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| author | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-09-01 05:22:02 -0700 |
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| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-09-01 05:22:02 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/76788-0.txt b/76788-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b0027a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10881 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76788 *** + + + + + +[Illustration: THE “ROYALSHIRE”] + + + + + FIRST EDITION _November 1902_ + _Reprinted_ _December 1902_ + _Reprinted_ _December 1902_ + _Reprinted_ _February 1903_ + NEW (_lower priced_) EDITION _October 1903_ + + + + + ROUND THE HORN + BEFORE THE MAST + + By A. BASIL LUBBOCK + + WITH ILLUSTRATIONS + + NEW YORK + E. P. DUTTON & CO. + 1903 + + + + +_Printed in Great Britain_ + + + + + TO + MY DEAR MOTHER + I DEDICATE THIS + BOOK + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + + PAGE + + “FRISCO” 1 + + Choosing a Ship--Signing on--Don Henderson--At a Seaman’s + Tailor--First Day’s Work--Cleaning the Stringers--Sailors + _v._ Base-ballers at Cricket--The Seaman’s Institute--My + Carriboo Bag--A Sailors’ Concert--Emptying the Bilges--The + _Marlboro’ Hill’s_ Crew of Landlubbers--Yankee Brutality at + Sea--Chipping--Johnsen, the Swede. + + + CHAPTER II + + OAKLAND CREEK AND PORT COSTA 39 + + A Lively Time crossing the Bay--Mooring Ship--Sea Serpents--An Old + South Seaman--More Cricket--The Bilges again--Lining the Hold--The + Art of Painting--Mosquitoes and Song--Bleeding the Grain--Bending + Sail--An Early Morning Picnic--Bathing in the Sacramento--A + Fatality--Ready for Sea--Taking in Stores--Our Crew come + Aboard--My Stewardship--The Return of the Californian Boys. + + + CHAPTER III + + THE NORTH PACIFIC 72 + + Man the Capstan--Making Sail--Picking the Watches--Going About--My + Gaff-topsail--Timekeeping--The Binnacles--Matches--Dandyfunk and + Crackerhash--Dutchmen and Dagos--Johnsen’s Logbook--The Old Man’s + Models--The Bosun’s Songs--“Duckfoot Sue”--Crew complain of the + Food--Rows amongst the After gang--Peggy--Flying-Fish and Bosun + Birds--Lime-juice--Amateur Haircutters--Sharks and Pilot-Fish--In + the Doldrums--At the Braces in the Middle Watch--Deep-sea + Fishing--The Song of the Trade Wind--Heaving the Log--My First + Wheel--Fine Weather Kites--A “Jimmy Green.” + + + CHAPTER IV + + THE SOUTH SEAS 121 + + Cross the Line--“Stand by your Royal Halliards”--Making + Rovings--Johnsen tries to Knife the Second Mate--Tarring + Down--Dancing in the Dog Watch--Sails--Discourses on Modern + Wind-jammers--Yankee Schooners--Clinching the Crossjack + Leech-line--The _Loudoun Hill_--Graining Dolphins--Our Farming + Bosun--A Queer Fish--British Sailors on British Ships--Yankee + Buckos--Pitcairn Island--“What ho, Piper!” + + + CHAPTER V + + RUNNING EASTING DOWN 144 + + Grand Yachting--From the Bowsprit End--A Bad Squall--Fore-royal + blows away--On the Fore Upper-topgallant Yard--A Battle + with the Elements--Wilson and Myself on the Main-yard--Cape + Pigeons--Preparing for Cape Horn--Fog--Use of a Cowhorn at + Sea--Rotten Gaskets--In the Lazarette--Getting up Bread--Paraffiny + Sugar--Slumgullion--A Cape Horn Sunset--Arguments in the + Half-deck--The Stately Albatross--Our Hens--The “Roaring + Forties”--Famous Tea-Clippers--The _Thermopylæ_--A “Blue-nose” + Clipper--Rivalry between Watches--Checkerboard Crews--Negro + Crews--Burgoo--A Mollymawk Aboard--Colder Weather--Making + Fenders--Putting in Rovings--Bird-life in the Southern Ocean--Cape + Horn Hail-storms. + + + CHAPTER VI + + OFF THE HORN 177 + + A big Beam Sea--Rolling both Rails Under--Port Watch washed away + from the Fore-braces--The Deck-bear--Dollops--Blood-stirring + Work--Main-deck under Water--Half-deck Water-logged--In + our Watch Below--Waking Mac--At the Lee Wheel--Cape Horn + Greybeards--Dodging the Seas--Don nearly Drowned in his + Lamp-locker--No Fresh Water--Standing by--Higgins in the + Lee Scuppers--Sunday Breakfast--Snugging Down--Turning up + Gear--Overboard--A Narrow Escape--An Unlucky Fall--Don Loses his + False Teeth aloft--Mountainous Seas--Pooped--“Sail ho!”--The + Music of the Gale--Chantying in Difficulties--A Huge Sea falls + Aboard--Retrieving the Lamps--All Hands on Deck--Terrific + Work--The _Royalshire_ on her Beam Ends--Hove-to--A Bad Middle + Watch--Make Sail Again--Chantying--Outward Bounders--Cape + Stiff--Old Man’s Yarns--Foot-gear. + + + CHAPTER VII + + THE SOUTH ATLANTIC 239 + + On the Banks--A Low Glass--Blowing Again--I Fall and Shake the + Poop--Taylor’s Whitlow--Sea-Boils--Pipes growing Scarce--“Storm + along, Stormie”--The whole Crew washed away from the + Mainbrace--My knee damaged--The Bosun and Bower--Clark Russell + at Fault--Model-Making--Discussion on Flogging--An Albatross + Caught--Ill-health on Board--My Medicine Chest--A Dead Muzzler--An + Electric Storm--Jack o’ Lanterns--My poor Knee--Johnsen’s + Troubles--A Wild Highlander at Meals--A Prophet of Evil--Don and + Scar. + + + CHAPTER VIII + + IN THE TROPICS 282 + + Old Slush and Greasy Food--A Fleet of Wind-jammers + collected by the Head-wind--Johnsen the Jonah--Washing + Clothes--Quartermaster--Amusements in the Night Watches--Painting + Down--The Frigate Bird--Ocean Races--Forecastle Artists--The + Contents of my Bunk--Taylor’s Backstays--Old Slush goes + Forward--Our new Cook--At our Prayers--Don in Disgrace--Oiling + Decks--Liverpool Hard-tack--Huge Shoal of Bonita--An Epidemic of + Cramps--The Art of Steering--Head-gear Scarce. + + + CHAPTER IX + + THE WESTERN OCEAN 325 + + Shifting Sail Again--My Long Trick--Among the Western Isles--Slippery + Decks--At Work in the Hold--A Broken-down Steamer--Heavy + Gale--Between Two Seas--Loring Washed Out--Hove-to--A Pulling + Match--“Reuben Ranzo”--Fight with Bower on the Royal-yard--A + Midnight Brew--Grub running Short--Washing Decks in a + Gale--Wearing Ship--Old Man and Mate at Loggerheads--The + Lead-line--A Cause for Strong Language. + + + CHAPTER X + + IN BRITISH WATERS 360 + + “The Coastwise Lights of England”--Queenstown--Away for + Birkenhead--News of the Boer War--A Christmas Dinner--A + Harbour Stow--A Sailor’s Plans--My Last Wheel--Befogged in the + Mersey--Nearly Run Down--“Leave Her, Johnnie, Leave Her”--Attempts + at Docking--Don’s Last Escapade--Fate of the _Royalshire_--The Old + Trail. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + THE “ROYALSHIRE” _Frontispiece_ + + FRISCO _To face page_ 22 + + MARKET STREET AND CALL BUILDING ” ” 26 + + FRISCO SWIMMING BATHS ” ” 48 + + FRISCO BAY ” ” 70 + + THE PILOT BOAT “BONITA” ” ” 78 + + CLINCHING THE CROSSJACK LEECHLINE 132 + + “ROYALSHIRE” UNDER FULL SAIL ” ” 144 + + THE ALBATROSS ” ” 164 + + AN AUSTRALIAN CLIPPER ” ” 168 + + CAPE HORN ” ” 232 + + A PASSING LIME-JUICER ” ” 284 + + A “DOWN-EASTER” ” ” 298 + + SHIFTING SAIL ” ” 326 + + MAP TO ILLUSTRATE AUTHOR’S VOYAGE + ROUND CAPE HORN _At the end_ + + + + +ROUND THE HORN BEFORE THE MAST + + + + +CHAPTER I + +“FRISCO” + + “Serene, indifferent of Fate, + Thou sittest at the Western Gate; + Upon thy heights so lately won, + Still slant the banners of the sun; + Thou seest the white seas strike their tents, + O Warder of two Continents! + And scornful of the peace that flies, + Thy angry winds and sullen skies, + Thou drawest all things, small and great, + To Thee, beside the Western Gate.” + + +On Wednesday, 12th July 1899, I signed on before the mast on the +four-mast barque _Royalshire_ of Glasgow, which had just arrived in +Frisco from Japan, and was busy unloading the first cargo of Japanese +coal that had ever left the country. + +I had just come out of the “Golden North,” having had several months +up in the Klondyke, where I experienced both the “midnight sun” and the +“midday night.” I had intended prospecting Vancouver Island for copper +during the rest of the summer, but the party having been broken up for +various reasons, I came down to San Francisco, meaning to ship on board +a South Sea schooner and proceed by slow stages to Australia; but after +a thorough search I failed to find a single South Sea trader in Frisco, +except the barque _Maura Al_, which ran to Honolulu with passengers, so +I decided to give up this plan. + +I had long had a wish to sail before the mast, and witness real sea +life in all its dangers and hardships. The chief officer of one of +the Empress boats, those magnificent steamers of the Canadian Pacific +Railway, on my speaking to him of this wish, had told me that if I +shipped before the mast on a windjammer, I should find it a wonderful +experience, which, if I was not afraid of real muscle-trying work, and +was hardy enough to stand the bad food and other hardships, I should +look back upon with much pleasure. + +As I was as fit as it was possible for any one to be, and felt sure +that nothing would come very hard after such an experience as I had +gone through in the Klondyke, I determined to ship home round the Horn +in one of the magnificent windjammers which lay in the port. + +The next thing to do was to pick a good ship. There were several +four-mast barques--beautiful iron ships from the Clyde--and not a few +full-riggers and three-mast barques, all about to load grain for the +British Isles or Continent. + +Though a very keen lover of the sea, and with a certain amount of +experience gained yachting and travelling, I really knew very little of +what a foremast jack’s life was on board a big deep-waterman. I knew +enough, however, not to ship before the mast on a ship with “down-east” +or “blue-nose” mates, who, though they are the finest seamen probably +in the world, are terrible “drivers,” and are a bit too free with +belaying pins, knuckle-dusters, and six-shooters to please me,--the +“gun-play” on board some “down-easters” being almost worthy of an +Arizona mining camp. + +I also knew enough to find out before I signed on, whether the ship was +a hungry one or not, and whether her skipper drank. + +I spent a whole morning prowling round the docks, and decided that the +_Royalshire_, _Lancing_, and _Loudon Hill_, all four-mast barques, were +the finest ships in port. + +The _Royalshire_ I thought the finest looking alow and aloft, and from +the spread of her yards she had evidently got a larger sail plan than +either of the others. She only had one defect that I could take hold +of, and that was a rather heavy stern, though this was made up for +by one of the sweetest entrances I have ever seen; the curve of her +cutwater and her bow lines were a delight to the eye, and I at once +decided to make inquiries about her. + +On the wharf, tallying the carts of coal as they were loaded from the +shute, was a small red-headed Scotchman. + +From him I found out that she was reckoned one of the crack ships of +the “Shire Line” of Glasgow, that her captain and officers were all +Scotch, and that, though not noted for her good feeding, she could +hardly be called a “hungry ship.” + +My red-headed friend answered every question very readily, and gave the +ship and her captain a first-rate character. He evidently thought that +I wanted a passage in her, and told me that I could see the captain on +the following day about eleven o’clock, before he went ashore. + +Thanking him for his information, I asked him what position he held on +board. + +He replied, “third mate,” and told me that she carried four mates, and +also that the whole of her crew had run on arriving in Frisco. + +“That does not look as if she was such a comfortable ship,” I said. + +“Weel, I dinna think ye’ll find a vessel in port with her hands +aboard--all foremast hands run in Frisco--I’ve half a notion to run +mysel’, the wages is that gran’ sailing oot o’ Frisco; an A.B. gets +four pund a month, it’s naw great wonder crews run,” he replied. And +with this I left him and returned to my hotel, well pleased with my +day’s work. + +Lo and behold, the first thing I saw on returning at the appointed +time, was the captain and my red-haired friend shaking their fists in +each other’s faces on the poop, and “cussing around” to beat creation. + +From what I could hear of it, the third mate was asking for his +discharge in language both “painful and free,” but without success, for +presently the captain went below, and he came ashore, evidently off up +town. + +As he stepped off the companion ladder, I buttonholed him, and asked +him when I could see the captain. + +“The old man will be oot preesently, if ye just wait a wee while,” he +answered hurriedly, and away he went. + +As I stood on the wharf watching the coal being unloaded, I noticed +that a small man, with a thick red moustache and kind, light-blue +eyes, seemed to be bossing things on board. + +After a bit, seeing me loafing around, he called to me and asked me +what I wanted. I told him I was waiting to see the captain. + +“Come aboard; he’s having his breakfast now but he’ll be going ashore +directly, and then you can see him.” + +I came aboard, and spent a couple of hours waiting for the old man to +come on deck. For some reason or other he was later than usual going +ashore, and it was nearly one o’clock before he appeared. + +Meanwhile I loafed about the deck, keenly interested in everything. +I gave the red-moustached man a cigar, and found out that he was the +mate, which bit of news caused me to look him over very carefully, and +I decided that I liked the cut of his jib. + +He had got a nice face, with a steady, kindly eye, and from what I +could see, he had a temper to match. In the short talk I had with him +he was all civility, and I congratulated myself on hitting upon a ship +with such a mate. Of course I knew enough not to be too sanguine; +many a sailor, who ashore or in port is as mild and quiet as a lamb, +directly he gets to sea, for no apparent reason, turns into a fiend +incarnate. I felt sure, however, that this man was not one of that sort. + +At noon “eight bells” were struck, and the men came up from the +after ’tween-decks, where they had been cleaning the coal out of the +stringers. + +They consisted of the fourth mate, carpenter, sailmaker, an apprentice +out of his time, and the nipper, as an apprentice on his first voyage +is called. + +The nipper, a boy of sixteen, was a picturesque figure, with a face +as black as a nigger minstrel’s, from the coal, surmounted by a red +tam o’shanter; he was full of fun, and I found out afterwards that his +father was a clergyman in Kent. + +I’ll bet he would have stared if he could have seen his son then in +grimy dungarees and jumper, as I’ve no doubt the last time he saw him +was in a brass-bound serge suit and a deep-sea cap, one mass of gold +braid, with the badge of the “Shire Line” glittering resplendent upon +it. + +The stevedores at work on the coal in the mainhold also knocked off, +and went ashore for their dinner. + +I was beginning to think the captain was going to stay below all day, +when he appeared. + +He was a keen-faced, middle-aged Scotchman, of medium height, with a +glitter of steel in his eye, and I put him down in my mind as a “hard +nut” after one look at him. + +As he came off the poop I tackled him, telling him that I wanted to +sign on before the mast. + +After scanning me curiously for a moment or two, he asked, “Can ye +climb up there?” pointing to the mizen-royal yard. + +I had never been aloft in my life, but I knew that I had got a good +head from my prospecting experiences in the mountains, where, looking +for quartz reefs, one constantly takes terrific risks, especially +rock-climbing; a very different job to climbing the Alps with a guide +who knows every bit of the ground. + +So I answered in the affirmative with great confidence. This was good +enough for him, and he gave me the address of his shipping agent, who +would sign me on, as he explained that if he signed me on himself +without the shipping agent and it was found out, the shipping agents +would turn against him, and the next time he came to Frisco he would +probably not be able to get a crew. + +Away I went, and in an hour’s time had turned into an “ordinary +seaman,” signed on for two pounds a month for a passage round the Horn, +calling at Queenstown for orders, either for the British Isles or +Continent. + +The shipping agent had got another victim with him, an Englishman, by +name Don Henderson, a man who had turned his hand to pretty nearly +everything--singing in the opera in New York, teaching swimming at +the Frisco baths (the finest in the world), mixing wine in Southern +California, gold prospecting in Arizona and Montana, lumbering in +Louisiana, farming and cow-punching from Texas to the Line--were but a +few of the things he had done. + +He had had rather a bad time of it lately, having had to give up the +wine-mixing, where he was doing very well, as he got knocked over with +a very bad bout of fever; only half recovered from the fever, he hung +on at Frisco, living by means of his wits and free lunch counters, +until it struck him that he would try and get home, and see if he could +get hold of some money which was due to him. + +He decided to go before the mast--a way not exactly new to him, as +he had come home from New York in the _Umbria_ before the mast; and +without much trouble he got an introduction to the shipping agent from +a pal, and the thing was done. + +As Englishmen in the Colonies will, Don and I immediately palled up +together, and were very pleased to find we were both going on the same +ship, as we had a good deal in common, both being English Public School +men, and both knowing how dull it is living or camping for any length +of time with men with whom you have got nothing in common. + +I once shared a canvas bunk for a fortnight with a man who had a +reputation of having killed twelve men. One would have thought that a +man like this would have been an interesting companion to yarn with, +but not a bit of it; he only had two ideas in his head, one was whisky, +and the other whittling wood. + +He was a silent man, very slow of speech, but quick enough with a +six-shooter; as harmless and quiet as a prairie dog except when he +had a skinful of “nosepaint,” on which occasions he was like a busted +volcano or a wounded grizzly, a-raging and tearing around something +sinful to see, and a scandal to a quiet neighbourhood. + +Don and I were both in pretty good spirits, and exchanged chaff with +the clerks of the Consulate. + +The ceremony of signing on was soon got through, somebody gabbled off +the “ship’s Articles” to us. I caused some amusement by giving the +“Bachelors’ Club, Piccadilly,” as my address, and Don raised a laugh by +making his mark, a huge, straggly cross, as he pretended he could not +write. + +Pocketing our month’s advance, we gave the shipping agent a drink, he +in return giving us the address of a seaman’s tailor, and telling us +also to be sure and get aboard the following noon. This we promised to +do, and then we went off together to do our shopping. + +Few landsmen know that a common sailor before the mast has to provide +all his own clothes, his soap, matches, eating utensils, blankets, and +bedding. + +Don and I were soon hard at work bargaining with as precious a robber +of the innocents as I have ever met. + +Luckily for us we were not poor, ignorant, foremast jacks, whom these +landsharks simply prey upon, but both fellows who had knocked about a +good deal. + +We soon had his prices down, and our purchases were rubber sea-boots, +blue jerseys, overalls, heavy clothing for the Horn, soap, towels, +matches, and plug tobacco. + +Then we went off to buy something to eat and drink out of. From +Klondyke experience, I bought the largest graniteware plate with the +highest rim I could get, and also a huge pannikin. + +By the time we had got everything we wanted, the sun was beginning to +go under. + +We determined to do this our last evening as gentlemen, in some style, +so we dined at the Palace, and went to the opera afterwards, finishing +up with an excellent supper. + + +_Thursday, 13th July._--We turned out fairly early, meaning to go on +board about eleven. + +Taking a last stroll before going on board, we began trying the +“nickel machines” at the cigar stores; our luck was terrific wherever +we went, every time we got two or more cigars; the way we turned up +three of a kind, straights, flushes, and full houses, made us wish that +we were sitting down to a game of poker, and by the time we were ready +to go on board, we had each got thirty cigars in our pockets. + +We hired an express cart, and, piling it with our luggage, drove down +to the ship in style. + +The crew and stevedores on the _Royalshire_ stared in amazement as our +craft, with its huge pile of kit and dunnage bags, hove in sight. + +But the mate was ready for us, and told us to get into working togs and +turn to at one o’clock. + +We packed our truck (British Columbian for “carried our baggage”) into +the port forecastle. + +One o’clock found me on the wharf in an old flannel shirt, cowboy hat, +and well-worn pair of overalls--the same had seen a lot of service +in the Klondyke and on the prairie, where I had bought them, and had +lasted twice as long as English dungarees. + +Alongside of me was a big stack of lumber in long inch and half-inch +planks, for lining the hold with. This must be done before a ship is +allowed to load grain. + +These planks I had to pass aboard through a port, which, as the tide +flowed, got higher and higher above me. + +At six o’clock our day’s work was over, and I for one was quite ready +to knock off, for the lumber was not light, and so rough that it tore +my hands to bits and filled them with splinters. + +On going to the galley for our grub, we were presented with a kid of +meat and potatoes, and had our pannikins filled with a queer-tasting +liquid which the cook, a slab-footed and extraordinary German, tried to +make us understand in broken English was tea. + +“What is this stuff?” said Don, pointing to the contents of his +pannikin. + +“Dot ist ze tea.” + +“The what?” + +“Ze tea, I dell you, for zu drinken!” + +“It’s not medicine, is it?” + +“Nein; ze tea, I dell you; ze tea, ze tea!” + +“What is tea?” asked Don, solemnly. + +“Vot is tea! you not know! vy tea is tea; ze tea for zu drinken.” + +Don ended by nearly worrying that wretched Dutchman off his head. + +“Tea, is it?” + +“Tea, zat is vat it is; ze tea for zu drinken.” + +“Do you mean to say you call that tea?” + +“For shor’ zat is tea, very fine tea.” + +“Then why on earth didn’t you say so before?” With this we retired to +the forecastle, which den we had all to ourselves, the crew having run. + +The meat we found was fresh, as, being in port, we got shore rations; +but sailors as a rule prefer the ship’s salt meat to the fresh meat +which they get in port, as this fresh meat is the cheapest that can be +bought, in fact nothing but the refuse bits from the butchers. + +But Don and I were hungry after our four hours’ work, and finished it +all up. + +After our meal we started in and got things shipshape, choosing our +bunks, into which we hove our “donkey’s breakfasts,” as sailors call +their straw mattresses, and stowing away our things. + + +_Friday, 14th July._--We were turned out by the night-watchman at 6.30, +and told that we had got to turn to at seven o’clock. + +We had not much time to lose, as we had to wash, dress, and get our +breakfast in less than half an hour. This at first sight would appear +to be a bit of a rush, but it was not, for washing consisted of a rough +sluice down with salt water, gained by lowering a bucket overboard, and +dressing was but slipping on a pair of overalls, a flannel shirt, and +foot gear. + +For breakfast, we got half a pannikin of hot liquid each, some “wet +hash,” and some “hard-tack.” + +“Wet hash” is broken-up beef and potatoes in hot water, with, perhaps, +an onion thrown in: occasionally, however, we got “dry hash,” which I +much preferred. + +Dry hash is simply minced meat and mashed potatoes, and I believe goes +by the name of “shepherd’s pie” ashore. + +As to what the hot liquor was at first, we were not quite sure. + +“I suppose it’s another brew of what the cook calls ‘ze tea,’ only a +bit lighter in colour,” said Don, sipping it. “I don’t detect much +difference in the taste; I’ve got a pretty keen palate, and but for a +slight flavouring of garlic, I’m willing to bet it’s ‘ze tea.’” + +“I’m inclined to think it’s coffee myself: it’s got a sediment of flour +which seems to remind me of the slumgullion I’ve drunk at different +times in mining camps,” I answered. + +“I think you are wrong. You don’t get me to believe that a hard nut of +a section boss like our old man is going to pay us two pounds a month, +and throw in two kinds of liquor as well, don’t you believe it; he’s +got his eye square on the almighty dollar, and he ain’t going to chuck +his dust around in no such lordly style as that.” + +“And I say it’s a full house against a pair of jacks that it’s coffee, +because why--” + +“Turn to!” said the mate, poking his nose in at the door, and out we +had to trundle. + +We were soon hard at work cleaning the Japanese coal out of the +stringers in the after-hold, down in the gloomy depths of the ship. +Each man was given a broom-end and a bit of rag or canvas, and woe +betide the unlucky one who overlooked a small piece of coal stuck in +the stringers, or who did not wipe off every speck of coal-dust, for +the lynx-eyed mate was sure to spot it. + +Here we worked all day in the semi-darkness of the hold, which was only +half lighted by the open after-hatch. + +Occasionally one of us had to shovel coal for a while, which soon finds +out the weak muscles of the back. + +We worked hard, with never a spell, for the mate was a great lover of +work, always taking a hand himself and doing more than any of us. I +found my hands very sore and blistered from handling the rough lumber +yesterday, but comforted myself with the fact that they would very soon +get hard and would be fit for anything before we sailed. + +At twelve o’clock we were knocked off work for the “dinner hour,” and +how pleased I was to come up into the sunshine again! + +I enjoyed that dinner (the midday meal is always called dinner on board +ship), and especially the smoke after it, as I have seldom enjoyed a +meal, refuse meat and irrigated potatoes though it was. Then at it we +went again until 5.30, when we were sent on deck to clear up. + +The decks were swept, and any loose gear put away in the bosun’s +locker, and as the factory whistles screeched out six o’clock, the +mate said quietly, “That’ll do.” We were free, and our day’s work was +finished. + +The first thing to do was to wash, for we were all as black as chimney +sweeps, and our eyes and ears were full of coal-dust. + +We got a couple of buckets of fresh water from the pump, which was just +aft of the mizen-mast, and soon turned ourselves from black into white +men again. + +On going to get the grub from the galley, I found that I was right +about the queer liquid we had drunk in the morning; it was coffee all +right, according to the cook. + +As soon as we had demolished our supper, Don and I dashed ashore, and +anybody who saw us seated in a couple of stalls at the opera listening +to “Carmen” would have been very much surprised if they had seen us, +black and grimy coalheavers as we were, an hour or so back. + +On our way back to the ship I bought some Alaska bread and tinned +plums, to augment our scanty fare. + +Both these I can thoroughly recommend. Alaska bread is made of ginger, +and is like sponge cake; it lasts for ever, never gets stale, and is +exceedingly cheap. Tinned plum puddings, I admit, were luxuries; they +were delicious eaten cold, and I thought they were as good as any plum +pudding I had ever eaten. + +“I calculate,” said Don to me as we turned in, “that you save quite +a lot of breath calling me Don instead of Henderson, whilst I’m all +behind the game calling you Lubbock. What was the name your godfathers +and godmothers gave you? I’m rising thirty-nine, and can’t afford to +waste my breath any longer on a jaw-breaking name like Lubbock.” + +“Jehoshaphat Nebuchadnezzar are my Christian names; if you think you +can save breath on either of them you are welcome to try,” I replied +laughing. + +“No, bar rot, you old deadbeat; if you don’t tell me, I shall call you +‘Jos,’ short for Jehoshaphat.” + +“Well, what do you think of ‘Basil’ for a fine, high-sounding, bang-up, +number one, top-side, high-born Christian name?” + +“Too good for a bally old ruffian like you. Dashed if I don’t call you +Bally, it’s short for Basil, just as Johnny is short for John.” + +And Bally I remained the whole time I was on the _Royalshire_, though +some of the crew called me “Klondyke.” + + +_Saturday, 15th July._--The mate told us, while we were at work this +morning, that the captain had given leave for Rowland, the apprentice +out of his time, the nipper, and myself to play cricket in the +afternoon for the “British Sailing Ships” against the “Californian +Cricket Club,” over at Oakland. + +This was a great bit of luck. Our old man and the mate were both very +interested in cricket, which accounted for our being allowed to go. + +How they found out that I played cricket I don’t know, as Don, who was +also a cricketer, was never asked to take part in any game, though he +would have been a valuable addition to the “British Sailing Ships’” +eleven. + +Our eleven assembled about 1.30, at the Institute, and were taken over +by the ferry to Oakland by Mr Karney, one of the two clergymen of the +Institute. + +We had a most exciting match, just beating our opponents by two runs. +Both teams were very, very scratch; the Californian Club were the best +side, and as half their men were base-ballers, their fielding was +superb. + +The wicket was on cocoanut matting and concrete, and the ball came +along plain and easy, but the out-fielding was very difficult, being +very sandy and almost rocky ground in places. + +The scoring was not very high, I managed to notch 11 and 24 in my two +innings, getting caught beautifully each time by a base-baller in the +deep field. + +After a most enjoyable game, in which we _Royalshires_ well accounted +for our fair share of runs and wickets, we crossed to Frisco again, and +sat down to a huge tea at the Institute. + +Few people know what splendid work the Institute to British Seamen is +performing all over the world, and in no place more than in Frisco, +where it has perhaps more to contend against than anywhere else. + +It is chiefly apprentices whom it benefits; and but for it, I am sure, +many and many an apprentice, but an ignorant boy fresh from his English +home, would have gone utterly to the bad in the great seaport towns of +the world. + +If an apprentice runs away from his ship, the clergymen of the +Institute search until they find him, and over and over again persuade +him to return. Even if they cannot persuade him to go to sea again, +they go to endless trouble to get him a job on shore, or arrange to +send him home. + +These institutes are like clubs, where apprentices can spend their +evenings reading, playing billiards, or with music, or even gymnastics +or boxing; and but for them the apprentices would loaf about the town, +spending their money in all kinds of sailor’s hells and dance halls, +where they would run great dangers, not only of being stripped of every +cent they possess, but even their clothes, and could count themselves +lucky if they got safe back to their ship with a whole skin; this, +without speaking of the unmentionable experiences of drink and women, +they would have in such haunts of vice. + +There is no more dangerous waterfront in the world than that of Frisco; +many a mate or apprentice has disappeared never to be seen alive again, +and often his body would be found, stripped and mutilated, floating in +the Sacramento. + +Not only is the Institute a refuge for mates and apprentices, but +sailormen of every nationality are welcome there. + +Most nights they provide you with a splendid tea for the huge sum +of five cents, and certain nights a week the tea is extra fine, and +is free. Once a week a very good concert takes place, in which both +outsiders and talented ones amongst the ships perform. + +As for the clergymen at Frisco who carry on this noble work, mere words +cannot express the admiration I feel for them. + +Their daily duties require an infinity of tact, dogged perseverance, +and courage, not to despair at some of the setbacks they get. They +have to be hardened to every kind of insult; such an incident as being +kicked off a Yankee floating hell, or having to use their fists in a +real stand-up fight, being by no means unusual in their daily work. + +They have to contend against the crimps and boarding-house masters, the +saloon and dancehall keepers, all of whom stick at nothing from bribing +and perjury to cutting throats. + +Frisco is one mass of gambling hells, dancehalls, low drinking-saloons, +and such like places, which only keep going by bribing the highest in +authority to the lowest. + +The policemen pay 500 dollars for their posts, so lucrative are they in +bribes and blood-money. + +So much for the Institute to British Seamen, and the extraordinary +good work it is doing; of course it scatters tracts a bit, but the +tract-mongers at home send them out for distribution, and there would +be a terrible row if they found out that they were not distributed. + +[Illustration: FRISCO] + +No one hates a tract maniac more than myself, with their absurdly and +often blasphemously worded literature; of course they are pretty +harmless, except that they bother and worry poor strangers with their +everlasting cant. + +I was once in a railway carriage with a tract maniac and another man. +The maniac started straight away assuring the other man that he was +bound to go straight to hell if he did not mend his ways, at the same +time pressing various coloured tracts into the man’s unwilling hands. + +At last the worm turned. + +“I guess, stranger,” he said, “these here be my passports to that there +hell that you say I am going to sure.” + +(But I am clean off the line altogether, and must make a cast back and +see if I can pick up the scent again.) + +Well, I was talking about the Institute. There is no doubt that this +tract-scattering has done the institutes a great deal of harm and +gained them a bit of a bad name in places; but this is the fault of the +spindle-legged, black-gloved tract fraternity at home, not the fault of +the hard-working, fearless, and undaunted clergymen stationed at the +different institutes. + +The Institute at Frisco, for instance, in no way thrusts religion upon +you. It did not matter whether you were a Hindoo Lascar, a Mahommedan +Arab, or a Heathen Chinee, you get the same welcome. + +On Sundays there was a Church of England service in the Institute, +which you attended or you didn’t just as you chose. + +To Messrs Karney and O’Rorke, the gallant workers in Frisco, go my +heartfelt thanks for their many and great kindnesses to me, and my very +best wishes that their great work may prosper--that work of helping and +looking after the great company of our British mercantile marine. + + +_Sunday, 16th July._--How I did enjoy our long lie in bed, my bed being +especially more comfortable than anybody else’s, for I slept in my +carriboo-skin sleeping-bag. This bag I got at a bargain. I gave a pair +of 12-lb. blankets for it to a man who was camped alongside me at Lake +Bennett, on the way into the Klondyke. The very next day I was offered +sixty dollars for it, but it was worth a great deal more than that, and +but for it I should have been in a bad way many a time. + +I have slept on ice in it, and have crawled into it on the muddy floor +of a log hut, through the leaky roof of which the rain poured down; in +the morning I found the bag in a pool of water, but inside I was quite +dry. Where would blankets, even with waterproof sheets, have been in a +case like that? + +This bag was made in Newfoundland by the Indians from the skins of a +couple of carriboo deer, sewn together with the sinews of the animal, +and Indian cured.[1] + +[1] I have since found this bag invaluable whilst at the front in South +Africa. + +In the very cold weather in the Klondyke, I used to fill it as tight as +it would pack with blankets, and, with my head covered up, slept out in +the open with the thermometer well on the wrong side of zero. + +The nipper came and turned Don and myself out at 8 A.M. to hoist the +ensign and house flag, as it was Sunday. + +Don and I spent the morning washing clothes, a regular Sunday +occupation on board ship as it is in camp. + +In the afternoon we went ashore, and taking a car went into the park +and listened to the band, which was an excellent one; and in the +evening we looked into the Olympia, a free music hall where, provided +you spent five cents on a glass of beer, you could sit comfortably and +smoke whilst a first-class variety show was performed before you. + + +_Monday, 17th July._--Cleaning the stringers all day, and getting +into fine condition. Karney came on board to-day to ask me to dine +with him, and was rather amused when he was shown a blackface, grimy +ruffian, in very dirty dungarees and a slouch hat. + +I shall never forget that dinner though: he took me to the top of the +“Call” building, where there is a very good restaurant. + +Here, added to an excellent dinner, you get a superb view over Frisco +in every direction; but I had come to eat, and eat I did, everything +in the _table-d’hôte_, and countless plates of nice white bread and +butter, neither of which I had even seen on board the _Royalshire_. + +My favourite dish on the West Coast of America is “hot cakes and maple +syrup,” not “flapjacks” made out of flour, baking powder, and water, +on which one lives in the Klondyke, but batter cakes, smoking hot, and +smothered in butter and maple syrup. + +You can get as much as you can eat of these, with a good cup of coffee +to wash them down, for ten cents at any restaurant in Frisco, and they +are very satisfying to a hungry man, filling up the corners so well! + +Every night when Don and I wander ashore after the day’s work is over, +we have a go of hot cakes, and sometimes more. + +[Illustration: MARKET STREET AND CALL BUILDING] + +Unfortunately, we are running rather short of ready cash, and so are +economising rigidly; Don’s boots have fallen off his feet in pieces, so +we had to provide him with new ones, and now all our spare cash is +to go for jam and plum puddings! + + +_Tuesday, 18th July._--Cleaning coal out of the stringers all day. +The darky steward has cleared out, and a German has appeared, who, +according to himself is a man of vast attraction and many parts, and +his wonderful stock of lies would make even Kruger or Li Hung Chang +green with envy. + + +_Wednesday, 19th July._--The after and main holds are now quite clean +after a hard day’s work. + +There is a concert every Wednesday at the Institute, and performers +from the ships are eagerly sought after. + +Don and I went to-day for the first time, and Don proved a great catch, +as he has a vast _répertoire_ of songs, comic and otherwise, and +accompanies himself. + +We found that the two favourites with sailors are “Tommy Atkins” and +“Eliza ’Awkins.” + +It was a very amusing concert, and ended with a hauling chanty, that +good old stager “Blow, Boys, Blow,” all hands tailing on to the end of +the rope, and running three fat apprentices up by means of a hook in +the ceiling and a block and tackle. + + +_Thursday, 20th July._--My only entry in my log to-day was a most +important one, namely, “We laid in a stock of jam.” This jam Don and I +meant to keep until we got to sea; but, alas, when we finally did sail, +there were only four small pots left. + + +_Friday, 21st July._--At work to-day cleaning out the bilges in the +after and main holds. This is a most filthy job; the bilges are filled +with a thick, greeny-yellow fluid, the refuse of the different cargoes, +case oil, rotten wheat, etc. We have to shovel it out with anything we +can get hold of, empty sardine tins being at a premium, and where it is +thicker and more foul than usual you have to use your hands in scooping +it out. + +Someone stands at the opening of the hatch and hauls the buckets up as +fast as they are filled, dumping the foul muck overboard into the bay, +which, if you please, supplies the city with water. + +By the time that we had been six hours at this, the water all round the +ship was covered by a mass of slimy, yellow and green decayed matter, +which smelt worse than anything I have ever smelt yet. + +The four-mast barque _Earl of Dunmore_ came into the wharf next to +us this morning, fifty-two days from Newcastle, Australia. She is +nothing like such a fine ship as the _Royalshire_; though her tonnage +is greater, her masts and spars are half the size of ours. She is a +Glasgow-built ship, like the _Royalshire_, and is overrun by a wild +crowd of Scotch apprentices. + + +_Saturday, 22nd July._--The _Marlboro’ Hill_, which has been lying in +the stream for several days trying to get a crew, has at last got one. + +This fine four-mast barque had a very bad name, and her crew ran +directly she arrived in Frisco; and the mate, having had a row with the +captain, left her also. + +Her old man has the reputation of being a very hard nut, and some +people thought he would be months without getting a crew, as men are +very scarce just now. + +Every Saturday afternoon we wash down decks fore and aft, and put +everything into spick and span order for Sunday. + +We are waiting now for our “stiffening,” as we dare not take our last +400 tons of coals out until we get a like weight of grain, as there is +no ballast to speak of, and the ship might turn turtle on the way up to +Port Costa if there happened to be a fair breeze blowing. + +All ships loading grain from Frisco have to go up the Sacramento and +load at Port Costa and Crockett, where the railway deposits the grain. + +Our cargo, it is rumoured, is to be barley, so we shall be a light +ship, and probably cranky. + +We had a merry evening at the Institute, singing and feeding, Don being +to the fore with a new lot of songs. + + +_Sunday, 23rd July._--Delicious weather, sunshine and blue sky, without +being too hot. As usual, I spent the morning washing clothes. + +I dined with O’Rorke, the boss sky-pilot at the Institute; he is an old +Etonian, and I am not certain if he was not at Eton with me. + +The first time he saw me, I was as black as a sweep, shovelling coal; +but he spotted a faded Eton Rambler ribbon on my dirty old slouch hat, +and inquiring from the captain, found out who I was. Once before, +up in the Klondyke, my faded Rambler ribbon caused me to make the +acquaintance of a fellow old Etonian. + +The new mate of the _Marlboro’ Hill_, which sails to-morrow, was also +dining with O’Rorke. He seems to have had a hard time with his new men. +He found the ship swarming with wild apprentices, who had been having +a fine time, with no one to keep them in order; and of his new crew, +hardly a man has been to sea before; most of them are farm hands, and +six of them had to be put in irons at once, including two ex-clergymen +and two ex-bartenders. + +He said they had great trouble bending sail, and took the whole of +Saturday afternoon bending the mainsail. + +With such a crew as that, a captain and his mates must use strong +measures if they hope ever to get their ship safe home; but the fault +is generally the captain’s if he cannot get sailors to ship, and has to +pay blood-money to the boarding-house keepers to “shanghai” farm hands +and dead-beats aboard. + +But this is a big subject, and few people know that this sort of thing +still goes on in big ports like Frisco, New York, and Philadelphia. + +Very different to that of the _Marlboro’ Hill_ was the case of the +_Benares_, another Scotch four-mast barque, a magnificent ship with +several record passages to her credit. + +She left about a week ago with every man on board a Britisher, and the +same crew that she had left England with. + +This, of course, was a great feather in her captain’s hat, for most +crews run at Frisco, as A.B. wages are four pounds a month out of +Frisco, as compared with two pounds ten out of British ports. + +It is nothing unusual, either, for a ship to sail with several of her +crew in irons. The _Royalshire_ sailed from Philadelphia this very +voyage with half her men in irons. + +The second mate told me of a ship sailing out of Philadelphia, whose +crew were shipped on board drunk, and were chucked into the sail-locker +and shut in there by her two mates, who were both very strong men. +After keeping them there for twenty-four hours, the two mates went in +amongst them with belaying pins and laid about the poor devils with +such effect, that the sails they were lying upon were soon covered with +blood, and two of the victims succumbed to their injuries. + +There are quantities of stories of this kind, but nearly always on +Yankee ships; for on board a British ship a sailor can get justice in +port, and a captain or mate knows he will get heavy punishment for +brutality. + +A British ship came in here yesterday from Cape Town, where her mate +had been hanged for killing a man during the passage there. + +One of the biggest bits of brutality I have heard of, was the case of +an apprentice on a ship outward bound round the Horn. + +This poor little chap was shut in the hencoop with the hens for the +whole passage of one hundred and fifty days, and was never allowed to +come out, even to wash himself. When the ship arrived in Frisco, the +boy was in a truly pitiable condition; but I am glad to say that the +captain and mates got it very hot, as the case was taken into court. + +There is even a still more terrible case of a boy who was lashed to the +mizen fife-rail all through the bitter passage round the Horn. It was a +wonder that he did not die of exposure; for to be wet and half-drowned +in that awful weather, day after day, night after night, unable to +lie down to rest, unable to sit or even stand on account of the seas +continually washing his feet from under him, this terrible experience +many a strong man would not have survived. + +It was a wonder that the boy kept his senses, but he lived through it +all, only to die before getting into port, from neglected cold and +pneumonia contracted whilst lashed up thus off the Horn. + +If ever a boy was murdered it was that boy. On some of the Yankee hell +ships the things that go on are almost incredible, and the captains +have to be skilled surgeons to cope with the work of destruction +wrought by their mates. + +Legs and arms broken were considered nothing, ribs stamped in by heavy +sea-boots had to mend as best they could, faces smashed like rotten +apples by iron belaying pins had to get well or fear worse treatment, +eyes closed up by a brawny mate’s fist had to see. There have been many +instances of men triced up in the rigging, stripped, and then literally +skinned alive with deck-scrapers. + +Thus the reputation of American ships has got so bad that none but a +real tough citizen, or a stolid, long-suffering Dutchman (as sailors +call all Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, or Russian Finns), will ship in +them. + +On board these “down-easters” and “blue-nose” craft, where discipline +is enforced by a plentiful use of belaying-pin, knuckle-duster, and +boot, the work done is stupendous, and the ship is certainly kept in a +wonderfully trim state. + +Of course there is also a certain amount to be said on the side of +the captains and mates, as nowadays some crews are composed of such +villainous scoundrels, that unless you take a high hand with them, and +show you are not to be trifled with, they would soon take advantage of +what they would call a “softy,” and a reign of terror would begin, any +sort of discipline would be impossible, the men would do just as much +work as they felt inclined for, and they would openly sneer and scoff +at you if ordered to do anything they did not wish. + + +_Monday, 24th July._--Thank goodness, we have finished with the hold +for the present, and to-day we are all over the side on stages, +chipping the rust off the plates preparatory to giving the ship a coat +of paint. + +This is a very pleasant change, and it is quite delicious working in +the open air and sunshine after the gloom of the stuffy hold. But now, +instead of getting our eyes filled with coal-dust, they get bombarded +by bits of rusty iron. + +Chips wears goggles for protection; and I tried to find my snow +goggles, but not being able to, had to do without. + +Chipping is not nearly so simple as it looks. To begin with, the +hammers are by no means light, and I found that at the end of my first +day’s chipping, my wrist was very stiff. + +If you hit too hard, you make dents in the iron; if you hit too soft, +you get nothing done. + +Don and I, though we worked like furies, found that we could not keep +up with the others, who did not seem to be working hard at all. + +We started chipping from the port bow, and as soon as a plate was +chipped and rubbed smooth, it was immediately painted. + +We were a very cheerful party. Don and I started singing choruses +at the top of our pipes in time to the chipping. The mate, who was +prowling about the deck, came to the side and watched us in amazement, +but said nothing. + +The second mate, who is a real white man, does not mind, though his +language is often forcible. Rowland, who had been degraded from his +post of night watchman because he was ashore till two o’clock one +night, joined in with a will, and Mac, the fourth mate, was also +induced to tune up when he saw that nothing happened. + +Chip! chip! chip! And it’s Blow, my bully boys, blow! As we were not +under the eyes of the mate the whole time, we slipped in an occasional +smoke, and, in fact, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. + +This evening Don and I went to see _Heartsease_ played at the Columbia +Theatre. The piece was well put on, and well acted. To my great +surprise, the pathetic bits moved Don to tears, and he insists that he +must go again; it is wonderful what delight a piece gives some people +if it is tragic enough to make them cry. + + +_Tuesday, 25th July._--Still chipping and painting all day. My hands, +which were very sore, are now quite healed and hardened up, and I am as +fit as a fiddle, and ready for anything. + +Don went off this evening, with Rowland in tow, to see _Heartsease_ +again. + + +_Wednesday, 26th July._--Again chipping and painting. + +We are waiting anxiously for our stiffening, which may turn up at any +minute, as we have to go over to Oakland Creek to discharge the rest of +our coal. + +Don and I, on coming on board this evening from the shore, found +Johnsen, the sailmaker, camped down in our forecastle, and trying to +get to sleep in the bunk next to Don’s. + +This man is a very queer character: he is very silent, and rarely says +a word, though he speaks English very well: he is a Swede, and an +excellent sailor, but a more unpopular scoundrel never sailed the seas. +He has got a villainous face, with queerish eyes; and, owing probably +to two severe falls from aloft, he is not all there. He is exceedingly +suspicious, and thinks everybody is trying to do him a bad turn. + +As he is such a good sailor, the old man, on losing his sailmaker, +offered him the job, which he accepted, and moved into the +midship-house, where Chips (who is a Russian Finn) and our German cook +live. + +But now, for some reason or other, he has refused to go home as +sailmaker, and has come back into the forecastle, meaning to come home +as an A.B. + +Such is our queer, new mate in the forecastle. I must say he does not +interfere with Don and myself in any way, even getting his own grub +from the galley, which an A.B. expects an O.S. to do for him. + + +_Thursday, 27th July._--Oh, joyful sight! On turning out this morning, +we found four lighters alongside with our 400 tons of stiffening on +board. + +Before knocking off this evening, we cockbilled the lower yards, as +we are going to be towed over to Oakland Creek to-morrow morning to +discharge the rest of our coal, and the yards have to be cockbilled, +apparently to clear the top of the coal sheds. + +As this is our last day in Frisco for some time, I took the second +mate, Don, and Rowland, to dinner at the top of the “Call,” and +afterwards to see _Heartsease_ again. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +OAKLAND CREEK AND PORT COSTA + + +_Friday, 28th July._--We were turned out at 3.30, and started unmooring +ship in the dark; no light work, shorthanded as we are. The tug was +soon fast alongside, however, and away we went for Oakland Creek. + +The early rising had a bad effect on the captain’s temper. He started +letting it off in loud tones to the pilot about what a ---- fool of a +mate he had got. This was on account of the yards not being cockbilled +quite high enough. + +This was said so that the whole ship’s crew and tugboat could hear. +The mate happened to be forward superintending the cockbilling of the +fore-yard a bit higher. + +“I’m d--d if I’d stand that,” shouts the second mate at the top of his +voice to the mate, in plain hearing of the old man; nor did he. + +Aft came the mate, not stopping until he was within talking distance, +but shouting at the old man as he came along, and letting him have it +hot and thick. The old man roared back, and for a minute or so they +went at it in rare style, much to the delight of the rest of us. + +“I won’t stand it, Captain Bailey; I’m d--d if I will, and so I tell +ye.” + +“Didn’t I tell ye to cockbill the yards last night, d--n it? but I +can’t trust ye, I can’t trust ye: what good are ye, what use are ye?” + +“I know my duty, Captain Bailey, and I do it;” and the mate had his +say. At last the mate went forward again to his cockbilling, and then +the old man thundered out to the second mate, who was under the break +of the poop, + +“Mr Knowles, come up here!” and then another furious row began. These +two had been at loggerheads most of the voyage, both had tempers of the +hottest description; the second mate was afraid of no man, and what’s +more, did not care what he said, and he used to make the old man almost +foam at the mouth, by laughing when he was cursing him. + +On the passage from Japan, the old man had shut him up in his cabin for +a week--this, by the way, is a not uncommon punishment for young second +mates. + +Well, at it they went, and I heard every word, as, unknown to the +old man, I happened to be doing something on the other side of the +wheel-house. + +“You are the worst b--dy second mate I ever had!” thundered the old man. + +The second mate laughed.--He had a laugh when his temper was up which +would have made an angel grind his teeth. + +“D--d mutinous dog.” + +This burst the torrent of the second mate’s language, and the air was +sulphurous for a bit. + +“I’ll put you in irons! I’ll put you in irons!” yelled the old man, +shaking his fist in the other’s face. + +“Two of you could not do it; I defy you! d’you hear, I defy you!” and +the second mate glowered over the old man, with clenched fists and +quivering nostrils. + +At last they talked themselves out, and the second mate left the poop. + +Turning round, the old man found Rowland and myself coiling down a +line behind the chart-house. Rowland was just out of his time, and had +served the whole of it under Captain Bailey in the _Royalshire_, and so +knew him pretty well by this time. + +“Ever cockbilled yards before?” growled the old man sarcastically to +Rowland. + +“Yes, sir, in mid-Atlantic this voyage,” said Rowland, referring to the +cyclone the _Royalshire_ was caught in, in the Western Ocean on her +way to Philadelphia from Hamburg, in which both her fore and crossjack +port lifts carried away, and the yards were cockbilled as they had +never been before. They had a narrow squeak of it; all three topsails +and the foretopmast staysail were blown out of the bolt-ropes, and for +some seconds the ship was on her beam ends. + +But to return, whilst the skipper raved on the poop, we were being +towed over to Oakland Creek, and the dawn was not yet. + +Presently there was another row, for Mac was overheard by the old man +as he cursed him in the foulest language under the break of the poop. + +Up Mac had to go on to the poop, and stand up against the old man’s +wrath. + +He and Scar the third mate, who is now acting as night watchman, are +both very down on the old man, because he won’t let them go home _via_ +New York. + +Like Rowland, they are both just out of their time; the old man has +made them third and fourth mates, but they want him to pay their +passage home by New York, as they do not want to waste the time by +going home in the ship. Rowland hopes to go home by New York, as his +people are going to send the money out. + +On arriving in Oakland Creek, we found a wretched three-masted schooner +in our berth, so we had to moor ship a hundred yards off the sheds. + +How sick we did get of mooring ship and unmooring ship. Our whole +ship’s company at present is only nine for working purposes: the four +mates, Rowland, Chips, Johnsen, Don, myself, and the nipper, who is +only sixteen. Mooring a big ship like the _Royalshire_ is pretty heavy +work for eight men and a boy. + +Talk about “sea serpents,” I know what they are now--“wire +mooring-lines.” + +These devils incarnate will go any way but the way you want them to go: +as a rule they prefer lying in a tangled knotted heap on the deck. If +you try to coil them down neatly, they spring into action at once; one +bight trips you up, whilst another knocks you over the head and lays +you flat on the deck; a third giving you a gentle rap across the wrist, +which nearly breaks it. + +Then if they have been in the water, they have probably found bottom +somehow, and come out covered with slimy mud, which they immediately +wipe off on you. + +They jam in the hawse pipes, they serge, and in fact play the devil +in every way they can think of. The consequence is, that mooring +the _Royalshire_ is usually done by eight blaspheming, perspiring +ruffians, muddy and bruised, and soaking wet. + +For some reason or other, we always had to moor or unmoor ship in the +early morning, or late at night in pitch darkness, which certainly did +not improve matters. + +Well, by eight bells, 8 A.M., we had got the _Royalshire_ snugly +moored; but no sooner had we cleaned ourselves and gulped down our +slumgullion than we were turned to to warp the ship further up the +wharf, as another ship wanted to come in where we were lying. + +This meant slacking away our stern lines, and taking our head lines to +the capstan. + +Four hands were all we could spare on the capstan to move the 2000-ton +ship, with 600 tons of coal and the stiffening, about fifty yards +against the stream. + +We did it somehow; how long we took I don’t know, but I shan’t forget +those hours at the windlass, fighting for every inch. + +The second mate, Don, Johnsen, and myself were on the bars. + +“Heave and she must, heave and she will!” sung the mate; but devil a +bit of it. + +As soon as we had got her moored again, we were turned out to cleaning +out the stringers in the fore-hold. + +Just across the creek lies an old-time South Sea whaler, and from the +look of her lines she must be at least fifty years old. + +She had a regular old-fashioned stern, with great windows surrounded by +ornamentation gilt work. Her boats, to the number of four, were slung +out on wooden davits; her jibboom had a great hoist to it, and was very +lengthy compared to the iron spars which form the bowsprits of modern +sailing-ships. Her decks were flush fore and aft; there was the usual +brick-built “tryworks” amidships, and a small galley forward. She had +long topmasts and stump topgallant masts, and her topgallant yards were +on deck. + +I was very much interested in her--a last survivor of an almost +vanished type of ship, whose business in the Great South Seas was at +one time a source of great wealth to “down-east” owners. + +In the days of their prime, these South Sea whalers constantly came +into port after a three year’s voyage with a fortune in their hold. + +The record whaling cruise, I believe, was that of the New Bedford South +Seaman _Onward_, which, after forty-one months at sea, stocked 275,000 +dollars. But, like many other good old sea trades, the day has passed; +whales have been thinned out and killed off, and it no longer pays, and +a South Sea whaler is now a very great rarity. + + +_Saturday, 29th July._--Early this morning we were again turned out of +our berth, and had to move farther up. + +Johnsen is getting quite talkative in the forecastle, and yarned away +last night for some time to Don and myself. + +He has tried to educate himself a bit, and thinks he knows a good deal +about languages. He told us some very queer and bloodthirsty yarns +about his sprees in New York and other parts of the world. + +They generally had some deep joke in them, which he would chuckle over +for hours, but Don and I always seemed to miss the point. + +He has got a sea-chest which he bought in China, and which he is very +proud of. Somebody on the last passage broke the lock and stole the +lid, so now he is very much on the alert lest Don or I should try and +repeat the performance. + +He has bought some wood, and spends most of his spare time trying to +make a new lid. It is bothering him a good deal, and we found him +cursing like fury two days ago, as, after all his trouble, he found +he had made his lid a bit too small, so now he is hard at work making +another one. + +Don and I often go and sit in the half-deck of an evening now, and yarn +away with the nipper, Rowland, and Mac. + +This half-deck, as it is called, is a kind of deck cabin under the +break of the poop. + +It is the abode of the apprentices, and, though none too large, has +seven bunks in it. + +It is pretty well blocked up now with the curios they all bought in +Japan. Each man bought a tea-set, besides sword-sticks, fishing-rods, +vases, Chinese puzzles, and other curios. The nipper also has got a +canary, which he hopes to get safely to England. + +The occupants of the half-deck at present are Scar, MacDenny, Rowland, +and the nipper. There was another apprentice, who is at present in +hospital in Frisco. + +He fell from aloft one dirty night whilst making the spanker fast, and +landed face down on a skylight. It was a wonder he was not killed; his +jaw was broken, his face cut to ribbons, and his skull nearly cracked, +but he is slowly recovering. + +The others all swear by him. He appears to have been a very fine +sailorman, strong as a bull, good-tempered, and fearless. + + +_Sunday, 30th July._--Turned to at 5.30 A.M., and warped ship down to +the coal bunkers, the schooner having departed. Finished mooring ship +at 8.30. + +After breakfast, Rowland and I went off to play cricket for the +California Cricket Club against the Pacific C.C. in a cup match, both +of us having been made honorary members. + +Neither of us helped them much, and we got badly beaten. After the +match Don, Rowland, and I went and had a swim in the magnificent baths +they have here. + +Don holds several swimming records both in California and in England, +having taught swimming in the famous Frisco baths, the finest in +the world. He has a lot of diving tricks, and is really a beautiful +performer. + +After our swim we wanted our usual go of hot cakes, but though we +searched Oakland high and low, we could not get them. Apparently in +Oakland they only eat them for breakfast. + + +_Monday, 31st July._--I had the dirtiest day’s work I have ever had +to-day. Directly we had got the stringers clean as the last of our coal +was taken out, we were turned to cleaning bilges again. These bilges +forward were far worse than those aft; the smell was worse than any +smell I have ever smelt, and you could not help getting covered with +the awful stuff as you shovelled it into the buckets with your hands. +Once a full bucket, when half hauled up, fell, and scattered the muck +all over us, and I can tell you it made some of us feel queer. When we +had the bilges clean, we plastered them, and this filthy job lasted +until knock-off time. + +They tell me that when the ship gets home she will have her bilges full +again and the grain will have grown over a foot high in them. + +[Illustration: FRISCO SWIMMING BATHS] + + +_Tuesday, 1st August._--Turned to at 3.30 A.M.; unmoored and towed off +to Port Costa, or to be exact, Crockett, which is about a mile nearer +than Port Costa. + +Chips and his mate from the shore have got all the after and main hold +lined with planks ready for loading grain, and are busy now on the +fore-hold, and all the lumber that I sent on board from the wharf in +Frisco is fast being used up. + +We are busy on a much cleaner job to-day, that of nailing down old +sails and canvas over the lining in the hold, according to regulations. + +Many were the growls when, on arriving at Crockett, we found our berth +again occupied, and we have got to wait until the other ship has +finished loading. + +The captain has allowed Don and myself to come aft into the half-deck, +a rare piece of luck; so we brought all our truck aft this evening, and +took possession of two empty lower bunks. + +Our first night in the half-deck was not a nice one, as it was very hot +and close, and the mosquitoes were awful, biting like fury; they were +half the size of Klondyke mosquitoes, but twice as vicious. + +Too hot to sleep in my bag any longer, so have turned it inside out to +lie upon. + + +_Wednesday, 2nd August._--We finished chipping this morning, and all +hands are over the side on stages, busy painting. I always thought +“slap, dab, dash” painting of this sort was easy enough, but I soon +found out my mistake. + +A modern sailorman has to be an expert with the paint-pot, and the +mates of course have to understand how to mix the different paints. + +It is wonderful how much paint a smart ship consumes in a voyage. + +Well, I started work painting our beautiful figure-head white, and +thought I was doing very well; but when I had finished it, Chips had to +come along and do it all again. After this the old man was constantly +pointing out bits of bad painting as he came along the wharf, and they +generally turned out to be my doing. + +Don had been in the “slap-dab” trade before, and rather fancied +himself, and the only person on board who attempted to rival me in bad +painting was the nipper. + +Painting is reckoned one of the nicest jobs on board ship, and most +sailors are extremely neat, quick painters. I was all right at little +tricky jobs, but when it came to putting the paint smoothly on a big +plate, I was done. + +This evening we walked down the line to Port Costa, where there is a +small branch of the Institute. Here we met a number of apprentices off +the other ships loading, marvellous specimens some of them. + +A very kind old lady ran the branch, and after an evening spent in +song, gave us a very good tea--the great attraction, of course, and one +that was well earned, as the Institute was at the top of a hill, with +a regular breakneck climb up to it, and a nice time we had coming down +it one or two pitch-dark nights. Walking back to the ship along the +railway track was not a very pleasant job on a pitch-dark night, with +trains coming along every few minutes, and grain-trucks being shunted +about. + +The second mate of one of the ships had an adventure which provided us +with laughter for some time. As a whole lot of us were sitting yarning +in the half-deck, he came staggering in, evidently full of nose-paint, +and with his trousers pulled up above his knees. + +“My God, boys, I can run, an’ so I tell ye. I’ll run any man for +fthifthy poundths.” + +“Why, what the devil have you been doing now?” + +“I’ve just--ah, let me see, I forgeth--oh yeth, I’veth justh beaten +the bloomen thrain; that’th so’th, boys. I was down sitting on th’ +thrack over ath Port Costa, when I sees a thrain a comin’ righth on top +o’ me; well, boyths, will ye believ’ thi’t, but I justh pulled up ma’ +throuthers like this, see,--d’ye see, ye with the uglith mug,--are you +lookin’, you, eh? ugly?” + +“Aye, mate, I’m lookin’.” + +“Do ye want’th to fighth; if tho, I’m ye man, d’ye hear, ugly? I can +fighth the blasted world, I can.” He was beginning to get bellicose, +and was right off his subject, leering round and shaking his fist at us +all as we roared with laughter. + +“What about the train, mate; did it catch ye?” asked somebody. + +“Did it catch’th me? ye say; did it catch’th me? I should smile. Why, +I giv’th a whoop, an’ away I goes for Crocketh quicker ’an flyin; an’ +here I am--the blasted thrain ain’t got here yet. Run! I can run!” and +he pulled his trousers up higher, and put himself into position to +run a hundred yards. We spent a hilarious night, heedless of heat and +mosquitoes, on the top of this yarn, and finally had to put the crack +runner to bed. + +We never found out the truth of this yarn. I expect really he ran from +a stationary lot of cars, thinking they were a train after him, or +else some carriages being shunted started him off. + + +_Thursday, 3rd August._--The other ship finished loading yesterday, +and went off; so early this morning we warped down into position, and +started loading barley. + +How those stevedores did work!--the heavy bags of grain being simply +poured down the shoots into the hold, where they were immediately +shouldered by great burly half-naked men, who packed them as tight as +possible in tiers and rows. + +I now had a new job. Chips and I crawled about over the bags as they +were stowed, with our knives “bleeding” them, that is to say we ripped +them open, and poured grain into all the chinks and crevices. + +The stevedores were as rough a crew of men as I had seen anywhere, +and their chaff amongst one another was of the wildest and coarsest +description, and several times small fights arose and even knives were +drawn, but with no dangerous results. + +One man hove some grain in another’s face by way of a joke, but the +other did not see it, as, growling out that he wasn’t going to be +blinded, he hurled his knife across the ’tween-decks at the other; it +missed the man by a hairbreadth, and stuck, quivering, into a bag of +grain by his side. + + +_Friday, 4th August._--The mosquitoes were very hungry all night, and +made a great repast. + +Last night the captain had a party on board, the result of which was +that the new steward got “whole seas over,” and kicked up such a row in +the half-deck that the old man wanted to know about it in the morning; +and as he could not find out the truth of the matter, put it down on +Don, whom he regards as a real wrong ’un. + +After work to-day, all hands from the mate down, except the Dutchmen, +went overboard for a swim; but it was dangerous work, as the tide and +current of the Sacramento are very tricky and strong, and full of +eddies. + +Chips brought out a little 30.30 Winchester carbine, and we had some +shooting at bottles. + +I had one of these guns up in the Klondyke, and was delighted with it. +I can’t say much for sailors as shots, but Scar was the worst of the +lot, and could not go within a hundred yards of the target, besides +letting the gun off by mistake, and scaring us out of our lives. + + +_Saturday, 5th August._--The old man gave Rowland, the nipper, and +myself, leave to go and play cricket in Frisco for the “British Sailing +Ships” against the Australian boat R.M.S. _Moana_. + +We played up in the park on a grass wicket, and for a wonder it was a +very cold, damp day. I only got 12, and was rather annoyed getting out, +as the old man, who is a keen cricketer, was looking on. + +Rowland and the nipper, however, distinguished themselves, getting 28 +and 18 respectively, and we of the _Royalshire_ contingent beat the +_Moana_ off our own bat, besides getting most of the wickets, so we did +not do so badly. + + +_Sunday, 6th August._--Karney of the Institute very kindly put the +nipper and myself up for the night, as we had not got to get back to +the _Royalshire_ until Sunday night, so as to be in time to begin work +on the following morning. + +What a luxury sleeping between sheets seemed. I did not go to sleep +at first, because I felt so comfortable, and wanted to prolong the +enjoyment, and revel in it as long as I could. + +A member of the Olympic Club took us there in the morning, and we had a +fine swim, followed by a big lunch, at which I ate a whole porterhouse +steak, much to the amazement of our host. We caught the seven o’clock +train back to Crockett. + + +_Monday, 7th August._--Still at work bleeding grain bags, whilst the +others are painting the ship. + +Amongst the ships loading-up here is the _Queen Margaret_, a +skysail-yard four-mast barque, with a great reputation for speed and +good treatment. She is a very fast sailer, and is expected to get home +first out of the whole fleet. Her apprentices actually get eggs and +bacon for breakfast in port: who ever heard of such a luxury? + +Close to her is the _Almora_, a three-mast barque, with a greater +carrying capacity than the _Royalshire_, but so slow that she will +be very lucky if she gets home in one hundred and fifty days. She is +such a hungry ship, that even in the cabin they do not get butter or +marmalade. + + +_Tuesday, 8th August._--Don and I went aloft for the first time to-day, +as we have started bending sail. + +The first sail to be bent was the fore-royal, and so there was no +chance of approaching matters by degrees. We neither of us found any +difficulty, however, except that perhaps at first we were a bit more +careful, and kept a good hold. + +On the royal-yard I found that I was much too long in the leg for the +foot-ropes, so that my knees came above the yard, and I was in danger +of losing my balance and toppling over if I stood up, and if I sat +down on the foot-rope I was too low down, so I had to do a kind of +kneel to be able to work in any comfort. + +We soon found that bending sail shorthanded, with a strong wind in +your teeth, was terrific hard work, and most trying to the temper, +especially when you are new to the job. + +For those who may not know how a square-sail is bent, I may perhaps be +permitted to give a short explanation:-- + +First you have to hoist the sail up by means of a block and gantline +until the bunt, which is made fast to the end of the gantline, is well +above the yard--(always send up a sail to windward). Then the sail is +spread along the yard, head up, and the head-earings passed by the men +at each yardarm. Then the buntlines and leech-lines, which are used to +clew up the sail, are clinched. Then you tie the head of the sail to +the jackstay, which is an iron bar running along the top of the yard. +This is done with rovings, lengths of rope yarn, three or more being +passed according to whether the sail is a royal, topgallant, topsail, +or course; the sheet and the clew-line being shackled on to the clew by +the men at the yardarms. The sail is then picked up and furled by means +of the gaskets, short ropes made fast to the jackstay, and wound round +and round the sail and yard to hold the sail up when furled. + +All this is no easy business for two men on each yardarm and one at the +bunt, with the sail dragging and blowing aback and trying to knock you +off the foot-ropes, and half a gale of wind in your face. + +The old rule on a yard is, “one hand for yourself and one for the +ship,” which means, hold on with one hand and work with the other. +But if you want to get the work done in a case like this, when so +shorthanded or in real bad weather, I defy anyone to do much good with +only one hand; you soon find yourself using both, extremely dangerous +as it is, for the sail has a way of flying up over the yard and hitting +you in the face, which, if you have not got fast hold of the backstay, +must send you over backwards. + +All day we worked like furies, sweating and cursing. The language used +up aloft was a revelation to me; never had I heard such thundery and +hair-curling expressions before, not even in an American mining camp. + +The language of the mates verged from the forcible to the personal, +from the picturesque to the lurid; and finally their inventive minds +gave way before the strain of coining new words, and their voices, +grown husky and broken, gradually lapsed into hoarse murmurings and +whispered commands to “hoist away,” or “tie up the sail,” as the case +might be. + +There was a kind of fierce enjoyment of it all as we sweated and +toiled, struggling desperately, and putting every ounce of strength +into the pulling and hauling, such as a man feels in the midst of a +hard-fought battle--an exultation that lifted one out of oneself, and +enabled one’s muscles to accomplish prodigies of strength without +feeling the tremendous fatigue and strain. + +Occasionally a laugh would be raised at some unfortunate’s expense, and +chaff flew thick from yardarm to yardarm. + +By the end of the day we had bent the fore-royal, two topgallant-sails, +and two topsails, and were all well pleased with ourselves, as it was +no mean performance with half a gale of wind in our teeth. + +The second mate was as active as a cat aloft, and did the work of six +men. As for myself, after the first hour or so I felt completely at +home, and as if I had been used to swinging on a foot-rope 200 feet +above the deck all my life. + + +_Wednesday, 9th August._--No mosquitoes could keep me awake last night, +I was so tired. + +We bent the main-royal, topgallant sails, and topsails to-day, +and did even better work than yesterday; things worked smoother, +notwithstanding that the wind was blowing as hard as ever. + +My hands, by the way, are now as hard as leather, and all this pulling +and hauling has got me into splendid condition. + +Don, though, is fifteen years older than I am, and is feeling the hard +work rather, especially in his back, and is fairly worn out at the end +of every day’s work. + +We are bending our best sails; these will all have to come down after +we have been a few days at sea. We shall bend our old sails for the +tropics, and then bend these again for the Horn. + +Many landsmen think that one bends one’s old sails for the bad weather, +and one’s best sails for the tropics. But just the opposite is the case. + +The old, patched sails that are used in the tropics would fetch away +like tissue paper in a hard blow; and in the furious southern blasts +and the terrific gales of the Western Ocean, only the very best and +strongest canvas is able to withstand the strain. + + +_Thursday, 10th August._--Bent mizen-royal, topgallant sails, topsails, +and foresail. This last was a very heavy job for our small ship’s +company. + + +_Friday, 11th August._--We finished bending sail to-day with the jibs, +staysails, spanker and gaff-topsail. + +After work, we were glad to plunge into the Sacramento and have a good +swim, Don giving us an exhibition of trick diving. + +We had several visitors in the half-deck this evening, and a great +sing-song took place, everybody being required to tune up his pipes and +sing a song in turn. + + +_Saturday, 12th August._--We had a great treat to-day: the second mate, +Mac, Rowland, Don, and myself went off in the lifeboat to get sand, +taking a dozen empty grain bags to be filled. + +Don and I took a pot of jam and some hard tack, as we started before +breakfast; but the second mate had the remains of a cold leg of mutton, +and some real bread-and-butter sandwiches. + +We rowed about two miles up-stream before we found a suitable sandy bay. + +The sand we wanted was good, fine sand, as it was to be used for that +most important business on board ship known as “sand and canvasing,” +which is “rubbing the woodwork clean by means of wet sand and pieces of +canvas.” + +We soon had our bags full, and then began the picnic. How we did enjoy +that breakfast on the beach!--we even lit a camp fire, though we had +nothing to cook on it. + +Rowing back was very heavy work against the tide, and the sand bags +put the boat very low in the water, added to which, by the time we got +alongside she was quite half-full of water. As she had not been in the +water for some time, her seams were open, and she leaked so badly that +we had to keep a baler going the whole time. + +After washing down, I was lucky enough to catch the five o’clock train +for Frisco. + + +_Sunday, 13th August._--I played in a cup match for the California C.C. +against the Alameda C.C. + +We had a very exciting match, and just won by a wicket and 6 runs. + +I got 34--top score. + +I had supper at the Institute, and caught the seven o’clock train back +to Port Costa. + +We were greeted by bad news on board the _Royalshire_. The nipper had +been bathing with some apprentices off another ship. + +He and two of the others could swim, but the third couldn’t, so he hung +around the shore, until all at once he floundered into a hole. The +nipper was the only one near him, and immediately dived for him; the +drowning boy caught hold of him as he reached him, and held him under +the water in a deadly embrace. The other two came up as quick as they +could, and after several dives, managed to fish the nipper, insensible, +up to the surface, but the other boy could not be found. + +When I arrived on the _Royalshire_, I was told that the nipper was +still insensible, having been taken on board another ship, and that the +other poor little fellow’s body had not been recovered. + + +_Monday, 14th August._--We have finished bending sail for the present, +and are busy painting. + +The nipper was brought on board this morning, very little the worse; +but the other body has not been found yet. Poor little fellow, he seems +to have been such a nice little chap, and it was his first voyage. + + +_Friday, 18th August._--Finished loading. The captain is anxious about +the trim of the ship, but, except for a slight list to port, we seem to +be all right. + +About mid-day the tug came alongside. We cast off our lines, and slowly +swung into the stream, and away we went again for the great Bay of +Frisco; but this time in sea trim, and loaded nicely down to our marks. + +We brought up, and let our anchor go in the bay about six o’clock. + +Around us lay several magnificent ships--two four-mast barques, a +three-mast barque, and two or three full-rigged ships. + +One of the full-rigged ships was a real beauty, a skysail-yard clipper: +she had her masts, yards, and blocks painted white, which gave her a +very neat and trim appearance aloft. + +Soon after we brought up, a scow came off with some stores, chief +amongst which was some very fine, new, hard tack, which actually was +smoking hot when it came on board. + +There were some cabin stores, and some ships’ coffee, which Don +declares is not coffee at all, and I incline to the belief that it is +coloured wood. + + +_Saturday, 19th August._--The second mate, Henderson, Johnsen, the +nipper, and myself, swung the captain’s gig out this morning, and rowed +him and Rowland ashore. + +Rowland had got paid off, and said good-bye to us, as he is going home +overland. + +To-day was our first day’s sand and canvasing. + +This is the kind of work which you get most of on a sailing-ship, and +at the same time is the most disagreeable, especially in bad, cold, and +wet weather. + +This afternoon more stores came on board. + + +_Sunday, 20th August._--We have no chance of getting ashore, and +occupied ourselves turning out and cleaning up the half-deck. + + +_Monday, 21st August._--To-day we bent the mainsail and crossjack in +record time for six men. + + +_Tuesday, 22nd August._--Our crew began coming aboard to-day. The first +man came alongside about eleven o’clock this morning. + +We were at work shifting the bags of barley from the starboard to port, +in the fore ’tween-decks. + +The man was soon “turned to” carrying the bags. + +He was a very small, greyheaded dago, called Yoko, and looked very ill +and done up, and it was as much as he could do to lift a grain bag; +still he stuck to it, and we were soon chaffing and talking with him. + +He was a Peruvian, and thought we were bound for Callao; but when he +heard the news that we were bound for Europe, it did not seem to bother +him much. + +He afterwards turned out to be a good sailorman, though too old and +weak; but he knew his work, and was one of the best men in the port +watch. + +He had not been working long before he was followed by another dago, +who turned out to be a Brazilian. He was a stronger and younger man, +but not much of a sailor, and one of the most cheerful men I have run +across; everything made him laugh, and when he was not laughing, he was +singing. + +We had just knocked off for dinner, when two others came aboard: +they were only rated as O.S., and had never been to sea before, both +being American hobos. The biggest was a strong boy just nineteen, +who afterwards took to the life, and learnt everything he could very +keenly. The other, who was a year younger, and was a small, weak Canuk, +was the drudge of the ship; he boasted that he had never done a day’s +work in his life, in fact he was a regular good-for-nothing hobo; but +he soon found out that he had to work, and all the dirty work in the +port watch fell to his portion. + +These two, when told to turn to at two bells, came aft to work in +stiff collars and boiled shirts, which showed that they had not much +experience of hard work. + +In the afternoon, boats kept coming off at intervals from the shore, +each boat depositing a half-drunk and very decrepit-looking man, who +did not at all like paying a dollar for his boat. As yet no Britishers +had arrived, though we had scooped in an Arab, a Swiss, a Norwegian, +and a Swede. + + +_Wednesday, 23rd August._--Our new steward came on board too drunk to +work, so I have been appointed steward for the time being. + +This is a slice of luck, as I feed with the second mate in the cabin, +and finish up whatever the captain and mate leave. + +The captain had someone to supper with him to-night, and was very much +amused at perceiving me playing the waiter. + +I had been very careful in laying the table, determined not to forget +anything; but, nevertheless, I forgot the napkins. + +The captain, noticing this, said smiling, “H’m, I think you have +forgotten the serviteers.” + +He was a self-educated man, and though very well read, was by no means +certain in the pronunciation of his long words. + +He had a talk to me one day about this, whilst I was at the wheel in +the South Atlantic. He complained that Scotch boys were taught to +spell, but not to pronounce the long words. + +I felt very funny standing behind the captain’s chair, with unsmiling +face, and as like a waiter as I could manage to be. + +After the captain and his guest had retired, the second mate came down, +and then how I did tuck in; though there was only dry hash, and bread +and butter, I could have cleared the board with ease, but I had to +remember the inmates of the half-deck, who were prowling around the +port-hole, ready for me to pass something through to them. + +Well, I don’t think they complained of my treatment of them whilst I +was steward. + + +_Thursday, 24th August._--A great day for Frisco, for the Californian +boys are expected home to-day from Manilla, and a great reception has +been got ready for them. + +Ever since the transport had been sighted off the Farallones, every +factory and steamer whistle had been tooting for its life, and this +awful din has been going on since four o’clock yesterday afternoon. + +As the _Royalshire_ was considered the flagship of the British +sailing-ships in port, and had the reputation of being the smartest, +early in the morning we dressed the ship with flags, and did what we +could towards the general din, by keeping a man at work on our foghorn. + +I had a good climb, as I was sent up to clear the house flag, which had +got foul at the main-truck. + +This means, that after you get on to the royal-yard, you have to swarm +up the naked mast, and is a pretty good test of the condition of your +nerves. For a beginner, however, I accomplished the job all right, and +thus proved my statement to the captain when I first met him. + +The captain, who had stayed on shore last night, presently came off in +a launch with about twenty people. + +I thanked my stars that the steward was on his legs again. He was very +shaky still, and had a very busy day of it. How he managed to feed +those twenty people I don’t know; they kept on going down to the cabin, +though, in relay after relay. + +We have been given a holiday on this auspicious occasion. + +The bay was a lovely sight; all the morning, yachts and crafts of all +sort were scudding out to the Golden Gate to escort the transport in. + +There was a bright sun and a fresh breeze, and the bright colouring of +the bunting, the white sails of the yachts, and the flashing effects of +foam-flecked sea and blue sky, made an exceedingly pretty and animated +picture. It was a fitting last day in Frisco, for we sail at daybreak +to-morrow. + +During the afternoon the rest of our new hands came off, and a queer +crew they looked. Most of them were under the influence of liquor, and +lurching into the forecastle, were seen no more. + +One young O.S., by name Jennings, who was afterwards in the starboard +watch, had been on the American Navy, but had been kicked out for some +offence at Manilla. + +He had been a signaller, and told us what the battleship _Iowa_ kept +signalling. + +At last the transport was descried in the distance slowly approaching +up the bay, surrounded by yachts and steamers, black with cheering +enthusiastic people. + +She was a very pretty sight as she approached, with all her bunting +flying, and sailing-yachts and steam-launches darting about all round +her. + +As she steamed in between our little fleet of deep-watermen and Frisco, +the din became deafening; the deep roll of cheering reached us over +the water, the _Iowa_ began firing her guns off, and every whistle +screeched at the top of its pipes. + +As she came by, we dipped our ensign a number of times, and the man at +the foghorn put his whole heart into his performance. + +Dodging round us were yachts of all kinds, big cutters and little +cat-boats; but the prettiest of all was the Frisco pilot-boat, the +_Bonita_, a beautiful little schooner, which was scudding about in +every direction under foresail, headsails, and double-reefed mainsail. + +The transport anchored below us, and now the captain had to get his +guests ashore; and as there was no chance of getting the steam-launch, +the order was given to get the gig over the side. + +[Illustration: FRISCO BAY] + +It was now blowing quite fresh, and with the tide at half-flood, +there was quite a bobble on the water, and we had evidently got a stiff +row before us, as we were lying some way out. + +The captain had got half a dozen women amongst his guests, who did not +seem to like the lookout at all, especially when they saw us bobbing up +and down alongside. + +With some care and stowing we got them all aboard, and away we started +for the shore, the second mate pulling stroke. + +It took us two hours’ hard pulling to reach the landing-stages, by +which time the gig had shipped so much water that the captain and +ladies in the sternsheets were up to their knees in water, and the +nipper had to give up his oar and take to baling. + +The old man on getting ashore made the second mate go straight back to +the ship, as he said he would come off in the launch, so we were done +out of a run ashore. + +So ended our last day in port. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE NORTH PACIFIC + + Heh! Walk her round. Heave, ah, heave her short again! + Over, snatch her over, there, and hold her on the pawl, + Loose all sail, and brace your yards back and full-- + Ready jib to pay her off and heave short all! + Well, ah, fare you well; we can stay no more with you, my love-- + Down, set down your liquor and your girl from off your knee; + For the wind has come to say: “You must take me while you may, + If you’d go to Mother Carey (walk her down to Mother Carey!) + Oh, we’re bound to Mother Carey where she feeds her chicks at sea!” + + KIPLING. + + +_Friday, 25th August._--Manned the capstan at 4 A.M. The crew were +turned out with some difficulty, and some of them looked very much the +worse for wear, especially those that only came aboard last night. The +German-American bosun soon began to give tongue, which, with his size, +soon brought the loiterers up to the scratch. + +The longbars were put into the capstan, and we were soon tramping +drearily round in the raw, misty, morning air. As no one felt equal +to a chanty, we hove her short to occasional “Heave, and she comes!” +“Heave, and break her out!” “Heave, and she must!” “Heave, and bust +her!” + +Presently the anchor was hove short, and we had to wait a while for our +tug. + +I took the opportunity to take stock of our crew; they seemed all +sizes, shapes, and kinds. At my bar was a long, thin man, who looked +like a sailor: he turned out to be a Swiss naturalised American, one of +the hardest workers in the ship, who, though he had been at sea all his +life in sailing-ships and steamers, yet could not steer, and certainly +was hardly qualified for A.B.’s work. + +Close to him was a little Arab, who, in light blue dungarees, dark +blue shirt, and red tam-o’-shanter, made a picturesque figure, with +his bowlegs and face of bright copper. This man had shipped as A.B., +thereby earning four pounds a month; but he soon showed himself a lazy +and ignorant little coward. Alongside him was a man who looked the +very image of an old weather-beaten tar, but who also turned out very +different. + +Presently as it grew lighter, we made out the tug coming off. We soon +had her hawser aboard, and “Man the capstan!” came the order, and +“Break out the mudhook!” + +Then came a struggle; everybody strained with all their might, slower +and slower went the “click” of the pawls, until at last we were almost +at a standstill;--that mudhook refused to leave his pleasant quarters +at the bottom of Frisco Bay, and twenty men did not seem able to move +him. + +Puff! goes the tug, and with its help we soon break out the demon, +which presently appears at the rail, with a mass of dark blue clayish +mud clinging to him. A man is sent to the wheel, and the tug goes ahead. + +The anchor is soon catted and fished, and we are turned to getting all +ready for sea. + +Slowly, in the twilight of early dawn, we leave Frisco, and pass our +comrades lying in the bay. One of them, the smart French barque, has a +tug alongside of her, and will soon be on our heels. + +Anxious as I was to get to sea, I felt quite sorry as I saw Frisco, +that gay wicked city of the West, fading out of sight. It was a lovely +view as the sun rose in all his glory and flashed on the windows of the +great “Call” buildings and lit up the bay, with the deep-sea sailors at +anchor nearest the American battleship _Iowa_, beyond the ferry, and +close to her the transport that had brought the Californian boys home, +and a great Australian liner. + +Good-bye, Frisco, we shall ever have pleasant memories of you; but, as +the good old chanty goes-- + + “Our anchor we’ll weigh, and our sails we’ll set, + Good-bye, fare-ye-well! + Good-bye, fare-ye-well! + The friends we are leaving, we leave with regret, + Hurrah! my boys, we’re homeward bound!” + +As Frisco fades into the distance, the Golden Gate begins to open up, +and the deck to have a bit of a jump in it as we near the bar. + +Here we had quite a tumble for a short time, and one of our landlubbers +did not require any breakfast when eight bells went. For myself, as +usual, I had an appetite like a shark, and one of our invaluable pots +of jam was sacrificed to the occasion. + +I had an accident this morning that might have turned out badly. I was +down in the cabin helping the steward to put away some stores in the +lazarette; the trap-door down to the lazarette was open, of course, and +I carelessly, without looking where I was going, stepped through it, +and of course fell with a terrific bang to the bottom of the lazarette, +a fall of over 10 feet, but I am pretty hard and fit now, and was not a +bit hurt. + +By 8.30 we were nearly up with the light-ship, and we were turned to +again. + +“All hands make sail!” sang out the mate. There was a steady breeze +from the north-west. + +I went up on to the fore-topsail yards and loosed those sails, and then +to the fore-topgallant yards, and finally the royal. We had a busy +morning of it setting all sail. + +When the royal yards had been mastheaded, I was sent up to the +fore-royal to overhaul the leech and buntlines. This means shinning up +the royal halliards, which are, of course, of chain, and just within +reach from the top of the topgallant rigging. + +Up I went, without any difficulty as regards the climbing, and luckily +for me I have a very good head, so I was soon on the royal foot-ropes +overhauling the gear. + +What a magnificent lookout one gets from the royal yard of a ship, +and what wee specks the people working on deck do look from such an +elevation! + +Having overhauled the gear, I was preparing to descend on to the +upper-topgallant yard when I was hailed by one of the new hands, who +was trying to overhaul the gear of the main upper-topgallant yard. He +evidently knew nothing about the job, and I had to shout directions to +him. Then he wanted to know how to get on to the main-royal yard. I +told him, by shinning up the royal halliards. This was a job he did not +seem to relish at all, and he was for going down on deck again, but up +came the mate’s voice from below, + +“Topgallant yard there!--get a move on, and overhaul those royal +buntlines!” + +Up he had to go, and a pretty shaky job he made of it; any moment I +expected to see him lose his nerve and come tumbling down on deck, but +at last he got up and on to the foot-ropes. + +This man was afterwards on the starboard watch with me: he was a +German-American, and had been “hoboing.” He was an ex-American soldier, +and had no idea of anything connected with a ship; he found, like the +Canadian, that it was very different from what he had expected. For +some reason, most landsmen think that at sea, except for setting and +taking in sail, you have nothing to do but sit and smoke. + +When all the gear had been overhauled, and the _Royalshire_ was off +with the wind on the beam, with everything drawing and the decks +cleared up, all hands were called aft, and the watches were picked. + +Don had a big compliment paid him, as, though only rated O.S., he was +made lamp-trimmer, a job generally given to an A.B., and one which is +sought after, as the lamp-trimmer has two hours of his afternoon watch +on deck, (whether it is the afternoon or first dog watch) in which he +is allowed to retire into the lamp-locker and prepare his lamps and +binnacles for the night. As a smart man does not take two hours over +this work, he generally has an easy time, instead of having to work at +some job or other under the eye of the mate or bosun. + +By the way, I forgot to mention the fact that the tug had cast off +directly we had got our topsails mastheaded, and with a toot of +farewell had turned her head for the Golden Gate; and soon after the +beautiful pilot-boat, the schooner _Bonita_, ran down upon us, and sent +a boat aboard to take off the pilot. + +But, to return to our watch picking, the mate always has first choice, +and he took a Welshman, who was immediately made sailmaker. Our new +Sails was a Cardiff man and one of the best all-round sailormen in +the ship, besides being one of the most cheery. He was a man who knew +something, having worked ashore and steadied down. He had a big outfit +of clothes in his chest, which is a sure sign in a sailor that he does +not chuck his money about quite so wildly as most foremast hands. + +[Illustration: THE PILOT-BOAT “BONITA” + +(_Drawn by the Author_)] + +For some unknown reason, all the dago’s were picked in the mate’s +watch; the second mate, in whose watch I was, having by far the best +men. He only made one bad pick, which was in picking old man Higgins, +second choice: this was the old buffer who I thought looked such an old +salt whilst we were heaving up the anchor. Though rated A.B., he was +soon found to be absolutely useless in any technical work. + +It was his wheel in the forenoon watch, and, after nearly getting the +ship in irons three times, he had to be sent away from the helm in +disgrace. He was no sailorman at all really, but an old soldier who had +seen a good deal of service in India with Roberts. + +He was an Irishman, and a very good old chap; but the poor old man was +very badly off for clothes, and the hardships of the passage pretty +nearly broke him up. It was really hardly safe to send him aloft, and +when you did, he was of very little use, as he could do nothing more +than hang on as a rule. + +The watches being picked, I think I might take the opportunity to give +a list of the ship’s company. + +Besides the captain, the bosun, Sails, Chips, the cook, and steward +keep no watches. They are called on board ship the “idlers”--a very bad +term, as no men work harder as a rule on board ship than the bosun, +sailmaker, and carpenter, who begin work at 6 A.M., and with half an +hour for breakfast and half an hour for dinner, as the midday meal at +sea is called, work all day, knocking off at 6 P.M. + +Of course, they have all night in, besides have a half-holiday on +Saturday, and all Sunday free; but I had had all I wanted of working +all day and sleeping all night, and I think working watch and watch +infinitely more preferable. + +I think I have already described all the idlers, and so will turn to +the watches. In the mate’s watch were:--Scar, third mate; Whitmore, the +nipper, and Don Henderson, lamp-trimmer, all three in the half-deck; +Frenchie, an old man who had been some years in the French Navy, and +was a good sailor but a bad helmsman, and was getting rather too +ancient (he was a quarrelsome little beast, though, and the worst +grumbler in the ship); Hassan, the Arab, I have already mentioned; +Liverpool, a young Lancashire man, and not much of a sailor; Yoko, +the Peruvian, a rare good old chap, and about the best sailor in the +port watch, though too old (he was the first man of the crew to come +aboard), he had an extraordinary sweet voice, a very rare thing in a +sailor, and without doubt had the best temper in the ship; Webber, the +Swiss-American, who was alongside me heaving up anchor; and Pedro, a +Brazilian, the merry rascal already mentioned. + +These six were all A.B.’s, and had come up from Chile in a dago +barque, which they had left in Frisco. The two ordinary seamen in the +port watch were the two hobos, Jackson and Joy, who had wanted to start +work the other day in boiled shirts and white collars. Joy boasted when +he came on board that he was a hobo, and had never done an honest day’s +work in his life, and at first was inclined to think himself somebody, +but this was soon knocked out of him. + +The starboard watch consisted of--Mr Knowles, the second mate; +MacDenny, fourth mate; Loring, and myself. Of the after gang, I don’t +think I have mentioned Loring before. He was a young Londoner, about +eighteen years old, and I believe his grandfather was an admiral. He +was an apprentice of two voyages’ standing, but on his second voyage +had run from his ship in Frisco, on account of bad treatment by the +mate and captain. Then, enlisting in the American regular cavalry, he +served several months, and did very well; but at Honolulu, on his way +to Manilla, he deserted for two reasons, the chief of which was, that +his charger, which he had a great love for, had died on the passage, +and the other was, that he had won a lot of money at poker. From +Honolulu he came back to Frisco first-class, in the clothes he stood +up in, and there the good people of the Institute looked after him, +and got him back again on his old ship, which had not yet sailed; but +the day she was to sail, he fell down with enteric fever, and was sent +ashore into hospital. + +Recovering from fever, he found himself stranded again, and in danger +of being arrested as a deserter; but Karney of the Institute got our +old man to ship him as an ordinary seaman, and give him a bunk in the +half-deck. + +When he first came on board, he was so weak that it was as much as he +could do to lift a bag of flour. I noticed this as he and I put the +stores away in the lazarette, under the eye of the second mate. + +Loring turned out one of the best, and full of grit. He and I were, of +course, watch mates, and the first part of the passage looked after +the binnacles, and kept time at night in our watch, each taking two +hours. Our A.B.’s forward are--Jamieson, a little Scotchman, who had +been shipwrecked three times, and is the best helmsman the captain has +ever had, a good seaman and a hard worker; Taylor, an ex-man-of-war’s +man, and a Londoner, but getting on in years (he was the cheery man in +the starboard forecastle, though the passage ended very badly for him); +Wilson, a Swede, an old man with a voice like a foghorn, and a nature +as kind and affectionate as a child’s, a good sailor, and terrific hard +worker; Johnsen, whom you have already heard about; Rooning, a young +Norwegian, and a very good sort altogether, with a good temper for a +red-headed man; and Higgins, the old soldier. + +The O.S.’s were Bower and Jennings. Bower was the German-American who +I had instructed in overhauling gear, and Jennings was the young, +down-east American, who had interpreted the signals of the _Iowa_ the +other day: precious little seamanship he knows, and he is a bit of a +shirker too, though he is pretty active aloft, and twice as much use as +Bower or Higgins. So much for the crew of the _Royalshire_: they were a +pretty scratch lot, all things considered, though they might have been +much worse. + +The forenoon watch is our watch on deck; the wind is not very strong, +and has hauled ahead, so that we are close-hauled on the starboard +tack. The French barque soon ran past us, and heading higher, much to +our disgust, was soon almost out of sight to windward. At which Don let +off some keen sarcasm at Scar and Mac, who had been talking a great +deal about the wonderful sailing qualities of the _Royalshire_. + +At noon we went about, and no one who has not witnessed the sight of a +big ship going about, can imagine the yelling and excitement that goes +on. + +Before going about, the braces are carefully coiled down on the deck +from off the pins, all clear for running. The spankerboom is then +hauled amidships. The old man then comes to the break of the poop, and +calls out, “Ready oh!” + +All hands are at their stations; being of the after gang, my station +is on the poop with the fourth mate, at the mizen-topgallant and royal +braces. The old man gives a keen look round, and then motions to the +helmsman to ease the helm down. The helm is eased down, so that her way +may not be checked too suddenly. + +As soon as the helm is down, the old man calls out, “Helm’s alee!” + +On which the fore and head sheets are let go and overhauled, the cook +always attending to the fore sheet. Directly the wind is out of the +mainsail, the order comes-- + +“Raise tacks and sheets!” + +The foretack is kept fast until the mainsheet is hauled, for, as the +foresail bellies into the mast, which it does directly the foretack is +let go, it retards the ship from coming to. + +Then comes the order-- + +“Mainsail haul!” and if the old man has judged his time well, the yards +swing round so quickly that you can hardly get the slack of the braces +in sharp enough. + +The afteryards are now braced up and belayed. The ship is filled with +strange, weird cries, and the tramp of many men, as on an occasion +like this, every man sings out independently at the top of his pipes as +he hauls on the brace. We on the poop soon have our topgallant yards +round, and fly down on to the main deck to help the rest of our watch +at the crossjack and mainbraces, whilst the mate and his watch attend +to the foreyards. + +I think the bosun has the most lively time, though, for he with two +men has to attend to the headsheets, which, when the ship is put about +in anything of a breeze, thrash about and thump their heavy blocks on +the deck with a force strong enough to knock a man’s brains out; so he +has to keep his eyes skinned, besides which he has the ticklish job of +letting the foretack go. + +Our German-American bosun is a pretty big coward, having had most of +his nerve knocked out of him by a knife through his lung put in from +behind, and this foretack job he fairly hates. + +Everybody works as for a wager, and the old man stands at the break +of the poop ready for trouble; woe betide the mate if he has trouble +trimming his foreyards, but generally the bosun and his foresheet +receive the most language. + +Whilst the mate trims the foreyards, the old man generally attends to +the trimming of the afteryards. Then we of the starboard watch board +the maintack, whilst the port watch board the foretack. + +The yards being trimmed, the tacks boarded, and the bowlines hauled +out, the old man retires, and the order is given, “Go below, the +watch!” the watch on deck coiling down and clearing up. + +After a little practice at going about, the crew get together well, and +the manœuvre is executed rapidly and without any hitch, and each time +we go about we try to break the record as to time. Of course, putting +about a great big ship like the _Royalshire_, whose yards are so heavy +that it requires a couple of strong men to the royal braces, is a +pretty heavy job, and every one has to put all his available weight and +strength into the work. + +Our old man is a thorough seaman, as are both the mates, and though +there is plenty of noise, and a good deal of hard language, still there +are no belaying pins flying, and wild confusion, as on some ships, +Yankees mostly, with hard gangs aft. + +Twice we went about in the afternoon, much to our disgust, as it was +our watch below. The breeze freshened up towards sunset, and we took in +the gaff-topsail in the second dog watch. + +The _Royalshire_ is logging 10 knots, laying over to it, a bit cranky +at present until the grain settles down a bit. The gaff-topsail is one +of my sails, which I have always to go up to whenever they are set or +taken in; and Loring and I went up to make the sail fast. + +The gaff-topsail is an easy enough sail to get in if you know how, but +if you do not know how, it is a terror. The way to do it is, to get on +the outside of the sail and ride it down: and after two or three times, +I found that even in a gale of wind I could manage to muzzle it pretty +easily by myself. + +Our first night at sea was an easy one, as it was our middle watch, so +that we got the first and morning watches in. + +Coming on deck at midnight, we found nothing to do, and most of the +watch curled up and went to sleep on the deck. This is allowable in the +tropics, the only men awake sometimes on a smooth night in the tropics +being the mate of the watch, the helmsman, lookout, and timekeeper. + +Timekeeping is by no means fun: all through the night at sea the bells +are struck every half-hour, and one bell struck a quarter before the +watch changes. So the timekeeper has no chance to get a doze, though I +have slept between the bells. + +Keeping the binnacles alight was the worst job. The cheapest and +foulest of mineral oil being used, the wicks soon had a cake on them, +and the binnacles promptly went out; this the timekeeper has to look +out for, as the helmsman, when steering by the compass, must have his +binnacles alight. + +No extra matches were allowed for lighting binnacles; one has to use +one’s own private store, and sometimes on a bad night I have used as +many as a couple of boxes of matches in a watch, and the amount of +swearing it produced was lamentable. I have sat in that half-deck, the +sea washing about the floor up to my knees, a binnacle in each hand, +my matches wet, in pitch darkness, as the lamp was not allowed alight +at night after one bell in the first watch; when I got a match well +alight, I had to scrape the wick clean and then light it, but often it +utterly refused to light inside, as there was not air enough, and it +would not keep alight outside, as there was too much. + +There I would sit, lighting match after match, burning my fingers, and +cursing in a loud whisper for fear of waking the watch below. Then the +second mate’s voice would be heard at the break of the poop, “Hurry up +with those binnacles!” and it would be a case of more haste less speed. +Every half-hour, after striking the bell, the timekeeper has to go +forward and see that the side lights burn brightly, and the lookout is +wide awake on the forecastle head. Coming aft, one reports in a kind +of chant, “Lights burn brightly, and all is well.” + +Talking of matches, it is a great question for sailors and prospectors, +and anybody on the trail or camping out, what are the best matches to +take. + +I have tried all kinds, from “stinkers,” the common West Coast matches, +to all kinds of different wooden matches. + +If you put a block of stinkers amongst your provisions, you may be +certain that the provisions will be all spoilt. Wooden matches that +only strike on the box are a great nuisance, as you invariably lose the +box, or else it wears out in your pocket. I also had wooden matches +that would strike anywhere, but their heads invariably come off. So +the match question is still an unsolved one, as only millionaires can +afford to use wax vestas out of England. + +Coming over from Japan, there was great gambling on board in matches, +the nipper losing twenty or thirty dozen, and Mac winning as many. + +Don and I brought three different kinds on board--stinkers, matches +that struck on the box, and big wooden matches that struck anywhere. +These big ones used to make a terrific explosion when struck; and +at first, when I used to go down and wake the mate at one bell, and +light his lamp, I used these, and sometimes I would use nearly a +dozen before one would light, each one going off like the report of a +pistol, and their heads coming off. They were an awful swindle too, for +occasionally we came upon a box which had not got a match in it with a +head on. + +At last I had to give up these matches for lighting the mate’s lamp, +for fear of waking the old man. + +Bang! bang! bang! they would go, accompanied by whispered curses, +whilst the second mate and Mac on the poop listened, and laughed to +themselves. + +“Listen to Bally’s bombardment of the mate; did you ever hear such a +row?” + +The second mate swore one morning that he had picked up nearly thirty +of these matches round the door of the mate’s cabin. + +The worst of the matches in general use was, that their boxes soon +crumbled up in your pocket, or the striker on the side of the box wore +out. + +The second mate, who only smoked cigarettes, used always to have one of +these boxes in his pocket, with a couple of matches and a cigarette-end +inside. + +But--to return at last--one’s two hours are up, and one strikes four +bells, then the lookout and wheel are changed, and the old lookout +reports who relieved him. + +Much amusement was caused in our first middle watch by Bower, who came +aft from the lookout and reported, + +“Mr Higgins relieved the lookout, sir.” + +Great was the laughter at the “mister” being given to a poor, +broken-down old soldier. + +This man Bower was fearfully green about seafaring matters. Whilst I +was having a bit of a yarn with him, he asked me if all ships had the +same coloured lights, referring to the sidelights. Nevertheless, when +he left the ship at Liverpool, he thought he knew a terrible deal about +the sea. + +The weather is delicious and warm, without being too hot. A pair of +serge trousers, rolled up to my knees, and a flannel shirt, is all I +shall wear until we are well out of the south-east trades a month ahead. + +What a blessing it is not requiring shoes or stockings; one’s feet soon +get hard, and up aloft or at work on deck I never wore shoes except in +cold weather, and then it was a case of rubbers and oilskins day and +night. + +Mac has been telling Loring and myself terrible yarns about the state +of the half-deck in bad weather. + +“You just mark my words: many a night in bad weather an’ you’ll wake up +and find the water washing into your bunk; aye, I guess you two will +have to swim for it in your lower bunks, off the Horn, sure enough,” +says Mac.--“Why, I’ve had to swim out of my bunk before now, and its a +top one!” + +And truly, Mac’s words were verified; the half-deck was the worst and +most dangerous part of the whole ship in bad weather. + + +_Saturday, 26th August._--Under full sail all day, with lightish fair +breeze. Fine, smooth, favourable weather, and wind getting more and +more on the quarter. In the forenoon watch we hauled down the staysails +and jibs, and squared the yards. Busy sand-canvasing poop ladders, and +overhauling gear aloft. The rigging is very badly off for ratlines, +especially the fore and mizen topgallant. + +This is one of the things a sailor has to be very careful about. + +“Never hold on by the ratlines,” is one of the well-known rules. +What might happen, and what sometimes does happen, is this:--The +watch is sent aloft to shorten sail, all going up one after the other +to windward; the first man breaks a ratline as he steps on it--he +is holding on by a ratline also, that goes too, and down he comes, +probably bringing several of the men underneath him down also. If ever +you see a rotten ratline aloft, out with your knife and cut it at once. + +In our topgallant rigging in some places there were three or four +ratlines gone all together; this had to be seen to, and our best men +under the bosun were put on the job. + +Every day, at four o’clock in the afternoon, the fresh-water pump is +shipped and water served out, the watch below doing the carrying, +so many buckets to the cook, so many to the forecastle, one to the +midship-house, and one to the captain, and one to the half-deck, and +two to the steward. + +Fresh water is very valuable on board ship, and if a drop is spilt as +it is being carried along the deck, there is considerable trouble for +the delinquent. + +Scar and Mac each have charge of a tank, and give it out week and week +about. + + +_Sunday, 27th August._--Wind dead aft; captain thinks we have got the +N.E. trades. Weather superb. Deep-blue sky, and trade-wind clouds. We +are doing about 5 knots. + +We had our first go of soft tack to-day, each man getting a small loaf +for breakfast. It was very poor bread, made with sour dough; and I +thought longingly of the lovely, hot, yeast bread I used to make up in +the Klondyke. + +Nevertheless, I managed to eat the whole of my loaf at breakfast, and +would have liked another. + +It was my forenoon watch below, and I found no difficulty in sleeping +from 8.30 to 11.30, after having the eight hours on deck last night. + +I went out on to the bowsprit end to-day, and had a grand view of the +ship as she cut through the clear water under full sail. + +Spent part of the afternoon busy with needle and thread, putting +patches on my overalls and oilskins. + +As I sat sewing, Loring came up to me and proposed that we should make +some dandyfunk for tea. I was always ready for anything in the eating +line, and at once seconded the proposal; but what dandyfunk was I had +no more idea than the man in the moon. + +“What do you make it of?” I asked. + +“Well, first we must make a canvas bag,” he answered. + +“What, to put it in?” + +“No, to smash it up in, of course.” + +“Smash it up in?” I asked; this was truly curious. What could be the +dish, that to start making it you have to smash it up in a canvas bag? +At last I struck it. + +“You are not going to make us a pudding out of brick-dust and +oyster-shells, like the hen’s food, are you? because, if so, I’m off.” + +“You will eat it quick enough when I’ve made it,” Loring answered. +“I’ll make the dandyfunk if you will make the bag.” + +Well, curiosity and greed got the better of me, and borrowing a palm +and needle from the third mate, I soon had a small canvas bag made. + +This Loring proceeded to fill with hard tack, and then went forward +with it; I followed. + +He took it to the rail forward of the galley, and then looked about him +for something. + +“Get me an iron belaying pin, will you?” he asked. + +“Certainly, if you swear not to use it on me.” + +I gave him the belaying pin, with which he proceeded to pound the bag +of biscuits until it was so much fine dust. + +He put this dust into my plate (as it was the largest in the +half-deck), and then proceeded to put water to it, and mixed it up +until it was a thick paste. Then he added molasses and some jam +(Don and I still had a pot or two left). This compound, after being +thoroughly mixed up, was taken to the cook, who put it in the oven. + +At tea time we were all curious to see the result of the dandyfunk. +Loring went to the galley for it, and brought it aft steaming hot, a +mixture between a cake and a pudding. + +I thought it extremely good, and it had another excellent quality, it +was exceedingly stodgy, and filled up the chinks splendidly. + +For several Sundays, Loring, the nipper, and I made dandyfunk, but it +soon got stopped. The old man noticed one of us bringing it aft one +day from the galley, and thinking that too much hard tack was used by +this means, put his veto on it, and shortly afterwards, having run out +of both jam and molasses, we had to give up our Sunday dish. + +Crackerhash is another sea-dish for tea. You save some of your salt +junk from dinner, and mixing it up roughly with broken-up hard tack, +have it baked by the cook, and thus you have something hot for tea. + +Old Slush hated having to bake our dandyfunk and crackerhash for us; +but the old man gave us leave to have crackerhash for tea, and ordered +the cook to bake it for us. + +Each man brought forward his little dish of crackerhash, and the +cook often had his ovens full, contributions coming both from the +forecastle, midship-house, and half-deck. + +The wind is getting rather light. We hauled down the staysails in the +second dog watch. + +Lovely starlight night. We shall soon have seen the last of the North +Star, as it is almost on the horizon now. + + +_Monday, 28th August._--The wind is same as yesterday, evidently the +north-east trades, but rather light. + +We started shifting sail again to-day, changing our hard weather +sails for the old and light weather sails. With a whole watch on the +job, this is a very much lighter business than the bending sail up the +Sacramento. + +I had my first taste of sea grub to-day, as our fresh meat has now +given out, and salt junk and pork are now the order of the day. + +I did not think much of the look of our first go of salt junk. + +There, in the kid, lay a greasy, fat mass, which gave out a very strong +and nasty smell. + +If one is lucky, one may find a couple of mouthfuls of meat on one’s +portion, which is chiefly nasty red fat. The cook, who is nicknamed +“Old Slush,” well deserves his name, and many a curse did we give him +as we tried in vain to find some meat on the dirty, greasy, square +chunk he had given us. + +The port watch are no good; we are by far the stronger and better +of the two watches, illustrating well the fact that Britishers and +Dutchmen are far superior to dagos. + +Perhaps I ought to explain, for the benefit of those who do not know +it, that in sea parlance “Britishers” include, of course, anybody +hailing from the “British Isles.” “Dutchmen” include Germans, Swedes, +Danes, Russians, Russian Finns, and Norwegians; and “dago” is a general +term for any one of the Latin races. + +The two O.S.’s in our forecastle, namely Bower and Jennings, are great +rivals, and disputes and arguments are everlasting between them. They +have both fallen foul of Johnsen already, and I expect matters will end +in a fight. Jennings is a stout-built little chap, and knows how to +handle his fists, but I doubt if he has got much “sand.” + +Bower is a thin, weedy, unhealthy man, with no strength or endurance +about him. + +To-day, when we were bending the fore upper-topsail, I was between +Johnsen and Rooning on the yard, and was talking to Rooning as we put +in the rovings. + +Suddenly Johnsen chimes in, and says to Rooning, + +“What’s dat you say about me, young fellow? Wait till I gets mit you on +deck; you just call me dat down dere, and you see I just puts one big +head on you.” + +Rooning, not knowing Johnsen’s peculiarities yet, did not know what to +make of this, as he was not even speaking about Johnsen. So I turned +my tongue adrift on Johnsen, as the only way to treat a scoundrel like +him, was to take a high hand, or he would try to bully you. + +“You d--d scoundrel of a white-livered Swede, we weren’t talking about +you at all. You just keep that villainous mouth of yours shut, and +don’t come any of your idiotic talk over us, or when we get on deck, +I’ll turn to and give you such a dressing down as you never got in your +life.” + +This stopped his nonsense, and he kept clear of the pair of us for a +bit after this. + +Whenever he got up to any of his rot with me, I always used to let +him have it straight back in the worst language I could think of, and +sometimes even laid hands upon him; and under this treatment he was +always very polite to me, though it all went down in his log, which, +for fear of having it stolen, he always carried about with him inside +his shirt, even in the hottest weather, much to the amusement of +everybody on board. + +In this logbook of his he puts down every little incident that occurs +on board, but it is chiefly full of different offences which have been +committed against him by various members of the crew. They managed +to get hold of the book one day in the forecastle, and great was the +laughter thereat; every soul on the ship had been “logged” for some +offence or other, from the captain down, and as for people like Don, +Mac, and myself, there were pages given up to our misdemeanours. + +The man was as sulky as a bear, and not a man would he speak to +forward; but with quiet cunning he palled up to the bosun, and thus +managed to get a lot of soft jobs out of him until he tumbled to it. + + +_Tuesday, 29th August._--Same fine weather. We finished bending sail +to-day, our lightest and oldest sails being bent. + +The old man is at work now all day making the most beautiful little +model yachts, at which he is a past master. He told me one day that he +had made models of every kind of ship that sails the seas. + +Though his models are very pretty, still I am not particularly fond of +them, as he covers the poop with shavings, and as I have to see that +the poop is kept shipshape and clean in our watch. Every afternoon +I have to spend some time sweeping these shavings up out of all the +corners. + +We are busy again on all the teak wood with the everlasting sand and +canvas. + + +_Wednesday, 30th August._--Same fine weather; the wind is blowing nice +and fresh, and we logged 10 knots in the first dog watch. + +The bosun come into the half-deck this evening, in the second dog +watch, with his guitar, which he plays very well, and gave us some +songs, we doing full justice to the choruses, of which the following +was a great favourite:-- + + +CHORUS OF “DUCKFOOT SUE.” + + “For now I’ll sing to you, + Of the girl I love so true; + She’s chief engineer of the ‘white shirt’ line, + And her name is ‘Duckfoot Sue.’ + Her beauty was all she had; + She’d a mouth as large as a crab; + She had an upper lip like the rudder of a ship, + And I tell you she was mad.” + +This is sung very fast, and with a great swing. Besides comic songs, he +had some pathetic ones; one of the prettiest of the choruses was this-- + + “Just a little cradle, + Just a little child, + Just a few fast-fleeting years, + Then a boy so wild! + Soon he reaches manhood, + Then comes on old age; + Thus we have the journey from + The cradle to the grave.” + +The wind dropped in the middle watch, and it came on to rain. There +is nothing more detestable at sea, I think, than rain. Rain water +seems so different to salt water; it wets you, makes you feel cold and +miserable, gives you rheumatism, and washes the oil off your oilskins. + + +_Thursday, 31st August._--Wet day and head-wind. + +Hard at work scrubbing and sand and canvasing the poop ladders, rails, +etc., in the pouring rain, with oilskins on. + +The glass is falling, and there is a heavy head-sea. We took in the +jigger-topmast staysail and gaff-topsail in the forenoon watch. + +I shinned up to the staysail, and got dripping wet in spite of my +oilskins, whilst I was making it fast, as the sail was full of water. + +I was not sorry to go below at eight bells, as our watch on deck had +been very cold, wet, and uncomfortable. + +We are all furious with our dirty old cook, as the food is so awfully +badly cooked, and comes aft one mass of dirty grease and fat, with +hardly a mouthful of meat per man. + +The pea-soup, which is our chief sustenance, and which we get three +times a week, is so dirty that, instead of being white it is nearly +black, as he never takes the trouble to wash the peas. + +Still, though Mac says it is the worst pea-soup he has ever tasted, I +take good care to get all I can of it, as without it I really don’t +think we could exist. + +We save a little of our meat and potatoes for tea, and take it to the +galley, so that the cook can make us some dry hash out of it. + +At present the steward has given us nothing from the cabin; he will +find out his mistake when the bad weather comes. + +The wind fell altogether in the afternoon, and an oily calm with a +swell remained, which continued until the middle watch, when a breeze +sprang up. + + +_Friday, 1st September._--Same fine weather. + +The crew came aft to-day at eight bells, noon, with their grub, and +there was some strong language on both sides. Of course we in the +half-deck did not take a hand, as we are supposed to be of the after +gang, though we are no better off than those in the forecastle. + +In the midship-house the carpenter, bosun, and sailmaker are living +like fighting-cocks, as the carpenter has got flour, currants, and jam; +so they even get plum dough, besides getting the nicest bits of meat. + +The old man was down on the men like a ton of bricks, and says that +they shall now only have their legal whack according to the Board of +Trade regulations, which have made a fine science of prescribing just +enough to keep a man alive and no more. + +The rules say a man is to have 1-1/4 lbs. of salt junk a day. This is +weighed out every day by the steward; but is so boiled away in the +cooking, that a man thinks himself lucky if he gets half a dozen +mouthfuls. + +It is the same with the pork, of which each man’s allowance is supposed +to be three-quarters of a pound. + +We had less than 1 lb. of pork between three of us to-day, and my belt +is rapidly getting too large for me. + +The other day the old man and the mate had a terrific row, and +they have not spoken to each other since. The old man has the mate +absolutely in his power, as it is only by his influence that the mate +can get a ship, which he has been hoping for for so many years--the old +man having more influence than any skipper in the line. + +The second mate gets all the old man’s smiles now the mate is in bad +odour; but presently the mate and old man will be all right again, and +the second mate’s turn will come for the rough side of the old man’s +tongue. + +From what I can see of the matter, I think this petty rowing between +old man and mates is pretty general in wind-jammers, and is chiefly +caused by the old men getting livers on them, caused by not getting +enough exercise; this, added to anxiety, worry, and excitable +dispositions, is quite enough to account for the extraordinary +exhibitions of childish temper which sea-captains so often give way to. + +It was wet again during the night, and the wind was very light. + + +_Saturday, 2nd September._--We scrub out the half-deck twice a week, +each watch taking it in turn on Saturdays and Thursdays. + +To-day it was our turn. + +An institution on board a sailing-ship is “peggy.” Each of us take it +in turn, and peggy has to fetch the grub from the galley, and, in fact, +do all the “fagging” necessary. + +At breakfast this morning, the steward called to me to give the burgoo +to the chickens. + +This was the remains from the cabin table, and I was the chicken that +ate it. + +There are a lot of flying-fish about now, and I think they produce one +of the prettiest effects in the tropics. + +It is lovely to see a mass of them suddenly dart out of the water, +flashing like silver in the sun, to plunge with tiny little splashes in +again; out and in, they never get any rest, for the bonita go for them +in the water, and the bosun birds in the air. + +I think we are only about 18° N. latitude now. + +The port watch caught four albacore this afternoon. These are big fish, +rather like bonita, and are not at all bad eating. Dagos are pretty +good fishermen as a rule. + +The binnacles were an awful nuisance last night. We lit them no less +than twenty-one times in the middle watch. + + +_Sunday, 3rd September._--Lovely day; flying-fish and bosun birds in +abundance. The wind freshened up, and we set staysails and jibs. + +The latitude to-day is 17°.06 N., longitude 121°.18 W., and the run for +the last twenty-four hours was 111 miles--not very good; but our bottom +is awfully foul, as the inland seas of Japan and Frisco Bay are two of +the worst places for fouling a ship’s bottom. + +It is much hotter to-day, and I slept on deck. Sunday is given over to +washing and repairing one’s clothes, and there is a run on needles. +To-day I put a huge patch in my oilskins, which have got rather worn, +from work in the Klondyke, and I wished that I had invested in another +suit at Frisco. + + +_Monday, 4th September._--To-day, at noon, the steward appeared with a +bucket of lime-juice for the first time. + +Each man had to come aft and take his whack. In the half-deck we all +thought it very good, and were up to all kinds of dodges for getting +two goes; in the end, the steward finding we appreciated his brew, used +to give us whatever was left over every day. + +I never heard anybody growl at having to take lime-juice, as, besides +being a very good drink, each deep-water jack knows how good it is to +keep off scurvy. + +We turned the after-hatch to-day into a barber’s shop in the second dog +watch; of the haircutters, the bosun was the best, and I was the worst. + +The nipper was my victim, and I don’t think his hair has ever grown +since. I found myself cutting huge holes, so cut round them to level it +down; the result was, that when I had finished, only a razor would have +been of any use to take more hair off, and the nipper got up looking +like an escaped convict gone prematurely bald. + +We are still hard at work sand and canvasing the poop rails and +stanchions; every bit of varnish has to be rubbed off by the primitive +means of sand and canvas, pumice stone, and elbow-grease. + + +_Tuesday, 5th September._--Calm, with big swell running. Two sharks +have been hanging around us to-day. It is interesting to watch a shark +and his pilot-fish. This little fish is the one friend and companion of +the shark: he is of a blue-and-gold colour, and generally swims just +in front of the shark, or alongside the shark’s head, and in times of +danger even takes refuge in the shark’s huge jaws along with the little +sharks. No shark will touch even the most tempting lump of pork before +he has had the little pilot-fish’s report upon it. Contrary to general +belief, the shark in reality is a very timorous beast, and a little +splashing is sufficient to frighten any number of ravenous sharks away. + +I have seen men bathing off ships in water infested with sharks, such +as the roads off Durban, Natal; but, what with the splashing, laughing, +and shouting, not a shark dared approach. + +Sharks eat human beings whenever they can, for the chief reason +that they have to keep body and soul together, as they are not fast +enough swimmers, and far too sluggish, to catch any other fish. Their +movements are so slow that expert swimmers, like South Sea Islanders, +have no fear of them in smooth water, and as the shark turns slowly on +to his back to open his mouth, they dive quickly under him and plunge a +knife into his white belly, to his great discomfort. + +Of all things that have life, the shark has the greatest appetite, and +nothing goes amiss with him; indigestion does not trouble him, and he +takes his food as it comes, whether it be animal, mineral, or vegetable. + +I don’t suppose even one of Sandow’s big dumb-bells would give him the +least inconvenience. + +Lat. 12°.59 N., long. 120°.28 W. + +Course--S. 14 E. Run 95 miles. + +The ex-American soldier, Bower, in our watch, is finding out that +sailoring is very different to anything he imagined. He complains +that the work and the food are more than he can bear, and he is so +despondent that he says it will be a merciful release if he were to +fall overboard and be drowned. + +There is something to be said, however, for the poor devil, as he is in +an awful state of health, being one mass of boils from head to foot. + + +_Wednesday, 6th September._--Calm all day. There was a thunderstorm in +the second dog watch, it being our watch on deck. + +We took in the spanker, gaff-topsail, and royals in pitch darkness, +with the rain coming down in torrents. One soon gets used to working up +aloft in the dark. + +The storm took us by surprise, and as we did not have time to get our +oilskins on, we got a nice soaking. + +Lat. 12°.30 N., long. 120°.29 W. Course--S. + +The run was only 29 miles. We are now right in the troubles, and +trials, and heart-burnings of the doldrums. Very trying weather, hot +and muggy; heaps of rain; the wind never steady for a moment, and +during a good deal of the time conspicuous by its absence. + +However, the thunderstorm did not last long, and we had to set the +spanker, gaff-topsail, and royals again before the watches changed. + +It is trying work at night at the braces in the doldrums, bracing her +up, then squaring the yards again to every puff of wind. + +Behold us on deck in the middle watch; it is a coal-black night, with +not a star showing, and what little wind there is, is very unsteady and +constantly shifting. + +The watch are all lying about under the break of the poop, and probably +the second mate, the helmsman, the lookout on the forecastle head, and +myself, who am timekeeper, are the only people awake on the ship. + +Even I, though I have to strike the bell every half-hour, am dozing +between the times. I open my eyes for a moment, and am just turning +over for another snooze, when the second mate’s voice rings clear +through the quiet night, + +“Weather crossjack brace!” + +I jump to my feet and cry out, in repetition, + +“Weather crossjack brace! Up you get, there! Can’t you hear? Weather +crossjack brace!” + +Mac goes to the lee braces to slack them away, and on doing so, cries, + +“Haul away!” + +Meanwhile we are all standing ready to haul, with the crossjack brace +in our hands, the A.B.’s at the head, the O.S’s at the tail of the +rope. Our general order was--Wilson, Jamieson, Rooning, Johnsen, or +Taylor, myself, Loring, Bower, and Jennings. + +Then one of us would sing out as we haul on the brace--(Jamieson and +Wilson were our chief criers, and Jamieson had a very weird, curious +note, in high, minor tones), + +“Eh--hai--ai! Eh--hai--ee! Eh--heu!” + +Old Wilson had a very deep, gruff voice. We called him old “Foghorn.” +His cry was like the growl of a big dog, ending in a half bark. + +Johnsen used to sing out jerkily, + +“Oh--ho! Now den! In mit her!” + +I used to sing out, + +“Aye--hay! Aye--hay--oh! Oh--ha! Oh--ho--ah!” + +In would come the crossjack brace; until the second mate would cry, + +“Turn the crossjack brace!” + +Then--“Lower-topsail brace! Take it off!” + +More hauling and crying. + +“Belay!” + +Then--“Upper-topsail brace!” + +More hauling and crying. + +“Turn the upper-topsail brace!” from the second mate. + +Then--“A couple of hands to the topgallant braces!” + +The topgallant and royal braces come down to the fife-rail. Loring and +I were the two hands meant, and a rare time we did have sometimes, as +they were very heavy yards, and occasionally, of course, several hands +were wanted to them. + +Whilst we were at the topgallant braces, the rest of the watch were at +the crossjack sheet. + +In a strong breeze we had to take the sheets to the capstan, but in an +ordinary breeze you can get the sheet in easy enough, if you watch your +time. + +Say it is blowing fresh, we all get on to the sheet, even the second +mate, the strongest nearest the head. + +The man who is going to take the sheet off the pin, cries, + +“Ready?” + +“Take it off!” cries the second mate. “In with her, now--hang on +all--watch for the slack up--now she flaps--in she comes--in with her +sharply--now turn that! Look sharp, do you think we can hang on all +day?” + +Devil take the man who does not turn a brace or sheet quickly; the rest +hang on with straining muscles, the sheet trying to pull the first man +through the port into the sea, as he has to give inch by inch. + +A sheet never really succeeded in taking charge of us in the starboard +watch; but it did with the port watch, two or three times, and then +there was trouble. + +It takes quite a slice out of the watch, bracing up the _Royalshire_, +as her yards are so heavy. + +As a rule, in the trades the lee braces would be hauled tight in the +second dog watch, the lifts and sheets being also attended to. + +You have to be sharp at turning braces; generally this was Loring’s or +my job in our watch. + +Directly the mate says “Turn that!” the men in front of you hang on, +and the men behind you at the tail of the rope leave go, and you take +it round the pin as quick as you can directly it is fast, calling out, +“All fast!” + +Then, and not till then, the men at the head of the brace leave go. + + +_Thursday, 7th September._--Light breeze and sunshine once more. +Grub very scarce, and bad. We got a greasy lump of fat for our watch +dinner to-day, and had a consultation what to do with it, as it was +quite uneatable. I advised heaving it at the cook’s head; but as the +responsibility for any row falls on the shoulders of the fourth mate, +he decided against this course, instead heaving the fat overboard in +the presence of the cook, at the same time commenting on the cooking in +language both promiscuous and free. + +Lat. 11°.25 N., long. 120°.32 W. + +Course--S. 20 W.; 65 miles. + + +_Friday, 8th September._--Fine breeze, with tacks boarded all day, the +ship doing 9 knots. + +There was a heavy squall in the afternoon watch, with rain. + +I had to go up the jigger and make fast that everlasting nuisance, the +gaff-topsail, and soon afterwards the royals were tied up. + +There has been a good deal of fishing off the bowsprit, and a number of +bonita were caught to-day, and Loring, who is a great fisherman, caught +a couple. + +I had a try, but was not successful. You want to trail your bait (a bit +of white linen makes as good a bait as anything else) along the water, +jumping it occasionally. + + +_Saturday, 9th September._--My birthday, but the celebrations were not +up to their usual excellence, and there was no birthday cake. + +Since last night, we have been going like a steamboat, lying over +to the fresh breeze, close-hauled, with the royals fast and the lee +scuppers full of water. + +Shoals of porpoises are all round us: they are a pretty sight as they +come curving out of the water, the sun gleaming on their glistening +backs. + +Loring, the fisherman, caught another bonita to-day. + + +_Sunday, 10th September._--We had Loring’s bonita for breakfast in +the half-deck. I don’t think any of these deep-water fish are much +good eating, being coarse and without much flavour; but they are very +welcome on a hungry “lime-juicer,” though sometimes you catch a tartar +in the shape of a poisonous one. + +We went about at two bells in the forenoon watch, and set staysails, +flying-jib, gaff-topsail, and royals; and are now on the port tack, +heading S.W. by W. by compass. + +A fine day, and fresh breeze. We think we have got the S.E. trades. + +Lat. 6°.25 N., long. 116°.35 W. + +Course--S. 68 E. Run 114 miles. + +Everybody on board seems very curious about the Klondyke, and an +admiring group sit round me in the dog watch as I discourse thereon. + +Most of them seem to think that one simply went up there with a spade +and dug up nuggets like potatoes. + +Jamieson and old Foghorn are especially curious, and very keen to go to +the Golden North, but some of my yarns damped their enthusiasm a good +deal. + + +_Monday, 11th September._--We have got the S.E. trades all right, but +they are too far to the S., so we can only head S.W. by S. + +The trades are the ideal weather at sea,--day after day you sail before +a fresh breeze in warm, balmy weather without touching brace or tack. + + “Oh, I am the wind that the seamen love-- + I am steady and strong and true; + They follow my track by the clouds above, + O’er the fathomless tropic blue. + + “For, close by the shores of the sunny Azores, + Their ships I await to convoy; + When into their sails my constant breath pours, + They hail me with turbulent joy. + + “From the deck to the truck I pour all my force, + In spanker and jib I am strong; + For I make every course to pull like a horse, + And worry the great ship along. + + “As I fly o’er the blue I sing to my crew, + Who answer me back with a hail; + I whistle a note as I slip by the throat, + Of the buoyant and bellying sail. + + “I laugh when the wave leaps over the head, + And the jibs thro’ the spraybow shine; + For an acre of foam is broken and spread, + When she shoulders and tosses the brine. + + “Through daylight and dark I follow the barque, + I keep like a hound on her trail; + I’m strongest at noon, yet under the moon, + I stiffen the bunt of her sail. + + “The ocean wide thro’ for days I pursue, + Till slowly my forces all wane; + Then, in whispers of calm, I bid them adieu, + And vanish in thunder and rain.” + +Thus sings Thomas Fleming Day of the “Trade-Wind.” + +The ship is evidently very foul, as she is only logging 5 knots in this +fine breeze. + +On board a sailing-ship a patent log is not generally used much, and +the log is hove in the old-fashioned and most reliable style about once +every watch. + +The log is a conical-shaped canvas bag, to the mouth of which the +logline is attached. + +The logline, which is wound on a reel, is divided up into knots by +means of different pieces of leather--the first knot being a single +piece of leather, the second knot has two tails to the leather, and the +third knot has an ordinary knot tied, and so on. The knots are marked +off on the line to correspond with a sand-glass running 28 seconds, the +distance between each knot on the logline bearing the same proportion +to a real knot that the 28 seconds of the sand-glass bear to the +seconds in an hour. Thus, avoiding any calculation, you just read off +the number of knots that have run astern during the 28 seconds, and +they are the number of knots per hour the ship is going. + +The mate or second mate generally heave the log, whilst one of us held +the glass, and another the reel, which he holds above his head as the +line runs out. + +The first 20 or 30 fathoms of line are allowed to run out, so that the +log may settle in the water; then, when a piece of rag is reached, the +mate, who is at the rail watching the line run out, calls out sharply +to the man holding the glass, “Turn!” + +The man turns the glass, and the moment the sand has run out, calls, +“Stop!” + +The mate at once stops the line from running out further, and notes the +number of knots that have run out. + +When the ship is going 10 knots or over, the line runs out very fast, +and it is as much as one man can do to haul it in again. + +It was the duty of us in the half-deck; and on hearing the second mate +sing out from the poop, “Heave the log!” Loring and I always had to +scuttle out on to the poop, one to hold the glass, and the other the +reel. The log was generally hove at the end of the watch, just before +eight bells. + +We had a lovely sunset to-day, with a mackerel sky. + +I stood my first trick at the wheel last night, from ten to twelve in +the first watch. + +It was an easy night to steer in, as the wind was steady, and it +was light enough to see the mizen-royal, which, as the ship was +close-hauled, required watching, to see that the clew was just lifting +and no more. + + +_Tuesday, 12th September._--Wind rather light all day. We sighted a +sail in the afternoon off our lee quarter, and could see down to her +topsails from the deck. + +This is the first sail we have sighted, and there was some excitement +as to what ship she was, as it was evident, as she was heading our +course, that she is one of the San Francisco Cape Horn fleet. + +She turned out to be the smart French barque which had passed us the +first day out, and so everyone was in great spirits at our being ahead +of her, especially the old man. + +A superb night again, with the breeze freshening up. + +The second mate is very keen for me to take him up to the Klondyke. If +I did ever think of going there again, I could not wish for a better +partner for the job. + + +_Wednesday, 13th September._--All hands disgusted to find the Frenchy +out on our weather beam at daybreak this morning. The old man is very +angry about it, and bent and set a topgallant jigger-staysail and a +“save-all,” or “jimmy green,” consisting of a spare topsail under the +mainsail. + +Of course, stunsails are hardly known at sea now, and very seldom met +with, though I believe the American clippers _Judas Dowes_, _Indiana_, +and _Paul Revere_, still carry them. + +A fine breeze, and lovely day. + +We can only head S.S.W. by the wind, and shall cross the line to-night, +as at noon to-day our lat. was 1°.25 N. only. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SOUTH SEAS + + +_Thursday, 14th September._--We crossed the line last night about four +bells in the first watch. Needless to say, in these days of prose, +Neptune did not show himself above the horizon. + +It was a lovely moonlight night, with small fleecy clouds chasing each +other across the star-studded blue-black vault of heaven. + +The wind got rather puffy at times, and we had not been on deck long in +the middle watch before a rather ugly-looking cloud began to approach +and cover the sky to windward. + +Like a great black pall, it gradually spread over the sky: one by one +the bright stars were engulfed in the great bank of darkness which rose +slowly from the horizon. + +“We are going to have a nasty squall, I expect,” said Mac. “I advise +you to get into oilskins, Bally.” + +By the time that we had got our oilskins on, the bright sky, moon, +and stars had been completely blotted out to windward by this huge, +monstrous cloud. Higher and higher it rose, until it got right overhead. + +Suddenly the second mate, who had got his eye gummed on it, roared out +in a voice which must have woke the blind sea-snakes down in the deeps +below, + +“Stand by your royal halliards!” + +There was a rush to the halliards, and I went to the main-royal and +cast the coil off the pin, ready to let them go if the order came. + +Down came the squall upon us, and over and over lay the _Royalshire_. + +The rain came down like a cloud-burst, and in a moment the water was +rising in the lee scuppers. + +“Let go your royal halliards, clew them up, and make them fast!” yelled +the second mate. + +Down came the yards amidst a thrashing of canvas, and we rushed to clew +them up. + +We had got them half clewed up when the squall passed; the _Royalshire_ +stood up again, and once more the stars began to peep out as the great +black cloud retired to leeward. + +“That’ll do there at the clew-lines!” said the second mate. “Masthead +the yards again!” + +“Ahay! Aheigh! Aho--oh! Up she goes!” + +And soon we were once more in quietness, sailing along 7 knots in the +smooth sea, with every sail set. + +Half an hour later, and another black cloud arose out of the horizon to +windward. + +Again came the cry, + +“Stand by your royal halliards!” + +This time the _Royalshire_ lay over; the squall hissed, roared, and +beat upon us; the rigging shrieked, and the ship groaned; but the +second mate was not to be frightened, and hung on to his canvas. + +In vain we waited for the cry, + +“Let go your royal halliards!” + +There was a lull, only to be followed by a severer gust; the ship lay +over until the men to leeward by the main-royal gear were up to their +knees in broken water, still the second mate stood immovable, with his +eye to windward. He was rewarded for his daring, for the squall passed, +and nothing carried away. + +So the middle watch passed, and every half-hour nearly we had to stand +by those royal halliards. + +There was a fine breeze all day, and we logged 9 knots. + +This is grand sailing, and one feels so fit and well. It is the +good times in the trades that a sailor always remembers; he never +remembers the terrible nights off the Horn, or in the Western Ocean in +mid-winter. Well, it is all for the best, as few would ever go to sea +if they kept the memory of the hard times before them instead of the +easy times. + + +_Friday, 15th September._--We have got a new job now, making rovings +in the first watch. This consists of platting three or five rope yarns +together. + +One gets wonderfully quick at it, and we generally race to see who does +the most; though the second mate and Mac are easily the best, and I am +the worst, as I have got a cut finger. + +Course--S. 1/2 W. + +We had a little bit of excitement to-day, which might easily have ended +in a tragedy. + +I was at work, sand and canvasing boat-gear by the after-hatch, with +Loring and Mac. + +The second mate, who was watching us, called to Johnsen, who was +putting a splice in a wire, and began to row him about something or +other. + +Johnsen’s evil countenance went into a more villainous aspect than +usual, and his scowl deepened to a really fiendish leer. + +Then suddenly putting his hand into his shirt, he drew out his knife +and stabbed the second mate full on the left breast. + +Everyone of us saw the affair, and Loring cried out, + +“My God, he’s stabbed him!” + +It was done so quickly that one could hardly see the knife, as he held +it up his wrist. + +But where was the blood? Why didn’t the second mate fall, for he was +stabbed right over the heart. + +The knife must have missed somehow, because, for a man who had just +been stabbed to the heart, the second mate showed amazing vigour. + +Seizing Johnsen’s wrist in a grip of iron, he tore the knife from the +wretched man’s grasp and hove it overboard, saying, + +“I’ll teach you to try and stab me, you hound!” + +Then he set to and gave Johnsen such a hiding as I have rarely seen +given to a man. + +Smack! bang! His ponderous fist took Johnsen on the jawbone, and he +fell to the deck. + +Slowly he got to his feet, still with that everlasting scowl, and his +lips moving silently in murderous abuse. + +Crack! and again he smote the boards. + +“Up you get, you cur; can’t you stand up to me like a man?” + +Before the second mate let him crawl haltingly forward, he was in a +pretty battered condition, with a reddened nose, blackened eye, and +twisted wrist. + +“Back to your work again, you knifing coward, and no skulking, or +you’ll feel my fist again.” + +And so the incident closed. + +But what had saved Mr Knowles? + +It was a very simple matter. In drawing the knife out of his +shirt--where, by the way, no sailor ever keeps his knife--Johnsen +had failed to draw it quite clear of the sheath, and the sheath had +remained on the end of it, thus saving the second mate’s life. + +This incident, which might have been such a tragedy, was discussed for +a little while, and then entirely dropped, and no one thought further +about the matter. + +Such is life! Johnsen meant to kill the second mate, but Providence +intervened: the mate lived, and Johnsen escaped the gallows. + + +_Saturday, 16th September._--The S.E. trades are humming to beat the +band, and the _Royalshire_ is snoring through it with her lee scuppers +in the water. + +Occasional rain-squalls necessitate taking in the jigger-topgallant +staysail, gaff-topsail, and flying-jib, which are the light weather +sails, and always the first to come in. + +We started “tarring down” to-day; but I was painting the break of the +poop with the second and fourth mates, and so escaped it. + +Of all the jobs on a deep-sea ship, tarring down is, I think, the +dirtiest. + +You are sent aloft with a pot of tar slung round your neck, and a bit +of rag in your hand. As you climb about, you find your hands, arms, and +face gradually getting covered with tar, and a bungler will come down +from aloft pretty nearly all tar from head to foot. + +Poor old Higgins had a very bad time of it, as he is a very poor +climber. First of all he upset half his pot over the mainsail--a crime +which brought down the curses of the second mate upon him, and which, +if it had happened on an American ship, he would have probably been +triced up in the rigging for; then he got to work upon himself, and +upon the rigging of the ship, but from the first it was easy to be seen +that he was more intent upon tarring himself down than doing anything +else. + +It must have taken him nearly the whole of the first dog watch to get +himself clean. Even Loring took an hour of his watch below to get +himself clean. + +We are steering now, true course, S. by E. + + +_Sunday, 17th September._--A lovely day again. Don and I started +teaching the second, third, and fourth mates to waltz in the dog watch. + +It was a most amusing sight to watch us gravely waltzing round and +round, occasionally carrying away as the ship rolled. + +The mate and the old man came and looked on from the break of the poop, +and fairly roared with laughter. + +The bosun sat himself down on the after-hatch and tuned up his guitar, +and someone else started work on a mouth organ, making quite a +creditable band. + +The nipper and Loring took a hand, and we soon had three couples +pirouetting about. + +Don made a first-rate dancing master, and took great pains, whilst the +three mates were as solemn as owls over the affair. + +The second mate (dancing lady) was like a huge bear sprawling about, +and Mac danced like a wild man from Borneo; but Scar went in for grace +and stateliness, and pointed his toes and clicked his heels in a most +fascinating manner. + +Lat. 6°.25 S., long. 127°.08 W. Run 184 miles. + + +_Monday, 18th September._--The glorious weather still goes on. We are +hard at work with paint pot and brush, and put a coat of paint on the +topgallant bulwarks and the break of the poop. + +The break of the poop is being most carefully done, and is having coat +after coat put on it after which it is to be stencilled and grained. + +Every morning, if it is my watch on deck in the morning watch, I have +to swab it most carefully with “fresh water” if you please. + +Our skipper is a particular man, and being an expert at painting, +graining, etc., is down on one at once for a bit of bad painting, or if +an out-of-the-way corner has not been properly swabbed. + +It is wonderful what a knowledge of, and memory for ships they have +seen, sailors have got. + +I was helping Sails to-day, who is at work on a new royal, and while we +worked we yarned. + +He told me that the _Henry B. Hyde_ was the finest wooden American ship +afloat. + +She was built over twelve years ago, by John M’Donald, at Bath, Maine, +and her registered tonnage is 2500 tons. There is only one three-master +that is larger than her sailing the seas, and that is the British ship +_Ditton_, of 2800 tons. + +A marvellous fast Yankee is the barque _St James_, of 1500 tons. + +The _Somali_, a four-mast steel barque, is the largest British +sailing-ship, and is 3537 tons gross, and 330 feet long. + +To show that sailing-ships are not being driven off the seas, as some +people think, in the year 1897, 34 steel sailing-ships were launched +in the United Kingdom, with a gross tonnage of 28,481, besides 2 iron +ships, and 183 wood or composite ones. + +In the past year, according to the statistics, there were 863 wooden +sailing-ships in the United Kingdom, with net tonnage of 161,528 tons; +1093 wooden sailing-ships in the Colonies, with a net tonnage of +403,269 tons; and 2237 wooden sailing-ships in America, with a net +tonnage of 1,123,307 tons. Of composite sailing-ships, the United +Kingdom had only 17, with a net tonnage of 8884 tons; and the Colonies +had only 17, with a net tonnage of 9292 tons; whilst America had +none. Of iron sailing-ships, the United Kingdom has got 878, with a +net tonnage of 1,040,695 tons; the Colonies 58, with net tonnage of +32,353 tons; and America 24, with net tonnage of 27,815 tons. Of steel +sailing-ships, the United Kingdom had got 503, with a net tonnage of +829,442 tons; the Colonies 12, with net tonnage of 11,660 tons; and +America 59, with net tonnage of 121,793. So you see there are plenty of +sailing-ships still sailing the seas, and some of them earn very good +dividends too. + +The Americans, always enterprising, are going in now a great deal for +four-, five-, and even six-masted fore-and-aft schooners, and very fine +vessels these are, easy to handle, with great carrying capacity. + +I passed one of these five-masted schooners once in the Gulf of Mexico +off the Florida Keys. It was a bright moonlight night, and I was +sleeping in a hammock slung on the boat-deck of a big four-mast tramp +steamer. We passed within a biscuit-throw of this schooner, which, with +a nice beam breeze, was going almost as fast as we were. + +She was such a lovely sight that the officer of the watch actually ran +down off the bridge and woke me up so that I could see her. She was +painted white, and in the moonlight her hull and sails gleamed a pearly +yellow, and gave her a fairy-like and enchanting appearance. + + +_Tuesday, 19th September._--Lat. 11°.48 S., long. 127°.08 W. + +We are busy working aloft to-day, sending down all old gear and sending +up new rope; several of the braces have been renewed, besides leech and +bunt lines. + +I nearly had a fall from aloft. We had sent up a new port crossjack +leech-line, and the second mate asked me whether I could clinch it +by going down the leech of the sail. This is not easy to do, as you +have only the sail to hang on to, but it is not anything out of the +way: some men brag that they have come down from the royal-yard by the +leeches of the sails. + +I went on my old motto, “What one man has done I can do,” so I said I +would try. + +I slipped off the yardarm, and, gripping with hands, knees, and feet, +proceeded to slide slowly down the sail, tearing my nails, and skinning +my legs. + +[Illustration: _Clinching the Crossjack Leechline._] + +The sail did its best to shake me off; there was not much wind, and it +kept flapping, each flap swinging me violently from one side to the +other. + +I found it was all I could do to hold on, and on trying to leave go +with one hand to clinch the leech-line, I all but fell, just saving +myself by gripping the bolt-rope with all my strength. Again and again +I tried; my muscles groaned and crackled under the tremendous strain, +the whole weight of my body falling on the ends of my fingers, which +were but slightly assisted by my knees and feet, owing to the flapping +of the sail. I ground my teeth, as I hated to be beaten; how I did +strain, until the muscles felt as if they would break, my veins stood +out like cords on my forehead, from which great drops of sweat were +falling. I crooked my fingers, and tore my nails as I dug them into the +sail; but it was impossible, I could not hold on to the flapping sail +by means of the tips of five fingers, whilst I clinched the leech-line +by means of my teeth and my other hand. At last I had to give it up and +slide down. I was quite blown when I got to the deck, and had ripped +the skin clean off one shin, which, by the way, took over two months to +heal, so bad does one’s skin get at sea. + +No one else would tackle the job, so finally I was lowered from the +yardarm in a bowline, and so clinched the leech-line. Clinching the +leech-line simply means making it fast to the leech of the sail about +half-way down. + +I note in my log to-day the following entry: “Mac turned out first in +the afternoon watch to-day, a marvellous feat.” + +The much-admired and much-written-about constellation of the Southern +Cross is in sight now, low down on the horizon. + + +_Wednesday, 20th September._--Lat. 13°.55 S., long. 120°.02 W. +Course--S. 3 W. Run 127 miles. + +We had a bad rain-storm in the middle watch last night. + +Again busy sending up new gear all day. We sighted a four-mast barque +on our weather bow this morning. + +The old man thinks she is the _Centesima_, which was in Frisco with us. + +Much to our delight, we put her on the lee bow in the middle watch. + + +_Thursday, 21st September._--On coming on deck this morning at eight +o’clock, we found the other ship on our lee quarter. + +They had just been signalling when our watch came on deck, and she +turned out to be the _Loudoun Hill_, which left Frisco twelve days +before us, and is considered a smart ship. + +All day we gradually dropped her, and the old man is very pleased at +passing her. The wind fell light, and broke off in the first dog watch, +and we saw a black squall catch the _Loudoun Hill_ all aback. + +There are about a dozen dolphins off the quarter to-day, swimming +alongside the ship. They are what seamen call “mosky,” that is, having +yellow tails. It is an old sailor’s hoax that a dolphin gets his yellow +tail from eating the weed off the ship’s bottom, which is supposed to +poison him. + +In the afternoon, our watch below, the second mate, Mac, and I got the +grains out and tried to grain them; but though we hit once or twice, +we were not successful, for it is no easy matter this harpooning of +dolphins. + +Lat. 15°.45 S., long. 129 W. Course--S. 28 W. Run 124 miles. + + +_Friday, 22nd September._--A calm day. We squared the yards, and +started shifting sail again; very hot work, as we are working like +demons to beat the port watch. + +We can still see the _Loudoun Hill_ down to her topsails on the lee +beam. + + +_Saturday, 23rd September._--We have lost the trades, and are in the +doldrums, busy bracing the yards up to any puff that comes along. + +The _Loudoun Hill_ is out of sight to leeward. + +The dolphins are still showing off their beauty alongside, but they +will not take a bait, and nobody is skilful enough to grain them, as +at the very sight of the grain poised above the rail, they dive deeper +into the water or swim just out of range. + +I had a long yarn with the bosun to-day. He is a fairly well-to-do man +for the bosun of a sailing-ship, as, until this voyage, he had left the +sea for ten years, having married a woman with money, and having taken +to farming in California, where he seems to be doing very well, and +talks like an expert on the subject. + +He is making this voyage as a means of getting home to see his old +people, who are Germans, and he is taking them a large cask of +home-made Californian wine, and two huge oil-paintings of himself and +his wife. + +He told me that he was chief officer on one of the Mexican Gulf +steamers before he finally left the sea. + +For a chief officer he certainly is a very poor sailorman, and I expect +makes a far better farmer, as he has not got the nerve or grit that is +necessary to make a good sailor. + + +_Sunday, 24th September._--Fine breeze all night. In the first watch, +when keeping time, I went forward at six bells to see that the side +lights burnt brightly, and happening to look overboard from the +forecastle head, saw what I took to be a large fish keeping steadily +along with its back out of water, just astern of our bow-wave. + +I called Higgins, who was on the lookout; he said it was a porpoise, +but I thought it was much too big for a porpoise. + +Going aft, I woke up Loring, who was coiled up asleep under the break +of the poop, and sent him forward to have a look at the queer fish. He +came back cursing. The queer fish was old Higgin’s clothes, which he +had got towing overboard, and which the old man had forgotten. + +It was a lovely day, and the ship lay her course on a bowline. + + “The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, + The furrow followed free.” + + +_Monday, 25th September._--Lat. 21°.04 S., long. 127° W. Course--E.S.E. + +We had a busy time last night, squall after squall coming up in the +first watch. + +We stood by the royal halliards eight times. + +The gaff-topsail, jigger-topmast staysail, and flying-jib were taken in +in the middle watch. + +The breeze is fresh to-day, with a cloudy sky, and the weather is +getting colder. + +We are taking sprays aboard, and will soon be in the ruck of it if this +goes on. + + +_Tuesday, 26th September._--The wind went ahead in the middle watch +last night, and we could not head up better than E. by N., so all hands +were called, and we went about. I think this is the first time we have +gone about at night. + +We finished bending sail to-day, and have bent a brand new foresail for +the Horn. + +My leg is festering all down the shin, the result of coming down the +weather leech of the crossjack the other day, and I have had to put a +bandage on it. + +On coming on deck in the first dog watch, we found another sail in +sight on our weather bow, also a four-mast barque. + +She proves to be the _Centesima_, and we are coming up on her. + +We had a long argument to-day about that vexed subject, British sailors +on British ships. A great deal is written nowadays about the scandal of +British ships sailing the seas manned by crews of Dutchmen and dagos, +and most people think the reason is, that Britishers prefer sailing in +foreign ships because they are so much better fed. + +But the real reason why British ships are not manned by British seamen +entirely is a very simple one to my mind,--there are not sufficient +British seamen to man the British ships. + +Take the better class, fairly steady, foremast Britisher; he is taken +up to the last man by the mail-steamers and yachts (the amount of +prime sailors employed on yachts nowadays makes no small item in the +grand total of British seamen); added to this, look at the number of +men the Navy requires annually from the country. + +Thus it is that only British sailing-ships and steam tramps whose good +qualities are well known, and whose officers are well known, can get +crews of Britishers. + +There are more British sailing-ships, however, at sea which never ship +a foreigner amongst the crew than most people imagine. Of course, +British sailormen are often to be found in foreign ships for more than +one reason; perhaps the chief is, that very often the man is on his +beam ends and has to take the first ship he can get, which as likely as +not happens to be a foreigner. + +Many Britishers sail on American ships to qualify for the “Snug +Harbour,” and there are also a vast quantity of British seamen in the +American Navy. + +Therefore I contend that the chief, I do not say the only, reason why +you find so many foreigners in British ships is, because there are not +enough British seamen to supply the demand. + + +_Wednesday, 27th September._--Course--S.S.W.; wind faint and +unreliable, though we are overhauling the _Centesima_. + +To-day we came to an end of the Kobe biscuits, which are nearly all +rice, and at last have got the splendid American hard-tack served out +to us: I don’t think I have ever eaten better biscuit than this Frisco +bread. + +Hard at work again to-day scrubbing and painting. + +I had a yarn with Webber in the dog watch. He is the hardest worker in +the port watch, though he is a poor sailor. He has sailed a good deal +in Yankee hell boats, and has tasted more belaying-pin soup than is +good for him, the consequence being that though he is a great big man, +6 feet 2 inches high, he is as meek and mild as a newborn lamb. + +He told me that he had sailed with “Black Taylor” the voyage before +this demon in a human skin was killed. This man came to a fitting end. +He was mate of the _S. G. Alley_, one of the toughest of tough hell +ships, outward bound, and just off the Hook. + +He found fault with a man for allowing the rope to surge at the +capstan. As the rope was wet, it naturally paid out in short jerks, +which, of course, could not be helped. + +But this was too much for “Black Taylor,”--he went for the man, kicked +him into the waterways, and was preparing to stamp his ribs in, when +he leaped to his feet and ripped Taylor’s stomach up, with the +trick-twist of the New Orleans nigger. + +“Black Taylor’s” inside fell out, and his career ended then and there. + +The ship put back into New York to get another mate, and the sailor at +his trial pleaded self-defence, and only got six months, as Taylor’s +record was too well known. + +Another notorious Yankee is Captain Summers, of the _H. D. Macgregor_. +He is supposed to have broken every bone in his body at one time or +another jumping after the men. He is a little man, very broad and +strong, with a fearful temper. + +He jumped clean off the poop one day, meaning to land on one of his +crew, but the vessel rolling, he missed, and brought up against a +water-barrel instead, and broke his thighbone. + +Captain Slocum, of the _D. G. Tillie_, is another devil of a +“down-easter,” with a terrible character for brutality. + + +_Thursday, 28th September._--We came on deck in the morning watch and +found heavy rain falling, and the ship hardly going 3 knots. + +My feet are so swollen from wearing no shoes that I cannot get my +rubbers on. + +Pitcairn Island is in sight from aloft, and soon will be from the deck. + +We were hoping the captain would call there and take in some fresh +vegetables. + +What an interesting story is that of the Mutiny of the Bounty and +settling of the mutineers on Pitcairn Island! + +The island rises like a rock out of the sea, a mere speck in the great +Pacific Ocean. + +We had two squalls in the afternoon, and a fine breeze sprang up, but +we are still close hauled, and going to the westward. + + +_Friday, 29th September._--Fine night, and an 8-knot breeze, our light +weather sails coming in in the first watch. + +To-day is another day of painting. + +Lat. 24°.55 S., long. 120°.30 W. Course--S. 22 W. Run 96 miles. + +In the afternoon one of the port watch caught a 28-lb. albacore, a +rattling fine fish. + +Whilst putting a sail away this afternoon through the skylight on the +poop into the sail-locker, Higgins in sea-boots trod on my bare foot. +I stepped back hastily, and tripping up, fell through the skylight, +smashing it to atoms. + +In a Yankee ship I should have been in for belaying-pin soup to a +certainty, but here, the matter being an accident, only raised a laugh, +even from the old man. + + +_Saturday, 30th September._--Hurrah! Fine breeze and lovely day, going +7-1/2 knots with the yards on the backstays all the morning. + +It was a case of our great chorus-- + + “What ho, Piper! watch her how she goes! + Give her the sheet and let her rip-- + We’re the boys to pull her through. + You ought to see her rolling home, + For she’s the gal to go-- + In the passage home in ninety days, + From Cal--i--for--ni--o!” + +In the afternoon the breeze freshened and freed us a bit, and we logged +8 knots, and all night we were going like a steam-boat under all sail, +the wind freeing all the time. At midnight the jigger-topgallant +staysail had to come in, and the log showed 10 knots. + +Soon after four bells in the middle watch I awoke, as I lay under the +break of the poop, curled up on the deck, with the water in the lee +scuppers lapping up to my feet, to hear the stentorian voice of the +second mate above me-- + +“Square the crossjack yard!” + +We had very hard work squaring her in, and had to take the handy billy +to help us with the lower and topsail yards. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +RUNNING EASTING DOWN + + +_Sunday, 1st October._--The _Royalshire_ is travelling faster to-day +than she has done yet, going over 10 knots under all sail--splendid +sailing! Ten knots may not seem a great pace to a man who has only +tried the sea in steamers, but 10 knots on a sailing-ship is equivalent +to 20 on a steamer, and far, far more exhilarating. How some of our +keen yachtsmen would enjoy to-day! The _Royalshire_ is laying over to +it like a yacht with her lee rail, which is nearly 6 feet off the deck, +almost under water: the lee scuppers are, of course, full of water, and +sprays are rattling like small shot on the deck forward, and on the +midship-house. + +[Illustration: “ROYALSHIRE” UNDER FULL SAIL] + +This is indeed sailing; everyone is cheerful, and in a good temper--as +for myself, I feel as if I should like to dance about the deck and +shout for very joy of such going. It is, indeed, a magnificent sight +from the forecastle head, but the best view of all is from the end +of the bowsprit, a favourite spot of mine. From there you see the whole +ship. How the sails belly out and tear at their sheets, how firm and +round they look, how white and gleaming; then look below you at the +fore-foot, slicing the green water in half, and throwing out a bow-wave +as big as a torpedo-catcher’s,--and all around white horses prance and +toss the spume from their foaming heads. + +The run for the last twenty-four hours was 232 miles, the best we have +done yet. Lat. 31°.28 S., long. 127°.09 W. + +We of the starboard watch came on deck at 4 P.M., to see a +black-looking squall coming up. + +“Aft the watch and brail in the spanker!” yells the second mate. Then +the gaff-topsail and staysails had to come in. I was rolling up the +main-topmast staysail, when there came a clap like thunder right over +my head. + +The squall was upon us, the wind shrieking through the rigging, and the +rain rapidly filling the scuppers. + +“The fore-royal’s blown away!” yelled Rooning, who was rolling up the +staysail with me. + +I looked up, and there was the fore-royal in rags, wound round and +round the mast and yard; the sheet had carried away. + +This was the signal for the royals to come in. + +I went up on to the main-royal yard with old Taylor, and as we rolled +up the sail, we could see that Johnsen, Jamieson, and Wilson were +having a rare job on the fore-royal yard cutting the sail adrift. + +It took them nearly a couple of hours before they got the tattered +remains of the sail on deck. + +I thought the old man would have been rather mad at losing the sail, +but not a bit of it; he seemed rather pleased than otherwise. There was +no mistake about it, his reputation for carrying on was no false one. + +By 8 P.M. it was blowing very hard, and just as the port watch were +going to turn in, all hands were called, and the crossjack and mainsail +were hauled up and made fast. + +This done, the other watch went below, whilst we set to work to get the +topgallant sails in. + +I went up to the fore upper-topgallant with Jennings and old man +Higgins. Getting on to the yard, we found the sail thrashing about and +raising a great commotion, as it had not been properly clewed up. + +A terrific fight began between the furious sail, Jennings, and myself; +poor old Higgins was of no use, it being all he could do to hang on. + +Whenever one got a grip of the sail, after repeated attempts and +tearing of nails, it shook itself free again, and then tried to knock +you off the yard. The only thing to do was to trust to Providence, and +use both hands. Of course, it is taking big risks. To begin with, you +are standing on a swinging foot-rope, the ship is pitching so that you +are first nearly flung over the top of the yard and then nearly fall +over backwards; with both hands you are trying to pick up the sail, +which every now and again, especially if it is not quite hauled up by +the spilling lines, bellies out over the top of the yard, and hitting +you in the face, tries to knock you over backwards; then if you have +not got firm hold of the jackstay you are bound to go--to land on the +deck 150 feet below, an unrecognisable mass, smashed like a rotten +apple. + +Jennings and I were soon using both hands, hitting the sail with our +fists, tearing at it, every now and then getting a bit up, and hanging +on to it like grim death. + +Swearing like pirates, sweating, fighting, struggling, we at last got +the bunt up, and the bunt gasket made fast. Then I went out on to the +weather yardarm, with Jennings inside me, and Higgins inside Jennings, +on the yard. Exerting all my strength, I managed to pick up the leech +of the sail and get it on to the yard, and hold it down with my body on +top of it. I then got my arm under the foot, and held on to it for all +I was worth, shouting to Jennings to pass the gasket round the sail; +this he never succeeded in doing until I could hold out no longer, and +had to let the sail drop again. As we were such a long time, the fourth +mate presently came up to see what we were about; but he came on to the +yard without stopping to pick his language. + +“What the ---- ---- ---- are you doing, you ---- hobos? Are you +intending to stay up here all the ---- ---- night?” + +This was nice language to use to men who were risking their lives and +tearing their hearts out, and it was too much for our tempers. + +Notwithstanding the pitching of the ship, and the thrashing of the +sail, there would have been a fight on that yard if Mac had not sung +low. + +Now Mac was one of the best men aloft in the ship, but even with his +aid, we had been two hours on that upper-topgallant before we had got +the last gasket passed. + +This was our first bit of a blow, and of course the watch wanted a lot +of drilling. In hauling the mainsail up, the maintack had never been +unhooked, so directly I got on deck from the fore upper-topgallant, I +found I had to go up on to the main-yard with Wilson and send the tack +down. It was a simple enough operation with the aid of the leech-line, +but Wilson and I managed to get mixed up in the dark and, of course, +lost our tempers, and he started cursing at me; at last I told him I +would chuck him off the yard if he did not shut his adjectived mouth, +and he was silent. This was the only row I ever had with Wilson, who +was a rare good old chap, as simple as a child and very kind-hearted. + +Whilst I had been aloft, three quarters of the watch had passed away. +From eight to eleven we had been going fully 14 knots, and for the +first time this passage the ship required two men at the wheel. + +She was taking some big lumps of water aboard, and hardly had I +clambered on deck out of the main rigging than a big dollop came over +the rail right on top of me, and swept me off my legs; luckily I had +firm hold of the topgallant halliards. + +The next moment I heard the second mate calling for me: it was my +timekeeping, and two of the binnacles were out. I soon had them +lighted, after a liberal use of matches and oaths, and rushing on +to the poop in the darkness, ran straight into the old man, all but +knocking him down. Hastily apologising, I dashed on, not waiting for +any remarks. + +When I turned the watch out at one bell, Don rounded on me and said, + +“I wish you would not make such a row lighting those binnacles, Bally.” + +“Why,” I answered, “I thought I was very quiet.” + +“I don’t know what you call quiet, but I lay and listened to you +scratching matches and cursing for nearly twenty minutes.” + +“Oh, rats! I cursed a bit to myself, I admit, in a whisper.” + +“D--d big whisper,” and with that he proceeded to roll out of his bunk. + +“Any water on deck?” asked the third mate. + +“I advise you to put on oilskins; I’ve had a dollop over me.” + +“Where’s Loring?” + +“At the lee wheel.” + +“What ho! a lee wheel, eh! What’s she doing?” + +“Been going about 14 knots since eight,” I answered, and glancing at +the clock, saw it was eight bells, and dashed on to the poop again to +strike the bell. + +Presently came the welcome words from the mate, + +“Relieve the wheel and lookout!” and our watch went below, after a busy +time. + +The second mate came down into the half-deck when the watch changed, +and told them how I had tried to knock the old man down. + +This was a great joke. + +“Bally’s been raisin’ hell everywhere to-night,” said Mac. “He wanted +to fight me on the fore upper-topgallant yard, he threatened to chuck +Wilson off the main-yard, he tried to knock the old man down--” + +“He’s been keeping us awake in here for the last half-hour whilst he +abused the binnacles,” put in Don. + +“Boil your burners to-morrow,” I growled to Don, and then gave myself +up to delicious sleep. + + +_Monday, 2nd October._--In the morning watch the weather began to +moderate. We hove the log and found she was doing 8 knots. + +At 5 A.M. we started setting sail in the dark. I loosed the mizen-royal +and upper-topgallant sail. + +We set all three royals and the upper-topgallant sails, bending another +fore-royal. + +Cape pigeons made their first appearance to-day, a whole flock of them +hovering round the stern. They are very jolly little birds, with black +and white markings, and are quite the most cheerful little beings in +the Southern Ocean, far different to the sullen, majestic albatross, +the weirdly screaming mollymawks, and the great Cape black hens. + +The old man had the tattered royal stretched out on the poop this +morning. + +The whole of the foot was gone, and only about half the sail was left, +and that was in strips. + +“Never seen a sail blow away like that before have you?” said the old +man, turning to me. + +“No, sir!” + +“Well, you may see two or three more before the mudhook’s in the +ground,” he said, with a grim smile. + +This looked as if he meant carrying on, and I thought of that twenty +pounds bet. + +To-day we are preparing for the bad weather in the half-deck. We have +collected all the bits of canvas we can get hold of, and are nailing +them round our bunks to keep the water which pours in in bad weather +from swamping our bunks out. + +I am better off than the others, as I have got my waterproof sheet +which I used camping out. This I have nailed round mine, and very +useful I afterwards found it. Many a time has the water been two blocks +under the break of the poop, and of course poured into the half-deck +through the ventilators, in the doors, and the cracks. + +One could not keep the ventilators always closed, as even with them +open, the air inside the little half-deck, with both doors shut, was +very bad. Whenever the water came in through the port ventilator, it +used to pour like a waterspout on to Don’s and my bunks; mine was the +lower one, and my waterproof sheet had all it could do to withstand the +force of water, firmly nailed as it was. + +I have turned my cariboo-skin sleeping-bag fur inside again. Clothes +lines have been hung overhead, chests looked to and jammed. + +The nipper’s canary was taken to the carpenter’s shop next the galley, +the warmest place in the ship. + +We overhauled our cold weather clothes. I am very well off indeed with +all my Klondyke things; indeed, but for my leaky oilskins, I could not +have a better outfit for the Horn. + +It consists of an Eskimo fur coat with a hood, a fur cap with nose and +ear flaps, a Klondyke coat of buckskin and corduroy lining, a reefer +jacket, fur mits, a thick waistcoat, and homespun Norfolk coat, besides +thick pilot-cloth trousers, several pairs of stockings and thick socks, +three pairs of arctic socks, arctic moccasins reaching to the knee, +thick snow moccasins, field boots (to which I had given a good coating +of grease), and hip rubbers. + +But, alas! though I bought my rubbers a size too big, my feet were so +swollen from not having worn shoes for a month that I could not get +them on, and I had to swop them with Mac for a pair of knee rubbers. + +Loring was very badly off, and had no warm clothes at all, so I gave +him my Norfolk coat and thick waistcoat. The coat nearly reached down +to his knees, and his hands went out of sight up the sleeves; but this +was all the better for warmth. + +The wind fell calm after sunset, and a drizzling rain set in, with +heavy swell, which set the ship rolling very badly, so that it was all +one could do to stand up; I took two terrific tosses, slipping upon +the greasy decks. + +How delightful and cosy I felt turning into my sleeping-bag in the +first watch, better far than a dozen pairs of blankets. Off the Horn +the air is so moist that once one’s blankets are damp they never +get dry again; besides which, the iron side of the half-deck sweats +awfully, and drips on to everything. But when everybody and everything +else was wet off the Horn, I would crawl into my bag, my underclothes +wet, my socks dripping--I did not take them off, as the only chance to +get them dry was by the heat of my body--and on turning out again I +would find my clothes dry, and my feet smoking hot, notwithstanding the +wet socks. + +But the job was getting wet rubbers on over wet socks. + +Tug! tug! tug! Puff! puff! puff! It necessitated turning out punctually +at seven bells. In the tropics it took me two seconds to dress, off the +Horn twenty minutes;--what with putting lashings on your oilskins, a +deep-sea lashing round the waist, wrist lashings to prevent the water +pouring down your arms as a sea came over the rail on top of one’s +head, and a lashing round your legs below the knees to prevent the +water from getting up between the oilskins and rubbers. + + +_Tuesday, 3rd October._--The wind went down in the night, and the +morning found us loafing along with a thick damp fog all round us. +According to Board of Trade regulations, a lookout was sent on to the +forecastle head with a cowhorn, out of which at short intervals he blew +three blasts--a more weird sound I never heard. + +We are busy to-day sending down all the gaskets and renewing them. +Rotten gaskets have probably caused more deaths by falling from aloft +than any other cause. + +A careless sailor will haul his gasket tight with both hands--result, +if the gasket is rotten it carries away, and over he goes backwards. +Even if the gasket is not rotten, it may give to him suddenly, and the +jerk taking him by surprise causes him to leave go, and away he goes, +to be smashed like a jelly on the deck below, or, if he falls outboard +and he manages to struggle up to the surface, the weather is probably +too bad for a boat to be launched. + +Lat. 36°.31 S., long. 123°.19 W. Course--S. 36 E. Run 130 miles. + +The steward was rather amusing to-day in the first dog watch. Whilst +looking about in the lazarette for something for the cabin tea, he came +across a tin marked “Frankfurter Sauerkraut.” + +This puzzled him completely, and he determined to find out what the +mysterious dish was. + +On opening it, of course he found sausage and cabbage inside. + +“Blast me if it ain’t nothin’ but sausage and greens, after all that +heathen writin’ on the tin,” he growled. + +Loring and I were down there getting up bread for him--by bread I mean +hard-tack--which was a job we had about once a fortnight. + +“But that means sausage and cabbage,” I said. + +“Well, ’ow was I to know; I ain’t no scholard--they didn’t learn me no +French when I was a kid,” he replied, much incensed. + +This getting up hard-tack was not a bad job. Loring used to get right +inside the tank--the hole was not big enough for me, so he always had +to do that part of the job. + +I used to sit on the tank and pass him down a plate, this he filled +with biscuit, which I poured into an empty flour sack; this when full +I carried up and emptied into a locker in the pantry. The steward +generally gave us something for filling his locker up--a piece of +soft-tack or a little cold dry hash--which, you may be sure, we fully +appreciated. + +On the line, it was, to say the least of it, hot in the lazarette, and +poor Loring in the small bread-tank fairly sweltered. + +The job generally took nearly two hours, as we did not hurry much, and +during that time our jaws kept steadily munching, as we usually put +away over a dozen biscuits apiece. + +The steward kept his eye on us pretty well as he did not trust us +further than he could see us down there with all the cabin provisions +around us. + +Notwithstanding his vigilance, the pair of us generally left the +lazarette our shirts stuffed with onions, which were much prized in the +half-deck, and eaten raw. + +In the lazarette there was a big open cask of unrefined sugar, which +I was very fond of: it was so juicy as to be quite intoxicating, with +all the properties of Jamaica rum. It had one drawback, however, and +that was that some paraffin oil had somehow got upset in it, giving it +a bit of a paraffiny taste. This, though sufficient to prevent it being +served out to the crew, did not prevent me from enjoying a big bit of +it whenever I got the chance. + +As luck would have it, our new sugar, which had been got in at Frisco, +also got tainted thoroughly with paraffin, and was not nearly so good +as this old sugar, to my mind. + +This was rather hard lines, as sugar is half the battle in the sort of +tea and coffee you get on board a lime-juicer. + +It is wonderful what you can get used to however. I have drunk many +queer apologies for coffee, but with time have always managed to get +so used to them that I rather liked them in the end; in the same way +that on a ranche in winter in the north-west, where I have done a bit +of cowboy work, if snowed up and run out of tobacco, one smokes tea, +and gets so used to it that one hardly likes leaving it when one gets +tobacco again. + +The worst coffee I ever drank, I think, was up in the Klondyke. I had +walked over the Chilkoot Pass to Lake Linderman, where the Canadian +custom-house was, for the boundary line was the top of the Pass. + +Here I had to wait for my truck, consisting of my stove, tent, +provisions, etc., to come over the Pass by means of the Wire Cable +Company, by which the things were hauled up to the summit, and the +sleighs and pack-trains by which they were conveyed across the lakes +and over a very rough trail down to Linderman. + +Over a fortnight I had to wait, with nothing to do but watch snow +slides in the mountains, whittle wood (a popular pastime in the +Klondyke), and shoot ptarmigan. During this time I was obliged to +put up at a canvas bunk-house, with a sawdust floor, and sleep two +in a bunk between dirty blankets. A small glass of native beer cost +4 bits (the North-west Coast term for 50 cents), and whisky of the +most poisonous description 6 bits (75 cents). Bacon and beans were +the staple fare, washed down by a drink supposed to be coffee, but +generally called slumgullion. + +This slumgullion almost formed a meal in itself, for half the cup was +filled with a thick sediment of flour, sawdust, and one or two other +delicacies. It tasted tallowy, it tasted pork and beany, it tasted +oily, and it tasted of garlic; this, for coffee, I thought hard to +beat, but old Slush’s coffee on the _Royalshire_ ran it close. + +There were two brands of coffee on the _Royalshire_, marked “cabin +coffee” and “crew’s coffee.” + +Don, who posed as a bit of a connoisseur of coffee, examined both +taps as we passed them aboard. The cabin coffee he pronounced to be +sweepings, the cheapest to be got in Frisco. The crew’s coffee he bit +and tasted, and declared was not coffee at all. + +Goodness only knows what it was composed of; all I know is that there +is a deal of painted wood doing duty for coffee in America, put in +circulation by certain slim gentlemen, and I sometimes think we got +some of this. + +It was wet during the night, and there was some lightning, but very +little wind. + + +_Wednesday, 4th October._--To-day we are busy sending down and +overhauling sheets. I am glad to say that the _Royalshire_ is not one +of those cheaply-run ships as to gear, which cost so many men’s lives. +The old man looks at every sheet, leech-line, buntline, and halliard +whip with his own eye, and it is at once replaced with new rope if +showing much signs of wear. The gaskets especially were all renewed. + +It fell dead calm about four bells in the afternoon watch, and there +was a heavy swell running, so the mainsail and crossjack were hauled +up, and the royals furled. + +It is much colder, and socks and boots are the order of the day. + +There was a regular Cape Horn sunset, and I thought it looked very wild +and grand. The sea was a greyish sickly green, and ran in long ridges +as the swell rolled in from the South’ard, where there was evidently +dirty weather; the sky was yellow, with a few angry red streaks in it, +and the sun sank very slowly. + +In the second dog watch, some fiend started the discussion of “Brothers +and sisters have I none, but that man’s father was my father’s son: who +is that man?” + +After deep thought, Scar declared that that man was my son, and I +seconded him. + +“Both wrong,” cried Don excitedly; “that man’s myself.” + +“Well, I’m fair dashed if I can see it,” said Scar; “he canna be +mysel’, an’ he maun be my son.” + +“Hear! hear! how can my father and my father’s son be the same person?” +I joined in. + +“Well you must be a pair of ---- fools, that’s all I can say,” said +Don, highly scornful. + +“What do you think about it, you wild Highlander?” he continued, +turning to Mac. + +The canny Scot put his head on one side, and after meditating a bit, +came out with this extraordinary statement, + +“He’s me brither, or myself.” + +“I’m me gran’mother if he is!” yelled the hot-tempered third mate. + +“What do you think, Klondyke?” asked Mac in an aside to me. + +“Why, that you and Don are a pair of idiots.” + +“Hang it all, Bally, I did not think you were such a thickhead as all +that,” sneered Don in his superior way. + +“Thickhead yourself; I’ll bet you anything you like that that man’s my +son,” I replied. + +“And I’ll bet you a fiver that that man’s myself.” + +“Done with you! I’ll lay odds Klondyke’s right!” almost shrieked Scar. + +At one bell the second mate came into the half-deck, and was +immediately appealed to by both sides. But he found it such a matter +for thought that before he could give his decision eight bells went, +and we of the starboard watch had to go on deck. + +The sides were evenly divided so far; Mac and the nipper joined Don, +whilst Loring “plumped his stack of blues” on Scar and myself. + +Mac, Loring, and I paced up and down the main-deck arguing hopelessly, +each thinking the other an absolute fool for not seeing the right +answer. + +Whenever we came under the half-deck, we heard Scar and Don hard at +it; both had lost their tempers, and sitting up in their bunks, were +yelling across at each other in a way which was both painful and free. +So excited were they, that they lost more than half their watch below +before they gave up the unfinished argument for sleep. + +Meanwhile the second mate was struggling with the problem as he walked +the poop. Occasionally he would come to the rail and call us, saying +that he had changed his mind; for, first he declared it was the son, +then he took a few turns and came back and said it was the father, and +so he went on. + +There was no work to be done as we lay rolling in the swell without +a breath of wind, the sails slating against the masts. Presently the +whole watch were arguing, cursing, and scratching their heads about the +infernal conundrum. + +So the argument went on all night. At eight bells the second mate +whispered it to the mate as he relieved him, and it straightway kept +the mate pondering all the middle watch. + +On our watch coming on deck again at 4 P.M., Don and his side were in +the minority, and soon after every one went with a rush to our side, +and Don was left solitary, stubborn, and defiant, declaring that he +would prove he was right by mathematics, or if we preferred it, by +algebra, adding that we were the biggest lot of thickheads and duffers +in creation. + + +_Thursday, 5th October._--The calm cleared off about four bells in the +forenoon watch, and left us slipping along under all sail in sunshine, +blue sky, and rolling sea. The light breeze is dead aft, and fog rolls +down upon us at intervals, and gives the “tootler” with the cowhorn on +the forecastle head a chance of showing his powers, and startling the +inhabitants of the Southern Ocean. + +Two albatrosses have made their appearance. How magnificent they look +as they hover in our wake, swooping gracefully about without a single +quiver of their huge double-jointed wings. I have watched them for +hours at a time without seeing one of them make a flap of his wings. +They don’t fly, they sail; and when they want to go against the wind, +“they brace sharp up,” and in a wonderful manner seem able to sail +right into the wind’s eye. It is a bad sign to see them so far north, +and means very bad weather to the southward. + +Lat. 38°.06 S., long. 122°.03 W. + +“Mugi,” the white hen from Japan, died to-day, making the third death +in the hencoop this passage from unknown causes. + +When we were in Frisco, Mugi had the hencoop to herself, and was +as fit as she could be. The day before we sailed, however, a +dozen wretched-looking barn-door fowls were sent on board with a +seedy-looking cock. + +The hencoop, filled with these newcomers, was brought aft and lashed on +to the after-hatch, and Don was appointed feeder of the hens, a store +of wheat, brick, and oyster-shells being put in his lamp-locker for +their use. + +Meanwhile the steward and the nipper prepared themselves for an egg +competition, and it is probable that if the hens had been good layers, +the cabin would not have seen many eggs, as the nipper was as sharp at +abstracting eggs from a hencoop as a London pickpocket. Only two eggs +have been laid, however, up till now, and they have been carefully +divided between the six inmates of the half-deck, and eaten raw, shell +and all. + +Notwithstanding Don’s unremitting care and attention, the hens have +been getting worse and worse, and there is evidently some catching +disease which is killing them off. + +[Illustration: THE ALBATROSS] + + +_Friday, 6th October._--Fine clear day, with a fresh breeze dead aft. +Course--E.S.E. Run 67 miles. Lat. 40°.54 S., long. 120°.17 W. + +We are now in the “Roaring Forties,” and ought to have fair westerly +winds until we head north again on the other side of the Horn. + +Between the parallels of 40 and 60 a westerly gale of wind blows +continuously all the year round, and when a ship bound for Australia +gets into these parallels she keeps in them the whole way to Sydney, +and what sailors call “runs her easting down.” Some of the old +tea-clippers made wonderful records running their easting down. + +Perhaps the best was that of the famous American clipper _Red Jacket_, +which ran 3184 miles in ten consecutive days, her daily runs being 312, +300, 288, 400, 299, 350, 357, 334, 245, and 300 miles. + +This vessel was built by George Thomas, at Rockland, Maine, in 1853, +for Donald M’Kay. + +She made some very fast passages, one of the most notable of which +was thirteen days one hour and twenty-five minutes from New York to +Liverpool. In this passage she made the extraordinary day’s run of 417 +knots. + +The famous record-breaker _Thermopylæ_ was especially noted for her +qualities when running her easting down. Perhaps as it is now some time +ago when her wonderful passages were the talk of every one, just as +those of the _Deutchland_ and _Wilhelm der Grosse_ are now, it might +be of interest if I give a short account of this vessel, which was +considered by many sailors to be the fastest sailing-ship ever launched. + +The _Thermopylæ_ was a composite ship of 948 tons net, 1991 tons gross. +She was built by William Hood & Co., of Aberdeen, and designed by the +late Mr Bernard Waymouth, Secretary of Lloyds’ Register. + +Her dimensions were--length, 212 feet; beam, 36 feet; depth, 20.9 feet. + +Her first voyage was a wonderful one, as she broke a record every +passage. + +At 5 A.M. on the 7th of November 1868, she left Gravesend, the Lizard +was passed at 6 P.M. the next day, and the channel cleared that same +night. + +She let go her anchor off Port Phillip, Melbourne, on 9th January 1869, +a passage of sixty days from pilot to pilot. From Melbourne she went to +Newcastle, N.S.W., where she loaded for Shanghai. + +On the 10th of February she left Newcastle and arrived at Shanghai on +the 10th of March, a passage of twenty-eight days, and another record. + +From Shanghai she sailed for London, and arrived after a passage of +ninety-one days. This was also a record, but was beaten a fortnight +later by her great rival, _Sir Lancelot_. + +Thus she went round the world, breaking the record each passage. + +On her second trip to Melbourne she took sixty-one days. + +When the opening of the Suez Canal broke the hearts of the +tea-clippers, _Thermopylæ_ went into general trading, in which she +remained till the end of 1895. Her last voyage as a deep-waterman was +from Port Blakeley to Leith in one hundred and forty-one days, she was +then sold, and is now a training-ship on the Tagus. + +Thus, after a very fast life, the _Thermopylæ_ spends her old age in +rest and quietness. A better ending this than that of many a famous +tea-clipper; most of them were bought by foreign nations and ended +their days timber droghing, and a number of them are afloat still, but, +of course, with their huge sail-spreads and crews very much cut down. + +_Leander_, _Patriarch_, _Cutty Sark_, _Titania_, and _Black Adder_ are +all, I believe, still afloat. + +Of course sailing-ships of the present day are only built for carrying +capacity; notwithstanding this, many of them have made records worthy +to be ranked with those of the tea-clippers. + +In 1883 the _Maulesden_, an iron ship of 1455 tons, built by A. Stephen +& Sons, of Dundee, did an extraordinary fine performance. + +Leaving Greenock on 2nd March 1883, she crossed the line seventeen +days out, doubled the Cape in thirty-nine days, passed Tasmania +sixty-one days out, and arrived at Maryborough, Queensland, after a +passage of sixty-nine days. + +Running her easting down her best days’ runs were 302, 303, 304, 311, +317, 322, and 335 knots. + +Her best weeks’ runs were 1698, 1798, 1908, and 1929 knots. From +Maryborough she went to San Francisco, and then home, calling at +Queenstown; the whole voyage, including detention in ports, took only +nine months thirteen days. + +Her sister ship, the _Duntrune_, was also an exceptionally speedy +ship, and in 1887 went from Port Augusta, Australia, to Valparaiso in +thirty-one days. This was a distance of 6920 miles, and an average of +223 knots per day. + +Many of the modern four-mast barques are also very fast, and the +_Royalshire_ herself is considered a fast ship, having done some very +fine passages. + +One of the finest and fastest of these magnificent vessels is the _Loch +Torridon_. She holds the record for a deep-loaded ship from Newcastle, +Australia, to San Francisco, making the passage in forty-six days. In +1891 she beat a fleet of seventy-eight vessels, coming home wool-laden +from Sydney in eighty days. It was on this voyage that she made the +wonderful record of forty-one days from Diego Ramirez to the Lizard. + +[Illustration: AN AUSTRALIAN CLIPPER] + +In 1892 she went out to Melbourne in ballast in sixty-nine days, and in +nine consecutive days made runs of 302, 290, 288, 272, 285, 282, 270, +327, and 341 knots. + +She has also done the passage from Newcastle, Australia, to Valparaiso +in thirty days. + +The _Dundee_ is another fast four-master, making the passage from +Montrose to Sydney in 1889 in seventy-six days, her best days’ runs +being 295, 318, 338, and 342 knots. + +The _Queen Margaret_, a skysail-yard, four-mast barque and a +“blue-nose,” was a noted flyer. She was up at Port Costa loading grain +with us, and at the present moment is probably close on our trail. + +In the afternoon watch it began to freshen up, and we furled the +mizen-royal and upper-topgallant sail, and at eight bells the mainsail +was hauled up and made fast. As a rule, when a course was taken in it +was done at the change of the watch, and then the port watch took their +yardarm and we took ours, a race taking place between the two watches +in furling the sail. + +As we were much the better watch, our last man was frequently on deck +before they had picked up their sail. It is a great shipmaster’s dodge +to work his watches in rivalry against one another, as he then gets +twice the work out of them. + +In sand and canvas and painting I don’t think there was much to choose +between us; but when it came to taking in sail in bad weather, or work +at the braces, we were twice as strong a crew as they were. + +Some Yankee ships have what is called “checkerboard” crews, that is to +say, niggers in one watch, white men in the other, and I believe the +competition between the two watches is tremendous. There are some deep +voyagers that go in for entirely nigger crews. + +They are said to be rather unruly at sea, though good and fearless +sailors. The great point about a negro crew is their “chantying.” They +do nothing without a chanty, and their chantying is a real musical +treat, which, if put on the stage, I am very sure would draw immensely. + +Squalls are coming up at intervals, and on coming on deck in the middle +watch we found the wind had broken off a bit. We had not been on deck +long before the order came to take in the topgallant sails. Having +rolled them up, we then set the staysails, and when we went below at 4 +A.M. she was going a good 11 knots. + + +_Saturday, 7th October._--From to-day, until we get to the 40th +parallel again on the other side of the Horn, we get “burgoo” for +breakfast, and I must confess that I have been looking forward to this +for some days. + +So, on being called this morning at seven bells, it being my “peggy,” +I was soon out of my bunk and beseeching old Slush to give us a good +whack. + +How we did enjoy that burgoo, badly made as it was! how we lingered +over the last few mouthfuls! how we scraped the kid! + +A lovely day, clear and cold, the topgallant sails had been set again +in the morning watch, and at eight bells, 8 A.M., she was logging +11-1/2 knots. + +In the forenoon watch we set the mainsail and reefed it, and then set +the royals. + +The run to-day was 180 miles. Course--S. 47 E. Lat. 42°.57 S., long. +118°.03 W. + +It is gradually breezing up, sprays are flying, and occasionally +a dollop of green water slops aboard. We are surrounded by Cape +pigeons, mollymawks, and other Southern Ocean birds, and the two great +albatrosses are still with us. + +The crossjack was reefed between the dog watches, our watch suffering, +as it was our second dog watch below. We had that crossjack reefed in +pretty quick time, for every minute kept us from our tea; though it was +only hard-tack and half a pannikin of coloured water per man, such as +it was, it was always eagerly looked forward to. As for myself, I have +twice the appetite at sea that I have on shore, and up till now have +never missed a meal at sea, either in steam or sail. + +In the first watch we had two Cape Horn hail-storms, and as the wind +came more astern we hauled down the staysails. + + +_Sunday, 8th October._--Regular “running easting down” weather. Lovely +day, not too cold, with sun shining and foam glistening. The white +water is roaring past as the _Royalshire_ snores through it with her +lee scuppers full, leaving a wake like that of a channel paddle-boat. + +We shook the reefs out of the crossjack and mainsail this morning, and +with all sail set she is going for all she is worth. One has to watch +one’s time on the main-deck now, as biggish dollops are coming aboard. + +Lat. 45°.08 S., long. 115°.19 W. Course--E. 1/2 S. + +A great big mollymawk flew aboard this afternoon, a very rare +occurrence. He was a magnificent bird, with a body as big as a swan’s, +and with a splendid white breast. He could not rise off the deck, +and was so sea-sick that he could hardly waddle along. After we had +examined him, we let him go by throwing him over the side, and he soon +joined his mates, his only loss being his dinner, which he left on +board. + +It is now pretty cold, especially at night, and some of the men forward +are very badly off for clothes. Poor old Higgins and Bower are the +worst off in our watch, and we have each given them a few things. The +old man, who has got an immense wardrobe, has been very generous, +giving away very good clothes to some of the men forward. + +There is no slop-chest on board, so if a man comes aboard with only +what he stands up in, he has to trust to the generosity of his +shipmates. + +But sailors are by far the most generous and liberal people on this +earth, not hesitating to give away what they know they want very much +themselves. + +Bower, who knew nothing of the sea when he came aboard, thinking he +could do without oilskins, sold his new ones to somebody in the other +watch, and now he has had to cadge around for what he can get, and +after some difficulty he has managed to get an old suit, which badly +wanted oil and a good deal of patching. + +Old Higgins is also very badly off, as he has no rubbers, and his +sea-boots leak badly. He is a comic though pitiful sight now, as he has +tied bits of canvas round his boots, and has got lashings all over him +to prevent his tattered raiment from blowing away. Even his old slouch +hat he has tied on by a piece of canvas passed over it and made fast +under his chin. + +When the decks are wet, as they are now, it is almost impossible to +stand up in anything but rubbers, so the men that have no rubbers +tumble and slip up in every direction as the ship rolls; even in +rubbers, it is hard enough to keep on your legs. + + +_Monday, 9th October._--Lat. 46°.35 S., long. 111°.52 W. Course--S. 59 +E. Run 173 miles. + +It is much colder to-day, and much rougher, with hail squalls at +intervals, the wind having gone more into the southward. + +It is too cold for sand and canvasing, so we are busy making mats +for fenders; and Jamieson is engaged in making a large mat, which is +going to make part of a terrible instrument called “the bear,” which +afterwards caused much heart-breaking work. + +I was beginning to think we were going to have an easy forenoon watch, +as we all sat under the forecastle head in comfort whilst the seas +thundered on the deck above us, and a continuous succession of dollops +fell aboard amidships. But it was too good to last long, as presently +the second mate sneaked forward with a large bundle of rovings--the +result of many first watches in the tropics, which he had kept hoarded +in his cabin--these, and as many rope yarns as we could carry, he +presented to four of us. + +“Lubbock and Jennings, you two go up the fore and put in as many rope +yarns as you can cram in from the royal-yard down, and if there are any +gaps, put a roving in as well, and look lively about it, Loring and +Bower, you do the same on the main.” + +If the reader has not understood this order, I will explain. We simply +had to lash the head of the sails more firmly on to the jackstay, to +resist the terrific Cape Horn squalls in front of us. + +It was a cold job, I can tell you. It was blowing pretty hard, and +there was an icy chill in the southerly wind which soon had one’s +fingers frozen and numbed, and as one fumbled clumsily and squeezed +one’s fingers under the jackstay, they were soon sore and bleeding. + +But though not a pleasant job, it had one compensation, the sea and +ship from aloft were a glorious sight. + +All around the ship was a mass of white froth, and great Cape Horn +greybeards rolled up on each side until they overbalanced themselves, +and broke their tops into glittering spray. + +A good deal of green water is coming aboard, and the cook has to keep +his weather door shut. + +Circling and wheeling astern are sea-birds of all kinds, Cape hens, +mollymawks, Cape blackbirds, Cape pigeons, and our two friends the +great wandering albatrosses. These Cape blackbirds are like large black +gulls, and utter a weird kind of cry. I believe they are really another +species of albatross called the “sooty albatross.” + + +_Tuesday, 10th October._--The weather is still fine but squally, and we +are doing great sailing. It is much colder again. + +Loring and I were sent up aloft to finish putting the rovings in. We +both put on our thickest clothes, and our oilskins over them, and I put +on my Klondyke fur cap; but notwithstanding this, we found it bitterly +cold up aloft, and to make matters worse, we had hardly put a couple of +rovings in on the mizen upper-topsail yard when a hail-storm came down +upon us, and beat upon us for nearly an hour. But presently the old man +came on deck, and seeing us up there aloft, told the second mate to +call us down, as he thought it was too cold to keep us aloft for such +a long time in such weather. Presently the sun came out, and things +looked much brighter. + +Loring and I were given half a dozen flags to patch, which we did +sitting to leeward of the chart-house on the poop, and a very +comfortable time we had of it. + +All night it was squally and very cold, and we are now fairly in the +ruck of it. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OFF THE HORN + + +_Wednesday, 11th October._--A good blow, and a big beam sea. We are +logging 10 knots, and rolling both rails under; for the first time, +we have been getting the water in the half-deck, which is truly in a +miserable state, as about half a foot of water pours backwards and +forwards across it as the ship rolls. + +She is rolling so badly, that one has to brace oneself firmly against +something fixed whilst eating, and anything that is not well jammed off +or lashed, carries away, and either gets smashed up or forms one of +the heap of sodden, wretched objects which wash ceaselessly across the +floor. + +We now live in oilskins and rubbers, and only take them off to get +into our bunks. I had two big seas over me to-day, but I hung on and +faced them, so that they failed to wash me away, and my oilskins and +rubbers being well lashed, kept me pretty dry. One of the golden rules +in bad weather is, Never run away from a sea. Catch hold of whatever +is nearest, and hang on for all you are worth; for if a sea catches +you and you have not got firm hold of something, you stand a very good +chance of being washed overboard. Even if this does not happen, you +are washed into the lee scuppers and get badly bruised and cut about, +besides being nearly drowned into the bargain. A real big sea of course +you cannot hang on against, so great is the weight of water, and you +have to go whither the sea wishes you to. + +Whole watches have been washed overboard off the Horn, whilst trying to +get a pull on the braces, which is a most dangerous business in real +bad weather. + +The old man is carrying on like anything; but in the afternoon watch +the gaff-topsail, staysails, and mizen-royal had to come in, and in +the first watch we took in the main and fore royals to ease the weight +aloft. Lat. 49°.28 S., long. 104°.38 W. + + +_Thursday, 12th October._--The wind hauled ahead last night, and we +had hard work bracing up. The port watch had a rare bad time in the +middle watch, and whilst at the fore-braces were all washed away--Scar, +Frenchie, and Don getting jammed underneath the spare spars, whilst +Jackson and Webber were floated right aft as far as the main-hatch. + +The wind is lighter this morning, and we have set the royals again, and +the ship is ever so much steadier with the wind ahead, though the sea +is still very heavy. + +Jamieson has finished his mat for the “deck-bear,” and this afternoon +we started work with it. + +The bear is a square box, filled with stones to weight it, and on to +its bottom is nailed the mat; it has a couple of short ropes made fast +to it on each side, and with one man on to the end of each rope, we +have first to haul one way, and then the other two on the other side +haul it back again. Backwards and forwards it goes without a stop, some +sand being sprinkled over the deck on which it is pulled. You have to +keep at the same bit of deck until its whiteness passes the mate’s +inspection, and he tells you to move on. + +Of course it is splendid for the muscles of the back and arms, but on +board a wind-jammer one’s muscles get all they want without an infernal +slave-driving deck-bear to wear them out. + +It is the hardest work on the back I have come across yet, and the +rolling of the ship does not improve matters; Loring, Jennings, Bower, +and myself are its victims in our watch, the second mate and Mac +watching us, and occasionally giving a helping hand to one side or the +other. + +By eight bells we were all completely cooked, hardened and in rare +training as we were, I know that I just threw myself into my bunk in +the first dog watch, and lay there dead-beat for nearly an hour. + +But presently I was tumbled clean out by a terrific roll, and on +looking out found that the wind had hauled right aft again, making the +_Royalshire_ roll in the heavy sea until the deck was like the side of +a house. + +Lat. 50°.35 S., long. 99°.35 W. + +In the second dog watch a sea caught me and tossed me like a feather +into the lee scuppers, where I brought up a terrific bang, cutting my +knee open on the port main bits. + + +_Friday, 13th October._--The log was hove at seven bells in the +forenoon watch, and marked 12 knots, and it was as much as I could do +to haul the line in again. + +All the morning we have been at that terrible bear. Yesterday we had +started on the deck to windward by the after-hatch, but as a continual +succession of dollops kept coming aboard just there, knocking us down +and interrupting the work, the second mate told us to work forward by +the fore-hatch, where the sea did not come aboard quite so often. + +Even here it was exciting enough. All of a sudden a big wave would be +seen approaching, which looked like coming aboard where we were; then +there would be a rush, the bear would be left, and we would jump for +safety on to the main fife-rail or the fore-hatch, then crash would +come the great weight of water on the deck where a moment before we +had been working, washing the wretched old bear before it into the lee +scuppers. + +The big dollops were not the bother, however, it was the small ones +which were annoying and at the same time amusing. + +Pop! one would put its head over the rail and fall on two of us, to the +amusement of the other two, who would sooner or later be caught napping +in their turn, or again it would come with a rush through the port +almost sweeping us off our legs. + +The sand had to be given up, as it was washed off the deck faster than +it could be put down. + +Loring was very unlucky, a big dollop bowling him over and thoroughly +soaking him notwithstanding his oilskins! The second mate having +compassion on him as he shivered with cold, sent him aft to get a +change and took his place for a few minutes; in those few minutes the +second mate got caught and soaked. + +Poor Loring, though on his way forward in dry things once more, got +caught by a big sea, as he was going past the galley; though he made a +jump for the skids, on which the quarter boat rested, and tried to haul +himself up, he was too late and was again soaked to the skin, as he had +no lashings on his oilskins. + +This time he had to stay wet, as his wardrobe was scanty, and he had no +more dry clothes. + +The sea and wind began to get worse as darkness set in, and we had a +hard night of it. Royals came in first, then upper-topgallant sails, +after which all hands were called. + +The mainsail and crossjack were now hauled up and made fast, followed +by the fore and mizen topgallant sails. + +Notwithstanding the cold, the discomfort, the wet, the man-killing work +in the pitch darkness, and the washing about the decks, I thoroughly +enjoy it all. One is stirred up by the danger; one works like a fury, +whether up aloft getting in sail or on deck up to your middle in water, +occasionally even hanging on for dear life until you think your lungs +will burst, so long is the water in clearing off. + +Though the older men, like poor old Higgins and some of the dagos in +the port watch, are almost useless from fatigue, cold, and fright, I +never felt fitter in my life, and Loring, who came on board as weak as +a rat from fever, is fast putting on flesh; it is the same with the +second mate and Mac, who are both as frisky as young lambs. + +It is wonderful, too, how used one gets to being knocked down and +floated about the deck in a half-drowned, half-stunned condition. Every +accident, however dangerous, is always treated as a joke on board ship; +the laugh goes round as half the watch crawl out of the lee scuppers +like yellow rats, dazed, bruised, and panting for breath. + +Orders are given sharply, and those who are the keenest sailors jump +to the front in everything; up aloft the Britishers and Dutchmen do +herculean work, whilst the dagos hang on, quite useless and scared, +with all their tropical liveliness taken out of them! + +It is blowing now with a vengeance, and if we were going into it, we +would be under lower topsails and hove-to. The seas are pouring in a +cascade over the weather bulwarks and back again over the lee bulwarks +as she rolls, and the main-deck is a boiling, seething maelstrom of +water, under which the hatches are constantly hidden. The two men at +the wheel are working like blacks, as the ship is very unsteady, and +swings a couple of points on each side of her course. + +About four bells in the first watch the cook was washed out of his +galley, and his pots and pans rattled about his head. The water is +knee-deep in the half-deck, and Loring and I are expecting any moment +to be washed out of our bunks, which are the lower ones. We are afraid +that the doors will be broken in by the seas; if they go, we shall +be in a nice mess, as the half-deck will be filled up “two blocks,” +everything will be washed out, and we inside will be lucky if we are +not drowned. + +Last passage, even with the doors tight shut, one night the half-deck +filled up, and Mac, who had got his present top bunk, found himself +floated off and nearly drowned, as he could not get his head above +water. + +As I lie in my bunk I watch the flood of water washing backwards and +forwards by the dim light of the turned-down lamp. On deck there is +the ceaseless crash of seas falling aboard, and then the rushing sound +as if of a roaring torrent; as the sea pours across the deck and comes +dashing aft; it fills up under the break of the poop, and then I hear +it gushing in through the ventilator of the door against my trusty +waterproof sheet. + +“Shut that ventilator or we shall fill up,” growls Mac, half asleep. + +Presently the door is opened and shut with a bang, and Don dashes +in, just in time, as a sea follows him close. He holds a couple of +binnacles in his hands, and proceeds to try and light them as quickly +as possible with damp matches. + +“Anything going on outside,” I ask. + +“Nothing much; seas getting bigger though, and Pedro’s been turned away +from the wheel; it’s cold as the Klondyke, and I’m as hungry as a +hunter.” + +Saying which, he takes two or three bites out of a biscuit, and then, +watching his chance, dashes on deck again. + +I fall asleep then with the everlasting crash of the sea in my ears, +only to be aroused as I suppose five seconds later by Don calling out, + +“Now then, starbowlines ahoy, tumble out! One bell’s just gone, it’ll +take you all your time to get your sea lashings on by eight bells, and +there’s lots to do.” + +Loring and I immediately start to struggle into our rubbers. I know +nothing more trying to the temper than getting a pair of wet rubbers on +over wet socks in semi-darkness, half asleep, and shivering with wet +and cold, the ship all the time rolling and pitching so violently that +you cannot possibly keep your balance even sitting in your bunk. + +Meanwhile, as Loring and I hurriedly lash our oilskins on, Don is +vainly attempting to wake Mac. + +“Mac, one bell’s gone!” No response. + +A tug at the blankets, and again, + +“Mac, one bell’s gone!” + +This time a good healthy shout, and into the slumbering man’s ear. +Still no response. + +“Here Mac, out you get, five minutes to eight bells!” + +At last Don gives up words as useless, then Loring and I each have a +try; no result. Then his blankets are pulled off him, his toes pinched, +his ears pulled; but the best remedy of all is to tweak his nose. + +He sits up in his bunk at this last, and swears fluently at you for +nearly a minute, then if you let him, he will fall back again and in a +moment be fast asleep. It is quite fatal to let him lie down again once +he is sitting up in his bunk and trying to get his eyes open. Every +dodge to get him out have we played. + +“Mac, it’s gone eight bells, and the second mate wants you; buck up, +old man, or he’ll be raising hell!” + +This was effective for a while, but he got used to it, and refused to +budge; at last one day, however, he got caught. + +At ten minutes to five in the morning the watch on deck get coffee, +which, if there is not much doing, they are given nearly half an +hour to consume. This half-hour Mac used to spend in sleep on one of +the chests. This time the second mate wanted to talk to him about +something, and sent me for him. + +But not a bit of it, he would not stir. At last the second mate came +down, and between the pair of us we managed to get him on to his legs, +and when he came to his senses, Mr Knowles gave him a rare dressing +down. + +One thing I will admit, he was easier to turn out in bad weather than +in fine, when it was one of the labours of Hercules to get him to stir. +He seemed to be in a kind of stupor, and though he might talk to you +and swear for some minutes before you really got him out, he would +not remember anything about it. He always used to go to sleep with a +lighted pipe in his mouth, and invariably woke up with it down his back. + + +_Saturday, 14th October._--Strong gale of wind and very big sea, a +regular Cape Horner, main-deck under water. + +I took the lee wheel with Taylor from six to eight in the morning +watch, and how we worked! Taylor is a good helmsman, and has been in +the Royal Navy; but she swung a point and a half on each side of her +course, and sometimes more, and the wheel was spinning round the whole +time, hard up and hard down. + +The second mate stood behind us on the watch, for on the helmsman the +ship and every life on board depends now. + +Occasionally he says sharply, + +“Meet her! Meet her!” and sometimes he jumps to the wheel and gives us +his powerful aid in grinding it up or down. + +Great Cape Horn greybeards, with crests a mile and a half long, roar up +behind us, and at one moment you see a great green sea with a boiling +whirlpool of foam on its top, which looks as if it must poop you, and +wash you away from the helm; the next moment the gallant vessel has +lifted to it, and it roars past on either hand, breaking on to the +main-deck with a heavy crash and clanging of ports, then sweeping +forward in a mighty flood of raging, hissing, seething, icy-cold water. + +The old sailors manage to get about and dodge the water on the +main-deck fairly well, though it is a queer sight to see an old +shellback going his best pace at a sort of shambling run on the +slippery, heaving deck. But poor old Higgins, Bower, and Jennings seem +quite helpless, and instead of making tracks along the weather side of +the deck, hesitate, and are lost; the sea catches them in the open and +away they go, and have to be rescued and picked out of the lee scuppers +half-drowned. + +The steward, though still in his shirt sleeves--I have never yet seen +a steward in anything but his shirt sleeves, even in the coldest +weather--has put on hip rubbers, and has to exert all his cunning to +get the cabin dinner aft from the galley; we in the half-deck give him +our aid in fetching and carrying, in return for which he gives us a few +leavings from the cabin table. + +He has to take everything over the poop and down through the +chart-house to the cabin, as his little square opening on the +main-deck, through which he usually passes his dishes, has to be shut +tight to keep the sea out. + +A big sea came aboard this morning soon after eight bells, and filled +up under the break of the poop “two blocks,” so that the portholes in +the half-deck, which are 6 feet above the deck, were under water. It +burst in the door of the lamp-locker, and filled that up to the top. + +In a moment, Don, who was inside busily engaged in cleaning his lamps, +was under water, with his lamps floating around him: perfect swimmer +as he was, with a locker full of trophies and cups, he was within an +ace of being drowned, for it was nearly two minutes before the water +cleared off sufficiently to allow him, by laying his head back, to get +his nose out of water and draw breath, notwithstanding a severe bumping +from the deck above. + +It was my watch below, and we were just turning in, when Don staggered +into the half-deck, gasping and half-drowned, and lamenting his lamps, +which he had just cleaned. + +Escapes of this kind on a sailing-ship in bad weather are quite common, +and thought nothing of, and we immediately started chaffing Don about +it. + +Hard-tack was our only diet for breakfast this morning, as the galley +is all topsy-turvy, and half-full of water; the fresh-water pump also +could not be rigged in the first dog watch yesterday owing to the water +on deck, as we dare not risk getting any sea water into the tanks, +as it would spoil all the fresh water. So no hot liquid for tea last +night, and nothing hot to drink to-day, for two reasons, namely, in the +first place, the cook could not keep his fire alight, and in the second +place, there is no fresh water left. + +Some ships have small stoves in their forecastles for use off the +Horn in cold weather, but there is no luxury of this kind on the +_Royalshire_, and as the galley fire is out, we cannot dry our wet +things, which we generally hang in the carpenter’s shop, which is +nicely heated as a rule, being next the galley. + +Lat. 53°.23 S., long. 88°.58 W. Run 236 miles. + +We came on deck this afternoon to find the wind moderating slightly, +but the sea if anything was worse. + +It really is a magnificent sight: huge mountains of water with 10 feet +of foam on their crests rush after us as if they would devour us: like +great beasts of prey they rage round us, then flinging themselves upon +the straining, groaning _Royalshire_, they swarm all over her, and seem +as if they would rend her limb from limb. + +It is glorious to watch a great sea break: as it curls over there is +a most beautiful deep-green colour in the very heart of the breaker, a +colour which I have only seen once before, and that is where the deep +water comes over in the centre of the “Horseshoe” at Niagara Falls. + +Jamieson had the first trick at the wheel in the afternoon, and whilst +he was at the helm the ship was much drier, as he is a beautiful +helmsman--in fact, the old man says he is the best he has ever seen. + +In weather like this the watch can do nothing but “stand-by,” the men +staying in the forecastle until wanted, whilst Mac, Loring and I have +to keep on the poop ready to summon the watch or do anything the second +mate may want, whilst the second mate himself stands ever on the watch +behind the toiling helmsman. + +The old man is pretty continually on deck now, and with a keen eye to +windward, hangs on to his canvas. + +At four bells it was Rooning’s wheel and old Higgins’ lee wheel. +Watching their time, they dashed along the main-deck, but just as they +were passing the after-hatch, a big sea tumbled aboard right on top of +them. Rooning hung on to the starboard mizen capstan like a limpet, +and, though the water passed completely over him, it failed to wash +him away. But poor old Higgins made a jump for the after-hatch; off +this he was rolled, and hurled into the lee scuppers, whence Mac and I +rescued him in a dazed condition. + +It was bitterly cold, with the everlasting hail-storms at intervals, so +you may imagine Rooning and Higgins (both of whom were soaking wet) had +a pretty cold trick at the wheel. + +During the night the watch on deck, who in fine weather always stayed +aft on the main-deck, had to come up on to the poop, where they tramped +up and down to leeward in a vain attempt to keep warm. + +Of course this tramping goes on right over the heads of those asleep in +the half-deck. It does not affect our watch, who can all sleep through +any noise; but in the other watch, Don, Scar, and the nipper are all +very light sleepers, and in the middle watch, when I sneaked down into +the half-deck to light binnacles, I found them all three awake and +swearing fluently. + +They told me to ask the second mate to stop it. I promised to do my +best, but informed them that the old man was the chief offender. + +I managed to get the watch to walk further aft and more quietly, that +is, all except that surly brute Johnsen, who refused to budge. The old +man, however, continued his promenade to windward, and stamped strongly +to keep himself warm, and I chuckled to myself as I thought of the +terrific blasphemy that was being used on his behalf by those below. + + +_Sunday, 15th October._--Lat. 54°.46 S., long. 83°.08 W. + +“Seven bells; buck up, Bally, and tumble out! It’s blowing harder than +ever, and there’s the very hell of a sea running!” + +“Nice Sunday morning,” I growl to myself, as I crawl carefully out of +my sleeping-bag and prepare for the usual struggle with wet rubbers. + +“I suppose you haven’t ordered breakfast yet?” + +“No, what will you have?” + +“Well, I think a fried sole to start on, with poached eggs and bacon, +sausages, and devilled kidneys to follow; and mind you tell the cook +that I must have my toast crisp.” + +“That all; and what will you have, Mac?” + +“As many kippered herrings as you can pack along.” + +“And you, Loring?” + +“Order me a couple of roast turkeys, with plenty of chestnuts, +stuffing, and sausages.” + +With which Don, who had been calling us, dashed out into the flying +spume again. + +“There’s no more water in the breaker,” says Loring, “and from the look +of the weather, there’ll be no chance of rigging the pump for some +days.” + +“Then it’s likely well have a pretty good thirst on before we’re round +Cape Stiff.” + +“A man does not want much to drink when he lives in wet clothes like we +are doing now.” + +“All the same, with nothing to eat but hard-tack sodden with salt +water, I don’t see why one should not raise quite a respectable thirst, +even though we are up to our necks in water.” + +Hard-tack is now our only food, and though we all try to fill up the +void by smoking, it is hard work even keeping a pipe alight, so wet and +damp is everything. + +I took in another hole in my belt to-day, that makes the third since +leaving Frisco. + +On going on deck at 8 A.M., we found that the gale was getting worse, +and though we were running dead before it, it was a case of snugging +down. + +This kept us at work all the morning. We took everything off her but +the three lower-topsails, foresail, main upper-topsail, and main +lower-topgallant sail. + +When taking in sail, before one can lay aloft and furl the sail, one +has to work on the main-deck, hauling it up to spill the wind out of it +by means of buntlines, leech, and clew lines. Whilst doing this we are +often up to our necks in water, and not seldom under water altogether; +sometimes, as we are hauling on a rope, a sea pours over us, sweeps +our legs from under us, and though we hang on, we are all rolled +and tossed about the deck, until the water, pouring off through the +ports in the bulwarks, frees the ship, and allows us to pick ourselves +up. Many of us are badly bruised, but that does not matter. I have +a bleeding and swollen knee, but what would be considered serious +anywhere else, is a mere trifle off the Horn; sea cuts, which eat down +to the bone, are very common, and many of the men have got bad sea +boils on their wrists and arms. + +Having made the sails fast, when we reach the deck again we have to +“turn the gear up.” This is done on the backstays, a few feet above +the topgallant rail, and one hangs right over the whirling white water +that boils around the vessel. Most of the seas break aboard just below +your feet, but not a few rear up their foaming crests until they are +above the level of your eyes; you tighten your hold and take a long +breath--crash! and the ice-cold water is pouring over you, and doing +its utmost to tear you from your insecure perch as it pours like a +cataract on to the deck below. + +It is trying work, as each roll of the vessel hurls you into the very +lap of the raging sea, sometimes dipping you to the waist, sometimes +under altogether. + +Whilst turning this gear up, I very nearly went to Davy Jones’ +locker--in fact, some of the watch thought I was gone. + +An immense sea broke aboard, feet above my head, and I found myself +overboard; but, holding my breath, I hung on to the end of the main +topgallant clew-line like a leech, and as the water cleared off over +the lee rail I was floated back into safety. + +Meanwhile the sea had caught Mac and Bower and swept them from the +main-hatch to right under the break of the poop, Bower bringing up +with a bang on the head against the poop ladder. The second mate, who +was on the poop, ran down the ladder and hauled them out. They emerged +half-drowned and bruised amidst loud laughter. + +Coming to relieve the lee wheel this morning, Higgins lost his head +as usual; he had just got past the mizen fife-rail when he saw a huge +monster of a wave coming aboard. The sight of the approaching sea left +him standing nerveless and shaking in the middle of the main-deck, with +nothing handy to hang on to. + +The old man was watching him from the break of the poop, and roared out, + +“Get on to the fife-rail, you man there! Do you want to be washed +overboard, you paralysed idiot?” + +But he was too late; down came the sea--a hiss, a roar, a stagger, and +a muffled shout, and poor old Higgins was an indistinguishable black +mass, being rolled over and over in the scuppers. Mac and I had to rush +down on to the main-deck and splash into the water up to our waists, +to pick him up before he got badly hurt by being jammed in a port or +hurled against a stanchion. + +It was Jamieson’s trick at the wheel, and when he was relieved the old +man said to him, + +“See that man safely forward,” indicating Higgins, “a whole lot,” as +they would say in Western America. + +Ever since this, old Higgins had a dry-nurse, in the shape of one of +the A.B.’s, to take him along the main-deck. + +I have lost my knife somewhere in the half-deck; it is probably +floating about on the _débris_ of brushes, dungarees, boots, caps, +socks, etc., which are washing about the floor. + +As a sailor is helpless without his knife, in my watch below this +afternoon I thought I would take a pig-sticking hunting knife which I +have got, and grind down the point a bit, so that it will go into my +sheath easily. + +The grindstone being forward under the forecastle head, with my knife +in my hand I warily started off on my journey. I had just got past the +main-hatch when I saw a big sea coming aboard, so I started to run, +but as the ship rolled, I slipped up and came down a terrific bang on +the deck by the galley. Picking myself up without a moment’s delay, +I dashed on and reached the forecastle in safety; not until then did +I notice that in my fall I had cut my thumb to the bone, and was +bleeding like a stuck pig. This was a serious business, as a sailor’s +thumb is a very necessary part of him, and cuts won’t heal off the Horn. + +Well, I had to make the best of it, and after some difficulty in +stopping it bleeding, bound it up tightly with some rag. This done, I +ground my knife, and succeeded in getting aft again without any further +mishap. + +This was a very unfortunate accident, as my thumb became inflamed and +was very painful, especially as I had to use it just as if it was quite +well. Besides which, all my trouble had been for nothing, as I found my +other knife floating in the half-deck soon afterwards, much to my joy, +as a knife is a knife, and more valuable on a wind-jammer than anywhere +else. + + +_Monday, 16th October._--Lat. 56°.09 S., long. 77°.04 W. Course--S. 60 +E. Run 222 miles. + +Blowing harder than ever, and a mountainous sea running. It is really +awe-inspiring, and the captain told me it is the biggest sea he has +ever seen, which is saying a good deal, as this is his thirtieth +passage round the Horn. + +In the forenoon watch, our watch below, the main upper-topsail split +from top to bottom, so that sail and the lower-topgallant above it +were made fast, and now we are running before the gale under three +lower-topsails and foresail. + +Poor Don had a great misfortune to-day, though we all could not help +laughing at it. + +Whilst up on the main upper-topsail yard, he lost his only set of false +teeth overboard, with the result that he now speaks as it were with +tongues, but more as if he had a hot potato in his mouth. Poor Don, he +will have a very bad time now till the end of the voyage, for, with +hardly anything but hard-tack to eat, his gums will get pretty sore. + +We are now well to the southward of the Horn, and the weather is as bad +as any weather can be; hail squalls blow up at minute intervals, and +Cape Horn greybeards, a mile or two long, with white shaggy crests, +chase us like birds of prey. + +The weather is so bad that there are no albatrosses about, they are +all away to the nor’ard; there are, however, a few Cape pigeons and +mollymawks, which the weather seems to have very little effect upon. + +It is very cold, and Don and I are wearing our oilskins over our +Klondyke fur coats at night. + +The huge seas are beginning to poop her badly now, especially when the +port watch are on deck, as their helmsmen are a very indifferent lot. + +Ever and anon in our watch below we hear a terrific crash on the deck +above us as a sea falls on to the poop, to pour in a roaring cascade +on to the main-deck. + +All the weather clothes put up round the poop-rail have been torn down +by the sea, as if they had been bits of paper instead of the strongest +canvas. + +No sailor likes his ship to be constantly pooped like this, and I can +see that many of the men are beginning to get anxious and uneasy, +especially the dagos. + +The water pours into the half-deck now so constantly that it came in +over my bunk this morning as she rolled; but though it was over the +foot of my sleeping-bag, none got inside, and I rejoiced in warmth. + +Still no fresh water, of course, and we are really beginning to get +thirsty. + +We came on deck in the afternoon watch to find the sun trying to get +out through the rushing clouds, and its cold gleams lit up the wild +scene, and added a tinge of colour to the huge, forbidding, foam-topped +masses of raging, hurtling sea. + +Just as Mac, Loring, and I got on to the poop at eight bells, an +immense sea pooped her. The mate, who was standing to leeward of the +chart-house, trying to get a sight, was carried off his legs, and only +the poop-rail saved him from being swept down on to the main-deck. He +kept his presence of mind, however, as every sailor does, and clung on +to his precious sextant, picking himself up as the water poured off, +very little the worse for his mishap, which might have so easily ended +seriously. + +At the same time, one of the chart-house doors being ajar, volumes of +water found its way down into the cabin, and the steward had to get +Loring’s help below to put things shipshape and clear up the damage. + +“If the old man does not heave her to soon, he’ll never be able +to heave her to,” said Mac to me as we stood in the lee of the +chart-house, “as, on the ship coming up to the wind in a sea like this, +it would roll her over and over.” + +He was evidently getting uneasy at the terrific sea and the constant +pooping of the ship, and started yarning about the number of ships +which had been lost with all hands from running too long before a storm. + +I rather enjoyed the fun myself, it was so stupendous, so magnificent, +so terrific. + +When on the top of one of the great Cape Horners, looking forward was +like looking from the top of a mountain; first smaller mountains, then +hills, until what looked like the valley, seemed miles away in the +distance. + +I am very certain that it was a good deal nearer two miles than one +mile from crest to crest of these enormous seas, and I don’t believe +any vessel under 500 tons could have lived in them for five minutes. + +The main-deck is often out of sight now for some minutes, even the +hatches being covered, and as the ship rolls it becomes a roaring, +hissing, boiling cauldron. + +In the midship-house they are almost as badly off as we are in the +half-deck, and the bosun, who is thoroughly scared, would give worlds, +I am sure, to be safe and sound on his Californian farm again. + +The old man, with all the care on his shoulders, seems the least +anxious man on the ship, and is ably backed up by the two mates, who, +with nerves of steel, send no one where they dare not go themselves. + +As for myself, I am in raptures with the magnificent sight, and delight +in the tremendous experience. I feel fit and braced up, ready to go +anywhere and do anything; there is a kind of glorious exhilaration +about it all which fills me until I can hardly keep it down;--I smile +and chuckle to myself, and watch the huge seas like a scientist over a +new invention, whilst the others hold on with scared, anxious faces. + +All of a sudden, as I watch I catch sight of the topsails of a ship on +our port quarter. + +“Sail ho!” I cry. + +You could only see her when both were on the top of a sea; she +was a three-master, running before it like ourselves, under three +lower-topsails and reefed foresail. + +The old man said she was probably a wool-clipper from Australia. A sail +is a cheering sight at all times; but at a time like this, in such a +sea, she was watched with great eagerness, as we scanned her through +the old ship’s telescope and the captain’s glasses. + +I think the sight of her relieved the old man of a good deal of +anxiety, as he got very cheerful, and spun us several amusing yarns; so +much so, that I forgot about four bells, and I am afraid struck them +nearly ten minutes late, to the great disgust of the tired helmsman. + +A landsman has no idea of the various noises on board a wind-jammer in +a storm. Every part of the ship groans; up above the gale roars, sings, +and whistles through the rigging; one backstay produces a deep note, +and one could fancy an organ was being played aloft; others shriek +shrilly like telegraph wires; some hum, some ring, others twang like +banjo strings; and above all is the crash of the seas falling on the +main-deck, and the clang of the hardly-used ports as they are banged +first open and then shut by each succeeding wave. + +I am afraid the ends of the gear are badly mauled about, as they get +washed off the pins and dragged through the ports. + +We have to be very careful going in and out of the half-deck, as the +break of the poop is filled up every other wave. + +Some of these tremendous seas fall aboard the whole length of the +weather rail, and even the forecastles are inches deep in water, though +not to be compared with the awful state of the half-deck. + +Indeed, it is really beginning to be dangerous in the half-deck; any +moment an extra big sea may break in the doors, and the watch below +would be drowned like rats in a trap. + +We discussed the matter over our hard-tack in the first dog watch. +Mac was for asking to be allowed to sleep in the cabin; but if one +goes down to the sea in ships, one must take risks, and though the +careful Scot does not like the lookout at all, Loring and I being mad +and reckless Englishmen, are quite ready to take the risk, and are not +going to bother ourselves with what might happen. + +In the second dog watch, whilst the second mate was below at his tea, +there was a slight lull in the gale, and the mate ordered the fore +upper-topsail to be reefed and set. + +This was, no doubt, a great error of judgment on the mate’s part; +the glass was exceedingly low, and from the look of the sky, it was +evidently going to blow harder than ever. + +Perhaps he thought he would try and put more speed on to her, as the +seas were pooping her so badly. + +The old man was snatching a few moments for a snooze; but from what +we have seen, the mate is even a bigger terror than the old man at +carrying on--at anyrate, in this instance, I thought him reckless to +the verge of insanity. + +But orders must be obeyed. + +Two reef-earings were got ready, and away we went aloft and lay out on +the yard. + +I went out on to the weather yardarm with Jamieson, and we soon had the +earing passed. + +“Ready?” shouted Mac from the bunt. + +“Aye, aye, sir!” + +“Haul out to windward!” + +“Eh--hai--ai! Oh--ho! Oh--ho--oh!” we chorused. + +“Far enough, sir!” + +“Haul out to leeward!” + +“That’ll do!” + +“Tie her up, and don’t miss any reef points!” + +We soon had the reef points tied, and Mac sings out, + +“Lay down from aloft, and set the sail!” + +We took the halliards to the small capstan forward, and mastheaded +the yard to the chanty of “Away for Rio!” Jamieson singing the solo. +It was pretty bad weather for chantying, but there is nothing like a +chanty to put new life into a man, and we roared out the chorus at the +top of our pipes. + +The dagos in the port watch looked out of their forecastle at us in +amazement, just in time to let a sea in, which pretty well swamped them +out, and did its best to wash us away from the capstan. + +Of all the chanties, I think “Away for Rio!” is one of the finest, and +I cannot refrain from giving you the words. + + +CHANTY.