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diff --git a/22794.txt b/22794.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d8c08d --- /dev/null +++ b/22794.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7103 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Shellback's Progress, by Walter Runciman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Shellback's Progress + In the Nineteenth Century + +Author: Walter Runciman + +Release Date: September 28, 2007 [EBook #22794] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SHELLBACK'S PROGRESS *** + + + + +Produced by StevenGibbs and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: FLOUNDERING OF THE "SILVERSPRAY."] + + + +THE SHELLBACK'S PROGRESS + +IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. + + + +_By_ + +WALTER RUNCIMAN, _Sen._ + + + + +LONDON AND NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE: +THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO., LTD. +NEW YORK: 3 EAST 14th STREET. +1904. + + + + +DEDICATION + +_TO WALTER TOWNEND, ESQ._ + + +"MY DEAR TOWNEND,--Perhaps no two men have ever been bound together +with ties of closer or more loyal friendship than you and myself. Many +years have elapsed since our unbroken comradeship was formed in the old +historic building in Cornhill. You have many claims to friendship and +to confidence, and perhaps you can hardly realize what pleasure it +gives me to remember that during our intercourse of so many years, your +sincerity, directness and single-mindedness could always be depended +upon. Your joyful relish of a tale of human interest, whether as a +listener or a narrator, is always contagious. Your indignation and +scorn for unmanly and dishonourable conduct, and your quick appreciation +of whatever is generous and true; this, and my high regard for your +own personal worth, have given me the wish to inscribe this volume +of sea stories to you. + +"Ever yours sincerely, + +"WALTER RUNCIMAN." + +_August, 1904_ + + + + +PREFACE + + +These stories are drawn from the reality of things, and perhaps I may +as well say that they have been written during short intervals snatched +from a busy and absorbing commercial life. I have tried to portray the +men as they were--brave, dauntless, rugged, uncouth, illiterate, +simple-minded, kind-hearted, and, at times, unmercifully savage. And +yet there shone through all these conflictingly peculiar eccentricities +a humorous kind of religion which belonged exclusively to themselves, +but which gave their characteristics a touch of sublimity. We have +travelled far since those days of aboriginal stupidity and sordid +blood-sucking. The contrast between the comforts and conditions of life +at sea then and now cannot be imagined. We may only talk of it; we can +never truly estimate the change. I do not draw attention to the +comparison because I think the sailor has got any more than he is +entitled to. I refer to it in order that he may recognize a desire on +the part of modern shipowners and the Legislature to give him every +possible advantage consistent with the peculiarities of the trade in +which he is engaged. One of the most recent advantages suggested in +their report by the Mercantile Committee, who sat for, I think, about +twelve months taking evidence from shipowners, shipmasters, sailors, +and others, is that an amended food scale should be adopted, and that +the seaman should have the right of appeal against a bad "discharge" +that may be given him. In my opinion the great body of shipowners will +endorse that portion of their recommendations. It is to be desired that +the seamen will recognize in this a willingness on the part of their +employers to deal justly with them, for undoubtedly it was the evidence +given by shipowners that influenced the Committee. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. THE WILD NORTH SEA 1 + + II. CAPTAIN PLUNKER 30 + + III. CAPTAIN MACGREGOR 67 + + IV. PIRACY IN THE ARCHIPELAGO 97 + + V. SAILORS' OPINIONS OF NOTABLE PUBLIC MEN 148 + + VI. MARY ROUTLEDGE 181 + + VII. FORECASTLE LIFE 206 + +VIII. GRUB 253 + + IX. MISCELLANEOUS 283 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +By THOMAS RUNCIMAN. + + + PAGE + +FOUNDERING OF THE "SILVERSPRAY" _Frontispiece_ + +FINDING THE LEAK 40 + +CAPTAIN PLUNKER ASTONISHED 90 + +"THERE WERE MANY CALLERS" 140 + +HAVING A NIP 186 + +"NOW, BOYS, POUR IT ON THEM SMARTLY!" 236 + +A NORTHUMBERLAND HARBOUR 288 + + + + +I + +THE WILD NORTH SEA + + +There was a large fleet of sailing brigs, barques and schooners waiting +for a favourable wind and spring tides, so that they might be put to +sea without running the risk of thumping their keels off on the Bar. +The vessels had been loaded for several weeks. Many of them were bound +to the Baltic. These were spoken of as the "Spring Fleet." The older +and smaller craft were engaged in the coasting trade, and the larger +were bound to ports in the southern hemisphere. Each of them carried +three or four apprentices; but the southern-going portion did not deem +the collier lads "classy" enough to permit of them forming close +comradeship. A condescending speaking-acquaintance was the limit of +their connection. There was nothing to justify this snobbery, for in +point of comparison the average collier lad in seamanship and physical +capacity was the equal, and in intelligence by no means inferior to the +young gentlemen who regarded the class of vessel they served aboard of +as a stamp of their own superiority. They were indeed a species of that +terrible creature who apes nobility because he lives in a mansion. +Occasionally the collier lads resented the lofty airs of the +southern-going gentry, until open hostility ensued and much blood was +spilt. But pugilistic encounters were conducted on strictly +professional lines, and no ill-will was supposed to exist on the part +of the combatants after they were over. That was the rule laid down, +and a breach of it brought disgrace on the violator and his coadjutors, +who were thereupon ostracised from the party to which they belonged. +The necessity for enforcing the penalty rarely occurred, not only +because of its severity, but because it involved loss of honour. + +A disagreement as to valour and prowess and seamanship had arisen +between some sailor lads who belonged to the two different sections. +They decided that their differences could only be settled by being +fought out on neutral ground. This was solemnly chosen, a ring formed, +seconds appointed, and the contest began. In half-an-hour victory was +decided in favour of the collier boy, though with all the fulness of +sailor generosity his opponent received an ungrudging share of the +ovation that was given to the champion. Both, however, showed evidences +of rough usage: the only visible difference being that one had two eyes +badly damaged while the victor had but one. After it was over they +shook hands, swore allegiance to each other, walked back to their +respective vessels, had raw beef applied to the eyes that were +discoloured, tumbled into their hammocks and fell fast asleep. +Meanwhile a general meeting of apprentice lads from all the vessels in +port was mustered, so that the result of the dispute should be publicly +proclaimed; and in order that the occasion should be suitably +celebrated, it was suggested and approved by loud acclamation that +whereas there was every chance of the morrow being a sailing day, when +the little port would be emptied of all its shipping, it might be that +the parting would represent years, and perchance many of them would +never meet on earth again. The latter clause was announced with marked +solemnity. The orator proceeded to state that there had been enmities, +jealousies, perhaps unworthy statements made about the inferiority of +the collier boy, but the question had been settled by a brilliant +exhibition of physical science; both sides were well represented, and +both had shown that they were worthy champions of the noble art. + +"Let me ask you then to call upon them both to join with us in becoming +friends, and in having on the last night in port a ripping +jollification. I propose," said the peacemaker, "that we have some +chanties, and that we start these aboard the vessel I belong to by +hoisting the topsail yards up." + +The two heroes were roused, and cheerfully joined in what resolved +itself into a carnival of reckless mischief. The brains of the whole +company were excited, and they revelled in every form of scampishness. +The leaders gave orders as to the vessels that were to be visited and +have their yards crossed and their rig in other ways disfigured. This +being done, the spokesman informed them that they had spent a very +jolly night, and after hoisting the _Silverspray's_ topsails to the +mast head and furling the sails again, they were to disperse quietly +and go each to his own ship. The sails were loosened, a chanty man was +selected from among the southern-going seamen, and amid a chorus of +sweet song the yards were leisurely mast-headed. The music of many +voices had attracted a few people to the quay. A shout was raised that +the captain of the vessel was coming. The halyards dropped from each +one's hand, and a general scramble resembling a panic ensued. Down came +the main topsail yard with a run, and broke in halves as soon as the +sudden jerk came on the lifts. In almost as little time as it takes to +write it, there was none of the revellers to be seen. + +After the novelty has worn off, there is never any particular desire to +put to sea on the part of youngsters; but on this occasion the anxiety +to get out of the harbour was very marked. Many of the vessels got away +before the damage done to the _Silverspray's_ yard and sail became +generally known. The captain did not know that anything of the sort had +happened until he came down to take the vessel to sea, and being a +commonsense sort of man, instead of joining in the chorus of screaming, +as his owner was doing, he adjured him to cease wasting time in +declaiming against those who had done the mischief. + +"We must set to work," said he, "and have the damage repaired; that is +more important than theorising as to who did it." + +By the time the repairs were set in full swing, nearly the whole of the +culprits had passed over the bar aboard their respective ships into the +booming waves of the German Ocean. Many of them were destined never to +reach their destination, and many never more to see the paradise that +had given them so many ineffable days and nights. Sad hearts were +grieving over the sudden parting from those who were loved because they +were lovable. They seemed to be musing thoughts of poetry. + +The _Silverspray's_ repairs were completed in two days, and she and +another vessel, that had been detained owing to her pump gear not being +ready, were towed out of the harbour in the face of a strong easterly +wind and a lowering glass. The portly, ruddy appearance and pronounced +lurch or roll of Captain Thomas Arlington left no doubt as to his +calling. He spoke with an assumed accent which resembled the +amalgamation of several dialects. He was usually called Tom by his +intimate friends, but mere acquaintances were not permitted to address +him in any such familiar fashion. In his younger days he gained +notoriety for having made several voyages to the West Indies, the +Brazils and Constantinople, and he was therefore looked upon as a +far-sailed and much-learned person. Owners vied with each other in +sounding his praises and competing for his services. They looked upon +him as a captain of the first rank, both in seamanship and education. +There was no question about the former: the latter consisted in his +being able to read and write a legible hand, which was a rare +accomplishment in those days. He had saved a little money, and was +allowed as a special favour to invest to the extent of eight +sixty-fourth shares in the vessel he commanded. He never lost an +opportunity of making his less fortunate compatriots feel that he was +immeasurably their superior. Many of them who commanded the same class +of vessel were so impressed with his influence over the owners that +they looked upon his friendship as being of some value. Being part +owner, his privileges were wide; in fact he was admitted within the +owner circle, and contributed to the wisdom thereof in many eccentric +ways. + +The two little brigs were bound to the Baltic, and the first day out a +heavy press of canvas was carried in order to get a good offing, lest +the wind and sea should make and catch them tight on a lee shore. After +they had been out twenty-four hours they both tacked off Flamborough +Head, bearing west twenty miles, and stood to the N.E. The _Silverspray_ +passed close under the stern of the _Francis Blake_. The captains +saluted each other as was the custom. The _Blake's_ captain shouted +that his vessel was making a lot of water. The other responded: "We are +making some too, and we shall have more wind and sea before there is +less." This was about ten on a February morning. Their sailing +qualities were pretty much on a par, so that they were kept in company +all through the day. The wind had shifted from E.S.E. to S.E., and they +headed E.N.E. with about two and a half points leeway, making the true +course, after the toss of the sea had been allowed, about N.E. So long +as daylight remained no canvas was taken in, though both of them were +sometimes plunging their jibbooms under, and their bows almost level +with the foremast. Every bit of rigging and running gear was strained +to its maximum limit. There was no question of racing or foolhardiness, +but a pressing necessity to flog them off a lee shore. + +And this reminds me that only six years before, I innocently committed +a serious breach of nautical faith for which I was roundly reprimanded +by a kindly sailor. It was my first voyage at sea. I had not seen +thirteen summers by many months. I heard two sailors who were standing +by the lee side of the windlass end conversing about the seriousness of +the vessel's position. One said to the other that if the wind did not +norther a little more she would be ashore in Filey Bay before four +o'clock in the morning. My views on seafaring had undergone a change. I +was overcome with delight, and, forgetting the lesson many times given +me never to speak until I was spoken to, with unrestrained impetuosity +I interjected that I hoped she would be ashore before four o'clock, so +that I might get back to my home again. I can never forget the +indignation of the two men. They frowned contemptuously on me, called +me names that I had never heard before, and swore with a refinement +that impressed me with the suspicion that I had said something that was +not to be readily forgiven. With childlike simplicity I asked if it was +wrong to wish that the vessel should go ashore. + +"Wrong? you young devil!" said they. "Would you have us all drowned?" + +Needless to say, my desire happily did not come to pass, and I became +the object for many a long day of good-humoured chaff which I would +have done anything to obviate. The sailors did not seem to recognize +any humorous side to their own part in it, and yet they used to roar +with laughter at my amazing conclusions, and as my anger increased so +did their amusement. A lee shore is always dreaded by seamen, and many +a sound ship has been made leaky, and many a spar and sail has been +carried away in the effort to keep off. It was precisely this fear that +possessed the two captains in question and caused them almost to bury +their ships in order to get well out to sea in case the wind should +back into the east again. + +When darkness came on they lost sight of each other. All night long the +_Blake_ was plunged into a tremendous sea. The crew were nearly worn +out with incessant pumping, and when the dawn whirled into the sky +nothing could be seen of her companion. It was thought she must have +shortened sail and fallen astern. The hoarse moaning of the wind, and +the waves running like conical hillocks, were a sure indication that +there was greater turmoil behind them. The square foresail had been +hauled up, and the crew were in the act of stowing it when the +hurricane burst upon her, and she was held in the grasp of the wind. +The sea was flattened, and the wild drift flew before the screaming +tempest. The captain called out to the men on the foreyard to "hold on +for God's sake," as the vessel lurched over so far that the man on the +lee yardarm said that he felt his foot touch the water. With almost +superhuman effort the seamen, already worn out with pumping and with +lacerated limbs, managed to secure the sail and make their way on deck +to renew the fight to keep the vessel afloat. I do not believe the +owner belonged to the scoundrel class who sent their ships away with +the hope that no more would be heard of them, but I cannot help +thinking that he had close affinity to that no less terrible though +pious section who wearied heaven with prayer for the safe-keeping of +their ships and crews, while they themselves neglected fundamental +precautions for their safety. It was the fashion to look upon drowning +not only as an incident of the profession, but a natural finish to a +sailor's career; and it is no exaggeration to say that many people +thought the poor fellow preferred this form of extinction to any other. +The owner who squared his conscience by throwing the responsibility of +the seaman's safety on to Almighty God did not unduly concern himself +as to efficiency or seaworthiness; nor did he assume deep mourning if +calamity came in consequence thereof. A few appropriate words of +compliment addressed mainly to himself for his care in having the ship, +when she sailed, in a state of unimpeachable order, and his constant +intercession for divine protection were quite sufficient to exonerate +him from in any way contributing either to loss of life or to loss of +property. What cant, what insufferable _hypocrisy_! What hideous +slaughter was committed in those good old times in God's name and in +the name of British humanity! The late Dr Parker, preaching in the City +Temple some time ago on the Armenian atrocities, exclaimed amid +uproarious applause at the end of a fine peroration, "God damn the +Sultan!" And William Watson wrote a fine poem in which he charged +England with indifference and spoke of the Sultan as "Abdul the +damned." It is considered the prerogative of Englishmen to say strong +things about the heads of other Governments if their subject races are, +in their opinion, treated cruelly; but we are death on anyone who would +interfere or accuse us of injustice or inhumanity. The only difference +between the Government of Turkey and the Government of Great Britain +was that the one massacres by cutting throats, and the other used to +massacre by allowing rotten, ill-equipped, ill-designed vessels to sail +under the spotless flag of England and carry to their doom shiploads of +the finest seamen in the world. We "God damn the Sultan"; yes; but I +have known the time when poor sailors might with equal justice have +"God damned" the Government of St Stephen's who would not listen to +their woes. Poor fellows! Had Dr Parker and other public men dared to +"God damn" their own countrymen for carrying on a system of trading +with veritable coffins, the reform which has made our mercantile marine +the finest in the world would not have been so long delayed. + +The little vessel of which I am writing hadn't a rope (as the sailors +said) strong enough to hang a cat with, and it was in consequence of +this most culpable neglect that the throat halyards of the fore trysail +gaff broke soon after sailing. The gaff came down with a run, and it, +together with the sail, was put into a long boat which stood on the +chocks over the main hatches. Paradoxical as it may appear, this +accident caused by rotten running gear was the means of saving the ship +and all her crew. This was only a minor mishap compared with the +breaking of one of the legs of the pump brake stand, which occurred +just at the time both pumps were required to keep down the increasing +flow of water. The storm continued to rage with unabated fury. No sky +could be seen for the flying sleet, and the sea was torn and tossed +into a wilderness of broken water. The only canvas set was the +close-reefed main topsail. Both pumps had been going for several hours, +and at one o'clock on the morning of February 12, the well was pumped +dry and the mate's watch ordered below to get a nap until four. They +took their drenched clothing off, wrung the water out, hung it on a +line round the bogey fire to dry, and turned into their hammocks as +naked as they were born. At three the hand-spike knocked heavily on the +deck and a loud voice called down the scuttle hatch, "Larboard watch, +ahoy! All hands to the pumps, the ship is sinking!" + +Every man in a couple of minutes had put his steaming clothes on and +set to work; and the fight with death went on until noon, when it was +found that the water was gaining. The men despaired of keeping her +afloat over night, and as there came in sight several vessels, it was +decided to put the Ensign Union down in the main rigging. The captain +ordered a young hand to clear away the long boat and make her ready for +launching out by the lee gangway. This necessitated the foretrysail and +all its gear being thrown on to the weather side of the deck. As soon +as everything was ready the young seaman went to the pumps again. He +had not been long there before he observed that some of the ropes that +had been thrown on the deck did not wash from side to side as the +others did. His gaze became transfixed until it excited the anger of +the mate who asked what he was gaping at. This aroused him from a kind +of stupor, and without saying a word to the officer, he let go the +bellrope and went to the object which attracted him. He took hold of a +rope and found it would not yield. He then felt the deck with his bare +feet and found it was holed, but in order to ascertain the extent of +the hole, he determined to feel with his hands, and as the water was +continuously lashing over him on that part of the deck it was no easy +task to accomplish this. In a few minutes he had ascertained that about +two feet of deck, the shape of a wedge, had been staved close to the +hatch combings; in fact it had never been fastened with nail or bolt. +He shouted at the top of his voice, "I have found the leak!" + +[Illustration: FINDING THE LEAK.] + +And the little band of men re-echoed with wild delight: "The big leak +is found, hurrah! Down with the ensign." And the young seaman, who by +accident had discovered this wicked piece of workmanship, became the +object of many flattering compliments. Up to that time there had been +observed a solemn, dogged, defiant struggle to defeat death who gazed +into their eyes. An occasional unfriendly wish uttered by one or other +of the sailors as to the punishment the owner should have was received +with applause from all except the captain and mate. These little +outbursts of vengeance were a sort of tonic to their depressed spirits. +A fervent "thank God" came from each man's lips as soon as the leak of +the deck was stopped, the captain adding a supplementary remark that +"God was good even to wicked sinners." + +"In an hour from now," said he, "we might have been swallowed up in the +waves. It was almost impossible that our boat could have lived until we +got under the lee of the schooner" (which had been sighted and which +hove to with the object of effecting a rescue). "Ah," said this +penitent old man, "it is good to live as we would wish to die. God +knows those who believe and trust in Him, and so He has saved us from a +watery grave." + +"Then keep off the whiskey and stick on deck," said one of the boldest +of the crew, who was a naturalized Englishman. This remark brought the +captain very near to backsliding. Fire was seen in his eyes, and he +retorted with warmth: "If it wasn't the fear of God in my heart, you +darned neck end, I would kick you. But," added he, "I will not be +provoked into committing what may be considered a sin. We have much +work to do before this passage comes to an end, if ever it does." + +"Then do your part," said Jack, "and take no more drink." + +Here was sound advice, and it was rigidly adhered to, for the +temptation was removed by the cook slipping the remainder of the +whiskey over the side. Up to that time the men had much to complain of, +as their master had been very little on deck until he was made to +realize that his ship was in imminent peril. They knew pretty well what +he was after, and were glad of the opportunity of making him see that +his well-known skill was required on the quarterdeck. Kept from the +drink he was one of the smartest men that ever took charge of a vessel. +He had been at the helm for nine hours before the leak was found, and +as there was six feet of water in the hold, and a "private leak" which +kept one pump going every hour, he stuck to it for another seven hours, +when the crew called out "she sucks!" i.e., the well is dry. This was +gladsome news. It is gladsome even under favourable circumstances, but +here were men who had stood almost continuously up to the waist in +water; and sometimes a knot of a sea would smash right over them. Their +sleeves were doubled up and they had neither boots nor stockings on. +Their hands were cut and their arms and legs were red raw with friction +and salt water boils. Let him who may estimate the sufferings of these +poor creatures. I cannot, for my vocabulary fails me. Torture does not +describe it; nor yet the sweat of anguish. It was very shocking, and +were it not that I fear to offend the susceptibilities of some folk I +would use a term that might come very near to describing its awful +character. Those who are inclined to think the picture exaggerated know +little of what went on in the much applauded "good old times." + +It had been dark for four hours. The clatter of the pumps could only +faintly be heard for the alternate whistling and roaring of the storm. +The combined music had a weird, saddening effect, as if doom were +approaching. A wild and leprous moon sometimes shone through the +troubled clouds of scudding sleet. The sea was white with angry +commotion, and there were no evidences of the turmoil abating. +Immediately the pumps sucked the captain ordered his men to go below +and get something to eat; meanwhile he would remain at the helm and +keep a look out. In half an hour they were at the pumps again. It took +a good while to get all the water out of her, as she was continuously +making a good deal, and that which had gone through the staved deck had +not quite drained through into the well. However, they felt that they +had got the upper hand, and would keep it, provided none of the +croppers levelled in upon her and smashed either the decks or the +hatches in. + +As soon as the captain went below, and it was thought he was asleep, +the mate, who was a phlegmatic sort of person, went below also, and +left a man and a boy to do the pumping. At first they thought he had +gone to light his pipe, but as he was so long in making his appearance +again, one of them went into the cabin and found him in his berth fast +asleep. He was shaken for a long time before he showed signs of life, +and at last grunted out: + +"All right. Don't worry. I'll be up directly." + +He was reminded that he ought never to have been down, and that it was +no place for the mate of a leaky, or any other ship for that matter, on +such a night. The sailor then left him, and allowed an interval of half +an hour to pass, and as the worthy officer did not make his appearance, +he went below again, and found him slumbering as peacefully as before. +He threatened to do no more pumping if the mate did not get up and lend +a hand at once. Moreover, it was intimated to him that the skipper +would have to be called if he lay there skulking while other people +were being worked to death. This brought the mate out of his berth, but +he got no further than the after-lockers, where he sat down with the +object of lighting his pipe. Being comfortably seated, his head +gradually sank on to the table, and, with the pipe in one hand and the +matches in the other, he again became oblivious to the savage tumult +that raged above him. Again the sailor went to see why he did not come +up, and found him in the aforesaid position. This time he was not +roused; a plot had been arranged, and forthwith a large bucket of water +was taken below and thrown at him. He only shook himself, and murmured: + +"She's the dirtiest beast that ever I was aboard of." + +The second douse was flung quickly; he became confused, rushed into the +captain's berth, believing he was making his way on deck. He was asked +what was the matter, and replied excitedly: + +"The skylight's stove in." + +"Get it covered over," said the somnolent commander, "and let me know +what the weather's like at daylight." + +The chief officer made his way to the man at the helm, and remarked: + +"That was a nasty sea that stove the skylight in, Jacob." + +"There's been no nasty seas over here," said Jacob; "why, you must +have been asleep." + +"I tell you the cabin's flooded," said the mate. + +"Very well," said the other, "if you disbelieve me, look for yourself. +As to sleeping, my God, don't _you_ talk, for you're hardly awake yet." + +The mate made a survey, found no damage, and remarked in soliloquy: + +"That's funny. Where can the water have come from?" + +"Not funny at all," said Jacob, with some irritation; "get away and +lend them poor lads a hand. She might have foundered for all you +cared." + +This was grave language to use to a superior officer, but the justice +of it was evidenced by the submissive composure in which it was +received. It was evidently soaking into the mate's thick skull that the +water had not come from the skylight, and this idea was borne out by +his not mentioning the matter to the lads when he went to their +assistance. In spite of their weary and almost exhausted condition, +they had to have their joke, so said to the officer: + +"You're very wet, Tom; where have you been?" + +"Been be darned!" said Thomas; "I've been nowhere. You shut up and +attend to your work." + +"That's all very fine, but 'nowhere' was what the monkey said when he +was accused of stealing nuts," retorted the humourist. + +The dialogue was cut short by the helmsman shouting out: "Two lights on +the port bow." + +One turned out to be a distress signal, and the other a red light. The +dawn was breaking into the sky, and in less than half an hour daylight +had forced its way through the dull grey mist, and brought the vessels +in sight of each other. They were close to: one was a fishing smack, +and the other a brig, labouring heavily in the trough of the sea, and +flying a flag on the main rigging, just as the _Blake_ had been doing +the previous day. All hands were on deck, including the captain, and +every eye was fixed on the sinking vessel. One of the sailors went on +to the foreyard to ascertain more distinctly what was going on. As soon +as he got aloft he bellowed something which could not be made out owing +to the uproar, and finding that he could not make his voice heard, he +made his way to the deck, and amid much excitement conveyed the belief +that the brig was the _Silverspray_. + +Sailors of that time were very quick and accurate in discerning the +identity of a vessel by the cut of her sails, the length of her masts +and yards, and the way they were stayed; even if she were hull down +they could tell by this alone. Several of the disabled vessel's sails +were in ribbons. They had evidently been blown out of the gaskets. She +was drifting under the close-reefed main topsail, and the fore one was +in shreds. The fore and main topgallant braces were broken, and the +yards were swinging about to the toss of the ship. The remains of a +boat hung to the stern davits. The long boat was flattened on the +hatches, and the crew hustled together on the quarterdeck gesticulating +to the other vessel (a smack) to make haste. At last all seemed to be +ready, and the smack was headed before the maddened seas, and flew on +the crest of a wave, which seemed to carry her on to destruction. Now +she was almost lost sight of in the trough, then she was seen to dance +on the summit of a roller, until the supreme moment came to bring her +under the lee of the ill-fated brig. There was then witnessed a most +sensational piece of bravery and superb seamanship. She was rounded to +with the fore staysail sheet to windward; the small boat was launched +out of the lee gangway; lines with life-buoys attached were drifted +towards the boat, and in less than half an hour the crew was taken off +and put aboard the Yarmouth fisherman. Succour came none too soon, as +in less than an hour the brig's mainmast went by the board. She cocked +her stern up and went down head first. The smack reached close across +the stern of the _Blake_, and the shipwrecked crew exchanged salutes +with her. Her speaking-trumpet was used in trying to communicate that +she was making a lot of water and to report having spoken her. This was +also signalled by the commercial code in case they should not have +heard. Good-bye was said by dipping the ensign, and as the rescuer +vanished into the dark, an unspeakable sadness crept over the _Blake's_ +crew. + +They knew their peril was great, and the physical agony they were +suffering was well-nigh unbearable. They predicted that neither would +diminish. But for the inherent manliness and heroism that have always +been a striking characteristic of the British sailor, these men would +have been quite justified in asking the skipper of the smack to take +them aboard. They were worn out with incessant labour, and the dividing +line between sinking and being kept afloat was very narrow. A little +more straining, or an ugly sea breaking on to a weak spot would quickly +seal their fate. They knew all this, but scorned the thought of +bringing on themselves the charge of cowardice. It soon became apparent +that the little craft of only 280 tons dead-weight would have to be put +before the wind if she was to be saved. The crew had to stand up in +water to their waists nearly all the time they were pumping, and +sometimes they were knocked down by the seas that came aboard. They +could stand it no longer, so a conference was held. The captain said: +"Well, my lads, there are two courses open to us: sink or run for it. +She has two bold ends and will scud for ever. The only thing is we will +be running out of the track of ships into the northern regions where +the cold will be intense, and there will be but little daylight. +Besides, our provisions may run short. Now I have put the position to +you both ways: I am willing to do what you decide." + +"Then we decide to run," said the men, "and trust to Providence for the +rest." + +The helm was put hard up, the main and foreyards laid square, and she +commenced to scud dead before the wind towards the mystery of the +north. For the first four hours it was doubtful whether the jolly boat, +which was in davits across the stern, would last long. Each diabolic +lump of water that came galloping along threatened not only the boat +but the vessel with sudden destruction. It was very thrilling to +witness the tiny brig flying before the ecstasy of the hurricane and +fluttering away like a seabird from the mountains that towered far +above and were only permitted to kiss her stern with their spray. The +crew were forbidden to look behind while at the helm lest their nerves +should be affected and cause erratic steering. There was really more +danger in this than in any lack of seakindliness on the part of the +vessel. Each time she ran away from a treacherous-looking breaker, the +captain would pat the topgallant bulwarks and speak words of touching +tenderness as though he was communing with a little child. The further +they ran north, the bigger the seas became. One of them came prancing +along, tossed up the stern so that part of the jibboom was put under +and her attitude became uncommonly like running head first under the +sea. Another quickly followed, and the poor captain's faith was +momentarily shaken. He called out "My God, this is awful!" and +certainly this was the only phrase that could describe the horror of +the situation. But there was nothing for it but to keep scudding. Had +any attempt been made to heave to, she would have been smashed to atoms +and no more would have been heard of her. It was only by great care in +steering and having the proper amount of sail set that she was kept +above water. An error in judgement or the neglect of a single point in +the handling would have sealed her fate. By the 20th of the month she +had got so far north there was little or no daylight; the biting cold +was frightful, and there was no prospect of betterness. The long winter +nights were spent in pumping, steering and keeping a look out (though +it was assumed she was long since out of the track of vessels and no +land was near), and the only lights to be seen were the flash of the +curling spray dancing on the top of tempestuous billows. + +It was during the forenoon of February 21, just after a snow cloud had +rushed past, the crew were both surprised and cheered to observe a +barque a little on the starboard bow, heading north under two +close-reefed topsails. She was low in the water, and making heavy +weather of it. The crew were seen in the mizen rigging, frantically +waving. A tattered flag was flying beside them, but its nationality +could not be discerned. It was impossible to render the assistance that +was so eagerly sought for, but even if it had been possible it was too +late, for a sea was seen to break right over her stern, and in a few +minutes there was another added to the long list of North Atlantic +tragedies. Amongst the wreckage passed was a boat full of water, and +oars floating on each side of her. Whether this belonged to the latest +victim of the remorseless waves or not, no one could tell, though some +of the crew thought it might. This melancholy incident was not likely +to improve the spirits of the little band of indomitable workers, but +they knew if they had to be saved from the same fate they must not give +way to sentimental weakness. + +The following day the force of the hurricane broke, and on the 24th she +had reached 65 degrees north. There were indications of a change of +wind. The sky had cleared so that the stars could be seen, and there +was a brightness in the N.N.W. that omened the wind coming from that +direction. At midnight the change came. Orders were given to let the +reefs out of the topsails, but it took a considerable time to do this +as the reef points and errings were covered with hard, flinty ice, and +it was not until marline spikes were used that any progress was made. +The men's hands, already covered with wounds, had their fingers badly +cut with the icy ropes and sails in carrying out this order, but it was +not until they had been running south for a couple of days that they +began to feel the full extent of their sores. Regular watches were now +kept, and each time they tumbled out of their hammocks to relieve each +other the pain of opening their hands was terrible. Two of the +apprentices had both their feet badly frostbitten. + +At last the Norwegian land was made, and one fine morning in the month +of March she slipped into the beautiful harbour of Stavanger to have +the broken pump-stand and shattered rigging and sails put right. The +two boys were landed, and the doctors said their feet were in such a +state of putrefaction they must be taken off at once. None of the other +members of the crew were bitten by frost, but it took many days to heal +their raw wounds. The salt of the sea had not only pickled them, but +had penetrated into their very bones. + +Meanwhile the crew of the _Silverspray_ had been landed at the Tyne by +the Yarmouth smack, and they reported that when last they saw the +_Blake_ she was hove to, and signalled making a lot of water; and as +day after day passed and no news came, grave fears were entertained for +her safety; heavy premiums were paid; and the relatives blamed the +_Silverspray's_ men for leaving the crew in a leaky ship--an +unjustifiable charge, for the sailors of that period were not given to +abandoning vessels prematurely. But so long a time had elapsed since +she was spoken of that all hope of her safety was given up. At last +there appeared in one of the local papers a paragraph stating that it +was feared the well-known brig had succumbed, with all aboard, to the +terrible storms that raged over the northern latitudes during the early +part of February. This put an end to all doubt: newspaper statements +were generally believed. But a few days after this announcement a +letter, part of which had been written while sailing along the +Norwegian coast, in order that it might be posted on arrival, was +received in a country village as the first intelligence of her safety. +It is quite sailor-like in its composition, and characteristically free +from whining. The writer merely deals with facts, and very briefly with +them. I have just been shown this greatly valued document, and give it +as it is: + + "DEAR PARENTS,--We expect to arrive to-morrow morning. We have had + a devil of a voyage, and saw the _Silverspray_ founder, and asked + the skipper of the smack to report us. One pump going all the time + nearly. Then the decks were stove in and she nearly foundered + before it was discovered. I hope the _Spray's_ crew were safely + landed and reported us, as you would be anxious. We had to run + north before the hurricane until there was no daylight. She + wouldn't lie to. My word, what a sea! It was fearful to look at, + and the captain said we hadn't to, while steering. One day we saw a + barque founder with all hands. They were in the rigging waving, but + we could render no assistance. We got into 65 degrees north, then + the wind changed. It was very cold. Excuse bad writing, I am doing + it on the galley seat. We are very bad with saltwater boils and cut + hands. The two Swedes have their feet frostbitten: they are a + sight. Hoping this will find you all well as it leaves me at + present, except for the sores. We have had a fearful time. I + thought you would like to know soon, so I am writing this before + getting into port. Will add something more then. No more at + present. + + "Your loving son, + + "J. ROBINSON. + + "PS.