CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
THERE ARE MANY UPS AND DOWNS IN THIS WORLD--WE FIND OURSELVES IN THEDOWNS--OUR CAPTAIN COMES ON BOARD, AND GIVES US A SHORT SERMON UPONANTIPATHIES, WHICH MOST OF US NEVER HEARD THE LIKE OF--HE SETS US ALLUPON THE GO WITH HIS STOP WATCH, AND NEVER CALLS THE WATCH UNTIL THEWATCH IS SATISFIED WITH ALL HANDS.
At daylight the next morning we were awakened with a start by the shrillwhistles of the boatswain and his mates piping all hands to unmoor. Thepilot was on board, and the wind was fair. As the frigate had no anchordown, but was hanging to the moorings in the river, we had nothing to dobut to cast off, sheet home, and in less than half-an-hour we were underall sail, stemming the last quarter of the flood tide. Tom and I hadremained on the gangway watching the proceedings but not assisting, whenthe ship being fairly under sail, the order was given by the firstlieutenant to coil down the ropes.
"I think, Jacob, we may as well help," said Tom laying hold of the maintack, which was passed aft, and hauling it forward.
"With all my heart," replied I, and I hauled it forward, while he coiledit away.
While we were thus employed the first lieutenant walked forward andrecognised us. "That's what I like, my lads," said he; "you don't sulk,I see, and I sha'n't forget it."
"I hope you won't forget that we are apprentices, sir, and allow us togo on shore," replied I.
"I've a shocking bad memory in some things," was his reply, as hecontinued forward to the forecastle. He did not, however, forget tovictual us that day, and insert our names, in pencil, upon the ship'sbooks; but we were not put into any mess, or stationed.
We anchored in the Downs on the following morning. It came on to blowhard in the afternoon, and there was no communication with the shore,except the signal was made, third day, when it moderated, and the signalwas made "Prepare to weigh, and send boat for captain." In the meantimeseveral boats came off, and one had a postman on board. I had lettersfrom Mr Drummond and Mr Turnbull, telling me that they wouldimmediately apply to the Admiralty for our being liberated, and one fromMary, half of which was for me, and the rest to Tom. Stapleton hadtaken Tom's wherry and pulled down to old Tom Beazeley with my clothes,which, with young Tom's, had been despatched to Deal. Tom had a letterfrom his mother, half indited by his father, and the rest from herself;but I shall not trouble the reader with the contents, as he may imaginewhat was likely to be said upon such an occasion.
Shortly afterwards our clothes, which had been sent to the care of anold shipmate of Tom's father, were brought on board, and we hardly hadreceived them when the signalman reported that the captain was comingoff. There were so many of the men in the frigate who had never seenthe captain that no little anxiety was shown by the ship's company toascertain how far, by the "_cut of his jib_," that is, his outwardappearance, they might draw conclusions as to what they might expectfrom one who had such unlimited power to make them happy or miserable.I was looking out of the maindeck port with Tom, when the gig pulledalongside, and was about to scrutinise the outward and visible signs ofthe captain, when I was attracted by the face of a lieutenant sitting byhis side, whom I immediately recognised. It was Mr Wilson, the officerwho had spun the oar and sunk the wherry, from which, as the reader mayremember, I rescued my friends, the senior and junior clerk. I wasoverjoyed at this, as I hoped that he would interest himself in ourfavour. The pipe of the boatswain re-echoed as the captain ascended theside. He appeared on the quarter-deck--every hat descending to do himhonour; the marines presented arms, and the marine officer at their headlowered the point of his sword. In return, the omnipotent personage,taking his cocked hat with two fingers and a thumb, by the highest peak,lifted it one inch off his head, and replaced it, desiring the marineofficer to dismiss the guard. I had now an opportunity, as he paced toand fro with the first lieutenant, to examine his appearance. He was atall, very large-boned, gaunt man, with an enormous breadth ofshoulders, displaying Herculean strength (and this we found he eminentlypossessed). His face was of a size corresponding to his large frame;his features were harsh, his eye piercing, but his nose, although bold,was handsome, and his capacious mouth was furnished with the mostsplendid row of large teeth that I ever beheld. The character of hiscountenance was determination rather than severity. When he smiled theexpression was agreeable. His gestures and his language were emphatic,and the planks trembled with his elephantine walk.
He had been on board about ten minutes, when he desired the firstlieutenant to turn the hands up, and all the men were ordered on thelarboard side of the quarter-deck. As soon as they were all gatheredtogether, looking with as much awe on the captain as a flock of sheep ata strange, mischief-meaning dog, he thus addressed them--"My lads, as itso happens that we are all to trust to the same planks, it may be justas well that we should understand one another. I _like_ to see myofficers attentive to their duty, and behave themselves as gentlemen. I_like_ to see my men well disciplined, active, and sober. What I _like_I _will have_--you understand me. Now," continued he, putting on astern look--"now, just look in my face, and see if you think you canplay with me." The men looked in his face, and saw that there was nochance of playing with him; and so they expressed by their countenances.The captain appeared satisfied by their mute acknowledgments, and toencourage them, smiled, and showed his white teeth, as he desired thefirst lieutenant to pipe down.