--“AWAY FOR RIO!” + + _Solo._ “Oh, the anchor is weigh’d, and the sails they are set,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “The maids that we’re leaving we’ll never forget,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio! aye, Rio! + Sing fare-ye-well, my bonny young girl, + We’re bound for Rio Grande!” + + _Solo._ “So man the good capstan, and run it around,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “We’ll heave up the anchor to this jolly sound,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “We’ve a jolly good ship, and a jolly good crew,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “A jolly good mate, and a good skipper too,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “We’ll sing as we heave to the maidens we leave,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “You know at this parting how sadly we grieve,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound to Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “Sing good-bye to Sally and good-bye to Sue,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “And you who are listening, good-bye to you,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “Come heave up the anchor, let’s get it aweigh,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “It’s got a firm grip, so heave steady, I say,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “Heave with a will, and heave long and strong,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “Sing a good chorus, for ’tis a good song,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “Heave only one pawl, then ’vast heaving, belay!” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “Heave steady, because we say farewell to-day,” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio!” etc. + + _Solo._ “The chain’s up and down, now the bosun did say,” + _Chorus._ “Away, Rio!” + + _Solo._ “Heave up to the hawse-pipe, the anchor’s aweigh!” + _Chorus._ “For we’re bound for Rio Grande, + And away, Rio! aye, Rio! + Sing fare-ye-well, my bonny young girl, + We’re bound for Rio Grande!” + +Of course the words are not exactly appropriate in the present +occasion, but the chorus is one of the best I have ever heard, with its +wild, queer wail. + +It would have been a grand picture for a painter: the struggling ship +surrounded by foam, the great, greeny-grey seas, the wild, stormy sky +just tinged with yellow where the sun was setting, the wet, glistening +decks, and the ring of toiling men heaving round the capstan. + +With the extra cloth, the poor old _Royalshire_ laboured terribly, and +seemed to make worse weather of it than ever. + +Mac, Loring, and I managed to get along the main-deck and on to the +poop without being washed overboard, and there found the second mate, +the mate having gone below on being relieved, staring in consternation +at the reefed topsail. + +I asked Jamieson to-day whether he called the _Royalshire_ a wet ship. +He said that no iron ship could expect to be anything but a half-tide +rock in such a terrific sea, and that he had been on ships which before +now would have had their boats and everything on deck swept clean away +by the weight of water. But the _Royalshire_ has everything of the +best, and all for strength. + +“Great snakes, here comes a sea!” cried Loring all of a sudden. + +I gave one look astern, and there, towering high above us, was a huge +monster, roaring and hissing as it curled its top; it looked as if it +must break full on to the poop, and was a sight to strike terror into +the stoutest heart. + +Would she rise to it, or was this our last moment on earth? + +“Hang on for your lives!” roared the second mate. + +Up, up, up went the _Royalshire_, good old ship, she was going to top +it after all; but though she did her best, the heavy weight aft held +her down, and she did not quite get there. + +With a deafening thud, the top of the monster curled into boiling surf +and fell upon us, overwhelming the helmsmen, who clung desperately to +the wheel, and dipping us to the waist as we hung in the weather jigger +rigging. + +In a roaring torrent it poured across the poop, and then, like an +earthquake wave, fell aboard the whole length of the port-rail. Such a +height was it, that it toppled over in a terrible breaker upon the top +of the midship-house; the gig’s side and bottom fell out, as if hit by +a thunderbolt, the lamp-locker door was smashed down, and all the lamps +washed out (luckily Don was not inside this time, or he would have +certainly been drowned), and it filled the main-deck high above the +hatches until the water was on a level with the poop. + +The poor old ship gave a sickly roll under the terrible weight of +water, and dipped Loring and myself up to our necks in the next sea as +we clung on to the port jigger-backstays. + +All the life seemed struck out of her; she swung nearly five points off +her course, and old Foghorn, Jennings, and the second mate were working +like demons as they hove the wheel up. + +“If she gets another on top of this, she’ll go down like a stone!” +yelled Mac in my ear. + +“What price the watch below,” I returned. “I thought the half-deck +doors would go to a certainty.” + +“Yes, they held out well; that lamp-locker door’s torn clean off its +hinges, and is smashed in like a rotten apple. Just look at the lamps +washing about; we must get them somehow, and put them down in the +cabin as soon as the water clears off a bit.” + +“Aye, aye!” + +“Did you hear the dagos yelling in the port-forecastle? I guess they +thought they were half-way to Davy Jones’ locker!” + +Gradually the gallant ship shook herself clear, and the hatches showed +their tops once more above the water. + +Down Mac, Loring, and I dashed on to the main-deck until we were up to +our waists in water, and started retrieving the lamps. + +Meanwhile, a howling hail squall came down upon us, and the second mate +rushed for the captain. + +As we splashed about removing the lamps from the wrecked locker, Mac +said grimly, + +“If another sea comes along and catches us two in here, we’re gorners.” + +“I should think the betting’s two to one on. Let’s hope old Wilson +won’t let her run off; she’s steering vile, though,” I reply. + +At that moment Loring, who was on the poop ladder passing the lamps up, +shrieked at us, + +“On the poop for your lives! God Almighty! look sharp, or you’re +caught!” + +We made a wild rush for the ladder, a lamp under each arm; the invading +sea leaping madly at us, tried it’s best to catch us, but in vain, we +reached the poop in safety. The poop ladder was now working loose and +wanted relashing, or it would go adrift. + +At this moment the old man came on deck, and giving one glance round, +turned to the second mate and said, + +“Call all hands and get the sail off her, I must heave her to.” + +“Aye, aye, sir!” + +I ran down to call the mate, and found him dozing. + +“It’s all hands, sir; the captain’s going to heave her to.” + +“What’s that; is the weather worse?” he asked, as he struggled into his +oilskins. + +“It’s blowing harder than ever, sir, and she shipped a very bad sea +just now,” I answered, and ran on deck again. + +“All hands! all hands on deck!” yelled the second mate and Mac, as we +splashed forward. + +The port watch turned out sharply, looking pretty scared. + +“How did you like the big sea in the half-deck?” I asked of Don. + +“It poured in like a watershute, and your bunk was under water in +double-quick time, my boy.” + +“Well, that don’t matter much; I don’t suppose I shall get much chance +to sleep in it to-night.” + +“Henderson, go and get your side lights and binnacles lighted,” called +the second mate. + +“What’s become of them, sir; my lamp-locker’s washed bare as a bone?” + +“They are all down in the cabin.” + +Away went Don aft, to run the gauntlet of the furious seas until he +reached the safety of the poop. + +“Fore upper-topsail first!” called the mate. “Tail on to the +spilling-lines all hands, and show what you can do!” + +“Now then, starboard watch!” cried the second mate, “up with your sail, +and give the port watch a dressing down!” + +“Lively, boys; haul, and show your spunk!” yelled Mac. + +“Yo--ho! Yo--hay! Yo--ho--oh! Up she goes!” + +Crash! and a sea broke over us. One gasp and a splutter, and we were +under water; swept off our feet, and knocked helter-skelter edgeways, +we lay in tangled knots of yellow humanity. Some one tried to cram +his foot down my throat, whilst my knee was gouging out his eyes. As +the water poured off, it left us bruised, battered, breathless, but +undaunted. + +Scrambling to our feet, at it we went again, working like fiends and no +skulkers. + +“Haul, and bust yourselves; haul till you break!” yelled Mac. + +“One more pull and she’ll do!” cries the mate. + +“Oh--ho! Oh--har!” + +“Turn that!” + +“All fast, sir!” + +“Up aloft, and roll up the sail!” + +“Now then, starbowlines, give her hell and show your grit!” shouts +the second mate as he dashes aloft at the head of us, as active as +a monkey, whilst the port watch, led by Scar and Don, take the port +rigging. + +As we sprang into the shrouds, she rolled her rail under until we were +dipped deep below the surface. But we hung on like grim death, and not +a man was washed away. + +Up we went over the futtock shrouds and on to the yard. It was pitch +black now, and spitting hailstones as big as marbles. + +The wind blew up aloft with an edge to it that froze one’s extremities +into ice. The sail was as stiff as a board, and it seemed a matter of +impossibility to pick it up. + +We hit it, we scratched at it, we clutched at it with hooked fingers +until the blood gushed from our nails. + +“Catch hold of her, dig your fingers in!” cries Mac. “You there, Bower, +blast you, are you going to sleep on the damned yard, or what the devil +do you think you are doing?” + +Frenzied men tore at the sail with both hands, hanging on by their +eyelids, whilst we out at the yardarm had the hardest task of all. + +“Up with her!” roared the second mate at the bunt. “Now then, +all together--Oh--ho!--and she comes! On to the yard with +her--Oh--hay!--and roll her up!” + +Truly a sailor must have each finger a fishhook, as they say. + +Well, we got it on to the yard somehow, and made a fair stow of it. + +Meanwhile the port watch were all at sixes and sevens, doing nothing +much but hang on and swear in five languages. Don’s language up aloft +is enough to scare the devil, though he’s the best man on a yard in the +watch. + +“Lay down from aloft!” cries the second mate, and we gain the deck +glowing with triumph, for our last man is out of the rigging before +they have picked up their sail. + +But now comes the great tussle--the foresail had to come in, and it is +a new sail. + +Some of the men were pretty well coopered by the hard work, cold, wet, +and strain of it all. Poor old Higgins could hardly stand on his legs, +Bower was not much better, and as for the wretched port watch, their +struggles on the upper-topsail yard had quite worn them out. Don and +the red-headed third mate were hoarse with swearing, though both were +still full of beans; the Arab was a miserable object, whose teeth +rattled like castanets, and eyeballs rolled their whites in a frenzy of +terror. + +“Port buntlines and clew-garnets first!” yells the mate, whilst the +second mate takes the ticklish job of easing away the sheet. + +In the small space round the fife-rail, we were very cramped up and +crowded out, and it was difficult to get the whole weight into the +pull, so some of us got on to the fife-rail and hauled from above until +the blocks came down too low. + +Difficulties of all sorts cropped up: the blocks jammed, the buntlines +twisted up and had to be unrove, and ever and anon the wash of a sea +swept over us. + +Men lost their balance and cannoned against each other, men slipped, +and half a watch fell on their backs cursing, but the mate gave them no +time to think. + +“Up you get there, no skulking, jump, or you won’t know what hit you!” +snarls Scar at the prostrate group. “You damned dagos, what good are +ye?--hell, you ain’t worth thumping.” + +“Dat no right, mistar, we do our dam level best, dat’s true!” whimpers +one. + +“Oh, curse you for the worst watch I ever sailed with!” roars Scar in a +frenzy of rage. “Here, you there, you blasted bandylegged Turk, haul, +can’t you! Don’t look at me like that, damn ye!” + +Inch by inch, with incredible labour, we hauled the sail up. The +strongest of us got our fighting second wind, and the icy blast of the +south wind only put new breath into our nostrils. + +“Take some of your best hands to the braces and spill the sail, Mr +Knowles!” called the mate. + +Mac, Don, Jamieson, Rooning, Loring, and myself followed the second +mate. + +“Jamieson and you, Bally, come with me to the weather braces; you, Mac, +take the other three and get in the slack as we give it you.” + +This was as dangerous a bit of work as any one could want; the seas +swept in a continuous cascade over the rail where we were working, and +more than half the time we were under water, hanging on for our lives. + +One blunder and the yards might take charge. Inch by inch we let out, +and those to leeward took in, watching our chance as the vessel rolled. + +The second mate was like a bull for strength, and Jamieson a very tiger +for energy. + +“Take it off! Carefully does it--that’s it--keep a turn in, and ease +away gently.” Then, as a huge black mountain of water appears above us, + +“Hitch it, and hang on all. God Almighty! quick, for your lives!” + +At last we have the fore-yards braced up fairly well. + +“That’ll do!” yells the mate above the shrieking of the storm, and we +dash forward again. + +The foresail was now fairly well hauled up. + +“Are you going to reef it, sir?” asked Scar. + +“No, furl it,” answered the mate. “Away you go aloft, and take a +yardarm at a time.” + +There were a goodish crowd of us when both watches were out on one +yardarm, and we did not have as much trouble as we expected with the +sail. + +The lower yards are so big that it requires two men to pass a gasket; +one sits down on the foot-ropes and catches the gasket, whilst the +other man, hanging above the yard, swings it to him. + +On the fore-yard the white tops of the huge seas seemed on a level with +us as they rolled by in great mountains of ink, leaving a trail behind +like the wash of a Kootenay stern-wheeler. + +The sight was truly grand, illumined as it was by a small wisp of a +moon which peeped out every now and then from behind the scudding +clouds. + +With the foresail furled, we had now the three lower-topsails alone +set; but even this was too much, and the main lower-topsail had to come +in before the old man dared bring her up to the wind. + +The most dangerous work of the lot came now, as we had to haul up the +main lower-topsail right amidships; here the water was up to our waists +between the seas, and every other moment the whole ship’s company was +under water. + +It was a wonder nobody was lost, and a still greater wonder that no +limbs were broken. + +The second mate, Scar, Jamieson, and myself, hauling up the port +clew-line, had a rare time of it. + +Whenever we did get our heads above water we managed to get a few +short, strong pulls in; but mostly we had to work like divers. + +If we saw a sea coming in time, we took a turn, and all four dashed +for safety, one into the rigging, another on to the skids, a third up +the iron ladder on to the midship-house, and the fourth on to the main +fife-rail. + +At last we had the sail hauled up, and away we went aloft to furl it. + +Directly we had got the sail on to the yard and were making it fast, +the helm was put down. + +It was an exciting moment as her head came slowly up to the wind. + +A huge sea rose up before us until the spume off its boiling crest was +blown into our faces, high up as we were, then down it swooped aboard, +sweeping her fore and aft. + +Over and over went the poor old _Royalshire_, until the lower yardarms +were dipping into the whirl of broken water to leeward. + +The main lower-topsail yard was almost straight up and down, and we +hung on like so many frightened flies. + +“She’ll turn turtle!” yelled some one. + +One of the dagos gave a shrill shriek, which rang like the cry of a +wild bird above the roar of the tempest, and in absolute terror would +have fallen off the yard if the man next him had not hauled him back by +the scruff of his neck. + +“Hell, are you all going to sleep up here!” came the thundering voice +of the second mate at the bunt. + +“Tie up the sail and get a move on, or there’ll be trouble.” Nothing +was able to dismay his indomitable spirit. + +Mechanically we turned again to our work. Seconds passed like hours as +we felt the ship heeling over, ever over. + +Was she going? She was almost on her beam ends now! We could not see +the decks; between them and us was a curtain of boiling, hissing spray +and broken water, into which the masts were stuck half-way up to the +lower yards. + +After some terrible moments of suspense, we all felt that she had +stopped going over, and lay steady almost on her beam ends. + +Long before this point had been reached, ten or twenty years ago, the +men would have been gathered in groups round the masts and standing +rigging, with axes ready, waiting the order from the captain to “Cut +away!” + +But in a modern wind-jammer, with masts of iron and shrouds of the +strongest twisted wire, this is impossible, and you can no longer save +your ship by cutting away the masts. + +Presently a lull came, and we could once more see the deck beneath us. + +The _Royalshire_ was lying over with her lee rail dipped, so that the +fair-leads were level with the water, the hatches were half submerged, +and the lee side of the poop was under water. + +As we came down from aloft, the sprays were thick, as high as the +main-yard, and it was like going into a boiling cauldron with the steam +rising from it, with the difference that its embrace was icy cold. + +Nothing more could be done now; the ship lay hove-to, though she was +a good many points off. Our watch was sent below for a short hour and +a half before coming on deck for the middle watch, and the port watch +went on to the poop. + +Mac, Loring, and I managed to get into the half-deck without mishap. +We were all three soaking wet, half numbed with cold, and with no dry +clothes to change to. + +Mac was anxious, and thought she was lying very badly, and declared +that we should be lucky if we saw the night through. + +Loring, who had been doing wonders in the way of work, was quite +dead-beat, and just got into his bunk as he was, and lay there in his +oilskins. He could not turn in, as everything was wringing wet; the +lower bunks had evidently been constantly under water whilst we were +snugging her down. I found, however, that the inside of my good old +sleeping-bag was comparatively dry, so slipping out of my oilskins and +rubbers, I crawled in, and soon got some heat into my body. + +Mac also turned in, and as usual, smoked himself to sleep. + +Just as I was dropping off to sleep there was a terrific crack as a +hail squall struck her. + +“Something’s carried away aloft,” growled Mac. “Hope to hell we shan’t +be wanted.” + +We heard the watch tramping off the poop on to the main-deck, and +presently heard them singing out. + +I looked out through the forward porthole. + +“They are hauling up the mizen lower-topsail to leeward,” I said. + +“Likely the sheet’s carried away,” said Mac. + +“Yes, and they are going to goosewing the sail.” + +This was what had happened, and it took the whole of the port watch +until midnight to make the starboard half of the sail fast. + +At one bell Don staggered in and turned us out; he was absolutely +dead-beat, frozen, and angry. + +“Oh, those damned dagos, the cowardly curs; there are only about two +men in our watch left who are not too paralysed with funk to work. +We’ve had an awful time on the mizen-topsail-yard: this is fair hell.” + +“What’s the night like?” + +“Worse than ever; you can’t see farther than the after-hatch from +the poop, there’s so much broken water on deck, and if our watch get +forward safely at eight bells I shall be kind of surprised.” + +Well, that was a bad middle watch; I never felt colder I don’t believe, +not even in Klondyke. + +The main-deck was a sight to scare the stoutest heart, and it looked an +impossibility to get along it in safety. + +Mac was sent forward to tell the watch not to come aft, but to stand-by +forward and to see that all the fore lower-topsail gear was clear, as +any moment we expected to see one of the sheets carry away. + +We watched him as far as the mizen fife-rail, when a huge sea broke +aboard, making a clean sweep over everything, and throwing the spray +right over the crossjack-yard. + +Mac shinned up the mizen lower-topsail sheet, and was hidden from our +view by the spume. + +It took him over an hour to get forward and back again. Hardly had he +got safely on the poop before a furious hail squall, which we had been +watching come up for some time, burst down upon us. + +The second mate, Mac, Loring, and I hung on to the jigger weather +rigging, and waited for something to carry away. + +Over lay the _Royalshire_ until the fair-leads disappeared from sight, +and the leeward side of the poop was under water right up to the +chart-house. + +The squall screamed and shrieked at us in fury, as if determined to +break down the gallant ship’s resistance. + +The hailstones cut our faces until the blood came, helped by the +spindrift, which blew over us in sheets. + +The deck was straight up and down, and still everything held aloft. +Everything depended on the fore lower-topsail; but it was a brand-new +cotton sail, and the sheets had been carefully seen to. + +The squall passed, but others kept coming up. + +Every few minutes I slid down to the chart-house to see if there was +any change in the glass; it was extraordinarily low, but fairly steady, +and inclined to rise. + +The watch passed very slowly as we hung on to windward, numb with cold, +but ready for anything. + +We tried to yarn, but the roar of the gale made it impossible to hear +each other, and we soon gave it up. + +It seemed a wonder that any ship could keep afloat with all that +quantity of water on the main-deck. + +So the watch passed without incident, except for a small matter which +amused Mac and Loring somewhat. + +The second mate and I were both making carefully for the +chart-house--only two or three yards to go--but, with the deck sloping +every other moment like the side of a house, it needed some care. +As luck would have it, this time a wave struck her, and gave her a +quick heel to leeward. We both lost our balance and slid down to the +rail, bringing up in about four feet of water, from which we emerged +spluttering out curses and salt water, only to be greeted by the loud +laughter of Mac and Loring. + +As the ship was hove-to, the helmsman had an easy time, and the wheel +might just as well have been lashed. + +At last I was able to strike eight bells, and we went below, leaving +the worst four hours in the twenty-four to the port watch, namely, +those from 4 A.M. to 8. + + +_Tuesday, 17th October._--At seven bells we were awakened by the hoarse +cries of the port watch at the braces. + +They were squaring the ship away before it again. + +On coming on deck after our scanty breakfast of hard-tack, we found +that both sea and wind were better than they had been. + +This was not saying much, for even as we emerged from the half-deck +we saw a sea whirling aft along the main-deck, with odd legs and arms +belonging to sundry members of the port watch sticking up out of it +like derelict spars. + +The watch had evidently been washed away from the fore braces. + +They were glad enough to get below at eight bells, and leave us the +tough job of setting the main lower-topsail, and reefing and setting +the foresail and three upper-topsails. + +Very heavy work, as the main-deck is still under water, and some of the +men forward are completely used up from the cold, wet, and hard work; +all hands also are beginning to feel the pangs and grip on the stomach +of hunger and thirst, and I took my belt in another hole. + +Although we were all pretty well worn out, we managed to ring out a +rare good chorus, chantying up the topsails. + +Jamieson sang the solo of “The Wide Missouri,” a very celebrated chanty. + + +CHANTY.--“THE WIDE MISSOURI.” + + _Solo._ “Oh, Shenadoah, I love your daughter,” + _Chorus._ “Away, my rolling river!” + _Solo._ “Oh, Shenadoah, I long to hear you.” + _Chorus._ “Ah! ah! We’re bound away + ’Cross the wide Missouri!” + + _Solo._ “The ship sails free, a gale is blowing,” + _Chorus._ “Away, my rolling river!” + _Solo._ “The braces taut, the sheets a-flowing,” + _Chorus._ “Ah! ah! We’re bound away + ’Cross the wide Missouri!” + + _Solo._ “Oh, Shenadoah, I’ll ne’er forget you,” + _Chorus._ “Away, my rolling river!” + _Solo._ “Till the day I die, I’ll love you ever,” + _Chorus._ “Ah! ah! We’re bound away + ’Cross the wide Missouri.” + +So it runs on, the roar of the storm and the weird shrieking and +humming in the rigging making an accompaniment hardly to be beaten by a +first-class band. Even the clash of the deck ports resemble cymbals and +the big drum. + +Round we go, half a dozen voices roaring at the top of their pipes, +Mac’s and Jamieson’s shrill, wild, and broken, old Foghorn’s two +octaves below the rest of us, like the growling of a grizzly bear. + +It’s wonderful how a chanty will get a topsail mastheaded. We sent the +mizen upper-topsail up to the tune of + + +“ON THE BANKS OF THE SACRAMENTO.” + + _Solo._ “Sing and heave, and heave and sing,” + _Chorus._ “Hoodah, to my hoodah;” + + _Solo._ “Heave, and make the handspikes spring,” + _Chorus._ “Hoodah, hoodah day. + And it’s blow ye winds, heigh-ho, + For Cal--i--for--ni--o; + For there’s plenty of gold, so I’ve been told, + On the banks of the Sacramento!” + +It is rather difficult for a landsman to understand the sense of the +words in some of the chanties, and no doubt in most cases they need +some explanation. Some of them refer to people and events long since +gone and forgotten. + +There is one chanty, however, which is, perhaps, as well-known ashore +as afloat, and few songs have more beautiful words than “Hame, dearie, +Hame,” and I cannot resist from giving the first verse. + + _Solo._ “I stand on deck, my dearie, and in my fancy see, + The faces of the loved ones that smile across the sea; + Yes, the faces of the loved ones, but ’midst them all so clear, + I see the one I love the best, your bonnie face, my dear.” + + _Chorus._ “And its hame, dearie, hame! oh, it’s hame I want to be, + My topsails are hoisted, and I must out to sea; + For the oak, and the ash, and the bonnie birchen tree, + They’re-all agrowin’ green in the North Countree.” + +This is, of course, a capstan chanty, and it takes some beating when +sung by a good chantying watch. + +As we were chantying up the main upper-topsail to the tune of “As off +to the South’ard we go,” a big sea fell aboard and washed Higgins and +Bower into the lee scuppers. + + _Solo._ “Sing, my lads, cheerily, heave, my lads, cheerily,” + _Chorus._ “Heave away, cheerily, oh, oh!” + + _Solo._ “For the gold that we prize, and sunnier skies,” + _Chorus._ “Away to the south’ard we go.” + + _Solo._ “We want sailors bold, who can work for their gold,” + _Chorus._ “Heave away cheerily, oh, oh!” + + _Solo._ “And stand a good wetting without catching cold,” + _Chorus._ “As off to the south’ard we go--o, + As off to the----” + +Crash! bang! fizz!--“Hang on all!”--“Damn!”--“South’ard we go!”--“Curse +you, get your boot out of--” (splutter)--“Blasted fool!”--(puff, +splutter)--“O Lord!”--“Lost my only sou’wester, curse it!”--“Where’s +Bower?”--(coughing, panting, blowing, as the water begins to roll off)-- + + +“In the lee scuppers with old Higgins, clasped in each other’s arms.” + +“Ha! ha! ha!” + +“Hallo, Rooning, bleeding?” + +“Some one kicked me in the face.” + +“Now then, tune her up, boys, give her hell!” + +“Give us a chanty some one.” + +So we struggle on, and by noon the _Royalshire_ has got all she can +stagger under. + +The weather is moderating a bit, though hail-storms still blow up every +few minutes; but the sea is not as bad as it was, and the main-deck is +keeping freer of water. + +With some risk, at six bells this afternoon we got the fresh-water pump +rigged, and managed to get some fresh water along, after losing a few +buckets and having some narrow escapes. + +Poor Loring was caught by a sea and washed into the lee scuppers, and +got a black eye. + +The cook also managed to get the galley fire alight, and we had some +hot tea for the first time for some days. + +The wind hauled ahead in the first dog watch, and we had to brace her +up until the yards were on the backstays. + +The half-deck is in a fearful state, and still inches deep in water. +Up above, hanging on lines suspended from bunk to bunk, are wet socks, +shirts, caps, mits, overalls, coats, mufflers, oilskins, rubbers, etc., +and every spare corner is crowded with sea-boots hung up upside down to +let the water drain out of them. + +The chests and my big hunting kit bag we have jammed up in one corner, +and lashed them so that they cannot carry away and break anybody’s leg +as the ship rolls. + +Backwards and forwards across the floor wash trousers, shirts, +hair-brushes, matches, socks, books, papers, pieces of sodden +hard-tack, chunks of salt junk like bits of wood, shoes, caps, belts, +swabs, bits of soap, and every kind of derelict. + + +_Wednesday, 18th October._--We had a very cold night of it, and in the +first watch the wind went back into the old quarter, and we had hard +work squaring the yards. + +We had to take a handy billy to each brace, and Jamieson had a narrow +escape from going overboard: he was standing on the topgallant rail +putting the strop on the main-brace, when a big sea swooped down upon +us. He saved himself by shinning up the brace, but we on the deck below +were all sent washing about on our backs. + +In the middle watch the mate and Webber, who is the hardest worker +in the watch next to Don, were in the lee main-rigging at work in +bowlines. I forget what had carried away; but after close on two hours, +first under water and then with a minute or two above, they were +carried aft at eight bells, helpless with cold, and in a very bad way. +It took some time and hard rubbing before we could get any life into +them; and when we did get his circulation back a bit, Webber had no +dry things, so I lent him my arctic fur coat with the hood. + +It was a plucky bit of work; but the mate is a fair demon, and does not +know what fear is, and as for the cold and work, he laughs at them as +trifles. He’s a man who came through the hawsehole, and has seen some +very hard times. + +The old man is carrying on again, and we set all three lower-topgallant +sails in the morning watch. + +Soon after daylight we sighted an outward-bounder under lower topsails +and staysails, having a bad time beating against the wind, and big sea +running. + +She was a four-mast barque, with painted ports like ourselves, but with +single topgallant-yards. She passed us about a mile to the southward on +the starboard tack; the wind was a dead muzzler for her, and she was +evidently only beating on and off hoping for a slant. + +We sighted land to the westward of the Horn about 11 A.M.--a bleak, +dreary-looking coast, all black rocks and white foam. + +Cape Horn was called after the Dutch vessel _Horne_, which was the ship +of Schouten, who, with another Dutchman, Le Mair, was the first to +weather the Cape. + +[Illustration: CAPE HORN + +(_Drawn by the Author_)] + +Before this, passages to the Pacific were always made through the +Magellan Straits, and navigators imagined that the land of Terra del +Fuego extended right south into the ice of the Pole. + +The next man to these bold Dutchmen to round the Cape was Sir Francis +Drake, and, like the Dutchmen, he was but scurvily treated, and arrived +in the Pacific battered and torn, a sadder and a wiser man, with an +everlasting respect for the great South Wind and his companions the +Cape Horn Greybeards. + +At 4 P.M. we passed the great and dreaded Cape Stiff, as sailors call +Cape Horn, towering huge and gaunt, worn and rugged, through its +everlasting battle with the raging sea. + +At the same time we passed another outward-bounder, which was beating +in towards the Horn on the port tack, crossing our bows less than a +cable’s length ahead. + +She was a full-rigged ship with painted ports, and, like the +four-master, was under lower-topsails alone. + +We ran up our ensign, but she made no response; it was easy to see, +however, that she was a foreigner. + +The sight of us foaming through it under lower-topgallant sails was +too much for her, and just as she got on our port bow, we saw a man go +aloft on to her main upper-topsail yard, and she soon had her fore and +main upper-topsails set. + +She made a lovely picture as she surged past us, with the great, +black, world-renowned promontory as a background. + +I wonder how long she and the four-master have been beating backwards +and forwards at the pitch of the Horn!--very likely over a fortnight. + +The sight of these two ships beating under lower-topsails whilst we +were foaming along, doing over 10 knots under lower-topgallant sails, +put the old man in a very good humour, and he made Mac, Loring, and +myself come up on to the poop and look through his glasses whilst he +spun us yarns of the adventures he had had off this dreaded point. + +Once, he said, he was outward bound, beating up against the usual heavy +gale, the weather being so thick that you could not see a ship’s length +ahead. All of a sudden the lookout yelled, “Breakers ahead!” and the +next moment out of the thickness appeared the great tower of Cape Stiff +itself. + +The ship was running right on to the rocks at the foot of the Cape, and +in another five minutes she would have been lost with all hands; as it +was, he put her about with all dispatch, and as she came up to the wind +the huge breakers rolling in swept her decks, taking away all the boats +and tearing the standard compass from the deck. + +This was a narrow escape, but he was destined another time to get more +close than was pleasant. This time it was blowing a terrific gale, and +after a very exciting and anxious struggle, he just managed to weather +Cape Stiff, and the next moment found himself in a calm land-locked +fiord, protected from the raging gale outside by huge cliffs. + +Here he lay for nearly twenty-four hours, and then got a slant. Then +the old man got on to the subject of the difficulty of getting round +the Horn outward bound. + +“This is my thirtieth passage round the Horn as master, and outward +bound I’ve never been more than a couple of weeks beating off the +pitch of the Horn; and what’s more, I never will be. Why is it that +some ships spend months beating off the Horn? Simply because, directly +he gets off the Horn, the captain puts his ship under lower-topsails, +and just beats backwards and forwards, waiting for a slant to get him +round; that’s not the way to get round the Horn; why, I’ve come round +under royals and passed ships under lower topsails. Whenever you get +a chance, you must take advantage of it, and cram on sail and force +your way against the Westerlies. No, don’t tell me that it’s not the +master’s fault when his ship spends a month or six weeks off the +Horn, for I know it is. Look at that foreigner under lower-topsails; +if we were outward bound now I’d have the _Royalshire_ under six +topsails and whole foresail;--though, mind you, I’m not saying that if +I was captain of that dagoman I’d have all that canvas set, for the +_Royalshire_ has got seven backstays, whilst that old tub’s only got +three.” + +“Well, Lubbock,” he continued, turning to me, “you’ve seen the Horn +now, and come round it in the worst blow and biggest sea I’ve ever +seen down here; and what’s more, you’ve done it in one of the finest +sailing-ships afloat.” + +“What’s happened to that full-rig ship we sighted in the bad blow, sir; +oughtn’t she to be in sight?” + +“Well, she’d have had to heave-to when we did; for if she went on +running before it, she’s hard and fast ashore now, and not a man alive +to tell the tale.” + +It breezed up again as darkness began to set in, and between the dog +watches all hands were called to handle the mainsail. + +Lat. 56°.18 S., long. 69°.04 W. + +The wind hauled ahead again early in the first watch, and we had to get +the topgallant sails in. + + +_Thursday, 19th October._--A very cold night, with rain, snow, and +sleet. In the middle watch the second mate caught a little land-bird on +the poop. What kind of a bird it was none of us knew; it was a little +larger than a sparrow, with yellow-edged wings. After examining it, we +let it go again, and it immediately flew away. + +We are going 7 or 8 knots through the water, and passed Staten Island +early this morning some way off. + +Lat. 54°.47 S., long. 64°.04 W. + +The wind hauled aft again this afternoon, and we set topgallant sails +again. We passed another outward-bounder under lower topsails, a barque. + +The water has not been coming aboard quite so freely to-day, so we +seized the opportunity to clear up the litter and wreckage in the +half-deck. + +Oh! what a mess everything was in! After a long search, I found my +hair-brushes and all my matches in a far corner afloat in the spittoon, +so I am without matches for the rest of the passage. Mac, however, +has come to the rescue, and presented me with half a dozen boxes of +Japanese matches. + +The carpenter’s shop is now as full as it will cram with wet clothes +from the half-deck and midship-house. Chips will not let the men dry +their things there, so they can only wring them out, and hang them up +under the forecastle head. + +There was hardly a dry pair of socks or stockings in the ship, and all +sorts of expedients were resorted to to dry one’s rubbers and keep +one’s feet warm. We used to wrap our feet in paper, or put paper soles +inside the boots; and another dodge was, to light bits of paper and +let them burn inside the rubbers to warm them. + +The second mate suffered a great deal from cold feet, as did most of +the others. I lent him my arctic moccasins, which are, of course, much +warmer than wet rubbers, but are so frightfully slippery on wet decks +that you absolutely can’t stand up in them. + +I do not feel the cold half as much as any of the others. Whether my +Klondyke experience had hardened me I don’t know, but I used just to +wring out my socks and put them on again, and my feet very rarely felt +the cold. + +No one wears mits, except at the helm, as you cannot work on deck or up +aloft in mits, as they soon get soaking wet and worn out. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE SOUTH ATLANTIC + + +_Friday, 20th October._--We foamed through it all night close hauled +under topgallant sails, going about 8 knots. + +We are on the banks now, and there is a pretty big sea running. +Occasional hail-storms in the morning, but by noon we had crossed the +terrible banks, and were in lat. 52°.14 S., long. 55°.41 W. The glass +is very low and is falling rapidly, and I suppose we are in for another +blow. + +It is our afternoon watch on deck. Every few minutes the second mate +dashes into the chart-house and looks at the barometer. + +At 3 P.M. the glass was down to 28°.60, and the sea and wind are +beginning to get up. + +All of a sudden the wind chopped round into the S.W., and began blowing +harder every minute. + +We soon had her squared before it, and it was a case of in with the +topgallant sails, and reefing the upper-topsails; so we had a hard +afternoon’s work up aloft. My thumb is very awkward and painful still, +as, though I keep a rag round it, the salt water gets in, and salt +water, wherever it gets in, eats to the bone. + +A very wild sunset to-night, but as yet the wind is not very bad, +though an occasional hail squall stings us up. + +All night we never touched a rope, and foamed through it, going a good +10 knots. + + +_Saturday, 21st October._--A lovely morning, with the sun shining! +It is blowing hard, and we are reeling off the knots under reefed +upper-topsails, lower-topsails, and foresail. + +The Falkland Islands are well to the south-west of us now. + +I had another very bad fall last night in the first watch. Feeling very +hungry, and finding that our bread barge in the half-deck was empty, I +went forward to cadge some from our forecastle. + +They gave me as much as I could carry; but, alas! just as I got past +the after-hatch on the starboard side, the ship gave a very heavy roll, +and my feet slipped up from under me on the greasy, wet deck. + +Down I came with a terrific crash, hurting my hip, and smashing the +biscuits into atoms. + +The old man and mate were aft by the wheel, and they said that my fall +shook the whole poop. + +Well, I lost all my biscuits, and damaged my hip; but scored all the +same, for the old man went below and presently emerged with a tin of +potted meat, which he gave me out of his private store. + +How we in the half-deck licked our lips over that potted meat! for +myself, I thought I never tasted anything half as good in all my life. + +The men are beginning to suffer a great deal from sea-boils. + +Poor old Taylor has got a very bad finger. It started with a whitlow, +which got poisoned from not being cut, as the captain, who is always +the doctor on board a ship where no doctor is carried, did not like to +cut it, having made a mess of a finger before through cutting it badly. + +Taylor has had to lie up, and is in terrible pain. + +Loring has taken his wheel, and is a very good helmsman. I do not like +this at all, as now I have to keep time the whole watch at night, +instead of only two hours in the watch. + +The third mate is also laid up, as he has got very bad sea-boils on his +wrist, and they have paralysed his right arm the whole way up. + +Pipes are beginning to get very scarce on board. I had four pipes in +Frisco; I gave one, a little beauty of Lowe’s, Haymarket, to Don. It +passed from man to man, until I think Loring had it at last, and by +that time it was minus its stem piece. + +Another I gave to Mac, and it got washed overboard off the Horn. + +Another was a corn cob--sweetest of all pipes to smoke--which got its +bottom broken in; and my last, and old favourite, a bull-dog, from +being constantly scraped out, got a hole through the bottom of the bowl. + +This hole I plugged with everything I could think of, but it was no +use, the only thing to do was to keep one’s finger over the hole when +smoking. + +The mate gave the nipper a pipe, which the nipper in turn gave to Scar; +from Scar it went to Don, from Don to Mac, from Mac to Loring, and from +Loring it went to the bosun. + +Mac had a clay, the stem of which was broken off so short that he had +to hold it to his mouth. + +Scar had an old silver-mounted pipe which was everlastingly choked up. + +So now, what pipes remain have to be shared; and in the half-deck, +Loring, Don, and Mac taking turns to smoke one, and occasionally I let +Don have a pipe out of my old bull-dog. + +Scar and the nipper have only one pipe between them, and are +everlastingly at loggerheads as to whose smoke it is. + +It is hard work to keep a pipe alight this weather, as the tobacco gets +so damp that it won’t keep burning. + +I cut up a couple of plugs to-day, and putting them in a tin, got old +Slush to put it in the oven for a bit. + +But we both forgot to take it out, and the tobacco got roasted almost +to a cinder, and now has a very peculiar taste. + +Still anything is better than having to do without, as I have often +found, and this roasted ’baccy had one advantage, it burnt well, and +kept alight. + +Cigarettes and cigarette tobacco have, of course, always been very +scarce on board. + +Don used to roll cigars out of the leaves of ship’s tobacco. + +Don, Loring, and the second mate, who are the chief cigarette smokers, +got a fine haul on the other side of the Horn. + +The old man had got a lot of fine cut English tobacco which he could +not smoke, as he preferred the strongest and blackest ship’s plug, so +he presented this to the second mate, Don, and myself. As I preferred +a pipe, I swapped mine for some plugs of American tobacco which Don +had got, so now Don, Loring, and the second mate have got plenty of +cigarette tobacco, and there is only the trouble of cigarette papers. + +The second mate has only got a few left, and neither Don or Loring have +got any; but luckily for them I managed to get some out of the Turk in +the port watch, as he of course only smokes cigarettes. + + +_Sunday, 22nd October._--A fine morning, and we set the topgallant +sails again, and staysails, and shook the reefs out of the topsails. + +It was our forenoon watch on deck, and we chantied the topsails up in +fine form, taking the halliards to the capstan. + +Scar is an authority on chanties, and he says that the real old +chanties are very seldom heard now; all the same, we have had a good +number of fine chanties sung on board. + +The thing to hear is a nigger crew chantying. They sing most +beautifully, with splendid minor and half notes; they cannot do the +least little bit of work without chantying. + +A celebrated chanty, which I am very fond of, is “Haul on the Bowlin’,” +which is a setting sail chanty, and runs thus:-- + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the fore and maintop bowlin’,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the packet is arolling,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the skipper he’s agrowling,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, to London we are going,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the good ship is abowling,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + + _Solo._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the main-topgallant bowlin’,” + _Chorus._ “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!” + +A real good old-time chanty is “Storm along, Stormie!” which runs +thus:-- + + _Solo._ “Stormie’s gone, the good all man,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “Oh, Stormie’s gone, that good old man,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “They dug his grave with a silver spade,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “His shroud of finest silk was made,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “They lowered him with a golden chain,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “Their eyes all dim with more than rain,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “He was a sailor, bold and true,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “A good old skipper to his crew,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “He lies low in an earthen bed,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “Our hearts are sore, our eyes are red,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “He’s moored at last, and furled his sail,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “No danger now from wreck or gale,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + + _Solo._ “Old Storm has heard an angel call,” + _Chorus._ “To my aye, Storm along!” + _Solo._ “So sing his dirge now, one and all,” + _Chorus._ “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!” + +This is a pumping chanty. One of the most celebrated chanties is “The +Black Ball Line,” the first verse of which runs thus:-- + + _Solo._ “In the Black Ball Line I served my time,” + _Chorus._ “Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!” + _Solo._ “In the Black Ball Line I served my time,” + _Chorus._ “Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!” + +This is a long capstan chanty, and has fourteen verses in the original +words; of course you hardly ever hear two men sing the same words in +the solo of a chanty, though the choruses are always the same. + +Chanties such as “Blow, my bully boys, blow!” “A long time ago!” “A +poor old man,” “The plains of Mexico,” “John Brown’s whisky bottle’s +empty on the shelf,” “Boney was a warrior,” “Blow the man down,” +“Reuben Ranzo,” “Away for Rio!” “Whisky for my Johnnie,” we were +constantly singing. + +“The Girls of Dublin Town” is also a very popular chanty. + +We had hardly got sail set when it came on to blow hard again, with +heavy squalls, and the other watch had to take in the upper-topgallant +sails in the afternoon. + +In the first dog watch it was a case of all hands on deck. + +“Haul up the mainsail, and get the lower-topgallant sails tied up,” +said the old man to the mate. + +Each watch is a man short, Taylor being laid up in our watch, and Scar +in the port. + +The decks are full of water again, some very big seas coming aboard, +and we had a difficult job clewing up the mizen upper-topsail, which +had to come in directly the topgallant sails were fast. + +Then came the terrific business of squaring in the yards, one of the +most dangerous of all jobs when a heavy sea is running. + +Many a ship has lost a whole watch over the side whilst at work at the +braces. + +Both watches tailed on to the port main-brace. + +I was about fifth on the rope, with old Wilson, who was singing out on +one side of me, and Higgins on the other. + +We had hardly taken two pulls at the brace, when a huge sea broke +aboard right over our heads, and both watches were swept off their feet +in every direction. + +Wilson, Higgins, and I received the full force of it. For one tiny +moment of time I saw the great hissing mass as it reared its foaming +top higher and higher above us, and then crash! and it toppled its +whole weight upon us. + +Knocked down, crushed, overwhelmed by the monster, I was quite +conscious of what was going on, as I hung on to the brace with all my +strength. Under water as I was, with my heels above my head, I saw +dimly the round bundles washing about close to me which represented +Wilson and Higgins. + +Over and over the sea rolled me, and hurled me with terrific force +against the main-hatch, and three times did my poor right knee come +with a crash against a ring-bolt. + +It was worse than being upset out of a canoe whilst shooting rapids, +infinitely worse; there was no chance of getting your head above water, +and one could only hold one’s breath or swallow gallons of water, until +the sea rolled off. + +I hung on to the brace until the terrific weight of water tore it from +my grasp, and away I went, first my head up then my feet, rolling +over and over, a plaything of the furious sea, which made me turn +somersaults, balance myself on my nose or on the back of my head, just +as the whim took it. + +It washed me round the hatch; it bumped me against the fife-rail, which +I clutched at madly; it rolled me like a beer barrel into the scuppers; +I got entangled and disentangled again with other human bundles, and +never for a second could I get my head above water. + +At last the water began to run off, and I found that I could sit up and +get my head above water. + +Once more able to breathe, I gasped and gasped, and looking around me, +saw yellow bundles lying about in every position. + +I lay to starboard of the main-hatch; close to me, in the scuppers, lay +three men in a tangled mass; mixed up in the fife-rail were two more; +another lay gasping on his back under the break of the poop. + +Above the roar of the gale I heard the second mate’s stentorian voice, + +“Main-brace there! Up you get, d--n it, get a move on!” + +I pick myself up, dazed and half-drowned. My sou’wester had gone, and I +found I could hardly put my leg to the ground, I was in such pain from +my knee. + +Poor old Higgins was very far gone, and Wilson was not much better, and +Don, of course, had as bad a time as anybody. + +I think the second mate was the only one who escaped a ducking: he +scrambled up on to the skids when he saw it coming, and his agility +saved him. + +The old man, who was on the poop, seeing the whole of his ship’s crew +washing about the decks, dashed down on to the main-deck up to his +waist in water, went to the head of the brace, and cheering us on, and +hauling to his own singing out, he soon got us all going again. + +It took us a terrible time to get those yards squared. Again and again +seas broke over us; but there is no such thing as giving in on board +a sailing-ship--those yards had got to be squared, and squared they +eventually were. + +The old man told me afterwards, that when that sea broke over us, all +he could see was my feet sticking up for a moment out of the water, as +the wave rolled me over and hurled me against the hatch. + +He made sure that I must have been badly hurt, but on examining damages +I found that my poor old knee was the only cripple. + +It was pretty bad, however, the knee-cap being turned right on end, so +that instead of being flat it pointed straight up. + +My sou’wester would have been a serious loss, but the old man very +kindly presented me with a brand-new silk sou’wester. + +It makes the sixth piece of headgear I have lost, blown away, or washed +overboard, since I have been on board. + +The second mate did not like the old man leaving the poop, declaring +that it was as bad for a captain to leave the poop in bad weather as +it was for a general to expose himself to the fire of the enemy. But +I must say I rather admired him for doing so, as he left the security +of the poop for the most dangerous part of the ship, jumping like a +soldier into the breach and rallying his men. There is one thing about +our skipper, he shines in moments of danger. + +There is no funk about him, and his nerves are of the best, as is his +seamanship--everybody acknowledges that he is the best sailor in the +ship. + +We spent a wet, cold, and I myself a very painful night. + +However, it began to clear up again towards morning, and we set +everything to the main-royal. + + +_Monday, 23rd October._--In 46 latitude now, and romping along with a +fair wind. + +My knee is very painful, and I am quite a cripple, as it won’t bear +walking upon, and is very swollen. + +As I cannot get about on it, the second mate got out a couple of +Martini rifles from the armoury in the captain’s cabin, and giving me +some chalk and oil, allowed me to sit on the after-hatch and clean them. + +This was a pretty good job, as they were frightfully rusty. + +It started blowing hard again towards night, and the _Royalshire_ was +stripped of everything but her six topsails. + +Very squally, and wet decks again. + +As I am quite useless on deck, on account of my knee, the second mate +let me have all night in, and Jennings had to keep time. + +Although I was in great pain all night as I lay in my sleeping-bag, +I could not help gloating over the fact that I had so many hours of +warmth and rest whilst the sea and wind roared and battered on the deck +outside. + +My good old waterproof sheet protects me from the water which pours in +at times through the cracks in the door, for our wretched half-deck is +full of water again, and is in as bad a state as it was off the Horn. + +Unable to sleep from the pain, I lay in my bunk and watched the +wreckage washing backwards and forwards with the roll of the ship. + +Sometimes an extra big wave would fill up the half-deck until, as the +ship rolled to port, the water would splash up in my face. + + +_Tuesday, 24th October._--Splendid sailing! Our run to-day was 270 +miles, pretty good under six topsails only. + +It is blowing hard, and big dollops are coming aboard. + +I can’t get about yet, so I am at work again cleaning the old man’s +shot-gun on the after-hatch. + +If this weather continues, we shall soon be into the south-east trades. +Already everybody is beginning to talk about getting home. + +The second mate has all along said, that, notwithstanding her foul +bottom, she was coming home in ninety-seven days, which is quite +possible if all goes well. + +Don gives her forty days home from now. We sailed on 25th August, which +makes us sixty days out to-day. So far, we have done a very fairly +good passage, and I certainly think another sixty days ought to see us +docked. + +Scar is very gloomy, and says we are going to take one hundred and +sixty days, and he hopes we’ll never get back,-- + +“I feel something’s going to happen this passage,” is his favourite +grumble. + +His temper is so bad that he is quite soured by it, and looks on the +gloomy side of everything. + + +_Wednesday, 25th October._--The weather is moderating, and we set all +sail this morning. Lovely sunshine and fresh breeze again, and it is +fast getting warmer. + +Bower and the bosun had a row in the morning watch. + +The bosun, who is not very fond of Bower, called him by a name that +would have caused “gun-play” if they had been in Arizona. + +Bower retaliated by blacking the bosun’s starboard peeper with his +grimy fist. + +The bosun seemed to take no notice of this, and only said sharply, + +“Go to the bosun’s locker and bring aft the handy billy, and look damn +quick!” + +Bower, all unsuspecting, turned his back and started off on his errand: +but the moment his back was turned the bosun jumped for him, and, +knocking him down, started to kick him in the ribs. + +The end of it was, that Mac and Jamieson had to haul the bosun off, or +Bower would have got badly hurt. + +The bosun has got a very black eye, and is in very low spirits; he is +in rather bad odour aft just now, as we all think it was a very dirty +trick to play. + +But whilst yarning with me in the first watch, Bower told me that it +was a regular old German trick, and that he was a fool not to have +thought of it at the time. + +He and the bosun, though both naturalised Yankees, are both German born. + +The wind dropped in the afternoon, and the first watch found us +rolling our rails under in a very long, heavy swell, without a breath +of wind. + +As the ship rolled the swell gushed in through the ports, and she even +dipped her rail under to it. The cataract of water pouring across +the deck carried one off one’s feet if one was unfortunate enough +to get caught by it, and it was impossible even to sit down without +holding on. The lower yards look as if they would pierce the sea every +time, and we had to haul up the courses, or they would have flogged +themselves into shreds. + +As we were all sitting round smoking and reading before one bell, the +third mate suddenly hove the magazine he was reading on the deck and +cried, + +“Well, I thought Clarke Russell knew more than that!” and he showed +us a passage in the magazine, in which Clarke Russell, talking of +sailing-ships, says that they do not roll, they only list. + +Well, this ship proved he was wrong anyhow; here we were, a long, +modern iron ship, and nearly rolling our masts out. + +Scar even went so far as to say that no steamer ever rolled like a +modern sailing-ship. + +From my experience on the _Royalshire_ I am sure that he is right, +though I have seen some steamers rolling very badly, especially foreign +men-of-war. I once passed the _Lucania_ lying at anchor just inside the +bar at New York, and she was rolling very badly, but nothing like a +sailing-ship in a calm with a heavy swell running. + + +_Thursday, 26th October._--Lat. 41°.48 S., long. 38°.31 W. Course--N. +43 E. Run 148 miles. + +It was quite calm all night, but a light head wind sprang up towards +morning, and we are sneaking along quieter than we have been for many a +day. + +We have started scrubbing and painting again. My knee is better, but I +dare not rest my whole weight upon it, and the knee-cap is still out +of place, but the swelling has gone down. It is hard work getting the +rust off the topgallant-rail, standing on one leg all the time like a +pelican. + +The second mate and Loring are hard at work on their models again. + +Scar and the nipper are talking a good deal about starting models also, +but they have not got beyond the talking. + +Loring’s is the model of the _Talus_, his last ship. This ship, +which is a very handsome clipper, was in Frisco with us, and sailed +thirty-two days before us. + +The second mate is making a very small model of the _Royalshire_, and +is doing it beautifully, its yards being cut out of matches, and its +ropes the thinnest of cotton. How on earth he does it with his big +hands, I can’t imagine. + +We had a terrific argument in the half-deck this evening about +schoolmasters swishing and caning boys. + +Don and I both maintain that it is an excellent thing, but Scar and Mac +apparently think that it is the greatest disgrace that can fall upon +one. + +“When I was about twelve, I remember our schoolmaster at Findhorn +caning me,” said Mac. “I scratched, and kicked, and bit, and fought +every time. The cad! he soon got to funk it; and if a schoolmaster had +ever tried to swish me when I was seventeen or eighteen, great Harry, +but I would have killed him.” + +Scar endorsed this, and was, if anything, more furious than Mac at the +terrible cruelty of caning boys. + +“Well,” I said, “I’ve had plenty of it myself, and it’s thought nothing +of at Eton, where a boy would far sooner have a swishing than a long +pœna; and I believe that if you asked each boy out of the eleven +hundred at Eton, pretty nearly every one of them would say it was a +good thing.” + +“Why, I used to prefer being caned at school to learning half a dozen +lines of saying lesson,” said Don. + +Scar and Mac regarded the pair of us with wonder and surprise as being +without shame or pride. + +But it was too fearful a thing to be argued about, and they relapsed +into silence. + +Then we began talking about Wellington, and I happened to mention that +he said that the battle of Waterloo was won in the playing fields of +Eton. + +Oh, what a hullabaloo this raised! Don lay back in his bunk and laughed +at the tangle I had got myself into. + +They actually screamed at me in their rage; at first they did not +believe it, then they pronounced Wellington a liar of the first +water--for who did not know that the battle of Waterloo was won by the +Scotch regiments! + +Scar worked himself up into such a frenzy that I thought he would have +a fit. He bashed in the lid of his chest with his fist; he hove his +knife on the deck, and spat on it; he stamped, he tore his hair, he +screeched inarticulately, until one bell in the first watch, when the +light was turned down and our watch turned in. + +Talk about bigoted people, but Scotch boys take the cake! + + +_Friday, 27th October._--A fine breeze all day. We are romping along +under full sail, yards almost square, and averaging 8-1/2 to 10 knots. + +In latitude 39 S. at noon to-day. + +There are a whole heap of birds all round us, including a lot of +albatross, which have come up here to get out of the bad weather down +to the southward. + +I think the albatross is a wonderful bird. He sails in a stately, +majestic way instead of flying, and not once in twenty-four hours does +he give a flap to his immense wings. + +Like the shark amongst fish, he is a devourer of offal--the scavenger +of the South Seas--as he is not quick enough in his movements to catch +fish. + +His appetite is enormous; and when he can get a good meal, such as a +dead whale, he will gorge himself until he is unable to rise into the +air. Despite his appetite, his powers of abstinence are wonderful also, +and he will go for days without any food. For instance, the young bird +(the albatross only lay one egg) is left by its parents when it is +still too young to fly, and for six months has to live without any food +whatever; it is very fat when they leave it, and apparently lives on +its own fat, never leaving the nest during the whole of the time. At +the end of the six months the parents return, and forcibly eject the +poor young bird, and he has to go straight out into the world to earn +his own living after having had a six months’ starve. His parents take +no further interest in him, and busy themselves over the hatching of +another egg. + +A large flock of “whale birds” passed us to-day. + +Old Slush is very keen to catch an albatross, and has got a hook over, +but we are going too fast through the water. + +Once more voice is raised in song in the half-deck, and we made Don +sing all his old favourites. + + +_Saturday, 28th October._--It fell calm last night, and has been calm +all day. + +In the second dog watch Loring and the cook caught an albatross. It +measured 10 feet across the wings, and had a splendid grey-white +plumage. + +We skinned him at once; Scar got the breast plumage, the cook the +wing bones for pipe-stems, the nipper and Mac taking the feet for +tobacco-pouches. Scar also got his head and beak, which is a tremendous +affair, and so I think he got the best of the spoils. + +There is a bigger one than this one about, which we have nearly caught +several times; it has a big snow-white head, and I think must be a very +old bird. + +These birds are of course the great wandering albatross, as, besides +them, there are heaps of sooty albatross and mollymawks around us. + +Lat. 37°.06 S., long. 34°.06 N. Course--N. 30 E. Run 154 miles. + +My knee is still very painful, but might have been much worse, and I am +able to get about better now. + + +_Sunday, 29th October._--A light wind sprang up in the middle watch +last night, and is dead ahead; we can’t head better than N.E. by E. + +There has been a lot of betting lately as to whether we shall be home +for Christmas. It is odds on at present, but a few days of a “dead +muzzler” like this will soon alter matters. + +No more burgoo for breakfast, as we are out of the “Roaring Forties” +again; and our allowance of water has been reduced, as we are running +short, having only about sixty days’ water left in the tanks. + +Taylor’s finger is very bad, and is fast rotting away, his whole hand +being swollen up. + +The old man can do nothing but poultice it, as it is too late to lance +it now. + +If it goes on getting worse at the rate it is doing now, he will lose +his hand. + +Though landsmen are constantly sent to sea for their health, sailors as +a class (that is, deep-watermen) are by no means free from ailments, +caused on the one hand by the shocking food they have to eat, on +the other by the action of the salt water on the skin, which causes +sea-cuts and sea-boils. + +From the captain down, I think I was the only man on board who came +ashore without having had something wrong with him during the passage. +True, I had a twisted knee-cap; but that was an accident, not an +ailment, though it was caused by salt water. + +The mate and the nipper suffered chiefly from toothache. + +The captain, the second mate, and Mac, suffered very much from cramp in +the stomach in the North Atlantic. + +Scar had a very bad time with sea-boils on his arms. + +Poor old Taylor, of course, is on the sick list, and won’t do a hand’s +turn again on this ship. He is in great pain, and cannot sleep at night. + +Bower has suffered all the passage with boils: Rooning has also very +bad sea-boils; he can only use one arm, and has to keep his head on one +side. + +Jamieson, besides having a huge boil on one of his arms, which left a +hole as large as a five’s ball, nearly fainted one day at the wheel, +and had a short go of malaria. + +Don consumes quinine and chlorodyne wholesale, for jungle fever, which +lays him low every now and then. + +I have got a small medicine-case on board, which I had up in the +Klondyke with me. + +I never took a thing out of it for myself, but during this passage, +pretty nearly every second dog watch, someone would come along for a +dose of something or other. + +Podophyllin and cascara pills I gave away, a half-dozen a dose. I have +used half a large bottle of quinine tabloids already, and half a small +bottle of chlorodyne, two bottles of cascara and one of podophyllin, +and a lot of fever tabloids. + +This dosing, of course, goes on all unknown to the old man, who has +been pretty busy himself dealing out his pet remedies for sailors’ ills. + +If it was not for the lime-juice, I am sure we should have scurvy on +board; for I have seen scurvy caused by much better food than any going +here, up in the Klondyke. + +I really wonder how I kept so well, when I think of the bad pork +swimming in grease and slush, and one mass of fat, which we had to +consume every other day, even on the equator. + +Pea-soup and hard-tack are my great mainstay. The pea-soup is very +bad, without any flavour, and very dirty; but that does not prevent it +filling up the great hollow, which is the main thing. + +There is not much superfluous flesh on our ship’s crew, and though I +was in splendid condition and without a bit of fat on me when I came on +board, I have taken my belt in six holes already, and it is only the +muscles which prevent my ribs from breaking through my skin. + +Lat. 36°.19 S., long. 32°.22 W. Course--N. 60 E. Run 96 miles. + +By the way, I have never explained how it is that I can give the lat. +and long. every day. Of course, I do not take a sight at noon, or +anything of that sort--though Jamieson told me that he sailed out of +Aberdeen once in a small barque, and on the first Sunday out every man +in the forecastle except himself brought out a sextant, and going on to +the forecastle head, shot the sun. + +It appeared that, except himself, every man had either a master’s, +mate’s, or second mate’s ticket, and they took the sun on Sundays just +to keep their hands in. This incident is a small proof of the terrible +overcrowding of officers in the Mercantile Marine. + +But to return, the captain and officers are always very careful on most +wind-jammers never to let out to the crew the position of the ship, and +on the _Royalshire_ even the third and fourth mates were not told it. +So the way we found out was this: on alternate days Don and the nipper +used to clean out the mate’s cabin, and, whilst doing so, they used to +take a peep into the log-book, and jot down the position and run for us. + + +_Monday, 30th October._--Wind a dead muzzler, fresh, with rain squalls. +“A dead muzzler” is a sailor’s way of saying that the wind is blowing +from right ahead, so that the ship cannot lay her course, and can only +beat backwards and forwards, making very little headway in the right +direction. + +We had a great treat for breakfast this morning: we cut up the +albatross, and made the cook broil it for us. The meat of the great +bird was as dark as mutton, and tasted very like mutton, with a strong, +fishy flavour. Don could not touch it, but I thought it was awfully +good. + +The wind is freshening, and just as we had got started on our +everlasting sand and canvasing this morning, a squall came up. + +“Stand by your royal halliards!” roared the second mate. + +I stood by the main royal halliards. + +Down came the squall upon us with a shriek, the wind howling, and the +rain hissing, and the _Royalshire_ groaning as she lay over to it. + +“Clew up your fore and mizen royals!” yelled the second mate. + +Then the main-royal had to come in. I ought to have gone aloft and made +the mizen-royal fast, as it was one of my sails; but as I could only +just hobble about, the second mate would not let me go. But, alas! it +blew harder and harder, and the upper-topgallant sails had to come in. + +This time there was no help for it, and I had to go aloft. I was pretty +well done by the time I had got on to the mizen upper-topgallant yard, +as I could not bear any weight on my knee without it giving. + +Going over the futtock-shrouds into the top was a job, and I had half +a mind to go through the lubber’s hole for once in my life; but I could +not bring myself to do it, even though I was a cripple. + +That forenoon watch fairly did me up: hobbling about on a rolling deck, +pulling and hauling, climbing and swinging on a foot-rope, all with a +twisted knee-cap, is no joke. + +Lat. 35°.47 S., long. 29°.08 W. + +Heading about N.E. by E., and gradually coming up to our course. + + +_Tuesday, 31st October._--Wind still ahead, and blowing fresh. + +We furled the crossjack at midnight last night, and my wretched knee +got into the wars again. + +The wind being dead ahead, the yards were braced up so that they were +hard on the backstays, and whilst on the crossjack-yard I managed to +get my knee crushed in between the yard and the backstays as the ship +rolled; the consequence is, that it is as painful and weak as ever this +morning. + +Lat. 35°.01 S., long. 26°.18 W. + +We are not making much northing. + +We set the crossjack again this morning whilst the port watch were +below. + +There is a queer, unhealthy look about the sky to-day, and squalls are +numerous. + +At 8 P.M. we furled the crossjack again, and at 9 the mainsail was +hauled up and made fast. + +The horizon to windward is beautifully lit up with sheet and fork +lightning, and it is raining. + +I am afraid we are in for something; the old man is on the poop, +watching the lightning to windward, but for which the night is as dark +as the inside of a cow, as the wild man from Findhorn expresses it. + +I was just thinking of striking four bells (ten o’clock), when I heard +the second mate roar from the poop, + +“Haul down the jigger-staysail!” + +At the same moment the squall struck us, the wind coming with such +force that one could hardly stand up against it. + +Over and over went the _Royalshire_, the lee rail went out of sight +in the smother of broken water to leeward, and then the hatches were +covered; the ship was almost on her beam ends; here we were nicely +caught with all our flying kites set. + +The decks were on such a slope that one could not stand up without +hanging on. + +Everything was in confusion. + +“On to the poop some hands and get the spanker in!” I heard the second +mate yelling. + +Up I dashed in the pitch darkness, and ran full tilt into the +jigger-mast, striking my game knee on an iron belaying pin. + +I fell to the deck, and writhed in the greatest agony I have ever been +in in my life. + +All of a sudden there was a terrific crash of thunder, and a fork of +lightning zigzagged into the sea from right above us. + +This lit up the scene, and with a glance, as I tried to get on to my +legs, I took in everything. + +The ship was lying as far over as she did that night off the Horn; the +second mate had carried away and nearly gone overboard, one of the +poop stanchions bringing him up (as it was, he had both legs dangling +overboard); the old man and Jamieson were fighting with the wheel, +trying to put the helm up; and Jennings, of all people, was making +frantic efforts to get on to the top of the chart-house by jumping up +against it, just like a dog trying to get up a wall it can’t jump. + +Some of the men had lost their heads, and were shouting and screaming, + +“The sticks will go! the sticks will go!” + +“Get the topgallant sails off her!” shouted the old man to the second +mate, who, picking himself up, dashed on to the main-deck, bellowing at +the top of his voice, + +“Aft the watch and clew up the mizen-topgallant sail; look alive, men, +and get your wits together. Great Cæsar! don’t you know where the lower +topgallant clew-lines are yet, you sodgers!” + +Meanwhile Loring and I were struggling with the spanker. Luckily for +us, it was not the big spanker, but only the three-cornered storm +spanker, which we soon had fast, making it fast on the boom with a +couple of gaskets like a yacht’s mainsail. + +This done, we hurried down on to the main-deck to help clew up the +topgallant sails. I managed to hobble along somehow, though in terrible +pain. + +The scene was now extraordinary. The lightning forked from one horizon +to the other; there was a “Jack o’ Lantern” or “St Elmo’s Light” at +each mast head, perched on the truck; the masts, yards, and stays were +outlined in electric fluid, as if the ships were lit up with electric +light. + +The flashes were blinding, so close and dazzling white were they, but +between the flashes the darkness was so intense that you might have cut +it up in blocks of ebony. + +“Stay on deck and help me,” the second mate said to me, as I prepared +to struggle somehow up to the mizen lower-topgallant yard. + +Loring is one of those people who have a horror of lightning, +nevertheless up he had to go, right in amongst the electricity, with +the thunder crashing just over his head. + +At last Jamieson got the helm up, and we went off before it on a level +keel. + +The rain was coming down in solid sheets, and the decks were soon full +of fresh water, as it could not run off quick enough. + +The men had trouble up aloft, as in the hurry and darkness the sails +had not been clewed up enough. + +“Haul up your port clew-line!” came down from the fore lower-topgallant +sail. + +The second mate and I buckled to it, but it was a tough job for two +men, though we were both over thirteen stone. + +The rain was so heavy and the wind so strong that you could not face it +except with your eyes shut, and between the flashes it was so dark that +eyes were not the slightest bit of good. We groped about until we got +the right ropes in our hands, often almost pulling our hearts out on +the wrong ones. + +The men were an extraordinary long time up aloft, and no doubt had a +hard job of it; but I think they had the best of the second mate and +myself as we fumbled and stumbled about the main-deck, dollops breaking +over us, sprays taking the breath out of us, tearing our hands and +breaking our shins, as we pulled, hauled, and struggled. + +I was in such pain that I had to keep my teeth clenched, and my knee +had swollen to the size of a cricket ball. + +Hardly had the hands got down from aloft, when another puff came, and +the second mate roared, + +“Stand by your topsail halliards!” + +But the old man hung on, and after this last squall the wind soon began +to slack off. + +As I struggled on to the poop to strike one bell, and wake the mate, +for it was now a quarter off midnight, the old man called me to him, +and said, + +“Hey, Lubbock, did you ever see an electric storm the like o’ that +before? Did ye mind the Jack o’ Lanterns--four of them--four, one at +each mast head,--never have I seen so much electric fluid before, no, +not in all my seafaring career!” + +I was pretty glad to get below at eight bells, dead tired as I was, +soaking wet, and in great pain. + +The port watch had had a scare when the squall struck her. Don was +chucked clean out of his bunk, and, picking himself up in a dazed state +as the ship lay over, woke up Scar and the nipper with the cry, + +“All hands on deck!” + +They were all dressing with utmost dispatch, when Jennings, to whom the +old man had given two binnacles to light whilst I was making fast the +spanker, poked his head in, and asked for a match. + +Mac seemed to have had a rough time of it on the fore lower-topgallant +yard (our old friend, by-the-bye, of the South Pacific). + +“There were only Jennings and Higgins up there with me, and the +sail was thrashing about and trying to knock us off the yard, with +neither clew-line hauled up. Why the deuce you could not haul up those +clew-lines, Bally, beats me; I nearly burst myself yelling to you.” + +“Well, they got foul somewhere, and the second mate and I nearly burst +ourselves hauling on them, and it was so dark we kept getting hold of +the wrong ropes.” + +At this moment the second mate looked in to smoke the butt-end of a +cigarette before turning in. + +“Did you see me nearly go overboard?” he asked me, laughing. + +“Yes; and did you see Jennings trying to run up the side of the +chart-house?” + +“Ha! ha! ha! I should think I did. The old man saw him too, and thought +he was off his head.” + +“The old man and Jamieson could not get the wheel up,” said Loring, +“and the old man chucked it as a bad job, and walked to the break of +the poop, saying to himself, ‘She wil’na go off; she wil’na go off.’” + +“He told me he expected to see the sticks go when the first squall +struck her,” said the second mate. + +“He wasn’t the only one who thought that,” said Mac. + +“Well, it would not have worried me at all if she had turned turtle at +the time, as I was in such pain,” I said. + +“Poor old Bally,” laughed the second mate, “up he dashes on to the +poop, and runs crash bang into the jigger-mast. I heard him groaning to +himself as I slid past him to leeward on my way to the scuppers.” + +“Let’s have a look at your knee,” said Loring. “By Jove, it looks +nasty.” + +And it was nasty too; the knee-cap was twisted more than ever, and was +right up on its edge, and the knee was swollen into a plum-pudding all +round. + +I could not bend it, and had great difficulty getting into my +sleeping-bag, and when I did get in, the pain was so great that I could +not sleep. + +Meanwhile the storm had cleared up as rapidly as it had come on, and +the other watch were hard at work setting everything to a light breeze +dead aft. + +So much for an electric storm at sea; though it was a wonderful and +extraordinary sight, it was too near touch-and-go to be pleasant, and +in cold blood I am sure I could not have done what I did, with my knee +good-for-nothing and in sickening pain. + + +_Wednesday, 1st November._--Coming on deck again at 4 P.M., we found +the ship under all sail. + +There was a lovely sunrise this morning, the sky being divided up into +bars of different colours and gradually so shading off, each colour +running into the other; right overhead it was indigo, and sloping +towards the east ran from purple to pink, greeny-blue to gold, with +great yellow sunbeams spreading out fan-shape from the horizon. + +My knee is quite useless, so I am cleaning guns on the after-hatch. + +Tarring down is the order of the day, but I escape it, as, with my leg +as it is now, I cannot possibly get aloft. + +Lat. 33°.40 S., long. 25°.10 W. + +There are about a dozen albatrosses about, and Loring succeeded in +catching one of them in our watch below. It is a bit smaller than the +one the cook caught, though its feet (one of which I have got for a +tobacco-pouch) are larger. + +We were hoping that we had got rid of our dead muzzler, but, alas! this +afternoon the wind went ahead again, and we had to brace sharp up. + +We sighted a full-rig ship on the lee quarter in the second dog watch. +I wonder if she is the ship we saw running in the bad weather off the +Horn! + + +_Thursday, 2nd November._--Lat. 32°.00 S., long. 26°.09 W. + +Our watch came on deck at 8 this morning to find ructions going +on; the old man was raging up and down the poop, every other moment +stopping to hurl a torrent of invective at the mate. + +The cause of all this trouble was the fact that the ship we sighted +yesterday is now right ahead of us, leaving us and going to windward at +the same time. + +The _Royalshire_ is terribly foul now, and very hard to steer, besides +which, the dagos in the other watch are a very bad lot of helmsmen, +which no doubt accounts for the vessel ahead. + +As we could only head about N.W., the old man put her about in the +first dog watch, and now we are heading N.E. 1/2 E.; thus we are making +very little progress north. + +It is blowing a bit harder, and in the middle watch we took in the +royals, gaff-topsail, flying-jib and jigger-topmast staysail. + +I am afraid I shall have to lie up for my knee, which does not get any +better. + + +_Friday, 3rd November._--Lat. 30°.33 S., long. 24°.29 W. + +A fine breeze, but still dead ahead; we are going 7-1/2 knots through +the water, and steering N.E. + +Johnsen has been having a lot of trouble with the watch lately, and +this morning he and Bower had a fight on the forecastle head. + +Neither (both being Dutchmen) knew how to use his fists, and they both +just banged about anyhow. Bower at last managed to knock Johnsen down, +and he, craven-hearted, refused to fight any more, but, getting up, +slunk off muttering murderous threats. + +Johnsen has now got pretty nearly everybody logged for some severe +offence or other, and swears he will not let a man go ashore when we +get in. He is going to get a lawyer, and prosecute the old man and +second mate for bad treatment, and he is also going to make charges +against the rest of us, and at the same time says he will hold us as +witnesses against the second mate. + +It is quite laughable. There is no doubt that he has got a screw loose, +and he is quite dangerous; he won’t speak a word to anyone, except to +swear at them, and he thinks that we are all on the watch to do him a +bad turn or steal his things. + +One day, in the South Pacific, he had got a shirt hung up on the +forestay on the forecastle head. + +It was a Sunday, and I happened to be up there washing clothes, when +his shirt carried away, and would have been blown overboard if it had +not caught on the rail. + +I took it and threw it down on to the fore fife-rail, where it was not +so likely to be blown away. + +That afternoon he kicked up the deuce of a row, and accused each man in +turn of stealing his shirt, as he could not find it on the forecastle +head. + +He was so persistent, that the watch began to get angry about it. + +I happened to go forward, and hearing the row going on, said, + +“Here’s your shirt. I threw it here out of harm’s way; it blew off the +stay when I was on the forecastle head, and would have gone overboard +if it had not caught on the rail. I should have thought you were an old +enough sailor to be able to stop up a shirt without its blowing away.” + +He was completely nonplussed, and did not know what to say; luckily +for him our watch were a good-tempered lot of men, or they would have +half-killed him. + +Another time, in Crockett, Don and I had just left the forecastle for +the half-deck. + +Johnsen came aft and accused me of stealing his knife. + +“Go away; I have not got your knife,” I said. + +He went away, but presently came back again and started to abuse me. + +I was about to argue the matter with my fist, when I caught sight of +the knife slung on his belt. + +“Get forward, you infernal fool, it’s on your belt the whole time.” + +Again he was caught out, and slunk forward without a word. + + +_Saturday, 4th November._--We had two heavy squalls in the night. It +is a lovely day, but the head wind still continues blowing fresh, and +keeping us from heading better than N.E. + +Lat. 28°.36 S., long. 22°.17 W. + +My knee is much worse, and I have had to lie up with it. The old man +has given me some turpentine lotion to rub on it; it is very painful, +and the cap does not seem inclined to come down into its right place. + +The wild man from Findhorn had a great feast to-day. Fish is his great +delight, and the steward gave us a tin of bad salmon which they could +not tackle in the cabin, but old Mac fairly gloats over it. + +He really is a sight at meals, and Loring says he puts him off his grub. + +He does not believe in a knife and fork, and prefers to eat everything +in his fingers, even bad salmon. + +His plate is heaped high with layers of food--salt junk, pork, and +hard-tack. It is never cleaned, and he seldom gets down to the bottom +layer, though he occasionally pokes a finger in and fishes out an extra +tasty bit from the depths which has probably been there for over a +month. + +He sits there, his plate on his knees, and fairly chuckles over his +food, gnawing the bones and scraping them clean, for all the world like +a savage. + +He is really very amusing to study. + +Though he is a very good sailor and a hard worker, he is as simple as +a child. He has the sweetest temper of anyone I have ever come across; +nothing puts him out except being turned out at one bell, and then his +anger is all over directly he is really awake. + +He has got rather a good voice for singing, but is much given to +war-whoops and blood-curdling yells, and he has got some peculiar +war-dances he occasionally gives us. He truly is a wild Highlandman, +the wildest I have ever come across. + + +_Sunday, 5th November._--The same weather; a fresh head wind; going +about 7 knots. + +Lat. 27°.05 S., long. 20°.05 W. Course--N. 52 E. Run 148 miles. + +Rather slow lying in my bunk all day, and literature is very scarce on +board; all ours in the half-deck was washed away off the Horn, but the +old man has given me some _Weekly Times_, which are two years’ old, but +better than nothing. + +The odds about getting home for Christmas are getting worse. + + +_Monday, 6th November._--Lat. 26°.10 S., long. 17°.50 W. Course--N. 46 +E. Run 168 miles. + +The day is superb, but, alas! the wind is still in the wrong quarter. + +Scar, that prophet of evil, puts all this head wind down to our killing +the albatross, and hints gloomily at an awful fate awaiting us:-- + + “And I had done a hellish thing, + And it would work ’em woe: + For all averred, I had killed the bird + That made the breeze to blow. + Ah, wretch! said they, the bird to slay, + That made the breeze to blow!” + +It is a sailor’s superstition, that within the breast of each albatross +dwells the soul of a dead mariner. + +The steward has found me a job, peeling onions for him to pickle. I +don’t see the fun of it much, though; I hate the smell of onions, and +they make one’s eyes smart and water very much. + +It is the wild man of Findhorn’s nineteenth birthday to-day; he is very +young to have served his time already. + +After a great deal of coaxing, he succeeded in getting some pancakes +out of the cook for tea. Though they were pretty nearly all grease, it +is needless to say that they were all consumed with great relish. + +Scar’s temper has been very bad lately, and Don, who would give +anything to be in our watch, says he is absolutely unbearable. + +Don, who is frightfully hot-tempered himself, is nearly bursting with +the strain he keeps upon himself; it does not matter what he says, he +is promptly contradicted by Scar, who is, of course, backed up by the +nipper. + +Poor old Don, who hoped this voyage would do him a lot of good, is +getting very run down; he does twice the work of anybody else in the +other watch. Scar, who has got a down upon him for a bad thrashing +which he gave him one day in the South Pacific, hazes him about +eternally in his watch on deck, and gives him all the dirty and +heaviest jobs. + +Don says he is getting too old and worn out for manual labour. + +Their watch is very different to ours. At meals, Loring, Mac, and I are +as cheerful as crickets, cracking jokes, laughing, and spinning yarns, +often being joined by the second mate. + +But in the other watch, Scar, Don, and the nipper sit there in solemn +silence, except when Scar and the nipper have a row, which is not +infrequent, then there are blows and oaths, snorts of rage from Scar, +and shrill cries from the nipper. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +IN THE TROPICS + + +_Tuesday, 7th November._--Lat. 23°.51 S., long. 16°.23 W. Course--N. 46 +E. Run 111 miles. + +To-day we passed the tropic of Capricorn, and so are once more in balmy +climes; but, alas! no signs of the south-east trade wind, and we are +zigzagging along with the yards hard against the backstays. + +Old Slush has been excelling himself lately in cooking the queer greasy +lumps of red fat which we poor sailormen have to feed upon. + +None of our watch touched our meat to-day, even Mac heaving his share +overboard, and we fell back on hard-tack. + +The other watch in their turn did the same, and the nipper said that he +was going to complain to the old man. + +We tried hard to dissuade him, as we knew he would only make a fool of +himself, and get the worst of it, as Scar and Mac were the persons to +complain if anybody did, being officers of the ship. + +Well, the nipper insisted. He first tried the mate, but was only +laughed at, as the mate had been hardened in much hungrier ships than +the _Royalshire_, and men who have experienced terrible hardships have +not much sympathy to give away. + +It was the same with the old man, who jumped down his throat at once, +and sent him up to overhaul the mizen-royal leech-line in his watch +below. + +The second mate’s advice is simple and to the point. “Take it out of +old Slush. What do you want to go and bother the old man about it for?” +and this is what I have advised all along. + +As the days get hotter, the meat gets fatter and greasier; no wonder +there are so many bad boils on board. + +Mac has threatened to heave it at the cook’s head several times, but it +has never come off yet. + +Old Slush complains bitterly that he does his best, but that he cannot +cook without more fresh water. + +He really is an extraordinary being. He is one of the ugliest men I +have ever seen: he is round-backed, with his chin touching his chest, +and his feet are so huge that he can’t lift them off the deck, but +slouches along, the very emblem of slackness and slovenliness; he has +served his time in the German army too. + +He is horribly dirty, and, though we are waiting patiently for a +wonder to take place, he has not changed his shirt since the ship +sailed. + +He and the steward get on very badly together, and more than once have +come to blows. + + +_Wednesday, 8th November._--The wind broke off about midnight, and we +went about a dead muzzler, worse than ever. We went about again this +morning at 8 A.M. + +It is a wet morning, and what wind there is is very light. There are a +lot of ships in sight to-day: a barque to leeward, a four-master on our +weather quarter, a ship on our weather beam, and another right astern. + +The old man says that all the wheat fleet from Frisco must be collected +round us, all gathered together by the head wind. + +It is funny how a head wind or a calm will bring ships together. + +There was a very long calm off the Azores about a year and a half ago, +which lasted over six weeks. + +The _Royalshire_ was in it, and they counted nearly a hundred sail in +sight round them. + +Loring was also in it, in a clipper ship called the _Argus_, and said +that one day he counted three hundred ships round him. This is a bit +hard to believe, but it has been verified. + +[Illustration: A PASSING “LIME-JUICER”] + +What a fleet this must have been! quite like the good old times, to +see so many sailing-ships together. + +Lat. 23°.21 S., long. 16°.13 W. + +We have only gone 31 miles in the last twenty-four hours, and can only +head up about N. 17 E. + +The four-mast barque turns out to be our old friend the _Centesima_. +She went about at noon, and soon ran out of sight on the other tack. + +I have turned out again to-day, and am hobbling about scrubbing +bulwarks. My knee is certainly better, though still very weak. + +We went about at four bells in the first watch; the port watch were +below, and, of course, had to turn out, much to their disgust. + +We are now heading N.W. by W. + + +_Thursday, 9th November._--At six bells in the morning watch we got +caught aback in a squall, and went about, the wind being rather +unsteady. + +There is one of the ships in sight on the starboard quarter, and the +others cannot be far below the horizon. + +We went about again at 8 A.M., and are now on the starboard tack, +heading N. 10 W. + +Lat. 22°.33 S., long. 16°.33 W. Run 45 miles. + +It is nasty, squally weather, with a lot of thunder about. + +The royals and crossjack had to come in in the afternoon, and the +mainsail was hauled up at the change of the watch at midnight. + +It is fairly sickening, this head wind, and we are hardly making any +northing at all. + +Scar’s followers are growing in numbers. Old Foghorn says he never knew +a head wind to fail coming on after killing an albatross. + +Others say that Johnsen is a Jonah, and ought to be chucked overboard. + +Good old Chips, the most harmless and one of the nicest men on board, +is that most terrible of men amongst sailors, a Russian Finn. + +Russian Finns are believed to have wonderful powers over the wind and +sea, and can bring on a gale of wind astern at a moment’s notice if +they feel inclined. + +Unfortunately for us, I suppose Chips does not feel inclined, and +allows this wretched head wind and everlasting rain to continue. + + +_Friday, 10th November._--Wore ship at 8 A.M. on the port tack. Nothing +but squalls and pouring rain all day. + +We are still hard at work scrubbing bulwarks with sand and canvas, +getting the rust off preparatory to painting; this is miserable work +in the wet; the rain ruins oilskins and washes the oil off. None of us +have got any dry clothes left again. + +Lat. 22°.12 S. Course--N. 69 W. Run 71 miles. Heading from N.E. 1/2 E. +to 1/2 N. by compass. + +Great was the excitement in the first dog watch when the ship came up +to her course for the first time for goodness knows how many days. But +in ten minutes the wind had broken off again, and we headed worse than +ever. + +At 8 P.M. the mainsail was set. We had a wretched night again with +never-ceasing rain. + + +_Saturday, 11th November._--Hopes of getting in by Christmas are fast +fading away. The dead muzzler, and his companion the pouring rain, +continue to harass us. + +We went about at 8 A.M., again at noon, and again at 4 P.M., and are +getting pretty expert at it. Now we are heading N.W. by N. compass +course, but I believe the real course is about W.N.W. + +Johnsen came aft to-day to complain of his treatment by the men +forward, and especially by Jennings. + +The mate refused to let him see the old man, and told him to get +forward; but Johnsen was not to be put off, and he started to argue the +matter. + +Just as I was beginning to think it was about time there was trouble, +the old man came on deck, and said, + +“What do you want?” + +“I vish to complain ’bout dat man Jennings.” + +“Get forward at once. Do you think I’m going to be bothered because you +can’t keep an O.S. in order? Get forward, or I’ll log you.” + +“I varn you, Captain Bailey, ve shall see ven de ship gets in; you and +de second mate I gets in de law courts for bad dreatment. I haf de +money, and I vill have de lawyer.” + +The old man merely burst out laughing, in which the mate joined, as +Johnsen, muttering ferocious threats of what he would do, retreated +forward. + + +_Sunday, 12th November._--A great and welcome change this morning; +though the head wind is still with us, the weather has cleared up; once +more the decks are dry, and all sail has been set. + +All hands are busy washing clothes, and there is a terrific run on +soap. Fresh water we have plenty of, as during the last few wet days we +have been collecting it in every thing available. + +The ship is now festooned with line upon line of drying clothes. + +Johnsen and I, who have both grown thick beards and whiskers whilst +off the Horn, shaved them off to-day, and I am told that I do not look +quite such a hard customer as I did. + +The same cannot be said for Johnsen, who looks if possible a greater +scoundrel than ever. It is wonderful what a difference a beard and +whiskers make to a face; even Don has quite altered his appearance by +shaving off his moustache. + + +_Monday, 13th November._--We started shifting sail to-day, bending our +old sails for the tropics. + +As my knee would hardly stand working aloft all day yet, I have been +made quartermaster in our watch, and I had eight hours at the wheel +to-day, from 4 A.M. to 8 A.M., and from noon until 4 P.M.,--the whole +of the morning and afternoon watches. I much prefer steering to the +hard work of shifting sail, of which I have had quite enough already +this passage. + +I am steering by the compass N. 1/2 W.; our true course is N. 57 W., +and we are in lat. 20°.15 S., long. 18°.55 W.; our run being 82 miles. + +We must be very close to the south-east trades now. Not so many +years ago, captains could tell to the degree where they would pick +up their trades; nowadays you sometimes do not get them at all, and +have to fluke along to the line as best you can. Why the trades are so +uncertain nowadays is one of those facts of which scientists have not +been able to offer an explanation. + +There are two ships right astern, a full-rig ship and a four-mast +barque, and it behoves me to steer my very best to prevent those two +ships coming up on us. + +It was a lovely night, regular tropical weather, and in the middle +watch everybody coiled up into snug corners under the break of the +poop; and as the gallant old _Royalshire_ slipped quietly along, +everybody slept the sleep of the just except the second mate, helmsman, +lookout, and myself, I being the timekeeper. + +Mac and Loring had even brought their blankets on deck, and lay very +snug. This was too much for the second mate--the sight of every one +snoring about him whilst he had to keep wide awake--so he bent the end +of a brace on to Mac’s and Loring’s blankets, and getting well out +of sight, suddenly jerked the blankets away across the deck. Mac and +Loring were rolled roughly over on to their faces; Loring woke up at +once in the deuce of a rage, but Mac, much to our amusement, took some +time to come to his senses. + +There is a better trick than this, which is to drop a bucket overboard +with a line bent to it, take the line through a port, and then make it +fast to some luckless sleeper’s foot. + +At the right moment you leave go; away goes the bucket astern, and if +it is blowing fresh the victim is pulled full speed across the deck +until he brings up with a bang against the port, where he sticks, not +being small enough to go through. + +Even if the ship is only going a few knots through the water, this +trick will give the victim a nasty jerk, and almost pull his foot off. + +It was very amusing to watch Loring’s look of amazement as he woke up +and saw his blankets careering across the moonlit deck as if of their +own accord. + + +_Tuesday, 14th November._--Lat. 19°.12 S., long. 19°.53 W. + +I took the wheel this morning from 8 A.M. till noon, and ran the two +ships astern out of sight. + +The sun is coming south, and the old man tells me that we are only +50 miles off it to-day, and it is very nearly straight overhead. +To-morrow, when we pass it, there will be no shadows. + +It seems funny that you will be able to stand on the deck in the +brilliant sunshine and yet have no shadow. + +The old man has been busy all the morning painting his models, which +he has got on the wheel box; and whilst I stood at the wheel he spun +me yarn after yarn of sea experiences--of gales, shipwreck, narrow +escapes, sea phenomena, fights, and fires, enough to stock a dozen +books. + +He told me he had sailed the seas in every kind of sailing-ship, +but had never been on a steamer. He ran away to sea, and landed in +Australia from his first voyage a penniless boy, and for many weeks +picked up his living in the streets of Sydney, bare-footed and ragged, +before he got a ship again. + +I took the wheel again in the first dog watch, and brought her up to +north by the compass. I don’t know what the variation was; but, alas! +some wretched Jonah in the other watch broke her off again soon after +to N.N.W. + +We finished shifting sail to-day, and once more the _Royalshire_ is +clad in her old and patched suit of sails. + + +_Wednesday, 15th November._--I had another eight hours at the wheel +to-day whilst the masts and yards were painted down. + +Of course there was a terrific race between the two watches, our watch +starting at the mizen mast, and the port watch at the main. + +Rooning has the post of honour--that of painting the mast from the +truck down to the royal-yard. + +Each of the other yards have a man at each yardarm, and the lowermast +has Chips and Mac at work on it in bosun’s chairs. + +Of course the paint is slashed on, but no holidays (bare patches) +are allowed, and it is noticeable how much quicker some men are than +others. Mac is by far the quickest and best painter in our watch, and +next to him come Johnsen, Jamieson, and Wilson. + +Johnsen and Wilson, who have each got a topsail yardarm, are having +a terrific race, both working as if for dear life; but I am afraid +Johnsen is the best, as at any sailoring job or at painting and +scrubbing he is very hard to beat; though he is not so good on a +yardarm taking in sail, at which I think old Foghorn Wilson is the +best--excepting of course the second mate and Mac, who, to use a Yankee +expression, are “crackerjacks” at picking up a sail. + +Notwithstanding that old sails, awnings, and tarpaulins are spread on +the deck and bulwarks under the painters, still our champions, Bower, +Jennings, Higgins and Company, have managed to scatter paint pretty +promiscuously. + +The colour is a light-yellowish salmon colour, and the _Royalshire_ is +beginning to look very smart aloft. + +Meanwhile I loll at the wheel in the glorious sunshine, keeping the +ship a clean full in the gentle breeze, a spoke now and again being all +she needs. I have to be careful, however, not to let her get within +flapping distance of the wind, as the weather clews would soon have +wiped the paint off the gay yardarms. + +Dressed in a slouch hat, flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and +a thin pair of light blue dungaree trousers turned up to the knees, my +feet, legs, and arms are burnt to a rich mahogany colour. + +Without any flesh on my bones, with all my muscles like whipcord, +and with my belt buckled tight to prevent the feeling of hollowness +which comes from the ever empty stomach--what care I for the scorching +tropical sun which is making the pitch in the deck seams boil, and is +making the paint rise in blisters on the bulwarks! + +It is a fascinating business steering a big sailing-ship, and keeps +all one’s faculties and senses at work; one knows how to steer more +by instinct than anything else, and unless you are born with this +instinct, however much practice you have, it is impossible to become a +really first-class helmsman. + +We are heading N.N.W. by compass, but true course is only N.W. by W. +Lat. 18°.20 S., long. 21°.04 W. Run 85 miles. + +We passed the sun this morning, and at noon the captain told me we were +15 miles to the north of it. + +All the afternoon the wind got lighter and lighter, and there was a +calm all night. + + “Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down; + ’Twas sad as sad could be; + And we did speak only to break + The silence of the sea.” + +Oh, where! and oh, where! are our bonny south-east trades? + + +_Thursday, 16th November._--A nice little breeze sprang up this +morning, and allowed us to drop a full-rig ship which had come up +astern during the night when we were becalmed. + +To-day I have six hours at the wheel, the forenoon watch and the first +dog. + +Painting is still in full swing; the masts and yards have been +finished, Mac breaking all previous records painting down the +jigger-mast. + +Lat. 17°.41 S., long. 21°.52 W. + +The wind has gradually dropped away again in the first dog watch, and +the sails are flapping against the wet paint, so we have hauled up the +courses. + + +_Friday, 17th November._--The trades sprang upon us about midnight, and +at last we are able to make our course, steering N. by E. 1/2 E. by +compass. + +I am having a glorious time of it at the wheel all day in this +delicious weather, whilst the others are up to their elbows in paint. + +This morning is a typical morning in the trades: sunshine, and blue sky +covered with white fleecy clouds; blue sea and white horses; shoals of +glittering flying-fish, and swooping “frigate” birds, those robbers on +the high seas. + +The “man-of-war” or “frigate” bird does not fish for himself, but, +swooping from a terrific height, so frightens those hard workers the +“booby” birds, that they drop their fish, which the robber catches +before it reaches the water. + +These “frigate” birds rise to a greater height than any other sea-bird, +and are so swift that they can catch flying-fish on the wing. + +This weather is simply idyllic. You can have all your English summer +days in the green fields--give me a ship’s deck in the trades, with the +sails bellying in gleaming rounds of white above you, and the deep, +transparent blue of the ocean stretching away until it meets the little +clouds of cotton wool on the horizon! + +Everybody is cheerful to-day except Scar, who is only cheerful when +everybody else is in the dumps, and Johnsen, whose wrongs are too heavy +upon him to allow his grim features any aspect but a scowl. + +The old man is yarning away to me again this morning. + +“Ah!” he says, “if a sailor’s life was all like this, it would be +honey. Last time I was in these trades, there were the _Loch Horn_ and +the _Ben Lee_ in company with me; the trades were very strong, and we +sailed dead level for more than a week. All that time, though it was +piping strong, we carried every stitch we could set. + +“I remember well one Sunday--the three of us were neck and neck--the +_Ben Lee_ kept splitting and carrying away sails all day. + +“As I looked through my glass I watched the tears gradually getting +bigger in his royals, at last the fore-royal split from top to bottom; +with remarkable dispatch, he unbent the sail and sent it down on deck. +Now old Captain Gaines was short of canvas, and spare royals he hadn’t +got, so he turned his sailmaker and all hands to, and as fast as a sail +split he sent it down, patched it, and set it again. + +“I think he sent up his fore-royal more than half a dozen times that +Sunday, each time with a fresh patch. + +“I guess you heard of my race with the _Puritan_ and _Cromartyshire_: +we were in sight of each other the whole way from Frisco to the Horn. + +“The _Cromartyshire_ (which is a full-rigged clipper, and the ship that +cut down that French liner in the Atlantic) is really a much faster +ship than this, but she only beat us by a few days into Queenstown, and +we just got in ahead of the _Puritan_. I daresay you saw the report in +the papers at the time.” + +I had; and as far as I remember, it ran somewhat like this:-- + +“The days of ocean racing, when tea-clippers ran 16 knots before a gale +of wind with royals mastheaded, are not yet dead. + +“The sailing-ship _Lord Dundonald_ reports passing, in lat. 40°.33 S., +long. 106°.15 W., three sailing-ships racing neck and neck, one of +them being a big four-mast barque. + +“Though it was blowing hard at the time, and the _Lord Dundonald_ was +under topsails only, they had each got every stitch of canvas set, and +must have been going well over 14 knots. + +“They were steering a course for the Horn, and we made them out to +be the _Royalshire_, the four-mast barque, and _Cromartyshire_ (both +Glasgow ships), and the Yankee clipper _Puritan_. Each ship had got a +string of flags flying. + +“From the _Royalshire’s_ signal hilliards flew the signal, ‘Shall I +take you in tow?’ + +“From those of the _Cromartyshire_, ‘Will report you at Queenstown!’ + +“And from the Yankee’s, ‘Good-bye, Britishers; can’t stop.’” + +There is a barque in sight on our weather quarter, and though she is +not steering as high as we are, we are dropping her, and can only see +the royals of the ship astern. + +We had a grand concert on the after-hatch this evening. We sang all the +old deep-sea choruses, the bosun twanged his guitar, Don discoursed +shrill music on the penny whistle, and Mac emitted hideous noises from +the mouth organ. + +Several artists have appeared forward, and one of them is painting +a really wonderful canvas of the _Royalshire_ off the Horn. Another +prefers a steamer with red smoke-stacks and plenty of good black +smoke. + +[Illustration: A “DOWN-EASTER”] + +There are also minor artists, who content themselves with painting +flags and heraldic devices. + +The break of the poop is beginning to look very smart, and I think the +coats of paint on it have got into double figures. + +I employed my time one day whilst laid up in making stencils, and +now Mac and Scar are going to show off their stencilling on the +midship-house, break of the poop, and half-deck. + +The finishing touch to the break of the poop will be the graining of +the lower part of it, which work of art will be done by the captain +himself. + +Alas! of all our chickens there are only two left, and if these don’t +die of old age, they will be kept for the cabin Christmas dinner. + +Lat. 16°.31 S., long. 22°.08 W. + + +_Saturday, 18th November._--The trades are fine and strong. We are +braced up on the starboard tack, with the yards off the backstays, +steering N. by E. 1/2 E. by compass. + +Whilst I was at the wheel this morning, from 8 A.M. till noon, it +breezed up finely, until at noon we were doing 9-1/2 knots. + +There was more kick in the wheel this morning than there has been for +some time. It is the great aim of every helmsman to have the ship +steady and dead on her course when he is relieved. This I have always +managed to do so far, and the other helmsmen of our watch, Jamieson, +Rooning, and Foghorn Wilson, generally leave you a steady helm; but the +other watch, with the exception of Yoko, who perhaps next to Jamieson +is the best helmsman in the ship, are a shocking bad lot. + +They very often leave the wheel hard up or hard down, having managed to +get the ship on her course at the last moment before being relieved, +but of course without having her steady, the consequence is if you do +not watch it and meet her in time, you find your ship running a point +off her course. Very often, also, I have had the wheel given me and +found the ship more than half a point off her course. + +I do not think our old man is as particular on this point as some +captains are, or he would have turned several of the port watch away +from the wheel. + +Of course he knows that the _Royalshire_ is steering very badly on +account of her foul bottom, but still this would be no excuse with some +skippers. + +Quartermasters on mail-boats have to be within half a degree of their +course, or they get severely called over the coals by the officer of +the watch. Steering is a speciality with them, and they do nothing else. + +Mac and Scar, in despair of being able to get their second mate’s +tickets, talk of trying to get a quartermaster’s job on a liner; but +it is not so easy to get. + + +_Sunday, 19th November._--There is only one word for the weather, and +that is the word “delicious.” A fresh cool breeze is sending us along +about 8 knots, and the sun is warm without being too hot. + +I overhauled my gear to-day, and turned out my bunk. It is wonderful +how things collect in one’s bunk; in mine I found chunks of plug +tobacco, magazines, lost socks, books, bits of wood, rope yarn, +rovings, lashings, a palm and needle, a marlinspike, sundry pieces of +soap, an odd matchbox or two, a quantity of used matches, a pen and a +pencil, a roll of diachylon plaster, a pair of scissors, my housewife, +a stray reel of cotton, some twine, two or three old shirts, and my +silk sou’wester which the captain gave me. + +Our watch is still in a very bad way with sea-boils, and it looks as +if poor old Taylor will lose his hand; it all depends on how long we +take to get in, and if we get another dose of head winds or a strong +nor’-easter in the Western Ocean, I am afraid it will have to go. + +The finger is in an awful state; the bone is rotting away, all the +tendons have broken, and it smells absolutely putrid. + +Old Taylor puts a very good face on it. He showed it me this morning, +and said with a rather sorry laugh, “Another backstay carried away this +morning.” + +He was right. The tendons, three of them, were hanging loose in long +white strings. Rooning’s arms are still one mass of boils, and if he +goes on taking pills at the rate he is going now, he will soon run me +out of them. + + +_Monday, 20th November._--The great day for cleaning and painting out +the half-deck has come. + +This morning, Mac, Loring, and I turned out at 5.30 A.M. in our watch +below, and the lot of us turned to. + +The chests and bags were taken out and put down the after-hatch, our +bedding and eating utensils being put on the main-hatch, where we shall +camp for the next few days under a tarpaulin. + +First we scrubbed it all thoroughly with sugi-mugi, then we dried +it, and started painting everything except the deck, bunks and all. +After working like furies all day, we got it finished in the first dog +watch--a pretty smart bit of work. + +The steward also painted out his berth to-day, and, as he can’t stand +the smell of wet paint, he is as ill and sick as he can be. + +Lat. 7°.52 S., long. 22°.28 W. + +We sighted a barque outward bound in the first watch. + + +_Tuesday, 21st November._--The cook left the galley this morning, +having handed in his resignation, and Loring has been appointed cook. + +The trouble arose because the cook said he could not manage unless he +got more fresh water a day. As he really gets a very liberal allowance +for cooking purposes, considering how short of water we are, this +was not to be thought of, and the old man told him that if he could +not cook on the allowance he gets now, he could get forward to the +forecastle and do ordinary ship’s work. + +The cook thought he could bluff the old man, and got badly left, so at +last we are rid of old Slush and his vile cooking. + +This morning we have started work on the decks, beginning on the +main-deck. + +Each man is on his knees, with a square block of wood, some canvas, and +plenty of sand and water. + +With these blocks of wood, commonly called “prayer-books,” every plank +has to be rubbed until it is absolutely clean and white; and unlucky he +whose planks are not white enough to pass the mate’s keen criticism! + +This is by no means a “soft” job, especially for me with a bad knee. +One is never allowed to sit down or be in a comfortable attitude +working at sea, as that is considered sodgering, and is a most heinous +offence. + +So on our knees we go at it, each working for dear life; for one has +to keep up with the quickest worker in the watch, or else you get left +behind, and there is trouble. + +Though this is almost as bad on the back as the “deck-bear,” it is a +much quicker process of cleaning the decks. + +We have got no holystone on board, so the whole business will have to +be done with sand and canvas. + +I don’t think old Slush likes it much, down on his knees amongst us +working harder than he has done for many a long day, whilst Loring, our +new cook, leans against the door of the galley with a pipe in his mouth. + +Now that Loring has gone into the galley, I take a regular wheel, and +rejoice at giving up the thankless task of timekeeping at night. + +Lat 5°.19 S., long. 22°.29 W. + +Very hot to-day, and the trades falling light. + +Oh, what a feed we had to-day! Our salt junk was a sight to see--clean, +no slush about it, and cut in decent slices. + +Good old Loring is determined to do things in first-rate style, and is +taking no end of trouble to make the food as palatable as possible. + +The trades hauled aft a bit in the first watch, and we squared in the +yards. + + +_Wednesday, 22nd November._--Hard at work again at our prayers. + +The trades are leaving us, I am afraid, and it is getting very hot. + +I don’t think old Slush is enjoying himself much; at this rate he will +soon get some of the superfluous fat off his greasy body. + +I was very pleased this afternoon to get off two hours deck-scrubbing +by standing my trick at the wheel. + +A day of sweltering heat and back-breaking toil; the deck is so hot +that one cannot walk bare-foot upon it, hardened as our feet are. + + +_Thursday, 23rd November._--Lat. 0°.36 N., long. 22°.26 W. + +We crossed the line last night at 4 A.M., and are once more in the +northern hemisphere. + +We broke up our camp on the main-hatch, and returned to the half-deck. + +Old Slush came aft this morning and whined to the old man to let him go +back into the galley, but the old man refused; at which we all rejoiced +with exceeding joy, for Loring’s cooking is a tremendous improvement; +his soft bread--sailors call bread soft bread, as compared to ship’s +biscuit, which they call hard bread--is very nice for ship’s bread, and +far better than old Slush’s rocky loaves; and yesterday the pea-soup +was a treat--there was more of it, it was quite white, as Loring had +washed his peas thoroughly, and it was very tasty, as he had boiled +small pieces of pork in it. + +We finished scrubbing the main-deck to-day, and now there is only the +poop to be done. + +We are having magnificent starry nights, and the water is full of +phosphorus, which glitters round the ship. The trades are falling off, +being very unsteady and fluky to-day. + + +_Friday, 24th November._--Yards once more square. We have lost the +trades, and are now in the doldrums again. + +We are hard at work to-day scrubbing the poop, and after a terrific +race we just beat the port watch, getting the starboard side done first. + +Poor old Don got into trouble this afternoon in the first dog watch. + +The port watch were at the starboard crossjack-braces. Don started to +sing out a chanty which had been made up on the ship in Japan-- + + “Hi! hi! hi! louralay, louralay, + Come and see the greatest living wonder of the day!” + +The old man, who was on the poop, mistook one of the lines for some +very choice swearing, which of course would have been a great offence +right under the poop, so he holloa’d out to Don from the break of the +poop, + +“Get forward, you there, swearing like that; get forward at once!” + +So off Don had to go forward. He is rather pleased than otherwise, as +Scar and the nipper have been making his life a burden to him in the +half-deck. + +I helped him to get his truck into the port forecastle in the second +dog watch. + +He is in great disgrace, and is not allowed on the poop any more. + +The old man really did not mean him to go forward into the forecastle +altogether, but only to stay forward till the end of the first dog +watch, and he was quite surprised when he saw Don and myself carting +his things forward. + +Don is delighted with the change, and says it is a tremendous relief to +be amongst the merry good-tempered dagos instead of in the half-deck +with that sulky dog Scar. + +There was a magnificent sunset, and as it grew dark, summer lightning +lit up the whole of the horizon. It was almost a dead calm all night, +with little fluky puffs, which soon died away again, but which kept us +at the braces most of the night; and the ship seldom had steerage way +on her for more than half an hour at a time. + + +_Saturday, 25th November._--There was a squall from the nor’ard at +7.30 A.M., and we braced her sharp up; but it did not last long, and +the wind blew for short whiles during the day from every point of the +compass. + +Towards evening a light steady breeze blew from dead aft, and kept us +going all night. + +It was a lovely night, dim and misty at first, until the moon rose and +the stars sparkled through the damp atmosphere. It was my wheel from +ten to midnight, and it was rather a case of-- + + “The stars were dim, and thick the night, + The steersman’s face by his lamp gleamed white, + From the sails the dew did drip; + Till clomb above the eastern bar + The horned moon, with one bright star, + Within the nether tip.” + +I have shifted my things into Don’s bunk, the top one over mine. + + +_Sunday, 26th November._--Lat. 5°.20 N., long. 22°.59 W. Course--N. 16 +E. Run 47 miles. + +To-day is the hottest day, I think, we have had this passage, and most +of the watch have put shoes on, as the deck is much too hot for bare +feet. + +No rest this morning, for every few minutes a light air springs up and +we have to brace her to it; this dies away, and just as we have coiled +the braces on the pins, another puff comes, and again the cry rings out, + +“Weather crossjack-brace!” + +At last, about 11 A.M., after hauling at the braces ever since we came +on deck, our watch thought we had got a rest, but no such luck. + +The burning heat was too great a temptation to the old man, and he +seized upon it as a splendid opportunity to oil the decks. + +We were provided with oil in buckets, and with rags and old socks. At +it we went on our knees on the deck. + +“No holidays, mind!” was the cry of the second mate. + +You bet we did record time over it, as it was boiling hot, and kneeling +on the deck was like kneeling on hot bricks. + +It took us just till eight bells to oil the whole of the main-deck. + +A nice little breeze from the eastward sprang up in the afternoon, and +just kept us moving two or three knots through the water. + +I spent the afternoon trying to catch a shark, but he was too cautious. +Don and one or two others wanted to go overboard for a swim, but, on +seeing the shark, soon dropped the idea. + +Once more the Bear is rising on the horizon, whilst the great Southern +Cross hangs low. + + +_Monday, 27th November._--There was a bad squall last night in the +middle watch, which heeled the ship over as if she had been a small +cutter yacht. + +The flying-jib split, and it was a wonder that nothing else carried +away. + +It was only a tropical squall, however, and it soon fell dead calm +again. + +All day we lay becalmed in the stifling heat. Paint-pots and brushes +are out again, and the bulwarks are being painted, whilst I stand +lazily at the wheel doing quartermaster again. + +Standing all day in this fierce sun has burnt me as brown as a +Hottentot, especially my feet. + +The flying-fish are flitting around us in great numbers, and I have +seen several with four wings. + +I wish a few of them would fly aboard, as they are splendid eating. + +The old man has started graining the break of the poop, and very well +he is doing it. + +The second mate, Mac, and Scar, each tried their hands at it, but were +all miserable failures. + +The most enjoyable part of the day is the second dog watch, when in +the cool of the evening we sit on the after-hatch spinning yarns and +singing songs. + +We were talking about the wonderful hardness of Liverpool hard bread +this evening, and the subject produced quite a crop of very tall yarns. + +The following, however, is quite true, and was told me by the doctor of +a large Glen Liner:-- + +“‘We had not been many days at sea,’ he said, ‘before our crew came aft +and complained that the hard-tack was of such stony substance that it +was impossible for any but a shark to bite it. They stated that if you +hit a biscuit with an iron belaying pin it made no impression upon it, +and soaking it in water made it no better.’ + +“‘Here, doctor,’ called the captain to me, ‘here’s a case for you to +decide: Is this biscuit fit for the men to eat?’ and he handed me a +regular bad-looking Liverpool pantile from the bread-barge which the +men had brought to show him. + +“I took the biscuit, and made a great bite at it. There was a crack in +my jaw, and I found that I had hardly made a dent in the biscuit with +my teeth. + +“As I took the biscuit from my mouth, something white came with it and +fell to the deck, where it glistened like a pearl of beauty. + +“‘Halloa! what’s this?’ cried the skipper, and he picked it up. ‘By +gosh! doctor, you’ve carried away a tooth.’ + +“There was a roar of laughter; it was only too true, the pantile had +broken off my port eye-tooth. + +“‘Captain,’ I said gravely, ‘this bread is not fit for human +consumption, and if you throw it to the sharks, they will be calling at +the dentist’s in a very short time.’ + +“There was a cheer. My poor tooth had solved the bread question.” + + +_Tuesday, 28th November._--The breeze was faint and unsteady all day. + +A four-mast barque outward bound passed us to leeward this morning, and +there is a homeward bound barque like ourselves to windward, but we are +dropping her. + +We are now right in the track of the outward bounders, having crossed +the equator well to the eastward. + +I am still lolling at the wheel all day during our watch on deck, +whilst the rest slap, dab, dab away with their paint-brushes. + + +_Wednesday, 29th November._--A steamer homeward bound passed us quite +close this morning at 4.30, but it was too dark to get reported. This +is the first steamer we have seen this passage. + +We think we have got the north-east trades at last, though they are +very light. Steering N.N.W. by compass. We are ninety-six days out +to-day. + +Another wonderful tropical sunset to-day, the sky being one gorgeous +mass of colour. + + +_Thursday, 30th November._--A foreign barque, probably a dago, passed +us quite close outward bound, and notwithstanding that she was only +an old wooden ship with stump topgallant masts, she made a beautiful +picture as she wallowed slowly by. + +There was a tremendous hunt up aloft to-day after a booby, which keeps +settling on the yards. He sits quite still until you are just about to +grab him, and then off he goes in circles uttering shrill cries, only +to alight again somewhere else. + +Whilst I was at the wheel in the first dog watch there was a shoal of +bonita round us, all leaping out of the water in every direction. It +really was a wonderful sight; as far as you could see, the big fish +could be descried tumbling over each other and jumping about. + +The sea round the ship was packed close with them. I have never seen +any fish so thick as these were, except of course the salmon in the +Fraser River, in British Columbia. + +Talking of shoals of fish reminds me of an extraordinary sight I saw +whilst on the way up to the Klondyke in the steamer _City of Seattle_. +We went through snipe migrating north; the water was brown with them, +and they wheeled about in great clouds which almost obscured the sun. + +For several hours we were going through them, steaming 10 knots. + +This is a hard thing to believe, almost as hard as the sea serpent, +which gentleman I must say I firmly believe in. + +I have met three different people who solemnly swear that they have +seen a sea serpent. + +Why should there not be such a thing as a huge sea snake? No doubt +they are plentiful, but are so seldom seen, because they stay down in +the great depths of the ocean, never coming to the surface unless +compelled to against their will by some terrific convulsion below, such +as a submarine earthquake. + +Of course, it is very probable that the tentacles of a giant squid have +often been mistaken for the sea serpent. + + +_Friday, 1st December._--Lat. 10°.50 N., long. 27°.00 W. + +The trades are very light, but we are heading up well, which is +something. + +A steamer crossed our bow quite close last night. It was a very dark +night, and we could only see her lights; she was evidently homeward +bound from the South. + +The days have been rather uneventful lately, being composed of hot sun, +light breeze, and paint-pot. The ship is really beginning to look very +smart. + + +_Saturday, 2nd December._--Lat. 12°.2 N., long. 27°.00 W. + +Very hot, and the trades are lighter than ever; the old man tells me +that they are caused by bad weather to the nor’ard. + +All hands are still hard at work putting the last coats of paint on the +bulwarks, rails, etc., whilst I loll at the wheel. + +Owing to Loring’s good cooking, the sea-boils amongst the men have been +getting better; but now a new trouble has broken out, and several of +the men are quite helpless from it. + +It is very bad cramps in the stomach. Mac got it this evening in the +second dog watch, and is lying in his bunk helpless and faint from the +pain. + +I gave him a strong dose of chlorodyne, but it only made him sick, and +did not ease up the pain. + +He had to lie up all night, he was so bad. + + +_Sunday, 3rd December._--Dead calm all night and all day. + +The _Royalshire_ without steerage way on her, is truly + + “As idle as a painted ship + Upon a painted ocean.” + +Mac and several of the men forward are very bad still with cramps in +the stomach. + +I think it must be the water, which, as we get nearer the bottom of the +tanks, is becoming very foul. + +We have only got five weeks water left, and out of one tank it comes +up thick and muddy, and out of the other a dark red, from the rust, so +I think the dark red water must be like a very strong iron tonic, and +thus perhaps causes the cramp. + +Lat. 12°.40 N., long. 27°.46 W. + +I have got the worst wheels this week, the second dog watch and the +4 to 6 A.M. wheels being considered the worst two tricks to have; my +other wheel is a good one, though, the 10 to 12 in the forenoon watch. + +The second dog watch was the one I hated most, as I could hear the +fellows singing and having a good time on the main-deck whilst I was +stuck by myself at the wheel. + +The 4 to 6 A.M. wheel is really considered the worst by sailors, as +those are the two sleepiest hours of the whole twenty-four. + +But there was one great compensation I found in this trick, and that +was, that every morning you saw a most superb sunrise whilst the rest +of the watch were dozing on the main-deck. + +A breeze sprang up this evening in the second dog watch whilst I was at +the wheel, and it gradually increased in strength. + +Poor old Mac, who was as strong and fit as a buck rabbit a few days +ago, is now as weak and ill as a far-gone patient in consumption. His +cheeks have fallen in, and he really looks very bad. + + +_Monday, 4th December._--Lat. 13°.39 N., long. 28°.12 W. Course--N. 24 +W. Run 62 miles. + +There is a fine little breeze this morning, and weare going course +steering N. 1/2 E. by compass. + +Painting is now nearly finished, and to-day the varnish appeared, and +we varnished the poop-rail and stanchions. + + +_Tuesday, 5th December._--Fine breeze all night; going course N. by E. +by compass, with a heavy swell setting in from N.E. + +Lat. 15°.22 N., long. 29°.20 S. Very hot again to-day, and wind falling. + +I have fallen upon a soft job, painting the name of the ship in a blue +riband on the poop buckets. + +The wind freshened up again in the afternoon, and we passed a +three-masted schooner painted white, a brigantine, and two barques, all +outward bound. + +The second mate has fallen a victim to cramps in the stomach, and was +in great agony the whole of the second dog watch whilst I was at the +wheel. + +He leant helpless most of the time over the rail, as sick as a +passenger on a channel boat on a choppy passage. + +Directly the watch changed I gave him a terrific dose of chlorodyne, +which seemed to pick him up a bit. + +Mac is still bad, and has not been able to touch any food since Sunday, +and he is a fair wreck of his former self. + + +_Wednesday, 6th December._--A welcome change has taken place; the wind +is blowing fresh, and the sea is rough, and we are fast making up for +lost time. + +A heavy squall came up upon us whilst I was at the wheel about 11 A.M. +It came out of the N.E., and went away until it hung a black cloud on +the horizon to leeward, then it came swooping back upon us. + +I put the helm up and held it there, but was too late, and in a moment +we were caught aback before we had time to go off. + +The crossjack and mainsail were hauled up, and the staysails taken in, +but as it blew harder we had to take in the royals. + +Lat. 17°.40 N., long. 29°.29 W. The wind freed a bit about 1 P.M., and +the mainsail and crossjack were set again, the royals and staysails +also being set in the first dog watch. + +We are going 7-1/2 knots through the water on the port tack. + + +_Thursday, 7th December._--Fairly piping under all sail, except +flying-jib, on our course and going over 10 knots. + +I was at the wheel this morning from 4 to 8, steering through my +trick and Jamieson’s, whilst the watch were busy sending down the +mizen-royal, which had split, and bending another one. + +The helm is very hard, and kicking like a horse with the stiff sea +running, into which we were shoving our nose and boring our way at a +great pace. It took me all I knew to hold the wheel steady, and several +times she lifted me right off my legs; but I thoroughly enjoyed the +trick, as I exerted all my strength to fight the kicking demon. + +It was a pretty heavy four hours’ spell, and by eight o’clock my arms +felt as if I had been riding a runaway horse. + +A good helmsman has to be born, not made. Every boat and every ship +steers differently. Some steer very badly, some steer very easily; each +has its own peculiarities, which a good helmsman finds out at once. + +The _Royalshire_ was not an easy steerer at all--very few long +four-mast barques are--but what made her worse than usual was the load +of wheat aft, and the foulness of her bottom. + +Every day she steered worse, and required a great deal of watching, and +the other day one of the dagos in the port watch was turned away from +the wheel. + +The most difficult task of all, is to steer a large ship running before +a gale of wind in a big sea. + +A bad helmsman in such a case will have his spokes flying round the +whole time; first his helm will be hard up and then hard down, and the +ship will be swinging a couple of points on each side of her course. + +This is because he probably watches his compass too much and his ship +too little. + +A good helmsman will know instinctively when his ship is beginning to +come up, and will at once meet her with the helm a second or two before +the compass shows the fact. + +Never watch your compass too much, as the compass is slow always, and +very deceiving. + +At night, if it is clear, and you are steering a compass course (by +which I mean that you are not steering by the wind, and the ship is +able to lie her course), take a star at a yardarm and steer by it. + +Always try to keep the wheel as still as possible. In steering the +ship by the wind, a spoke or two occasionally is all that ought to be +required to keep the ship dead on her course, if the wind is steady. + +Steering like I am now, the ship going over 10 knots with the yards off +the backstays, once she is steady she ought not to require a spoke once +in half an hour. + +When steering by the wind, you ought to keep the weather clew of your +royal just quivering. + +A landsman will no doubt wonder why, if the royal leech is flapping, +the other sails are not doing the same: but that belongs to another +branch of the art of sailoring, that of trimming your yards properly. + +The royal should be braced up the least bit more than the topgallant, +and the topgallant more than the topsail, and the topsail more than the +course. + +A good quality in a mate is to be a good sail-trimmer. + +But to return to steering. The steering of a big square-rigged +sailing-ship is I think a most fascinating job, whether you are +standing bare-footed in flannel shirt and dungarees, watching the +flying-fish as your ship hums through the trades with the maintack +boarded, or whether you are running before a gale of wind with lashings +on your oilskins, working like a donkey-engine, and hardly daring to +look behind you. You know that if you take your keenest attention off +for a moment, your ship will run two or three points off her course, +and will ship a huge sea, which, washing the decks fore and aft, will +perhaps smash a boat to matchwood, or wash out the galley, or even +carry some of the watch over the side. + +It is terrifying to a weak-nerved helmsman to see a huge mass of water +with a foaming top rear itself up behind and chase him, trying its best +to poop the ship, and ready to fall on top of him if he makes the least +mistake. + +It is for this reason that some ships have wheel-houses to hide the +following sea from the fearful helmsman. This is the time when the +good men come to the fore and the indifferent helmsmen are turned away +disgraced. + +Liverpool in the other watch, who relieved me at eight bells, got +turned away from the wheel, as the old man coming on deck found him a +couple of points off his course, and there was the deuce of a kick-up. +Liverpool said that it was not his fault, as he could not hold her. + +It is a lovely sunny day. The old man is hanging on to his royals, +and dollops and sprays are once more coming aboard, one, of course, +flooding into the half-deck. + +Lat. 21°.6 N., long. 30°.22 W. Run 217 miles. + +We passed a ship in the first dog watch homeward bound like ourselves, +under three lower-topsails and main upper-topsail, and we were under +all sail. + +I bet her old man looked at us in amazement as we surged by, going +close on 12 knots. + + +_Friday, 8th December._--Lat. 25°.01 N., long. 30°.46 W. + +These are champion trades, and in the last twenty-four hours we ran 236 +miles. + +A heavy squall came down about 9 A.M. We stood by the royal halliards, +and hauled in the head of the spanker, but the old man held on to his +royals, and she fairly lay over and smoked through it, the spray flying +in sheets over the starboard bow. + +It was my wheel from 10 to 12. At 11.30 they set the spanker again, and +it was wonderful what a difference that extra bit made to the steering. +Before they hauled out the head of the spanker she was steering nice +and easy, being well balanced, but the extra cloth just made her +uncomfortable and disagreeable. + +Seventeen more days to Christmas, and the great question is, Shall we +get home in time? + + +_Saturday, 9th December._--Lat. 28°.16 N., long. 31°.54 W. + +It was squally all night, and we clewed up the royals in the first +watch, but set them again before midnight. + +Old Slush was sent up on to the main-royal yard to overhaul the gear, +and the old rascal stayed skulking up aloft in the maintop whilst we +were working on deck until the watch was over, when he sneaked down on +deck; but the second mate was up to his tricks, and sent him up again, +and kept him up aloft overhauling gear until half an hour of his watch +below had passed. + +This morning, after my trick at the wheel, the second mate sent me up +on to the fore-royal yard to see if there was any sail in sight, and +also to put in a couple of rovings. + +As I was shinning up the royal halliards, my good old felt hat (which +I have had all this time, and which I had got quite fond of, with its +faded ribbon, and splashed as it was with paint of every colour), blew +off my head and went sailing away to leeward. + +I was very much annoyed to lose it, as, besides being my last hat, +except for my sou’wester and a Klondyke fur cap, it was such an old +friend. + +I had worn it on the prairie, in mining camps in the Klondyke, and even +played cricket matches in it in England. + +We started shifting sail again this morning; shifted the crossjack, +main upper and lower topsails, and mizen upper-topsail. + +I am out of luck to-day, as on the crossjack yard the buckle of my belt +carried away, and away went my belt overboard. My knife luckily dropped +out of the sheath on to the deck, and I got it again; but I was almost +as sorry at losing my belt as my hat, as it was a good old pigskin +belt, and had been companion to my hat in all kinds of adventures. + +I was very pleased at not losing my knife, though, which bears a +charmed life; several times I have lost it and found it again; three +times has it fallen from aloft, and off the Horn it was afloat in the +half-deck for several days. + +Scar gave me an old deep-sea cap this morning, and so I have still got +head gear, and have not been brought to making caps out of canvas, like +Don, Jennings, and one or two others. + +It is blowing pretty hard, and makes shifting sail very heavy work; but +the old man dare not wait any longer, or we shall find ourselves in the +Western Ocean with only our summer suit on, and we are looking forward +to a bad time in the stormy, wintery Atlantic. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE WESTERN OCEAN + + +_Sunday, 10th December._--A rippling breeze and a peeping sun. The +_Royalshire_ is lying over to it under all sail, with her yards braced +up. In the lee scuppers a roaring torrent of broken water rushes, +gushing in and out of the clanging ports. + +As I relieve the wheel the relieved helmsman gives me the course, + +“North-east by north a half north.” + +“North-east by north a half north,” I repeat. + +At sea, when given an order or instructions you always repeat it, so as +to show that you understand. For instance, the mate will give the order +to the bosun, + +“Haul aft those headsheets a bit, bosun!” The bosun at once repeats, + +“Haul aft the headsheets, sir,” and without waiting for further speech +from the mate, goes forward and superintends the hauling aft of the +headsheets. + +We are in latitude 31°.20 north to-day, and making fine northing. + +All day we worked as if for a wager, shifting sail. + +In the evening I took part in a game of poker in the midship-house with +Sails, the bosun, Don, and Loring. + +Our chips were beans, and cost ten a penny, and so you can imagine +there were no fortunes lost; I think I came out a great winner of a +penny half-penny. We played with the only pack of cards on the ship, a +wretched, dirty, torn and broken pack, about six cards of which we all +knew by sight. + +As a sign that we are getting into colder latitudes, I turned my +sleeping-bag to-day. + + +_Monday, 11th December._--The breeze is still piping from the +south-east. Lat. 34°.52 N. + +Hard at work bending sail all day, in the afternoon all hands had to +turn to, much to the disgust of the watch below. + +We worked with feverish hurry. A whole watch would tail on to the +gantline, and come stumbling aft in the rolling shambling trot which +sailors and cowboys have in common, all roaring at the tops of their +voices. It was an inspiriting scene. Up would go the sail, and then +would come the cry, + +“Aloft and bend it!” + +“Now then, starbowlines!” would shout the second mate, as he raced +up the starboard ratlines at the head of our watch. + +[Illustration: SHIFTING SAIL] + +It was my wheel at four bells, but being up aloft the second mate would +not let me relieve old Foghorn till six bells. + +At six bells I relieved the wheel, and for the next few hours stood +there, the only man in the after-part of the ship, for everybody was +forward shifting sail on the foremast. + +In solitude I leant against the wheel and meditated, gazing over the +foam-flecked sea and drinking in the unspeakable grandeur of the great +deep. + +Before me rose the bellying sails, and from forward the sounds of toil +and sweat came floating aft, sharp commands, the chorus of a chanty, +cries from aloft, the rattle of blocks, the stamp of many feet, the +flapping, cracking sound of a sail being sheeted home; whilst around +me, but for the swirl of the water alongside, all was silent. Whilst +they worked, the ship was in my hands: I steered her, I showed her the +way to go, I kept her from prancing away to one side or the other, with +inexorable hand grasping the spokes I held her on her course, ever and +anon casting an eye to windward. + +No bells were struck; time passed; amidst pillows of pink and yellow +clouds and a counterpane of deep purple shading to mauve and lilac, +his majesty the sun went to bed; still they worked forward, and aft +I steered and steered. The black pall of night began to descend upon +the sea; there is no twilight in these latitudes, and whilst yet the +afterglow lit up the west, the stars were beginning to peep forth in +the east. + +It was evidently long past eight bells, still they toiled; the welcome +sound of “Sidelights out, hand on the lookout!” remained unheard, and +I began to wonder if they were going to work all night. It was so dark +now that I had to strain my eyes to see the compass card. + +I could see them at work bending the staysails; all the square canvas +was bent, and some hands were putting the discarded sails below. + +At last came the welcome voice of the mate, + +“Clear up the decks, sidelights out, binnacles, hand on the lookout.” + +Don brought me up a couple of binnacles and then went forward. + +Both watches went to their tea after the decks were cleared up; the +mate, who walked the poop whilst the second mate was at his tea, came +and had a look to see that I was on my course, but said nothing, so I +steered on in silence. + +I had relieved the wheel expecting only to be at the helm an hour, and +here I was still, running into five hours. + +I was awfully hungry, and Loring had promised us some meat balls out of +the remains of our salt junk. I began to speculate whether some hungry +person would eat my share or not, and to wish that I carried about a +piece of hard-tack in my pocket like Don does; at anyrate, I thought, +it’s my watch below at 8 P.M., and it must be pretty close on that now. + +Presently the second mate came on deck from his tea and relieved the +mate. + +“Who’s at the wheel?” I heard him ask. + +“Lubbock,” answered the mate. + +“Why, he’s been at the wheel since three o’clock; hasn’t he been +relieved yet?” + +“No; I thought he relieved the wheel when we knocked off.” + +So the second mate called Mac out, and sent him forward to find out +whose proper wheel it was, and at last I was relieved, and went below +quite stiff from standing at the wheel so long, and not in the best of +tempers. + +But I soon cheered up when I found that good old Mac had put two meat +balls on my plate, though there was no hot tea left. + +The old man called Don aft in the first watch. + +On to the poop went Don, wondering what wickedness he had been guilty +of. But to his great surprise the old man told him that he had decided +to raise his and my wages to two pounds ten a month instead of two +pounds, as he did not think it fair that we, who were doing able +seamen’s work, should not get as much as the other O.S.’s, who were +each getting two pounds ten. + +The wind dropped, and hauled aft in the middle watch, and we are only +going 4 knots instead of 10. + +I forget who was the Jonah at the wheel. Some men always bring on a +head wind or break her off her course when they are at the wheel, +though it is funny how every helmsman on going forward after being +relieved always declares that he brought her up so many points, or to +her course. + +It is a great merit in a helmsman to be lucky in this way, and so +everyone boasts that he has done so. + +Whilst up aloft bending sail this afternoon, we sighted a ship right +ahead, and the old man says she is the _Puritan_, the ship he had such +a race home with once from Frisco. + + +_Tuesday, 12th December._--Lat. 36°.56 N., long. 30°.50 W. + +Wind dead aft, but light; only going about 4 knots. + +We sighted land about noon, on our starboard bow, which proved to be St +Michael’s, in the Western Isles. This is the first land we have sighted +since Cape Horn, though we were only just out of sight of St Helena. + +The poor old gig which was smashed up in the bad weather off the Horn +was sent overboard to-day, after having had her name carefully scraped +out, and we watched her as she slowly went astern, full of water, +wondering what would be her first resting-place. + +We oiled the decks again this afternoon, but it is too damp for the +oil to dry quickly, so this evening in the first dog watch, whilst we +were at the braces, not a man could stand up, and the whole watch were +tumbling about in every direction. + +It is an amusing spectacle to see a whole watch go flat on their backs +at the first haul on the crossjack-brace, and the second mate was +evidently very amused. + +But it was not so amusing if you were one of that watch, especially if +you had no boots on, as I had, and the man next you had heavy sea-boots +which, sliding from under him, crashed on to your bare toes and swept +you also off your feet into the scuppers. + +We sighted a brig on the port quarter in the second dog watch just +about sunset, and she made a very pretty picture, standing out as if +cut in jet, right in the reddest bit. + + +_Wednesday, 13th December._--The wind hauled into the west this +morning, and we braced the yards forward. Hove the log, and found we +were going 9 knots. + +The weather is thick, which prevents us from seeing land on both sides +of us, as we are right in the middle of the Western Isles. + +The wind hauled into the nor’ard about three o’clock, a dead muzzler, +we can only head south-east, and are on a lee shore. + +It was a dirty-looking night, and we hauled down the light weather +sails. + +Old Higgins and I have been busy cleaning the Martini-Henry rifles and +the cutlasses in the cabin. The old man came down and watched us, and +asked Higgins a number of questions about his campaigns in India; but +he will not believe that he was with Roberts. + + +_Thursday, 14th December._--We came up to our course during the night. +There are three islands in sight to leeward. + +The wind broke off this morning whilst I was at the wheel, and fell +very light. + +At nine o’clock we wore ship, and took a very long time coming round, +as we hardly had steerage way. + +Now we are heading N.N.W. by compass, and running dead into a very +heavy swell, with land in sight to leeward, to windward, and astern. + +The thick weather rolled off about noon, and allowed the sun to come +through. + +We are busy in the after-hold shifting the bags of barley farther +forward, as she is too weighted down aft, and we do not want to be +pooped in the bad weather coming, as we were off the Horn. + +It is hard work crawling about in the darkness on one’s hands and +knees, trundling a heavy bag of barley in front of you until you run +across Mac, who, right under the deck beams, is wedged in between the +barley and the deck. Here, in pitch darkness, he manages to stow the +bags to his satisfaction. + +Two tramp steamers passed us quite close this afternoon, both dagos. + +The smaller was towing the bigger, which was whale-backed, and had +evidently lost her propeller. They were evidently bound for St +Michael’s. They passed us quite close, but we did not exchange signals, +why I don’t know. + +A disabled steamer and a heavy swell are pretty sure signs that there +is very dirty weather ahead. + +We are 1080 miles from Queenstown to-day, according to the mate. + + +_Friday, 15th December._--A light breeze dead aft sprang up in the +first watch last night, and gradually freshened, hauling on to the +quarter as it got stronger. + +This afternoon we are braced sharp up under all sail. Lat. 42°.55 N., +and we have still got a chance of getting to Queenstown by Christmas. + +Everybody has their own opinion of where we shall be sent to. Some +say Hamburg, some Havre, some Hull, some Leith, Dublin, London, or +Liverpool. + +Though we are now in the cold North Atlantic in midwinter, we cannot +have the promised burgoo, as there is no more left. + +Whilst in the tropics, we all thoroughly repaired our leaky oilskins, +and gave them a thorough oiling. There is not much left of the original +pair of my oilskin pants, as they are now one mass of patches inside +and out. + + +_Saturday, 16th December._--Last night in the middle watch the wind +started freshening, and we took in flying-jib, jigger-topmast staysail, +and gaff-topsail. + +In the morning watch the royals and the fore and main upper-topgallant +sails had to come in. + +At 8 A.M. all hands were called to the crossjack, and we made it fast. + +It is blowing a heavy gale, with a big sea running, but the old man is +carrying on in his usual bold way. + +In the forenoon watch we took in the mainsail and spanker; the poor old +_Royalshire_ is being fairly hurled through the heavy head sea, and the +half-deck is awash again. + +The other watch took in the three lower-topgallant sails and the +staysails early in the afternoon. + +At 3.30 P.M. I was awakened and nearly hurled out of my bunk by the +ship giving a terrific roll. Over and over she went, until I thought +she was going right over. + +There was a roar and clatter overhead as a huge sea pooped us and fell +the whole length of the rail, and as we looked through the porthole we +could not see the hatches for water. + +The break of the poop was, of course, filled up two blocks, and the +water poured into the half-deck until the lower bunks were under water. + +“That’ll mean all hands!” cried Mac. We both slipped into our oilskins +and rubbers with all dispatch, ready for the call. + +In bad weather, one has them slung handy alongside one’s bunk, well +off the deck to be clear of the water, and great is the language if, +as often happens, you find your rubbers have carried away, and are +floating about on the flood. + +The ship lay right over, and we could see nothing but water boiling and +surging above the hatches, above the fife-rails. + +We had hardly got into our rubbers, before we heard the mate yelling in +stentorian tones, + +“All hands on deck!” + +Watching our chance, we dashed out of the half-deck by the windward +door, and scrambled on to the poop. + +It was blowing twice as hard as it was at noon, and there was a +terrific beam sea running. + +“Clew up the three upper-topsails and make them fast,” said the old man +to the mate. + +“Aye, aye, sir!” + +“Then get the foresail off her.” + +The fine new fore upper-topsail was split from top to bottom. + +We had the usual amphibious time hauling up the topsails. + +At the lee clew-lines and spilling-lines we were up to our necks in +water, and every sea washed clean over us. + +It is curious how used one gets to hanging on for one’s life whilst a +sea roars over one’s head. One holds one’s breath and takes it quite +calmly, drawing a long breath directly one gets one’s head out of +water, and hauling away again until the next wave appears. + +It was dark before we got her snugged down and hove-to under three +lower-topsails. + +She was making very heavy weather of it, and taking fearful lee water +aboard. + +I, of course, managed to get hurt as usual. I went to the half-deck to +get some matches for Don to light the side lights and binnacles with. + +Carefully watching my chance, I opened the door quickly, but was +almost knocked down the next moment; the half-deck was so full of water +that it was up to my shoulders, and I stand 6 feet 4 inches. + +This water, directly I opened the door, started to pour out, and +crushed me in the doorway. + +At the same moment I saw a huge sea coming aboard. In vain I struggled +to get inside the half-deck and shut the door; there was a crash, and +with the roar of a raging torrent the sea rushed aft, filled up the +break of the poop, and overcoming the feeble resistance of the water +pouring out of the half-deck, slammed the door to, catching my fingers +just below the nails. At first I thought the top of my first finger was +gone; but no, though it was cut to the bone on both sides, it was still +there, and with my other fingers was pouring forth blood on the waters. + +Splashing about in the water in the half-deck (which was over my waist, +and had soaked the nipper’s and Mac’s bunks, which were the top bunks +to leeward), I managed to find a piece of rag, which I hastily wound +round my fingers with some spun yarn, of which every sailor carries +some in his pocket. + +Getting the matches, I escaped from the flooded half-deck and got +safely on to the poop, only to find that Don had got a light. + +Then I had to go down into the hold with Sails to see that another +fore upper-topsail was handy, so that we could send it up and bend it +in the night if the weather moderated. + +There was no time ever wasted on the _Royalshire_. + +We had to get into the hold by the sail-locker skylight on the +poop--the same as that which I fell through one day in the South +Pacific. + +On getting below, we found that the grain bags had shifted in the +’tween-decks, and there was over two feet between the bags and the port +side of the ship. + +They had evidently shifted when the bad squall struck us, and we +foresaw work on the morrow filling up the gap. + +Poor old Loring was washed out of the galley when the squall came down. +He was asleep at the time, and awoke to find himself floating in four +feet of water with all his pots and pans around him. + +He lost several of his pans, and his largest pot, the beef one, was +cracked from top to bottom, probably against his head, as they cruised +together in the turbulent waters. + +Of course it was impossible to get a fire alight in the galley; no +fresh water either could be served out in the first dog watch; so as +usual, though soaking wet and chilled to the bone, there was no hot tea +to warm us up, as we sat in our bunks paddling our feet in the water +and munching our sodden hard-tack, which had been under water like +everything else. + +I have doctored up my fingers to the best of my ability, and wrapped +them in diachylon plaster. It is an awful nuisance, as it is my right +hand; but they must get along as best they can, and do their work as +usual. + +Don has the crow of us in the half-deck, as in the forecastle they have +hardly got three inches of water over the floor whereas we have got +about three feet, and it pours in in a continual cascade through the +cracks in the door. The scupper holes to let it run off are of course +useless, as instead of the water running out through them, it comes in, +so in bad weather we keep them plugged. + +It was my trick at the wheel from 8 to 10 in the first watch, and of +course, as she was hove-to, I only had to hold the wheel. It might just +as well have been lashed. + +We are lying broadside-on to the sea, and every other wave roars over +the weather bulwarks in a way which is alarming even for a sailor to +see; for no sailor likes to see his ship take weather water aboard when +hove-to, though the quantity of lee water does not matter. + + +_Sunday, 17th December._--All night she made bad weather of it under +three lower-topsails. + +It was a bright, clear night, blowing very hard, with occasional hail +squalls, and there was an eclipse of the moon. + +The mate, for some unknown reason, kept his watch working in danger +of their lives all the middle watch, reefing and setting the three +staysails. + +They had a terrible hard job, and one or two of them were several times +nearly washed overboard whilst reefing the jigger-staysail. + +This is the first time the staysails have been reefed. I suppose the +mate thought it would steady her a bit and prevent her from putting her +weather rail under quite so frequently. + +At anyrate, his watch went below at eight bells worn out and angry at +what they considered absolutely unnecessary work. + +There is no doubt about it that the mate does fairly keep his watch up +to their necks in work of some sort or other. + +He hates doing nothing himself, and is never happy unless he has his +watch hard at it. As they are a very poor, weak watch, it comes all the +harder on them, for what would take our watch an hour to do would take +them twice as long. + +One day we had a belaying-pin pulling match. + +Two men sit down on the deck facing each other, with feet to feet, and +both grasp a belaying pin, one man taking the outside hold and the +other the inside, then the man who first pulls the other up on to his +legs is the victor. + +I won the competition, and was rather pleased, as I pulled up the +second mate pretty easily each time, and he is a very strong man, and +weighs more than I do; but length of limb gives one an advantage, +though the chief strain comes on the muscles of the back. + +He was second, and Don third, after several terrific hard struggles +with Mac, who was a good fourth. + +As none of the men in the port forecastle were near Don in strength, +it shows that ours was much the strongest watch, though, with poor old +Nelson laid up and Loring in the galley, we were two good men short. + +True, old Slush was in our watch, but he was nearly useless; he did not +pull his weight on a rope, and up aloft he could only hang on. + +Old Foghorn Wilson and Rooning are both powerful men, and stronger than +anybody in the other watch except Don and Webber (who is 6 ft. 3, and +ought to be much stronger than he is). + +The weather is a little better this morning, though the _Royalshire_ is +still swept by the sea like a half-tide rock. + +Yesterday she was down to her fair-leads when the squall struck her, +and Scar said she went over as far as she did off the Horn. + +We reefed and set the foresail and main upper-topsail in the morning +watch. + +The weather cleared up wonderfully by noon, and the sun came out once +more; the sea went down fast, and the wind completely dropped. + +Lat. 43°.4 N., long. 20°.55 W. Course--N. 70 E. Run 94 miles. + +Of course we had a very big drift of lee way when we were hove-to. + +After sunset it fell dead calm, and we set everything once more. + +I had an accident at the fore upper-topsail halliards which might have +smashed my hand up. + +With all hands on the halliards, we hoisted the yard to the chanty of +“Reuben Ranzo.” + + +“REUBEN RANZO.” + + _Solo._ “Hurrah! for Reuben Ranzo,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + _Solo._ “Hurrah! for Reuben Ranzo,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + + _Solo._ “Ranzo was no sailor,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + _Solo._ “Ranzo was a tailor,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + + _Solo._ “Ranzo joined the _Beauty_,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + _Solo._ “And did not know his duty,” + _Chorus._ “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!” + +It is too long to give in full, so I will leave out the chorus, which +comes in like thunder between each line, the haul coming each time on +the “Ranzo.” + + “His skipper was a dandy, + And was too fond of brandy. + + “He called Ranzo a lubber, + And made him eat whale blubber. + + “The _Beauty_ was a whaler, + Ranzo was no sailor. + + “They set him holy-stoning, + And cared not for his groaning. + + “They gave him ‘lashes twenty,’ + Nineteen more than plenty. + + “Reuben Ranzo fainted, + His back with oil was painted. + + “They gave him cake and whisky, + Which made him rather frisky. + + “They made him the best sailor, + Sailing on that whaler. + + “They put him navigating, + And gave him extra rating. + + “Ranzo now is skipper + Of a China clipper. + + “Ranzo was a tailor, + Now he is a sailor.” + +So runs the queer story of Reuben Ranzo, a rare old hauling chanty. + +Being tall, I was on the fore-part hauling between the two blocks; as +the yard went up the upper block came down, and finally was brought up +in its career by the fife-rail, between which and the block my poor old +mangled hand got caught. + +The second mate, who was hauling alongside me, saw the jam, and +interrupted the chanty which was being roared out in hurricane tones by +a cry of “Vast hauling!” They stopped just in time, one more pull with +both watches on the rope, and my hand would have been squashed flat; as +it was it was pretty severely crushed, all the fingers were spurting +blood from the tips, and my old wounds re-opened. + +“Bally hurt again!” was the cry. But I got my hand free and went on +pulling, though the halliards and lower block got smeared and spotted +with blood. + +These little accidents are thought nothing of at sea; you bind up your +hand roughly with a bit of rag, and go on as if nothing had happened. + + +_Monday, 18th December._--It fell dead calm during the night, and we +squared the yards, hauling up the mainsail and crossjack. + +No wind, and heavy swell running all day. We were down in the hold all +day toiling like miners, and replacing the grain bags which shifted the +other day. + +From 8 to 10 was my wheel in the first watch, and I managed to bring up +a nice little breeze from dead aft, which rapidly increased in strength. + +At four bells we took in the gaff-topsail and flying-jib, and furled +the royals. + +I made the gaff-topsail fast, and then went up on to the mizen-royal +yard with Bower. + +On getting on to the yard, I found that the sail had not been properly +clewed up, and was bellying about and thrashing itself furiously. + +The starboard leech-line had got jammed, so on that side the sail was +flapping over the yard. + +I was picking up the bunt when Bower arrived and proceeded, as was his +wont, to lay down the law as to what was to be done. + +He just stood on the foot-rope without attempting to help me, declaring +that if I persisted in picking up the sail when it was not properly +hauled up, it would most probably hurl me off the yard. + +I was beginning to get angry. I picked up the bunt without his touching +it, and made the bunt gasket fast. + +Then I went out to windward, where the sail was really thrashing about +like a fury. + +I had a hard fight; several times the sail blew right over me, but I +hung on like grim death, and at last managed to get the inner gasket +passed and made fast. + +As I moved out to the yardarm, I holloa’d to Bower, who had never +ceased to talk and refused to do anything else, + +“Shut your infernal jabber, and don’t talk rot, but come out on to the +yard and pass this gasket.” + +As the dangerous part of the sail was safely muzzled, out he came, but +again he refused to do anything except in the wrong way, of course +thinking he knew best. + +The end of it was that I got angry, very angry, for as soon as I did +anything he undid it. + +“If you don’t get off this blasted yard at once, you d--d German +half-breed hobo, I’ll throw you down.” + +I was balancing myself on the yardarm and hanging on with one hand to +the lift. + +He replied by aiming a shrewd blow at me with his right fist whilst he +hung on to the jackstay with his left. + +The ship was pitching pretty heavily, with the result that he missed my +face and nearly toppled over the yard. + +I at once jabbed my left fist hard on his nose as the ship threw him +forward. + +The least blow threw us off our balance, as, over 150 feet above the +deck as we were, every motion of the ship was magnified. + +He hit back furiously at me, catching me full in the chest, and making +the foot-rope swing madly as he lunged at me. + +Losing my balance, I toppled back over the yard, and only saved myself +by hanging with my right arm to the lift. + +This fairly put my blood up, and trusting to luck in being able to grab +hold of anything in case I lost my balance, I went for him, and hit +him a shrewd blow on the nose, which made it bleed, and another on the +jaw-bone. + +This gave me the victory. He slowly began to retreat backwards along +the foot-rope, holding on to the jackstay with one hand and protecting +himself with the other. + +I had no pity on him, and chased him to the bunt, where I left him and +went out on to the yardarm again to finish furling the sail. + +Then the rascal played me a dirty trick, which nearly sent me hurtling +to the deck. + +He cast loose the inner gasket. The released sail, caught by the +wind as it fell below the yard, began to thrash furiously again, +and, flapping over the yard, all but sent me flying, as I was caught +unawares. + +After this Bower thought he had better make himself scarce, and +descended. + +I finished furling the royal by myself, and then going down on to the +upper-topgallant, found Bower trying to make the weather side of the +sail fast. + +I immediately chased him off that yard. When I got down on deck, the +second mate asked me what I had been thumping Bower up aloft for. + +“Because he’s such a hopeless idiot, and does not know it,” I replied. +“He refused to pick up the mizen-royal because it was not clewed up +enough, and when he did come out on to the yardarm he would not do what +I told him, so there was trouble.” + +“Well, it was pretty dangerous; I thought the sail was going to have +you off the foot-ropes once or twice. I must have that bull’s eye seen +to, the leech-line won’t go through it.” + +Since we have been in the Western Ocean, the bosun, Chips, and Sails +have been put in the watches, and now work watch and watch--the bosun +in the port watch, Chips and Sails with us. + +Now these three men are the most luxurious on the ship; they have all +kinds of private stores. The bosun has some Californian wine, Chips a +bag of flour and jam in plenty, and Sails a spirit-lamp. + +I have often gone into the midship-house after a tea consisting of +hard-tack and half a pannikin of coloured water, to find these three +sitting down to hot plum cake, tea with milk in it, soft-tack and +butter, and even sea-pie. + +Now, in the night watches, they brew coffee in the bosun’s locker, and +the mates and we in the half-deck each get a pannikin. We each supply a +pannikin of water, and the second mate supplies the sugar. + +In our watch Sails brews the coffee, which we have either about six +bells in the first watch, or one bell in the middle watch. + +As the time draws near for the water to boil, Mac and I pay repeated +visits to Sails, who sits cosy and warm watching his spirit-lamp in the +little bosun’s locker. + +The second mate gets the first pannikin, which I bring aft to him well +sweetened and steaming hot. + +Of course I take good care the old man is not on deck before I take it +up on to the poop. + +Never have I looked forward to anything more than that midnight +pannikin of coffee; it tasted like nectar, hot and sweet; I thought it +absolutely delicious. + +Whilst the coffee was brewing, we all used to get very impatient, and +the second mate used constantly to call me up on to the poop and ask in +a whisper, as if it was the most important matter in the world, “Isn’t +the coffee ready yet?” + +To-night I have got rheumatism in my knees, from having had wet socks +on for so many days. + +I have not said anything lately about my poor old knee which got so +knocked about. + +Though the knee-cap has never got back into its right place, it has +made a wonderful recovery, and the knee is as strong as ever again, and +I can run once more along the deck with the fastest. + +I suppose the salt has strengthened it. + + +_Tuesday, 19th December._--The wind which, when we left the deck at +midnight, was blowing strong dead aft, became unsteady during the +middle watch, and a cold rain set in. + +The port watch set the main-royal, and we came on deck at 4 A.M. to +find them at the braces, the wind having shifted right ahead. + +We braced her sharp up, and furled the main-royal again. + +A bad day; rain, and heavy sea. During my wheel from 12 to 2 P.M., we +were only going S.E. by E. by compass, but I think the variation is +easterly. + +We went about at 3 P.M., our watch putting her about ourselves, a +pretty creditable performance on a big four-mast barque like the +_Royalshire_, which has probably got the longest and heaviest yards of +any ship afloat. + +Jamieson was at the wheel, so it left us ten hands to put her about, +with Loring of course attending to the foresheet, which is always the +cook’s duty when the ship goes about. + +We had her round and the decks cleared up in very good time, a much +shorter time than it had taken the two watches together on several +occasions. + +We are now heading N. by W. + +This evening we took in the topgallant sails, as it is blowing harder, +and the old man expects an easterly gale. + +Lat. 45°.10 N., long. 16°.39 W. Course--N. 46 E. Run 121 miles. + + +_Wednesday, 20th December._--A steamer passed us in the first watch, +crossing our bows about a mile away. + +It was very cold during the morning watch, and a biting north-easter is +blowing. + +During my wheel, from 2 to 4 A.M., I was very glad to put on my +Klondyke fur cap and mits. + +Grub is beginning to run short; two biscuits and a half a pannikin of +water was my breakfast this morning, and we are all very fine drawn +except the second mate, who, with plenty to eat in the cabin, has been +putting on flesh, and if he does not look out, will walk ashore with a +stomach on him like a man of fifty though he is not twenty-two yet. + +Notwithstanding his rotund stomach he is still by far the most active +man aloft, and often have I seen him run along a topsail yard without +holding on. + +A barque outward bound passed us quite close this morning with her +fore-royal yard on deck. + +We are in for another blow. + +At 1 P.M. all hands were called to furl the mainsail. By 4 P.M. a heavy +gale was blowing, with a big sea, and we reefed the foresail and three +upper-topsails. + +I had a very bad wheel this evening from 8 to 10; it was blowing very +hard, and the rain came pouring down in squall after squall. + +The _Royalshire_, heavily pressed, was pitching into it, and throwing +the spray in solid masses over herself. The wheel kicked furiously, and +it was all I could do to hold it. + +We soon had to make the three upper-topsails fast, and at midnight +all hands furled the foresail, and once more we are hove-to under +lower-topsails, this time on the starboard tack. + + +_Thursday, 21st December._--The old man came on deck in the morning +watch in a very bad temper, and finding the watch “standing-by,” +ordered the second mate to wash down the poop. + +Well, it was not necessary to work the pump; we simply filled the +buckets from the lee scuppers and passed them along. + +Rooning, Jennings, and Bower were passing the water on the main-deck, +whilst I stood on the poop-ladder and handed the buckets up. + +Presently a huge sea came up to windward. + +“Hang on all!” sang out the second mate. + +Rooning and Bower made a jump for the mizen fife-rail, but Jennings was +caught half-way between the mizen rigging and the break of the poop, a +bucket of water in each hand. + +The sea fairly roared aboard, hitting the mizen-mast half-way between +the top and the deck, and tearing Rooning and Bower off the fife-rail, +hurled them into the lee scuppers, where Jennings was of course swept +also. + +The water poured over the lee rail in a fury of foam, and I expected +all three to be carried overboard. + +The _Royalshire_ took some time shaking herself free, and when finally +Mac and I did manage to pull them out from a tangle of gear in the +scuppers, they were very nearly drowned; three buckets went overboard, +and two were smashed into mere bundles of staves. + +It was a marvellous thing that neither of the three were seriously +hurt. Bower and Rooning especially were tossed with terrific force into +the scuppers. + +Such is Providence! They ought to have been killed; they ought to +have been washed overboard; but at sea, Providence has constantly to +intervene, or no sailor would live long. + +Notwithstanding this gentle reminder from the Atlantic Ocean, that +he would himself wash down the poop, orders however absurd have to be +obeyed, and we finished the job. + +At 8 A.M. the old man decided to “wear ship,” as he did not dare go +about in the sea that was running. + +As it was, Mac told me we should be lucky if we got through without +losing one or two men overboard. + +The first thing to do in wearing ship is to ease away the after-braces +and hard a-weather the helm, the old man, of course, waiting for a lull +before he ordered the helm hard a-weather. + +She was a very long time before she began to pay off, then we hauled +away gradually on the after-braces, keeping the yards lifting until +they were canted on the other tack. + +But when we had got them dead square, the old man stopped us. Slowly +the wind came on the other quarter, and the helm was eased, the old man +watching for another “smooth” before bringing her to. + +This wearing ship took a very long time, as she went off very slowly. + +The mate and his watch got into trouble, as they let the fore-yards +come round too soon; and there was the devil to pay. + +The old man raved and stamped on the poop, and forward, everyone was +yelling and cursing at once, we starboard gang looking on and waiting +with a kind of condescending superiority upon the poor port watch. + +But in the end we got through the operation much drier than we expected +to be, and we are now hove-to on the port tack. + +Directly the decks were cleared up, we went to breakfast. + +Meanwhile, directly the mate came aft, all the old man’s bottled-up +wrath overflowed, and he fairly let the mate have it, raking him fore +and aft with his cutting tongue as he stamped up and down, stopping +every turn to shake his fist at the mate as he stood without answering +a word. + +“An’ ye call ye’self a sailor! I guess you ain’t used to +square-riggers; it ain’t the same thing as a fore-and-aft yacht, you +know,” with biting, sneering sarcasm. + +On and on he raved; we caught snatches of it high above the gale. It +was the worst row they have had yet, and all hands turned out to watch +it. + +“Ain’t ye got nothing to say? are you made of wood? Damn it! what good +are you at all I’d like to know? Call yourself fit to be mate of a +ship like this! you’re only a steamboat sailor, that’s what you are, a +blasted bridge stanchion.” + +It was the greatest insult he could think of, calling the mate a +steamboat sailor, and one the mate did not relish, for he was a fine +seaman, almost as good as the old man, and, like him, had never been in +a steamer in his life. + +Meanwhile the second mate, with his back turned to the old man, leant +over the break of the poop and soliloquised in a loud undertone: + +“Oh, you beauty! Captain Bailey; oh, but you’re a beauty! Go it! +why don’t you call him a liar, and a thief, and a robber! Oh, you +bad-tempered old man; hit him, won’t ye! why don’t you eat him! Curse +you! you’ll stamp in the poop if you’re not careful! How’s your liver +this morning? pretty so-so, eh? Oh, you devil you! couldn’t I kill you, +couldn’t I jump on you, couldn’t I bust ye head in!--oh, but I will +some day, if ye don’t mind, curse you!” + +At last the old man rushed below, snorting with fury, and the show was +over, and we went to our regal repast. + +Lat. 46°.55 N., long. 17°.58 W. Course--N. 64 W. Run 57 miles. + +We lost 50 miles last night as we drifted to leeward. + + +_Friday, 22nd December._--We had a busy night of it setting sail +again, and at 8 A.M. she was under whole foresail, upper-topsails, +lower-topgallant sails and staysails. + +The morning broke, a cold wintry day, the sea running high, a dirty +slate colour, and a strong wind streaking it with white. + +Lat. 47°.07 N., long. 16°.19 W. Run 68 miles. + +During my wheel in the afternoon I brought her up to N.N.E., but in the +dog watch she broke off to E. by N. again. Alas! again this head wind +destroys all hopes of Christmas on dry land. + +Higgins, Mac, and I have been busy all day in the captain’s cabin +polishing the woodwork with a concoction of oil and mustard. + + +_Saturday, 23rd December._--We passed two steamers during the night; we +are right in the track of the American liners now. + +A fine strong breeze from the north-west; going about 7 knots under all +sail. + +Lat. 48°.32 N., long. 13°.57 W. Course--N. 49 W. Run 127 miles. + +We got the wire cables out to-day, as we were only 220 miles from +Queenstown this evening at 8 P.M. + + +_Sunday, 24th December._--Breeze still fine and strong, and a fairish +sea running. + +The second mate, Mac, and I marked out the lead-line this morning. + +There are two kinds of lines for “heaving the lead,”--the “hand-line,” +20 fathoms long, and the “deep-sea lead,” of over 200 fathoms. + +At the bottom of the lead is a hollow, which is filled up with tallow, +so that when it touches the bottom, fine shells, sand, mud, or whatever +the bottom is composed of, will stick to it; and as the description of +the bottom is always indicated in the chart, this helps you to know +your position. + +This putting of tallow on the bottom is called “arming” it. + +The lead of a hand-line weighs close on 14 pounds, and the deep-sea +lead, 36 pounds in weight, takes nearly half an hour to reach a bottom +of a mile. + +The hand-line is divided into “marks” and “deeps.” At 2 fathoms there +is a piece of leather with two tails; at 3, leather with three tails; +at 5, a piece of white rag; at 7, a piece of red rag, and so on. + +Whilst we were below this afternoon, Mac and I were awakened by a heavy +squall, which caught us aback, and kept the port watch busy for some +time. + +Alas! the wind had broken off, and deeply did we growl. Presently Scar +poked his head in, very hot and angry. + +“How’s she heading?” we both cried. + +“She was going about south-east when I was on the poop last,” he said +coolly. + +Words could hardly express our feelings. + +“Well, of all the confounded Jonahs, your watch take the blooming +biscuit,” growled Mac, and then lay back and cursed to himself until he +was worn out. + +The pair of us really felt that we had got a grievance against the port +watch, and were quite angry with them, as if it was their fault. + +Presently Scar poked his head in again and said, + +“The old man’s heading for Falmouth.” + +The air in the half-deck became thick and blue with our combined +efforts at abusing the capricious wind. + +It was my wheel in the first dog watch, and at four bells I went below +a proud man, for I had brought her up to E. by N. 1/2 N., and away we +went for Queenstown again. + +We took in the royals and light sails in the first watch. + +A very cold night. We expect to sight the coast of Ireland early +to-morrow morning. We set all sail again during the night, and got up +the last of the cables in the middle watch. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +IN BRITISH WATERS + + +_Monday, 25th December._--Truly Christmas day dawned a merry one for us +_Royalshires_. + +Soon after four this morning a light gleamed on the blackness of the +horizon, and we knew that we were being welcomed by the “Coastwise +Lights of England,” as Kipling so graphically puts it-- + + “Come up, come in from eastward, + From the guard-ports of the morn! + Beat up, beat in from southerly, + O Gipsies of the Horn! + Swift shuttles of an Empire’s loom + That weave us main to main, + The Coastwise Lights of England + Give you welcome back again.” + +It was my wheel from 6 to 8, and as it got lighter, the rugged, +forbidding coast of Ireland showed itself on our port bow. + +Day broke clear and frosty, with a fresh whole sail breeze, and the way +we smoked through it showed that the girls had got hold of the towrope. + +At 7.15 we hove-to outside Queenstown, and made our number. + +All was excitement on board. Where should we be sent? Would we get our +orders outside, or have to go in and wait? + +Presently a signal went up ashore, and four flags blew out. + +It soon leaked round the ship that the word “Birkenhead” was flying +ashore. + +Hurrah! without doubt this must be our destination. The old man +signalled for it to be confirmed, and then round went the main-yard, +and off we went again. + +All was joy on board. With this wind and a good tug we ought to get +into the Mersey some time to-morrow. + +There was a small pilot cutter bobbing about to leeward of us, and soon +after we got going she sent a boat alongside with a pilot. + +“Merry Christmas, cap’n,” were the first words he said, and down below +the pair of them went, whilst we interrogated the crew and asked +eagerly for papers. + +“Who won the America Cup?” was the first question asked by us, as there +had been a good deal of betting on board between the Americans and +Britishers. + +“Columbia.” + +And we patriotic Britishers knew that we had lost our money. + +“Did the Shamrock make a race of it?” + +“No, she bean’t no good at all,” answered the boatman, as if it was too +painful a subject to be discussed further. + +“Any news?” asked someone casually. + +“Two thousand more men captured by the Boers.” + +“Captured by the Boers! what the blazes do you mean?” + +“What I say,” grumbled the man. + +“Why, are we at war?” + +“Been at war since October!” + +Gee wiz! Here was news if you like--whilst we had been out “at the back +of beyond,” as Australians say, our country had been struggling in the +throes of deadly war! + +The two papers we got from the boatman were almost torn to bits in the +competition for them, each man reading aloud the news of the war to an +audience almost wild with excitement. + +“Why, we might have been held up by a Boer cruiser!” + +“Guess they ain’t got any.” + +“Hurrush! but I’m off to the fight!” screeched Mac, throwing his arms +about above his head, and dancing the wildest of wild Highland flings. + +“So am I; I’m going to be a horse sodger, fol-de-rol de-riddle-le-i!” +shouted Don. “Give us the mouth-organ!” + +He immediately struck up “The British Grenadiers,” Loring joining +in with the penny whistle, and away we tramped round and round the +after-hatch. + +It was lucky that we only got this news of the war at the end of the +passage, as with the number of dagos and Dutchmen on board, who would +of course take the side of the Boers, it would have been a regular +stand-up fight the whole time. + +Presently the cunning old pilot came on deck loaded down with tobacco, +two bottles of whisky, a bag of hard-tack, and sundry other gleanings +from the steward. + +This was the real reason why he had boarded us, though he pretended it +was to tell us we were to go to Birkenhead, which was, of course, stale +news. + +They weren’t shy of asking, those Irishmen. + +“Got any salt beef?” was one of their first questions. + +When told that we were short of grub, they remarked, + +“Hungry ship, ain’t she?” + +Presently they sheared off, having reaped a plentiful harvest. + +Hardly had they gone before another piece of news began to get round. + +We were the first ship in of the Frisco grain fleet, except the +_Talus_, Loring’s old ship, which had sailed thirty-two days before us, +and only got into Queenstown three days ago. + +Scar and Mac were jubilant over this news, and gloated over Don. + +The old man is all smiles to-day, as well he may be, for the +_Royalshire_ has acquitted herself right nobly, and well borne out her +reputation. + +Loring and the steward are at a loss what to give us for our Christmas +dinner, as all the stores have run out, even the cabin ones, and there +is not much left but flour and hard-tack. + +They had, however, some mouldy old dried apples, and these did the +trick. + +We did not even get pea-soup, only our ordinary allowance of salt +horse, and a small pie for each watch, composed of break-jaw crust and +stewed apples. + +I don’t believe anybody got through his go of pie. I made a valiant +attempt, but failed. The nipper lost a couple of teeth over the job, +the crust was too much for him. Mac as usual kept some on his plate for +tea; he was not particular, and ate alternate mouthfuls of apple pie, +salt horse, and all manner of queer tit-bits on his plate, which always +reminded me of the queer things Chinamen eat on the top of their +little heaps of rice--rats’ tails, snails, slugs, etc. I believe they +are eaten by the Chinese chiefly as appetisers. + +The apple pie worked havoc with the insides of most of the crew during +the afternoon, and men were to be seen lying about the decks in all +directions in all the contortions of cramp in the stomach. It truly was +a fine Christmas dinner. + +Notwithstanding this, at tea-time Mac and I were not to be beat, and it +seemed a sin to leave the good food, so we made a second attack on the +terrible stuff, but again were defeated, and Mac had to retire to the +side of the vessel. + +We have got a whole holiday to-day, being Christmas. As there is no +champagne to be got out of the old man--nor even a “Grog ho!”--for rum, +the bosun brought forth his home-grown Californian claret and gave us +each a tot. + +Poor old Taylor is in high spirits, as he may perhaps save his hand +now, as we ought to be into Liverpool to-morrow. + +Little Yoko is in his bunk helpless from rheumatism, as are a few +others of both watches, but they are the victims of the unconquerable +apple pie. + +The weather is propitious: a keen English winter day, cold but +clear, with the sun poking forth, and a fine breeze blowing from the +south-west. + + +_Tuesday, 26th December._--To-day is our last day at sea, and we are +plunging through a choppy sea, going 10 knots. + +The _Sarah Joliffe_, one of the finest tugs out of Liverpool, turned +up off the coast of Wales. She came up under our lee quarter, and had +all she could do to keep up with us, plunging and rolling about like a +porpoise in the rough sea. + +Now began a great bargaining and haggling between the two skippers, and +our old man proved himself quite equal to the tugman. + +It was well towards noon before a bargain was struck, and we took her +line. + +We should have gone on much further without her, if the wind had not +shown signs of dropping and hauling ahead off Holyhead. + +It was a case of all hands on deck this afternoon, as for the last time +we furled sail. + +The port watch started on the fore and we on the mizen. + +A great race began, and a harbour stow was the order of the day, but +we were down to the main-topsails before the other watch had finished +furling the sails on the foremast. + +All sail was taken off her except the staysails, as the wind had gone +ahead. + +For the rest of the afternoon we were busy at various jobs, getting +ready for going into port. + +Yoko and myself were up aloft the whole time sending down sheets. + +Presently a very dandy young pilot stepped aboard, and took charge of +the ship. + +It was my wheel in the dog watch, and I found it was not such an easy +job as it looked, steering after a tug. + +I was told to keep her on the port bow, and it took me all my time to +keep her steady. + +As is usual on board a deep-waterman on approaching port, every jack +was talking of what he was going to do: how he was going to save his +money this time, and keep clear of the landsharks. Everybody made good, +wise resolutions; I wonder who kept to them! + +My friend Bower has a queer idea of a pleasant lodging. When I asked +him what he was going to do, he said-- + +“Get into jug as soon as I can; no more sea for me. I’d rather spend +the rest of my life in gaol than put foot on a ship’s deck again.” + +Don is going to the war, he says. + +Scar wants to make a voyage out East again in a steamer. + +Sails is off to his native Cardiff, and the bosun for the “Fatherland.” + +The poor nipper can make no rosy plans for the future, as he has to +stay by the ship. + +As a matter of fact, I expect the greater part of both watches will be +outward bound in less than a fortnight after landing. + +This evening an anchor watch was set, consisting of two men on the +lookout, whilst of course the mates continued to keep watch and watch +as usual. + +At 10 P.M. I was turned out of my bunk, and had to go and relieve the +wheel, though it wasn’t my wheel but old Foghorn’s; but apparently we +now want two men at the wheel, as we are entering the Mersey. + +For about an hour and a half we steered after the tug, until we were +pretty nearly up to the “landing stage.” + +It was a lovely frosty night, and the lights ashore sparkled in long +rows of red and white on each side of us. + +Suddenly, without any warning, just before midnight, a dense fog rolled +down upon us; first the lights ashore were blotted out, then the ships +anchored and moving round us were enveloped, and we could hardly see +the dim form of the tug ahead. + +The pilot did not dare go any farther, and so we let go the anchor +just opposite the landing stage and slightly on the Birkenhead side. +We could do nothing more until the fog cleared, so the tug let go and +cleared off, leaving us to our own devices. + + +_Wednesday, 27th December._--Well, here we are, the mudhook is in the +ground, and the shore within a comfortable swim; but it seems that the +Fates do not intend us to part company just yet, as the fog is too +thick to dock, which we can only do on the top of the tide. + +So here we lie in the dense fog, sailing-ship bells and steamers’ +whistles going all round us, but nothing to be seen. + +We are right in the line of the ferry-boats, which have to make a +detour round our stern; they have precious nearly run us down several +times, and though we keep the big bell forward on the continual tinkle, +they are constantly hailing us and complaining that they can’t hear it. + +This is quite exciting. We certainly are not safe yet from the perils +of the deep; every moment we may be cut in half, and depart to the +bottom of the Mersey. + +The Isle of Man steamer just grazed our stern early this morning, +amidst wild excitement. + +We could see them rushing about on the steamer, casting loose +lifebuoys, and someone on the bridge halloa’d out, + +“Where are we?” + +“Opposite the landing stage!” + +“Thank you, thank you; pretty thick, ain’t it; guess we’re going to +have a spell of it!” + +She had groped her way up the Mersey, and had not the remotest idea of +where she was. + +This fog is very trying to the temper. Here we are, on a bleak, raw, +damp morning, instead of speeding homewards in the train, hard at work +washing down decks. + +This done, all hands were turned to swabbing all the paint-work. This +is cold work on a bitter December day, as you have got your hands in a +bucket of icy water the whole time. + +Tinkle, tinkle, go the bells of the wind-jammers, whilst sirens and +steam whistles fairly hum all round us. + +To our joy, the fog cleared off a bit towards 8 P.M., and we could see +the lights on either shore. + +Two tugs came alongside to take us into dock, and with joy we responded +to the hurricane shout of + +“Man the capstan!” + +Round we tramped, making the Mersey ring with our chanties. + +We started the ball with “Sally Brown.” + + +CHANTY.--“SALLY BROWN.” + + _Solo._ “I love a maid across the water,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “She is Sal herself, yet Sally’s daughter,” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + + _Solo._ “Seven long years I courted Sally,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “She called me ‘boy, and Dilly Dally,’” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + + _Solo._ “Seven long years and she wouldn’t marry,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “And I no longer cared to tarry,” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + + _Solo._ “So I courted Sal, her only daughter,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “For her I sail upon the water,” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + + _Solo._ “Sally’s teeth are white and pearly,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “Her eyes are blue, her hair is curly,” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + + _Solo._ “The sweetest flower of the valley,” + _Chorus._ “Aye, aye, roll and go!” + _Solo._ “Is my dear girl, my pretty Sally,” + _Chorus._ “Spend my money on Sally Brown.” + +And so it runs on into a number of verses. How we did sing it out! It +is something to hear a deep-water crew, in high spirits at getting +into port, ring out a chanty. The tugmen came aboard and watched our +enthusiasm as we almost ran round the capstan at times. + +Then old Foghorn struck up, “Leave her, Johnnie,” a great chanty. + + +CHANTY.--“LEAVE HER, JOHNNIE.” + + _Solo._ “I thought I heard the skipper say,” + _Chorus._ “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!” + _Solo._ “To-morrow you will get your pay,” + _Chorus._ “It’s time for us to leave her.” + + _Solo._ “The work was hard, the voyage was long,” + _Chorus._ “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!” + _Solo._ “The seas were high, the gales were strong,” + _Chorus._ “It’s time for us to leave her.” + + _Solo._ “The food was bad, the wages low,” + _Chorus._ “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!” + _Solo._ “But now ashore again we’ll go,” + _Chorus._ “It’s time for us to leave her.” + + _Solo._ “The sails are furled, our work is done,” + _Chorus._ “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!” + _Solo._ “And now on shore we’ll have our fun,” + _Chorus._ “It’s time for us to leave her.” + +Presently came the cry, “Hove short!” and then a long wait occurred, +and gradually--so gradually--the fog rolled down again and blotted out +the shore lights. + +No chance of docking to-night. Alas! for disappointed hopes. With a +rush and a roar the cable ran out again, and with a toot of farewell +the tugs left us to our gloomy reflections. + + +_Thursday, 28th December._--We in the half-deck had a long lie in, the +men in the forecastle taking the lookout in turn. + +At 4 A.M. we were turned out to get up the anchor; it was not so thick, +and this time the mudhook was catheaded. + +Two tugs took hold of us until we got to the dock gates, when lo! and +behold! there was no one to run our lines; there was no time to get +anybody, and the gates had to be shut in a few moments. + +Our old man stormed and raved to no purpose; the gates shut upon us, +and we were left stranded again. + +As a matter of fact, the dockkeeper was afraid to let us through, as he +thought there might not be enough water, and he would not risk it, so +he brought this forward as an excuse. + +So back we went, and anchored again. Every soul on the ship turned in +except myself, who was left to pace the poop in solitary glory from 9 +A.M. till 1 P.M. + +It was very cold work, as it was snowing hard, and a miserable day. + +Last night, Don, the bosun, and Sails slipped ashore in one of the +tugs. The bosun and Sails got off by the tug this morning in time to +man the capstan; but Don missed it, but presently came off in another +tug, having evidently had a high old time of it. He gave me an Egyptian +cigarette, though--a terrific luxury, which I had been without for +many, many months. I don’t know to this day whether he ever got into a +row for this escapade. + +Mac and Scar have been busy the whole morning making boxes down in the +fore ’tween-decks for their curios. + +This evening we hove up the anchor again, and this time got safely into +the dock; and soon after midnight we lay all fast alongside the quay. + +The last thing to be done was to cat and fish the anchors; and then at +last came the long-awaited order from the mate--which means that your +duty is done, that you are free once more, and have only got to go at +the proper time and get your pay-- + +“That’ll do, men!” were the magic words, and we quietly walked off to +our various bunks. + +I determined to fly off by Board of Trade that very night; and doing +a very hurried pack, said good-bye to all, and, with Sails and old +Foghorn Wilson, caught the 2.35 train for London, where I burst in +upon my people about breakfast-time, clad in a pilot coat, sea cap and +boots--altogether a very rough-looking individual--and it was many +weeks before I got the last of the tar out of my hands. + +In due course I got my money and “discharge” paper, on which I +found “very good” against both character and ability, to my great +satisfaction. + +Little remains to be said. Of course, Johnsen and his threats came to +nothing. + +I have only come across one member of the crew since, and that was one +day in Cape Town I met the mate, who told me he was captain of a fine +barque lying in Table Bay. + +He had been twice round the world since I had seen him last, and told +me of the sad end of the _Royalshire_. + +“What’s happened to the old ship?” I asked. + +“Burnt off the coast of Australia, having a cargo of coal on board. +Wasn’t it a pity! Such a fine ship as she was!” + +“And Captain Bailey?” + +“Left her, as did we all, at Birkenhead that time, and took a billet +ashore.” + +I expect at the present moment my messmates on the _Royalshire_ are +in every part of the world. Whilst fighting in the late Boer War, I +wondered if I would meet Mac, Don, or Loring, but our courses did not +cross; perhaps in the future--who knows--but some day again I may cross +the trail of an old shipmate, and have a yarn about the good old days +on the gallant but ill-fated _Royalshire_. + + “You have heard the beat of the off-shore wind, + And the thresh of the deep-sea rain; + You have heard the song--how long! how long! + Put out on the trail again! + Its North you may run to the rime-ringed sun, + Or South to the blind Horn’s hate; + Or East all the way into Mississippi Bay, + Or West to the Golden Gate, + Where the blindest bluffs hold good, dear lass, + And the wildest tales are true, + And the men bulk big on the old trail, our own trail, the out trail; + And life runs large on the Long Trail--the trail that is always new.” + + + Printed by + Oliver and Boyd + Edinburgh + +[Illustration: Map to illustrate AUTHOR’S VOYAGE round CAPE HORN] + + + + +Transcriber’s Notes + + • Italics represented by surrounding _underscores_. + + • Small capitals converted to ALL CAPS. + + • Illustrations moved close to relevant content. Also, printer’s + instructions for the page placement of plates removed. + + • The illustration on p. 132 (Clinching the Crossjack Leechline) + was missing from the original List of Illustrations and has been + added. + + • Footnote moved close to relevant paragraph. + + • Obvious typographic errors corrected silently, but unusual + spellings, non-standard and variable punctuation, and unique word + choices kept to reflect the epistolary nature of the text. In + some cases it’s hard to tell a typo from a unique spelling, and + the transcriber has tendend toward keeping what’s printed in the + original. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76788 *** diff --git a/76788-h/76788-h.htm b/76788-h/76788-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7f5782 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/76788-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,14657 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> +<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <title> + Round the horn before the mast | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + + body { margin: 0 10%; font-family: serif;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { text-align: center; clear: both; text-indent: 0; } + p { margin: 0; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.5em; } + + p.first-line { margin-top: 1.5em; text-indent: 0; } + p.section { margin-top: 1.0em; } + p.shanty { text-indent: 0; text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + } + + .chap-title { font-size: 80%; 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+ text-align: inherit; + text-indent: 0; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: 1px dashed;} +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poetry-container { display: flex; justify-content: center; } +.poetry-container { text-align: center; } +.poetry { text-align: left; margin: 0 5%; font-size: 90%; } +.poetry .stanza { margin: 1em auto; } +.poetry .stanza-h { margin: 0.5em auto; } +.poetry .stanza-1 { margin: 1em auto .5em auto; } +.poetry .stanza-2 { margin: 1em auto .5em auto; } +.poetry .verse { text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em; } +.poetry .indentdq { + text-indent: -3em; + margin-left: -0.35em; + } +.poetry .indent0 { text-indent: -3.0em; } +.poetry .indent2 { text-indent: -2.0em; } +.poetry .indent4 { text-indent: -1.0em; } +.poetry .indent4dq { text-indent: -1.0em; margin-left: -0.35em; } +.poetry .indent6 { text-indent: 0.0em; } +.poetry .indent6dq { text-indent: 0.0em; margin-left: -0.35em; } +.poetry .indent8 { text-indent: 1.0em; } +.poetry .indent10a { text-indent: -0.4em; } +.poetry .indent10b { text-indent: .85em; } +.poetry .indent10dq { text-indent: 2.0em; margin-left: -0.35em; } +.poetry .indent20 { text-indent: 5.9em; } + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; +} + +/* Illustration classes */ +.illowp52 {width: 52%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp52 {width: 100%;} +.illowp47 {width: 47%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp47 {width: 100%;} +.illowp100 {width: 100%;} +.illowp94 {width: 94%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp94 {width: 100%;} +.illowp71 {width: 71%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp71 {width: 100%;} +.illowp56 {width: 56%;} +.x-ebookmaker .illowp56 {width: 100%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76788 ***</div> +<div class='x-ebookmaker-drop'> +<figure class="figcenter illowp47" id="cover" style="max-width: 89.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Book Cover"> +</figure> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="front"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_i">[i]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="frontispiece" style="max-width: 151.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_frontis.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + THE “ROYALSHIRE” + </figcaption> +</figure> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_ii">[ii]</span></p> +<div class="front mt4 mb4"> + +<table> +<tr><td>FIRST EDITION</td><td class='tdr pl4'><i>November 1902</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><i>Reprinted</i></td><td class='tdr'><i>December 1902</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><i>Reprinted</i></td><td class='tdr'><i>December 1902</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><i>Reprinted</i></td><td class='tdr'><i>February 1903</i></td></tr> +<tr><td>NEW (<i>lower priced</i>) EDITION</td><td class='tdr'><i>October 1903</i></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class='front'> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[iii]</span></p> + +<h1 id='ROUND_THE_HORN'>ROUND THE HORN<br> +BEFORE THE MAST</h1> + +<p class='center mt2 fs120'>By A. BASIL LUBBOCK</p> + +<p class='center mt4'>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS</p> + +<p class='center mt4'>NEW YORK<br> +E. P. DUTTON & CO.<br> +1903</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="front"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[iv]</span></p> + +<p class='center mt4 mb4 fs80'><i>Printed in Great Britain</i></p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="front"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[v]</span></p> +<p class='center mt4'>TO</p> +<p class='center mt1 fs120 ls1'>MY DEAR MOTHER</p> +<p class='center mt1'>I DEDICATE THIS</p> +<p class='center mt1 mb4'>BOOK</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vi"></a><a id="Page_vii"></a>[vii]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak ls2" id="CONTENTS"> + CONTENTS + </h2> +</div> + +<table class='toc'> +<tr><td class='tdc pt1' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan='2' class='tdr'><span class='fs80'>PAGE</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td>“<span class="smcap">Frisco</span>”</td><td class='tdr pl3'> 1</td></tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Choosing a Ship—Signing on—Don Henderson—At a +Seaman’s Tailor—First Day’s Work—Cleaning the +Stringers—Sailors <i lang='la'><abbr title='versus'>v.</abbr></i> Base-ballers at Cricket—The Seaman’s +Institute—My Carriboo Bag—A Sailors’ Concert—Emptying +the Bilges—The <i>Marlboro’ Hill’s</i> Crew of +Landlubbers—Yankee Brutality at Sea—Chipping—Johnsen, +the Swede.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Oakland Creek and Port Costa</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>39</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>A Lively Time crossing the Bay—Mooring Ship—Sea Serpents—An +Old South Seaman—More Cricket—The +Bilges again—Lining the Hold—The Art of Painting—Mosquitoes +and Song—Bleeding the Grain—Bending +Sail—An Early Morning Picnic—Bathing in the Sacramento—A +Fatality—Ready for Sea—Taking in Stores—Our +Crew come Aboard—My Stewardship—The Return +of the Californian Boys.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The North Pacific</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>72</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Man the Capstan—Making Sail—Picking the Watches—Going +About—My Gaff-topsail—Timekeeping—The +Binnacles—Matches—Dandyfunk and Crackerhash—Dutchmen +and Dagos—Johnsen’s Logbook—The Old +Man’s Models—The Bosun’s Songs—“Duckfoot Sue”—Crew +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[viii]</span>complain of the Food—Rows amongst the After +gang—Peggy—Flying-Fish and Bosun Birds—Lime-juice—Amateur +Haircutters—Sharks and Pilot-Fish—In the +Doldrums—At the Braces in the Middle Watch—Deep-sea +Fishing—The Song of the Trade Wind—Heaving +the Log—My First Wheel—Fine Weather Kites—A +“Jimmy Green.”</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The South Seas</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>121</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Cross the Line—“Stand by your Royal Halliards”—Making +Rovings—Johnsen tries to Knife the Second Mate—Tarring +Down—Dancing in the Dog Watch—Sails—Discourses +on Modern Wind-jammers—Yankee +Schooners—Clinching the Crossjack Leech-line—The +<i>Loudoun Hill</i>—Graining Dolphins—Our Farming +Bosun—A Queer Fish—British Sailors on British Ships—Yankee +Buckos—Pitcairn Island—“What ho, Piper!”</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Running Easting Down</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>144</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Grand Yachting—From the Bowsprit End—A Bad Squall—Fore-royal +blows away—On the Fore Upper-topgallant +Yard—A Battle with the Elements—Wilson and Myself +on the Main-yard—Cape Pigeons—Preparing for Cape +Horn—Fog—Use of a Cowhorn at Sea—Rotten Gaskets—In +the Lazarette—Getting up Bread—Paraffiny +Sugar—Slumgullion—A Cape Horn Sunset—Arguments +in the Half-deck—The Stately Albatross—Our Hens—The +“Roaring Forties”—Famous Tea-Clippers—The +<i>Thermopylæ</i>—A “Blue-nose” Clipper—Rivalry between +Watches—Checkerboard Crews—Negro Crews—Burgoo—A +Mollymawk Aboard—Colder Weather—Making +Fenders—Putting in Rovings—Bird-life in the +Southern Ocean—Cape Horn Hail-storms.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[ix]</span></p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">Off the Horn</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>177</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>A big Beam Sea—Rolling both Rails Under—Port Watch +washed away from the Fore-braces—The Deck-bear—Dollops—Blood-stirring +Work—Main-deck under Water—Half-deck +Water-logged—In our Watch Below—Waking +Mac—At the Lee Wheel—Cape Horn Greybeards—Dodging +the Seas—Don nearly Drowned in his Lamp-locker—No +Fresh Water—Standing by—Higgins in the +Lee Scuppers—Sunday Breakfast—Snugging Down—Turning +up Gear—Overboard—A Narrow Escape—An +Unlucky Fall—Don Loses his False Teeth aloft—Mountainous +Seas—Pooped—“Sail ho!”—The Music of the +Gale—Chantying in Difficulties—A Huge Sea falls +Aboard—Retrieving the Lamps—All Hands on Deck—Terrific +Work—The <i>Royalshire</i> on her Beam Ends—Hove-to—A +Bad Middle Watch—Make Sail Again—Chantying—Outward +Bounders—Cape Stiff—Old Man’s +Yarns—Foot-gear.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The South Atlantic</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>239</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>On the Banks—A Low Glass—Blowing Again—I Fall and +Shake the Poop—Taylor’s Whitlow—Sea-Boils—Pipes +growing Scarce—“Storm along, Stormie”—The whole +Crew washed away from the Mainbrace—My knee +damaged—The Bosun and Bower—Clark Russell at +Fault—Model-Making—Discussion on Flogging—An +Albatross Caught—Ill-health on Board—My Medicine +Chest—A Dead Muzzler—An Electric Storm—Jack o’ +Lanterns—My poor Knee—Johnsen’s Troubles—A Wild +Highlander at Meals—A Prophet of Evil—Don and Scar.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_x">[x]</span></p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">In the Tropics</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>282</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Old Slush and Greasy Food—A Fleet of Wind-jammers collected +by the Head-wind—Johnsen the Jonah—Washing +Clothes—Quartermaster—Amusements in the Night +Watches—Painting Down—The Frigate Bird—Ocean +Races—Forecastle Artists—The Contents of my Bunk—Taylor’s +Backstays—Old Slush goes Forward—Our new +Cook—At our Prayers—Don in Disgrace—Oiling Decks—Liverpool +Hard-tack—Huge Shoal of Bonita—An +Epidemic of Cramps—The Art of Steering—Head-gear +Scarce.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Western Ocean</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>325</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>Shifting Sail Again—My Long Trick—Among the Western +Isles—Slippery Decks—At Work in the Hold—A Broken-down +Steamer—Heavy Gale—Between Two Seas—Loring +Washed Out—Hove-to—A Pulling Match—“Reuben +Ranzo”—Fight with Bower on the Royal-yard—A +Midnight Brew—Grub running Short—Washing +Decks in a Gale—Wearing Ship—Old Man and Mate at +Loggerheads—The Lead-line—A Cause for Strong Language.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> + +<tr><td class='tdc pt2' colspan='2'> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a> +</td></tr> +<tr><td><span class="smcap">In British Waters</span></td> +<td class='tdr'>360</td></tr> +<tr><td> +<p class='toc-hang'>“The Coastwise Lights of England”—Queenstown—Away for +Birkenhead—News of the Boer War—A Christmas +Dinner—A Harbour Stow—A Sailor’s Plans—My Last +Wheel—Befogged in the Mersey—Nearly Run Down—“Leave +Her, Johnnie, Leave Her”—Attempts at Docking—Don’s +Last Escapade—Fate of the <i>Royalshire</i>—The +Old Trail.</p> +</td><td></td></tr> +</table> + +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_xi">[xi]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"> + LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + </h2> +</div> + +<table class='toc'> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">The “Royalshire”</span></td> + <td class='tdr'><i><a href='#frontispiece'>Frontispiece</a></i></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Frisco</span></td> + <td class='tdr'><i>To face page</i> <a href='#i_022'>22</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Market Street and Call Building</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ”  <a href='#i_026'>26</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td> +<span class="smcap">Frisco Swimming Baths</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ”  <a href='#i_048'>48</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Frisco Bay</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ”  <a href='#i_070'>70</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">The Pilot Boat “Bonita”</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ”  <a href='#i_078'>78</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Clinching the Crossjack Leechline</span></td> + <td class='tdr'><a href='#i_132'>132</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">“Royalshire” under Full Sail</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_144'>144</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">The Albatross</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_164'>164</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">An Australian Clipper</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_168'>168</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Cape Horn</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_232'>232</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">A Passing Lime-juicer</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_284'>284</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">A “Down-Easter”</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_298'>298</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Shifting Sail</span></td> + <td class='tdr'>” ” <a href='#i_326'>326</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Map to Illustrate Author’s Voyage round +Cape Horn</span></td> + <td class='tdr'><i><a href='#i_map'>At the end</a></i></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_xii"></a><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span></p> + + <p class="nobreak center fs200 bold mt2 mb2 linesp2"> + ROUND THE HORN BEFORE<br> + THE MAST + </p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I"> + CHAPTER I + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>“FRISCO”</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Serene, indifferent of Fate,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thou sittest at the Western Gate;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Upon thy heights so lately won,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Still slant the banners of the sun;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thou seest the white seas strike their tents,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">O Warder of two Continents!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And scornful of the peace that flies,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thy angry winds and sullen skies,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thou drawest all things, small and great,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">To Thee, beside the Western Gate.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='first-line'><span class='smcap'>On</span> Wednesday, 12th July 1899, I signed on +before the mast on the four-mast barque <i>Royalshire</i> +of Glasgow, which had just arrived in Frisco from +Japan, and was busy unloading the first cargo of +Japanese coal that had ever left the country.</p> + +<p>I had just come out of the “Golden North,” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span> +having had several months up in the Klondyke, +where I experienced both the “midnight sun” +and the “midday night.” I had intended prospecting +Vancouver Island for copper during the +rest of the summer, but the party having been +broken up for various reasons, I came down to +San Francisco, meaning to ship on board a South +Sea schooner and proceed by slow stages to +Australia; but after a thorough search I failed +to find a single South Sea trader in Frisco, +except the barque <i>Maura Al</i>, which ran to +Honolulu with passengers, so I decided to give +up this plan.</p> + +<p>I had long had a wish to sail before the mast, +and witness real sea life in all its dangers and +hardships. The chief officer of one of the +Empress boats, those magnificent steamers of +the Canadian Pacific Railway, on my speaking +to him of this wish, had told me that if I shipped +before the mast on a windjammer, I should find +it a wonderful experience, which, if I was not +afraid of real muscle-trying work, and was +hardy enough to stand the bad food and other +hardships, I should look back upon with much +pleasure.</p> + +<p>As I was as fit as it was possible for any one +to be, and felt sure that nothing would come very +hard after such an experience as I had gone +through in the Klondyke, I determined to ship +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> +home round the Horn in one of the magnificent +windjammers which lay in the port.</p> + +<p>The next thing to do was to pick a good ship. +There were several four-mast barques—beautiful +iron ships from the Clyde—and not a few full-riggers +and three-mast barques, all about to load +grain for the British Isles or Continent.</p> + +<p>Though a very keen lover of the sea, and with +a certain amount of experience gained yachting +and travelling, I really knew very little of what a +foremast jack’s life was on board a big deep-waterman. +I knew enough, however, not to ship +before the mast on a ship with “down-east” or +“blue-nose” mates, who, though they are the +finest seamen probably in the world, are terrible +“drivers,” and are a bit too free with belaying +pins, knuckle-dusters, and six-shooters to please +me,—the “gun-play” on board some “down-easters” +being almost worthy of an Arizona mining +camp.</p> + +<p>I also knew enough to find out before I signed +on, whether the ship was a hungry one or not, +and whether her skipper drank.</p> + +<p>I spent a whole morning prowling round the +docks, and decided that the <i>Royalshire</i>, <i>Lancing</i>, +and <i>Loudon Hill</i>, all four-mast barques, were the +finest ships in port.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> I thought the finest looking +alow and aloft, and from the spread of her yards +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span> +she had evidently got a larger sail plan than either +of the others. She only had one defect that I +could take hold of, and that was a rather heavy +stern, though this was made up for by one of the +sweetest entrances I have ever seen; the curve of +her cutwater and her bow lines were a delight to +the eye, and I at once decided to make inquiries +about her.</p> + +<p>On the wharf, tallying the carts of coal as +they were loaded from the shute, was a small +red-headed Scotchman.</p> + +<p>From him I found out that she was reckoned +one of the crack ships of the “Shire Line” of +Glasgow, that her captain and officers were all +Scotch, and that, though not noted for her good +feeding, she could hardly be called a “hungry +ship.”</p> + +<p>My red-headed friend answered every question +very readily, and gave the ship and her +captain a first-rate character. He evidently +thought that I wanted a passage in her, and +told me that I could see the captain on the +following day about eleven o’clock, before he went +ashore.</p> + +<p>Thanking him for his information, I asked +him what position he held on board.</p> + +<p>He replied, “third mate,” and told me that +she carried four mates, and also that the whole +of her crew had run on arriving in Frisco.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span></p> + +<p>“That does not look as if she was such a +comfortable ship,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Weel, I dinna think ye’ll find a vessel in +port with her hands aboard—all foremast hands +run in Frisco—I’ve half a notion to run mysel’, +the wages is that gran’ sailing oot o’ Frisco; an +A.B. gets four pund a month, it’s naw great +wonder crews run,” he replied. And with this I +left him and returned to my hotel, well pleased +with my day’s work.</p> + +<p>Lo and behold, the first thing I saw on returning +at the appointed time, was the captain and my +red-haired friend shaking their fists in each other’s +faces on the poop, and “cussing around” to beat +creation.</p> + +<p>From what I could hear of it, the third mate +was asking for his discharge in language both +“painful and free,” but without success, for +presently the captain went below, and he came +ashore, evidently off up town.</p> + +<p>As he stepped off the companion ladder, I +buttonholed him, and asked him when I could +see the captain.</p> + +<p>“The old man will be oot preesently, if ye +just wait a wee while,” he answered hurriedly, +and away he went.</p> + +<p>As I stood on the wharf watching the +coal being unloaded, I noticed that a small +man, with a thick red moustache and kind, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span> +light-blue eyes, seemed to be bossing things on +board.</p> + +<p>After a bit, seeing me loafing around, he +called to me and asked me what I wanted. I +told him I was waiting to see the captain.</p> + +<p>“Come aboard; he’s having his breakfast now +but he’ll be going ashore directly, and then you +can see him.”</p> + +<p>I came aboard, and spent a couple of hours +waiting for the old man to come on deck. For +some reason or other he was later than usual +going ashore, and it was nearly one o’clock before +he appeared.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile I loafed about the deck, keenly interested +in everything. I gave the red-moustached +man a cigar, and found out that he was the +mate, which bit of news caused me to look him +over very carefully, and I decided that I liked the +cut of his jib.</p> + +<p>He had got a nice face, with a steady, kindly +eye, and from what I could see, he had a temper +to match. In the short talk I had with him he +was all civility, and I congratulated myself on +hitting upon a ship with such a mate. Of course +I knew enough not to be too sanguine; many a +sailor, who ashore or in port is as mild and +quiet as a lamb, directly he gets to sea, for no +apparent reason, turns into a fiend incarnate. I felt +sure, however, that this man was not one of that sort.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span></p> + +<p>At noon “eight bells” were struck, and the +men came up from the after ’tween-decks, where +they had been cleaning the coal out of the +stringers.</p> + +<p>They consisted of the fourth mate, carpenter, +sailmaker, an apprentice out of his time, and the +nipper, as an apprentice on his first voyage is +called.</p> + +<p>The nipper, a boy of sixteen, was a picturesque +figure, with a face as black as a nigger minstrel’s, +from the coal, surmounted by a red tam o’shanter; +he was full of fun, and I found out afterwards +that his father was a clergyman in Kent.</p> + +<p>I’ll bet he would have stared if he could have +seen his son then in grimy dungarees and jumper, +as I’ve no doubt the last time he saw him was +in a brass-bound serge suit and a deep-sea cap, +one mass of gold braid, with the badge of the +“Shire Line” glittering resplendent upon it.</p> + +<p>The stevedores at work on the coal in the +mainhold also knocked off, and went ashore for +their dinner.</p> + +<p>I was beginning to think the captain was +going to stay below all day, when he appeared.</p> + +<p>He was a keen-faced, middle-aged Scotchman, +of medium height, with a glitter of steel in his eye, +and I put him down in my mind as a “hard nut” +after one look at him.</p> + +<p>As he came off the poop I tackled him, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span> +telling him that I wanted to sign on before +the mast.</p> + +<p>After scanning me curiously for a moment or +two, he asked, “Can ye climb up there?” pointing +to the mizen-royal yard.</p> + +<p>I had never been aloft in my life, but I knew +that I had got a good head from my prospecting +experiences in the mountains, where, looking for +quartz reefs, one constantly takes terrific risks, +especially rock-climbing; a very different job to +climbing the Alps with a guide who knows every +bit of the ground.</p> + +<p>So I answered in the affirmative with great +confidence. This was good enough for him, and +he gave me the address of his shipping agent, +who would sign me on, as he explained that if +he signed me on himself without the shipping +agent and it was found out, the shipping agents +would turn against him, and the next time he +came to Frisco he would probably not be able +to get a crew.</p> + +<p>Away I went, and in an hour’s time had +turned into an “ordinary seaman,” signed on for +two pounds a month for a passage round the +Horn, calling at Queenstown for orders, either +for the British Isles or Continent.</p> + +<p>The shipping agent had got another victim +with him, an Englishman, by name Don Henderson, +a man who had turned his hand to pretty +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span> +nearly everything—singing in the opera in New +York, teaching swimming at the Frisco baths +(the finest in the world), mixing wine in Southern +California, gold prospecting in Arizona and +Montana, lumbering in Louisiana, farming and +cow-punching from Texas to the Line—were but +a few of the things he had done.</p> + +<p>He had had rather a bad time of it lately, +having had to give up the wine-mixing, where +he was doing very well, as he got knocked over +with a very bad bout of fever; only half recovered +from the fever, he hung on at Frisco, living by +means of his wits and free lunch counters, until +it struck him that he would try and get home, +and see if he could get hold of some money which +was due to him.</p> + +<p>He decided to go before the mast—a way not +exactly new to him, as he had come home from +New York in the <i>Umbria</i> before the mast; and +without much trouble he got an introduction to the +shipping agent from a pal, and the thing was done.</p> + +<p>As Englishmen in the Colonies will, Don and +I immediately palled up together, and were very +pleased to find we were both going on the same +ship, as we had a good deal in common, both being +English Public School men, and both knowing +how dull it is living or camping for any length of +time with men with whom you have got nothing +in common.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span></p> + +<p>I once shared a canvas bunk for a fortnight +with a man who had a reputation of having killed +twelve men. One would have thought that a man +like this would have been an interesting companion +to yarn with, but not a bit of it; he only +had two ideas in his head, one was whisky, and +the other whittling wood.</p> + +<p>He was a silent man, very slow of speech, +but quick enough with a six-shooter; as harmless +and quiet as a prairie dog except when he had +a skinful of “nosepaint,” on which occasions he +was like a busted volcano or a wounded grizzly, +a-raging and tearing around something sinful to +see, and a scandal to a quiet neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>Don and I were both in pretty good spirits, +and exchanged chaff with the clerks of the Consulate.</p> + +<p>The ceremony of signing on was soon got +through, somebody gabbled off the “ship’s +Articles” to us. I caused some amusement by +giving the “Bachelors’ Club, Piccadilly,” as my +address, and Don raised a laugh by making his +mark, a huge, straggly cross, as he pretended he +could not write.</p> + +<p>Pocketing our month’s advance, we gave the +shipping agent a drink, he in return giving us +the address of a seaman’s tailor, and telling us +also to be sure and get aboard the following noon. +This we promised to do, and then we went off +together to do our shopping.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span></p> + +<p>Few landsmen know that a common sailor +before the mast has to provide all his own clothes, +his soap, matches, eating utensils, blankets, and +bedding.</p> + +<p>Don and I were soon hard at work bargaining +with as precious a robber of the innocents as I +have ever met.</p> + +<p>Luckily for us we were not poor, ignorant, +foremast jacks, whom these landsharks simply +prey upon, but both fellows who had knocked +about a good deal.</p> + +<p>We soon had his prices down, and our +purchases were rubber sea-boots, blue jerseys, +overalls, heavy clothing for the Horn, soap, +towels, matches, and plug tobacco.</p> + +<p>Then we went off to buy something to eat and +drink out of. From Klondyke experience, I bought +the largest graniteware plate with the highest +rim I could get, and also a huge pannikin.</p> + +<p>By the time we had got everything we wanted, +the sun was beginning to go under.</p> + +<p>We determined to do this our last evening +as gentlemen, in some style, so we dined at the +Palace, and went to the opera afterwards, finishing +up with an excellent supper.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 13th July.</i>—We turned out fairly +early, meaning to go on board about eleven.</p> + +<p>Taking a last stroll before going on board, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> +we began trying the “nickel machines” at the +cigar stores; our luck was terrific wherever we +went, every time we got two or more cigars; the +way we turned up three of a kind, straights, +flushes, and full houses, made us wish that we +were sitting down to a game of poker, and by +the time we were ready to go on board, we had +each got thirty cigars in our pockets.</p> + +<p>We hired an express cart, and, piling it with +our luggage, drove down to the ship in style.</p> + +<p>The crew and stevedores on the <i>Royalshire</i> +stared in amazement as our craft, with its huge +pile of kit and dunnage bags, hove in sight.</p> + +<p>But the mate was ready for us, and told us +to get into working togs and turn to at one +o’clock.</p> + +<p>We packed our truck (British Columbian for +“carried our baggage”) into the port forecastle.</p> + +<p>One o’clock found me on the wharf in an +old flannel shirt, cowboy hat, and well-worn pair +of overalls—the same had seen a lot of service in +the Klondyke and on the prairie, where I had +bought them, and had lasted twice as long as +English dungarees.</p> + +<p>Alongside of me was a big stack of lumber +in long inch and half-inch planks, for lining the +hold with. This must be done before a ship is +allowed to load grain.</p> + +<p>These planks I had to pass aboard through +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span> +a port, which, as the tide flowed, got higher and +higher above me.</p> + +<p>At six o’clock our day’s work was over, and +I for one was quite ready to knock off, for the +lumber was not light, and so rough that it tore +my hands to bits and filled them with splinters.</p> + +<p>On going to the galley for our grub, we were +presented with a kid of meat and potatoes, and +had our pannikins filled with a queer-tasting +liquid which the cook, a slab-footed and extraordinary +German, tried to make us understand +in broken English was tea.</p> + +<p>“What is this stuff?” said Don, pointing to +the contents of his pannikin.</p> + +<p>“Dot ist ze tea.”</p> + +<p>“The what?”</p> + +<p>“Ze tea, I dell you, for zu drinken!”</p> + +<p>“It’s not medicine, is it?”</p> + +<p>“Nein; ze tea, I dell you; ze tea, ze tea!”</p> + +<p>“What is tea?” asked Don, solemnly.</p> + +<p>“Vot is tea! you not know! vy tea is tea; ze +tea for zu drinken.”</p> + +<p>Don ended by nearly worrying that wretched +Dutchman off his head.</p> + +<p>“Tea, is it?”</p> + +<p>“Tea, zat is vat it is; ze tea for zu drinken.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean to say you call that tea?”</p> + +<p>“For shor’ zat is tea, very fine tea.”</p> + +<p>“Then why on earth didn’t you say so +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span> +before?” With this we retired to the forecastle, +which den we had all to ourselves, the crew +having run.</p> + +<p>The meat we found was fresh, as, being in +port, we got shore rations; but sailors as a rule +prefer the ship’s salt meat to the fresh meat +which they get in port, as this fresh meat is the +cheapest that can be bought, in fact nothing but +the refuse bits from the butchers.</p> + +<p>But Don and I were hungry after our four +hours’ work, and finished it all up.</p> + +<p>After our meal we started in and got things +shipshape, choosing our bunks, into which we +hove our “donkey’s breakfasts,” as sailors call +their straw mattresses, and stowing away our +things.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 14th July.</i>—We were turned out by +the night-watchman at 6.30, and told that we +had got to turn to at seven o’clock.</p> + +<p>We had not much time to lose, as we had to +wash, dress, and get our breakfast in less than +half an hour. This at first sight would appear +to be a bit of a rush, but it was not, for washing +consisted of a rough sluice down with salt water, +gained by lowering a bucket overboard, and +dressing was but slipping on a pair of overalls, a +flannel shirt, and foot gear.</p> + +<p>For breakfast, we got half a pannikin of hot +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span> +liquid each, some “wet hash,” and some “hard-tack.”</p> + +<p>“Wet hash” is broken-up beef and potatoes +in hot water, with, perhaps, an onion thrown in: +occasionally, however, we got “dry hash,” which +I much preferred.</p> + +<p>Dry hash is simply minced meat and mashed +potatoes, and I believe goes by the name of +“shepherd’s pie” ashore.</p> + +<p>As to what the hot liquor was at first, we +were not quite sure.</p> + +<p>“I suppose it’s another brew of what the cook +calls ‘ze tea,’ only a bit lighter in colour,” said +Don, sipping it. “I don’t detect much difference +in the taste; I’ve got a pretty keen palate, and +but for a slight flavouring of garlic, I’m willing +to bet it’s ‘ze tea.’”</p> + +<p>“I’m inclined to think it’s coffee myself: it’s +got a sediment of flour which seems to remind +me of the slumgullion I’ve drunk at different +times in mining camps,” I answered.</p> + +<p>“I think you are wrong. You don’t get me +to believe that a hard nut of a section boss like +our old man is going to pay us two pounds a +month, and throw in two kinds of liquor as well, +don’t you believe it; he’s got his eye square +on the almighty dollar, and he ain’t going to +chuck his dust around in no such lordly style as +that.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span></p> + +<p>“And I say it’s a full house against a pair +of jacks that it’s coffee, because why—”</p> + +<p>“Turn to!” said the mate, poking his nose in +at the door, and out we had to trundle.</p> + +<p>We were soon hard at work cleaning the +Japanese coal out of the stringers in the after-hold, +down in the gloomy depths of the ship. +Each man was given a broom-end and a bit of +rag or canvas, and woe betide the unlucky one +who overlooked a small piece of coal stuck in the +stringers, or who did not wipe off every speck of +coal-dust, for the lynx-eyed mate was sure to spot it.</p> + +<p>Here we worked all day in the semi-darkness +of the hold, which was only half lighted by the +open after-hatch.</p> + +<p>Occasionally one of us had to shovel coal for +a while, which soon finds out the weak muscles +of the back.</p> + +<p>We worked hard, with never a spell, for the +mate was a great lover of work, always taking +a hand himself and doing more than any of us. +I found my hands very sore and blistered from +handling the rough lumber yesterday, but comforted +myself with the fact that they would very +soon get hard and would be fit for anything +before we sailed.</p> + +<p>At twelve o’clock we were knocked off work +for the “dinner hour,” and how pleased I was +to come up into the sunshine again!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span></p> + +<p>I enjoyed that dinner (the midday meal is +always called dinner on board ship), and especially +the smoke after it, as I have seldom enjoyed a +meal, refuse meat and irrigated potatoes though +it was. Then at it we went again until 5.30, +when we were sent on deck to clear up.</p> + +<p>The decks were swept, and any loose gear +put away in the bosun’s locker, and as the +factory whistles screeched out six o’clock, the +mate said quietly, “That’ll do.” We were free, +and our day’s work was finished.</p> + +<p>The first thing to do was to wash, for we +were all as black as chimney sweeps, and our +eyes and ears were full of coal-dust.</p> + +<p>We got a couple of buckets of fresh water +from the pump, which was just aft of the mizen-mast, +and soon turned ourselves from black into +white men again.</p> + +<p>On going to get the grub from the galley, +I found that I was right about the queer liquid we +had drunk in the morning; it was coffee all right, +according to the cook.</p> + +<p>As soon as we had demolished our supper, +Don and I dashed ashore, and anybody who saw +us seated in a couple of stalls at the opera +listening to “Carmen” would have been very +much surprised if they had seen us, black and +grimy coalheavers as we were, an hour or so +back.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span></p> + +<p>On our way back to the ship I bought some +Alaska bread and tinned plums, to augment +our scanty fare.</p> + +<p>Both these I can thoroughly recommend. +Alaska bread is made of ginger, and is like +sponge cake; it lasts for ever, never gets stale, +and is exceedingly cheap. Tinned plum puddings, +I admit, were luxuries; they were delicious eaten +cold, and I thought they were as good as any +plum pudding I had ever eaten.</p> + +<p>“I calculate,” said Don to me as we turned +in, “that you save quite a lot of breath calling +me Don instead of Henderson, whilst I’m all +behind the game calling you Lubbock. What was +the name your godfathers and godmothers gave +you? I’m rising thirty-nine, and can’t afford to +waste my breath any longer on a jaw-breaking +name like Lubbock.”</p> + +<p>“Jehoshaphat Nebuchadnezzar are my Christian +names; if you think you can save breath on +either of them you are welcome to try,” I replied +laughing.</p> + +<p>“No, bar rot, you old deadbeat; if you +don’t tell me, I shall call you ‘Jos,’ short for +Jehoshaphat.”</p> + +<p>“Well, what do you think of ‘Basil’ for a +fine, high-sounding, bang-up, number one, top-side, +high-born Christian name?”</p> + +<p>“Too good for a bally old ruffian like you. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> +Dashed if I don’t call you Bally, it’s short for +Basil, just as Johnny is short for John.”</p> + +<p>And Bally I remained the whole time I was +on the <i>Royalshire</i>, though some of the crew +called me “Klondyke.”</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 15th July.</i>—The mate told us, while +we were at work this morning, that the captain +had given leave for Rowland, the apprentice out +of his time, the nipper, and myself to play cricket +in the afternoon for the “British Sailing Ships” +against the “Californian Cricket Club,” over at +Oakland.</p> + +<p>This was a great bit of luck. Our old +man and the mate were both very interested in +cricket, which accounted for our being allowed to +go.