--The doctor says the Swedes will have to have the soles of + their feet cut off. Perhaps their feet altogether. I won't go back + in her again. If I have to be drowned, I want it to be fair. The + other men are leaving as well. We've been on short allowance for a + couple of days, the water was spoiled as well. We are going to have + a good feed now. Suppose we have to buy it ourselves." + + + + +II + +CAPTAIN PLUNKER + + +The _Cauducas_ was a brig of 120 tons dead-weight. She was very old, +very rotten, and very leaky, and was constantly employed carrying coals +from a north-east coast port to France or London. The crew consisted of +the master, mate, cook, and able seaman, and three apprentices, one of +whom was cabin-boy. No one cared to inquire as to when and where she +was built. Wherever paint and tar could be used to cover up defects it +was liberally applied, but that did not prevent the water rushing into +her holds, causing the crew to have to carry her with the pumps from +port to port, as it were, in their arms. The winter voyages taxed their +skill and endurance so that scores of times they were nearly forced to +abandon her or allow the sea to cover the vessel and themselves. The +old sailors used to say when they saw her making the port that she +always "looked far off at a distance," a saying peculiar to that part +of the country. And yet she out-lived many of the most handsome, +well-built, modern ships of that time. + +Captain Bourne, or "Plunker," as he was nicknamed, was a man of much +dignity and superior presence, but like many of his contemporaries, he +was very illiterate; indeed, I do not believe he could either read or +write, and yet he was able to collect his freights and generally to +conduct the finances entrusted to him with amazing accuracy. His age +was between forty-five and fifty; he stood over six feet, and was +finely proportioned. He had a moderately-sized head, broad forehead, +strong clean-shaven chin, side board whiskers, and a profile which +suggested the higher type of man. Under pronounced, overhanging +eyebrows, there glowed a pair of medium-sized dark eyes, which at times +were penetrating, and occasionally wore a sad, sympathetic look. His +hands and feet betokened that he had sprung from a physical working +race, though there was nothing of the animal about him, and in spite of +a gruff, uncultured mannerism, he either had it naturally or had +acquired almost a grammatical way of addressing people when he wished +to assert what he obviously regarded as the dignity of his high +calling. This effort to check a natural tendency to the common dialect +was very comical, and yet no one ever thought of it as snobbish; the +whole thing seemed to belong to him, and he couldn't be different if he +wanted to. That was the impression people got of him. In an ordinary +way when he was in port he wore a blue pilot morning suit and silk hat. +The waistcoat was cut so as to show a good space of coloured shirt +front, though on Sundays when in port and days of sailing and arrival, +white shirts were worn; usually a stand-up collar with silk stock or +some kind of soft neckerchief encircled his neck. He was +weather-beaten, ruddy, and altogether rather pleasant to look at. He +could navigate his vessel along the coast almost blindfold. Charts were +rarely used by such nautical aborigines, as he and scores of his +compeers disdained the very idea of being thought incapable of carrying +all the knowledge in their heads that was necessary for the purposes of +practical navigation. They had a perfect knowledge of the compass and +the lead. The courses, cross-bearings, lights, buoys and beacons were +all riveted in their memory, and it was a rare occurrence when their +memories failed them. + +Plunker had all the finer attributes of his class. His character was +unimpeachable; he was abstemious, and unless his fiery temper was +aroused by the sight of some supposed lack of seamanship on the part of +his men or boys, or the idea of imposition on himself or his owner, he +might have been considered religious, but never amiable. Parsimony was +his besetting sin, and he carried this to the extent of feeding his +crew in a way that brought him into frequent conflict with them. +Indeed, the relations on one occasion were so strained that the +apprentices were encouraged to conspire with some boys from other +vessels to commit an act that would humiliate him in the eyes of the +seafaring community and the public generally. + +The old captain's pride in his ship and his position as her commander +was a slavish passion. He could not endure any liberties to be taken +with him, even by his employer or his equals on these two points. The +boys of his own and other ships knew this so well that they planned an +indignity that should lacerate his vanity. They knew he was very +partial to what are known by sailors as "two-eyed steaks," and that +never by any chance was he known to allow even his mate, much less any +of the crew, to partake of them except on special occasions, when he +distributed them himself. They were looked upon by him as a luxury, and +were actually kept under lock and key. These peculiarities of his had +often been freely spoken of, and now a conference of able-bodied seamen +in embryo decided that there should be no further tolerance of +parsimony and piety. It must be either one thing or the other. The +elder members of this august coterie gave instructions that the sacred +locker should be broken open and the contents thereof brought into +their presence on the quarterdeck. Each of the party was sworn to +secrecy in such a way that the dread of being haunted by unspeakable +troubles during the balance of their lives would have prevented any +breach of confidence, even had there been no higher sense of honour. +The bloaters were extracted at night and handed over to the recognized +authority. It was decided to decorate the vessel from topgallant trucks +to mainrail by attaching the herring to the signal haulyards about +three feet apart. Captain Bourne's beloved brig was forthwith then +trimmed in her frill of red herrings, and the equivalent to a vote of +thanks was unconventionally moved and carried for the fearless +assistance and patriotic advice rendered by comrades who upheld the +true national faith of being roundly fed with good joints of beef and +plum or suet pudding. After a few appropriate remarks in anticipation +of the trouble and sensation of the morrow, the young gentlemen +dispersed, each going aboard his own ship, while those belonging to the +_Cauducas_ tumbled into their hammocks and were soon fast asleep. +They rose at the usual hour the following morning, and while they were +having breakfast angry and excited voices were heard alongside; and as +they eagerly listened to the picturesque flow of profane language +intermixed with a few eloquent remarks to God to forgive such +irreverence, their minds were permeated with fear lest suspicion would +fall on them during the paroxysm of alternate rage and godliness. +Plunker was a powerful man, and when his anger was roused they knew by +experience it was not safe to interject a word either of denial or +assent; so they determined, when he called them to him, to pursue a +policy of negativeness, and trust to Providence to deliver them from a +position that was showing signs of serious consequences. While the +irate commander was in the white heat of a tremendous peroration, and +in the act of detaching the festoons of herring which he placed so much +value on, his owner, who had come down to see his property, as was the +custom in those early days, came laughing towards his much troubled +captain and greeted him with the advice not to take the matter too +seriously. It was obviously a practical joke intended for a purpose, +and he apprehended the intention was to convey the idea that a liberal +allowance of food should be served out to his crew, and that the luxury +he placed so much value on should no longer be the object of his +special care, but that he should take to heart the lesson just revealed +to him, and allow his people to partake generously of that also. As the +vessel was lying alongside a shipbuilding and repairing yard, a large +crowd of workmen had congregated to see so unusual a display. +Discourteous and jeering remarks were loudly spoken with the studied +intention of reaching the ears of the master and owner, and the news of +a revolutionary act having been committed within the precincts of an +unyielding discipline spread like an electric flash through the little +town, and the unknown perpetrators were eulogistically stamped as +heroes. + +No one knew better than this old-time shipmaster the amount of capital +that would be squeezed out of the incident by the gossips, and no one +recognized better than he the amount of odium that would stick to +himself. The poor fellow had been stabbed in a tender spot, and those +who knew him intimately foreshadowed a long period of bitter suffering +for him. Indeed, there were those who openly stated that he would not +long survive the insult to his professional authority. He intimated to +his employer that it was his intention to forthwith hold a +court-martial in his cabin, and requested him to take part in the +investigation. The owner was a person gifted with a sense of humour. He +laconically expressed his willingness to remain aboard, but refused to +have anything to do with the official inquiry. + +The mate's Christian name was Matthew, but he was commonly addressed as +Matt. The dignity of Mr was never by any chance applied to chief +officers of this class of vessel, though quarter-deck manners were +always strictly sustained so far as the captain was concerned. He was +the only person who claimed the right of being addressed as "Sir," and +he would brook no violation of its use. Matt, as he was called, was +made the medium of communicating the master's wishes that the +apprentices should meet him in his cabin immediately. The rugged +officer was smitten with the comical aspect of his mission, though he +carried it out in a strictly punctilious manner. These rough, uncouth +men never wilfully offended the susceptibilities of their commanders, +unless they became unbearably despotic, then they retaliated with +unsparing vengeance. The three apprentices promptly obeyed the command +given to them, and were ushered into the presence of their infuriated +captain. They were each handsome, broad-shouldered athletes, with keen, +sparkling, fearless eyes that indicated fearlessness. He made a short, +jerky, almost inarticulate speech on the wickedness and indecency of +committing an act of gross disrespect to the vessel, the owner and +himself, all of whom should have been shielded from ridicule. + +"I have had you brought to me," he said, "in order that I might learn +from your own lips whether you are the perpetrators of this base +robbery and vile insult to myself. I ask each of you, are you guilty of +committing or assisting to commit this villainous insult on myself?" + +The owner, who was standing in the steerage brimming over with the +ludicrous character of the previous night's frivolity, was heard to +chuckle and say: "What damned nonsense to ask such a silly question!" + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN PLUNKER ASTONISHED.] + +Each of the lads stoutly denied having any knowledge of what had +happened, whereupon Plunker called them "a set of damned lying +mutineers, who ought to be swung to the yardarm." This phrase was +commonly used at that time whenever it was thought necessary to +emphasise displeasure. Sanguinary penalties were roundly threatened to +them and to their scoundrelly accomplices. Leading questions were put +in a more or less forceful way, but the boys determined to preserve a +secretive and even aggressive aspect, which sent their burly commander +into an ecstasy of violence. At last, despairing of getting any +satisfaction, he told them to get out of his sight. And tradition says +that he was never known to smile again; but the _Cauducas_ became from +that day one of the best found vessels, and her crew the best fed that +sailed out of port. There was no more concealment or locking up, or +doling out of Yarmouth bloaters, or any other thing. A great change had +been wrought in the hitherto inexorable old man of the sea. His conduct +became marked by a generosity that wiped out recollections of past +meanness. His natural make-up prevented him from giving prominence to +his better side, or of making himself endeared to those faithful men +who spent a long life in his service, sharing his precarious fortunes +in working and navigating a vessel that his contemporaries predicted +would carry him and his crew to a tragic doom. Yet this man of icy +exterior, blunt, uncouth and ofttimes vulgar manners, had beating +within him as big a heart as ever was planted in a human breast. His +men knew that there was a power about him that fascinated them. They +could not call it affection, but it was something akin to it: a strong +magnetism, indeed, that inspired their confidence and caused them to +follow him into dangers that resembled the very jaws of death. It was +never a thought of his to show any tender feelings. His susceptibilities +would have been much offended could he have been presented with the +idea that he had a soft place anywhere in his heart. This reluctance to +be supposed effeminate was a characteristic of the age which caused +many acts of injustice to be committed in order that the reputation for +stern, slashing, devil-may-careness should be established, and many a +fine fellow did violence to his whole nature by the desire to be +considered a desperado. + +This, however, never appeared to be an ambition of Captain Bourne. All +he seems to have aimed at was to inspire his crew with an affection for +his much beloved vessel, and not on any occasion or under any +circumstances to be thought soft, or weak, or womanish. This of course +could only be assumed, because he never conveyed his thoughts to +anybody. + +Long after the herring incident this little vessel was being loaded, +waiting for favourable wind and water so that she might start on her +voyage to Boulogne. She had been detained several weeks, when a fine +N.E. wind and high tide enabled him to pass out of port. It was called +in those days a sea tide, and several masters availed themselves of it +to put to sea. Before this little fleet of collier brigs got as far +south as Flamborough Head, it was blowing a fresh gale, and big lumps +of sea were slashed over them. The pumps of the _Cauducas_ were +continually kept going, and there was much concern as to the crew being +able to keep the water under. Her decks were opening and shutting, and +her timbers were making suggestive noises. She scudded across Boston +deeps under two close-reefed topsails and reefed foresail until abreast +of Cromer high land, when the gale subsided, and before the Cockle +light-ship was reached the wind had shifted into the south-south-east. +With the help of the flood tide she was beaten through the Gat into +Yarmouth roads, where the anchor was dropped, a good scope of chain run +out, sails furled and ship pumped dry. Then the forecastle hands cast +lots who should keep the first anchor watch. The hand who picked the +shortest piece of matchwood had to accept the position of having to +take the first two hours; then all the rest turned in. + +The mate was always called at the turn of the tide to swing the vessel, +so that the cable did not foul the anchor. This was done by a skilful +manipulation of the yards and fore topmast staysail. Some mates had +quite a genius for this piece of real seamanship. Others never got +within the fringe of doing it successfully, and the result was that +many a mishap occurred in consequence of cables fouling the anchor +stock, or flukes, thereby pulling it out of the ground and causing it +to drag. It was also the occasion of many bitter quarrels between +master and mate. The former may have been a duffer at the manoeuvre +himself, but that did not bother him now that the position had changed. +Even a consciousness of the mate's knowledge of his fallibility did not +qualify his hostile remarks; indeed, the recollection of it never +failed to increase his anger. As a matter of fact, the knack of doing +it was a gift that no amount of training could create if it was not +inborn. I have known apprentices, after they have been at sea a year or +two, become really adepts at swinging ship at a single anchor, and many +of the seamen prided themselves in being able to do it well. A more +difficult task was that of preventing turns getting in the cable when +riding with both anchors down, and in skilled hands it could very often +be obviated. The thoughtful master or officer made a practice of coming +on deck at irregular hours during the night while anchored in a +roadstead, so that the men might become impressed with the idea of +never relaxing their vigilance. Notwithstanding this care it was not an +infrequent thing for the watch to be caught napping. On one occasion a +collier brig had been windbound for several days in the Yarmouth roads. +The mate was accustomed to pay nocturnal visits on deck, and had +suspected that a great deal of napping was done before the galley fire, +and he had his suspicion confirmed when coming up one night +unexpectedly, and, stealthily making his way to the galley, he found +both doors closed; no one was to be seen anywhere; he looked down into +the forecastle and saw one hammock vacant, so he made his way to the +galley again and listened, and heard someone snoring. He asked who was +there several times and got no answer. He then tried the door, but the +inmate had anticipated an invasion and had wedged it so that no one +could open it from without. The mate was seized with a superstition, or +exasperation, or both, so he drew a belaying pin from the rail, brought +it strongly in contact with the door, and loudly asked who was there. A +husky voice from within answered in broad Northumbrian accent: "Thor's +neebody heor!" "Then by Gox," said the excited mate, "Ye'ar the beggar +I've been luckin' for these last few neights!" The slumberer was the +person who ought to have been pacing the deck. Needless to say, he +became the object of much vituperation, and was never again trusted to +look after the lives of his shipmates or the property of his employer. +Similar incidents to this occurred on every collier vessel. + +The _Cauducas_ was several days windbound. The crew had repaired +rigging, running gear, and sails that were damaged during the storm, +and they now welcomed a change of wind which came, so that the voyage +might be continued. The anchor was weighed, and every stitch of canvas +was spread and bellied out with a strong flowing wind. By the time the +Kentish Knock Lightship was reached the wind had increased so that the +topgallant sails had to be furled and two reefs taken in the topsails. +The North Foreland was passed and a course shaped for Boulogne. The +wind had increased to a gale, and the sea in the Channel was as cross +and as angry as it well could be. Every preparation was made for +entering port; mooring ropes and cable chains were got on deck so that +the anchors might be used if necessary. She was run well over towards +the French Coast before she could be hove to to take a pilot aboard. +This having been done, orders were given to square away for the +harbour. The sea was breaking a good distance off, and the prospects +for entering looked very ugly. The captain was at the tiller and was +unusually agitated. The pilot's excitement remained subdued until the +sinister commotion of seas was within easy distance. He then became +voluble in his orders. The little vessel rushed into the merciless +liquid breakers at great speed. One of them broke over the bluff of the +bow, carrying the bulwarks away, and at the same time the cable chain +was lurched over the side. The master rushed from side to side with the +tiller, irrespective of the pilot's equally chaotic orders. The crew +became alarmed for their safety, while the captain and pilot vied with +each other for first place in exhortation to keep cool, but neither the +one nor the other was cool. The pilot called out in very broken English +"Port" and "Starboard" in quick succession. The master answered "Port" +and "Starboard" each time the order was given, adding each time as an +addendum, "Look at that blooming cable chain hanging over the side!" so +that the confusion of orders and irrelevant responses to them became a +menacing danger to safe navigation. The pilot swore in French at the +captain, requesting him to steer the vessel and not to mind the ---- +chain being over the side, and the captain delivered himself in even +more forceful language at the pilot for arrogance in dictating orders +as to how he should conduct himself; and in order to minimise the guilt +of hard swearing and to appease his conscience for having offended the +God of the British people, as soon as it was uttered the pilot begged +forgiveness, and then poured forth his anger in a flow of strong French +adjectives. The crew, being well trained and accustomed to perils of +this nature, did their part of the necessary work irrespective of +orders. They saw, however, that trouble would come to them if the +master could not be persuaded to forget that the cable chain was +overboard, so they induced Matt to go and offer to give him a spell, +and to everybody's surprise he was willing to give the steering into +the hands of his mate, who knew as well as either himself or the pilot +the way into the harbour. + +The seas broke heavily over her until she entered the mouth of the +harbour. A crowd of their fellow-townsmen from other vessels had come +on to the pier with the object of rendering any assistance they could, +and by their goodness and skill she was moored without the necessity of +letting go the anchors or even breaking a ropeyarn. Plunker was very +grateful to these fine fellows for the valuable service they had +rendered. They knew that he was never effusive about any favours +conferred upon him, so were content to receive a plain "Thank you." The +local sailormen of that time used to caricature him running in confused +frenzy from side to side of the quarterdeck with the tiller, and +imitate the pilot and himself haranguing each other to keep cool, and +immediately afterwards breaking out into violent attacks on each +other's capacity for giving and receiving orders. + +This strange being, at a time when he was passing through the peril of +facing death, never lost the power of making his men feel that he was +above their level. Even his undignified altercations with the pilot, +and his mixed erratic exclamations on the subject that obviously +troubled him, in no way diminished the awe in which he was regarded. + +The vessel was moored alongside the quay, and great care was used in +having the fenders properly placed, so that her aged planking would be +preserved from chafing. Had she been the king's yacht, no greater +attention could have been given to prevent this. + +[Illustration: "THERE WERE MANY CALLERS."] + +The following morning there were many callers alongside, and many +congratulations offered to the captain and his crew on a safe +deliverance. There were shipbrokers, shipmasters, seamen and all grades +of dockworkers; each of them showed a common desire to be unusually +kind. The English vessels in port had their flags half-mast. Someone on +the _Cauducas_ asked the reason for this, and the reply came in subdued +tones that the _R----_ had come in on the last flood, and her master +reported having had very heavy weather crossing the Kent. Everything +had been swept from the deck, and Captain Bourne's eldest son, who was +serving as able-seaman, had been knocked off the lee foretopsail +yardarm while assisting to close reef the topsail. He held on to the +reef-earing as long as he could, but the flapping of the sail soon +caused him to call out to his shipmates, "I can hold on no longer," and +before any aid could be given he had slipped his hold and fallen into +the sea, and the surges covered him over. + +The news of his son's tragic end was communicated to Captain Bourne by +his faithful mate, who pathetically, and with unconscious humour, +exhorted his master not to give way to grief. "It is a bad job," said +he, "but it would have been much worse had it been ourselves, and we +were very near done for." His bereaved master was a man of very few +words. He asked some particulars without apparent emotion, and then +proceeded to his cabin, where he was found shortly afterwards praying +in a simple, touching way to Almighty God that the body of his son +might be picked up so that it might be taken to his home. He petitioned +fervently that his younger boy might be spared to him. It seemed as +though his communion with the Deity had given him a glimpse into +futurity, or a presentiment of further bereavement. He was recalled to +material things by being reminded by the cabin-boy that the mid-day +meal was ready. He took his place at the table and proceeded to make +inquiries as to whether the discharging of the cargo would commence +that day. The mate informed him that he did not think there was any +intention of doing so, whereupon he replied, "I must go ashore and stir +them up." The masters and mates of the other vessels in port would have +come in a body to condole with him for the loss of his son, but they +knew that he loathed outward signs of soft emotion, and in any case +would never allow sentiment, no matter how justifiable, to come between +him and his business obligations. + +He was well known in business circles for his devotion to the interests +of his employers. That was his first and last thought, and when he went +forth to do their business he wasted neither time nor words. He +possessed a natural gift of diplomacy, and wrote no letters. He had the +knack of conveying what he wanted to be at, and his quaint way of doing +it, though it might amuse, always inspired the person who was addressed +with the belief in his soundness, so that few men succeeded as he did +in getting what he wanted. On the occasion of which I am writing, the +merchants received him with obvious sympathy, and he was promised a +quick dispatch. That night he got the boy to write a few lines to his +wife at his dictation. They were very brief, very melancholy, very +reverential. Here is the letter: + + "DEAR WIFE,--We arrived here yesterday after a very rough passage. + I hope you're well as it leaves me at present. The _R----_ arrived + this morning's tide, and reports that Jack was knocked off the + foretopsail yardarm, and they never see'd him again. He shouted + 'Guidbye, I cannot hold on any longer.' I asked God to have his + body picked up and sent home, and while I was doing it, a queer + thought came over me that little Bobby was being washed overboard + from the _Savannah_. I hope it's not true, and that God won't take + him from us as well. No more at present, from + + _HIS_ + "JOHN X BOURNE." + _MARK_. + +He seems to have had a rugged anxiety that the mother of his drowned +son should be given a prompt opportunity of sharing his sorrow. It was +not usual for these shellbacks to write letters while on a coasting +voyage. Indeed, they were very cautious about doing it at any time in +case even members of their own families should think them +tender-hearted. Moreover, those who could not write or read were very +sensitive about allowing others to do it for them.[1] + + [1] It may be as well to explain here that the straddle-leg + patent, as it was called, often caused sailors to be both killed + and drowned. They used to give advice in a flippant way to each + other that if they were forced to let go their hands to be sure + to hold on by the skin of their teeth or their feet. This little + joke was rarely successful in saving them from being smashed to + pieces or drowned. The invention by Collin and Pinkney for + reefing and furling, and subsequently the double topsail yards + introduced by the Americans, did a great deal towards preventing + loss of life, and certainly saved many a spar from going over the + side. It was found that there were fewer accidents both in life + and property by the use of the latter. Occasionally the patents, + which have been long out of use, went wrong, and the sail could + neither be got up nor down, but this never happens when proper + care is used with the double topsail yarders. With these a vessel + may be put under close-reefed topsails in a few seconds. + +In due course the cargo of the little brig was discharged and the +ballast was brought alongside. The side ports were knocked out, and the +crew commenced to throw the ballast into the hold, as it frequently +happened that only one side was available. A couple of hands were +placed in the hold to shovel it over to the opposite side in order to +keep the vessel upright. While this was being done the captain +proceeded to collect and pay his accounts. Cheques or bills of exchange +were dispensed with as a rule, and the freight was paid over the +counter in sovereigns, and scooped into a leather bag. This was taken +aboard and concealed in the master's room. It was a rare thing for the +freight to be wrongly settled, or go astray after it was settled. Men +like Captain Bourne had a mysterious way common to themselves of +counting and calculating, and any breakdown in their system (for each +had his own) would have made a deep wound in their pride. The day after +the ballast was all in and trimmed, orders were given to unmoor, and +the little craft sailed out of the harbour with a fine southerly wind +and all sail set. The breeze carried her as far north as Flamborough +Head, when it gradually veered into the west and kept steady, but blew +so hard that the topsails had to be double-reefed. + +It was the morning watch from four to eight. The cabin-boy was called +at seven o'clock to prepare breakfast and polish the brass stove and +ashpan. The captain heard the little fellow doing his morning work, and +called out to him, "Boy!" + +"Yes sir," said the boy. + +"How is the wind?" + +"I will go and ask," said he. + +He came down and conveyed the pleasing intelligence that it was still +west and they were close in by Whitby Lights. + +"Come into my berth and get yourself a glass of gin, my canny lad," +said the indulgent skipper, "and see that I am not disturbed for +breakfast. Don't call me until she is abreast of Sunderland." + +"All right, sir," said the boy, and availed himself of his master's +kindness by taking a second mate's nip out of the gin jar which was +kept under his bed. The little fellow wondered what had caused such a +convulsion of endearment, as Captain Bourne's demeanour had hitherto +been the very antithesis of external tenderness. About an hour had +elapsed when he was asked again "How the wind was." + +[Illustration: HAVING A NIP.] + +"W.N.W.," said the youth, "and inclined to break off" (i.e., norther). + +"What are you making such a noise about?" growled the now uneasy +captain; "shut my door so that I may be quiet; and get the cabin +properly scrubbed out ready for going into port." + +The wind had freshened, the vessel began to jump into a nasty head +swell, and in order to ease the strain on the rigging the necessary +sail was shortened. Captain Bourne was aroused by the sombre music of +the wind rustling through the rigging and making occasional discordant +noises. His mind became centred on the possibility of the voyage being +prolonged, and in order that his suspicions should be confirmed or +otherwise, he called with a deep, agitated voice for the boy to come to +him; and when he presented himself the captain asked in a tone which +indicated coming trouble: "How is the wind now?" + +The youthful seaman replied, with a voice and manner indicative of +knowledge and assurance: "The wind, sir, is strong N.N.W., and +increasing," and as this was the direction in which they were bound, +the captain's mental processes became confused. A strange guttural +sound came from his throat as though there was a struggle going on +between the flesh and the devil. The conflict did not last long, as the +sanctity which he had observed for some days went under. He jumped from +his bunk, seized his boot which lay hard by, flung it at the poor, +fatigued laddie, bellowing out at the same time: "On deck, you darned +young spawn of ----. I've been kept awake by your clatter ever since +you got up." And the boy flew before the hurricane of wrath lest he +should come to grief. + +The men asked him the cause of being turned out of the cabin. + +"The cause," he said, "is, the old man asked me how the wind was, and +as soon as I told him it was N.N.W. he flung his boot at me and ordered +me on deck for making too much noise. I hadn't been more than a minute +in the cabin after lending a hand to shorten sail. Besides, the old +beast almost hugged me when I told him the wind was west and that we +were off Whitby. Why, he was so pleased he asked me to have a nip of +that gin he keeps under his bed!" + +"Did he swear at you?" said one of the seamen. + +"Swear?" said the boy, "it wasn't swearing, it was sulphurous." + +"Ah," said the sailor, "it's a bad job he's broken out again. There'll +be no more peace until something serious happens. But perhaps a fair +wind might put him right for a bit. I thought the loss of Jack had +knocked all the sulks out of him, and that he had fairly become +religious." + +"What are you gadding about, man?" said Matt, the mate; "how do you +expect anybody to keep religious with the wind N.N.W. and bound north, +with the prospect of being driven back to Burlington Bay or perhaps +Yarmouth Roads? And besides," continued this theological authority, +"sailors are allowed to swear when anything goes wrong, and the old man +is only taking advantage of his rights. You make no mistake; he cannot +read or write--no more can I for that matter--but he knows a thing or +two when it comes to law or religion." Thus spake the loyal, +well-informed Matthew. + +After a few days' hard buffeting against a biting head-wind, the vessel +arrived at the port to which she was bound, and after she was moored +and everything made trim, running gear coiled round the belaying pins, +every bight being regular and equal, sails stowed in a cloth, and yards +laid perfectly square, the sailors then proceeded to arrange themselves +in spotless white fustian trousers and blue jerseys adorned in front +with their names or initials worked in red or white worsted. The latter +article of apparel was usually knit by their wives if they were +married, or their intended wives if they were not, and in either case +there was great competition in producing the very best work both of art +and serviceableness. They then packed their clothes in canvas bags and +carried them home on their shoulders. There was considerable emulation +not only in the neatness of the packing and the cleanness of the bags, +but the arrangements for fastening the mouth of the bag took weeks to +fashion into a very pretty piece of sailorising. These things may seem +small and frivolous, unworthy indeed of being referred to as even a +characteristic of the sailor of that locality and of that period. I do +not know anything that came under the lash of such severe criticism as +the sailor's own fashion of dress, and it must not be imagined that it +was confined to the sailors themselves, though they were merciless +enough with each other, but the owners and the public generally took +the keenest interest in these little touches of vanity and handiwork. +Many a worthy fellow got a good berth because he and his belongings had +the stamp of ingenuity and tidiness about them, and certainly many of +them knew that this was a sure means of winning the affections of young +girls whom they wished to make their wives. + +These young maidens who resided in this interesting little seaport town +knew almost by instinct whether a vessel was kept smart or not; neither +those who were married nor those who were single liked either their +husbands or sweethearts to be associated with an ill-kept vessel. If +they read anything at all it was what the newspapers said about +shipping, or as a matter of religious devotion they might perchance +read an occasional chapter in the Bible, so that their mental energy +found a ready outlet in the gossip of things appertaining to their +daily life and immediate surroundings, which for the most part were +nautical, although I must not overlook the fact that many of the more +intelligent of them were connected with religious institutions. These +were mostly Dissenters, Wesleyan Methodists, Primitives and +Presbyterians. The Church of England had not at that time become the +evangelical force that it may be considered to-day. I am not sure to +which of these sects Captain Bourne belonged, but amongst every class +there was a widespread sympathy extended to him on his arrival at the +home port. The news of his son having come to so untimely an end moved +the little community so that condolences came to him from many +unexpected quarters. Dignified owners shared with the common sailor and +apprentices their ungrudging sympathy, and he received it with +transparent gratitude. All his gruff mannerisms were forgotten in the +sorrow of the moment. The poor lad who had passed so suddenly into the +valley of death was looked upon as a promising captain in embryo, and +there was much speculation as to the deeds he would have accomplished +and the high position he would have attained had the sea not claimed +him so soon. All this and a good deal besides was spoken to the +sorrowing parents by way of ameliorating their suffering, and also +because the occasion was opportune for speaking that which they really +believed would have come to pass. Little did the people or the object +of their compassion think that at the very time they were saying those +encouraging words destiny was fulfilling another tragedy, and the sea +had again become the tomb of a bonny, bright, promising youth who had +not reached his seventeenth year. The _Cauducas_ had been in port +for a couple of weeks and was on the point of sailing, when news came +that Captain Bourne's second son had been washed overboard and drowned +from the vessel he was serving aboard of. The presentiment that this +would happen had been overshadowed by the interest taken in the loss of +the eldest boy. When the news was broken to him, a sullen, stupefied +gaze came into his eyes. He murmured a few incoherent words, and then +with a superhuman effort he raised his voice, and with emphasis that +was terrible as well as pathetic he called out: "Oh, God, what have I +done to You that You should allow this thing to be done to me? I have +had two bonny lads taken from me within a month of each other. Oh, God, +help me to bear the trial like a man!" + +This fine old sailor, believed he was holding communion with a personal +power of British nationality that could sway the universe at His will. +He believed, though he could not see Him, that God was a person that +kept Himself out of sight for a purpose, and that it was the duty of +every Englishman to keep on good terms with Him. The mystery of +divinity never entered his head. It was a simple, steadfast faith, +peculiar if you like, but unyielding in devotional loyalty to His +supremacy. It was a wonderful phenomenon, which even cynical logicians +might have found embarrassing to their iconoclastic notions could they +have witnessed it. Here was an uncultured though magnificent-looking +person passing through a sorrowful tribulation, exciting the pity and +calling for the admiration of hundreds of his fellow creatures, because +he was able to hold his head up and appeal to the only power he knew +that was capable of giving him consolation and courage. "Oh, God, help +me to bear the trial like a man!" That was the melancholy burden of his +petition, and the assurance that it would be answered never forsook +him. + +His vessel was soon ready for sea, and sailed on the first of a series +of voyages that were contracted for her to run. On the completion of +these he was asked by his owner to take command of a barque of about +600 tons deadweight. To an ordinary man and to the average shipmaster +of that time, the opportunity of being shifted from an old rattle-trap +brig to the enviable position of commander of a "South Spainer" would +have been accepted with excessive pride and gratitude; but Bourne was +not an ordinary man. He had spent a long life as master of a vessel on +which he had placed his affections, so that the more urgent the owner +became for him to take advantage of the offer of much higher wages and +greater dignity, the more tenaciously he clung to the belief that some +serious judgement would befall him if he were ungrateful and disloyal +enough to forsake the brig that had carried him for more than a quarter +of a century across many a wrathful sea. "No," said he, "I must end my +days in the canny ship. Her and me have had a lot to do with each +other, and I would never forgive myself if I were to agree to this +request, and some useless fellow were to put her ashore on a bank or on +the rocks, and she became a total wreck. Besides, if anything were to +happen I could not rest in my grave." + +"Well," said the owner, "I appreciate your high motives, and also the +strong regard you have shown for a vessel that has made me so much +money; and I must not forget to say that but for your skill and care in +conducting the business, and also in the navigation, the results would +have been very different. It is because of these and other sterling +qualities that you possess that I ask you to consider favourably the +offer I have made. You know how badly the _Grasshopper_ has done, and I +feel that you are the only man that can pull her out of the bad mess +she is in. Sleep over it." + +Bourne slept over it, and informed the owner the next day that the ship +was far too big for him, but as the change was urged he must leave the +final decision to the owner, always bearing in mind that he wished to +remain where he was. The owner availed himself of the old mariner's +flexible state of mind by promptly taking him at his word. And he +forthwith became the object of notoriety. There had been not a few +aspirants to this enviable position, and much speculation as to whether +Bourne would ultimately be persuaded to take it or not. Of course it +was vigorously hoped he would not, and when the announcement in the +affirmative was made there were sundry disappointments. The predictions +were of a gloomy character. Forebodings that the new commander would +never be able to handle so large a ship became the prevalent idea, for +he had never been in a vessel carrying more than about 250 tons. It was +an open secret that Captain Bourne had misgivings of a similar kind +himself. He feared, indeed, that she might run away with him. He +apprehended that his capacity to handle a vessel of a different rig +from that to which he had been accustomed all his life might prove +defective. Many of his contemporaries, as well as he himself, held very +contracted and primitive ideas as to size. They talked of vessels of +400 tons burden as being large, and those of six to seven or eight +hundred were described as leviathans. + +Captain Bourne showed signs of depression from the time his belongings +were taken from the object of his devotion. He felt he was parting from +a life-long friend. A Board of Trade certificated chief mate was +engaged to act as "nurse." The crew were signed on, stores shipped, and +after the cargo was all aboard, the _Grasshopper_ crossed the bar amid +much cheering from the people who lined the quays and piers. Moreover, +the occasion was of more than usual interest, for Captain Bourne had +never been off the coast during his whole life. After the tug and pilot +left, a course was shaped towards the hidden mysteries that lay across +the sea. The passage was made quickly, but not without mishap, for the +vessel had struck on a reef of rocks, and it was thought her false keel +and copper had received considerable damage. From the time the vessel +left the port of loading the captain had been little seen. It was well +known that a morbid brooding had taken complete possession of him. He +rarely came to his meals, and when he did he never spoke except to +murmur some words of endearment about the old ship he had been +persuaded to leave. The stranding of his new command was interpreted as +a judgement sent to him for the wrong he had committed in giving way to +pride by forsaking the craft that had carried him so many years in +safety. On his arrival in port several friends paid him a visit, and +were struck with his changed appearance. The mates and steward said +they had observed that there was a difference in him, but the passage +had been so wild and eventful they had never had time to think of it. +After the first two or three days his business visits ashore became +very irregular, and before the cargo was discharged they had ceased +altogether. He was seldom seen either below in his cabin or on deck. He +could not be induced to take his meals regularly, and took to shutting +himself up in his stateroom. A dangerous form of melancholia held him +in fetters, so that when friendly visitors called to see him his +reclusive mood forbade any intercourse with even men who knew him +intimately. + +There was much speculation as to the cause of this morbid determination +to abstain from food and from having communication with anyone. +Naturally, drinking was freely attributed to him, but this was stoutly +denied by every one of the crew. His mate and steward were of opinion +that he was fretting badly about having to leave the old brig; and this +had led him to think more than he would have otherwise done of the loss +of his boys and the stranding of his vessel. Each day saw a change for +the worse, until the mate became alarmed by evidences of total +collapse. He determined to see the master of a steamer who was in port +and knew Bourne well enough to do what would have been resented as a +great liberty in another man. This captain insisted that he would not +stand the humbug of asking to be allowed to see Bourne, so he boldly +went aboard, knocked at the stateroom door, and demanded admittance. On +this being refused, he proceeded to force the entrance, and presented +himself before the amazed inmate with quite a string of strong +adjectives for the bad behaviour in not reciprocating his +neighbourliness. + +"What are you lying there fretting your soul out for?" said the burly +commander; "get up and come ashore with me and pull yourself together. +You owe a duty to your owner, your wife, and yourself. You're not going +to mend matters by moping and refusing to take natural exercise and +food!" + +"Ah," said Captain Bourne, "I will never set my foot ashore again. I am +very near the end, and I will be glad when it comes. Tell the owner as +soon as I am gone that I have never been myself since I acted so bad in +leaving my bonny little ship that did so much for me." And putting his +hand to his breast, he added: "I have felt queer and sore here ever +since. I hope God will forgive me, but I was sure my sin would find me +out; and here I am, a poor shrivelled-up man, anxious to get away from +earth and to be with my drowned boys. The parson told me I would meet +them in a better world to this, and so I want to get to it as quick as +I can, for all the pleasure was taken out of my life when I consented +to come here. I haven't been very bad, and always was as good as I +could to God. Sometimes I've sworn when anything went wrong, but I +never meant any harm in it. Besides, they say that sailors' swearing is +not like other people's." + +His friend urged him in a rollicking manner to take a more cheerful +view of his position. + +"There are many," said he, "who would give worlds to have command of so +fine a vessel." + +"Let them have it, then," said Bourne; "but I was content to end my +days in the old ship. That was glory enough for me, and they (meaning +his owner and his friends) would not let me do it." + +Captain W---- shook him warmly by the hand, and promised to call +again. + +Bourne murmured: "I may never see you again. I feel the end is very +near. My general health is good, but what ails me is a sore heart. Tell +them, W----, if I should die before seeing you again, that I trusted in +God and His Son, that the parsons say preached the gospel of sorrow. My +cup is full of that. So that I would be satisfied to meet death +willingly could I catch but one glimpse before it comes of the ship +that has been my home all my life, brought up my bairns, and kept a +comfortable abode ashore for me." + +His friend parted from him with a sad heart, believing that no earthly +power could save him, for he saw that he was encompassed by the shadow +of doom, and that the triumph of death would soon overtake him. + +The following morning the _Grasshopper_ ensign flew half-mast. Poor +Bourne had passed the portal beyond which he was to find peace. His +last message to his mate and steward were: "I shall soon be dead. Say +'so long' for me to my wife and the owner. Tell them my heart broke, +for I could not bear the loss of my boys and the parting from the canny +little brig. Tell them I bear no ill-will to anybody, and that I expect +to meet them beyond the river in a better land." + +These words were the last spoken by the grief-stricken old mariner, who +in the plenitude of his manhood would have scorned the idea of openly +giving way to emotion. His officers sat by him until he quietly slipped +his moorings. + + + + +III + +CAPTAIN MACGREGOR + + +Captain Alexander Macgregor, as his name betokens, was a Scotchman, who +had left his native land with credentials which gave him the reputation +of being not only learned but one of the most expert mariners that ever +walked a quarterdeck. For many years he had traded to all parts of the +world in command of various sized vessels owned in Scotland, and had +earned the confidence of his employers by the deeds he had accomplished +in making them large profits. His old owner was perturbed when it +became known that his services had been sought for elsewhere, and +secured, owing to monetary inducements such as no worthy Scot could +refuse, for Scottish shipmasters at that time were shockingly paid. His +advent to English employment was not regarded favourably by the men who +claimed that vessels belonging to that particular port should be +commanded by men of the port, native born or reared into seamen by the +matchless skill of the generation of local sailors that preceded them. +He was looked upon as an interloper who had come to take bread from +their mouths. But what concerned them as much as anything was their +dread of a lower standard, which might lose for them the premier +position which they ostentatiously declared was theirs, of breeding and +rearing skilful, hardy men. The gentleman whom they held responsible +for the unwarrantable innovation carried on a nourishing trade in the +dual capacity of miller and shipowner. He came across Macgregor when on +a visit to one of his vessels which was discharging at a Scottish port, +and became fascinated by his bright, cheery intelligence. A bargain was +struck and he forthwith took command of Mr Hobkirk's finest craft. The +prejudice formed by this unpatriotic act had far-reaching consequences, +which were never really effaced. The community regarded it as another +proof of English generosity and Scottish unscrupulous pushfulness of +character which worms its way into the affairs of men and captures all +the blessings of earth and heaven at the expense of their neighbours. + +"We suppose," said these proud men of the sea, "he has been brought +here to teach us something. We will let him see what he has come to. +His life shall be made not worth living, and the miserable traitor who +has put him over our heads shall be made to feel that we don't want any +Scottish instruction. His great seamanship must be tested, and as to +learning, what do we care for learning? This is not our business. We +want sailors, not learning." + +This piece of shrewd eloquence was noisily applauded by the affected +persons, who felt convinced that their birthright had been stolen from +them. Meanwhile the object of their aversion showed qualities of genius +that caused Mr Hobkirk to marvel at his own inherent instinct which +had enabled him to fix on so distinguished a prodigy. Some of his +shipowning friends were struck with what they called his cleverness, +and asked him to convey to them his secret for finding a person so +unlike the ordinary shipmaster. He bowed his head low in token of +submission, and almost in a whisper conveyed to them the belief that he +was the instrument of divine Providence. The seamen and skippers of the +port did not hold the same view as the owner, so they set themselves to +make it very difficult for Macgregor to get a crew, and had he not been +an astute man of affairs, great loss and inconvenience would have +ensued. The local union was very strong, very active and intensely +popular. All its official machinery was thrown into the policy of +obstruction, and all its efforts were abortive, for the _Hebe_ was +towed out of port with a full crew in spite of a continual shower of +stones and other missiles. + +Amongst this notorious crew was one named Ralph Davidson, a half-witted +young fellow who had served two apprenticeships without being able to +qualify for the dignity of A.B., that is, he could not pass the +necessary examination for admittance into the union. This poor creature +was permitted to sail as "half-marrow" or ordinary seaman because of +his local origin and good natured simplicity. Otherwise the very +mention of half-marrow was loathed, and no amount of persuasion could +induce these men and lads to tolerate a stranger in that capacity. I +commend the ideal to present-day sailors and shipowners. The British +Merchant Service would be all the better by going back to this old-time +method of keeping up the standard of proficiency. Ralph had all the +characteristic weaknesses of the sailor. He was a much-sought-after +institution at all the public house dances while at home, and was not +averse to either accepting a glass of whiskey or giving one when he had +the wherewithal to do it, but that was rarely. He spent much of his +meagre earnings and time in this way, and suffered for it when he was +obliged to go to sea without suitable clothing. Young people of both +sexes were very fond of getting him to do a step-dance or sing a song. +The latter sounded like paying chain cable out of a hawse pipe, and +kept the room in screams of laughter. The _Hebe_ had reached the Bay +of Biscay on her way to Lisbon. A strong south wind was blowing, +accompanied with heavy rain, and the spray flew all over her. Ralph +stood at the wheel shivering, clad in a suit of dungarees. His face +indicated all that he was suffering, and his mutterings attracted the +attention of the captain, who overheard him swearing, "My God, as soon +as I get into port I'll have a suit of oilskins!" In due time they got +into port, and Ralph was the first aft to ask for money to purchase the +water-proof articles. The captain made the advance and reminded him +that he relied on it being spent for the purpose for which it was +intended. He was assured that Ralph's suffering for want of proper +clothing had left an unpleasant recollection on his mind and he did not +intend to suffer in the same way in future. On landing, he was +prevailed upon to go to a grog shop and dance house before making his +purchase. The captain, suspecting that there was not much strength +behind his resolve, dropped into the place of amusement and witnessed +his half-marrow in full swing on the floor. He tapped him on the +shoulder as he waltzed round, and said: + +"Didn't you say when the rain and spray were lashing over you in the +Bay of Biscay that you would buy a suit of oilskins as soon as you got +into port?" + +"Ah, yes, captain, I said that. But there is no rain and spray lashing +at me now. It's different weather here," replied the irrepressible +sailor as he continued to play his part in the harmony of the evening. + +The captain had brought some friends to witness and enjoy the +discomfiture of his "oddity," but the bright retort turned the tables +against him, and established the opinion with them that Ralph instead +of being half-witted was at any rate on that occasion very +ready-witted. They said they would not have lost the sight of seeing +the joke for anything. Macgregor wisely entered into the fun, and +admitted that Ralph had scored in a way that he had not anticipated. + +Meanwhile the new captain was discussed at home with striking +regularity. Opinions varied as to how long he would last and what would +be the cause of his downfall. Quotations from the Scriptures were used +in profusion, the favourite of which was: "Pride goeth before +destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Their faces wore an +aspect of great concern, and they ominously shook their heads in token +of sinister developments that were to bring much tribulation