GIFT \ MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: \ BOY'S EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES NAV, DURING A VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD, IN A SHIP OF THE LINE. BY CHA8. NORDHOFF. AUTHOR OF "THE MERCHANT VESSEL;" "WHALING Ai FL3II1NG." NEW YORK: DOED-, MEAD & COMPANY, 751 Entered according to Act of Congress, in tho year 1855, "bj MOORE, WILSTACH, KEYS & CO., In t .e Clerk's office c.f tho District Court of tho United States for the Southern Dislrict cf Ohio. GIFT U. C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES PREFACE. THE popular conception of a sailor is a creature who spins yarns. Like the silk-worin, he is sup- posed to be forever enveloping himself in a web, spun out of his own brain. In accordance with this idea, when some two years ago the writer of these pages returned home, after an absence of nine years at sea, he was con- sidered by the young folks a fit subject to levy upon for a story. But, unluckily, yarns are not ever ready on demand, at beck and nod. It requires various peculiarities in the surround- ings, certain favoring circumstances as to time and place, to draw out your real old tar. Let the gale blow, and the good ship plow deeply through th<> rugged seas, as he lies snugly ensconced under his huge pea-jacket, protected by stout bulwarks from the cold blast and drenching spray, with the bright stars looking kindly down upon him, and you may be sure of a yarn. There is somewhat suggestive (Hi) M6S6705 IV PREFACE. in the scene, and the memories of other times pome freely to him, as though driven back on the breeze which roars through the rising overhead. But sitting at home, by the fireside, among his friends, there is nothing to remind him of his past life ; the incitement is wanting the yarn can't be spun. Not being able, in any other way, to gratify the wishes of certain of my young friends, I have endeavored here to jot down such reminiscences as will not, it is trusted, prove entirely uninteresting. To give a sailor's impressions of a sailor's life, " nothing extenuating, nor aught setting down in malice," has been the aim. Neither exaggerating its hardships they do not need it nor highly coloring its delights, whatever those may be, the very plainest truth has been thought sufficient for the purpose in view. With one more remark, the Book is handed over to the reader. It is to beg indulgence for the fre- o o quent occurrence of the first person singular in these pages. The nature of the story renders it impossible to avoid this. And I can only repeat what was once said by an Irishman under some- what similar circumstances "Knock out my J's, and what would be the use of me?" CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. V. HY I went to Sea, and how Difficulties in getting a place on board Ship, --<.-. 9 CHAPTER II. jjfe on board a Guardo How " Green Hands " are fitted out The Outfitter's game Free Trade and Sail- ors' Rights Sickness on V>ard ship, - - - - 24 CHAPTER III. At Sea at last Hunting a Mes? Some account of the Vessel and her Crew, 42 CHAPTER IV. The first Night Watch Inspecting the Boys How the Commander cured a Lad of Chewing Tobacco A grand Row in the Boys' Mess Breaking in the Green Hands "All Hands to Muster," 67 VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Every man his own Washerwoman A word concerning Thieving on Board Ship The Northeast Trades Sail- ors turn Tailors The Doldrums Chasing the Wind, - 36 CHAPTER VI. Crossing the Line An old Topman's Yarn How Jem- my Squarefoot ran away with a Sailor Fourth of July at Sea Nearing our Port Rio de Janeiro, - - - 102 CHAPTER VII. Life in Harbor Bumboats At Sea again What Sailors Eat, and how V ictuals are Cooked The First Flogging on Board, 114 CHAPTER VIII. The South-East Trades A Gale off the Cape, and what succeeded it St. Pauls and New Amsterdam Return to fine Weather Water-Spouts, 142 CHAPTER IX. Arrival at Java Head Javanese Bum-boats Batavia The Native Boatmen Sail for China Sea Serpents Becalmed off Borneo Nearly Ashore Short Allow- ance of Water The Commodore's Water-Cure Wormy C Bread, ... . ... 16) CONTENT? Vii CHAPTER X. Death >f a Lieutenant Funeral at Sea Pedro Blan- coChinaThe Pilot Lintin Bay The Bocca 'Rigris Chinese Forts Junks The Tartars Bum- boats The River Chinese Children The Duck Boats A Visit to Manilla --The Cholera on Board Re- turn to Macao Amoy The Crew ask for " Liberty," and are refused The Chinese Governor Chusan, - 175 CHAPTER XI. A Chinese Farm Sail for Japan Yeddo Bay The Japanese Their general Appearance Dress Man- ners Nobles Warriors Serfs Boats Receive Supplies Incidents of Stay Towed out of the Harbor by Japanese Boats, 192 CHAPTER XII. The Sandwich Islands Honolulu The People The Labors of the Missionary Dexterity of the Natives in Swimming and Diving Leave for the South Ameri- can Coast, 211 CHAPTER XIII. Sail for Valparaiso The Vale of Paradise Two Sun- days in one Week Liberty Jack Ashore Lassoing a Sailor, 222 CHAPTER XIV, Departure from Valparaiso Callao California Mon- terey San Pedro San Francisco ~ Prizes, - - 285 Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV. Homeward-bound Good-by to California Valparaiso Another Liberty, and its Consequences. - - 25] CHAPTER XVI. Leave Rio de Janeiro The Last Passage Norfolk Paid off, - - - 267 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! OB A BOY'S EXPERIENCE IN THE U. S. NAVY CHAPTER I. WHY I went to Sea, and how Difficulties in getting a place on board Ship. I WENT to school until I was thirteen, when, at my own choice, I was apprenticed to the printing business. I was fond of reading a regular book-worm and printing seemed to me, therefore, a most delightful trade. But my constitution would not bear the confinement. Ere I was six months in the " office," I was more weakly and puny than I had ever been, and was taking medicine for general debility. I became alarmed, as my friends thought I would get the consumption if I continued at my chosen trade, and began to cast about for some means to recruit my health. The perusal of books of travel had always given me great pleasure, and in them I had frequently read glowing accounts of the invigorating and restoring powers of the sea air and tropical climes. And BO. one day the idea occurred to me to try tl:< salt water. 10 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: I had always had an absorbing desire to see somewhat of the great world, and the thought of doing this in the capacity of a sailor, although now for the first time en- tertained, pleased me exceedingly, and soon took entire possession of my mind. Sleeping or waking, I thought of nothing but the sea, ships, sailors, and the wonders of foreign lands. So much for the cause which led me to choose the rov- ing life of a sailor, or rather, of the reasons by which I sought to justify to myself the step I was about to take that of " running away " from home. In common with most Western boys, I had very crude and ill-defined notions of the new phase of existence in which I was about to embark. Marryat's, and Cooper's, and other approved sea novels and tales are delightful reading, but scarcely calculated to give one true views of the life they pretend to describe. Having managed to save out of my earnings in the printing office the sum of twenty-five dollars, I thought myself amply provided with funds for an independent start in the world. After due consideration, therefore, of the step I was about to take, and laying out my plans as far ahead as I could, one bright September morning, in the year 1 8 , I took my money in my pocket, two clean shirts and a pair of socks in a bundle, and engaged passage on a steamer about to start for Wheeling, Va. From there, I proceeded to Baltimore, which place I had determined upon as the one in which to make my first tr'al at obtaining a situation on board ship. Of my sensations upon finding myself actually le.iA ing home, it is not necessary here to speak, except to say that the TRYINUTOS111F. 11 feeling of satisfaction at being about to attain a cher- ished desire, drowned out all regrets. I threw myself upon my own resources, without any feeling of alarm at the result, because I had often heard it said, that *' in this country no industrious person could starve," and in simple faith, I determined not to fail in industry or dili- gence. Arrived in Baltimore, I spent the first day in wandering about the docks and quays, looking up at the vessels, watching the sailors hoisting in or out cargoes, or busy about their various other duties, and listening admiringly to the songs with which they enlivened their labors. I made choice, in my own mind, of a large vessel, from which were being landed crates and boxes, and which I therefrom took to' be a China ship, as the one on board which I would on the morrow apply for a berth. And after looking up at her tall masts, and wondering if I should ever learn to climb the rigging which supported them, I returned to the hotel where I had stayed the previous night, got my supper, and went to bed, praying first for success in my effort to get a place on board ship. The next morning about eight 'o'clock, I went on board my China ship, and, after looking about decks a little, walked up to a gentleman whom I heard called captain, and making him my best bow, informed him that I was desirous of obtaining a place as cabin boy or sailor boy in his vessel, and asked him to give me a berth on board. " Ship you, you little scamp !" said he ; " not I ; we on't carry runaway boys. Clear out this minut. don't let me see you about the ship again." Ami tlio 12 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: captain pointed significantly to the gangway, as the ap- propriate place for my instant exit. Without daring to exchange a word, I turned about and hastened on shore. My heart was full. This was my first disappointment, and it was a severe one. I had pleased myself with the idea that I should get a place ' on that ship, just for the asking, and had never con- templated the possibility of such a rebuff. " But never mind," thought I to myself, " try again better luck next time." But my better luck did not come that day. I walked about the quays all day, applying on board nearly every vessel I could get on board of but no one wanted a boy. Some "had too many lazy boys already;" others " wouldn't give a boy his grub ;" and others yet did not condescend even to allow me to state my business ; but as soon as my head was fairly over the rail, ordered me back on shore with : " We want no loafing boys here." Meeting with no better success than this, and having made application on board nearly every vessel of any size, in the harbor, I was forced to the conviction that in Baltimore I should not be able to attain my object. I thought of Philadelphia, as the place where I would try next. I had read of the kindness of the Quakers, and having heard Philadelphia called the " Quaker City," in- dulged the hope that there I should meet with a better reception than had befallen me in Baltimore, and should perhaps be able to induce some kind-hearted captain to take me with him. Finding that a boat would start for Philadelphia at NO BOYS WANTED. 13 seven o'clock that evening, I engaged my passage on board. On examining into the condition of my finances, after paying my passage, I found that I had but two dollars and a half remaining. My heart sank a little, when I saw myself getting so near the end of my means. It was a dark night, and as I sat alone in a corner of the boat's cabin after starting, I had abundant time to consider on my situation. I was obliged to confess to myself that matters had not gone so well as my over- sanguine hopes had led me to expect. I was alone among strangers, without friends, and nearly at the end of my means. Suppose I could find no captain in Philadelphia willing to take me with him. I pondered awhile on this view of the matter, until my heart grew far too heavy for comfort. At last the thought occurred to me, that as my money was so nearly out, I would waste no more time at present in what appeared to be rather an uncertain search for a ship, but would at once seek work in a printing office in Philadelphia, where I would be earning a liveli- hood, and be ready for any opportunity to ship, that chance or my own inquiries might throw in my way. This idea raised my spirits a good deal, and so, repeating to myself the additional comforting reflection that " in America there was work for all willing hands," I sank to sleep in my corner, murmuring a prayer to God for success in my efforts on the following day. After changing from boat to cars, and back to another boat, we finally arrived at Philadelphia at four o'clock in the morning. As soon as it was broad daylight. I took my bundle in my hand and went on shore. There were but few ships ranged along the wharves a fact win- -h 14 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: added strength to my resolution to seek work on shore for the present. Walking up Dock-street, I espied on the corner of Third, a sign, " Daily Sun," and immediately under the bulletin-board a notice, " Boy wanted applj within," Without stopping to consider, I walked imme diately up the front steps and into the office, and asked a gentleman there if he would please give me the situa tion which I saw by his notice was vacant. After cate- chising me concerning my whereabouts and my abilities to do (I being careful not to tell him that I had left home for the purpose of going to sea) he concluded to take me on trial, promising me a permanent situation if I proved trustworthy and competent. Learning that I had only that morning arrived in the city and was a per- fect stranger in it, he kindly procured me a boarding place with a gentleman who was also engaged in the office, under whose hospitable roof I found a home during my stay in Philadelphia. That evening I was inducted into my new post, which was that of " devil," or boy of all work. My labors lasted from six, p. M., until the time of going to press, generally about midnight, and this it was arranged should pay my board. To defray my other expenses, for cloth- ing, etc., I was allowed to set type during the day time ; and was shortly able to earn easily from two to four dol- lars per week. I was thus, through the kindness of strangers, placed in a situation in which I was able to provide abundantly for all my wants ; and I resolved to render myself worthy of this kindness by upright, steady conduct, and was happy in the consciousness of having accomplished this, and secured the esteem of all A WORD OF WARNING TO BOYS. 15 who knew me, up to the time when I succeeded in obtain- ing a place on board ship. As before said, my desire to become a sailor I confided to no one ; yet it continued as strongly within me as ever, and I generally spent my Saturday afternoons (a holiday for the employees on a daily newspaper) down among the shipping, occasionally asking for a berth on board vessels nearly ready for sea, but invariably without success. I was not discouraged, however, but determined to bide my time. Thorough and persevering trial, how- ever, as well as after experience, served to convince me of a fact which I will here dwell a little upon, as a cau- tion to youth who look forward to going to sea, viz.: that it is almost impossible for a boy, unaided by outside in fluence, to obtain a place on board a merchant vessel And this for the following reason : this class of vessels is at best but poorly manned, carrying, in sailors' par- lance, " no more cats than catch mice " that is, no m >i e men than are barely sufficient to do the necessary work. Captains are, therefore, extremely loth to en- cumber themselves with green hands, whom it will be necessary to teach their duties, and who will be worthless at any rate for the first voyage. To obtain a situation even as a cabin boy on board a merchant vessel, it is ne- cessary that the lad's friends should have some influence with the owners or officers. The supply of boys in American ports and vessels is always much greater than the demand ; so much so, that lads who have been three or four years at sea, and have about them an air of knowing smartness which is not to be counterfeited, fre- quently find it a difficult matter to secure a berth. 2 16 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: English merchant vessels are compelled by law to carry a certain number of apprentices. These receive little pay, hard fare, and the severest of treatment ; they are, therefore, always anxious to runaway to American vessels, where they are very generally liked and well i^ceived, because, although in general far less intelligent than American lads, they are inured to labor and hardship, and consequently, much more useful than the latter. And these English runaways fill every vacant place in American vessels. I have seen a dozen boys come on board a vessel in a single day, in New Orleans, begging the captain to ship them, but without success ; and the same holds good of all other seaports. I soon became convinced that I should not be able to succeed in my desires of going to sea in a merchant ves- sel, unless I could enlist my new friends in my favor ; for when I applied to the owner of a vessel, to whom I was one day shown, he at once refused to ship me, because I was forced to acknowledge that I could bring neither parents nor guardian to him to engage me ; and as I was a minor, I could not make an engagement myself. But when I hinted the matter to my friends, they were so unanimous and decided in their disap- probation, that I did not dare to push my entreaties with them. About this time, a paragraph went the rounds of th ^ press, to the effect, that the United States ship C , of seventy-four guns, had just been put in commission, un der the command of Commodore B , and would shortly proceed on a voyage to China, and Japan, making a stay of some time in the East Indian seas, and finally returniDg THE NAVAL RENDEZVOUS. 17 home by way of Cape Horn, thus circumnavigating the globe: and, furthermore, that the naval rendezvous were at that time shipping hands for this vessel. Here was a voyage such as I had been longing for. To visit the East Indies and China, had always seemed to me the most desirable object of my life. And then to circum- navigate the globe. Shades of Magellan and Cook, was it in my power to follow in your illustrious foot* teps ! This was, indeed, far transcending my most san$/uine hopes. I determined within myself that such a chance should not pass by me. I lost no time in hunting up the naval rendezvous. Consulting a directory, I found it to be located on Front-street. I immediately proceeded thither, and made application to ship, but was told that they were not yet prepared to ship boys. Calling a few days afterward, T was informed that a sufficient number of boys were already enlisted ; and even if they were shipping, they would be unable to take me, unless I was accompanied by my parents or guardian. This was a severe blow to my eager hopes. Baffled, but not disheartened, and more determined than ever not to be overcome this time, I set my wits to work to consider the next step. But I was completely at a loss, and finally, in my extremity, frankly laid my case 1 efore the recruiting officer. After listening iu patiently to my short story, he said gruffly : Well, I can't do anything for you. You're '.oo late, and we would not dare to ship you now, even if /our folks were willing, without you got a special order to that e fleet IV- >m Commodore Klliott." 2 18 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: This was said by way of an annihilator to my hopes, but it suggested to me a new idea, which I immediately proceeded to work upon. There existed, at that time, in Philadelphia, a great deal of political excitement, aris- ing out of the then recent Native American riots. The Sun newspaper, upon which I had so fortunately gotten a situation, was the organ of the Native American party, and its editor, Mr. Lewis C. Levin, had just been elected member of Congress from one of the Philadelphia dis- tricts. He was an intimate political and personal friend of Commodore Elliott, at that time commandant of the Navy Yard, and I felt certain that the latter would not hesitate to grant any request of Mr. Levin. Him, there- fore, I determined to bring to my assistance. Part of my daily duty was to carry to his house proof-sheets of his editorials, for his final revision. On such occasions, I gene- rally sat in his apartment while he was looking over the proofs, in order to receive any instructions he might desire to send to the office. I took occasion one day when he was in a good humor, having just pitched into foreigners to his own entire satisfaction, to lay my case before him, tell- ing him briefly that I entertained a very strong desire to go to sea ; that the United States ship C was about to sail on just such a voyage as I desired to go, but that the written permission of Commodore Elliott was needed to make my enlistment practicable. I finally asked him, as a very great favor, to give me a few lines to the com- modore, stating to the latter that I was not an appren- tice to the office, and asking his intervention in my behalf. Levin, who knew nothing of me beyond the fact that I was the office boy who brought his editorials, and COMMODORE ELLIOTT. 19 who was too anxious a seeker after popularity to indulge himself in a point-blank refusal, even to a boy, after a little consideration, wrote me a few lines, as follows : "DEAR COMMODORE: The bearer, our office boy, or devil,' desires to go to China in the United States ship . He says, that in order to do this, it is neces- sary to obtain your permission. Please give him a talk- ing to." This was hardly what I wished but I made my very best bow and " thank you," and determined to make the better use of it. I made no delay in bringing myself to the notice of Commodore Elliott. He was frequently at our office, and it was only a day or two after I received Mr. Levin's note, that I found him alone in the " sanctum," when I brought in the morning papers. Handing him the papers I took the same .opportunity to put the note into his hand. After deliberately reading it over, he turned to me and said : " You young scoundrel, you want to ruin yourself, do you ? You want to go to sea. Haven't you a father or mother ?" " No, sir." " No guardian ?" " No, sir." "What do you do here?" " I am errand boy, and also set type, sir.' 1 " Why do you want to go to sea ?" " I want to see the world." " You want to see the deuce ! You ought to be sent to ho house of correction." This not being an argument, but simply an assertion. 20 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: I made no answer to. The commodore 'turned to his pa- pers with an air as though he thought he had settled that matter, while I stood silently by his chair, convinced that he had not, and waiting for a final answer. Seeing that I made no move to go away, he finally said to me, but in a kinder tone of voice : " Look here my lad ; take my advice : get this crazy notion out of your head ; learn your trade ; studj your books ; continue a good boy, and you will grow up to be a useful man. If you go to sea, you will be nothing all your life but a vagabond, drunken sailor a dog for every one to kick at." Then getting up to leave, he added: *' Now, think of what I have said. You don't want to become a dirty, drunken old sailor a miserable fellow who can't be admitted into any decent society. Stay in your place, and be contented to let those who are bigger fools go to sea. Look at me ; I have been in the navy all my life, and an officer, which is more than you would ever get to be ; but see what a miserable old hunks 1 am. Boy, if I had a dozen sons, I would gladly see them all in their graves, sooner than at sea." With these words, he went out of the room, leaving me disappointed, despairing almost, of accomplishing my object ; but I was too thoroughly determined, to be put off by one denial. Waiting two or three days, I waylaid the commodore, and told him, that after considering upon all he had said to me, I was still inclined seaward aa strongly as ever ; and therefore requested him to write for me the few necessary words to the recruiting officer. So saying, I laid before him paper and pen, and put cc mv most beseeching look. THE R R N 1* K /. V () U S AGAIN. 21 " Confound the boy," said he ; "1 suppose I shall have to do what he wants." He wrote : " Officer of the naval rendezvous will ship the bearer a boy. Com. C. ELLIOTT," and threw it to me. 1 thanked him he told me to go to the devil and I tuok t-he nearest way to the rendezvous, determined to lose no time in testing the efficacy of my " perm it." The shipping officer was standing at the office door as 1 came up, and at the sight of niy rather too- well-known face turned impatiently into the room. I followed him in. He looked around, and said pettishly : " Boy, I've told you a dozen times that we can't ship you. Go away, and don't let me see you any more." In reply to this, I quietly handed to him the note from the commodore. He looked at it, then . at me ; then at that again. Then his whole manner changed he politely asked me to take a seat. 1 did so. " This note alters the case, my lad," said he, in the tone of a gentleman a tone 1 had not known him to assume before. " So your father is acquainted with Commodore Elliott V' 1 ^ And without stopping for an an- swer, he rapidly continued : " Did you have hard work to get your mother to let you go ? I should think some one would have come down with you, to see you sign the arti- cles ; but, I suppose, they just gave you the commodore's note, eh ?" I mechanically said : " Yes." He did not hear me. There was no explanation ncr.l.-d. 1 Assessed the magic signet before which all doors flew open all difficulties vanished. The articles of agreement were read over to me in a monotonous drawl ; 22 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE. and I was asked, if I, of my own free will, did propose to sign them a question which, in my ignorance, I con- sidered highly superfluous, seeing that I had been at so much pains to obtain the chance so to do. At the tink- ling of a small bell, 1 was requested to walk into an adjoining room, where a naval doctor examined into the stoutness of my frame and lungs, and the general sound- ness of my constitution. A report, in lead pencil, of the result, was placed in my hands, which I rendered , up to the man of tbe drawl, who expressed his satisfac- tion thereat ; and in conclusion, asking me if I was fully aware of all the responsibilities I was about to take upon myself, and would swear to submit to the rules and regulations laid down for the government of the seamen in the United States Navy questions which I did not presume to answer told me to " touch the pen," while he very ingeniously wrote my name for me a matter that I could have performed much more satisfactorily and legibly myself and then said to me, with an expression of intense relief depicted in his countenance : " There, my boy ; now you belong to Uncle Sam." I was thereupon asked " when I would go on board ;" answered, " immediately ;" received a paper certifying that I, , was shipped on that day, as first-class boy, for general service in the Navy of the United States ; was placed under the care of a rascally-looking .ic.v slopseller, who, looking at me twice, picked me out a small bag of clothing ; was then placed, together 'wiili the bag of clothing and a bundle of straw, in a furniture-car, which drove down to the navy yard; and in less than half an hour after speaking to the old SHIPPED AT LAST. 23 commodore, found myself on board the U. S. Keceiving Ship Experiment, lying off the navy yard, Philadelphia. The whole matter was so quickly over, -and 1 was so fearful of some outside interference to defeat my plans, that I did not take time even to give up my situation, or to bid good-bye to my employers, my friends in the office or even to the kind people at whose house 1 had found a home during my stay in Philadelphia. As soon, how- ever, as I collected my scattered senses sufficiently to be able to think, I wrote on shore, explaining my move- ments, and the reasons for my haste. CHAPTER II. LIFE on board a Guardo How " Green Hands " are fit- ted out The Outfitter's game Free Trade and Sailors' Rights Sickness on board ship. THIS was in March, 18 . Arrived on board the Ex- periment, I was first presented to the officer of the deck, to whom I made a polite bow, receiving in return an out- rageous grin ; then taken below by the master-at-arms, who turned the contents of my clothes-bag out on deck, kicked them over with his foot, pronounced them " all right," and bade me put them in again ; showed me where to put the bag, where to put away my bedding ---the straw sack before mentioned and finally showed to me the limits within which I was expected to confine myself. Here I must explain the mode of " fitting out " green kands and drunken sailors, when they ship in the United States Navy. Each non-commissioned officer, seaman, landsman, or boy receives, on entering the service, a sum of money amounting to three months' pay of such individual. This sum is designed to defray the ex- penses of a regular outfit of uniform clothing, bedding, etc., which, by the navy regulations, each man is com- pelled to have. The old man-of-war's men, who "have learnt a thing or two," when sober, generally take thia 24 A SAILOR BOY S OUTFIT. Zfl advance-money into their own possession, and with it procure the necessary articles. Drunken sailors and green hands, whether men or boys, being unable to fit themselves out, are generally taken in hand by certain speculators in slop-clothing, who loaf about the rendez- vous, where their cheatery is in a manner winked at. These thieves become security for the safe delivery on board of the new recruit, and then furnish him, in ex- change for his three months' pay, with the articles of clothing enumerated in the navy regulations. To see that all is done fair and aboveboard, it is provided that the master-at-arms shall, on the rendering on board of the recruit, examine his clothing to see that the requisite number of pieces is there. So far, so good ; but unfor- tunately for poor " greeny," the quality of the clothing is not made matter of regulation. The consequence of this is, that the slop-seller, while furnishing faithfully the num- ber, made too in the fashion required, provides it of stuff which, it is safe to say, can not be found any where else than in the establishments of these thieving outfitters, I was shipped as first-class boy, at a wage of eight dol- lars per month. Three months' pay would, therefore, be twenty-four dollars. In return for this the navy regula- tions required me to become the possessor of the following mentioned articles of clothing, to- wit : " One blue cloth mustering jacket, one pair blue cloth mustering trowsers, two white duck frocks (called shirts on shore) with blue collars, two pair white duck trowsers, two blue flannel shirts, one pea-jacket (overcoat), two pair cotton socks, two pair woolen socks, one pair pumps, one pair shoes, one black tarpaulin hat, one mattress and mattress cover. 20 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: two blankets, one pot, pan, spoon, and knife, and one clothes-bag." It is a matter of curiosity, as well as a striking instance of the successful pursuit of dollars, un- der difficulties, to see how faithfully this list could be copied, without, in one item of them all, coming up to the evident intention of those who made it the standard For instance, the blue cloth jacket and trowsers, which are only for mustering in on special occasions, are sup- posed to be made of very fine blue cloth. Those with which I was furnished by my friend, the Jew, were made of a species of rusty-looking serge, of which an old salt gave me a most faithful description, when he said it was " made of dogs' hair and oakum, and cost three pence an armfull," and added, " one might take a bull-dog by the neck and heels and fling him between any two threads of it." The white duck frocks and trowsera were made of yellow bagging, which, so coarse was its texture, would scarcely hold peas ; and which was war- ranted not to last beyond the first washing. Instead of the "neat" black silk neckerchief and shining pumps, articles of dress in the excellence of which a true man-of- war's man greatly delights, the recruits are furnished a rusty bamboo rag, and shoes made of varnished brown paper, which vanish before the damp salt air as mist before a bright sun. And in place of the neat tar- paulin, hard as a brick, and almost as heavy, smooth and glossy, as though made of glass, the crowning glory of a man-of-war man's costume, was a misera- ble featherweight of lacquered straw, which imparted to the countenance beneath it a look of indescrib- able, almost unfathomable greenness, instead of that I AM VICTIM IZED BT THE OUTFITTER. 27 knowing, confident air peculiar to an old salt. To complete the list, came the mattress, a coarse sack, loosclv stuffed with a mixture of straw, shavings, and old rags and the blankets, which would not serve as riddles for peas. The entire assortment was worth nothing to any one except old Robyeknow, the slopseller, himself. Him they probably cost about three dollars. He came on board the next morning to have his account examined and signed, according to the regulations, which, as a final and complete preventive of cheatery, provide that no shore accounts shall be allowed unless the sailor against whom they are brought acknowledges their correctness before an officer. In virtue of this, I was called before the lieutenant of the watch, and asked by the master-at-arms if I was perfectly satisfied with my account, and with all the articles of clothing received. This worthy having previously instructed me that it was all right, and that if it was not, I would be sent ashore again, 1 very readily declared my entire satisfaction, "touched the pen," and retired, with a smiling assurance from Mr. Robyeknow, that 1 was a " regular brick," and would no doubt become an admiral, if I lived long enough. But to return to the time of my first arrival on board. I was shown the way " forward," where I found assem- bled, some standing, some sitting, some lying down, one reading, several sewing, and the balance either spinning yarns or asleep, about two dozen regular old tars. They all, but one or two, bore about them the marks of iv rent excesses, and smelt strongly of bad liquor which I ait v The phrase for signing one's name to an account or other document. 28 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: ward found was smuggled on board in no inconsiderable quantities. Leaving out the liquor, they were fine, bronzed, weather-beaten looking fellows, with broad shoulders and well-knit, massive frames. My diffidence did not permit me to intrude myself upon their august presence, and 1, therefore, took a se.it on a shot-box, at a little distance from the group. Presently one of the most sober of them approached me, saying : " Well, boy, they shipped you, did they ?" " Yes, sir," 1 answered. " You'd better have gone and hung yourself first," growled out one of the others. " Leave the boy alone, will you," retorted the one who had spoken first ; " don't frighten him to death. Don't you soe he's as green as grass ? Who got you to ship, my lad ?" " Nobody; I wanted to be a sailor." "Oh," said he, with a look of great enlightenment; well, you've come to rather an out-of-the-way place to learn sailorship, to be sure. And you fell into old Eobye- kcow's clutches at the first jump. Well, the old scoun- drel did me once. When you're green, you have to suffer." After some further conversation, in which my personal appearance, as well as my desire to become a sailor, were pretty freely criticised and commented upon, my friend, the master-at-arms, placed in my hands an oblong strip of stout canvas, having a number of strings tied to each end, and informed me that this was my hammock, in which I was to sleep. I had read of sailors sleeping in hammocks, but had before this no proper or definite idea of what might be the shape of that most necessary article. As I was holding it in my hands, with rather a puzzled air, UY HAMMOCK. 29 the sailor who had first spoken to me, took me in charge, to enlighten me as to the manner of its use. We pro- ceeded to the lower deck, where I was shown a number of hooks set into the beams and carlings overhead. The little strings before mentioned clews they are called I now found, were used to suspend the hammock between two of these hooks, thus making a swinging bedstead, at an altitude of about four feet from the deck or floor. Into this bedstead were now placed my rag and-shaving mattress and dog's hair blankets, and the affair was pronoun. ed ready for occupancy, by my guide. " But, ' said I, "it swings." I was ashamed to confess that 1 was afraid to fall out of so unsteady a resting- place. " Now let us see if you can jump in," was his only reply. A matchtub was brought for me to stand upon, in order that I might be able to leach my hands to the hooks ove/head ; then I was told to cat h hold with my hands of two of the hooks, give my boly a swing, and alight in the hammock. One of the sailors went through the performance, in order, as he said, to satisfy me that it was "as easy as eating soft tack and butter;" and then all stood clear for me. I made all clue preparation, held, my bieath tightly, gave iny lower extremities a hoist, but touching the side of the hammock slightly as 1 rose in the air, it slipped from under me, and I launched rlmr over, and landed on deck, on the other side of it, \vith a thump, that made all hands grin. " Try a ^a in." was the word, and the next time, with the help of a lift from one of the men, 1 succee myself f lirly in my bed. Here 1 soon found that 30 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: it was not a difficult mitter to keep from falling out. I was next shown how to tie or " lash" it up, an 1 where to put it. It was now supper- time, and the cook called out " come and get your tea." I got my pot, pan and spoon, as the rest did, and proceeded to the " galley," or cooking range, where eaoh individual was served with a quart of tea, ready sweetened, with which we betook ourselves to the " mess," a place on the lower deck, where, in a " mess chest," are kept the bread and meat, and whatever else may constitute the daily allowance of food. Here the individual who was the acting "cook of the mess," had set our supper out on a " mess cloth " on deck. It con- sisted of sea-bread, raw salt pork, cold boiled potatoes, and vinegar. We gathered around the cloth, each one bringing his tea, and a seat, although some squatted right down on dejk. When all was arrange!, an old salt said, " well, boys, here's every one for himself, and the d 1 for us all Ja:k, pass the pork." And this was grace to the first meal I ate in " the service." I was not a froward boy, and therefore waited patiently for my share until the rest were helped. One of the sailors seeing this, cut me a large slice of fat salt pork, gave it a dip in the vinegar pan, and laying it on a cake of bread, handed it to me, saying, " eat hearty, my lad, and give the ship a good name." I was quite willing to do so, but at sight of the raw meat whioh was being consumed on all sides of me, my appetite failed me, and I was content to eat a little bread and tea, and look on at the performance of the rest. I soon learned, how- ever, to like sailors' prog, especially as T was given to THEGUARDO. 31 understand that this was necessary in order to become a thorough sailor myself. It will be nejessary here to give a short description of my new home. Receiving ships, such as the one on board whi h I now was, are old vessels, dismantled of their guns, and laid up, in the larger seaports, to be used as temporary places of deposit for sailors whose ultimate destination is some vessel just being fitted for sea, and not yet ready to receive her crew. When a vessel of war returns home from a completed cruise, her crew is discharged, and the vessel placed under the hands of Navy Yard men, and by them dismantled, and laid up in ordinary, in the Navy Yard. When she is again ordered for servi e, she is fitted out at the Navy Yard, and not until ready to receive her stores of ammunition, pro- visions, etc., does her own future crew go on board. Thus it becomes necessary to have " receiving vessels," on board which the newly shipped hands may be kept until the 1 for which they are intended is leady for their reception. The discipline on these receiving vessels is very lax, nothing being required of the men but to keep themselves and the vessel moderately clean. None of the rigors of man-of-war discipline are enforced, and the strong arm of authority is not shown or felt, except in a total restric- tion of liberty to leave the vessel. Being only a sort of transition state, there is much confusion ; to which, the liquor so plentifully smuggled on board, adds no incou- sM. Table share. Most of the old tars make it a point tly alut 1ml' d unk, and inu:;y .'f the iv follow and even cxeeed them in this pet 32 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: vice. In fast, I had occasion tj notice among the green hands a very general and prevalent impression, that the easiest and quickest way to become a thorough sailor was to drink rum and chew tobacco. And many of them shortly succeeded to admiration in these two accomplish- ments often far surpassing their models. Life on board a receiving ship is very monotonous. All hands are called up at daybreak, the decks washed, and then breakfast is had. At eight o'clock all hands are mustered, and the roll called to see that all are pres- ent, and this finishes the day's labor. The balance of the time is devoted to talking, reading, singing, sowing, or gazing at the shore, and casting retrospective glances at the pleasures there enjoyed. When once on board the receiving vessel, a return on shore is almost impossible, and a " guardo," as one of these vessels is called by the sailors, is therefore much like a prison. It is a singular fast, that no sooner has an old man-of- war's man shipped and rendered himself on board the " guardo " than he seems to be suddenly possessed with an inordinate longing to run away from the obligations he has taken upon himself. The shore, of which he was so tired, and so glad to get rid, all at once assumes new charms to him. The memory of past pleasures seems to urge him, with force irresistible, to a return to their scenes, and he spares no pains, nor hesitates at any danger to effect his escape. No step seems too rash nor any sacrifice too great to effect an object which evidently becomes dearer to him in exact proportion to the diffi culties attending its attainment. Our number, on board the Experiment, was gradually DRAFTED TO NEW YORK. 33 increased by additions from on shore, until at the end of 1'uur weeks it reached seventy. Of these, several effected their escape. One, I recollect, had a suit of citizen's clothing provided for him by the kindness of friends on shore, dressed in which, he took advantage of a day when the vessel was open to visitors, and walked past tU sentry and officer of the watch, entirely unsuspected, making good his escape without difficulty. Two others, one dark, stormy night, lowered themselves over the bows into the water, and although it was freezing, succeeded in swimming ashore, where one of them was caught within two days after, and returned on board, to be the laughing st)ck of the rest. And finally, when on the cars, on our way to join the ship at New York, one mad drunken fellow broke out a little window in the side of the car and thrust himself through, while the train was going at full speed. We saw him strike the ground and roll over and over down the embankment, but in a moment m -re were out of sight. I learne 1 afterwards, incident- al ly. that singularly enough he escaped with scarcely a s rat -h. On the last day of April, it was found there was a sufficient number of men gathered together to make up a draft for New York. We were accordingly mustered and counted off, to get ready for leaving. Bags and hammocks w re securely tied and lashed; we dressed ourselves in our best bib and tucker, and then went aboard of the steamer, which had come alongside to take Dfl -ft. S])c -ial care had b:en taken to prevent smuggling of li|uor; and we started off in very tolerable style, an old fiter playing, as we left the town, " The ffiri I left 8 84 M A N-O F-WA R LI B T E: behind me. " Taking the cars at Camden, we again changed to a steamboat, at Amboy. Here trouble commenced. There was a bar on board, which at the request of the draft officer, had been closed. So far so good. Had it been kept strictly closed there would have been no diffi culty. But it was soon found out that it was freel) opened to retail poison to the citizen passengers, bii closed in great haste on the approach of a sailor. This was voted on all hands to be an outrage " an infringe- ment on the ever-to-be-respected doctrine of Free Trad^ and Sailor's rights," as a wag of the party observed ; and it was determined to punish the discriminating barkeeper by drinking his liquors without paying for them. N sooner said than done. All hands gathered quietly in? the vicinity of the aristocratic dram shop, and there formed an impenetrable belt outside the scene of opera- tions. Half a dozen of the stoutest and heaviest fellow > then clung together, and making a little run to acquire additional impetus, threw their whole weight against th? bar door. Not made for resistance, it flew back on it- hinges at the first effort, and the whole crowd entered,, just in time to see the coat-tails of the retailer of drams vanishing out of a side door. Our fellows now conducted everything in a quiet and orderly manner. Guards were posted, to prevent intrusion of strangers, and the liquoi was at once made way with. Comparatively little wa drunk, the most of it being spilt on dock, where it ran out of the scuppers. When all that wis to b? found had been destroyed, the crowd quietly disp^rs^d, carefully closing the door after them. During the whole tiiue of the proceedings, the deck outside of the bar-rocmi wa BREAKING OPEN A BAR-ROOM. 35 filled with the citizen passengers, attracted thither by curiosity to witness the proceedings. They were not allowed, however, to see anything. Most of them thought " the sailors " were about right. It was said the officers of the boat remonstrated with the naval officer who had charge of the draft, but he was too sensible a man to interfere. 