</p> + +<p>How they found out that I played cricket I +don’t know, as Don, who was also a cricketer, +was never asked to take part in any game, though +he would have been a valuable addition to the +“British Sailing Ships’” eleven.</p> + +<p>Our eleven assembled about 1.30, at the +Institute, and were taken over by the ferry to +Oakland by Mr Karney, one of the two clergymen +of the Institute.</p> + +<p>We had a most exciting match, just beating +our opponents by two runs. Both teams were +very, very scratch; the Californian Club were the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> +best side, and as half their men were base-ballers, +their fielding was superb.</p> + +<p>The wicket was on cocoanut matting and +concrete, and the ball came along plain and easy, +but the out-fielding was very difficult, being very +sandy and almost rocky ground in places.</p> + +<p>The scoring was not very high, I managed +to notch 11 and 24 in my two innings, getting +caught beautifully each time by a base-baller in +the deep field.</p> + +<p>After a most enjoyable game, in which we +<i>Royalshires</i> well accounted for our fair share of +runs and wickets, we crossed to Frisco again, and +sat down to a huge tea at the Institute.</p> + +<p>Few people know what splendid work the +Institute to British Seamen is performing all over +the world, and in no place more than in Frisco, +where it has perhaps more to contend against +than anywhere else.</p> + +<p>It is chiefly apprentices whom it benefits; and +but for it, I am sure, many and many an +apprentice, but an ignorant boy fresh from his +English home, would have gone utterly to the +bad in the great seaport towns of the world.</p> + +<p>If an apprentice runs away from his ship, the +clergymen of the Institute search until they find +him, and over and over again persuade him to +return. Even if they cannot persuade him to go +to sea again, they go to endless trouble to get +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span> +him a job on shore, or arrange to send him +home.</p> + +<p>These institutes are like clubs, where apprentices +can spend their evenings reading, playing billiards, +or with music, or even gymnastics or boxing; +and but for them the apprentices would loaf +about the town, spending their money in all +kinds of sailor’s hells and dance halls, where they +would run great dangers, not only of being +stripped of every cent they possess, but even +their clothes, and could count themselves lucky +if they got safe back to their ship with a whole +skin; this, without speaking of the unmentionable +experiences of drink and women, they would have +in such haunts of vice.</p> + +<p>There is no more dangerous waterfront in the +world than that of Frisco; many a mate or +apprentice has disappeared never to be seen alive +again, and often his body would be found, +stripped and mutilated, floating in the Sacramento.</p> + +<p>Not only is the Institute a refuge for mates +and apprentices, but sailormen of every nationality +are welcome there.</p> + +<p>Most nights they provide you with a splendid +tea for the huge sum of five cents, and certain +nights a week the tea is extra fine, and is free. +Once a week a very good concert takes place, +in which both outsiders and talented ones amongst +the ships perform.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span></p> + +<p>As for the clergymen at Frisco who carry on +this noble work, mere words cannot express the +admiration I feel for them.</p> + +<p>Their daily duties require an infinity of tact, +dogged perseverance, and courage, not to despair +at some of the setbacks they get. They have to +be hardened to every kind of insult; such an +incident as being kicked off a Yankee floating +hell, or having to use their fists in a real stand-up +fight, being by no means unusual in their daily +work.</p> + +<p>They have to contend against the crimps and +boarding-house masters, the saloon and dancehall +keepers, all of whom stick at nothing from +bribing and perjury to cutting throats.</p> + +<p>Frisco is one mass of gambling hells, dancehalls, +low drinking-saloons, and such like places, +which only keep going by bribing the highest +in authority to the lowest.</p> + +<p>The policemen pay 500 dollars for their posts, +so lucrative are they in bribes and blood-money.</p> + +<p>So much for the Institute to British Seamen, +and the extraordinary good work it is doing; of +course it scatters tracts a bit, but the tract-mongers +at home send them out for distribution, and there +would be a terrible row if they found out that +they were not distributed.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_022" style="max-width: 147.5em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_022.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + FRISCO + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>No one hates a tract maniac more than +myself, with their absurdly and often blasphemously +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span> +worded literature; of course they are pretty +harmless, except that they bother and worry poor +strangers with their everlasting cant.</p> + +<p>I was once in a railway carriage with a tract +maniac and another man. The maniac started +straight away assuring the other man that he +was bound to go straight to hell if he did not +mend his ways, at the same time pressing various +coloured tracts into the man’s unwilling hands.</p> + +<p>At last the worm turned.</p> + +<p>“I guess, stranger,” he said, “these here be +my passports to that there hell that you say I +am going to sure.”</p> + +<p>(But I am clean off the line altogether, and +must make a cast back and see if I can pick up +the scent again.)</p> + +<p>Well, I was talking about the Institute. There +is no doubt that this tract-scattering has done +the institutes a great deal of harm and gained +them a bit of a bad name in places; but this is +the fault of the spindle-legged, black-gloved tract +fraternity at home, not the fault of the hard-working, +fearless, and undaunted clergymen +stationed at the different institutes.</p> + +<p>The Institute at Frisco, for instance, in no +way thrusts religion upon you. It did not matter +whether you were a Hindoo Lascar, a Mahommedan +Arab, or a Heathen Chinee, you get the same +welcome.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span></p> + +<p>On Sundays there was a Church of England +service in the Institute, which you attended or +you didn’t just as you chose.</p> + +<p>To Messrs Karney and O’Rorke, the gallant +workers in Frisco, go my heartfelt thanks for +their many and great kindnesses to me, and my +very best wishes that their great work may +prosper—that work of helping and looking after +the great company of our British mercantile +marine.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 16th July.</i>—How I did enjoy our long +lie in bed, my bed being especially more comfortable +than anybody else’s, for I slept in my +carriboo-skin sleeping-bag. This bag I got at +a bargain. I gave a pair of 12-lb. blankets for +it to a man who was camped alongside me at +Lake Bennett, on the way into the Klondyke. +The very next day I was offered sixty dollars for +it, but it was worth a great deal more than that, +and but for it I should have been in a bad +way many a time.</p> + +<p>I have slept on ice in it, and have crawled +into it on the muddy floor of a log hut, through +the leaky roof of which the rain poured down; +in the morning I found the bag in a pool of +water, but inside I was quite dry. Where would +blankets, even with waterproof sheets, have been +in a case like that?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span></p> + +<p>This bag was made in Newfoundland by the +Indians from the skins of a couple of carriboo +deer, sewn together with the sinews of the animal, +and Indian cured.⁠<a href="#Footnote_1" id='FNanchor_1' class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> + +<div class='footnotes'> +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> I have since found this bag invaluable whilst at the front +in South Africa.</p></div></div> + +<p>In the very cold weather in the Klondyke, I +used to fill it as tight as it would pack with +blankets, and, with my head covered up, slept out +in the open with the thermometer well on the +wrong side of zero.</p> + +<p>The nipper came and turned Don and myself +out at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> to hoist the ensign and house flag, +as it was Sunday.</p> + +<p>Don and I spent the morning washing clothes, +a regular Sunday occupation on board ship as it +is in camp.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we went ashore, and taking +a car went into the park and listened to the +band, which was an excellent one; and in the +evening we looked into the Olympia, a free music +hall where, provided you spent five cents on a +glass of beer, you could sit comfortably and +smoke whilst a first-class variety show was performed +before you.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 17th July.</i>—Cleaning the stringers all +day, and getting into fine condition. Karney +came on board to-day to ask me to dine with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> +him, and was rather amused when he was shown +a blackface, grimy ruffian, in very dirty dungarees +and a slouch hat.</p> + +<p>I shall never forget that dinner though: he +took me to the top of the “Call” building, where +there is a very good restaurant.</p> + +<p>Here, added to an excellent dinner, you get a +superb view over Frisco in every direction; but +I had come to eat, and eat I did, everything in +the <i lang='fr'>table-d’hôte</i>, and countless plates of nice +white bread and butter, neither of which I had +even seen on board the <i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<p>My favourite dish on the West Coast of America +is “hot cakes and maple syrup,” not “flapjacks” +made out of flour, baking powder, and water, on +which one lives in the Klondyke, but batter cakes, +smoking hot, and smothered in butter and maple +syrup.</p> + +<p>You can get as much as you can eat of these, +with a good cup of coffee to wash them down, +for ten cents at any restaurant in Frisco, and +they are very satisfying to a hungry man, filling +up the corners so well!</p> + +<p>Every night when Don and I wander ashore +after the day’s work is over, we have a go of +hot cakes, and sometimes more.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp52" id="i_026" style="max-width: 101.375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_026.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + MARKET STREET AND CALL BUILDING + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Unfortunately, we are running rather short of +ready cash, and so are economising rigidly; Don’s +boots have fallen off his feet in pieces, so we had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> +to provide him with new ones, and now all our +spare cash is to go for jam and plum puddings!</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 18th July.</i>—Cleaning coal out of the +stringers all day. The darky steward has cleared +out, and a German has appeared, who, according +to himself is a man of vast attraction and many +parts, and his wonderful stock of lies would make +even Kruger or Li Hung Chang green with envy.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 19th July.</i>—The after and main +holds are now quite clean after a hard day’s work.</p> + +<p>There is a concert every Wednesday at the +Institute, and performers from the ships are +eagerly sought after.</p> + +<p>Don and I went to-day for the first time, and +Don proved a great catch, as he has a vast +<i lang='fr'>répertoire</i> of songs, comic and otherwise, and +accompanies himself.</p> + +<p>We found that the two favourites with sailors +are “Tommy Atkins” and “Eliza ’Awkins.”</p> + +<p>It was a very amusing concert, and ended +with a hauling chanty, that good old stager +“Blow, Boys, Blow,” all hands tailing on to the +end of the rope, and running three fat apprentices +up by means of a hook in the ceiling and a +block and tackle.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 20th July.</i>—My only entry in my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span> +log to-day was a most important one, namely, +“We laid in a stock of jam.” This jam Don +and I meant to keep until we got to sea; but, +alas, when we finally did sail, there were only +four small pots left.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 21st July.</i>—At work to-day cleaning +out the bilges in the after and main holds. This +is a most filthy job; the bilges are filled with a +thick, greeny-yellow fluid, the refuse of the +different cargoes, case oil, rotten wheat, etc. We +have to shovel it out with anything we can get +hold of, empty sardine tins being at a premium, +and where it is thicker and more foul than usual +you have to use your hands in scooping it out.</p> + +<p>Someone stands at the opening of the hatch +and hauls the buckets up as fast as they are +filled, dumping the foul muck overboard into the +bay, which, if you please, supplies the city with +water.</p> + +<p>By the time that we had been six hours at +this, the water all round the ship was covered by +a mass of slimy, yellow and green decayed matter, +which smelt worse than anything I have ever +smelt yet.</p> + +<p>The four-mast barque <i>Earl of Dunmore</i> came +into the wharf next to us this morning, fifty-two +days from Newcastle, Australia. She is nothing +like such a fine ship as the <i>Royalshire</i>; though +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span> +her tonnage is greater, her masts and spars are +half the size of ours. She is a Glasgow-built +ship, like the <i>Royalshire</i>, and is overrun by a +wild crowd of Scotch apprentices.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 22nd July.</i>—The <i>Marlboro’ Hill</i>, +which has been lying in the stream for several +days trying to get a crew, has at last got one.</p> + +<p>This fine four-mast barque had a very bad +name, and her crew ran directly she arrived in +Frisco; and the mate, having had a row with the +captain, left her also.</p> + +<p>Her old man has the reputation of being a +very hard nut, and some people thought he would +be months without getting a crew, as men are +very scarce just now.</p> + +<p>Every Saturday afternoon we wash down +decks fore and aft, and put everything into spick +and span order for Sunday.</p> + +<p>We are waiting now for our “stiffening,” as +we dare not take our last 400 tons of coals out +until we get a like weight of grain, as there is no +ballast to speak of, and the ship might turn turtle +on the way up to Port Costa if there happened +to be a fair breeze blowing.</p> + +<p>All ships loading grain from Frisco have to +go up the Sacramento and load at Port Costa +and Crockett, where the railway deposits the +grain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span></p> + +<p>Our cargo, it is rumoured, is to be barley, so +we shall be a light ship, and probably cranky.</p> + +<p>We had a merry evening at the Institute, singing +and feeding, Don being to the fore with a +new lot of songs.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 23rd July.</i>—Delicious weather, sunshine +and blue sky, without being too hot. As +usual, I spent the morning washing clothes.</p> + +<p>I dined with O’Rorke, the boss sky-pilot at +the Institute; he is an old Etonian, and I am not +certain if he was not at Eton with me.</p> + +<p>The first time he saw me, I was as black as a +sweep, shovelling coal; but he spotted a faded +Eton Rambler ribbon on my dirty old slouch hat, +and inquiring from the captain, found out who +I was. Once before, up in the Klondyke, my +faded Rambler ribbon caused me to make the +acquaintance of a fellow old Etonian.</p> + +<p>The new mate of the <i>Marlboro’ Hill</i>, which +sails to-morrow, was also dining with O’Rorke. +He seems to have had a hard time with his new +men. He found the ship swarming with wild +apprentices, who had been having a fine time, with +no one to keep them in order; and of his new crew, +hardly a man has been to sea before; most of them +are farm hands, and six of them had to be put in +irons at once, including two ex-clergymen and two +ex-bartenders.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span></p> + +<p>He said they had great trouble bending sail, +and took the whole of Saturday afternoon bending +the mainsail.</p> + +<p>With such a crew as that, a captain and his +mates must use strong measures if they hope ever +to get their ship safe home; but the fault is generally +the captain’s if he cannot get sailors to ship, +and has to pay blood-money to the boarding-house +keepers to “shanghai” farm hands and dead-beats +aboard.</p> + +<p>But this is a big subject, and few people know +that this sort of thing still goes on in big ports like +Frisco, New York, and Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>Very different to that of the <i>Marlboro’ Hill</i> +was the case of the <i>Benares</i>, another Scotch four-mast +barque, a magnificent ship with several record +passages to her credit.</p> + +<p>She left about a week ago with every man on +board a Britisher, and the same crew that she had +left England with.</p> + +<p>This, of course, was a great feather in her +captain’s hat, for most crews run at Frisco, as +A.B. wages are four pounds a month out of Frisco, +as compared with two pounds ten out of British +ports.</p> + +<p>It is nothing unusual, either, for a ship to sail +with several of her crew in irons. The <i>Royalshire</i> +sailed from Philadelphia this very voyage with half +her men in irons.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span></p> + +<p>The second mate told me of a ship sailing out +of Philadelphia, whose crew were shipped on board +drunk, and were chucked into the sail-locker and +shut in there by her two mates, who were both +very strong men. After keeping them there for +twenty-four hours, the two mates went in amongst +them with belaying pins and laid about the poor +devils with such effect, that the sails they were +lying upon were soon covered with blood, and +two of the victims succumbed to their injuries.</p> + +<p>There are quantities of stories of this kind, but +nearly always on Yankee ships; for on board a +British ship a sailor can get justice in port, and a +captain or mate knows he will get heavy punishment +for brutality.</p> + +<p>A British ship came in here yesterday from +Cape Town, where her mate had been hanged +for killing a man during the passage there.</p> + +<p>One of the biggest bits of brutality I have +heard of, was the case of an apprentice on a ship +outward bound round the Horn.</p> + +<p>This poor little chap was shut in the hencoop +with the hens for the whole passage of one +hundred and fifty days, and was never allowed to +come out, even to wash himself. When the ship +arrived in Frisco, the boy was in a truly pitiable +condition; but I am glad to say that the captain +and mates got it very hot, as the case was taken +into court.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span></p> + +<p>There is even a still more terrible case of a boy +who was lashed to the mizen fife-rail all through +the bitter passage round the Horn. It was a +wonder that he did not die of exposure; for to be +wet and half-drowned in that awful weather, day +after day, night after night, unable to lie down to +rest, unable to sit or even stand on account of the +seas continually washing his feet from under him, +this terrible experience many a strong man would +not have survived.</p> + +<p>It was a wonder that the boy kept his senses, +but he lived through it all, only to die before +getting into port, from neglected cold and pneumonia +contracted whilst lashed up thus off the +Horn.</p> + +<p>If ever a boy was murdered it was that boy. +On some of the Yankee hell ships the things +that go on are almost incredible, and the captains +have to be skilled surgeons to cope with the work +of destruction wrought by their mates.</p> + +<p>Legs and arms broken were considered nothing, +ribs stamped in by heavy sea-boots had to mend +as best they could, faces smashed like rotten +apples by iron belaying pins had to get well or +fear worse treatment, eyes closed up by a brawny +mate’s fist had to see. There have been many +instances of men triced up in the rigging, stripped, +and then literally skinned alive with deck-scrapers.</p> + +<p>Thus the reputation of American ships has +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> +got so bad that none but a real tough citizen, or +a stolid, long-suffering Dutchman (as sailors call +all Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, or Russian +Finns), will ship in them.</p> + +<p>On board these “down-easters” and “blue-nose” +craft, where discipline is enforced by a plentiful +use of belaying-pin, knuckle-duster, and boot, +the work done is stupendous, and the ship is +certainly kept in a wonderfully trim state.</p> + +<p>Of course there is also a certain amount to +be said on the side of the captains and mates, +as nowadays some crews are composed of such +villainous scoundrels, that unless you take a high +hand with them, and show you are not to be +trifled with, they would soon take advantage of +what they would call a “softy,” and a reign of +terror would begin, any sort of discipline would +be impossible, the men would do just as much +work as they felt inclined for, and they would +openly sneer and scoff at you if ordered to do +anything they did not wish.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 24th July.</i>—Thank goodness, we have +finished with the hold for the present, and to-day +we are all over the side on stages, chipping the +rust off the plates preparatory to giving the ship +a coat of paint.</p> + +<p>This is a very pleasant change, and it is +quite delicious working in the open air and sunshine +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> +after the gloom of the stuffy hold. But +now, instead of getting our eyes filled with coal-dust, +they get bombarded by bits of rusty +iron.</p> + +<p>Chips wears goggles for protection; and I +tried to find my snow goggles, but not being able +to, had to do without.</p> + +<p>Chipping is not nearly so simple as it looks. +To begin with, the hammers are by no means +light, and I found that at the end of my first +day’s chipping, my wrist was very stiff.</p> + +<p>If you hit too hard, you make dents in the +iron; if you hit too soft, you get nothing done.</p> + +<p>Don and I, though we worked like furies, +found that we could not keep up with the others, +who did not seem to be working hard at all.</p> + +<p>We started chipping from the port bow, and +as soon as a plate was chipped and rubbed smooth, +it was immediately painted.</p> + +<p>We were a very cheerful party. Don and I +started singing choruses at the top of our pipes +in time to the chipping. The mate, who was prowling +about the deck, came to the side and watched +us in amazement, but said nothing.</p> + +<p>The second mate, who is a real white man, +does not mind, though his language is often +forcible. Rowland, who had been degraded from +his post of night watchman because he was ashore +till two o’clock one night, joined in with a will, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span> +and Mac, the fourth mate, was also induced to +tune up when he saw that nothing happened.</p> + +<p>Chip! chip! chip! And it’s Blow, my bully +boys, blow! As we were not under the eyes of the +mate the whole time, we slipped in an occasional +smoke, and, in fact, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.</p> + +<p>This evening Don and I went to see <i>Heartsease</i> +played at the Columbia Theatre. The piece was +well put on, and well acted. To my great surprise, +the pathetic bits moved Don to tears, and he +insists that he must go again; it is wonderful +what delight a piece gives some people if it is +tragic enough to make them cry.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 25th July.</i>—Still chipping and painting +all day. My hands, which were very sore, are +now quite healed and hardened up, and I am as +fit as a fiddle, and ready for anything.</p> + +<p>Don went off this evening, with Rowland in +tow, to see <i>Heartsease</i> again.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 26th July.</i>—Again chipping and +painting.</p> + +<p>We are waiting anxiously for our stiffening, +which may turn up at any minute, as we have +to go over to Oakland Creek to discharge the +rest of our coal.</p> + +<p>Don and I, on coming on board this evening +from the shore, found Johnsen, the sailmaker, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> +camped down in our forecastle, and trying to +get to sleep in the bunk next to Don’s.</p> + +<p>This man is a very queer character: he is +very silent, and rarely says a word, though he +speaks English very well: he is a Swede, and an +excellent sailor, but a more unpopular scoundrel +never sailed the seas. He has got a villainous +face, with queerish eyes; and, owing probably to +two severe falls from aloft, he is not all there. +He is exceedingly suspicious, and thinks everybody +is trying to do him a bad turn.</p> + +<p>As he is such a good sailor, the old man, on +losing his sailmaker, offered him the job, which +he accepted, and moved into the midship-house, +where Chips (who is a Russian Finn) and our +German cook live.</p> + +<p>But now, for some reason or other, he has +refused to go home as sailmaker, and has come +back into the forecastle, meaning to come home +as an A.B.</p> + +<p>Such is our queer, new mate in the forecastle. +I must say he does not interfere with Don and +myself in any way, even getting his own grub +from the galley, which an A.B. expects an O.S. +to do for him.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 27th July.</i>—Oh, joyful sight! On +turning out this morning, we found four lighters +alongside with our 400 tons of stiffening on board.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span></p> + +<p>Before knocking off this evening, we cockbilled +the lower yards, as we are going to be +towed over to Oakland Creek to-morrow morning +to discharge the rest of our coal, and the yards +have to be cockbilled, apparently to clear the +top of the coal sheds.</p> + +<p>As this is our last day in Frisco for some +time, I took the second mate, Don, and Rowland, +to dinner at the top of the “Call,” and afterwards +to see <i>Heartsease</i> again.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II"> + CHAPTER II + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>OAKLAND CREEK AND PORT COSTA</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 28th July.</i>—We were turned out at +3.30, and started unmooring ship in the dark; no +light work, shorthanded as we are. The tug was +soon fast alongside, however, and away we went +for Oakland Creek.</p> + +<p>The early rising had a bad effect on the +captain’s temper. He started letting it off in +loud tones to the pilot about what a —— fool of +a mate he had got. This was on account of the +yards not being cockbilled quite high enough.</p> + +<p>This was said so that the whole ship’s crew +and tugboat could hear. The mate happened to +be forward superintending the cockbilling of the +fore-yard a bit higher.</p> + +<p>“I’m d—d if I’d stand that,” shouts the +second mate at the top of his voice to the mate, +in plain hearing of the old man; nor did he.</p> + +<p>Aft came the mate, not stopping until he was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> +within talking distance, but shouting at the old +man as he came along, and letting him have it +hot and thick. The old man roared back, and +for a minute or so they went at it in rare style, +much to the delight of the rest of us.</p> + +<p>“I won’t stand it, Captain Bailey; I’m d—d +if I will, and so I tell ye.”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t I tell ye to cockbill the yards last +night, d—n it? but I can’t trust ye, I can’t trust +ye: what good are ye, what use are ye?”</p> + +<p>“I know my duty, Captain Bailey, and I do +it;” and the mate had his say. At last the mate +went forward again to his cockbilling, and then +the old man thundered out to the second mate, +who was under the break of the poop,</p> + +<p>“Mr Knowles, come up here!” and then +another furious row began. These two had +been at loggerheads most of the voyage, both +had tempers of the hottest description; the second +mate was afraid of no man, and what’s more, +did not care what he said, and he used to make +the old man almost foam at the mouth, by +laughing when he was cursing him.</p> + +<p>On the passage from Japan, the old man had +shut him up in his cabin for a week—this, by +the way, is a not uncommon punishment for +young second mates.</p> + +<p>Well, at it they went, and I heard every +word, as, unknown to the old man, I happened +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> +to be doing something on the other side of the +wheel-house.</p> + +<p>“You are the worst b—dy second mate I +ever had!” thundered the old man.</p> + +<p>The second mate laughed.—He had a laugh +when his temper was up which would have made +an angel grind his teeth.</p> + +<p>“D—d mutinous dog.”</p> + +<p>This burst the torrent of the second mate’s +language, and the air was sulphurous for a bit.</p> + +<p>“I’ll put you in irons! I’ll put you in irons!” +yelled the old man, shaking his fist in the other’s +face.</p> + +<p>“Two of you could not do it; I defy you! +d’you hear, I defy you!” and the second mate +glowered over the old man, with clenched fists +and quivering nostrils.</p> + +<p>At last they talked themselves out, and the +second mate left the poop.</p> + +<p>Turning round, the old man found Rowland +and myself coiling down a line behind the chart-house. +Rowland was just out of his time, and +had served the whole of it under Captain Bailey +in the <i>Royalshire</i>, and so knew him pretty well +by this time.</p> + +<p>“Ever cockbilled yards before?” growled the +old man sarcastically to Rowland.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir, in mid-Atlantic this voyage,” said +Rowland, referring to the cyclone the <i>Royalshire</i> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> +was caught in, in the Western Ocean on her way +to Philadelphia from Hamburg, in which both +her fore and crossjack port lifts carried away, +and the yards were cockbilled as they had never +been before. They had a narrow squeak of it; +all three topsails and the foretopmast staysail +were blown out of the bolt-ropes, and for some +seconds the ship was on her beam ends.</p> + +<p>But to return, whilst the skipper raved on +the poop, we were being towed over to Oakland +Creek, and the dawn was not yet.</p> + +<p>Presently there was another row, for Mac +was overheard by the old man as he cursed +him in the foulest language under the break of +the poop.</p> + +<p>Up Mac had to go on to the poop, and stand +up against the old man’s wrath.</p> + +<p>He and Scar the third mate, who is now +acting as night watchman, are both very down +on the old man, because he won’t let them go +home <i lang='fr'>via</i> New York.</p> + +<p>Like Rowland, they are both just out of +their time; the old man has made them third +and fourth mates, but they want him to pay +their passage home by New York, as they do +not want to waste the time by going home in +the ship. Rowland hopes to go home by New +York, as his people are going to send the money +out.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span></p> + +<p>On arriving in Oakland Creek, we found a +wretched three-masted schooner in our berth, so +we had to moor ship a hundred yards off the +sheds.</p> + +<p>How sick we did get of mooring ship and +unmooring ship. Our whole ship’s company at +present is only nine for working purposes: the +four mates, Rowland, Chips, Johnsen, Don, myself, +and the nipper, who is only sixteen. Mooring +a big ship like the <i>Royalshire</i> is pretty heavy +work for eight men and a boy.</p> + +<p>Talk about “sea serpents,” I know what they +are now—“wire mooring-lines.”</p> + +<p>These devils incarnate will go any way but +the way you want them to go: as a rule they +prefer lying in a tangled knotted heap on the +deck. If you try to coil them down neatly, they +spring into action at once; one bight trips you +up, whilst another knocks you over the head and +lays you flat on the deck; a third giving you a +gentle rap across the wrist, which nearly breaks +it.</p> + +<p>Then if they have been in the water, they +have probably found bottom somehow, and come +out covered with slimy mud, which they immediately +wipe off on you.</p> + +<p>They jam in the hawse pipes, they serge, and +in fact play the devil in every way they can think +of. The consequence is, that mooring the <i>Royalshire</i> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span> +is usually done by eight blaspheming, perspiring +ruffians, muddy and bruised, and soaking +wet.</p> + +<p>For some reason or other, we always had to +moor or unmoor ship in the early morning, or +late at night in pitch darkness, which certainly +did not improve matters.</p> + +<p>Well, by eight bells, 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, we had got the +<i>Royalshire</i> snugly moored; but no sooner had we +cleaned ourselves and gulped down our slumgullion +than we were turned to to warp the ship further +up the wharf, as another ship wanted to come +in where we were lying.</p> + +<p>This meant slacking away our stern lines, +and taking our head lines to the capstan.</p> + +<p>Four hands were all we could spare on the +capstan to move the 2000-ton ship, with 600 tons +of coal and the stiffening, about fifty yards against +the stream.</p> + +<p>We did it somehow; how long we took I +don’t know, but I shan’t forget those hours at +the windlass, fighting for every inch.</p> + +<p>The second mate, Don, Johnsen, and myself +were on the bars.</p> + +<p>“Heave and she must, heave and she will!” +sung the mate; but devil a bit of it.</p> + +<p>As soon as we had got her moored again, we +were turned out to cleaning out the stringers in +the fore-hold.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span></p> + +<p>Just across the creek lies an old-time South +Sea whaler, and from the look of her lines she +must be at least fifty years old.</p> + +<p>She had a regular old-fashioned stern, with +great windows surrounded by ornamentation gilt +work. Her boats, to the number of four, were +slung out on wooden davits; her jibboom had a +great hoist to it, and was very lengthy compared +to the iron spars which form the bowsprits of +modern sailing-ships. Her decks were flush fore +and aft; there was the usual brick-built “tryworks” +amidships, and a small galley forward. +She had long topmasts and stump topgallant +masts, and her topgallant yards were on deck.</p> + +<p>I was very much interested in her—a last +survivor of an almost vanished type of ship, whose +business in the Great South Seas was at one +time a source of great wealth to “down-east” +owners.</p> + +<p>In the days of their prime, these South Sea +whalers constantly came into port after a three +year’s voyage with a fortune in their hold.</p> + +<p>The record whaling cruise, I believe, was that +of the New Bedford South Seaman <i>Onward</i>, which, +after forty-one months at sea, stocked 275,000 +dollars. But, like many other good old sea trades, +the day has passed; whales have been thinned +out and killed off, and it no longer pays, and a +South Sea whaler is now a very great rarity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 29th July.</i>—Early this morning we +were again turned out of our berth, and had to +move farther up.</p> + +<p>Johnsen is getting quite talkative in the forecastle, +and yarned away last night for some time +to Don and myself.</p> + +<p>He has tried to educate himself a bit, and +thinks he knows a good deal about languages. +He told us some very queer and bloodthirsty +yarns about his sprees in New York and other +parts of the world.</p> + +<p>They generally had some deep joke in them, +which he would chuckle over for hours, but Don +and I always seemed to miss the point.</p> + +<p>He has got a sea-chest which he bought in +China, and which he is very proud of. Somebody +on the last passage broke the lock and stole the +lid, so now he is very much on the alert lest +Don or I should try and repeat the performance.</p> + +<p>He has bought some wood, and spends most +of his spare time trying to make a new lid. It +is bothering him a good deal, and we found him +cursing like fury two days ago, as, after all his +trouble, he found he had made his lid a bit too +small, so now he is hard at work making another +one.</p> + +<p>Don and I often go and sit in the half-deck +of an evening now, and yarn away with the +nipper, Rowland, and Mac.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span></p> + +<p>This half-deck, as it is called, is a kind of deck +cabin under the break of the poop.</p> + +<p>It is the abode of the apprentices, and, though +none too large, has seven bunks in it.</p> + +<p>It is pretty well blocked up now with the +curios they all bought in Japan. Each man +bought a tea-set, besides sword-sticks, fishing-rods, +vases, Chinese puzzles, and other curios. The +nipper also has got a canary, which he hopes to +get safely to England.</p> + +<p>The occupants of the half-deck at present are +Scar, MacDenny, Rowland, and the nipper. There +was another apprentice, who is at present in +hospital in Frisco.</p> + +<p>He fell from aloft one dirty night whilst +making the spanker fast, and landed face down +on a skylight. It was a wonder he was not +killed; his jaw was broken, his face cut to ribbons, +and his skull nearly cracked, but he is slowly +recovering.</p> + +<p>The others all swear by him. He appears +to have been a very fine sailorman, strong as a +bull, good-tempered, and fearless.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 30th July.</i>—Turned to at 5.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, +and warped ship down to the coal bunkers, the +schooner having departed. Finished mooring ship +at 8.30.</p> + +<p>After breakfast, Rowland and I went off to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span> +play cricket for the California Cricket Club +against the Pacific C.C. in a cup match, both of +us having been made honorary members.</p> + +<p>Neither of us helped them much, and we got +badly beaten. After the match Don, Rowland, +and I went and had a swim in the magnificent +baths they have here.</p> + +<p>Don holds several swimming records both in +California and in England, having taught swimming +in the famous Frisco baths, the finest in the +world. He has a lot of diving tricks, and is +really a beautiful performer.</p> + +<p>After our swim we wanted our usual go of +hot cakes, but though we searched Oakland high +and low, we could not get them. Apparently in +Oakland they only eat them for breakfast.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 31st July.</i>—I had the dirtiest day’s +work I have ever had to-day. Directly we had +got the stringers clean as the last of our coal +was taken out, we were turned to cleaning bilges +again. These bilges forward were far worse than +those aft; the smell was worse than any smell I +have ever smelt, and you could not help getting +covered with the awful stuff as you shovelled it +into the buckets with your hands. Once a full +bucket, when half hauled up, fell, and scattered +the muck all over us, and I can tell you it made +some of us feel queer. When we had the bilges +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span> +clean, we plastered them, and this filthy job lasted +until knock-off time.</p> + +<p>They tell me that when the ship gets home +she will have her bilges full again and the grain +will have grown over a foot high in them.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_048" style="max-width: 128.9375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_048.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + FRISCO SWIMMING BATHS + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 1st August.</i>—Turned to at 3.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>; +unmoored and towed off to Port Costa, or to be +exact, Crockett, which is about a mile nearer than +Port Costa.</p> + +<p>Chips and his mate from the shore have got +all the after and main hold lined with planks +ready for loading grain, and are busy now on +the fore-hold, and all the lumber that I sent on +board from the wharf in Frisco is fast being +used up.</p> + +<p>We are busy on a much cleaner job to-day, +that of nailing down old sails and canvas over +the lining in the hold, according to regulations.</p> + +<p>Many were the growls when, on arriving at +Crockett, we found our berth again occupied, and +we have got to wait until the other ship has +finished loading.</p> + +<p>The captain has allowed Don and myself to +come aft into the half-deck, a rare piece of luck; +so we brought all our truck aft this evening, and +took possession of two empty lower bunks.</p> + +<p>Our first night in the half-deck was not a nice +one, as it was very hot and close, and the mosquitoes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span> +were awful, biting like fury; they were half the +size of Klondyke mosquitoes, but twice as vicious.</p> + +<p>Too hot to sleep in my bag any longer, so +have turned it inside out to lie upon.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 2nd August.</i>—We finished chipping +this morning, and all hands are over the side +on stages, busy painting. I always thought “slap, +dab, dash” painting of this sort was easy enough, +but I soon found out my mistake.</p> + +<p>A modern sailorman has to be an expert with +the paint-pot, and the mates of course have to +understand how to mix the different paints.</p> + +<p>It is wonderful how much paint a smart ship +consumes in a voyage.</p> + +<p>Well, I started work painting our beautiful +figure-head white, and thought I was doing +very well; but when I had finished it, Chips had +to come along and do it all again. After this +the old man was constantly pointing out bits of +bad painting as he came along the wharf, and +they generally turned out to be my doing.</p> + +<p>Don had been in the “slap-dab” trade before, +and rather fancied himself, and the only person +on board who attempted to rival me in bad +painting was the nipper.</p> + +<p>Painting is reckoned one of the nicest jobs +on board ship, and most sailors are extremely +neat, quick painters. I was all right at little +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> +tricky jobs, but when it came to putting the paint +smoothly on a big plate, I was done.</p> + +<p>This evening we walked down the line to +Port Costa, where there is a small branch of the +Institute. Here we met a number of apprentices +off the other ships loading, marvellous specimens +some of them.</p> + +<p>A very kind old lady ran the branch, and +after an evening spent in song, gave us a very +good tea—the great attraction, of course, and one +that was well earned, as the Institute was at the +top of a hill, with a regular breakneck climb +up to it, and a nice time we had coming down +it one or two pitch-dark nights. Walking back +to the ship along the railway track was not a +very pleasant job on a pitch-dark night, with +trains coming along every few minutes, and grain-trucks +being shunted about.</p> + +<p>The second mate of one of the ships had an +adventure which provided us with laughter for +some time. As a whole lot of us were sitting +yarning in the half-deck, he came staggering in, +evidently full of nose-paint, and with his trousers +pulled up above his knees.</p> + +<p>“My God, boys, I can run, an’ so I tell ye. +I’ll run any man for fthifthy poundths.”</p> + +<p>“Why, what the devil have you been doing +now?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve just—ah, let me see, I forgeth—oh yeth, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span> +I’veth justh beaten the bloomen thrain; that’th +so’th, boys. I was down sitting on th’ thrack over +ath Port Costa, when I sees a thrain a comin’ +righth on top o’ me; well, boyths, will ye believ’ +thi’t, but I justh pulled up ma’ throuthers like +this, see,—d’ye see, ye with the uglith mug,—are +you lookin’, you, eh? ugly?”</p> + +<p>“Aye, mate, I’m lookin’.”</p> + +<p>“Do ye want’th to fighth; if tho, I’m ye man, +d’ye hear, ugly? I can fighth the blasted world, +I can.” He was beginning to get bellicose, and +was right off his subject, leering round and +shaking his fist at us all as we roared with +laughter.</p> + +<p>“What about the train, mate; did it catch +ye?” asked somebody.</p> + +<p>“Did it catch’th me? ye say; did it catch’th +me? I should smile. Why, I giv’th a whoop, +an’ away I goes for Crocketh quicker ’an flyin; +an’ here I am—the blasted thrain ain’t got here +yet. Run! I can run!” and he pulled his +trousers up higher, and put himself into position +to run a hundred yards. We spent a hilarious +night, heedless of heat and mosquitoes, on the +top of this yarn, and finally had to put the crack +runner to bed.</p> + +<p>We never found out the truth of this yarn. +I expect really he ran from a stationary lot of +cars, thinking they were a train after him, or +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> +else some carriages being shunted started him +off.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 3rd August.</i>—The other ship +finished loading yesterday, and went off; so early +this morning we warped down into position, and +started loading barley.</p> + +<p>How those stevedores did work!—the heavy +bags of grain being simply poured down the +shoots into the hold, where they were immediately +shouldered by great burly half-naked men, who +packed them as tight as possible in tiers and +rows.</p> + +<p>I now had a new job. Chips and I crawled +about over the bags as they were stowed, with +our knives “bleeding” them, that is to say we +ripped them open, and poured grain into all the +chinks and crevices.</p> + +<p>The stevedores were as rough a crew of men +as I had seen anywhere, and their chaff amongst +one another was of the wildest and coarsest +description, and several times small fights arose +and even knives were drawn, but with no +dangerous results.</p> + +<p>One man hove some grain in another’s face +by way of a joke, but the other did not see it, +as, growling out that he wasn’t going to be +blinded, he hurled his knife across the ’tween-decks +at the other; it missed the man by a hairbreadth, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span> +and stuck, quivering, into a bag of grain +by his side.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 4th August.</i>—The mosquitoes were +very hungry all night, and made a great repast.</p> + +<p>Last night the captain had a party on board, +the result of which was that the new steward got +“whole seas over,” and kicked up such a row in +the half-deck that the old man wanted to know +about it in the morning; and as he could not +find out the truth of the matter, put it down on +Don, whom he regards as a real wrong ’un.</p> + +<p>After work to-day, all hands from the mate +down, except the Dutchmen, went overboard for +a swim; but it was dangerous work, as the tide +and current of the Sacramento are very tricky +and strong, and full of eddies.</p> + +<p>Chips brought out a little 30.30 Winchester +carbine, and we had some shooting at bottles.</p> + +<p>I had one of these guns up in the Klondyke, +and was delighted with it. I can’t say much for +sailors as shots, but Scar was the worst of the +lot, and could not go within a hundred yards of +the target, besides letting the gun off by mistake, +and scaring us out of our lives.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 5th August.</i>—The old man gave +Rowland, the nipper, and myself, leave to go and +play cricket in Frisco for the “British Sailing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> +Ships” against the Australian boat R.M.S. +<i>Moana</i>.</p> + +<p>We played up in the park on a grass wicket, +and for a wonder it was a very cold, damp day. +I only got 12, and was rather annoyed getting +out, as the old man, who is a keen cricketer, was +looking on.</p> + +<p>Rowland and the nipper, however, distinguished +themselves, getting 28 and 18 respectively, +and we of the <i>Royalshire</i> contingent beat +the <i>Moana</i> off our own bat, besides getting most +of the wickets, so we did not do so badly.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 6th August.</i>—Karney of the Institute +very kindly put the nipper and myself up for +the night, as we had not got to get back +to the <i>Royalshire</i> until Sunday night, so as +to be in time to begin work on the following +morning.</p> + +<p>What a luxury sleeping between sheets seemed. +I did not go to sleep at first, because I felt so +comfortable, and wanted to prolong the enjoyment, +and revel in it as long as I could.</p> + +<p>A member of the Olympic Club took us there +in the morning, and we had a fine swim, followed +by a big lunch, at which I ate a whole porterhouse +steak, much to the amazement of our host. +We caught the seven o’clock train back to +Crockett.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 7th August.</i>—Still at work bleeding +grain bags, whilst the others are painting the +ship.</p> + +<p>Amongst the ships loading-up here is the <i>Queen +Margaret</i>, a skysail-yard four-mast barque, with +a great reputation for speed and good treatment. +She is a very fast sailer, and is expected to get +home first out of the whole fleet. Her apprentices +actually get eggs and bacon for breakfast in port: +who ever heard of such a luxury?</p> + +<p>Close to her is the <i>Almora</i>, a three-mast +barque, with a greater carrying capacity than +the <i>Royalshire</i>, but so slow that she will be very +lucky if she gets home in one hundred and fifty +days. She is such a hungry ship, that even in +the cabin they do not get butter or marmalade.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 8th August.</i>—Don and I went aloft +for the first time to-day, as we have started bending +sail.</p> + +<p>The first sail to be bent was the fore-royal, +and so there was no chance of approaching matters +by degrees. We neither of us found any difficulty, +however, except that perhaps at first we were a bit +more careful, and kept a good hold.</p> + +<p>On the royal-yard I found that I was much +too long in the leg for the foot-ropes, so that my +knees came above the yard, and I was in danger +of losing my balance and toppling over if I stood +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span> +up, and if I sat down on the foot-rope I was too +low down, so I had to do a kind of kneel to be +able to work in any comfort.</p> + +<p>We soon found that bending sail shorthanded, +with a strong wind in your teeth, was terrific hard +work, and most trying to the temper, especially +when you are new to the job.</p> + +<p>For those who may not know how a square-sail +is bent, I may perhaps be permitted to give +a short explanation:—</p> + +<p>First you have to hoist the sail up by means +of a block and gantline until the bunt, which is +made fast to the end of the gantline, is well above +the yard—(always send up a sail to windward). +Then the sail is spread along the yard, head up, +and the head-earings passed by the men at each +yardarm. Then the buntlines and leech-lines, +which are used to clew up the sail, are clinched. +Then you tie the head of the sail to the jackstay, +which is an iron bar running along the top of the +yard. This is done with rovings, lengths of rope +yarn, three or more being passed according to +whether the sail is a royal, topgallant, topsail, +or course; the sheet and the clew-line being +shackled on to the clew by the men at the yardarms. +The sail is then picked up and furled by +means of the gaskets, short ropes made fast to +the jackstay, and wound round and round the +sail and yard to hold the sail up when furled.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span></p> + +<p>All this is no easy business for two men on +each yardarm and one at the bunt, with the +sail dragging and blowing aback and trying to +knock you off the foot-ropes, and half a gale of +wind in your face.</p> + +<p>The old rule on a yard is, “one hand for +yourself and one for the ship,” which means, hold +on with one hand and work with the other. But +if you want to get the work done in a case like +this, when so shorthanded or in real bad weather, +I defy anyone to do much good with only one +hand; you soon find yourself using both, extremely +dangerous as it is, for the sail has a way of flying +up over the yard and hitting you in the face, +which, if you have not got fast hold of the backstay, +must send you over backwards.</p> + +<p>All day we worked like furies, sweating and +cursing. The language used up aloft was a +revelation to me; never had I heard such thundery +and hair-curling expressions before, not even in +an American mining camp.</p> + +<p>The language of the mates verged from the +forcible to the personal, from the picturesque to +the lurid; and finally their inventive minds gave +way before the strain of coining new words, and +their voices, grown husky and broken, gradually +lapsed into hoarse murmurings and whispered +commands to “hoist away,” or “tie up the sail,” +as the case might be.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span></p> + +<p>There was a kind of fierce enjoyment of it +all as we sweated and toiled, struggling desperately, +and putting every ounce of strength into +the pulling and hauling, such as a man feels in +the midst of a hard-fought battle—an exultation +that lifted one out of oneself, and enabled one’s +muscles to accomplish prodigies of strength without +feeling the tremendous fatigue and strain.</p> + +<p>Occasionally a laugh would be raised at some +unfortunate’s expense, and chaff flew thick from +yardarm to yardarm.</p> + +<p>By the end of the day we had bent the fore-royal, +two topgallant-sails, and two topsails, and +were all well pleased with ourselves, as it was no +mean performance with half a gale of wind in our +teeth.</p> + +<p>The second mate was as active as a cat aloft, +and did the work of six men. As for myself, after +the first hour or so I felt completely at home, and +as if I had been used to swinging on a foot-rope +200 feet above the deck all my life.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 9th August.</i>—No mosquitoes could +keep me awake last night, I was so tired.</p> + +<p>We bent the main-royal, topgallant sails, and +topsails to-day, and did even better work than +yesterday; things worked smoother, notwithstanding +that the wind was blowing as hard as ever.</p> + +<p>My hands, by the way, are now as hard as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span> +leather, and all this pulling and hauling has got +me into splendid condition.</p> + +<p>Don, though, is fifteen years older than I am, +and is feeling the hard work rather, especially in +his back, and is fairly worn out at the end of +every day’s work.</p> + +<p>We are bending our best sails; these will all +have to come down after we have been a few +days at sea. We shall bend our old sails for the +tropics, and then bend these again for the Horn.</p> + +<p>Many landsmen think that one bends one’s +old sails for the bad weather, and one’s best +sails for the tropics. But just the opposite is +the case.</p> + +<p>The old, patched sails that are used in the +tropics would fetch away like tissue paper in a +hard blow; and in the furious southern blasts +and the terrific gales of the Western Ocean, only +the very best and strongest canvas is able to +withstand the strain.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 10th August.</i>—Bent mizen-royal, +topgallant sails, topsails, and foresail. This last +was a very heavy job for our small ship’s company.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 11th August.</i>—We finished bending +sail to-day with the jibs, staysails, spanker and +gaff-topsail.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span></p> + +<p>After work, we were glad to plunge into the +Sacramento and have a good swim, Don giving +us an exhibition of trick diving.</p> + +<p>We had several visitors in the half-deck this +evening, and a great sing-song took place, everybody +being required to tune up his pipes and +sing a song in turn.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 12th August.</i>—We had a great treat +to-day: the second mate, Mac, Rowland, Don, +and myself went off in the lifeboat to get sand, +taking a dozen empty grain bags to be filled.</p> + +<p>Don and I took a pot of jam and some hard +tack, as we started before breakfast; but the +second mate had the remains of a cold leg of +mutton, and some real bread-and-butter sandwiches.</p> + +<p>We rowed about two miles up-stream before +we found a suitable sandy bay.</p> + +<p>The sand we wanted was good, fine sand, as +it was to be used for that most important business +on board ship known as “sand and canvasing,” +which is “rubbing the woodwork clean by means +of wet sand and pieces of canvas.”</p> + +<p>We soon had our bags full, and then began +the picnic. How we did enjoy that breakfast on +the beach!—we even lit a camp fire, though we +had nothing to cook on it.</p> + +<p>Rowing back was very heavy work against +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span> +the tide, and the sand bags put the boat very +low in the water, added to which, by the time +we got alongside she was quite half-full of +water. As she had not been in the water for +some time, her seams were open, and she leaked +so badly that we had to keep a baler going +the whole time.</p> + +<p>After washing down, I was lucky enough to +catch the five o’clock train for Frisco.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 13th August.</i>—I played in a cup match +for the California C.C. against the Alameda C.C.</p> + +<p>We had a very exciting match, and just won +by a wicket and 6 runs.</p> + +<p>I got 34—top score.</p> + +<p>I had supper at the Institute, and caught the +seven o’clock train back to Port Costa.</p> + +<p>We were greeted by bad news on board the +<i>Royalshire</i>. The nipper had been bathing with +some apprentices off another ship.</p> + +<p>He and two of the others could swim, but the +third couldn’t, so he hung around the shore, until +all at once he floundered into a hole. The nipper +was the only one near him, and immediately dived +for him; the drowning boy caught hold of him +as he reached him, and held him under the water +in a deadly embrace. The other two came up +as quick as they could, and after several dives, +managed to fish the nipper, insensible, up to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span> +the surface, but the other boy could not be +found.</p> + +<p>When I arrived on the <i>Royalshire</i>, I was told +that the nipper was still insensible, having been +taken on board another ship, and that the other +poor little fellow’s body had not been recovered.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 14th August.</i>—We have finished bending +sail for the present, and are busy painting.</p> + +<p>The nipper was brought on board this morning, +very little the worse; but the other body has +not been found yet. Poor little fellow, he seems +to have been such a nice little chap, and it was +his first voyage.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 18th August.</i>—Finished loading. The +captain is anxious about the trim of the ship, +but, except for a slight list to port, we seem to +be all right.</p> + +<p>About mid-day the tug came alongside. We +cast off our lines, and slowly swung into the +stream, and away we went again for the great +Bay of Frisco; but this time in sea trim, and +loaded nicely down to our marks.</p> + +<p>We brought up, and let our anchor go in the +bay about six o’clock.</p> + +<p>Around us lay several magnificent ships—two +four-mast barques, a three-mast barque, and two +or three full-rigged ships.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span></p> + +<p>One of the full-rigged ships was a real beauty, +a skysail-yard clipper: she had her masts, yards, +and blocks painted white, which gave her a very +neat and trim appearance aloft.</p> + +<p>Soon after we brought up, a scow came off +with some stores, chief amongst which was some +very fine, new, hard tack, which actually was +smoking hot when it came on board.</p> + +<p>There were some cabin stores, and some ships’ +coffee, which Don declares is not coffee at all, +and I incline to the belief that it is coloured +wood.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 19th August.</i>—The second mate, +Henderson, Johnsen, the nipper, and myself, swung +the captain’s gig out this morning, and rowed +him and Rowland ashore.</p> + +<p>Rowland had got paid off, and said good-bye +to us, as he is going home overland.</p> + +<p>To-day was our first day’s sand and canvasing.</p> + +<p>This is the kind of work which you get most +of on a sailing-ship, and at the same time is the +most disagreeable, especially in bad, cold, and +wet weather.</p> + +<p>This afternoon more stores came on board.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 20th August.</i>—We have no chance of +getting ashore, and occupied ourselves turning +out and cleaning up the half-deck.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 21st August.</i>—To-day we bent the +mainsail and crossjack in record time for six +men.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 22nd August.</i>—Our crew began +coming aboard to-day. The first man came +alongside about eleven o’clock this morning.</p> + +<p>We were at work shifting the bags of barley +from the starboard to port, in the fore ’tween-decks.</p> + +<p>The man was soon “turned to” carrying +the bags.</p> + +<p>He was a very small, greyheaded dago, called +Yoko, and looked very ill and done up, and it +was as much as he could do to lift a grain bag; +still he stuck to it, and we were soon chaffing +and talking with him.</p> + +<p>He was a Peruvian, and thought we were +bound for Callao; but when he heard the news +that we were bound for Europe, it did not seem +to bother him much.</p> + +<p>He afterwards turned out to be a good sailorman, +though too old and weak; but he knew +his work, and was one of the best men in the +port watch.</p> + +<p>He had not been working long before he +was followed by another dago, who turned out +to be a Brazilian. He was a stronger and younger +man, but not much of a sailor, and one of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span> +most cheerful men I have run across; everything +made him laugh, and when he was not +laughing, he was singing.</p> + +<p>We had just knocked off for dinner, when +two others came aboard: they were only rated +as O.S., and had never been to sea before, both +being American hobos. The biggest was a +strong boy just nineteen, who afterwards took +to the life, and learnt everything he could very +keenly. The other, who was a year younger, and +was a small, weak Canuk, was the drudge of the +ship; he boasted that he had never done a day’s +work in his life, in fact he was a regular good-for-nothing +hobo; but he soon found out that +he had to work, and all the dirty work in the +port watch fell to his portion.</p> + +<p>These two, when told to turn to at two bells, +came aft to work in stiff collars and boiled shirts, +which showed that they had not much experience +of hard work.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon, boats kept coming off at +intervals from the shore, each boat depositing +a half-drunk and very decrepit-looking man, +who did not at all like paying a dollar for his +boat. As yet no Britishers had arrived, though +we had scooped in an Arab, a Swiss, a Norwegian, +and a Swede.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 23rd August.</i>—Our new steward +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span> +came on board too drunk to work, so I have +been appointed steward for the time being.</p> + +<p>This is a slice of luck, as I feed with the +second mate in the cabin, and finish up whatever +the captain and mate leave.</p> + +<p>The captain had someone to supper with him +to-night, and was very much amused at perceiving +me playing the waiter.</p> + +<p>I had been very careful in laying the table, +determined not to forget anything; but, nevertheless, +I forgot the napkins.</p> + +<p>The captain, noticing this, said smiling, “H’m, +I think you have forgotten the serviteers.”</p> + +<p>He was a self-educated man, and though +very well read, was by no means certain in the +pronunciation of his long words.</p> + +<p>He had a talk to me one day about this, +whilst I was at the wheel in the South Atlantic. +He complained that Scotch boys were taught +to spell, but not to pronounce the long words.</p> + +<p>I felt very funny standing behind the captain’s +chair, with unsmiling face, and as like a waiter +as I could manage to be.</p> + +<p>After the captain and his guest had retired, +the second mate came down, and then how I did +tuck in; though there was only dry hash, and +bread and butter, I could have cleared the board +with ease, but I had to remember the inmates +of the half-deck, who were prowling around the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span> +port-hole, ready for me to pass something through +to them.</p> + +<p>Well, I don’t think they complained of my +treatment of them whilst I was steward.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 24th August.</i>—A great day for +Frisco, for the Californian boys are expected +home to-day from Manilla, and a great reception +has been got ready for them.</p> + +<p>Ever since the transport had been sighted off +the Farallones, every factory and steamer whistle +had been tooting for its life, and this awful din +has been going on since four o’clock yesterday +afternoon.</p> + +<p>As the <i>Royalshire</i> was considered the flagship +of the British sailing-ships in port, and had the +reputation of being the smartest, early in the +morning we dressed the ship with flags, and did +what we could towards the general din, by keeping +a man at work on our foghorn.</p> + +<p>I had a good climb, as I was sent up to +clear the house flag, which had got foul at the +main-truck.</p> + +<p>This means, that after you get on to the +royal-yard, you have to swarm up the naked +mast, and is a pretty good test of the condition +of your nerves. For a beginner, however, I +accomplished the job all right, and thus proved +my statement to the captain when I first met him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span></p> + +<p>The captain, who had stayed on shore last +night, presently came off in a launch with about +twenty people.</p> + +<p>I thanked my stars that the steward was on +his legs again. He was very shaky still, and +had a very busy day of it. How he managed to +feed those twenty people I don’t know; they kept +on going down to the cabin, though, in relay +after relay.</p> + +<p>We have been given a holiday on this auspicious +occasion.</p> + +<p>The bay was a lovely sight; all the morning, +yachts and crafts of all sort were scudding out +to the Golden Gate to escort the transport in.</p> + +<p>There was a bright sun and a fresh breeze, +and the bright colouring of the bunting, the white +sails of the yachts, and the flashing effects of +foam-flecked sea and blue sky, made an exceedingly +pretty and animated picture. It was a +fitting last day in Frisco, for we sail at daybreak +to-morrow.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon the rest of our new +hands came off, and a queer crew they looked. +Most of them were under the influence of liquor, +and lurching into the forecastle, were seen no more.</p> + +<p>One young O.S., by name Jennings, who was +afterwards in the starboard watch, had been on +the American Navy, but had been kicked out for +some offence at Manilla.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span></p> + +<p>He had been a signaller, and told us what +the battleship <i>Iowa</i> kept signalling.</p> + +<p>At last the transport was descried in the distance +slowly approaching up the bay, surrounded +by yachts and steamers, black with cheering +enthusiastic people.</p> + +<p>She was a very pretty sight as she approached, +with all her bunting flying, and sailing-yachts +and steam-launches darting about all round her.</p> + +<p>As she steamed in between our little fleet of +deep-watermen and Frisco, the din became +deafening; the deep roll of cheering reached us +over the water, the <i>Iowa</i> began firing her guns +off, and every whistle screeched at the top of its +pipes.</p> + +<p>As she came by, we dipped our ensign a +number of times, and the man at the foghorn +put his whole heart into his performance.</p> + +<p>Dodging round us were yachts of all kinds, +big cutters and little cat-boats; but the prettiest +of all was the Frisco pilot-boat, the <i>Bonita</i>, a +beautiful little schooner, which was scudding about +in every direction under foresail, headsails, and +double-reefed mainsail.</p> + +<p>The transport anchored below us, and now +the captain had to get his guests ashore; and as +there was no chance of getting the steam-launch, +the order was given to get the gig over the side.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_070" style="max-width: 148.625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_070.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + FRISCO BAY + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>It was now blowing quite fresh, and with the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span> +tide at half-flood, there was quite a bobble on +the water, and we had evidently got a stiff row +before us, as we were lying some way out.</p> + +<p>The captain had got half a dozen women +amongst his guests, who did not seem to like +the lookout at all, especially when they saw us +bobbing up and down alongside.</p> + +<p>With some care and stowing we got them all +aboard, and away we started for the shore, the +second mate pulling stroke.</p> + +<p>It took us two hours’ hard pulling to reach +the landing-stages, by which time the gig had +shipped so much water that the captain and +ladies in the sternsheets were up to their knees +in water, and the nipper had to give up his oar +and take to baling.</p> + +<p>The old man on getting ashore made the +second mate go straight back to the ship, as he +said he would come off in the launch, so we were +done out of a run ashore.</p> + +<p>So ended our last day in port.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III"> + CHAPTER III + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>THE NORTH PACIFIC</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0">Heh! Walk her round. Heave, ah, heave her short again!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Over, snatch her over, there, and hold her on the pawl,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Loose all sail, and brace your yards back and full—</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Ready jib to pay her off and heave short all!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Well, ah, fare you well; we can stay no more with you, my love—</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Down, set down your liquor and your girl from off your knee;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">For the wind has come to say: “You must take me while you may,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">If you’d go to Mother Carey (walk her down to Mother Carey!)</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Oh, we’re bound to Mother Carey where she feeds her chicks at sea!”</div> + <div class='verse right pr1 mtq'><span class="smcap">Kipling.</span></div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 25th August.</i>—Manned the capstan at +4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> The crew were turned out with some +difficulty, and some of them looked very much +the worse for wear, especially those that only +came aboard last night. The German-American +bosun soon began to give tongue, which, with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span> +his size, soon brought the loiterers up to the +scratch.</p> + +<p>The longbars were put into the capstan, and +we were soon tramping drearily round in the +raw, misty, morning air. As no one felt equal to a +chanty, we hove her short to occasional “Heave, +and she comes!” “Heave, and break her out!” +“Heave, and she must!” “Heave, and bust her!”</p> + +<p>Presently the anchor was hove short, and we +had to wait a while for our tug.</p> + +<p>I took the opportunity to take stock of our +crew; they seemed all sizes, shapes, and kinds. At +my bar was a long, thin man, who looked like a +sailor: he turned out to be a Swiss naturalised +American, one of the hardest workers in the ship, +who, though he had been at sea all his life in +sailing-ships and steamers, yet could not steer, +and certainly was hardly qualified for A.B.’s +work.</p> + +<p>Close to him was a little Arab, who, in light +blue dungarees, dark blue shirt, and red tam-o’-shanter, +made a picturesque figure, with his bowlegs +and face of bright copper. This man had +shipped as A.B., thereby earning four pounds a +month; but he soon showed himself a lazy and +ignorant little coward. Alongside him was a +man who looked the very image of an old +weather-beaten tar, but who also turned out very +different.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span></p> + +<p>Presently as it grew lighter, we made out the +tug coming off. We soon had her hawser aboard, +and “Man the capstan!” came the order, and +“Break out the mudhook!”</p> + +<p>Then came a struggle; everybody strained +with all their might, slower and slower went the +“click” of the pawls, until at last we were almost +at a standstill;—that mudhook refused to leave +his pleasant quarters at the bottom of Frisco Bay, +and twenty men did not seem able to move him.</p> + +<p>Puff! goes the tug, and with its help we soon +break out the demon, which presently appears at +the rail, with a mass of dark blue clayish mud +clinging to him. A man is sent to the wheel, +and the tug goes ahead.</p> + +<p>The anchor is soon catted and fished, and we +are turned to getting all ready for sea.</p> + +<p>Slowly, in the twilight of early dawn, we leave +Frisco, and pass our comrades lying in the bay. +One of them, the smart French barque, has a tug +alongside of her, and will soon be on our heels.</p> + +<p>Anxious as I was to get to sea, I felt quite +sorry as I saw Frisco, that gay wicked city of +the West, fading out of sight. It was a lovely +view as the sun rose in all his glory and flashed +on the windows of the great “Call” buildings +and lit up the bay, with the deep-sea sailors +at anchor nearest the American battleship <i>Iowa</i>, +beyond the ferry, and close to her the transport +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> +that had brought the Californian boys home, +and a great Australian liner.</p> + +<p>Good-bye, Frisco, we shall ever have pleasant +memories of you; but, as the good old chanty +goes—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Our anchor we’ll weigh, and our sails we’ll set,</div> + <div class="verse indent8">Good-bye, fare-ye-well!</div> + <div class="verse indent8">Good-bye, fare-ye-well!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The friends we are leaving, we leave with regret,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Hurrah! my boys, we’re homeward bound!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>As Frisco fades into the distance, the Golden +Gate begins to open up, and the deck to have +a bit of a jump in it as we near the bar.</p> + +<p>Here we had quite a tumble for a short time, +and one of our landlubbers did not require any +breakfast when eight bells went. For myself, as +usual, I had an appetite like a shark, and one of +our invaluable pots of jam was sacrificed to the +occasion.</p> + +<p>I had an accident this morning that might +have turned out badly. I was down in the cabin +helping the steward to put away some stores in +the lazarette; the trap-door down to the lazarette +was open, of course, and I carelessly, without +looking where I was going, stepped through it, +and of course fell with a terrific bang to the bottom +of the lazarette, a fall of over 10 feet, but I am +pretty hard and fit now, and was not a bit hurt.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span></p> + +<p>By 8.30 we were nearly up with the light-ship, +and we were turned to again.</p> + +<p>“All hands make sail!” sang out the mate. +There was a steady breeze from the north-west.</p> + +<p>I went up on to the fore-topsail yards and +loosed those sails, and then to the fore-topgallant +yards, and finally the royal. We had a busy +morning of it setting all sail.</p> + +<p>When the royal yards had been mastheaded, +I was sent up to the fore-royal to overhaul the +leech and buntlines. This means shinning up +the royal halliards, which are, of course, of chain, +and just within reach from the top of the topgallant +rigging.</p> + +<p>Up I went, without any difficulty as regards +the climbing, and luckily for me I have a very +good head, so I was soon on the royal foot-ropes +overhauling the gear.</p> + +<p>What a magnificent lookout one gets from +the royal yard of a ship, and what wee specks the +people working on deck do look from such an +elevation!</p> + +<p>Having overhauled the gear, I was preparing +to descend on to the upper-topgallant yard when +I was hailed by one of the new hands, who was +trying to overhaul the gear of the main upper-topgallant +yard. He evidently knew nothing +about the job, and I had to shout directions to +him. Then he wanted to know how to get on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> +to the main-royal yard. I told him, by shinning +up the royal halliards. This was a job he did +not seem to relish at all, and he was for going +down on deck again, but up came the mate’s voice +from below,</p> + +<p>“Topgallant yard there!—get a move on, and +overhaul those royal buntlines!”</p> + +<p>Up he had to go, and a pretty shaky job he +made of it; any moment I expected to see him +lose his nerve and come tumbling down on deck, +but at last he got up and on to the foot-ropes.</p> + +<p>This man was afterwards on the starboard +watch with me: he was a German-American, and +had been “hoboing.” He was an ex-American +soldier, and had no idea of anything connected +with a ship; he found, like the Canadian, that it +was very different from what he had expected. +For some reason, most landsmen think that at +sea, except for setting and taking in sail, you have +nothing to do but sit and smoke.</p> + +<p>When all the gear had been overhauled, and +the <i>Royalshire</i> was off with the wind on the beam, +with everything drawing and the decks cleared up, +all hands were called aft, and the watches were +picked.</p> + +<p>Don had a big compliment paid him, as, +though only rated O.S., he was made lamp-trimmer, +a job generally given to an A.B., and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> +one which is sought after, as the lamp-trimmer +has two hours of his afternoon watch on deck, +(whether it is the afternoon or first dog watch) +in which he is allowed to retire into the lamp-locker +and prepare his lamps and binnacles for the +night. As a smart man does not take two hours +over this work, he generally has an easy time, +instead of having to work at some job or other +under the eye of the mate or bosun.</p> + +<p>By the way, I forgot to mention the fact that +the tug had cast off directly we had got our topsails +mastheaded, and with a toot of farewell had +turned her head for the Golden Gate; and soon +after the beautiful pilot-boat, the schooner <i>Bonita</i>, +ran down upon us, and sent a boat aboard to +take off the pilot.</p> + +<p>But, to return to our watch picking, the mate +always has first choice, and he took a Welshman, +who was immediately made sailmaker. Our new +Sails was a Cardiff man and one of the best all-round +sailormen in the ship, besides being one +of the most cheery. He was a man who knew +something, having worked ashore and steadied +down. He had a big outfit of clothes in his chest, +which is a sure sign in a sailor that he does not +chuck his money about quite so wildly as most +foremast hands.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp94" id="i_078" style="max-width: 115.625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_078.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + THE PILOT-BOAT “BONITA” + <p>(<i>Drawn by the Author</i>)</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>For some unknown reason, all the dago’s were +picked in the mate’s watch; the second mate, in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span> +whose watch I was, having by far the best men. +He only made one bad pick, which was in picking +old man Higgins, second choice: this was the +old buffer who I thought looked such an old +salt whilst we were heaving up the anchor. +Though rated A.B., he was soon found to be +absolutely useless in any technical work.</p> + +<p>It was his wheel in the forenoon watch, and, +after nearly getting the ship in irons three +times, he had to be sent away from the helm in +disgrace. He was no sailorman at all really, +but an old soldier who had seen a good deal +of service in India with Roberts.</p> + +<p>He was an Irishman, and a very good old +chap; but the poor old man was very badly off +for clothes, and the hardships of the passage +pretty nearly broke him up. It was really hardly +safe to send him aloft, and when you did, he +was of very little use, as he could do nothing +more than hang on as a rule.</p> + +<p>The watches being picked, I think I might +take the opportunity to give a list of the ship’s +company.</p> + +<p>Besides the captain, the bosun, Sails, Chips, +the cook, and steward keep no watches. They are +called on board ship the “idlers”—a very bad +term, as no men work harder as a rule on board +ship than the bosun, sailmaker, and carpenter, +who begin work at 6 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, and with half an hour +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> +for breakfast and half an hour for dinner, as the +midday meal at sea is called, work all day, knocking +off at 6 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span></p> + +<p>Of course, they have all night in, besides have +a half-holiday on Saturday, and all Sunday free; +but I had had all I wanted of working all day +and sleeping all night, and I think working +watch and watch infinitely more preferable.</p> + +<p>I think I have already described all the idlers, +and so will turn to the watches. In the mate’s +watch were:—Scar, third mate; Whitmore, the +nipper, and Don Henderson, lamp-trimmer, all +three in the half-deck; Frenchie, an old man who +had been some years in the French Navy, and +was a good sailor but a bad helmsman, and was +getting rather too ancient (he was a quarrelsome +little beast, though, and the worst grumbler in +the ship); Hassan, the Arab, I have already +mentioned; Liverpool, a young Lancashire man, +and not much of a sailor; Yoko, the Peruvian, +a rare good old chap, and about the best sailor +in the port watch, though too old (he was the +first man of the crew to come aboard), he had an +extraordinary sweet voice, a very rare thing in a +sailor, and without doubt had the best temper +in the ship; Webber, the Swiss-American, who +was alongside me heaving up anchor; and Pedro, +a Brazilian, the merry rascal already mentioned.</p> + +<p>These six were all A.B.’s, and had come up +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span> +from Chile in a dago barque, which they had +left in Frisco. The two ordinary seamen in the +port watch were the two hobos, Jackson and Joy, +who had wanted to start work the other day in +boiled shirts and white collars. Joy boasted when +he came on board that he was a hobo, and had +never done an honest day’s work in his life, and +at first was inclined to think himself somebody, +but this was soon knocked out of him.</p> + +<p>The starboard watch consisted of—Mr +Knowles, the second mate; MacDenny, fourth +mate; Loring, and myself. Of the after gang, I +don’t think I have mentioned Loring before. He +was a young Londoner, about eighteen years old, +and I believe his grandfather was an admiral. +He was an apprentice of two voyages’ standing, +but on his second voyage had run from his ship +in Frisco, on account of bad treatment by the +mate and captain. Then, enlisting in the American +regular cavalry, he served several months, and +did very well; but at Honolulu, on his way to +Manilla, he deserted for two reasons, the chief of +which was, that his charger, which he had a great +love for, had died on the passage, and the other +was, that he had won a lot of money at poker. +From Honolulu he came back to Frisco first-class, +in the clothes he stood up in, and there the +good people of the Institute looked after him, +and got him back again on his old ship, which +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span> +had not yet sailed; but the day she was to sail, +he fell down with enteric fever, and was sent +ashore into hospital.</p> + +<p>Recovering from fever, he found himself +stranded again, and in danger of being arrested +as a deserter; but Karney of the Institute got +our old man to ship him as an ordinary seaman, +and give him a bunk in the half-deck.</p> + +<p>When he first came on board, he was so weak +that it was as much as he could do to lift a bag +of flour. I noticed this as he and I put the +stores away in the lazarette, under the eye of the +second mate.</p> + +<p>Loring turned out one of the best, and full of +grit. He and I were, of course, watch mates, and +the first part of the passage looked after the +binnacles, and kept time at night in our watch, +each taking two hours. Our A.B.’s forward are—Jamieson, +a little Scotchman, who had been shipwrecked +three times, and is the best helmsman +the captain has ever had, a good seaman and a +hard worker; Taylor, an ex-man-of-war’s man, +and a Londoner, but getting on in years (he +was the cheery man in the starboard forecastle, +though the passage ended very badly for him); +Wilson, a Swede, an old man with a voice like +a foghorn, and a nature as kind and affectionate +as a child’s, a good sailor, and terrific hard +worker; Johnsen, whom you have already heard +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> +about; Rooning, a young Norwegian, and a very +good sort altogether, with a good temper for a +red-headed man; and Higgins, the old soldier.</p> + +<p>The O.S.’s were Bower and Jennings. Bower +was the German-American who I had instructed +in overhauling gear, and Jennings was the young, +down-east American, who had interpreted the +signals of the <i>Iowa</i> the other day: precious little +seamanship he knows, and he is a bit of a shirker +too, though he is pretty active aloft, and twice as +much use as Bower or Higgins. So much for +the crew of the <i>Royalshire</i>: they were a pretty +scratch lot, all things considered, though they +might have been much worse.</p> + +<p>The forenoon watch is our watch on deck; +the wind is not very strong, and has hauled ahead, +so that we are close-hauled on the starboard tack. +The French barque soon ran past us, and heading +higher, much to our disgust, was soon almost +out of sight to windward. At which Don let +off some keen sarcasm at Scar and Mac, who had +been talking a great deal about the wonderful +sailing qualities of the <i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<p>At noon we went about, and no one who has +not witnessed the sight of a big ship going about, +can imagine the yelling and excitement that goes +on.</p> + +<p>Before going about, the braces are carefully +coiled down on the deck from off the pins, all +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span> +clear for running. The spankerboom is then +hauled amidships. The old man then comes to +the break of the poop, and calls out, “Ready +oh!”</p> + +<p>All hands are at their stations; being of the +after gang, my station is on the poop with the +fourth mate, at the mizen-topgallant and royal +braces. The old man gives a keen look round, +and then motions to the helmsman to ease the +helm down. The helm is eased down, so that her +way may not be checked too suddenly.</p> + +<p>As soon as the helm is down, the old man +calls out, “Helm’s alee!”</p> + +<p>On which the fore and head sheets are let go +and overhauled, the cook always attending to the +fore sheet. Directly the wind is out of the mainsail, +the order comes—</p> + +<p>“Raise tacks and sheets!”</p> + +<p>The foretack is kept fast until the mainsheet +is hauled, for, as the foresail bellies into the mast, +which it does directly the foretack is let go, +it retards the ship from coming to.</p> + +<p>Then comes the order—</p> + +<p>“Mainsail haul!” and if the old man has +judged his time well, the yards swing round so +quickly that you can hardly get the slack of the +braces in sharp enough.</p> + +<p>The afteryards are now braced up and belayed. +The ship is filled with strange, weird cries, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> +the tramp of many men, as on an occasion like +this, every man sings out independently at the +top of his pipes as he hauls on the brace. We +on the poop soon have our topgallant yards round, +and fly down on to the main deck to help the rest +of our watch at the crossjack and mainbraces, +whilst the mate and his watch attend to the +foreyards.</p> + +<p>I think the bosun has the most lively time, +though, for he with two men has to attend to +the headsheets, which, when the ship is put +about in anything of a breeze, thrash about and +thump their heavy blocks on the deck with a +force strong enough to knock a man’s brains out; +so he has to keep his eyes skinned, besides which +he has the ticklish job of letting the foretack +go.</p> + +<p>Our German-American bosun is a pretty big +coward, having had most of his nerve knocked +out of him by a knife through his lung put in +from behind, and this foretack job he fairly hates.</p> + +<p>Everybody works as for a wager, and the +old man stands at the break of the poop ready +for trouble; woe betide the mate if he has trouble +trimming his foreyards, but generally the bosun +and his foresheet receive the most language.</p> + +<p>Whilst the mate trims the foreyards, the old +man generally attends to the trimming of the +afteryards. Then we of the starboard watch +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> +board the maintack, whilst the port watch board +the foretack.</p> + +<p>The yards being trimmed, the tacks boarded, +and the bowlines hauled out, the old man retires, +and the order is given, “Go below, the watch!” +the watch on deck coiling down and clearing +up.</p> + +<p>After a little practice at going about, the crew +get together well, and the manœuvre is executed +rapidly and without any hitch, and each time we +go about we try to break the record as to time. +Of course, putting about a great big ship like +the <i>Royalshire</i>, whose yards are so heavy that it +requires a couple of strong men to the royal braces, +is a pretty heavy job, and every one has to put +all his available weight and strength into the +work.</p> + +<p>Our old man is a thorough seaman, as are +both the mates, and though there is plenty of +noise, and a good deal of hard language, still there +are no belaying pins flying, and wild confusion, +as on some ships, Yankees mostly, with hard +gangs aft.</p> + +<p>Twice we went about in the afternoon, much +to our disgust, as it was our watch below. The +breeze freshened up towards sunset, and we took +in the gaff-topsail in the second dog watch.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> is logging 10 knots, laying +over to it, a bit cranky at present until the grain +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> +settles down a bit. The gaff-topsail is one of my +sails, which I have always to go up to whenever +they are set or taken in; and Loring and I went +up to make the sail fast.</p> + +<p>The gaff-topsail is an easy enough sail to +get in if you know how, but if you do not know +how, it is a terror. The way to do it is, to get +on the outside of the sail and ride it down: and +after two or three times, I found that even in a +gale of wind I could manage to muzzle it pretty +easily by myself.</p> + +<p>Our first night at sea was an easy one, as it +was our middle watch, so that we got the first and +morning watches in.</p> + +<p>Coming on deck at midnight, we found nothing +to do, and most of the watch curled up and went +to sleep on the deck. This is allowable in the +tropics, the only men awake sometimes on a +smooth night in the tropics being the mate of +the watch, the helmsman, lookout, and timekeeper.</p> + +<p>Timekeeping is by no means fun: all through +the night at sea the bells are struck every half-hour, +and one bell struck a quarter before the +watch changes. So the timekeeper has no chance +to get a doze, though I have slept between the +bells.</p> + +<p>Keeping the binnacles alight was the worst +job. The cheapest and foulest of mineral oil +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span> +being used, the wicks soon had a cake on them, +and the binnacles promptly went out; this the +timekeeper has to look out for, as the helmsman, +when steering by the compass, must have his +binnacles alight.</p> + +<p>No extra matches were allowed for lighting +binnacles; one has to use one’s own private store, +and sometimes on a bad night I have used as +many as a couple of boxes of matches in a watch, +and the amount of swearing it produced was +lamentable. I have sat in that half-deck, the sea +washing about the floor up to my knees, a binnacle +in each hand, my matches wet, in pitch darkness, +as the lamp was not allowed alight at night after +one bell in the first watch; when I got a match +well alight, I had to scrape the wick clean and +then light it, but often it utterly refused to light +inside, as there was not air enough, and it would +not keep alight outside, as there was too much.</p> + +<p>There I would sit, lighting match after match, +burning my fingers, and cursing in a loud whisper +for fear of waking the watch below. Then the +second mate’s voice would be heard at the break +of the poop, “Hurry up with those binnacles!” +and it would be a case of more haste less speed. +Every half-hour, after striking the bell, the timekeeper +has to go forward and see that the side +lights burn brightly, and the lookout is wide +awake on the forecastle head. Coming aft, one +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span> +reports in a kind of chant, “Lights burn brightly, +and all is well.”</p> + +<p>Talking of matches, it is a great question for +sailors and prospectors, and anybody on the trail +or camping out, what are the best matches to +take.</p> + +<p>I have tried all kinds, from “stinkers,” the +common West Coast matches, to all kinds of +different wooden matches.</p> + +<p>If you put a block of stinkers amongst your +provisions, you may be certain that the provisions +will be all spoilt. Wooden matches that only strike +on the box are a great nuisance, as you invariably +lose the box, or else it wears out in your pocket. +I also had wooden matches that would strike +anywhere, but their heads invariably come off. +So the match question is still an unsolved one, as +only millionaires can afford to use wax vestas out +of England.</p> + +<p>Coming over from Japan, there was great +gambling on board in matches, the nipper losing +twenty or thirty dozen, and Mac winning as +many.</p> + +<p>Don and I brought three different kinds on +board—stinkers, matches that struck on the box, +and big wooden matches that struck anywhere. +These big ones used to make a terrific explosion +when struck; and at first, when I used to go +down and wake the mate at one bell, and light +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span> +his lamp, I used these, and sometimes I would +use nearly a dozen before one would light, each +one going off like the report of a pistol, and +their heads coming off. They were an awful +swindle too, for occasionally we came upon a box +which had not got a match in it with a head on.</p> + +<p>At last I had to give up these matches for +lighting the mate’s lamp, for fear of waking the +old man.</p> + +<p>Bang! bang! bang! they would go, accompanied +by whispered curses, whilst the second +mate and Mac on the poop listened, and laughed +to themselves.</p> + +<p>“Listen to Bally’s bombardment of the mate; +did you ever hear such a row?”</p> + +<p>The second mate swore one morning that he +had picked up nearly thirty of these matches +round the door of the mate’s cabin.</p> + +<p>The worst of the matches in general use was, +that their boxes soon crumbled up in your pocket, +or the striker on the side of the box wore out.</p> + +<p>The second mate, who only smoked cigarettes, +used always to have one of these boxes in his +pocket, with a couple of matches and a cigarette-end +inside.</p> + +<p>But—to return at last—one’s two hours are up, +and one strikes four bells, then the lookout and +wheel are changed, and the old lookout reports +who relieved him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span></p> + +<p>Much amusement was caused in our first +middle watch by Bower, who came aft from the +lookout and reported,</p> + +<p>“Mr Higgins relieved the lookout, sir.”</p> + +<p>Great was the laughter at the “mister” being +given to a poor, broken-down old soldier.</p> + +<p>This man Bower was fearfully green about +seafaring matters. Whilst I was having a bit +of a yarn with him, he asked me if all ships had +the same coloured lights, referring to the sidelights. +Nevertheless, when he left the ship at +Liverpool, he thought he knew a terrible deal +about the sea.</p> + +<p>The weather is delicious and warm, without +being too hot. A pair of serge trousers, rolled +up to my knees, and a flannel shirt, is all I shall +wear until we are well out of the south-east +trades a month ahead.</p> + +<p>What a blessing it is not requiring shoes or +stockings; one’s feet soon get hard, and up aloft +or at work on deck I never wore shoes except +in cold weather, and then it was a case of +rubbers and oilskins day and night.</p> + +<p>Mac has been telling Loring and myself +terrible yarns about the state of the half-deck in +bad weather.</p> + +<p>“You just mark my words: many a night in +bad weather an’ you’ll wake up and find the +water washing into your bunk; aye, I guess you +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span> +two will have to swim for it in your lower bunks, +off the Horn, sure enough,” says Mac.—“Why, +I’ve had to swim out of my bunk before now, +and its a top one!”</p> + +<p>And truly, Mac’s words were verified; the +half-deck was the worst and most dangerous +part of the whole ship in bad weather.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 26th August.</i>—Under full sail all +day, with lightish fair breeze. Fine, smooth, +favourable weather, and wind getting more and +more on the quarter. In the forenoon watch we +hauled down the staysails and jibs, and squared +the yards. Busy sand-canvasing poop ladders, +and overhauling gear aloft. The rigging is very +badly off for ratlines, especially the fore and mizen +topgallant.</p> + +<p>This is one of the things a sailor has to be +very careful about.</p> + +<p>“Never hold on by the ratlines,” is one of the +well-known rules. What might happen, and what +sometimes does happen, is this:—The watch is +sent aloft to shorten sail, all going up one after +the other to windward; the first man breaks a +ratline as he steps on it—he is holding on by a +ratline also, that goes too, and down he comes, +probably bringing several of the men underneath +him down also. If ever you see a rotten ratline +aloft, out with your knife and cut it at once.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span></p> + +<p>In our topgallant rigging in some places there +were three or four ratlines gone all together; this +had to be seen to, and our best men under the +bosun were put on the job.</p> + +<p>Every day, at four o’clock in the afternoon, +the fresh-water pump is shipped and water served +out, the watch below doing the carrying, so many +buckets to the cook, so many to the forecastle, +one to the midship-house, and one to the captain, +and one to the half-deck, and two to the steward.</p> + +<p>Fresh water is very valuable on board ship, +and if a drop is spilt as it is being carried along +the deck, there is considerable trouble for the +delinquent.</p> + +<p>Scar and Mac each have charge of a tank, +and give it out week and week about.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 27th August.</i>—Wind dead aft; captain +thinks we have got the N.E. trades. Weather +superb. Deep-blue sky, and trade-wind clouds. +We are doing about 5 knots.</p> + +<p>We had our first go of soft tack to-day, each +man getting a small loaf for breakfast. It was +very poor bread, made with sour dough; and I +thought longingly of the lovely, hot, yeast bread I +used to make up in the Klondyke.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, I managed to eat the whole of my +loaf at breakfast, and would have liked another.</p> + +<p>It was my forenoon watch below, and I found +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span> +no difficulty in sleeping from 8.30 to 11.30, after +having the eight hours on deck last night.</p> + +<p>I went out on to the bowsprit end to-day, +and had a grand view of the ship as she cut +through the clear water under full sail.</p> + +<p>Spent part of the afternoon busy with needle +and thread, putting patches on my overalls and +oilskins.</p> + +<p>As I sat sewing, Loring came up to me and +proposed that we should make some dandyfunk +for tea. I was always ready for anything in the +eating line, and at once seconded the proposal; +but what dandyfunk was I had no more idea +than the man in the moon.</p> + +<p>“What do you make it of?” I asked.</p> + +<p>“Well, first we must make a canvas bag,” he +answered.</p> + +<p>“What, to put it in?”</p> + +<p>“No, to smash it up in, of course.”</p> + +<p>“Smash it up in?” I asked; this was truly +curious. What could be the dish, that to start +making it you have to smash it up in a canvas +bag? At last I struck it.</p> + +<p>“You are not going to make us a pudding +out of brick-dust and oyster-shells, like the hen’s +food, are you? because, if so, I’m off.”</p> + +<p>“You will eat it quick enough when I’ve +made it,” Loring answered. “I’ll make the dandyfunk +if you will make the bag.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span></p> + +<p>Well, curiosity and greed got the better of me, +and borrowing a palm and needle from the third +mate, I soon had a small canvas bag made.</p> + +<p>This Loring proceeded to fill with hard tack, +and then went forward with it; I followed.</p> + +<p>He took it to the rail forward of the galley, +and then looked about him for something.</p> + +<p>“Get me an iron belaying pin, will you?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“Certainly, if you swear not to use it on me.”</p> + +<p>I gave him the belaying pin, with which he +proceeded to pound the bag of biscuits until it +was so much fine dust.</p> + +<p>He put this dust into my plate (as it was +the largest in the half-deck), and then proceeded +to put water to it, and mixed it up until it was +a thick paste. Then he added molasses and some +jam (Don and I still had a pot or two left). +This compound, after being thoroughly mixed up, +was taken to the cook, who put it in the oven.</p> + +<p>At tea time we were all curious to see the +result of the dandyfunk. Loring went to the +galley for it, and brought it aft steaming hot, a +mixture between a cake and a pudding.</p> + +<p>I thought it extremely good, and it had another +excellent quality, it was exceedingly stodgy, and +filled up the chinks splendidly.</p> + +<p>For several Sundays, Loring, the nipper, and +I made dandyfunk, but it soon got stopped. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> +old man noticed one of us bringing it aft one +day from the galley, and thinking that too much +hard tack was used by this means, put his veto +on it, and shortly afterwards, having run out of +both jam and molasses, we had to give up our +Sunday dish.</p> + +<p>Crackerhash is another sea-dish for tea. You +save some of your salt junk from dinner, and +mixing it up roughly with broken-up hard tack, +have it baked by the cook, and thus you have +something hot for tea.</p> + +<p>Old Slush hated having to bake our dandyfunk +and crackerhash for us; but the old man +gave us leave to have crackerhash for tea, and +ordered the cook to bake it for us.</p> + +<p>Each man brought forward his little dish of +crackerhash, and the cook often had his ovens +full, contributions coming both from the forecastle, +midship-house, and half-deck.</p> + +<p>The wind is getting rather light. We hauled +down the staysails in the second dog watch.</p> + +<p>Lovely starlight night. We shall soon have +seen the last of the North Star, as it is almost +on the horizon now.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 28th August.</i>—The wind is same as +yesterday, evidently the north-east trades, but +rather light.</p> + +<p>We started shifting sail again to-day, changing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span> +our hard weather sails for the old and light weather +sails. With a whole watch on the job, this is a +very much lighter business than the bending sail +up the Sacramento.</p> + +<p>I had my first taste of sea grub to-day, as +our fresh meat has now given out, and salt junk +and pork are now the order of the day.</p> + +<p>I did not think much of the look of our first +go of salt junk.</p> + +<p>There, in the kid, lay a greasy, fat mass, which +gave out a very strong and nasty smell.</p> + +<p>If one is lucky, one may find a couple of +mouthfuls of meat on one’s portion, which is +chiefly nasty red fat. The cook, who is nicknamed +“Old Slush,” well deserves his name, and many +a curse did we give him as we tried in vain to +find some meat on the dirty, greasy, square chunk +he had given us.</p> + +<p>The port watch are no good; we are by far +the stronger and better of the two watches, illustrating +well the fact that Britishers and Dutchmen +are far superior to dagos.</p> + +<p>Perhaps I ought to explain, for the benefit of +those who do not know it, that in sea parlance +“Britishers” include, of course, anybody hailing +from the “British Isles.” “Dutchmen” include +Germans, Swedes, Danes, Russians, Russian Finns, +and Norwegians; and “dago” is a general term +for any one of the Latin races.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span></p> + +<p>The two O.S.’s in our forecastle, namely Bower +and Jennings, are great rivals, and disputes and +arguments are everlasting between them. They +have both fallen foul of Johnsen already, and I +expect matters will end in a fight. Jennings is +a stout-built little chap, and knows how to handle +his fists, but I doubt if he has got much +“sand.”</p> + +<p>Bower is a thin, weedy, unhealthy man, with +no strength or endurance about him.</p> + +<p>To-day, when we were bending the fore upper-topsail, +I was between Johnsen and Rooning on +the yard, and was talking to Rooning as we put +in the rovings.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Johnsen chimes in, and says to +Rooning,</p> + +<p>“What’s dat you say about me, young fellow? +Wait till I gets mit you on deck; you just call +me dat down dere, and you see I just puts one +big head on you.”</p> + +<p>Rooning, not knowing Johnsen’s peculiarities +yet, did not know what to make of this, as he +was not even speaking about Johnsen. So I +turned my tongue adrift on Johnsen, as the +only way to treat a scoundrel like him, was +to take a high hand, or he would try to bully +you.</p> + +<p>“You d—d scoundrel of a white-livered Swede, +we weren’t talking about you at all. You just +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> +keep that villainous mouth of yours shut, and +don’t come any of your idiotic talk over us, or +when we get on deck, I’ll turn to and give you +such a dressing down as you never got in your +life.”</p> + +<p>This stopped his nonsense, and he kept clear +of the pair of us for a bit after this.</p> + +<p>Whenever he got up to any of his rot with +me, I always used to let him have it straight +back in the worst language I could think of, +and sometimes even laid hands upon him; and +under this treatment he was always very polite +to me, though it all went down in his log, which, +for fear of having it stolen, he always carried +about with him inside his shirt, even in the +hottest weather, much to the amusement of +everybody on board.</p> + +<p>In this logbook of his he puts down every little +incident that occurs on board, but it is chiefly full +of different offences which have been committed +against him by various members of the crew. +They managed to get hold of the book one day +in the forecastle, and great was the laughter +thereat; every soul on the ship had been “logged” +for some offence or other, from the captain down, +and as for people like Don, Mac, and myself, +there were pages given up to our misdemeanours.</p> + +<p>The man was as sulky as a bear, and not a +man would he speak to forward; but with quiet +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span> +cunning he palled up to the bosun, and thus +managed to get a lot of soft jobs out of him +until he tumbled to it.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 29th August.</i>—Same fine weather. +We finished bending sail to-day, our lightest and +oldest sails being bent.</p> + +<p>The old man is at work now all day making +the most beautiful little model yachts, at +which he is a past master. He told me one day +that he had made models of every kind of ship +that sails the seas.</p> + +<p>Though his models are very pretty, still I +am not particularly fond of them, as he covers +the poop with shavings, and as I have to see +that the poop is kept shipshape and clean in +our watch. Every afternoon I have to spend +some time sweeping these shavings up out of +all the corners.</p> + +<p>We are busy again on all the teak wood +with the everlasting sand and canvas.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 30th August.</i>—Same fine weather; +the wind is blowing nice and fresh, and we logged +10 knots in the first dog watch.</p> + +<p>The bosun come into the half-deck this evening, +in the second dog watch, with his guitar, which +he plays very well, and gave us some songs, we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span> +doing full justice to the choruses, of which the +following was a great favourite:—</p> + +<p class='shanty'><span class="smcap">Chorus of “Duckfoot Sue.”</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent4dq">“For now I’ll sing to you,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">Of the girl I love so true;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">She’s chief engineer of the ‘white shirt’ line,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">And her name is ‘Duckfoot Sue.’</div> + <div class="verse indent4">Her beauty was all she had;</div> + <div class="verse indent4">She’d a mouth as large as a crab;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">She had an upper lip like the rudder of a ship,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">And I tell you she was mad.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>This is sung very fast, and with a great swing. +Besides comic songs, he had some pathetic ones; +one of the prettiest of the choruses was this—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Just a little cradle,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Just a little child,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Just a few fast-fleeting years,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Then a boy so wild!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Soon he reaches manhood,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Then comes on old age;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Thus we have the journey from</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The cradle to the grave.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The wind dropped in the middle watch, and +it came on to rain. There is nothing more +detestable at sea, I think, than rain. Rain water +seems so different to salt water; it wets you, +makes you feel cold and miserable, gives you +rheumatism, and washes the oil off your oilskins.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 31st August.</i>—Wet day and head-wind.</p> + +<p>Hard at work scrubbing and sand and canvasing +the poop ladders, rails, etc., in the pouring +rain, with oilskins on.</p> + +<p>The glass is falling, and there is a heavy +head-sea. We took in the jigger-topmast staysail +and gaff-topsail in the forenoon watch.</p> + +<p>I shinned up to the staysail, and got dripping +wet in spite of my oilskins, whilst I was making +it fast, as the sail was full of water.</p> + +<p>I was not sorry to go below at eight bells, as +our watch on deck had been very cold, wet, and +uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>We are all furious with our dirty old cook, as +the food is so awfully badly cooked, and comes +aft one mass of dirty grease and fat, with hardly +a mouthful of meat per man.</p> + +<p>The pea-soup, which is our chief sustenance, +and which we get three times a week, is so dirty +that, instead of being white it is nearly black, +as he never takes the trouble to wash the peas.</p> + +<p>Still, though Mac says it is the worst pea-soup +he has ever tasted, I take good care to get +all I can of it, as without it I really don’t think +we could exist.</p> + +<p>We save a little of our meat and potatoes for +tea, and take it to the galley, so that the cook +can make us some dry hash out of it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span></p> + +<p>At present the steward has given us nothing +from the cabin; he will find out his mistake when +the bad weather comes.</p> + +<p>The wind fell altogether in the afternoon, and +an oily calm with a swell remained, which continued +until the middle watch, when a breeze +sprang up.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 1st September.</i>—Same fine weather.</p> + +<p>The crew came aft to-day at eight bells, noon, +with their grub, and there was some strong language +on both sides. Of course we in the half-deck +did not take a hand, as we are supposed to +be of the after gang, though we are no better +off than those in the forecastle.</p> + +<p>In the midship-house the carpenter, bosun, +and sailmaker are living like fighting-cocks, as +the carpenter has got flour, currants, and jam; +so they even get plum dough, besides getting +the nicest bits of meat.</p> + +<p>The old man was down on the men like a ton +of bricks, and says that they shall now only have +their legal whack according to the Board of Trade +regulations, which have made a fine science of +prescribing just enough to keep a man alive and +no more.</p> + +<p>The rules say a man is to have 1¼ lbs. of salt +junk a day. This is weighed out every day by +the steward; but is so boiled away in the cooking, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span> +that a man thinks himself lucky if he gets +half a dozen mouthfuls.</p> + +<p>It is the same with the pork, of which each +man’s allowance is supposed to be three-quarters +of a pound.</p> + +<p>We had less than 1 lb. of pork between three +of us to-day, and my belt is rapidly getting too +large for me.</p> + +<p>The other day the old man and the mate had +a terrific row, and they have not spoken to each +other since. The old man has the mate absolutely +in his power, as it is only by his influence that +the mate can get a ship, which he has been +hoping for for so many years—the old man having +more influence than any skipper in the line.</p> + +<p>The second mate gets all the old man’s smiles +now the mate is in bad odour; but presently the +mate and old man will be all right again, and the +second mate’s turn will come for the rough side +of the old man’s tongue.</p> + +<p>From what I can see of the matter, I think +this petty rowing between old man and mates is +pretty general in wind-jammers, and is chiefly +caused by the old men getting livers on them, +caused by not getting enough exercise; this, +added to anxiety, worry, and excitable dispositions, +is quite enough to account for the extraordinary +exhibitions of childish temper which sea-captains +so often give way to.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span></p> + +<p>It was wet again during the night, and the +wind was very light.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 2nd September.</i>—We scrub out the +half-deck twice a week, each watch taking it in +turn on Saturdays and Thursdays.</p> + +<p>To-day it was our turn.</p> + +<p>An institution on board a sailing-ship is +“peggy.” Each of us take it in turn, and peggy +has to fetch the grub from the galley, and, in +fact, do all the “fagging” necessary.</p> + +<p>At breakfast this morning, the steward called +to me to give the burgoo to the chickens.</p> + +<p>This was the remains from the cabin table, +and I was the chicken that ate it.</p> + +<p>There are a lot of flying-fish about now, and +I think they produce one of the prettiest effects +in the tropics.</p> + +<p>It is lovely to see a mass of them suddenly +dart out of the water, flashing like silver in the +sun, to plunge with tiny little splashes in again; +out and in, they never get any rest, for the +bonita go for them in the water, and the bosun +birds in the air.</p> + +<p>I think we are only about 18° N. latitude now.</p> + +<p>The port watch caught four albacore this +afternoon. These are big fish, rather like bonita, +and are not at all bad eating. Dagos are pretty +good fishermen as a rule.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span></p> + +<p>The binnacles were an awful nuisance last +night. We lit them no less than twenty-one times +in the middle watch.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 3rd September.</i>—Lovely day; flying-fish +and bosun birds in abundance. The wind +freshened up, and we set staysails and jibs.</p> + +<p>The latitude to-day is 17°.06 N., longitude +121°.18 W., and the run for the last twenty-four +hours was 111 miles—not very good; but our bottom +is awfully foul, as the inland seas of Japan and +Frisco Bay are two of the worst places for fouling +a ship’s bottom.</p> + +<p>It is much hotter to-day, and I slept on deck. +Sunday is given over to washing and repairing +one’s clothes, and there is a run on needles. To-day +I put a huge patch in my oilskins, which have got +rather worn, from work in the Klondyke, and I wished +that I had invested in another suit at Frisco.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 4th September.</i>—To-day, at noon, +the steward appeared with a bucket of lime-juice +for the first time.</p> + +<p>Each man had to come aft and take his +whack. In the half-deck we all thought it very +good, and were up to all kinds of dodges for +getting two goes; in the end, the steward finding +we appreciated his brew, used to give us whatever +was left over every day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span></p> + +<p>I never heard anybody growl at having to take +lime-juice, as, besides being a very good drink, each +deep-water jack knows how good it is to keep off +scurvy.</p> + +<p>We turned the after-hatch to-day into a +barber’s shop in the second dog watch; of the +haircutters, the bosun was the best, and I was +the worst.</p> + +<p>The nipper was my victim, and I don’t think +his hair has ever grown since. I found myself +cutting huge holes, so cut round them to level it +down; the result was, that when I had finished, +only a razor would have been of any use to take +more hair off, and the nipper got up looking like +an escaped convict gone prematurely bald.</p> + +<p>We are still hard at work sand and canvasing +the poop rails and stanchions; every bit of varnish +has to be rubbed off by the primitive means of +sand and canvas, pumice stone, and elbow-grease.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 5th September.</i>—Calm, with big swell +running. Two sharks have been hanging around +us to-day. It is interesting to watch a shark and +his pilot-fish. This little fish is the one friend and +companion of the shark: he is of a blue-and-gold +colour, and generally swims just in front of the +shark, or alongside the shark’s head, and in times +of danger even takes refuge in the shark’s huge +jaws along with the little sharks. No shark will +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span> +touch even the most tempting lump of pork before +he has had the little pilot-fish’s report upon it. +Contrary to general belief, the shark in reality is +a very timorous beast, and a little splashing is +sufficient to frighten any number of ravenous +sharks away.</p> + +<p>I have seen men bathing off ships in water +infested with sharks, such as the roads off Durban, +Natal; but, what with the splashing, laughing, and +shouting, not a shark dared approach.</p> + +<p>Sharks eat human beings whenever they can, +for the chief reason that they have to keep body +and soul together, as they are not fast enough +swimmers, and far too sluggish, to catch any other +fish. Their movements are so slow that expert +swimmers, like South Sea Islanders, have no +fear of them in smooth water, and as the shark +turns slowly on to his back to open his mouth, +they dive quickly under him and plunge a knife +into his white belly, to his great discomfort.</p> + +<p>Of all things that have life, the shark has the +greatest appetite, and nothing goes amiss with +him; indigestion does not trouble him, and he +takes his food as it comes, whether it be animal, +mineral, or vegetable.</p> + +<p>I don’t suppose even one of Sandow’s big +dumb-bells would give him the least inconvenience.</p> + +<p>Lat. 12°.59 N., long. 120°.28 W.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span></p> + +<p>Course—S. 14 E. Run 95 miles.</p> + +<p>The ex-American soldier, Bower, in our watch, +is finding out that sailoring is very different to +anything he imagined. He complains that the +work and the food are more than he can bear, +and he is so despondent that he says it will be +a merciful release if he were to fall overboard +and be drowned.</p> + +<p>There is something to be said, however, for the +poor devil, as he is in an awful state of health, +being one mass of boils from head to foot.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 6th September.</i>—Calm all day. +There was a thunderstorm in the second dog +watch, it being our watch on deck.</p> + +<p>We took in the spanker, gaff-topsail, and royals +in pitch darkness, with the rain coming down in +torrents. One soon gets used to working up aloft +in the dark.</p> + +<p>The storm took us by surprise, and as we did +not have time to get our oilskins on, we got a nice +soaking.</p> + +<p>Lat. 12°.30 N., long. 120°.29 W. Course—S.</p> + +<p>The run was only 29 miles. We are now right +in the troubles, and trials, and heart-burnings of the +doldrums. Very trying weather, hot and muggy; +heaps of rain; the wind never steady for a moment, +and during a good deal of the time conspicuous by +its absence.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span></p> + +<p>However, the thunderstorm did not last long, +and we had to set the spanker, gaff-topsail, and +royals again before the watches changed.</p> + +<p>It is trying work at night at the braces in the +doldrums, bracing her up, then squaring the yards +again to every puff of wind.</p> + +<p>Behold us on deck in the middle watch; it is a +coal-black night, with not a star showing, and what +little wind there is, is very unsteady and constantly +shifting.</p> + +<p>The watch are all lying about under the break +of the poop, and probably the second mate, the +helmsman, the lookout on the forecastle head, and +myself, who am timekeeper, are the only people +awake on the ship.