to their +friend who had broken the law of brotherhood. A letter was received by +Mr Hobkirk from the captain giving a graphic description of his passage +and the general prospects for dispatch at the port of discharge. +Dealing incidentally with his future plans, he remarked in passing: "I +cannot close without briefly saying how much I owe you for the honour +you have done me by entrusting so valuable a property and such +important interests to my keeping. May I assure you that it is my +intention to see that you are well rewarded for the confidence you have +placed in your humble servant." The owner went into ecstasy over this +letter and showed it to many of his friends as evidence against their +adverse opinion and as an indication of unusual capacity. Some of them +drily remarked: "The letter may be all right, but we believe in +results, and advise you to wait until you see your accounts." These +nasty insinuations, however, did not in any way shake the confidence of +the owner. Each communication dazzled his imagination and gave him +further opportunity for extolling the rare gifts of his valuable +skipper who was dashing his vessel along in a way that amazed the +inhabitants of the sleepy town to which she belonged. The first voyage +was made in quick time, and the profits were satisfactory. His +treatment of the crew was not all kindness, but they were rather proud +to be able to say that they had sailed with a dare-devil who had lost a +suit of sails crossing the Bay by sheer carrying on; besides he was +generous in the distribution of food and grog, and this was a trait +that palliated all other defects. On his arrival home the interview +between him and his employer was of the most cordial character, and he +was sent on another voyage with a free hand to act in chartering and +other things, as his judgement led him to think was in the best +interests of the vessel. On this occasion he went to Landscrona with +coals, and from there to a Russian place called Windau in ballast. On +arrival off this port he left the mate in charge with instructions to +dodge about while he went ashore to see if he could get a good charter. +In less than two hours he was aboard again with the pilot, and the ship +proceeded into the harbour to load at a high rate of freight for +London. The news of the unexpected arrival and unique fixture created +quite a flutter in shipping circles. Hobkirk's former critics became +suddenly enamoured of this remarkable captain, and his fame spread far +and wide. He was held up as an example of greatness to his less +successful contemporaries, and they in turn secretly desired a tragic +end for him. Hobkirk being a pillar of the church, deemed it necessary +when he took his walks abroad to hang his head in saintly humility. If +he came across any of his friends he warned them to guard against +covetousness, and should prosperity such as his come to them they were +adjured to subdue any inclination to pride. + +"We have need to subdue vanity, haughtiness, self-glorification, and +other worldly ways. I often read and ponder over these awful words," +said this sanctified commercial prince: "The nations shall rush like +the rushing of many waters, but God shall rebuke them, and they shall +flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before +the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind." + +At the time his owner was exhorting his fellow-townsmen to a closer +communion with God, Captain Macgregor had given way to habits that were +not commensurate with the doctrine of that righteousness which exalteth +a people, and as often happens (especially aboard ship) when a bad +example is shown by the master, the crew and officers drift into +irregularities, and all discipline is destroyed. This was exactly what +occurred aboard the _Hebe_. The master was known to be on the spree, so +the mate, Munroe, thought he would have a day off, and took as a +drinking chum, Ralph, the half-marrow; and, in order that they might +not be disturbed, they travelled to a snapshop in the country, some +miles away from the town. Instead of one day, two were spent in +drinking, swearing, dancing, and, as sailors generally call it when on +the spree, casting the lead--presumably to know their whereabouts. A +sailor belonging to the _Hebe_ got to know where they were, and +persuaded a man belonging to another vessel to go with him and bring +them back. They had a tough job, but at midnight of the second day they +succeeded in getting them to retrace their way to the ship, the plan +being to get aboard when nobody was about. Munroe was a typical sailor, +full of devilment, especially when he had had a few glasses of grog. +The two "plants" trudged their way conversing with great animation of +what they had seen and done and what they intended to do. Ralph was +ready to acquiesce in all his officer said as to future exploits. Their +shipmate reminded them (especially Ralph) that it would not be well for +them if the old man got to know they had been on the loose, whereupon +Ralph retorted, "I don't care a damn for the old beggar." This outburst +was supplemented by more sanguinary promises on the part of Mr Munroe. +At this point they were passing a farm just on the outskirts of the +town, and observed some poultry. The chief officer said he would not go +aboard emptyhanded, and had never done so in his life, and wouldn't do +so now. + +"What do you say, Ralph?" + +"I say the same as you say, James," said the complacent half-marrow; +"let us have a fowl for breakfast." + +One cock and two hens were captured by the mate, who was full of +congratulations to himself. At last one of the escorts reminded him +that he would have to conceal the birds or he might be stopped and run +in by the sentry. + +"By gox, that's true," said Munroe; "where shall I put them?" + +"In your breeches," said Ralph, sharply. + +"That's first class," said he, and with Ralph's assistance they were +stowed in the part of his wearing apparel where there was an abundance +of room generously supplied by the tailor. They had not gone many yards +when the mate showed evidences of discomfort. He was obviously +suffering pain. The two escorts were by this time in kinks with +laughter. Ralph asked his mate what was the matter with him. + +"Matter?" said the mate, "why, the blooming things are biting me to +pieces." + +"Let the beasts bite," said Ralph coolly; "you cannot have them there +without them doing something, you darned fool! How do you expect to get +past the sentry if you go on like that? Buck up and bear it." + +At this point the cock gave an unnatural guttural cry. Ralph exhorted +his companion to keep the thing quiet. He replied he couldn't, and that +he would stand it no longer. + +"Well," said Ralph, "if you won't stand it you won't have fowl for +breakfast." + +"Oh, darn the breakfast! I must let them go. Help me to unbutton, for +if I move they'll go mad again." + +The birds were taken from their concealment. Ralph secured two, twisted +their necks, stuffed one into his own nether garment, and informed the +mate that he should have adopted this plan of quietening them at first. + +"Here," said he, passing him the other dead hen, "two makes it far over +bulky; you stow it away in yours." + +"No fear," said Mr Munroe, "I'll never touch or eat a bit of fowl again +as long as I live. My sufferings are too great." + +"Why that's rotten nonsense," said the resourceful half-marrow; "the +thing's dead." + +"I don't care," responded the penitent thief, "I'll never handle them +again, dead or alive. Oh, Christo, I _am_ smarting!" + +"Hold your blether about smarting and suffering, you fool, or you'll +get me nabbed," replied Ralph, who had now concealed both roosters. + +The two escorts were by this time well nigh paralytic with laughter. As +they drew near to where the slumbering sentry stood, the chief officer +caused great anxiety by the style of walk he was forced to assume. +Ralph implored him not to go along as though he expected swine to pass +between his legs, and not to put on such an agonized look. He coaxed +him by the promise that he himself would attend to his wounds as soon +as they got safely aboard. The good-hearted soul took infinite trouble +in his rough way to fulfil the pledge he had given. They were not +intercepted by the military gentleman who guarded the destiny of the +port, and as soon as their feet were planted on deck Ralph exclaimed, +"Now we're safe." Jack has an inherent belief in the sacredness of +British territory, either floating or otherwise. He is a stout upholder +of British supremacy, and conformity to the laws of other nations does +not appeal to him. His creed is undisguised, and has been handed down +as an heirloom from the great naval hero who smashed the combined +fleets of Spain and France at Trafalgar. Here it is: "Fear God, and +hate a Frenchman as the devil hates holy water." The average sailor +continues to believe this to be an edict which alone can assure +patriotism and divine compassion. All these things were well mixed in +Ralph's brain. He never doubted the truth of them, and the one idea +which brought forth the utterance, "Now we're safe," was the conviction +of British supremacy and protection. + +It took Mr Munroe a few days to get into working order. The news of the +adventure and the sequel to it soon spread amongst the English vessels +in port. There was much visiting and jocular sympathy expressed for the +prime mover, and the sailor's sense of humour was greatly touched by +all he heard. The mate himself was a humourist, and after he had got +over the painful period he often told the story against himself, and +never failed to do so with a vividness that made it highly attractive. + +The loading of the vessel was in no way delayed by this little freak, +as there was no cargo down. Captain Macgregor, however, had not been +seen for several days, and the vessel was nearly ready for sea. The +proper agencies were instructed to have him brought aboard, drunk or +sober, so he landed aboard drunk, and gave everybody an unhappy time +until he was got into his bunk and sent to sleep. The next day he rose +early, got all his papers and accounts made right, paid them, signed +bills of lading, cleared, and put to sea with a fair wind. There were +no traces of intemperance in either his behaviour or in the manner of +giving orders. He talked with marked intelligence to his officer, and +partook of the evening meal with him; and as he had reason to leave the +table before Munroe had finished, he politely asked to be excused for +doing so. This mark of consideration overshadowed his other faults and +stamped him as a gentleman in the opinion of the mate. A somewhat +disturbing incident followed, for the guttural voice of someone nowhere +to be seen rebuked James Munroe for absenting himself from the vessel +for two days and indulging in intoxicating drink to excess and for +purloining a poor farmer's fowls, which even the painful results to +himself could not excuse. Then followed a modest tribute to Captain +Macgregor's superior morality. "It is not well that Macgregor should +ever taste alcohol," said the voice; "the slightest drop takes effect +and causes him to appear intoxicated when he is not." Then there came +from the stairs the almost incoherent announcement that a stormy +passage was to be experienced. Then the voice fluttered away, and left +only the sound of creaking timbers and the weird moan of the wind. +Munroe was riveted with dumb terror, and when speech came to him he +remarked: "That's darned funny," and proceeded on deck to attend to his +duties. In a short time he was joined by the captain, who was promptly +informed of what had been heard. + +"Ah," said the skipper, in dead earnest, "that must have been a warning +to you and to me to regulate our lives aright." + +"I don't know about the warning, but these visitations you talk about +are not very canny," responded the mate. + +"How dare you complain of being reminded of absenting yourself from +your duties and stealing poultry and concealing them in a manner that +is disgraceful?" sternly replied the captain. + +"All right," said Munroe in a voice obviously agitated, "say no more +about it." + +Macgregor navigated for three days after leaving, with great vigour and +commendable care, though it was known that he was tippling. He seemed +to have an aversion to Ralph when he had imbibed too freely. This could +not be accounted for, as until recently Ralph was very popular with the +captain. After passing Elsinore he commenced to drink harder, but +always kept his watch until the Scaw was rounded. Then irregularities +became visible. Strong westerly winds were encountered after passing +the Jutland coast. The men knew by experience whenever a light was kept +burning in the stateroom at night, when the wind blew hard and a press +of canvas was being carried, that the intention was, not to take a +stitch in until something carried away. The sailors dreaded these +occasions, as the little craft was smothered at times and never a bit +of rest could be had until the wind eased down. Ten days after leaving +Windau the _Hebe_ entered the Commercial Docks, London. She had been +flogged heavily all the way home. A record passage was considered to +have been made under the circumstances, and several vessels that had +left before and at the same time were sheltering in Elsinore roads, +while others had put into Norwegian ports. Mr Hobkirk was much +gratified by his captain's performances, and would not listen to the +petty gossip that had been sent by some busybodies about him drinking +and being absent from the vessel while at the loading port. He deemed +it necessary, however, to mention the matter to the captain, who on his +arrival at the Tyne was asked to spend an evening with the owner and +discuss things generally. The use of offices was dispensed with in +these days. All accounts and correspondence were kept and carried on +from the owner's private house. When the interview took place, Captain +Macgregor was at his best. Hobkirk was like a willow in his hands. He +nervously introduced the subject of intemperance. It was eloquently and +contemptuously denied; and just as the owner was in the act of +repeating what had been told him, a stern voice came down the chimney +rebuking him for lack of confidence in a man who had given such proof +of integrity. Hobkirk felt uneasy, but the matter of accounts which +were not quite satisfactory had to be dealt with. As soon as they were +mentioned Macgregor fumed into white heat and rose to go, and got +nearly to the door when a sharp angry voice came down the chimney +demanding that the captain should be brought back again and peace made +with him. Hobkirk was by this time in such a state of terror he begged +the gallant commander to take his seat, and apologised for having +unintentionally offended him. Again the voice came: "The wicked in his +pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that +they have imagined." This was the climax. Hobkirk was beside himself +with fear, and tremblingly requested that all should be forgotten. + +"I assure you, Macgregor, I have the fullest confidence in you. By the +way, did you hear anything just now?" + +"Yes," said the captain, "and although I'm not a nervous man it has +made a very deep impression upon me. Good night, sir." + +The captain never had the honour of being invited to his owner's home +again. There were those who said that Hobkirk believed him to have +communion with his Satanic majesty, or to possess supernatural power. +Hobkirk was undoubtedly convinced that the mill was haunted by a spirit +favourably disposed towards the man who had claimed to be his ideal +shipmaster. He became afraid to doubt his honesty or his sobriety lest +his nights might be disturbed and his days filled with trouble. + +"Ah," said he to a friend in whom he had confided, "Solomon the son of +David was right when he said these words: 'Happy is the man that +findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding, for the +merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the +gain thereof than fine gold.'" + +"Very shrewd, very fine," said his friend, "but you might have added +one or two other things that the great Hebrew King's son said. What do +you think of these few words of wisdom and rebuke: 'But ye have set at +naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh +at your calamity: I will mock when your fear cometh?' It is no use, +Hobkirk; I told you all along that Macgregor would have to be watched, +but you were carried away with his money-making, his glamour and +letter-writing, and now he's your master. I'll tell you another thing +old Solomon said: 'Open rebuke is better than secret love, and faithful +are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.' +My advice is: have another master ready for the _Hebe_ as soon as +she gets back." + +Hobkirk confessed to his friend that the quotations from his favourite +author and his own frank statements had made a deep impression on him, +though he was bound to admit that his confidence was only partially +shaken in the man to whom he had pinned his faith. + +"Very well, we will see," responded the friend as he passed out of the +door. + +Mr Hobkirk's meditations kept him awake right through the night, and at +an early hour in the morning he boarded the _Hebe_, and found the +captain and his men energetically preparing to take her to sea. The +cargo was all in. A gentle westerly breeze was blowing. The topsails +were set; the moorings were let go; and the little vessel proceeded out +of the harbour bound to Copenhagen. + +The owner went over the bar with her, and on getting outside had a +private conversation with the master, the nature of which was never +disclosed, but so far as Macgregor was concerned it was animated. Mr +Hobkirk, before leaving with the pilot, gave the crew his benediction, +and slipped into the cobble which waited to convey them ashore. The +pilot, observing that the flag was being dipped, broke the silence by +remarking: + +"She's off once more, sir, and they're dipping the blood and guts of +old England to say goodbye to us." + +The owner was indignant, and smartly retorted: + +"I wish you to understand, pilot, that I will not have the British flag +insulted in my presence. When you speak of that flag, sir, you must +speak of it with reverence, and remember that it has never been lowered +to an enemy." + +The pilot, who had been a sailor and captain, was amazed at the owner's +ignorance in not knowing that seamen were accustomed to speak of the +flag in this way. Had he been a foreigner who dared to address him in a +similar tone of ill-nature, he would have thrown him overboard. As it +was, he merely remarked in an ironic accent that Mr Hobkirk "had a lot +to learn yet." By the time the cobble got ashore, the fine clipper brig +was nearly hull down. + +Macgregor had prevailed upon the same crew to go with him again, and +the owner's back was scarcely turned before he commenced to drink and +ill-use the poor half-witted Ralph who was in his watch. There does not +appear to have been any reason for this except that of alcoholic +viciousness. The dark horror of secret drinking quickly developed into +hideous proportions; it gripped him like a vice; his bleary eyes and +wild fits of delirium foreshadowed inevitable collapse. He raved about +things that were supposed to be whispered in his ears by unholy voices; +he saw wild beasts of the most ferocious character, which were not +there, and imagined them grinding their teeth in anxiety to devour him; +he alternately yelled and whispered that rats, weasels and wild cats +were crawling over his body and gnawing at his vitals. In the paroxysm +of frenzy he lay down on the cabin floor and tried to bury his head +from the sight of the demons that he imagined pursued him. He cried out +in pitiful accents to be shielded from them, and in the effort lost +complete capacity for coherent speech. The crew were thrown into a +condition of chilly fear. A consultation was held, and it was decided +to have him carefully watched and occasional doses of brandy +administered. For three days a fine westerly breeze had raced over the +dappled sea. It had varied in strength, and nearly three hundred miles +had been covered when the wind died away to a calm which continued +nearly twenty-four hours. Then an air sprang up from the east and +gradually gained in strength to a whole sail breeze. The captain had +shown alarming signs of sudden recovery during the early hours of the +fourth day. The _delirium tremens_ had apparently left him, and he +became subdued and attractively rational. Munroe, who did not possess +much intelligence, knowledge or ambition, expressed his satisfaction +that the drunken beggar was about to resume control, as he was sick of +being both skipper and mate. As a matter of fact, responsibility did +not sit lightly on this frivolous officer, and it may be that he knew +the measure of his capacity. Ralph heard all the mate had to say, and +quietly remarked: + +"They haven't left him yet. He's only at the cunning, dangerous stage." + +"What do you mean, Ralph?" said Munroe (for in spite of his reputed +semi-idiotcy Ralph was supposed to possess intuitive foresight). + +"I mean what I say. Now's the time to watch him, or he may have any one +of us by the throat before we know where we are. I'll be the first +he'll go for," said Ralph, in broad vernacular; "he used to like me, +but now that he's taken on to drink I feel that he wants to kill me." + +At midnight on the fourth day from sailing Ralph had just relieved the +wheel, and Macgregor had come on deck, and commenced to walk the +quarterdeck in his usual dignified style. The vessel was being sailed +by the wind, and his eyes became fixed aloft, watching, as was his +custom, whether she was properly steered. At last he broke silence by +shouting out: + +"Hard up! Don't you see the rocks right ahead?" Then he sprang at Ralph +like a tiger, and had nearly torn his clothes off him before other +members of the crew came to his aid. The captain's strength was +superhuman. It took four men to get him into his berth and lash him +securely down, and in a few minutes he died in a screaming fit of +madness. + +It was promptly arranged that the body should, if possible, be landed +in England, and as there was blowing a whole sail breeze from the east, +her tail was put to it and then a heated discussion arose as to the +proper course to steer for Tynemouth Castle. The mate said W. by N. +Ralph insisted W. by S. from their position would land her right under +the castle foot. As both stubbornly maintained they were right, it was +agreed to come to a compromise by steering W. by N. one watch and W. by +S. the next, and so on until the land was made. After this knotty +question was settled an incident almost incredible in its awful +gruesomeness took place. Ralph became smitten by a revengeful mania. He +went below, took his deceased commander's clothes off, put his body on +the table and commenced to lash at it with a piece of rope, exclaiming +at every stroke, "You thrashed me, you tiger, when you were living, and +I'll thrash you now that you're dead." The mate happened to go into the +cabin while this performance was going on, and was stricken with chill +horror. + +"My God, Ralph, what are you doing?" the mate shouted. + +"Don't you see what I'm doing, you d----n fool?" said Ralph, "I'll +teach the villain to lash me for doing nothing!" + +"But," said Munroe, "his body will be marked, and we will be had up for +murder!" + +"There is no fear of that. A corpse never gets marked by beating it." + +This assurance relieved Mr Munroe so much that he covered his strange +companion with profuse compliments on his knowledge of the inanimate +human body, and nicknamed him 'Ralph-ower-mony.' After this +extraordinary being had finished his gruesome revenge on the dead body +of his master, it was placed in a hastily-constructed deal casement, +and put on top of the longboat, and then covered over with the Union +Jack and an awning, so that it might be kept cool. + +There is no class of Englishmen who regard the national flag with such +reverence as the sailor; to him it is a divinity, used as an emblem of +glory, or sorrow, as the case may be. He disdains making the noisy, +vulgar use of it that is sometimes practised at meetings by unctuous, +ill-read politicians, whose abnormal egotism, impudence and ignorance +cause them to boast of a devotion for the flag equalled by no one else. +The sailor, on the other hand, speaks of it as a thing too sacred to +act circus games with. If his shipmate dies at sea, he is sewn up in +canvas and covered over with the Union Jack; a heavy weight is placed +at his feet, and, with heads bowed low, they silently commit his +remains to the deep. If a sailor dies in port, the flag is used to +cover the coffin as a solemn token of having died while serving under +its beneficent protection. Think of the beautiful sentiment that +governs the sailor's ideal of using it, and then, if you can, think of +the blatant political person and the use he puts it to! How it reminds +you of Petticoat Lane, and makes you pray that England may be delivered +from such disgusting impertinence! + +Mr Munroe had assumed command, and discussed with his crew the idea of +a burial at sea. This was strenuously opposed by Ralph, who insisted +that the body should be carried to England in case the question of foul +play should arise. This course was adopted, and great precaution was +taken to prevent premature decomposition. A smart breeze from the N.E. +carried the little brig rapidly towards the land, and on the morning of +the third day she sailed into the roadstead for which she had been +steered. The dual courses had worked out an accurate landfall. Before +the anchor was let go, the pilot cobble came alongside. + +"Where's the captain?" asked the pilot. + +"The beggar's dead, sir," answered Ralph, ignoring the respect he owed +to his superior officer, Mr Munroe, who requested him to keep his +tongue quiet and allow him to speak. The anchor was dropped, sails +furled and flag put half-mast, and the pilot was requested to go ashore +and acquaint the owner with what had happened. At eleven o'clock every +forenoon a few well-known owners met in the parlour of an inn, there to +discuss matters of personal and public interest. The banking accounts +and characters of their neighbours who did not belong to the coterie +were pulled remorselessly to pieces. If they happened to have +progressive ideas and were successful, their speedy bankruptcy was +predicted. Each member of the party had "churchwardens" kept in a +bracket with his name on, and only one glass of whiskey and one pipe of +tobacco was indulged in until the evening sitting, when they did not +stick at trifles. But the keynote of these forenoon and evening +sittings was _money_. Mr Hobkirk and his friends had just got quietly +seated and the conversation turned on the vessel that had been observed +to anchor in the roads, when the pilot in wild excitement burst in upon +their privacy, exclaiming: + +"The _Hebe_ has put back with the captain's dead body aboard!" + +"How did he come by his death?" asked several of the party; "he was a +stout, strong-looking man?" + +"They say he died of drink," said the pilot. + +"Ah," responded the comforting friends, "we told you, Hobkirk, what you +might expect. You remember the voice coming down the chimney? That was +his voice. We have been informed he could talk two ways. We never +believed in him, and told you so." + +"I admit it, gentlemen, I admit it. I have been deceived, but please do +not refer to the chimney affair again; that unnerves me." + +Instructions were given to the pilot to land the body of Captain +Macgregor, and without any show of mourning the remains of this once +brilliant man were put to rest in a drunkard's grave, close by the sea, +far away from his own home. The story of how he came by his death and +what subsequently occurred was told in all its ghastly detail to the +pilots, who in turn spread it abroad, without diminishing the account +given to them. Another captain was quickly engaged, and the _Hebe_ +sailed on her voyage. The late owners of Captain Macgregor were +informed of his death, and about two weeks afterwards a comely-looking +lady with a little boy of four years old called at Mr Hobkirk's house +and asked for an interview. She was received with unfeigned +displeasure. The owner commenced a vigorous tirade against the man who +he considered had wronged him by killing himself with drink. The lady +suddenly cut this flow of vindictive denunciation short by stamping her +foot on the floor and shouting out: "Stop! I will listen to this no +longer. I am the widow of the late captain. I have come from Scotland, +not to hear your coarse abuse of him, but to learn where you have laid +his body. Tell me this, and then I desire to hear no more from you. His +effects and any money due from you to him you may send to this +address." + +Hobkirk interjected: + +"He has no money due." + +"Very well, then," responded Mrs Macgregor, "there will be none to +send; but I must have his effects." + +Hobkirk by this time had read the address. It startled him. He became +apologetic and asked if the baronet whose address she had given was in +any way related to her. + +"Yes," said she, "he is my father, and my late husband's uncle." + +"Ah," said Hobkirk, "I knew my judgement was right in believing him to +belong to a family of distinction. He was a man of great ability, and +had a fascinating address. What a sad thing that he should have given +way to drink." + +"I must request you not to speak of Captain Macgregor in this way to +me. Whatever faults he may have had are covered up in his tomb. If he +has wronged you, be frank and tell me, so that I may atone for it in +some way. You have my address. I came here principally to visit his +grave and arrange for a tombstone to be put up. Please be good enough +to allow someone to take me to it." + +"If I may, I should like to take you to it myself." + +But the little lady declined. The fine dignity of her bearing, and the +charm of her bow when she said "good-day" to him, covered the parochial +potentate with shame for having received and treated her as a +commonplace captain's wife. Mr Hobkirk conveyed to his friends at their +evening sitting at the inn all that had passed between himself and his +distinguished visitor. He was smartly censured for being shortsighted +in not discerning that she belonged to the gentry, and he was charged +with the possibility of getting the leading citizens of the town into +bad repute. + +"Why," said they, "she may write to the papers about it, and then there +will be a fine ado." + +The tragedy of her husband's death and her visit created a sensation of +no small importance in the district. Local gossip made much of it, and +for a time the great Mr Hobkirk lost caste. The poor, bereaved lady was +the centre of sympathy. They thought of her standing by the grave-side, +holding her little son by the hand, and, wrapped by the veil of sorrow, +offering up a humble prayer to Almighty God, and then quietly passing +from the scene of sadness and death to make her way home. + + + + +IV + +PIRACY IN THE ARCHIPELAGO + + +Who can fully estimate all the world owes to Providence and nature in +propagating the fervid Scottish race? They are found in every +continent, climbing from the three-legged stool in an office, or from +any other subordinate position. They toil upward with caution and +perseverance. They always aim at the top of the tree, and multitudes of +them succeed. But one of the Scot's extraordinary characteristics is +his deference to superiors. At an early age the average Scot is +characterized by this passion to get on by thrift, love of "siller," a +puritanic mode of thought, and an imperishable love of his country +which, however, does not prevent him from leaving it in order to enter +into mercantile or other pursuits in the farthest parts of the +earth--or the nearest, it really does not matter--so long as he gets a +decent start. + +Archie Macvie's father, who was an elder of a Presbyterian Kirk, +managed one of the flax factories in an important town north of the +Forth. Archie was the youngest of the lads, and by far and away the +cleverest, but he had made up his mind to engage himself as an +apprentice aboard an English brig that was discharging flax for the +owners of the factory. This determination came as a great shock to the +Macvies, who had pictured their boy in the position one day of a +popular minister of their own denomination. Every strictly proper +device was used to change the mind of their laddie, but all to no +purpose. His imagination, and perhaps his desire to minimise the grief +of his parents, led him to urge that in a few years he would come to +them, not only a captain, but an owner. The old people were secretly +pleased to hear these aspirations from the lips of their much-beloved +boy, but they felt it their duty to treat the case with becoming +solemnity. "Ah, Archie," said his father, "I must warn you never to +allow the things of this world to take possession of your thoughts in a +way that will keep religion from you. I would remind you of the words +of Solomon: 'Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great +treasure and trouble therewith.'" However, he went to sea. + +After four years and a half of hard training he had gained the +reputation of being one of the smartest young fellows that sailed out +of his port. He had become quite a favourite, not only with his +shipmates, but with the captain and owner. There was neither surprise +nor jealousy when the master recommended that his indentures should be +endorsed, and that he should be given the mate's situation, which had +become vacant. At this time he was in his twentieth year, and before he +had reached twenty-one his owner gave him command of the vessel which +about six years before he had joined as an apprentice. His rapid +advancement and singular success as a shipmaster made his +contemporaries speak of him as likely to reach the very highest place +in the profession before he had attained his thirtieth year. Their +estimate of the highest position was really very modest, as the largest +vessel belonging to the port did not exceed 700 tons deadweight, and of +these there were only about half-a-dozen. The general public rarely saw +them except when they came off a long voyage and had repairs to do. +Those occasions were looked upon as not merely incidental, but +historic. The whole country-side turned out to witness the advent of +what they conceived to be a leviathan; the vessel herself was dressed +from truck to rail on every mast with bunting, and there was a +corresponding display of it on shore. Events such as births, deaths, +marriages, and other more or less interesting doings were accurately +remembered by a visitation of this kind. The local almanac chronicled +the occasion as minutely as it did the death of Nelson or the accession +of Queen Victoria to the throne. So that if any lapse of memory +occurred a reference to this touchstone of local history put matters +right. Archie Macvie had longed for the time to come when someone would +offer him command of a large vessel. His reputation as a clever, +pushing, steady-going shipmaster had reached beyond the circle of local +critics, which entitled him to expect speedy promotion. His owner, as +well as other people, predicted great things of him, and it was +whispered that he had immediate prospects that were dazzling in their +lucrative possibilities. A landed proprietor, who owned the whole of a +handsome barque, had heard of his fame, and wrote requesting Macvie to +come and see him. The interview sealed the captain's future destiny. Mr +Rockfeller received him with becoming dignity; but after a few minutes' +conversation with the young captain his icy manner melted. He became +aware that the man whom he had asked to be seated in the +sumptuously-furnished drawing-room was his equal, if not his superior, +in knowledge and intelligence. + +"Your youthful appearance surprises me," said the lord of the manor. + +"Yes," responded the shrewd Scotsman; "I have been told that before, +and have often had reason to be grateful to a kind Providence in not +necessarily prohibiting me from occupying a position of trust because +of my juvenile appearance." + +"Very good, very good," said Rockfeller. "And now, captain, I wish at +once to offer you command of the first vessel that brought gold from +Australia. Your wage will be L12 per month; and in order to give you a +good start I offer you an eighth of the _Boadicea_ at a low price. +If you have the money to pay for it, well and good; if not I will be +content to allow you to work it off." + +"Your kindness overpowers me," replied Macvie; "I am sorry I have not +sufficient money saved to pay for the share you so generously give me +the opportunity of taking, and as I make it a rule never to purchase a +thing I cannot pay for in cash, I am reluctantly compelled to refuse +it." + +"Very well," said the owner, "give me what you can spare, and I will +forego the balance, and hand you a bill of sale for eight +sixty-fourths. I do this not only because of the favourable impression +you have made, but to make you feel that your interest is not merely +that of a commander, but that of part owner with myself." + +"I thank you; but may I suggest that this generosity be postponed until +you have tested whether I will suit you or not?" said the lucky +captain. + +"No, I will risk that," replied Mr Rockfeller. "And now there is +nothing left for me to say except to request that you join the vessel +at once; and you have a free hand to do what you consider best with +her." + +Captain Macvie hurried home and conveyed to his young wife the good +fortune that had come to them. He also informed his aged parents, whom +he had not seen since his first home-leaving, of all that had taken +place, and expressed his regret that he could not visit them before +sailing on a voyage to the Piraeus, but hoped to do so on his return. +This letter became a family heirloom. The joy of the old people was +reflected on the whole family, and also on their friends, and the +congratulations were numerous and sincere. In less than a week from the +time of being engaged, the _Boadicea_ was towed over the bar, and +she sailed away followed by a north-east wind. The hurrahs of the +visitors after embarking on the tug reverberated the joyous tidings of +goodwill, and soon the ship and her jolly crew passed from view into +the southern haze. + +The Eastern question was causing great anxiety in diplomatic circles; +trouble was fast brewing into open hostility, and before the +_Boadicea_ arrived at the port of discharge, the great Russian war +of 1854 had broken out with all its hellish mismanagement and criminal +indifference to the needs of the finest soldiers in the whole world. +They were badly generalled, shockingly clothed and meagrely fed on +provisions that the ordinary civilian would scarcely give to swine. +Complaints of the grossest mismanagement were sent home and were +unheeded; while the predatory, heartless scoundrels who had contracts +were allowed to amass wealth by shamelessly robbing poor Tommy of his +food and clothes. Mon Dieu! What forbearance the thinking, sympathetic +portion of the British people must have had to endure it, knowing that +their fellow-subjects and kinsfolk were being done to death by some +contractors and by the callousness and incompetency of dunderheaded +politicians and drawing-room warriors! It is a sickening subject that +cannot be approached without feelings of anger. + +The _Boadicea_ made a quick passage, and was boarded on her arrival by +swarms of Levantine gentlemen, each clamouring for first place to get +her in hand to charter. The declaration of war had created a wild +demand for transport tonnage. Sensational freights were offered for the +veriest rattletraps, and as the young commander of the _Boadicea_ +estimated his craft to be one of the finest of her class afloat, he +made a counter-bid which startled the Grecian modesty of his +interesting visitors. The negotiations were animated, and before the +day closed the vessel was chartered at a rate that would pay back her +original cost in less than twelve months. Over and above this it was +agreed that the captain should receive legitimate gratuities that +amounted to more than double his wage per month. The director of +transports ordered the vessel to be taken to Malta to load stores +immediately she had finished discharging, and gave instructions that +overtime should be worked in order to get the cargo of much needed +supplies to the seat of war. It was a stirring time for the captain and +his crew. In four days the holds were emptied and she sailed from the +Piraeus on the fifth with 180 tons of sand ballast aboard. In five days +from leaving Athens she arrived in the beautiful harbour of Valetta, +and four days after left again with a full cargo of foods, stores and +other supplies for Constantinople for orders. Every stitch of canvas +was set after getting clear of the harbour; studding sails lower and +aloft were spread to the kiss of the singing wind, and the officers +were made to understand that there was to be hard cracking on; nothing +was to be taken in until the maximum amount of endurance of spars, +ropes and rigging had been reached. The breeze freshened and the sea +curled its white tops into angry combers Captain Macvie walked the +starboard quarterdeck with an air of dignity and luxury of dress that +would have called forth the supreme contempt of his associates of +earlier days. They would have stigmatized him as a fine-weather dandy, +and not a true British sailor. The captain had never been past +Gibraltar until he got command of his present vessel. As a matter of +fact, he had rarely been off the coast, and never at any time as far +south as Cape Finisterre. He had acquired large ideas of the +magnificence that should be observed by a captain aboard a vessel of +the _Boadicea's_ size and class. He had heard also that the men +liked to see monarchical display, and that is why he adopted it so +naturally. The third day after leaving Malta the forecastle hands were +congregated on the topgallant forecastle during the dogwatch from six +to eight. The discussion was of an animated character. The second +officer, who was an old hand in these waters, stood amongst them, and +the speaker frequently referred to him in order that his statements +might be confirmed. When the second officer came aft, the captain +remarked that the boys seemed to have had a heated discussion. + +"Mr Robb, may I take the liberty of asking if it is anything that may +not be conveyed to me?" + +"Not at all," said Mr Robb; "they were yarning about pirates that +infest the Grecian Archipelago. They sneak out of the bays and from +under the islands with the suddenness of a rocket. They have very swift +schooners, many of them built in America for the slave trade, and they +are full of well-armed, bloodthirsty villains who stick at nothing." It +was according to the strictly observed ethics of South Spainer +discipline that the commander never was supposed to so far lower the +supremacy of high office as to speak directly to a common sailor, but +only through his officers. Mr Robb took it for granted that this law +had been rigidly observed, and therefore said to the captain. + +"You know that fair-haired man who was talking so excitedly?" + +Macvie, not wishing to appear familiar with his men, and perhaps in +order to impress the officer with an air of majesty, replied: + +"No, sir, I do not know him, but I think I _recognize_ the sailor to +whom you desire to call my attention. I saw him gesticulating, and I +think I heard him swear frightfully." + +"That may be, sir," said the second officer, "but he means no harm by +it. He is indeed one of the best and bravest sailors attached to the +British Mercantile Marine; and were it not a breach of etiquette, I +would ask you to allow him to give you a brief account of all the +curious experiences and hardships he has gone through in a short life." + +"My curiosity impels me to consent, but my judgement forbids such +familiarity. Had I been in charge of the _Vanquisher_ I might have +yielded; as it is, I must conform to the duty that devolves upon a +person in my position by asking you to be the medium of communication +of this sailor's strange adventures," said the captain. + +"Very good," replied Robb, "then here is the story: I do not think he +would like me to tell you, but he was a pirate himself for over twelve +months. It came about like this. He and I were shipmates five years +ago. The barque we were in was discharging at Athens. We asked for +liberty to go ashore one Saturday night; he got a few glasses of grog +too much, and became pally with some Greek sailors who spoke broken +English. They asked him to go with them to some place of amusement, and +in spite of my pleading with him not to do so, he went; the result +being they decoyed him aboard their own vessel, which proved to be a +pirate schooner. When he came to himself after his drunken sleep, the +vessel was far out at sea. He was soon made to understand what he would +be expected to do, and the terrible conditions under which he would be +permitted to live. He was asked to take the oath of fidelity to their +cause, which carried with it awful obligations and consequences if not +rigidly adhered to; and after the hazy alcoholic stupor had been +shivered out of him, he grasped the situation, and not only agreed to +their code, but became, externally, the most enterprising of the gang. +They were indebted to him for much useful information, though for some +time his _bona-fides_ were suspected because of his pushful partiality +for conflict with any nationality rather than his own. He persuaded his +friends that six out of ten British vessels kept firearms and powder +magazines aboard, and that foreigners, such as Swedes, Norwegians, +Danes and Germans gave in much sooner than his own countrymen. They +cordially agreed with this, hence rarely gave chase after a Britisher +except when he suggested it, and it was policy for him to do this +sometimes in order to keep on perfectly good terms with them. He has +told me that over and over again they boarded Norwegian vessels laden +with flax, tallow or grain, and the crew asked them to take what they +wanted and no resistance would be made. This, he says, was the best +plan, because it saved blood from being spilt on either side. They used +to fill the craft's holds from the cargo of the captured vessel; take +any money or valuables, such as chronometers, that might be aboard; all +firearms, gunpowder and implements of warfare had to be given up; and a +squad of armed pirates covered their comrades who were operating for +the benefit of the whole. + +The grief of having to leave my old shipmate behind was only equalled +by the mystery of what had become of him. He was very popular with all +of us in the forecastle. His quick humour and gifted capacity to +entertain and amuse endeared him to everybody. A born musician, he +could play on almost any instrument, sing comic songs, and step-dance +as well as any professional. His great weakness was love of gay company +and grog. He belonged to very well-to-do, highly respectable people; +and their sorrow at his supposed death was very bitter. His mother +declared that the light had gone out of her life, and begged me never +to cease trying to find out when on my voyages whether he was alive or +not. The old lady said she feared the worst, but never ceased to pray +and hope that some day he would be brought back to them. A little over +a year had elapsed since the fateful night of his disappearance. I was +on my second voyage in the same vessel, but had been promoted to +boatswain. We had rounded Matapan with a snoring breeze on the port +beam. We had just opened the Gulf of Nauplia out when the look-out man +shouted, 'A vessel on the port bow!' She was carrying full sail, and +steering towards us. We soon discerned that she was on an unfriendly +errand, and that the intention was to try and board us. No one could be +seen about the decks except the helmsman and a man apparently on the +look out. If we altered our course she did the same; and whichever way +we went, her sailing qualities outmatched ours. The excitement had +grown to fever heat, as a great conflict was now imminent. Our men had +been supplied with muskets, and told to conceal themselves and use them +when the critical time came, and to make sure that every shot was +effectual. Two small cannon, which were fixtures on the taffrail, were +loaded ready to do service. At last she came within hailing distance of +our weather beam. A man shouted through a speaking-trumpet in mongrel +English to 'Heave to!' We did not heed this insolent command, but kept +going. In a few minutes more a peremptory command came through the +speaking-trumpet to 'Heave to, or we would be fired upon.' + +"'Now's the time,' hissed our captain; 'we will do some damage to +ourselves, but, by God, we'll teach them to order an English ship to be +hove to! We must run right into his midships. I will give the order at +the proper moment. The thing must be done with the suddenness of fork +lightning. It is not the shooting so much as the sinking, and the panic +that must be created by the suddenness of our action. 'Hard down the +helm!' cried the captain. 