1 need scarcely say here, that the scenes of drunken- ness and riotous debauchery of which I had been a wit- ness almost constantly since my entry into the Navy, could not fail of being highly disagreeable to the feelings < -f a lad like myself, who had been raised among religious people, and was a stranger to the appearance of vice. In truth, I was more than half sickened already of the life which I had embraced with so much ardof. But I had been informed that all this drunkenness and riot found only in the receiving ships, and would cease when we were once on board our own vessel, and at s a, bound i<>r foreign lands. And then, those foreign lands: if ever any scene of unusual violence, or any superlatively disgusting exhibition of drunken brutality filled my mind with fear and abhorrence of the men among whom I had so eagerly cast my lot, the thought of the strange coun- tries which I was now about t> visit, of the wonders of animate and inanimate nature, so long read about, which were to be spread out before my eager eyes, banished all unpleasant thoughts from my mind, and more than recon- ciled me to the disagreeableness of my position. Arrived at New York, we were transferred at onee on board the vessel for which we were destined, the C , four gun ship, which was then lying off the 36 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Navy Yard, taking in stores, and preparing for sea. Here a new scene of wonder was opened to me. I had often, while at Philadelphia, boarded the large merchant vessels lying at the wharves, and had cause for surprise at the massive strength and solidity of all things about them, but here I found everything on so much greater a scale as to make all I had seen before dwindle down to Lilliputian dimensions.^ The hight from the water's edge to the top of the railing or bulwark, a distance of about thirty-five feet, gave me at once an idea of the vastness of the entire structure, which an examination of the details confirmed, and which my mind had never conceived of. Used to the sight of nothing larger or more solid than the steamboats which plough the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi, I had roamed with surprise! astonishment over the larger class of vessels which came to Philadelphia. But here was a vessel which eclipsed those in vastness of structure as far as they were beyond the little schooner boats which dot the Delaware. I stood on deck and looked about me. Forward and aft stretched a long line of guns ; amidship were placed two launches, boats capable each of carrying the loading of a moderate sized schooner, and containing at sea, four other boats, laid one within the other. Looking down the hatchway, I saw a long line of ladders, communicating with tier after tier of deck, until the lowest was lost in a darkness never illumined by the light of day. And overhead, the tapering masts seemed to lose themselves in the clouds, and the wilderness of ringing whi _'h supported them to be an endless and undistinguishably confused mass of ropes. But there was no time for surprise. " Come look alive "OUR S I! 1 I' " A T LAST. 37 tli re. don't go to sleep," shoute 1 in my ear by a coarse voice, startled me out of my propriety nearly, and inter- rupted the strain of wonderment in which I had become lost. " Were you speaking to me, sir?" said I, politely and timidly, making a respectful bow at the same time, to a bu:ly, doublefisted sailor, from whom the coarse voice seemed to have issued. A shout of laughter from all within hearing greeted this green sally of mine, amidst which I hastily made my descent to a lower deck. Her) new scenes awaited my ready eyes and ears. But there was no time to be astonished. Everybody was busy. Men running hither and thither with loads of ligging. OffL-ers, in uniform of blue and gold, shouting order* through tin speak in^-tiumpets; the cheering sound of the boatswain's mate's pipes, and the regular tramp o;' the hundreds strung along, on deck, at the tackle falls, hoisting in provisions; all united, made a scene of nois3 and confusion in which it was impossible to stand still, o to think, and I soon found it necessary to get some employment myself, in order to avoid being knocked dow i and run over, in the rush of the many conflicting crowds I therefore joined a division of about a hundred, who were hoisting in barrels of beef and pork on deck, from a lighter alongside. We had hold of one end of a rope, the other end of which being made fast to a dozen barrels of provisions, the boatswain's shrill whistle piped " go ahead " and we walked off with the fall, to the merry notes of a fife. Landing the beef on deck, the barrels were there coopered, and then consigned by another set of men to their resting-place in the hold. 38 MAN-OF-W A R L I F K : A man-of-war is supposed to have on board, when readj for sea, six months' supply of provisions and water, together with a sufficient quantity of powder and shot, spare clothing, sails, and rigging, to last the cruise of three years. To take in these supplies, and complete the fitting of various portions of the rigging, for sea, was th work now on hand, and at this we were kept early and late rain or shine. All hands were called up at four o'clock A. M., and the work continued from that hour until six p M., with intermission only for b eak^ast and dinner. Not used to this kind of a life, the first wet weather completed what previous exposure had laid the foundation for. and I woke up one morning gasping for breath, and scarcely able to stir. I managed to tumble out of my hammock on to the deck, but could not lash it up. 'I he " hu.ry up, hurry up, there " of the cross old boat- swain's mate, although filling me with terror, was le t unlieedel, while I crawled between two guns, and laid ivyselF down, crying and moaning with pain. Nearly all the hammocks were on deck, and mine not yet lashed up, when a kind old sailor, passing that way, heard me crying, I'lid approached. He quickly saw what was the matter, mi 1 taking me up in his arms, like one would a baby, ca ricd me into the " sick bay," the place set apait oil shipboard for the sick. Returning directly with my hammock, he hung that up, lifted me into it, and bid 'ing me not cry, but be of goo I cheer, hurried off to his work. I lay there quite unnoticed until nine o' lock, wh n the do tor made his regular round; aft leave room for dreaming. On account of my sickness, I had not yet been mustered in my station, either at punters, or general duty, or mess. Now, in a vessel of war. where every thing goes on by the strictest rule, where there is a place assigned to every one, and every one is expected to be in his place an individual who can lav claim to no particular station is likely to find himself without friends, without help, without any thing to do, ' at even regarded by every one with suspicion or dislike. This I soon experienced, for shortly it was made twelve o'clock, and the crew were piped to dinner. Although not hungry, I felt a desire to find out my mess, and have a look at those who were to be my I did not know to what mess 1 had been assigned, and iiupiin (1 from one to the other along deck, but without 44 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: success. Wherever I presented myself, the "mess-list" was produced, and after a careful scrutiny my name was declared not to be there. I was getting tired of running such a gauntlet, and weighing in my mind the propriety of going down to my cot in the sick-bay, and waiting for my mess and stations to come to me, when a kind-hearted old fellow, who had seen me wandering forlornly about, called me to him and offered me some dinner. I thankfully ac- cepted the invitation, and, in answer to his inquiries, told him of my great desire to become a sailor, of having left home for that purpose, of my past sickness, and of being as yet without mess or station. My appearance after so severe an illness was not at all prepossessing, as I had already learned from various criticisms passed upon me while walking about decks. Something about me, how- ever, pleased the old tars, and it was suggested by one that, as they had not yet any boy in the mess, and I ^oked tolerably civil, they should take me. After a little canvassing, pro and con, this proposition was unan- imously adopted, and I was duly entered on the mess-list, after dinner, by the commander's clerk. Repairing to this gentleman's desk, and giving in my name, I was furnished' with an abstract from the books, by which could be seen at one glance my ship's number, by which each individual is known on the purser's account bcoks ; my hammock number, by finding which among the tinned numbers nailed above the hooks, in the beams and carlings of the two lower decks, I secured my sleeping place ; my general station in the ship, as well as a specification of particular duties in certain emergencies ; my station at the gun, and finally, but not by any means least important, the MY STATION AND DUTIES. 45 number of my mess. Paper in hand, I now spent the balance of the afternoon in hunting up the various places in the ship, which were to be the particular scenes of my future labors. It appeared from the list that I waa appointed one of the " messenger boys," whose general duty it is to " strike the bell " every half hour, and to act as errand boy for the officers, in addition to which, when the vessel is in port, they stand at the side, to do honor to officers going away or coming on board, and have also to keep clean the side ladder, which leads from tli 3 water's edge to the deck. My station at quarters, or in time of battle, was as powder boy at gun No. 36, on the main gun-deck ; my hammock number was six hundred mi- 1 thirty nine; my ship's number, five hundred and sr \cnty-four ; and the number of my mess, twenty-six. Thus was the whole routine of my life on board this vessel laid out for me. Here is, perhaps, as good a place as farther on, to I'xplain. as well as can be to the landsman reader, the ma inier in which the crew of a vessel of war is divided and subdivided, so as to give to each individual in the company some special duties, for the due and proper per- formance of which he is held strictly accountable. First, however, it will be necessary to give a short description of the vessel. The decks may be regarded as so many floors. On the UJIJX.T or spar-deck, as it is called, the space between the bows and foremast is called the forecastle ; those between tlu i ton-mast and mainmast, on each side of the boats (\vliirh are st<\\vd amidships), are the gai llu-se portions are free to the sailors more particularly to the 46 M A N-O F- W A R L I F K : " watch on deck." Abaft the mainmast is the quarter- deck, the holy of holies of a man-of-war, where only the officers are allowed to congregate, the starboard side of it being forbidden even to the midshipmen and on entering which every one, even the captain, is required to touch his hat or cap. Abaft the mizzenmast is the poop, a raised deck, beneath which is the commodore's cabin. On top of the bulwarks, which run all around the upper deck, are the square casings, by a figure of speech called hammock nettings, in which are deposited the seamen's and midshipmen's hammocks. Most American ships of the line do not carry a full tier of guns on the spar-deck, the waist being left without port-holes. Next below th? spar-deck, is the main-deck. This and the one below, calle 1 the lower gun-deck, or berth-deck, have full tiers of guns thirty-two and sixty-eight pounders. Commencing aft on the main-deck, we have first the captain's cabin and pantry ; next comes what is called the " half deck." extending to the mainmast, the larboard side of which is always kept clear as much so as the quarter-deck. Over the door of the captain's cabin hangs the clock, which regulates the ship's time ; before the door paces a sentinel who, besides barring entrance to the cabin to all intruders, and announcing visitors to the captain, keeps note of the time, and calls out the half hours to the officer of the deck, who thereupon tells the messenger boy on duty to ' strike the bell." Time, on ship board, is divided into watches and reckoned by bells. The twenty-four hours are arranged in five watches of four hours each, and two shorter ones of two hours each, called the dog-watches. At the end of the first half hour T H E S II I P. 47 of a wateh, the ship's bell is struck one ; at the end of the second half hour, two and so on, until it is eight bells, which marks the expiration of four hours, or a watch, when the series is recommenced. Therefore, on board ship, we do not ask * what's o'clock?" or " what time ia it ?" but * how many bells is it ?" Near the foremast, on the main-deck, is the galley, or cooking range, for the commodore and captain, and chock forward, on the star- board side, is the " brig," an open space guarded by a sentinel, where offenders against th j laws or rules of the ship are placed in confinement until the time comes for their final punishment. On this deck, as on the one below, hooks are driven into the beams, with numbers attached, and to these hooks the sailors hang their ham- mocks, at night. The port-holes, on the main-deck, are furnished with movable ports, stout pieces of plank, made to fit tightly into the port-holes, to keep out water in bad weather. When the weather is fine, these are entirely taken out, and thus this deck is thoroughly ventilated and lighted up. The next deck is the lower gun -deck. Farthest aft, reaching forward to the mizzenmast, is the wardroom, the Jving room of the lieutenants, the surgeons, the purser, master, chaplain, and commodore's secretary. The space in the guns on this deck is occupied by the "mess- chests " and the mess-lockers, in which the pots, pans, and spoons used by the sailors, as well as the victuals, are kept. Immediately before the foremast is the ship's galley, where the cooks reign supreme. Here the food for the ship's company, as well as that of the lieutenants and midshipman, is prepared. Forward of the galley, taking 4-8 M A N - F - W A K L I V E : up all the forward part of this deck, is the " sick bay," the surgeons' realm, of the horrors of which I have already attempted a faint description. We now descend to a floor beneath, called the orlop- deck. On the aftermost part of this deck, and reaching quite into the bottom of the vessel, is an enormously large space, tightly tinned throughout, which is used as a breadroom. Forward of this, at the sides, or " in the wings," to speak in nautical language, are the private rooms of the wardroom officers. In amidships is an open space used for a cock-pit, or surgeons' room, in time of action. Then come the steerages, larboard and starboard, where the midshipmen, purser's and ship's clerks mess. Next, the boatswain's, gunner's, sailmaker's, and carpen- ter's rooms ; and then, immediately under the sick bay, the storerooms, where are deposited the boatswain's, car- penter's, and sailmaker's stores. Below the orlop-deck is the hold. Forward and aft in the hold are the powder magazines, accessible from the deck by small magazine-hatches. Aft of the forward magazine is the forehold, where are stored all the wet provisions, such as beef and pork, and also a portion of the shot. Abaft this come the chain-lockers and cable- tiers, with the principal shot-locker. Beyond this is the afterhold, for flour and other dry provisions; then the spiritroom, which is guarded by a sentinel ; next, a large vacant space, the anteroom to the largest powder magazine, and then the magazine itself. Below the beams which support the tiers of the hold, are the water-tanks, large variously-shaped vessels of iron, made to fit nicely to the shape of the ship, throughout, and from which the water THE TOP HAMPER. 49 for daily consumption is pumped by means of a suction- hose, which can be screwed into a hole left for that pur pose in the lids or coverings of the tanks, thus enabling the master, who has that matter in charge to take water fiorn any tank he thinks proper. Having given a description of the interior arrange- ment of our vessel (whi.h will apply, with some slight variations, to all other ships of the line and frigates) , we will now describe the " top hamper " the masts and sails. A ship, in the technical sense of the word, is a vessel laving three masts, and carrying square sails on all The masts of a vessel are called, beginning for- v. ard, the foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast. Pro- j -jo ting over the bows and ahead of the vessel are the f.HWsprit, jibboom, &ud flying jibboom. Above the fore- mast proper, is the foretopmast, a separate piece of timber, and above that the foretopgallant and royal mast. The main and mizzen masts are similarly rigged. We will proceed to describe an entire suit of sails, beginning forward : The flying jib is a three-cornered sail, which goes from the end of its boom, upward along its stay, leading to the foretopgallant masthead, its long h-urh, or side, being confined to the stay by iron or wooden rings, called hanks. It is hoisted by its hal- yards, hauled down to the boom by a down-haul, and, when in use, is trimmed to take the wind, by a rope attached to its after corner and leading into the fore- cnstlo, called a sheet. The jib, running from the end of its boom, up its stay, to the foretop masthead ; and the foretopmast staysail, running from the end of the 4 50 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: bowsprit up to the same place, are similar in form. The lower sail on the foremast is the foresail, bent or fas- tened to the fore yard, and spread at the foot by means of tacks and sheets. Above the foreyard, at the junc- tion of the foremast and foretopmast, is the foretop, a large platform, securely fixed to wooden braces or trustle- trees, and used, on board vessels of war, as a place where a portion of the watch remain in readiness to cast loose or take in the lighter sails, and furnished with a top- chest, in which are deposited the marlingspikes and other tools belonging to that portion of the vessel. The sail next above the foresail is the foretopsail, bent to the topsail yard, and hoisted aloft, with the yard, by means of halyards. Its lower corners are hauled out to the extremities of the foreyard by sheets, which lead down on deck. The small ropes which hang in rows across the sail, are called reef points, and are used in reefing the sail ; that is, reducing it by hauling a portion of its head to the topsail yard, and there fastening it. Next comes the topgattantsail, bent to its yard, and sheeting home to the topsail yard ; and above all, the royal, rig- ged in the same manner. The royal is the highest sail commonly carried by vessels of war. East Indiamen, however, are frequently seen with skysails, and even moonsails, following in regular succession, and almost losing themselves in the clouds. All these sails are turned at pleasure, by means of braces attached to the yardarms, or extremities of the yards, and leading to the mainmast. The mainmast is furnished with a similar suit of sails, somewhat larger ; the mizzenmast, also, though these are smaller than either of the others ; the A BOY'S EXPERIENCE. 51 latter too, instead of a square sail pendant from the lowei yard, has a gaff, or fore-and-aft sail, hoisting up abaft the mast ; this is called a spanker. Similar gaff-sails, on the fore and main irasts, are called topsail*. The Last are only used in storms. Studdiny-sails, spread beyond the edges of the square sails, like wings, are very useful when the wind is fair ; they are hauled down on deck when taken in. The rudder, by which the vessel is turned about at pleasure, is a very strongly-constructed wooden apparatus, hung on hinges, at the stern, and running into the water to a level with the keel. It is moved by means of chains and pulleys, the chains being connected with the barrel of a wheel, which stands on deck. The wheel of our vessel was double, and worked by four men. Immediately in front of the wheel, on either ^ide, stands a box, containing a compass, and a lamp to make the face of the compass visible by night. This case is called the binnacle. The ground tackle of the vessel is her anchors and cables. Of these, our ship had four for immediate use, namely, two very heavy anchors, suspended in the waist, called sheet anchors, an! only used in emergencies to one of these was bent an extraordinarily heavy rope cable, to the other, an extra heavy chain. So seldom are these anchors used, that to "go ashore with the sheet anchor " is an expression used to denote a determination to stay on board the whole cruise. Two others are suspended to the bows, and are called respectively, the larboard, or /H'sf bower, and the starboard, or second bower. The latter is commonly the first one let go. Besides these, our Bhip had two large spare anchors, and a number of lighter 52 - MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: stream anchors and kedgcs, of various sizes and weight*. We will now give a list of the officers and petty officers of a ship of the line. They are : One captain, one commander, eight lieutenants, one bailing master, one chaplain, one surgeon, three assistants, one purser, four master's mates, sixteen midshipmen, one boatswain, one gunner, one carpenter, one sa.ilmaker, one captain's clerk, one commander's clerk, one purser's clerk, one schoolmaster, one master-at-arms, two ship corporals, one purser's steward, nine quarter masters, six boatswain's mates, three gunner's mates, eight quarter gunners, two carpenter's mates, two sailmaker's mates, two captains of forecastle (receiving pay,) two captains of foretop, two of maintop, two of mizzentop, and two of a 'ter guard, one armourer, one yeoman, one yeoman's assistant, one ship's tcok, one captain of marines, two lieutenants or marines, three sergeants, four co po-als, two drummers, two fibers. Our ship being the flag-ship, we carried the commodore. This officer, however, can not be said to belong to any one ship, his authority extending equally over all the fleet of vessels placed under his charge. It will be well here to give the reader an insight into the duties of the various officers above enumerated. The commodore is, of course, the supreme head, from whose decision there is, for the time being, no appeal. But his command, or authority, being general, over the whole fleet, he interferes very little, if any, with the minor affairs of the vessel on board which his pennant flies Our commodore was, however, as the crew of the C lav reuson to know 7 , an exception to this rule. He often THE SHIP'S COMPANY. t r 3 inter "cred in the general management of our ship, and always in favor of the crew. For this he was much beloved by a.l hands and it was a common saying among the old salts, \\hen the commodore was about to leave the vessel for a time, as he frequently did, " now the ?ld fellow has gone away, we'll see some hard times," a p ophecy which was generally fulfilled. The commodore directs and controls the motions of the fleet under his command, and has charge of all business of a public nature, to be transacted with foreign powers. In time of war, of course, his duties are much more important t nd responsible than in peace. At the head of the officers properly belonging to the * hip, stands the captain. He has a general superintend- ence over the affairs of the vessel, and all orders of a { eneral nature are supposed to emanate from him. He is responsible for the safety of the vessel while he has charge of her, in poi t as well as at sea. He exercises a 1 so a general oversight over the conduct of the officers, and has the power of punishing such as aie guilty of impropikties. The first lieutenant is next in power to the captain. He has not the responsibilities of the latter, but his duties are much more laborious, it being his part to carry into execution the measures devised by the captain. He keeps no wateh, but is on duty all day. He thoroughly in.- the vessel at least once every day, to see that everything about her rigging, hull, and crew is kept in good order and clean, reporting again to the captain. All repo. ts of the minor officers, concerning expenditures of stores and provisions, are made to him. All communications to the captain pass through his hands. On occasions 54 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE'. " all hands " are called, as in getting under weigh, or coming to, reefing topsails, etc., he has charge of the deck. He superintends the watering and victualing of the vessel, in which duty he is assisted by the master At quarters he has charge of the quarter deck divisbo and in action he maneuvers the ship. But the mos arduous of all his multifarious duties is the stationing of the crew when the ship is put in commission. This is a matter for which is needed a thorough knowledge of the requirements of the ship, a judgment quick and sure, to decide upon the capabilities of the various individuals composing the crew, and great patience and foresight. The first lieutenant is a terror to all evil-doers and slovenly, idle fellows, as his eagle eye is busied at all times ferreting out such. The comfort of all on board, officers as well as men, greatly depends upon him. On board our vessel, the duties of the first lieutenant were discharged by the commander. The other lieutenants, by turns, have charge of the deck, relieving one another regularly every four hours, in port as well as at sea. At sea, the officer of the watch, or officer of the deck, as he is called, attends to sailing the vessel, seeing that the sails are trimmed as necessary, that the ship is kept her course, and putting in execution the orders for his watch, found in the order book, which hangs near the wheel. He is responsible for all that occurs during his watch, and reports to the captain any extraordinary occurrence, changes in the wind or weather, the discovery of sails or land, etc. The speaking-trumpet is the insignia of his authority. He keeps a sharp eye on the compass, the s!tils, and the weather ; at night. THE OFFICERS. ftf lias the captain waked at stated periods, and sees thai the lookouts are kept awake ; and finally, at the end of his watjh, has an account of the weather, the course and distance made good, and other matters, entered upon the log- slate. In harbor, the officer of the deck receives any stores or provisions that may be s nt on board, superin tends the sending away of the boats, keeps a lookout for what is occurring in the harbor, and reports the arrival of vessels, with other important occurrences, to the cap- tain. Beside this, the lieutenants are placed in charge of divisions, and there exercise the men at the guns, and small arms and cutlasses, and superintend the issue of clothing to them, by the purser. Next in rank to the lieutenants is the sailing-master. He keeps the ship's reckoning and reports this to the < aptain daily, together with the bearings and distance of the nearest land, or the port whither the vessel is liound. He also exercises a supervision over nearly all the stores of the vessel, having charge more particularly over the water and spirits, the anchors and cables. He has the management of the storage of the hold, and sees that the vessel is put and kept in good sailing trim. He seconds the first lieutenant in many of his duties. In the English Navy, the grade of master is an independent one, for whieh peculiar qualifications are required, and above which an incumbent does not rise. In the Ameri- can Navy, it is a grade between the passed midshipman a*:d the lieutenant. Next come the idlers, so called because they do not keep watch, in which designation are included the purser, the surgeon and his assistants, and the chaplain, with 56 MAN-OP-WAR LIFE: the captain and lieutenants of marines. The purser has under his especial charge all the moneys, the provisions, and clothing in the ship. The accounts of the ship and crew are kept by him. In former times, the salary of the purser was very small, and he was allowed to sell the clothing and small stores to the crew on his own account, to make up the deficiency. Under this system, the crews were often outrageously swindl d, and to fall into the purser's hands became equivalent to being unmercifully fleeced. This matter is now differently arranged, stores of all kinds being provided by the gov- ernment, and placed in charge of the pursers, who aie strictly prohibited from driving a trade of their own. Their responsibilities are very great and they are obliged to give heavy bonds for their correct behavior, before assuming their office. A surgeon and three assistant surgeons form the medi- cal staff of a seventy-four or ship of the line. They keep a regular journal, in which are noted down the names, rank, diseases, etc., of all the sick on board, as well as the course of treatment adopted toward each. An abstract report, containing the names, rank, and dis- eases of the sick, and showing the increase or decrease in number, if any, is signed by a surgeon every morn- ing, and handed to the captain. Besides this, a sick-list, containing simply the name and station of every sick man, is placed in the binnacle, each morning, for the use of the officer of the deck. No one is excused from duty on account of illness, whose name is not to be f )ud on this list. Besides attending upon the sick, the sur- THE OFFICERS. ;">/ geons enforce such precautionary measures as will tend to the prevention of sickness on board. The chaplain performs divine service on Sundays, administers consolation to the dying, and reads the fune- ral service on occasions of burials. The officers of marines enjoy almost a sinecure, in time of peace. To review the corps once a week, and receive and transmit to the captain the reports of the sergeant, is about the sum total of their labors to per- form which a ship of the line carries one captain and two lieutenants of marines. Thus, there has arisen a sailor's saying, that " the mizzenroyal and the captain of maiines are the two most useless things on bo..rd ship." The midshipmen occupy rather a subordinate position among the officers, being placed on board for the purpose of preparing themselves for the duties of a higher sta- tion They keep watch, and, when on deck, carry into effect the orders of the officer of the deck. When " all hands " are called, they are stationed in the tops, and at different points about the decks, to see that o.ders from the quarter-deck are promptly executed. At sea, one of the passed midshipmen, or master's mates, has charge of the forecastle, where he carries on the work. They mus- ter the watch at night, and take the sun's altitude at noon, working out by it the ship's reckoning. They are re juired to keep a journal of the cruise, which is exam- ined at stated intervals by the captain. In pot, one goes in charge of every boat that leaves the vessel. At quarters, they muster the gun's crews, and report to the lieutenants. 58 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Next come the warrant officers the boatswain, the gunner, the sailmaker, and carpenter. The boatswain (pronounced bosun) is the chief sailor. He has charge of the rigging of the vessel, and is responsible to the first lieutenant that all aloft is kept in good order. He is easily distinguished by the silver whistle stuck in his vest pocket, his rattan cane, the terror of all little boys, his stentorian voice, and the Bardolphian hue of his features. His station at quarters, and when all hands are called, is on the forecastle. The gunner has charge of all the military stores. At quarters, his station is in the magazine. His principal occupation, in time of peace, seems to be to keep up an incessant growl about his guns. The sailmaker has charge of all the canvas in the ;>hip, including the hammocks, sick bay cots, etc. The cai penter is responsible for the stores belonging to his department, and superintends all work in his line. The boatswain, sailmaker, and carpenter go aloft every morn- ing, before breakfast, at sea, and examine the condition of the rigging, sails, and masts, making their reports to the first lieutenant, who generally gives the top-hamper a personal inspection twice a week. The original division of the crew is into petty officers, able seamen, ordinary seamen, landsmen, and first and second class boys. An able seaman's wages amount to twelve dollars per month ; ordinary seamen, ten ; lands- men, nine ; first class boys, eight ; second class boys, six. The petty officers are appointed by the captain, and hold office at his will, or during good behavior. They are selected from the most experienced and reliable of the THE PETTY-OFFICERS. 59 seamen. Their wages vary from fifteen to twenty dollars per month First among the petty offic rs ranks the master-at- (tnns. He stands at the head of the police force of the ship. He has charge of all prisoners, a list of whose names, misdemeanors, and the dates of their confine- ment, he submits every morning to the captain. He is lord over the berth-deck, and the terror of slovenly or dilatory cooks. It is his business, also, to take charge of all articles of clothing or other property left lying about decks, on the guns, or any where except in their proper places. Sujh things are placed in a lucky-bag, which is opened, when full, in the presence of the first lieutenant, when all who come forward to claim property have it returned, and are placed on the black-list, while articles for which there is found no owner, are sold to the highest bidder. The master-at-arms is assisted in his labors by two ships corporals. To these three, also, falls the duty of searching returning boats 1 crews, in port, for liquor, which these frequently smuggle on board on their persons. The quartermasters hold an office of considerable trust. They and the captains of the forecastle are supposed to be the very best among the seamen. At sea, one of their number cons the ship : that is, watches the helmsman, and, standing in an elevated position, aids him in meet- ing with the helm the motions of the vessel. At quar- ters, and in time of action, they steer the vessel, as also on occasions when all hands are called. Those not stc rinir "i- rnitnint/. keep a lookout. In port, two of tin-in arc always on lockout, with si mrtion of the vessel. Thus, there are four captains, two first captains and two second, in each of the principal divisions of the ship's company, except the 'rs, who have only two. Only one watch, or half of the crew, is on duty at any time, day <>r niirht. at sea. They take regular turns, " a watch " beiug four hours in length. To prevent the constant recurrence of the same 62 MAN-OP-WAR LIFE: watch to the same portion of the crew, as before men- tioned, the time, from four to eight, P. M. is divided into two shorter watches of only two hours each, called dog watches. By this arrangement, the men who are on watjh from eight to twelve one night, and consequently sleep from twelve to four, and are again on duty from four to eight, sleep during the same time the succeeding night, watching only from twelve to four. In addition to this, of the topmen, one half of a watch, or a " quarter watch " as above described, is required at all times to be in the top, in readiness to jump aloft and make or take in sail. In this duty, the quarter watches take turns. In evolutions requiring " all hands," every man, idlers, marines and all, has his particular station assigned him, where, and nowhere else, he is expected to act. Kepeated musterings and drillings serve to make even the most thickheaded understand thoroughly the duties required of them, and produce that perfection of dis3ipline by which so large a bo ly of men, having such various duties to perform, are moved with a celerity and precision as of one man. Next comes the division into gun's crews. Our vessel, although rated only as a seventy-four, had one hundred guns mounted, making a broadside of fifty guns. These guns are numbered, beginning at the foremost one on the lower deck, and counting the two opposite as only one. Thus, with us they ranged from gun number one on the lower gun deck, to gun number fifty, in the commodore's cabin. A certain number of guns are included in a " division," which is under the command of a lieutenant, assisted by midshipmen. We had eight divisions : three T II E G U N S . 