</p> + +<p>Even I, though I have to strike the bell every +half-hour, am dozing between the times. I open +my eyes for a moment, and am just turning over +for another snooze, when the second mate’s voice +rings clear through the quiet night,</p> + +<p>“Weather crossjack brace!”</p> + +<p>I jump to my feet and cry out, in repetition,</p> + +<p>“Weather crossjack brace! Up you get, there! +Can’t you hear? Weather crossjack brace!”</p> + +<p>Mac goes to the lee braces to slack them away, +and on doing so, cries,</p> + +<p>“Haul away!”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile we are all standing ready to haul, +with the crossjack brace in our hands, the A.B.’s +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span> +at the head, the O.S’s at the tail of the rope. +Our general order was—Wilson, Jamieson, +Rooning, Johnsen, or Taylor, myself, Loring, +Bower, and Jennings.</p> + +<p>Then one of us would sing out as we haul on +the brace—(Jamieson and Wilson were our chief +criers, and Jamieson had a very weird, curious +note, in high, minor tones),</p> + +<p>“Eh—hai—ai! Eh—hai—ee! Eh—heu!”</p> + +<p>Old Wilson had a very deep, gruff voice. We +called him old “Foghorn.” His cry was like the +growl of a big dog, ending in a half bark.</p> + +<p>Johnsen used to sing out jerkily,</p> + +<p>“Oh—ho! Now den! In mit her!”</p> + +<p>I used to sing out,</p> + +<p>“Aye—hay! Aye—hay—oh! Oh—ha! Oh—ho—ah!”</p> + +<p>In would come the crossjack brace; until the +second mate would cry,</p> + +<p>“Turn the crossjack brace!”</p> + +<p>Then—“Lower-topsail brace! Take it off!”</p> + +<p>More hauling and crying.</p> + +<p>“Belay!”</p> + +<p>Then—“Upper-topsail brace!”</p> + +<p>More hauling and crying.</p> + +<p>“Turn the upper-topsail brace!” from the +second mate.</p> + +<p>Then—“A couple of hands to the topgallant +braces!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span></p> + +<p>The topgallant and royal braces come down +to the fife-rail. Loring and I were the two hands +meant, and a rare time we did have sometimes, +as they were very heavy yards, and occasionally, +of course, several hands were wanted to them.</p> + +<p>Whilst we were at the topgallant braces, the +rest of the watch were at the crossjack sheet.</p> + +<p>In a strong breeze we had to take the sheets +to the capstan, but in an ordinary breeze you can +get the sheet in easy enough, if you watch your +time.</p> + +<p>Say it is blowing fresh, we all get on to the +sheet, even the second mate, the strongest nearest +the head.</p> + +<p>The man who is going to take the sheet off +the pin, cries,</p> + +<p>“Ready?”</p> + +<p>“Take it off!” cries the second mate. “In +with her, now—hang on all—watch for the slack +up—now she flaps—in she comes—in with her +sharply—now turn that! Look sharp, do you +think we can hang on all day?”</p> + +<p>Devil take the man who does not turn a brace +or sheet quickly; the rest hang on with straining +muscles, the sheet trying to pull the first man +through the port into the sea, as he has to give +inch by inch.</p> + +<p>A sheet never really succeeded in taking charge +of us in the starboard watch; but it did with the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span> +port watch, two or three times, and then there +was trouble.</p> + +<p>It takes quite a slice out of the watch, bracing +up the <i>Royalshire</i>, as her yards are so heavy.</p> + +<p>As a rule, in the trades the lee braces would +be hauled tight in the second dog watch, the lifts +and sheets being also attended to.</p> + +<p>You have to be sharp at turning braces; +generally this was Loring’s or my job in our +watch.</p> + +<p>Directly the mate says “Turn that!” the men +in front of you hang on, and the men behind you +at the tail of the rope leave go, and you take it +round the pin as quick as you can directly it is +fast, calling out, “All fast!”</p> + +<p>Then, and not till then, the men at the head +of the brace leave go.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 7th September.</i>—Light breeze and +sunshine once more. Grub very scarce, and bad. +We got a greasy lump of fat for our watch +dinner to-day, and had a consultation what to +do with it, as it was quite uneatable. I advised +heaving it at the cook’s head; but as the responsibility +for any row falls on the shoulders of the +fourth mate, he decided against this course, instead +heaving the fat overboard in the presence of the +cook, at the same time commenting on the cooking +in language both promiscuous and free.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span></p> + +<p>Lat. 11°.25 N., long. 120°.32 W.</p> + +<p>Course—S. 20 W.; 65 miles.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 8th September.</i>—Fine breeze, with tacks +boarded all day, the ship doing 9 knots.</p> + +<p>There was a heavy squall in the afternoon +watch, with rain.</p> + +<p>I had to go up the jigger and make fast that +everlasting nuisance, the gaff-topsail, and soon afterwards +the royals were tied up.</p> + +<p>There has been a good deal of fishing off the +bowsprit, and a number of bonita were caught +to-day, and Loring, who is a great fisherman, +caught a couple.</p> + +<p>I had a try, but was not successful. You +want to trail your bait (a bit of white linen +makes as good a bait as anything else) along the +water, jumping it occasionally.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 9th September.</i>—My birthday, but the +celebrations were not up to their usual excellence, +and there was no birthday cake.</p> + +<p>Since last night, we have been going like a +steamboat, lying over to the fresh breeze, close-hauled, +with the royals fast and the lee scuppers +full of water.</p> + +<p>Shoals of porpoises are all round us: they are +a pretty sight as they come curving out of the +water, the sun gleaming on their glistening backs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span></p> + +<p>Loring, the fisherman, caught another bonita +to-day.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 10th September.</i>—We had Loring’s +bonita for breakfast in the half-deck. I don’t +think any of these deep-water fish are much good +eating, being coarse and without much flavour; +but they are very welcome on a hungry “lime-juicer,” +though sometimes you catch a tartar in +the shape of a poisonous one.</p> + +<p>We went about at two bells in the forenoon +watch, and set staysails, flying-jib, gaff-topsail, and +royals; and are now on the port tack, heading +S.W. by W. by compass.</p> + +<p>A fine day, and fresh breeze. We think we have +got the S.E. trades.</p> + +<p>Lat. 6°.25 N., long. 116°.35 W.</p> + +<p>Course—S. 68 E. Run 114 miles.</p> + +<p>Everybody on board seems very curious about +the Klondyke, and an admiring group sit round +me in the dog watch as I discourse thereon.</p> + +<p>Most of them seem to think that one simply +went up there with a spade and dug up nuggets +like potatoes.</p> + +<p>Jamieson and old Foghorn are especially curious, +and very keen to go to the Golden North, but +some of my yarns damped their enthusiasm a +good deal.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 11th September.</i>—We have got the +S.E. trades all right, but they are too far to +the S., so we can only head S.W. by S.</p> + +<p>The trades are the ideal weather at sea,—day +after day you sail before a fresh breeze in +warm, balmy weather without touching brace or +tack.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Oh, I am the wind that the seamen love—</div> + <div class="verse indent2">I am steady and strong and true;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">They follow my track by the clouds above,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">O’er the fathomless tropic blue.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“For, close by the shores of the sunny Azores,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Their ships I await to convoy;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">When into their sails my constant breath pours,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">They hail me with turbulent joy.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“From the deck to the truck I pour all my force,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">In spanker and jib I am strong;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">For I make every course to pull like a horse,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">And worry the great ship along.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“As I fly o’er the blue I sing to my crew,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Who answer me back with a hail;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">I whistle a note as I slip by the throat,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Of the buoyant and bellying sail.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“I laugh when the wave leaps over the head,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">And the jibs thro’ the spraybow shine;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">For an acre of foam is broken and spread,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">When she shoulders and tosses the brine.</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Through daylight and dark I follow the barque,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">I keep like a hound on her trail;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">I’m strongest at noon, yet under the moon,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">I stiffen the bunt of her sail.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“The ocean wide thro’ for days I pursue,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Till slowly my forces all wane;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Then, in whispers of calm, I bid them adieu,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">And vanish in thunder and rain.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Thus sings Thomas Fleming Day of the +“Trade-Wind.”</p> + +<p>The ship is evidently very foul, as she is only +logging 5 knots in this fine breeze.</p> + +<p>On board a sailing-ship a patent log is not +generally used much, and the log is hove in the +old-fashioned and most reliable style about once +every watch.</p> + +<p>The log is a conical-shaped canvas bag, to +the mouth of which the logline is attached.</p> + +<p>The logline, which is wound on a reel, is +divided up into knots by means of different pieces +of leather—the first knot being a single piece +of leather, the second knot has two tails to the +leather, and the third knot has an ordinary knot +tied, and so on. The knots are marked off on +the line to correspond with a sand-glass running +28 seconds, the distance between each knot on +the logline bearing the same proportion to a +real knot that the 28 seconds of the sand-glass +bear to the seconds in an hour. Thus, avoiding +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span> +any calculation, you just read off the number of +knots that have run astern during the 28 seconds, +and they are the number of knots per hour the +ship is going.</p> + +<p>The mate or second mate generally heave the +log, whilst one of us held the glass, and another +the reel, which he holds above his head as the +line runs out.</p> + +<p>The first 20 or 30 fathoms of line are allowed +to run out, so that the log may settle in the water; +then, when a piece of rag is reached, the mate, +who is at the rail watching the line run out, +calls out sharply to the man holding the glass, +“Turn!”</p> + +<p>The man turns the glass, and the moment the +sand has run out, calls, “Stop!”</p> + +<p>The mate at once stops the line from running +out further, and notes the number of knots that +have run out.</p> + +<p>When the ship is going 10 knots or over, the +line runs out very fast, and it is as much as one +man can do to haul it in again.</p> + +<p>It was the duty of us in the half-deck; and on +hearing the second mate sing out from the poop, +“Heave the log!” Loring and I always had to +scuttle out on to the poop, one to hold the +glass, and the other the reel. The log was +generally hove at the end of the watch, just +before eight bells.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span></p> + +<p>We had a lovely sunset to-day, with a +mackerel sky.</p> + +<p>I stood my first trick at the wheel last night, +from ten to twelve in the first watch.</p> + +<p>It was an easy night to steer in, as the wind +was steady, and it was light enough to see +the mizen-royal, which, as the ship was close-hauled, +required watching, to see that the clew +was just lifting and no more.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 12th September.</i>—Wind rather light +all day. We sighted a sail in the afternoon off +our lee quarter, and could see down to her +topsails from the deck.</p> + +<p>This is the first sail we have sighted, and +there was some excitement as to what ship she +was, as it was evident, as she was heading our +course, that she is one of the San Francisco Cape +Horn fleet.</p> + +<p>She turned out to be the smart French barque +which had passed us the first day out, and so +everyone was in great spirits at our being +ahead of her, especially the old man.</p> + +<p>A superb night again, with the breeze freshening +up.</p> + +<p>The second mate is very keen for me to +take him up to the Klondyke. If I did ever +think of going there again, I could not wish +for a better partner for the job.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 13th September.</i>—All hands disgusted +to find the Frenchy out on our weather +beam at daybreak this morning. The old +man is very angry about it, and bent and +set a topgallant jigger-staysail and a “save-all,” +or “jimmy green,” consisting of a spare topsail +under the mainsail.</p> + +<p>Of course, stunsails are hardly known at sea +now, and very seldom met with, though I believe +the American clippers <i>Judas Dowes</i>, <i>Indiana</i>, +and <i>Paul Revere</i>, still carry them.</p> + +<p>A fine breeze, and lovely day.</p> + +<p>We can only head S.S.W. by the wind, +and shall cross the line to-night, as at noon +to-day our lat. was 1°.25 N. only.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV"> + CHAPTER IV + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>THE SOUTH SEAS</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 14th September.</i>—We crossed the +line last night about four bells in the first watch. +Needless to say, in these days of prose, Neptune +did not show himself above the horizon.</p> + +<p>It was a lovely moonlight night, with small +fleecy clouds chasing each other across the star-studded +blue-black vault of heaven.</p> + +<p>The wind got rather puffy at times, and we +had not been on deck long in the middle watch +before a rather ugly-looking cloud began to +approach and cover the sky to windward.</p> + +<p>Like a great black pall, it gradually spread +over the sky: one by one the bright stars were +engulfed in the great bank of darkness which rose +slowly from the horizon.</p> + +<p>“We are going to have a nasty squall, I +expect,” said Mac. “I advise you to get into oilskins, +Bally.”</p> + +<p>By the time that we had got our oilskins on, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span> +the bright sky, moon, and stars had been completely +blotted out to windward by this huge, +monstrous cloud. Higher and higher it rose, until +it got right overhead.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the second mate, who had got his +eye gummed on it, roared out in a voice which +must have woke the blind sea-snakes down in the +deeps below,</p> + +<p>“Stand by your royal halliards!”</p> + +<p>There was a rush to the halliards, and I went +to the main-royal and cast the coil off the pin, +ready to let them go if the order came.</p> + +<p>Down came the squall upon us, and over and +over lay the <i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<p>The rain came down like a cloud-burst, and +in a moment the water was rising in the lee +scuppers.</p> + +<p>“Let go your royal halliards, clew them up, +and make them fast!” yelled the second mate.</p> + +<p>Down came the yards amidst a thrashing of +canvas, and we rushed to clew them up.</p> + +<p>We had got them half clewed up when the +squall passed; the <i>Royalshire</i> stood up again, and +once more the stars began to peep out as the +great black cloud retired to leeward.</p> + +<p>“That’ll do there at the clew-lines!” said the +second mate. “Masthead the yards again!”</p> + +<p>“Ahay! Aheigh! Aho—oh! Up she goes!”</p> + +<p>And soon we were once more in quietness, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span> +sailing along 7 knots in the smooth sea, with +every sail set.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later, and another black cloud +arose out of the horizon to windward.</p> + +<p>Again came the cry,</p> + +<p>“Stand by your royal halliards!”</p> + +<p>This time the <i>Royalshire</i> lay over; the squall +hissed, roared, and beat upon us; the rigging +shrieked, and the ship groaned; but the second +mate was not to be frightened, and hung on to +his canvas.</p> + +<p>In vain we waited for the cry,</p> + +<p>“Let go your royal halliards!”</p> + +<p>There was a lull, only to be followed by a +severer gust; the ship lay over until the men to +leeward by the main-royal gear were up to their +knees in broken water, still the second mate +stood immovable, with his eye to windward. He +was rewarded for his daring, for the squall passed, +and nothing carried away.</p> + +<p>So the middle watch passed, and every half-hour +nearly we had to stand by those royal +halliards.</p> + +<p>There was a fine breeze all day, and we +logged 9 knots.</p> + +<p>This is grand sailing, and one feels so fit and +well. It is the good times in the trades that a +sailor always remembers; he never remembers the +terrible nights off the Horn, or in the Western +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span> +Ocean in mid-winter. Well, it is all for the best, +as few would ever go to sea if they kept the +memory of the hard times before them instead of +the easy times.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 15th September.</i>—We have got a new +job now, making rovings in the first watch. This +consists of platting three or five rope yarns +together.</p> + +<p>One gets wonderfully quick at it, and we +generally race to see who does the most; though +the second mate and Mac are easily the best, and +I am the worst, as I have got a cut finger.</p> + +<p>Course—S. ½ W.</p> + +<p>We had a little bit of excitement to-day, which +might easily have ended in a tragedy.</p> + +<p>I was at work, sand and canvasing boat-gear +by the after-hatch, with Loring and Mac.</p> + +<p>The second mate, who was watching us, called +to Johnsen, who was putting a splice in a wire, +and began to row him about something or other.</p> + +<p>Johnsen’s evil countenance went into a more +villainous aspect than usual, and his scowl +deepened to a really fiendish leer.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly putting his hand into his shirt, +he drew out his knife and stabbed the second +mate full on the left breast.</p> + +<p>Everyone of us saw the affair, and Loring +cried out,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span></p> + +<p>“My God, he’s stabbed him!”</p> + +<p>It was done so quickly that one could hardly +see the knife, as he held it up his wrist.</p> + +<p>But where was the blood? Why didn’t the +second mate fall, for he was stabbed right over +the heart.</p> + +<p>The knife must have missed somehow, because, +for a man who had just been stabbed to the heart, +the second mate showed amazing vigour.</p> + +<p>Seizing Johnsen’s wrist in a grip of iron, he +tore the knife from the wretched man’s grasp and +hove it overboard, saying,</p> + +<p>“I’ll teach you to try and stab me, you hound!”</p> + +<p>Then he set to and gave Johnsen such a hiding +as I have rarely seen given to a man.</p> + +<p>Smack! bang! His ponderous fist took +Johnsen on the jawbone, and he fell to the deck.</p> + +<p>Slowly he got to his feet, still with that everlasting +scowl, and his lips moving silently in +murderous abuse.</p> + +<p>Crack! and again he smote the boards.</p> + +<p>“Up you get, you cur; can’t you stand up to +me like a man?”</p> + +<p>Before the second mate let him crawl haltingly +forward, he was in a pretty battered condition, +with a reddened nose, blackened eye, and twisted +wrist.</p> + +<p>“Back to your work again, you knifing coward, +and no skulking, or you’ll feel my fist again.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span></p> + +<p>And so the incident closed.</p> + +<p>But what had saved Mr Knowles?</p> + +<p>It was a very simple matter. In drawing the +knife out of his shirt—where, by the way, no +sailor ever keeps his knife—Johnsen had failed to +draw it quite clear of the sheath, and the sheath +had remained on the end of it, thus saving the +second mate’s life.</p> + +<p>This incident, which might have been such a +tragedy, was discussed for a little while, and then +entirely dropped, and no one thought further about +the matter.</p> + +<p>Such is life! Johnsen meant to kill the second +mate, but Providence intervened: the mate lived, +and Johnsen escaped the gallows.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 16th September.</i>—The S.E. trades +are humming to beat the band, and the <i>Royalshire</i> +is snoring through it with her lee scuppers in the +water.</p> + +<p>Occasional rain-squalls necessitate taking in +the jigger-topgallant staysail, gaff-topsail, and +flying-jib, which are the light weather sails, and +always the first to come in.</p> + +<p>We started “tarring down” to-day; but I +was painting the break of the poop with the +second and fourth mates, and so escaped it.</p> + +<p>Of all the jobs on a deep-sea ship, tarring down +is, I think, the dirtiest.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span></p> + +<p>You are sent aloft with a pot of tar slung +round your neck, and a bit of rag in your hand. +As you climb about, you find your hands, arms, and +face gradually getting covered with tar, and a +bungler will come down from aloft pretty nearly +all tar from head to foot.</p> + +<p>Poor old Higgins had a very bad time of it, +as he is a very poor climber. First of all he upset +half his pot over the mainsail—a crime which +brought down the curses of the second mate +upon him, and which, if it had happened on an +American ship, he would have probably been +triced up in the rigging for; then he got to work +upon himself, and upon the rigging of the ship, +but from the first it was easy to be seen that he +was more intent upon tarring himself down than +doing anything else.</p> + +<p>It must have taken him nearly the whole of +the first dog watch to get himself clean. Even +Loring took an hour of his watch below to get +himself clean.</p> + +<p>We are steering now, true course, S. by E.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 17th September.</i>—A lovely day again. +Don and I started teaching the second, third, and +fourth mates to waltz in the dog watch.</p> + +<p>It was a most amusing sight to watch us +gravely waltzing round and round, occasionally +carrying away as the ship rolled.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span></p> + +<p>The mate and the old man came and looked +on from the break of the poop, and fairly roared +with laughter.</p> + +<p>The bosun sat himself down on the after-hatch +and tuned up his guitar, and someone else +started work on a mouth organ, making quite a +creditable band.</p> + +<p>The nipper and Loring took a hand, and we +soon had three couples pirouetting about.</p> + +<p>Don made a first-rate dancing master, and +took great pains, whilst the three mates were as +solemn as owls over the affair.</p> + +<p>The second mate (dancing lady) was like a +huge bear sprawling about, and Mac danced like +a wild man from Borneo; but Scar went in for +grace and stateliness, and pointed his toes and +clicked his heels in a most fascinating manner.</p> + +<p>Lat. 6°.25 S., long. 127°.08 W. Run 184 miles.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 18th September.</i>—The glorious weather +still goes on. We are hard at work with paint +pot and brush, and put a coat of paint on the +topgallant bulwarks and the break of the poop.</p> + +<p>The break of the poop is being most carefully +done, and is having coat after coat put on it +after which it is to be stencilled and grained.</p> + +<p>Every morning, if it is my watch on deck in +the morning watch, I have to swab it most carefully +with “fresh water” if you please.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span></p> + +<p>Our skipper is a particular man, and being an +expert at painting, graining, etc., is down on one +at once for a bit of bad painting, or if an out-of-the-way +corner has not been properly swabbed.</p> + +<p>It is wonderful what a knowledge of, and +memory for ships they have seen, sailors have got.</p> + +<p>I was helping Sails to-day, who is at work +on a new royal, and while we worked we yarned.</p> + +<p>He told me that the <i>Henry B. Hyde</i> was the +finest wooden American ship afloat.</p> + +<p>She was built over twelve years ago, by John +M’Donald, at Bath, Maine, and her registered +tonnage is 2500 tons. There is only one three-master +that is larger than her sailing the seas, +and that is the British ship <i>Ditton</i>, of 2800 tons.</p> + +<p>A marvellous fast Yankee is the barque <i>St +James</i>, of 1500 tons.</p> + +<p>The <i>Somali</i>, a four-mast steel barque, is the +largest British sailing-ship, and is 3537 tons gross, +and 330 feet long.</p> + +<p>To show that sailing-ships are not being +driven off the seas, as some people think, in the +year 1897, 34 steel sailing-ships were launched in +the United Kingdom, with a gross tonnage of +28,481, besides 2 iron ships, and 183 wood or +composite ones.</p> + +<p>In the past year, according to the statistics, +there were 863 wooden sailing-ships in the United +Kingdom, with net tonnage of 161,528 tons; 1093 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span> +wooden sailing-ships in the Colonies, with a net +tonnage of 403,269 tons; and 2237 wooden +sailing-ships in America, with a net tonnage of +1,123,307 tons. Of composite sailing-ships, the +United Kingdom had only 17, with a net tonnage +of 8884 tons; and the Colonies had only 17, with +a net tonnage of 9292 tons; whilst America had +none. Of iron sailing-ships, the United Kingdom +has got 878, with a net tonnage of 1,040,695 tons; +the Colonies 58, with net tonnage of 32,353 tons; +and America 24, with net tonnage of 27,815 tons. +Of steel sailing-ships, the United Kingdom had +got 503, with a net tonnage of 829,442 tons; the +Colonies 12, with net tonnage of 11,660 tons; and +America 59, with net tonnage of 121,793. So +you see there are plenty of sailing-ships still +sailing the seas, and some of them earn very +good dividends too.</p> + +<p>The Americans, always enterprising, are going +in now a great deal for four-, five-, and even six-masted +fore-and-aft schooners, and very fine vessels +these are, easy to handle, with great carrying +capacity.</p> + +<p>I passed one of these five-masted schooners +once in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida +Keys. It was a bright moonlight night, and I +was sleeping in a hammock slung on the boat-deck +of a big four-mast tramp steamer. We passed +within a biscuit-throw of this schooner, which, with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span> +a nice beam breeze, was going almost as fast as +we were.</p> + +<p>She was such a lovely sight that the officer of +the watch actually ran down off the bridge and +woke me up so that I could see her. She was +painted white, and in the moonlight her hull and +sails gleamed a pearly yellow, and gave her a +fairy-like and enchanting appearance.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 19th September.</i>—Lat. 11°.48 S., long. +127°.08 W.</p> + +<p>We are busy working aloft to-day, sending +down all old gear and sending up new rope; +several of the braces have been renewed, besides +leech and bunt lines.</p> + +<p>I nearly had a fall from aloft. We had sent +up a new port crossjack leech-line, and the second +mate asked me whether I could clinch it by going +down the leech of the sail. This is not easy to do, +as you have only the sail to hang on to, but it is +not anything out of the way: some men brag that +they have come down from the royal-yard by the +leeches of the sails.</p> + +<p>I went on my old motto, “What one man has +done I can do,” so I said I would try.</p> + +<p>I slipped off the yardarm, and, gripping with +hands, knees, and feet, proceeded to slide slowly +down the sail, tearing my nails, and skinning my +legs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp71" id="i_132" style="max-width: 114.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_132.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <i>Clinching the Crossjack Leechline.</i> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span></p> + +<p>The sail did its best to shake me off; there +was not much wind, and it kept flapping, each +flap swinging me violently from one side to the +other.</p> + +<p>I found it was all I could do to hold on, and +on trying to leave go with one hand to clinch +the leech-line, I all but fell, just saving myself by +gripping the bolt-rope with all my strength. Again +and again I tried; my muscles groaned and crackled +under the tremendous strain, the whole weight of +my body falling on the ends of my fingers, which +were but slightly assisted by my knees and feet, +owing to the flapping of the sail. I ground my +teeth, as I hated to be beaten; how I did strain, +until the muscles felt as if they would break, my +veins stood out like cords on my forehead, from +which great drops of sweat were falling. I crooked +my fingers, and tore my nails as I dug them into +the sail; but it was impossible, I could not hold +on to the flapping sail by means of the tips of five +fingers, whilst I clinched the leech-line by means +of my teeth and my other hand. At last I had +to give it up and slide down. I was quite blown +when I got to the deck, and had ripped the skin +clean off one shin, which, by the way, took over +two months to heal, so bad does one’s skin get at +sea.</p> + +<p>No one else would tackle the job, so finally I +was lowered from the yardarm in a bowline, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span> +so clinched the leech-line. Clinching the leech-line +simply means making it fast to the leech of the +sail about half-way down.</p> + +<p>I note in my log to-day the following entry: +“Mac turned out first in the afternoon watch to-day, +a marvellous feat.”</p> + +<p>The much-admired and much-written-about +constellation of the Southern Cross is in sight +now, low down on the horizon.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 20th September.</i>—Lat. 13°.55 S., +long. 120°.02 W. Course—S. 3 W. Run 127 +miles.</p> + +<p>We had a bad rain-storm in the middle watch +last night.</p> + +<p>Again busy sending up new gear all day. We +sighted a four-mast barque on our weather bow +this morning.</p> + +<p>The old man thinks she is the <i>Centesima</i>, which +was in Frisco with us.</p> + +<p>Much to our delight, we put her on the lee bow +in the middle watch.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 21st September.</i>—On coming on deck +this morning at eight o’clock, we found the other +ship on our lee quarter.</p> + +<p>They had just been signalling when our watch +came on deck, and she turned out to be the +<i>Loudoun Hill</i>, which left Frisco twelve days +before us, and is considered a smart ship.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span></p> + +<p>All day we gradually dropped her, and the old +man is very pleased at passing her. The wind fell +light, and broke off in the first dog watch, and we +saw a black squall catch the <i>Loudoun Hill</i> all +aback.</p> + +<p>There are about a dozen dolphins off the +quarter to-day, swimming alongside the ship. +They are what seamen call “mosky,” that is, +having yellow tails. It is an old sailor’s hoax that +a dolphin gets his yellow tail from eating the weed +off the ship’s bottom, which is supposed to poison +him.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon, our watch below, the second +mate, Mac, and I got the grains out and tried to +grain them; but though we hit once or twice, we +were not successful, for it is no easy matter this +harpooning of dolphins.</p> + +<p>Lat. 15°.45 S., long. 129 W. Course—S. 28 +W. Run 124 miles.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 22nd September.</i>—A calm day. We +squared the yards, and started shifting sail again; +very hot work, as we are working like demons to +beat the port watch.</p> + +<p>We can still see the <i>Loudoun Hill</i> down to her +topsails on the lee beam.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 23rd September.</i>—We have lost the +trades, and are in the doldrums, busy bracing the +yards up to any puff that comes along.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span></p> + +<p>The <i>Loudoun Hill</i> is out of sight to leeward.</p> + +<p>The dolphins are still showing off their beauty +alongside, but they will not take a bait, and nobody +is skilful enough to grain them, as at the +very sight of the grain poised above the rail, they +dive deeper into the water or swim just out of range.</p> + +<p>I had a long yarn with the bosun to-day. +He is a fairly well-to-do man for the bosun of +a sailing-ship, as, until this voyage, he had left +the sea for ten years, having married a woman +with money, and having taken to farming in California, +where he seems to be doing very well, +and talks like an expert on the subject.</p> + +<p>He is making this voyage as a means of +getting home to see his old people, who are +Germans, and he is taking them a large cask of +home-made Californian wine, and two huge oil-paintings +of himself and his wife.</p> + +<p>He told me that he was chief officer on one +of the Mexican Gulf steamers before he finally +left the sea.</p> + +<p>For a chief officer he certainly is a very poor +sailorman, and I expect makes a far better farmer, +as he has not got the nerve or grit that is necessary +to make a good sailor.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 24th September.</i>—Fine breeze all night. +In the first watch, when keeping time, I went +forward at six bells to see that the side lights +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span> +burnt brightly, and happening to look overboard +from the forecastle head, saw what I took to be +a large fish keeping steadily along with its back +out of water, just astern of our bow-wave.</p> + +<p>I called Higgins, who was on the lookout; he +said it was a porpoise, but I thought it was +much too big for a porpoise.</p> + +<p>Going aft, I woke up Loring, who was coiled +up asleep under the break of the poop, and sent +him forward to have a look at the queer fish. He +came back cursing. The queer fish was old +Higgin’s clothes, which he had got towing overboard, +and which the old man had forgotten.</p> + +<p>It was a lovely day, and the ship lay her +course on a bowline.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">The furrow followed free.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 25th September.</i>—Lat. 21°.04 S., long. +127° W. Course—E.S.E.</p> + +<p>We had a busy time last night, squall after +squall coming up in the first watch.</p> + +<p>We stood by the royal halliards eight times.</p> + +<p>The gaff-topsail, jigger-topmast staysail, and +flying-jib were taken in in the middle watch.</p> + +<p>The breeze is fresh to-day, with a cloudy sky, +and the weather is getting colder.</p> + +<p>We are taking sprays aboard, and will soon +be in the ruck of it if this goes on.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 26th September.</i>—The wind went +ahead in the middle watch last night, and we +could not head up better than E. by N., so all +hands were called, and we went about. I think +this is the first time we have gone about at night.</p> + +<p>We finished bending sail to-day, and have +bent a brand new foresail for the Horn.</p> + +<p>My leg is festering all down the shin, the +result of coming down the weather leech of the +crossjack the other day, and I have had to put +a bandage on it.</p> + +<p>On coming on deck in the first dog watch, +we found another sail in sight on our weather +bow, also a four-mast barque.</p> + +<p>She proves to be the <i>Centesima</i>, and we are +coming up on her.</p> + +<p>We had a long argument to-day about that +vexed subject, British sailors on British ships. A +great deal is written nowadays about the scandal +of British ships sailing the seas manned by crews +of Dutchmen and dagos, and most people think +the reason is, that Britishers prefer sailing in +foreign ships because they are so much better fed.</p> + +<p>But the real reason why British ships are +not manned by British seamen entirely is a very +simple one to my mind,—there are not sufficient +British seamen to man the British ships.</p> + +<p>Take the better class, fairly steady, foremast +Britisher; he is taken up to the last man by the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> +mail-steamers and yachts (the amount of prime +sailors employed on yachts nowadays makes no +small item in the grand total of British seamen); +added to this, look at the number of men the +Navy requires annually from the country.</p> + +<p>Thus it is that only British sailing-ships and +steam tramps whose good qualities are well known, +and whose officers are well known, can get crews +of Britishers.</p> + +<p>There are more British sailing-ships, however, +at sea which never ship a foreigner amongst the +crew than most people imagine. Of course, British +sailormen are often to be found in foreign ships +for more than one reason; perhaps the chief is, that +very often the man is on his beam ends and has to +take the first ship he can get, which as likely as +not happens to be a foreigner.</p> + +<p>Many Britishers sail on American ships to +qualify for the “Snug Harbour,” and there are +also a vast quantity of British seamen in the +American Navy.</p> + +<p>Therefore I contend that the chief, I do not say +the only, reason why you find so many foreigners +in British ships is, because there are not enough +British seamen to supply the demand.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 27th September.</i>—Course—S.S.W.; +wind faint and unreliable, though we are overhauling +the <i>Centesima</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span></p> + +<p>To-day we came to an end of the Kobe biscuits, +which are nearly all rice, and at last have got the +splendid American hard-tack served out to us: I +don’t think I have ever eaten better biscuit than +this Frisco bread.</p> + +<p>Hard at work again to-day scrubbing and +painting.</p> + +<p>I had a yarn with Webber in the dog watch. +He is the hardest worker in the port watch, though +he is a poor sailor. He has sailed a good deal in +Yankee hell boats, and has tasted more belaying-pin +soup than is good for him, the consequence +being that though he is a great big man, 6 feet +2 inches high, he is as meek and mild as a newborn +lamb.</p> + +<p>He told me that he had sailed with “Black +Taylor” the voyage before this demon in a human +skin was killed. This man came to a fitting end. +He was mate of the <i>S. G. Alley</i>, one of the toughest +of tough hell ships, outward bound, and just off +the Hook.</p> + +<p>He found fault with a man for allowing the +rope to surge at the capstan. As the rope was +wet, it naturally paid out in short jerks, which, +of course, could not be helped.</p> + +<p>But this was too much for “Black Taylor,”—he +went for the man, kicked him into the waterways, +and was preparing to stamp his ribs in, +when he leaped to his feet and ripped Taylor’s +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span> +stomach up, with the trick-twist of the New Orleans +nigger.</p> + +<p>“Black Taylor’s” inside fell out, and his career +ended then and there.</p> + +<p>The ship put back into New York to get +another mate, and the sailor at his trial pleaded +self-defence, and only got six months, as Taylor’s +record was too well known.</p> + +<p>Another notorious Yankee is Captain Summers, +of the <i>H. D. Macgregor</i>. He is supposed to have +broken every bone in his body at one time or +another jumping after the men. He is a little man, +very broad and strong, with a fearful temper.</p> + +<p>He jumped clean off the poop one day, meaning +to land on one of his crew, but the vessel rolling, +he missed, and brought up against a water-barrel +instead, and broke his thighbone.</p> + +<p>Captain Slocum, of the <i>D. G. Tillie</i>, is another +devil of a “down-easter,” with a terrible character +for brutality.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 28th September.</i>—We came on deck +in the morning watch and found heavy rain falling, +and the ship hardly going 3 knots.</p> + +<p>My feet are so swollen from wearing no shoes +that I cannot get my rubbers on.</p> + +<p>Pitcairn Island is in sight from aloft, and soon +will be from the deck.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span></p> + +<p>We were hoping the captain would call there +and take in some fresh vegetables.</p> + +<p>What an interesting story is that of the Mutiny +of the Bounty and settling of the mutineers on +Pitcairn Island!</p> + +<p>The island rises like a rock out of the sea, a +mere speck in the great Pacific Ocean.</p> + +<p>We had two squalls in the afternoon, and a fine +breeze sprang up, but we are still close hauled, and +going to the westward.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 29th September.</i>—Fine night, and an +8-knot breeze, our light weather sails coming +in in the first watch.</p> + +<p>To-day is another day of painting.</p> + +<p>Lat. 24°.55 S., long. 120°.30 W. Course—S. +22 W. Run 96 miles.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon one of the port watch caught +a 28-lb. albacore, a rattling fine fish.</p> + +<p>Whilst putting a sail away this afternoon +through the skylight on the poop into the sail-locker, +Higgins in sea-boots trod on my bare +foot. I stepped back hastily, and tripping up, +fell through the skylight, smashing it to atoms.</p> + +<p>In a Yankee ship I should have been in for +belaying-pin soup to a certainty, but here, the +matter being an accident, only raised a laugh, even +from the old man.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 30th September.</i>—Hurrah! Fine +breeze and lovely day, going 7½ knots with the +yards on the backstays all the morning.</p> + +<p>It was a case of our great chorus—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“What ho, Piper! watch her how she goes!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Give her the sheet and let her rip—</div> + <div class="verse indent0">We’re the boys to pull her through.</div> + <div class="verse indent0">You ought to see her rolling home,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">For she’s the gal to go—</div> + <div class="verse indent0">In the passage home in ninety days,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">From Cal—i—for—ni—o!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>In the afternoon the breeze freshened and freed +us a bit, and we logged 8 knots, and all night we +were going like a steam-boat under all sail, the +wind freeing all the time. At midnight the jigger-topgallant +staysail had to come in, and the log +showed 10 knots.</p> + +<p>Soon after four bells in the middle watch I +awoke, as I lay under the break of the poop, curled +up on the deck, with the water in the lee scuppers +lapping up to my feet, to hear the stentorian voice +of the second mate above me—</p> + +<p>“Square the crossjack yard!”</p> + +<p>We had very hard work squaring her in, and +had to take the handy billy to help us with the +lower and topsail yards.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V"> + CHAPTER V + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>RUNNING EASTING DOWN</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 1st October.</i>—The <i>Royalshire</i> is +travelling faster to-day than she has done yet, +going over 10 knots under all sail—splendid +sailing! Ten knots may not seem a great pace +to a man who has only tried the sea in steamers, +but 10 knots on a sailing-ship is equivalent to 20 +on a steamer, and far, far more exhilarating. How +some of our keen yachtsmen would enjoy to-day! +The <i>Royalshire</i> is laying over to it like a yacht +with her lee rail, which is nearly 6 feet off the +deck, almost under water: the lee scuppers are, of +course, full of water, and sprays are rattling like +small shot on the deck forward, and on the midship-house.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_144" style="max-width: 150.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_144.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + <p>“ROYALSHIRE” UNDER FULL SAIL</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>This is indeed sailing; everyone is cheerful, +and in a good temper—as for myself, I feel as +if I should like to dance about the deck and shout +for very joy of such going. It is, indeed, a +magnificent sight from the forecastle head, but +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span> +the best view of all is from the end of the bowsprit, +a favourite spot of mine. From there you +see the whole ship. How the sails belly out and +tear at their sheets, how firm and round they +look, how white and gleaming; then look below +you at the fore-foot, slicing the green water in +half, and throwing out a bow-wave as big as a +torpedo-catcher’s,—and all around white horses +prance and toss the spume from their foaming +heads.</p> + +<p>The run for the last twenty-four hours was +232 miles, the best we have done yet. Lat. +31°.28 S., long. 127°.09 W.</p> + +<p>We of the starboard watch came on deck at +4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, to see a black-looking squall coming up.</p> + +<p>“Aft the watch and brail in the spanker!” +yells the second mate. Then the gaff-topsail and +staysails had to come in. I was rolling up the +main-topmast staysail, when there came a clap like +thunder right over my head.</p> + +<p>The squall was upon us, the wind shrieking +through the rigging, and the rain rapidly filling +the scuppers.</p> + +<p>“The fore-royal’s blown away!” yelled Rooning, +who was rolling up the staysail with me.</p> + +<p>I looked up, and there was the fore-royal in +rags, wound round and round the mast and yard; +the sheet had carried away.</p> + +<p>This was the signal for the royals to come in.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span></p> + +<p>I went up on to the main-royal yard with old +Taylor, and as we rolled up the sail, we could +see that Johnsen, Jamieson, and Wilson were +having a rare job on the fore-royal yard cutting +the sail adrift.</p> + +<p>It took them nearly a couple of hours before +they got the tattered remains of the sail on deck.</p> + +<p>I thought the old man would have been rather +mad at losing the sail, but not a bit of it; he +seemed rather pleased than otherwise. There was +no mistake about it, his reputation for carrying on +was no false one.</p> + +<p>By 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> it was blowing very hard, and just +as the port watch were going to turn in, all hands +were called, and the crossjack and mainsail were +hauled up and made fast.</p> + +<p>This done, the other watch went below, whilst +we set to work to get the topgallant sails in.</p> + +<p>I went up to the fore upper-topgallant with +Jennings and old man Higgins. Getting on to +the yard, we found the sail thrashing about and +raising a great commotion, as it had not been +properly clewed up.</p> + +<p>A terrific fight began between the furious sail, +Jennings, and myself; poor old Higgins was of no +use, it being all he could do to hang on.</p> + +<p>Whenever one got a grip of the sail, after +repeated attempts and tearing of nails, it shook +itself free again, and then tried to knock you off +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span> +the yard. The only thing to do was to trust to +Providence, and use both hands. Of course, it is +taking big risks. To begin with, you are standing +on a swinging foot-rope, the ship is pitching so +that you are first nearly flung over the top of the +yard and then nearly fall over backwards; with +both hands you are trying to pick up the sail, +which every now and again, especially if it is not +quite hauled up by the spilling lines, bellies out +over the top of the yard, and hitting you in the +face, tries to knock you over backwards; then if +you have not got firm hold of the jackstay you +are bound to go—to land on the deck 150 feet +below, an unrecognisable mass, smashed like a +rotten apple.</p> + +<p>Jennings and I were soon using both hands, +hitting the sail with our fists, tearing at it, every +now and then getting a bit up, and hanging on +to it like grim death.</p> + +<p>Swearing like pirates, sweating, fighting, +struggling, we at last got the bunt up, and the +bunt gasket made fast. Then I went out on to +the weather yardarm, with Jennings inside me, and +Higgins inside Jennings, on the yard. Exerting +all my strength, I managed to pick up the leech +of the sail and get it on to the yard, and hold +it down with my body on top of it. I then got +my arm under the foot, and held on to it for all +I was worth, shouting to Jennings to pass the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span> +gasket round the sail; this he never succeeded in +doing until I could hold out no longer, and had +to let the sail drop again. As we were such a +long time, the fourth mate presently came up to +see what we were about; but he came on to the +yard without stopping to pick his language.</p> + +<p>“What the —— —— —— are you doing, +you —— hobos? Are you intending to stay up +here all the —— —— night?”</p> + +<p>This was nice language to use to men who +were risking their lives and tearing their hearts +out, and it was too much for our tempers.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the pitching of the ship, and +the thrashing of the sail, there would have been +a fight on that yard if Mac had not sung low.</p> + +<p>Now Mac was one of the best men aloft in +the ship, but even with his aid, we had been two +hours on that upper-topgallant before we had got +the last gasket passed.</p> + +<p>This was our first bit of a blow, and of +course the watch wanted a lot of drilling. In +hauling the mainsail up, the maintack had never +been unhooked, so directly I got on deck from +the fore upper-topgallant, I found I had to go up +on to the main-yard with Wilson and send the +tack down. It was a simple enough operation +with the aid of the leech-line, but Wilson and I +managed to get mixed up in the dark and, of +course, lost our tempers, and he started cursing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span> +at me; at last I told him I would chuck him off +the yard if he did not shut his adjectived mouth, +and he was silent. This was the only row I ever +had with Wilson, who was a rare good old chap, +as simple as a child and very kind-hearted.</p> + +<p>Whilst I had been aloft, three quarters of the +watch had passed away. From eight to eleven +we had been going fully 14 knots, and for the +first time this passage the ship required two men +at the wheel.</p> + +<p>She was taking some big lumps of water aboard, +and hardly had I clambered on deck out of the +main rigging than a big dollop came over the rail +right on top of me, and swept me off my legs; +luckily I had firm hold of the topgallant halliards.</p> + +<p>The next moment I heard the second mate +calling for me: it was my timekeeping, and two +of the binnacles were out. I soon had them lighted, +after a liberal use of matches and oaths, and rushing +on to the poop in the darkness, ran straight +into the old man, all but knocking him down. +Hastily apologising, I dashed on, not waiting for +any remarks.</p> + +<p>When I turned the watch out at one bell, Don +rounded on me and said,</p> + +<p>“I wish you would not make such a row +lighting those binnacles, Bally.”</p> + +<p>“Why,” I answered, “I thought I was very +quiet.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span></p> + +<p>“I don’t know what you call quiet, but I lay +and listened to you scratching matches and cursing +for nearly twenty minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, rats! I cursed a bit to myself, I admit, in +a whisper.”</p> + +<p>“D—d big whisper,” and with that he proceeded +to roll out of his bunk.</p> + +<p>“Any water on deck?” asked the third mate.</p> + +<p>“I advise you to put on oilskins; I’ve had a +dollop over me.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s Loring?”</p> + +<p>“At the lee wheel.”</p> + +<p>“What ho! a lee wheel, eh! What’s she +doing?”</p> + +<p>“Been going about 14 knots since eight,” I +answered, and glancing at the clock, saw it was +eight bells, and dashed on to the poop again to +strike the bell.</p> + +<p>Presently came the welcome words from the +mate,</p> + +<p>“Relieve the wheel and lookout!” and our +watch went below, after a busy time.</p> + +<p>The second mate came down into the half-deck +when the watch changed, and told them how I had +tried to knock the old man down.</p> + +<p>This was a great joke.</p> + +<p>“Bally’s been raisin’ hell everywhere to-night,” +said Mac. “He wanted to fight me on the fore +upper-topgallant yard, he threatened to chuck +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span> +Wilson off the main-yard, he tried to knock the +old man down—”</p> + +<p>“He’s been keeping us awake in here for the +last half-hour whilst he abused the binnacles,” +put in Don.</p> + +<p>“Boil your burners to-morrow,” I growled to +Don, and then gave myself up to delicious sleep.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 2nd October.</i>—In the morning watch +the weather began to moderate. We hove the log +and found she was doing 8 knots.</p> + +<p>At 5 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> we started setting sail in the dark. I +loosed the mizen-royal and upper-topgallant sail.</p> + +<p>We set all three royals and the upper-topgallant +sails, bending another fore-royal.</p> + +<p>Cape pigeons made their first appearance to-day, +a whole flock of them hovering round the stern. +They are very jolly little birds, with black and +white markings, and are quite the most cheerful +little beings in the Southern Ocean, far different +to the sullen, majestic albatross, the weirdly screaming +mollymawks, and the great Cape black hens.</p> + +<p>The old man had the tattered royal stretched +out on the poop this morning.</p> + +<p>The whole of the foot was gone, and only about +half the sail was left, and that was in strips.</p> + +<p>“Never seen a sail blow away like that before +have you?” said the old man, turning to me.</p> + +<p>“No, sir!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span></p> + +<p>“Well, you may see two or three more before +the mudhook’s in the ground,” he said, with a grim +smile.</p> + +<p>This looked as if he meant carrying on, and I +thought of that twenty pounds bet.</p> + +<p>To-day we are preparing for the bad weather in +the half-deck. We have collected all the bits of +canvas we can get hold of, and are nailing them +round our bunks to keep the water which pours +in in bad weather from swamping our bunks out.</p> + +<p>I am better off than the others, as I have got +my waterproof sheet which I used camping out. +This I have nailed round mine, and very useful I +afterwards found it. Many a time has the water +been two blocks under the break of the poop, and +of course poured into the half-deck through the +ventilators, in the doors, and the cracks.</p> + +<p>One could not keep the ventilators always +closed, as even with them open, the air inside the +little half-deck, with both doors shut, was very bad. +Whenever the water came in through the port +ventilator, it used to pour like a waterspout on +to Don’s and my bunks; mine was the lower one, +and my waterproof sheet had all it could do to +withstand the force of water, firmly nailed as it +was.</p> + +<p>I have turned my cariboo-skin sleeping-bag +fur inside again. Clothes lines have been hung +overhead, chests looked to and jammed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span></p> + +<p>The nipper’s canary was taken to the carpenter’s +shop next the galley, the warmest place in the +ship.</p> + +<p>We overhauled our cold weather clothes. I am +very well off indeed with all my Klondyke things; +indeed, but for my leaky oilskins, I could not have +a better outfit for the Horn.</p> + +<p>It consists of an Eskimo fur coat with a hood, +a fur cap with nose and ear flaps, a Klondyke coat +of buckskin and corduroy lining, a reefer jacket, fur +mits, a thick waistcoat, and homespun Norfolk coat, +besides thick pilot-cloth trousers, several pairs of +stockings and thick socks, three pairs of arctic +socks, arctic moccasins reaching to the knee, thick +snow moccasins, field boots (to which I had given +a good coating of grease), and hip rubbers.</p> + +<p>But, alas! though I bought my rubbers a size +too big, my feet were so swollen from not having +worn shoes for a month that I could not get them +on, and I had to swop them with Mac for a pair of +knee rubbers.</p> + +<p>Loring was very badly off, and had no warm +clothes at all, so I gave him my Norfolk coat and +thick waistcoat. The coat nearly reached down +to his knees, and his hands went out of sight up +the sleeves; but this was all the better for warmth.</p> + +<p>The wind fell calm after sunset, and a drizzling +rain set in, with heavy swell, which set the ship +rolling very badly, so that it was all one could +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span> +do to stand up; I took two terrific tosses, slipping +upon the greasy decks.</p> + +<p>How delightful and cosy I felt turning into +my sleeping-bag in the first watch, better far +than a dozen pairs of blankets. Off the Horn +the air is so moist that once one’s blankets are +damp they never get dry again; besides which, +the iron side of the half-deck sweats awfully, and +drips on to everything. But when everybody and +everything else was wet off the Horn, I would +crawl into my bag, my underclothes wet, my socks +dripping—I did not take them off, as the only +chance to get them dry was by the heat of my +body—and on turning out again I would find my +clothes dry, and my feet smoking hot, notwithstanding +the wet socks.</p> + +<p>But the job was getting wet rubbers on over +wet socks.</p> + +<p>Tug! tug! tug! Puff! puff! puff! It necessitated +turning out punctually at seven bells. In +the tropics it took me two seconds to dress, off +the Horn twenty minutes;—what with putting +lashings on your oilskins, a deep-sea lashing round +the waist, wrist lashings to prevent the water +pouring down your arms as a sea came over the +rail on top of one’s head, and a lashing round +your legs below the knees to prevent the water +from getting up between the oilskins and rubbers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 3rd October.</i>—The wind went down +in the night, and the morning found us loafing +along with a thick damp fog all round us. +According to Board of Trade regulations, a lookout +was sent on to the forecastle head with a +cowhorn, out of which at short intervals he blew +three blasts—a more weird sound I never heard.</p> + +<p>We are busy to-day sending down all the +gaskets and renewing them. Rotten gaskets have +probably caused more deaths by falling from aloft +than any other cause.</p> + +<p>A careless sailor will haul his gasket tight +with both hands—result, if the gasket is rotten it +carries away, and over he goes backwards. Even +if the gasket is not rotten, it may give to him +suddenly, and the jerk taking him by surprise +causes him to leave go, and away he goes, to be +smashed like a jelly on the deck below, or, if he +falls outboard and he manages to struggle up to +the surface, the weather is probably too bad for +a boat to be launched.</p> + +<p>Lat. 36°.31 S., long. 123°.19 W. Course—S. +36 E. Run 130 miles.</p> + +<p>The steward was rather amusing to-day in the +first dog watch. Whilst looking about in the +lazarette for something for the cabin tea, he came +across a tin marked “Frankfurter Sauerkraut.”</p> + +<p>This puzzled him completely, and he determined +to find out what the mysterious dish was.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span></p> + +<p>On opening it, of course he found sausage +and cabbage inside.</p> + +<p>“Blast me if it ain’t nothin’ but sausage and +greens, after all that heathen writin’ on the tin,” +he growled.</p> + +<p>Loring and I were down there getting up +bread for him—by bread I mean hard-tack—which +was a job we had about once a fortnight.</p> + +<p>“But that means sausage and cabbage,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Well, ’ow was I to know; I ain’t no scholard—they +didn’t learn me no French when I was a +kid,” he replied, much incensed.</p> + +<p>This getting up hard-tack was not a bad job. +Loring used to get right inside the tank—the +hole was not big enough for me, so he always +had to do that part of the job.</p> + +<p>I used to sit on the tank and pass him down +a plate, this he filled with biscuit, which I poured +into an empty flour sack; this when full I carried +up and emptied into a locker in the pantry. The +steward generally gave us something for filling his +locker up—a piece of soft-tack or a little cold dry +hash—which, you may be sure, we fully appreciated.</p> + +<p>On the line, it was, to say the least of it, hot +in the lazarette, and poor Loring in the small +bread-tank fairly sweltered.</p> + +<p>The job generally took nearly two hours, as +we did not hurry much, and during that time our +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span> +jaws kept steadily munching, as we usually put +away over a dozen biscuits apiece.</p> + +<p>The steward kept his eye on us pretty well +as he did not trust us further than he could see +us down there with all the cabin provisions +around us.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding his vigilance, the pair of us +generally left the lazarette our shirts stuffed with +onions, which were much prized in the half-deck, +and eaten raw.</p> + +<p>In the lazarette there was a big open cask of +unrefined sugar, which I was very fond of: it was +so juicy as to be quite intoxicating, with all the +properties of Jamaica rum. It had one drawback, +however, and that was that some paraffin oil had +somehow got upset in it, giving it a bit of a +paraffiny taste. This, though sufficient to prevent +it being served out to the crew, did not prevent +me from enjoying a big bit of it whenever I got +the chance.</p> + +<p>As luck would have it, our new sugar, which +had been got in at Frisco, also got tainted +thoroughly with paraffin, and was not nearly so +good as this old sugar, to my mind.</p> + +<p>This was rather hard lines, as sugar is half +the battle in the sort of tea and coffee you get +on board a lime-juicer.</p> + +<p>It is wonderful what you can get used to +however. I have drunk many queer apologies for +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span> +coffee, but with time have always managed to +get so used to them that I rather liked them in +the end; in the same way that on a ranche in +winter in the north-west, where I have done a +bit of cowboy work, if snowed up and run out of +tobacco, one smokes tea, and gets so used to it +that one hardly likes leaving it when one gets +tobacco again.</p> + +<p>The worst coffee I ever drank, I think, was up +in the Klondyke. I had walked over the Chilkoot +Pass to Lake Linderman, where the Canadian +custom-house was, for the boundary line was the +top of the Pass.</p> + +<p>Here I had to wait for my truck, consisting of +my stove, tent, provisions, etc., to come over the +Pass by means of the Wire Cable Company, by +which the things were hauled up to the summit, +and the sleighs and pack-trains by which they +were conveyed across the lakes and over a very +rough trail down to Linderman.</p> + +<p>Over a fortnight I had to wait, with nothing +to do but watch snow slides in the mountains, +whittle wood (a popular pastime in the Klondyke), +and shoot ptarmigan. During this time I was +obliged to put up at a canvas bunk-house, with +a sawdust floor, and sleep two in a bunk between +dirty blankets. A small glass of native beer cost +4 bits (the North-west Coast term for 50 cents), +and whisky of the most poisonous description 6 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span> +bits (75 cents). Bacon and beans were the staple +fare, washed down by a drink supposed to be coffee, +but generally called slumgullion.</p> + +<p>This slumgullion almost formed a meal in itself, +for half the cup was filled with a thick sediment of +flour, sawdust, and one or two other delicacies. It +tasted tallowy, it tasted pork and beany, it tasted +oily, and it tasted of garlic; this, for coffee, I +thought hard to beat, but old Slush’s coffee on +the <i>Royalshire</i> ran it close.</p> + +<p>There were two brands of coffee on the <i>Royalshire</i>, +marked “cabin coffee” and “crew’s coffee.”</p> + +<p>Don, who posed as a bit of a connoisseur of +coffee, examined both taps as we passed them +aboard. The cabin coffee he pronounced to be +sweepings, the cheapest to be got in Frisco. The +crew’s coffee he bit and tasted, and declared was +not coffee at all.</p> + +<p>Goodness only knows what it was composed of; +all I know is that there is a deal of painted wood +doing duty for coffee in America, put in circulation +by certain slim gentlemen, and I sometimes think +we got some of this.</p> + +<p>It was wet during the night, and there was +some lightning, but very little wind.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 4th October.</i>—To-day we are busy +sending down and overhauling sheets. I am glad +to say that the <i>Royalshire</i> is not one of those +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span> +cheaply-run ships as to gear, which cost so many +men’s lives. The old man looks at every sheet, +leech-line, buntline, and halliard whip with his own +eye, and it is at once replaced with new rope if +showing much signs of wear. The gaskets especially +were all renewed.</p> + +<p>It fell dead calm about four bells in the afternoon +watch, and there was a heavy swell running, +so the mainsail and crossjack were hauled up, and +the royals furled.</p> + +<p>It is much colder, and socks and boots are the +order of the day.</p> + +<p>There was a regular Cape Horn sunset, and I +thought it looked very wild and grand. The sea +was a greyish sickly green, and ran in long ridges +as the swell rolled in from the South’ard, where +there was evidently dirty weather; the sky was +yellow, with a few angry red streaks in it, and the +sun sank very slowly.</p> + +<p>In the second dog watch, some fiend started +the discussion of “Brothers and sisters have I +none, but that man’s father was my father’s son: +who is that man?”</p> + +<p>After deep thought, Scar declared that that +man was my son, and I seconded him.</p> + +<p>“Both wrong,” cried Don excitedly; “that +man’s myself.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I’m fair dashed if I can see it,” said +Scar; “he canna be mysel’, an’ he maun be my son.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[161]</span></p> + +<p>“Hear! hear! how can my father and my +father’s son be the same person?” I joined +in.</p> + +<p>“Well you must be a pair of —— fools, that’s +all I can say,” said Don, highly scornful.</p> + +<p>“What do you think about it, you wild Highlander?” +he continued, turning to Mac.</p> + +<p>The canny Scot put his head on one side, and +after meditating a bit, came out with this extraordinary +statement,</p> + +<p>“He’s me brither, or myself.”</p> + +<p>“I’m me gran’mother if he is!” yelled the hot-tempered +third mate.</p> + +<p>“What do you think, Klondyke?” asked Mac +in an aside to me.</p> + +<p>“Why, that you and Don are a pair of idiots.”</p> + +<p>“Hang it all, Bally, I did not think you were +such a thickhead as all that,” sneered Don in his +superior way.</p> + +<p>“Thickhead yourself; I’ll bet you anything you +like that that man’s my son,” I replied.</p> + +<p>“And I’ll bet you a fiver that that man’s +myself.”</p> + +<p>“Done with you! I’ll lay odds Klondyke’s +right!” almost shrieked Scar.</p> + +<p>At one bell the second mate came into the half-deck, +and was immediately appealed to by both +sides. But he found it such a matter for thought +that before he could give his decision eight bells +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span> +went, and we of the starboard watch had to go on +deck.</p> + +<p>The sides were evenly divided so far; Mac and +the nipper joined Don, whilst Loring “plumped +his stack of blues” on Scar and myself.</p> + +<p>Mac, Loring, and I paced up and down the +main-deck arguing hopelessly, each thinking the +other an absolute fool for not seeing the right +answer.</p> + +<p>Whenever we came under the half-deck, we +heard Scar and Don hard at it; both had lost +their tempers, and sitting up in their bunks, were +yelling across at each other in a way which was +both painful and free. So excited were they, that +they lost more than half their watch below before +they gave up the unfinished argument for sleep.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the second mate was struggling with +the problem as he walked the poop. Occasionally +he would come to the rail and call us, saying that +he had changed his mind; for, first he declared it +was the son, then he took a few turns and came +back and said it was the father, and so he went +on.</p> + +<p>There was no work to be done as we lay rolling +in the swell without a breath of wind, the sails +slating against the masts. Presently the whole +watch were arguing, cursing, and scratching their +heads about the infernal conundrum.</p> + +<p>So the argument went on all night. At eight +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span> +bells the second mate whispered it to the mate as +he relieved him, and it straightway kept the mate +pondering all the middle watch.</p> + +<p>On our watch coming on deck again at 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, +Don and his side were in the minority, and soon +after every one went with a rush to our side, and +Don was left solitary, stubborn, and defiant, declaring +that he would prove he was right by mathematics, +or if we preferred it, by algebra, adding +that we were the biggest lot of thickheads and +duffers in creation.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 5th October.</i>—The calm cleared off +about four bells in the forenoon watch, and left +us slipping along under all sail in sunshine, blue +sky, and rolling sea. The light breeze is dead aft, +and fog rolls down upon us at intervals, and gives +the “tootler” with the cowhorn on the forecastle +head a chance of showing his powers, and startling +the inhabitants of the Southern Ocean.</p> + +<p>Two albatrosses have made their appearance. +How magnificent they look as they hover in our +wake, swooping gracefully about without a single +quiver of their huge double-jointed wings. I have +watched them for hours at a time without seeing +one of them make a flap of his wings. They don’t +fly, they sail; and when they want to go against the +wind, “they brace sharp up,” and in a wonderful +manner seem able to sail right into the wind’s eye. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[164]</span> +It is a bad sign to see them so far north, and means +very bad weather to the southward.</p> + +<p>Lat. 38°.06 S., long. 122°.03 W.</p> + +<p>“Mugi,” the white hen from Japan, died to-day, +making the third death in the hencoop this passage +from unknown causes.</p> + +<p>When we were in Frisco, Mugi had the hencoop +to herself, and was as fit as she could be. The day +before we sailed, however, a dozen wretched-looking +barn-door fowls were sent on board with a seedy-looking +cock.</p> + +<p>The hencoop, filled with these newcomers, was +brought aft and lashed on to the after-hatch, and +Don was appointed feeder of the hens, a store of +wheat, brick, and oyster-shells being put in his +lamp-locker for their use.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the steward and the nipper prepared +themselves for an egg competition, and it +is probable that if the hens had been good layers, +the cabin would not have seen many eggs, as the +nipper was as sharp at abstracting eggs from a +hencoop as a London pickpocket. Only two eggs +have been laid, however, up till now, and they have +been carefully divided between the six inmates of +the half-deck, and eaten raw, shell and all.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding Don’s unremitting care and +attention, the hens have been getting worse and +worse, and there is evidently some catching disease +which is killing them off.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp52" id="i_164" style="max-width: 105.1875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_164.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + THE ALBATROSS + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 6th October.</i>—Fine clear day, with a +fresh breeze dead aft. Course—E.S.E. Run 67 +miles. Lat. 40°.54 S., long. 120°.17 W.</p> + +<p>We are now in the “Roaring Forties,” and +ought to have fair westerly winds until we head +north again on the other side of the Horn.</p> + +<p>Between the parallels of 40 and 60 a westerly +gale of wind blows continuously all the year round, +and when a ship bound for Australia gets into +these parallels she keeps in them the whole way +to Sydney, and what sailors call “runs her easting +down.” Some of the old tea-clippers made +wonderful records running their easting down.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the best was that of the famous +American clipper <i>Red Jacket</i>, which ran 3184 miles +in ten consecutive days, her daily runs being 312, +300, 288, 400, 299, 350, 357, 334, 245, and 300 +miles.</p> + +<p>This vessel was built by George Thomas, at +Rockland, Maine, in 1853, for Donald M’Kay.</p> + +<p>She made some very fast passages, one of the +most notable of which was thirteen days one hour +and twenty-five minutes from New York to Liverpool. +In this passage she made the extraordinary +day’s run of 417 knots.</p> + +<p>The famous record-breaker <i>Thermopylæ</i> was +especially noted for her qualities when running her +easting down. Perhaps as it is now some time +ago when her wonderful passages were the talk +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span> +of every one, just as those of the <i>Deutchland</i> and +<i>Wilhelm der Grosse</i> are now, it might be of interest +if I give a short account of this vessel, which was +considered by many sailors to be the fastest sailing-ship +ever launched.</p> + +<p>The <i>Thermopylæ</i> was a composite ship of 948 +tons net, 1991 tons gross. She was built by +William Hood & Co., of Aberdeen, and designed +by the late Mr Bernard Waymouth, Secretary of +Lloyds’ Register.</p> + +<p>Her dimensions were—length, 212 feet; beam, +36 feet; depth, 20.9 feet.</p> + +<p>Her first voyage was a wonderful one, as she +broke a record every passage.</p> + +<p>At 5 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> on the 7th of November 1868, she +left Gravesend, the Lizard was passed at 6 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> +the next day, and the channel cleared that same night.</p> + +<p>She let go her anchor off Port Phillip, +Melbourne, on 9th January 1869, a passage of +sixty days from pilot to pilot. From Melbourne +she went to Newcastle, N.S.W., where she loaded +for Shanghai.</p> + +<p>On the 10th of February she left Newcastle +and arrived at Shanghai on the 10th of March, a +passage of twenty-eight days, and another record.</p> + +<p>From Shanghai she sailed for London, and +arrived after a passage of ninety-one days. This +was also a record, but was beaten a fortnight +later by her great rival, <i>Sir Lancelot</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[167]</span></p> + +<p>Thus she went round the world, breaking the +record each passage.</p> + +<p>On her second trip to Melbourne she took +sixty-one days.</p> + +<p>When the opening of the Suez Canal broke +the hearts of the tea-clippers, <i>Thermopylæ</i> went +into general trading, in which she remained till +the end of 1895. Her last voyage as a deep-waterman +was from Port Blakeley to Leith in +one hundred and forty-one days, she was then +sold, and is now a training-ship on the Tagus.</p> + +<p>Thus, after a very fast life, the <i>Thermopylæ</i> +spends her old age in rest and quietness. A +better ending this than that of many a famous +tea-clipper; most of them were bought by foreign +nations and ended their days timber droghing, +and a number of them are afloat still, but, of +course, with their huge sail-spreads and crews very +much cut down.</p> + +<p><i>Leander</i>, <i>Patriarch</i>, <i>Cutty Sark</i>, <i>Titania</i>, and +<i>Black Adder</i> are all, I believe, still afloat.</p> + +<p>Of course sailing-ships of the present day are +only built for carrying capacity; notwithstanding +this, many of them have made records worthy to +be ranked with those of the tea-clippers.</p> + +<p>In 1883 the <i>Maulesden</i>, an iron ship of 1455 +tons, built by A. Stephen & Sons, of Dundee, +did an extraordinary fine performance.</p> + +<p>Leaving Greenock on 2nd March 1883, she +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[168]</span> +crossed the line seventeen days out, doubled the +Cape in thirty-nine days, passed Tasmania sixty-one +days out, and arrived at Maryborough, +Queensland, after a passage of sixty-nine days.</p> + +<p>Running her easting down her best days’ runs +were 302, 303, 304, 311, 317, 322, and 335 knots.</p> + +<p>Her best weeks’ runs were 1698, 1798, 1908, +and 1929 knots. From Maryborough she went +to San Francisco, and then home, calling at +Queenstown; the whole voyage, including detention +in ports, took only nine months thirteen days.</p> + +<p>Her sister ship, the <i>Duntrune</i>, was also an +exceptionally speedy ship, and in 1887 went from +Port Augusta, Australia, to Valparaiso in thirty-one +days. This was a distance of 6920 miles, and +an average of 223 knots per day.</p> + +<p>Many of the modern four-mast barques are +also very fast, and the <i>Royalshire</i> herself is considered +a fast ship, having done some very fine +passages.</p> + +<p>One of the finest and fastest of these magnificent +vessels is the <i>Loch Torridon</i>. She holds +the record for a deep-loaded ship from Newcastle, +Australia, to San Francisco, making the passage +in forty-six days. In 1891 she beat a fleet of +seventy-eight vessels, coming home wool-laden +from Sydney in eighty days. It was on this +voyage that she made the wonderful record of +forty-one days from Diego Ramirez to the Lizard.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_168" style="max-width: 151.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_168.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + AN AUSTRALIAN CLIPPER + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[169]</span></p> + +<p>In 1892 she went out to Melbourne in ballast +in sixty-nine days, and in nine consecutive days +made runs of 302, 290, 288, 272, 285, 282, 270, +327, and 341 knots.</p> + +<p>She has also done the passage from Newcastle, +Australia, to Valparaiso in thirty days.</p> + +<p>The <i>Dundee</i> is another fast four-master, +making the passage from Montrose to Sydney in +1889 in seventy-six days, her best days’ runs +being 295, 318, 338, and 342 knots.</p> + +<p>The <i>Queen Margaret</i>, a skysail-yard, four-mast +barque and a “blue-nose,” was a noted flyer. She +was up at Port Costa loading grain with us, and +at the present moment is probably close on our +trail.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon watch it began to freshen up, +and we furled the mizen-royal and upper-topgallant +sail, and at eight bells the mainsail was +hauled up and made fast. As a rule, when a +course was taken in it was done at the change +of the watch, and then the port watch took their +yardarm and we took ours, a race taking place +between the two watches in furling the sail.</p> + +<p>As we were much the better watch, our last +man was frequently on deck before they had +picked up their sail. It is a great shipmaster’s +dodge to work his watches in rivalry against one +another, as he then gets twice the work out of +them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[170]</span></p> + +<p>In sand and canvas and painting I don’t think +there was much to choose between us; but when +it came to taking in sail in bad weather, or work +at the braces, we were twice as strong a crew as +they were.</p> + +<p>Some Yankee ships have what is called +“checkerboard” crews, that is to say, niggers in +one watch, white men in the other, and I believe +the competition between the two watches is +tremendous. There are some deep voyagers that +go in for entirely nigger crews.</p> + +<p>They are said to be rather unruly at sea, +though good and fearless sailors. The great point +about a negro crew is their “chantying.” They +do nothing without a chanty, and their chantying +is a real musical treat, which, if put on the stage, +I am very sure would draw immensely.</p> + +<p>Squalls are coming up at intervals, and on +coming on deck in the middle watch we found +the wind had broken off a bit. We had not +been on deck long before the order came to take +in the topgallant sails. Having rolled them up, +we then set the staysails, and when we went +below at 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> she was going a good 11 knots.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 7th October.</i>—From to-day, until +we get to the 40th parallel again on the other +side of the Horn, we get “burgoo” for breakfast, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[171]</span> +and I must confess that I have been looking +forward to this for some days.</p> + +<p>So, on being called this morning at seven +bells, it being my “peggy,” I was soon out of +my bunk and beseeching old Slush to give us a +good whack.</p> + +<p>How we did enjoy that burgoo, badly made +as it was! how we lingered over the last few +mouthfuls! how we scraped the kid!</p> + +<p>A lovely day, clear and cold, the topgallant +sails had been set again in the morning watch, +and at eight bells, 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, she was logging 11½ +knots.</p> + +<p>In the forenoon watch we set the mainsail +and reefed it, and then set the royals.</p> + +<p>The run to-day was 180 miles. Course—S. 47 +E. Lat. 42°.57 S., long. 118°.03 W.</p> + +<p>It is gradually breezing up, sprays are flying, +and occasionally a dollop of green water slops +aboard. We are surrounded by Cape pigeons, +mollymawks, and other Southern Ocean birds, +and the two great albatrosses are still with us.</p> + +<p>The crossjack was reefed between the dog +watches, our watch suffering, as it was our second +dog watch below. We had that crossjack reefed +in pretty quick time, for every minute kept us +from our tea; though it was only hard-tack and +half a pannikin of coloured water per man, such +as it was, it was always eagerly looked forward +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span> +to. As for myself, I have twice the appetite at +sea that I have on shore, and up till now have +never missed a meal at sea, either in steam or sail.</p> + +<p>In the first watch we had two Cape Horn +hail-storms, and as the wind came more astern +we hauled down the staysails.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 8th October.</i>—Regular “running easting +down” weather. Lovely day, not too cold, +with sun shining and foam glistening. The +white water is roaring past as the <i>Royalshire</i> +snores through it with her lee scuppers full, +leaving a wake like that of a channel paddle-boat.</p> + +<p>We shook the reefs out of the crossjack and +mainsail this morning, and with all sail set she +is going for all she is worth. One has to watch +one’s time on the main-deck now, as biggish +dollops are coming aboard.</p> + +<p>Lat. 45°.08 S., long. 115°.19 W. Course—E. +½ S.</p> + +<p>A great big mollymawk flew aboard this afternoon, +a very rare occurrence. He was a magnificent +bird, with a body as big as a swan’s, +and with a splendid white breast. He could not +rise off the deck, and was so sea-sick that he +could hardly waddle along. After we had examined +him, we let him go by throwing him over +the side, and he soon joined his mates, his only +loss being his dinner, which he left on board.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[173]</span></p> + +<p>It is now pretty cold, especially at night, and +some of the men forward are very badly off for +clothes. Poor old Higgins and Bower are the +worst off in our watch, and we have each given +them a few things. The old man, who has got +an immense wardrobe, has been very generous, +giving away very good clothes to some of the +men forward.</p> + +<p>There is no slop-chest on board, so if a man +comes aboard with only what he stands up in, +he has to trust to the generosity of his shipmates.</p> + +<p>But sailors are by far the most generous and +liberal people on this earth, not hesitating to +give away what they know they want very much +themselves.</p> + +<p>Bower, who knew nothing of the sea when +he came aboard, thinking he could do without +oilskins, sold his new ones to somebody in the +other watch, and now he has had to cadge +around for what he can get, and after some +difficulty he has managed to get an old suit, +which badly wanted oil and a good deal of +patching.</p> + +<p>Old Higgins is also very badly off, as he has +no rubbers, and his sea-boots leak badly. He is +a comic though pitiful sight now, as he has tied +bits of canvas round his boots, and has got +lashings all over him to prevent his tattered +raiment from blowing away. Even his old slouch +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span> +hat he has tied on by a piece of canvas passed +over it and made fast under his chin.</p> + +<p>When the decks are wet, as they are now, it +is almost impossible to stand up in anything but +rubbers, so the men that have no rubbers tumble +and slip up in every direction as the ship rolls; +even in rubbers, it is hard enough to keep on +your legs.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 9th October.</i>—Lat. 46°.35 S., long. +111°.52 W. Course—S. 59 E. Run 173 miles.</p> + +<p>It is much colder to-day, and much rougher, +with hail squalls at intervals, the wind having gone +more into the southward.</p> + +<p>It is too cold for sand and canvasing, so we +are busy making mats for fenders; and Jamieson +is engaged in making a large mat, which is going +to make part of a terrible instrument called “the +bear,” which afterwards caused much heart-breaking +work.</p> + +<p>I was beginning to think we were going to +have an easy forenoon watch, as we all sat under +the forecastle head in comfort whilst the seas +thundered on the deck above us, and a continuous +succession of dollops fell aboard amidships. But +it was too good to last long, as presently the +second mate sneaked forward with a large bundle +of rovings—the result of many first watches in the +tropics, which he had kept hoarded in his cabin—these, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span> +and as many rope yarns as we could carry, +he presented to four of us.</p> + +<p>“Lubbock and Jennings, you two go up the +fore and put in as many rope yarns as you can +cram in from the royal-yard down, and if there +are any gaps, put a roving in as well, and look +lively about it, Loring and Bower, you do the +same on the main.”</p> + +<p>If the reader has not understood this order, I +will explain. We simply had to lash the head of +the sails more firmly on to the jackstay, to resist +the terrific Cape Horn squalls in front of us.</p> + +<p>It was a cold job, I can tell you. It was blowing +pretty hard, and there was an icy chill in the +southerly wind which soon had one’s fingers frozen +and numbed, and as one fumbled clumsily and +squeezed one’s fingers under the jackstay, they +were soon sore and bleeding.</p> + +<p>But though not a pleasant job, it had one +compensation, the sea and ship from aloft were +a glorious sight.</p> + +<p>All around the ship was a mass of white froth, +and great Cape Horn greybeards rolled up on +each side until they overbalanced themselves, and +broke their tops into glittering spray.</p> + +<p>A good deal of green water is coming aboard, +and the cook has to keep his weather door shut.</p> + +<p>Circling and wheeling astern are sea-birds of all +kinds, Cape hens, mollymawks, Cape blackbirds, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span> +Cape pigeons, and our two friends the great wandering +albatrosses. These Cape blackbirds are like +large black gulls, and utter a weird kind of cry. I +believe they are really another species of albatross +called the “sooty albatross.”</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 10th October.</i>—The weather is still +fine but squally, and we are doing great sailing. +It is much colder again.</p> + +<p>Loring and I were sent up aloft to finish putting +the rovings in. We both put on our thickest +clothes, and our oilskins over them, and I put on +my Klondyke fur cap; but notwithstanding this, +we found it bitterly cold up aloft, and to make +matters worse, we had hardly put a couple of +rovings in on the mizen upper-topsail yard when +a hail-storm came down upon us, and beat upon +us for nearly an hour. But presently the old man +came on deck, and seeing us up there aloft, told the +second mate to call us down, as he thought it was +too cold to keep us aloft for such a long time in +such weather. Presently the sun came out, and +things looked much brighter.</p> + +<p>Loring and I were given half a dozen flags to +patch, which we did sitting to leeward of the +chart-house on the poop, and a very comfortable +time we had of it.</p> + +<p>All night it was squally and very cold, and we +are now fairly in the ruck of it.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI"> + CHAPTER VI + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>OFF THE HORN</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 11th October.</i>—A good blow, and a +big beam sea. We are logging 10 knots, and +rolling both rails under; for the first time, we +have been getting the water in the half-deck, +which is truly in a miserable state, as about +half a foot of water pours backwards and forwards +across it as the ship rolls.</p> + +<p>She is rolling so badly, that one has to brace +oneself firmly against something fixed whilst +eating, and anything that is not well jammed +off or lashed, carries away, and either gets +smashed up or forms one of the heap of sodden, +wretched objects which wash ceaselessly across +the floor.</p> + +<p>We now live in oilskins and rubbers, and +only take them off to get into our bunks. I had +two big seas over me to-day, but I hung on and +faced them, so that they failed to wash me away, +and my oilskins and rubbers being well lashed, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span> +kept me pretty dry. One of the golden rules in +bad weather is, Never run away from a sea. Catch +hold of whatever is nearest, and hang on for all +you are worth; for if a sea catches you and you +have not got firm hold of something, you stand +a very good chance of being washed overboard. +Even if this does not happen, you are washed into +the lee scuppers and get badly bruised and cut +about, besides being nearly drowned into the +bargain. A real big sea of course you cannot hang +on against, so great is the weight of water, and +you have to go whither the sea wishes you to.</p> + +<p>Whole watches have been washed overboard +off the Horn, whilst trying to get a pull on the +braces, which is a most dangerous business in +real bad weather.</p> + +<p>The old man is carrying on like anything; but +in the afternoon watch the gaff-topsail, staysails, +and mizen-royal had to come in, and in the first +watch we took in the main and fore royals to ease +the weight aloft. Lat. 49°.28 S., long. 104°.38 +W.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 12th October.</i>—The wind hauled +ahead last night, and we had hard work bracing +up. The port watch had a rare bad time in the +middle watch, and whilst at the fore-braces were +all washed away—Scar, Frenchie, and Don getting +jammed underneath the spare spars, whilst Jackson +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span> +and Webber were floated right aft as far as the +main-hatch.</p> + +<p>The wind is lighter this morning, and we have +set the royals again, and the ship is ever so much +steadier with the wind ahead, though the sea is +still very heavy.</p> + +<p>Jamieson has finished his mat for the “deck-bear,” +and this afternoon we started work with it.</p> + +<p>The bear is a square box, filled with stones +to weight it, and on to its bottom is nailed the +mat; it has a couple of short ropes made fast to +it on each side, and with one man on to the end +of each rope, we have first to haul one way, and +then the other two on the other side haul it back +again. Backwards and forwards it goes without +a stop, some sand being sprinkled over the deck +on which it is pulled. You have to keep at the +same bit of deck until its whiteness passes the +mate’s inspection, and he tells you to move on.</p> + +<p>Of course it is splendid for the muscles of the +back and arms, but on board a wind-jammer one’s +muscles get all they want without an infernal +slave-driving deck-bear to wear them out.</p> + +<p>It is the hardest work on the back I have +come across yet, and the rolling of the ship does +not improve matters; Loring, Jennings, Bower, +and myself are its victims in our watch, the +second mate and Mac watching us, and occasionally +giving a helping hand to one side or the other.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[180]</span></p> + +<p>By eight bells we were all completely cooked, +hardened and in rare training as we were, I +know that I just threw myself into my bunk in +the first dog watch, and lay there dead-beat for +nearly an hour.</p> + +<p>But presently I was tumbled clean out by a +terrific roll, and on looking out found that the +wind had hauled right aft again, making the +<i>Royalshire</i> roll in the heavy sea until the deck +was like the side of a house.</p> + +<p>Lat. 50°.35 S., long. 99°.35 W.</p> + +<p>In the second dog watch a sea caught me +and tossed me like a feather into the lee scuppers, +where I brought up a terrific bang, cutting my +knee open on the port main bits.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 13th October.</i>—The log was hove at +seven bells in the forenoon watch, and marked +12 knots, and it was as much as I could do to +haul the line in again.</p> + +<p>All the morning we have been at that terrible +bear. Yesterday we had started on the deck to +windward by the after-hatch, but as a continual +succession of dollops kept coming aboard just +there, knocking us down and interrupting the +work, the second mate told us to work forward +by the fore-hatch, where the sea did not come +aboard quite so often.</p> + +<p>Even here it was exciting enough. All of a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[181]</span> +sudden a big wave would be seen approaching, +which looked like coming aboard where we were; +then there would be a rush, the bear would be +left, and we would jump for safety on to the main +fife-rail or the fore-hatch, then crash would come +the great weight of water on the deck where a +moment before we had been working, washing the +wretched old bear before it into the lee scuppers.</p> + +<p>The big dollops were not the bother, however, +it was the small ones which were annoying and +at the same time amusing.</p> + +<p>Pop! one would put its head over the rail and +fall on two of us, to the amusement of the other +two, who would sooner or later be caught napping +in their turn, or again it would come with a rush +through the port almost sweeping us off our legs.</p> + +<p>The sand had to be given up, as it was +washed off the deck faster than it could be put +down.</p> + +<p>Loring was very unlucky, a big dollop bowling +him over and thoroughly soaking him notwithstanding +his oilskins! The second mate having +compassion on him as he shivered with cold, sent +him aft to get a change and took his place for a +few minutes; in those few minutes the second mate +got caught and soaked.</p> + +<p>Poor Loring, though on his way forward in +dry things once more, got caught by a big sea, +as he was going past the galley; though he +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span> +made a jump for the skids, on which the quarter +boat rested, and tried to haul himself up, he was +too late and was again soaked to the skin, as he +had no lashings on his oilskins.</p> + +<p>This time he had to stay wet, as his wardrobe +was scanty, and he had no more dry clothes.</p> + +<p>The sea and wind began to get worse as +darkness set in, and we had a hard night of it. +Royals came in first, then upper-topgallant sails, +after which all hands were called.</p> + +<p>The mainsail and crossjack were now hauled +up and made fast, followed by the fore and mizen +topgallant sails.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the cold, the discomfort, the +wet, the man-killing work in the pitch darkness, +and the washing about the decks, I thoroughly +enjoy it all. One is stirred up by the danger; +one works like a fury, whether up aloft getting in +sail or on deck up to your middle in water, +occasionally even hanging on for dear life until +you think your lungs will burst, so long is the +water in clearing off.</p> + +<p>Though the older men, like poor old Higgins +and some of the dagos in the port watch, are +almost useless from fatigue, cold, and fright, I +never felt fitter in my life, and Loring, who came +on board as weak as a rat from fever, is fast +putting on flesh; it is the same with the second mate +and Mac, who are both as frisky as young lambs.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[183]</span></p> + +<p>It is wonderful, too, how used one gets to +being knocked down and floated about the deck +in a half-drowned, half-stunned condition. Every +accident, however dangerous, is always treated as +a joke on board ship; the laugh goes round as +half the watch crawl out of the lee scuppers like +yellow rats, dazed, bruised, and panting for breath.</p> + +<p>Orders are given sharply, and those who are +the keenest sailors jump to the front in everything; +up aloft the Britishers and Dutchmen do +herculean work, whilst the dagos hang on, quite +useless and scared, with all their tropical liveliness +taken out of them!</p> + +<p>It is blowing now with a vengeance, and if +we were going into it, we would be under lower +topsails and hove-to. The seas are pouring in a +cascade over the weather bulwarks and back again +over the lee bulwarks as she rolls, and the main-deck +is a boiling, seething maelstrom of water, +under which the hatches are constantly hidden. +The two men at the wheel are working like +blacks, as the ship is very unsteady, and swings a +couple of points on each side of her course.</p> + +<p>About four bells in the first watch the cook +was washed out of his galley, and his pots and +pans rattled about his head. The water is knee-deep +in the half-deck, and Loring and I are expecting +any moment to be washed out of our bunks, +which are the lower ones. We are afraid that the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span> +doors will be broken in by the seas; if they go, +we shall be in a nice mess, as the half-deck will be +filled up “two blocks,” everything will be washed +out, and we inside will be lucky if we are not +drowned.</p> + +<p>Last passage, even with the doors tight shut, +one night the half-deck filled up, and Mac, who +had got his present top bunk, found himself floated +off and nearly drowned, as he could not get his +head above water.</p> + +<p>As I lie in my bunk I watch the flood of water +washing backwards and forwards by the dim light +of the turned-down lamp. On deck there is the +ceaseless crash of seas falling aboard, and then +the rushing sound as if of a roaring torrent; as the +sea pours across the deck and comes dashing aft; +it fills up under the break of the poop, and then +I hear it gushing in through the ventilator of the +door against my trusty waterproof sheet.</p> + +<p>“Shut that ventilator or we shall fill up,” growls +Mac, half asleep.</p> + +<p>Presently the door is opened and shut with a +bang, and Don dashes in, just in time, as a sea +follows him close. He holds a couple of binnacles +in his hands, and proceeds to try and light them as +quickly as possible with damp matches.</p> + +<p>“Anything going on outside,” I ask.</p> + +<p>“Nothing much; seas getting bigger though, +and Pedro’s been turned away from the wheel; +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[185]</span> +it’s cold as the Klondyke, and I’m as hungry as a +hunter.”</p> + +<p>Saying which, he takes two or three bites out of +a biscuit, and then, watching his chance, dashes on +deck again.</p> + +<p>I fall asleep then with the everlasting crash of +the sea in my ears, only to be aroused as I suppose +five seconds later by Don calling out,</p> + +<p>“Now then, starbowlines ahoy, tumble out! +One bell’s just gone, it’ll take you all your time to +get your sea lashings on by eight bells, and there’s +lots to do.”</p> + +<p>Loring and I immediately start to struggle into +our rubbers. I know nothing more trying to the +temper than getting a pair of wet rubbers on over +wet socks in semi-darkness, half asleep, and shivering +with wet and cold, the ship all the time rolling +and pitching so violently that you cannot possibly +keep your balance even sitting in your bunk.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, as Loring and I hurriedly lash our +oilskins on, Don is vainly attempting to wake Mac.</p> + +<p>“Mac, one bell’s gone!” No response.</p> + +<p>A tug at the blankets, and again,</p> + +<p>“Mac, one bell’s gone!”</p> + +<p>This time a good healthy shout, and into the +slumbering man’s ear. Still no response.</p> + +<p>“Here Mac, out you get, five minutes to eight +bells!”</p> + +<p>At last Don gives up words as useless, then +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[186]</span> +Loring and I each have a try; no result. Then his +blankets are pulled off him, his toes pinched, his +ears pulled; but the best remedy of all is to tweak +his nose.</p> + +<p>He sits up in his bunk at this last, and swears +fluently at you for nearly a minute, then if you let +him, he will fall back again and in a moment be fast +asleep. It is quite fatal to let him lie down again +once he is sitting up in his bunk and trying to get +his eyes open. Every dodge to get him out have +we played.</p> + +<p>“Mac, it’s gone eight bells, and the second mate +wants you; buck up, old man, or he’ll be raising +hell!”</p> + +<p>This was effective for a while, but he got used +to it, and refused to budge; at last one day, however, +he got caught.</p> + +<p>At ten minutes to five in the morning the watch +on deck get coffee, which, if there is not much +doing, they are given nearly half an hour to consume. +This half-hour Mac used to spend in sleep +on one of the chests. This time the second mate +wanted to talk to him about something, and sent +me for him.</p> + +<p>But not a bit of it, he would not stir. At last +the second mate came down, and between the +pair of us we managed to get him on to his +legs, and when he came to his senses, Mr Knowles +gave him a rare dressing down.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span></p> + +<p>One thing I will admit, he was easier to turn +out in bad weather than in fine, when it was one +of the labours of Hercules to get him to stir. He +seemed to be in a kind of stupor, and though he +might talk to you and swear for some minutes +before you really got him out, he would not +remember anything about it. He always used to +go to sleep with a lighted pipe in his mouth, and +invariably woke up with it down his back.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 14th October.</i>—Strong gale of wind +and very big sea, a regular Cape Horner, main-deck +under water.</p> + +<p>I took the lee wheel with Taylor from six to +eight in the morning watch, and how we worked! +Taylor is a good helmsman, and has been in the +Royal Navy; but she swung a point and a half on +each side of her course, and sometimes more, and +the wheel was spinning round the whole time, hard +up and hard down.</p> + +<p>The second mate stood behind us on the +watch, for on the helmsman the ship and every +life on board depends now.</p> + +<p>Occasionally he says sharply,</p> + +<p>“Meet her! Meet her!” and sometimes he +jumps to the wheel and gives us his powerful aid +in grinding it up or down.</p> + +<p>Great Cape Horn greybeards, with crests a +mile and a half long, roar up behind us, and at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[188]</span> +one moment you see a great green sea with a +boiling whirlpool of foam on its top, which looks +as if it must poop you, and wash you away from +the helm; the next moment the gallant vessel has +lifted to it, and it roars past on either hand, +breaking on to the main-deck with a heavy crash +and clanging of ports, then sweeping forward in +a mighty flood of raging, hissing, seething, icy-cold +water.</p> + +<p>The old sailors manage to get about and dodge +the water on the main-deck fairly well, though it +is a queer sight to see an old shellback going his +best pace at a sort of shambling run on the +slippery, heaving deck. But poor old Higgins, +Bower, and Jennings seem quite helpless, and +instead of making tracks along the weather side +of the deck, hesitate, and are lost; the sea catches +them in the open and away they go, and have to +be rescued and picked out of the lee scuppers +half-drowned.</p> + +<p>The steward, though still in his shirt sleeves—I +have never yet seen a steward in anything but +his shirt sleeves, even in the coldest weather—has +put on hip rubbers, and has to exert all his +cunning to get the cabin dinner aft from the +galley; we in the half-deck give him our aid in +fetching and carrying, in return for which he +gives us a few leavings from the cabin table.</p> + +<p>He has to take everything over the poop and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span> +down through the chart-house to the cabin, as his +little square opening on the main-deck, through +which he usually passes his dishes, has to be shut +tight to keep the sea out.</p> + +<p>A big sea came aboard this morning soon after +eight bells, and filled up under the break of the +poop “two blocks,” so that the portholes in the +half-deck, which are 6 feet above the deck, were +under water. It burst in the door of the lamp-locker, +and filled that up to the top.</p> + +<p>In a moment, Don, who was inside busily +engaged in cleaning his lamps, was under water, +with his lamps floating around him: perfect +swimmer as he was, with a locker full of trophies +and cups, he was within an ace of being drowned, +for it was nearly two minutes before the water +cleared off sufficiently to allow him, by laying +his head back, to get his nose out of water and +draw breath, notwithstanding a severe bumping +from the deck above.</p> + +<p>It was my watch below, and we were just +turning in, when Don staggered into the half-deck, +gasping and half-drowned, and lamenting his +lamps, which he had just cleaned.</p> + +<p>Escapes of this kind on a sailing-ship in bad +weather are quite common, and thought nothing +of, and we immediately started chaffing Don +about it.</p> + +<p>Hard-tack was our only diet for breakfast this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[190]</span> +morning, as the galley is all topsy-turvy, and +half-full of water; the fresh-water pump also could +not be rigged in the first dog watch yesterday +owing to the water on deck, as we dare not risk +getting any sea water into the tanks, as it would +spoil all the fresh water. So no hot liquid for +tea last night, and nothing hot to drink to-day, +for two reasons, namely, in the first place, the +cook could not keep his fire alight, and in the +second place, there is no fresh water left.</p> + +<p>Some ships have small stoves in their forecastles +for use off the Horn in cold weather, but +there is no luxury of this kind on the <i>Royalshire</i>, +and as the galley fire is out, we cannot dry our +wet things, which we generally hang in the carpenter’s +shop, which is nicely heated as a rule, +being next the galley.</p> + +<p>Lat. 53°.23 S., long. 88°.58 W. Run 236 miles.</p> + +<p>We came on deck this afternoon to find the +wind moderating slightly, but the sea if anything +was worse.</p> + +<p>It really is a magnificent sight: huge mountains +of water with 10 feet of foam on their crests +rush after us as if they would devour us: like +great beasts of prey they rage round us, then +flinging themselves upon the straining, groaning +<i>Royalshire</i>, they swarm all over her, and seem as +if they would rend her limb from limb.</p> + +<p>It is glorious to watch a great sea break: as +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[191]</span> +it curls over there is a most beautiful deep-green +colour in the very heart of the breaker, a colour +which I have only seen once before, and that is +where the deep water comes over in the centre +of the “Horseshoe” at Niagara Falls.</p> + +<p>Jamieson had the first trick at the wheel in +the afternoon, and whilst he was at the helm the +ship was much drier, as he is a beautiful helmsman—in +fact, the old man says he is the best he +has ever seen.</p> + +<p>In weather like this the watch can do nothing +but “stand-by,” the men staying in the forecastle +until wanted, whilst Mac, Loring and I have to +keep on the poop ready to summon the watch or +do anything the second mate may want, whilst +the second mate himself stands ever on the watch +behind the toiling helmsman.</p> + +<p>The old man is pretty continually on deck +now, and with a keen eye to windward, hangs on +to his canvas.</p> + +<p>At four bells it was Rooning’s wheel and old +Higgins’ lee wheel. Watching their time, they +dashed along the main-deck, but just as they +were passing the after-hatch, a big sea tumbled +aboard right on top of them. Rooning hung on +to the starboard mizen capstan like a limpet, +and, though the water passed completely over +him, it failed to wash him away. But poor old +Higgins made a jump for the after-hatch; off this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span> +he was rolled, and hurled into the lee scuppers, +whence Mac and I rescued him in a dazed +condition.</p> + +<p>It was bitterly cold, with the everlasting hail-storms +at intervals, so you may imagine Rooning +and Higgins (both of whom were soaking wet) +had a pretty cold trick at the wheel.</p> + +<p>During the night the watch on deck, who in +fine weather always stayed aft on the main-deck, +had to come up on to the poop, where they tramped +up and down to leeward in a vain attempt to +keep warm.</p> + +<p>Of course this tramping goes on right over +the heads of those asleep in the half-deck. It +does not affect our watch, who can all sleep +through any noise; but in the other watch, Don, +Scar, and the nipper are all very light sleepers, +and in the middle watch, when I sneaked down +into the half-deck to light binnacles, I found +them all three awake and swearing fluently.</p> + +<p>They told me to ask the second mate to stop +it. I promised to do my best, but informed them +that the old man was the chief offender.</p> + +<p>I managed to get the watch to walk further +aft and more quietly, that is, all except that surly +brute Johnsen, who refused to budge. The old +man, however, continued his promenade to windward, +and stamped strongly to keep himself warm, +and I chuckled to myself as I thought of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[193]</span> +terrific blasphemy that was being used on his behalf +by those below.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 15th October.</i>—Lat. 54°.46 S., long. +83°.08 W.</p> + +<p>“Seven bells; buck up, Bally, and tumble out! +It’s blowing harder than ever, and there’s the very +hell of a sea running!”</p> + +<p>“Nice Sunday morning,” I growl to myself, +as I crawl carefully out of my sleeping-bag and +prepare for the usual struggle with wet rubbers.</p> + +<p>“I suppose you haven’t ordered breakfast yet?”</p> + +<p>“No, what will you have?”</p> + +<p>“Well, I think a fried sole to start on, with +poached eggs and bacon, sausages, and devilled +kidneys to follow; and mind you tell the cook that +I must have my toast crisp.”</p> + +<p>“That all; and what will you have, Mac?”</p> + +<p>“As many kippered herrings as you can pack +along.”</p> + +<p>“And you, Loring?”</p> + +<p>“Order me a couple of roast turkeys, with +plenty of chestnuts, stuffing, and sausages.”</p> + +<p>With which Don, who had been calling us, +dashed out into the flying spume again.</p> + +<p>“There’s no more water in the breaker,” says +Loring, “and from the look of the weather, +there’ll be no chance of rigging the pump for +some days.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</span></p> + +<p>“Then it’s likely well have a pretty good +thirst on before we’re round Cape Stiff.”</p> + +<p>“A man does not want much to drink when he +lives in wet clothes like we are doing now.”</p> + +<p>“All the same, with nothing to eat but hard-tack +sodden with salt water, I don’t see why one +should not raise quite a respectable thirst, even +though we are up to our necks in water.”</p> + +<p>Hard-tack is now our only food, and though we +all try to fill up the void by smoking, it is hard +work even keeping a pipe alight, so wet and damp +is everything.</p> + +<p>I took in another hole in my belt to-day, that +makes the third since leaving Frisco.</p> + +<p>On going on deck at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, we found that the +gale was getting worse, and though we were running +dead before it, it was a case of snugging down.</p> + +<p>This kept us at work all the morning. We +took everything off her but the three lower-topsails, +foresail, main upper-topsail, and main lower-topgallant +sail.</p> + +<p>When taking in sail, before one can lay aloft +and furl the sail, one has to work on the main-deck, +hauling it up to spill the wind out of it by means of +buntlines, leech, and clew lines. Whilst doing this +we are often up to our necks in water, and not +seldom under water altogether; sometimes, as we +are hauling on a rope, a sea pours over us, sweeps +our legs from under us, and though we hang on, we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span> +are all rolled and tossed about the deck, until the +water, pouring off through the ports in the bulwarks, +frees the ship, and allows us to pick ourselves +up. Many of us are badly bruised, but that +does not matter. I have a bleeding and swollen +knee, but what would be considered serious anywhere +else, is a mere trifle off the Horn; sea cuts, +which eat down to the bone, are very common, and +many of the men have got bad sea boils on their +wrists and arms.</p> + +<p>Having made the sails fast, when we reach the +deck again we have to “turn the gear up.” This +is done on the backstays, a few feet above the topgallant +rail, and one hangs right over the whirling +white water that boils around the vessel. Most of +the seas break aboard just below your feet, but not +a few rear up their foaming crests until they are +above the level of your eyes; you tighten your hold +and take a long breath—crash! and the ice-cold +water is pouring over you, and doing its utmost +to tear you from your insecure perch as it pours +like a cataract on to the deck below.</p> + +<p>It is trying work, as each roll of the vessel hurls +you into the very lap of the raging sea, sometimes +dipping you to the waist, sometimes under altogether.</p> + +<p>Whilst turning this gear up, I very nearly went +to Davy Jones’ locker—in fact, some of the watch +thought I was gone.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</span></p> + +<p>An immense sea broke aboard, feet above my +head, and I found myself overboard; but, holding +my breath, I hung on to the end of the main topgallant +clew-line like a leech, and as the water +cleared off over the lee rail I was floated back into +safety.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the sea had caught Mac and Bower +and swept them from the main-hatch to right under +the break of the poop, Bower bringing up with a +bang on the head against the poop ladder. The +second mate, who was on the poop, ran down the +ladder and hauled them out. They emerged half-drowned +and bruised amidst loud laughter.</p> + +<p>Coming to relieve the lee wheel this morning, +Higgins lost his head as usual; he had just got +past the mizen fife-rail when he saw a huge +monster of a wave coming aboard. The sight of +the approaching sea left him standing nerveless +and shaking in the middle of the main-deck, with +nothing handy to hang on to.</p> + +<p>The old man was watching him from the break +of the poop, and roared out,</p> + +<p>“Get on to the fife-rail, you man there! Do you +want to be washed overboard, you paralysed idiot?”</p> + +<p>But he was too late; down came the sea—a +hiss, a roar, a stagger, and a muffled shout, and +poor old Higgins was an indistinguishable black +mass, being rolled over and over in the scuppers. +Mac and I had to rush down on to the main-deck +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span> +and splash into the water up to our waists, to pick +him up before he got badly hurt by being jammed +in a port or hurled against a stanchion.</p> + +<p>It was Jamieson’s trick at the wheel, and when +he was relieved the old man said to him,</p> + +<p>“See that man safely forward,” indicating +Higgins, “a whole lot,” as they would say in +Western America.</p> + +<p>Ever since this, old Higgins had a dry-nurse, +in the shape of one of the A.B.’s, to take him +along the main-deck.</p> + +<p>I have lost my knife somewhere in the half-deck; +it is probably floating about on the <i lang='fr'>débris</i> +of brushes, dungarees, boots, caps, socks, etc., +which are washing about the floor.</p> + +<p>As a sailor is helpless without his knife, in my +watch below this afternoon I thought I would +take a pig-sticking hunting knife which I have got, +and grind down the point a bit, so that it will go +into my sheath easily.</p> + +<p>The grindstone being forward under the forecastle +head, with my knife in my hand I warily +started off on my journey. I had just got past +the main-hatch when I saw a big sea coming aboard, +so I started to run, but as the ship rolled, I slipped +up and came down a terrific bang on the deck by +the galley. Picking myself up without a moment’s +delay, I dashed on and reached the forecastle in +safety; not until then did I notice that in my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span> +fall I had cut my thumb to the bone, and was +bleeding like a stuck pig. This was a serious +business, as a sailor’s thumb is a very necessary +part of him, and cuts won’t heal off the Horn.</p> + +<p>Well, I had to make the best of it, and after +some difficulty in stopping it bleeding, bound it +up tightly with some rag. This done, I ground +my knife, and succeeded in getting aft again without +any further mishap.</p> + +<p>This was a very unfortunate accident, as my +thumb became inflamed and was very painful, +especially as I had to use it just as if it was +quite well. Besides which, all my trouble had +been for nothing, as I found my other knife +floating in the half-deck soon afterwards, much to +my joy, as a knife is a knife, and more valuable +on a wind-jammer than anywhere else.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 16th October.</i>—Lat. 56°.09 S., long. +77°.04 W. Course—S. 60 E. Run 222 miles.</p> + +<p>Blowing harder than ever, and a mountainous +sea running. It is really awe-inspiring, and the +captain told me it is the biggest sea he has ever +seen, which is saying a good deal, as this is his +thirtieth passage round the Horn.</p> + +<p>In the forenoon watch, our watch below, the +main upper-topsail split from top to bottom, so +that sail and the lower-topgallant above it were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</span> +made fast, and now we are running before the +gale under three lower-topsails and foresail.</p> + +<p>Poor Don had a great misfortune to-day, +though we all could not help laughing at it.</p> + +<p>Whilst up on the main upper-topsail yard, he +lost his only set of false teeth overboard, with the +result that he now speaks as it were with tongues, +but more as if he had a hot potato in his mouth. +Poor Don, he will have a very bad time now till +the end of the voyage, for, with hardly anything +but hard-tack to eat, his gums will get pretty sore.</p> + +<p>We are now well to the southward of the +Horn, and the weather is as bad as any weather +can be; hail squalls blow up at minute intervals, +and Cape Horn greybeards, a mile or two long, +with white shaggy crests, chase us like birds of +prey.</p> + +<p>The weather is so bad that there are no albatrosses +about, they are all away to the nor’ard; +there are, however, a few Cape pigeons and mollymawks, +which the weather seems to have very +little effect upon.</p> + +<p>It is very cold, and Don and I are wearing +our oilskins over our Klondyke fur coats at night.</p> + +<p>The huge seas are beginning to poop her +badly now, especially when the port watch are on +deck, as their helmsmen are a very indifferent lot.</p> + +<p>Ever and anon in our watch below we hear a +terrific crash on the deck above us as a sea falls +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[200]</span> +on to the poop, to pour in a roaring cascade on +to the main-deck.</p> + +<p>All the weather clothes put up round the poop-rail +have been torn down by the sea, as if they +had been bits of paper instead of the strongest +canvas.</p> + +<p>No sailor likes his ship to be constantly pooped +like this, and I can see that many of the men are +beginning to get anxious and uneasy, especially +the dagos.</p> + +<p>The water pours into the half-deck now so +constantly that it came in over my bunk this +morning as she rolled; but though it was over +the foot of my sleeping-bag, none got inside, and +I rejoiced in warmth.</p> + +<p>Still no fresh water, of course, and we are +really beginning to get thirsty.</p> + +<p>We came on deck in the afternoon watch to +find the sun trying to get out through the +rushing clouds, and its cold gleams lit up the +wild scene, and added a tinge of colour to the +huge, forbidding, foam-topped masses of raging, +hurtling sea.</p> + +<p>Just as Mac, Loring, and I got on to the +poop at eight bells, an immense sea pooped her. +The mate, who was standing to leeward of the +chart-house, trying to get a sight, was carried off +his legs, and only the poop-rail saved him from +being swept down on to the main-deck. He kept +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span> +his presence of mind, however, as every sailor +does, and clung on to his precious sextant, +picking himself up as the water poured off, very +little the worse for his mishap, which might have +so easily ended seriously.</p> + +<p>At the same time, one of the chart-house doors +being ajar, volumes of water found its way down +into the cabin, and the steward had to get +Loring’s help below to put things shipshape +and clear up the damage.</p> + +<p>“If the old man does not heave her to soon, +he’ll never be able to heave her to,” said Mac to +me as we stood in the lee of the chart-house, “as, +on the ship coming up to the wind in a sea like +this, it would roll her over and over.”</p> + +<p>He was evidently getting uneasy at the terrific +sea and the constant pooping of the ship, and +started yarning about the number of ships which +had been lost with all hands from running too +long before a storm.