'Let go your weather braces, and stand by to +use your muskets and bayonets too if any of them attempt to board us.' +In less than a minute the pirate schooner's doom was sealed. Our vessel +struck her with such force amidships that she sank almost immediately. +Instead of tacking their vessel, and getting out of our way, which they +might have done, they were encouraged to fight; and the man who didn't +was the man who has attracted your attention to-night. So far as we +could tell, only himself and three of the Greeks were saved. They +jumped aboard unarmed, and Jack, or 'Curly' as he was called, shouted +out to me and the captain who he was. We were dumbfounded. He hastily +told us how he had managed to bring about the disastrous results to the +pirates, and asked the captain to put the Greeks, or whatever they +were, into a boat and set them adrift. This was promptly agreed to, but +before the painter was let go one of the sailors asked permission to +shoot the beggars before they left, to prevent them killing somebody +else. But our captain only laughed and ordered them from alongside. +After cordially shaking hands with the captain and all the crew, Jack +requested to be allowed to assist in clearing away the wreckage caused +by the collision, and fixing the spare jib-boom, for that was the only +spar carried away. Jack told us the pirates thought they had a soft +thing on, as we seemed so undecided what to do, and that we could not +have adopted a better move than we did. 'There is nothing frightens +them like panic, and I played up to it as near as I could; but, by +thunder! I played a high game. I stood to be shot by either you or my +Christian friends,' said Jack; 'and upon my soul I feel that I have +played them a dirty trick.' 'Not a bit of it,' said I. 'You have done +your country, and especially us, a great service by helping to rid the +world of a few murderous thieves and cunning assassins.' + +"'Oh, damn it!' interjected Jack, 'I cannot allow you to call us such +villanous names as that. My late friends considered their trade quite +as honourable as yours. They knew that they were breaking the law by +carrying on a game of what is called pillage or brigandage at sea; but +then they thought the law was all wrong, and that it was unlawful to +enforce such restrictions, or put any penalty on freedom of action. +And, by Jove! their arguments were almost convincing; especially when +we had to fight for what we wanted, and got wounded.' + +"'I see that you have got scars on your cheek and hands. Were they +received by encounter with some ship's crew?' + +"'Yes,' said Jack, 'but not my own countrymen. It was a deadly fight.' +And then he became pensive. I could see his mind was working, but he +refused to be drawn into further conversation; and from that day to +this I have not been able to get anything more out of him on that +score. Though when he is in the mood, he relates the comical side of +the sea-rovers' life in a most fascinating way, and frankly admits the +better side to have a charm about it that only those who have lived the +life can know. 'But,' he would add, 'I would rather stand here and ask +that I might be shot if I thought there was any possibility of ever +becoming one of them again. On the criminal side it resembles hell's +tatterdemalions let loose. To call them thieves and murderers is to +flatter them. Their vicious scoundrelism transcends either murder or +thieving.'" + +The hero of this sensational story was a well-built young fellow of +twenty-three or twenty-four years old; he stood about five feet nine, +and had the appearance of being possessed of great physical power; his +cleanshaven face disclosed a beautiful mouth and two fine rows of +teeth; his chin and nose indicated robust strength of character, and +his large blue eyes, sparkling under well-formed eyebrows and a massive +forehead, both spoke and laughed in a fascinating way while his tongue +was speechless. In short, he was a good-looking, typical sailor, whose +natural gifts made him popular and much sought after to amuse his +comrades by doing a step-dance, telling a funny yarn, singing a comic +song, or he would entertain them by reading from a book. + +"I have told this tale at your own request, captain," said the second +officer. "My main object has been not only to interest you, but to +inform you of the dangers that may be expected in navigating these +piratical waters. And I have been asked by Curly to warn you against +hugging the land. He advises keeping well in mid-channel, as you are +more likely to carry a true wind; and if any of the rovers should make +their appearance and attempt pursuit, he says the thing that would +terrify them most would be to shape at running them down; but if that +course is adopted it must not be done in a halfhearted way. There +should be no first-you-will and then-you-won't policy. Nothing but a +daring, unfaltering attitude directed fair for the amidships can be +effectual. They fear the loss of their vessel more than the disablement +of a few men; and the leader of the band fears as much as anything the +creation of panic amongst his followers. Damage to the running down +vessel must be counted upon, but it must be arranged so that the other +gets hit so badly that, instead of fighting they have to swim for their +lives or plead for mercy. Curly informs me this is their prowling time, +and they may be expected to pop out from any of the islands as we pass +along." + +Captain Macvie was much impressed, and thanked his second officer for +relating to him a story so full of keen interest and useful +information. + +"You may rely on the facts being correct," said Mr Robb, "but should +you have any doubts as to the authenticity of some of the things I have +been talking to you about, reserve your final judgement, because it is +pretty certain that you won't be long in this trade until you find out +I have not exaggerated one single incident, and that there are +gentlemen cruising in these waters who claim a law unto themselves, and +who make a speciality of brigandage and murder. I understand from Curly +that many of them are educated and well-bred, and that it is the love +of adventure that causes that section of them to take to the life. They +are adepts at playing the double role of society person and murderous +buccaneer. In both capacities they are fascinating, and really +irresistible at a ball or a dinner-party; so much so, indeed, that it +is not an uncommon thing for young ladies of gentle birth to become +their wives, and in exceptional cases share their adventures." + +"Oh," said Captain Macvie, "you must not suppose that I doubt the truth +of what you have related to me. I think it quite possible, and we must +be prepared to cope with any sudden emergency of a similar character. I +must now bid you good-night. You will find instructions in the night +order book. I do not wish to be disturbed unless something unusual +occurs." + +Right through the night the _Boadicea_ romped along at the rate of +ten knots an hour, and when the captain came on deck at eight o'clock +the following morning she was flying through the Cerigo passage under +double-reefed topsails and courses. + +"There is no fear of any pirates troubling us if this continues," +remarked the captain. + +"Not any," responded the chief mate, "and I think we shall have more of +it before we have less. You won't be able to carry this press of canvas +after passing Andros. We will have the wind more on the port quarter, +and she will bury herself after opening the AEgean Sea." + +"Very well," said Macvie in an angry tone, "let her bury herself; and +in order that her qualities may be tested before we reach this +wonderful sea of yours, let the reefs out of the topsails and masthead +them. I desire you to know, Mr Scrivener, that I shall be the judge +when to shorten sail and when to set it. Do you imagine, sir, because I +only commanded a collier before coming here that I do not know my +business? Please remember that I am master of this craft, not you." + +This was a crushing rebuke for the mate, and he resolved that if the +masts were going over the side he would never make another suggestion +while his chief was on deck. The additional canvas did not improve +matters, as her flat bows sent the sea churning angrily ahead, and the +spray flew all over her in smothering clouds. Mr Scrivener was secretly +glad that she was "making such a mess of herself," as he called it, but +he did not deem it prudent to say so to his captain. But, as he +afterwards said, it was not necessary to do this, for he saw the +skipper was thinking hard enough himself, though he was too proud to +own it, and would have seen the masts go by the board rather than show +weakness in shortening sail after what had passed. This freak, however, +kept him on deck all day and all night, for there was no abatement of +either wind or sea, until she was swept into the Dardanelles. The sail +had to be shortened so that she might be hove to, and the boat sent +ashore at Chanak to receive pratique and a permit to allow her to pass +through into the sea of Marmora. Many an expensive salvage case and +many a life has been lost through this barbarous system. It is the +worst part of the channel for erratic currents, and notwithstanding the +disasters to life and property, it has only been possible to establish +a steam launch there during the last twelve months. As soon as the boat +returned with the clearance she was hoisted up, and the vessel headed +on her course through the straits. The west wind blew through the +narrow passage with screaming gusts, and the volley of water was +churned into flying foam as she rushed along under a heavy press of +sail; for the young commander was bent on letting his officers and men +see that he knew how to crack on without losing his head, and the +average sailor rejoices in being able to say that he has sailed with a +man who was "a slogger." On the other hand, I have more than once seen +a whole crew come aft and ask the captain to reduce the sail when the +vessel was burying herself and the spars and sails were in danger of +being carried away; and I have more than once seen deputations of this +sort sent about their business, followed by a wrathful flow of +well-selected oaths that are only used by persons who have a very +resourceful vocabulary. It is not an uncommon thing for men to grumble +and refuse to go aloft and furl a royal or topgallant sail when it has +been carried too long; and I have seen the captain spring up the +rigging and appeal to their manliness to follow him. This challenge +rarely fails to bring forth volunteers, and those who lag behind have +been the cause of bringing torrents of wickedness into the world. + +Captain Macvie was not a man who swore. He was more inclined to adhere +to his rigid Presbyterian training by quoting a psalm or a proverb to +emphasise displeasure or convey a rebuke. His officers did not +comprehend how he could be so unemotional and yet throw so much energy +and dash into the navigation of his vessel. Externally he was cool, +reticent, authoritative. He gave orders peremptorily, without +hesitation; and both officers and sailors like to feel that they have a +strong personality commanding them. The first and second mate had +formed an impression, owing to their captain never having been in these +regions before, that he would frequently have to appeal to them for +information and advice, and they were almost chagrined when they found +that he never once showed any indication of asking for information. But +what caused them to marvel was the masterful way in which he handled +his vessel, and navigated her not only through amongst the islands, but +through a narrow waterway that he had never seen before. The first +officer ventured to make a suggestion, when drawing towards Chanak, as +to the method of heaving the vessel to, so that the boat might be +picked up easily. The captain retorted with almost oriental dignity. + +"Sir," said he, "when I was asked to take command of this vessel I did +not consent until I was perfectly assured of its being within the limit +of my capacity to do so, and it has not yet occurred to me that I am +incapable of carrying out what I undertook to do unaided by anyone. +Please do not think me angry with you. I only wish to say that you may +rely on my making use of your wide knowledge and experience when I find +my capacity defective. But not having realized that yet, I prefer to +depend on my own tactics in all that appertains to the navigation and +handling of the ship I have the honour to command." + +The mate received this piece of information in subdued silence. It took +him all aback. He had not taken the trouble to ascertain whether there +was force and ability behind his chief's placid, silent exterior, and +the lesson he received was salutary and lasting. He watched with a +critical eye the management and navigation as the _Boadicea_ was +pressed through the stream past Gallipoli into the sea of Marmora, and +admitted to the second mate that but for the excessive carrying on +there was no flaw to be found. + +"Indeed," said he, "I am beginning to see that we have got our master +here in everything. I'm sure he is a gentleman, and I wouldn't be +surprised to find that he's a sailor as well." + +The following night the wind had fallen away to a gentle breeze. The +vessel was sailed close past San Stephano, and soon came within range +of that weird sepulchral cry of the Turk for the return of their +prophet Mahomet. I know what it is like, for I have often stood on deck +and listened to the melancholy wailing call of scores of voices +appealing to their God, and filling the air with thrilling pathos, +until I have been stricken with a sense of sadness myself, which caused +me to envy the devotion of the people whom we, who call ourselves +Christians, deride. Macvie was greatly touched by the sombre wail that +was wafted over the glassy waters, and for a brief moment it took his +thoughts to the old home of prayer and saintly song, and made him +wonder whether the God to whom these people were calling could also be +his. But he had no time to ponder over eternal things. His vessel was +slipping towards the anchorage at Scutari. A suitable berth was picked, +the anchor dropped, sails furled, and then the captain's gig was made +ready by her crew, who were ordered to wash and dress themselves in +white ducks and blue jerseys, the latter having the name of the vessel +in front. All being ready, the master stepped into the boat and was +rowed in regal style to a landing in the Golden Horn. He was met there +by an agent, who informed him that he knew the stores were much needed +in the Crimea, but no official instructions having been given, he would +have to remain at anchor until they came. + +"But don't you think," said the captain, "it would be as well for me to +proceed off Sevastopol or Kertch, and see if they really are in need of +the supplies I have on board?" + +"My dear fellow," replied the agent, "you must never think of doing +such a thing. It would be deemed a breach of the rules of the service, +and you might be court-martialled and lose a splendid charter for doing +so. Take my advice: lie where you are until red-tapeism finds out that +the wares you are carrying for Government account are needed. You can +make use of the time by putting your vessel in good order. It may be +months before they come to your turn, and until they precisely come to +it, you may rely on hearing nothing from them. Departmental methods are +very exact. You must never be donkey enough to interfere with an +ancient order of things: it might throw the machinery of uniformity +into chaos. Of course I know you will say, 'That is all very excellent: +but what about the poor, ill-fed, ill-clad, fever-stricken soldiers? Is +it right that I should be an accomplice in this dreadful crime?' For +God's sake, captain, leave off thinking like that, or it will harrow +your soul out of its casing; look at things from the broad, brainless +point of view of your mechanical employers who do everything by +routine. Go on board and order your sails to be unbent and put into the +sail cabin, for as sure as I am talking to you now, they will not be +needed for months." + +"Will they not have heard at home of the distress in the army?" +interjected Captain Macvie. + +"Why, yes, captain," said the versatile agent; "but, my dear fellow, do +try to get it into your head that these things have to go through many +intricate stages. First, the trouble which ought to have been foreseen +takes place; then weeks are occupied in transfixed amazement without +doing anything; then a council is held to consider why these breakdowns +should happen; and the conclusion arrived at is that they should never +have happened, therefore they have not taken place, and it is resolved +to await further developments before doing anything more. How is it +possible for the British army to have sickness in its ranks when we +have thought of sending out medicine? And how can they be without food +and clothes when we have given orders to our contractors to have these +supplied? It is a malicious libel to assert such things, to say nothing +of the lack of commonsense in supposing that the commissariat +department does not know its own business." + +"Well," said the captain, "I must admit you seem to know the inner +workings of these Government concerns." + +"I should just think I do," said the agent; "but of course we have to +speak with some regard to discretion. I am only giving you a tip or two +to keep you right. You will be going off aboard, so I will say +'good-day.' Come ashore to-morrow." + +The captain had many opportunities of hearing from this voluble person +of the magnificent mismanagement shown by the way the transports were +kicking about in different parts of the Bosphorus and in the Black Sea. +Many of them would sail to Kertch or Sevastopol and come straight back +without their cargoes being broached. They anchored in a snug spot +where the shore was easy of access, and would remain for months in +peaceful indolence. The _Boadicea_ had been dismantled, and her anchor +was never seen for six months. How the men were to be kept employed +became a tax on the resources of the officers. Her sails, ropes and +rigging had been thoroughly overhauled, repaired and made equal to new, +and the hull showed indications of great taste and care. Not a speck of +dirt or disorder could be seen anywhere; and notwithstanding the jolly +entertainments, vocal and otherwise, they had on board each others' +vessels almost every night, the life of inactivity became so dreary +that they longed for the time when orders would be given to proceed to +the Crimea. It was not mere change they longed for, but they craved to +see the fighting on shore, and, better still, the bombardment of towns +and ports by the warships from the sea. Many of the merchant sailors +would have enjoyed taking part in the struggle. + +Although the life at the Scutari anchorage had become a weary monotony, +it was not without incidents of excitement. Constantinople at that time +was overrun with the most daring brigands, who paid irregular visits to +the different roadsteads between midnight and the early hours of the +morning. They were armed with the most deadly weapons, and their secret +movements frequently evaded every precaution of watchfulness. The +sneaking caique, manned by accomplished emissaries handling muffled +oars, was rowed through the anchorage in advance, and for the purpose +of finding out the most vulnerable object of attack. Occasionally they +selected the wrong ship, and met with a sudden determined resistance +from the crew, who were eager for an opportunity of wreaking vengeance +on a gang of murderous ruffians who kept the men of the whole +mercantile fleet in these waters in a state of perpetual expectancy. +Most ingenious methods were planned for their destruction. An anchor, +for instance, would be hanging to the rail of the topgallant +forecastle, or the cathead, and, as the caique came dropping down with +the current, if they drifted her under the bow, the stopper and +shankpainter was let go simultaneously, and the anchor landed on their +heads and then through the bottom of the boat. Nothing more was ever +seen of that batch! Another plan was to drop large stones or pieces of +heavy iron into the frail craft; and in that case also no more was ever +heard from them. These chances seldom came, however, as they were a +wily lot, who nearly always made sure of their ground before embarking +on a hazardous expedition. The crews of vessels were warned to keep a +vigilant lookout, and sometimes the anchor watch succeeded in giving +the alarm in time to frustrate a boarding. + +But even this, and the open encounters that occurred, became a very +monotonous business to a large number of crews. They were itching for +some other sensation to be put into their lives, and they had moods of +gloomy forebodings that the great war would be ended without their +being able to say that they had seen anything of it; and, in fact, many +of them never did, and it is fair to say some never wanted to. Poor +Captain Wilkins of the _Seaflower_ and his crew were among the latter. +The captain was a highly religious person who had imbued his men with +anti-war proclivities. He had a simple faith in the righteousness of +making large profits in consequence of the war, but never failed to +proclaim the originators of it as a gang of unholy rascals. His faith +had become strong in the belief that the robber was destined never to +set foot on the _Seaflower's_ decks. She had been lying there for +several months without ever having been interfered with. Captain +Wilkins was not unduly sympathetic when he heard of any neighbouring +vessel being pillaged during the night. In fact, he became so impressed +with his own virtue that he frequently fell into the error of speaking +contemptuously of his less fortunate brethren. Captain Macvie had +warned him against indulging in self-righteousness, and never to pin +his faith on immunity from attack. + +"It may come," said he, "when you least expect it; and in order that +you may cultivate a more generous spirit towards your neighbours when +misfortune befalls them, always keep in mind the proverb: 'Rejoice not +when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he +stumbleth, lest the Lord see it and it displease Him.' These are words +that ought to be burnt into our minds and hearts." + +"Yes," said Wilkins, "I appreciate your goodness in quoting them. They +have reminded me that I have not been sufficiently charitable in +judging others, while I have been at the same time professing to have +the spirit of the great Redeemer." + +Captain Wilkins held a prayer-meeting in his cabin each evening before +the watch was set, and his friend Macvie nearly always attended, and +professed to receive great spiritual benefit therefrom. At those +devotional gatherings there was a simple petition offered to the Giver +of all good that He should guard them during the night from the +crimeful visitations of wicked men who coveted that which did not +belong to them, and who did not shrink from murder in order to get it. +Captain Wilkins had a profound belief in the efficacy of prayer, and +was therefore staggered when he realized about two o'clock one morning +that a giant of coppery colour stood over him with a revolver, while +his compatriots helped themselves to all that was of value. At the time +this was going on in the cabin, there stood an armed man at the +entrance to the sailors' forecastle, and another in the galley in +unpleasant proximity to the eldest apprentice, who had fallen asleep +before the fire, and while he had slept the vessel had been boarded. +Had he attempted to move or shout or make a noise of any kind +whatsoever, his life would have been instantly taken, and his body +thrown into the rushing stream. Poor fellow! I have often heard him +speak of the dull terror that took possession of him when he awoke and +saw that his own life and the lives of the whole ship's company +depended on his submission and silence. The chronometer, every piece of +brass, and every sail and rope of any importance was taken out of her, +and this included the sails that were unbent. In fact, there was not a +single article of that kind left aboard when the brigands went from +alongside. This was one of the most daring and gigantic robberies that +had taken place during the whole time the fleet had lain at anchor. +Naturally it created a great sensation both afloat and ashore. Captain +Wilkins was the object of much genuine sympathy. The whole of the +personal losses of his officers and himself were promptly made good by +subscription, and a good deal of the vessel's loss was contributed for +as well. Never a finger was put on the perpetrators, though it was said +the authorities were cognizant of their whereabouts. It was also +whispered that they had accomplices in persons holding high official +position, but this was never in any degree proved, and I should say it +had no foundation in fact. The idea may have originated in consequence +of the lethargic attitude of the officials whose duty it was to see +that they were captured. At this time lawlessness was rampant in those +parts, and it would have been beyond the capacity of even a more alert +and energetic officialism to subdue its ferocious and determined +attacks. In addition to the open brigandage that was carried on, +several captains who for some reason were detained ashore until after +dark were obliged to engage caiques to take them off to their vessels, +and when in mid-stream the boat's crew, consisting as a rule of two +Turks (or Greeks in Turks' clothing), would lay their oars in and +demand them to give up all their money and valuables, or they would be +thrown into the Bosphorus. And if they had the good fortune to have as +their passenger a timid man they demanded that every article of dress +should be given up so that they might be assured that nothing was +concealed. Some of the more courageous and defiant, instead of +complying with this peremptory request, took a revolver from a pocket, +pointed it at the gentlemen at the oars, and suggested that as soon as +they ceased to row they would have a lump of lead put into their heads. +Whereupon they usually did as they were told. In cases of this kind the +oars were taken from them as soon as the captain was put aboard and +they were then set adrift. It was believed that several captains who +never turned up were overpowered, robbed, and then thrown overboard. + +The weather from the middle of October had been fitful and treacherous. +On November 14, 1854, a terrible hurricane burst on the Crimean coast +and wrecked nearly the whole of the British transports which lay at +anchor in the roadsteads. Several warships and transports belonging to +the French were wrecked. The British war vessels suffered severely, but +none were said to have been lost. The loss of property was estimated at +over a million, and the loss of life between 1,500 and 2,000. The +devastation and suffering ashore was also very terrible. The news of +the frightful disaster came to Constantinople on the night that the +_Seaflower_ was pillaged. Instructions were given to send on supplies; +the captain of the _Boadicea_ was among those who received orders to +proceed off Sevastopol without delay. Wilkins was in great distress at +having to part from the man whom he regarded as his friend and faithful +adviser. Tugs were sent to tow the vessels through the Bosphorus into +the Black Sea. A fresh wind blew from the west, and in four days after +leaving, Captain Macvie anchored his ship in Sevastopol Roads, and many +weeks elapsed before a particle of cargo was taken out and landed for +the benefit of the much neglected soldiers--such was the disorganized +condition of the service. Macvie and his crew saw many a skirmish and +several pitched battles during their five months' stay in the vicinity +of wild wreck and ruin. In April, 1855, the cargo had been all landed +and instructions were given to sail at once for Constantinople. In due +course they arrived there, and received orders to go on to Smyrna, to +load hay and oats. Six weeks after passing down, she anchored in +Scutari and lay there until peace was declared in 1856, when orders +were given to take the cargo to Portsmouth. After about two years' +absence the _Boadicea_ arrived in England; and on squaring up her +accounts it was found that she had cleared more than twice her original +cost. Mr Rockfeller received his fortunate and esteemed captain with +much favour, and was not many minutes in his presence before he +intimated with an air of generosity that he would sell his shares at +par. + +"I think," said he, "that you ought to hold half the vessel." + +"Very good," said Macvie, "I will pay you cash for the number of shares +I require to make up my half share, but you must not ask me to pay the +original cost price." + +"Macvie," said Rockfeller, "I wish you to be reminded that I gave you +eight shares to work off when you joined me. I fear you allow your +national love of money to lure you into forgetfulness." + +"No, no," said the shrewd Scotchman; "you are wrong. I do not forget +you having done what you say, nor do I forget that I have paid you a +good price for what you were good enough to give me, and it is as well +that your attention should be drawn to the fact that, owing to my +foresight in chartering with the Government, the vessel has more than +twice paid for herself in less than two years. Besides, if you are not +satisfied with my services I have a very tempting offer from another +firm." + +At this stage Mr Rockfeller showed signs of nervous twitching, and +interposed by assuming an injured air: + +"Really, Captain Macvie, you must be reasonable, and not talk of other +firms bidding for your services. I feel you are more than a match for +me, and the thought of it makes me wish I had been born and reared a +Scotchman. I know I am weak, but you may have the shares at any price +you name; only don't be too exacting." + +"Very good," replied Macvie, "they are mine at L1,000." + +Rockfeller looked aghast, and again appealed to his sense of justice. +The bargain was closed at L200 more. + +Mr Rockfeller became transfixed with the thought of his own generous +simplicity. He soliloquised, "I think I must have been born to become +the victim of a stronger will than my own. Nature, I am assured, has +freaked with me. Yes, Captain Macvie, you are in many ways the +antithesis of myself; and my experience of you is very similar to the +description given of a horse by the melancholy though eloquent Arab. I +think these words describe our relations, my young friend, though the +superb old philosopher who is reported to have said them never +anticipated that they would be used in any such way: 'Hast thou given +the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou +make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is +terrible. He paweth in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength: he +goeth on to meet the armed men: he mocketh at fear, and is not +affrighted: neither turneth he back from the sword. He saith among the +trumpets, Ha, ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of +the captains and the shouting.'" + +"If," said the commander, "you mean these words of holy writ to apply +to me, I am gratified, but fear you have under-estimated their grandeur +and their real meaning. They pulsate the air, and make the heart throb +with a conviction that the world of literature would have been poorer +had they not been written. And now, Mr Rockfeller, let us cease further +attempts at satire, and get to business. I wish to visit my parents who +are very old; but before doing so I should like to have our little +transaction settled and the future employment of the vessel arranged." +The request was duly complied with in both respects. + +The reunion of every branch of the Macvie family to do honour to the +Captain and his wife was the occasion of great rejoicing. He had +promised, long years before, on the eve of entering upon the real +battle of life, that he would not return until he was a Captain, and +may-be an owner, and he now presented himself with pride and modesty at +the old homestead, thronged with a vast number of friends who came to +welcome and congratulate him on having become both. After the flow of +greeting had subsided, he requested a private interview with his father +and mother. He informed them that a great joy had come into his life +in being able to give a bankers' order for the payment of four pounds +per month to them as long as they lived. The saintly couple's mental +process became confused. They entered upon a long disquisition of how +much affluence might affect their humility and endanger their religious +life. The noble son urged that their faith in God was too strong to +allow the possession of money to betray them into indifference. The +father being spokesman replied on behalf of his wife that they accepted +this bountiful goodness, "And believe me, my son," he said, "our hearts +are too full to say all we feel; but may the great God have you in His +holy keeping, and preserve you from the snares and fascinations of +worldliness." + +And the aged mother interjected by adding a supplementary petition that +he should be saved from succumbing to the dangers of his profession. + +"Take this present from your father and me," she added, handing him a +new Bible which she had kept concealed under her black silk apron until +the opportune moment came, "and when you are tossed on the troubled +ocean, read about Jesus and the sea, and trust in the Lord to bring you +back to us." + +These simple words were delivered with compressed vehemence. A big lump +stuck in Archie's throat, for he felt that it was his mother's farewell +benediction, and that he would never see either of them on earth again. +He would have liked to have responded in a few endearing phrases, but a +dumb pain seized his heart and made him inarticulate. He tenderly +embraced the old people and passed from their presence with a heavy +heart, impressed with a consciousness that their next meeting would be +beyond the tomb. A large procession of townspeople met at the station, +in order to give the Captain and his wife a hearty send-off. Even the +Provost came to say good-bye to them. + +On their arrival home they found a letter had come from their friend +Captain Wilkins. It was dated from Malta, and told a sickening tale of +many disasters before getting away from Scutari. Two attempts at +robbery had failed at the cost of one of the crew losing his life, and +another being seriously wounded. Wilkins wrote: "It was bad policy +making any noise about the big robbery, as it only made them +revengeful." This news distressed the Macvies, but they could do +nothing more than extend their sympathy, and this was tactfully and +ungrudgingly given. + +Captain Macvie had a long clean record of success. His popularity among +his contemporaries was a growing process. No signs of rivalry were +seen. He was looked up to as an authority, not only on nautical +matters, but social, political and religious questions were well within +his grasp. On one memorable occasion, when he was at home, a church +meeting was called to consider the minister's relation in regard to his +people. It was thought that he was not sound on sanctification, and one +or two little matters that did not exactly bear on sanctification--a +love affair, in fact. The gallant captain took the side of his +minister, and put such a convincing case before his audience that a +large majority declared the accusation not proven. There was wild +excitement at this meeting; the hostile faction were rancorous about +the captain being put up, as they assumed he could not possibly know +all the facts; but both sides were one in admitting that his fame as a +debater and an orator was established. So general was this belief that +many of his adversaries congratulated him on having delivered a most +eloquent speech. + +The desire to sail with this distinguished man seized me like a vice. I +determined as soon as I was free (for I was at that time an apprentice) +nothing would prevent me from asking him to allow me to serve as an +able seaman in the vessel which now entirely belonged to him. In a few +days after making the memorable speech at his church, the _Boadicea_ +was sailing down Channel on her way to the Black Sea. Mrs Macvie was +aboard. She nearly always accompanied her husband, and was a good +English woman, to whom the captain owed much for her thrifty habits and +sound judgement. All the officers and most of the crew had sailed +continuously with him since he took command. Curly, who had served +aboard a pirate schooner, became quite an institution. He was very +popular, and so were his pirate stories when he could be persuaded to +tell them. He had served Macvie as A. B., boatswain, and was now +steward. They had been to Taganrog and loaded a cargo of tallow for +London. A gentle levanter was wafting them through the Archipelago. +When they got abreast of the north end of Zea Island they observed a +brigantine coming romping up to them under a cloud of sail. In light +winds the _Boadicea_ did not sail fast. The breakfast bell had been +rung, and as the captain was passing into the companion, Curly, who was +standing close to, intimated that the following vessel was a pirate +ship, and that she would soon overhaul them if the wind did not +strengthen. Curly was always addressed as "Johnny" by Mrs Macvie, who +was very fond of him, and as "Jake" by her husband, with whom he was a +great favourite. The lady observed the concerned manner of the captain, +and requested him to confer with Johnny as to the method of resistance +should the schooner run alongside and the pirates attempt to come +aboard. "He knows all about their tricks, and what they like and what +they don't; let us hear what he has to say, Archie," said Mrs Macvie. +So forthwith Jake was called into their presence. This resourceful +gentleman was quite elated at the prospect of having some fun, as he +termed it. His recommendations were of a very painful and drastic +character. He talked of putting them into practice in a cool, +frosty-blooded way which caused the lady and her husband to shudder. +"It is too dreadful, Johnny," remarked Mrs Macvie; "surely what you say +has never been resorted to, even to defeat the objects of pirates?" + +"I don't suppose it has," said the sanguinary John; "but if you wish to +save your property and the lives of yourselves and your crew, you will +have to stick at nothing. My advice is, do your best to show them a +clean pair of heels. If you get plenty of wind in the narrows you will +easily do it; but be prepared for the worst. This is my plan: have +everything that will hold in, filled with boiling water, boiling oil, +and boiling pitch; have the old muskets ready for firing. If they ask +you to shorten sail, don't do so. They will then run alongside, and as +soon as they put their hands on the rail, blind them with boiling +liquid. Then shoot with the rifles, and they won't want much telling to +go away." + +The chase was long and exciting. Sometimes the pirate vessel was very +nearly within gun range, then the breeze would strengthen and she would +fall astern. This alternate gaining and losing continued all day, until +the sun went down behind the mountains far away to the north of them, +and seemed to carry with it the breeze on which they had to depend for +their safety. The chasing vessel gathered way as soon as the wind fell +light, and the people of the _Boadicea_ saw that all hope of avoiding a +fight must be discounted. Curly advised having it before darkness came +on, but there was no need to wish for this as the stern inevitable had +come. The pirates had almost within their grasp their expected prize, +but were doomed to meet with a terrible penalty. They put their craft +alongside, and about a score of men made a jump for the rail, when the +intrepid Jake, who had full charge of the plan of defence and attack, +shouted: "Now boys, pour it on them smartly!" and in an instant the +pirates were an agonized rabble. Some of them jumped into the sea; +others fell back on to their own vessel; two got on to the +_Boadicea's_ deck, but were promptly put over the side. Boiling oil +and pitch as well as boiling water were thrown aboard the schooner, so +that even those who did not attempt a boarding did not escape the awful +consequences of their piratical invasion. As soon as Captain Macvie saw +that the punishment had been so great that they would more than +probably never fight again, he tried to steer clear, but found the +braces and other ropes had become entangled with the foreyard, which +broke, and then the vessels separated. The stillness of the night was +made a horror by the piteous moans that floated over the level sea, and +excited the sympathy of the men who were compelled to inflict the +suffering in order to preserve their own safety. They felt an +instinctive desire to launch a boat and go to the succour of their +victims. Curly, who knew the desperate character of these fearful men, +advised his shipmates to have neither remorse nor pity. He assured them +that the lesson given to the miscreants would not prevent those who +might recover or those who had received no injury from taking to their +trade with the same thievish and murderous zeal as they had practised +heretofore. + +[Illustration: "NOW, BOYS, POUR IT ON THEM SMARTLY!"] + +"Do not talk of your conscience when you think of these devils," said +he, "for, believe me, theirs are frozen, and all they want is a new +crew and fresh opportunity, and they won't mince matters with us or any +other ship's company. There is one thing, they won't be deceived in a +hurry into the belief that they have a soft thing on because no +apparent resistance is made; they will try to do some shooting first. +They won't forget the effects of boiling oil and pitch. But let us +cease chattering about them and get our rigging and sails repaired. We +may need to have everything staunch and strong, as the sky is +threatening mischief." + +It took the crew four hours to repair the damage, and as they did so +the wail of the suffering wretches became fainter and fainter, until it +had faded away into space, or it may be that their hearts had ceased to +throb. After things were settled down and the vessel was slashing +through a passage which leads into the Mediterranean Sea with a fresh +easterly wind, the faithful steward, who had provided a substantial +meal for the captain and officers, was informed by the former that he +and his crew were indebted to him for the ghastly achievements of the +day. "But Jake, my boy, I almost wish we hadn't done it." + +"Very well, then," said the blunt sailor with obvious indignation; +"you'd better go back and apologize, but you must not expect me to join +in the silly chorus. I suppose you are thinking of 'blessed are the +peacemakers' again? If you are, then I want to remind you that these +fellows were my compulsory pals once on a time, and I found that this +was no part of their religion." + +Mrs Macvie interposed that Johnny was right, and that they undoubtedly +owed their lives to his genius. + +"We had no intention of killing them or pillaging their ship, and they +had both of these designs on us," said the logical lady, "so that we +were justified in saving ourselves by the means which I fear have +proved so fatal to them." + +The steward was henceforth looked upon with great devotion, so much so +that Mrs Macvie induced her husband to include him as one of the +legatees in his will. + +For many years after this episode the _Boadicea_ continued her trading. +Captain Macvie made a great deal of money and then retired in favour of +a younger man who was destined to have a short career as commander, +for, on the second voyage from the Brazils, and almost within sight of +his own home, his vessel was driven ashore by a hurricane and all hands +were drowned. A few days later the weather was fine enough to allow +fishermen to put to sea, and on rounding a rugged point on the coast +some of them heard the piteous howling of a dog. They made towards it, +and found it had taken shelter on the arm of a steep cliff. It was +taken from its perilous position with great difficulty. A brass collar +bearing the name of the ship and the owner suggested that it was the +only survivor of the shipwreck. Poor Curly's body was discovered on the +same day on a patch of yellow sand inside a cave. It was taken to a +fisherman's hut, and round his neck was found a gold locket with four +little portraits. Mr and Mrs Macvie were the idolised of one case, and +his own wife and little girl were in the other. His body was put in the +ground with reverence. Soon afterwards a cheque for five hundred pounds +was received by his widow. + +Mr Macvie and his wife lived to a ripe age in a very unpretentious way. +Years later I came across my old commander and owner seated outside a +small cottage which faced the sea in a remote part of Northumberland. +The common in front of him was ablaze with shining flowers, and the +sweet song of the lark swelled in the air. A sad, pensive look hallowed +his comely face, which made me hesitate to interrupt the reverie; but +he realized my presence and asked me to share his seat. He began to +tell me that his mind was reviving some of his early experiences at +sea. + +"Ah!" said he, "I was thinking what a terrible end Curly and the old +vessel came to. Poor Jake, he was a fine, swaggering fellow; a smart +sailor, and as brave as a Turkish Bashi-Bazouk. He was very wayward at +times, but always faithful as a mastiff dog to me. His apparent +disregard for breaking the Sabbath grieved me, and when I rebuked him +for it he frequently took me in a sort of humorous way as though it +were a good joke to talk to him of religion. But he had periods of +despondency and remorse which brought out visions of spiritual life. He +would speak of death coming to take him from his wife and little girl +in the most piteous way, and then I had to say to him, 'Do not be so +irreverent to your Creator. Think of His imperishable goodness in +saving you and me from the abysses that have so often confronted us. +Think of those piratical throat-cutters whom He assisted us in +vanquishing, and remember when God wants to take you He will take you.' +I often quoted to him these words: 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the +hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which +made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that +keepeth thee will not slumber.' I do hope he remembered to say, when +the hurricane woke out of the sky and was bearing them to destruction, +'Into Thine hand I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God +of Truth.'" + +"I never realized the intensity of your attachment to him, Captain +Macvie," I interjected. + +"Yes, it was very great," he soliloquised, "and the memory of his long +association with me and the perilous life that he led and the horror of +the tragic finish has caused my mind to revert to an occasion which +nearly ended in the same way. We were caught by a heavy southerly gale +when off Candia. I carried sail until she nearly jumped her masts over +the side and herself out of water. We were then carrying the double +reefed topsails, reefed courses, inner jib, fore and main topmast +staysail, but the gale had so increased I gave orders to close-reef the +topsails and furl the mainsail. I thought it better to run no further +risk of dismasting her, as there was always a chance so long as they +were kept standing. All hands were up reefing the main topsail and I +had the wheel. I saw the black shadow of the mountains in the darkness +towering far above our heads, and we seemed to be amongst the broken +water to leeward. Every moment I expected her to strike and send us to +our doom. A simple thought of the last words of my mother about Jesus +and the sea flashed into my mind. I lashed the wheel for a moment or +two, went to the lee side, knelt down, and offered a fervent prayer to +Almighty God. I asked Him, if it was His will to save us, to do it in +His own way. I had no sooner taken hold of the wheel again than the +sails were caught aback by the wind veering and coming with the force +of a hurricane from the opposite direction. It rushed from the mountain +tops as from a funnel. I called to the men to come down and turn the +yards round smartly. I feared she would not back off quickly and that +she might get stern way on and knock the stern in and founder. My voice +failed to carry through the vast roar of the tempest, but the men knew +as well as I did that a critical moment had come, so they made their +way on deck; the yards were quickly trimmed and I ran her dead off the +land. We had not run more than eight to ten miles to the south amid a +mad conflict of broken sea that twisted and lashed at the vessel, when +all of a sudden the old wind came back and the struggle with the +opposing legions for mastery kept for a time the vessel in imminent +peril. Ultimately the southerly force prevailed, but fortunately it +blew itself out in a few hours, and we sailed into fine weather. Never +was a vessel so near destruction without being destroyed, and never +were human lives so near passing from time into eternity. Even the most +wayward of my crew attributed our safety to the pity of God, and they +thanked Him with the usual condescension that sailors adopt even +towards the Deity; but they never knew that I had addressed the +Almighty on their behalf and on my own; and that is really how it comes +that I am here to tell the tale." + + + + +V + +SAILORS' OPINIONS OF NOTABLE PUBLIC MEN + + +The old-time sailors held strong opinions on law, i.e., sea law. The +merits of military and naval notables and prominent politicians came +within the limit of their strange discussions. Their naval heroes were +Charlie Napier, Collingwood, Nelson and Hardy. They loved Napier best +of all because he dared to be kind to his men and fight their battles +for them against the authorities; they were never quite sure