3 on the lower gun deck, three on the main gun deck, and two on the spar deck. To each of the guns is assigned a " crew," sufficient, if necessary, to work or serve both the guns included under one number, but with their labor so divided as to very much assist one another, while serving only one side. To one of our heavy thirty-two or eight pounders, were alloted one captain, one second captain, two loaders, (first and second,) two rammers and spongers, four side tackle men, five train tackle men, and a powder boy in all sixteen. The carronades, on the upper deck, being much lighter guns, had a much smaller crew only ten. The captains have the general management of the gun, the first captain taking prece- dence, and, if both sides are engaged, remaining with the first part, on the starboard side. The duties of the leaders, rammers and spongers, are sufficiently declared by their titles. The side-tackle men manage the tackles by which the gun is run out, (after it is loaded,) and slewed, or turned either forward or aft of the beam ; and the t ain-tackle men work the tackles by which the gun i^ run in, and also assist with handspikes in elevating or depressing the muzzle, to alter the range. The powder- boy is furnished with a leathern bucket, having a tight fitting lid; in this bucket he carries cartridges from the magazine hatch to his gun. A portion of the topmen and fi'ivastleraen are stationed as sail trimmers; and, aidnl l.y the crews of the spar deck guns, make, take in. :md trim sails during action. In addition to the duties above specified, each individual of the gun's crew is attached to one of three divisions of boarders, or is a pjkeman, or a fireman, and when in time of battle a o4 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE. signal is made, by a peculiar roll of the drum, or by a rattle, or by ringing the bell, promptly moves to the point where his services are just then re juired. The place of the crew, at the guns, is called their quarters. The ceremony of assambling at the guns, and there calling the roll, which takes place twice a day, morning and evening, is called mustering at quarters. The crew is thoroughly exercised at the guns by divisions, once or twice every week, in order to be well drilled in all the movements necessary in time of action. And in addition to this, there was, on board our ship, a weekly exercise, continued during the whole cruise, lasting from nine till half-past twelve A. M., called "general quarters," in which the whole ship was cleared for action, the powder magazine opened, and all preparations made for a real fight, and then the entire range of maneuvers gone through with which are needed in action. Besides their general stations, as fore, main, and raizzen- topmen, etc., the crew have especial duties assigned them on occasions when all hands are called, as, in getting under weigh, coming to, reefing topsails, tacking ship, etc. Every individual has, on these occasions, a specific duty to perform, beyond which he does not concern himself. But, on the other hand, a failure on the part of one individual to perform the duty assigned him, is liable to disconcert the whole operation. There is, therefore, a responsibility on every one. And thus, in place of the confusion to be expected, the greatest possible order, efficiency, and harmony of action prevail. The marines act as a body of soldiers. They do duty as sentries in different parts of the vessel, and in action THE MARINES. G? are the principal marksmen, being stationed for that purpose in various parts of the vessel, alow and aloft. At sea, they are divided into watches, and do duty with the afterguard. Being used as a sort of armed police over the sailors, the latter cordially hate them, and often wreak vengeance upon them for some real or supposed oliense. The fact is, a marine's place is not at all an enviable one. Compelled to live with and labor among the crew, it is yet made their principal duty to spy out and bring to punishment all offenders against the laws of the vessel. Thus it is that they have become a bye-word and a reproach. The name of soldier, or sojer, as it is pronounced by your real tar, is the most stinging epithet of i on tempt at the command of a sailor. There is an old saying " a messmate before a shipmate, a shipmate before a stranger, a stranger before a dog, but a dog before a soldier." which expresses fully the contempt in which they arc held. The ship's number is that by which each individual is designated on the purser's books, by which his accounts are made out, and to which his final discharge refers. The crew keep all their clothing in painted canvas and the ship's number of the owner is placed upon ue of these, to enable him to identify it. So also the ship's number is placed upon all articles of clothing, for a similar purpose. Ship's numbers are arranged in the order in which the men were originally drafted on board ; while hammock numbers are arranged in regard to the different parts of a ship ; number one being the captain of the forecastle's, then progressing regularly 5 66 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: aft, the last numbers being those of the quarter masters and messenger boys. With this somewhat tedious, but nevertheless, to the landsman reader, necessary setting forth of the general arrangement and internal economy of our ship, which will apply, with some few modifications, to all vessels of war, we will proceed en our " cruise," as the voyage cf v man-of-war is called. CHAPTER IV. THE first Night Watch Inspecting the Boys How the Com- mander cured a Lad of Chewing Tobacco A grand Row in the Boys' Mess Breaking in the Green Hands " All Hands " to Muster. BY three o'clock, p. M., " six bells in the afternoon watch," land was fairly out of sight, and the ship was making a nearly south-east course, to cross the Gulf Stream. Next day, we were in the gulf, as it is famil- iarly called, which we knew by the warmer temperature of the water, the clouded sky, and the vast quantities of gultweed, with which the water was covered as far as the eye could reach. Our first night at sea passed very pleasantly. I was still on the sick-list, and exempt from special duty, but determined to turn out with my watch. Belonging to the starboard watch, our turn on deck was from twelve to four. At eight, the first watch was set, and 1 remained upon deck long enough to hear the men answer to their names, in order that I might know what to do niYM'lf, at twelve. I was sleeping soundly in my swing- ing bed, when a most horrid din assailed my ears, causing me to start up affrighted, bringing my head by the in >ti'>n in violent contact with the beam above. "STARBOARD WATCH, AHOY !" was being roared, and 68 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE'. re-roared to an indefinite extent from half a dozen hoarse throats, on different parts of the main-deck, and followed up by emphatic adjurations to " turn out, there," " rouse and bit," " show a leg or a purser's stocking," all which meant, I found, not as I had at first supposed, that the ship was on fire, or sinking, or that some other dire calamity had overtaken us; but simply, that it was twelve o'clock, and our immediate presence on deck was judged highly desirable. I jumped out, took my trowsers, shoes, and hat out of the head of my hammock, where they had served as a pillow while sleeping, and put them on, and staggered upon deck. It was a fine, starlight night, with a good topgallant breeze blowing. There was a tolerably heavy sea on, and the r oaring of the wind through the rigging, and the pitching of the vessel made me think that there must be a storm an impression fiom which I was soon relieved, however. I found the watch about to go below crowding up under lee of the weather bulwarks, and wrapped up in their peajackets, talking and singing quite cheerfully in anticipation of the rest they were about to enjoy, for the next four hours. Walking forward, I heard sounds, however, which convinced me that all were not inspired by agreeable feelings. A closer inspection revealed to me at least twenty poor fellows leaning over the bows, groaning dolefully as they cast up their accounts. The midshipman who mustered our watch found that sea-sickness was making sad inroads upon the waisters and afterguards (who are mostly landsmen), scarcely a third of them being present to answer to their names. MY FIRST NIGHT WATCH. 09 " They are looking over the bows, trying to see the bottom," said one of the non-seasick ones. I did not experience any discomfort from the motion of the vessel, and was able to hold up my head among the proudest. This gained me great credit among my new messmates, some of whom had hunted me up to take care of me, expecting to find me "on my beam ends." I felt quite elated at my fortunate exemption, and took it as an evidence that I was cut out for a sailor. The true reason, however, most likely, was that I had taken so much medicine, and so very little of any thing else for the preceding month, that there was nothing in me to be affected by the jolting or, as the captain of the fore- castle gruffly said : " It would be no use to turn that fellow's stomach, for one side is as bad at the other." As the ship was going along finely, with a steady breeze, there was nothing to do, and the watch soon set- tled down in cozy groups about deck, some to doze off, and others talking and singing. I walked, or rather stumbled about, for I had not yet gained mj sea legs, until at last I joined a group of foretopmen assembled around the topsail halyard-rack, who were comparing opinions on the ship, her officers and crew. They were all old salts, and I approached them very respectfully, and listened with due deference to the words of wisdom to which they gave utterance. I had not stood long, however, before a rough old fellow of the crowd, gr;i me by the arm, said, in what I took to be a terribly cross tone : " Here, boy , what are you doing here among the 70 MAN-OF-WAR LI FK: foretoprnen ? Go aft, you young scoundrel, where you belong." A.S I looked at him, to see if he was in earnest, an- other said: " Leave him alone, Jack ; it's a poor little fellow that's been sick. We took him into our mess to day. He's a civil boy. Let him stay." " Well," returned Jack, *' if he ain't sassy. But mind me, boy," turning to me, with a look which terrified me, 41 i:' ever you give us any of your lip we'll kill you." 1 made a solemn promise never to interrupt any of the in when they were yarning, and always to answer them civilly, and was, on these conditions, admitted to the circle. After canvassing the merits of the ship and officers, they fell to yarning in good style, and I became a de- lighted listener to various tough experiences of "last cruise." Eight bells (four o'clock) came around in a \vonderfully short time, and we broke up and retired to our hammocks I with an inward conviction that " keep- ing watcti" was rather an agreeable occupation. Seated on de,-k, in the half-light afforded by the Bright stars, p otected by the high bulwark from the wind which roared over our heads, among groups of bearded, roug 1 ?!- looking fellows, recount ing, the adventures of past times, seemed to me like a realization of some of the many romances with which I had so often been enchanted. I slept soundly until seven bells (half past seven o'clock), when all hands were called, the hammocks lashed up and carried on deck, and at eight bells the crew were piped to breakfast. I speedily hunted up my mess, and MY N K W MESS MATES. 71 found them already assembled about the mess cloth, spread down on the main-deck. The mess cook had gotten us our allowance of coffee, which, with biscuit and ealt pork, constituted our breakfast. As I came up, I heard various not over-complimentary remarks passed upon my rather slim looks. I listened in prudent silence, until the tears started into my eyes, at the rather rough jests of my new messmates. To these brawny, stout feltows, a puny little boy as I was then, reduced to the last degree by a severe sickness, seemed almost an object of curiosity and, sailor-like, they did not hesitate to give expression to just what happened to come into thei minds. I had been told that boys were treated ve*\y roughly on board ship, and that the only way to get along comfortably was to say nothing, but l>ear all teasin t good-naturedly a piece of advice which I took care to follow to the letter, and not without due reward for m / trials, for I soon got the name of being a " quiet, civil, boy, willing, and not sassy" and those who had at first " teased" me unmercifully, were soon my best friends, and ready to do me any service. After breakfast was over, I volunteered to assist the cook in getting his niess things in order a duty which I had been given to understand, while yet on board the guardo, generally devolved upon the boys. This ele- vated me wonderfully in the esteem of all, and I heard one fellow remark, in a very complimentary tone : 44 If he does look like a skeleton, he seems t > act like a live joy ;" at which speech, I need not say, I frit duly encouraged. Boys are not treated with much kindness on board ship, 7 72 MAN -OF -WAR LIFE: and particularly on board a man-of-war. There they arc very generally disliked by the seamen, because of their sauciness, and their unwillingness to perform such minor services as are judged properly to belong to them, such as weeping, helping the mess cooks in their labors, and doing ittle trifling errands aloft, which do not really require the strength or knowledge of a man. Few of the officers trouble themselves to see that the boys are made to per- form such duties, and the boys themselves are commonly ready enough to refuse, or skulk out of them. The sea- men feel this keenly, and will not permit such as act in this manner to come into their company. And so it comes, that, in the beginning of a cruise, all boys are looked down upon, and the really willing lad must bear patiently many slights, and labor hard to establish his character, and work his way into the good graces of crusty old salts. I had heard somewhat of this matter while on board the old guardo, in Philadelphia, and had made up my rnind that if willingness and politeness would do anything, I would stand well with all on board. On the second day out, we unbent the chain cables and stowed the anchors a sign that we were fairly at sea. Our first port was to be Eio de Janeiro, and our course accordingly soon brought us into fine weather. And now commenced the regular routine of sea life : breakfast at eight, quarters at nine, dinner at twelve, supper at five, quarters at six these were the landmarks which an- nounced the passing of the day, Order is the first great principle on board a man-of war. To this everything else must bend, and from it r R A I N T N f! T II E C R E W . 73 there is DO appeal. Month after month, and year after year, the same stroke of the bell ushers in the same exercise or duty. There is time and place for everything, and so complete and thoroughly carried out is the one grand principle, that one is able to find, without difficulty, the smallest object, in the darkest night. This strict order is necessary, where so many men and such an almost innumerable variety of inanimate objects are crowded together. The first two or three weeks out were devoted to muster- ing the crew in their various stations, in order to familiar- ize each individual with the special duty assigned him on special occasions. Station bills were placed in vaiious parts of the vessel, on which, opposite to every hammo.k number, was set forth the station of the individual who was represented by that number. Any one found out of his place, or ignorant of it, was punished by being put upon the blacklist : thus, by dint of continued drilling, even the most persistently stupid were taught their places and duties. Next came the exercising at the great guns. Taking first one gun's crew at a time, the lieutenants of divi- sions, aided by such of the crew as were old hands, soon succeeded in making all familiar with their duties. At quarters, the names were called by the midshipmen, each individual, as called, repeating his various duties or sat ions, in order to ensure a knowledge of them. These exercises occupied a goo I deal of time. In addition to till-in, all hands were kept busy cleaning up and orna- menting the vessel. The decks which, during the labors of fitting out, had become full of stains of tar, grease 74: MAN-OP-WAR LIFE: and paint, were now carefully scraped. The guns, which were rough and rusty, were thoroughly cleaned and rubbed bright with brick and canvas, and then covered with a mixture of lampblack, beeswax, and turpentine, which keeps out the rust, and makes the surface smooth and bright as a looking-glass. The various accouter rnents of the guns, as rammers, sponges, priming-wires, monkey-tails, caps, and cutlasses, were cleaned and brightened. Different fancy contrivances for adding t. the neat and trim appearance of the top-hamper, in port, were prepared. And, finally, there was a grand overhau or examination of clothing, taking up nine or ten days, while running down the north-east trades. p]ach man and boy being required to own a certain quantity and quality of clothing, a list of which has been already given, it was now found that scarcely a thir J of the ship's company were fully supplied. Large draft; were, therefore, made upon the purser's stores. Next came an order that every article of clothing should have upon it, in legible letters and figures, the name and number of the owner ; and there was another thorough examination of bags and hammocks, to see that this order was duly carried into effect all delinquents being punished with the never-failing blacklist. Thus, by dint of scraping, scrubbing, scouring and painting, exercising, mustering, and examining, the vessel and crew had assumed, by the time we entered the port o ? Eio, a very creditable appearance. But it is time that I say something concerning the manner of life of the boys. On board our vessel, there were about forty. Of these, eight were stationed in each MUSTERING THE BOYS. 75 top (two in each quarter- watch) , four on the ."orecastlo, and twelve were messenger boys. To the latter, I be- longed, during the first part 0:' the cruise. The boys aro under the especial charge o.' the master a t-arms, who is responsible to the first lieutenant for their cleanly ap- pearance and orderly behavior. They hang their ham- mocks on the starboard side of the half-deck, where they arc within convenient distance of the master-a t-arms, a part of whose duty it is, in port, to see them all in theL hammocks at eight o'clock, and to make them quit talk ing at nine. They are mustered every morning, at seve i o'clock, for the purpose of seeing that they are clean an I neat. At the sound of a bugle call, they gather on ths larboard side of the half-deck, where they form in line, each one having his trowsers rolled up above his knees, his sleeves tucked up to his armpits, his feet and hea 1 bare, the collar of his frock turned back as far as possi- ble, and his hair combed back of his ears. Having formed in line, "Jemmy Legs," as the master-at-arms is familiarly called, reads over the muster-roll, to detect any absentees, and next proceeds to a particular inspec- tion, walking, for that purpose, first down the front of the line, returning on the other side, rattan in hand, ready for immediate use. ' Hold out your hands, sir." " You did not wash the soap off the back of youi neck." " That frock is scarcely fit to muster in." " Your feet are not overly clean ; and, here hold up your arm now, take that, and that, and that," hitting a poor fellow several thwacks ; " now, do you take soap 76 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: and sand, and scour your elbows; and don't show yjui self here, all covered up with dirt." With such critical observations and remarks upon the general appearance of his squad, Jemmy Legs reviews them, and after having them arranged to his satisfac- tion, reports them to the commander, as ready for inspec- tion. There was one spe.ies of uncleanliness over which our commander reserved to himself exclusive jurisdiction, and with which, therefore, the master-at arms never in- terfered. This was toba: co-chewing. Many of our boys, in the beginning of the cruise, labored under the halluci- nation already mentioned, as common to tyros in sailor craft, that to be a true sailor, one must chew tobacco. The commander, unfortunately, did not share in this belief, but was, on the contrary, a zealous upholder of the opposite doctrine, and considered no trouble too great, in his efforts to make converts among the boys. Thus, he would come along in the morning, to inspect us, and while walking down the row, apparently looking very steadily at the individuals immediately before him. would catch sight of a boy at the other end of the line slyly drawing his hand across his face, or emptying his mouth of a quantity of saliva. Nothing would be said, until he arrived opposite the devoted tobacco-chewer, when : " Master-at-arms, come this way smell this boy's breath." To the boy: " Boy, breathe in his face." This done, and the look of disgust on poor Jemmy Legs' countenance giving forth unmistakable evidence of the presence of the forbidden w.ed, the commander would say, very good-naturedly CURING A LAD OF CIIE\VING TOBACCO. 77 " Master-at-arms, go and get some sand and soap, and canvas." And then to the boy : " Now, my lad, you ought to know, foi- I have told you all, that tobacco is a very injurious thing, and that I, who have the care of your welfare, would be doing you a e .nous wrong to permit you to acquire so filthy a habit as chewing it. You may think it an evidence of sailor- sh'p, that you chew your cud, but if you know anything of natural history, you are aware that it would be just as good a proof of your being a calf. I, who am an old sailor, and know much more about such matters than any of you, will tell you that tobacco chewing will never make of any one a sai-lor ; and, as you spit about decks, and are filthy in other ways, you are an annoyance and an object of disgust to your fellows, which I can not endure. J)o you think you could break yourself of the habit'?" T > this the boy would answer very demurely : Yes, sir." " Well, I am very glad to hear it. I hope 1 shall n ;vcr catch you with a quid in your cheek again, and in order that you may begin your reformation with a clean mouth, the master-at-arms will now proceed to purify it by means of this s;>ap and sanJ, and a piece of canvas." " Master-at-arms." This (unctiouary approaches with tin- required articles. " Now, my lad, that you may be enabled to make a fresh start in your reformation, we will see your mouth Scrubbed clean Mast has m>, and to wear upon his back, for six months, a placard containing, in conspicuous letters, the word ' thirf ;" and, in addition, made a perpetual member of the blacklist Poor fellow, base as was his offense, his punishment was enough to raise pity in the hardest r. It was impossible for any one to com mi with him. for every one knew that his jmiii-! in- liioli-sti'd him. :r, !. d.ivi..^ thr time he 92 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: remained on board, he moved about among the ship's company shunned by all, and as much alone as though left upon a desert island. He was kept on board until the d.ty before leaving our Lext port, when he disap- peared, having received, it was said, an intimation to the effect, that if he could get ashore, he would not be nought for. The experience of the first wash-morning caused the promulgationc-of an order, compelling every man to place clothes stopson his clothes, under penalty of being put on the never-failing blacklist, for neglecting to obey the order. Steering southerly, we were soon into warm weather ; and now came another experience for new beginners. We had been taught to wash our own clothes. We were next inducted into the process of making new ones, and neatly mending the old. While the weather was cool, blue flannel shirts and blue cloth trowsers were found none too warm for comfort ; but the warmth of a southern latitude made lighter clothing a necessity ; and as it was not judged proper by the commander that white frocks and trowsers should be worn at this time, an order was sent to the purser, to issue to the crew, or such of them as needed it, a quantity of blue cotton-drilling (cabled dungaree by sailors), sufficient for two or three suits each. And then began the labor of making up this stuff into frocks and ti owsers. Every forehanded sailor expects to make his own light clothing, as well as some- times a portion of the heavier flannels. For this pur- pose, each one has a " ditty-bag," the contents of which vary but little from those of the sewing-baskets of thrifty SAILORS TURNED TAILORS. 03 housewives ashore. On board a merchant vessel, this ditty-bag generally assumes the shape of a little box, but in a man-of-war, anything of the chest or box kind is contraband, even the officers being prohibited from keep- ing their clothing in chests or large trunks. The ditty- bag generally contains a pair of scissors, a thimble, some linen thread, a paper or two of needles, a lump of wax, and various little trimmings used in making up seamen s clothing, such as tape, buttons, strips of binding, etc. Every true man-of-war's man knows how to cut out cloth- ing with as much ease, and producing as correct a fit, as the best tailor. This is a necessity on board ship, for the ready-made clothing procured of the purser is never known to fit, being generally manufactured several sizes larger than necessary, in order that it may be re-cut and made in good style. I furnished my ditty-bag from the purser's stores, and then, having drawn my share of dun- garee, one of my messmates, a maintopman, cut me out a frock, or " jumper," (a short shirt worn over- all, not unlike the French blouse), and a pair of trowsers. A sailor wears no braces or suspenders, and trowsers are, therefore, made sufficiently tight at the hips to sustain themselves there. They continue tight nearly down to the knees, the legs being cut exactly straight, and conse- quently (juite loose at the bottoms. I sat me down amid a number of old hands, and began the task of making up the garments, getting one to show me where I found myself at a loss. By dint of being shown and studying out portions myself, with plentiful ripping out and re-sewinir. I at last siunrdo;!, to my no small gratiii a- tion, in putting t<>iMlu-.- a pair of trowsers, " ship shape 94 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: and Bristol fashion." On trying them on, they proved a pretty good fit, which caused me no little pride as I wore them. In two weeks, I succeeded, by exercising all the patience and ingenuity at my command, in making up two jumpers, and three pairs of trowsers, and these clothes 1 soon found more useful to me than any others I had. Another two weeks sufficed to get my wardrobe in toler- ably good order, to have every pi ce marked with my name and ship's number, and stops put on all, and then I was prepared for the muster of clothing and bedding which was shortly to take place. As will be gathered from the remarks heretofore made on the article of clothing, great attention is paid by the oificers to the general appearance of the men. All the dirty work, such as refitting rigging, tarring and slushing, are done at sea, in order that no one need be dirty in port. And, leyond the necessary exercises, and working ship, it is made the chief and all important duty of every indi- vidual to keep himself perfectly clean, and to dress neatly and with taste. In fact, to take care of the vessel and of themselves, keeping both in as good trim as possible, is the sum total of duty required of the crew of a vessel of war, in the " piping times of peace." In the mean time, while all these matters were being arranged, and the vessel and crew got into order, the good ship herself was pi-owing the waters with favoring breeze, each day increasing the distance between us and home, and approaching nearer to her destined port. We had continual fair breezes and beautiful weather after crossing the gulf, until we began to near the Equinoctial line, when we were, for two weeks, detained by calms and IN THE DOLDRUMS. 95 light winds. Up to that time, while going along with steady breeze, we were but little bothered about making, taking in, or trimming sails. An occasional furling of the i oyal and mizzen topgallant sail at night, to enable our slower consort a little sloop of war, to keep up in si lit, with a daily tightening up of the halyards, sheets, and braces, was all we had to do with the sails, and we boys had ma !e up our minds, f i om this specimen, that going to sea was a most delightful occupation. To me, the new life seemed peculiarly grateful, inasmuch as from tin 1 very first breath of salt air I had inhaled, I had felt myself gaining health and strength. The pure and refreshing breeze, the clear sky, and mild but bracing atmosphere which we experienced while running down the nnrth-ejst trades, infused new vigor into my system, and with thrj exercise I got in running up and down the g, and climbing about various parts of the ship, gave me fresh hold on life, and made "a new boy" of me. We had been going along finely for a number of days, rattling eight and sometimes ten knots off the log, although latterly the breeze had seemed to be getting //""//, and an occasional flap of our immense topsails, told that it was also losing its strength, when one morning, on * turning out" at four o'clock, we found the breeze gone, studding-sails hauled down on deck, the yards braced sharp up, and the ship rolling ur. easily from side le, on the swell, at every roll the topsails flapping violently airainst the mast, or filling with a jerk, as thou-h 'in .I to carry away the masts. \\V hud lost the trado. but wrre yet in the trade swell. The air. U-toro 90 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: pure and almost dazzling, was now hazy, the beautiful azure of the sky was become light blue, interspersed with long streaks of pale yellow or dull white. We were in the Doldrums. The older sailors, who, many of them, in their fashion, and for their own gratification, kept the run of the ship, had been for somo days talking about the approaching change, and had found some agreeable excitement in hazarding little bets as to what watch would " lose the trades." At every change of watch the tars of one side would duly give the weather in charge of those of the other, with instructions to return it in as good order as given. There was, therefore, consider- able merriment and chaffing between the two watches when we came upon deck, and saw the change made in the last four hours. ''Well, Jack, what have you dons with the wind?" asked a foretopman of a forecastleman of the other watch. '' It 's gone down to Davy Jones', and you fellows thai are so anxious about it had better go down after it," was the answer. " Brace round the yards," was now the order of the day. The lightest of do^ vanes was set up on the horse- block, and the attention of quartermasters and officers of the watch was anxiously divided between that and the still lighter mast-head vane, in order that no favoring flaw might pass over without being brought into our service. All work on rigging was laid aside, and the watch on deck did nothing but tend the braces, and haul up and down the courses. The north-east trades commence generally in about latitude thirty, and are held sometimes down to CAT'SPAWS. 97 the line, but vessels generally lose them in from three to H-VCH degrees north, when bound southward, or " catch " t IK- in within those parallels when bound north. The south-east trades more frequently carry a ship right across the line, and the writer of this was so fortunate once a*, to be carried by them into latitude five degrees north, and there to take the north-east trades, with scarcely an Jiour's calm, or light variable winds. This, however, is not a common occurrence. On the present passage we were not destined to experience any such good fortune. "We lost the trades when in ten degrees north latitude, and (1 lifted about at the mercy of the variables for more than two weeks, before catching again a favorable breeze. In this time, we were continually chasing the wind round the compass. First, there was a dead calm, and the ship lay silent upon a sea whose surface was as of glass. Then a ripple, seen afar off, heralded the approach of a little breeze, " a cat's paw," as such little drafts upon the bank of.^Eolus are called, perhaps from their not con- taining even a "cap full" of wind. Its progress over the waters is anxiously watched by the quartermaster, who endeavors, by working the wheel, to head the vessel the right way for receiving a due benefit from it The yards, before braced contrary ways, in order that the vessel might lay as steadily as possible, are now hauled sharp up. Scarcely are the braces belayed, when the masthead vane, which was before hanging as dead, lifts itself sluggishly up, and at last flutters out horizontally, mriiur that there is a breeze, a fact which would be " T ii>Twise quite imperceptible. Now the royals fill for a inunu nt. and collapse again, spasmodically, as though the 98 MAN OF-TTAK LIFE : exertion was too mu h for them. Now the weather lencfc of the topgallant sails flutters a moment. " No higher," shouts the quartermaster to the man at the wheel ; " keep her off a little." The helm is put up, but the wind is veering even as it strikes us, as though in its effort to move the ship, itself was obliged to- give way, " Full sails, full sails, there," grufBy says the captain, whom the slightest appearance of a breeze brings upon deck. The helm is bard up, and she pays- off, shivering in the wind all the time, till a sudden flaw brings her all aback, and " brace round the yards," is the cry. But a cloud has gathered overhead during the previous maneu- vering, and now empties its contents upon us. " Pull round the foreyard, men ; be lively," urges the officer of the deck, as a blast, stronger than any before, persuades him that the breeze is set, for a little while at least. " How's her had, quartermaster ?' r " Nothe'sd by east, sir," The rain is pouring down in torrents ; the sails are well filled, and the vessel going through the water, some four knots. " This will never do for a man bound south.'' mutters the officer of the deck, looking inquiringly at the captain, who is sheltering himself under the hammock cloth, near the break of the poop. A nod from the latter, and " Ready about," is bel- lowed from the speaking- trumpet of th? lieutenant, and reverberated from the hoars 1 throat? of boatswain'* CHASING THE WIND. 99 mates, dying away in the diminuendo of little midship- men. " Stations there, every body," shouts the boatswain, making a rush up the main-hatch, and forward. 44 Ready, ready." 4 'All ready forward, sir," answers the officer of the forecastle. "Helm's alee," and around goes the wheel, amid a general trill of the boatswain's mates' pipes. Jib-sheets and fore-sheet are let go, and the ship flies quickly into the wind. 11 Tacks and sheets," and the fore and niain-tack and main-sheet, are let go and overhauled. 44 Haul well taut main sail haul;' and in obedience to the word of command, round swing the ponderou yards, bringing up with a thwack against the backstays uliich shows that the word was given at the exact time 44 Run round, lively, men ; run in the slack before h ? goes back ; down main-tack, now ; ride him down, boys ; N May and aft sheet." ' Head braces every body haul well taut let go and haul," and away we run, plash, plash over the deck, stumbling over wet ropes, and rolling in the scupper.? occasionally, until the head-yards are de.-lared to be 44 chock up," the bowlines are hauled out, the weather main-brace hauled taut, and then. 44 clear up the rigging." Tlir ruin has slacked a little, but, of course, every body (except the officers) is wet through, and we have a merry time tripping one another up in the lee-scuppers, a n I taking a good roll in the fresh water. Some wide- awak.- fellows have secured buckets, and put soiled clothes 100 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: to soak in them, in the fresh water, remembering that it is much easier to wash with than salt. ' But there is no time to wash clothes. A glance at the compass tells the officer of the deck that we are going free; and, " Chejk in the braces, and stand by to set the foretop mast studding-sail," is the word. The yards are squared in a little, and the wet fore top- mast studding-sail lugged out and set. Still the wind is hauling aft, and directly the yards are laid nearly square ; and, " Stand by, to set all the starboard studding-sails," sends the topmen and fore.astlemen aloft, to let down the gear and get the b oms out. Direct' y we hear : "All ready, main topgallant studding-sail, sir." "All ready, . oretopgallant studding-sail, sir." And, last of all, the officer of the forecastle leports: "All ready ; lower studding-sail." The halyards and tacks are manned ; the waisters are crowded upon the lower boom toppenlift; and, at the word, all three sails flap in mid-air for a moment, and are then securely set, adding their mite to our velocity. Every one draws a long breath, and we begin to con- gratulate one another upon such a fine breeze. But it will not last long. The wind still hauls. The yards are laid exactly square. All the larboard studding-sails are set. The heavy topsails begin to flap idly against the mast already, before the last stud'n-sail is up. Ere an hour is over, the yards are braced sharp up on the other tack. The sun comes out, scorching every thing CHASING THE WIND. I 0\ scorchable, and killing off the little remains of a breeze still left us ; the stud n-sails are taken in as soon as dry, and the ship is once more motionless, except a heavy sup into the sea, which tells of the late breeze. Studding-sails are made up and stowed away on the booms; rigging coiled up; decks swept off; wet clothes (those which have not yet dried on our backs) hung in the rigging to dry; and, eight bells being struck, the watch is over. Such watches and we experienced a goo I many of them before we got out of the Doldrums in which we were kept moving the whole four hours, plashing about in the wet, straining at halyards, tacks, and braces, gave me quite different ideas of the delights of the sea. I found that here, as everywhere else, there was a compensa- tion an evil for every good. However, by dint of chas- ing all the cat's-paws, and making use of every available puff of wind, we at last got across the line. CHAPTER VI. 'CROSSING the Line An old Topman's Yarn How Junmy Squarefoot ran away with a Sailor Fourth of July at Sea Nearing our Port Rio de Janeiro. CROSSING the line was quite an event in the lives of those who were now making their fi. st voyage. The cere^ monies of shaving, ducking, and tribute exacting, which we read of as being so much in vogue in firmer days, on occasions of this kind, have gone out of use in this prac- tical age, and I, who had looked forward with delighted terror to the advent of Neptune, and the initiation ot us green hands into the mysteries of the sea god, was obliged to content myself with reminiscences of the older tars, most of whom had undergone the ordeal of Father Neptune's razor and bathing tub, and taken the required obligations, " never to eat brown bread, when you can get white ; never to kiss the mLid, when you can kiss the mistress ; to eschew water, and drink grog ; hate a sojei and love a pretty girl." "Ah, boy," said one old fellow to me, when I had been coaxing him into telling me a yarn about crossing the line ; ' those were what your book? would have called the halcyon days of the sea. There was some loman^e about a si lip when I first went to sea, and the tars of those (102) C K <) .- . I % < T II K L INK. lO-'i days made as familiar with old Father Neptune and the Hying Dutchman, ae a half-starved sojer would with a bread-barge." \Vell, " said I, " Jack, that's sorry news for us boys, \\hn came mostly for the romance of the thing, and to \\var out our old clothes. But come, as we ain't to see anything of Father Neptune, you be good-natured and tell us all about him that's the next best thing to see- ing him." Jack Haley, our captain of the maintop, was a tai who had wintered and suinme.ed in all climes and coun- tries, a great burly fellow, whose arm was as big round as my body, and whose bronzed neck, almost rivaling in firmness of muscular development that of a wild bull, gave evidence of a strength, literally little less than Herculean. Withal, Jack had a heart ' big enough," as one of his old shipmates once said, " to fill up his whole invat big body." I knew his weak side, and, having found him stretched along the weather gangway, sur- rounded by his topmates, felt sure of being able to coax him into a yarn. 11 A Veil," said he, at last, wh?n some of the topmen lial seconded my wish for a "real good yarn of the old times," " my own first crossing the line and introduction to the old fellow with the g.ains, would not be interest- ing at all, shipmates, for it was just like all others, and thrre was too much slush and dirty water about it. ti-i any romance, which is what this boy is after " tinning to me; "but if you'll all listen, and not interrupt. M tin- breeze seems to be steady, and old ' Dya\ no Ligher' has quit hallooing at us, I'll try to spin \ u a- 1 04 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: yariv that I was told once, by an old tar that was in the same ship in which it took place, and, by consequence, knew all about." At this point, Jack stopped to take in a c upb of ounces of the purser's cavendish, while we took advan- tage of the interruption to gather round a little closer, and make ourselves as comfortable under our pea-jackets as we- could. "Well," said Jack, ''you must know, topmates, that what I'm going to tell you happened when I was quite a boy. It was rny third voyage at sea, and my first into the South Atlantic. Our vessel belonged to Hull, in England. She was a lbrig r and we \vere bound from Lon- don to Kio, with a cargo of assorted wares a general cargo, as they call it. Our whole ship's comp ,ny, with the exception of the mate and myself, were Jordies, arid sujh of you as have sailed in the north country ships will know, that among a rough set of colliermen, a poor west country boy stood a small chance. But then, I had had civility beakn into me on the first two voyages, and learnt by experience that it was better to make friends than enemies of the crew. We had shipped our crew in Hull, and they staid by the brig in London, because the skipper and they agreed very well, and he gave them good wages. They were all good men, but, like all Jor- dies, awful growls. However, the old man didn't care for their growling, so long as it was growl and go. He used to say they would growl if they w^re fed on chickeo : - The sailors belonging to the ports on the north-eastern coast of England, are called Jordies. They are a peculiar set, known as great growlers and excellent sailors. A T P M A N ' S Y A R N . 1 ()."> sea-pie and soft tack and butter every day. and had nothing to do but smoke their pipes and spin yarns; and while we were in liio, the steward tried them on the grub, and, by the hook-bio jk, shipmates, they called the skipper a stingy old fool, and threatened to sue him for cheating them out of their regular allowance of mahogany and salt pork, and giving them nothing to eat but a lot of trashy chickens. Howsomever, this ain't the yarn that I was to tell you. They were a lot of bloody old growls, as I said, and would curse and swear in their north country, Jordie jargon, by the hour. ' Cat-%ced booger ' was the best word that came out of their mouth." Here a Jordie among the listeners said in his broadest lingo : " Eh, you cat-faced booger," which produced a general smile. "Ah, Jordie," said Jack, "you're listening; well, perhaps you have heard the same yarn that I 'm going t > tell, for it 's known to every sailor out of the port of Hull. As I was saying, they were a great pet to curse and swear, %11 except one, a quiet sober-looking old man, whose hair was beginning to turn gray, and whose wrinkled, weather- l i aten face told of many storms and dangers. He was a vrrv kind-hearted old fellow, as I had occasion to know, fr he often helped me out when I was bothered in making a pair of canvas trowsers, or a frock. He said v i y little, nothing more than was barely necessary, never was hcanj laughing or singing over his can of grog on Saturday eveniiurs. like the rest, and held little e >mmuniration with auy one on beard. Nevertheless, he was every inch a 106 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: seaman, one who knew his duty, and was always first aloft, at reefing or handing, and was the mate's trusty man. When the men would gather together in the dog watches, after we got into fine weather, and smoke their pipes and spin long yarns, he would sit apait on the top gallant forecastle, and smoke and think, and say nothing until, somehow, we boys got it in our heads that the old fellow, for all his good look, was a wizard, and were half afraid of him. We had a fair passage out. taking the north-east trades shortly after we got out of the Bay of Bis -ay, and carrying them nearly to the line. As we nearel the line, there was much talk over the ceremony of receiving Neptune on board, and we found that besides us boys, (there were four of us,) there was one old Jordie, who, having been all his life running between Sunderland, and Shields, and London, with .an occasional trip up the Baltic, was now in his old age to be initiated into Nep- tune's mysteries. The balance of the crew were South Spainers* and had all paid their tiibute to the sea god. Jordie Christie, as he was called, had said nothing about never having crossed the line, thinking probably that the rest of the crew would not dare to take any liberties with him. When he found that he too was expected to undergo the ordeal, he sat on his chest, and swore at a terrible rate, threatening to use a heaver on the first man's head that dared touch him. Old Jimmy, our quiet man, looked " South Spainers " those are called, among the sailors of the north country, who are in the habit of making voyages to the Indies or America, instead of coasting and North Sea and Baltic trading ; which last is considered by these men to be their peculiar branch of the business. THE B A R Q U K 8 U N !> K K L A N D . 1 07 black at him, to hear him swear so, and at last, when at sMj'|.or, the day before we were to c oss the line, Christie aud some o; the rest got into a hot dispute, and the cursing grew stronger and louder, Jimmy all at once came amo.;gst them, (he used to take his pot of tea and bread a .(I mahogany apart, t:> eat,) and said : Shipmates it' you had all my experience of the con- gees of such cursing and swearing talk, you would know that no good comes of it.'' Well, old foulweather Ja k, let's hear your yarn about what comes of those that swear," said one of the most profane. 