</p> + +<p>I rather enjoyed the fun myself, it was so +stupendous, so magnificent, so terrific.</p> + +<p>When on the top of one of the great Cape +Horners, looking forward was like looking from +the top of a mountain; first smaller mountains, +then hills, until what looked like the valley, seemed +miles away in the distance.</p> + +<p>I am very certain that it was a good deal +nearer two miles than one mile from crest to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span> +crest of these enormous seas, and I don’t believe +any vessel under 500 tons could have lived in +them for five minutes.</p> + +<p>The main-deck is often out of sight now for +some minutes, even the hatches being covered, +and as the ship rolls it becomes a roaring, hissing, +boiling cauldron.</p> + +<p>In the midship-house they are almost as badly +off as we are in the half-deck, and the bosun, +who is thoroughly scared, would give worlds, I +am sure, to be safe and sound on his Californian +farm again.</p> + +<p>The old man, with all the care on his +shoulders, seems the least anxious man on the +ship, and is ably backed up by the two mates, +who, with nerves of steel, send no one where +they dare not go themselves.</p> + +<p>As for myself, I am in raptures with the +magnificent sight, and delight in the tremendous +experience. I feel fit and braced up, ready to go +anywhere and do anything; there is a kind of +glorious exhilaration about it all which fills me +until I can hardly keep it down;—I smile and +chuckle to myself, and watch the huge seas like +a scientist over a new invention, whilst the others +hold on with scared, anxious faces.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden, as I watch I catch sight of +the topsails of a ship on our port quarter.</p> + +<p>“Sail ho!” I cry.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span></p> + +<p>You could only see her when both were on +the top of a sea; she was a three-master, running +before it like ourselves, under three lower-topsails +and reefed foresail.</p> + +<p>The old man said she was probably a wool-clipper +from Australia. A sail is a cheering sight +at all times; but at a time like this, in such a +sea, she was watched with great eagerness, as we +scanned her through the old ship’s telescope and +the captain’s glasses.</p> + +<p>I think the sight of her relieved the old man +of a good deal of anxiety, as he got very cheerful, +and spun us several amusing yarns; so much so, +that I forgot about four bells, and I am afraid +struck them nearly ten minutes late, to the great +disgust of the tired helmsman.</p> + +<p>A landsman has no idea of the various noises +on board a wind-jammer in a storm. Every part +of the ship groans; up above the gale roars, sings, +and whistles through the rigging; one backstay +produces a deep note, and one could fancy an +organ was being played aloft; others shriek shrilly +like telegraph wires; some hum, some ring, others +twang like banjo strings; and above all is the +crash of the seas falling on the main-deck, and +the clang of the hardly-used ports as they are +banged first open and then shut by each succeeding +wave.</p> + +<p>I am afraid the ends of the gear are badly +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[204]</span> +mauled about, as they get washed off the pins +and dragged through the ports.</p> + +<p>We have to be very careful going in and out +of the half-deck, as the break of the poop is filled +up every other wave.</p> + +<p>Some of these tremendous seas fall aboard the +whole length of the weather rail, and even the +forecastles are inches deep in water, though not to +be compared with the awful state of the half-deck.</p> + +<p>Indeed, it is really beginning to be dangerous +in the half-deck; any moment an extra big sea +may break in the doors, and the watch below +would be drowned like rats in a trap.</p> + +<p>We discussed the matter over our hard-tack +in the first dog watch. Mac was for asking to be +allowed to sleep in the cabin; but if one goes down +to the sea in ships, one must take risks, and +though the careful Scot does not like the lookout +at all, Loring and I being mad and reckless +Englishmen, are quite ready to take the risk, and +are not going to bother ourselves with what might +happen.</p> + +<p>In the second dog watch, whilst the second +mate was below at his tea, there was a slight lull +in the gale, and the mate ordered the fore upper-topsail +to be reefed and set.</p> + +<p>This was, no doubt, a great error of judgment +on the mate’s part; the glass was exceedingly low, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[205]</span> +and from the look of the sky, it was evidently +going to blow harder than ever.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he thought he would try and put +more speed on to her, as the seas were pooping +her so badly.</p> + +<p>The old man was snatching a few moments +for a snooze; but from what we have seen, the +mate is even a bigger terror than the old man at +carrying on—at anyrate, in this instance, I thought +him reckless to the verge of insanity.</p> + +<p>But orders must be obeyed.</p> + +<p>Two reef-earings were got ready, and away we +went aloft and lay out on the yard.</p> + +<p>I went out on to the weather yardarm with +Jamieson, and we soon had the earing passed.</p> + +<p>“Ready?” shouted Mac from the bunt.</p> + +<p>“Aye, aye, sir!”</p> + +<p>“Haul out to windward!”</p> + +<p>“Eh—hai—ai! Oh—ho! Oh—ho—oh!” we +chorused.</p> + +<p>“Far enough, sir!”</p> + +<p>“Haul out to leeward!”</p> + +<p>“That’ll do!”</p> + +<p>“Tie her up, and don’t miss any reef points!”</p> + +<p>We soon had the reef points tied, and Mac +sings out,</p> + +<p>“Lay down from aloft, and set the sail!”</p> + +<p>We took the halliards to the small capstan +forward, and mastheaded the yard to the chanty of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[206]</span>“Away for Rio!” Jamieson singing the solo. It +was pretty bad weather for chantying, but there is +nothing like a chanty to put new life into a man, +and we roared out the chorus at the top of our +pipes.</p> + +<p>The dagos in the port watch looked out of +their forecastle at us in amazement, just in time to +let a sea in, which pretty well swamped them out, +and did its best to wash us away from the +capstan.</p> + +<p>Of all the chanties, I think “Away for Rio!” is +one of the finest, and I cannot refrain from giving +you the words.</p> + +<p class='shanty'>CHANTY.—“AWAY FOR RIO!”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Oh, the anchor is weigh’d, and the sails they are set,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The maids that we’re leaving we’ll never forget,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio! aye, Rio!</div> + <div class="verse indent20">Sing fare-ye-well, my bonny young girl,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">We’re bound for Rio Grande!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “So man the good capstan, and run it around,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “We’ll heave up the anchor to this jolly sound,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “We’ve a jolly good ship, and a jolly good crew,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “A jolly good mate, and a good skipper too,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “We’ll sing as we heave to the maidens we leave,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “You know at this parting how sadly we grieve,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound to Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Sing good-bye to Sally and good-bye to Sue,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “And you who are listening, good-bye to you,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Come heave up the anchor, let’s get it aweigh,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “It’s got a firm grip, so heave steady, I say,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Heave with a will, and heave long and strong,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Sing a good chorus, for ’tis a good song,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[208]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Heave only one pawl, then ’vast heaving, belay!”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Heave steady, because we say farewell to-day,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio!” etc.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The chain’s up and down, now the bosun did say,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, Rio!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Heave up to the hawse-pipe, the anchor’s aweigh!”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “For we’re bound for Rio Grande,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And away, Rio! aye, Rio!</div> + <div class="verse indent20">Sing fare-ye-well, my bonny young girl,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">We’re bound for Rio Grande!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='mt1'>Of course the words are not exactly appropriate +in the present occasion, but the chorus is one of the +best I have ever heard, with its wild, queer wail.</p> + +<p>It would have been a grand picture for a painter: +the struggling ship surrounded by foam, the great, +greeny-grey seas, the wild, stormy sky just tinged +with yellow where the sun was setting, the wet, +glistening decks, and the ring of toiling men heaving +round the capstan.</p> + +<p>With the extra cloth, the poor old <i>Royalshire</i> +laboured terribly, and seemed to make worse +weather of it than ever.</p> + +<p>Mac, Loring, and I managed to get along the +main-deck and on to the poop without being washed +overboard, and there found the second mate, the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span> +mate having gone below on being relieved, staring +in consternation at the reefed topsail.</p> + +<p>I asked Jamieson to-day whether he called the +<i>Royalshire</i> a wet ship. He said that no iron ship +could expect to be anything but a half-tide rock in +such a terrific sea, and that he had been on ships +which before now would have had their boats and +everything on deck swept clean away by the weight +of water. But the <i>Royalshire</i> has everything of the +best, and all for strength.</p> + +<p>“Great snakes, here comes a sea!” cried +Loring all of a sudden.</p> + +<p>I gave one look astern, and there, towering +high above us, was a huge monster, roaring and +hissing as it curled its top; it looked as if it +must break full on to the poop, and was a sight +to strike terror into the stoutest heart.</p> + +<p>Would she rise to it, or was this our last +moment on earth?</p> + +<p>“Hang on for your lives!” roared the second mate.</p> + +<p>Up, up, up went the <i>Royalshire</i>, good old +ship, she was going to top it after all; but though +she did her best, the heavy weight aft held her +down, and she did not quite get there.</p> + +<p>With a deafening thud, the top of the monster +curled into boiling surf and fell upon us, overwhelming +the helmsmen, who clung desperately to +the wheel, and dipping us to the waist as we +hung in the weather jigger rigging.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span></p> + +<p>In a roaring torrent it poured across the poop, +and then, like an earthquake wave, fell aboard +the whole length of the port-rail. Such a height +was it, that it toppled over in a terrible breaker +upon the top of the midship-house; the gig’s side +and bottom fell out, as if hit by a thunderbolt, +the lamp-locker door was smashed down, and all +the lamps washed out (luckily Don was not inside +this time, or he would have certainly been drowned), +and it filled the main-deck high above the hatches +until the water was on a level with the poop.</p> + +<p>The poor old ship gave a sickly roll under the +terrible weight of water, and dipped Loring and +myself up to our necks in the next sea as we +clung on to the port jigger-backstays.</p> + +<p>All the life seemed struck out of her; she +swung nearly five points off her course, and old +Foghorn, Jennings, and the second mate were +working like demons as they hove the wheel +up.</p> + +<p>“If she gets another on top of this, she’ll go +down like a stone!” yelled Mac in my ear.</p> + +<p>“What price the watch below,” I returned. +“I thought the half-deck doors would go to a +certainty.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, they held out well; that lamp-locker +door’s torn clean off its hinges, and is smashed +in like a rotten apple. Just look at the lamps +washing about; we must get them somehow, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span> +put them down in the cabin as soon as the water +clears off a bit.”</p> + +<p>“Aye, aye!”</p> + +<p>“Did you hear the dagos yelling in the port-forecastle? +I guess they thought they were half-way +to Davy Jones’ locker!”</p> + +<p>Gradually the gallant ship shook herself clear, +and the hatches showed their tops once more +above the water.</p> + +<p>Down Mac, Loring, and I dashed on to the +main-deck until we were up to our waists in +water, and started retrieving the lamps.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, a howling hail squall came down +upon us, and the second mate rushed for the +captain.</p> + +<p>As we splashed about removing the lamps from +the wrecked locker, Mac said grimly,</p> + +<p>“If another sea comes along and catches us +two in here, we’re gorners.”</p> + +<p>“I should think the betting’s two to one on. +Let’s hope old Wilson won’t let her run off; she’s +steering vile, though,” I reply.</p> + +<p>At that moment Loring, who was on the poop +ladder passing the lamps up, shrieked at us,</p> + +<p>“On the poop for your lives! God Almighty! +look sharp, or you’re caught!”</p> + +<p>We made a wild rush for the ladder, a lamp +under each arm; the invading sea leaping madly +at us, tried it’s best to catch us, but in vain, we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[212]</span> +reached the poop in safety. The poop ladder was +now working loose and wanted relashing, or it +would go adrift.</p> + +<p>At this moment the old man came on deck, +and giving one glance round, turned to the second +mate and said,</p> + +<p>“Call all hands and get the sail off her, I +must heave her to.”</p> + +<p>“Aye, aye, sir!”</p> + +<p>I ran down to call the mate, and found him +dozing.</p> + +<p>“It’s all hands, sir; the captain’s going to +heave her to.”</p> + +<p>“What’s that; is the weather worse?” he +asked, as he struggled into his oilskins.</p> + +<p>“It’s blowing harder than ever, sir, and she +shipped a very bad sea just now,” I answered, +and ran on deck again.</p> + +<p>“All hands! all hands on deck!” yelled the +second mate and Mac, as we splashed forward.</p> + +<p>The port watch turned out sharply, looking +pretty scared.</p> + +<p>“How did you like the big sea in the half-deck?” +I asked of Don.</p> + +<p>“It poured in like a watershute, and your +bunk was under water in double-quick time, my +boy.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that don’t matter much; I don’t suppose +I shall get much chance to sleep in it to-night.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[213]</span></p> + +<p>“Henderson, go and get your side lights and +binnacles lighted,” called the second mate.</p> + +<p>“What’s become of them, sir; my lamp-locker’s +washed bare as a bone?”</p> + +<p>“They are all down in the cabin.”</p> + +<p>Away went Don aft, to run the gauntlet of the +furious seas until he reached the safety of the poop.</p> + +<p>“Fore upper-topsail first!” called the mate. +“Tail on to the spilling-lines all hands, and show +what you can do!”</p> + +<p>“Now then, starboard watch!” cried the second +mate, “up with your sail, and give the port watch +a dressing down!”</p> + +<p>“Lively, boys; haul, and show your spunk!” +yelled Mac.</p> + +<p>“Yo—ho! Yo—hay! Yo—ho—oh! Up she +goes!”</p> + +<p>Crash! and a sea broke over us. One gasp +and a splutter, and we were under water; swept off +our feet, and knocked helter-skelter edgeways, we +lay in tangled knots of yellow humanity. Some +one tried to cram his foot down my throat, whilst +my knee was gouging out his eyes. As the water +poured off, it left us bruised, battered, breathless, +but undaunted.</p> + +<p>Scrambling to our feet, at it we went again, +working like fiends and no skulkers.</p> + +<p>“Haul, and bust yourselves; haul till you +break!” yelled Mac.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[214]</span></p> + +<p>“One more pull and she’ll do!” cries the mate.</p> + +<p>“Oh—ho! Oh—har!”</p> + +<p>“Turn that!”</p> + +<p>“All fast, sir!”</p> + +<p>“Up aloft, and roll up the sail!”</p> + +<p>“Now then, starbowlines, give her hell and +show your grit!” shouts the second mate as he +dashes aloft at the head of us, as active as a +monkey, whilst the port watch, led by Scar and +Don, take the port rigging.</p> + +<p>As we sprang into the shrouds, she rolled her +rail under until we were dipped deep below the +surface. But we hung on like grim death, and not +a man was washed away.</p> + +<p>Up we went over the futtock shrouds and on to +the yard. It was pitch black now, and spitting +hailstones as big as marbles.</p> + +<p>The wind blew up aloft with an edge to it that +froze one’s extremities into ice. The sail was as +stiff as a board, and it seemed a matter of impossibility +to pick it up.</p> + +<p>We hit it, we scratched at it, we clutched at it +with hooked fingers until the blood gushed from +our nails.</p> + +<p>“Catch hold of her, dig your fingers in!” cries +Mac. “You there, Bower, blast you, are you going +to sleep on the damned yard, or what the devil do +you think you are doing?”</p> + +<p>Frenzied men tore at the sail with both hands, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[215]</span> +hanging on by their eyelids, whilst we out at the +yardarm had the hardest task of all.</p> + +<p>“Up with her!” roared the second mate at the +bunt. “Now then, all together—Oh—ho!—and +she comes! On to the yard with her—Oh—hay!—and +roll her up!”</p> + +<p>Truly a sailor must have each finger a fishhook, +as they say.</p> + +<p>Well, we got it on to the yard somehow, and +made a fair stow of it.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the port watch were all at sixes and +sevens, doing nothing much but hang on and swear +in five languages. Don’s language up aloft is +enough to scare the devil, though he’s the best +man on a yard in the watch.</p> + +<p>“Lay down from aloft!” cries the second mate, +and we gain the deck glowing with triumph, for our +last man is out of the rigging before they have +picked up their sail.</p> + +<p>But now comes the great tussle—the foresail had +to come in, and it is a new sail.</p> + +<p>Some of the men were pretty well coopered by +the hard work, cold, wet, and strain of it all. Poor +old Higgins could hardly stand on his legs, Bower +was not much better, and as for the wretched port +watch, their struggles on the upper-topsail yard had +quite worn them out. Don and the red-headed third +mate were hoarse with swearing, though both were +still full of beans; the Arab was a miserable object, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[216]</span> +whose teeth rattled like castanets, and eyeballs +rolled their whites in a frenzy of terror.</p> + +<p>“Port buntlines and clew-garnets first!” yells +the mate, whilst the second mate takes the ticklish +job of easing away the sheet.</p> + +<p>In the small space round the fife-rail, we were +very cramped up and crowded out, and it was +difficult to get the whole weight into the pull, so +some of us got on to the fife-rail and hauled from +above until the blocks came down too low.</p> + +<p>Difficulties of all sorts cropped up: the blocks +jammed, the buntlines twisted up and had to be +unrove, and ever and anon the wash of a sea swept +over us.</p> + +<p>Men lost their balance and cannoned against +each other, men slipped, and half a watch fell on +their backs cursing, but the mate gave them no +time to think.</p> + +<p>“Up you get there, no skulking, jump, or you +won’t know what hit you!” snarls Scar at the prostrate +group. “You damned dagos, what good are +ye?—hell, you ain’t worth thumping.”</p> + +<p>“Dat no right, mistar, we do our dam level best, +dat’s true!” whimpers one.</p> + +<p>“Oh, curse you for the worst watch I ever sailed +with!” roars Scar in a frenzy of rage. “Here, you +there, you blasted bandylegged Turk, haul, can’t +you! Don’t look at me like that, damn ye!”</p> + +<p>Inch by inch, with incredible labour, we hauled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[217]</span> +the sail up. The strongest of us got our fighting +second wind, and the icy blast of the south wind +only put new breath into our nostrils.</p> + +<p>“Take some of your best hands to the braces +and spill the sail, Mr Knowles!” called the mate.</p> + +<p>Mac, Don, Jamieson, Rooning, Loring, and +myself followed the second mate.</p> + +<p>“Jamieson and you, Bally, come with me to the +weather braces; you, Mac, take the other three and +get in the slack as we give it you.”</p> + +<p>This was as dangerous a bit of work as any one +could want; the seas swept in a continuous cascade +over the rail where we were working, and more than +half the time we were under water, hanging on for +our lives.</p> + +<p>One blunder and the yards might take charge. +Inch by inch we let out, and those to leeward took +in, watching our chance as the vessel rolled.</p> + +<p>The second mate was like a bull for strength, +and Jamieson a very tiger for energy.</p> + +<p>“Take it off! Carefully does it—that’s it—keep +a turn in, and ease away gently.” Then, as a +huge black mountain of water appears above us,</p> + +<p>“Hitch it, and hang on all. God Almighty! +quick, for your lives!”</p> + +<p>At last we have the fore-yards braced up fairly +well.</p> + +<p>“That’ll do!” yells the mate above the shrieking +of the storm, and we dash forward again.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[218]</span></p> + +<p>The foresail was now fairly well hauled up.</p> + +<p>“Are you going to reef it, sir?” asked Scar.</p> + +<p>“No, furl it,” answered the mate. “Away you +go aloft, and take a yardarm at a time.”</p> + +<p>There were a goodish crowd of us when both +watches were out on one yardarm, and we did not +have as much trouble as we expected with the sail.</p> + +<p>The lower yards are so big that it requires two +men to pass a gasket; one sits down on the foot-ropes +and catches the gasket, whilst the other man, +hanging above the yard, swings it to him.</p> + +<p>On the fore-yard the white tops of the huge seas +seemed on a level with us as they rolled by in great +mountains of ink, leaving a trail behind like the +wash of a Kootenay stern-wheeler.</p> + +<p>The sight was truly grand, illumined as it was +by a small wisp of a moon which peeped out every +now and then from behind the scudding clouds.</p> + +<p>With the foresail furled, we had now the three +lower-topsails alone set; but even this was too +much, and the main lower-topsail had to come in +before the old man dared bring her up to the wind.</p> + +<p>The most dangerous work of the lot came now, +as we had to haul up the main lower-topsail right +amidships; here the water was up to our waists +between the seas, and every other moment the +whole ship’s company was under water.</p> + +<p>It was a wonder nobody was lost, and a still +greater wonder that no limbs were broken.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[219]</span></p> + +<p>The second mate, Scar, Jamieson, and myself, +hauling up the port clew-line, had a rare time of it.</p> + +<p>Whenever we did get our heads above water we +managed to get a few short, strong pulls in; but +mostly we had to work like divers.</p> + +<p>If we saw a sea coming in time, we took a turn, +and all four dashed for safety, one into the rigging, +another on to the skids, a third up the iron ladder +on to the midship-house, and the fourth on to the +main fife-rail.</p> + +<p>At last we had the sail hauled up, and away +we went aloft to furl it.</p> + +<p>Directly we had got the sail on to the yard and +were making it fast, the helm was put down.</p> + +<p>It was an exciting moment as her head came +slowly up to the wind.</p> + +<p>A huge sea rose up before us until the spume +off its boiling crest was blown into our faces, high +up as we were, then down it swooped aboard, +sweeping her fore and aft.</p> + +<p>Over and over went the poor old <i>Royalshire</i>, +until the lower yardarms were dipping into the +whirl of broken water to leeward.</p> + +<p>The main lower-topsail yard was almost +straight up and down, and we hung on like so +many frightened flies.</p> + +<p>“She’ll turn turtle!” yelled some one.</p> + +<p>One of the dagos gave a shrill shriek, which +rang like the cry of a wild bird above the roar of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[220]</span> +the tempest, and in absolute terror would have +fallen off the yard if the man next him had not +hauled him back by the scruff of his neck.</p> + +<p>“Hell, are you all going to sleep up here!” +came the thundering voice of the second mate at +the bunt.</p> + +<p>“Tie up the sail and get a move on, or there’ll +be trouble.” Nothing was able to dismay his +indomitable spirit.</p> + +<p>Mechanically we turned again to our work. +Seconds passed like hours as we felt the ship +heeling over, ever over.</p> + +<p>Was she going? She was almost on her beam +ends now! We could not see the decks; between +them and us was a curtain of boiling, hissing spray +and broken water, into which the masts were stuck +half-way up to the lower yards.</p> + +<p>After some terrible moments of suspense, we all +felt that she had stopped going over, and lay steady +almost on her beam ends.</p> + +<p>Long before this point had been reached, ten +or twenty years ago, the men would have been +gathered in groups round the masts and standing +rigging, with axes ready, waiting the order from the +captain to “Cut away!”</p> + +<p>But in a modern wind-jammer, with masts of +iron and shrouds of the strongest twisted wire, this +is impossible, and you can no longer save your ship +by cutting away the masts.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[221]</span></p> + +<p>Presently a lull came, and we could once more +see the deck beneath us.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> was lying over with her lee rail +dipped, so that the fair-leads were level with the +water, the hatches were half submerged, and the +lee side of the poop was under water.</p> + +<p>As we came down from aloft, the sprays were +thick, as high as the main-yard, and it was like +going into a boiling cauldron with the steam rising +from it, with the difference that its embrace was icy +cold.</p> + +<p>Nothing more could be done now; the ship lay +hove-to, though she was a good many points off. +Our watch was sent below for a short hour and a +half before coming on deck for the middle watch, +and the port watch went on to the poop.</p> + +<p>Mac, Loring, and I managed to get into the +half-deck without mishap. We were all three soaking +wet, half numbed with cold, and with no dry +clothes to change to.</p> + +<p>Mac was anxious, and thought she was lying +very badly, and declared that we should be lucky if +we saw the night through.</p> + +<p>Loring, who had been doing wonders in the way +of work, was quite dead-beat, and just got into his +bunk as he was, and lay there in his oilskins. He +could not turn in, as everything was wringing wet; +the lower bunks had evidently been constantly +under water whilst we were snugging her down. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[222]</span> +I found, however, that the inside of my good old +sleeping-bag was comparatively dry, so slipping out +of my oilskins and rubbers, I crawled in, and soon +got some heat into my body.</p> + +<p>Mac also turned in, and as usual, smoked himself +to sleep.</p> + +<p>Just as I was dropping off to sleep there was a +terrific crack as a hail squall struck her.</p> + +<p>“Something’s carried away aloft,” growled Mac. +“Hope to hell we shan’t be wanted.”</p> + +<p>We heard the watch tramping off the poop on +to the main-deck, and presently heard them singing +out.</p> + +<p>I looked out through the forward porthole.</p> + +<p>“They are hauling up the mizen lower-topsail +to leeward,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Likely the sheet’s carried away,” said Mac.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and they are going to goosewing the +sail.”</p> + +<p>This was what had happened, and it took the +whole of the port watch until midnight to make +the starboard half of the sail fast.</p> + +<p>At one bell Don staggered in and turned us +out; he was absolutely dead-beat, frozen, and angry.</p> + +<p>“Oh, those damned dagos, the cowardly curs; +there are only about two men in our watch left +who are not too paralysed with funk to work. +We’ve had an awful time on the mizen-topsail-yard: +this is fair hell.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[223]</span></p> + +<p>“What’s the night like?”</p> + +<p>“Worse than ever; you can’t see farther than +the after-hatch from the poop, there’s so much +broken water on deck, and if our watch get forward +safely at eight bells I shall be kind of surprised.”</p> + +<p>Well, that was a bad middle watch; I never +felt colder I don’t believe, not even in Klondyke.</p> + +<p>The main-deck was a sight to scare the +stoutest heart, and it looked an impossibility to +get along it in safety.</p> + +<p>Mac was sent forward to tell the watch not to +come aft, but to stand-by forward and to see that +all the fore lower-topsail gear was clear, as any +moment we expected to see one of the sheets +carry away.</p> + +<p>We watched him as far as the mizen fife-rail, +when a huge sea broke aboard, making a clean +sweep over everything, and throwing the spray +right over the crossjack-yard.</p> + +<p>Mac shinned up the mizen lower-topsail sheet, +and was hidden from our view by the spume.</p> + +<p>It took him over an hour to get forward and +back again. Hardly had he got safely on the +poop before a furious hail squall, which we had +been watching come up for some time, burst down +upon us.</p> + +<p>The second mate, Mac, Loring, and I hung on +to the jigger weather rigging, and waited for something +to carry away.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[224]</span></p> + +<p>Over lay the <i>Royalshire</i> until the fair-leads +disappeared from sight, and the leeward side of +the poop was under water right up to the chart-house.</p> + +<p>The squall screamed and shrieked at us in +fury, as if determined to break down the gallant +ship’s resistance.</p> + +<p>The hailstones cut our faces until the blood +came, helped by the spindrift, which blew over us +in sheets.</p> + +<p>The deck was straight up and down, and still +everything held aloft. Everything depended on +the fore lower-topsail; but it was a brand-new +cotton sail, and the sheets had been carefully +seen to.</p> + +<p>The squall passed, but others kept coming up.</p> + +<p>Every few minutes I slid down to the chart-house +to see if there was any change in the glass; +it was extraordinarily low, but fairly steady, and +inclined to rise.</p> + +<p>The watch passed very slowly as we hung on +to windward, numb with cold, but ready for +anything.</p> + +<p>We tried to yarn, but the roar of the gale +made it impossible to hear each other, and we +soon gave it up.</p> + +<p>It seemed a wonder that any ship could keep +afloat with all that quantity of water on the +main-deck.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[225]</span></p> + +<p>So the watch passed without incident, except +for a small matter which amused Mac and Loring +somewhat.</p> + +<p>The second mate and I were both making +carefully for the chart-house—only two or three +yards to go—but, with the deck sloping every +other moment like the side of a house, it needed +some care. As luck would have it, this time a +wave struck her, and gave her a quick heel to +leeward. We both lost our balance and slid down +to the rail, bringing up in about four feet of water, +from which we emerged spluttering out curses and +salt water, only to be greeted by the loud laughter +of Mac and Loring.</p> + +<p>As the ship was hove-to, the helmsman had +an easy time, and the wheel might just as well +have been lashed.</p> + +<p>At last I was able to strike eight bells, and +we went below, leaving the worst four hours in +the twenty-four to the port watch, namely, those +from 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> to 8.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 17th October.</i>—At seven bells we +were awakened by the hoarse cries of the port +watch at the braces.</p> + +<p>They were squaring the ship away before it +again.</p> + +<p>On coming on deck after our scanty breakfast +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[226]</span> +of hard-tack, we found that both sea and wind +were better than they had been.</p> + +<p>This was not saying much, for even as +we emerged from the half-deck we saw a sea +whirling aft along the main-deck, with odd legs +and arms belonging to sundry members of the +port watch sticking up out of it like derelict +spars.</p> + +<p>The watch had evidently been washed away +from the fore braces.</p> + +<p>They were glad enough to get below at eight +bells, and leave us the tough job of setting the +main lower-topsail, and reefing and setting the +foresail and three upper-topsails.</p> + +<p>Very heavy work, as the main-deck is still +under water, and some of the men forward are +completely used up from the cold, wet, and hard +work; all hands also are beginning to feel the +pangs and grip on the stomach of hunger and +thirst, and I took my belt in another hole.</p> + +<p>Although we were all pretty well worn out, we +managed to ring out a rare good chorus, chantying +up the topsails.</p> + +<p>Jamieson sang the solo of “The Wide Missouri,” +a very celebrated chanty.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[227]</span></p> + +<p class='shanty'>CHANTY.—“THE WIDE MISSOURI.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Oh, Shenadoah, I love your daughter,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, my rolling river!”</div> + </div> + <div class='stanza-h'> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Oh, Shenadoah, I long to hear you.”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ah! ah! We’re bound away</div> + <div class="verse indent20">’Cross the wide Missouri!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The ship sails free, a gale is blowing,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, my rolling river!”</div> + </div> + <div class='stanza-h'> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The braces taut, the sheets a-flowing,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ah! ah! We’re bound away</div> + <div class="verse indent20">’Cross the wide Missouri!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Oh, Shenadoah, I’ll ne’er forget you,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away, my rolling river!”</div> + </div> + <div class='stanza-h'> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Till the day I die, I’ll love you ever,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ah! ah! We’re bound away</div> + <div class="verse indent20">’Cross the wide Missouri.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='mt1'>So it runs on, the roar of the storm and the +weird shrieking and humming in the rigging making +an accompaniment hardly to be beaten by a first-class +band. Even the clash of the deck ports +resemble cymbals and the big drum.</p> + +<p>Round we go, half a dozen voices roaring at the +top of their pipes, Mac’s and Jamieson’s shrill, wild, +and broken, old Foghorn’s two octaves below the +rest of us, like the growling of a grizzly bear.</p> + +<p>It’s wonderful how a chanty will get a topsail +mastheaded. We sent the mizen upper-topsail up +to the tune of</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[228]</span></p> + +<p class='shanty'>“ON THE BANKS OF THE SACRAMENTO.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Sing and heave, and heave and sing,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Hoodah, to my hoodah;”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Heave, and make the handspikes spring,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Hoodah, hoodah day.</div> + <div class="verse indent20">And it’s blow ye winds, heigh-ho,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">For Cal—i—for—ni—o;</div> + <div class="verse indent20">For there’s plenty of gold, so I’ve been told,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">On the banks of the Sacramento!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='mt1'>It is rather difficult for a landsman to understand +the sense of the words in some of the +chanties, and no doubt in most cases they need +some explanation. Some of them refer to people +and events long since gone and forgotten.</p> + +<p>There is one chanty, however, which is, perhaps, +as well-known ashore as afloat, and few songs have +more beautiful words than “Hame, dearie, Hame,” +and I cannot resist from giving the first verse.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indentdq"><i>Solo.</i> “I stand on deck, my dearie, and in my fancy see,</div> + <div class="verse indent10a">The faces of the loved ones that smile across the sea;</div> + <div class="verse indent10a">Yes, the faces of the loved ones, but ’midst them all so clear,</div> + <div class="verse indent10a">I see the one I love the best, your bonnie face, my dear.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indentdq"><i>Chorus.</i> “And its hame, dearie, hame! oh, it’s hame I want to be,</div> + <div class="verse indent10b">My topsails are hoisted, and I must out to sea;</div> + <div class="verse indent10b">For the oak, and the ash, and the bonnie birchen tree,</div> + <div class="verse indent10b">They’re-all agrowin’ green in the North Countree.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[229]</span></p> + +<p class='mt1'>This is, of course, a capstan chanty, and it +takes some beating when sung by a good chantying +watch.</p> + +<p>As we were chantying up the main upper-topsail +to the tune of “As off to the South’ard we +go,” a big sea fell aboard and washed Higgins +and Bower into the lee scuppers.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Sing, my lads, cheerily, heave, my lads, cheerily,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Heave away, cheerily, oh, oh!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “For the gold that we prize, and sunnier skies,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Away to the south’ard we go.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “We want sailors bold, who can work for their gold,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “Heave away cheerily, oh, oh!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “And stand a good wetting without catching cold,”</div> + <div class="verse indent10dq"><i>Chorus.</i> “As off to the south’ard we go—o,</div> + <div class="verse indent20">As off to the——”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='mt1'>Crash! bang! fizz!—“Hang on all!”—“Damn!”—“South’ard +we go!”—“Curse you, +get your boot out of—” (splutter)—“Blasted +fool!”—(puff, splutter)—“O Lord!”—“Lost my +only sou’wester, curse it!”—“Where’s Bower?”—(coughing, +panting, blowing, as the water begins to +roll off)—</p> + +<p>“In the lee scuppers with old Higgins, clasped +in each other’s arms.”</p> + +<p>“Ha! ha! ha!”</p> + +<p>“Hallo, Rooning, bleeding?”</p> + +<p>“Some one kicked me in the face.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[230]</span></p> + +<p>“Now then, tune her up, boys, give her hell!”</p> + +<p>“Give us a chanty some one.”</p> + +<p>So we struggle on, and by noon the <i>Royalshire</i> +has got all she can stagger under.</p> + +<p>The weather is moderating a bit, though hail-storms +still blow up every few minutes; but the sea +is not as bad as it was, and the main-deck is keeping +freer of water.</p> + +<p>With some risk, at six bells this afternoon we +got the fresh-water pump rigged, and managed to +get some fresh water along, after losing a few +buckets and having some narrow escapes.</p> + +<p>Poor Loring was caught by a sea and washed +into the lee scuppers, and got a black eye.</p> + +<p>The cook also managed to get the galley fire +alight, and we had some hot tea for the first +time for some days.</p> + +<p>The wind hauled ahead in the first dog watch, +and we had to brace her up until the yards were +on the backstays.</p> + +<p>The half-deck is in a fearful state, and still +inches deep in water. Up above, hanging on +lines suspended from bunk to bunk, are wet socks, +shirts, caps, mits, overalls, coats, mufflers, oilskins, +rubbers, etc., and every spare corner is crowded +with sea-boots hung up upside down to let the +water drain out of them.</p> + +<p>The chests and my big hunting kit bag we +have jammed up in one corner, and lashed them +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[231]</span> +so that they cannot carry away and break anybody’s +leg as the ship rolls.</p> + +<p>Backwards and forwards across the floor wash +trousers, shirts, hair-brushes, matches, socks, books, +papers, pieces of sodden hard-tack, chunks of salt +junk like bits of wood, shoes, caps, belts, swabs, +bits of soap, and every kind of derelict.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 18th October.</i>—We had a very +cold night of it, and in the first watch the wind +went back into the old quarter, and we had hard +work squaring the yards.</p> + +<p>We had to take a handy billy to each brace, +and Jamieson had a narrow escape from going +overboard: he was standing on the topgallant rail +putting the strop on the main-brace, when a big +sea swooped down upon us. He saved himself by +shinning up the brace, but we on the deck below +were all sent washing about on our backs.</p> + +<p>In the middle watch the mate and Webber, +who is the hardest worker in the watch next to +Don, were in the lee main-rigging at work in +bowlines. I forget what had carried away; but +after close on two hours, first under water and +then with a minute or two above, they were +carried aft at eight bells, helpless with cold, and +in a very bad way. It took some time and hard +rubbing before we could get any life into them; +and when we did get his circulation back a bit, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[232]</span> +Webber had no dry things, so I lent him my +arctic fur coat with the hood.</p> + +<p>It was a plucky bit of work; but the mate is +a fair demon, and does not know what fear is, +and as for the cold and work, he laughs at them +as trifles. He’s a man who came through the +hawsehole, and has seen some very hard times.</p> + +<p>The old man is carrying on again, and we set +all three lower-topgallant sails in the morning +watch.</p> + +<p>Soon after daylight we sighted an outward-bounder +under lower topsails and staysails, having +a bad time beating against the wind, and big +sea running.</p> + +<p>She was a four-mast barque, with painted +ports like ourselves, but with single topgallant-yards. +She passed us about a mile to the southward +on the starboard tack; the wind was a dead +muzzler for her, and she was evidently only +beating on and off hoping for a slant.</p> + +<p>We sighted land to the westward of the Horn +about 11 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>—a bleak, dreary-looking coast, all +black rocks and white foam.</p> + +<p>Cape Horn was called after the Dutch vessel +<i>Horne</i>, which was the ship of Schouten, who, +with another Dutchman, Le Mair, was the first +to weather the Cape.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_232" style="max-width: 139.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_232.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption>CAPE HORN + <p>(<i>Drawn by the Author</i>)</p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Before this, passages to the Pacific were always +made through the Magellan Straits, and navigators +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[233]</span> +imagined that the land of Terra del Fuego +extended right south into the ice of the Pole.</p> + +<p>The next man to these bold Dutchmen to +round the Cape was Sir Francis Drake, and, like +the Dutchmen, he was but scurvily treated, and +arrived in the Pacific battered and torn, a sadder +and a wiser man, with an everlasting respect for +the great South Wind and his companions the +Cape Horn Greybeards.</p> + +<p>At 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we passed the great and dreaded +Cape Stiff, as sailors call Cape Horn, towering +huge and gaunt, worn and rugged, through its +everlasting battle with the raging sea.</p> + +<p>At the same time we passed another outward-bounder, +which was beating in towards the Horn +on the port tack, crossing our bows less than a +cable’s length ahead.</p> + +<p>She was a full-rigged ship with painted ports, +and, like the four-master, was under lower-topsails +alone.</p> + +<p>We ran up our ensign, but she made no +response; it was easy to see, however, that she +was a foreigner.</p> + +<p>The sight of us foaming through it under +lower-topgallant sails was too much for her, and +just as she got on our port bow, we saw a man +go aloft on to her main upper-topsail yard, and +she soon had her fore and main upper-topsails set.</p> + +<p>She made a lovely picture as she surged past +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[234]</span> +us, with the great, black, world-renowned promontory +as a background.</p> + +<p>I wonder how long she and the four-master +have been beating backwards and forwards at the +pitch of the Horn!—very likely over a fortnight.</p> + +<p>The sight of these two ships beating under +lower-topsails whilst we were foaming along, doing +over 10 knots under lower-topgallant sails, put the +old man in a very good humour, and he made +Mac, Loring, and myself come up on to the poop +and look through his glasses whilst he spun us +yarns of the adventures he had had off this +dreaded point.</p> + +<p>Once, he said, he was outward bound, beating +up against the usual heavy gale, the weather being +so thick that you could not see a ship’s length +ahead. All of a sudden the lookout yelled, +“Breakers ahead!” and the next moment out of +the thickness appeared the great tower of Cape +Stiff itself.</p> + +<p>The ship was running right on to the rocks +at the foot of the Cape, and in another five +minutes she would have been lost with all hands; +as it was, he put her about with all dispatch, and +as she came up to the wind the huge breakers +rolling in swept her decks, taking away all the +boats and tearing the standard compass from the +deck.</p> + +<p>This was a narrow escape, but he was destined +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[235]</span> +another time to get more close than was pleasant. +This time it was blowing a terrific gale, and after +a very exciting and anxious struggle, he just +managed to weather Cape Stiff, and the next +moment found himself in a calm land-locked fiord, +protected from the raging gale outside by huge +cliffs.</p> + +<p>Here he lay for nearly twenty-four hours, and +then got a slant. Then the old man got on to +the subject of the difficulty of getting round the +Horn outward bound.</p> + +<p>“This is my thirtieth passage round the Horn +as master, and outward bound I’ve never been +more than a couple of weeks beating off the pitch +of the Horn; and what’s more, I never will be. +Why is it that some ships spend months beating +off the Horn? Simply because, directly he gets +off the Horn, the captain puts his ship under +lower-topsails, and just beats backwards and +forwards, waiting for a slant to get him round; +that’s not the way to get round the Horn; why, +I’ve come round under royals and passed ships +under lower topsails. Whenever you get a chance, +you must take advantage of it, and cram on sail +and force your way against the Westerlies. No, +don’t tell me that it’s not the master’s fault when +his ship spends a month or six weeks off the Horn, +for I know it is. Look at that foreigner under +lower-topsails; if we were outward bound now I’d +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[236]</span> +have the <i>Royalshire</i> under six topsails and whole +foresail;—though, mind you, I’m not saying that +if I was captain of that dagoman I’d have all +that canvas set, for the <i>Royalshire</i> has got seven +backstays, whilst that old tub’s only got three.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Lubbock,” he continued, turning to me, +“you’ve seen the Horn now, and come round it +in the worst blow and biggest sea I’ve ever seen +down here; and what’s more, you’ve done it in one +of the finest sailing-ships afloat.”</p> + +<p>“What’s happened to that full-rig ship we +sighted in the bad blow, sir; oughtn’t she to be +in sight?”</p> + +<p>“Well, she’d have had to heave-to when we +did; for if she went on running before it, she’s +hard and fast ashore now, and not a man alive +to tell the tale.”</p> + +<p>It breezed up again as darkness began to set +in, and between the dog watches all hands were +called to handle the mainsail.</p> + +<p>Lat. 56°.18 S., long. 69°.04 W.</p> + +<p>The wind hauled ahead again early in the first +watch, and we had to get the topgallant sails in.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 19th October.</i>—A very cold night, +with rain, snow, and sleet. In the middle watch +the second mate caught a little land-bird on the +poop. What kind of a bird it was none of us +knew; it was a little larger than a sparrow, with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[237]</span> +yellow-edged wings. After examining it, we let it +go again, and it immediately flew away.</p> + +<p>We are going 7 or 8 knots through the water, +and passed Staten Island early this morning some +way off.</p> + +<p>Lat. 54°.47 S., long. 64°.04 W.</p> + +<p>The wind hauled aft again this afternoon, and +we set topgallant sails again. We passed another +outward-bounder under lower topsails, a barque.</p> + +<p>The water has not been coming aboard quite +so freely to-day, so we seized the opportunity to +clear up the litter and wreckage in the half-deck.</p> + +<p>Oh! what a mess everything was in! After a +long search, I found my hair-brushes and all my +matches in a far corner afloat in the spittoon, so +I am without matches for the rest of the passage. +Mac, however, has come to the rescue, and presented +me with half a dozen boxes of Japanese +matches.</p> + +<p>The carpenter’s shop is now as full as it will +cram with wet clothes from the half-deck and +midship-house. Chips will not let the men dry +their things there, so they can only wring them +out, and hang them up under the forecastle head.</p> + +<p>There was hardly a dry pair of socks or +stockings in the ship, and all sorts of expedients +were resorted to to dry one’s rubbers and keep +one’s feet warm. We used to wrap our feet in +paper, or put paper soles inside the boots; and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[238]</span> +another dodge was, to light bits of paper and let +them burn inside the rubbers to warm them.</p> + +<p>The second mate suffered a great deal from +cold feet, as did most of the others. I lent him +my arctic moccasins, which are, of course, much +warmer than wet rubbers, but are so frightfully +slippery on wet decks that you absolutely can’t +stand up in them.</p> + +<p>I do not feel the cold half as much as any +of the others. Whether my Klondyke experience +had hardened me I don’t know, but I used just +to wring out my socks and put them on again, +and my feet very rarely felt the cold.</p> + +<p>No one wears mits, except at the helm, as +you cannot work on deck or up aloft in mits, as +they soon get soaking wet and worn out.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII"> + CHAPTER VII + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>THE SOUTH ATLANTIC</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 20th October.</i>—We foamed through it +all night close hauled under topgallant sails, going +about 8 knots.</p> + +<p>We are on the banks now, and there is a pretty +big sea running. Occasional hail-storms in the +morning, but by noon we had crossed the terrible +banks, and were in lat. 52°.14 S., long. 55°.41 W. +The glass is very low and is falling rapidly, and I +suppose we are in for another blow.</p> + +<p>It is our afternoon watch on deck. Every +few minutes the second mate dashes into the +chart-house and looks at the barometer.</p> + +<p>At 3 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> the glass was down to 28°.60, and the +sea and wind are beginning to get up.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden the wind chopped round into +the S.W., and began blowing harder every minute.</p> + +<p>We soon had her squared before it, and it was +a case of in with the topgallant sails, and reefing +the upper-topsails; so we had a hard afternoon’s +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[240]</span> +work up aloft. My thumb is very awkward and +painful still, as, though I keep a rag round it, the +salt water gets in, and salt water, wherever it gets +in, eats to the bone.</p> + +<p>A very wild sunset to-night, but as yet the +wind is not very bad, though an occasional hail +squall stings us up.</p> + +<p>All night we never touched a rope, and foamed +through it, going a good 10 knots.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 21st October.</i>—A lovely morning, with +the sun shining! It is blowing hard, and we are +reeling off the knots under reefed upper-topsails, +lower-topsails, and foresail.</p> + +<p>The Falkland Islands are well to the south-west +of us now.</p> + +<p>I had another very bad fall last night in the first +watch. Feeling very hungry, and finding that our +bread barge in the half-deck was empty, I went +forward to cadge some from our forecastle.</p> + +<p>They gave me as much as I could carry; but, +alas! just as I got past the after-hatch on the starboard +side, the ship gave a very heavy roll, and my +feet slipped up from under me on the greasy, wet +deck.</p> + +<p>Down I came with a terrific crash, hurting my +hip, and smashing the biscuits into atoms.</p> + +<p>The old man and mate were aft by the wheel, +and they said that my fall shook the whole poop.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[241]</span></p> + +<p>Well, I lost all my biscuits, and damaged my +hip; but scored all the same, for the old man went +below and presently emerged with a tin of potted +meat, which he gave me out of his private store.</p> + +<p>How we in the half-deck licked our lips over +that potted meat! for myself, I thought I never +tasted anything half as good in all my life.</p> + +<p>The men are beginning to suffer a great deal +from sea-boils.</p> + +<p>Poor old Taylor has got a very bad finger. It +started with a whitlow, which got poisoned from not +being cut, as the captain, who is always the doctor +on board a ship where no doctor is carried, did not +like to cut it, having made a mess of a finger before +through cutting it badly.</p> + +<p>Taylor has had to lie up, and is in terrible pain.</p> + +<p>Loring has taken his wheel, and is a very good +helmsman. I do not like this at all, as now I have +to keep time the whole watch at night, instead of +only two hours in the watch.</p> + +<p>The third mate is also laid up, as he has got +very bad sea-boils on his wrist, and they have paralysed +his right arm the whole way up.</p> + +<p>Pipes are beginning to get very scarce on board. +I had four pipes in Frisco; I gave one, a little +beauty of Lowe’s, Haymarket, to Don. It passed +from man to man, until I think Loring had it at +last, and by that time it was minus its stem +piece.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[242]</span></p> + +<p>Another I gave to Mac, and it got washed overboard +off the Horn.</p> + +<p>Another was a corn cob—sweetest of all pipes to +smoke—which got its bottom broken in; and my +last, and old favourite, a bull-dog, from being constantly +scraped out, got a hole through the bottom +of the bowl.</p> + +<p>This hole I plugged with everything I could +think of, but it was no use, the only thing to do +was to keep one’s finger over the hole when smoking.</p> + +<p>The mate gave the nipper a pipe, which the +nipper in turn gave to Scar; from Scar it went to +Don, from Don to Mac, from Mac to Loring, and +from Loring it went to the bosun.</p> + +<p>Mac had a clay, the stem of which was broken +off so short that he had to hold it to his mouth.</p> + +<p>Scar had an old silver-mounted pipe which was +everlastingly choked up.</p> + +<p>So now, what pipes remain have to be shared; +and in the half-deck, Loring, Don, and Mac taking +turns to smoke one, and occasionally I let Don have +a pipe out of my old bull-dog.</p> + +<p>Scar and the nipper have only one pipe between +them, and are everlastingly at loggerheads as to +whose smoke it is.</p> + +<p>It is hard work to keep a pipe alight this +weather, as the tobacco gets so damp that it won’t +keep burning.</p> + +<p>I cut up a couple of plugs to-day, and putting +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[243]</span> +them in a tin, got old Slush to put it in the oven +for a bit.</p> + +<p>But we both forgot to take it out, and the +tobacco got roasted almost to a cinder, and now +has a very peculiar taste.</p> + +<p>Still anything is better than having to do without, +as I have often found, and this roasted ’baccy +had one advantage, it burnt well, and kept alight.</p> + +<p>Cigarettes and cigarette tobacco have, of course, +always been very scarce on board.</p> + +<p>Don used to roll cigars out of the leaves of +ship’s tobacco.</p> + +<p>Don, Loring, and the second mate, who are the +chief cigarette smokers, got a fine haul on the other +side of the Horn.</p> + +<p>The old man had got a lot of fine cut English +tobacco which he could not smoke, as he preferred +the strongest and blackest ship’s plug, so he presented +this to the second mate, Don, and myself. +As I preferred a pipe, I swapped mine for some +plugs of American tobacco which Don had got, so +now Don, Loring, and the second mate have got +plenty of cigarette tobacco, and there is only the +trouble of cigarette papers.</p> + +<p>The second mate has only got a few left, and +neither Don or Loring have got any; but luckily +for them I managed to get some out of the Turk +in the port watch, as he of course only smokes +cigarettes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[244]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 22nd October.</i>—A fine morning, and we +set the topgallant sails again, and staysails, and +shook the reefs out of the topsails.</p> + +<p>It was our forenoon watch on deck, and we +chantied the topsails up in fine form, taking the +halliards to the capstan.</p> + +<p>Scar is an authority on chanties, and he says +that the real old chanties are very seldom heard +now; all the same, we have had a good number of +fine chanties sung on board.</p> + +<p>The thing to hear is a nigger crew chantying. +They sing most beautifully, with splendid minor and +half notes; they cannot do the least little bit of +work without chantying.</p> + +<p>A celebrated chanty, which I am very fond of, is +“Haul on the Bowlin’,” which is a setting sail +chanty, and runs thus:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the fore and maintop bowlin’,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the packet is arolling,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the skipper he’s agrowling,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, to London we are going,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the good ship is abowling,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the main-topgallant bowlin’,”</div> + <div class="verse indent8"><i>Chorus.</i> “Haul on the bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[245]</span></p> + +<p class='mt1'>A real good old-time chanty is “Storm along, +Stormie!” which runs thus:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Stormie’s gone, the good all man,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Oh, Stormie’s gone, that good old man,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “They dug his grave with a silver spade,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “His shroud of finest silk was made,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “They lowered him with a golden chain,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Their eyes all dim with more than rain,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “He was a sailor, bold and true,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “A good old skipper to his crew,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “He lies low in an earthen bed,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Our hearts are sore, our eyes are red,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “He’s moored at last, and furled his sail,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “No danger now from wreck or gale,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[246]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Old Storm has heard an angel call,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “To my aye, Storm along!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “So sing his dirge now, one and all,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye! aye! aye! Mister Storm along!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>This is a pumping chanty. One of the most +celebrated chanties is “The Black Ball Line,” the +first verse of which runs thus:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “In the Black Ball Line I served my time,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “In the Black Ball Line I served my time,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Hurrah for the Black Ball Line!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>This is a long capstan chanty, and has fourteen +verses in the original words; of course you hardly +ever hear two men sing the same words in the solo +of a chanty, though the choruses are always the +same.</p> + +<p>Chanties such as “Blow, my bully boys, blow!” +“A long time ago!” “A poor old man,” “The +plains of Mexico,” “John Brown’s whisky bottle’s +empty on the shelf,” “Boney was a warrior,” +“Blow the man down,” “Reuben Ranzo,” “Away +for Rio!” “Whisky for my Johnnie,” we were +constantly singing.</p> + +<p>“The Girls of Dublin Town” is also a very +popular chanty.</p> + +<p>We had hardly got sail set when it came on +to blow hard again, with heavy squalls, and the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[247]</span> +other watch had to take in the upper-topgallant +sails in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>In the first dog watch it was a case of all +hands on deck.</p> + +<p>“Haul up the mainsail, and get the lower-topgallant +sails tied up,” said the old man to the +mate.</p> + +<p>Each watch is a man short, Taylor being laid +up in our watch, and Scar in the port.</p> + +<p>The decks are full of water again, some very +big seas coming aboard, and we had a difficult +job clewing up the mizen upper-topsail, which had +to come in directly the topgallant sails were fast.</p> + +<p>Then came the terrific business of squaring in +the yards, one of the most dangerous of all jobs +when a heavy sea is running.</p> + +<p>Many a ship has lost a whole watch over +the side whilst at work at the braces.</p> + +<p>Both watches tailed on to the port main-brace.</p> + +<p>I was about fifth on the rope, with old Wilson, +who was singing out on one side of me, and +Higgins on the other.</p> + +<p>We had hardly taken two pulls at the brace, +when a huge sea broke aboard right over our +heads, and both watches were swept off their feet +in every direction.</p> + +<p>Wilson, Higgins, and I received the full force +of it. For one tiny moment of time I saw the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[248]</span> +great hissing mass as it reared its foaming top +higher and higher above us, and then crash! and +it toppled its whole weight upon us.</p> + +<p>Knocked down, crushed, overwhelmed by the +monster, I was quite conscious of what was going +on, as I hung on to the brace with all my strength. +Under water as I was, with my heels above my +head, I saw dimly the round bundles washing +about close to me which represented Wilson and +Higgins.</p> + +<p>Over and over the sea rolled me, and hurled +me with terrific force against the main-hatch, and +three times did my poor right knee come with a +crash against a ring-bolt.</p> + +<p>It was worse than being upset out of a canoe +whilst shooting rapids, infinitely worse; there was +no chance of getting your head above water, and +one could only hold one’s breath or swallow gallons +of water, until the sea rolled off.</p> + +<p>I hung on to the brace until the terrific +weight of water tore it from my grasp, and away +I went, first my head up then my feet, rolling +over and over, a plaything of the furious sea, +which made me turn somersaults, balance myself +on my nose or on the back of my head, just as +the whim took it.</p> + +<p>It washed me round the hatch; it bumped me +against the fife-rail, which I clutched at madly; +it rolled me like a beer barrel into the scuppers; I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[249]</span> +got entangled and disentangled again with other +human bundles, and never for a second could I +get my head above water.</p> + +<p>At last the water began to run off, and I +found that I could sit up and get my head above +water.</p> + +<p>Once more able to breathe, I gasped and +gasped, and looking around me, saw yellow bundles +lying about in every position.</p> + +<p>I lay to starboard of the main-hatch; close to +me, in the scuppers, lay three men in a tangled +mass; mixed up in the fife-rail were two more; +another lay gasping on his back under the break +of the poop.</p> + +<p>Above the roar of the gale I heard the second +mate’s stentorian voice,</p> + +<p>“Main-brace there! Up you get, d—n it, get +a move on!”</p> + +<p>I pick myself up, dazed and half-drowned. My +sou’wester had gone, and I found I could hardly +put my leg to the ground, I was in such pain +from my knee.</p> + +<p>Poor old Higgins was very far gone, and +Wilson was not much better, and Don, of course, +had as bad a time as anybody.</p> + +<p>I think the second mate was the only one who +escaped a ducking: he scrambled up on to the +skids when he saw it coming, and his agility +saved him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[250]</span></p> + +<p>The old man, who was on the poop, seeing +the whole of his ship’s crew washing about the +decks, dashed down on to the main-deck up to +his waist in water, went to the head of the brace, +and cheering us on, and hauling to his own +singing out, he soon got us all going again.</p> + +<p>It took us a terrible time to get those yards +squared. Again and again seas broke over us; +but there is no such thing as giving in on board +a sailing-ship—those yards had got to be squared, +and squared they eventually were.</p> + +<p>The old man told me afterwards, that when +that sea broke over us, all he could see was my +feet sticking up for a moment out of the water, +as the wave rolled me over and hurled me against +the hatch.</p> + +<p>He made sure that I must have been badly +hurt, but on examining damages I found that my +poor old knee was the only cripple.</p> + +<p>It was pretty bad, however, the knee-cap being +turned right on end, so that instead of being flat +it pointed straight up.</p> + +<p>My sou’wester would have been a serious loss, +but the old man very kindly presented me with +a brand-new silk sou’wester.</p> + +<p>It makes the sixth piece of headgear I have +lost, blown away, or washed overboard, since I +have been on board.</p> + +<p>The second mate did not like the old man +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[251]</span> +leaving the poop, declaring that it was as bad for +a captain to leave the poop in bad weather as it +was for a general to expose himself to the fire of +the enemy. But I must say I rather admired +him for doing so, as he left the security of the +poop for the most dangerous part of the ship, +jumping like a soldier into the breach and rallying +his men. There is one thing about our skipper, +he shines in moments of danger.</p> + +<p>There is no funk about him, and his nerves +are of the best, as is his seamanship—everybody +acknowledges that he is the best sailor in the +ship.</p> + +<p>We spent a wet, cold, and I myself a very +painful night.</p> + +<p>However, it began to clear up again towards +morning, and we set everything to the main-royal.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 23rd October.</i>—In 46 latitude now, +and romping along with a fair wind.</p> + +<p>My knee is very painful, and I am quite a +cripple, as it won’t bear walking upon, and is +very swollen.</p> + +<p>As I cannot get about on it, the second mate +got out a couple of Martini rifles from the +armoury in the captain’s cabin, and giving me +some chalk and oil, allowed me to sit on the +after-hatch and clean them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[252]</span></p> + +<p>This was a pretty good job, as they were +frightfully rusty.</p> + +<p>It started blowing hard again towards night, +and the <i>Royalshire</i> was stripped of everything +but her six topsails.</p> + +<p>Very squally, and wet decks again.</p> + +<p>As I am quite useless on deck, on account of +my knee, the second mate let me have all night +in, and Jennings had to keep time.</p> + +<p>Although I was in great pain all night as I +lay in my sleeping-bag, I could not help gloating +over the fact that I had so many hours of +warmth and rest whilst the sea and wind roared +and battered on the deck outside.</p> + +<p>My good old waterproof sheet protects me +from the water which pours in at times through +the cracks in the door, for our wretched half-deck +is full of water again, and is in as bad a state +as it was off the Horn.</p> + +<p>Unable to sleep from the pain, I lay in my +bunk and watched the wreckage washing backwards +and forwards with the roll of the ship.</p> + +<p>Sometimes an extra big wave would fill up +the half-deck until, as the ship rolled to port, +the water would splash up in my face.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 24th October.</i>—Splendid sailing! Our +run to-day was 270 miles, pretty good under six +topsails only.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[253]</span></p> + +<p>It is blowing hard, and big dollops are coming +aboard.</p> + +<p>I can’t get about yet, so I am at work again +cleaning the old man’s shot-gun on the after-hatch.</p> + +<p>If this weather continues, we shall soon be +into the south-east trades. Already everybody +is beginning to talk about getting home.</p> + +<p>The second mate has all along said, that, notwithstanding +her foul bottom, she was coming +home in ninety-seven days, which is quite possible +if all goes well.</p> + +<p>Don gives her forty days home from now. +We sailed on 25th August, which makes us sixty +days out to-day. So far, we have done a very +fairly good passage, and I certainly think another +sixty days ought to see us docked.</p> + +<p>Scar is very gloomy, and says we are going +to take one hundred and sixty days, and he hopes +we’ll never get back,—</p> + +<p>“I feel something’s going to happen this +passage,” is his favourite grumble.</p> + +<p>His temper is so bad that he is quite soured +by it, and looks on the gloomy side of everything.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 25th October.</i>—The weather is +moderating, and we set all sail this morning. +Lovely sunshine and fresh breeze again, and it is +fast getting warmer.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[254]</span></p> + +<p>Bower and the bosun had a row in the morning +watch.</p> + +<p>The bosun, who is not very fond of Bower, +called him by a name that would have caused +“gun-play” if they had been in Arizona.</p> + +<p>Bower retaliated by blacking the bosun’s starboard +peeper with his grimy fist.</p> + +<p>The bosun seemed to take no notice of this, +and only said sharply,</p> + +<p>“Go to the bosun’s locker and bring aft the +handy billy, and look damn quick!”</p> + +<p>Bower, all unsuspecting, turned his back and +started off on his errand: but the moment his +back was turned the bosun jumped for him, and, +knocking him down, started to kick him in the ribs.</p> + +<p>The end of it was, that Mac and Jamieson +had to haul the bosun off, or Bower would have +got badly hurt.</p> + +<p>The bosun has got a very black eye, and is +in very low spirits; he is in rather bad odour +aft just now, as we all think it was a very dirty +trick to play.</p> + +<p>But whilst yarning with me in the first watch, +Bower told me that it was a regular old German +trick, and that he was a fool not to have thought +of it at the time.</p> + +<p>He and the bosun, though both naturalised +Yankees, are both German born.</p> + +<p>The wind dropped in the afternoon, and the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[255]</span> +first watch found us rolling our rails under in a +very long, heavy swell, without a breath of wind.</p> + +<p>As the ship rolled the swell gushed in through +the ports, and she even dipped her rail under to +it. The cataract of water pouring across the deck +carried one off one’s feet if one was unfortunate +enough to get caught by it, and it was impossible +even to sit down without holding on. The lower +yards look as if they would pierce the sea every +time, and we had to haul up the courses, or they +would have flogged themselves into shreds.</p> + +<p>As we were all sitting round smoking and +reading before one bell, the third mate suddenly +hove the magazine he was reading on the deck +and cried,</p> + +<p>“Well, I thought Clarke Russell knew more +than that!” and he showed us a passage in the +magazine, in which Clarke Russell, talking of sailing-ships, +says that they do not roll, they only list.</p> + +<p>Well, this ship proved he was wrong anyhow; +here we were, a long, modern iron ship, and nearly +rolling our masts out.</p> + +<p>Scar even went so far as to say that no +steamer ever rolled like a modern sailing-ship.</p> + +<p>From my experience on the <i>Royalshire</i> I am +sure that he is right, though I have seen some +steamers rolling very badly, especially foreign men-of-war. +I once passed the <i>Lucania</i> lying at anchor +just inside the bar at New York, and she was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[256]</span> +rolling very badly, but nothing like a sailing-ship +in a calm with a heavy swell running.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 26th October.</i>—Lat. 41°.48 S., long. +38°.31 W. Course—N. 43 E. Run 148 miles.</p> + +<p>It was quite calm all night, but a light head +wind sprang up towards morning, and we are +sneaking along quieter than we have been for many +a day.</p> + +<p>We have started scrubbing and painting again. +My knee is better, but I dare not rest my whole +weight upon it, and the knee-cap is still out of +place, but the swelling has gone down. It is hard +work getting the rust off the topgallant-rail, standing +on one leg all the time like a pelican.</p> + +<p>The second mate and Loring are hard at work +on their models again.</p> + +<p>Scar and the nipper are talking a good deal +about starting models also, but they have not got +beyond the talking.</p> + +<p>Loring’s is the model of the <i>Talus</i>, his last ship. +This ship, which is a very handsome clipper, was in +Frisco with us, and sailed thirty-two days before us.</p> + +<p>The second mate is making a very small model +of the <i>Royalshire</i>, and is doing it beautifully, its +yards being cut out of matches, and its ropes the +thinnest of cotton. How on earth he does it with +his big hands, I can’t imagine.</p> + +<p>We had a terrific argument in the half-deck this +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[257]</span> +evening about schoolmasters swishing and caning +boys.</p> + +<p>Don and I both maintain that it is an excellent +thing, but Scar and Mac apparently think that it is +the greatest disgrace that can fall upon one.</p> + +<p>“When I was about twelve, I remember our +schoolmaster at Findhorn caning me,” said Mac. +“I scratched, and kicked, and bit, and fought +every time. The cad! he soon got to funk it; and +if a schoolmaster had ever tried to swish me when I +was seventeen or eighteen, great Harry, but I would +have killed him.”</p> + +<p>Scar endorsed this, and was, if anything, more +furious than Mac at the terrible cruelty of caning +boys.</p> + +<p>“Well,” I said, “I’ve had plenty of it myself, +and it’s thought nothing of at Eton, where a boy +would far sooner have a swishing than a long +pœna; and I believe that if you asked each boy out +of the eleven hundred at Eton, pretty nearly every +one of them would say it was a good thing.”</p> + +<p>“Why, I used to prefer being caned at school +to learning half a dozen lines of saying lesson,” +said Don.</p> + +<p>Scar and Mac regarded the pair of us with +wonder and surprise as being without shame or +pride.</p> + +<p>But it was too fearful a thing to be argued +about, and they relapsed into silence.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[258]</span></p> + +<p>Then we began talking about Wellington, and +I happened to mention that he said that the battle +of Waterloo was won in the playing fields of Eton.</p> + +<p>Oh, what a hullabaloo this raised! Don lay +back in his bunk and laughed at the tangle I had +got myself into.</p> + +<p>They actually screamed at me in their rage; at +first they did not believe it, then they pronounced +Wellington a liar of the first water—for who did not +know that the battle of Waterloo was won by the +Scotch regiments!</p> + +<p>Scar worked himself up into such a frenzy that +I thought he would have a fit. He bashed in the +lid of his chest with his fist; he hove his knife on +the deck, and spat on it; he stamped, he tore his +hair, he screeched inarticulately, until one bell in the +first watch, when the light was turned down and our +watch turned in.</p> + +<p>Talk about bigoted people, but Scotch boys +take the cake!</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 27th October.</i>—A fine breeze all day. +We are romping along under full sail, yards almost +square, and averaging 8½ to 10 knots.</p> + +<p>In latitude 39 S. at noon to-day.</p> + +<p>There are a whole heap of birds all round us, +including a lot of albatross, which have come up +here to get out of the bad weather down to the +southward.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[259]</span></p> + +<p>I think the albatross is a wonderful bird. He +sails in a stately, majestic way instead of flying, +and not once in twenty-four hours does he give a +flap to his immense wings.</p> + +<p>Like the shark amongst fish, he is a devourer +of offal—the scavenger of the South Seas—as he is +not quick enough in his movements to catch fish.</p> + +<p>His appetite is enormous; and when he can get +a good meal, such as a dead whale, he will gorge +himself until he is unable to rise into the air. +Despite his appetite, his powers of abstinence are +wonderful also, and he will go for days without any +food. For instance, the young bird (the albatross +only lay one egg) is left by its parents when it is +still too young to fly, and for six months has to +live without any food whatever; it is very fat when +they leave it, and apparently lives on its own fat, +never leaving the nest during the whole of the time. +At the end of the six months the parents return, and +forcibly eject the poor young bird, and he has to go +straight out into the world to earn his own living +after having had a six months’ starve. His parents +take no further interest in him, and busy themselves +over the hatching of another egg.</p> + +<p>A large flock of “whale birds” passed us to-day.</p> + +<p>Old Slush is very keen to catch an albatross, +and has got a hook over, but we are going too +fast through the water.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[260]</span></p> + +<p>Once more voice is raised in song in the half-deck, +and we made Don sing all his old favourites.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 28th October.</i>—It fell calm last night, +and has been calm all day.</p> + +<p>In the second dog watch Loring and the cook +caught an albatross. It measured 10 feet across +the wings, and had a splendid grey-white plumage.</p> + +<p>We skinned him at once; Scar got the breast +plumage, the cook the wing bones for pipe-stems, +the nipper and Mac taking the feet for tobacco-pouches. +Scar also got his head and beak, which +is a tremendous affair, and so I think he got the +best of the spoils.</p> + +<p>There is a bigger one than this one about, +which we have nearly caught several times; it has +a big snow-white head, and I think must be a +very old bird.</p> + +<p>These birds are of course the great wandering +albatross, as, besides them, there are heaps of +sooty albatross and mollymawks around us.</p> + +<p>Lat. 37°.06 S., long. 34°.06 N. Course—N. +30 E. Run 154 miles.</p> + +<p>My knee is still very painful, but might have +been much worse, and I am able to get about +better now.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 29th October.</i>—A light wind sprang up +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[261]</span> +in the middle watch last night, and is dead ahead; +we can’t head better than N.E. by E.</p> + +<p>There has been a lot of betting lately as to +whether we shall be home for Christmas. It is +odds on at present, but a few days of a “dead +muzzler” like this will soon alter matters.</p> + +<p>No more burgoo for breakfast, as we are out of +the “Roaring Forties” again; and our allowance +of water has been reduced, as we are running short, +having only about sixty days’ water left in the tanks.</p> + +<p>Taylor’s finger is very bad, and is fast rotting +away, his whole hand being swollen up.</p> + +<p>The old man can do nothing but poultice it, +as it is too late to lance it now.</p> + +<p>If it goes on getting worse at the rate it is +doing now, he will lose his hand.</p> + +<p>Though landsmen are constantly sent to sea +for their health, sailors as a class (that is, deep-watermen) +are by no means free from ailments, +caused on the one hand by the shocking food +they have to eat, on the other by the action of +the salt water on the skin, which causes sea-cuts +and sea-boils.</p> + +<p>From the captain down, I think I was the +only man on board who came ashore without +having had something wrong with him during the +passage. True, I had a twisted knee-cap; but +that was an accident, not an ailment, though it +was caused by salt water.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[262]</span></p> + +<p>The mate and the nipper suffered chiefly from +toothache.</p> + +<p>The captain, the second mate, and Mac, +suffered very much from cramp in the stomach in +the North Atlantic.</p> + +<p>Scar had a very bad time with sea-boils on +his arms.</p> + +<p>Poor old Taylor, of course, is on the sick list, +and won’t do a hand’s turn again on this ship. +He is in great pain, and cannot sleep at night.</p> + +<p>Bower has suffered all the passage with boils: +Rooning has also very bad sea-boils; he can +only use one arm, and has to keep his head on +one side.</p> + +<p>Jamieson, besides having a huge boil on one +of his arms, which left a hole as large as a five’s +ball, nearly fainted one day at the wheel, and had +a short go of malaria.</p> + +<p>Don consumes quinine and chlorodyne wholesale, +for jungle fever, which lays him low every +now and then.</p> + +<p>I have got a small medicine-case on board, +which I had up in the Klondyke with me.</p> + +<p>I never took a thing out of it for myself, +but during this passage, pretty nearly every +second dog watch, someone would come along for +a dose of something or other.</p> + +<p>Podophyllin and cascara pills I gave away, a +half-dozen a dose. I have used half a large bottle +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[263]</span> +of quinine tabloids already, and half a small bottle +of chlorodyne, two bottles of cascara and one of +podophyllin, and a lot of fever tabloids.</p> + +<p>This dosing, of course, goes on all unknown +to the old man, who has been pretty busy himself +dealing out his pet remedies for sailors’ ills.</p> + +<p>If it was not for the lime-juice, I am sure +we should have scurvy on board; for I have seen +scurvy caused by much better food than any +going here, up in the Klondyke.</p> + +<p>I really wonder how I kept so well, when I +think of the bad pork swimming in grease and +slush, and one mass of fat, which we had to +consume every other day, even on the equator.</p> + +<p>Pea-soup and hard-tack are my great mainstay. +The pea-soup is very bad, without any +flavour, and very dirty; but that does not prevent +it filling up the great hollow, which is the main +thing.</p> + +<p>There is not much superfluous flesh on our +ship’s crew, and though I was in splendid condition +and without a bit of fat on me when I came on +board, I have taken my belt in six holes already, +and it is only the muscles which prevent my ribs +from breaking through my skin.</p> + +<p>Lat. 36°.19 S., long. 32°.22 W. Course—N. +60 E. Run 96 miles.</p> + +<p>By the way, I have never explained how it is +that I can give the lat. and long. every day. Of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[264]</span> +course, I do not take a sight at noon, or anything +of that sort—though Jamieson told me that he +sailed out of Aberdeen once in a small barque, +and on the first Sunday out every man in the forecastle +except himself brought out a sextant, and +going on to the forecastle head, shot the sun.</p> + +<p>It appeared that, except himself, every man +had either a master’s, mate’s, or second mate’s +ticket, and they took the sun on Sundays just to +keep their hands in. This incident is a small +proof of the terrible overcrowding of officers in +the Mercantile Marine.</p> + +<p>But to return, the captain and officers are +always very careful on most wind-jammers never +to let out to the crew the position of the ship, +and on the <i>Royalshire</i> even the third and fourth +mates were not told it. So the way we found +out was this: on alternate days Don and the +nipper used to clean out the mate’s cabin, and, +whilst doing so, they used to take a peep into the +log-book, and jot down the position and run for us.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 30th October.</i>—Wind a dead muzzler, +fresh, with rain squalls. “A dead muzzler” is a +sailor’s way of saying that the wind is blowing +from right ahead, so that the ship cannot lay +her course, and can only beat backwards and +forwards, making very little headway in the right +direction.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[265]</span></p> + +<p>We had a great treat for breakfast this +morning: we cut up the albatross, and made the +cook broil it for us. The meat of the great bird +was as dark as mutton, and tasted very like +mutton, with a strong, fishy flavour. Don could +not touch it, but I thought it was awfully good.</p> + +<p>The wind is freshening, and just as we had +got started on our everlasting sand and canvasing +this morning, a squall came up.</p> + +<p>“Stand by your royal halliards!” roared the +second mate.</p> + +<p>I stood by the main royal halliards.</p> + +<p>Down came the squall upon us with a shriek, +the wind howling, and the rain hissing, and the +<i>Royalshire</i> groaning as she lay over to it.</p> + +<p>“Clew up your fore and mizen royals!” yelled +the second mate.</p> + +<p>Then the main-royal had to come in. I ought +to have gone aloft and made the mizen-royal fast, +as it was one of my sails; but as I could only +just hobble about, the second mate would not +let me go. But, alas! it blew harder and harder, +and the upper-topgallant sails had to come in.</p> + +<p>This time there was no help for it, and I had +to go aloft. I was pretty well done by the time +I had got on to the mizen upper-topgallant yard, +as I could not bear any weight on my knee +without it giving.</p> + +<p>Going over the futtock-shrouds into the top +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[266]</span> +was a job, and I had half a mind to go through +the lubber’s hole for once in my life; but I could +not bring myself to do it, even though I was a +cripple.</p> + +<p>That forenoon watch fairly did me up: hobbling +about on a rolling deck, pulling and hauling, +climbing and swinging on a foot-rope, all with a +twisted knee-cap, is no joke.</p> + +<p>Lat. 35°.47 S., long. 29°.08 W.</p> + +<p>Heading about N.E. by E., and gradually +coming up to our course.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 31st October.</i>—Wind still ahead, and +blowing fresh.</p> + +<p>We furled the crossjack at midnight last night, +and my wretched knee got into the wars again.</p> + +<p>The wind being dead ahead, the yards were +braced up so that they were hard on the backstays, +and whilst on the crossjack-yard I managed +to get my knee crushed in between the yard and +the backstays as the ship rolled; the consequence +is, that it is as painful and weak as ever this +morning.</p> + +<p>Lat. 35°.01 S., long. 26°.18 W.</p> + +<p>We are not making much northing.</p> + +<p>We set the crossjack again this morning whilst +the port watch were below.</p> + +<p>There is a queer, unhealthy look about the +sky to-day, and squalls are numerous.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[267]</span></p> + +<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> we furled the crossjack again, and +at 9 the mainsail was hauled up and made fast.</p> + +<p>The horizon to windward is beautifully lit up +with sheet and fork lightning, and it is raining.</p> + +<p>I am afraid we are in for something; the old +man is on the poop, watching the lightning to +windward, but for which the night is as dark as +the inside of a cow, as the wild man from Findhorn +expresses it.</p> + +<p>I was just thinking of striking four bells (ten +o’clock), when I heard the second mate roar from +the poop,</p> + +<p>“Haul down the jigger-staysail!”</p> + +<p>At the same moment the squall struck us, +the wind coming with such force that one could +hardly stand up against it.</p> + +<p>Over and over went the <i>Royalshire</i>, the lee rail +went out of sight in the smother of broken water +to leeward, and then the hatches were covered; +the ship was almost on her beam ends; here we +were nicely caught with all our flying kites set.</p> + +<p>The decks were on such a slope that one could +not stand up without hanging on.</p> + +<p>Everything was in confusion.</p> + +<p>“On to the poop some hands and get the +spanker in!” I heard the second mate yelling.</p> + +<p>Up I dashed in the pitch darkness, and ran full +tilt into the jigger-mast, striking my game knee on +an iron belaying pin.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[268]</span></p> + +<p>I fell to the deck, and writhed in the greatest +agony I have ever been in in my life.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden there was a terrific crash of +thunder, and a fork of lightning zigzagged into the +sea from right above us.</p> + +<p>This lit up the scene, and with a glance, as I +tried to get on to my legs, I took in everything.</p> + +<p>The ship was lying as far over as she did +that night off the Horn; the second mate had +carried away and nearly gone overboard, one of +the poop stanchions bringing him up (as it was, he +had both legs dangling overboard); the old man +and Jamieson were fighting with the wheel, trying +to put the helm up; and Jennings, of all people, was +making frantic efforts to get on to the top of the +chart-house by jumping up against it, just like a +dog trying to get up a wall it can’t jump.</p> + +<p>Some of the men had lost their heads, and were +shouting and screaming,</p> + +<p>“The sticks will go! the sticks will go!”</p> + +<p>“Get the topgallant sails off her!” shouted the +old man to the second mate, who, picking himself +up, dashed on to the main-deck, bellowing at the +top of his voice,</p> + +<p>“Aft the watch and clew up the mizen-topgallant +sail; look alive, men, and get your wits +together. Great Cæsar! don’t you know where +the lower topgallant clew-lines are yet, you +sodgers!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[269]</span></p> + +<p>Meanwhile Loring and I were struggling with +the spanker. Luckily for us, it was not the big +spanker, but only the three-cornered storm spanker, +which we soon had fast, making it fast on the boom +with a couple of gaskets like a yacht’s mainsail.</p> + +<p>This done, we hurried down on to the main-deck +to help clew up the topgallant sails. I +managed to hobble along somehow, though in +terrible pain.</p> + +<p>The scene was now extraordinary. The lightning +forked from one horizon to the other; there was a +“Jack o’ Lantern” or “St Elmo’s Light” at each +mast head, perched on the truck; the masts, yards, +and stays were outlined in electric fluid, as if the +ships were lit up with electric light.</p> + +<p>The flashes were blinding, so close and dazzling +white were they, but between the flashes the darkness +was so intense that you might have cut it up +in blocks of ebony.</p> + +<p>“Stay on deck and help me,” the second mate +said to me, as I prepared to struggle somehow up +to the mizen lower-topgallant yard.</p> + +<p>Loring is one of those people who have a horror +of lightning, nevertheless up he had to go, right in +amongst the electricity, with the thunder crashing +just over his head.</p> + +<p>At last Jamieson got the helm up, and we went +off before it on a level keel.</p> + +<p>The rain was coming down in solid sheets, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[270]</span> +the decks were soon full of fresh water, as it could +not run off quick enough.</p> + +<p>The men had trouble up aloft, as in the hurry +and darkness the sails had not been clewed up +enough.</p> + +<p>“Haul up your port clew-line!” came down +from the fore lower-topgallant sail.</p> + +<p>The second mate and I buckled to it, but +it was a tough job for two men, though we were +both over thirteen stone.</p> + +<p>The rain was so heavy and the wind so strong +that you could not face it except with your eyes +shut, and between the flashes it was so dark that +eyes were not the slightest bit of good. We +groped about until we got the right ropes in our +hands, often almost pulling our hearts out on the +wrong ones.</p> + +<p>The men were an extraordinary long time up +aloft, and no doubt had a hard job of it; but I +think they had the best of the second mate and +myself as we fumbled and stumbled about the +main-deck, dollops breaking over us, sprays taking +the breath out of us, tearing our hands and breaking +our shins, as we pulled, hauled, and struggled.</p> + +<p>I was in such pain that I had to keep my +teeth clenched, and my knee had swollen to the +size of a cricket ball.</p> + +<p>Hardly had the hands got down from aloft, when +another puff came, and the second mate roared,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[271]</span></p> + +<p>“Stand by your topsail halliards!”</p> + +<p>But the old man hung on, and after this last +squall the wind soon began to slack off.</p> + +<p>As I struggled on to the poop to strike one +bell, and wake the mate, for it was now a quarter +off midnight, the old man called me to him, and +said,</p> + +<p>“Hey, Lubbock, did you ever see an electric +storm the like o’ that before? Did ye mind the +Jack o’ Lanterns—four of them—four, one at each +mast head,—never have I seen so much electric +fluid before, no, not in all my seafaring career!”</p> + +<p>I was pretty glad to get below at eight bells, +dead tired as I was, soaking wet, and in great +pain.</p> + +<p>The port watch had had a scare when the +squall struck her. Don was chucked clean out +of his bunk, and, picking himself up in a dazed +state as the ship lay over, woke up Scar and the +nipper with the cry,</p> + +<p>“All hands on deck!”</p> + +<p>They were all dressing with utmost dispatch, +when Jennings, to whom the old man had given +two binnacles to light whilst I was making fast +the spanker, poked his head in, and asked for a +match.</p> + +<p>Mac seemed to have had a rough time of it +on the fore lower-topgallant yard (our old friend, +by-the-bye, of the South Pacific).</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[272]</span></p> + +<p>“There were only Jennings and Higgins up +there with me, and the sail was thrashing about +and trying to knock us off the yard, with neither +clew-line hauled up. Why the deuce you could +not haul up those clew-lines, Bally, beats me; I +nearly burst myself yelling to you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, they got foul somewhere, and the second +mate and I nearly burst ourselves hauling on them, +and it was so dark we kept getting hold of the +wrong ropes.”</p> + +<p>At this moment the second mate looked in to +smoke the butt-end of a cigarette before turning in.</p> + +<p>“Did you see me nearly go overboard?” he +asked me, laughing.</p> + +<p>“Yes; and did you see Jennings trying to +run up the side of the chart-house?”</p> + +<p>“Ha! ha! ha! I should think I did. The +old man saw him too, and thought he was off his +head.”</p> + +<p>“The old man and Jamieson could not get +the wheel up,” said Loring, “and the old man +chucked it as a bad job, and walked to the break +of the poop, saying to himself, ‘She wil’na go +off; she wil’na go off.’”</p> + +<p>“He told me he expected to see the sticks go +when the first squall struck her,” said the second +mate.</p> + +<p>“He wasn’t the only one who thought that,” +said Mac.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[273]</span></p> + +<p>“Well, it would not have worried me at all if +she had turned turtle at the time, as I was in +such pain,” I said.</p> + +<p>“Poor old Bally,” laughed the second mate, +“up he dashes on to the poop, and runs crash +bang into the jigger-mast. I heard him groaning +to himself as I slid past him to leeward on my +way to the scuppers.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s have a look at your knee,” said Loring. +“By Jove, it looks nasty.”</p> + +<p>And it was nasty too; the knee-cap was twisted +more than ever, and was right up on its edge, and +the knee was swollen into a plum-pudding all round.</p> + +<p>I could not bend it, and had great difficulty +getting into my sleeping-bag, and when I did get +in, the pain was so great that I could not sleep.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the storm had cleared up as rapidly +as it had come on, and the other watch were hard +at work setting everything to a light breeze dead +aft.</p> + +<p>So much for an electric storm at sea; though +it was a wonderful and extraordinary sight, it was +too near touch-and-go to be pleasant, and in cold +blood I am sure I could not have done what I +did, with my knee good-for-nothing and in sickening +pain.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 1st November.</i>—Coming on deck +again at 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, we found the ship under all sail.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[274]</span></p> + +<p>There was a lovely sunrise this morning, the +sky being divided up into bars of different colours +and gradually so shading off, each colour running +into the other; right overhead it was indigo, +and sloping towards the east ran from purple to +pink, greeny-blue to gold, with great yellow sunbeams +spreading out fan-shape from the horizon.</p> + +<p>My knee is quite useless, so I am cleaning +guns on the after-hatch.</p> + +<p>Tarring down is the order of the day, but I +escape it, as, with my leg as it is now, I cannot +possibly get aloft.</p> + +<p>Lat. 33°.40 S., long. 25°.10 W.</p> + +<p>There are about a dozen albatrosses about, +and Loring succeeded in catching one of them in +our watch below. It is a bit smaller than the +one the cook caught, though its feet (one of which +I have got for a tobacco-pouch) are larger.</p> + +<p>We were hoping that we had got rid of our +dead muzzler, but, alas! this afternoon the wind +went ahead again, and we had to brace sharp up.</p> + +<p>We sighted a full-rig ship on the lee quarter +in the second dog watch. I wonder if she is the +ship we saw running in the bad weather off the +Horn!</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 2nd November.</i>—Lat. 32°.00 S., +long. 26°.09 W.</p> + +<p>Our watch came on deck at 8 this morning to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[275]</span> +find ructions going on; the old man was raging +up and down the poop, every other moment +stopping to hurl a torrent of invective at the mate.</p> + +<p>The cause of all this trouble was the fact that +the ship we sighted yesterday is now right ahead +of us, leaving us and going to windward at the +same time.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> is terribly foul now, and very +hard to steer, besides which, the dagos in the other +watch are a very bad lot of helmsmen, which no +doubt accounts for the vessel ahead.</p> + +<p>As we could only head about N.W., the old +man put her about in the first dog watch, and +now we are heading N.E. ½ E.; thus we are +making very little progress north.</p> + +<p>It is blowing a bit harder, and in the middle +watch we took in the royals, gaff-topsail, flying-jib +and jigger-topmast staysail.</p> + +<p>I am afraid I shall have to lie up for my +knee, which does not get any better.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 3rd November.</i>—Lat. 30°.33 S., long. +24°.29 W.</p> + +<p>A fine breeze, but still dead ahead; we are +going 7½ knots through the water, and steering +N.E.</p> + +<p>Johnsen has been having a lot of trouble with +the watch lately, and this morning he and Bower +had a fight on the forecastle head.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[276]</span></p> + +<p>Neither (both being Dutchmen) knew how to +use his fists, and they both just banged about +anyhow. Bower at last managed to knock +Johnsen down, and he, craven-hearted, refused to +fight any more, but, getting up, slunk off muttering +murderous threats.</p> + +<p>Johnsen has now got pretty nearly everybody +logged for some severe offence or other, and swears +he will not let a man go ashore when we get in. +He is going to get a lawyer, and prosecute the +old man and second mate for bad treatment, and +he is also going to make charges against the +rest of us, and at the same time says he will +hold us as witnesses against the second mate.</p> + +<p>It is quite laughable. There is no doubt that +he has got a screw loose, and he is quite +dangerous; he won’t speak a word to anyone, +except to swear at them, and he thinks that we +are all on the watch to do him a bad turn or +steal his things.</p> + +<p>One day, in the South Pacific, he had got a +shirt hung up on the forestay on the forecastle +head.</p> + +<p>It was a Sunday, and I happened to be up +there washing clothes, when his shirt carried +away, and would have been blown overboard if it +had not caught on the rail.</p> + +<p>I took it and threw it down on to the fore fife-rail, +where it was not so likely to be blown away.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[277]</span></p> + +<p>That afternoon he kicked up the deuce of a +row, and accused each man in turn of stealing +his shirt, as he could not find it on the forecastle +head.</p> + +<p>He was so persistent, that the watch began to +get angry about it.</p> + +<p>I happened to go forward, and hearing the +row going on, said,</p> + +<p>“Here’s your shirt. I threw it here out of +harm’s way; it blew off the stay when I was on +the forecastle head, and would have gone overboard +if it had not caught on the rail. I should +have thought you were an old enough sailor to +be able to stop up a shirt without its blowing away.”</p> + +<p>He was completely nonplussed, and did not +know what to say; luckily for him our watch +were a good-tempered lot of men, or they would +have half-killed him.</p> + +<p>Another time, in Crockett, Don and I had +just left the forecastle for the half-deck.</p> + +<p>Johnsen came aft and accused me of stealing +his knife.</p> + +<p>“Go away; I have not got your knife,” I said.</p> + +<p>He went away, but presently came back again +and started to abuse me.</p> + +<p>I was about to argue the matter with my fist, +when I caught sight of the knife slung on his belt.</p> + +<p>“Get forward, you infernal fool, it’s on your +belt the whole time.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[278]</span></p> + +<p>Again he was caught out, and slunk forward +without a word.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 4th November.</i>—We had two heavy +squalls in the night. It is a lovely day, but the +head wind still continues blowing fresh, and +keeping us from heading better than N.E.</p> + +<p>Lat. 28°.36 S., long. 22°.17 W.</p> + +<p>My knee is much worse, and I have had to +lie up with it. The old man has given me some +turpentine lotion to rub on it; it is very painful, +and the cap does not seem inclined to come down +into its right place.</p> + +<p>The wild man from Findhorn had a great +feast to-day. Fish is his great delight, and the +steward gave us a tin of bad salmon which they +could not tackle in the cabin, but old Mac fairly +gloats over it.</p> + +<p>He really is a sight at meals, and Loring says +he puts him off his grub.</p> + +<p>He does not believe in a knife and fork, and +prefers to eat everything in his fingers, even bad +salmon.</p> + +<p>His plate is heaped high with layers of food—salt +junk, pork, and hard-tack. It is never +cleaned, and he seldom gets down to the bottom +layer, though he occasionally pokes a finger in +and fishes out an extra tasty bit from the depths +which has probably been there for over a month.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[279]</span></p> + +<p>He sits there, his plate on his knees, and +fairly chuckles over his food, gnawing the bones +and scraping them clean, for all the world like a +savage.</p> + +<p>He is really very amusing to study.</p> + +<p>Though he is a very good sailor and a hard +worker, he is as simple as a child. He has the +sweetest temper of anyone I have ever come across; +nothing puts him out except being turned out at +one bell, and then his anger is all over directly +he is really awake.</p> + +<p>He has got rather a good voice for singing, +but is much given to war-whoops and blood-curdling +yells, and he has got some peculiar war-dances +he occasionally gives us. He truly is a +wild Highlandman, the wildest I have ever come +across.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 5th November.</i>—The same weather; a +fresh head wind; going about 7 knots.</p> + +<p>Lat. 27°.05 S., long. 20°.05 W. Course—N. +52 E. Run 148 miles.</p> + +<p>Rather slow lying in my bunk all day, and +literature is very scarce on board; all ours in the +half-deck was washed away off the Horn, but +the old man has given me some <i>Weekly Times</i>, +which are two years’ old, but better than nothing.</p> + +<p>The odds about getting home for Christmas +are getting worse.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[280]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 6th November.</i>—Lat. 26°.10 S., long. +17°.50 W. Course—N. 46 E. Run 168 miles.</p> + +<p>The day is superb, but, alas! the wind is still +in the wrong quarter.</p> + +<p>Scar, that prophet of evil, puts all this head +wind down to our killing the albatross, and hints +gloomily at an awful fate awaiting us:—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“And I had done a hellish thing,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">And it would work ’em woe:</div> + <div class="verse indent0">For all averred, I had killed the bird</div> + <div class="verse indent2">That made the breeze to blow.</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Ah, wretch! said they, the bird to slay,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">That made the breeze to blow!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>It is a sailor’s superstition, that within the +breast of each albatross dwells the soul of a dead +mariner.</p> + +<p>The steward has found me a job, peeling onions +for him to pickle. I don’t see the fun of it much, +though; I hate the smell of onions, and they make +one’s eyes smart and water very much.</p> + +<p>It is the wild man of Findhorn’s nineteenth birthday +to-day; he is very young to have served his +time already.</p> + +<p>After a great deal of coaxing, he succeeded in +getting some pancakes out of the cook for tea. +Though they were pretty nearly all grease, it is +needless to say that they were all consumed with +great relish.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[281]</span></p> + +<p>Scar’s temper has been very bad lately, and +Don, who would give anything to be in our watch, +says he is absolutely unbearable.</p> + +<p>Don, who is frightfully hot-tempered himself, is +nearly bursting with the strain he keeps upon himself; +it does not matter what he says, he is promptly +contradicted by Scar, who is, of course, backed up +by the nipper.</p> + +<p>Poor old Don, who hoped this voyage would +do him a lot of good, is getting very run down; he +does twice the work of anybody else in the other +watch. Scar, who has got a down upon him for a +bad thrashing which he gave him one day in the +South Pacific, hazes him about eternally in his +watch on deck, and gives him all the dirty and +heaviest jobs.</p> + +<p>Don says he is getting too old and worn out for +manual labour.</p> + +<p>Their watch is very different to ours. At meals, +Loring, Mac, and I are as cheerful as crickets, +cracking jokes, laughing, and spinning yarns, often +being joined by the second mate.</p> + +<p>But in the other watch, Scar, Don, and the +nipper sit there in solemn silence, except when Scar +and the nipper have a row, which is not infrequent, +then there are blows and oaths, snorts of rage from +Scar, and shrill cries from the nipper.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[282]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII"> + CHAPTER VIII + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>IN THE TROPICS</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 7th November.</i>—Lat. 23°.51 S., long. +16°.23 W. Course—N. 46 E. Run 111 miles.</p> + +<p>To-day we passed the tropic of Capricorn, and so +are once more in balmy climes; but, alas! no signs +of the south-east trade wind, and we are zigzagging +along with the yards hard against the backstays.</p> + +<p>Old Slush has been excelling himself lately in +cooking the queer greasy lumps of red fat which we +poor sailormen have to feed upon.</p> + +<p>None of our watch touched our meat to-day, +even Mac heaving his share overboard, and we fell +back on hard-tack.</p> + +<p>The other watch in their turn did the same, and +the nipper said that he was going to complain to the +old man.</p> + +<p>We tried hard to dissuade him, as we knew he +would only make a fool of himself, and get the worst +of it, as Scar and Mac were the persons to complain +if anybody did, being officers of the ship.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[283]</span></p> + +<p>Well, the nipper insisted. He first tried the +mate, but was only laughed at, as the mate had +been hardened in much hungrier ships than the +<i>Royalshire</i>, and men who have experienced terrible +hardships have not much sympathy to give away.</p> + +<p>It was the same with the old man, who jumped +down his throat at once, and sent him up to overhaul +the mizen-royal leech-line in his watch +below.</p> + +<p>The second mate’s advice is simple and to the +point. “Take it out of old Slush. What do you +want to go and bother the old man about it for?” +and this is what I have advised all along.</p> + +<p>As the days get hotter, the meat gets fatter and +greasier; no wonder there are so many bad boils on +board.</p> + +<p>Mac has threatened to heave it at the cook’s +head several times, but it has never come off yet.</p> + +<p>Old Slush complains bitterly that he does his +best, but that he cannot cook without more fresh +water.</p> + +<p>He really is an extraordinary being. He is one +of the ugliest men I have ever seen: he is round-backed, +with his chin touching his chest, and his +feet are so huge that he can’t lift them off the deck, +but slouches along, the very emblem of slackness +and slovenliness; he has served his time in the +German army too.</p> + +<p>He is horribly dirty, and, though we are waiting +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[284]</span> +patiently for a wonder to take place, he has not +changed his shirt since the ship sailed.</p> + +<p>He and the steward get on very badly together, +and more than once have come to blows.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 8th November.</i>—The wind broke +off about midnight, and we went about a dead +muzzler, worse than ever. We went about again +this morning at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span></p> + +<p>It is a wet morning, and what wind there is is +very light. There are a lot of ships in sight to-day: +a barque to leeward, a four-master on our weather +quarter, a ship on our weather beam, and another +right astern.</p> + +<p>The old man says that all the wheat fleet from +Frisco must be collected round us, all gathered +together by the head wind.</p> + +<p>It is funny how a head wind or a calm will bring +ships together.</p> + +<p>There was a very long calm off the Azores +about a year and a half ago, which lasted over six +weeks.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> was in it, and they counted +nearly a hundred sail in sight round them.</p> + +<p>Loring was also in it, in a clipper ship called the +<i>Argus</i>, and said that one day he counted three +hundred ships round him. This is a bit hard to +believe, but it has been verified.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp56" id="i_284" style="max-width: 101.0625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_284.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + A PASSING “LIME-JUICER” + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>What a fleet this must have been! quite like +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[285]</span> +the good old times, to see so many sailing-ships +together.</p> + +<p>Lat. 23°.21 S., long. 16°.13 W.</p> + +<p>We have only gone 31 miles in the last twenty-four +hours, and can only head up about N. 17 E.</p> + +<p>The four-mast barque turns out to be our old +friend the <i>Centesima</i>. She went about at noon, and +soon ran out of sight on the other tack.</p> + +<p>I have turned out again to-day, and am +hobbling about scrubbing bulwarks. My knee is +certainly better, though still very weak.</p> + +<p>We went about at four bells in the first watch; +the port watch were below, and, of course, had to +turn out, much to their disgust.</p> + +<p>We are now heading N.W. by W.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 9th November.</i>—At six bells in the +morning watch we got caught aback in a squall, and +went about, the wind being rather unsteady.</p> + +<p>There is one of the ships in sight on the starboard +quarter, and the others cannot be far below +the horizon.</p> + +<p>We went about again at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, and are now on +the starboard tack, heading N. 10 W.</p> + +<p>Lat. 22°.33 S., long. 16°.33 W. Run 45 miles.</p> + +<p>It is nasty, squally weather, with a lot of +thunder about.</p> + +<p>The royals and crossjack had to come in in the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[286]</span> +afternoon, and the mainsail was hauled up at the +change of the watch at midnight.</p> + +<p>It is fairly sickening, this head wind, and we are +hardly making any northing at all.</p> + +<p>Scar’s followers are growing in numbers. Old +Foghorn says he never knew a head wind to fail +coming on after killing an albatross.</p> + +<p>Others say that Johnsen is a Jonah, and ought +to be chucked overboard.</p> + +<p>Good old Chips, the most harmless and one of +the nicest men on board, is that most terrible of +men amongst sailors, a Russian Finn.</p> + +<p>Russian Finns are believed to have wonderful +powers over the wind and sea, and can bring on a +gale of wind astern at a moment’s notice if they +feel inclined.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately for us, I suppose Chips does not +feel inclined, and allows this wretched head wind and +everlasting rain to continue.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 10th November.</i>—Wore ship at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +on the port tack. Nothing but squalls and pouring +rain all day.</p> + +<p>We are still hard at work scrubbing bulwarks +with sand and canvas, getting the rust off preparatory +to painting; this is miserable work in the wet; +the rain ruins oilskins and washes the oil off. None +of us have got any dry clothes left again.</p> + +<p>Lat. 22°.12 S. Course—N. 69 W. Run 71 +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[287]</span> +miles. Heading from N.E. ½ E. to ½ N. by +compass.</p> + +<p>Great was the excitement in the first dog watch +when the ship came up to her course for the first +time for goodness knows how many days. But in +ten minutes the wind had broken off again, and +we headed worse than ever.</p> + +<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> the mainsail was set. We had a +wretched night again with never-ceasing rain.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 11th November.</i>—Hopes of getting in +by Christmas are fast fading away. The dead +muzzler, and his companion the pouring rain, continue +to harass us.</p> + +<p>We went about at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, again at noon, and +again at 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and are getting pretty expert at it. +Now we are heading N.W. by N. compass course, +but I believe the real course is about W.N.W.</p> + +<p>Johnsen came aft to-day to complain of his +treatment by the men forward, and especially by +Jennings.</p> + +<p>The mate refused to let him see the old man, +and told him to get forward; but Johnsen was not +to be put off, and he started to argue the matter.</p> + +<p>Just as I was beginning to think it was about +time there was trouble, the old man came on deck, +and said,</p> + +<p>“What do you want?”</p> + +<p>“I vish to complain ’bout dat man Jennings.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[288]</span></p> + +<p>“Get forward at once. Do you think I’m +going to be bothered because you can’t keep an +O.S. in order? Get forward, or I’ll log you.”</p> + +<p>“I varn you, Captain Bailey, ve shall see ven +de ship gets in; you and de second mate I gets +in de law courts for bad dreatment. I haf de +money, and I vill have de lawyer.”</p> + +<p>The old man merely burst out laughing, in +which the mate joined, as Johnsen, muttering +ferocious threats of what he would do, retreated +forward.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 12th November.</i>—A great and welcome +change this morning; though the head wind is still +with us, the weather has cleared up; once more +the decks are dry, and all sail has been set.</p> + +<p>All hands are busy washing clothes, and there +is a terrific run on soap. Fresh water we have +plenty of, as during the last few wet days we have +been collecting it in every thing available.</p> + +<p>The ship is now festooned with line upon line +of drying clothes.</p> + +<p>Johnsen and I, who have both grown thick +beards and whiskers whilst off the Horn, shaved +them off to-day, and I am told that I do not look +quite such a hard customer as I did.</p> + +<p>The same cannot be said for Johnsen, who +looks if possible a greater scoundrel than ever. It +is wonderful what a difference a beard and whiskers +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[289]</span> +make to a face; even Don has quite altered his +appearance by shaving off his moustache.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 13th November.</i>—We started shifting +sail to-day, bending our old sails for the tropics.</p> + +<p>As my knee would hardly stand working aloft +all day yet, I have been made quartermaster in our +watch, and I had eight hours at the wheel to-day, +from 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> to 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, and from noon until 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>,—the +whole of the morning and afternoon watches. +I much prefer steering to the hard work of shifting +sail, of which I have had quite enough already this +passage.</p> + +<p>I am steering by the compass N. ½ W.; our +true course is N. 57 W., and we are in lat. +20°.15 S., long. 18°.55 W.; our run being 82 miles.</p> + +<p>We must be very close to the south-east trades +now. Not so many years ago, captains could tell +to the degree where they would pick up their +trades; nowadays you sometimes do not get them +at all, and have to fluke along to the line as +best you can. Why the trades are so uncertain +nowadays is one of those facts of which scientists +have not been able to offer an explanation.</p> + +<p>There are two ships right astern, a full-rig +ship and a four-mast barque, and it behoves me +to steer my very best to prevent those two ships +coming up on us.</p> + +<p>It was a lovely night, regular tropical weather, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[290]</span> +and in the middle watch everybody coiled up into +snug corners under the break of the poop; and +as the gallant old <i>Royalshire</i> slipped quietly along, +everybody slept the sleep of the just except the +second mate, helmsman, lookout, and myself, I +being the timekeeper.</p> + +<p>Mac and Loring had even brought their +blankets on deck, and lay very snug. This was +too much for the second mate—the sight of every +one snoring about him whilst he had to keep +wide awake—so he bent the end of a brace on to +Mac’s and Loring’s blankets, and getting well out +of sight, suddenly jerked the blankets away across +the deck. Mac and Loring were rolled roughly +over on to their faces; Loring woke up at once +in the deuce of a rage, but Mac, much to our +amusement, took some time to come to his senses.</p> + +<p>There is a better trick than this, which is to +drop a bucket overboard with a line bent to it, +take the line through a port, and then make it +fast to some luckless sleeper’s foot.</p> + +<p>At the right moment you leave go; away goes +the bucket astern, and if it is blowing fresh the +victim is pulled full speed across the deck until he +brings up with a bang against the port, where he +sticks, not being small enough to go through.</p> + +<p>Even if the ship is only going a few knots +through the water, this trick will give the victim +a nasty jerk, and almost pull his foot off.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[291]</span></p> + +<p>It was very amusing to watch Loring’s look +of amazement as he woke up and saw his blankets +careering across the moonlit deck as if of their +own accord.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 14th November.</i>—Lat. 19°.12 S., long. +19°.53 W.</p> + +<p>I took the wheel this morning from 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> till +noon, and ran the two ships astern out of sight.</p> + +<p>The sun is coming south, and the old man +tells me that we are only 50 miles off it to-day, +and it is very nearly straight overhead. To-morrow, +when we pass it, there will be no shadows.</p> + +<p>It seems funny that you will be able to stand +on the deck in the brilliant sunshine and yet +have no shadow.</p> + +<p>The old man has been busy all the morning +painting his models, which he has got on the +wheel box; and whilst I stood at the wheel he +spun me yarn after yarn of sea experiences—of +gales, shipwreck, narrow escapes, sea phenomena, +fights, and fires, enough to stock a dozen books.