whether to +give the weight of their respect on the side of Collingwood or Nelson; +but as the latter came to grief at Trafalgar, he was generally given +the benefit of any doubt as to superiority, and his devoted Hardy was +regarded as a strong backer of the redoubtable national hero. They +never got over the idea that poor Nelson was shot from the maintop by +some of his own men and not by the French sharpshooters. It was a point +that could never be cleared up to their satisfaction, hence the +impression that his sailors must have had some grudge against him was +very prevalent. His association with the King and Queen of the two +Sicilies was said to have gone a long way towards giving him a swelled +head, and in truth it was no mean distinction to be on terms of +friendship with a daughter of Maria Theresa and sister to Marie +Antoinette. They believed that Nelson had been influenced by the king +and queen when in a soft-headed mood to commit an act that can never be +obliterated. It was not only cruel and heartless, but it had close +resemblance to a crime. "They talk," said they, "of the murder by +Napoleon of their duke (Duke d'Enghien), but was it not as bad of +Nelson to have Commodore Francisco Caracciolo tried by a court martial +composed of the prisoner's enemies (Neapolitan officers) which sat only +two hours aboard the _Faudroyant_ and found him guilty of rebellion +against his sovereign?" He was ordered by Nelson to be hanged at the +fore yardarm of the _Minerva_. The sight of this poor man dangling at +the yardarm must have had a revolting impression on the minds of those +who witnessed it, and the aversion of the public who merely heard of it +must have been equally well founded. No wonder that it was handed down +to subsequent generations of seamen, and caused them to say, as I have +heard them that, "Nelson should have left the dirty, bloody business to +his pal the King of the Sicilies and kept his own hands clean." They +always spoke of his death as retribution. "If there isn't something in +it," said they, superstitiously, "why was Collingwood and Hardy not +hit?" + +His relationship with Lady Hamilton was vigorously defended; both +voluble and comic reasons were poured forth in support of his action. +"Had she not on more than one occasion saved the fleet, and had she not +rendered great service to the British Government by her clever tongue +and alluring beauty, to say nothing of a supreme genius for intrigue?" +They believed that she had sacrificed everything to serve her country, +and now that Nelson had smashed the combined fleets of Spain and +France, and lost his life through it, this precious government had no +further need for her services, so threw her helpless on a callous, +canting world. They built a monument for him, and left his poor Emma, +whom he regarded in the light of a good spirit, to starve, though he +had begged that she should be provided for. That was the view the +sailors took of it. They believed that Nelson's infatuation for the +lady was his affair and hers, and nobody else's; but be that as it may, +there were very few seamen in the merchant service who did not warmly +sympathize with this poor, wretched, woman's fate. Nelson was often +made responsible for that which he might have nothing to do with, and +sailors have not spared him for his supposed share in instituting that +monstrous system of pressing honest, respectable men into a service +that reeked with the odour of disgraceful bureaucratic cruelty. I know +something of the legacy of prejudice which extended to bitter, +vindictive recollection of these days of brainless despots. I was +reared amid an eighteenth-century environment; both my grandfathers +fought at the Battle of the Nile; both were taken by force from their +vessels which were owned by themselves and their relatives. One of them +rose to the position of sailing-master; the other was a junior officer; +but such was the condition of this kidnapping service they could not +hope to rise higher. Both these men's lives were broken, as hundreds of +others' were. Was it any wonder that strong feelings of wrong were +handed down and indiscriminately fastened on to whosoever held any +prominent authority? That is why Nelson came in for his share of +condemnation. Personally, I think he was credited with more than he +deserved. I believe he thought so well of that branch of the service, +and his patriotism was so strong, that he wondered why there was any +necessity to institute press-gangs. I should imagine that he was often +amazed that men did not join in droves. But had he gone to the right +source for information he would soon have become disillusioned. These +gangs of ruffians preferred seamen as their prey, but they did not +discriminate very much. If they could not get a sailor they took +whatever came to hand--the bigger the better. And so, while on one of +their prowling expeditions, it came to pass that a gentleman called +Willie Carr was seized, and at the point of the bayonet or musket made +to embark aboard their boat. This person was a ship's blacksmith. His +strength was abnormal, and his feats of swimming were a marvel. He was +known to fame as the Hartley giant. Tradition has it that they put +Willie in the bow of the boat, and after they had got a little way on +their journey he asked them if they could all swim. This question +excited great laughter; but the giant coolly placed his hands on each +of the gunwales of the boat, set his knees in position, called out, +"then sink or swim, you B----," and with one mighty wrench he severed +both sides of planking from the stem. Willie swam ashore, and how many +of the men were said to be drowned I do not remember, though I have +given the main facts as I heard them scores of times in my boyhood +days. This story is told by Mr Soulsby in his excellent little history +of Blyth. + +Their military champions were: the great Emperor of the French ("Bonny" +as they familiarly called him). Next came "the martyr" Ney, and then +Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian General, +Bluecher. The relative merits of these great men were discussed +sometimes with foaming partiality. Napoleon and Ney were their +favourites. Their wrath against the allied Powers was unappeasable. How +often have I heard them thunder out that Bonny would have wiped +Wellington and his myrmidons off the field but for the treachery of +Fouche, Talleyrand, and his own generals (Fouche in particular). +Wellington's prayer for "night or Bluecher" was always used in +mitigation of what might be called an unpatriotic opinion. I have +listened to the diatribes of these rugged critics who claimed for their +hero that he imbued his soldiers with a high sense of honour in +contrast to our barbarous disciplinary methods of flogging. The image +of the great man, and the part Wellington played in having him banished +to St Helena, never faded from their memories. They believed the Iron +Duke to be the instigator and encourager of a shabby trick. It was a +wonderful phenomenon that made these men talk so systematically of +their magical enemy, and yet they never lost an opportunity of showing +their national dislike for and superiority over the French people as a +whole. So strong was this instinct that it permeated British crews from +the captain to the cabin-boy. Of course there were at times violent +differences of opinion, but as a rule the Emperor was singularly +popular, and the aversion to his former subjects, especially civilians, +was never disguised. They showed frequent hostility towards +coal-heavers, dockers, sailors, fishermen, and sundry other grades of +workmen with whom they came in contact, but that is not to say they +were always successful in their attacks, though they invariably took +the initiative. In the old days the average British tar could not solve +the mystery as to what foreigners, and especially Frenchmen, were made +for; even at the present time they put on a lordly air when they come +in contact with people whom they regard as aliens. This attitude is +adopted independent of all reason, and becomes quite infectious. I must +have caught it early in life. I went to a French port on my first +voyage to sea, and although I was a mere child of twelve and a half +years, I became smitten with the forecastle belief that my country and +countrymen had suffered irreparable mischief at the hands of the French +nation. I therefore deemed it my duty to be avenged, so picked out a +French youth apparently my senior by some years, reminded him of +Trafalgar and Waterloo, and called him by the opprobrious name of +Johnny Crapo, the meaning of which I did not understand. I was promptly +made to run for my life before a sudden Napoleonic onslaught of about +half-a-dozen small boys, who had congregated to see their friend +demolish the avowed foe of their country. + +In discussing the many phases of Napoleon, the sailor was never +perplexed in coming to conclusions as to the right and wrong of his +(Napoleon's) actions. Their quotations and manner of using them were at +times amazingly tempestuous and erratic. Captain Maitland, of the +_Bellerophon_, was generally believed to have behaved with becoming +generosity towards the dethroned monarch, but the question as to +whether he gave himself up voluntarily and without reservation, or, as +Napoleon maintained, that he was prevailed upon to become the guest of +England, and put himself under the protection of her laws, was a point +that occasioned great diversity of opinion, and I think it may be said +that Maitland's version in the majority of cases was thought to be +correct. Admiral Sir George Cockburn came in for a good deal of harsh +criticism for complaining about the Emperor rising from the table as +soon as coffee had been served, and the well-known reminder of Madame +Bertrand was quoted in a form that almost put the original beyond +recognition, and had it been correct would have justified the admiral +in putting the lady into solitary confinement for the remainder of the +passage, for using language to him that was not only coarse and +impolite, but unwarrantably seditious. Instead of this, Madame Bertrand +merely remarked with all the charm of a cultured courtier: "Do not +forget, admiral, that your guest is a man who has governed a large +portion of the world, and that kings once contended for the honour of +being admitted to his table." They had some misty notion that that +admiral was not always considerate to his guest, and disliked his +attentions to the officers and crew of the _Northumberland_, not one +of which it is said could resist the magical influence of his actions +and words. It was natural that the salient incidents of a voyage with +such a man should be passed on and handed down to later generations of +seamen. + +The story of the passage of the line was an everlasting theme retailed +in order to justify the goodness of Napoleon. The boatswain represents +Neptune and becomes sovereign for a time. Neither rank nor position is +exempt from the customary shaving and baptism, but on this occasion +Neptune graciously respected the distinction of the exiles, and +reminded them that they had too often received the baptism of fire and +of glory to require additional attention from him. The Emperor +consented to have Neptune presented to him, and gave him through the +grand marshal five hundred napoleons in order that he and his court +might drink his health. Well might this generous gift bring forth wild +hurrahs and loud cries of "Long live the Emperor Napoleon." The amount +by common consent was handed over to the captain to be distributed when +the crew were discharged, but this did not prevent Neptune and a number +of his subjects intoxicating themselves, and it was only through the +interposition of the Emperor and his suite with the admiral that they +were saved from being cruelly flogged. "They may talk about this man as +they like," said one of the crew, "but I won't believe the bad they say +of him." His popularity with the sailors of the _Northumberland_ was +not created by merely seeing him sitting for hours day by day on the +gun which was named "The Emperor's." He became their hero now as +passionately as he had previously appeared to them as being the foe of +all that was humane. His little attentions and kindnesses, accompanied +by an irresistible smile, and the act of putting them through some form +of drill, endeared him to them long before they reached his lonely +rock. Then the story of Sir Hudson Lowe's treatment of him in so many +petty ways, such for instance as seizing a small bust of his son, the +King of Rome, which had been sent to the exiled monarch, made friends +for the Emperor in thousands; and not the least of them were the brave +fellows who had traversed the ocean with him, and whose souls were +filled with sympathy and horror at the crime that was being committed. +Their testimony was that no one could live in close contact with him +without instinctively realizing that he was a much maligned person. No +wonder that this impression was spread widely not only through the +whole navy but also throughout the whole mercantile marine. What a +blunder the whole savage, senseless business was! + +But while the British sailors claimed the little corporal as their +idol, they did not think that even for political reasons the Emperor +had any right to divorce Josephine, though they thought he might have +reasons other than those commonly understood to have been engineered by +the arch-traitor Fouche, and ultimately agreed to by the Emperor. The +Empress, when she was plain Josephine, had the reputation of carrying +on violent flirtations with other gentlemen while her husband was in +Italy, and subsequently, when he was in Egypt swiftly forging his way +to fame and to his destiny. So that when Napoleon was accused of +cruelty in putting her from him, there were ever some champions ready +to palliate the act by putting her unfaithful conduct before their +opponents. But the Emperor's divorce of the little Creole was never +quite approved by his sailor admirers, more especially as they had a +strong dislike to Marie Louise, the Austrian arch-duchess who took the +place of the poor, wayward Josephine, and who forsook her imperial +husband in the first hour of his adversity to become the mistress of an +ugly Austrian count, named Neipperg, who was minus an eye. Subsequently +this man entered into a morganatic marriage with the gentle Marie, and +she bore to him several children who were declared to be legitimate, +and this happened notwithstanding the fact that the Emperor her husband +was still living in anguish under a tyranny and cruel despotism +instituted by the British oligarchy. This was the kind of anecdote that +filled the sailors with sympathy for the great man who in the decline +of his days was at the mercy of a lot of little men. Then they had +stories of how he could throw off the thought of his wretched position, +and enter into a frolic with Betsy Balcombe and her sister at the +Briars. He would play for hours with the two little girls, and also +with the other children that became attached to him. The smattering +knowledge and comic rawness of the discourses on this great personality +were always intensely attractive. Faith in the accuracy of their own +views was strong. Long before I was old enough to be allowed to take +part in the forecastle Napoleonic discussions I used to listen to them +with eager interest, and well remember the attention given to even a +wrongly-informed orator. The subject was always made fascinating by +serving up the tales in their own forecastle fashion. None of the other +military notables of Napoleon's time claimed their admiration or +devotion as he did; not even Wellington. + +Their views on politics and politicians, and their mode of expressing +them, were extremely queer. The prominent statesmen they talked of most +were Fox, Pitt, Lord John Russell, Palmerston, Peel, Gladstone and +Disraeli; and apart from the fault they had to find with the latter as +a statesman, they believed him to be unwilling to legislate in their +interests, though even they didn't appear to have the ghost of an idea +as to how those interests were to be legislatively served. They knew +there was something the matter, that was all. They also had a strong +antipathy to Disraeli owing to his Hebrew origin. In fact, they +regarded the great Jew in the light of a foreigner, whose intrusion +into English politics was a humiliation to all British-born subjects. +The confusion of opinions as to the character and duties devolving on +members of Parliament was very embarrassing even to themselves, and the +vivacity with which they delivered orations to each other on the merits +or demerits of members was exquisitely droll. The rivalry between Fox +and Pitt was a subject that involved them in vehement chaos, just as +the rivalry between Disraeli and Gladstone did in later years. They had +some mystified idea that those political gentlemen were ever thirsting +for each others' blood. They had gathered from some gossipy source that +Mr Fox was a hopeless gambler, and that Pitt was exclusively +responsible for the Napoleonic wars, and that Palmerston was a +mischief-maker who set his impudence up to everybody, and his rashness +either ended in war or coming near to do so. It was the latter that was +accused in forecastle circles of bringing on that Crimean War which +caused so much suffering and loss of life both to sailors and soldiers. +I have heard Sir Robert Peel spoken of in words of vituperation for +having introduced "peelers," now known as "bobbies," to interfere, as +they said, with poor people's rights. Many of them were full of wrath +at his having repealed the Corn Laws. They had got some garbled notion, +which was passed down to later generations, that it would tend to spoil +their chances of getting employment and otherwise lower their wages. +This doctrine had been well thumped into them by some agency or other, +and it led to many a quarrel with the minority who held free trade +views. They were opposed to the introduction of Board of Trade +examinations for the purpose of obtaining certificates of competency, +which is another evidence of their undeveloped sense. And I have +actually known instances where exception was taken by common sailors to +the close scrutiny of Board of Trade surveyors into the defects of a +vessel they had long sailed in and had formed a strong regard for. The +Reform Bill did not appeal to them in the same way as it did to other +workmen. They had occasional opportunities of hearing that a great +noise was going on about household suffrage and the extension of the +franchise, but they had a very hazy conception of the meaning of the +terms. It is no exaggeration to say that the former was often spoken of +as having reference to the sufferings of somebody in the houses of the +people, and the latter was talked of as having some French connection! + +They adhered to the idea of the nation being governed by the upper +classes, and yet they used to curse them with unrestrained fury for +their indifference to the needs of the common people. Gladstone was +very frequently in disfavour with them: for instance, they did not +altogether approve of the abolition of purchase in the army. It was +considered a gratuitous interference with a person's freewill. "Why," +said they, "shouldn't a commission be purchased if a man wants to spend +his money in that way? It was no business of his!" Besides, their fears +were excited lest the army should become composed of low-bred wasters. +Their views on these particular questions were always very paradoxical +and very breezily expressed. How I used to listen and gape at the flow +of what I deemed gifted intelligence when there was a heated discussion +on. I did not understand it; indeed they did not understand it; but +they talked with a volubility and assurance that made deep impressions +on me and on them. The advent of Thomas Burt from the mine into the +political arena was not welcomed with a gush of enthusiasm by seamen. +They doubted the wisdom of a republican miner being allowed to enter a +legislature composed of aristocracy and landed gentry! The idea seemed +to have gripped their minds that this refined and gentle little man was +destined to inflict severe punishment on dukes, marquises and earls, +and in other ways disturb the British nation! Mr Burt was not long in +Parliament before he showed marked indications of wise statesmanship. +Men on both sides of the House soon learnt to respect and admire him. +He made it clear that he was not a mere class representative, and +during the whole time he has been in Parliament the sailors have had no +truer friend than he. I think they have long been satisfied of this +themselves. + +These sturdy, commonplace fellows, taking them as a whole, knew no more +about politics than Tom Brown's horse; but, like many other simple, +ill-informed people, they had a calm belief in their unmeasured +knowledge which was void of all reason, and when they were thrown into +contact with shore people it was one of the funniest things in the +world to witness the lordly air they assumed in the initial stages of +acquaintanceship, and the humour of it was exhilarating when the period +for evaporation came, and they shone forth in all their artless +simplicity. I cannot pretend to portray or exactly reproduce the scene +of a sailor's political or any other controversy for that matter; I can +only hope to convey some idea of it; and the rest must be left to the +imagination of the reader. + +Some twenty years ago a group of sailing-ship masters was seated at a +table under a verandah outside a Russian snap-shop. There were two of +the old school amongst them, and these were being egged on to a debate +by the younger men on a question that was creating a vast amount of +interest at that time. The heir to the Tichborne estates had left home +to travel abroad, and as nothing was heard of him for several years, +his mother became anxious and began advertising very widely in the +Colonial, English, and Continental press. The result of this was that a +person calling himself Sir Roger Tichborne turned up. He paid a visit +to Wapping, and then presented himself to Lady Tichborne, who was in +bed. She flung her arms around his neck in an ecstasy of joy and +claimed him as her long-lost son. The real Roger Tichborne was supposed +to have been lost in a vessel called the _Bella_, which had sailed from +Rio in South America for Australia. A claim was made on the Tichborne +baronetcy. The claimant's counsel, Dr Keneally, who did not get on very +well with the judges, commenced a paper called the _Englishman_, +which gave full accounts of the trial. It was widely read by +enthusiasts who believed that Dr Keneally's client was the real Sir +Roger. It was this trial that the coterie of commanders had gathered +together to discuss. One of them, Captain Rush, was a staunch believer +in the claimant. He had just received the paper, and was brim-full of +the convincing proofs that it contained. Another fine old salt, who had +neither education nor manners, endeavoured to take an intelligent +interest in the discussion. His name was Mark Grips. Both he and +Captain Rush belonged to the old school, and both were Northumbrians +who spoke the dialect without any attempt at moderation. + +"Ah," grunted Captain Rush, almost jumping off his seat with delight; +"Keneally has Hawkins there!" + +"Where?" said Mark. + +"Why, here," replied Rush. + +"Nothing but damned nonsense," said Mark. + +"Nothing but nonsense? What? What? What d'ye say?" screamed Rush. "D'ye +mean to tell me that Keneally doesn't know what he's talkin' about?" + +"No; you divent knaw what yo're talkin' about." + +"What? I divent knaw what I'm talkin' about? I tell ye' what it is, +sor, Roger's the man!" + +"Beggared a one," said Mark. (It wasn't exactly "beggared" a one that +he said, but that is near enough.) + +"D'ye mean to tell me," said Captain Rush (as he frothed with wrath), +"that a man doesn't know the Ass's Bridge when he's asked about it?" + +"Beggared a one," said Mark. + +"Then you're a leir." + +"A leir, d'ye say? Then I say beggared a one!" + +"Another thing: d'ye mean to tell me, Mark, that a mother doesn't know +her own son?" + +"Beggared a one," replied Mark. + +"D'ye say that again?" said Rush; "I tell you, when a woman puts her +arms around her son's neck, d'ye think she doesn't know it's her son?" + +Mark by this time is also frothing at the mouth; and, standing in a +bellicose attitude, hisses: + +"I says 'beggared a one.' Roger's not the man!" + +Rush becomes speechless, and his eyes flash with anger, and he flings +the _Englishman_ at Mark, who in turn calls his friend, "Coward; that's +the only argument you have. I tell you again, Roger's _not_ the man!" + +"Who are you?" retorted Rush; "do you think yourself the Lord High +Admiral Dundas, then?" + +"No," said the excited Mark; "I'm Mark Grips, one of Jimmy Young's +skippers, and I tell ye Roger never was the man!" + +This finished the controversy for a time, as the two combatants were +prevailed upon to shake hands, and in spite of this spirited combat +they were soon enjoying their long pipes and their grog together. + +Just about the time the Radicals in the House of Commons, aided by the +Irish Nationalists, were making a good stand-up fight for the abolition +of flogging in the army and navy, Mr Charles Bradlaugh was elected as +one of the members for Northampton, with Mr Henry Labouchere as his +colleague. The sanctity of the nation was violently shocked at the +effrontery of Northampton in electing so dangerous a Radical infidel to +represent them in Parliament as the notorious "Iconoclast." A wave of +screaming passed over the fair Christian land; the notorious advocate +of atheistic principles was proclaimed a menacing danger to the +Christian edifice. Injustice and untruth joined against him; shocking +stories of blasphemy were circulated with mad recklessness against him. +There was not a single word of truth in them. This was proved over and +over again in courts of law, and yet the charges were encouraged and +persisted in. Poor Bradlaugh; what a time he had of it until the +tempest of folly subsided, and both the people and some of their +representatives in Parliament came back to their senses, and not only +allowed the member for Northampton to take his seat, but passed an act +giving members the option of affirming instead of taking the oath, and +also ordered the erasing from the journals of the House those records +which were said to justify Mr Bradlaugh's exclusion. It was not to be +wondered at that this rapturous concert of passion and prejudice should +reach the impressionable sailors from one border of the ocean to the +other, and formed part of their occasional riotous debates. Any one who +has had the privilege of listening to the fiery arguments set forth by +sailors on the Bradlaugh or any other topic of absorbing interest must +ever cherish it as a memorable experience. There is seldom any regard +for moderation in such conflicts, and the extraordinary confusion of +ideas makes them fascinating. I have a vivid recollection of my +attention being attracted to the clamour of about half a dozen +weather-beaten nautical stagers that were seated outside a dram-shop +which was known to fame as "Jack the Blaster's." It will be readily +recognized that the name was given to it by a north-countryman. I +stopped, asked for a chair, and saw the whole thing through. +Occasionally, while the controversy was travelling along its more +turbulent stages, I was asked to intervene in some way or other, but I +had to act with studied impartiality, so adopted a neutral course. + +"They tell me," said burly Captain Harvey, "that he's the best speaker +in England." + +"Who's the best speaker in England?" asked Skipper Cowan; "do you mean +that fellow that's givin' members of Parliament so much trouble just +now?" + +"I mean Bradlaugh," said Mr Harvey. + +"Well then," said Mr Cowan, "you're decidedly in the wrong. I heard a +Methodist parson beat him to fits at Blyth. Bradlaugh lost his temper, +and after that the parson wiped the boards with him. They called the +parson Harrison,[2] and the atheists were all frightened of him after +that." + + [2] The same Mr Harrison is now a clergyman of the Church of + England, and is pastor of St Thomas's, Newcastle. + +"I never heard that before," said Harvey. + +"Very well," retorted his friend, "you hear it now. I'm telling you; +and another thing, instead of making him a member of Parliament I'd put +the fellow in gaol and stop him going about the country destroying +religion and making people infidels. Lord Randolph is a grand chap; he +won't have any of his affirmin'. No, no, Sir Randolph doesn't believe +in that sort of cattle, and he means what he says. Randy's all their +daddies [Randy is cleverer than they]. Look what he did when Bradlaugh +kept running up to the bar of the House of Commons to kiss the book. +What did Randolph do, you say? Why he jumped after him every time, +seized him by the coat tails, and said, 'Bradlaugh, stand back!' That's +pluck, if you like. Of course he had what they call the sargent with a +sword by his side ready to stick him had Randolph not been too many for +him. And what do you think old Gladstone did? He's always up to some +mischief. He wrote that pamphlet on the Bulgarian atrocities that +brought about the war with Russia and Turkey. What did he do, sir? I'll +tell you what he did. He said, 'Gentlemen, Bradlaugh's been elected; he +must be allowed to come among us.' There's a fine Englishman for you! +But never mind, _his_ day will come!" + +A bulbous, beery-looking skipper tapped a companion on the shoulder, +and said in startled undertone, "Cowan said something about Bradlaugh +running up to the bar of the House. Is there a bar there?" And Harvey +overhearing, said: + +"Yes, Mister, there's a bar in that house, but not the kind of bar you +mean. It is a bar sir, not a drinking-bar, mind you." + +"What do they call it a bar for, then?" asked the beery person; "a +bar's a bar, isn't it?" + +"Yes, a bar's a bar, and you've got a lot to learn yet. What do they +call the speaker 'the speaker' for?" + +"Because he can speak, of course," said the beery gentleman. + +"Shut up, man," said Cowan; "don't show your ignorance, and let me go +on with the argument. It's not that at all." + +"What is it, then?" said the inconvenient heckler. + +"Never mind what it is. It's not what you say it is," remarked Cowan. +"By George, he was well served when they locked him up in the Clock +Tower for his impudence. Why, at one time it took ten bobbies to keep +him from mauling a lot of Christian gentleman that had taken the oath +and kissed the Bible over and over again. They tore his clothes, and +the pity is they were not torn off him altogether. Where was his cheek +to talk about his conscience? And as to Gladstone, well, he's a fine +Englishman to back a man up in his infidel works. He deserves as much +as Bradlaugh; and as to Northampton, they should take away the vote +from it." + +The orator had completely exhausted and entwined a rich fund of +adjectives into his harangue as he went along; and, when he ceased +speaking, a warm supporter of his gave some applause, and nudging the +bulbous person, he remarked: + +"He's a long-headed fellow, isn't he? Eh, what a wonderful man for +politics, and what a speaker! Why, Bradlaugh wouldn't have much chance +with him. He should be in Parliament hissel'. By gum, he'd make them +sit up. What do you say?" + +His companion looked wise, and seemed smitten with awe. He could not +trust himself to speak of the brilliant oration they had just listened +to. Harvey followed up the debate by defending the right of freedom of +action and freedom of speech all round. + +"What business is it of these members of Parliament to interfere with +what people think or say? I say 'no business at all.' Why, they tell me +that when Bradlaugh beat them and took his seat and defied them, the +Tories flocked round him and said: 'Bradlaugh, we're glad to see you in +this honourable House, and congratulate you as one of ourselves.' Now +there was brazen hypocrisy for you; and what do you think he said in +reply? He stood up and said: 'Gentlemen, I know you of old, but I'm not +going to be sucked in by any of your snakish ways.' Wasn't that fine?" + +"Where did you hear that?" said Cowan. + +"I saw'd in the papers; it's all right," said Harvey. + +"Yes, and what's more," said Cowan, "I saw that Bradlaugh had become +very popular with everybody, and the Tories said he was a rare good +sort." + +"Then I don't believe it," said Harvey. + +"But I tell you I saw'd in the papers." + +"Well," said Cowan, "if you hadn't telled me that, I wouldn't have +believed it." + +"But I'm telling ye," said Harvey; "and what is more, there's +Labouchere: he's a queer 'un. He has a paper they call _Truth_, and he +writes all about the Queen and the aristocracy. He knows everything +about them, and doesn't care a damn for anybody. He's been had up for +libel many a time, but that never makes any difference. He goes on +worse. They call him a Radical. He belongs to that lot that wants +everything for themselves." + +"But what about them Prussians wantin' to steal Denmark? What do you +call that but cowardly work; and had it not been that Austria, the +other bully, came to their assistance, the little Danes had the +Prussians by the throat, and then, like all bullies, they fell out +about the spoil and began to fight among themselves. No wonder that the +Germans are hated; everybody liked the Danes. And where was your +England then? Was she frightened of Von Bismarck? Yes, I says; yes! Was +Palmerston frightened of him or of all the Prussians in the world? No, +certainly not! He said: 'Gentlemen, let us draw the sword for the +father of the Princess of Wales'; but these great Christian members of +Parliament that you've been talking about so much said: 'No, we'll +fight for nobody but ourselves.' Where is your Waterloo, your Corunna +and Balaclava now? What about that foggy mornin' in the Baltic Sea when +the fog cleared away and we were right in the centre of the Danish +line-of-battleships, and the whole crew wanted to join the Danish navy, +and the skipper said: 'No, men, you must stick to your own ship.' But +we saluted them with the old flag, and gave them three good English +cheers, and they cheered us, and the skipper said: 'Ah, they're fine +fellows. What is England doin' of not to help them? There's no +ill-feelin' left about Nelson puttin' the spy-glass to his blind eye +and blowing Copenhagen down about their ears.'" + +"Talk about makin' the Queen Empress of India? By George! Gladstone did +walk into Disraeli about that, and it was said the Queen got her hump +up about it." + +"Well she might," said Cowan; "what business had Gladstone to +interfere? He's always interfering." + +"Yes," said Harvey; "and a good job for England he is." + +"What d'ye say? Good job for England? What about the Fenians? What +about Parnell and them Irishmen? What about the rascals who were nabbed +settin' fire to infernal machinery for blowing up the House of +Parliament? And then he talks of givin' them Home Rule! What about +Piggott, Parnell and company?" + +"Yes, and what about the forgeries, Mr Sniggins," said Harvey. + +"Don't call me Sniggins!" said Captain Cowan, "I'm a respectable man." + +"Don't you say this and that about Gladstone, then," said Harvey. + +"We will if we like," said the bulbous friend, who showed in his +phlegmatic way signs of taking sides against the great Liberal leader. + +"What do you know about it?" contemptuously interposed Harvey. "My +advice is to you, 'keep yourself sober and your mouth shut, and don't +show your empty-headedness to people who have forgotten more than ever +you knew!' _You_ talk about Gladstone! Why, you would never have known +there was such a man if I hadn't told you. Of all the brazen cheek, +well! You take the cake to talk to me about a man that made England and +stopped the gentry from pilfering the whole thing." + +"Get away, man!" replied our portly friend; "you would swear you were +the Duke of Argyle. I tell you he would have given the country away to +the foreigners if we hadn't stepped in." + +"Do _you_ call yourself '_we_'!" interjected Harvey, his utterance +almost incoherent with anger; "you want to go to school again and get +some learnin'." + +"Get some learnin', d'ye say, Mr Know-all? What has Gladstone done for +the sailors, you an' me? That's a poser for you; and look at the money +he gave away about the _Alabama_ to the Yankees, instead of fightin' +them for it like an Englishman. That's another poser for you!" retorted +the big, burly antagonist who had wakened up and entered into the +discussion with elephantine zeal. "Some of you would let foreigners +jump on your stomachs, but Captain Cowan and me says, 'England for +ever!' Why, if it hadn't been for Palmerston and the old Jew, we would +all have been Russians or blooming Germans before now." + +"Bravo, John Bird, well said! That's a clinker for you, Harvey," chimed +in the devoted supporter of the previous speaker. "Fine Britishers they +are, givin' away the country of their birth in lumps at a time!" + +Harvey was purple; his blood was at boiling pitch, and his poignant +attack on Captain John Bird gave that gentleman some concern lest it +should reach to something more than mere words. His peroration +consisted of a luxuriant use of imprecating adjectives which stamped +him as a person of original thought. He apologized to his Creator as he +passed from point to point of these profane heights, and was obviously +sure that this chaste mode of seeking forgiveness commended his +observations to the Deity. The attack on Gladstone's and his own +patriotism roused him to produce prodigies of declamatory +illustrations. + +"Givin' the country away," he said. "Gladstone's trying to stop them +dukes and earls and such like from stealing it. What does he say that +the House of Lords should be shut up for, and these gentry made to work +like other folk? I'll tell you what he says that for: because he wants +it fairly shared, and the men that go down to the sea in ships to have +a bit of it." + +"Now you needn't repeat Scripture after you've been swearin' see hard," +interposed Captain Cowan. + +"No, sir, I'm not using Scripture. I'm saying that Gladstone wants to +turn them fellows in the House of Lords out to work for their living, +instead of cribbing all the land and gettin' such as you to back them +up and crawl on your bended knees and kiss their hands for them; but +I'm not one of them sort. I says what Joe Cowan says: 'The land for the +people if they pay for it.' Wasn't it Gladstone and Bright that said no +good would ever be done until the House of Lords was pulled down, and +wasn't it Joe Cowan that stood up for them when they wanted to make the +Queen the Empress of India? Didn't he say: 'No, gentlemen, the Queen +of England's good enough for me; I wants no Empress'? And didn't that +favourite Jew of yours say to him it was a grand speech? But I'm not +goin' to open my mouth to fill your empty heads. You don't know your +A B C's yet; and you talk to me about givin' away England, and about +Dizzy, and you haven't a good word to say about your own countrymen who +want to get you a bit of the land to grow something on. I tell you, +you're nothing better than nincompoops, hobbledehoys that knows no more +about politics than the old hookers you're skippers of do." He +emphasized these last remarks by bringing his fist heavily down on the +table, knocking the glasses off, and then in a patronizing way he +walked from them a short distance, turned round quickly as though a +sudden impulse had seized him, and shouted at the top of his voice: + +"You want to go to school again, if you've ever been there, but I don't +think you have!" + +A reticent man sat close by during the singular debate. An observer +could see that Captain Harvey's last oration was having a convincing +effect on him, and immediately Harvey had fired his last shot Captain +George Halligay rose, and with unaffected solemnity remarked: + +"That man knows too much to be a shipmaster. He should be in the House +of Commons. The language he uses, and his knowledge of men and what +they say, is very clever. It would take a funny 'un to tackle him. They +tell me he's written to the papers sometimes." + +"All wind and blather," said Captain John Bird, which remark was +endorsed by Captain Cowan and received with some applause. + +"Not so," said Halligay. "He has great gifts." And then they made their +way to the landing where their boats waited to convey them to their +respective ships. + +These were some of the last specimens of our old-time sailor manhood. +Rough, uncultured, careless of danger, their fighting instincts +sometimes leading them to ferocity; but withal they were strong in many +ways, and had intervals of docility which ofttimes made them lovable. I +dare say many, if not all, of their generation (for they were aged men +when I knew them) have passed beyond the reach of the political or +social student, and we shall nevermore hear the same kind of confusion +of thought that made the discussions of these aged mariners so +delightful to listen to. Of course many of the captains of that time +had real accomplishments far beyond the stolid men of whom I have been +speaking. But even the most cultured of that generation did not reach +the zenith of fame to which the modern commander has risen. The average +present-day captain has little in common with his predecessors. His +political creed goes beyond the mere assertion of the superiority of +Britishers over foreigners. He claims association with a party, and +knows a good deal about prominent statesmen and politicians. He is up +to date in the causes which led to the Boer War, the Coal Tax, the Corn +Duty, Irish Land Purchase, the Education Act, and Chamberlain's +agitation to force a change in our fiscal policy from Free Trade to +Protection. He has a peculiar form of self-confidence which may be +considered phenomenal though it is rarely offensive. + + + + +VI + +MARY ROUTLEDGE + + +I have often come in contact with old people living in the villages +close by the sea and far away from the bustle of railroads and large +towns, who lament the good times gone by when they used to look forward +to the homecoming and the passing to and fro of the bonny sailor lads, +who were always expected to lift the monotony from their dull, +uneventful lives by strange stories and rollicking habits. The +villagers for the most part lived under a kind of despotism. The Lord +of the Manor and the parson dominated them, and fashioned their +politics, their religion, and even their social lives. The rule was to +keep within the limits of their own little community when they wanted a +wife or a husband, but if at any time their affections travelled +outside this sanctified boundary, the two potentates were assiduous in +their warnings that if the new comer in any way transgressed the +unwritten code of laws that were framed in order that the estate might +be kept free from contamination they would have to leave it +peremptorily. Ranters, Wesleyans, and other Nonconformists were +regarded as heretics. A religious test was practised, and those who +openly avowed their dissent from the established form of worship were +frankly told that there was a strong aversion to having that manner of +person about the place, and that any attempt at proselytising would be +met by immediate expulsion. That was the state of things existent in a +certain country village no further back than the middle of the last +century, when, as though Providence had pre-arranged it, a man who at +one time had been a sailor came to live there. He was tall and +well-made, with broad shoulders, and he walked with a sort of military +tread. He had a broad forehead, firmly set lips, and altogether he was +good to look on. No one could come in contact with him without being +impressed with his strength of character. His wife was an equally +fine-looking person, with pronounced intellectual capacity. They were +both evangelical Wesleyans. Their family consisted of five sons and two +daughters, a fine wholesome brood, who were all quite young, the eldest +being about fifteen. The children were reared and trained with great +care, and without distinction of sexes: they were all taught to do +housework. Family worship was held morning and night. If the father was +unavoidably absent, the mother took the service, and if both were +absent, the eldest of the family, either son or daughter, took it. The +house was a hive of industry and religious fervour; everything about it +was neat and spotlessly clean. Soon after their arrival the parson made +a call on them, and of course the father and mother were asked what +their faith was. This being quickly settled, the man of holy orders +intimated that the parents would be expected to attend the parish +church each Sunday with their family. They of course reminded him that +they were Wesleyan Methodists, but that would not prevent them +attending his church in the mornings. "In the afternoon and evenings I +have been accustomed to conduct a service myself either in the open air +or in my own or someone else's home," said the placid-looking father. +The parson gazed at him with apoplectic surprise, and hinted that he +hoped he would not continue his mission work there, as Nonconformity +was not approved by the owner of the village, and, he might add, by +himself either. + +"I fear I must disregard your request," said Mr Burnside, "and do what +my conscience and judgement demand of me." + +The cleric took his leave, with the intimation that Squire Humbert +would no doubt call and have a talk with him about spiritual and other +matters. Burnside was not long in discovering that many of the +villagers were quite illiterate, and but little above the standard of +heathen. He resolved to throw his soul into the work of evangelizing +them at all costs. The first visit Mr Humbert paid him left no doubt as +to that gentleman's wishes. He spoke of the disturbing influence lay +Methodist preachers were having all over the country, and said that he +had decided no such sensational work should be permitted on his estate. +Burnside did not deem it prudent to enter into controversy, but +determined that nothing should deter him from carrying out the work +that God had sent him to do. The circumstances were so discouraging +that no ordinary man would have persisted in going on with it. He was +scoffed at, hooted, and at times both men and women were so enraged +that they threatened a personal attack; but there was something about +his physical appearance and his firm though gentle manner that cowed +even the most violent of those who were opposed to his religious +teaching. They felt he would stand no nonsense of that kind. He had not +been long in the locality before a spirit of strong revival came over +the place. Some of the worst men and women in the countryside were +converted, and ardently tried to influence others for good. They were +raw, crude, and uneducated, but there was a power behind them that made +their influence irresistible. People came from far and near to hear +this strange gospel of pity preached and to witness such an unexpected +revolution. Strong men and women were smitten with its force, until any +one of them who had shown ill-natured and violent dislike to even +listening to the simple message of the lay preacher, eagerly threw +their doors open to him in order that he might hold services in their +homes. He urged them to attend the parish church in the mornings, as +there was only one service on the Sundays, and none during the week. +Most of his own family did this, while the others went with him to the +chapels he was appointed to preach at. He knew the squire and the +parson were feeling full of wrath, and that they believed him to be a +mistaken instrument for evil, and that the whole parish was thrown into +revolt by his wild advocacy of a sacrilegious creed, and that it must +be put a stop to or he would have to leave the village. + +When Burnside was having a stroll one morning with a little fellow of +four years old, who was chattering to him about his services, Squire +Humbert came upon them, stopped, and snappishly asked what he meant by +disturbing the whole district with such ranting nonsense. + +"I tell you," said he, "it must cease, or I will ask you to leave the +place." + +Burnside withered him with a gaze that betrayed his feelings, and +began: + +"Sir, you may ask me to leave the village, but you may not ask me to +cease serving my God in the way I choose. Now, sir, listen. You have +been accustomed to talk to your village servants in a way that is +insufferable. I am not one of them, and if I were I should resent your +doing so to me. I must ask you to carry out your threat, and when I get +your communication I shall give you my definite answer. Meanwhile never +you attempt to insult me or make an attack upon my religion again. And +bear in mind that I refuse to allow you to be the controller of it. +Good morning." + +The dignified "Lord God the Squire" gasped with suppressed fury, but +that which he wished to utter was unutterable, and he rode off in the +direction of his hall. Burnside told his wife what had transpired. She +commended him for the manner in which he had treated it, though both +she and the family were filled with concern lest the threat of turning +them out of their home should be carried out. It made an everlasting +impression on all the family, but especially so on the little fellow +who heard all that was said. _He_ never got over the cruel, senseless +stab, and I have reason to believe it lives with him still. Burnside +regarded the whole thing with contempt, and continued his