4t It may be a warning to you, shipmates, and as there's nothing to do after supper, and the barkey is going along steady, when the boys clear away the things, I'll tell you what happened in the barque Sunderland, when I was in her, on a voyage from Hull to Buenos Ayres." Were you in the barque Sunderland?" asked a Hull sailor, with much excitement. " Yes, shipmate." " Well, by the holy man of the mast, I don't wonder you carry such a bloody long figure-head, and look as solemn as a pig with his head cut off. Why, boys, aboard that bloody barque old Jemmy Squarefoot took a fellow away off his chest, and kept him a week, out of the ship, and then brought him back !" Of course this aroused every one's curiosity, and the ud pans were wiped out, and pipes lit, and every- body gathered about old Jimmy, eager to hear about tho n-vil <-arryingoffa man. M Well lads," he began, when everything was settled, 1 08 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: and the pipes were all going, " we were in the Varque Sunderland, bound from Hull to Buenos Ay res, after a cargo of hides and horns. She was a lively barque, a trim boat, sailed well, worked easy, and steered like a top. We had twelve men b fore the mast. The fore- castle had leaked a little on first coming out, and the .skipper allowed us to move our chests into a large steer- age she had, where we lived as comfortably as dukes. We had a good crew, all except the sailmaker, who was a horrid wicked wretch, whose mouth never opened but to let out a lot of cursing and blackguarding, that was enough to sink the ship. Now, Sails had never made a southern voyage before," (here everybody looked at Jordie Christie, but Jimmy took no notice), ''and when we came to near the line, he declared his intention never to see Neptune, nor submit himself to the usual ceremo- nies. The nearer we approached the equator, as the skipper calls the line, the louder Sails swore, until one Sunday morning, when we were all sitting on our chests in the steerage, smoking and yarning, he all at once broke out in a long string of oaths, and ended by declaring that he wished Jimmy Squarefoot might take him off to perdition that minute, if he ever meant to submit to any of their gammon. Shipmates, he hadn't the words out of his mouth before the poor fool began to wriggle, and struggle, and bellow, as though somebody had hold of him, dragging him off. And while we all sat astounded, he was lifted bodily off his chest, and carried on his back, struggling and catching at everything that ta passed, right up the steerage ladder tearing down a stancheon on the way, so tightly did he cling and then A VISIT FROM JEMMY SQUARE FOOT. 1 09 forward, across to the lee side, and over the fore-sheet, catching and unreeving the lee fore-tack as he went over- 1 man I and that was the last we saw of him, although we heard a shouting and groaning for more than ten minutes afterward. We had followed Sails up the hatchway, and had seen him dragged forward by some invisible powc-r. He went alonj; head foremost, and on his back, only his heels touching the deck, he catching at every rope as he went past, and struggling to hold on, but all in vain. " You may fancy, shipmates, how we all felt. The boys cried for fright, and we men shut our lips together, and thought our time was come. The captain came down into the steerage by and by, and asked how the whole thing had commenced. (He aud the mates had seen all that occurred on deck.) After we had told him all about Sail's cursing he pulled a Bible out of his pocket (I doubt if he had ever opened it before), and said he would read some chapters to us, and then go en deck, where there was a prayer-book, and have prayers. And so we did, although the skipper made a poor fist at read- ing prayers, having to stop and spell out the longest words, and calling them by su h bloody ugly names that 1 tan y the Lord didn't more than half understand him. Howsomedever, be that as it may, we were glad to hear the prayer, aud there was no more cursing on that day, in the steerage. We talked the matter over, but it was as plain as the cook's face, that .Jemmy S.jua.refoot had been listening and hearing >V///\v impious wish, and had taken him at his word. 44 That night we all gathered on the steerage-hatch, 110 MAN-OF-WAK LIFE: for somehow no one cared to stay on the forecastle ; and the mate once said, indeed that while looking to leeward, unier the foot of the mainsail he heard a groan, and then a peal of devi.ish laught r ; but none of us heard it, and, perhaps, it was only his imagination. Next day was Monday, and all that week we were kept tight to work, so that we should not have time to think over poor Sails. And so, what with not caring to talk over the matter, and scarcely having time to think of it, by the time Saturday night came along, we had apparently for- gotten that such a fellow as he was ever in the ship. But, shipmates, somehow / thought of him all the time, and I guess the rest did too, although they said nothing. There was one evidence of our yet bearing in memory the fate of the unfortunate, and that was, that there had not been an oath heard on board, since his mysterious disappearance. Saturday night passed off more quietly than usual. We sipped our grog in silence, or spoke a few words about the probable distance to port, which we were anxious to reach, as it was a general understanding among all hands forward, that we wou'd there leave, and not try to return to England in what we felt to be a doomed vessel. " ' We had passed the line and taken a fair slant, wlLoh had set us well on our way. Sunday morning came. There was a good breeze, and we were bowling off ei^ht knots, with fore topmast and main topgallant stud'n-suils set. At eight bells we went to breakfast, both watches, as it was fair weather, eating together in the steerage. After breakfast was cleared off, we sat on our chests smoking, when old Bill Thorn- 1 , s all at once spoke up : T !! K ( I* R f X (.' S A I L M A K K ft . Ill " ' Well, shipmates, what's the use of trying to hide it V we're all thinking of the same thing how last Sun- tiny, at this time, we had one more in the mess/ lust then, before any one could answer, there was a sound as of a heavy body falling on deck, forward, and a loud cry from the man at the whnly wouldn't they touch any one who had passed a week \\-ith old Jemmy Squarefoot, but even refusing to slvj) in the steerage while he was there. However, tlirir counsel did not prevail. We took him down and laid him in his bunk, which had never been touched si nee his disappearance. He was overhauled by the skipper, who said that no bones were broken, but he was somewhat bruised. We fed him and tended on him care- fullv for two or three days, when he was able to go to his 112 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: duty. But he was a changed man. From being a noisy, violent fellow, always ready to quarrel, he had become quiet and silent, never speaking unless p.eviously spoken to, and making as short answers as possible. You may imagine that we were eager enough to know what he had been doing, or where he had been during his week's absence. But on this subject he preserved a most studi- ous silence, and the only bit of information that we ever pumped out of him was this, that he was awake and conscious all the time that he was away. We got to Buenos Ayres in due time, and there found our cargo waiting for us. It being the time of year in whi.h the pamperos blow, we were not allowed to go ashore, and, not being able to make our escape from the vessel, were obliged to return with her to Hull. We were rather a dull set on the passage home, and I never was so glad to get out of a vessel, as I was to get rid of the barque Sunderland. When we got to Hull, the sailmaker, who had got very pious ever since his return to the vessel, and read his Bible daily, consulted with a parson, and con .hided to live on shore, and go to sea no more. He told us his shipmates, that he had related his adventures to the chaplain at the Sailor's Bethel in Hull, that they were to be printed, but not till after his death." "And the barque Sunderland ? " " She was for a long time unable to get a crew. No one would ship in a vessel to which the devil had free access. At last,, she got a crew, and sailed on a voyage to the West Indies, but she never reached her first port, and was never heard from." 1 N 1) K i' i: 1) K N C E DAY AT SEA. 11 ,<> Eight bells was. struck just as Jack Haley finished his yarn to which we had all listened with great inter (iet a pull of the weather nuin-brace," was the word passed along for the \vatch, and we hastily broke up. gathered up our jackets, tightened the brace, and went below to our hammocks, 1 with my head filled with ghosts, and imps and drunken swearing sailors, which Classes of personages formed the staple subjects of urns, the next four hours. \Ve crossed the line without anything remarkable hap- pening. 11 \Vhy, we didn't even see it." said a waister, with a look of disappointment, that elicited a burst of laughter I expense. A few days longer of light variable winds and heavy rs, and we were blessod with a fine breeze from the eastward, which, gradually hauling to south-east, the -c id continued with us until we made the hnd. We now bowled along right merrily. Everything on board had Keen redujed to the required order, the crew were well acquainted, sufficiently so to make things agreeaMe, and the mild air and beautiful weather put ">dy, even to our crusty old captain, in a good humor. Besides preparing our ship for her entrance into p -rt. we h:id general quarters every Friday morning. rtiniat-lv, the Fourth of July fell on Friday. had never before been in a vessel of war, very '!ly tln.uirht that Independence Day, if not cele- i as a holiday on board, would, at any rate, prove excuse for omitting general quarters; and 8 114 MAN-OF-WAR LI* E: some even prophesied the distribution of 'a double allow- ance of grog on that day. Nothing of the kind, how- ever, took place, and the " glorious Fourth " was treated with as little ceremony as though there were no associa- tions of patriotism, speeches ibr Bunco mb, militia train- ings, encampments, sprees, fireworks, gingerbread and green cherries connected with it. The drum beat at the usual time for general quarters. The sham battle, that day, was, if anything, a little more arduously contested than usual by the captain, and after three hours and a half of hard work, we were feasted on boiled rice and mahogany bee . There are no holidays at sea. If you are in port they are duly kept up, but at sea, no attention is paid to them. A few weeks of fair winds brought us into the latitude of Kio, and we stood in toward the land, from which OUT distance was inconsiderable. Three days longer, and we would be in, it was said. Oh ! what a long three days they were, to be sure. In them, too, a great deal was to be done. The chafing gear was taken off, holidays (white spots) on the rigging carefully touched up with tar, boats' gripes loosened, topgallant and royal yards prepared for being sent down when we got in, the anchors got off the bows, and chains bent to them, brass railings around the poop got on deck and secured, and, on the last two mornings preceding our entry into Rio, clean hammocks bent, and the dirty ones scrubbed. At last, when I had gotten tired-out with waiting, we were electrified by the eager cry of " land-ho!" from the topmast head. It was four o'clock on the afternoon of the 25th of July. Before sunset we could plainly discern the land from deck, rising' LAND- HO! CAPE PRIO. 115 from the ocean, in little blue hills surrounding a*i immense peak, which at dusk loomed up against the sky as thorgh suspended immediately above our heads. This was Cape the first Ian I made by vessels apjr ailing Rio de Janeiro, from the north. It would be useless for me to ipt to describe the interest and delight with which I be first time viewed a foreign shore. I remained on deck nearly all the first watch, although it was my turn to sleep and was content to gaze at the great t>eak looming up against t!ic sky, looking like an enormous black cloud ready to precipitate itself upon us, in thunder, lightning and rain. We lay hove to nearly all night, and tit early dawn filled away, and stood in with a light but fair < . We rapidly neared the land, and at noon were of Cape Frio becalmed at the entrance of the Bay <>f Rio de Janeiro. The sea-breeze set in shortly, ani we up the bay, with all sail set, studding-sails and all, gliding along about three knots an hour. Turning around in I in a northerly direction, we were directly land- locked, and safe from any possible storms without. The view which was now spread before us, seemed to me delightful beyond conception. r lhe abrupt grandeur of enery, so unlike anything 1 had ever before beheld ; mountains piled upon mountains, peak rising above peak, until, in the far distance, the highest seemed lost in the \E : immediately before us the immense mount, called, omit of its pe uliar shape, the Sugar-loaf, rearing its b; iij) against the sky; the t'.vo whit? forts, 1 like sentinels on cither side of the entrance of the harbor ; the curiously rigged shallops and polaecas, ping la/ilv j.a>t <>n the limpid tide; the little fishing 116 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: boats, scattered here and there about the bay, with theii immense lug sails fluttering languidly in the breeze ; the white houses, dotted all along the shore, surrounded by, and peeping out of umbrageous groves of oranges and limes all this variety, on which to feast my eager eyes, s.emed so strange, and withal so beautiful, that even as I gazed, I almost fancied myself transported into fairy land. The day was su:-h a one as is to be experienced only in the tropics. There was that peculiar softly -bright haze or film, seemingly surrounding and enveloping every object in view, not hiding, but only tempering the fierce splendor of an almost vertical sun, and infusing all nature, animate and inanimate, with a mellow, lazy tranquility, which affects also beholders, and gives one a realization of that doke for nienfe feeling which is so highly enjoyed by the inhabitants of these countries. He who has not voyaged within the tropi?s, can have no conception of the luxury of this feeling of quiet languor, nor of the circumstances which cause it. To us, who came under this influence with the fierce blasts of the north-east trade winds si ill fresh upon our cheeks, it was delicious. Our crew seemed changed. Every harsh or discordant noise was hushed; the violence of the most uproarious was tempered or stilled. As we glided along smoothly, over :he rippling waters of the bay, all hands, dressed in snowy white, crowding the upper deck, the universal stillness was made only more striking by the low hum of many voices, or the occasional abrupt shout of the commander standing on the bows, conning the vessel, and the sharj reply of the quartermaster at the wheel, to his " star board," " port," or " steady." Even the boisterous old TI1EBAY. 117 boatswain, whose delight it was to make a din in which no other voice but his could be heard, succumbed to the quieting influences of the hour, and was seen going about decks communicating his orders and directions in subdued ones, and with a dulcet voice wonder-inspiring to us, who had heard heretofore only his fierce terror-inspiring sea tones. We dipped our colors on passing the forts which stand upon two projecting points, guardians of the harbor, and with a freshening breeze ran quickly up to our anchorage. All hands were at their stations foi taking in sail. Every stitch of canvas was set, studding sails alow and aloft, on both sides. It had been deter- mined to take in all sail, and moor the ship at once, an evolution which, if well performed, would gain us ciedit as a smart set ; but on the other hand, if botched, certain to involve us in inextricable confusion and disgrace. But here we are; the commander comes quickly aft, to take charge, the officers report to him everything clear in their different departments, he gives a scrutinizing glan.e aloft, and then stands silently awaiting the signal from the captain, who, with finger on chart, is waiting for the vessel to run up to the berth he has chosen for her. AVe are now at the anchoring ground. Before us is spread panorama of ships of all nations, their colors flut- tering in the breeze ; beyond them lies the city, arrayed in snowy dazzling white. A nod from the captain, and : >tand by to take in sail," gently roars the commandei hiough his speaking-trumpet. " Stand "by your tacks. 118 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! sheets, halyards, and braces." The crew suddenly start into lively activity. " Haul iu. all your studding-sails down royals top- gallantsails up courses settle away your topsail hal- yards braces there, quartermasters sheets clew him up lively, men." In but little longer time than it takes to give the orders, evcty sail is hauled to the yard, ready to be furled at the word. " Let go the starboard anchor." Plash goes the anchor, one hundred and fifty fathoms of chain cable thundering through the hawsehole. The chain is out; the other anchor is dropped under foot, half of the first one hundred and fifty fathoms hove in, and the ship lies moored midway between her anchors. "All hands fur} sail,'* pipes the boatswain, who has recovered all hi former voice. "Lay aloft, topmen lower and topgallant yardmen aloft. ' Five hundred men spring eagerly up the rigging, and cluster together on the yards, and close in to the masts. " Lay out and fur} ;" and the yards are suddenly manned, clear to the yardarm, many in their haste run- ning out on top, in place of clambering out on the foot- ropes, and almost before the order is out of the officer's mouth, the great piles of canvas are snugly rolled up and fastened to the yards. We took in and furled all sails, and moored the ship in eight minutes, and in fifteen minutes the decks were cleared up and swept down, the yards squared, the rig ging flemished down on deck, and everything as quiet C M I N G T A N C II R . lib Mini orderly as though we had been lying at the anchor- age a month. Now. thought I, I'll have a better look than I could get while under weigh, at the harbor, and shipping, and and accordingly, I cast my eyes aloft to pick out the most convenient place in which to perch myself fo that purpose. But here I was doomed to disappointment. Strict orders were immediately issued that no one should show his head above the hammock rail. The poop and forecastle even were forbidden ground, and I was reduced, in common with seven hundred other anxious souls, to the miserable shift of taking a peep at our surroundings through a port-hole, by whL-h process we were able to train about as much information concerning the town and harbor, as one would be likely to get of the general ap- IMTI ranee of a room, by examining it through the keyhole of the door. A shrill blast of the boatswain's call, followed by a shout of, 11 Where are you, side boys?" admonished me that 1 06, and I hurried to the starboard gangway, just in time to swing the man-ropes to a Brazilian officer, cap- tain of the port, who had come alongside in a shore boat, rowed by six men, whom I guessed, at first glance, from their long, lank, sinewy fingers, and the deep ebony hue of their skin, to be real Africans. The officer was ved at the gangway by the commander, and on the poop by the captain. He came on board to receive any iv port the captain had to make, and to offer the hospi- ta lit its of the port, to our ship, and finally, to make arrangements about saluting next day. His business 120 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: was transacted in a few minutes, and he returned to his boat and to the shore. I watched them as they pulled toward the landing stairs. The boat was very long in proportion to her width, and heivily fastened, apparently. Over the entire afterpart a thick awning was spread, nder which, on cushions, reclined the officer. Abaft was the cockswain's box, in which was perched a minute specimen of Ethiopia, who steered the boat. She was propelled by means of long sweeps, the crew standing up and leaning far aft at each pull ; and then, having put the blades of their sweeps in the water, letting their whole weights come back on the oar, pulling until they sank back into their seats rising at each pull, and repeating the maneuver. It seemed to me a novel and rather labo.ious way of getting through the water, but I iound it to be the methol universally practiced, in the Brazilian boats. No sooner was the anchor down, than the sergeant of marines was busy placing sentries at the gangways, lar- board and starboard, and on the bows. The office of these sentries is to keep off shore boats, unless they have special business, of which notice is ^iven to the officer of the deck ; to prevent the smuggling on board of liquor and other, contraband articles, and also, to act as checks on any attempts on the part of the sailors to make their esjape fiom the vessel. They are on guard night and day, and have a laborious and thankless task of it. Of course, the marines perform this duty. The yards being squared and all things made snug and clear, alow and aloft, we were piped to supper. During supper, the commodore, accompanied by his L IF KIN PORT. 121 secretary, went ashore, in a shore b at. After supper, a few men were dispatched aloft to see tj getting the top- gallant and royal yards ready for coming do^n on deck. Below, the immense yard-ropes were carei'u ly coiled down, ready for slacking down tripping-lines and down-hauls were manned, and soon all was in readiness for sunstt, which is the time chcs.n for such evolutions as this. The band gathered on the larboard side of the poop; the ship's drummers and fifers assembled on the quarter-deck ; the men, all but one on each mast came down from aloft ; and the whole ship again for a few minutes resumed her air of quiet and lifelessness. regarded from without. "All hands, down topgallant and royal yards," from the boatswain and his mates, called everybody on de.k. Everything is ready the captain raises his finger, the drums and fifcS play several lively airs, and after the last, the bass drum taps one, two, three and at the third tap, and accompanying roll of the smaller drums, the ship's colors are hauled down, the topgallant and royal yards swing from horizontal to perpendicular, as by magic, and are swiftly lowered to the deck, amid a long- dniwu trill on the boatswain's call. The band no* plajs Hail Columbia, and a number of other tunes; the men unbend the sails from the yards just sent down, make them up, mark them, and deposit them in the sail locker ; the yards are triced up in the lower rigging ; the yard- ropes laid against the mast, so as not to show conspicu- ously ; the rigging is coiled down, and all is finished. At quai ters, word was passed that the crews of the two market-boatti were to be in readiness at four o'clock lu-xt iiioniiii'j- t<> go u>hoR> \\ith th" stewards. At dn k, 122 M A N - - W A II L I F K : the hammocks were piped down, and then all hands con- gregated about decks and talked over the pleasant day, discussed the probability of our getting " liberty " (that is, leuve to spend a day or two on shore) in this place, and those of them who had been here before spun yarns of past adventures. Among others, 1 heard much men- tion Oi f one Portuguese Joe, a bum-boatman, who had the name of being a most dangerous fellow to have dealings with. Bum-boatmen are persons who bring alongside, daily, supplies of fruits and various shore delicacies, for the use of such of the crew as care to indulge in luxu- ries of that kind, and labor under no pecuniary disabili- ties to prevent the fulfillment of their desires. Of Por- tuguese Joe it was said, that he had taken the lives of several man-of-war's men, who had either cheated or in- sulted him, and that he made free use of poison in deal- ing with such of his acquaintances as became obnoxious to him. These allegations were in all likelihood true enough, for the lower classes of Biazilians are notoriously revengeful and treacherous, and the stilletto and the poisoned cup are in common use among them. But, true or false, I found that they di 1 not i'ail to secure for Mr. Portuguese Joe (the only name I ever heard for him) most unbounded respect, and a perfect immunity from the depredations not unfrequently committed on bum- boatmen thus proving that there may be advantages in having a bad name. At nine o'clock (two bells) , came tattoo, which closes the waking day of a vessel of war, in port. The drums and fifes were again put in requisition, and after playing a number of tunes, precisely at nine, commenced the LIFE IN PORT. 123 grand roulade, at the third roll a cannon being fired off, while the bell is at the same time struck two. A per- fect silence succeeds the din of the kettle drums, inter- rupted after a while by the voice of the master-at-arms ordering some one to go to his hammock. After gun-fire no one is allowed out of his hammock, except such few persons as are on duty. Neither is any loud talking or other disturbance permitted. All the lights in the ship are extinguished by the master-at-arms, and the fact reported to the officer of the deck, and the stillness of slumber rests upon the ship. CHAPTER VII. LIFE in Harbor Bumboats At Sea again What Sailors Eat and How Victuals are cooked The First Flogging on Board. AT four o'clock next morning we were awakened by the firing off of a gun, seconded by a din on the drums, similar to that of the evening before. Shortly after, the bugler called away the crews of the market-boats ; at five, " all hands" were called, and the boatswain's mates went round admonishing every man to lash his hammock neatly, " seven turns, put on square, and hauled tight." Coming up the mizzen-hatch with my hammock, I found the commander there, examining each one as it was c arried past, sending some back to try it over. Now the last man on deck with his hammock is blacklisted, so that there is usually a punishment consequent upon a neglect, or carelessness. As soon as the hammocks were stowed, the crew commenced holystoning the decks, the chief boatswain's mate meantime calling over the names of all on the blacklist, and apportioning to them the dirty wo.k of the morning. Two parties were sent over the side, on catamarans, with slush, sand and canvas, to scour the line of copper which appears just above the water's edge. A catamaran is a structure composed of six air-tight casks lashed together, three in a row, with a few T II K H L A r K L I S T M K N . 1 25 r<> iL'h planks thrown loosely over for a deck ; of course the water washes over it continually, and sometimes, when there is a strong tide, or a stiff breeze, it is a matter of soi n difficulty to maintain a foothold on the crazy struc- ture. Others were seen suspende 1 on the large copper funnel or smoke-pipe, which served t ) carry off clear al the smoke of the galley fires. " Charley Noble," as this funnel was familiarly nicknamed, had his face scoured as bright as a new doll's, every morning. Others blacked stancheons, and cleaned guns and gun carriages. Holy- stoning continued until six o'clock, when the sand was scrubbed and washed off, the de ks swabbed dry, and carefully swept down, and then all bright-work cleaned. "While the resfc of the crew were washing the decks, we side-bays were busied scraping and scouring the side- r. reaching from a large grating at the water's edge to the upper deck. In harbor, the starboard is considered the side of honor. Thus that side of the quarter-deck is sacred from intrusion even of the officers, when not on duty. Officers come on board, or leave the ship from the starboard side. That side is furnished with a convenient ladder, while on the other there are only a few cleats, as supports to the feet in the labor of climbing up. Marketing^ (1 run ken sailors, and provisions of all sorts, are taken on burd from the larboard side, and bumboats, and other unofli ial shore boats are received there. When the decks were dried, and the bright-work :s were spn-a \ ' aft : at eight o'< loi-k. tin' of the swinging or rolling of the boats to irivc additional impetus to my jumps. I succeeded at length in reaching the desiml plm-r : not. howrvrr. without 128 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: having been instrumental in the downfall of more t'.^n one sturdy tar. But " every one for himself" was tne ruling motto, and I thought, not unreasonably, that if they could stand it I could. Taking fast hold cf a thwart, to prevent being pushed overboard in the general confusion, I now priced the articles exposed for sale. Dumps are the prevailing currency of Brazilian bum- boats. What may be the legal tenders of the empire iu general, thanks to the care with which we were preserved from the deleterious influences of the shore, I am unable to this day to say but the dump, a piece of copper, of the value of two cents, was the coin by which the worth of everything in the boats was estimated. For five of these, or ten cents, I received about two dozen oranges, a bunch of bananas, and a small loaf of soft tack, and an additional dump procured me a chunk of the much- prized johnny kacka. On presenting my dollar for pay- ment, I received in exchange no less than forty-four of the villainous dumps, accompanied l>y a grin from the salesman, whijh said as plain as could be : " I hope you will have a good time getting on board with your load." Tying the money into a little handkerchief, and put- ting that with my purchases into by bosom, (the place where the man-of-war sailor deposits everything which a " land'iubber " would carry in o basket or in his pockets), I followed pell-mell in the wahe or a great broad-shoul- dered fellow, who was just making his way back, and succeeded in gaining the deck v ithout an accident, except that, on looking for my johrnv-kacka, I found the greater portion of it smeared on my under-flannel. I found, on A VISIT TO THK BUM BOATS. 120 inquiry, that breakfast-time was over, and was obliged to one was allowed to o ashore here was a bitter disappointment to me, who had come to see ftxeign lands not bargaining, however, for so distant a view of them \\"JLS now getting. Had there been the least oppor- tunity for such a feat, I should have run away from the ship so outrageous did it seem to me to be cooped up within the wooden walls of a vessel, within sight and of so much that was grand, and beautiful, and strau Rio de Janeiro is head-quarters for the United States rra/ii Squadron, and as it is a convenient harbor, and used as a calling place for United Stats naval ves- sels bound to other stations, our government has there a 'us. This is situated on a little isle ic 132 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! the harbor, called Kat Island, and is under charge of a United States officer, it was from this store-house that we drew our provisions, to make up the deficit caused by the consumption on our outward passage. The month of July being for Brazil the dead of win- ter, it must not be supposed that the weather was con- tinually as fine as on the day of our entrance into the harbor. Indeed, we were favored with but two or three more of such days during our stay. It being the rainy season, which answers to our winter, there was more or less rain every day or night not, as with us, preceded and attended by dark, lowering clouds, and a gloomy, leaden sky, but coming up suddenly, lasting two, three, or four hours, and then clearing off, and succeeded by a scorching sun, which quickly dried up all the superabun- dant moisture. Rio seems to be a place of eternal Sundays. In point of fact, from three to four days in every week are saints' days, on which occasions vessels of war of all nations are expected to dress up with all the colors and holiday gear obtainable, and salute the Brazilian ensign waving over the palace, near the water side. The remaining days are generally devoted to the interchange of visits and other civilities among the dignitaries of the different fleets which always crowd this noble bay, and, of course, on such occasions, there 'is again a din of saluting ; so that not a day passes when the harbor does not resound with salvos in honor of some live commodore or dead saint their value, estimated in gunpowder, being about the same. The bum-boats, which had been so terribly besieged V II K 1' A R I N FOR SEA. , 1 .'j.^ on our first arrival, were shortly almost deserted. Jack's mn,,,'ii was gone. It takes but a marvelously short time ; to the bottom o? an outward-bound tar's purse, and we were tain to content ourselves with casting wish- ful eyes at luxuries whi -h, like the apples of Tantalus,, 1 just beyond reach. r three weeks' sojourn in Rio or, rather, m the harbor preparations were commen:ed for going to sea once more. The light sails were bent ; chafing gear, sea- ts, and other rigging, laid aside or taken down out Ait on our entrance into harbor, were again put on. supplies of fruit, poultry, and pigs came on board, fr the use of the officers (poor Jack is only allowed to ;.t .-u h delicacies), and, finally, the boats were I in and lashed and we were ' ready for sea." -'liUny-tluy. although perhaps settled on for weeks urefully concealed from all on board, even tli 11 u tenants and other minor officers not being permit- know it. Neither is the crew supposed to know (although it generally leaks out, somehow) whither the vessel is to proceed next. The reason of this secrecy, I do not know, except it is simply this, that the crew have no business to know, and therefore are not informed. At last, " all hands " were called one evening to " unmoor ship," the commodore came on board late at night, and morning we got under weigh, and bade good-bye to Rio. 5 of a pound of flour and two ounces of raisins twice a half a pint of rice twice a week, one-fourth of a pound each of butter and cheese, a gill ea;h of molasses an 1 vinegar twLe a week, a daily allowance of either tea, c >fFee, or cocoa (these a;c alternated), one and a half pcuods of beef four times per week, one and one- fourth pounds of pork thrice a week, and half a gill of grog twice a day, at breakfast and dinner. The boys are considerately deprived of their grog, receiving in lieu thereof the sum of sixty cents per month. The existence of mess cooks has been before alluded to. The berth-deck is the chief scene of their labors. There the mess chests are ranged between the guns, two messes occupying the space between every two gun?. There are between twelve and sixteen men in each mess, who have their rations served out in common, and it is for the pur- p:'M- of receiving the provisions from the purser's steward, i ring them for the ship's cook, and taking them of him again when cooked, that a mess cook is found neces- These, however, are not by any means his only 8. He is required to keep the place about his mess, on the berth-deck, in an extraordinary state of cleanli- to keep in good order the pots, pans, spoons, and utensils belonging to the iness, and to have every art irle under his charge ready for a daily inspection, by the first lieutenant. This inspection is extremely rigid. r llie \ >rej>a rations for it commence' daily at eleven o'clok : the lids of the mess chests are taken off, exposing the inside thoiMiurh examination; the various tin p its and pans, l-n-iiily MM. u red, are set in rows on the inverted lid. and looker doors are thrown widely open every 136 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: kind of concealment being strictly forbidden. At seven bells, half past eleven o'clock, the cooks stand by their mess chests, and the first lieutenant, accompanied by the master-at-arms, passes around. He has on his hands, for the occasion, white cotton gloves, and should he, in rub- bing these on the inside of any tins, or on any portion of the gear, get them soiled with grease or dirt, woe betide the unfortunate cook, whose organ of tidiness has lacked development he is sure to be paid with a flogging for the lieutenant's soiled gloves. The boilers in which the provisions are cooked, are subject to a similar daily in- spection made, however, by the doctor, instead of the first lieutenant. The coppers, or kettles, in which the victuals for seven hundred men are prepared, are. as may be readily imagined, of no small size. On our ship there were three, one for tea or coffee, one for meat, and another for rice or beans, or " duff'' 1 Each of these divisions was six feet deep by four feet wide, and between five and six long. In scouring them out, the cook's assistants climb down into them, using sand and canvas to scrub them clean. When ready for inspection, the doctor is called, and, standing on a ladder put down into each copper for the purpose, rubs his white-gloved hand along the surface and in every nook and c orner As in the case of the mess cooks, every mark on the gloves is scored upon the back of the delinquent scullion. The office of ship's cook is generally held by a colored man, they having been proved by experience to be the handiest or best suited for the place. The office was in olden times one of some dignity, and our old black cook used to relate with great glee, that when he was a boy in the SMUGGLING LIQUOR. 137 13ritish Navy, the ship's cook was privileged to wear a sword. " All same as Cap'en," said Cufty, with a grin. At seven bells, daily, the cook brings a sample of the crew's dinner to the officer of the deck, who tastes it to see that it is properly cooked, after which it is served out to the mess cooks, who set the table preparatory to dinner. While we were in Eio harbor, some of our tars, in whose heads the love of bad liquor set astir every bit of ingenuity of whijh they we:e the possessors, found means, notwithstanding the vigilance of the master-at-arms and his \vorthy co-adjut)rs, to snuggle on board considerable quantities of ali t uid, compound d, beyond doubt, of tur- pentine, water, and a dash of the country liquor to give it a tinge, but whLh they, good trusty souls, firmly believed to be excellent rum. On a skin of this, (as the bladders, in which it is secretly brought in, are called.) three or four of them would manage to get gloriously fuddled, over night, and wake up next morning in the brig, where they were retained in safe keeping until the vessel should proceed to sea, when their final punishment would take place, there being, as a general thing, no flogging done in harbor. By the kindness of a friend, who occasionally imbibed, I was permitted to get a look in id a smell at one of these mysterious skins, the safe a -rival of which on board always produced such a terrible -incut among the foretop men and fo ecastle men. I found it to be simply a beef's Madder, fillrd about half full with imaginary rum. Filthy looking, it certainly was; but the smell faugh! the pen of a whol->alo 1 o8 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: dealer in assafoetida would fail to do justice to that. I will not attempt it. The modus operandi by which these skins are smuggled on board, I was never permitted to know, such secrets being strictly confined to the breasts r<>\vn had transgressed by getting diuuk, is read aloud, and the master-at-ai ms ha\ ing helped the poor fellow off with his shirt and laid it loosely over his shoulders again, the quarter-masters are ordered to " seize him up.'' He is walked forward, on to the grating, to which his feet are sejurely fastened by lashings, his wrists being in like manner lashed to the hammock-Tail, above his head. A few moments of dread silence now intervene, during which, the chief boatswain's mate is seen nervously running his fingers thiough the cats. ' Boatswain's mate do your duty." He advances, and, poised on his right foot, swinging the cats over his back, takes deliberate aim at the human back spread before him. Thug, sounds the cat. " One" solemnly announces the mastei'-a.-arnis. The victim does not move. Thug two. Now the flesh on his back quivers and creeps, the injured muscles contract, and the stripes assume a bright n-d tinge. Thug three. The stripes turn a dark purple, and the grating shakes 140 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: convulsively with the reluctant start wrung from the strong man in agony. Thug four. Blood Oh! God, I could look no more, but burying my face in my hands, turned from the sickening scene. But still the dull thug resounded in my ears, folio we 1 toward the last by a low moan, until twelve was reached, when the boatswain's mate was stopped, the poor fellow taken down, his shirt flung over his bleeding back, and another victim called forth. About twenty were flogged that morning. Many mor^ times was I compelled to hear the sharp whistle of thj cat as it swung through the arr, and the dull sound of th^ blow as it met the quivering flesh ; but never more di 1 I see a man flogged. I fan^y that those editors and legislators who sit in their cozy arm-chairs, in office or congressional hall, and talk wisely about the necessity of flogging for sailors, need only on.e to witness the infliction of the punishment they think so needful, and experience within their own breasts the feeling of dark humiliation which falls upon the soul at seeing the manhood thus being scourged out of a fellow -creature, to alter their convictions as to the expediency of flogging. Let them see once the down look of the poor victim of a barbarous tyranny, and they will not say " it does not injure a sailor." Thank God, the counsels of mercy have prevailed and the American Navy is no longer disgraced by the lash. It may be asked here, what was the effect upon the rest of the ship's company ? Of visible effect there was FREEDOM OF SPEECH. 141 little. A man-of-war is not the place for too free an ex- pression of opinion. The regulations of the service d* not admit of freedom of speech. They contain such a word as mutiny, for which they provide " death, or such other punishment as a court-martial shall provide." And, as there can be no half-way talk concerning so brutal a practice aw flogging a human being a creature created in the image of God the consequence is an ominous silence. "A still tongue makes a wise head " nowhere more so than in the service, where it is truly said: " You are allowed to think what you please, but you must not think aloud." CHAPTER TH. THE South-East Trades A Gale off the Cape, and what suc- ceeded it St. Pauls and New Amsterdam Return to fine Weather Water-Spouts. WHEN we were once fairly in the south-east traces, then began one of the most delightful portions of our voyage. This wind is much more steady than the north- cast trades, and is carried much longer. Our course lying to the southward and eastward, we sailed by the wind, with larboard tacks aboard. Not being able to carry studding-s though a'.iirm'd that our good ship withstood a-1 his powers. Once in a while, a solitary cape pigeon would rifle tr -in a wave, only to be dashed with a shrill scream into the water again. It blew great guns. Our \ wallowed through the seas, rolling the mouths of the 10 146 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: main-deck guns under at every luroh. We had been all day preparing for the gale putting extra lashings on the guns, relieving-tacklcs on the tiller to ease the rudder, getting gratings and tarpaulins over the hatches, and double securing the boats, booms, ct3. This was the first real gale of wind we had yet seen. Now, for the first time, was our spar-deck wet with sprays. Even now, however, the vessel shipped no regular seas, washing everything fore and aft, as would be the case with a smaller vessel under such circumstances, but once in a while a great monster wave would lift its head against our side, and bursting when just reaching up to our upper ports, send a little deluge across the deck, to run out to the leeward. Life ropes had been ligged towards night, to prevent any one from being carried forcibly to leeward in the heavy lurches. At evening quarters every gun was thoroughly re-secured, and train-tackles, reaching from the guns to bolts in amidships of the deck, bowsed taught in order to take the heavy strain off the ship's side. The ports were closed as tightly as possible, and hammocks were piped down early, to give the watch below a chance to turn in, out of the wet and cold. A vessel of war is an uncomfortable place in a gale of wind. To be sure the large crew makes the labor of taking in sail and making all snug comparatively light. But while the merchant sailor, his work done, turns into his warm bunk, and keeps himself dry and comfortable comfortable comparatively speaking only, reader but all comfort is comparative the man-of-war's man. on going below, finds a wet and sloppy deck, up and down which he must puddle, the weary hours of his watch below. A G A I E V W I X D . 