As soon as the scene was over, I walked up to Mr Wilson, thelieutenant, who was standing aft, and accosted him. "Perhaps, sir, youdo not recollect me; but we met one night when you were sinking in awherry, and you asked my name."
"And I recollect it, my lad; it was Faithful, was it not?"
"Yes, sir;" and I then entered into an explanation of our circumstances,and requested his advice and assistance.
He shook his head. "Our captain," said he, "is a very strange person.He has commanding interest, and will do more in defiance of the rules ofthe Admiralty than any one in the service. If an Admiralty order camedown to discharge you, he would obey it; but as for regulations, hecares very little for them. Besides, we sail in an hour. However, Iwill speak to him, although I shall probably get a rap on the knuckles,as it is the business of the first lieutenant, and not mine."
"But, sir, if you requested the first lieutenant to speak?"
"If I did, he would not, in all probability; men are too valuable, andthe first lieutenant knows that the captain would not like to dischargeyou. He will, therefore, say nothing until it is too late, and thenthrow all the blame upon himself for forgetting it. Our captain hassuch interest that his recommendation would give a commander's rankto-morrow, and we must all take care of ourselves. However, I will try,although I can give you very little hopes."
Mr Wilson went up to the captain, who was still walking with the firstlieutenant, and, touching his hat, introduced the subject, stating, asan apology, that he was acquainted with me.
"Oh, if the man is an acquaintance of yours, Mr Wilson, we certainlymust decide," replied the captain with mock politeness. "Where is he?"I advanced, and Tom followed me. We stated our case. "I always like toput people out of suspense," said the captain, "because it unsettles aman--so now hear me; if I happened to press one of the blood-royal, andthe king, and the queen, and all the little princesses were to go downon their knees, I'd keep him, without an Admiralty order for hisdischarge. Now, my lads, do you perceive your chance?" Then turningaway to Mr Wilson, he said, "You will oblige me by stating upon whatgrounds you ventured to interfere in behalf of these men, and I trustyour explanation will be satisfactory. Mr Knight," continued he, tothe first lieutenant, "send these men down below, watch, and stationthem."
We went below by the gangway ladder and watched the conference betweenthe captain and Mr Wilson, who, we were afraid, had done himself nogood by trying to assist us. But when it was over the captain appearedpleased, and Mr Wilson walked away with a satisfied air. As Iafterwards discovered it did me no little good. The hands were piped todinner, and after dinner we weighe
d and made sail, and thus were Tom andI fairly, or rather unfairly, embarked in his majesty's service.
"Well, Tom," said I, "it's no use crying. What's done can't be helped;here we are; now let us do all we can to make friends."
"That's just my opinion, Jacob. Hang care; it killed the cat; I shallmake the best of it, and I don't see why we may not be as happy here asanywhere else. Father says we may, if we do our duty, and I don't meanto shirk mine. The more the merrier, they say, and I'll be hanged butthere's not enough of us here."
I hardly need say that, for the first three or four days, we were notvery comfortable; we had been put into the seventh mess, and werestationed in the foretop; for although we had not been regularly bred upas seaman, the first lieutenant so decided, saying, that he was surethat, in a few weeks, there would be no smarter men in the ship.
We were soon clear of the Channel, and all hands were anxious to knowour destination, which, in this almost solitary instance, had beenreally kept a secret, although surmises were correct. There is onepoint which, by the present arrangements, invariably makes known whethera ship is "fitting foreign," or for home service, which is, by thestores and provisions ordered on board; and these stores are soarranged, according to the station to which the vessel is bound, that itis generally pretty well known what her destination is to be. This isbad, and at the same time easily remedied; for if every ship, whetherfor home service or foreign, was ordered to fit foreign, no one would beable to ascertain where she was about to proceed. With a very littletrouble strict secrecy might be preserved, now that the Navy Board isabolished; but during its existence that was impossible. The_Immortalite_ was a very fast sailing vessel, and when the captain(whose name I have forgotten to mention, it was Hector Maclean) openedhis sealed orders, we found that we were to cruise for two monthsbetween the Western Isles and Madeira, in quest of some privateers,which had captured many of our outward-bound West Indiamen,notwithstanding they were well protected by convoy, and, after thatperiod, to join the admiral at Halifax, and relieve a frigate which hadbeen many years on that station. In a week we were on our station, theweather was fine, and the whole of the day was passed in training themen to the guns, small arms, making and shortening sail, reefingtopsails, and manoeuvring the ship. The captain would never give up hispoint, and sometimes we were obliged to make or shorten sail twentytimes running until he was satisfied.
"My lads," he would say to the ship's company, sending for them aft,"you have done this pretty well; you have only been two minutes; not badfor a new ship's company, but I _like_ it done in a minute and a-half.We'll try again." And sure enough it was try again, until in a minuteand a-half it was accomplished. Then the captain would say, "I knew youcould do it, and having once done it, my lads, of course you can do itagain."