religious +services as though nothing had happened. Mr Logan, the parson, not long +after called to see him, and Burnside drew him into discussion on +Theology. He was a great student of Bishop Butler's "Analogy," and was +familiar with the writings of other theologians. The parson was amazed +at the plain man's strong logical instincts, the keen fluency of his +talk, and the fulness of his knowledge, and so enjoyed the conversation +that he asked if he might hope to have a further opportunity of having +another discussion. "Come any day you like except Sundays," said the +unconventional old sailor, "and I may assure you it will give me great +pleasure." They parted with feelings of growing respect for each other. +The parson evidently made some weighty communication to Mr Humbert, as +that gentleman's attitude towards Burnside soon underwent a marked +change, and this was shown by his commencing to chat whenever they met. +It was not long before they were on the most cordial terms. The squire +found that Burnside was not only a powerful religionist but a strong +personality. His reading was very wide, and his knowledge and +conversational gifts made him an attractive man to come in contact +with. Humbert had evidently seen it to be unwise to meddle with his +religion any more, and his friendship for him soon became apparent, for +instead of carrying out the threat of putting him off his estate, he +offered him a better house to live in, with a large plot of ground +attached to it. The offer was gratefully accepted, but this did not in +any way interfere with the steady progress of the propaganda, and in a +few years the character of the men and women who would have thrown him +into the sea when he first came amongst them changed from hatred into +affection. Gambling, drunkenness, wife-beating, profanity, all had +disappeared. + +As soon as his sons were old enough they left the district, and ere +long some of them were heard of in the metropolis of England, and had +succeeded in carving out distinguished careers for themselves. Two of +them gladdened the old man's heart by choosing the sea as a profession, +but no discrimination in point of affection was ever shown, though when +he heard the hoarse moaning of the wind on troubled nights, he never +failed to put in a supplementary prayer for his two seafarers. He had +passed through the dangers himself, and had a steadfast belief that +close communion with God was a strong safeguard against disaster. The +homecoming of these sailor lads, who frequently brought friends with +them, was a great joy to the Burnsides, and also to those of the +villagers with whom they associated. Both lads were very sailorly, and +it was well known that they never failed to make things hum with mirth +and mischief, as soon as they had taken their bearings and found the +coast clear of "squires" and "parsons." It was a pretty sight to see +their two sisters rush out of the house as soon as their brothers were +seen in the distance crossing the long stretch of moor and run to meet +and fondly greet them. This had been one of the fundamental points in +their training, that they were to be affectionate to each other, and +lengthened separation did not diminish the well instilled habit. But +the joy of the young people's meeting was only second to that of seeing +their reunion with their parents, and great were Mrs Burnside's +bewildering exploits of cookery. The first night was generally spent in +telling queer stories of their skippers, mates and shipmates, whilst +the father sat smiling placidly and obviously living over again his +youthful days when he also was a sailor lad relating the same kind of +stories in the same old way. The girls asked all sorts of questions, +and the merry babble was kept up until Mrs Burnside reminded her +husband that it was long past the usual time for prayers, and that they +had better postpone the narrative until the morrow. A chapter suitable +for the occasion was given out, and they read verse and verse about +until they reached the end of the lesson. Then they knelt round the +table and listened to the tremulous tones of their father's prayer. +When he had finished they all repeated after him the Lord's Prayer and +then rose. At one of these reunited gatherings one of the brothers had +been restless, and persisted in nudging his sisters and winking at them +when his parent had reached his most impressive periods and was +oblivious of everything but his communion with God. The scamp was taken +aside by the younger sister, who was a strong-minded little damsel with +fixed ideas, and she sharply reproved him for his irreverence; and the +elder sister, who had a keen sense of humour as well as fixed opinions, +was so thankful that the boys had been brought safely back to them, she +commenced to make the most comical excuses for their erring brother's +buoyant indiscretion. The young man's contrition was signified by his +taking hold of his sisters, waltzing them round the room, and then +proceeding to stand on his head and dangling his legs in the air. This +threw them into fits of laughter, and though it was against the rules +of the home, the joyous chatter was resumed and continued until long +past the regulated time for going to bed. When I hear people ridiculing +religion and its forms, I think of those simple days of village +methodism with a throbbing of the heart. + +There were coteries in this small out-of-the-way place as there are in +large towns and cities, and perhaps the exclusiveness was even more +pronounced there than in the larger centres. The fisher people were a +class by themselves, with whom the squire's employes thought it beneath +their dignity to be on regular visiting terms. They married and +intermarried amongst themselves, while Mr Humbert's servants were a +mixed class. Some had intellectual ambitions and rare musical talents, +and others had not; and it was amongst the former that the Burnsides +found something in common. Their home gathered up all the more cultured +part of the population. But apart from that, every young and old person +in the village was known to the others. The well was situated a good +distance from the cottages, and the girls of the village generally had +to carry the water to their homes either because there were no sons or +because they were employed elsewhere; but if any of them were about, +the lassie with the burden was always offered help, and rarely refused +it. When the two young sailors came home they made a point of insisting +on carrying water for any young girl they by chance saw at the +fountain, hence they increased their popularity and were sought after +for that reason as well as for the fact of their being rollicking +sailors. In fact, it seemed as though the little circle were of one +family. The day following the home-coming from any given voyage was +spent in formally calling upon their friends, and in the evening all +the young people gathered up at their home to have tea, and afterwards +dancing, singing, talking, and all kinds of games. Of course the +sailors were called upon to do some step-dancing, and so the happy days +and evenings sped on until the time came to prepare to set off on a +long voyage. Then for several days previous to their departure the +house was full each afternoon of voluntary helpers, washing, making +shirts, knitting stockings, and making all kinds of underclothing. +Things were kept moving in such a lively way when these young seafarers +were about, that a feeling of desolation depressed the whole village +for many days after they had left it. + +Yet amid all the simple charm of the people and the natural beauty of +the place there came a period of sorrowing and grief. The motherless +daughter of an official of the Lord of the Manor, a beautiful girl who +was the idol of her family and loved by everybody, fell a victim to the +villainy of her father's assistant to whom she was engaged to be +married; he betrayed her and then left the village, and no one could +trace his whereabouts. When her condition became apparent, her father +alone failed to realize her true state until he received a note from +his master to have her removed from his estate, and with brutal +severity the squire insisted that she should never be allowed to stain +the purity of his grounds by her presence again, nor could he permit +any intercourse whatever between her and any of his servants either +male or female, direct or indirect. The father was brokenhearted, and +indeed the whole community were stricken with grief for her and for +him. She was removed to a town a few miles away and then gave birth to +a male child. The father in his thoughtless anger left her to the +callous mercy of an inexperienced person, and through want of proper +care consumption set in, and the shadow of doom swiftly encompassed +her. A burning remorse was charring her to pieces. She craved the +forgiveness of her parent, and longed to see the home she had been +ruthlessly turned away from. This desire was intensified by a passion +to feel the thrilling of the sea winds that came from the moaning +ocean. What insufferable cruelty to refuse the appeal of a sweet girl +who had been wronged, and who was passing from earth and would soon be +put to rest in a grave within easy reach of the springy links and +glossy sands where so many days of her joyous girlhood had been spent +in innocent and jovial scenes! A last appeal was made to the hard old +squire, who, to do him justice, believed he was an instrument in the +hands of divine Providence to enforce the cultivation and carrying out +of high ideals. Human fallibility was not sanctioned on his demesne +outside his own personality or household. The poor, grief-stricken girl +wrote to him hoping that her wishes might become known to his wife and +touch her to have compassion, and her plan succeeded, for on receipt of +her letter permission was given to have her brought home. Here is the +simple, pleading request: + + "SIR,--I ask you for pity's sake to forgive me and allow a poor + girl who is humbly and bitterly penitent, wrecked in body and soul, + to be taken from here to her father's home so that she may seek + forgiveness of him before she is called to appear before her God. I + have only a few weeks at the most left to me, and then I shall pass + from the scene of conflict and grief into that long sleep which + never endeth. + + "I am, yours obediently, + + "MARY ROUTLEDGE." + +The day following the receipt of this letter Mary was brought home, and +the good Mrs Humbert engaged a nurse to look after her. Mr Logan, the +parson, was sent for, and he administered what he regarded as a +passport into heaven. He pronounced a stern reproof, and then impressed +on her the idea of the great sin she had committed, and in the good old +ecclesiastical style admonished her to say her prayers and read her +Bible night and morning, and if she did that there might yet be hope +for pardon. The girl did not think the prescription comforting enough, +so after a few days' misery she asked for Mr Burnside. She had heard +him both pray and preach in days gone by, and the impressions made then +came back to her vividly. On entering the little home he chatted with +her in his accustomed cheery way, never even hinting at her great +sorrow, and then he asked if she would like him to pray with her before +he went. She said: "Oh, yes, that is one of the reasons I sent for you; +and if you could make it convenient I would like you to come often." Mr +Burnside acquiesced, and before leaving his little friend he joked with +her judiciously until she laughed so heartily that a casual looker-on +would have thought she had neither mental nor physical trouble, but as +she said to him: "You make me forget all my affliction." "That is +exactly what I should like to do," said her bright companion, "and I +think we are making some progress." + +His visits were always a joy to both of them, and after paying several +she called out to him one day when he entered her room, "I have found +God. I know now the plan of salvation that you have been so anxious for +me to see, and though I deeply regret to leave you and all those who +have been so considerately kind to me, I am anxious that my Master +should claim me soon and take me to dwell amid the silent glory of a +last long dream. I am now prepared to meet Him. My last dying request +is very sacred. It touches me so keenly I feel some doubt as to whether +I can approach it without giving you a mistaken thought of what I +really do mean. It is this: may I ask you to give an eye to my child +when I am gone, and should you detect that he is not being cared for, +or trained properly, will you use your influence in having this done? +Perhaps one of the lads (meaning his sons) when they get on will take +an interest in him for the sake of his mother to whom they were so kind +and gentle in other days. Ah, what memories of sweetness I have +gathered up since I was laid aside; and these lines, which I committed +to memory long ago, have sometimes come to me: + + But 'tis done--all words are idle; + Words from me are vainer still; + But the thoughts we cannot bridle + Force their way without the will." + +She then assured Mr Burnside that she was quite resigned. He listened +to her gentle musings, only interjecting a word now and then in order +that the current of thought should not be stranded. But his heart was +full of grief, and when he stooped to kiss her brow and say +"good-night" the tears were dropping from his eyes. + +"Ah," said she, "I know the sorrow you have for me, and your distress +pains me, but after all I am only passing to the shadows a few years +before you, and when you come I shall see you." And then she whispered +softly, "I should like, if it be possible and my boy lives, that his +mother's shame be kept from him. You, I'm sure, will try to prevent +this." + +He promised that her dying injunction, so far as he could arrange it, +would be strictly observed, and then he went out into the mystic night. + +They did not commune together again, for the Omnipotent had willed that +she should pass through the valley before the long beams of light had +been drawn from the dawn. The little colony was cast into gloom, and +neither the chilly, puritanic doctrine of the Lord of the Manor, nor +the mechanical piety of his adjutant, the rector, could stay the anger +that permeated even the dullest of the inhabitants, who believed that a +crime had been committed in the name of righteousness. The indignation +of the female portion of the Burnside family was well subdued, not +because of any cantish false delicacy, but in order that their own lads +might not be encouraged to say or do anything rash. They left the +father to communicate the news of Mary Routledge's illness to them. He +had prayed for her on the first night they were at home; this gave them +the first intimation of the tragedy, but the ghastly character of it +was learnt from outside, and they never either forgave or forgot the +wicked perpetrators. + +The hearts of the two sailors were sorely touched by the tale of +suffering and treatment of the poor girl whom they were accustomed to +regard in the light of a sister when they were boys at school, and +though a few years of rough sea life had rubbed the finer edges off +their early training, they still retained a strong affection for the +girls who were their favourites, and as she was one of them, their +affection and their grief for her was never concealed. The fulness of +their pleasures had been marred by this great affliction, but as they +would have made any sacrifice in order that their sympathy might be +known to her, they steadfastly observed an attitude of conduct that +well-nigh approached piety; and after she had been "put away" and their +father told them of her last dying message, they resolved that if +spared to reach a position, and her boy was alive, and those who had +charge of him were agreeable that he should become a sailor, either one +or the other would undertake his training. Meanwhile the child was left +as a legacy to the grandfather, but incredible though it may appear, he +was not allowed to bring it to the estate during the sanctified +lifetime of Mr Humbert. + +The young men had reached the limit of their period ashore; it was only +fourteen days, but that was all that could be spared, as the vessels +they were to sail in were nearly at the fitting-out stage. The night +before they had to depart a tea-party was given by a distinguished old +lady, who was known for her great kindness to needy people in the +district, and to wayfarers who passed by her house. She owned a large +adjoining estate, and managed it herself with consummate skill. She was +very fond of the two lads, so that they were invited to the party, and, +truth to say, it was really in their honour it was given. Nearly the +whole of the young people round about were there, but the tragic death +of their young friend prevented a full outburst of joyous revelry, +though they arranged their mode of amusement to suit the occasion. The +hostess was charming to everybody, but especially to the sailors. Her +exhortations that they should be careful not to slip when they were +climbing all over the rigging and yards, and to be sure not to get +washed off the jib-boom, as she had heard of so many others being, and +to keep ropes tied round them when the sea was coming aboard, so that +they might not be washed overboard, were absurd and laughable, but +tender. Of course the young men, in the true orthodox fashion of +sailors, on being pressed by her and the young guests, male and female, +told a few stories of their adventures that created both admiration and +sensation; then by request they sang a few sea songs that were much +appreciated. And when the regulation hour came for closing the +proceedings the time had slipped away too quickly. A request was made +to their hostess for an extension of time, and with a goodness that +always characterized her it was granted for one hour longer, part of +which was used by an appeal made by the sailor lads to be allowed to +correspond with her two granddaughters, who were young ladies of +prepossessing appearance. After some delicate negotiations and many +assurances of honourable intentions, they were told that, provided +their letters were confined to a history of their movements and their +doings, and without any foolishness, they might write twice a voyage to +the girls and to herself. "But," said she, "there must be no proposals +of marriage until you have both reached the head of your profession." +This condition was gratefully agreed to, and when the young men joined +the party again there were many inquiries and many hints as to the +nature of the conference with their hostess, but the secret was only +divulged to the two who were directly interested, and then the jovial +gathering formed themselves into a ring, sang "Auld lang syne," and +added "Will they no come back again?" which was specially intended to +apply to the sailors. These formalities having been completed, the +young mariners proceeded to say their farewells, and kissed and cuddled +with astonishing rapidity first one girl and then the others until all +had shared the ebullition of their rugged endearment. The male portion +of the assembly viewed this form of emphasizing good-bye with sheepish +amazement. They would have been stupefied with shame if any one had +seen them walking even with a girl, although the enterprising seafarers +had done their best to assure them that it was the only true style of +showing genuine goodwill. + +Long before dawn the following morning the lads were tramping over a +wild expanse of common towards a seaport, and they carried on their +shoulders as fine a kit as ever went into a vessel's forecastle. All +the things that had happened during their stay, especially the +incidents of the last night, were talked of amongst the villagers for +many a long day after the sailors had left the district and travelled +to the southern hemisphere. Yes, and many an eloquent petition was sent +up from the familiar cottage homes that knew them so well for their +safe-keeping and speedy return. This phase of sailor life existed in +the country places, and to some extent in the smaller seaport towns +bordering on the country, in the middle of the last century. It is +always pleasant to think of the innocent, robust enjoyment these better +class seamen planned out for themselves, aided of course by their rural +friends. They were sought after and loved by everybody. What balderdash +has been spoken and written about poor Jack everlastingly misconducting +himself! Assuredly the Christian virtues did not take complete hold of +all of them, and no one will deny that a large percentage were wayward +and took a lot of steering. But compare them with other classes of men, +and I do not think they would take a second place. + +Norman and Kenneth Burnside worked, saved, and studied very hard, and +rapidly rose in their profession. They had no sooner got their extra +master's certificates than they were offered and accepted the command +of handsome square-rigged vessels employed in the Eastern trade, and +both of them became famous for making quick passages. The old lady who +had been their friend so long became impressed with the idea of their +reaching great heights, and was quite frank in stating that she was +proud to see the speedy advancement of two boys that had been reared +within sight of her home. She indicated to some of her closest friends +that she had no misgiving now about giving her granddaughters in +marriage to the young sailors, and this interesting confession was made +known to them by some unknown agent. They arrived in England within a +month of each other, and were quietly married. The venerable lady +settled a considerable sum on her granddaughters, and no lack of +instructions were omitted as to its purpose. The sailors said it was +very good of the old girl to do this for her young relatives, but they +each reminded their wives that they did not marry them for money. After +a brief holiday the brothers rejoined their respective ships, and +sailed, one from Liverpool to Australia, and the other from London to +Calcutta, and little did they expect when they parted that it would be +nearly two decades before they were to meet again. + +Many years after, two vessels were racing down the China seas, one of +them a new barque heavily sparred and very crank, and the other a +large, full-rigged ship. Both were rushed through the sea at great +speed. The full-rigger, with Norman Burnside in command, drew ahead of +the barque and lost sight of her in the darkness. Between ten and +eleven at night the second officer was on the poop chatting with the +captain; the sky was cloudless, not a speck to be seen, and the wind +strong and steady; every stitch of canvas was set, when all of a sudden +the captain ceased conversing with the officer, told him that a white +squall was close upon them, and to call all hands to shorten sail. They +had only got a portion of it in when the squall struck her, and +everything had to be let fly. During the few minutes it lasted it was +terrific; many of the sails were torn to shreds, the masts were heavily +strained, and the vessel herself was well-nigh doomed. Nothing was seen +or heard of the barque after that night, but the fears of those aboard +the full-rigger were great lest trouble should have come to her. When +they arrived in London an account was sent to them of the loss of their +companion in the China Seas. The paragraph stated that the vessel was +struck by a white squall, thrown on her beam ends and literally +capsized; the captain was Norman's brother. He was on deck at the time +and tried to get down into the cabin to rescue his wife, but the rush +of water prevented him. She was drowned almost before his eyes, and her +body went down with the vessel. Some of the crew who were aft managed +with the assistance of the captain to get the gig disentangled from the +wreck, but he refused to save himself and had to be dragged into the +boat by force. Others of the crew clung to floating spars, and were +either killed or drowned, and only one survived until succour came. The +day following the casualty, those that took to the boat were picked up. +A day later a passing vessel saw some wreckage ahead, and as they drew +towards it they discovered a boy clinging to a spar which was being +tossed about by the motion of the sea. The vessel was at once hove to +and a boat went to his rescue. The only clothing he had on was a light +flannel shirt and a pair of drawers. The poor little fellow had tried +to lash himself to the spar with a piece of rope. When they got close +to where he was his feeble voice whispered from it a few words of +touching thanks; and then, as though a supernatural force had been +given him, he said in a tone that seemed to have been flashed from +another world: "It is too late. I am about to pass on to where my +mother is. I feel my stomach is chafed through." His face, it was said, +wore a spiritual air, and his eyes had an expression of quiet, resigned +sadness. They cast off the rope that bound him to the spar, took him +gently from it and placed his disembowelled body in the boat. His +remains were sewn up in a hammock, heavy weights were put at his feet, +and at the dead hour of the night the mourners, with uncovered heads +bowed in hallowed manifestation of pity, listened to the harrowing +words that came throbbing from the captain's lips as substituted for +the written funeral service. When he had finished, orders were +whispered to lower the body in silence down the side of the vessel, and +then the waters covered him over. Many weeks elapsed before it was +known that it was Mary Routledge's boy. + +Nothing could exceed the genuine sympathy that was shown to the poor +distracted Kenneth Burnside, but all attempts at consolation were +received by him with a sad smile that conveyed the idea of an unhealing +wound. He lived the life of a recluse and never went to sea again. + + + + +VII + +FORECASTLE LIFE + + +The modern sailor can have no idea of the hardships and discomforts of +his predecessors even up to thirty or forty years ago. Unless a person +has lived with sailors in the forecastle as one of themselves and taken +part in their daily life, no accurate conception can be formed of what +their peculiarities and conditions of life were. It may be that they +fluently cursed about the latter, and had some idea that they were +being imposed upon; but posterity must ever remember that they bore +their wrongs with heroism and with a steadfast belief in the +superiority over those of other nationalities of their owners, their +ships and themselves. Comparisons were never indulged in: they insisted +that all things British took in the nature of things first place, and +this child-like faith was never broken in spite of glaring, wicked +callousness to their men's sufferings on the part of some employers and +captains. + +Their accommodation was in the extreme fore-end of the vessel, and the +space allowed was low-roofed and cramped, frequently leaky and +invariably dismal. Immediately abaft the forecastle ladder was the +cable stage where hawsers, cable-chains, tar-barrels, tar-pots, +tar-brushes, marline spikes, serving-mallets, cork-fenders, water-casks +and other spare gear were stowed. The first impressions of smell to a +person who had been reared in a pure atmosphere were deadly. I think I +can feel all my first sensations even now. On each side of the space, +hammocks were slung to hooks, or to eyebolts fastened into the beams, +and on account of leaky decks the men were obliged to have oil-covers +hung the full length of the hammock like a tent to keep the water from +pouring on to them! There was great pride taken in the spotless +cleanliness of these canvas sleeping cots. The rings that the lanyards +and clews were attached to were neatly grafted, and the art of hanging +with accuracy so that the occupant lay in perfect comfort without fear +of being lurched out was often the cause of mutual criticism and heated +controversy. It looks a very simple matter, but there is an art that +has to be learned in slinging a hammock correctly. Alongside of them +were the seamen's chests, with skilfully carved oak or mahogany cleats, +grafted rope horseshoe handles, and turk's head at each side of the +cleats. These were painted white to give variety and effect. The lid +inside displayed a full-rigged clipper, barque, or brig, either under +full sail with a peaceful blaze of blue sea, or under close-reefed +topsails labouring in the wrath of a cyclone with a terrific turmoil. +Underneath this work of art was the name of the person to whom the +chest belonged, painted in block shaded letters, and the fate of many a +crew has been traced by the washing ashore of a relic of this sort. All +this was done by the sailor himself, and during the process of +elaboration many a castle was built in the air and many a vow made that +his conduct for evermore should be regulated by a strict adherence to +righteous principles. There was great competition in this as in other +things. The forecastle sides and the deck were whitewashed with lime, +and the floor in fine weather, at sea as well as in port, was kept +clean. The apprentices were made to take week and week about in +scrubbing the floor every morning, and sweeping it after every meal. In +well regulated vessels that sailed on long voyages, as soon as they got +into the N.E. trade winds the crew settled down to a daily routine +during the first hour or two of their watch below in the daytime, of +making, mending and washing their clothes. Some never got beyond this, +or making mats, but there were men who varied their pastime by carving +models of vessels, making wood sails or rigging, and fitting them out +in every detail. This work was done with great skill and neatness. +Those that could read and were fond of it gave a share of their time to +that. There were others who worked hard at learning navigation, their +chest lids serving as a desk. It occasionally happened that some of the +forecastle hands could neither read nor write, but if they were willing +to learn there was always someone ready to teach them, who in the +process of teaching learnt much that was useful to himself. A few +months ago there died an old man whom I taught to read and write when +he must have been over forty years of age. He was one of many skilled +seamen of that day who were much sought after to command collier brigs +during the winter months, notwithstanding they could not read, or write +their own names even. This man never failed to make the quickest +passages and voyages on record, and in the summer, without presuming on +having been master, he would ship on a deep sea vessel as able seaman +or cook. It was in the latter capacity that I first met him when I was +an apprentice of fourteen. I was seated reading Sir Walter Scott's "Old +Mortality," and laughing as heartily as a boy will at some of the +sayings and doings of the Covenanters, when he asked what amused me. I +told him, and he expressed a desire for me to read to him. I did so as +well as I could, and when the time came for me to resume my duties and +close the book, he said in a very sheepish way, "I wish I could read +and write; I would make a fortune if I could." I immediately offered my +services, and with a slight indication of sensitiveness he accepted +them. It was a long, dreary process, but my pupil was so eager, +especially after he got to know three letter words, I soon led him into +figuring--addition and multiplication sums--and two years after +starting him, he was learning from me what little navigation I was able +to impart. He seemed to pick this up instinctively, which gave him a +passionate desire to go to a navigation school, and in a short time he +had made such rapid progress that the teacher thought he could pass the +examination; and his opinion was confirmed by Ned going to Dundee and +passing at the first attempt. He got a mate's berth in the summer, and +went master in the winter, continuing to save money until he had +accumulated sufficient to purchase a small ketch which he owned +entirely himself. For some years he did well, then sold the little +vessel and commenced business ashore. I had not heard of or seen him +for many years, when one afternoon a friend of mine called at my office +and intimated that my old friend was in the workhouse, and had desired +him to call and inform me of it, feeling sure that I would not allow +him to remain there. I asked my friend to have him taken out and put +into respectable lodgings until I could get him some relief from a +philanthropic institution, and the odd easy jobs I saw put in his way +kept him comfortably. He often came to see me, and when I could spare +the time I gratified the fine old fellow's wish by encouraging him to +talk to me of those days that were such a joy to him. I believe he +regarded himself, when aboard one of my vessels, in the light of a +special guardian of my interests, and I think he must have assumed an +air of superiority over others which was occasionally resented. At any +rate, one morning on reaching the office I found him ready to receive +me; he was well dressed, clean-shaven and looked all over like a +captain of the old school. I saw he had a grievance, and he at once +plunged into the object of his visit; complaining that one of the +captains had treated him as none of the others would think of doing, +and when I asked what he had said to the captain to cause his +displeasure, he replied with energy and warmth that he had told him he +would "go and see his betters who had known him before he (the captain) +was born. And what do you think the impudent fellow said? He told me I +might go to h--ll if I liked, and so I'm here to see whether _he's_ +to boss me, or if I'm to take orders from you. He actually had the +impudence to give me an order for my money on the office instead of +paying me as the others did in cash!" + +This was the only time he ever complained to me about the treatment he +received from anyone. I was much amused, and humoured the old man into +a good temper. He never quite forgave the insult that had been offered +him, but went away satisfied that he had scored. Twelve months after +this there were signs that the hard usage of his earlydays was breaking +him up. He struggled on in the hope that his iron constitution would +throw off the malady that held him in its grip, but ere long the +suffering old hero passed away. + +My brother once volunteered to teach another old illiterate, who shared +his watch, to read and write. It was one of the most comical +proceedings I ever witnessed, and when I reflect on it now I see a +touch of pathos that fills me with remorse for the part I took in +making fun of that fine seaman, who had been brought up in an +atmosphere of heathenism, and was, in many ways, little better than a +heathen himself. He stood six feet four inches, and had the frame of a +giant; a large, well-formed head poised above a pair of broad +shoulders; his face was strong and highly intellectual; his nose, mouth +and full blue eyes indicated that he had sprung from a race of +well-bred people who may have declined on their luck. Had his +intellectual faculties been given a chance when young, he might have +been great in any profession. As it was, he was merely a rough, uncouth +man, but a well-trained and accomplished sailor. He had been trained in +the hardest of all schools, that of the coasting trade, and he knew +every swirl of the tide and every sandbank between St Abb's and +Dungeness. He did not rise to be captain, though he frequently went as +mate during the winter months. It was not until his ambition led him to +a knowledge of the bigger world far beyond the continents of Europe +that he determined to learn how to read and write. I am not sure +whether he ever felt humiliated at having to seek the aid of a young +man so much his junior and occupying a subordinate position to himself; +if he did, I cannot recall having observed it. The owners' confidence +in him must have been great. He was signed on the ship's articles as +boatswain, but really he was intended to act as second mate, keeping +the captain's watch and doing the ordinary duties of a second officer. +The first intimation the captain had that his owner had sent such a +strange personality was on the evening that the vessel was towed out to +sea. The decks were in a condition of confusion, and this ardent +officer was busying himself in getting them cleared up before dark. The +master intimated to him that he was feeling very tired, and would like +to lie down. + +"You may go to bed, sir," said the officer, "and when you get there +remember you have a better man on deck than yourself." + +The captain stared at this extraordinary creature, and when he had +recovered from his amazement at the unblushing audacity, he said: + +"Sir, I wish to intimate to you that you are not aboard a collier brig, +but a deep-water ship, and you are addressing a deep-water captain who +has never been spoken to in such a strange way before." + +"Good God, man!" said the irate second mate, "get away to your bunk, +and don't stand there talking damned nonsense about what you call +etiquette. I know nothing about that, but I'll take your ship along the +coast for you, and I want you to know as well that I can handle a +marline spike or a palm and needle with any of your South Spain +dandies. You may go below, sir; I have not time to talk to you just +now." + +"Well, Joss," said the subdued captain, "I will admit I believe you are +a better coasting navigator than myself"; and in the assurance that he +was, the captain went below, and was not seen again until we got clear +of the English Channel. The navigation was left in the hands of the +mate and second mate. It was after reaching the north-east trade winds +that the latter's elementary education began. The tutor could be seen +any morning or afternoon watch below sitting on the forecastle floor +working at the construction of a miniature full-rigged ship. His pupil +sat beside him with the alphabet written on a slate, and as he advanced +in knowledge, three letter, four letter and five letter words were +given him, and it was when he arrived at this stage that the process +became feverishly attractive and amusing. The following is something +like how it appeared to those who were looking on: + +"AND--and; FOUR--four," said the tutor, without lifting his eyes from +his work. + +"THEIR, what the h--ll's that, Jack?" + +"Their," said John. + +"THERE, that's a b---- jawbreaker, Jack?" + +"There," said the tutor, and off he would go in his own peculiar way. +Almost every word was introduced by a harmless swear, the droll thing +being that my brother simply took it as a matter of course, and never +laughed unless some unusually inventive oath combination was +interjected; if the pupil confined himself to ordinary swearing, there +was no interruption; he was allowed to rattle along in his own voluble +way, letting fly vigorously at the inventor of "larnin'." The result +was that Joss learned to read and write before the voyage was over. It +is true there were few people outside the forecastle that could tell +what it was all about, unless they studied very closely his eccentric +pronunciation and the wild scrawl of his writing. He never went far +enough to get even a second mate's certificate. He thought it an +unnecessary waste of time, seeing that he intended to leave the sea as +soon as he could attain a pilot's branch. This he succeeded in doing, +and had a long and successful career; his fame as a pilot only equalled +that which he bore when employed as a sailor. He lived to a good ripe +age, and died in harness still adhering to the up-to-date belief that +England was being imposed upon by "a set of b---- neckends +(foreigners), who took the bread from the mouths of Englishmen." He is +said to have saved and left a good deal of money, and this I can well +believe, as even when a common sailor he lived far below his income. +Joss, unlike most sailors, had not a note of music in his composition, +but there were few professionals on the halls who could surpass him at +step-dancing. I saw him dance the double-shuffle with a professional on +one occasion in the Ratcliffe Highway. I think the place was called the +"Gunboat," and he was there declared to be the champion. Joss +considered it a part of a sailor-boy's training that he should learn to +dance a hornpipe and other steps with facility, and he devoted a good +share of his spare time to teaching recruits how to do it. Undoubtedly +a good step-dance was a great acquisition on a long, dreary, ocean +pilgrimage, and his performance always added to the amusement of a +Saturday evening when a concert was organized. The songs were mostly +comic, and were sung with an imitative touch of the professional dandy. +Occasional lapses into sentimentality never failed to strike a penitent +chord for some real or supposed sins that had been thoughtlessly +committed. But the mood was merely of brief duration, and only required +a comic interjection by someone to send the little community into +prolonged gaiety. It was quite usual when they were in the mood to +carry their revelry far into their watch below. + +When the time came for the hand-spike to be thudded on the deck over +their heads, and eight bells called them from slumber to duty, there +were found some of whom it was said they would sleep with their heads +in a bucket of water, and these were speedily brought to consciousness +by the head of their hammocks being let fly by their less somnolent +comrades. This was one of the jokes which often led to days of +estrangement between the sleeper and the supposed culprit. It was +always a mystery who committed the offence, as great caution was used +to preserve secrecy. It was a wonder no necks were broken, +notwithstanding the care taken to avoid injury in carrying out this +mode of arousing the heavy sleeper. Many were undoubtedly hurt, but as +there was a good deal of disgrace attached to sleeping on after being +called, there was rarely open revolt or complaint made. Another method +of dealing with hands who could not keep their eyes open when on watch +was to reeve a rope through the scupper-hole, attach one end to the +person, and the other to a coal basket, which was thrown overboard. If +the vessel was travelling fast, the poor culprit was rudely awakened, +and before he could extricate himself he was dragged into the lee +scuppers. As that portion of the deck was usually flooded when the +vessel had any speed on her, there were soon loud cries for mercy. When +it was not prudent to adopt this plan, a bucket of water was thrown at +the sleeper's head; this produced the idea of having to swim for it. I +have often seen the culprit after an ablution of this character strike +out on the deck until his hands or his head came in contact with +something harder than either, and made consciousness revive. + +But there were methods for dealing with the habit of sleeping on deck +other than those, which were fraught with greater danger. I was serving +on a vessel whose mate was in the habit of napping when on duty. It was +arranged to stretch ropes across the deck about one or two feet from +it, and about six feet apart. It was a dark, dirty night; the top of +the sea was all alive with phosphorus, which made it difficult to make +out lights. The mate slumbered peacefully, leaning against the weather +topgallant bulwarks. The man on the look-out shouted: "A red light on +the starboard bow!" The man at the wheel repeated it. The mate was +awakened, and went straight into a panic. + +"Where is the light?" + +"On the lee bow," said the helmsman. + +"I think it is green," he said. + +"Yes," said the helmsman; "so do I." + +"No, it is not green; it is bright," said the mate. + +"What do you think?" + +"I think the same as you, George," said the helmsman. + +The mate proceeded to rush along the deck towards the bow; each rope +tripped him up, and each fall caused him to see different-coloured +lights. After a succession of somersaults, he arrived at the fore end +of the vessel wide awake, but in a state of distraction. He called to +the look-out man to point out the light he had reported, and a deep, +sepulchral voice came from a tall figure robed in white, warning the +officer of approaching disaster because of his neglect of duty. +Suddenly a trumpet sounded, and in an instant the vision had +disappeared, and in another two men stood at the bow. They each spoke +to their officer, but he was speechless. At last he managed to jerk +out: + +"Did you see that figure?" + +"No," said the men. + +"Then," said he in great tribulation, "it is an apparition." + +The ropes were removed, and when he made his way aft nothing interrupted +his progress. What could it have been? His fear was terrific; he must +have known that something like a joke had been practised upon him, but +his superstition, together with the consciousness of having committed a +criminal breach of duty, seized the imagination and made him desire to +believe that a supernatural visitation had taken place. He was never +known to sleep on deck again, and such was the shock to his nerves I am +persuaded he did not do a great deal of sleeping below. Whether it was +owing to this or not, the poor fellow never properly regained his +equilibrium; and his judgement, never reliable before, became after +this event a negative quantity. Long years afterwards he used to be +chaffed about it, and stood it very badly. A few months since I chatted +with one of the men who with myself took part in this plot. He still +treasured it as a great diplomatic feat, and laughed immoderately at +the recollection of the poor mate's troubles, and warmly complimented +himself on the success of the enterprise, but added very seriously: +"There is no knowing what might have happened had we all taken to +napping. At the same time I am sure," said he, "this sharp lesson put +_him_ off doing it again, and it may have saved our lives, though, poor +man, he wasn't very much use when left to himself." + +Many more experiences not identical but similar to those I have been +relating were crammed into a long passage, which relieved the monotony +of the stereotyped character of everyday life. Day after day, when the +weather was fine, the same kind of work was carried on with unbroken +regularity. In the morning at five-thirty the cook made coffee for the +watch on deck, and at six they commenced to wash bulwarks, decks, etc. +By eight o'clock this was finished. The watch who had to relieve them +were knocked out at seven-thirty, had breakfast and came on deck at +eight o'clock. The duties of these watches varied: If the rigging was +being rattled down, the mate's watch did the fore, while the second +mate's did the main and mizen; or if it were only the fore, main, or +mizen that was being "rattled," the port side was done by the chief +officer's men, and the starboard by the second officer's. There was +great rivalry among the seamen who were selected to do this or any +other skilled work, but only in regard to the quantity done and its +neatness. At times, of course, there was a common understanding that a +certain number of ratlines should be put on. This greatly depended on +the treatment they were receiving. If it was good, no restriction was +arranged, for each tried to excel the other, and this applied to every +department of work. Some of the dodges to evade work may not be written +here; but if it could be done it would reveal a phase of sea life that +has never been put into print. If it were not that our conventions +forbid offending the finer senses it might be written, and thereby show +something more of the really comic side of Jack when he is on the +rampage against constitutional government. There were occasions when +the pride of the British tar was not abashed at being called a dockyard +loafer, but these were rare. + +In making a sea passage there was great care taken that no chafing was +going on to the foots of the square sails, nor to the rigging, when the +yards were braced up against it. Hence thrum and sword mats were +constantly being made and laced on in order to obviate the possibility +of a chafe wherever there was a nip. Then the sails had to be kept in +repair. Some sailors were clever with the marline spike: could do all +manner of neat things about the rigging, but they were of no use with +the palm and needle; while there were others who could do anything with +both. Some captains through vanity and ignorance believed it to be +"classy" to keep the men of the afternoon watch below on deck with the +rest, and the sailor who had to take the helm at 6 p.m. was sent to +have tea at five-thirty; the others were kept at it until six. Then the +apprentices had to clear up the decks and sweep them down with a hair +brush. The accumulation of dirt when far away from the centre of mucky +industries has always been a great mystery to seamen. Interminable +allusions were made to the late Mr Edward Cocker, writer, arithmetician +and engraver, as being the only person who could have solved the +problem. The phrase "according" or "not according to Cocker" was +constantly used in connection with matters that the scientist does not +appear to have included in his works, or in any way concerned himself +about. The custom of keeping men up doing their afternoon watch-below +was common though not universal; in fact the shrewd, sensible captain +never did it unless it was a necessity, and it was a rule in all +well-regulated vessels to give Saturday afternoons when at sea (and +even in port when it could be arranged) to the men, in order that they +might do their washing and thereby prevent them doing it on Sundays, +which day was reverently spent by those who could do so in reading and +re-reading