedness, as well as of the peculiar characteristics of their anomalous character, is the almost universal prevalence among them of practical intemperance. This vice will ever keep them from mingling with society; it destroys confidence and respect, and is disgusting to all good men; because the habitual inebriate places himself on a level with the brute; and further, the sailor, when he is half drunk, not only becomes the dupe of every designing knave, but also is in a fit condition to plunge himself into the lowest scenes of sensuality. It is the vice of intemperance that destroys the constitution, and brings on premature disease and death. Look around; how rarely does it occur that you see an old sailor! Where are they? and what becomes of them? Why, they either go to Davy Jones’s locker — that is, they fall overboard and are drowned — or they are shipwrecked or foundered. But the greater part, by the inordinate use of rum, prematurely induce disease, and then poor Jack is taken to the hospital with a broken-down constitution, and very shortly slips his wind.