Tom and I adhered to our good resolutions. We were as active and asforward as we could be; and Mr Knight, the first lieutenant, pointed usout to the captain. As soon as the merits of the different men wereascertained, several alterations were made in the watch and stationbills, as well as in the ratings on the ship's books, and Tom and I weremade _second_ captains, larboard and starboard, of the foretop. Thiswas great promotion for so young hands, especially as we were not bredas regular sailors; but it was for the activity and zeal which wedisplayed. Tom was a great favourite among the men, always joking, andready for any lark or nonsense; moreover, he used to mimic the captain,which few others dared do. He certainly seldom ventured to do it below;it was generally in the foretop, where he used to explain to the menwhat he _liked_. One day we both ventured it, but it was on an occasionwhich excused it. Tom and I were aft, sitting in the jolly boat astern,fitting some of her gear, for we belonged to the boat at that time,although we were afterwards shifted into the cutter. The frigate wasgoing about four knots through the water, and the sea was pretty smooth.One of the marines fell overboard, out of the forechains. "Manoverboard," was cried out immediately, and the men [became] very busyclearing away the starboard cutter, with all the expedition requisite onsuch an occasion. The captain was standing aft on the signal chest whenthe marine passed astern; the poor fellow could not swim, and Tomturning to me said, "Jacob, I should _like_ to save that Jolly," andimmediately dashed overboard.
"And I should _like_ to help you, Tom," cried I, following him.
The captain was close to us, and heard us both. Between us we easilyheld up the marine, and the boat had us all on board in less than aminute. When we came on deck the captain was at the gangway. He showedhis white teeth, and shook the telescope in his hand at us. "I heardyou both; and I should _like_ to have a good many more impudent fellowslike you."
We continued our cruise, looking sharp out for the privateers, butwithout success; we then touched at Madeira for intelligence, and wereinformed that they had been seen more to the southward. The frigate'shead was turned in that direction until we were abreast of the CanaryIsles, and then we traversed east and west, north or south, just as thewind and weather, or the captain's _like_ thought proper. We had nowcruised seven weeks out of our time without success, and the captainpromised five guineas to the man who should discover the objects of oursearch. Often did Tom and I climb to the mast-head and scan thehorizon, and so did many others: but those who were stationed at thelook-out were equally on the alert. The ship's company were now in avery fair state of discipline, owing to the incessant practice, andevery evening the hands were turned up to skylark--that is, to play andamuse themselves. There was one amusement which was the occasion of agreat deal of mirth, and it was a favourite one of the captain's, as itmade the men smart. It is called, "Follow my leader." One of the menleads, and all who choose follow him: sometimes forty or fifty willjoin. Whatever the leader does, the rest must do also; wherever he goesthey must follow. Tom, who was always the foremost for fun, was one daythe leader, and after having scampered up the rigging, laid out on theyards, climbed in by the lifts, crossed from mast to mast by the stays,slid down by the backstays, blacked his face in the funnel, in all whichmotions he was followed by about thirty others, hallooing and laughing,while the officers and other men were looking on and admiring theiragility, a novel idea came into Tom's head; it was then about seveno'clock in the evening, the ship was lying becalmed, Tom again sprang upthe rigging, laid out to the main yard-arm, followed by me and the rest,and as soon as he was at the boom iron, he sprang up, holding by thelift, and crying out, "Follow my leader," leaped from the yard-arm intothe sea. I was second, and crying out, "Follow my leader" to the rest,I followed him, and the others, whether they could swim or not, did thesame, it being a point of honour not to refuse.
The captain was just coming up the ladder, when he saw, as he imagined,a man tumble overboard, which was Tom in his descent; but how much morewas he astonished at seeing twenty or thirty more tumbling off by twosor threes, until it appeared that half the ship's company wereoverboard. Some of the men who could not swim, but were too proud torefuse to follow, were nearly drowned. As it was, the first lieutenantwas obliged to lower the cutter to pick them up, and they were allbrought on board.
"Confound that fellow," said the captain to the first lieutenant; "he isalways at the head of all mischief. Follow my leader, indeed! Send TomBeazeley here." We all thought that Tom was about to catch it. "Harkye, my lad," said the captain; "a joke's a joke, but everybody can'tswim as well as you. I can't afford to lose any of my men by yourpranks, so don't try that again--I don't _like_ it."
Every one thought that Tom got off very cheaply; but he was a favouritewith the captain, although that never appeared but indirectly; "Begpardon, sir," replied Tom, with great apparent humility, "but they wereall so dirty--they'd blacked themselves at the funnel, and I thought alittle washing would not do them any harm."
"Be off, sir, and recollect what I have said," replied the captain,turning away, and showing his white teeth.
I heard the first lieutenant say to the captain, "He's worth any ten menin the ship, sir. He keeps them a
ll alive and merry, sets such a goodexample."