letters that had been sent to them from their friends at +home. + +Those who have relatives at sea can never estimate to what extent a +well-written, cheery letter is appreciated, and the influence it has in +keeping the recipient out of mischief and in helping him to form good +habits. I cannot sufficiently urge the importance of never allowing a +sailor, no matter what his rank or capacity may be, to feel that he is +being neglected by those of his family whom he desires to believe have +a strong affection for him. I do not urge this exclusively in the +sailor's interest, but also in the interest of those whose duty it is +to keep him well supplied with news of what is going on at home. I have +seen most deplorable results from this thoughtless indifference. There +is nothing the average sailor looks forward to so keenly during a +passage as the receipt of letters from home, and the disappointment of +not receiving any as soon as the vessel arrives has not infrequently +been the cause of irreparable mischief. If the relatives of these men +could only witness the eagerness with which the arrival of the captain +or his agent is watched for each day at noon, in the hope that letters +may have come for them, they would realize how necessary it is to +attend regularly to this phase of domestic life, and how little the +trouble is compared with the joy it gives. On the other hand, I think +if those who do not carry out the behest could see the effect of their +callousness, they might either be frightened or filled with remorse and +pity. But they cannot see it, and the poor fellows are often too +sensitive about showing what would appear to them as feminine weakness, +and so the thing in some cases drifts on, each not knowing the ugly +consequences that are being inflicted on the other, until the climax +inevitably comes and it is found the wreck cannot be repaired. I have +drawn an extreme case, but there are such cases, and it is because I +know of them that I have made the picture emphatic. All manner of +excuses are made, such as being a bad letter-writer, and having so much +to attend to, and "he doesn't reply to my or our letters as he should." + My reply to this nonsense is, never mind whether he reciprocates your +extreme condescension or not. The communication with him should be kept +going, and if letters are bright, chatty, and without a word of +indiscreet reproach for any lack of attention on his part, depend upon +it he will ultimately melt into penitence and become a self-accused +rascal. Of course I have known many cases where unjustifiable cruelty +has been shown by sailors in not writing and in not answering letters +sent to them by their wives, mothers or sisters. They did not really +mean to cause suffering. They merely drifted into a condition of +recklessness which perhaps their environments predisposed them to +without ever reflecting that they owed the same duty to their relatives +as they invariably complained was not being done to themselves. + +I am reminded of a beautiful instance of unwavering devotion to a poor, +wayward fellow, who was engaged to serve in the far eastern trade for +three years. At each port the vessel touched at on the way out, letters +were sent home, and every mail took letters to him, so that when he +arrived at the port of discharge quite a batch were received. He wrote +regularly for some months, then his letters began to fall off, and at +last ceased coming altogether. For two years nothing was heard of his +whereabouts except that which was gathered in a mysterious reserved way +at the owners' office, and during the whole of these agonizing months +never a mail went without a letter for him, and never a word of +reproach was uttered or written, though the heart of the little writer +was throbbing with soreness. The shipping newspaper was scanned each +day, and whenever she saw the vessel he had left home in reported, her +hope revived almost to the point of gaiety. Could she have known that +her husband had long since left the vessel whose name she watched so +eagerly, and the sight of which filled her soul with strange emotion, +she might have succumbed to the numbing intelligence. When the weather +was fine she strolled to the white sandy beach that was only a few +minutes' walk from her house, and there she would give herself up to +the luxury of day-dreams. Her fancy was sometimes pleased by the +thought that she could see the wake of the beautiful vessel as it +ploughed through the peaceful ocean. She listened to the gurgle of the +miniature waves until the sigh of the night wind came and reminded her +it was time to go home. These occasions were made memorable by the use +they were put to. Many a subject for a new essay that was to be sent +over the seas found its text on the lonely stretch of sand. Sometimes a +shrewd hint was dropped in by the way that his communications must have +miscarried, and that there was a painful longing to see his handwriting +once again. "I cannot imagine you wilfully or negligently ignoring me," +said the writer, but she had a grave suspicion that she was being +neglected, and a still graver suspicion that the cause thereof was not +excessive sanctification. + +After twenty-four months of roving and of silence, a letter came from +him announcing that he was tired of staying away, and by the time the +letter was received he would be on his way home. He acknowledged having +received a number of letters, and then proceeded in a clumsy way to +make it appear that he _had_ written, and many sanguinary descriptions +as to how some people who were supposed to be concerned in the plot of +withholding his letters had to meet their death at his hands. In due +course he arrived home, but nothing could induce him to be drawn into a +conversation about the missing correspondence. Time had made him more +charitably disposed towards the mythical burglars of his precious +documents, and no more threats were indulged in. The lady did not deem +it wise to raise the question again, and seeing that nothing but harm +could have arisen by doing it, I commend her for the wisdom of resisting +the temptation of an inquiring mind. This woman's long-suffering, +tactful endurance is an example of splendid magnanimity that might be +emulated with advantage by those who may come under the devilish lash +of similar treatment, and who may be prompted by the spirit of +rebellion to make matters worse by indiscreet retaliation. The good +woman won back the loyalty of her poor erring partner by her persistent +gentleness and toleration. + +The following is a portion of a letter I have come across, written many +years ago, in which the writer's concern for the spiritual well-being +of her sailor brother is very apparent. She knew that it was letters +such as this that appealed to the susceptible seafarers. I have said it +was their habit to read and re-read their letters every Sunday, +especially if they were of a sentimental or religious character. Much +of this letter is obliterated, as the person to whom it was addressed +tumbled overboard with it in his pocket, and it has crumbled away: + + "MY OWN DARLING BROTHER,--I cannot tell you all the joy I feel at + being able to write to you in England again. It has seemed a long + time while you have been away, and yet now, when you are nearly + beside us again, it seems but as yesterday. This may arrive before + you, but still it is happiness to think that your vessel's prow is + turned homeward. Our love and prayers have travelled with you all + the way, and I thank God that you are preserved thus far, and trust + He will bring you safe to us all. I know you will be as glad as we + are, and I know, too, that though it has pleased God to give you + the blessing of that best love of all earthly love, yet you prize + the old ties of home. + + * * * * * * + + "I think to cherish those who have loved him all his life is not + the least of a man's duties, but I think where the love is, people + don't think about the duty of it at all; it is given and received + as a mutual blessing, for which the heart often rises up in silent + thanksgiving. I trust, my dear, that you are keeping to your + determination to live to God's glory. Don't be discouraged because + of the difficulties of the way; the Bible, which I hope you study, + says, 'Mighty is He that hath promised,' and the whole Book is full + of promises of help to those who are in earnest, and you know if + one is not in earnest even God cannot save us. We must do our part, + and we must work out our own salvation. It is just and right that + it should be so. The glories of heaven, the reward of dwelling for + everlasting in an atmosphere of unspeakable purity, will be no + reward to those who do not value purity and holiness. Those who do + will strive for the reward with all their might, and when our weak + and sinful nature overcomes the powers of evil within and without, + He comes with His promised almighty help if we ask Him for it. How + very tender the words of scripture are when speaking of God's + children! He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. God help + you, my darling, to take this word to yourself. + + "With devoted love from us all, + + "Your loving + + "SISTER." + +It must not be taken for granted that the reasons I have enumerated +were the only ones that influenced the sailor not to write. There were +motives that may tax the credulity of the reader, but they existed, +nevertheless. I have served in vessels myself where a large proportion +of the crew would not trust the captain to post any letters for them +owing to the habit of mean peculation that was commonly practised by +some captains in those days of grossly overcharging postage and putting +the proceeds into their own pockets. But that was not the only method +of pilfering from the poor creatures whose wages ranged from L2 15s. to +L3 10s. per month, according to the trade they were engaged in, and +might have a wife and group of children depending on them. The captains +were purveyors of tobacco, and sold it to the crew at profits that far +exceeded the limits of decency. Many of them carried what were known as +slop chests, which comprised every article of apparel the sailors were +accustomed to wear and use: oilskins, sea-boots, suits of dongarees, +jumpers, ducks, dark flannel drawers, stockings, mufflers, mittens, +blue flannel shirts, fustian and pilot cloth trousers, soap, soda, +needles and thread, worsted, knives, and any other thing that was worn +or used and likely to be marketable. It will be readily understood that +men who traded in this way were not particularly anxious to have a +well-fit-out crew at the beginning of a voyage, nor did they repine if +bad weather prevailed at the outset. The worse the weather, the barer +the sailor's kit, the better the market for the captain's commodities. +These slop-chest skippers were perfect terrors to the needy mariner, +and many a physical punishment would be endured so that he might be +saved the ruinous cost of having to buy from his covetous commander, +who was not satisfied with a mere hundred per cent., but regulated his +prices according to the severity of the weather and the demand that +might be made for his goods. These human vultures carried on a +nefarious trade on lines that would have put a Maltese Hebrew to shame. +When the days were radiant with sunshine, and the sea made glassy with +continuous calms, the shrewd sailors who wanted supplies would apply +for them, expecting that they could be had at reduced prices under such +circumstances, but the predatory vendor did not do business on these +occasions; he waited until the poor devils were overcome and punished +by the treacherous icy winds and the mad rush of the waves that tumbled +over them and made their sufferings so acute that they were driven to +ask their captains to supply them with clothing, and the prices charged +were such as to justify the sailors regarding the said captains as the +worst types of usurers. A common phrase of the sailors in referring to +this class of man was that he would not hesitate to rob "Jesus Christ +of his shoe-strings." I have heard these nautical clothiers boast of +how they had worked the oracle so that the wretched men who served +under them would be obliged to come and on their knees beg that they +might be forgiven for not taking the articles when offered, and that +they might have them now when they had seen their error. Of course only +the wasters would put themselves in any such position. A captain who +traded in this way had a right to cover himself for the risk he ran, +but it was a wicked imposition to charge more than a reasonable profit +for clothing, tobacco, or postages. In settling up at the end of a +voyage, the overcharges were frequently contested, and I have known +cases where a substantial reduction was enforced. The rate of exchange +at which the advances to the crew abroad were worked was invariably one +that realized a profit to the captain and caused grave suspicion that a +petty theft was being committed. Captains used to brag that they made +as much as their wages came to by the sales from their slop-chests and +tobacco. Judging from the amount of trade done and prices charged, I +can quite believe this. + +One of the most mischievous customs of that period was that of giving +grog to sailors on Saturday nights, and whenever sail had to be +shortened or any extra work done, and many a drunkard was made thereby. +What suffering, what untold misery has been wrought by this damnable +custom! The lives that have been sacrificed, the property damaged, and +vessels lost by having grog aboard, and by captain and officers +imbibing it and serving it out to the others with too generous a hand, +can never be estimated. Much of the calamity that has occurred, and +does yet occur, at sea could and can be traced to its direct use, and +the unutterable grief and ruin it has brought into many a fine sailor's +home is an odious testimony to those who put temptation in their way +and perhaps encourage the use of it for their own benefit. A poor lad +whom I knew many years ago acquired the taste for drink aboard the +vessel he served in. She was what is called by sailors a grand +grog-ship. He was assisting to discharge cargo, and in the middle of +the forenoon the bottle was passed round. Being a general favourite +with everybody, especially with the steward, whom he was always ready +to give assistance to in many little ways, he jokingly asked him for "a +good second mate's nip," a phrase which means that the rum or other +spirits had to be three fingers up from the bottom of the tumbler +glass. It was never doubted that the steward gave him a good deal more +than the regulation quantity, for he became very lively soon after. +Just at the time grog was served, empty waggons ran short, and the crew +were ordered to do odd jobs. The poor lad was sent to the fore topmast +head to splice a new lanyard into the main royal stay. He had done +this, and was setting the stay up when the marline spike must have +slipped out of the hitch in the lanyard. Suddenly the song he was +singing ceased; a jerky, nervous shout attracted attention to what had +happened; then the hush of anguish seized the horror-stricken +spectators who watched the tragedy, and soon all was over. He tumbled +backwards, and the sails all being loosened to air them and the topsail +yard at the mast head, he fell over it, broke his fall on the foreyard, +clutched at the reef points of the foresail, and then tumbled headfirst +into the jolly-boat which lay at the bow, and was smashed to pieces. +When the body was taken out of the boat it was seen that the flesh of +his hands had been torn off by the clutch he made at the reef points. + +The crew of this vessel was supplied with alcohol with the specific +object of getting them to work hard at the discharging of the cargo. In +plain language the owners or masters gave no thought to the personal +effect of the custom so long as it did not interfere with their +material interests, but should their policy cause the man to imbibe on +his own account and commit a breach of discipline, or to be temporarily +absent from work, he was punished with shameful severity, and in this +the master or owner was encouraged both by written and unwritten laws. +No account was taken of how far the employer was responsible in having +helped his employee to form habits by which the law was broken. The +poor lad who lost his life might have done so anyhow; but the +impression that has been fixed on my mind is that the cause of his +tragic death lay at the door of those who gave him the second mate's +nip. + +The unrestrained appetite of the old sailing ship seamen for doing +something ridiculous was a problem that even those closely associated +with them could never solve. When their minds were bent towards a freak +they plunged into it regardless of consequences. The more daring the +adventure the more enjoyment they got out of it. On a memorable +occasion long ago, several ships' crews went ashore in a foreign port +on leave, and at a late hour they were returning aboard their +respective ships. Some were half seas over, and others badly sprung, +but all seem to have been smitten with the idea of reckless mischief. +Sentries were stationed along the banks of a river that Byron has sung +of. They were not supposed to allow any one to pass without a permit, +and as the seamen were not in the temper to brook coercion of this +kind, they came into conflict with each other. One of the sentries +struck a sailor, who attempted to pass the line, with his bayonet. This +was the beginning of a carnival of lawlessness. The tars were maddened +by the attempt to slay their comrade, and a wild rush was made upon +several of the soldiers. They were promptly overpowered, disarmed, and +their muskets used in disarming their friends who were panic stricken +by the vigorous onslaught, and soon succumbed to Jack's bellicose +persuasiveness. It then became an easy task to carry out the impromptu +plan of campaign of putting each soldier into his sentry-box and +casting both him and the box into the running stream. The call for help +was unavailing; none came, and soon no voices were heard, but the +following day the funeral knell was sounded by the roar of the cannon +from the gunboats, splashing shot into the river with the hope that the +vibration would resurrect the bodies of the victims from their muddy +tomb. Many of them were brought to the surface by this means. + +Jack is said to have thought it a great joke, and it must be admitted +there is a grim humour in the cool audacious method of disposing of the +human obstacles which stood in his way. No argument, however eloquent, +could convince them that a murderous act had been committed. Their idea +was that no b----y foreigner had any right to question the good +intentions of a British sailor or to intercept his perambulations +either drunk or sober. Pageantry and armed force did not appeal to +them, but a kind word and an expressed desire to escort them aboard +their ship would have caused them to fall on the neck of even a foreign +soldier in adoration. The thirst for joviality often led wayward +sailors to crave for drink, and under its baneful influence they were +easily wafted into a delirium of foolhardy devices that would never +have entered the mind of the ordinary mortal. + +A large barque was once in mid-ocean homeward bound, and was beating +against strong head-winds under whole topsails, courses, lower +staysails, and jib. It was the starboard watch on deck from eight p.m. +until midnight. The captain had retired for the night and left the +second mate in charge. His watch, with the exception of one man, was +composed of as fine a brood of young athletes as ever ran aloft. They +were on the most friendly terms with their officer, whose genial +disposition led him to converse with them. I daresay he was attracted +by their boisterous cordiality. Be that as it may, he either winked at +or encouraged the successful negotiations that were devised to induce +the steward to invade the grog locker, which was situated beneath the +captain's bed, and bring from it the jar which contained whiskey. At +first Jimmy the steward was obdurate. + +"It cannot be done," said he, "without wakin' the aud man." + +"What the devil's the good of you talking that nonsense, Jimmy?" said +the persuasive orators; "why, you know he'd sleep with his head in a +bucket of slush." + +"Yes, but I'm feared he'll waken, and then there'll be an almighty +row." + +"Well," replied the tempters, "we always thought you a real shipmate, +and as full of pluck as a pitman's badger. What's come over you, man; +surely its not the same old Jimmy Dinsdale that had the courage to +stand before Hennan and Tom Sayers? It's not as though you were not +going to have a nip with us." + +"Look here," said one of the enterprising coterie; "if you are feared +to go, show me, and you bet I'll have the stuff on deck in a jiffy. If +I can do it, surely _you_ can." + +The form of dashing flattery, the appeals to his bravery and +comradeship, and the prospect of himself partaking of the convivial +cup, punctured Jimmy's will, and he fell. The coveted jar was brought +on deck without arousing the captain, and the seamen insisted that they +could not touch or taste till James himself had partaken; they would +then have pleasure in drinking his health. This order of things was +carried out, the second officer joining in by assuring his men that he +"endorsed their complimentary remarks about the steward"; he was an +ardent sportsman, said the condescending officer, "whose popularity was +unequalled." + +"Hear, hear," responded the breezy tars. + +Jimmy had another nip, beamed all over with merriment, and pledged +himself to live for evermore up to the high reputation they had given +him, which he was proud to believe he deserved. At ten p.m. the wind +and sea had increased, and the vessel was plunging her jibboom and +bowsprit under. The second officer intimated that all hands would have +to be called to reef the topsails and haul the mainsail up and stow it, +but his men were imbued with heroic dash, and would not hear of such +unseamanlike weakness. They assured him that they could take the sail +in without calling the watch below. Amid much noise and many larks they +managed to get the foretopsail reefed. A chanty was lustily sung when +hoisting the yard up, and when they undertook to reef the main topsail +it was quite obvious the over plentiful supply of grog was taking +serious effect. Their articulation became thick and incoherent. They +were alternately effusive with joy and senseless laughter, and +occasionally quarrelsome. The lee yardarm man insisted on hauling out +to leeward before the weather yardarm man told him to, which was of +course contrary to the order of nautical ethics. The situation became +very strained between the men to windward and those to leeward, because +of the profusion of tobacco-juice the former were expectorating into +the eyes of those to leeward, not intentionally, but with alcoholic +recklessness. The elderly stout man of the watch felt that it was no +ordinary occasion, and grunted out that he was b---- well going to lash +himself to the haulyards, as he felt wearied. The lee yardarm man +managed to crawl in on the foot-rope, got into the maintop, and fell +asleep there, while the gradual cessation of speech from the champions +to windward indicated that they also slept. The second officer and the +helmsman conferred as to what had best be done, and concluded not to +risk startling any of them out of their drunken unconsciousness by +shouting, lest they should loose their hold and be smashed to pieces or +fall into the sea; but as the watch was drawing to a close it was +suggested by the sailor who was at the helm that he should go up aloft, +and make his way noiselessly to the weather yardarm, for the two men +who were there stood in the greatest danger. When he got to them he +found both had partially secured themselves, though the least lurch of +their bodies would certainly have placed them in a more perilous +position. The young sailor's task was both delicate and difficult, but +he managed it so well that no harm came to them. One of the men, as is +the practice when reefing, was straddle legs on the yardarm, and had a +turn of a rope round him. The other had his feet on the foot-rope, and +his chest rested on the yard. They made a good deal of jovial noise +when they were aroused, with the obvious intention of making it appear +that they were very much alive. The stout man, who was in the slings of +the mast, and the first to succumb, was rudely awakened by the +rollicking yardarm man slapping him sharply on the back and shouting at +him, "what the h---- he meant by sleeping there and risking his own +and other people's lives?" + +The phlegmatic gentleman grumbled out: "What business is that of +yours?" + +"Why," retorted the younger seaman, "you old scanamaran, you ought to +be put in irons for the remainder of the voyage, and have your wages +stopped into the bargain." + +This was rather high-class audaciousness on the part of a young rascal +who had just been rescued from a worse position while committing the +same offence. The task of getting them round was nothing compared to +that of getting them humoured into a sufficiently sober condition so +that no mishap would befall them in the process of coming down the +rigging. It is a perfect marvel how Providence protects people under +the influence of drink. Almost every step downward threatened a +calamity, so they slipped from one rattling to another until their feet +landed on the topgallant rail, and they slid under the shear pole on to +the deck. The second mate was greeted with much affection; the attitude +towards him was that of men who had been a long time absent and come +suddenly in contact with a dear friend. He was sensible enough to +reciprocate the kindness shown him. The reefed topsail was hoisted +vigorously up to the accompaniment of rapturous song. This being done, +the watch below was called, came on deck, and received a greeting +unequalled in every sense, but especially in its spirituous +effusiveness. The faithful James was in great demand, and after a +prolonged search he was found coiled up under the long-boat; an +outburst of fluent profanity indicated that his condition did not +warrant him being entrusted with any commission of grave, secret +intricacy, so he was expeditiously stowed away in the galley for the +remainder of the night, and the port watch that had just come on deck +were bitterly chagrined that they were not given the chance of +"liquoring up," as they called it, with their shipmates. The following +day they proclaimed Jimmy a pink devil for getting intoxicated, and his +confederates were treated to a withering flow of invective for not +keeping some of the stolen property for them. The captain was serenely +ignorant of what was going on, but in the morning at breakfast his +attention became centred on the worthy James, whose performances were +of an unusually destructive character. The steerage and cabin exhibited +heaps of broken crockery-ware, mixed with the humble repast that hungry +men had been looking forward to. Jimmy, in an ordinary way, was really +a devotee of religion, who adhered to all its forms most rigidly so +long as drink was kept out of his way. He could quote Scripture by the +fathom, and when in his cups used to do so copiously. The captain said +to him: + +"Any one with half an eye can see, sir, that you have been at my grog." + +James became virtuously indignant. + +"Captain," said he, in a thick, guttural voice which indicated whiskey, +"you judge me wrongly"; whereupon, falling on his knees, he clasped his +hands, and in the attitude of prayer began as follows: "O Lord, forgive +the captain. Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity: I +have trusted also in the Lord, therefore I shall not slide." + +The mate, a burly fellow who stood hard by, muttered: + +"Get up, you d----d fool. You _have_ slid." Whereupon the pious James +called him a liar, and continued: + +"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me: try my reins and my heart." + +When he had finished the sentence, the captain interposed: + +"I'm quite satisfied that you are intoxicated, and must request you, Mr +Jones, to see that he is put to bed before he does any more mischief. I +shall keep my grog under lock and key for the future." + +This strong indictment caused James to become piously agitated. The +mate eloquently remarked: + +"Yes, it is all damned fine quoting Scripture, but that won't give us +our breakfast. What do you say, Mr Second Mate?" + +"Amen," said the gallant officer, and, with a merry twinkle in his eye, +he added in a whisper, "but I don't quite agree with the grog being +locked up." + +Jimmy was very popular with all aboard, and everyone was full of +sympathy with him for having had the misfortune to fall into disgrace. +In a few weeks after his fall he was paid off in Bristol, and to +celebrate the occasion he and a young lad, who was much devoted to him, +had a glass together. He was very fond of his wife and his home, and +used to confide all manner of sacred things to his young friend. They +were walking down a fashionable street together, and observing a +well-dressed lady looking in a shop window, he remarked to the youth: + +"That is a fine dress the lady has on. I would like to have one like it +for our Nanny (meaning his wife). I wonder if it cost much." + +His young companion was eager to have some sport out of the incident, +so he urged him to ask her how much the dress cost. He was not quite +sure of the propriety of doing such a thing, but was reassured of this +by his friend in whose judgement he had profound confidence; so he went +up to the lady, took hold of her dress, held it up in his hand beyond +the limit of discretion, and asked her in pure Anglo-Scotch how much a +yard it might cost. The lady was startled, and looked contemptuously at +him. + +"Sir," said she, "how dare you! whatever do you take me for?" + +"I take you for a lady," said Jimmy, "and I'm asking how much a yard +your dress cost, because if it's not over dear I would like to buy one +for wor Nanny." + +His young friend kept close to him, and was in convulsions of laughter; +but seeing he was drifting into trouble he advanced towards where they +stood and tried to explain to the lady that it was he who had prevailed +upon his friend to satisfy his curiosity as to the price of her dress. +Up to that point she seemed to be embarrassed, and did not know whether +to resent such unconventional conduct or not. She asked if they were +sailors; they replied in the affirmative. It then seemed to dawn upon +her that it was merely a mischievous prank being played on her +interrogator; but she was assured in a sailorly manner by both that +they knew it was very funny, but they were in earnest all the same. She +realized the true situation and laughed very heartily. + +"Come along," said she, "and I will take you to the shop where I got +this dress." + +Jimmy assented, but suggested that she should walk ahead of them; but +the lady insisted that she wished them to talk to her of their sea +experiences, and before the shop was reached James had told her with +touching simplicity about his fall and how penitent he was, and that he +felt he ought to do something for the wrong he had done his wife, who +would be very grieved when she heard of it. + +"Will you tell her?" asked the lady. + +"Tell her," said he; "why, I wouldn't dare do any other. I tell her +everything." + +"Ah," said she, "sailors are very confiding. Now we are at the shop; +come with me, both of you." + +The material was asked for, and the announcement of the price nearly +made Jimmy run out of the establishment. + +"I am very sorry," said he, "but I cannot afford to buy it." + +"How many yards does it take to make a dress for me?" asked the lady at +the shop-woman, without heeding his remark. She was told. + +"Then," said she, "cut me a couple of yards extra, include the +trimmings, make it into a parcel, and send it and the bill to me at +once. Now," she continued to her two sailor companions, "come to my +home with me and have tea; by that time the material which I have +bought for your wife will have arrived." + +"Madam," said the much-affected James, "surely you're no going to buy +that garment for me?" + +"Oh yes, I am," said she, laughing; "don't say more about it, but tell +me some more of your adventures." And, fearing she was neglecting the +youth who had got over his frolicsome fit and become very shy, she +added: "I wish both of you to talk to me." + +However, the youngster preferred to allow his friend to have all the +say, and contented himself by chipping in only when there was a pause +or when he was referred to. In due course they arrived at a mansion +which stood in beautiful grounds. The sailors were in awe, and +reluctantly followed their hostess. They had never seen anything like +it before. They were taken into a room that to them was gorgeous. Tea +was brought in, and two other ladies joined the party. They made both +sailors feel quite at ease, and before very long they were talking with +as great freedom as though they had been in the forecastle. The ladies +were made very mirthful, and laughed merrily at many of the quaint +yarns that were told them, which were for the most part personal. Jimmy +told them of his domestic bliss and the form of petticoat government +that controlled him in a charmingly simple way; and his companion had +to relate all about his home and when and how he came to go to sea. He +became quite confiding, and asked them to read some letters he had just +received from his sister, so that they might form some idea of the home +he came from. They declared they were the sweetest and best-written +letters they had ever read. + +"I am sure," said the hostess, "you must be fond of your sisters." + +He admitted he had good reason to be proud of them, as they were not +only good sisters but clever ones. + +"But now," said he, "it is time for us to go, and I thank you on behalf +of myself and my friend for your great kindness towards us." + +Jimmy was handed his parcel, and in the course of a few original +sentences he committed himself, his friends and his family to +obligations of gratitude for generations to come. A five pound note was +put into the hand of the younger sailor, who declined to take it, but +the good woman said: + +"I am sure you will not intentionally give me pain by refusing to +accept a small gift from me. You have told me that it is your desire to +take a present home to your sisters, and I wish you to buy something +suitable for them with what I have given you." + +"Yes," said the young man; "but I intended to buy it with my own +money." + +"I know you did," said she, smiling, "but I am informed you are going +to try and pass the Board for second mate, and that it will cost you a +good deal. Now I wish you to get your certificate and to use your own +money to enable you to go to school and stay long enough ashore to do +so without feeling pinched." + +With marked self-consciousness he agreed to accept the gift, and they +each thanked her again with all the natural gratitude that sat so +lightly on this class of sailor. And when she and her friends said +good-bye they felt that they had been the guests of big-hearted English +women. As soon as they had passed outside the gate, Jimmy remarked that +"there was none of the jellyfish shake of the flipper about them folk." + +The two friends walked down the principal street together, and had it +not been the prevailing opinion that sailors of that time did not +meditate either coherently or incoherently, they might by their manner +have been thought to be in deep soliloquy, whereas their silence was +merely momentary. Any one hard by could have heard a spontaneous "Well, +by George, we are in luck! What an experience!" And then in a sharp, +jerky utterance: "Why, there's Jack Rush ahead of us. Won't he get a +surprise when we tell him where we have been and how it all came +about?" + +When they came up to Mr Rush he was found to be more than +half-seas-over, and commenced grinding out odds and ends of profanity +about the shabby trick that had been played on the port watch on the +occasion when the captain's grog was purloined and some people had to +be sent to bed. + +"Shut up about that," responded the conscience-pricked James, in a +sudden gust of rage. + +"All very well for you to say 'shut up,' but why the syntax didn't you +save some of the stuff for our watch: that's what I want to know?" said +the injured mariner, with an intoxicated air of Christian virtue. +Jimmy's friend, anticipating trouble, came to the rescue by judiciously +calling his attention from his grievance and asking where their +shipmates were, as he wanted to stand drinks and relate to him and them +the singular experience and good fortune of Jimmy and himself. +Whereupon Mr Rush became effusively obliging, and guaranteed to have +them in the midst of their friends in a few minutes. No further +reference was made to the escapade that was remembered with such +aversion, and they were soon reunited to the whole of their comrades, +who received them with the joy of reclaimed brethren. They had entered +upon the initial stages of a vigorous spree, and were cheerfully ready +to listen to Jimmy's romantic story. They were not even envious of him, +but they did resolve amid a chorus of merriment to emulate him in the +art of sampling ladies' dresses, and in the exuberance of uncontrolled +mischief some of them went forthwith on the expedition. Needless to +say the experiment was not an unqualified success. They found that +their rude pleasures were neither understood nor appreciated by the +ladies of Bristol, and I have reason to know that some of the more +enterprising came to sudden grief. + +These freaks of sailor life are recorded, not with a view of holding +him up as a drunken, ill-behaved, lawless creature, but merely as +incidents that seemed necessary adjuncts of his calling, and for the +purpose of showing the mischief that may be caused by supplying him +with drink or putting temptation in his way. For even in these days he +is deplorably susceptible to influences that are injurious to him. He +is very weak, very reckless, and also very human; but I am inclined to +demur at the notion that in the good old times he was pre-eminently so. +There is one characteristic of the whole class that should never be +overlooked, and that is their devotion to one another. + + + + +VIII + +GRUB + + +In the extreme end of the forecastle, above what is called the +forehook, was a locker to keep the beef, duff (pudding) and sugar kids, +bread barge and other small stores, such as tea, sugar, coffee, etc. If +these were not carefully covered over, and there was any rain, or if +sea-water came aboard, they soon were destroyed, and the apprentice +whose work it was to look after them was held to blame by the men who +meted out punishment to him in one way or another, but they themselves +suffered the penalty of his fault, for they were reduced to short +rations until the following week's allowance was distributed. It was +customary for the captain to weigh or serve out the stores, and many a +mean trick was adopted at the expense of the poor sailor by the use of +false scales, weights, or measures. I have seen instances of this most +wretched and meanest of all thieving more than once. One incompetent +conniver at inexpiable wrong thought by cheating his men out of a +portion of their meagre allowance he would make the insufficiency of +stores put aboard by the owner spin out till the voyage ended. The +water was served out just as exactingly as anything else, and as soon +as the day's allowance was handed over to each man, the bung was put in +the cask with canvas nailed over it, and the dipper, which is a long, +narrow copper or tin pot, with a lanyard attached to it, was bent on to +the signal halyards and run up to the masthead, so that no one could +sneak any more water than their whack during the close time. In spite +of gross imposition, which, if committed amongst any other class of +workmen would have provoked the spirit of murder, these jovial, +light-hearted fellows were always ready if it was fine weather to spend +the dog watches in providing amusement for each other, and at the close +of each entertainment they never overlooked what was inherently +believed the patriotic duty of combining a display of loyalty to their +sovereign with a proportionate degree of disloyalty to the captain and +owner who were responsible for supplying them with food that even a +Russian serf might have felt justified in complaining about. So a +doggerel verse was composed and sung fervently to a modified form of +the National Anthem by way of intimating their grievance forcefully to +the notice of their commander. Relevancy did not come within the +compass of their thoughts; what they desired was to sing something that +would strike home, so the anthem was chosen as the most fitting +benediction of all. Here are the words: + + God save our gracious Queen! + Long may she reign over us! + Pea-soup and pork amongst all hands of us, + Not enough for one of us, + God save our Queen! + +After this had been repeated several times over, it usually happened +that one of the songsters who claimed to be gifted with more +perspicuity than his comrades would remind them that he had seen the +old squirrel wriggle under the lash of the song. And so their wretched +days of starvation were often made shorter by a more or less harmless +attack on the poor skipper, who might only be the instrument of a +parsimonious managing owner. But that was not the only method adopted +of showing their dissatisfaction. The seaman who had the most flippant +tongue and legal mind was chosen (or, as frequently happened, he +selected himself) to introduce a deputation of the whole forecastle. I +always look back on these episodes as amongst the most comical of my +sailor life. The spokesman would pick up the unpopular food, and with +the air of an oriental dignitary march at the head of his shipmates +right up to the captain, plant the wooden kid down on the deck at his +feet, and ask if that "was the sort of grub for men to do a hard day's +work on; besides, it was beef or pork, not bones or fat pork we signed +for." If the captain happened to be a conceited, combative person, he +would at once reply that he fed them according to what he thought they +were worth. Then there were heated altercations, which sometimes ended +in blood being spilt, or some of the crew being put in irons and logged +for having instigated rebellion on the high seas. "I'll teach you to +impeach my authority," the stupid, arbitrary tyrant would say; "you +shall be fed on the smell of an oil-rag in future, and have your wages +forfeited at the end of the voyage into the bargain." Alas, this wicked +threat was too often carried into effect so far as the forfeiture of +wages and ill-treatment were concerned. Whereas the diplomatic, +sensible master would deal with a case of this kind in a way that was +calculated to soften Jack into a condition that resembled penitence, +and make him feel as though he were a pig for having complained in this +direct way at all. I know there are cases that cannot be dealt with at +sea in any other than a despotic fashion, and although there is no +necessity to show weakness, there is as a rule a better chance of +governing men by kindness than by adopting a harsh, unyielding attitude +towards them, as though they were Mohammedan dogs. + +A vessel short of provisions is seldom heard of in these days of steam +and up-to-date precautions, but a generation ago it was a common +occurrence. Landspeople used to speak of it as one of the ordinary +risks of a sailor's profession that the general public had no +particular interest in, excepting that it added somewhat to seafaring +romance. I have often wished that those whom I have heard speaking in a +casual, airy fashion of this phase of sea-life could have the faculty +of imagination put into them so that they might realize what really +happened to those who had to experience the manifold sufferings and +privations of being short of water and provisions in mid-ocean where +there was little chance of seeing a sail for days, and when perchance a +vessel was seen, the weather might be so boisterous that communication +could not be effected, or _they_ might even be short of provisions. +In order to minimize the suffering of hunger and thirst, sailors +sometimes buckled their stomachs in with a belt, and those who had not +a belt did so with cord. Hunger is a terrible sensation anywhere, but +it is doubly intensified at sea when there is no hope of it being +appeased, and the whole surroundings become impregnated with a sense of +coming doom. Those who have never known the pangs of prolonged hunger +may have some idea of it conveyed to them by trying to imagine that +some wild animal is tearing at their internals. That is an accurate +description of it, and I should like to know what other thing is +calculated to create madness sooner. Sailors of that generation never +made a noise about their troubles once they got ashore and left them +astern, and so the possibilities of recurrence were left open. One +feels inclined bitterly to assail the owners, their captains and the +general public, for having allowed such things to happen, but in common +fairness we must put some of the responsibility on the seamen +themselves for playing into the hands of a gang of unmitigated +blood-suckers who, in some cases, purchased silence by paying +compensation for the time the men were short of grub; but never more +than the bare cost of the food for the time they were short of it was +allowed. In the majority of cases payment was evaded altogether. I have +been amongst this sort of thing on several occasions, and feel some +difficulty in writing with calmness when I reflect on all the +unnecessary hardships and sufferings that were caused by sheer wanton +greed. On four different voyages I learnt how terrible it was to be +short of provisions and water, and in three out of the four this was +preventable. The first case was excusable owing to the long continuance +of easterly gales in the chops of the English Channel. Some vessels +managed to reach Scilly or Falmouth, but many failed to do so, and we +were amongst the many. On several occasions we were nearly able to +fetch into port, and then the wind increased and we drifted back into +the ocean. This gaining and losing process went on for three or four +weeks. Each fresh sail sighted was signalled or hailed to the effect +that we were short of provisions and asking if they could supply us, +and invariably the reply came back, "Impossible: our supplies have run +out." We in turn were frequently appealed to for succour, but had to +plead the same thing. The one redeeming feature of the critical +position of the large fleet that was held in the grip of the wind for +so long a time was the knowledge that we were all in the same +predicament, and if we could not supply each others' wants we had at +least the pleasure of companionship, and this kept us from losing hope +until a slant of wind came to our aid and carried us into port. In this +case we had been on very short rations for many days, and yet there was +never a word of recrimination, and singularly little grumbling except +at the perversity of the wind. + +Nothing whatever could be said in defence of the other cases, for the +vessels were not only sent away from a home port criminally short of +supplies, but they left the port at which they loaded for home with +only sufficient stores to last half the time it would take to make the +passage with average success; and not having any good fortune at all, +our allowance was reduced before the passage was half covered. We swept +past the last port of call with the wind right aft. The captain and +steward knew that the provisions were getting low, but the former +decided to trust to Providence giving him a fair wind all the way, so +we romped along for several days, and then adverse winds came and +everybody realized the seriousness of the position. Orders were given +that all hands had to be put on half fare, and not many days elapsed +before every article of food was exhausted and we had to broach our +cargo of lentils and sustain ourselves on lentil soup. Even that had to +be sparingly used on account of the scarcity of water. On some days we +drifted under two close reefed topsails into the heart of the western +ocean and out of the regular track of vessels bound out and home. +Whenever the weather fined down, sail was set according to the force of +the wind which kept in the N.E., varying perhaps a couple of points +each way. A look-out man was kept on the maintopmast crosstrees from +dawn until sunset each day to watch for passing vessels, and long, +painful days rolled on without our sighting anything. Sometimes a sail +would be seen hull down or too far off to attract attention. This +naturally had a saddening effect, and we wished they had never been +seen; but in spite of privations, which increased day by day, there was +a gaiety kept up until the last sweeping up of the provision lockers +had taken place, and we were reduced to the exclusive diet of boiled +lentils, which I have heard is considered by some people to be a +luxury; but whether this be so or not, I never wish to realize its +taste again. May Providence protect me from ever again having to put it +to my lips. + +Up to a certain point our impoverished crew had borne the strain on +their minds and stomachs very manfully, but the period of despair was +now come. They talked indeed of which one among their comrades should +draw the lot that by shortening his life would