ILE

by O'Neill, Eugene

Captain Keeney, a New England whaler, is dominated by an unconquerable pride. At the end of the two years’ period his crew has signed up for, he has only a small part of his quota of “ile.” The crew are mutinous and the Captain’s wife is distracted from loneliness and anxiety. Only the prospect of her breakdown alters the Captain’s determination to push on for the “ile,” and seeing her condition he consents to sail her home; but the instant whales are sighted, he reverses his decision. The woman breaks under the strain.