147 Hammocks are not allowed below during the day, seats there are none, or almost none ; to sit or lie down on the wet de,-k is impossible, and there is nothing for it but to walk, a proceeding that has the a iditional a ivaataje o keeping up the temperature of one's body, which is apt to get ow in the -absence of all fire, when the thermometer ranges only about ten degrees above the freezing point. In fai;t, the only comfortable place I could ever find on board our vessel, in a gale, was in the tops. There, with a tarpaulin wrapped about the weather ringing to keep ft' the .wind, and a jacket or two rolled around one's body to keep out the cold, there was an amount of real comfort to be gotten (comparative, of cours: 1 , as before said,) of which a landsman can have no idea. The captain was on dejk nea:ly all night, watching : ttenthvly the ' ehavior of the ship and the a tion of th) gale. All night great masses of scud swept wildly o er the sky, the wind in its fu y, tearing, twisting, and spinning it about, like cotton in a cotton gin. At twelve k, the gale had so much freshened as to make it necessary to take in the foretop-sail. On board a little larivhant < afr. this would now have been a piece of work to employ all hands for the better part of a watch. Here, a few maintop men were sent over to aid the foretop men, and. without disturbing the watch below, the rag was taken off her. In a strong <_ r ale of wind like this was, it is a critical ok every precaution. Manning the lee clew-line, that clew, or corner cf the sail, was hauled up until the the loa;h was stretched tightly along under the yard. Then In'ting the weather leach a little, by bracing in the yard, the weather cle vv-line was quickly run up ; the buutlines, previously released from their lizards on the yard, were triced up until the sail was entirely bound up by its rop , and it lay as quietly as though in a calm The topmen quickly stowed it, and we were snug again But scarcely had the last man gotten down off the top sail ya d be ore, with a n ise louder than thunder, the reefed "oresail split do.vn the middle cloth, and blew away to leeward, not leaving enough of the canvas in the r.pes to make a towel of. The rope and clews, all th t remained of that portion of the sail which was exposed to the fury of the gale, were quickly clewed up, and fastened to the yard. The strain which is brought upon a sail when it is tilled or distended by the wind, does not, by any means, fall upon all parts alike. The extremities receive the greater share, and to enable them to withstand this, the edges of the sail are lined with strong rope, to whL-h the sailcloth is secured in a peculiar manner. The perfect soundness and stability of this rope being of great importance to the sail, pains are taken to secure for that purpose a superior quality of ringing. A kind called bolt-rope, the yarns or minute strands of which ai'e CARRYING ON SAIL. 119 ith cspe.ial care, is exclusively used. Our is was a nearly i:ew sail but, unfortunately, the i defective, having probably gotten chafed or worn, and parting in a gust' of more than usual vio- lence, the whole sail blew aw y. On board a merchant ship, an accident of this kind would not be repaired until thj gale moderated; but a different spirit prevails in government vessels. Let them send the reef down on deok, Mr, Johnson/' said OUY captain, " and let the waisters of the watch go down into the sail-locker and bring up the other foicsail. We'll bend it immediately." The remnants of the torn sail were soon hauled down on deck, and the new one being stretched across the fore- . the rigging was bent, the sail reefed, then se urelj furled, and, taking advantage of a temporary lull, triced aloft, hauled out, and bent " Set it, sir," said the skipper, in answer to the boat- Mvain, who came aft to report the sail bent, and ready for hauling down. Old Pipes opened his eyes :< t this, for the gale was evi- d'-ntl y increasing instead of diminishing. The foretack was hc'l along aft, the watch clapped on it, and the r o >rner securely hauled down to the knight-heads, resheet bowsed down as far as the reefed sail would al <>w, and the ship, under the lifting influence of an additional forward sail, shipped less water, and rode over lip- sras lighter than before, ling on deck at eight o'clock next morning, we found a singular spectacle engaging the attention of the watch on deck. A little brig by hove to. a quarter of a 150 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: mile under our lee. She had evidently been brought to under a close-reefed maintopsail and foresail, and fore- topmast staysail, but all three of the sails had been blown clear of the bolt-ropes, and she was now riding under bare poles, with only a bit of tarpaulin spread in the main rigging. The ropes were still distended, tack nor sheet having been started, and the form of the lost sails thus fluttered in the gale. We could now see the power of the waves, as they tossed the little craft about as though she had been a chip. Once in a while, she would be lifted high up on a monster wave, which, receding from under her, exposed to our view the greater portion of her keel, leaving her to fall with a heavy sug into the trough of the sea, where she would lie for some minutes completely hid from our sight, until rising again upon the succeeding billow. The gale lasted all day and night, but died away toward the next morning, leaving us a terrible sea. Sail was made as the wind decreased, to keep her as steady as possible, but by noon it was nearly calm, with the sea running mountain high. This is the kind of weather whLh is most trying to spars and rigging. With no wind to steady the vessel, by bearing her down upon and against the water, the ship lies like an unwieldy monster at the mercy of the billows. Boiling down on one side till the guns are fairly dipped, and the lower yard-arms almost tou h the waters, she fetches up with a sudden and violent jerk, which makes her quiver to her keel, and threatens to take every stick out of her, falling meantime down on the other side, only to repeat the jerk. Thus we lay at the mercy of the sea, rolling gunwales down, THE DISCOMFORTS OK A GALE. 151 for twenty-four hours, topsails lowered on the cap, courses hauled up to keep them from slatting to pieces, tumbling about like a wreck upjn the waters. To walk about the decks was nearly impossible. If actually necessary to move, one watches the roll, and sitting down on the deck, slides down to the spot it is desired to reach Shot-boxes, shot-racks, match tubs, all the minor appur- tenances of war, which are common y allowed to stand loose in their places, were sliding about, to the evident danger of the limbs of passers-by. The cook threatened to suspend oper.tions in the galley but, finally, made out to cook half allowance, the bean soup actually roll- ing out of the coppers while cooking. At dinner, each man having secured his pan of soup, hastened to secure himself, for the purpose of consuming it. Some lashed themselves to guns and stancheons, and there swallowed their dinner at their ease. Others were perched in coils -I'Xing, where, being suspended clear of the deck, they had the advantage of retaining their perpendicular position, let the ship roll how she would. And others yet, -at themselves down 0:1 dejk, taking their chances of sliding into the scuppers, in some heavy lurch. Once, when an unusually heavy roll occurred. I heard a tre- mendous rattle of tin, and looking forward, saw a whole who had seated themselves around the cloth, slid- ing gloriously down to leeward, on the seats of their trowsers, fetching up against the side with a force which must have been of material service in settling their
  • iut at which we would touch. As soon as the vessel was once more on an even keel, was a general wash-day, to give all hands an oppor- tunity of getting the salt water out of their wet clothes, ; dry them. 1 1 was still quite cold and raw, but implied by necessity, stern necessity, which knows not ]>itv. i.i.r i ares for raw fingers nor frosted toes, the writer hereof " pulled off his coat and rolled up his sleeves," took off his shoes and stock HILTS, and tucked up his trow- sers above his knees, to shiver for two mortal hours ovei a tub full of clothes, which, having got wet and soiled during the late gale, required immediate renovation. 154 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Pity Oh ! washerwomen of America pity poor Jack, who sits shivering upon a gun-slide, and rubs the skin off his knuckles in vain attempts to transfer the dirt (save the mark) from, his shirts to the water. Verily, washing clothes twelve degrees south of the cape, is a commend able instance of the pursuit o:" cleanliness under dim' culties. Aided by a fair and freshening breeze, a few days sufficed to overcome the distance between us and the islands of which we were next to get a sight ; and on the eighth day after the ga'e, the cry of " land-ho !" from the maintop mast-head gave us to understand that the object of our search was attained. The land was right ahead, and a few hours sailing b. ought us within a couple of miles of its most no .them point. The isles of St. Pauls and Amsterdam are situated in latitude thirty-eight south, and longitude seventy-seven degrees twenty- two minutes east. Bare and sterile, unproductive of aught of ornament or use, their sole tenants are the seabirds which congregate there to hatch out their young, and a fev goats, descendants of a pair left there some years ago by a benevolent whaling skipper, who thus made provision for some future shipwreck. A French vessel was cast away upon St. Pauls some fifteen years ago, and the crew lived there in lonesome suspense nearly two years before they were taken off by an accidentally passing American whale ship. It was this whaling captain, who, passing that way again on his next voyage, landed upon St. Pauls a pair of goats, whose descendants have stocked the island. Getting the bearing and distance of the land, and RKNOVATINO THE SHIP. 155 having thus a fresh p i it of departure, we now packed on all sail, and steei-e.1 towards the north. Day by day \vc rim-r^'d out of the cold mistol' the southern latitudes into the bright, warm sunshine of a more temperate It seemed as though a thick curtain was being drawn away from l.efore the sun.. What a privilege the s:ii <>r en'oys in being able to bring before him thus in the course of a few short weeks, all the seasons of the year, from rugged autumn and frosty winter, to genial spring and torrid summer. Each day we now experienced a different climate, graduating from a most uncomfortably raw, damp, and cold atmosphere, which brought the thermometer quite to the freezing point, through all the shades and qualities of spring weather, until, in three weeks, we were swelter- ing under the burning sun of the equator. As soon as we got a^ain into warm weather, all hands set to work scrubbing the ship, inside and out, masts and all. The mists in the southern latitudes have a ]>i uliar effect upon white paint, settling upon it in a thi k mildew, which lojks precisely like dirt, and is lingly hard to rub off. Our paintwork had long un eyesore to the commander, who, in fact, had the r failing blacklists going around with hand-swabs <>r mops, and buckets, daily, washing off the previous niirht's accumulations of mildew; but their efforts were not sufficient to keep it 1 oking neat Taking advantage, "f one of the first fine days we were favored with, on our return to the north, soap, sand, canvas, and > . ,.11 quantities of fresh \\aU-r were served out. an riy i;i the morning. Ly eight lolls in I f>6 MAN-OF-WAR L I F E : tlie afternoon we had the old craft looking as bright as a new pin. And from henceforth, scrubbing off the paint- w rk was added to the morning labor of washing decks, and a very disagreeable addition it was. as I experienced, it becoming my diurnal duty to scrub off one side of the po p deck. There is no class of vessels, however un:-leanly their occupation, from the whaleman, and even the old cod- fisherman, up to the dandy Indiaman and the man-of-war, about which there may not be found some piece of fancy- work, some favored pla?e, on the cleaning and ornamenting of which the mate or captain has set his heart, and in their regard toward which, these worthies may be said to have a certain weakness. Your grand-banker, who may be smelt a mile off, on a smooth day, if you are so unfor- tuiuteas to be under his lee who lives, moves, and has his being in the midst of decaying codlivers and decayed fish who stumps about all day in tough oil-clothes, and sea-beots with soles an inch thick, washes his face once a month, and cuts a notch in the mainmast when he changes his shirt this same rusty old fellow will look thunder at you, should you by accident place a soiled shoe upon his half-deck, and will wash this little favored oasis in the surrounding wilderness of dirt, every day of his fishing cruise. The right whale-man, whose main-de jk is made visible viiyby i amoving a superficial deposit of at least two inches in thickness of gummy train oil, will holystone the poop-deck every Saturday afternoon, and place a spit- toon beside the helmsman, that the immaculate purity of that little spot may not be defiled by the extract of A C A !' T A 1 N ' S I P Y S I N C R A S I E S. 1 57 The merchant captain pays often more attention to the brightness of his paint-work than to the <-tness of his reckoning, and prizes more highly the sailor who can turn in a dead eye snugly, or tit up a neat ]>ai.- f man ropes, than him who gives the heaviest pull on the halyards, or is first at an earing. But on board a I of war there perfect cleanliness and neatness is tlr ne grand desideratum, to the attainment of which, no htbor is spared, no pains shunned, no time considered lost. From five to seven, we holystone decks. From srvcn to eight we clean bright-work. At half-past eight the sweepers " sweep down/' At seven bells, morning and afternoon, they repeat the sweeping, and even at half-past seven at night, that portion of the half-deck which is lighted up is carefully re-swept. \Voe betide the careless fellow whom the lynx-eyed first lieutenant, or his worthy coadjutor, the boatswain, has it spitting upon the deck. He is condemned for the month, to carry about with him a spittoon, for the :.irn<.-e of such of his shipmates as may indulge in tin 1 luxury of chewing tobacco : a perambulating spit-box, at the command of every passer by. Having gotten our paint-work thoroughly cleansed, "W hauled up from their tiers the oiassive chair raMrs. which were stretched along decks, in order t<> have the rust beaten and rubbed off the links. All day long, for a week, all hands sat over these Cables, I'ounilini: and clinking away, like an army of amateur -niitlis. th MI caivt'ully scouring an I dusting each nk, and after having its soundness tested by the 1 ~>8 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: armorer, daubing it over with a mixture of coal-tai and lacquer. This done, and the cable re-stowed in the hold, the gun carriages were stained, the guns blackened, the stancheons lacquered, the masts scraped, the rigging tar- r.d, the mast-heads varnished, and so on, ad infinitum, until bj -the time all was done matters were in proper trim to re-commence at the beginning and do it all over again. Nor is all this scrubbing, and scouring, and scraping, and sweeping altogether unnecessary. It is singular how fast, at sea, far away from the dust and smoke of the shore, the decks and sides of the vessel will become soiled. Jt is told of Captain Cook, who was a species of aqueous Benjamin Franklin, and sought for a reason for all the minor phenomena of every-day life at sea, that he searched long and attentively, on one of his voyages in circum- navigating the globe, into this mystery, but was at last compelled to leave its elucidation to some future marine Solomon. After crossing the southern tropic, we met with fre- quent calms. The farther north we got, the more unset- tled became the weather, the more frequent the rains and light, baffling breezes, giving occasion for much working ship, without setting us in a corresponding degree forward on our way. It was in such weather as this, and when yet over a week's sail from Java Head, that I saw for the first time a water-spout. One day, when the clouds hung particularly low, and looked a dull black, as though surcharged with water, a light breeze sprang up and blew down toward us several spouts. One 'ap- proached quite near, comparatively speaking, say within W A T E II - S POUTS HO \V FORMED. 1 ~ 9 ;u i eighth of a mile, and, on looking at it through a spy- 1 beheld the singular specta le of water from the s a apparent y being drawn up into the clouds, through tin- inside of the double funnel which formed the spout. \s ! afterward frequently witnessed the formation of a .spp ns in the middle, just above the little cen- tral peak, and a long, narrow tube or tongue shoots down toward th- water. It is returned again to the cloud, and 14 ) GO MAN-OF-WAR LIFE. now the peak ascends to meet it. They do not succeed, and each returns again to its place, only however for an- other trial ; and this time the two minute tubes touch, the junction is effected, the pipes instantly swell to larg^ dimensions still remaining smalLr in the middle, how- ever, than they are at any other other portion of the r body and the water begins to pass in a thin column up through the center of the spout. That the salt water of the ocean actually goes up into the cloud and there remains, is not probable ; but it certainly goes part of the way up. All this time, the spout is moved over the sur- face of the water by the force of the wind. It has the precise shape of an hour-glass, and makes a dull hissing roar, apparently caused by the constant and rapid com- motion of the waters within its circumference. It some- times happens that a cloud coquettes for a long time with the whirlwind, but is not able finally to form a con- nection with the ocean, and it at last turns away, as though in disgust at its ill success. In such cases, the whirlwind evidently lacks strength to raise the water of the ocean skyward. I was never fortunate enough to see one in the act of breaking, although I have frequently heard them. 'Their fall causes a loud noise, somewhat like the breaching of a whale, or distant thunder, and the mass of falling water makes a great turmoil in the ocean. CHAPTER IX. ARRIVAL at Java Head Javanese Bum-boats Batavia The .Native Boatmen Sail for China' Sea Serpents Becalmed off Borneo Nearly Ashore Short Allowance of Water Th Commodore's Water-Curc Wormy Bread. AT length one rainy morning, the joyful cry of "land ho ! " from an old quartermaster who had for some hours been perched aloft, spy -glass in hand, announced that we i 't far (ii-taut from our haven. By the aid of a reczc, eight bells in the afternoon found us at the entrance to the harbor. But slight mention .<*retofore been made of the little si >op-of-war that paired us on our voyage. The sailing qualities of our ship were so far superior to hers, that it was found to keep her in sight, astern, without our going iitly under short sail, or lying to, several hours out nty-four. Her captain had therefore received iling directions shortly after leaving Rio, and we Boon after lost sight of her, astern, and left her to make the 1> st <>f her way to Java alone, ^e were now eager to know if she had gotten in before us, and every eye ra ined ;n we slowly rounded the point behind which an -1 1.. rage, to see if there was any vessel in har- ling her. A man upon the mainroyal yard, 162 MAN-OF-WAK LIFE: who was able at that hight to look over a portion of the land, reported a vessel at anchor within. " Can you make her out ? " asked the captain. " She's a large ship, with black yards, and painted ports, sir." "Do you think she looks like our consort vessel ? ** sung out the commodore. After a good look, nis hands during an entire three years' cruise, among all the curiosities and harmless luxuries of foreign lands, in oidcr that he may have a chance to spend his pile in drunken orgks at the end of the cruis.\ However unjust ii nd impolitic such a course seems, it is the one almost universally adopted in the navy. ( Hir crew received but ten dollars per man, of their wages, in the course of a cruise lasting three years, and that was given to them in \ 7 alparaiso, where almost every cent of it was spent in a three days' drunken frolic o i shore. From Java Head, the commodore proceeded overland to Batavia, and in a few days a Dutch steamer was sent around to tow our ship into Batavia Bay. Here we la/ for four weeks, just out of sight of the city, which i \ nine miles distant f.orn the outer anchorage. Here our ival Kast Indian life began. The heat of the sun and the prevalence of malaria this one of the most fatal places to Europeans or -. in all the East. Strict orders were, therefore, by the su -geon, that no one was to be exposed to these influences, and a course was adopted which, in great -are, preserved health on board ship. All hands were called at four o'clock, A. M. From then till six. the decks were scrubbed, the bright-work cleaned, and ev rything cleared up. At six, which is in these tropiral regions the hour of sunrise, the awniiurs were 1 tor-- and aft, curtains drawn down from th-.- awn- in.irs t the t< j> of the rail, excluding <>U th" sun, and the balance of the day was devoted to sewing, reading, talk- inir. >r tl: '/ K> 6 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: The awnings produce an agreeable current of air along the upper deck of the vessel, making it pleasantly cool. The open ports afforded us delightful views of the low shore, with its thick jungle of dark cool-looking green. The only drawback to our enjoyment (and to me it was a most material one) , was that we were debarred from all contact with the shore, which, looking so quietly beauti- ful, was yet said to contain within its umbrageous shades the germ of every fatal fever. Even our boats' crews remained on boa:d, three boats' crews of Malays performing all the boating duty. These boatmen were objects of much curiosity to me. They were brought on board one day by a Malay gentleman, a swarthy, ferocious-looking fellow, with a fierce moustache and keen eye, and a snake-like gliding in his walk, which put one somehow in mind of the long, curved, glistening kryss he carried by his side, of which weapon these people know how to make such fearful use. Far different from him, in appearance, however, were the poor fellows who were hired to. do our drudgery of boat- ing. These are stolid-faced men, with a look of bloated brutality, and a treacherous, thieving twinkle in their little eyes, which makes one involuntarily shrink from them. They all chew the betel nut, with lime. Their teeth and lips are in consequence as black as ink,, and their capacious mouths, \\hcn open, remind one of an tutwhite- washed sepulchre. They slept upon deck, and were under the direction of an old man. who was their sercmg or boatswain, and whom they implicitly obeyed. They spoke but little English, but the gift of an occasional T II K * '!' 11 A I T S O if M A C A S ri A 11 . 107 biscuit made the old serang ray friend, and he used to entertain me with wonderful stories of serpents and of the far-famed Upas t.ee of Java, the last of his yarns always exceeding iu incredibility all former samples, until me day, I took him to account for lying so. His black mouth opened wide, and with an easy grin, he replied : 44 Oh ! raassa, me tink you b'lieve all. But neber mind, I stuff somebody else. Green-horns swallow um so," and he took down half a biscuit to exemplify the way in which his wonders were hoisted i;i. Having taken in our due supp'y of water, the necessity for which was the principal cause of our stoppage here we once more got under weigh, and proceeded to sea. this time bound direct to China. It had been determined, that on leaving Batavia we should stand over toward Bo.ne), and enter the China Sea by way of the St aits of Macass .r and the Sooloo Ar liij-.-la.L' . a rather dangerous path for a large ship, or for any ship in fact, but chosen on this occasion because the lateness of the season, in regard to the monsoons, \vould allow us better slants by this way, than going by the usual aud more open passage of the Straits of Gaspar, and past the entrance of the Gulf of Siam. Gliding slowly along the smooth water, we were scarcely out of sight of the higher points of Java before the tall peaks of Borneo hove in sight By the aid of several little cat's paws, or light flaws of wind, we succeeded, iii a week from the date of leaving Batavia, in entering the Straits of Ma assar, having then Borneo on our left, and on on, ri-ht ( t'lebes, the largest of the group denominated the Si.kv Islands. 15 168 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Drifting along one chy, near the latter island, oie looking over the bows, descried a snake leisurely basking upon the water, close aboard, the ship not making ripple enough to disturb him. A veritable sea-serpent, he was to be sure; not, certainly, of the dimensions usually ascribed to that animal, for, as far as I could judge, watching him as he slowly d lifted astern, he was not more than ten feet long, but, nevertheless, a sea-serpent. Let no one say that the tou2;h yarns which occasionally appear in the papers, to the delight of wonder-imbibing shores-men, are not at least <% founded on fact." These salt water snakes are not often met with in the latitude where we saw this specimen, but they abound on the lonely coasts of New Holland, and not un equen tly prove troublesome to the whale-men, who frequent the bays of that and adjacent islands, in pursuit of the humpback whale. Their bite is said to be a deadly poison, and the miserable natives of New Holland, who enter the water boldly to contend with the voracious shark for a meal of blubber, run affrighted from the vicinity of one of these animals. The specimen which we saw, was, as before said, apparently about ten feet long, very thick for its length, of a dark red color, its scales shining, like burnished copper. It was furnished with a fin on its tail, somewhat like that of an eel, and had probably in addition two little side fins, although we did not notice these. Getting under the tall peaks of Borneo, we lay for some days becalmed, and at the mercy of the currents, which are very capricious and irregular in these narrow seas. On the third day, we had drifted close in shore, under an A CALM NEAR BORNEO. 1G9 iimurns:' mountain, win h had on-e been a volcano. Toward uftcruojn, it became apparent that the current was setting the vessel directly toward the land, now not above two miles off, and that, unless there came a breeze, evening would find us in close: proximity to the sho;-e than was desirable, with a ship of such heavy d aught as ours. There were indications of a coming breeze all day, but we waited in vain for its arrival. Our sails hung listlessly against thj masts, and not a ripple disturbed the mil ror- like surface of the ocean. We ha 1 tried in vain to get .-oundin^s, finding no bottom with a hundred fathoms of Hue out ; and our hopes of being able to anchor, should we ! e carried in too close, were lut faint, as these islan :s not unfrc'iuently rise stiaight up from the bottom o ' the : ca, and a ship of the line might run her jib-boom ashore, &nd then not find bottom with her longest chain cable.* This being the situation of affairs,, and sundown >.orni. g on, without the expected breeze, the boats were gotten out t.nd sent ahead to tow her bow off shore, and vor to stem the current. The natives had been watching our motions, or rather lack of motions, all d: y and as soon as it was dark built a huge firo on the spot on which they evidently expected the ship to go iisho.e. It was for some time a qu2stion whether our bo.ts <;id in IK- h good, although the crews were u'ged to the most 8 ivimous exertions by the capt.in and first lieuten.nt. lint ah ut ten o'clock, avast cloud win h Ir.al gathered over our heads, emptied its contents on us , nd tli soon started up a little breeze, by the aid of which we were enabled in a short time to incivas our 170 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: from the beach, to the manifest disappointment of the natives, whose shouts had for sometime come to us faintly over the still waters. The dysentery had made its appearance on board shortly after our arrival at Batavia, attacking most severely several of the stoutest and heartiest of the crew. The chief surgeon was of opinion that the water obtained there, which was rain-water collected during the rainy season in vast tanks, on which the entire city depends for its supply of drinking water, was a fruitful source of sickness, on account of its impurity. In order to lessen the evil, therefore, as muc*i as possi- ble, we were placed upon an allowance of three quarts of water per day per man, three pints of which were used for cooking purposes, thus leaving, to quench our thirst, only the pittanje of three pints for twenty-four hours. When it^ is taken into consideration that this WuS under an Indian sky, where the slightest exertion in working ship, or other labor, makes one pant with thirst, it may be supposed that our allowance was small enough for the most economical. There was a good deal of grumbling, especially among the old tars, who swore great oaths at " Old Chew-Your-Bcans," as the surgeon was nick- named, from a way he had of tracing nearly all the ills that sailor flesh is heir to, to the lack of properly masticating their food. Nevertheless, the old doctor was right, and many a hearty, hale tar doubtless owed his continued life and health to the wise forethought of the very man whom he was condemning as an old humbug. Some of the fore- topmen took the matter more to heart than any of the S II K T A L L W A N C K OF WATER. 171 rest, and a party of them conceived the brilliant'idea of in uk ing an appeal to the humanity of the commodore, by causing him to be informed that c rtain of their number had been reduced to such extremity, by thirst, as to be Minpell d to satisfy their longings with salt water. The Commodore's private servant was bribed to state this yarn t his master, on his own responsibility, which he duly efore mentioned, that this was stowed in a bread- room, taking up a large portion of the stem of the vessel. Notwithstanding this was kept as tightly closed ' as possible, the bread had for s .me time been full of wo-vils little gray bugs, looking, on a minute i 9] somewhat like u miniature dq>ha'.t. They have ; boscis, or trunk, just like that animal, are about the size 171 M A X -OF W A R LI F E : of a small ant, and hop about like a flea. It wag rr/ccssavy to split a biscuit in halves before eating it, to shake these little fellows out although this trouble was not always taken. Now, however, a more serious evil infected our bread. The biscuit suddenly be:-ame infested with white worms, (it is no use to shrink from the tale, 'tis the plain truth,) and these disgusting animals ate out all the inside of the biscuits, leaving nothing for us who got it at second- hand but a thin and tasteless crust. Yet this bread we were compelled to cat for there was none other. At first it went pretty hard with us, but what will not custom and hunger do. I had always fancied that the stories of worm-eaten bread, and water, the smell of which would cause violent nausea, were a little more than apocryphal ; but here we experienced both. I have seen drinking water pumped out of our tanks, into a butt on de:k, which smelt so abominably as to make any approach to it utterly impos- sible, ere it had stood in the open air an hour or two. The gases arising from it, as it issued from the pump, would cover the paint all over the vessel with a copper- colored sediment, which it was almost impossible to get off. And I have seen a biscuit literally crawl off the mess-cloth, on which stood the mess dinner. But let us leave this subject. It was only mentioned as one of the incidents of the voyage incident to every India voyage and to show how sailors do fare some- times, and not unfrequently either. . CHAPTER X. DEATH of a Lieutenant Funeral at Sea Pedro Blanco- China The Pilot Lintin Bay The Bocca Tigris Chi- nese Forts Junks The Tartars Bumboats The River- Chinese Children The Duck Boats A Visit to Manilla The Cholera on Board Return to Macao Amoy The Crew ask for "Liberty," and are refused The Chinese Governor Chusan. SHORTLY after we left Batavia, one of our lieutenants did very Suddenly and was, of course, buried at sea. Tliis \\as not the first death on board, by several, but as this was the first and only occasion duiing our whole cruise on which the entire ceremonies provided for funeral u:iced clear and distinct fore and aft the decks. As he came to the close of the service, eight bells were struck, and, at the words, " we now commit this body to the deep,' 1 two gray-haiied quartermasters reverently raised the inner end of the plank aloft there was a momenta] y FUNERAL AT SEA. 177 grating noise, a dull splash in the water and all that was mortal of our deceased shipmate was gone to its long home. The marines now advanced t j the gangway and fired a treble salute over tho grave of the departed, and all was over. The boatswain " piped down," the maintop- sail was filled, and we stood on our course. The burial of a foremast hand is conducted with much less ceremony. The ship is not brought to, unless there is a very strong breeze, which makes it necessary, in order to steady her. Poor Jack, sewed up in his hammock, is borne to the gangway by his mess-mates, and, a portion only of the funeral service being read, the corpse is launched into the ocean while many a long and lingering look is cast after it by those to whom daily intercourse has endeared the departed. Many a bronzed and furrowed cheek have I s.en wet by tears when committing to the deep the remains of some loved shipmate, whose cheerful " aye, aye " would never more be heard by us whose strong arm and sure hand had stood by us in many a gale and tempest. A funeral at sea is a deeply impressive occasion. The daily, nay hourly intercourse necessarily existing between tl:'- various individuals composing a vessel's crew, does not fail to bring out all the better qualities of the niu, and when lie is gone, there is a vacant place at the mess. <>u tho yard, at the gun, and we feel that, we have lost a oui'.j.union, rough perhaps, but kind, one who has shared our hardships and pleasures, together with whom we have battled the storm and braved the billow. And it is good 12 178 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: to hear how, in all after mention of the departed, his better qualities and deeds only are remembered ami the vail of charity drawn over his faults. Making our way slowly through the straits, and be- tween the numerous isles of the Sooloo Archipelago, now favored by a little summer breeze, now becalmed, and drifting at the mercy of the manifold currents, we at length entered the China Sea, and by the aid of a favor- ing breeze drew to the northward. On December twenty- fifth, Christmas day, we made land, being the bleak and desolate-looking rock called Pedro Branco, lying in latitude twenty-two degrees nine- teen minutes, and longitude one hundred and fifteen degrees, east, distant from the mouth of Canton River about two hundred miles. Much to my surprise, as we neared the coast of China, it had been growing bitterly cold, and on Christmas morning, the weather was quite frosty. I had thought the southern portion of China to be a land of eternal summer, but now found that the Celestial year was sea- soned with quite a fair allowance of cold. On December twenty-seventh, in the morning, we were hailed by a small Chinese junk, from which we received a Chinese pilot. The first thing the pilot did, after showing his creden- tials to the captain, and explaining to him that if he got the vessel into difficulty, his head would pay the forfeit, was to go aft and alter the course very slightly. The next thing was to motion to the steward, whom he instinct- ively picked out of a crowd that curiosity to see a live THE CHINESE PILOT. 179 specimen of the Celestial Empire had drawn aft, to get hi in a light for his segar. 1 1 was in vain that the captain protested against the niihrard-o.' enormity of smoking on the 411:11 tor-deck. In vain he represented to him by the most lively panto- mine for the pi'ot, very judiciously, ' no understand Inglee" that tobacco was a filthy weed, and the quarter- deck of a man-of-war a most unsuitable place in which to indulge in its use. The more energetically the captain motioned, the more obstinately John Chinaman clung to his segar ; and when at last the captain forbade any one from getting " the littee fire " which was asked for, Johnny very sensibly walked down to the galley and helped himself, and soon re-appeared by the side of the quarter-master at the con, behind a very good-flavored choc root. Favored by a strong tide and fair wind, at ten o'clock that night, we dropped anchor in Lintin Bay. We had been sailing all day at too g.eat distance from land to be able to distinguish anything except the mere flat shore rising in blue and black ridges above the surface of the waves. The night was too dark to see much of the now not distant shores, except the dim outline and the occasional faint glimmer of a light from a poor fisherman's hut on the beach. We boys were all excitement at the thought of at last being in China, and after the sails were- furled and all was quiet, a little party of us climbed into the ) and lay down tlure, covering tarpaulins and ]T;I -jackets over us to keep out the cold, while we looked at the distant shore, so "chuck full " of romance to us, ISO MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: and laid out plans for future adventures, talked over the Chinese wall, the grand canal, and the great city of Pekin, where no one was permitted to go, and imagined a handled wonderful and romantic scenes, in which, of course, we desired to be the chief actors. I scarcely slept that night, so eager was I to behold, with my own eyes, some of the wonders wherewith I had long been regaled at second and third hand, from books of travel, geographies, and China plates, cups and sau- cers, and which I fondly hoped would find their com- nienjement nere upon the borders of the Celestial Empire. What was my disappointment, on going on deck in the morning, to find in place of the dinner-plate scene my fancy had pictured out, nothing but a rather bleak and sparsely-wooded shore, with a few common-looking huts ranaed along the beach, past which swept a tide of water but very little clearer than the Mississippi itself. So very " chancy " like had the little pilot looked when he came on board the preceding day, with his diminutive pig-like eyes, his high cheek-bones, his loose petticoat trowsers, and the tasseled cap whereby hung a tail, or queue of hair, descending to his middle that I expected at least to wake up with a pagoda on either side of the ship, and a tea-garden, full manned, immediately ahead. Shortly after breakfast, wind and tide serving, we got unclerweigh and proceeded up the river, coming to anchor however as soon as the tide turned, as the breeze was not strong enough to carry us up against the current. While underweigh, a large American vessel, the Onei da, passed us, outward bound, with all sail set, her little THE liOCCA TIGRIS. 181 moon-sails ami royal studding-sails looking like po/kef ha IK I!-: IT hie "3 spread to the breeze. At this anchorage \v- remained two days, sciubbing and cleaning the ship, ma' in ; her presentable to visicors. Here the commodore ]i-ft us for Canton, engaging on his way up, and sending on board, a large quantity of potatoes, and some Chinese beef, which last is not by any means so tender or palat- ab'e as that raised in the Mississippi Valley. Having refitted, we once more got underweigh, this time with a head wind, to work up to our intended an- chorage, at the Boc.a Tigris, just below the famous ]tntjne Forts, on which the Chinese placed so much dep ndence, in their war with England, to keep the I h-itish barbarians from Canton, and in which it was afte ward found that the soldiers had been chained to their posts, to prevent them from running away, and the guns were imbedded in sol'd masonry, which, to le sure, kept them from kicking, but also rendered them entirely H for firing at any object not directly in point blanc lanirr We reached the Bjgue by four days' hard labor, beatinpr to windward every in h of the way, most of the time in a very narrow channel. As we got up the river, the prospect began to look more China-like. An occasional pagoda, along shore, peeping out from amid surrounding trees, the curious little sanpans, or row-boats, which dot the surface of the river, and once in a while a vast junk, with great awk- ward mat sails, and her bow and stern towering like mountains over the water, the waist being low enough to jump aboard all these things served to keep alive oui y. and make us enger to see what was to come. 182 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Gxtting higher up, we were boaided by a mandarin, 'who oame alongside in a mandarin boat These fellows, with their singular boats, are a sort of river police, for the prevention of piracies and opium smuggling. The boats are very long and narrow, and are propelled at a tremendous rate through the water, by the power of oars alone, of which they carry from forty to sixty on a side. Their crews ranging from eighty to one hundred and twenty men, are well armed, and each boat generally carries a three or four pound swivel in the bows. They often have desperate fights with the pirates on the river coast, and not unfrequently come off se:ond best in these encounters. From the opium smugglers they receive no meroy, as they give none; the punishment attached to this offense being the highest knjwn to the Chinese law, that of squeezing to death, in a frame of wood which surrounds the victim, and is pulled together by some peculiar machinery att iched to it. Once at the Bogue, preparations were made for a long stay. The sails were unbent, a mooring swivel put upon the cables, to save the trouble of taking out the turns which get into them by the swinging of the ship, at the turning of the tides, the boats \?ere gotten out, and awnings, not yet needed, on account of the cold weather, repaired and refitted. Our life during the three months we remained here, was a very dull, monotonous one. The Bocca Tigris or Bogue, is simply an anchoring- place for Jarge vessels. It lies about midway between and Whampoa, and there is no town, or even CANTON RIVER. 