prolong theirs. Sickness +had smitten some of them so that they could barely crawl on deck. Each +day showed signs of a galloping atrophy. Letters were written to their +relatives conveying in a matter-of-fact way all they were enduring: no +flowery phrases; no attempt at effect; but merely a statement of bald +fact. These communications were to be put into the orthodox bottle and +dropped into the sea in the hope that the sombre tidings would be +picked up and read at home. The stage of openly cursing the owner had +long since passed. Now and again they wondered if their spirits would +haunt him in the event of their having to succumb, but that was only a +passing mood. Their thoughts were mainly centred on charitable and +domestic matters, and what would be the end of all their sufferings. It +is a strange destiny which causes the agony of despair to be prolonged, +and then when life seems to be flickering out, suddenly the angel of +death is withdrawn and light and life burst forth with a radiance that +fills the sufferers with hope. The look-out man at the mast-head shouts +as loud as his strength will allow: "A sail! A sail on the starboard +bow, crossing our track! The vessel is hull down." Immediately the +whole crew except the man at the wheel are in the rigging scanning the +horizon, and a running flow of conflicting opinions are expressed as to +the exact course she is steering and whether she will discern our flag. +The captain gives peremptory orders to set every stitch of canvas and +ease the yards, so that his vessel might go quicker and meet the other +at an angle. Something like superhuman effort was made by enfeebled men +to get the canvas smartly set. The sight of the vessel impressed them +as a providential apparition. In less than an hour the hull came in +view. It was seen that the stranger was under a cloud of sail, +including royals, and topgallant studding sails on both sides. A fresh +wind blew right behind her, and the sea, though not rough, was showing +white feathers on the surface of the Atlantic rollers. The signal that +we were without any provisions was hoisted, but no notice was taken of +it. Night was drawing near, and the clipper was slipping fast away from +us. Our captain ordered his vessel to be hauled close to the wind again +in case the flags might be obscured by running free. It turned out that +this might have been the case, as we had no sooner manoeuvred in this +way than they began to take the other vessel's studding sails in and +haul to the wind. Our vessel's course was shaped towards her, and when +we had got fairly close to her both vessels had all small sail taken +in, courses hauled up, and their main yards laid aback. Our pinnace was +then hoisted out, and we proceeded to row alongside a beautiful tea +clipper. We were a lantern-jawed, scarecrow lot, and our general +appearance emphasized the story we had to tell of the privations we had +suffered. We had scarcely strength enough to lift the oars into the +rollicks, much less pull the boat through a choppy sea. The captain and +crew of the British clipper were very kind, supplied all our needs, +including tobacco, though we did not ask for the latter; this was +obviously given to express more emphatically their sympathy and kindly +feelings towards us. Very little water could be spared, as sailing +vessels at that time were nearly always stinted in accommodation for +water supply, but we were very grateful for the sacrifice the captain +made in allowing us to have even a few breakers full. The act which +touched the heart-strings most was the request made to their captain by +his crew to be allowed to row the supplies to our vessel. It was +granted by him and thankfully accepted by us; and over all the years +which have passed since that scene took place it has constantly lived +in my memory as one of the many traits that endear the sailor to his +fellow men. This self-sacrificing crew had been caused much additional +hard work on account of our misfortunes; some of them were losing their +watch below; and all of them had the arduous task of hurriedly taking +in the necessary sail and manipulating the yards so that a +communication could be effected, and then, after their mission was +done, the vessel was put on her course, and all the work of setting +sail, etc., had to be done over again. We knew all this, and therefore +appreciated all the more the little touch of sympathy which prompted +them to add to their labours by undertaking the work they saw we were +hardly fit to perform. Before leaving the hospitable deck of the +clipper our captain made a well-chosen and appropriate little speech of +thanks to our benefactor, by whom it was suitably responded to; and +then a cordial shaking of hands took place, and we parted with hearts +full of gratitude to those who had so beneficently helped us. When we +got aboard three cheers were rung out from both vessels, and then their +yards were filled and sail made, and we swept away from each other into +the gloom of the gathering night. + +An unthought-of protracted passage was in front of us, and long before +it was completed the fresh water ran short again; but we were more in +the track of vessels then, and succeeded in getting a further supply +which lasted until our arrival at Falmouth, where all our ills were +soon forgotten amid the charm of its scenery and the atmosphere of +congenial excitement which the tavern of that day afforded. Songs were +sung and step-dancing, such as none other but a sailor could do, as +usual aroused and kept local interest on the stretch. The audiences +were composed mainly of sailors, their sweethearts for the time being, +or those directly interested in him. Indeed these were occasions when +the place was kept humming with a salty brightness. Jack had the +singular gift of making his own amusement, and so long as he kept from +taking too much drink he was not only a source of pleasure to himself, +but in his way entertained other people. Of course the sailors here, as +always, told their experiences to each other when they met, and +incidentally their owners came in for a share of contumely such as +"God-forsaken robber," or "scrape-backed thief who was not fit to carry +guts to a bear," and other more or less harmless invectives. + +The men were rarely vindictive or bitter even, after the thing had +passed on, and an example of this was shown in the story I have been +relating where there was just cause for resentment and claim for +compensation, and yet none was made, nor was compensation asked for or +offered in the other two cases which I have mentioned, although they +were on almost identical lines with the first. On these last occasions +the crew lived on Indian corn for two weeks. The corn was put into +canvas, battered as small as possible, then put through the coffee +mill, and after the last process it was made into bread or puddings; +but the mill did not last long, so we were driven to eat it in a very +rough state, and soon experienced the penalty of doing so. We could not +have kept on eating it. The captain reported that he had been obliged +to broach the cargo for food, and the receivers charged him with the +estimated amount used. He and his crew thought this very mean, and I +think I remember them expressing strong regret that they hadn't +scuttled the ---- ship and thereby have inflicted great personal loss +on the owner of the cargo who, they apprehended, would have rather seen +them starve than that a bag or two of his cargo should be used for the +purpose of saving their lives. That was the impression they had formed. +Of course it was a harum-scarum impression, but it gratified them to +hold it. The real culprit was the owner of the ship, who had not +provided sufficient stores. He had not escaped notice, but the meaner +sinner had obscured him for the moment. + +An extraordinary characteristic of this age was the sailor's jealousy +lest improper innovations should be introduced into the mode of taking +their food. Knives and forks, cups, saucers, soup and plain plates were +a violation of sound forecastle principles, which in their eyes +threatened a coming degeneracy of the profession. Their use was viewed +as an attempt to become aristocratic, and those who dared adopt it were +looked upon as fops and mongrel seamen. The average man believed in his +tin pot, plate and pannikin, galvanized soup spoon and clasp knife; +there were no second course articles recognized. The tin pot had a hook +in front so that it could be hooked on to the galley grate to boil, +though it was not uncommon in long voyage ships to dispense with the +hook pot and have instead a large kettle for the whole of the +forecastle hands. The tidy man kept his utensils spotlessly clean. At +seven bells in the morning the watch below were knocked out to have +breakfast; this generally consisted of cracker hash, i.e., bread hash; +or cold salt beef or pork, whichever joint they had had on the day +previous hot for dinner; if she was a well-found ship butter was +supplied; they always had tea or coffee for the morning meal. If the +breakfast was of beef or pork, the platter or kid was put on the floor, +and each seaman took the piece of meat he intended to cut in one hand, +cut it off the junk with his clasp knife in the other, and if by any +means he happened to touch that which he did not cut he was submitted +to severe chastisement by being forcibly put over a chest lid and given +a dozen hard slaps with a boot jack. The piece of meat intended to be +eaten was put on a hard ship biscuit which served the purpose of a +plate, and was cut as required with the clasp knife and put into the +mouth with the right hand. Dinner was served at noon. On Sundays, +Tuesdays, Thursdays, it was beef and duff, according to scale; +Saturdays, beef and "strike-me-blind," i.e., boiled rice; Mondays, +Wednesdays and Fridays, pea-soup and pork. The mid-day meals were +partaken of in a similar way to the breakfast, except that the tin +plate was used for either duff and molasses, or pea-soup, or rice; it +might not be used for the beef or pork--this greatly depended on the +natural delicacy of the seamen, many of whom proclaimed that fingers +were made before knives or forks, therefore it was proper that they +should be used in preference. If he possessed a chest he sat on that, +and his knees served him as a table; if he had no chest, then he sat on +the floor or on the forehook, i.e., a beam which stretches across the +bows. This class of food and the method of eating it went on +uninterruptedly during the whole voyage. The duff, which was made of +flour, water and fat, was boiled in a canvas bag made in the shape of a +nightcap; it was very leathery, and was responsible for much dyspepsia. +It was cut into equal parts according to the number of men who were to +share it. On Sundays a few currants or raisins were scattered amongst +the flour and water; this was considered a luxury which was often taken +off at the caprice of the captain. Sailors have the character of being +born grumblers, and their knowledge of maritime law is much exhibited +by them at meal times. Poor creatures, what trouble they get themselves +into at times through this belief of theirs in their legal +acquirements! There is a story of a sailor who, insisting on breaking +the law because he was positive he was not breaking it, got himself put +into prison in consequence, whereupon a forecastle friend called to see +him. He immediately exclaimed on seeing and shaking hands with his +friend, "I know d--n well, Jim, they cannot put me in here, and they'll +have to pay for it." + +"What's the use of talking such d---- rot, you fool? Why, you _are_ +here!" + +On another occasion a large, square-rigged vessel belonging to London +arrived in the West India Docks, and the captain, on being asked by his +owner what sort of a crew he had, replied that they were sailors all +over, always grumbling about their work or their grub, and it did not +matter what they got to eat they would always find something else they +wanted. The owner declared that _he_ would provide a meal for them that +_would_ satisfy, and there wouldn't be a single request for anything +else. The captain said he did not know what he was undertaking. The +owner said: "Well, captain, if I do not succeed in satisfying them I +will pay you one hundred pounds." + +"Done," said the skipper. + +The crew's accommodation was in a house on deck; it was arranged to +have the skylight up and the side windows open, so that everything that +was said could be heard outside. The meal was cooked and served by +first-class men, and it was given on the occasion of the owner's +birthday. A large party assembled aboard, and the host addressed the +men appropriately, asking them to accept his hospitality. The sailors' +spokesman replied that they never wished to serve a better governor +than he, and the banquet commenced. The owner, his wife, and his +daughter--a beautiful girl of twenty--together with the captain, went +quietly up the ladder at the fore-end of the house and listened to what +was said. The owner was grateful at hearing such good things said about +himself, though the eulogy was flavoured with a pungency of language +that was not intended for delicate ears. At last one of the crew +finished, tossed his tin plate on the floor, and said: + +"That's a damned good dinner, boys." + +A second, third and fourth said the same thing. The owner was worked up +into an ecstasy of joy, and poked the skipper in the ribs as the others +kept throwing their plates down and expressing satisfaction. The owner +whispered: "It's a walk over, captain." + +"Not yet," responded the skipper. + +The last of the three broke the continuity of complete satisfaction by +remarking that the dinner was all right, but to make it perfect their +wives and sweethearts should have been asked. The captain became +obviously nervous, and asked the owner and his wife and daughter to +withdraw, but they refused. Then came the last but one, who said that +the only thing that would make the dinner faultless to him would be +that he should propose marriage to the owner's daughter and be +accepted. The mother and daughter became virtuously agitated, and the +captain again urged withdrawal, but they insisted on staying for the +last chap's opinion, who became eloquent in his praises of all +concerned. "But," said he to the last speaker, "you want to have the +old man's daughter in marriage. I don't mind her so much; the only +thing that would make me satisfied with the thing would be for the +owner to die, so that I might marry his widow and get the coin." + +The captain nearly took a fit, and the worthy host exclaimed: "Oh, mon +dieu!" Thereupon the ladies became hysterical, and the commander having +recovered from his embarrassment, said: + +"Well, I suppose you will admit that I was right?" + +"Yes," said the owner; "I never for one moment anticipated it would +take both my wife and daughter to satisfy them, but you have won, and +my faith in the possibility of pleasing sailors is broken. You shall +have the hundred pounds." + +There is a more recent story, which is said to be quite authentic. It +neither belongs to the class of vessel or period with which I am +dealing, but there is something in it that is characteristic of the old +sea cook who was devoted to his ship and his employer. Lord Randolph +Churchill was travelling on a steamer owned by a well-known Line, and +had reason to complain of the cooking and the quality of the food, so +he wrote in the visitors' book that both were bad. The old chief cook +took it to heart; and several years after poor Lord Randolph had ceased +to live, as the old man himself lay dying, his family saw there was +something troubling his mind. They asked him if it was something in +connection with his work. + +"Yes," said he, mournfully, "it is, and I want you to send for Mr +----," who was an old and trusted servant of the Company. The official +went to the cook's home, and before leaving him asked what it was that +made him unhappy. + +"Well," replied the old fellow, "I have never got over what was said +about the food years ago, and I wanted to see you about it, so that you +might hear me say before I die: 'May the Lord forgive Lord Randolph +Churchill for saying the cooking and food of the ---- Line was bad!' +Now I have got it off my chest I can die happy." And before the +official left, the old man had passed away. + +Amongst the numerous traditions which cling to the sailors of these +good old days of which Mr John Ruskin used to speak so reverently, was +one of a London baker, who was known to have amassed fabulous wealth in +manufacturing biscuits from ground bones and selling them for human +food to complaisant shipowners who were of kindred spirit to himself. +Hundreds of poor seamen who were obliged to eat this vile stuff called +bread, provided by their God-forsaken employers as per scale of one +pound per day per man, had their bodies saturated with disease. Nay, +hundreds of them were killed by its use, and those who survived its +poisonous effects had to thank the pure air of the sea and a good deal +of self-sacrifice on their own part by preferring to starve themselves +rather than eat it. + +This system of villainy was openly carried on long after I first went +to sea, and although the London purveyor had passed to another place he +must have left behind him a set of imitators who acquired an equally +charming aptitude for murder by supplying vessels with deadly food of +one kind and another. The tradition went on to say that ultimately he +died, and having sold himself to "Jimmy Square Foot," his spirit was +transferred from Ratcliffe Highway to a volcanic island in the +Mediterranean called Stromboli. There he frequently appeared in his +professional garb, standing by the edge of the crater along with his +satanic friend who was reputed to have secured an eternal lease of this +rock in order to provide a suitable abode for some of those to whom he +had been closely attached during their earthly pilgrimage. Whenever the +volcano was unusually active, the sailors who were in the vicinity +would say, "Ah, Jimmy is taking it out of the old Baker to-night." + +The first time I visited this part of the world, the vessel I served in +was creeping close past Stromboli with a light wind. Some of the +forecastle hands became reminiscent. They spoke of how they had been +fed on biscuits made by the gentleman whom they had seen standing by +the molten fire gesticulating to be taken from it. Strange tales were +related as to the reality of this notorious person's existence. I +listened with feverish greed to the yarns until my vision became +confused and I fancied him not only close by me but imagined I heard +his sombre cry of despair beseeching our compassion. The sailor's +delight in hyperbole led one of our comrades to relate most charmingly +the story of the baker's first appearance in Stromboli. An English +barque some years ago lay becalmed within a mile from the Stromboli +shore. The captain and officers knew the biscuit manufacturer well. The +chief officer whose watch it was walked the quarter deck in deep +meditation. A sailor who was at the wheel suddenly became aware of two +figures close to the crater. One was stoking and the other was +vehemently urging him to greater effort. He called out excitedly: + +"Look! Who's that standing by the glare of the fire? My God, if we were +not safe on salt water I would say we were near enough to hell!" + +"What do you mean?" asked the flurried chief officer. + +"I mean," said the sailor, pointing towards the shore, "the flames and +the figures yonder. May heaven send a breeze so that we may get away +from the sight of it." + +The mate was over-awed; he steadied his nerves, took up the telescope +and looked towards the crest of the hill for a few seconds. The glass +dropped suddenly from his hands on to the deck, and he exclaimed: + +"The Lord save us! It is the London baker with Jimmy Square Foot. Jump +down and call the captain while I say a few words of prayer." + +The hand who aroused the commander told him that they were too near the +nether regions. The captain rushed on deck, and in a nervous tone asked +what was the matter. + +"The matter?" responded the officer, "_there_ is what's the matter. +Look at them, and if you are not satisfied that we're as near hell as +ever we will be until we get into it, I am." + +The captain was agitated and tremulously stuttered: + +"Why it's the baker! How piteously he pleads to be rescued, but we can +do nothing for him." + +The day, hour and minute of the appearance were entered in the +log-book, and when the vessel arrived home, the tale was told and +paraphrased in a way that attracted national attention. The comparing +of notes disclosed that the entry in the log-book corresponded +chronologically with the date and time of the baker's death. + +Contemporary with this traditional gentleman was a well known +shipowner, who was notoriously mean and wicked towards the sailors who +manned his ships. Prayers of a highly peculiar character were +continuously made that he should be transported to the same region of +warmth as the Baker. Of course all shipowners are relegated to these +parts when they do anything to excite the anger of Jack. But the owner +of whom I am writing had put himself beyond all forgiveness; he was an +unspeakable wretch who would stoop to the most revolting methods of +sensuality. The sanctity of homes was invaded by the fiend who carried +on a double game of starving his men and destroying all that was dear +to them. The curses that were continuously poured forth upon him from +all parts of the world cannot be spoken; they may only be imagined. +Ultimately he died amid a storm of rejoicing, and when the hearse came +to take him to the graveyard the horses are said to have refused to +carry the body. It was no sooner placed in the hearse than they went +wild and smashed the conveyance; other horses were brought up, but they +were equally obdurate and violent, and it became necessary to employ +men to carry the coffin, but only the lowest roughs could be found for +the service. The community, especially the seafaring part of it, were +convinced that his wickedness had been so great that even the devil +refused to have anything to do with him in a respectable country. He +was forthwith passed on to Stromboli to assist the Baker in his arduous +task of keeping the fires going, and for the purpose of confirming the +sailors' belief in the law of retribution. This traditional person was +a butcher--if it be safe or lawful to use such a phrase as "tradition" +in connection with one of the mariner's solemn planks of faith. He left +a large fortune behind, which has been a curse to his descendants, and +it would have been a great disappointment to the contemporary seamen if +it hadn't, as much of their time was used in the imprecation of ghastly +forms of punishment and in imagining modes of disposing of what they +vehemently avowed was ill-gotten wealth. + +In my youthful days I listened to these tales and drank them in with +juvenile credulity. How often have boys remained on deck during their +watch below to get a glimpse of these personalities, and sometimes I +imagined I could see all that others had told me they had seen. +Incidents of this kind varied the monotony of a long passage, as the +talk about it went on until some other thing equally sensational +developed. To make any attempt at ridiculing the reality of such things +was to offer a gross insult to the seamen's susceptibilities. + +To say that shipowning, even in the early part or middle of the last +century, was synonymous with a system of heartless starvation would be +too sweeping an assertion to make. There always have been men who +strove to act generously towards the people serving in their vessels, +though these, I am persuaded, were in the minority, and it is to the +credit of that minority that they had to struggle against precedent, +example, and it may be the habitual conviction that it was part of the +sailor's business to take whatever food was put aboard for him. Running +short of provisions was to them only an incident natural to the +sailor's calling. This view had been handed down by successive +generations of avaricious stoats, not the least prominent and +contemptible of whom was Elizabeth, with her chilly heart, at one time +receiving from Drake the spoils of his voyage in the _Pelican_; at +another walking through the parks publicly with him, and listening with +eager fascination to his stories of "amazing adventure," adventures +that some of her Catholic subjects maintained to be "shocking piracy." +We all remember the story of his sailing off with bullion from Tarapaca +worth half a million ducats; also of the chase and capture of the +_Cacafuego_, which had aboard the whole of the produce of the Lima +mines for the season, consisting of silver, gold, emeralds and rubies. +The hanging of Mr Doughty Philips, the spy, was talked of; the cutting +off from the Church of God for cowardice of the chaplain, Mr Fletcher, +and the chaining of his leg to a ringbolt in the deck until he repented +of his sin. And she is so much interested in all these things that a +royal banquet is held aboard the _Pelican_. Her Majesty attends and +knights Drake. Mendoza demands for his master the stolen treasure. +Leicester wants to share it with his friends; but Elizabeth puts her +foot down and maintains it to be a legal capture which must be held. +She conceives this to be a part of the game. Subsequent events cause +Drake to plead with her to grant supplies, and she rebukes him for his +extravagance. The Armada is close at our shores. Lord Howard reminds +her that food is exhausted and that her sailors are having to catch +fish to make up their mess, and yet they are praying for the quick +arrival of the enemy. Their commander says English sailors will do what +they can to vanquish the invaders, but they cannot fight with famine. +"Awake, Madam," writes the poor distracted Lord admiral; "awake, for +the love of Christ, and realize the danger that confronts the nation." +He managed this time to squeeze one month's rations out of her, but +when asked if any more should be provided, this lovely virgin monarch +replied peremptorily, "No!" And when the great Armada came in sight +there was but two days' food remaining. "Let tyrants fear," she says; +"I have always so behaved myself that under God I have placed my +chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my +subjects"!! She knows that she has the body of a weak and feeble woman, +but she is assured she has the heart of a king, and rather than any +dishonour should grow by her, "I myself will take up arms and be your +general, judge and rewarder of all your virtues." That is all very +pretty, and sounds pre-Napoleonic, but we cannot all swallow sweet, +cantish little nothings in place of food and wages. Better would it +have been had Elizabeth shown some practical evidence of "devotion" to +her "people" by granting supplies and food to her starving sailors who +fought and won in the most deadly naval encounter that the world has +ever known. Their stomachs were empty but their hearts were big, though +many of them went under with sickness brought on by famine, while she +held tight that seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds which Drake +brought home for her. It is amazing that a historian should be found to +regard that speech of hers as being "free from affectation." But one +historian not only says this, he adds: "She was the protector of her +country, and the prudent executor of its will." She was nothing of the +sort; on the contrary, she was a cold, greedy, heartless termagant, who +risked the loss of her country by her parsimony, and it was only saved +by the dauntless courage of the famishing seamen. I think that is one +of the most gruesome and humiliating pieces of British history: for the +monarch of a great empire to exhibit herself in the light of a sailor's +boarding-housekeeper; squeezing his life's blood out, and herself +handing down to posterity a character for meanness that would put to +the blush the owner of a collier brig whose main idea of economy may be +starving his crew. When I hear her spoken of as the Good Queen Bess, I +think of how she ordered the Puritan lawyer, John Stubbs, and the +printer of his pamphlet to be led to the scaffold and have their right +hands driven off by the wrist with a butcher's knife and mallet, and +how in God's name she commits many other unspeakable acts of +devilishness, the most dastardly of which was her refusal to provide +food for the thousands of brave men who saved her and her kingdom. What +a contrast between this woman and the great Queen Victoria, whose long +career is free from a single act of cruelty, and whose whole life teems +with good deeds, while Elizabeth's reeks with an odour so bad that no +student of history can peruse the account without wondering why she was +allowed to live; for truly she was as bad a shrew as ever wore a skirt! + + + + +IX + +MISCELLANEOUS + + +Fifty or sixty years ago the N.E. coast ports were all tidal; no +harbours of refuge; no twenty-four feet on any of the bars at low water +as there is now; no piers or breakwaters projecting as they do to-day +far into the German Ocean. It therefore frequently happened that during +neap tides there was not sufficient water over the bars for even the +shallowest drafted vessels. In that case, if the weather was fine, +i.e., wind off the land, and smooth water, the vessels were taken +outside, and the balance of their cargoes sent to them by a peculiar +type of lighter known in that part of England by the name of keels. +These craft were skilfully managed by two men called keelmen, who +worked them up and down the stream with the tide and manipulated them +with long oars. One of these lighters was being rushed out of the river +by a heavy westerly wind and a current of abnormal velocity. The two +men were doing their best to control their little vessel towards its +destination, when the skipper spontaneously observed that they were +going to drift out to sea unless aid came to them, or some means of +stopping her progress were not adopted. He naturally bethought himself +of the anchor, and shouted out to his mate: + +"By gox, Jimmy, w'or gan to drift into the German Ocean! Let go the +b--y anchor!" + +The mate shouted back: + +"What the devil's the use of lettin' go the anchor when there's ne +chain fast te'ed?" + +"Never mind a d--n about that," shouted the skipper at the top of his +voice and with feverish excitement. "Chuck the b--y thing ower and +trust to Providence for'd hangin' her. We better de that, ye' fool as +drive to Norraway or some other place o' worship!" + +The anchor was thrown over, but Providence did not yield to Geordie's +persuasive ingenuity, thereupon his faith gave way and he switched his +mind and utterance on to a singular form of petition to "Had her, Lord, +had her" (hold her). History tells us that Geordie believed this latter +appeal to have been answered, as it fell calm, and the sea became +still. + +Some sailors were rowing off to their vessel in a jolly-boat on the +same occasion, and when the wind went down a dense fog came on, with +the result that they missed their ship. They were all night in the fog, +and in the morning as there was no indication of it clearing up they +were filled with anxiety. At last one of their number said there was +nothing else for it but to pray, and called upon a companion to do so, +but he said that he had never prayed in his life. + +"I don't know what to ask." + +"Divvent ask," promptly replied his shipmate, "until you've made all +kinds of promises"; whereupon all kinds of specific pledges of an +extraordinary character were prompted, and the praying commenced and +was continued with great facility and becoming earnestness, when all at +once the sailor who had suggested prayer called out: + +"Stop, stop! Don't commit yourself too far. I think I see the land," +and the man who was in the act of praying opened his eyes, beheld the +land himself, and called out: + +"Why the devil didn't you tell me sooner, before I made all them +promises?" + +"I cautioned you as soon as I saw it myself," said his friend; "why +didn't you keep your own eyes open?" + +"Eyes open, d'ye say? How d'ye think a man can pray with his eyes open, +you fool?" + + * * * * * * + +These men belonged to an old-fashioned race, sailed in old-fashioned +ships, at a time when the old-fashioned winters, as they are sometimes +called, were a terror to underwriters, owners and seamen alike; for the +easterly gales always left in their wake along the whole seaboard +relics of devastation. Wrecks used to be strewn all over the coast, and +sombre tokens of bereavement were everywhere visible. When the White +Sea, Baltic and St Lawrence were closed to navigation, the class of +vessels that were employed in these trades were either sent to the Bay +of Biscay or the coast of Portugal with coal in order that they might +bring from that country to this cork or salt, or both; and from the +French ports in the Bay of Biscay cargoes of sugar were frequently +obtained as return cargo; but the coal freights were generally so good +at that time that vessels could be brought back in ballast and _then_ +leave a big profit. + +Owners, however, always aimed at getting employment over the winter +months in the coasting trade to France or London, and when freights +were depressed beyond paying point they did not hesitate to lay them up +until the White Sea and Baltic season came round again. It frequently +happened that this course had to be adopted, and the ports all along +the coast became blocked with idle tonnage, and the little towns +overcrowded with seamen, who, as a rule, stuck to their ships and did +odd jobs, without pay, until the time came for them to be again engaged +in active service. It was customary for the captain and mate to +specially look after the vessels when laid up so that no harm came to +them, and they were expected to do so without remuneration. The honour +and pride in those earlier days of having command or being mate of even +a leaky old craft was very pronounced. Each brig, brigantine, or +schooner, carried three or four apprentices. These lads were allowed +10s. per week, which was called board money. The owners, it may be +presumed, found it cheaper to make this arrangement rather than have +cooking aboard while the vessel was laid up; but though an allowance +was made for food, it was a standing instruction that at least two out +of the four boys should sleep aboard the ship, and as soon as she was +put into commission none but the oldest apprentice could have the +privilege of sleeping ashore. This personage, by the way, was looked up +to as a kind of Mogul even by his commander, but especially by the +younger apprentices. He claimed the right indeed to chastise a wayward +youth with the rope's end, and when very bad offences occurred, a +double punishment was inflicted by keeping the little delinquent on +deck in the cold at night, until his superior thought fit to pardon +him. On the other hand, I have seen a mate soundly thrashed by this +same person for striking a young boy during the process of a voyage. +Such were the peculiar ethics of this class of seamen that, while they +conceived it to be their duty to uphold the dignity of discipline when +they were in supreme control of the little colony of apprentices during +the time the vessel was laid up in port, they would not brook undue +physical interference with their co-apprentices on the part of the +chief officer when in active commission. Sometimes the stay in port +would last three months. The master and mate were in attendance every +day, and in order that their berths might be retained, the sailors came +aboard on fine days, repaired sails, running gear, standing rigging, +scraped and tarred the holds out, scraped masts, painted yards, +scrubbed bottom, tarred and blackleaded it, and, in fact, when the time +came to fit out for the spring voyage to the Baltic, the little vessels +looked as trim and as neat as it was possible to make them, and there +was little left to do except bend sails and take stores aboard. + +[Illustration: A NORTHUMBERLAND HARBOUR.] + +Nor were the apprentices allowed to be idle. Each day they had to wash +decks when the tide was up, and although it may seem a very small +matter to refer to, it is worthy of note that the drawing of water by +the youngest boy was the occasion of much interest to the onlookers, +who always congregated in large numbers on the quays when anything of +this sort was being done. The bucket which supplied the water was +stropped with rope so that it did not injure the side of the vessel; +great care was observed that no harm came to the planking, no matter +how old the craft might be. The boy was expected to draw with such +rapidity that the person who was throwing the water along the deck +should not have to wait. It was considered quite an art to throw the +water properly, and also to supply it, and it taxed both the strength +and the deftness of the youngster; many a wigging he would get in the +process of training even in this small matter. + +The two youngest boys took week and week about in keeping the +forecastle clean. It was insisted that the floor should be spotless. +This was enforced by the oldest apprentice, and he had to account to +the master if it were not as he wished it to be. They of course +assisted the men during the period of inactivity, but on those days +when no work was being done by the sailors it was usual for the mate to +give them so many _nettles_ to plait: that is, five or seven rope yarns +plaited into seizings for _bends_ in hawsers, mooring chains, and +ropes. Sometimes the mate was a person of artistic taste, and in that +case they would be given bucket strops or man ropes to _graft_, or +turkheads and _grafting_ to work on to some deck arrangement or +yardarm, and bunt gaskets to work with marline. Indeed, the course of +training was so systematic and so perfect that these young fellows long +before their time had expired could do anything that a sailor might be +called upon to do. To be taunted with laziness was a grievous +indictment. The average lad of that period would do himself physical +injury in the effort to avoid such a stigma. They prided themselves on +being the pupils and under-studies of the finest sailors in the world; +and so they were. When the time came round for the spring fleet to fit +out, there was great commotion amongst the little community. The crews +emulated each other in the effort to make their vessels look smart, and +the distinction of being first ready for sea claimed a prominent share +of their ambition. They knew also that they would be subjected to the +stern criticism of the female population, the limitations of which +would not necessarily be confined to wives and sweethearts, or even +relations. + +Neither men nor women found companionship in books. If the women read +anything, it was what the newspapers said about shipping movements, and +it is safe to say very few concerned themselves about that. So their +mental energy found an outlet in the gossip of things nautical. They +knew by instinct almost when a vessel was thoroughly cared for, and +although they might not be able to call things by their proper names, +they never liked their husbands or sweethearts to have any hand in, or +association with, an untidy vessel. Hence, to secure approval from +their women critics, these sailor men and apprentice lads would strain +every faculty to have sails stowed in a cloth, that is, stowed so that +not a wrinkle could be seen anywhere. The youngest apprentice furled +the royals and staysails, two other boys the topgallant sails, and all +the crew, except the master, the larger square sails. The yards were +squared by the braces. The lower yards were made to correspond with the +topsail yards by means of the lifts, every rope was hauled taut, and +every coil round the belaying pin was made strictly uniform. Every end +of a rope had to have what is called a cross-whipping to prevent the +end from becoming a tassel. A well-worn, though authentic story, which +bears on this, did service many times in those days of nautical +rectitude. A gentleman was brought from another district to our little +port to serve as chief mate aboard a hitherto well-kept brig, and his +chief characteristic was in neglecting to conform to one of the great +essential nautical principles by allowing everything to get into +disorder; warps and rope ends were allowed to go without whippings +until it became an eyesore and a subject of strong condemnation. His +wife, who did not conform to the orthodox faith, began to draw +comparisons, and vigorously proclaimed that her husband's taste was a +thing to be emulated. "Look," said this incensed lady, "at the fringes +and tassels. Do they not look better than having things tied up like +whipcords?" But her aesthetic opinions did not prevent her husband's +services being dispensed with. + +I have said that some of these small vessels were in the St Lawrence +trade carrying timber from Quebec, and grain or timber from Montreal. +They usually went out in ballast in order to make two voyages during +the season, and there were very few that did not succeed in doing it, +provided they kept free from accident. The spring voyage was fraught +with great danger owing to large fields of ice and icebergs drifting +out of the St Lawrence across the Banks of Newfoundland. Sometimes the +spring fleet would be fast for days, and many of them got badly damaged +in the effort to force a channel through the ice-field, while some got +so badly crushed and damaged that they foundered. That was a real +danger at the beginning of the season, but it did not compare with the +danger of encountering the terrific westerly hurricanes that swept over +the Atlantic in the fall of the year. We speak sympathetically about +the six and seven thousand ton steamers that tramp across during the +winter months at the present time, and yet it is less than fifty years +since the whole of that trade was done by tiny brigs and barques who +leaked and worked like Russian prams, but were handled with an ability +that saved both them and their crews many times from destruction. Every +autumn some of them became waterlogged, and not a few were never heard +of after leaving the port of loading. The owner of an old brig which I +knew very well was induced by the high rate of freights from Montreal +to fix her to load a cargo of heavy grain from that port. Some of the +owner's friends expostulated with him on the danger of sending so old +and small a vessel to the St Lawrence so late in the season. "Old?" +said the owner, "hasn't she had new decks? And you call her small! What +about Drake's ships that he sailed to the Pacific Ocean and all over +India with? Why, the largest wasn't half the size of mine! No, +gentlemen, ships were built to go to sea, not to lie and rot at the +quays." So to sea she went, and arrived at Montreal none too soon to +assure the completion of her loading and sailing before the winter set +in. She was, however, quickly loaded, and sailed on her homeward +voyage. A quick run was made to Cape Breton, and thence through scores +of "Codbangers" right away to the edge of the Banks of Newfoundland. +Anchors, boats, hatches and everything else were made secure in +anticipation of a wild passage. The studding-sail booms and other spars +or planks were lashed at each side of the hatchways in order to break +the weight or fire of the sea before it tumbled on to them. This was +the old-fashioned plan of protection, and I hope it is still practised. +I have often had recourse to it myself both in sailing vessels and +steamers. There was no Plimsoll mark in those days, and this +cockle-shell of a vessel was literally loaded down to the scuppers. A +westerly hurricane struck her just after crossing the Banks, and she +was run so long before it that to attempt to heave to meant certain +destruction. + +The whole length of two hawsers were put out at each side of the +taffrail, and as the mountains came roaring along, towering far above +the stern of the little ship and threatening her with extinction, these +hawsers broke the wrath of the rollers, and made them spread into +masses of prancing foam. The captain and crew said they would never +have been able to scud before the hurricane but for their influence. +She arrived at Queenstown a complete wreck having been literally under +water or covered by it from leaving the Banks until they passed the +Fastnet; bulwarks were gone fore and aft; boats were smashed, but the +hatches were intact. The captain had been so long without sleep and +proper rest that he had lost the power of sleep. His nerves were so +badly shattered, and his physical endurance so completely exhausted, a +new captain had to be sent to relieve him, and the poor fellow never +really regained his normal state afterwards. I have often heard him say +"it was death or glory; scud, pump, or sink," which was one of the +common phrases used by seamen in describing circumstances of this +nature. + +Stories more or less sensational are written from time to time of the +terrors of a passage from Liverpool to New York aboard one of the White +Star or Cunard liners, or even a passage on an ordinary ocean tramp, +and although I would not under-estimate either the danger or the +discomforts of either the crew or the passengers aboard one of these, I +am bound to say they can only form a meagre conception of what it must +have been like on one of the diminutive frail sailing crafts that built +up the supremacy of the British mercantile marine. No one can really +imagine the awfulness of the work these vessels and their crews had to +do except those who sailed in them. This vessel, like many others of +her class and size, did useful work in her time in building up our +trade with other parts of the world. Distance and danger were no +obstacles to the crews who heroically manned them. They feared nothing +and dared everything. Their pride of race was inherent. They aimed at +upholding the fine traditions of their nautical forbears, and +contemptuously ignored the right of other nations to a place on the +high seas. It was their dominion, and their prerogative therefore to +monopolize them. Uneasy, ill-informed, political propagandists and +commercial theorists would do well to ponder over what it has cost in +courage, in vital force, in genius and in wealth to build up an edifice +that represents half the world's tonnage. This structure of national +strength has been erected without the aid of subsidies or bounties, and +it may be not only maintained without them, but grow still greater if +it is left alone to pursue its natural course under a system that +brought us out of commercial bondage into a freer air over fifty years +ago. That system has been the secret of much of our success, and once +we embark on the retrograde course of protection then that will be the +beginning of our mercantile decadence. Is the heritage not too +magnificent, too sacred, to have pranks played with it? + + +THE END + + +THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO., LTD., NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. + + + + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR. + + +"WINDJAMMERS AND SEA-TRAMPS." + +_With Six Full-page Illustrations by Thomas Runciman._ + +"The special attractiveness of the volume arises from the fact that the +author began as a cabin-boy, worked his way up to master, and is now a +leading steamship manager, and that he has been at the pains to +epitomise his experiences and state his views."--_Fairplay._ + +"In _Windjammers and Sea Tramps_, Mr. Walter Runciman, sen., has put +together memories and information drawn from many years' experience of +the British mercantile marine, mostly in sailing vessels."--_St. James' +Gazette._ + +"His yarns are chiefly of the things that took place a generation ago, +when there was far more brutality on ocean-going ships than there is in +these more enlightened days."--_Daily News._ + +"Mr. Walter Runciman, sen., has given the characteristic title, +_Windjammers and Sea Tramps_, to a little book of recollections and +opinions on the merchant service. His pages are full of experience and +rich anecdotage, and smack refreshingly of the sea."--_Manchester +Guardian._ + +"Mr. Runciman packs together a surprising amount of information on our +merchant service, and his modest hope that 'he has succeeded in making +the book interesting' is very fully justified."--_Saturday Review._ + +"To all lovers of the sea, to all those whose hearts go the merrier for +the sight of a ship or a yarn with an old salt, this book will come a +little sadly, and bring regrets for the old days and the dead +traditions. Not many men now living can remember the old sea +order."--_The Speaker._ + +"Mr. Walter Runciman is a practical sailor. He has had experience of +the sea in many capacities, and this lends weight to his opinions on +matters connected with the mercantile marine and interest to the +various yarns which he has to spin."--_Pall Mall Gazette._ + +"Every self-respecting Briton knows that a windjammer is a sailing +vessel, and the book before us, written by a man who 'went in at the +hawse-hole and came out of the cabin-window,' should commend itself to +a maritime nation."--_Birmingham Gazette._ + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Shellback's Progress, by Walter Runciman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SHELLBACK'S PROGRESS *** + +***** This file should be named 22794.txt or 22794.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/7/9/22794/ + +Produced by StevenGibbs and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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