</p> + +<p>He told me he had sailed the seas in every +kind of sailing-ship, but had never been on a +steamer. He ran away to sea, and landed in +Australia from his first voyage a penniless boy, +and for many weeks picked up his living in the +streets of Sydney, bare-footed and ragged, before +he got a ship again.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[292]</span></p> + +<p>I took the wheel again in the first dog watch, +and brought her up to north by the compass. I +don’t know what the variation was; but, alas! +some wretched Jonah in the other watch broke +her off again soon after to N.N.W.</p> + +<p>We finished shifting sail to-day, and once more +the <i>Royalshire</i> is clad in her old and patched +suit of sails.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 15th November.</i>—I had another +eight hours at the wheel to-day whilst the masts +and yards were painted down.</p> + +<p>Of course there was a terrific race between the +two watches, our watch starting at the mizen +mast, and the port watch at the main.</p> + +<p>Rooning has the post of honour—that of +painting the mast from the truck down to the +royal-yard.</p> + +<p>Each of the other yards have a man at each +yardarm, and the lowermast has Chips and Mac +at work on it in bosun’s chairs.</p> + +<p>Of course the paint is slashed on, but no +holidays (bare patches) are allowed, and it is +noticeable how much quicker some men are than +others. Mac is by far the quickest and best +painter in our watch, and next to him come +Johnsen, Jamieson, and Wilson.</p> + +<p>Johnsen and Wilson, who have each got a +topsail yardarm, are having a terrific race, both +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[293]</span> +working as if for dear life; but I am afraid +Johnsen is the best, as at any sailoring job or at +painting and scrubbing he is very hard to beat; +though he is not so good on a yardarm taking +in sail, at which I think old Foghorn Wilson is +the best—excepting of course the second mate +and Mac, who, to use a Yankee expression, are +“crackerjacks” at picking up a sail.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding that old sails, awnings, and +tarpaulins are spread on the deck and bulwarks +under the painters, still our champions, Bower, +Jennings, Higgins and Company, have managed +to scatter paint pretty promiscuously.</p> + +<p>The colour is a light-yellowish salmon colour, +and the <i>Royalshire</i> is beginning to look very smart +aloft.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile I loll at the wheel in the glorious +sunshine, keeping the ship a clean full in the +gentle breeze, a spoke now and again being all +she needs. I have to be careful, however, not to +let her get within flapping distance of the wind, +as the weather clews would soon have wiped the +paint off the gay yardarms.</p> + +<p>Dressed in a slouch hat, flannel shirt with the +sleeves rolled up, and a thin pair of light blue +dungaree trousers turned up to the knees, my feet, +legs, and arms are burnt to a rich mahogany +colour.</p> + +<p>Without any flesh on my bones, with all my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[294]</span> +muscles like whipcord, and with my belt buckled +tight to prevent the feeling of hollowness which +comes from the ever empty stomach—what care I +for the scorching tropical sun which is making +the pitch in the deck seams boil, and is making +the paint rise in blisters on the bulwarks!</p> + +<p>It is a fascinating business steering a big +sailing-ship, and keeps all one’s faculties and +senses at work; one knows how to steer more by +instinct than anything else, and unless you are +born with this instinct, however much practice +you have, it is impossible to become a really first-class +helmsman.</p> + +<p>We are heading N.N.W. by compass, but true +course is only N.W. by W. Lat. 18°.20 S., +long. 21°.04 W. Run 85 miles.</p> + +<p>We passed the sun this morning, and at noon +the captain told me we were 15 miles to the north +of it.</p> + +<p>All the afternoon the wind got lighter and +lighter, and there was a calm all night.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down;</div> + <div class="verse indent2">’Twas sad as sad could be;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And we did speak only to break</div> + <div class="verse indent2">The silence of the sea.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Oh, where! and oh, where! are our bonny +south-east trades?</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 16th November.</i>—A nice little breeze +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[295]</span> +sprang up this morning, and allowed us to drop +a full-rig ship which had come up astern during +the night when we were becalmed.</p> + +<p>To-day I have six hours at the wheel, the +forenoon watch and the first dog.</p> + +<p>Painting is still in full swing; the masts and +yards have been finished, Mac breaking all previous +records painting down the jigger-mast.</p> + +<p>Lat. 17°.41 S., long. 21°.52 W.</p> + +<p>The wind has gradually dropped away again +in the first dog watch, and the sails are flapping +against the wet paint, so we have hauled up the +courses.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 17th November.</i>—The trades sprang +upon us about midnight, and at last we are able +to make our course, steering N. by E. ½ E. by +compass.</p> + +<p>I am having a glorious time of it at the wheel +all day in this delicious weather, whilst the others +are up to their elbows in paint.</p> + +<p>This morning is a typical morning in the +trades: sunshine, and blue sky covered with white +fleecy clouds; blue sea and white horses; shoals +of glittering flying-fish, and swooping “frigate” +birds, those robbers on the high seas.</p> + +<p>The “man-of-war” or “frigate” bird does not +fish for himself, but, swooping from a terrific +height, so frightens those hard workers the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[296]</span>“booby” birds, that they drop their fish, which +the robber catches before it reaches the water.</p> + +<p>These “frigate” birds rise to a greater height +than any other sea-bird, and are so swift that +they can catch flying-fish on the wing.</p> + +<p>This weather is simply idyllic. You can have +all your English summer days in the green fields—give +me a ship’s deck in the trades, with the +sails bellying in gleaming rounds of white above +you, and the deep, transparent blue of the ocean +stretching away until it meets the little clouds of +cotton wool on the horizon!</p> + +<p>Everybody is cheerful to-day except Scar, who +is only cheerful when everybody else is in the +dumps, and Johnsen, whose wrongs are too heavy +upon him to allow his grim features any aspect +but a scowl.</p> + +<p>The old man is yarning away to me again this +morning.</p> + +<p>“Ah!” he says, “if a sailor’s life was all like +this, it would be honey. Last time I was in +these trades, there were the <i>Loch Horn</i> and the +<i>Ben Lee</i> in company with me; the trades were +very strong, and we sailed dead level for more +than a week. All that time, though it was piping +strong, we carried every stitch we could set.</p> + +<p>“I remember well one Sunday—the three of us +were neck and neck—the <i>Ben Lee</i> kept splitting +and carrying away sails all day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[297]</span></p> + +<p>“As I looked through my glass I watched the +tears gradually getting bigger in his royals, at +last the fore-royal split from top to bottom; with +remarkable dispatch, he unbent the sail and sent +it down on deck. Now old Captain Gaines was +short of canvas, and spare royals he hadn’t got, +so he turned his sailmaker and all hands to, and +as fast as a sail split he sent it down, patched it, +and set it again.</p> + +<p>“I think he sent up his fore-royal more than +half a dozen times that Sunday, each time with +a fresh patch.</p> + +<p>“I guess you heard of my race with the <i>Puritan</i> +and <i>Cromartyshire</i>: we were in sight of each other +the whole way from Frisco to the Horn.</p> + +<p>“The <i>Cromartyshire</i> (which is a full-rigged +clipper, and the ship that cut down that French +liner in the Atlantic) is really a much faster ship +than this, but she only beat us by a few days +into Queenstown, and we just got in ahead of the +<i>Puritan</i>. I daresay you saw the report in the +papers at the time.”</p> + +<p>I had; and as far as I remember, it ran somewhat +like this:—</p> + +<p>“The days of ocean racing, when tea-clippers +ran 16 knots before a gale of wind with royals +mastheaded, are not yet dead.</p> + +<p>“The sailing-ship <i>Lord Dundonald</i> reports +passing, in lat. 40°.33 S., long. 106°.15 W., three +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[298]</span> +sailing-ships racing neck and neck, one of them +being a big four-mast barque.</p> + +<p>“Though it was blowing hard at the time, and +the <i>Lord Dundonald</i> was under topsails only, they +had each got every stitch of canvas set, and must +have been going well over 14 knots.</p> + +<p>“They were steering a course for the Horn, and +we made them out to be the <i>Royalshire</i>, the four-mast +barque, and <i>Cromartyshire</i> (both Glasgow +ships), and the Yankee clipper <i>Puritan</i>. Each +ship had got a string of flags flying.</p> + +<p>“From the <i>Royalshire’s</i> signal hilliards flew the +signal, ‘Shall I take you in tow?’</p> + +<p>“From those of the <i>Cromartyshire</i>, ‘Will report +you at Queenstown!’</p> + +<p>“And from the Yankee’s, ‘Good-bye, +Britishers; can’t stop.’”</p> + +<p>There is a barque in sight on our weather +quarter, and though she is not steering as high +as we are, we are dropping her, and can only see +the royals of the ship astern.</p> + +<p>We had a grand concert on the after-hatch +this evening. We sang all the old deep-sea +choruses, the bosun twanged his guitar, Don discoursed +shrill music on the penny whistle, and Mac +emitted hideous noises from the mouth organ.</p> + +<p>Several artists have appeared forward, and one +of them is painting a really wonderful canvas of +the <i>Royalshire</i> off the Horn. Another prefers a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[299]</span> +steamer with red smoke-stacks and plenty of good +black smoke.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_298" style="max-width: 150.9375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_298.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + A “DOWN-EASTER” + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>There are also minor artists, who content themselves +with painting flags and heraldic devices.</p> + +<p>The break of the poop is beginning to look very +smart, and I think the coats of paint on it have got +into double figures.</p> + +<p>I employed my time one day whilst laid up in +making stencils, and now Mac and Scar are going +to show off their stencilling on the midship-house, +break of the poop, and half-deck.</p> + +<p>The finishing touch to the break of the poop +will be the graining of the lower part of it, which +work of art will be done by the captain himself.</p> + +<p>Alas! of all our chickens there are only two left, +and if these don’t die of old age, they will be kept +for the cabin Christmas dinner.</p> + +<p>Lat. 16°.31 S., long. 22°.08 W.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 18th November.</i>—The trades are fine +and strong. We are braced up on the starboard +tack, with the yards off the backstays, steering N. +by E. ½ E. by compass.</p> + +<p>Whilst I was at the wheel this morning, from +8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> till noon, it breezed up finely, until at noon +we were doing 9½ knots.</p> + +<p>There was more kick in the wheel this morning +than there has been for some time. It is the great +aim of every helmsman to have the ship steady and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[300]</span> +dead on her course when he is relieved. This I +have always managed to do so far, and the other +helmsmen of our watch, Jamieson, Rooning, and +Foghorn Wilson, generally leave you a steady helm; +but the other watch, with the exception of Yoko, +who perhaps next to Jamieson is the best helmsman +in the ship, are a shocking bad lot.</p> + +<p>They very often leave the wheel hard up or +hard down, having managed to get the ship on +her course at the last moment before being relieved, +but of course without having her steady, the consequence +is if you do not watch it and meet her in +time, you find your ship running a point off her +course. Very often, also, I have had the wheel +given me and found the ship more than half a +point off her course.</p> + +<p>I do not think our old man is as particular on +this point as some captains are, or he would have +turned several of the port watch away from the wheel.</p> + +<p>Of course he knows that the <i>Royalshire</i> is steering +very badly on account of her foul bottom, but +still this would be no excuse with some skippers.</p> + +<p>Quartermasters on mail-boats have to be within +half a degree of their course, or they get severely +called over the coals by the officer of the watch. +Steering is a speciality with them, and they do +nothing else.</p> + +<p>Mac and Scar, in despair of being able to get +their second mate’s tickets, talk of trying to get a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[301]</span> +quartermaster’s job on a liner; but it is not so easy +to get.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 19th November.</i>—There is only one +word for the weather, and that is the word +“delicious.” A fresh cool breeze is sending us +along about 8 knots, and the sun is warm without +being too hot.</p> + +<p>I overhauled my gear to-day, and turned out +my bunk. It is wonderful how things collect in +one’s bunk; in mine I found chunks of plug tobacco, +magazines, lost socks, books, bits of wood, rope +yarn, rovings, lashings, a palm and needle, a marlinspike, +sundry pieces of soap, an odd matchbox or +two, a quantity of used matches, a pen and a pencil, +a roll of diachylon plaster, a pair of scissors, my +housewife, a stray reel of cotton, some twine, two +or three old shirts, and my silk sou’wester which +the captain gave me.</p> + +<p>Our watch is still in a very bad way with sea-boils, +and it looks as if poor old Taylor will lose +his hand; it all depends on how long we take to +get in, and if we get another dose of head winds +or a strong nor’-easter in the Western Ocean, I +am afraid it will have to go.</p> + +<p>The finger is in an awful state; the bone is +rotting away, all the tendons have broken, and it +smells absolutely putrid.</p> + +<p>Old Taylor puts a very good face on it. He +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[302]</span> +showed it me this morning, and said with a rather +sorry laugh, “Another backstay carried away this +morning.”</p> + +<p>He was right. The tendons, three of them, +were hanging loose in long white strings. +Rooning’s arms are still one mass of boils, and if +he goes on taking pills at the rate he is going now, +he will soon run me out of them.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 20th November.</i>—The great day for +cleaning and painting out the half-deck has come.</p> + +<p>This morning, Mac, Loring, and I turned out +at 5.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> in our watch below, and the lot of +us turned to.</p> + +<p>The chests and bags were taken out and put +down the after-hatch, our bedding and eating +utensils being put on the main-hatch, where we +shall camp for the next few days under a tarpaulin.</p> + +<p>First we scrubbed it all thoroughly with sugi-mugi, +then we dried it, and started painting everything +except the deck, bunks and all. After +working like furies all day, we got it finished in +the first dog watch—a pretty smart bit of work.</p> + +<p>The steward also painted out his berth to-day, +and, as he can’t stand the smell of wet paint, he +is as ill and sick as he can be.</p> + +<p>Lat. 7°.52 S., long. 22°.28 W.</p> + +<p>We sighted a barque outward bound in the +first watch.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[303]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 21st November.</i>—The cook left the +galley this morning, having handed in his resignation, +and Loring has been appointed cook.</p> + +<p>The trouble arose because the cook said he +could not manage unless he got more fresh water +a day. As he really gets a very liberal allowance +for cooking purposes, considering how short of +water we are, this was not to be thought of, and +the old man told him that if he could not cook +on the allowance he gets now, he could get forward +to the forecastle and do ordinary ship’s work.</p> + +<p>The cook thought he could bluff the old man, +and got badly left, so at last we are rid of old +Slush and his vile cooking.</p> + +<p>This morning we have started work on the +decks, beginning on the main-deck.</p> + +<p>Each man is on his knees, with a square +block of wood, some canvas, and plenty of sand +and water.</p> + +<p>With these blocks of wood, commonly called +“prayer-books,” every plank has to be rubbed +until it is absolutely clean and white; and unlucky +he whose planks are not white enough to pass the +mate’s keen criticism!</p> + +<p>This is by no means a “soft” job, especially +for me with a bad knee. One is never allowed +to sit down or be in a comfortable attitude working +at sea, as that is considered sodgering, and is a +most heinous offence.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[304]</span></p> + +<p>So on our knees we go at it, each working +for dear life; for one has to keep up with the +quickest worker in the watch, or else you get left +behind, and there is trouble.</p> + +<p>Though this is almost as bad on the back as +the “deck-bear,” it is a much quicker process of +cleaning the decks.</p> + +<p>We have got no holystone on board, so the +whole business will have to be done with sand and +canvas.</p> + +<p>I don’t think old Slush likes it much, down +on his knees amongst us working harder than he +has done for many a long day, whilst Loring, our +new cook, leans against the door of the galley +with a pipe in his mouth.</p> + +<p>Now that Loring has gone into the galley, I +take a regular wheel, and rejoice at giving up the +thankless task of timekeeping at night.</p> + +<p>Lat 5°.19 S., long. 22°.29 W.</p> + +<p>Very hot to-day, and the trades falling light.</p> + +<p>Oh, what a feed we had to-day! Our salt +junk was a sight to see—clean, no slush about it, +and cut in decent slices.</p> + +<p>Good old Loring is determined to do things +in first-rate style, and is taking no end of trouble +to make the food as palatable as possible.</p> + +<p>The trades hauled aft a bit in the first watch, +and we squared in the yards.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[305]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 22nd November.</i>—Hard at work +again at our prayers.</p> + +<p>The trades are leaving us, I am afraid, and +it is getting very hot.</p> + +<p>I don’t think old Slush is enjoying himself +much; at this rate he will soon get some of the +superfluous fat off his greasy body.</p> + +<p>I was very pleased this afternoon to get off +two hours deck-scrubbing by standing my trick +at the wheel.</p> + +<p>A day of sweltering heat and back-breaking +toil; the deck is so hot that one cannot walk +bare-foot upon it, hardened as our feet are.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 23rd November.</i>—Lat. 0°.36 N., +long. 22°.26 W.</p> + +<p>We crossed the line last night at 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, and +are once more in the northern hemisphere.</p> + +<p>We broke up our camp on the main-hatch, +and returned to the half-deck.</p> + +<p>Old Slush came aft this morning and whined +to the old man to let him go back into the +galley, but the old man refused; at which we all +rejoiced with exceeding joy, for Loring’s cooking +is a tremendous improvement; his soft bread—sailors +call bread soft bread, as compared to ship’s +biscuit, which they call hard bread—is very nice +for ship’s bread, and far better than old Slush’s +rocky loaves; and yesterday the pea-soup was a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[306]</span> +treat—there was more of it, it was quite white, +as Loring had washed his peas thoroughly, and +it was very tasty, as he had boiled small pieces +of pork in it.</p> + +<p>We finished scrubbing the main-deck to-day, +and now there is only the poop to be done.</p> + +<p>We are having magnificent starry nights, and +the water is full of phosphorus, which glitters +round the ship. The trades are falling off, being +very unsteady and fluky to-day.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 24th November.</i>—Yards once more +square. We have lost the trades, and are now +in the doldrums again.</p> + +<p>We are hard at work to-day scrubbing the +poop, and after a terrific race we just beat the +port watch, getting the starboard side done first.</p> + +<p>Poor old Don got into trouble this afternoon +in the first dog watch.</p> + +<p>The port watch were at the starboard crossjack-braces. +Don started to sing out a chanty +which had been made up on the ship in Japan—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Hi! hi! hi! louralay, louralay,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Come and see the greatest living wonder of the day!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The old man, who was on the poop, mistook +one of the lines for some very choice swearing, +which of course would have been a great offence +right under the poop, so he holloa’d out to Don +from the break of the poop,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[307]</span></p> + +<p>“Get forward, you there, swearing like that; +get forward at once!”</p> + +<p>So off Don had to go forward. He is rather +pleased than otherwise, as Scar and the nipper +have been making his life a burden to him in the +half-deck.</p> + +<p>I helped him to get his truck into the port +forecastle in the second dog watch.</p> + +<p>He is in great disgrace, and is not allowed +on the poop any more.</p> + +<p>The old man really did not mean him to go +forward into the forecastle altogether, but only to +stay forward till the end of the first dog watch, +and he was quite surprised when he saw Don and +myself carting his things forward.</p> + +<p>Don is delighted with the change, and says it +is a tremendous relief to be amongst the merry +good-tempered dagos instead of in the half-deck +with that sulky dog Scar.</p> + +<p>There was a magnificent sunset, and as it grew +dark, summer lightning lit up the whole of the +horizon. It was almost a dead calm all night, +with little fluky puffs, which soon died away again, +but which kept us at the braces most of the night; +and the ship seldom had steerage way on her for +more than half an hour at a time.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 25th November.</i>—There was a squall +from the nor’ard at 7.30 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, and we braced her +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[308]</span> +sharp up; but it did not last long, and the wind +blew for short whiles during the day from every +point of the compass.</p> + +<p>Towards evening a light steady breeze blew +from dead aft, and kept us going all night.</p> + +<p>It was a lovely night, dim and misty at first, +until the moon rose and the stars sparkled through +the damp atmosphere. It was my wheel from ten +to midnight, and it was rather a case of—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“The stars were dim, and thick the night,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The steersman’s face by his lamp gleamed white,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">From the sails the dew did drip;</div> + <div class="verse indent4">Till clomb above the eastern bar</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The horned moon, with one bright star,</div> + <div class="verse indent4">Within the nether tip.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>I have shifted my things into Don’s bunk, +the top one over mine.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 26th November.</i>—Lat. 5°.20 N., long. +22°.59 W. Course—N. 16 E. Run 47 miles.</p> + +<p>To-day is the hottest day, I think, we have +had this passage, and most of the watch have put +shoes on, as the deck is much too hot for bare feet.</p> + +<p>No rest this morning, for every few minutes +a light air springs up and we have to brace her +to it; this dies away, and just as we have coiled +the braces on the pins, another puff comes, and +again the cry rings out,</p> + +<p>“Weather crossjack-brace!”</p> + +<p>At last, about 11 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, after hauling at the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[309]</span> +braces ever since we came on deck, our watch +thought we had got a rest, but no such luck.</p> + +<p>The burning heat was too great a temptation to +the old man, and he seized upon it as a splendid +opportunity to oil the decks.</p> + +<p>We were provided with oil in buckets, and with +rags and old socks. At it we went on our knees on +the deck.</p> + +<p>“No holidays, mind!” was the cry of the second +mate.</p> + +<p>You bet we did record time over it, as it was +boiling hot, and kneeling on the deck was like +kneeling on hot bricks.</p> + +<p>It took us just till eight bells to oil the whole of +the main-deck.</p> + +<p>A nice little breeze from the eastward sprang up +in the afternoon, and just kept us moving two or +three knots through the water.</p> + +<p>I spent the afternoon trying to catch a shark, +but he was too cautious. Don and one or two +others wanted to go overboard for a swim, but, on +seeing the shark, soon dropped the idea.</p> + +<p>Once more the Bear is rising on the horizon, +whilst the great Southern Cross hangs low.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 27th November.</i>—There was a bad +squall last night in the middle watch, which heeled +the ship over as if she had been a small cutter +yacht.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[310]</span></p> + +<p>The flying-jib split, and it was a wonder that +nothing else carried away.</p> + +<p>It was only a tropical squall, however, and it +soon fell dead calm again.</p> + +<p>All day we lay becalmed in the stifling heat. +Paint-pots and brushes are out again, and the +bulwarks are being painted, whilst I stand lazily +at the wheel doing quartermaster again.</p> + +<p>Standing all day in this fierce sun has burnt +me as brown as a Hottentot, especially my feet.</p> + +<p>The flying-fish are flitting around us in great +numbers, and I have seen several with four wings.</p> + +<p>I wish a few of them would fly aboard, as they +are splendid eating.</p> + +<p>The old man has started graining the break of +the poop, and very well he is doing it.</p> + +<p>The second mate, Mac, and Scar, each tried +their hands at it, but were all miserable failures.</p> + +<p>The most enjoyable part of the day is the +second dog watch, when in the cool of the evening +we sit on the after-hatch spinning yarns and singing +songs.</p> + +<p>We were talking about the wonderful hardness +of Liverpool hard bread this evening, and the +subject produced quite a crop of very tall yarns.</p> + +<p>The following, however, is quite true, and was +told me by the doctor of a large Glen Liner:—</p> + +<p>“‘We had not been many days at sea,’ he said, +‘before our crew came aft and complained that the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[311]</span> +hard-tack was of such stony substance that it was +impossible for any but a shark to bite it. They +stated that if you hit a biscuit with an iron belaying +pin it made no impression upon it, and soaking it +in water made it no better.’</p> + +<p>“‘Here, doctor,’ called the captain to me, ‘here’s +a case for you to decide: Is this biscuit fit for the +men to eat?’ and he handed me a regular bad-looking +Liverpool pantile from the bread-barge +which the men had brought to show him.</p> + +<p>“I took the biscuit, and made a great bite at it. +There was a crack in my jaw, and I found that I had +hardly made a dent in the biscuit with my teeth.</p> + +<p>“As I took the biscuit from my mouth, something +white came with it and fell to the deck, +where it glistened like a pearl of beauty.</p> + +<p>“‘Halloa! what’s this?’ cried the skipper, and +he picked it up. ‘By gosh! doctor, you’ve carried +away a tooth.’</p> + +<p>“There was a roar of laughter; it was only too +true, the pantile had broken off my port eye-tooth.</p> + +<p>“‘Captain,’ I said gravely, ‘this bread is not +fit for human consumption, and if you throw it to +the sharks, they will be calling at the dentist’s in +a very short time.’</p> + +<p>“There was a cheer. My poor tooth had +solved the bread question.”</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 28th November.</i>—The breeze was faint +and unsteady all day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[312]</span></p> + +<p>A four-mast barque outward bound passed us +to leeward this morning, and there is a homeward +bound barque like ourselves to windward, but we +are dropping her.</p> + +<p>We are now right in the track of the outward +bounders, having crossed the equator well to the +eastward.</p> + +<p>I am still lolling at the wheel all day during +our watch on deck, whilst the rest slap, dab, dab +away with their paint-brushes.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 29th November.</i>—A steamer homeward +bound passed us quite close this morning at +4.30, but it was too dark to get reported. This +is the first steamer we have seen this passage.</p> + +<p>We think we have got the north-east trades +at last, though they are very light. Steering +N.N.W. by compass. We are ninety-six days out +to-day.</p> + +<p>Another wonderful tropical sunset to-day, the +sky being one gorgeous mass of colour.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 30th November.</i>—A foreign barque, +probably a dago, passed us quite close outward +bound, and notwithstanding that she was only an +old wooden ship with stump topgallant masts, she +made a beautiful picture as she wallowed slowly by.</p> + +<p>There was a tremendous hunt up aloft to-day +after a booby, which keeps settling on the yards. +He sits quite still until you are just about to grab +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[313]</span> +him, and then off he goes in circles uttering shrill +cries, only to alight again somewhere else.</p> + +<p>Whilst I was at the wheel in the first dog +watch there was a shoal of bonita round us, all +leaping out of the water in every direction. It +really was a wonderful sight; as far as you could +see, the big fish could be descried tumbling over +each other and jumping about.</p> + +<p>The sea round the ship was packed close with +them. I have never seen any fish so thick as +these were, except of course the salmon in the +Fraser River, in British Columbia.</p> + +<p>Talking of shoals of fish reminds me of an +extraordinary sight I saw whilst on the way up to +the Klondyke in the steamer <i>City of Seattle</i>. We +went through snipe migrating north; the water +was brown with them, and they wheeled about in +great clouds which almost obscured the sun.</p> + +<p>For several hours we were going through them, +steaming 10 knots.</p> + +<p>This is a hard thing to believe, almost as +hard as the sea serpent, which gentleman I must +say I firmly believe in.</p> + +<p>I have met three different people who +solemnly swear that they have seen a sea serpent.</p> + +<p>Why should there not be such a thing as a +huge sea snake? No doubt they are plentiful, +but are so seldom seen, because they stay down +in the great depths of the ocean, never coming to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[314]</span> +the surface unless compelled to against their will +by some terrific convulsion below, such as a submarine +earthquake.</p> + +<p>Of course, it is very probable that the tentacles +of a giant squid have often been mistaken for the +sea serpent.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 1st December.</i>—Lat. 10°.50 N., long. +27°.00 W.</p> + +<p>The trades are very light, but we are heading +up well, which is something.</p> + +<p>A steamer crossed our bow quite close last +night. It was a very dark night, and we could +only see her lights; she was evidently homeward +bound from the South.</p> + +<p>The days have been rather uneventful lately, +being composed of hot sun, light breeze, and +paint-pot. The ship is really beginning to look +very smart.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 2nd December.</i>—Lat. 12°.2 N., long. +27°.00 W.</p> + +<p>Very hot, and the trades are lighter than ever; +the old man tells me that they are caused by +bad weather to the nor’ard.</p> + +<p>All hands are still hard at work putting the +last coats of paint on the bulwarks, rails, etc., +whilst I loll at the wheel.</p> + +<p>Owing to Loring’s good cooking, the sea-boils +amongst the men have been getting better; but +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[315]</span> +now a new trouble has broken out, and several +of the men are quite helpless from it.</p> + +<p>It is very bad cramps in the stomach. Mac +got it this evening in the second dog watch, and is +lying in his bunk helpless and faint from the pain.</p> + +<p>I gave him a strong dose of chlorodyne, but it +only made him sick, and did not ease up the pain.</p> + +<p>He had to lie up all night, he was so bad.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 3rd December.</i>—Dead calm all night +and all day.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> without steerage way on her, +is truly</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“As idle as a painted ship</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Upon a painted ocean.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Mac and several of the men forward are very +bad still with cramps in the stomach.</p> + +<p>I think it must be the water, which, as we +get nearer the bottom of the tanks, is becoming +very foul.</p> + +<p>We have only got five weeks water left, and +out of one tank it comes up thick and muddy, +and out of the other a dark red, from the rust, +so I think the dark red water must be like a +very strong iron tonic, and thus perhaps causes +the cramp.</p> + +<p>Lat. 12°.40 N., long. 27°.46 W.</p> + +<p>I have got the worst wheels this week, the +second dog watch and the 4 to 6 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> wheels being +considered the worst two tricks to have; my other +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[316]</span> +wheel is a good one, though, the 10 to 12 in the +forenoon watch.</p> + +<p>The second dog watch was the one I hated +most, as I could hear the fellows singing and +having a good time on the main-deck whilst I +was stuck by myself at the wheel.</p> + +<p>The 4 to 6 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> wheel is really considered the +worst by sailors, as those are the two sleepiest +hours of the whole twenty-four.</p> + +<p>But there was one great compensation I found +in this trick, and that was, that every morning +you saw a most superb sunrise whilst the rest of +the watch were dozing on the main-deck.</p> + +<p>A breeze sprang up this evening in the second +dog watch whilst I was at the wheel, and it +gradually increased in strength.</p> + +<p>Poor old Mac, who was as strong and fit as +a buck rabbit a few days ago, is now as weak +and ill as a far-gone patient in consumption. His +cheeks have fallen in, and he really looks very bad.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 4th December.</i>—Lat. 13°.39 N., long. +28°.12 W. Course—N. 24 W. Run 62 miles.</p> + +<p>There is a fine little breeze this morning, and +weare going course steering N. ½ E. by compass.</p> + +<p>Painting is now nearly finished, and to-day the +varnish appeared, and we varnished the poop-rail +and stanchions.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[317]</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 5th December.</i>—Fine breeze all night; +going course N. by E. by compass, with a heavy +swell setting in from N.E.</p> + +<p>Lat. 15°.22 N., long. 29°.20 S. Very hot again +to-day, and wind falling.</p> + +<p>I have fallen upon a soft job, painting the name +of the ship in a blue riband on the poop buckets.</p> + +<p>The wind freshened up again in the afternoon, +and we passed a three-masted schooner painted +white, a brigantine, and two barques, all outward +bound.</p> + +<p>The second mate has fallen a victim to cramps +in the stomach, and was in great agony the whole +of the second dog watch whilst I was at the wheel.</p> + +<p>He leant helpless most of the time over the rail, +as sick as a passenger on a channel boat on a +choppy passage.</p> + +<p>Directly the watch changed I gave him a terrific +dose of chlorodyne, which seemed to pick him up a bit.</p> + +<p>Mac is still bad, and has not been able to touch +any food since Sunday, and he is a fair wreck of +his former self.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 6th December.</i>—A welcome change +has taken place; the wind is blowing fresh, and the +sea is rough, and we are fast making up for lost time.</p> + +<p>A heavy squall came up upon us whilst I was +at the wheel about 11 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> It came out of the +N.E., and went away until it hung a black cloud +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[318]</span> +on the horizon to leeward, then it came swooping +back upon us.</p> + +<p>I put the helm up and held it there, but was too +late, and in a moment we were caught aback before +we had time to go off.</p> + +<p>The crossjack and mainsail were hauled up, and +the staysails taken in, but as it blew harder we +had to take in the royals.</p> + +<p>Lat. 17°.40 N., long. 29°.29 W. The wind freed +a bit about 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and the mainsail and crossjack +were set again, the royals and staysails also being +set in the first dog watch.</p> + +<p>We are going 7½ knots through the water on +the port tack.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 7th December.</i>—Fairly piping under +all sail, except flying-jib, on our course and going +over 10 knots.</p> + +<p>I was at the wheel this morning from 4 to 8, +steering through my trick and Jamieson’s, whilst +the watch were busy sending down the mizen-royal, +which had split, and bending another one.</p> + +<p>The helm is very hard, and kicking like a horse +with the stiff sea running, into which we were +shoving our nose and boring our way at a great +pace. It took me all I knew to hold the wheel +steady, and several times she lifted me right off my +legs; but I thoroughly enjoyed the trick, as I +exerted all my strength to fight the kicking demon.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[319]</span></p> + +<p>It was a pretty heavy four hours’ spell, and +by eight o’clock my arms felt as if I had been +riding a runaway horse.</p> + +<p>A good helmsman has to be born, not made. +Every boat and every ship steers differently. +Some steer very badly, some steer very easily; +each has its own peculiarities, which a good helmsman +finds out at once.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> was not an easy steerer at all—very +few long four-mast barques are—but what +made her worse than usual was the load of wheat +aft, and the foulness of her bottom.</p> + +<p>Every day she steered worse, and required a +great deal of watching, and the other day one of +the dagos in the port watch was turned away +from the wheel.</p> + +<p>The most difficult task of all, is to steer a large +ship running before a gale of wind in a big sea.</p> + +<p>A bad helmsman in such a case will have his +spokes flying round the whole time; first his helm +will be hard up and then hard down, and the +ship will be swinging a couple of points on each +side of her course.</p> + +<p>This is because he probably watches his +compass too much and his ship too little.</p> + +<p>A good helmsman will know instinctively when +his ship is beginning to come up, and will at once +meet her with the helm a second or two before +the compass shows the fact.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[320]</span></p> + +<p>Never watch your compass too much, as the +compass is slow always, and very deceiving.</p> + +<p>At night, if it is clear, and you are steering +a compass course (by which I mean that you are +not steering by the wind, and the ship is able to +lie her course), take a star at a yardarm and +steer by it.</p> + +<p>Always try to keep the wheel as still as +possible. In steering the ship by the wind, a +spoke or two occasionally is all that ought to be +required to keep the ship dead on her course, if +the wind is steady.</p> + +<p>Steering like I am now, the ship going over +10 knots with the yards off the backstays, once +she is steady she ought not to require a spoke +once in half an hour.</p> + +<p>When steering by the wind, you ought to +keep the weather clew of your royal just quivering.</p> + +<p>A landsman will no doubt wonder why, if the +royal leech is flapping, the other sails are not +doing the same: but that belongs to another +branch of the art of sailoring, that of trimming +your yards properly.</p> + +<p>The royal should be braced up the least bit +more than the topgallant, and the topgallant more +than the topsail, and the topsail more than the course.</p> + +<p>A good quality in a mate is to be a good +sail-trimmer.</p> + +<p>But to return to steering. The steering of a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[321]</span> +big square-rigged sailing-ship is I think a most +fascinating job, whether you are standing bare-footed +in flannel shirt and dungarees, watching +the flying-fish as your ship hums through the +trades with the maintack boarded, or whether you +are running before a gale of wind with lashings +on your oilskins, working like a donkey-engine, +and hardly daring to look behind you. You know +that if you take your keenest attention off for a +moment, your ship will run two or three points +off her course, and will ship a huge sea, which, +washing the decks fore and aft, will perhaps +smash a boat to matchwood, or wash out the +galley, or even carry some of the watch over +the side.</p> + +<p>It is terrifying to a weak-nerved helmsman to +see a huge mass of water with a foaming top +rear itself up behind and chase him, trying its +best to poop the ship, and ready to fall on top of +him if he makes the least mistake.</p> + +<p>It is for this reason that some ships have +wheel-houses to hide the following sea from the +fearful helmsman. This is the time when the +good men come to the fore and the indifferent +helmsmen are turned away disgraced.</p> + +<p>Liverpool in the other watch, who relieved me +at eight bells, got turned away from the wheel, +as the old man coming on deck found him a +couple of points off his course, and there was the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[322]</span> +deuce of a kick-up. Liverpool said that it was +not his fault, as he could not hold her.</p> + +<p>It is a lovely sunny day. The old man is +hanging on to his royals, and dollops and sprays +are once more coming aboard, one, of course, +flooding into the half-deck.</p> + +<p>Lat. 21°.6 N., long. 30°.22 W. Run 217 miles.</p> + +<p>We passed a ship in the first dog watch homeward +bound like ourselves, under three lower-topsails +and main upper-topsail, and we were under all sail.</p> + +<p>I bet her old man looked at us in amazement +as we surged by, going close on 12 knots.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 8th December.</i>—Lat. 25°.01 N., long. +30°.46 W.</p> + +<p>These are champion trades, and in the last +twenty-four hours we ran 236 miles.</p> + +<p>A heavy squall came down about 9 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> We +stood by the royal halliards, and hauled in the +head of the spanker, but the old man held on to his +royals, and she fairly lay over and smoked through +it, the spray flying in sheets over the starboard bow.</p> + +<p>It was my wheel from 10 to 12. At 11.30 they +set the spanker again, and it was wonderful what +a difference that extra bit made to the steering. +Before they hauled out the head of the spanker +she was steering nice and easy, being well balanced, +but the extra cloth just made her uncomfortable +and disagreeable.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[323]</span></p> + +<p>Seventeen more days to Christmas, and the +great question is, Shall we get home in time?</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 9th December.</i>—Lat. 28°.16 N., long. +31°.54 W.</p> + +<p>It was squally all night, and we clewed up the +royals in the first watch, but set them again before +midnight.</p> + +<p>Old Slush was sent up on to the main-royal +yard to overhaul the gear, and the old rascal stayed +skulking up aloft in the maintop whilst we were +working on deck until the watch was over, when +he sneaked down on deck; but the second mate +was up to his tricks, and sent him up again, and +kept him up aloft overhauling gear until half an +hour of his watch below had passed.</p> + +<p>This morning, after my trick at the wheel, the +second mate sent me up on to the fore-royal yard +to see if there was any sail in sight, and also to +put in a couple of rovings.</p> + +<p>As I was shinning up the royal halliards, my +good old felt hat (which I have had all this time, +and which I had got quite fond of, with its faded +ribbon, and splashed as it was with paint of every +colour), blew off my head and went sailing away to +leeward.</p> + +<p>I was very much annoyed to lose it, as, besides +being my last hat, except for my sou’wester and +a Klondyke fur cap, it was such an old friend.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[324]</span></p> + +<p>I had worn it on the prairie, in mining camps +in the Klondyke, and even played cricket matches +in it in England.</p> + +<p>We started shifting sail again this morning; +shifted the crossjack, main upper and lower topsails, +and mizen upper-topsail.</p> + +<p>I am out of luck to-day, as on the crossjack +yard the buckle of my belt carried away, and away +went my belt overboard. My knife luckily dropped +out of the sheath on to the deck, and I got it +again; but I was almost as sorry at losing my belt +as my hat, as it was a good old pigskin belt, and +had been companion to my hat in all kinds of +adventures.</p> + +<p>I was very pleased at not losing my knife, +though, which bears a charmed life; several times +I have lost it and found it again; three times has +it fallen from aloft, and off the Horn it was afloat +in the half-deck for several days.</p> + +<p>Scar gave me an old deep-sea cap this morning, +and so I have still got head gear, and have not +been brought to making caps out of canvas, like +Don, Jennings, and one or two others.</p> + +<p>It is blowing pretty hard, and makes shifting +sail very heavy work; but the old man dare not +wait any longer, or we shall find ourselves in the +Western Ocean with only our summer suit on, +and we are looking forward to a bad time in the +stormy, wintery Atlantic.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[325]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX"> + CHAPTER IX + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>THE WESTERN OCEAN</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 10th December.</i>—A rippling breeze and +a peeping sun. The <i>Royalshire</i> is lying over to +it under all sail, with her yards braced up. In +the lee scuppers a roaring torrent of broken water +rushes, gushing in and out of the clanging ports.</p> + +<p>As I relieve the wheel the relieved helmsman +gives me the course,</p> + +<p>“North-east by north a half north.”</p> + +<p>“North-east by north a half north,” I repeat.</p> + +<p>At sea, when given an order or instructions you +always repeat it, so as to show that you understand. +For instance, the mate will give the order to the +bosun,</p> + +<p>“Haul aft those headsheets a bit, bosun!” +The bosun at once repeats,</p> + +<p>“Haul aft the headsheets, sir,” and without +waiting for further speech from the mate, goes forward +and superintends the hauling aft of the headsheets.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[326]</span></p> + +<p>We are in latitude 31°.20 north to-day, and making +fine northing.</p> + +<p>All day we worked as if for a wager, shifting +sail.</p> + +<p>In the evening I took part in a game of poker +in the midship-house with Sails, the bosun, Don, +and Loring.</p> + +<p>Our chips were beans, and cost ten a penny, and +so you can imagine there were no fortunes lost; I +think I came out a great winner of a penny half-penny. +We played with the only pack of cards on +the ship, a wretched, dirty, torn and broken pack, +about six cards of which we all knew by sight.</p> + +<p>As a sign that we are getting into colder latitudes, +I turned my sleeping-bag to-day.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 11th December.</i>—The breeze is still +piping from the south-east. Lat. 34°.52 N.</p> + +<p>Hard at work bending sail all day, in the afternoon +all hands had to turn to, much to the disgust +of the watch below.</p> + +<p>We worked with feverish hurry. A whole watch +would tail on to the gantline, and come stumbling +aft in the rolling shambling trot which sailors and +cowboys have in common, all roaring at the tops of +their voices. It was an inspiriting scene. Up +would go the sail, and then would come the cry,</p> + +<p>“Aloft and bend it!”</p> + +<p>“Now then, starbowlines!” would shout the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[327]</span> +second mate, as he raced up the starboard ratlines +at the head of our watch.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_326" style="max-width: 137.4375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_326.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption> + SHIFTING SAIL + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>It was my wheel at four bells, but being up aloft +the second mate would not let me relieve old Foghorn +till six bells.</p> + +<p>At six bells I relieved the wheel, and for the +next few hours stood there, the only man in the +after-part of the ship, for everybody was forward +shifting sail on the foremast.</p> + +<p>In solitude I leant against the wheel and meditated, +gazing over the foam-flecked sea and drinking +in the unspeakable grandeur of the great +deep.</p> + +<p>Before me rose the bellying sails, and from forward +the sounds of toil and sweat came floating aft, +sharp commands, the chorus of a chanty, cries from +aloft, the rattle of blocks, the stamp of many feet, +the flapping, cracking sound of a sail being sheeted +home; whilst around me, but for the swirl of the +water alongside, all was silent. Whilst they worked, +the ship was in my hands: I steered her, I showed +her the way to go, I kept her from prancing away +to one side or the other, with inexorable hand +grasping the spokes I held her on her course, ever +and anon casting an eye to windward.</p> + +<p>No bells were struck; time passed; amidst +pillows of pink and yellow clouds and a counterpane +of deep purple shading to mauve and lilac, his +majesty the sun went to bed; still they worked forward, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[328]</span> +and aft I steered and steered. The black pall +of night began to descend upon the sea; there is no +twilight in these latitudes, and whilst yet the afterglow +lit up the west, the stars were beginning to +peep forth in the east.</p> + +<p>It was evidently long past eight bells, still they +toiled; the welcome sound of “Sidelights out, hand +on the lookout!” remained unheard, and I began +to wonder if they were going to work all night. It +was so dark now that I had to strain my eyes to +see the compass card.</p> + +<p>I could see them at work bending the staysails; +all the square canvas was bent, and some hands +were putting the discarded sails below.</p> + +<p>At last came the welcome voice of the mate,</p> + +<p>“Clear up the decks, sidelights out, binnacles, +hand on the lookout.”</p> + +<p>Don brought me up a couple of binnacles and +then went forward.</p> + +<p>Both watches went to their tea after the decks +were cleared up; the mate, who walked the poop +whilst the second mate was at his tea, came and +had a look to see that I was on my course, but said +nothing, so I steered on in silence.</p> + +<p>I had relieved the wheel expecting only to be +at the helm an hour, and here I was still, running +into five hours.</p> + +<p>I was awfully hungry, and Loring had promised +us some meat balls out of the remains of our salt +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[329]</span> +junk. I began to speculate whether some hungry +person would eat my share or not, and to wish +that I carried about a piece of hard-tack in my +pocket like Don does; at anyrate, I thought, it’s +my watch below at 8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and it must be pretty +close on that now.</p> + +<p>Presently the second mate came on deck from +his tea and relieved the mate.</p> + +<p>“Who’s at the wheel?” I heard him ask.</p> + +<p>“Lubbock,” answered the mate.</p> + +<p>“Why, he’s been at the wheel since three +o’clock; hasn’t he been relieved yet?”</p> + +<p>“No; I thought he relieved the wheel when we +knocked off.”</p> + +<p>So the second mate called Mac out, and sent +him forward to find out whose proper wheel it was, +and at last I was relieved, and went below quite +stiff from standing at the wheel so long, and not +in the best of tempers.</p> + +<p>But I soon cheered up when I found that good +old Mac had put two meat balls on my plate, though +there was no hot tea left.</p> + +<p>The old man called Don aft in the first watch.</p> + +<p>On to the poop went Don, wondering what +wickedness he had been guilty of. But to his great +surprise the old man told him that he had decided +to raise his and my wages to two pounds ten a +month instead of two pounds, as he did not think +it fair that we, who were doing able seamen’s work, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[330]</span> +should not get as much as the other O.S.’s, who +were each getting two pounds ten.</p> + +<p>The wind dropped, and hauled aft in the middle +watch, and we are only going 4 knots instead of 10.</p> + +<p>I forget who was the Jonah at the wheel. Some +men always bring on a head wind or break her off +her course when they are at the wheel, though it +is funny how every helmsman on going forward +after being relieved always declares that he brought +her up so many points, or to her course.</p> + +<p>It is a great merit in a helmsman to be lucky +in this way, and so everyone boasts that he has +done so.</p> + +<p>Whilst up aloft bending sail this afternoon, we +sighted a ship right ahead, and the old man says +she is the <i>Puritan</i>, the ship he had such a race +home with once from Frisco.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 12th December.</i>—Lat. 36°.56 N., long. +30°.50 W.</p> + +<p>Wind dead aft, but light; only going about 4 +knots.</p> + +<p>We sighted land about noon, on our starboard +bow, which proved to be St Michael’s, in the +Western Isles. This is the first land we have +sighted since Cape Horn, though we were only just +out of sight of St Helena.</p> + +<p>The poor old gig which was smashed up in the +bad weather off the Horn was sent overboard to-day, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_331">[331]</span> +after having had her name carefully scraped +out, and we watched her as she slowly went astern, +full of water, wondering what would be her first +resting-place.</p> + +<p>We oiled the decks again this afternoon, but it +is too damp for the oil to dry quickly, so this +evening in the first dog watch, whilst we were at +the braces, not a man could stand up, and the whole +watch were tumbling about in every direction.</p> + +<p>It is an amusing spectacle to see a whole watch +go flat on their backs at the first haul on the crossjack-brace, +and the second mate was evidently very +amused.</p> + +<p>But it was not so amusing if you were one of +that watch, especially if you had no boots on, as +I had, and the man next you had heavy sea-boots +which, sliding from under him, crashed on to your +bare toes and swept you also off your feet into the +scuppers.</p> + +<p>We sighted a brig on the port quarter in the +second dog watch just about sunset, and she made +a very pretty picture, standing out as if cut in jet, +right in the reddest bit.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 13th December.</i>—The wind hauled +into the west this morning, and we braced the yards +forward. Hove the log, and found we were going +9 knots.</p> + +<p>The weather is thick, which prevents us from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_332">[332]</span> +seeing land on both sides of us, as we are right in +the middle of the Western Isles.</p> + +<p>The wind hauled into the nor’ard about three +o’clock, a dead muzzler, we can only head south-east, +and are on a lee shore.</p> + +<p>It was a dirty-looking night, and we hauled +down the light weather sails.</p> + +<p>Old Higgins and I have been busy cleaning +the Martini-Henry rifles and the cutlasses in the +cabin. The old man came down and watched us, +and asked Higgins a number of questions about +his campaigns in India; but he will not believe +that he was with Roberts.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 14th December.</i>—We came up to +our course during the night. There are three +islands in sight to leeward.</p> + +<p>The wind broke off this morning whilst I was +at the wheel, and fell very light.</p> + +<p>At nine o’clock we wore ship, and took a very +long time coming round, as we hardly had steerage +way.</p> + +<p>Now we are heading N.N.W. by compass, and +running dead into a very heavy swell, with land +in sight to leeward, to windward, and astern.</p> + +<p>The thick weather rolled off about noon, and +allowed the sun to come through.</p> + +<p>We are busy in the after-hold shifting the +bags of barley farther forward, as she is too +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_333">[333]</span> +weighted down aft, and we do not want to be +pooped in the bad weather coming, as we were +off the Horn.</p> + +<p>It is hard work crawling about in the darkness +on one’s hands and knees, trundling a heavy bag +of barley in front of you until you run across +Mac, who, right under the deck beams, is wedged +in between the barley and the deck. Here, in +pitch darkness, he manages to stow the bags to +his satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Two tramp steamers passed us quite close +this afternoon, both dagos.</p> + +<p>The smaller was towing the bigger, which was +whale-backed, and had evidently lost her propeller. +They were evidently bound for St Michael’s. +They passed us quite close, but we did not +exchange signals, why I don’t know.</p> + +<p>A disabled steamer and a heavy swell are pretty +sure signs that there is very dirty weather ahead.</p> + +<p>We are 1080 miles from Queenstown to-day, +according to the mate.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 15th December.</i>—A light breeze dead +aft sprang up in the first watch last night, and +gradually freshened, hauling on to the quarter as +it got stronger.</p> + +<p>This afternoon we are braced sharp up under +all sail. Lat. 42°.55 N., and we have still got a +chance of getting to Queenstown by Christmas.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_334">[334]</span></p> + +<p>Everybody has their own opinion of where we +shall be sent to. Some say Hamburg, some +Havre, some Hull, some Leith, Dublin, London, +or Liverpool.</p> + +<p>Though we are now in the cold North +Atlantic in midwinter, we cannot have the +promised burgoo, as there is no more left.</p> + +<p>Whilst in the tropics, we all thoroughly repaired +our leaky oilskins, and gave them a thorough +oiling. There is not much left of the original +pair of my oilskin pants, as they are now one +mass of patches inside and out.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 16th December.</i>—Last night in the +middle watch the wind started freshening, and we +took in flying-jib, jigger-topmast staysail, and gaff-topsail.</p> + +<p>In the morning watch the royals and the fore +and main upper-topgallant sails had to come +in.</p> + +<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> all hands were called to the crossjack, +and we made it fast.</p> + +<p>It is blowing a heavy gale, with a big sea +running, but the old man is carrying on in his +usual bold way.</p> + +<p>In the forenoon watch we took in the mainsail +and spanker; the poor old <i>Royalshire</i> is +being fairly hurled through the heavy head sea, +and the half-deck is awash again.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_335">[335]</span></p> + +<p>The other watch took in the three lower-topgallant +sails and the staysails early in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>At 3.30 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> I was awakened and nearly hurled +out of my bunk by the ship giving a terrific roll. +Over and over she went, until I thought she was +going right over.</p> + +<p>There was a roar and clatter overhead as a +huge sea pooped us and fell the whole length of +the rail, and as we looked through the porthole +we could not see the hatches for water.</p> + +<p>The break of the poop was, of course, filled +up two blocks, and the water poured into the +half-deck until the lower bunks were under +water.</p> + +<p>“That’ll mean all hands!” cried Mac. We +both slipped into our oilskins and rubbers with all +dispatch, ready for the call.</p> + +<p>In bad weather, one has them slung handy +alongside one’s bunk, well off the deck to be +clear of the water, and great is the language if, +as often happens, you find your rubbers have +carried away, and are floating about on the flood.</p> + +<p>The ship lay right over, and we could see +nothing but water boiling and surging above the +hatches, above the fife-rails.</p> + +<p>We had hardly got into our rubbers, before +we heard the mate yelling in stentorian tones,</p> + +<p>“All hands on deck!”</p> + +<p>Watching our chance, we dashed out of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_336">[336]</span> +half-deck by the windward door, and scrambled +on to the poop.</p> + +<p>It was blowing twice as hard as it was at +noon, and there was a terrific beam sea running.</p> + +<p>“Clew up the three upper-topsails and make +them fast,” said the old man to the mate.</p> + +<p>“Aye, aye, sir!”</p> + +<p>“Then get the foresail off her.”</p> + +<p>The fine new fore upper-topsail was split from +top to bottom.</p> + +<p>We had the usual amphibious time hauling up +the topsails.</p> + +<p>At the lee clew-lines and spilling-lines we were +up to our necks in water, and every sea washed +clean over us.</p> + +<p>It is curious how used one gets to hanging +on for one’s life whilst a sea roars over one’s head. +One holds one’s breath and takes it quite calmly, +drawing a long breath directly one gets one’s +head out of water, and hauling away again until +the next wave appears.</p> + +<p>It was dark before we got her snugged down +and hove-to under three lower-topsails.</p> + +<p>She was making very heavy weather of it, +and taking fearful lee water aboard.</p> + +<p>I, of course, managed to get hurt as usual. I +went to the half-deck to get some matches for +Don to light the side lights and binnacles with.</p> + +<p>Carefully watching my chance, I opened the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_337">[337]</span> +door quickly, but was almost knocked down the +next moment; the half-deck was so full of water +that it was up to my shoulders, and I stand 6 feet +4 inches.</p> + +<p>This water, directly I opened the door, started +to pour out, and crushed me in the doorway.</p> + +<p>At the same moment I saw a huge sea coming +aboard. In vain I struggled to get inside the +half-deck and shut the door; there was a crash, +and with the roar of a raging torrent the sea +rushed aft, filled up the break of the poop, and +overcoming the feeble resistance of the water +pouring out of the half-deck, slammed the door +to, catching my fingers just below the nails. At +first I thought the top of my first finger was gone; +but no, though it was cut to the bone on both +sides, it was still there, and with my other fingers +was pouring forth blood on the waters.</p> + +<p>Splashing about in the water in the half-deck +(which was over my waist, and had soaked the +nipper’s and Mac’s bunks, which were the top +bunks to leeward), I managed to find a piece of +rag, which I hastily wound round my fingers with +some spun yarn, of which every sailor carries some +in his pocket.</p> + +<p>Getting the matches, I escaped from the flooded +half-deck and got safely on to the poop, only to +find that Don had got a light.</p> + +<p>Then I had to go down into the hold with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_338">[338]</span> +Sails to see that another fore upper-topsail was +handy, so that we could send it up and bend it +in the night if the weather moderated.</p> + +<p>There was no time ever wasted on the +<i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<p>We had to get into the hold by the sail-locker +skylight on the poop—the same as that which I +fell through one day in the South Pacific.</p> + +<p>On getting below, we found that the grain +bags had shifted in the ’tween-decks, and there +was over two feet between the bags and the port +side of the ship.</p> + +<p>They had evidently shifted when the bad squall +struck us, and we foresaw work on the morrow +filling up the gap.</p> + +<p>Poor old Loring was washed out of the galley +when the squall came down. He was asleep at +the time, and awoke to find himself floating in four +feet of water with all his pots and pans around him.</p> + +<p>He lost several of his pans, and his largest pot, +the beef one, was cracked from top to bottom, probably +against his head, as they cruised together in +the turbulent waters.</p> + +<p>Of course it was impossible to get a fire alight +in the galley; no fresh water either could be served +out in the first dog watch; so as usual, though soaking +wet and chilled to the bone, there was no hot +tea to warm us up, as we sat in our bunks paddling +our feet in the water and munching our sodden +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_339">[339]</span> +hard-tack, which had been under water like everything +else.</p> + +<p>I have doctored up my fingers to the best of +my ability, and wrapped them in diachylon plaster. +It is an awful nuisance, as it is my right hand; but +they must get along as best they can, and do their +work as usual.</p> + +<p>Don has the crow of us in the half-deck, as in +the forecastle they have hardly got three inches of +water over the floor whereas we have got about +three feet, and it pours in in a continual cascade +through the cracks in the door. The scupper holes +to let it run off are of course useless, as instead of +the water running out through them, it comes in, so +in bad weather we keep them plugged.</p> + +<p>It was my trick at the wheel from 8 to 10 +in the first watch, and of course, as she was hove-to, +I only had to hold the wheel. It might just +as well have been lashed.</p> + +<p>We are lying broadside-on to the sea, and every +other wave roars over the weather bulwarks in a +way which is alarming even for a sailor to see; for +no sailor likes to see his ship take weather water +aboard when hove-to, though the quantity of lee +water does not matter.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 17th December.</i>—All night she made +bad weather of it under three lower-topsails.</p> + +<p>It was a bright, clear night, blowing very hard, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_340">[340]</span> +with occasional hail squalls, and there was an +eclipse of the moon.</p> + +<p>The mate, for some unknown reason, kept his +watch working in danger of their lives all the middle +watch, reefing and setting the three staysails.</p> + +<p>They had a terrible hard job, and one or two of +them were several times nearly washed overboard +whilst reefing the jigger-staysail.</p> + +<p>This is the first time the staysails have been +reefed. I suppose the mate thought it would +steady her a bit and prevent her from putting +her weather rail under quite so frequently.</p> + +<p>At anyrate, his watch went below at eight bells +worn out and angry at what they considered +absolutely unnecessary work.</p> + +<p>There is no doubt about it that the mate does +fairly keep his watch up to their necks in work of +some sort or other.</p> + +<p>He hates doing nothing himself, and is never +happy unless he has his watch hard at it. As they +are a very poor, weak watch, it comes all the harder +on them, for what would take our watch an hour to +do would take them twice as long.</p> + +<p>One day we had a belaying-pin pulling match.</p> + +<p>Two men sit down on the deck facing each +other, with feet to feet, and both grasp a belaying +pin, one man taking the outside hold and the other +the inside, then the man who first pulls the other +up on to his legs is the victor.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_341">[341]</span></p> + +<p>I won the competition, and was rather pleased, +as I pulled up the second mate pretty easily each +time, and he is a very strong man, and weighs more +than I do; but length of limb gives one an advantage, +though the chief strain comes on the muscles +of the back.</p> + +<p>He was second, and Don third, after several +terrific hard struggles with Mac, who was a good +fourth.</p> + +<p>As none of the men in the port forecastle were +near Don in strength, it shows that ours was much +the strongest watch, though, with poor old Nelson +laid up and Loring in the galley, we were two good +men short.</p> + +<p>True, old Slush was in our watch, but he was +nearly useless; he did not pull his weight on a rope, +and up aloft he could only hang on.</p> + +<p>Old Foghorn Wilson and Rooning are both +powerful men, and stronger than anybody in the +other watch except Don and Webber (who is 6 ft. 3, +and ought to be much stronger than he is).</p> + +<p>The weather is a little better this morning, +though the <i>Royalshire</i> is still swept by the sea +like a half-tide rock.</p> + +<p>Yesterday she was down to her fair-leads when +the squall struck her, and Scar said she went over +as far as she did off the Horn.</p> + +<p>We reefed and set the foresail and main upper-topsail +in the morning watch.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_342">[342]</span></p> + +<p>The weather cleared up wonderfully by noon, +and the sun came out once more; the sea went +down fast, and the wind completely dropped.</p> + +<p>Lat. 43°.4 N., long. 20°.55 W. Course—N. +70 E. Run 94 miles.</p> + +<p>Of course we had a very big drift of lee way +when we were hove-to.</p> + +<p>After sunset it fell dead calm, and we set everything +once more.</p> + +<p>I had an accident at the fore upper-topsail +halliards which might have smashed my hand up.</p> + +<p>With all hands on the halliards, we hoisted the +yard to the chanty of “Reuben Ranzo.”</p> + +<p class='shanty'>“REUBEN RANZO.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza-1"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Hurrah! for Reuben Ranzo,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Hurrah! for Reuben Ranzo,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Ranzo was no sailor,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Ranzo was a tailor,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-2"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Ranzo joined the <i>Beauty</i>,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza-h"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “And did not know his duty,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_343">[343]</span></p> + +<p class='mt1'>It is too long to give in full, so I will leave out +the chorus, which comes in like thunder between +each line, the haul coming each time on the +“Ranzo.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“His skipper was a dandy,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And was too fond of brandy.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“He called Ranzo a lubber,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And made him eat whale blubber.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“The <i>Beauty</i> was a whaler,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Ranzo was no sailor.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“They set him holy-stoning,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And cared not for his groaning.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“They gave him ‘lashes twenty,’</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Nineteen more than plenty.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Reuben Ranzo fainted,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">His back with oil was painted.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“They gave him cake and whisky,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Which made him rather frisky.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“They made him the best sailor,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Sailing on that whaler.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“They put him navigating,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And gave him extra rating.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Ranzo now is skipper</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Of a China clipper.</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Ranzo was a tailor,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Now he is a sailor.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_344">[344]</span></p> + +<p>So runs the queer story of Reuben Ranzo, a +rare old hauling chanty.</p> + +<p>Being tall, I was on the fore-part hauling between +the two blocks; as the yard went up the upper block +came down, and finally was brought up in its career +by the fife-rail, between which and the block my +poor old mangled hand got caught.</p> + +<p>The second mate, who was hauling alongside +me, saw the jam, and interrupted the chanty which +was being roared out in hurricane tones by a cry +of “Vast hauling!” They stopped just in time, +one more pull with both watches on the rope, and +my hand would have been squashed flat; as it was +it was pretty severely crushed, all the fingers were +spurting blood from the tips, and my old wounds +re-opened.</p> + +<p>“Bally hurt again!” was the cry. But I got +my hand free and went on pulling, though the +halliards and lower block got smeared and spotted +with blood.</p> + +<p>These little accidents are thought nothing of at +sea; you bind up your hand roughly with a bit of +rag, and go on as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 18th December.</i>—It fell dead calm during +the night, and we squared the yards, hauling up +the mainsail and crossjack.</p> + +<p>No wind, and heavy swell running all day. We +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_345">[345]</span> +were down in the hold all day toiling like miners, +and replacing the grain bags which shifted the +other day.</p> + +<p>From 8 to 10 was my wheel in the first watch, +and I managed to bring up a nice little breeze from +dead aft, which rapidly increased in strength.</p> + +<p>At four bells we took in the gaff-topsail and +flying-jib, and furled the royals.</p> + +<p>I made the gaff-topsail fast, and then went up +on to the mizen-royal yard with Bower.</p> + +<p>On getting on to the yard, I found that the +sail had not been properly clewed up, and was +bellying about and thrashing itself furiously.</p> + +<p>The starboard leech-line had got jammed, so on +that side the sail was flapping over the yard.</p> + +<p>I was picking up the bunt when Bower arrived +and proceeded, as was his wont, to lay down the +law as to what was to be done.</p> + +<p>He just stood on the foot-rope without attempting +to help me, declaring that if I persisted in picking +up the sail when it was not properly hauled up, it +would most probably hurl me off the yard.</p> + +<p>I was beginning to get angry. I picked up the +bunt without his touching it, and made the bunt +gasket fast.</p> + +<p>Then I went out to windward, where the sail +was really thrashing about like a fury.</p> + +<p>I had a hard fight; several times the sail blew +right over me, but I hung on like grim death, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[346]</span> +at last managed to get the inner gasket passed and +made fast.</p> + +<p>As I moved out to the yardarm, I holloa’d to +Bower, who had never ceased to talk and refused +to do anything else,</p> + +<p>“Shut your infernal jabber, and don’t talk rot, +but come out on to the yard and pass this gasket.”</p> + +<p>As the dangerous part of the sail was safely +muzzled, out he came, but again he refused to do +anything except in the wrong way, of course thinking +he knew best.</p> + +<p>The end of it was that I got angry, very angry, +for as soon as I did anything he undid it.</p> + +<p>“If you don’t get off this blasted yard at once, +you d—d German half-breed hobo, I’ll throw you +down.”</p> + +<p>I was balancing myself on the yardarm and +hanging on with one hand to the lift.</p> + +<p>He replied by aiming a shrewd blow at me with +his right fist whilst he hung on to the jackstay with +his left.</p> + +<p>The ship was pitching pretty heavily, with the +result that he missed my face and nearly toppled +over the yard.</p> + +<p>I at once jabbed my left fist hard on his nose +as the ship threw him forward.</p> + +<p>The least blow threw us off our balance, as, +over 150 feet above the deck as we were, every +motion of the ship was magnified.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_347">[347]</span></p> + +<p>He hit back furiously at me, catching me full +in the chest, and making the foot-rope swing madly +as he lunged at me.</p> + +<p>Losing my balance, I toppled back over the +yard, and only saved myself by hanging with my +right arm to the lift.</p> + +<p>This fairly put my blood up, and trusting to +luck in being able to grab hold of anything in +case I lost my balance, I went for him, and hit +him a shrewd blow on the nose, which made it +bleed, and another on the jaw-bone.</p> + +<p>This gave me the victory. He slowly began to +retreat backwards along the foot-rope, holding on +to the jackstay with one hand and protecting +himself with the other.</p> + +<p>I had no pity on him, and chased him to the +bunt, where I left him and went out on to the +yardarm again to finish furling the sail.</p> + +<p>Then the rascal played me a dirty trick, which +nearly sent me hurtling to the deck.</p> + +<p>He cast loose the inner gasket. The released +sail, caught by the wind as it fell below the yard, +began to thrash furiously again, and, flapping over +the yard, all but sent me flying, as I was caught +unawares.</p> + +<p>After this Bower thought he had better make +himself scarce, and descended.</p> + +<p>I finished furling the royal by myself, and +then going down on to the upper-topgallant, found +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_348">[348]</span> +Bower trying to make the weather side of the +sail fast.</p> + +<p>I immediately chased him off that yard. When +I got down on deck, the second mate asked me +what I had been thumping Bower up aloft for.</p> + +<p>“Because he’s such a hopeless idiot, and does +not know it,” I replied. “He refused to pick up +the mizen-royal because it was not clewed up +enough, and when he did come out on to the +yardarm he would not do what I told him, so +there was trouble.”</p> + +<p>“Well, it was pretty dangerous; I thought +the sail was going to have you off the foot-ropes +once or twice. I must have that bull’s eye seen +to, the leech-line won’t go through it.”</p> + +<p>Since we have been in the Western Ocean, +the bosun, Chips, and Sails have been put in the +watches, and now work watch and watch—the +bosun in the port watch, Chips and Sails with us.</p> + +<p>Now these three men are the most luxurious +on the ship; they have all kinds of private stores. +The bosun has some Californian wine, Chips a +bag of flour and jam in plenty, and Sails a spirit-lamp.</p> + +<p>I have often gone into the midship-house after +a tea consisting of hard-tack and half a pannikin +of coloured water, to find these three sitting down +to hot plum cake, tea with milk in it, soft-tack +and butter, and even sea-pie.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_349">[349]</span></p> + +<p>Now, in the night watches, they brew coffee +in the bosun’s locker, and the mates and we in +the half-deck each get a pannikin. We each +supply a pannikin of water, and the second mate +supplies the sugar.</p> + +<p>In our watch Sails brews the coffee, which we +have either about six bells in the first watch, or +one bell in the middle watch.</p> + +<p>As the time draws near for the water to boil, +Mac and I pay repeated visits to Sails, who sits +cosy and warm watching his spirit-lamp in the +little bosun’s locker.</p> + +<p>The second mate gets the first pannikin, which +I bring aft to him well sweetened and steaming hot.</p> + +<p>Of course I take good care the old man is +not on deck before I take it up on to the poop.</p> + +<p>Never have I looked forward to anything more +than that midnight pannikin of coffee; it tasted like +nectar, hot and sweet; I thought it absolutely +delicious.</p> + +<p>Whilst the coffee was brewing, we all used to +get very impatient, and the second mate used constantly +to call me up on to the poop and ask in +a whisper, as if it was the most important matter +in the world, “Isn’t the coffee ready yet?”</p> + +<p>To-night I have got rheumatism in my knees, +from having had wet socks on for so many days.</p> + +<p>I have not said anything lately about my poor +old knee which got so knocked about.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_350">[350]</span></p> + +<p>Though the knee-cap has never got back into +its right place, it has made a wonderful recovery, +and the knee is as strong as ever again, and I +can run once more along the deck with the fastest.</p> + +<p>I suppose the salt has strengthened it.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 19th December.</i>—The wind which, +when we left the deck at midnight, was blowing +strong dead aft, became unsteady during the +middle watch, and a cold rain set in.</p> + +<p>The port watch set the main-royal, and we +came on deck at 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> to find them at the braces, +the wind having shifted right ahead.</p> + +<p>We braced her sharp up, and furled the main-royal +again.</p> + +<p>A bad day; rain, and heavy sea. During my +wheel from 12 to 2 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, we were only going S.E. +by E. by compass, but I think the variation is +easterly.</p> + +<p>We went about at 3 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, our watch putting +her about ourselves, a pretty creditable performance +on a big four-mast barque like the <i>Royalshire</i>, +which has probably got the longest and heaviest +yards of any ship afloat.</p> + +<p>Jamieson was at the wheel, so it left us ten +hands to put her about, with Loring of course +attending to the foresheet, which is always the +cook’s duty when the ship goes about.</p> + +<p>We had her round and the decks cleared up +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_351">[351]</span> +in very good time, a much shorter time than it +had taken the two watches together on several +occasions.</p> + +<p>We are now heading N. by W.</p> + +<p>This evening we took in the topgallant sails, +as it is blowing harder, and the old man expects +an easterly gale.</p> + +<p>Lat. 45°.10 N., long. 16°.39 W. Course—N. +46 E. Run 121 miles.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 20th December.</i>—A steamer passed +us in the first watch, crossing our bows about a +mile away.</p> + +<p>It was very cold during the morning watch, +and a biting north-easter is blowing.</p> + +<p>During my wheel, from 2 to 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span>, I was very +glad to put on my Klondyke fur cap and mits.</p> + +<p>Grub is beginning to run short; two biscuits +and a half a pannikin of water was my breakfast +this morning, and we are all very fine drawn +except the second mate, who, with plenty to eat +in the cabin, has been putting on flesh, and if he +does not look out, will walk ashore with a stomach +on him like a man of fifty though he is not twenty-two +yet.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding his rotund stomach he is still +by far the most active man aloft, and often have +I seen him run along a topsail yard without holding +on.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_352">[352]</span></p> + +<p>A barque outward bound passed us quite close +this morning with her fore-royal yard on deck.</p> + +<p>We are in for another blow.</p> + +<p>At 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> all hands were called to furl the +mainsail. By 4 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> a heavy gale was blowing, +with a big sea, and we reefed the foresail and +three upper-topsails.</p> + +<p>I had a very bad wheel this evening from 8 +to 10; it was blowing very hard, and the rain +came pouring down in squall after squall.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i>, heavily pressed, was pitching +into it, and throwing the spray in solid masses +over herself. The wheel kicked furiously, and it +was all I could do to hold it.</p> + +<p>We soon had to make the three upper-topsails +fast, and at midnight all hands furled the foresail, +and once more we are hove-to under lower-topsails, +this time on the starboard tack.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 21st December.</i>—The old man came +on deck in the morning watch in a very bad +temper, and finding the watch “standing-by,” +ordered the second mate to wash down the poop.</p> + +<p>Well, it was not necessary to work the pump; +we simply filled the buckets from the lee scuppers +and passed them along.</p> + +<p>Rooning, Jennings, and Bower were passing +the water on the main-deck, whilst I stood on the +poop-ladder and handed the buckets up.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_353">[353]</span></p> + +<p>Presently a huge sea came up to windward.</p> + +<p>“Hang on all!” sang out the second mate.</p> + +<p>Rooning and Bower made a jump for the +mizen fife-rail, but Jennings was caught half-way +between the mizen rigging and the break of the +poop, a bucket of water in each hand.</p> + +<p>The sea fairly roared aboard, hitting the mizen-mast +half-way between the top and the deck, and +tearing Rooning and Bower off the fife-rail, hurled +them into the lee scuppers, where Jennings was of +course swept also.</p> + +<p>The water poured over the lee rail in a fury +of foam, and I expected all three to be carried +overboard.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royalshire</i> took some time shaking herself +free, and when finally Mac and I did manage to +pull them out from a tangle of gear in the scuppers, +they were very nearly drowned; three buckets went +overboard, and two were smashed into mere bundles +of staves.</p> + +<p>It was a marvellous thing that neither of the +three were seriously hurt. Bower and Rooning +especially were tossed with terrific force into the +scuppers.</p> + +<p>Such is Providence! They ought to have been +killed; they ought to have been washed overboard; +but at sea, Providence has constantly to intervene, +or no sailor would live long.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this gentle reminder from the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_354">[354]</span> +Atlantic Ocean, that he would himself wash down +the poop, orders however absurd have to be obeyed, +and we finished the job.</p> + +<p>At 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> the old man decided to “wear ship,” +as he did not dare go about in the sea that was +running.</p> + +<p>As it was, Mac told me we should be lucky if +we got through without losing one or two men +overboard.</p> + +<p>The first thing to do in wearing ship is to ease +away the after-braces and hard a-weather the helm, +the old man, of course, waiting for a lull before he +ordered the helm hard a-weather.</p> + +<p>She was a very long time before she began to +pay off, then we hauled away gradually on the after-braces, +keeping the yards lifting until they were +canted on the other tack.</p> + +<p>But when we had got them dead square, the +old man stopped us. Slowly the wind came on the +other quarter, and the helm was eased, the old man +watching for another “smooth” before bringing +her to.</p> + +<p>This wearing ship took a very long time, as she +went off very slowly.</p> + +<p>The mate and his watch got into trouble, as +they let the fore-yards come round too soon; and +there was the devil to pay.</p> + +<p>The old man raved and stamped on the poop, +and forward, everyone was yelling and cursing at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_355">[355]</span> +once, we starboard gang looking on and waiting +with a kind of condescending superiority upon the +poor port watch.</p> + +<p>But in the end we got through the operation +much drier than we expected to be, and we are now +hove-to on the port tack.</p> + +<p>Directly the decks were cleared up, we went to +breakfast.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, directly the mate came aft, all the +old man’s bottled-up wrath overflowed, and he fairly +let the mate have it, raking him fore and aft with +his cutting tongue as he stamped up and down, +stopping every turn to shake his fist at the mate +as he stood without answering a word.</p> + +<p>“An’ ye call ye’self a sailor! I guess you ain’t +used to square-riggers; it ain’t the same thing as +a fore-and-aft yacht, you know,” with biting, sneering +sarcasm.</p> + +<p>On and on he raved; we caught snatches of +it high above the gale. It was the worst row +they have had yet, and all hands turned out to +watch it.</p> + +<p>“Ain’t ye got nothing to say? are you made of +wood? Damn it! what good are you at all I’d +like to know? Call yourself fit to be mate of a +ship like this! you’re only a steamboat sailor, that’s +what you are, a blasted bridge stanchion.”</p> + +<p>It was the greatest insult he could think of, +calling the mate a steamboat sailor, and one the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_356">[356]</span> +mate did not relish, for he was a fine seaman, almost +as good as the old man, and, like him, had never been +in a steamer in his life.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the second mate, with his back turned +to the old man, leant over the break of the poop and +soliloquised in a loud undertone:</p> + +<p>“Oh, you beauty! Captain Bailey; oh, but +you’re a beauty! Go it! why don’t you call him a +liar, and a thief, and a robber! Oh, you bad-tempered +old man; hit him, won’t ye! why don’t +you eat him! Curse you! you’ll stamp in the poop +if you’re not careful! How’s your liver this morning? +pretty so-so, eh? Oh, you devil you! couldn’t +I kill you, couldn’t I jump on you, couldn’t I bust +ye head in!—oh, but I will some day, if ye don’t +mind, curse you!”</p> + +<p>At last the old man rushed below, snorting with +fury, and the show was over, and we went to our +regal repast.</p> + +<p>Lat. 46°.55 N., long. 17°.58 W. Course—N. +64 W. Run 57 miles.</p> + +<p>We lost 50 miles last night as we drifted to +leeward.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Friday, 22nd December.</i>—We had a busy night +of it setting sail again, and at 8 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> she was +under whole foresail, upper-topsails, lower-topgallant +sails and staysails.</p> + +<p>The morning broke, a cold wintry day, the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_357">[357]</span> +sea running high, a dirty slate colour, and a +strong wind streaking it with white.</p> + +<p>Lat. 47°.07 N., long. 16°.19 W. Run 68 miles.</p> + +<p>During my wheel in the afternoon I brought +her up to N.N.E., but in the dog watch she +broke off to E. by N. again. Alas! again this +head wind destroys all hopes of Christmas on +dry land.</p> + +<p>Higgins, Mac, and I have been busy all day +in the captain’s cabin polishing the woodwork with +a concoction of oil and mustard.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Saturday, 23rd December.</i>—We passed two +steamers during the night; we are right in the +track of the American liners now.</p> + +<p>A fine strong breeze from the north-west; +going about 7 knots under all sail.</p> + +<p>Lat. 48°.32 N., long. 13°.57 W. Course—N. +49 W. Run 127 miles.</p> + +<p>We got the wire cables out to-day, as we were +only 220 miles from Queenstown this evening at +8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span></p> + +<p class='section'><i>Sunday, 24th December.</i>—Breeze still fine and +strong, and a fairish sea running.</p> + +<p>The second mate, Mac, and I marked out the +lead-line this morning.</p> + +<p>There are two kinds of lines for “heaving the +lead,”—the “hand-line,” 20 fathoms long, and the +“deep-sea lead,” of over 200 fathoms.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_358">[358]</span></p> + +<p>At the bottom of the lead is a hollow, which +is filled up with tallow, so that when it touches +the bottom, fine shells, sand, mud, or whatever +the bottom is composed of, will stick to it; and +as the description of the bottom is always indicated +in the chart, this helps you to know your position.</p> + +<p>This putting of tallow on the bottom is called +“arming” it.</p> + +<p>The lead of a hand-line weighs close on 14 +pounds, and the deep-sea lead, 36 pounds in +weight, takes nearly half an hour to reach a +bottom of a mile.</p> + +<p>The hand-line is divided into “marks” and +“deeps.” At 2 fathoms there is a piece of leather +with two tails; at 3, leather with three tails; at +5, a piece of white rag; at 7, a piece of red rag, +and so on.</p> + +<p>Whilst we were below this afternoon, Mac and +I were awakened by a heavy squall, which caught +us aback, and kept the port watch busy for some +time.</p> + +<p>Alas! the wind had broken off, and deeply did +we growl. Presently Scar poked his head in, +very hot and angry.</p> + +<p>“How’s she heading?” we both cried.</p> + +<p>“She was going about south-east when I +was on the poop last,” he said coolly.</p> + +<p>Words could hardly express our feelings.</p> + +<p>“Well, of all the confounded Jonahs, your +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_359">[359]</span> +watch take the blooming biscuit,” growled Mac, +and then lay back and cursed to himself until he +was worn out.</p> + +<p>The pair of us really felt that we had got a +grievance against the port watch, and were quite +angry with them, as if it was their fault.</p> + +<p>Presently Scar poked his head in again and said,</p> + +<p>“The old man’s heading for Falmouth.”</p> + +<p>The air in the half-deck became thick and +blue with our combined efforts at abusing the +capricious wind.</p> + +<p>It was my wheel in the first dog watch, and +at four bells I went below a proud man, for I +had brought her up to E. by N. ½ N., and away +we went for Queenstown again.</p> + +<p>We took in the royals and light sails in the +first watch.</p> + +<p>A very cold night. We expect to sight the +coast of Ireland early to-morrow morning. We set +all sail again during the night, and got up the +last of the cables in the middle watch.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_360">[360]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X"> + CHAPTER X + <br> + <span class='chap-title'>IN BRITISH WATERS</span> + </h2> +</div> + +<p class='section'><i>Monday, 25th December.</i>—Truly Christmas day +dawned a merry one for us <i>Royalshires</i>.</p> + +<p>Soon after four this morning a light gleamed on +the blackness of the horizon, and we knew that +we were being welcomed by the “Coastwise Lights +of England,” as Kipling so graphically puts it—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indentdq">“Come up, come in from eastward,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">From the guard-ports of the morn!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Beat up, beat in from southerly,</div> + <div class="verse indent2">O Gipsies of the Horn!</div> + <div class="verse indent0">Swift shuttles of an Empire’s loom</div> + <div class="verse indent2">That weave us main to main,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">The Coastwise Lights of England</div> + <div class="verse indent2">Give you welcome back again.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>It was my wheel from 6 to 8, and as it got +lighter, the rugged, forbidding coast of Ireland +showed itself on our port bow.</p> + +<p>Day broke clear and frosty, with a fresh whole +sail breeze, and the way we smoked through it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_361">[361]</span> +showed that the girls had got hold of the towrope.</p> + +<p>At 7.15 we hove-to outside Queenstown, and +made our number.</p> + +<p>All was excitement on board. Where should +we be sent? Would we get our orders outside, or +have to go in and wait?</p> + +<p>Presently a signal went up ashore, and four +flags blew out.</p> + +<p>It soon leaked round the ship that the word +“Birkenhead” was flying ashore.</p> + +<p>Hurrah! without doubt this must be our +destination. The old man signalled for it to be +confirmed, and then round went the main-yard, +and off we went again.</p> + +<p>All was joy on board. With this wind and a +good tug we ought to get into the Mersey some +time to-morrow.</p> + +<p>There was a small pilot cutter bobbing about +to leeward of us, and soon after we got going she +sent a boat alongside with a pilot.</p> + +<p>“Merry Christmas, cap’n,” were the first words +he said, and down below the pair of them went, +whilst we interrogated the crew and asked eagerly +for papers.</p> + +<p>“Who won the America Cup?” was the first +question asked by us, as there had been a good +deal of betting on board between the Americans +and Britishers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_362">[362]</span></p> + +<p>“Columbia.”</p> + +<p>And we patriotic Britishers knew that we had +lost our money.</p> + +<p>“Did the Shamrock make a race of it?”</p> + +<p>“No, she bean’t no good at all,” answered the +boatman, as if it was too painful a subject to be +discussed further.</p> + +<p>“Any news?” asked someone casually.</p> + +<p>“Two thousand more men captured by the +Boers.”</p> + +<p>“Captured by the Boers! what the blazes do +you mean?”</p> + +<p>“What I say,” grumbled the man.</p> + +<p>“Why, are we at war?”</p> + +<p>“Been at war since October!”</p> + +<p>Gee wiz! Here was news if you like—whilst +we had been out “at the back of beyond,” as +Australians say, our country had been struggling +in the throes of deadly war!</p> + +<p>The two papers we got from the boatman were +almost torn to bits in the competition for them, +each man reading aloud the news of the war to an +audience almost wild with excitement.</p> + +<p>“Why, we might have been held up by a Boer +cruiser!”</p> + +<p>“Guess they ain’t got any.”</p> + +<p>“Hurrush! but I’m off to the fight!” screeched +Mac, throwing his arms about above his head, +and dancing the wildest of wild Highland flings.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_363">[363]</span></p> + +<p>“So am I; I’m going to be a horse sodger, +fol-de-rol de-riddle-le-i!” shouted Don. “Give us +the mouth-organ!”</p> + +<p>He immediately struck up “The British Grenadiers,” +Loring joining in with the penny whistle, +and away we tramped round and round the after-hatch.</p> + +<p>It was lucky that we only got this news of +the war at the end of the passage, as with the +number of dagos and Dutchmen on board, who +would of course take the side of the Boers, it +would have been a regular stand-up fight the +whole time.</p> + +<p>Presently the cunning old pilot came on deck +loaded down with tobacco, two bottles of whisky, +a bag of hard-tack, and sundry other gleanings +from the steward.</p> + +<p>This was the real reason why he had boarded +us, though he pretended it was to tell us we were +to go to Birkenhead, which was, of course, stale +news.</p> + +<p>They weren’t shy of asking, those Irishmen.</p> + +<p>“Got any salt beef?” was one of their first +questions.</p> + +<p>When told that we were short of grub, they +remarked,</p> + +<p>“Hungry ship, ain’t she?”</p> + +<p>Presently they sheared off, having reaped a +plentiful harvest.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_364">[364]</span></p> + +<p>Hardly had they gone before another piece of +news began to get round.</p> + +<p>We were the first ship in of the Frisco grain +fleet, except the <i>Talus</i>, Loring’s old ship, which +had sailed thirty-two days before us, and only got +into Queenstown three days ago.</p> + +<p>Scar and Mac were jubilant over this news, and +gloated over Don.</p> + +<p>The old man is all smiles to-day, as well he may +be, for the <i>Royalshire</i> has acquitted herself right +nobly, and well borne out her reputation.</p> + +<p>Loring and the steward are at a loss what to +give us for our Christmas dinner, as all the stores +have run out, even the cabin ones, and there is not +much left but flour and hard-tack.</p> + +<p>They had, however, some mouldy old dried +apples, and these did the trick.</p> + +<p>We did not even get pea-soup, only our ordinary +allowance of salt horse, and a small pie for each +watch, composed of break-jaw crust and stewed +apples.</p> + +<p>I don’t believe anybody got through his go of +pie. I made a valiant attempt, but failed. The +nipper lost a couple of teeth over the job, the crust +was too much for him. Mac as usual kept some +on his plate for tea; he was not particular, and ate +alternate mouthfuls of apple pie, salt horse, and all +manner of queer tit-bits on his plate, which always +reminded me of the queer things Chinamen eat on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_365">[365]</span> +the top of their little heaps of rice—rats’ tails, snails, +slugs, etc. I believe they are eaten by the Chinese +chiefly as appetisers.</p> + +<p>The apple pie worked havoc with the insides of +most of the crew during the afternoon, and men +were to be seen lying about the decks in all directions +in all the contortions of cramp in the stomach. +It truly was a fine Christmas dinner.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this, at tea-time Mac and I +were not to be beat, and it seemed a sin to leave +the good food, so we made a second attack on the +terrible stuff, but again were defeated, and Mac had +to retire to the side of the vessel.</p> + +<p>We have got a whole holiday to-day, being +Christmas. As there is no champagne to be got +out of the old man—nor even a “Grog ho!”—for +rum, the bosun brought forth his home-grown +Californian claret and gave us each a tot.</p> + +<p>Poor old Taylor is in high spirits, as he may +perhaps save his hand now, as we ought to be into +Liverpool to-morrow.</p> + +<p>Little Yoko is in his bunk helpless from rheumatism, +as are a few others of both watches, but +they are the victims of the unconquerable apple pie.</p> + +<p>The weather is propitious: a keen English +winter day, cold but clear, with the sun poking +forth, and a fine breeze blowing from the south-west.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Tuesday, 26th December.</i>—To-day is our last +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_366">[366]</span> +day at sea, and we are plunging through a choppy +sea, going 10 knots.</p> + +<p>The <i>Sarah Joliffe</i>, one of the finest tugs out of +Liverpool, turned up off the coast of Wales. She +came up under our lee quarter, and had all she +could do to keep up with us, plunging and rolling +about like a porpoise in the rough sea.</p> + +<p>Now began a great bargaining and haggling +between the two skippers, and our old man proved +himself quite equal to the tugman.</p> + +<p>It was well towards noon before a bargain was +struck, and we took her line.</p> + +<p>We should have gone on much further without +her, if the wind had not shown signs of +dropping and hauling ahead off Holyhead.</p> + +<p>It was a case of all hands on deck this afternoon, +as for the last time we furled sail.</p> + +<p>The port watch started on the fore and we +on the mizen.</p> + +<p>A great race began, and a harbour stow was +the order of the day, but we were down to the +main-topsails before the other watch had finished +furling the sails on the foremast.</p> + +<p>All sail was taken off her except the staysails, +as the wind had gone ahead.</p> + +<p>For the rest of the afternoon we were busy +at various jobs, getting ready for going into port.</p> + +<p>Yoko and myself were up aloft the whole time +sending down sheets.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_367">[367]</span></p> + +<p>Presently a very dandy young pilot stepped +aboard, and took charge of the ship.</p> + +<p>It was my wheel in the dog watch, and I +found it was not such an easy job as it looked, +steering after a tug.</p> + +<p>I was told to keep her on the port bow, and +it took me all my time to keep her steady.</p> + +<p>As is usual on board a deep-waterman on +approaching port, every jack was talking of what +he was going to do: how he was going to save +his money this time, and keep clear of the landsharks. +Everybody made good, wise resolutions; +I wonder who kept to them!</p> + +<p>My friend Bower has a queer idea of a pleasant +lodging. When I asked him what he was going +to do, he said—</p> + +<p>“Get into jug as soon as I can; no more sea +for me. I’d rather spend the rest of my life in +gaol than put foot on a ship’s deck again.”</p> + +<p>Don is going to the war, he says.</p> + +<p>Scar wants to make a voyage out East again +in a steamer.</p> + +<p>Sails is off to his native Cardiff, and the bosun +for the “Fatherland.”</p> + +<p>The poor nipper can make no rosy plans for +the future, as he has to stay by the ship.</p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, I expect the greater part +of both watches will be outward bound in less +than a fortnight after landing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_368">[368]</span></p> + +<p>This evening an anchor watch was set, consisting +of two men on the lookout, whilst of +course the mates continued to keep watch and +watch as usual.</p> + +<p>At 10 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span> I was turned out of my bunk, and +had to go and relieve the wheel, though it wasn’t +my wheel but old Foghorn’s; but apparently we +now want two men at the wheel, as we are +entering the Mersey.</p> + +<p>For about an hour and a half we steered +after the tug, until we were pretty nearly up to +the “landing stage.”</p> + +<p>It was a lovely frosty night, and the lights +ashore sparkled in long rows of red and white on +each side of us.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, without any warning, just before midnight, +a dense fog rolled down upon us; first the +lights ashore were blotted out, then the ships +anchored and moving round us were enveloped, and +we could hardly see the dim form of the tug ahead.</p> + +<p>The pilot did not dare go any farther, and so +we let go the anchor just opposite the landing stage +and slightly on the Birkenhead side. We could do +nothing more until the fog cleared, so the tug let +go and cleared off, leaving us to our own devices.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Wednesday, 27th December.</i>—Well, here we are, +the mudhook is in the ground, and the shore within +a comfortable swim; but it seems that the Fates do +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_369">[369]</span> +not intend us to part company just yet, as the fog +is too thick to dock, which we can only do on the +top of the tide.</p> + +<p>So here we lie in the dense fog, sailing-ship +bells and steamers’ whistles going all round us, but +nothing to be seen.</p> + +<p>We are right in the line of the ferry-boats, which +have to make a detour round our stern; they have +precious nearly run us down several times, and +though we keep the big bell forward on the continual +tinkle, they are constantly hailing us and complaining +that they can’t hear it.</p> + +<p>This is quite exciting. We certainly are not safe +yet from the perils of the deep; every moment we +may be cut in half, and depart to the bottom of the +Mersey.</p> + +<p>The Isle of Man steamer just grazed our stern +early this morning, amidst wild excitement.</p> + +<p>We could see them rushing about on the steamer, +casting loose lifebuoys, and someone on the bridge +halloa’d out,</p> + +<p>“Where are we?”</p> + +<p>“Opposite the landing stage!”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, thank you; pretty thick, ain’t it; +guess we’re going to have a spell of it!”</p> + +<p>She had groped her way up the Mersey, and +had not the remotest idea of where she was.</p> + +<p>This fog is very trying to the temper. Here +we are, on a bleak, raw, damp morning, instead +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_370">[370]</span> +of speeding homewards in the train, hard at work +washing down decks.</p> + +<p>This done, all hands were turned to swabbing +all the paint-work. This is cold work on a bitter +December day, as you have got your hands in a +bucket of icy water the whole time.</p> + +<p>Tinkle, tinkle, go the bells of the wind-jammers, +whilst sirens and steam whistles fairly hum all round +us.</p> + +<p>To our joy, the fog cleared off a bit towards +8 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, and we could see the lights on either shore.</p> + +<p>Two tugs came alongside to take us into dock, +and with joy we responded to the hurricane shout of</p> + +<p>“Man the capstan!”</p> + +<p>Round we tramped, making the Mersey ring +with our chanties.</p> + +<p>We started the ball with “Sally Brown.”</p> + +<p class='shanty'>CHANTY.—“SALLY BROWN.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “I love a maid across the water,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “She is Sal herself, yet Sally’s daughter,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Seven long years I courted Sally,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “She called me ‘boy, and Dilly Dally,’”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Seven long years and she wouldn’t marry,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “And I no longer cared to tarry,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_371">[371]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “So I courted Sal, her only daughter,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “For her I sail upon the water,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Sally’s teeth are white and pearly,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Her eyes are blue, her hair is curly,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The sweetest flower of the valley,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Aye, aye, roll and go!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “Is my dear girl, my pretty Sally,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Spend my money on Sally Brown.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='mt1'>And so it runs on into a number of verses. How +we did sing it out! It is something to hear a deep-water +crew, in high spirits at getting into port, ring +out a chanty. The tugmen came aboard and +watched our enthusiasm as we almost ran round +the capstan at times.</p> + +<p>Then old Foghorn struck up, “Leave her, +Johnnie,” a great chanty.</p> + +<p class='shanty'>CHANTY.—“LEAVE HER, JOHNNIE.”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “I thought I heard the skipper say,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “To-morrow you will get your pay,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “It’s time for us to leave her.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The work was hard, the voyage was long,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The seas were high, the gales were strong,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “It’s time for us to leave her.”</div> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_372">[372]</span> </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The food was bad, the wages low,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “But now ashore again we’ll go,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “It’s time for us to leave her.”</div> + </div> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “The sails are furled, our work is done,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!”</div> + <div class="verse indent0"><i>Solo.</i> “And now on shore we’ll have our fun,”</div> + <div class="verse indent6"><i>Chorus.</i> “It’s time for us to leave her.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Presently came the cry, “Hove short!” and then +a long wait occurred, and gradually—so gradually—the +fog rolled down again and blotted out the shore +lights.</p> + +<p>No chance of docking to-night. Alas! for disappointed +hopes. With a rush and a roar the cable +ran out again, and with a toot of farewell the tugs +left us to our gloomy reflections.</p> + +<p class='section'><i>Thursday, 28th December.</i>—We in the half-deck +had a long lie in, the men in the forecastle taking +the lookout in turn.</p> + +<p>At 4 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> we were turned out to get up the +anchor; it was not so thick, and this time the mudhook +was catheaded.</p> + +<p>Two tugs took hold of us until we got to the +dock gates, when lo! and behold! there was no one +to run our lines; there was no time to get anybody, +and the gates had to be shut in a few moments.</p> + +<p>Our old man stormed and raved to no purpose; +the gates shut upon us, and we were left stranded +again.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_373">[373]</span></p> + +<p>As a matter of fact, the dockkeeper was afraid +to let us through, as he thought there might not +be enough water, and he would not risk it, so he +brought this forward as an excuse.</p> + +<p>So back we went, and anchored again. Every +soul on the ship turned in except myself, who was +left to pace the poop in solitary glory from 9 <span class="allsmcap">A.M.</span> +till 1 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span></p> + +<p>It was very cold work, as it was snowing hard, +and a miserable day.</p> + +<p>Last night, Don, the bosun, and Sails slipped +ashore in one of the tugs. The bosun and Sails +got off by the tug this morning in time to man the +capstan; but Don missed it, but presently came off +in another tug, having evidently had a high old +time of it. He gave me an Egyptian cigarette, +though—a terrific luxury, which I had been without +for many, many months. I don’t know to this day +whether he ever got into a row for this escapade.</p> + +<p>Mac and Scar have been busy the whole +morning making boxes down in the fore ’tween-decks +for their curios.</p> + +<p>This evening we hove up the anchor again, +and this time got safely into the dock; and soon +after midnight we lay all fast alongside the quay.</p> + +<p>The last thing to be done was to cat and fish +the anchors; and then at last came the long-awaited +order from the mate—which means that your duty +is done, that you are free once more, and have only +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_374">[374]</span> +got to go at the proper time and get your +pay—</p> + +<p>“That’ll do, men!” were the magic words, and +we quietly walked off to our various bunks.</p> + +<p>I determined to fly off by Board of Trade that +very night; and doing a very hurried pack, said +good-bye to all, and, with Sails and old Foghorn +Wilson, caught the 2.35 train for London, where +I burst in upon my people about breakfast-time, +clad in a pilot coat, sea cap and boots—altogether +a very rough-looking individual—and it was many +weeks before I got the last of the tar out of my +hands.</p> + +<p>In due course I got my money and “discharge” +paper, on which I found “very good” against both +character and ability, to my great satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Little remains to be said. Of course, Johnsen +and his threats came to nothing.</p> + +<p>I have only come across one member of the +crew since, and that was one day in Cape Town +I met the mate, who told me he was captain of a +fine barque lying in Table Bay.</p> + +<p>He had been twice round the world since I +had seen him last, and told me of the sad end of +the <i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<p>“What’s happened to the old ship?” I asked.</p> + +<p>“Burnt off the coast of Australia, having a +cargo of coal on board. Wasn’t it a pity! Such +a fine ship as she was!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_375">[375]</span></p> + +<p>“And Captain Bailey?”</p> + +<p>“Left her, as did we all, at Birkenhead that +time, and took a billet ashore.”</p> + +<p>I expect at the present moment my messmates +on the <i>Royalshire</i> are in every part of the world. +Whilst fighting in the late Boer War, I wondered +if I would meet Mac, Don, or Loring, but our +courses did not cross; perhaps in the future—who +knows—but some day again I may cross the +trail of an old shipmate, and have a yarn about +the good old days on the gallant but ill-fated +<i>Royalshire</i>.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> + <div class="poetry"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="verse indent6dq">“You have heard the beat of the off-shore wind,</div> + <div class="verse indent8">And the thresh of the deep-sea rain;</div> + <div class="verse indent6">You have heard the song—how long! how long!</div> + <div class="verse indent8">Put out on the trail again!</div> + <div class="verse indent6">Its North you may run to the rime-ringed sun,</div> + <div class="verse indent8">Or South to the blind Horn’s hate;</div> + <div class="verse indent6">Or East all the way into Mississippi Bay,</div> + <div class="verse indent8">Or West to the Golden Gate,</div> + <div class="verse indent6">Where the blindest bluffs hold good, dear lass,</div> + <div class="verse indent8">And the wildest tales are true,</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And the men bulk big on the old trail, our own trail, the out trail;</div> + <div class="verse indent0">And life runs large on the Long Trail—the trail that is always new.”</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_376">[376]</span></p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="front mt4 mb4"> +<p class='center fs80'>Printed by</p> +<p class='center fs80 ls1'>Oliver and Boyd</p> +<p class='center fs80'>Edinburgh</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class='front'> +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_map" style="max-width: 157.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_377.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption>Map to illustrate AUTHOR’S VOYAGE round CAPE HORN + </figcaption> +</figure> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="transnote"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_377">[377]</span></p> + + <h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes"> + Transcriber’s Notes + </h2> + +<ul> +<li>Illustrations moved close to relevant content. Also, printer’s +instructions for the page placement of plates removed.</li> + +<li>The illustration on p. <a href='#Page_132'>132</a> (<a href='#i_132'>Clinching the Crossjack Leechline</a>) +was missing from the original <a href='#LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS'>List of Illustrations</a> and has been +added.</li> + +<li> Footnote moved close to relevant paragraph.</li> + +<li>Obvious typographic errors corrected silently, but unusual +spellings, non-standard and variable punctuation, and unique word +choices kept to reflect the epistolary nature of the text. In some +cases it’s hard to tell a typo from a unique spelling, and the +transcriber has tendend toward keeping what’s printed in the +original.</li> +</ul> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76788 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76788-h/images/cover.jpg b/76788-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..324f3f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_022.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_022.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8002ee7 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_022.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_026.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_026.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0441183 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_026.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_048.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_048.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c220d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_048.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_070.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_070.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c28cdc --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_070.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_078.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_078.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..205a35c --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_078.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_132.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_132.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a69c36 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_132.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_144.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_144.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfd2e1f --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_144.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_164.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_164.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..579001a --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_164.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_168.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_168.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d75073 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_168.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_232.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_232.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d6c0297 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_232.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_284.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_284.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b76fa7f --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_284.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_298.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_298.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f268084 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_298.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_326.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_326.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3b3a59 --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_326.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_377.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_377.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1199c9c --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_377.jpg diff --git a/76788-h/images/i_frontis.jpg b/76788-h/images/i_frontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..627038f --- /dev/null +++ b/76788-h/images/i_frontis.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4754723 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #76788 +(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76788) |