183 considerable village in its immediate vicinity. The shores of the river here are plain, and there is nothing to attract tin- attention of the stranger, ex ept the now dismantled forts before spoken of, and some pagodas or joss-houses, \vliciv the piously-inclined Chinese mariner leaves his fan-well propitiatory oiferinr, on going to sea. The river was the most lively portion of the alt)gether dull scene. Here the Tartar boats, the inhabitants of which, by a decree of the Celestial Emperors, are not allowed to remain on shoie at night, and thus live entirely up n the waters, were sailing about all day long. The daily passage of the regular Canton and Macao packets, called fast boats, probably because they are not fast at all, relieved somewhat the tedium of passing time, and the occasional passing of some great hulk of a Chinese . I unk with her vermillion streaked side, her many-storied poop, enormous rudder, and great go;igle eyes painted on fin- bluff bows, was a grand event with us. I enquired of our Chinese compradore (the individual who furnishes the ship with all the provisions, etc., n fled,) the object of these eyes. He answered me, with a shrug of contempt at my ignorance : "Ayah ! John, no hab eyes, how can see," a proposition so extremely logical as to be unanswerable. Certainly it' rhinese sailors are no smarter than they look, their junks have need of all the eyes they can obtain to get al>ng safely. The Ixunboats were the places of greatest interest to us, debarred as we were from visiting the shore. Here -omcwhat of the manner of life of the L6 184 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Tartar families; and in them, too, was brought off, for sale, iJl that could be obtained even at Canton ; besides a superabundant supply of fruits, fresh and p escrved, of all kinds, which grew plentie. as the season advanced, there weie stores of ivory and sandal wood ans, shawls, aad pictures of all kinds, and innumerable objects carved in ivory and rare woods, as also Japanned ware boxes, etc., of rare and curious workmanship. The boatj? were all:/ wed alongside for four hours each day, and I used to pass pretty' much all that time in them, examining the curiosities, and watching the owners cooking, eating, and going through their daily household avocations. Alas ! poor me, I was condemned, along with the rest of the crew, to be a longing looker on, having no funds to purchase of the many beautiful objects which ' delighted our eyes. Grog money being again served out to the boys while we lay here, we were occasionally enabled to indulge in some of the delicacies which were displayed in the boats, such as the delicious little mandarin oranges, with their loose rind, the nice cakes, and once in a while a pot of preserved ginger, or a little package of preserved oranges. But beyond this we were unwilling lookers on in our limited sphere. The lad who starts to see the world in a, man-of-war, thought I often to myself, is a great goose, for he takes the very best way not to see anything of it. The queer little Chinese children were my great delight. A little China man is like a little pig, or more yet like a little elephant : he is born with ths same face, the same sedate look, and has (in their incipiency, of course,) the identical tail, and the old-fashioned ways CHINESE CHILDREN. 181 which he will have when he arrives at old age. He ia virtually and literally what he is called a little China- To prevent the diminutive little creature from drown- hould he accidentally crawl overboard, a light buoy, made of a large calabash, is carefully fastened under his arms, and this he drags with him, in his perambulations about the deck, which is his play ground. But he doea not play He is already an observer, a silent one (I never heird a Chine- e baby cry), evidently storing his little mind with u eful knowledge, initiating him elf in'o the mysteries of trade, ami le miinjr tl e weak points < f the sui'.ors, whom, following in the foot tcps of his illus- trious parents, ho is in tun-, in days to con-e, to t he-tit Next to the bum-boats, the large duck-boats which sail up and down the i iver were the objects of greatest " curiosity to us. Having to pass their entire lives on water, it is natural that all manner of trades should be carried on by these Tartar people on board th ir floating homes. But the rearing of immense quantities of ducks would seem to be rather an out-of-the-way busi- ness to be conducted in boats. The boats, which are of large size, contain from five hundred to two thousand ducks each, with which their owners sail about, stopping at regular intervals on the shore, and allowing their stock to go up into the paddy- fields, to feed. A plank is placed at the little door, by which they walk out, and march in regular procession up to the field. After having fed a sufficient time, the owner, standing HI the boat's deck, utters a peculiar, loud, shrill whistle 186 MAN-OF-WAR LIKK: on heaiing which the du;ks are seen waddling down to their home in the greatest haste, crowding over and jostling one another in their hurry to get aboard. The master stands at the gangway with a small stick, with which he gives the last one aboard a slight tap, as pun- ishment for his delinquency. At the entrance to the bo it, there is as much jostling, pushing, and rudeness displayed, as at the doors of some metropolitan theater when a fashionable player is about to hold forth. It is wonderful how so stupid a bird as the duck can be trained to the performance of such apparently sensible actions ; but the force of example forms the manners of the young ones, and as they grow up they in turn commu- nicate to the rising generation their regular habits. After lying at our moorings nearly eighty days, during which time the ship's rigging had b:en thoroughly refit- ted, and her hull scraped and painted, we at last once more lifted our anchors and set sail for Manilla. A twelve days' passage brought us to this place, the capital of Luzon, the largest of the Philippine group. Here, on the day after our arrival, the Asiatic cholera made its appearance among our crew, making of the ship a regular charnel house. We remained in the port only six days, during which time twenty of our crew died of this disease. The first victim was a young friend of mine from Philadelphia Poor George and I had spent the evening talking about the strange scenes, and about home, and parted at nine o'clock wondering whether we should be allowed a run ashore when we got back to Macao. At one o'clock, I was awakened and told that he was MANILLA TIIBJ CHOLERA. 187 dead I saw an ensi n (a particular one, which was used on such occasions) hung up around the l.ct\\:-rn two guns near my hammock, and peering out over the upper edge, saw a corpse stretched out on a few rough boards. Jumping out, I went to view it. I should never have known it for the corpse of my old friend. The cheeks, lately so full and flushed with health, were sunken. The eyes seemed to have altogether dis- appeared. The whole face was turned of a dull yellowish black, and the entire foi m of the body appeared changed. He was buried ashore next morning. Before another sun set, three more had paid the last great debt, and men were being taken down every few- hours. The next day, a scene revolting to all the feelings of humanity occurred. There was but one man in the brig \\hen we came into harbor. I do not now remember his offense it was slight, however. It was judged by the surgeon inexpedient to keep any one in confinement dur- ing the prevalence of the epidemic, so he was released ; but first, all hands were called to witness punishment, and the captain had a dozen administered to him this while a corpse was lying on the half-deck, and two men were in the agonies of dissolution in the sick bay. That night the man who had been flogged died, and as -ii hi> last frantic death struggle he tore off his shirt, the bloody marks of the cats were plainly visible upon his back. A thrill of horror went through the heart of every man on board, at this horrible termination of an unnecessarily cruel act of discipline. IBS MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! We left Manilla as soon as po siblc, after completing the business which had taken us there. It is a splen- did harbor, surrounded on all sides by high, volcanic peaks and ridges ; and the city is very beautifully situ- ated. But it was a fatal port for us. Some of our best men here fell \ictims to the pestilence. As soon as we got once more to sea, the cholera ceased, nor were we troubled with it again. But many of our crew were now down with the dysen- tery. The sick bay would no longer hold them all, and cots were swung on the maindeck, where the emaciated sufferers enjoyed a little better air, and somewhat more the company and attendance of their shipmates. Those attacked first and most severely by this disease (and the same held good of the cholera) , were invariably the most robust, the heartiest and fleshiest among the crew. Lank, bony fellows outlived it all without complaining, while those who apparently had the longest and surest lease of life, were the first to be taken away. Eeturning to Macao Eoads, we took on board the Com- modore (who had not gone with us on our Manilla trip) , and proceeded to Amoy, one of the north-eastern ports of China, and one of the five places at which ships then traded. Here was presented to our view the first really Chinese scene we had yet met with. The somewhat steep hill-sides, at the entrance of the harbor; the dingy-looking town, with its high wall; the peaked and pagoda shaped roofs of the houses ; the many joss- temples, lifting their queer little turrets above the surrounding dwellings, and the Chinese shipping lying in ASKING FOR LIBERTY. 1^9 the inner harbor, all united to make just such a scene aa one might behold on almost any of the old-fashioned waiters or plates, and I really fancied, so familiar did tlu old place look, I should be quite at horns within its walls, could I only get there. This being a quiet place, and the vessel lying close t tlr town, the crew, who had all been for some time extremely anxious for a taste of " liberty " on shore, resolved to send the petty officers aft, with a petition to that effect. Accordingly, amid a most intense excitement on the part of all hands, a deputation of the oldest quarter- masters and boatswain's mates made their appearance at the railing of the mainmast, the place of app al or peti- tion for the crew, and asked to see the captain. He came out to them, heard them somewhat impatiently, and curtly refused their request. And so, as this was to be our last port in China, our hopes of seeing anything of a Chin se town, were dashed. We all, and with justice, felt deeply indignant at this apparently wanton se- verity. \Vr had now been over a year on board, and with the exception of a few boat's crews, not a soul but the officers Ind as yet even set his foot on shore. To add to the ration of the crew, a few hours afterward, each one of the petty officers received five dollars in money, tly int ndcd to act as a quieter upon them, they 1> in" the regularly authorized organs of comnumu-ati>:i ii ihe crew and the superior officers. Much mut- toi iiiL r niiniy curses, " not louJ, but deep," and not a few threats of future vengeance weiv heard in our midst 190 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: but what avails future threats the present is what the sailor unfortunately lives for. While lying here the Chinese authorities of the town paid the ship a visit. They were a queer -looking set, resembling in but one thing the city dignitaries of a more Christian country that is, in fat they were, to a man, of truly aldermanic proportions. They all carried pictures upon their backs and breasts, large embroidered representations of birds or flowers and the Governor, as being the highest in rank, was dis- tin uished by an enormous pair of boots, the soles of which were at least three inches thick. As he waddled along, with the bottoms of his loose trowsers just making a connection with the tops of these boots, I, who with several other boys, stood at the side to help his Highness on board, could not help thinking that he looked much more like some street loafer, than like a sober, sedate satrap of the Brother of the Sun and Moon, and distant relation of all the Stars. We left Amoy with a fair breeze, and in a few days passed through the Straits of Formosa, and entered Chusan Bay, a lonely harbor, where our ship was to remain, while the Commodore proceeded to Shanghai, on board our smaller consort, the shallow waters of the Yel- lo Sea not permitting of our approach to that port. The portion of Chusan Bay in which we were anchored, was called Buffalo's Nose, from a singularly shaped pro- montory, behind which we were sheltered. It ran out some distance into and across the waters of the Bay, and its broadside being thus exposed to the action of the whole body of water driven in from sea when the wind H U 8 A N B UPFALO'S NOSE. 101 blew on shore, the waves had gradually washed a large hollow through the ridge at a place about a quarter of a mile from its outer extremity. It was in this hollow > li<>li>, that was supposed to consist the resemblance to the nose of one of the tame buffaloes of China, these animals being guided by means of ropes placed in a hole pierced through the nasal cartilage. 17 JEAI'TEK Xi. A. CHINESE Farm Sail for Japan Yeddo Bay The ese Their general Appearance Dress Manners No bles Warriors Serfs Boats Receive Supplies Incident? of Stay Towed out of the Harbor by Japanese Boats. WHILE lying here, a party of us boys were one day permitted to take a ramble on shore, in company with the first lieutenant, who was going on a gunning expedi- tion. There was a solitary little farm hut about a mile and a half from our anchorage, and to this our party took its way, determined to " see what we could see." On beholding us approaching, the inhabitants, consist- ing of an old man and woman, and several little children, iniontinently took to their heels, hurriedly catching up their most valuable .articles of wearing apparel, and leaving us in undisputed possession of the premises. Some of us ran after them, to persuade them to return, but the more we called them the faster they ran, and we ,ve;e obliged to give them up and explore the premises alone. The hut was built entirely, sides, roof, and all, of rice str.iw, but on entering we found it (comparatively speak- ing) very comfortably arranged within. It was divided into two apartments, the outer and larger serving & C HI N ES E FAR M. 193 evidently for kitchen, dining-ioom, and living room, the i ;ii; ] containing some mats and pillows, for sleeping, and a few articles of wearing appjrtl. It was plain that the people lived a good deal out doors, there being several scats arranged under shade of some little trees in the yard, or rather garden. This garden surrounded the house, and was planted with seve- ral kinds of flowers and little shrubs, which latter pro- bab y also bore flowers in proper season. The whole was carefully fenced in, the entrance being by a little gate, We found a dog on the premises, who followed us in our peregrinations about the place, evidently viewing us with a good deal of suspicion. Ba -k of the house was an arrangement looking some- what like what is called a country bake-oven, although, as the poorer classes of Chinese live almost entirely upon boil d rice, I supposed it was used for something else than baking bread. Outside of the garden, in another littlo iuclosure, were two stacks of rice straw for the "stock," put up precisely like hay-stacks at home. And beyond this was the rice field, already stripped of its crop. The whole place looked rather desolate, there boing no trees, worthy of that name, within sight imthing but a dreary extent of paddy-fields. We saw no implements of husbandry, except an instrument bearing : distant resemblance to a wooden rake. Iron was evi- dently a scarce article, as the door was hung on wooden The house had no window. Having satisfied our curi- osity, and j> irked a few flowers as mementoes, we departed, leaving on the ground (there was neither table, norchair 18 104 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: nor floor) a mace, or string of cash, the c :pj/er moiicj cf China, as an evidence of our peaceful intentions. The cash, the only^ coined circulating medium of the Celestial Empire, is a thin circular piece of copper of the value of one mill, American currency. They are strung together by means of a small cord put through a s .uars hole in each coin, a sting of one hundred, called a mace, being of the value of ten cents. There is much cheat- ing practiced by the traders on Canton Eiver with these cash. The mace are deprived of their just number of cash, and inferior cash, much thinner than the legitimate 0-iiess put in circulation, which do not pass in Amoy and other ports to the north, leing called " twicy," or bad, On the fifth of July, our conso.t vessel ieturne:l from Shanghai, with the commodore, who brought \\ ith him an official report of the declaration of war between the United States and Mexico, news which we had been fov gome time expecting. We immediately proceeded to sea, bound for Japan, our commodore having been intruste ! by government with the delivery of a letter from the President of the United States to the Emperor of Japan, expressing a desire to open negotiations for a treaty of trade. Fourteen days' sail, attended with no incidents of ar unusual nature, brought us to the entrance of Ycddo Bay, situated on the Island of Niphon, the largest of the group composing the Japanese Empire. On our way. we passed through the group called the Loo Choo Islands. the inhabitants of which are equally uncommunicative as the .lapanese. We did n A visit any of them, as the YEDDO BAY. 19~> commodore had determined to lose no time in getting to the Pacific coast of North America, to lend the aid of our 1 in any movements of the United States Govern- ment on that coast. On the day before entering Yeddo Bay, we met two Japanese junks, who gave us however a wide berth, and were evidently anxious to avoid us. On the first of August, we sailed into the Bay of Yeddo, sounding as we went, and keeping a bright lookout for shoals, as the depth of water was not very well laid down in the charts. It is a large, noble-looking harbor, almost entirely land- locked, and surrounded by thickly- wooded, beautiful-look- ing hills. No sooner were we fairly inside the Bay, than we saw a number of boats coming toward us from several parts of the shore. They pulled alongside and boarded us without ceremony, scrambling into the open ports, climbing up by the channels, and crawling in over the bows by the head rigging, apparently choosing any mode of getting aboard that seemed the easiest. We were yet underweigh when this crowd of Japanese suddenly boarded us, and as more boats were leaving the shore all the time, and all who boarded us made their boats fast to the ship, it became evident that they would soon materially impede our progress to the anchorage, as the numbers on board already hindered all movements about decks. Accordingly, the commodore, who had at once been -sed by the principal noble in the company, commu- nicated to him his desire to have the ship cleared of the p 1 atrr |,,,iti i! ,f the strangers until we should come to 196 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: anchor. This was instantly done, some of the over-curi- ous boats' crews bring severely beaten by the nobles and chiefs, in their haste to get them out of the ship. Cleared of the boats, we quickly ran up to the spot laid down as the anchorage, about one and a-half miles from the entrance of the Bay, and quite at the head of its lower portion. Before coming to, the commodore had been earnestly requested by the leading man of the party to take the ship around a bend in the land into the upper bay, where, he was told, there was every facility for landing our guns and ammunition, which proceeding was alluded to as one very natural under the circumstances and every way expected. This proposal was, as may be supposed, respectfully declined. It is necessary here to say, that our officers held com- munication with the Japanese officers by means of a Hollandish sailor we had on board. Several of the Japanese understood somewhat of Dutch, and could thus inform us of their desires, and receive in turn the com- munications of our officers. When the anchor was down and the sails furled, the strangers were again allowed to come on board, and our decks were soon filled by a crowd of as curious mortals as ever lived. They walked about, drinking in with their eyes greedily all the wonders of our ship, many of them carrying little note-books in their hands, in which they made memorandums of what struck their attention most forcibly. They were very communicative, as far as the language of pantomime, which was the only mode of intercourse APPEARANCE OF THE JAPANESE. 1 ( J 7 between the crew and them would admit. They were evidently greatly surprised at the vastness and solidity of everything on board, and opened their eyes with astonishment at the size of our chain cables, and the dimensions of our rigging. After securing the sails, the day was given over to us, to do as we pleased, and we, who were in turn as much astonished and delighted with all we saw, as the Japanese could be. devoted ourselves to our visitors, groups of sailors taking parties of Japanese round the ship, exhibiting to them the wonde: s of the lower decks, the store-rooms, etc., while they, in turn, goodnature lly allowed the tars to examine their dresses, ornaments, and accouterments. During o ir stay in Yeddo Bay, great numbers visited *he ship, our decks being ciowded each day with men of all ranks ; but no ladies made their appearance. Judging of the people generally, from the specimens which came jnder our observation, we were forced to admit that th y were a far better developed race, both ment illy and physic- ally, than we had met with since leaving the United States. The b atmen, the only ones cf the low.r classes with whom we came in contact had not, it must be acknowledged, very intelligent countenances. They looked like slaves, and their cringrng and servile obedience to their rather haughty masters, told at once their condition to be that of serfs. Hut a nobler or more intellectual looking set of men than were those of the better classes that we saw. it would be difficult to conceive of. There was not one old or young, whose appearance would not command respect iu any soci t . 'i linv \\as. in particular, no where to be ~yO M A N - F - AV A R 1 I F E : seen, high or low, that sly look of mean cunning or constant deceit which disfigures the Chinaman, and gives to his c iunttmuice a brutishness, allied to the most loath- some form of idiocy. Their frank, open countenances, their marked politer. ess toward each other, and toward us strangers, as well as the degree of intelligence evinced in their obser rations on all they saw on board, prepossessed all hands greatly in their favor, contrasting as they did, strongly, with the dull inanimate appearance, and boorish manners of the Chinese. There is in their appearance or carriage, very little either of the lassitude or cunning which form such di? tinguishing traits of the East Indian ra es. In features, although plainly showing, by their high cheek-bones and the oblique position of their eyes, their Mongolian origin, they yet resembled, far more than any other East Indian, the Caucasian race. In general expression, as well as physical development, those of the higher classes that we saw, I thought resembled much the better grades of mountain Swiss. Their color is a very clear nut-brown. Features tolerably regular ; eyes bright, moderately large ; nose straight ; forehead broad and prominent ; and hair black and coarse. The entire front and crown of the head is smoothiy shaven, and the hair of the back and sides of the head drawn upward and forward, and gathered into a tuft on the top. They wo;e no hats, although many carried with them straight broad-brimmed, heavily japanned head coverings, A .... M A A N I-: il If AND D It K 8 S . 1 99 .is protections against th sun. *h uld bis rays prove too powerful. 'Ho chief articles of their dress appear ^3 be several ] r.-<*c loose gowns, worn one over the other, the outer one l/-iuu r of silk or tine cloth an 1 having embioidere 1 upon its back and breast various fanciful devices, in striking colors, proclaiming, probably, the wearer's rank Mde of Salutation, of Noble, Professional, and Serf. A belt confines their dress at the middle, and serves, beside, to suspend the sword, or swords, all the higher grades of the nobles carrying two of these weapons. Both swo ds, one short, the other long, have strains M , whi 1). v, :n;iMy k'C( : though pivpar-d for instant use. They are worn both ou the saiuc sj k. une above the other. 200 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: In their broad sleeves, or the bosoms of their gown A, they carried, with a variety of other matter, the square sheets of white paper which served them in lieu of pocket handkerchiefs. When one of these sheets was used, it was carefully deposited in an empty sleeve, to be thrown overboard at the first opportunity. The hats, which, as detailed above, are rather carried than worn, are very awkward contrivances, the Japanese seeming to stand as much in need of a reform in the matter of head covering as do the Europeans and Ameri- cans. Fancy a perfectly flat plate or disk of papier-mache about two feet in diameter, over a quarter of an inch thick, and highly japanned. This has a little projection in the center, on top, looking not unlike a small bell pull, which serves as a handle by which the unwieldly instru- ment is carried. A narrow receptacle of wickerwork beneath receives the top of the head. No wonder, thought 1, when I examined this novel contrivance to keep out the rain, that they prefer to go bareheaded. Their shoes are very rudely constructed, being simply sandals of plaited straw, held on by a thong or latch, which fits between the two larger toes. Their feet are en:-ased in a kind of stockings, made of white cotton cloth, room being left between the toes for the thong of the shoe to catch readily. On entering any of the cabins, or private apartments of the officers, the sandals were left at the door, their owner walking in in his stocking feet. Thus there were often fifty or sixty pairs of sandals in the little ante chamber of the commodore's cabin. PROFESSIONAL MEN WARRIORS. 201 The fan seemed to be universally in u^e with them. I r in the highest to the lowest, all, walking or sitting, talking, eating, or saluting, had a fan in their hands. It is applied to the most various and different uses. Did the sun shine : the fan performed the office of a parasol ; were they eating: morsels of food were presented to friends upon a fan ; did one desire to make a memoran- dum of some object striking his attention: the fan serves as an extempore writing-desk, on which to lay the note- book ; was it necessary to drive overboard some over- jurious boatman: the fan, now transformed into an instrument of punishment, showers blows upon the back of the offending serf. In short, the fan is evidently used anywhere and everywhere, on and for all occa- sions. With it the learned men carried a little basket of fine wiokerwork, containing at least one, the contents of which I had the curiosity to examine, did a small com- pass, divided off in an entirely different manner from that used with us, the princip il point being, according to Chi- nes; usage, the south, instead of the north, some small slips of white paper, used for memorandums, some Indian ink, two or three pieces of different colored silk, a little sack, which I took to be an amulet, as it much resembled arti- cles of that kind worn by the Chinese, and a s ent-bag containing musk, with the smell of which everything in China and .lupun is impregnated. The warriors wii, they cut r into cheerful and lively conversation. This was between equals. r> tween superior and inferior the case was a little different. The latter, on meeting the person with whom he desired to communicate, would assume a countenance o;' abject humility, and standing before him, wait for him to notice his presence. Should the superior, after perhaps a minute's consideration, deign to do so, the in- ferior proceeds to the vari ,us manipulations, prostrations on the ground, etc., in such cases made and provided, the superior standing still and looking contemptuously down at the poor fellow before him. When all is finished, th i inferior stands resp:ctfully before the object of his late semi adoration, humbly look- ing down on th 3 ground, waiting for his serene highness' permission to speak. And. perhaps, after all this bowing and scraping, he only desires to address a sentence or two to him. In the frontispiece of the present volume are repre- sented the three chief ranks of the Japanese, the no' A \ or oflL-er of state, the warrior, and the professional ma.i. Th party in front, performing the ceremony of p: the homage of respect considered due from an inferior to a siii.e.ior in rank, are professionals. The one <-n his ivip.g the homage of the others, is a noble Two warriors, one on the ri.irht. the other on the left 204 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: show a front and back view of an individual of tliig class, the former displaying beneath his outside coat of state, the surtout of linked mail uhich constitutes hia armor of defense. Next to the warrior stands a pro- fessional, dressed in the immensely wide trowscrs which are worn as a special mark of high standing; conferring additional dignity on the wearer. These figures, as well as the remaining sketches, of Japanese boats, emblems, etc., are from drawings taken on the spot, by one of the ship's clerks, an excellent draughtsman, to whom the Japanese offered every facility in taking them, they cheerfully standing in required positions, to enable him to get every article of dress, is well as the carriage and expression, as faithfully as possible. I had read of a universal system of espionage practiced among the Japanese, and we perceived evidences o;' it, even in their social intercourse with us. Where two or three were together, there seemed to be much restr, i-;t, no one of them being willing to exhibit to us any of his articles of apparel, or to allow any one to handle his swords, or to receive any of the little memoiials, such as small coins, or other articles of little value, which they were eager to obtain of us. But if we could get a single individual off in some corner where he thought himself unobserved by his com- panions, he would eagerly accept of anything we had to give away, and displayed no hesitation in allowing us to examine any article of his that we desired to scrutinize more closely. But the most singular instance of this general espionage JAPANESE ESPIONAGE. 20 r ) remains to be related. The commodore had disfat:hed as so in as possible, to the emperor, the letter from the President of the United States, which we were charged to deliver, and had received an answer to the effect that no trade or intercourse could be allowed, and that our speedy departure was judged highly desirable. Accord- ingly, a day was appointed when we would sail. On the evening before this day, a deputation of nobles visited the commodore, and returned to him many of the articles which had been presented to various of the Japanese, by members of our crew, articles, many of them, which could have been retained easily, had there not bei n a genoral search instituted among all who visited '.he ship. The authorities evidently desired to wipe out every trace of the visit of the barbarians. With the emperor's answer had come instructions to the chief men of the Japanese to furnish the vessel with all that we needed, in the way of supplies, and accordingly, the commodore having intimated that water was a chi< f necessary, water-boats of tolerable size were crowded alongside, for three days, by which time we had taken in a large supply of most excellent drinking-water, the best we had met with during the whole cruise. An intimation having been given that some fresh provisions would be highly desirable, two large junks made their appearance, from the upper harbor, bringing to us a supply of vegetables of various kinds, an 1 several hundred ehiekens. Among the vegetables were sweet ' iiits. carrots, and pumr.ki:is. There was also a quantity of small -.ire M apples, the first we had seen sin:e leaving home. A bullock or two would have !06 M A N - F - W A It L 1 F E . l;ccii most welcome, but the Japanese <"o not kill or cat their cattle using them only for draught and to milk. During the entire period of our stay in Yeddo Bay, our ship was guarded by an immense number of boats, which were constantly, night and day, on the alert, with the intention of preventing us from holding any commu nication with the shore Boat and Crew, with M sked Gun. These boats were anchored at various distances from the vessel, but forming a cordon about us, through which it would have been impossible to pass with any of our boats. Their boats are large and strongly built, and maimed with from six to ton oars on each side. They do not use their oars as do the boatmen of most other nations, sitting with their back to the stern, and pullin-.i the blade through the water, b it stand up fa-ing to tlm I>K I' A KTf RE FROM JAPAN. 207 side . :f the bo it, and scull f and by this means they propel their little <-r ft \\itli great velocity through the water. At e\ery inr.ti.'ii < f tli- oars, the whole crew give vent to ;i sharp hissing noise, at the same time putting oat their whole strength. The continual hsh, hsh. has a singular effect, sounding at a little distance not unlike the hissing of an immense serp.-nt. At nightfall our guards hung lanterns upon masts in the stern of each loat, and the broad surface of the bay, dotted with numberless lights, lookel like a vast city. This illumination had a beautiful effect on dark nights, and lent an additional touch of romance to the strange situation in which we were placed. Having received all the commodore h id asked for, in the w..y of stores, another and more earnest request was made ibr our immediate dep rture, and a cordirjgly, our sailing day was appointed. We had been ^.iven to ui.der- stai (1 that no recompense could be received for the supplies of water and provisions we had received from the shore, these things being furnished by the emperor. The only service asked in return was to stay away. Oil the morning of our sailing day. there happened to be but little wind where we lay, under the shelter of the land. But lack of wind was not to be any excuse for our longer stay. At early dawn, between fifteen hum; red and two thousand boats gathered under our bows and tlit commodore was informed that if we would now lift th- anchor, these boats would tow us out, Accordingly the anchor was weighed, the sails set, and two long hawsers passed over the bows to the waiting thrsi'. aii'! t-> earh "tilers' rat't 208 M A N - O V - W A K LIKE : when the hawsers would no longer reach them, soon towed us to the* entrance of the bay, when, taking the breeze, the boats cast off, and, amid waving of fans and hats, we bade good-by to Japan. We left Japan behind us without any regrets. Although sickness on board had not positively increased during our stay there, we were anxious to get out to sea, where there was hope that some of the emaciated sufferers whose cots now more than half filled the main-deck, might recover health and strength. Our visit had been a source of great pleasure to all on board yet the many strange things we had seen had only raised in us an intense desire to see more in detail their every-day life to visit the people ashore. So strongly was this excited in many of the old tars that they blamed the commodore for not at once sailing up to the city, which we understood lay in the upper portion of the bay. concealed from our sight by an inter- vening promontory and there going ashore, under cover of the guns, and at once forcing them to hold communi- cations. Two days after leaving the harbor, we met two Japanese fishing boats, which sailed boldly up alongside, and held up some fish for sale. They made fast alongside, and, on receiving a quantity of empty bottles, handed up in retun a number of fine fish. They did not appear at all shy, and evidently were much rejoiced at the excellent bargain they had made. Glass is a scarce article in Japan, as we are informed in the de -criptions of the country given by the Dutch agents who have resided there. FISHING BOATS. 200 Glass bottles are in special demand, and no doubt it was the anxiety to possess themselves of some treasuies of this kind which induced the fishermen to come along- side. They manifested r.o hesitation or flav whatever, but appeared on the contrary very anxious to communi- cate. It struck us that if the discipline was so strict everywhere else through the island as we found it at Yeddo Bay, they would experience some difficulty iu smuggling their bottles on shore. The fishing-boats were the last ve saw of Japan, ana wo were soon after bowling along under an eight knot breeze, every hour increasing the distance between our- selves and those East Indies of which we had seen so little, and that little the worst side. There was not a man on board that was not heartily glad t ) find the old ship onae more bound America- ward. It seemed almost like homeward-bound, (that mu.ie word,) and in fact, we congratulated ourselves alreadj upon the fact that we were no longer outward-bound, a species of negative comfort, of which we were glad enough to avail ourselves. But, although in a few days far enough from the Chinese coast, so long the scene of our discontent, we were carrying with us saddening memorials of it, in the pale cheeks and emaciated forms, the lustrous eyes; and linir hands of many of our poor shipmates, who would scarce return home the stalwart, light-hearted fellows tli'-y left it. Our main-deck was still crowded with the cots of the sirk. and although happily, now that we had > iltrv and urnvh >lesonie air of China for the fro 11 1!10 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: inspiriting breezes of the wide Pacific, there were no new cases of dysentery, yet the disease hung obstinately upon those unfortunates who had become its victims in days past ; and every few days some of the sufferers would drop off, on the very road to recovery, but so weakened, so, as it were, dragged down, as to have no longer in their systems the power to give it new tone. Like the scurvy patient, whose weakened powers succumb to the health-giving breezes of the shore, these poor fellows sank under the efforts of their debilitated systems at recovery. Peace be with them; they rest quietly in their ocean graves, unheeding the storms that blow, the billows that roll above their heads. CHAPTER XII. THE Sandwich Islands Honolulu The People The Labors of the Missionary Dexterity of the Natives in Swimming and Diving Leave for the South American Coast. SHORTLY after leaving Japan, I was made happy by attaining a long-cherished desire of mine, to be stationed in one of the Tops. I had grown too large (in my own estimation) for a mere errand-boy, and had a great desire to learn something of sailor-craft before we got back to the Tinted States What I had been told by an old tar on board the (iuard >, that " I had come to a poor place to learn to be a sailor," 1 found true to the letter. Of all the ships that sail, a vessel of war is the very worst wherein to learn sailorship. So well is this known, that officers of in* r< -hant vessels never ship man-of-war sailors, if they know it. There are on one of these ships so many men, that the -ity for exertion, for learning, does not exist; and many boys and men on board of our vessel who knew no more about a ship and the various duties of a sailor, when they left her, after a three years* cruise, than they did when they came on board. (211) 212 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: This would have been my case, had 1 not been for- tunate enough to be now stationed in the mizzen-tep, where I applied myself diligently to learn somewhat of the duties which are required of the sail or- boy, such as loosing and furling the lighter sails, tairing and slushing, and lending a hand at reefing, etc. In addition to this, I practiced industriously at making the various knots and splices, in the neat performance of which the true sailor takes so much pride, and was soon master of long and short splices, manrope knots, turks-heads, and Matthew Walkers, and the fifty other artistical twists and ties which decorate a fancy ship's rigging. My life in the top was a very happy one. I was re- lieved of the drudgery oft running of errands, striking the bell, and lounging about the quarter deck, at the moment- ary call of the officers. I was top-man and what mort flattering to a boy than to be ranked among men, even if he is at the " tail of the heap." I was no longer obliged to stand outside of the social circle, when, in the pleasant dog-watches, the song was sung, or the adventures of other days talked over. I had a rightful place among the sailors, and forthwith, in my pride of heart, at the glorious eminence to which I had arrived, I patched my trowsers, and rubbed tar on my frocks, that he that ran might read me a sailor. In short, I made a laughing stock of myself. Our passage to the Sandwich Islands, where we were next to touch, was made with fine and fair breezes, and aver a smooth sea, and as many of our invalids were now recovering, the ship assumed once more an appearance of life and gaiety, to which we had, for some time, been A SCHOOL OF W H A L E F 213 strangers. Tlu consciousness that, if we were not yet 0,1 our direct path for home, we were yet gradually near- i.ig that point in our cruise, and had already passed thioagh the severest scenes in it, no doubt aided materi- ally in inspiring the crew with pleasant feelings. There was, besides, a prospect that all hands would get a run on shore in one of the two or three ports at which we would touch within the next six months, and when " liberty " is ahead, Jack is always full of joyous antici- pations. It was on this passage, and some days before w^ reached the Sandwich Islands that we saw the first large school of whales we had met during the cruise. We had occasionally seen a spout, or the gleam of black skin, but always at too great distance from the vessel to enable us to distinguish aught of the form or actions of levia- than. There was nothing, I think, that most of the boys desired so much to see as a whale. For my part, 1 was continually on the lookout for a spout, when in the top, and had a standing arrangement with a member of the other watch, that, in case one should make his appear- ance close to the ship while I was below, I was instantly to be called. Great was our pleasure, therefore, when one afternoon, while I was in the top, a school of tolerably large sperm whales made their appearance ahead, and came right down toward the vessel. The bows and the lower and il yarfrs were soon crowded with gazers, and as the school slowly approached the ship, the utmost silence was 214 MAN-OF-WAR 1. I F K ! kept, that they might not be frightene 1 and disappcay before we had time to inspect them. I stood in the mizzentop watching their ie2;ular spout- ings and wondering at the vast shades which seemed sc easily propelled through the water. A friend and top- niate, who was an old whaleman, explained to me the names given the various portions of the whale which we were able to see, as his hump, a triangular projection on his back, looking to a green hand not unlike a dorsal fin, but consisting altogether of blubber, displaying no affinity to a fin ; his broad back and s x uare heid, the latter giving to the whole animal a singular appearance of in- completeness, as it is in leed merely a great shapeless mass of blubber. As the school got a little distance astern, they went down, the leader making a beginning by turning flukes in grand style. * Turning flukes " that evolution of the whale is called, in which, on being about to descend to the depths of the sea in search of his food, he first gives his head a slight toss up, then launches himself head- foremost into the deep, his broad flukes or tail being the last point visible of him in his perpendicular descent. It is a grand sight, and one too in which whalemen greatly delight, inasmuch as it shows them that they have not gallied or frightened their whale, as, in the latter ease, his whaleship would not wait to turn his flukes, but would drop down horizontally out of sight. In due time we arrived at Honolulu the capital and piincipal city of the Sandwich Island group, situated on the Island of Oahu. We sighted the island early ono morning, and standing in, were . v irded about three HONOLULU. 