The story, 'The Sea Pilot' takes place when square rigged ships of the sea were still traveling by using a known latitude only. Compasses were merely a magnetized needle floating on the surface of water in a bowl. Ships clocks needed for finding a ships position by longitude were years away. Even the ships speed was often questionable, and nautical charts were very expensive as they were drawn by hand. This story revolves around those new and marvelous inventions and men who could navigate anywhere in the world were highly sought after.