21^ o'clock in tne afternoon by a \ ilot, who brought the ship safely to anchor in the outer harbor, cr Ba}^ of Waititi, ar live o'clock in the evening. >re the ship canie to ancho/, she was boarded by il of the American residents, merchants and mis- ^ionaiics. I had always while at home been a gieatl interested reader of the Mission Eeports, and it was no small gratification to me now to see some of the men of whose labors in introducing the lights of Christianity and civilization among the savages of the South Sea Islands, I ha I read and heard so mu.-h. On the next morning after our arrival, we saluted the llaw.ian flag, the salute being returned from a fort which has been erected on the shore, fronting the harbor. There is little striking or beautiful about the Bay of Honolulu. The scenery on shore, although agreeably diversified by hill and dale, has not the abrupt giand^ur of many of the islands of the Pacifi , and the country \va.s not at that time in a sufficiently high state of culti vatiou to lend to it the charm which the labors of man effect in 1 eautifying a natural scene. The Bay is commodious and tolerably safe. Besides the outer ha:b>r, where our ship was anchored, there is an inner harbor, formed by a coral reef, which extends < i TM- tly across the Bay, and protects the ships in this smaller cove from any gale which would render the outer bay unsafe. Merchant vessels and whaleships, intending to make any considerable stay here, always go over the in 1 lie in safety inside, either at wharves, or at their anchors at but inconsiderable distances from the Acre. 216 MAN-OF-WAR 'LIFE: The Sandwich Islands were already at that time me constant resort of whaleships in want of rt freshments, as well as of the trading vessels, which in those days plied a good business along the coasts of the Californias, and the North- West coast, going generally in the season as far north as the Kussian fort of Peter Palovski. Although the sh'p's company were not allowed to gc on shore here, the boys were granted a day's run, at which we were no little elated. On going on shore, a party of us first made the round of the town, taking a look at the fort, the king's palace, situated in a large pleasure ground, the houses of the missionaries, their chapels and school houses, as well as examining as far as we could the dwellings of the natives. Honolulu was at that time (just before the discovery of the gold in California) a straggling, rather poorly- constructed or laid -out town. It contained a number of very respectable-looking houses, but the great body of the town was made up of small huts, and on the outskirts not a few tents were to be seen, reminding me somewhat of a camp-meeting scene in the western woods at home. The whole place had a listless, impassive look, as though the inhabitants were only taking a rest, prepara- tory to a start on a journey. Except just down by the waterside, where the sailors by their uncouth gambols along the shore gave some life to the scene, a Sabbath stillness reigned throughout. There were few persons in the streets, not many shops, and but little signs of busi- ness ; nevertheless, there was at this time a great deal of business done and money made upon the islands. T TI K SANDWICH ISLANDERS. LM 7 mostly by the American and English residents and by some few Chinese, who were merchandising here in a si mi 11 way, arid cheating, as usual, to the full extent of their ability. Of the natives, a fair proportion were clothed, although rather lightly, wearing in many instances nothing but a poncho a square piece of cloth, with a hole cut in the center, through which the head is put, the corners of the garment reac-hing about down to one's middle and, in addition to this, the tappa, or loin cloth. But very many stalked about in nothing but the tappa. The women were universally dressed in long loose gowns, fitting tightly around the neck, and hanging loose down to the feet, leaving no idea to be formed of the shape. In the houses, we found the ground or floor covered with mats, many woven very skilfully and in fine colors. On these mats the natives were often seen rolling about in perfect idleness. In one corner of the room there was generally a raised structure of boards, covered also with mats, and which served as beds. Of furniture, there was little, everything seeming to be conducted on the most primitive scale. In the afternoon, we rode out into the country, hiring horses for that purpose of some natives. We enjoyed the ride a sailor is always delighted to get on horseback, a horse being something he knows naught at all about but saw nothing very attractive. Biding out for some iirht or nine miles, we saw nothing to disturb the dreary monotony but a few miserable native huts, each sur- rounded by its little taro patch, and a tV\v ot the natives. 218 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: much more ill-favored individuals than those we had seen in town. Altogether, I was inclined to think that the islands a,nd their inhabitants, judging from the samples we saw, were yet susceptible of great improvement. Much fault has been found with the missionaries that not more good has been accomplished, but, on the whole, it is but just to say, that the result of their efforts has been much undervalued ; that not sufficient account has been made by their censurers of the obstacles with which they have had to contend, not the least among which have arisen from the irregular conduct of the crews of vessels frequenting the islands, who disgrace the name of Christians by their actions, and have introduced new vices, and endeavored to foster into life the old ones of the natives. And finally, it must be acknowledged, that much of the disappointment expressed by visitors to the islands, at the smallness of the results of missionary labors, is owing in a great men sure to their having permitted themselves to entertain far too sanguine expectations. Those who expect to see here a scene of Arcadian sim- plicity, and innocence, and happiness, find themselves wofully out in their calculations. Such a condition of things would hardly have obtained had the islanders held intercourse with no white men but the missionaries ; for a country and a people are not completely regenerated in so short a time. But with the drawbacks of the constant evil examples set them by white men coming from Chris- tian lands, and whose touch has been to the poor natives as a deathly poison, with these hindrances in the way of BREAD FRUIT T A K O . 219 a constant progress, it is surely sufficient to be able to yay that th.'y are no worsj than their Eu.opean ani American brethren, t .ken collectively. buying our stay here we enjoyed greatly the fine fruits which are brought off in bum-boats to the ship. Besides the banana, the cocoa-nut, and the lime, we found her 3 line watermelons, a fruit we had not before seen since leaving the United States. Here, I for the first time tasted bread-fruit. The fruit is about as large as a man's head. It has a rou^h, thick rind, whLh giows hard with baking. The inside -s -a soft pulp, in which are hid a number of pits or seeds. I did not like its taste, which seemed t> nu a mixture of acid and sweet, but with a sickening flavor that makes it unpalatable. I think the taste for it must be a (juired, as, although I have since known many who were very fond of it, cookel or raw, I never knew of one who liked it at first. There is, however, here another fruit, the taro, which serves the natives in lieu of the potato, and which is one of the most delicious of vegetables. It grows to about the size of a large cocoa-nut, and is round and hard, cut- ting precisely like a firm Irish potatoe. They are boiled and eaten as potatoes, or with milk. In the latter way, 1 can vouch for their being a delicacy. I have before mentioned the existence of a c^ral reef forming the inner harbor. Within the bounds of this reef, and among the surf which is constantly breaking upon it, the native s were amusing tht_inselv<. s from morn- ing till night, showing their dexterity in meeting and overcoming the heavy rollers of the surf and lidding 22C MAN-OF-WAR LIFE defiance to sharks, and slurp rock. Unfortunate the shark, who, tempted by the smell of some savory morsel within the fatal harbor, pokes his nose over the reef. He is set upon, as a great prize, by the native amphibii, and, despite the most strenuous struggles, is generally overcome, dragged out on shore, and roasted. On sedng a shark about the reef, a native provides himself with a long flat-shap d piece of wood, tolerably sharp at one end. With this in hand, he goes to meet the fish, and taking opportunity when he opens his mouth, pushes the pointed end down his throat. The entire mouth is filled up, and kept distended. The shark struggles for a while, but is unable to get rid of the encumber ance, and is fairly drowned. The natives are like all the South Sea Islanders, very expert divers. In fact, they seemed quite as much at home in the water as out. There was, one day, a canoe full of Kanakas alongside, desiring to sell some fruit. I noticed one of them in the stern looking for a minute intensely into the water. Suddenly he raised his hands, gave a leap, and darted into the water. He was below the surface nearly a minute, and came up with a small fish held between his teeth. It was this fish he had before been watching. While lying here, the king, Kamehameha III. paid a visit to the ship. He was received on board with the appropriate ceremonies, the crew manning the yards, and a salute being fired when he came on board, and again as he left the vessel. He was a portly man, of fine presence, and looked quite intelligent. He had at that tim? a very beautiful little schooner, K A MC II A ME H A III. 221 built for him in the United States, in which he spent a great portion of his time, sailing from island to island, visiting the different parts of his dominions. If report si'i.kr true, he interfered but little with the affairs of gove:nment at this period of his reign, allowing his ministers to conduct these, as far as could be without i is aid. Oahu is the port of most frequent resort for whaling r essels cruising in the North Pacific He' e they spend a portion of their time every year, after the expiration of tlic regular whaling season on the north-west coast, efitting their vessels and frolicking on shore. The crews, ]>y their ill conduct, have greatly impeded the success of missionary labors upon the islands, and it is not too much to say that they are justly blameable for most of the vices which, at the time we touched there, infected the natives, and under the deleterious effects of which, their entire race is gradually dwindling away. CHAPTER XIII. SAIL for Valparaiso The Vale of Paradise Two Sundays in one week Liberty Jack Ashore Lassoing a Sailor. SAILING along pleasantly, with fresh breezes, and beautiful weather, we arrived, in seventy days, at Val- paraiso, Chili, from which place we were bound either to the Coast of California, or if not wanted there, home. "Vale of Paradise," never was there such a mis nomer. Surely some man-of-war's man had the naming of it. By them, indeed, this port is regarded as a species of elysium, for here they enjoy the most unbounded libe ty and license when they get ashore. Many was the yarn I had listened to during the voyage, of " last cruise, when we went ashore at Valparaiso." All those who had been there before, looked forward to otir going there with the most lively pleasure, and we, who had yet to make our first experience of it, of course, felt no little curiosity to view a scene of so much happi- ness We got in on a Saturday, according to our reckoning, but found that ashore they called it Friday. And accord- ingly, next day was our Sunday, and the next day after was Sunday, ashore ; we keeping both days, in order to straighten our reckoning. (222) TWO SUNDAYS IN ONE WEEK. 223 This happened by our having gone round the world, sailing east all the while, an I thus gaining an entire twenty-four hours by the circumnavigation. It was laughable to see the puzzle 1 astonishment with whi -h many of the crew regarded this curious conjunction of two Sundays. They could not uncle stand, what is a simple matter to the merest tyro in astronomy at school, that sailing east we gain time, at the rate of one hour for every fifteen degrees of longitude, and that of course, by cutting through the entire three hundred and sixty degrees into which our globe has been partitioned off by geographers, there would be a necessary gain of twenty- four hours. " Well," said one of my topmates to me, " I shan't tell of this when I get home, for they would be sure to think 1 was fibbing." Which brings to mind a little yarn often alluded to at eea, when witnessing something so strange that one would scarce believe it without actually seeing it. There was. once upon a time, so the yarn goes, a lad named, of course, Jack, who, returning home to his mother, after an absence of some years at sea, was desired by the old lady to relate to her some of the wonders he had witnessed in his journeying up and down the earth. Ja -k commenced by t lling her that, as his ship was one day sailing up the Red Sea they had occasion to cast anchor, aivl, on weighing a.'ain next mo.ning, there came up on the an.hor a large chariot wheel, undoubtedly one of those belonging to Pharaoh's host. Well." said the old lady, "Jack, that's very fin ;. but tell us something more." <'J4 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: Said Jack : " When I made a voyage to Jamaica, in the West Indies, we saw a great mountain of brown sugar, and a river of the best of rum running around the foot of it." " That must have been a grand sight, indeed," said the old lady, " but go ahead, my child, with your stories." Now, Jack began to feel some conscientious scruples about telling his mother any more lies and thinking to rectify all mistakes by topping off with a bouncing truth, said : ''And when we were on the voyage home, mother, we saw great troops of fish flying through the air, some of which lit upon the vessel." The old lady heaved a deep sigh as she said : " Oh ! Jack, Jack, you wicked boy, that you should [tay away so long, and then come home to your old mother with a lie in your mouth." " Why, it's truth, mother," began Jack, fearing that 1 e had gotten himself into a scrape. ''Don't say any more, boy," rejoined she, angrily, " you'll only make it worse. About the chariot wheel being fast to your anchor, I can believe ; because the Bible tells us that Pha; aoh and his host were drowned in the Eed Sea. As for mountains of sugar and rivers of rum, that we know to be true, for it's all brought from there. But flying fshes oh, Jack, Jack! that you should try to make fun of your old mother." Before we got to Valparaiso, we had been given to un- derstand that this was to be our liberty port, and accord- ingly, on the third day after we got in, one quarter of the LIBERTY. 225 crew were sent ashore, with throe days' leave and ten rs in their pockets. 1 was of the second party that went, which was for- luint', as my verdancy on the subject of " liberty " was somewhat enlightened before our party went ashore, by th upper trance of those of the first party who came off ^ular time. Of these, some few had black eyes and otherwise contused faces, evidences of the clearing up of little matters which had been in abeyance the whole < iji--o ; many were intoxicated, and nearly all looked as t oiiL'h, to use a significant New York phrase, " they had t xjarding in the market and sleeping on the benches there.'' Nothing was said, however, by the officers, on nance, forty-eight hours more being allowed them for the sick to get well, the drunk sober, the blind and lame t;> recover their organs of vision and locomotion. \\Y11, 1 went ashore, and, taking the advice of an old tar, a good friend of mine, at once separated iiivseh' from the great crowd, who went on their way lug shouting, singing, and kicking up their heels I parcel of school boys. I spent the forenoon, in soy with another lad of about my age, in walking -rh the town, examining the churches, the plaza, and taking a shore view of the harbor. Getting our dinner Intel, we again sallied out, to look up our shipmates, hoping to find them a little quieted the first wild burst It is not a difficult matter to find a sailor in Valpa- He has here his peculiar haunts, where the genus h'll out. and into which a landsman thrusts himself at the imminent risk of his neck. So completely have the 1.") 226 M A N - F - W A K LIFE tars taken possession of the quarters of the town at which they most do congregate, that they have named them of course, after various parts of the ship. Thus r there is the Foretop, the Maintop, the Mizzentop, the Mainroyal, the Cat-Harpings, and several other places of less note. Valparaiso is divided into two portions, a lower town, lying upon a level with the harbor in the bottom of the bowl formed by the surrounding hills, and an upper town, built on terraces upon the sides of those hills. The Tops are three distinct suburbs, lying on the sides of three different hills, and separated from each other and from the town by deep ravines. These are the strongholds of Jack Tar. Here he reigns supreme, lord of all he surveys, for the short time he is ashore. Here he has full scope to work out all the various eccentricities which go to make up " a glorious frolic," unmolested by troublesome vigilante, or treacher- ous captain of the port's-raan. On our way up to the Mizzentop, w y e met " Jolly Ja.Ic Brown," as he called himself, a sedate quarter-master OB board ship, picking his drunken way down the steep hill, with a little donkey held in his arms, as though it were a child. He was " nursing it," he said, " but the beast wouldn't keep quiet." And no wonder it hadn't been used to being carried about, lying on its back, with its thin legs vainly pawing the air, its tail keeping the flies from Jack's shining face. He was hunting the commodore, he told us, to make JACK ASHORE. 227 him a present of the donkey as a curiosity, having, as we afterward ascertained, givon a dollar for it to a thiev- ing Chileno, who was now following him up, waiting for him to drop the animal, when he would again take pos- session of it. Getting farther along, we came upon our shipmates, sitting in the pidperias (grog shops), smoking their segars and having "glasses round;" some playing cards, others spinning tough yarns of the events of the cruise to some British sailors, whom they had invited to partici- pate with them. There is no greater gentleman than your true man-of- war's man, when he is ashore. His hand is open as his mouth. His last dollar goes as easy as his first. Purse strings ! bless you, they are a useless encumbrance. If he drinks, he treats the crowd. . Does he light a scgar : every mouth in the company must puff. Has a "cook-shop" hove in sight: "Walk up, boys, and let's take in some ballast ; stow your ground, tier well, so you'll keep right side up in the squalls ;" as though any possible amount of "ballast" would keep upright so crank a boat as he. And so the money goes, and Jack who was a gentleman for a day, is a nigger for the next six months. ^ Presently, a party on horseback hove in sight. Horse riding is one of the standard amusements of Valparaiso, and a large plain, lying above the town and harbor, affords grand scope for all the maneuvers incident to sailor horsemanship. When our presence was discovered, we were at once invited to join the party, and in 228 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE', obedience to the command of one o" the number, a Chilian hostler brought horses for us. Accordingly, we rode up on the plain and such riding such steering of hardmouthed beasts, such urging on of obstinate ones, and holding in of refractory ones, such tumbling off, and tumbling 0:1 again, was never seen, except in just such a crowd. " Starboard." "Port your helm." " Stern all." " Hard up, you lubber, or I '11 cut you down to the water's edge." Such exclamations resounded constantly, as a shying horse would dart into the midst of the party, threatening to capsize the half of them. And with such shouting, galloping, and racing, we at length reached the top of the plain. Here, indeed, was a grand view spread out before us. The town and harbor lay immediately at our feet. Beyond was the bay, in the distance Beef-top-sail Point, so called because, owing to its peculiar situation, there is, at almost all times, an eddy wind just off this point, before which vessels are obliged to shorten sail, on coming into the harbor. It was here, on this plain, that the entiie population of Valparaiso were gathered, eager spectators of the most obstinate sea-fight on record, that between Commodore David Porter, in the United States ship Essex, and the British ships Phoebe and Cherub. The action commenced just outside the harbor, and the vessels drifted out under Beef-top-sail Point, where Com modore Porter dropped anchor, and stood by his guns Til E V i s released and allowed to depart in peace. The Almendral is a great resort for ' liberty men," as here they can sit down or walk about among the trees and take a little quiet comfort, and as, moreover, at the lower end of the pleasure ground, there are a number of public houses, with skittle and bowling alleys, card tables and everything fitted for " a real day's sport." W II A. T 1) O K S A S A I L 'I .< K E? L'.'J I After seeing all that was t > be seen, we two hired a, im-iage, and took a long drive into the country, finding, however, nothing remarkable in the way of scenery, and returned in time to take a late dinner, with a bowl of good chocolate, at the " Golden Lion," paid another visit to the cathedral and the plaza, peeped into the calaboose, and returned on board, fully satisfied with our so long desired * liberty." Satisfied at least I was, and I believe every reasoning being of the crew thought with me that Valparaiso was a humbug, that " liberty " was a humbug, and that a man-of-war, considered as a stand- point, whence to see somewhat of the world, was the most egregious humbug of all. Let us take a sober look at the matter. Here was a ship which had gone quite round the world, (for Valpar- aiso is in very nearly the same longitude as New York,) had visited various ports in the Brazils, the East Indies, China, and the Sandwich Islands, and now, wjjen nearly two years from home, the crew was for the first time allowed to set foot on shore. Having passed by with a distant view, the places which we were most anxious to examine closely, all hands were at last permitted to set foot on a foreign shore, and saw what ? Speaking from my own experience : First, I saw a lot of drunken sailors. Next f a number of very fierce looking fellows, with long sworda, and villainous countenances, whose principle duty (so far as I could ever discover,) was to keep said sailors within proper bounds. Thirdly, I had seen a few trees, a little grass, a number of grog shops and ten-pin alleys, the cathedral, the calaboose, and the plaza. And fourthly, 1 had seen, aye, and felt too, an innumerable host of 20 MAN-OI-WAR LIFE fleas. Were not these sights rather <1 uriy paid foi by a two years' cruise at sea, deprived of every com- fort, outside the pale of all civilized society, living on stinking beef and pork, and worse than stinking water? Truly, I had "paid too dear for my whistle." Seriously, on rehearsing all that I had sean during my first " liberty/' the only circumstance that I could recall to mind with positive pleasure, was the fact that 1 had stood where once the entire people of a city were congre- gated, as in a vast circus, witnesses to two companies of Christian, civilized men killing and maiming each other, one calm summer afternoon, on the broad arena of the lower bay. It was something even to view the scene, where obsti- nate bravery was so nearly victorious over superior numbers. But it is always so. The sailor sees nothing of the world r^illy worth seeing. Seaports, devoted entirely to the shipping interest, as the vast majority of such places are, generally contain but little that is of real interest to the traveler. And the sailor, who, if on board a naval vessel comes ashore on a two or three days' spree, or if in a merchant ship, takes a ramble over the place when his hard day's work is finished, has neither time nor money, nor even inclination to hunt up the lions What did Tom Starboard or Jack Halyard learn, pray, of the general customs and manners of the people of Chili, during their three days' visit to the shore ? They experienced the presence of a mounted police ; they had informed themselves of the localities of the various grog shops ; they had perhaps made the acquaintance of sundry TOM B R C C K other persons and places n t to be mentioned to ji.i!itc : and the sum total of their real information cou- < -ruing the country consisted in this, that the people yjK?ak a 'barbarous species of Spanish, and that their houses are infested with unaccountable quantities of very large fleas. And it will be so. While you belong to a ship, yoi will see nothing. And if one tears himself loose from the restraints and influence of ship life, and undertakes to explore the country and gratify a laudable curiosity, or a prompting to adventure, he finds that he has not the powers of observation, the knowledge of other phases of life, with which to compare that which he is now wit- nessing, which arc indispensable to the traveler. We had on board a young fellow, Tom Bruce by name, a very intelligent, shrewd man too in his way, who some years before had run away from a whaleship in Acapulco, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and made his way over- land, by way of the city of Mexico, to Vera Cruz. 1 looked upon him with the greatest interest, took him for a second Mungo Park, a salt sea version of Humboldt and gave him no peace until he had imparted to me the whole story of his journey. And what think you was the information I gained from him concerning the country and the inhabitants? Why, that the women were pretty, the men ugly, the people generally hospitable but poor, the liquor bad, and the country unhealthy. What the country produced ; how the people lived ; what handicrafts were pra tic d among them, and to what degree of perfection they were carried ; what were the prevailing species of woods ; in 234 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: what differed the vegetation or the general face of the country from that at home all things which an intelli- gent traveler would notice on even the most hasty tour through a strange land he, in his long and tedious journey o^ many hundreds of miles, on foot, had never thought of noting. The events of his trip were jot to I ashore on several occasions, to ramble over the lonely hills and sterile beach, gathering California shells, and soda onions. This last production of California is quite a curiosity. It grew at that time in wild profusion all over the hills about San Francisco Bay, and was used very generally by sailo v s in the place of soap. It is, in shape and general appearance a perfect onion, but on being rubbed in water produces a lather, equal in whiteness and cleansing properties to the best of soap. Our crew gathered great quantities of this vegetable, and it was for a long time almost exclusively used on board for washing clothes. On our arrival at Monterey, we found that the different vessels composing the United States Squadron on that coast had Wn doing no insignificant business in the way of rapturing prizes, and the crews of several vessels had an amount of prize-money due them fully equal to their iviular \v i L'1 240 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: The war was pretty much over when we arrived, and we therefore had but little chan,e to distinguish ourselves ia that line. Nevertheless we had the satisfaction of taking a prize under the very noses of the entire s juadroii which was at this time gathered in the Bay of Monterey. A little schooner, calle . the William, and displaying American colors and papers, had been for some weeks lying quietly in the bay. She pretended to be waiting for a cargo of hides, and little attention was paid to her by the officers of the men-of-war. Our commodore took it into his head to have her hold thoroughly searched, and lo ! and behold ! snugly stowed away beneath a super- incumbent mass of casks and other lumber, were found several cases of arms, the remnants of a full cargo which "her captain had succeeded in disposing of to the Mexicans, at various points along the coast. She of course became our prize, and nearly fifteen thousand dollars in silver, the proceeds of her voyage, were transferred from her cabin to our tr.asure-box. Most of the vessels taken as prizes by the United States Naval vessels on this coast, during the war, for selling ammunition and warlike stores of all kinds to the Mexicans, were Americans, fitted out for this purpose in American ports, and sent out here by their owners to furnish arms to those who were fighting their country- men a nefarious speculation, to say the least of it. The Mexicans themselves had but one or two small vessels on the coast, and the English and French seemed to have entered into that business to but very small extent. It was left for our money loving countrymen to follow the example set in times past by the Dutch, of old, MALKK A DUEL. 241 of selling to the enemy the arms wherewith to defen 1 themselves. Among the vessels belonging to the Mexican fleet on this coast at that time, was one, to which, from the strange vicissitudes of her career, (i'i a vessel may be said to have a career,) a good deal of romance attached. This was the Malek Adhel, a fleet little brig. She had been, first, smuggler, on the coast of China, then pirate, next slaver, and finally was bought by the Mexicans, taken into the Mexican Navy, and t aptured while lying under the guns of the fort at Acapulco, by the boats of the Vnited St-iti'S sloop of war Warren. She was a very finely built vessel, and it was reported would sail like the wiiiil. Certainly, if sharp bows and square yards, breadth of beam, and tauntuess of rig indicate a clipper, Biie was one. Her story was a strange one. As it was told to me, by one who had been in "Tier when she was a slaver, it ran as follows : She was built in Baltimore, and had been originally fitted out for an opium smuggler. After running in that trade two years, proving herself the while the fleetest of the fleet, her crew, on a return passage from China, mutinied, and, killing the officers, hoisted the black flag, and boldly steered for the Atlantic, laying under contri- butions all vessels they met with on their way. As the vessel, while in the smuggling trade, was well provided with arms, the piratical crew found her ready fitted to their hands. After robbing several Indiamen, and one or two country ships, they got round the Cape of Good Hope, and steered for the Coast of Brazil, where 16 242 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: they committed various depredations, until, ere long, their actions came to the ears of the authorities, and they found the Ameri.-an and English men-of-war hot in chase. As those seas were no longer safe for them, the muti- neers resolved to take a flying trip through the West India groups, and here the vessel was captured, after a hard fight, and those of the crew left alive, were gibbeted in Havana. The vessel now came into the possession of a slaving captain, who refitted her, thoroughly armed her, and shipping a crew of thirty of the most desperate characters he could pick up in the pulperias of Havana, sailed foi the Coast of Africa. Here, in too much haste to proceed in the usual manner to procure his cargo of slaves, and forgetting the old proverb of " honor among thieves." he lay in wait for, and intercepted two homeward-bound slavers, and robbed them of their ill-gotten freight. Having in this way made up his cargo, he set sail on his return. Several days after meeting with and robbing the slavers, the vessel was chased by a British brig of war. With a roaring breeze, the Malek Adhel held her own for two days, but found it impossible to shake off the Britisher. All manner of devices were tried, but without success. Even the horrible expedient of throwing a portion of his slave cargo overboard, was resorted to, thinking by thus lightening the ship she would sail faster but all in vain. Now the monster who commanded her grew desperate, and double shotting his guns, and arming his crew, he put the brig about, and steered down for the British A STORY O !' A S I, A V E SHIP. 243 cruiser, determine;! to decide the fate of the day in the speediest manner. The two brigs fought for three hours, not coming however during all the time to a hand-to-hand conflict, as in such case, th: slaver's captai i was aware that the advantage of superior numbers was with the cruiser. Each tried by skillful gunnery to cripple the other, and finally the captain of the slaver, by a lucky shot, succeeded in destroying the for mast of the British brig. Hauling his wind immediately, he now quickly ran down athwart the bows of his almost helpless enemy, and discharging two raking broadsides at her, which swept her decks fore and aft, he set all sail, and in a few days had his slaves landed on the Island of Cuba. The vessel made two more trips under the command of the vvr tch who was h r captain 0:1 the first voyage, and then fell into the hands of Brazilians, who still however kept her in the slave trade, although procuring their cargoes in the more legitimate manner of paying for them on the coast. On the last of these voyages, she had been closely pur- sued by an America*" 1 , vessel of war. but had succeeded in throwing h:r cif the scent. She ran into one of the smaller bays not far to the northward of Rio de Janeiro, and there succeeded in landing her slaves. Scarcely had they gotten on shore, when an American schooner-of- war made her appearance at the mouth of the harbor. At sight of her. the entire crew, officers ami men, <>t' tlu- Malck Alh-l. s"einir esr.q.e hopeless to the i. put off hastily f>r the shore, li'.ivinir her an empty prize in the hands ..{' th,- AIM. ri -an s-.-ii oner. 244 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: By them, she was condemned as a prize, stripped of her armament, and sold to an American firm, who resold her to the Mexican Government, and she had been for some time already doing duty on the California coast when she once more fell into the hands of the Americans. Of her after history, I know nothing, except that some of our oldest tars prophesied no good for her. There had been too much blood spilt upon her decks to make her a lucky craft, they said. By a fortunate accident I was transferred to the United States sloop-of-war Warren, while our ship lay idly at Monterey, and in her made a trip to San Pedro, a bay some two hundred miles farther down the coast. I thus saw more of California than most of bur crew. San Pedro Bay is a rather poor harbor, formed by a slight indentation in the land, fronted and partly protected from the sea by two small islands. It was, at the time of which I write, notable simply as a hide-station, and as the port of a good-sized town, lying some thirty-seven miles in the interior, called, with true Mexican rodomontade, the Puebla de los Angeles, or City of Angels. Several of the angels, in enormous hide-boots and spurs, and fierce-looking mustaches, came down to the vessel to transact business with the captain. To say the best of them, they were rather dirty-looking fellows, with a good deal <% of the earth, earthy " about them. The town which, by an effort of the imagination, waa generally supposed to be located at San Pedro, I found to consist of one hide -house, and a man to take care of it. The most interesting spot in the entire neighborhood, T II K C 1 T Y F A N G E L 8 . 24 ") to me, was the island fronting the harbor, to seaward This was the abode of numberless sea-fowl which had here their nests, thickly studding the ground, and which sometimes, when suddenly disturbed, rose up in vast crowds, almost hiding the light of the sun, and filling the air with their discordant cries. A boat's crew of us paid a visit to the island, where we found the entire shore covered with nests, nearly all containing eggs or young birds, and so thickly were they clustered together that one could hardly walk between them without treading upon them. The birds were quite tame, and sat still upon their nests or screamed discord- antly above our heads, while we walked through their settlement. We procured a quantity of eggs, taking of course only the freshest looking. The eggs are quite palatable (almost anything was considered palatable in California in those days) , but the birds, mostly sea-gulls, have a strong, fishy taste (arising, probably, from their living almost constantly on fish), which makes them suitable or.ly for strong stomachs. We remained at San Pedro but a few days, as the har- bor is not a safe one, and as soon as our business was finished returned to Monterey. Here, everything was as we left it the same dull routine of nothing to do, the same everlasting beef. While lying here this time, and before, at my earnest petition, I was returned to my old ship, from the Warren, 1 had frequent opportunities to visit the shore, and on one of these occasions rode out to the "Missions," a 246 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: decayed Jesuit settlement some seven miles from Mon- terey. Making application to an old fellow, near the water- side, for horses for the party going out, he mounted, rode into a herd, and lassoed the requisite number of beasts for us in a short time. Providing them with saddles and bridles and their riders with one tremendous spur each, we were fitted out for the trip. Arriving at the Mission, we found a church of respect- able dimensions but dilapidated appearance, with a small house adjoining, for the padre, and a cluster of miserable huts, tenanted by a lazy and dirty looking set of Indi- ans, who sleepily hailed us as Christian brethren, and demanded, in return for the compliment, the wherewithal to procure some aguardiente. Drinking this aguardiente, the native liquor, and playing cards, seemed to be their only amusements, and so far as we could see, the only objects of their lives. They were a miserable set, and the kind of Christianity inculcated on them by the Jesuit priests seemed only to have debased them even to a lower standard than that of their roving brethren. During the Spanish occupancy of the land, these Mission Indians were used as slaves by the priesthood, who forced them to cultivate their fields, and perform their menial offices, granting them in return the name of Christians how little deserved it is not necessary to say. At the time we were on the coast, the country about San Francisco and inland was being settled up by Mor- mons, to whom this had been proclaimed a second prom- ised land. Immigrant parties of them were arrivin constantly, a few by ship, but most of them over-land, SUFFERINGS OF EMIGRANTS 247 crossing the Rocky Mountains. The poor people, intent only on reaching as speedily as possible their new Canaan, and possessed in general of but little practical informa- tion regarding the perils of the way, started not unfre- quently at the most un propitious season of the year for crossing the mountains, and suffered dreadfully from exposure to the cold among the snow-drifts on the higher ranges, as well as from want of provisions. While we were lying at Monterey, one of these cara- vans was caught in the snow in one of the passes, and the history of their sufferings scarcely finds a parallel in any account of shipwreck and suffering at sea. The party, consisting, if I remember aright, of some sixty persons, men, women, and children, arrived at the highest point on the summit of the range, in the begin- ning of February. Here, already weakened by previous exposure and suffering, they were overtaken by a severe snow-storm, in which to travel was impossible. They found it necessary, therefore, to pitch their tents in this place, and endeavor to make themselves as comfortable as * le, until the weather should moderate. Meantime the provisions, already short enough, began to fail, and ere long they were reduced to the necessity of eating their animals. Still the snow continued, and they were now imbedded in an enormous snow-drift, out of which it seemed an almost hopeless attempt for them to make their way, encumbered as the party was, with helpless women and children. It required their utmost exertions to keep the flickering torch of life from going entirely out, in the midst of this frozen snow-bank. Soon they found it expedient to build themselves snow 248 M A N - F - W A R LIFE.' houses ; and now it truly seemed as though they were never to get away. Already some of the weaker had died, and others were fast failing, when it was proposed that a party of six of the stout st and most experienced should try to make their way to Suter's Fort, then the most easterly settlement in that part of California, and there obtaining aid and provisions, return to the succor of their unfortunate companions. This was speedily determined on, and six of the best woodsmen, taking with them a scanty supply of mule meat, departed on their rather desperate mission for relief. Four of these died on the way, and it was not until entirely exhausted, and upon the point of also giving up, that the two survivors were found by a friendly band of Indians, who brought them to the Fcrt. Here one of the two died of pure exhaustion. The other, named Foster, by kind attendance and proper care was soon sufficiently recovered to accompany a band of hardy back- woodsmen, amply supplied with all the necessaries of life, to the place where he had left his distressed companions. After a most difficult journey of ten or twelve days, they succeeded in reaching the snow huts in the moun- tains. Six long weeks had already elapsed, since Foster and his five companions had started out for the settle- ments, to procure help. They found, out of sixty, but two left alive. It appeared that, not long after the party had started for Suter's Fort, the inule flesh was all consumed, ai:d those still alive saw utter starvation storing them in the face. In this extremity, tortured by the incessant LOST IN THE SNOW. 249 giiawings of hunger, they cxhuraed out of the snow the D bodies of their dead companions, and one after another these too were eaten. But even this desperate resort failed to keep life going, in the ice-cold fastness, and one after another, children, women, and strong men ceased to struggle with their fate. A few of the women and children had refused 10 touch the loathsome meal set before them, and of course these were the first to go. But a few days, and the survivors no longer buried the dead. They had not st length, nor was it necessary, as one after another the corpses were taken to provide sus- tenance for those who were still obstinately straggling for existence. Hoping against hope, the fast dwindling few still managed to retain their hold on life. They no longer moved about, except as it was necessary to hunt up a fresh corse, from which to satisfy the cravings of hunger. They ceased to hold communication with one another, but eyed each other greedily, thinking of the time, perhaps not far off, when one would dine upon the other. It was not until the number of the living had been reduced to two, that the succoring party reached them. And as Mr. Foster anxiously rushed to the tent where he had left a wife and two children, alive, when he departed on his mission for help, he saw one of these two survivors reclining between the' corpses of his two children, of one of which he had devoured all that was available, while of the other, only part of the body had been consumed. The soul sickens at the contemplation of such a scene. 250 M A N - F - W A It LI F K : The party returned to the settlements, where, it was said, one of the two survivors soon died of horror at the remembrance of the scene through which he had passed. One can not help thinking that death must have been a relief to one who had so horrible an experience in hia memory. CHAPTER XV HOMEWARD-BOUND Good-by to California Valparaiso An- other Liberty, and its Consequences. WE were heartily tired of the dull monotony of our California life, ere we were in Monterey three months. To be confined on board ship, in harbor, is wearisome enough at any time, but more especially so in so lifeless a port as Monterey. In places of so great resort for men-of-war as are Rio de Janeiro or Valparaiso, various little incidents keep the mind excited, and cause time to pass quickly, if not pleasantly. Now, some saluting takes place in the harbor, and the causes for it form a topic for conversation. Again, some great admiral or governor-general comes aboard to review the ship, and what with cleaning and polishing, mustering, being gazed at, and gazing at the strangers in return, a day is passed. And so, with occasionally exercising topgallant and royal yards, and loosing and furling sails, listening to the band, and once in a while an agreeable book, and an after din- ner game at backgammon or checkers, the time does no* luini; so heavily on one's hands. I Miring our long stay at Bocca Tigris, in Pimm. altl)<>uL r li 252 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! deprived of the pleasure of going ashore, the continual novelty of the objects on the river, and the daily ramble of several hou/s through the well-supplied bum-boats, in- specting the curiosities, ttc., served to keep the mind in a state of healthful activity. But in Monterey Bay there were none of these things. jS T o buinboats, no foreign people to look at, no strange vessels comiug in or goiiig out, nothing to see, or to do, or to think about. And a more tedious life than ours could not therefore well be. I had read through already, before we reached the port, every accessible book in the ship, including a prayer-book, i had matched myself at backgammon, against every player of note on board, and had become tired of continual iy beating certain ones, and being beaten by others. 1 had spun a teetotum, until disgust at the infantile amusement took possession of me. E\ery meaas of amusement had been tried and thro vvu aside ; and, in despair, I was at last reduced to the des- perate expedient of having my arms covered with pictures, pricked in with needles dipped in India ink, after the long- approved fashion of old salts. This, between the novelty of the experiment, and the pain attending it, served to while away some tedious hours. But, alas ! even this could not last forever ; and when there was no longer left any room on my arms, for additional Neptunes, ships, and whales, 1 was compelled in despair to re-read some of iny old acquaintances among the books. My experience was only that of all the crew, not ex- cepting even the officers, and heartily glad were we, therefore, when it began to be whispered about, that our sailing-day was not far distant. Great was the rejoicing HOMEWARD BOUND. 253 amid which we got the ship ready for sea, and more willing hands never bent sails or sent aloft topgallant yards. The boatswain's hoarse summons to " all hands up anchor for the United States," was received with three deafening cheers, attesting the heartiness of our joy. The capstan bars flew round ; the anchors were quickly at the bows ; the topsails sheeted home and hoisted ; and as the ship's head swung to the breeze, we manned the rig- ging, and gave three times three cheers, which were cordially returned by the crews of some half dozen men- of-war, then in port. And so we left California behind us with an inward vow (which / have kept) never to return thither. For home for home this was what tingled in every ear, wreathed every face with smiles, warmed every heart, and changed the entire life, on board. Homeward- bound is the magic word which causes the most obstinate to relent, the fiercest spirits to soften. Under its happy influence, old feuds are forgotten, and friends and ship- mates who have been estranged, or perhaps at bitter enmity all the cruise, now edge toward each other, and, almost before they know it, are shaking hands and laying out plans together for the future. Discipline, before so strict, is now greatly relaxed, and many little misdemeanors are overlooked, many little liberties granted, whioh make the rough life a compara- tive pleasure. The bonds of restraint, whieh have hith- erto kept every man in his own part of the ship, and among his own class, are to a great extent broken down, and, in the dog-watches, topmen are seen clambering 254 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! over the stays, from top to top, making social visits* while, on fine nights, half the watch below stays on deck to yarn it, and sing songs, and talk about home. These are really halcyon days, when everything looks bright, and the pleasures to come cast a pleasant sun- shiny gleam over all the hardships of the present, while the troubles and suffering left behind serve only to give a keener relish to the enjoyment of the day. " Well, boys," said an old quarter-master, " it's plain, the girls at home have got hold of the tow-rope now and just see how they are dragging the old ship along." She ^as going along, with as fine a breeze roaring through her rigging and distending the sails, as the most eager of us all could have desired. We were blessed with favoring winds all the way, not being detained by the usual calm on crossing the line, and arrived at Val- paraiso in forty-six days from Monterev. Here, all hands were given another run on shore, a privilege of which we were not sorry to avail ourselves. As homeward-bounders, we were looked up to, ashore, and among the crews of the other men-of-war, in the harbor, as fortunate beings, as much to be envied as though we had come into the possession pf great wealth. And, sooth to say, we looked down with infinite pity upon the poor fellows who were ^doomed to pass another year or two upon the station, and presumed not ' a little upon our superior fortune. The ship's company was divided in four shore parties, each division being allowed three days liberty. It is usual to make the division in such cases by watches, or quarter-watches, but, in this case, it was made from a VALPARAISO AGAIN. 2->.'> good-behavior book, kept by the captain and commander, those whose names stood highest on this being permitted to go first on shore, while those whose previous misconduct had placed them lowest, were reserved for the last party Among this last party were, of course, included all the worst drunkards, and wild fellows. But it so happened, a^ i.s too often the case at sea, that those whose characters for sobriety and general orderliness of behavior stood lowest on the captain's book, were at the same time the smartest men in the ship, the very best seamen. Among thorn were included nearly all the foretopmen, some fore- castlemen, and a number of maintopmen. These the commander called his hoo-hoo gang, and their turn on shore came last. Having no liberty-men to follow them, these fellows determined upon having a grand spree, and agreed not to come off to the ship until they were fairly driven on board. Accordingly, when their allotted three days were out, but a very few came off, the balance now stowing themselves away in the Tops, their regular haunts, where with plenty of everything which a sailor's heart desires, they awaited the turn of events. Such action was scarcely provided for on board, and one day's grace was given them, in which to render them- selves up. Scarcely a man availed himself of this, those who still remained having organized themselves into a band, determined to resist any attempts at a forcible capture, and to return on board voluntarily when they had their spree out. The second day after the expiration of their liberty, notice was given the I'igilantes, ashore, that five dollars 22 256 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: reward would be paid for every man of the crew rendered on board. Several who had carelessly strayed out of the Tops were brought aboard in the course of the day, the reward for their capture coming, of course, as it always does in such cases, out of their own pockets. The third day came, and now the reward for each man taken was raised to ten dollars. This set the entire police force of Valparaiso agog, as it was known that there were still nearly one hundred men ashore, and if they could only capture the entire party, they would clear a neat little sum. By this time, our tars had had their spree out, and were willing to return on board but not as captives, and, worse yet, with the prospect of paying for their own capture. But the vigilantes were unwilling to allow their prey to escape so easily, and refused to let them pass out of the Tops, except as prisoners. " Well," said one of the party, when this news was brought into the Tops by a few of their number who had been holding a parley with the police, " if they want us, let them come and get us and let us get ready for them, boys, for we must get aboard to-day, somehow." All hands now armed, some having shovels, some ham- mers, others old chairs, billets of wood, table legs, in short, anything that came first to hand, and the entire party moved in a solid body down to Mizzentop, that part of their stronghold nearest the Mole. AVhile consulting what was next to be done, they weie near being surprised by a considerable party of dis- mounted vigilantes, who, having skirted around the base A ROW WITH THE SPANIARDS. 257 of the hills, were now advancing upon their rear. At the same time, another force appeared in front, and the party seemed about to be surrounded. 11 Stick together, boys, and we'll drive these fellows before us down to the Mole ; and if we reach that, we are s ifc," said one of the leaders. No .sooner said than done. Without giving the party app (.aching their rear, time to catch up, the tars charged upo.i the company of vigilantes in front, and, throwing some down the steep side of the Mizzentop hill, knocking d'lwn ethers, and driving the balance before them, they fought their way gallantly down through the narrow street leading to the Mole, and reached the plaza at its extremity, without serious injury being done to any one < f them. On reaching the plaza, they were stopped by a multi- tuut they did not give up. They asserted their privi- to render themselves on board without the aid of r////7d floating timber, and were there helpless and at the mercy of the police, who stood above them, throwing pieces of rock upon their heads. The little band on shore still defended themselves as best they could, and maintained their position behind the timbers. But a few minutes more, and our boats were at the stairs, and, making a last mad rush at their assailants, our tars, picking up their wounded, ran hastily down the stairs, the boats shoved off, and all was over. Those iu the water had of course been picked up tirst The b ats OFF FOR CAPE HORN. 259 arrived none too soon to save our men. Many of them were wounded, and several were so badly hurt as to be confined to the sick bay the greater portion of the pa&- sage to Rio de Janeiro. To what extent the police force of Valparaiso was in- jured in the melee, we never learned, as we sailed the succeeding morning for Rio, which port was to be our last, this side of home. Sailing once more past Reeftopsail point, we made the best of our way with a strong and favoring breeze toward Cape Horn. Our cruise was now fast drawing to a close, and every one that knew how was busied about some kind of fancy work, with which to make a show on shore, or perhaps for the next voyage or cruise. Some spent weeks in making a nice suit to go ashore in. and frocks with beautifully embroidered collars and bosoms, of blue silk, blue jackets with velvet collars and cuffs, and two rows of pearl buttons on each side, threatened to become the fashion, while Tliere were not wanting tars whose extrava- gant fancy was not satisfied with less than a complete row of pearl buttons down the outside seam of their mus- tering trowsers. Others these were the utilitarians giving little heed to fancily-embroidered clothes, were busied about braided hammo.'k lashings and clews, and bag- lanyards, while a few, remembering the young folks at home, were expend- ing all their sailor craft in fitting up skip -ropes, or ar- ranging the rigging for some miniature vessel, destined to grace the parlor mantel, and form a reminiscence of the days spent in the Service. All this work was however put a stop to by OUT 260 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: approach to the told weather of the southern latitudes. For ten or twelve days after leaving Valparaiso, we held our course to the south-south-west, in order the more surely to strike the south-westerly winds, which would then, having made a good southing, be entirely fair for us. In two weeks after leaving the coast of Chili, we were in the long, powerful swell of the South Pacific, and bearing along gallantly under a pi ess of canvas, for the Horn. While yet steering south, we one day saw a large school of whales, the largest school we had seen during the cruise. They were standing to the north, forging ahead slowly through the water, their vast heads divid- ing the waves, their smooth, black backs gleaming over the surface as they made their way against the wind and sea. They would have been no inconsiderable prize to some outward-bound sperm-whaler ; to us they were sim- ply objects of curiosity. I watched them as long as I could see the bushy spray of their spout, and determined within my own mind that if life was spared me I would experience myself some of the hardships and dangers associated with whaling. It being the latter part of November when we sailed from Valparaiso, we were off the Horn in December, the hight of summer in those latitudes. We, therefore, con- fidently expected that we should have fine weather and fair winds, in neither of which expectations were we deceived. By summer off the Horn is not to be understood such weather as is called by that name in the United States. The wind is sharp and biting, and the nights are OFF THE HORN. 261 y uncomfortably cold. The days are much lika f ne March days in the latitude of New York, and pea- jackets and mittens are at all times welcome. Yet this weather is infinitely preferable to the bitter cold, s'.ormy winter of the same latitude. The difference between the t.vo seasons here is said to be even greater than in the more temperate climes. The most important advantage gained by doubling the Horn in the summer season, is in the length of the days. When we were off the Cape, the sun rose at a little after two o'clock, A. M., and did not again disappear below the horizon until ten o'clock at night. Having at the same time a brilliant full moon, with the long twilights of the high latitudes, we were able to read, on deck, at any time of the night. In stormy weather, this long continuance of daylight greatly facilitates the working of the ship, and eases the labors of the sailor. In the winter season the days are from four to six hours long, and for the balance of the twenty-four hours the storm wind is to be met and over- come in the dark. It seemed very strange to us to turn into our ham- mocks at broad daylight, and for some days 1 persisted in remaining upon deck, until at least the sun sank out of sight. These daylight night-watches were very pleas- ant. Although broad light, it was supposed to be night, and all the etijuette observed in daytime was dismissed. All work, of course, was suspended, and the watch on deck, with a goodly portion of the watch below, congre- gated on the quarter-deck and in the waist, and sitting close together to keep warm, played at various nautical 2)2 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! games, such as the Priest of the Parish, and Doubling Cape Horn, the merry jest and song going the rounds in the meantime, until, in the pleasing excitement of the hour, we forgot cold feet and han Is and other minor dis- conrorts. When directly south of Cape Horn, although not in sight of land, being too far to the southward, our breeze died away, and we lay for three days becalmed, sur- rounded all this time by albatrosses and cape pigeons, the only inhabitants of the lonely waste about the Horn. In a calm, these birds approach very near to the vessel, eagerly picking up any scraps of meat or other eatable that may be thrown overboard. Taking advantage of their greediness, we caught several dozen albatrosses, by means of a hook baited with a piece of pork, and allowed to float astern. The hook and bait are kept at the sur- face of the water by means of a broomstick or other light piece of wood, to which the line is made fast. The alba- tross no sooner gets his eye upon it than he gulps it down. Then begins in general some exciting sport. They have great power of resistance in thiir feet and wings, and use it to the utmost, making it quite an undertaking to haul one in. To this purpose, you watch the pitching of the vessel. As her bows go down and her stern rises high in mid-air, the captive bird is dragged along by the resistless power of the wave. When the stern begins tc settle, the slack line is quickly pulled in, and again be- layed as she rises aft. And so by degrees he is dragged up und^r the stern, and pulled in on deck, amid a great fluttering of wings, and an ugly snapping of his heavy C A T C II 1 N me to light when adversity overtakes him. Place him in his element, and give him prosperity (plenty of unro- mantic fat pork) , and he becomes at once selfish, and greedy, and mean, and uses the power of his beak and wings to oppress the weaker among his brethren, and lob them of the products of their skill or daring. 23 264 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! I have often watched a wary old albatross, who had felt the Look, and learned to view a piece of pork with a certain degree of distrust, as he would lay off at ease, while a little inexperienced fellow would confidently swim up and get the piize. But, alas! before he had time to swallow it, the large one is upon him, and wrests it from his very throat. The sailors take advantage of this greedy disposition, to make themselves a bit of sport They take a stout cord, two or three feet long, and fasten solidly to each end a lump of pork, then throw this contrivance to the birds. No sooner does it strike the water than it is pounced upon by a gony (as they are called by seamen) . He swallows one piece, but ere he has time to gulp down the whole mess, another bird has taken down the remain- ing piece of pork, and the two are linked together by the head. Now comes a tussle and tugging, each one of course desiring to go his own way, until generally the weaker of the two, after a desperate struggle, gives up his share only, however, to be seized by another, when the same scene is re-enacted, until at last some lucky fellow man- ages to get off with the entire booty. We captured a " gony," on the last day of the calm, who measured from tip to tip of his wings, thirteen feet six inches. They are not unfiequcntly found to spread fifteen feet. Our calm was succeeded by a strong breeze from south- south-west, with which behind us, we wallowed through the vast billows off the Horn, at a rate which filled every heart with pleasure. A few weeks brought us again into CAPE PRIO. 2f>fj pleasant weather, and once more we had exchanged win- ter for summer, the sombre albatross for the gay tropic bird, the bright and many-colored dolphin for the lonely Cape pigeon. Then came the scraping, and scrubbing, the tarring, ]> anting, and trimming up, \vhich was to give to out ship an appearance in accordance with the gay harbor of Rio, which we were now fast Hearing. At length, Cape Frio hove in sight, and the vast Sugar Loaf, looming up against the sky, was hailed as an old acquaintance, whom we were glad enough once more tc look upon. And as the dear old craft bore nobly into the harbor of Rio, there were few hearts on board, I opine, that did not send up a fervent and deep-felt thanksgiving to the Giver of all good, who in His mercy had brought us s:ifely through so many dangers, so many trials and hard- ships, thus far on our way home. And when, on the first Sabbath in port, the white Bethel flag at the peak called all hands to church, an unusual stillness and respectful attention to the services of the occasion, pro- claimed the deep feeling of gratitude which reigned throughout the ship. Sailors are rough fellows, and have their full share of the weaknesses incident to our common humanity ; but, careless and light-hearted and often positively wicked as is jour real tar, no man has a warmer or more easily t uched heart than he ; no one is more susceptible to the deeper and better feelings of our nature : and, as his life is one of so constant vicissitude, as he is so unceasingly held as it were in the hollow of His hand, who rules tht 20(5 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: storm-wind and the billow, so are there in the experi- ences of his soul depths of gratitude and upheavings of the spirit toward its Creator and Preserver, to whii-h the landsman, pursuing the more even tenor of his way, is perhaps a stranger. Rough and plain spoken as he is, there is no tenderer heart than Jack's. There is no kinder nurse in sickness, no less selfish companion in the every-day pursuits of life, no more open-handed and free- hearted giver to the poor and needy, than he of the b. on zed cheek and tarry frock CHAPTER XVI. LEATE Rio de Janerio The Last Passage Norfolk Paid off. WHILE assisting the quarter-master in trimming the after windsail one day, during our stay at Rio, he pointed out to me a little heavily sparred, black schooner, lying in the inner harbor, among other shipping which he declared to be a veritable slaver. My curiosity was greatly excited, and I gave my friend no rest until he permitted me to take a long look through the spyglass, at the suspicious craft. As may be supposed. I found her to differ but little from other vessels of her rig and build. Her spars were disproportionately heavy and taunt, and she was cop- pered high up above the water-line, both peculiarities likely to aid her in getting through the water, but other- wise she had, to my disappointment, nothing about her which might not be seen on the most common-place coaster or pilot-boat. " But." said I to my friend, " how dares she show her- self in here if she is really a slaver?" " All her slaving gear, decks, irons, and galley, were taken out of her in the port where she landed her slaves, and she probably came in here with a false set of papers (2G7) 268 MAN-OF-WAR L I F F ' certifying her to be a trader of some kind. She will procure here her stores for the next trip, return to her last port for deck, etc., and then start again for the coast of Africa. And thus, although every body in the port knows her real business none of the men-of-war can touch her, because they can't prove it. But some- times they catch them nevertheless, by folio wing them out, tracing them to the refitting port, aud then lying in wait for the vessel outside. But they have got up to that trick now-a-days, and manage to circumvent the cruisers, by sending out spying boats, who inako report whether or not the coast is entirely clear." While we were yet speaking, a mizzentopman, one of my watchmates, came up, and took a look at the object of my curiosity. " Ain't she a beauty, Jack," said the quarter-master, admiringly. " Yes, and many a beauty like her, I've seen sawed in two on the beach in St. Helena. That's the only thorough cure for a craft that's once got into the habit of going to the West Coast." " Do they saw them in two, then, when they catch them?" inquired I. *' Yes, and old Jimmy Squarefoot himself could not put them together again. I've seen some of the finest cmft that ever sailed, spoiled in that way, and rotting on Jamestown beach." I had long been desirous to know what was done with slavers and their crews, when they fell into the hands of the English cruisers, and as Jack Matthews had been some years on the Coast (as the West Coast of Africa is BIO DE JANEEI O V I 8 I T I N G . 269 called], in one of the British cruisers, and had assisted at the capture of many slavers, I did not let slip the occasion to get him to promise me a yarn on that subject when we were once more at sea. "The first quarter-watch we have aloft, Jack," said I. "Yes, if you put me in mind of it," answered be, gflbd-naturedly. Our stay at Bio was short. To replenish our supply of water, and take in a few stores, was the work of but little more than a week, aud then we were off for home, indeed. The few days spent this time in Rio harbor passed very pleasant^. The one thought which seemed uppermost in every mind that we were now homeward bound was in itself sufficient to lift us above the com- mon every-day disagreeablen sses of man-of-war life. But in addition to this rather imaginary lightcner of labor, \ve cxjKirienced at this portion of the cruise, many plea- sures of which outward-bounders are left in ignorance. Among these, not the least was the deference paid to us by the crews of the men-of-war in port, which had but lately arrived from the States. We were looked up to, not only as privileged mortals, in that we were now upon the eve of concluding happily a not unimportant episode in our lives, but also as the heroes (self-constituted, to be sure) of a somewhat eventful voyage around the world. As there was but little to do on board, and these were the days of unusual privileges, little parties were per- mitted to spend a portion of each day on board one 01 other of the American men-of war in harbor, a species of liberty of which we \MT<- irlud to take advantage. .Many of our men had shipmates on board of the other v 270 M A N - F - W A II L I F K : and those who had none soon made acquaintances, sc that these visits formed a very pleasant variety in our liie. On these occasions, I always found that our crew would consort principally with those of the other vessels who were stationed in the same part of the ship as they. Thus, our foretopmen were sure to be found, when on a visit, among the foretopmen of the other ship, the fore- castlemen took their stand about the bows, while the maintopmen were seen congregating in the waist. And not unfrcquently, when one found an old shipmate, on leaining that he was stationed in a different part of the ship, there would be an expression of disappointment, and often a positive estrangement. The spell seemed to some degree broken. So imuh are we the creatures of habit, that a friend in altered circumstances seems a friend no longer. On going for the first time on board a strange ship, among several hundred men, with not one of whom I \\ a-J acquainted, I felt somewhat ill at ease, fearirg that 1 should not be so fortunate as to make some friends. But my uneasiness was needless. I was not five minutes on board, was still standing in the gangway of the frigate, looking at the arrangement of the upper deck, somewhat different from ours, when I was accosted by a boy of about my own age, who said : " To what part of the ship do you belong?" " To the mizzentop," I answered. " That's all right, come along with me," said he, slip- ping his arm through mine, and ere half an hour vaa past, I was sitting in the midst of a crowd of topmates, THE GKNKROSITY OF SAILORS. 27 I as ranch at home as though we had made a ?niis together. Of course on such occasions, numberless questions were asked concerning the ports we had visited, to some of which they too were bound, 'lough yarns were spun by our fellows, of sjrapes ashore, and of various events of the cruise, while we in turn got the latest news from the States, what changes had taken place afloat and ashore, during our long absence, together with advice as to the best course to be pursued after we should be paid off and discharged. Visiters are always entertained with the best on board. The stranger has the place of honor at the mess ; he is served first, and with the choicest portions of the rough fare, and no possible mark of attention is omitted. And if there is anything he particularly fancies, yea, even to the half of Jack's possessions, it is his. Thus, on the first visit I made, when of course, I was thrown among entire strangers I was shown some new books. I looked them over with great interest, and chanced to say that I would like to read a certain one. No more was said at the time, but when I was about to jeturn on board, in the evening, a package was put in my hand by a stranger, who vanished before T could ask him what it was. On opening it when I got on board our ship, 1 found the identical book I had desired to read. To refuse a gift of this kind, or even to express any sense of obligation in accepting it, would cause pain to the donor, and to ofler pay for it would be an unpardonable offense. There is no more liberal -hearted fellow than a man- of- 272 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! war's-man. His greatest delight is to divide his little stock of wordily goods with some ill-furnished acquaint- ' ance, and he would give away his last shirt and to an utter stranger, and feel happy as a kin^ in doing so. Numberless were the souvenirs of friendship exchanged between our crew and those of other vessels, while we lay in Bio. A party of mizzentopmen of one of the frigates, sent aboard to me one day. before we sailed, and when I had already taken leave of them, probably never to see them more, a complete suit of winter clothing, to wear when we should get into cold weather on the American coast. And I am sure that nothing gave the donors greater pleasure than the knowledge that I would not have a chance to thank them that, in fact. 1 scarueh knew whom to thank. Many of our crew were favored in the same way, and scarcely one but was able to show some article of use or ornament, the gil't of one of our new-made friends. In like manner, as we were about to leave the Tropics, we distributed our white f.ocks and trowsars, and light hats among the crews of the other vessels, and few that had any curiosities to give away, but parted with them here. Paving taken in our stores, bid good-bye to friends, and fired one last salute, we weighed anchor and stood out to sea, taking our last look at the Sugarloaf and Cape Frio, with feelinzs much more pleasurable than were enter- tained when we took leave of these objects somewhat over two years and a half before, a period when we were just launching out on the cruise which was now nearing its completion. The passage home was a real pleasure -trip. No mere JACK MATTHEWS YARN. 27'1 general quarters, or exercising at the guns, no more black-listing, or other punishment, no work of any kind, except what was actually necessary. Nothing to do, but talk of home, ami lay plans tor the future v.hijh now loomed out so brightly, ahead. How impatient we grew at any slackening of the breeze, or signs of its hauling ahead ! How each hour's progress was counted, even before it was made ! How attentively each one kept his reckoning, and from the daily progress made hazarded guesses at the probable duration of the passage ! I still look ba^k to those last few days spent upon the old ship, with unalloyed pleas- ure. The feeling of hopeful suspense, the being about to turn a long-expected and bright future into a joyful pre- sent, seems, after all, the happiest of which humanity is capable. I had not forgotten the yarn promised me by Jack Matthews, and after the chafing gear was all on, and the first few days of bustle, succeeding the departure from port, had passed, I took occasion of a quiet afternoon, when the quarter-watch were gathered together in the top, to call upon my frien 1 for the fulfillment of his promise. " Don't get that old fellow yarning, again ; he'll bring on a head-wind with his tough stories that nobody be- lieves," said the captain of the top. " Never mind, Harry ; more days, more dollars, you know," answered another. " I've got more money coming to me now than 1 know what to do with. I'll have to hire somebody to take care of me when we arc p.iid off. A light craft like myself 18 274 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: would make but poor headway, with such a cargo in as I shall have to carry away from the purser." "Get spliced, Harry," sung out one of the youngsters from to leeward, which elicited a burst of laughter, as, if Harry's own tale was to be believed, he had at least half a dozen wives then living in as many different places, having made it a point of duty to " get married and settle down," as he called it, at the expiration of every cruise for the last fifteen years. " But this ain't the yarn," I ventured to say. " Well, if you'll promise not to believe a word he sa^s, Charley, I'll make him tell it," said Harry, who pretended to absolute authority in the top. " You'd better believe me, than look for proof," sug- gested Jack himself, as we gat 1 ered around him to hear the yarn. "And, now," asked he, "what shall I tell you?" " We want to hear what is done with the crews of slavers that are captured." So, taking in, as a preliminary, a huge quid of tobacco, Jack began : " You know, boys, 1 was two years in one of the little ten-gun brigs which Johnny Bull keeps on the West Coast to catch slavers. In that time we took more than twenty prizes, and our prize money, when we got home, amounted to upward of five hundred dollars each. " The vessels, if the slave cargo is already on board, are generally taken to Sierra Leone ; while, if the} are yet empty, they are sent to St. Helena. Most of our prizes were taken to the latter place, as our cruising ground was just between there and Ascension and th take me a voyage with 282 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE! them, in order to induct me regularly into this now do partment of sailor-craft. But I thought to try it alone, being desirous to conceal the fact of my having been in a man-of-war something which, as has been before men- tioned, is not by any means considered a recommendation in the merchant service. Never did days seem so long, as when, on being about to cross the equinoctial line for the sixth and last time during our cruise, we were for nearly a week becalmed. " Blow, Saint Antonio, blow !" muttered the commo- dore, as he paced the poop. And, " Blow, good Devil, and you shall have the cook," sang the boatswain, as with impatient strides he walked athwart the forecastle. At last, the >so much desired breeze came, and the stud- ding sails were run up to the yard-arms, with a jerk which threatened to carry away the halyards. Every available stitch of canvas was put on her, and when she was once more bounding through the water before a good eight-knot breeze, we all drew a long breath, as though relieved of some great load. "VVe left Eio in the middle of January, and of course expected to meet some cold weather, on the coast of America. Great preparations were made, old flannels patched up, pea-jackets mended, and a general refit of woolen clothing had. We h id been so long in warm weather, had found even off the Horn so little of what might be called cold, that most of the crew looked forward with some concern to a possible encounter with one of the March gales on the coast. It was, therefore, with no little pleasure that we LINN HAVEN BAY. 283 received the news that Norfolk, Virginia, was to be our port, for at that distance south, the cold was not to bo dreaded. A few weeks of fair wind brought us into cooler weather ; and the daily increasing rarity of the atmos- phere, being an evidence of our gradual approach to port, was carefully irarked, At last, we struck the Gulf ; and passing it, after two days beating about with a head- wind, made the low beach of Cape Henry. Lying off and on that night, we got a pilot next morning, and the succeeding evening found us anchored safely in Linnhaven Bay. Now began a scene of utter confusion. All discipline was at an end. No more quarters or muster ; no more cleaning or dressing. No more scrubbing decks, and even no more cooking. Our credit ashore was unlimited, and who was going to eat " ship grub," when boat loads of delicacies from shore were brought off at every meal- time. Norfolk is celebrated among man-of-war's men solely on account of the abundance and cheapness of oysters. The colored women, who bring off on board all kinds of victuals for the sailors, do not fail to have, among other matters, a plentiful supply of these shell-fish, prepared in all the known modes; and on these the tars " bowse out their kites," as they call it, at a great rate. I said, our credit on shore was unlimited. And to the praise of our crew and of sailors in general, be it said, that in no case was this credit abused, although chancea to do so were not wanting. I never saw our captain of the top more troubled, during a three years' cruise, than 284 MAN-OF-WAR LIFE: lie was on the day he was paid off, at being unable to Mad au oil black woman to wl.om he owed a dollar, for provisions b. ought off while we were yet on board. He hunted for her for more than an hour, and when at last he found her, it was hard to tell which was the happiest, the old woman at getting her money, or Harry at having been enabled to pa} r her. Two days after anchoring in the Bay, we were towed up through the shipping, at anchor in the upper harbor, to the Navy Yard, where, hauling to the wharf at but little distance from that monster man-of-war, the Penn sylvania, the work of stripping ship was begun. It was while being towed through the fleet of small shipping which at this time densely crowded the harbo of Norfolk, that I, for the first time, got a distinct idea of the vastness of the structure which had been my horn * for nearly three years. This was the only time, in the entire cruise, that we passed sufficiently near to a mer- chant vessel, to allow us to make an estimate of the size of our craft, by comparing her with others. Our enor- mous hull loomed up among the little craft against whose sides we rubbed as we glided between their narrow tiers, like a leviathan among little fishes. A tolerably large schooner's maintopmast passed under our mainyard with- out touching, and the men on our foreyard, ready to bear off should we be like to come in contact, were on a leve* with the royalyards of a large barque which we passed. Custom had caused us to forget, in a short time after coming on board, this great difference in sizes, and it was thought no more to run to the royal masthead, on board PAYING OFF. 235 our seventy-four, than it would be to go to the same place on board a diminutive merchant barque. Our ship's company being so large, it was judged ex- pedient to pay us off in two parties. Accordingly, one half of the crew was sent ashore on the next day after we hauled to the Navy Yard wharf, while the balance, among whom I found myself, were kept on board to strip ship that is, to take down the lightest of the top-ham- per, send down the topgallantmasts, and topmasts, and topsail and lower yards. The rest of this labor is left to the dockyard men. Stripping ship is pleasant work, in- asmuch as it proclaims the conclusion of the cruise. Everything is sent down by the run, and " a sharp knife and a clear conscience " is the word. At last at last the long wished for day came, on which we were to leave the ship. When, on the even- ing previous, as I took a last walk about the now deserted decks, a final look up aloft, where now everything was dismantled, I felt I. must confess it as though I were about to depart from my home. The moment to which I had looked forward so long, and with so much eagerness, was come ; but the gladness which I had anticipated I would feel at this consummation so devoutly wished for, was not there. All the pleasures of the voyage came rushing athwart my memory. The remembrance even of the many de- privations and positive sufferings of our long cruise, seemed to loom up before me with a pleasant sort of indistinctness, and I regarded the old craft, the scene of many, to me eventful, passages in my life, with 28(3 MAN-OF-WAR LIF^ a feeling of affection which I had never before experi- enced. I was not alone. Old tars, and young lads, all were walking about, taking their leave of the various familiar objects and places about d' j cks. Here was a powder-boy, holding up to the light, for the last time, his bright priming-wires. There, a gray-beard seaman was brush- ing the dust off his cutlass, and placing it carefully in the rack, overhead. Some ascended to the tops, where so many pleasant hours had been spent, during the past three years, and sat down sorrowfully in the old places, to have " another yarn ;" while yet others fidgeted about decks, evidently feeling themselves sadly out of place, and more than half wishing the good old craft was yet off the Horn. The next morning, the final leave-taking came, and we gathered bags and hammocks, and went ashore -free at last. Then first came the full realization of the fact that I was once more my own master, and with the feeling, I half involuntarily straightened myself, and threw back my shoulders, as though to fling off the long -borne yoke. I felt as though no consideration in the world could induce me to ship in the Navy again. I had had a surfeit of bondage. 14 DAY USE FE