MV-WRLF FROM THE FOlfECASTLE TO THE CABIN * 1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/fromforecastletoOOsamurich '■^^ fe CAPTAIN SAMUEL SAMUELS. FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN BY CAPTAIN S. SAMUELS II ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE London : 30 Fleet Street 1887 Copyright, 1887, by Harper & Brothers. All rights reserved. • • • • »• G-sso 2^ " From, the Forecastle to the Cabin " is dedicated to my friend^ James D. Smith, Fresidait of the New York Stock Exchange, and Ex- Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. I offer this tribute in appreciation of the seamanship of tlie man who has sailed his craft so successfully in two sorts of difficidt waters. TJiat others Jmve also appreciated his virtues and abilities is evident from the fact that lie has held two posts so eminent and so enviable as those that I have named. 250256 PREFACE. I HAVE endeavored to give in these pages a terse and exact account of my personal experience, under and not over drawn, omitting details which would make the book too voluminous, and pointing out the more dan- gerous temptations which beset a boy who has entered upon a seafaring life. I liave avoided as much as pos- sible the use of sea terms, that I might not befog the landsman. Sailors will not object to the omission, as they hear enough of sea talk in the way of business. Parents will find nothing herein to induce their boys to desert their firesides, but much, I trust, that will prove the ti:uth of the saying, that " Truth is stranger than fiction." S. S. Cliff Cottage, N. Y., Jan. 3, 1887. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. My Start upon a Seafaring Life. — Down the Schuylkill. — I Port the Helm in an Emergency. — Falsely Charged with Snoring.— The Unquiet Ocean. — A Cruel Remedy for Sea-sickness. — In New York Harbor, — My Nerves Unstrung by Tales of River Pirates. .Page 1 CHAPTER 11. A very young Sailor's Power of Imagination. — I Desert my Ship. — A Mild-spoken Skipper gives me a Berth.— In Command of the Deck on Long Island Sound. — Hunger comes to me. — I Steal a Pig, and Deceive my Master. — In Newport, with Money in my Pocket. — I Ship with Captain Cozans for Mobile 14 CHAPTER IIL Overboard from the Mainsail Gaflf. — The Captain's Tea Foams when he Stirs it. — I Learn who Tom Pepper is. — Greed costs our Captain a pretty Penny.— I am Wakened and Bidden to say my Prayers. — We Lose three Lives in the great Gulf Hurricane of 1836. — Sailor's Fun at Mobile. — I Desert again, and Ship on Board the Revenue Brig Jefferson as Coxswain of the Captain's Gig.— Piping proves Greek to me. — Lieutenant Sampson saves me from Getting a Dozen over the bare Back. — I make the Ac- quaintance of French Peter. — In Mobile Jail. — I tell Yarns to the Ladies 26 CHAPTER IV. Millie, the Black Cook, Feeds me Well.— I Learn the Art of Smug- gling from my Friend Peter.— Life is Lazy on Board the Jeffer- X CONTENTS. son. — We Lose our First and Second Captains of the Top in a Norther. — I Desert again, this Time along with Peter.— We have a Rattling Time, and the Crimps ship us off to Liverpool.— Some of our Crew object to being "Shanghaied." — Comparative Ad- vantages of a Crust and a Dry Bed at Home. — Money Flies in the Great English Port.— Peter and I Ship on Board the Emily for Galveston. — Trouble in the Galley. — I Thrash a Boy or two, and Win the Captain's Regard Page 39 CHAPTER V. Threatened by a Pirate. — I listen to Peter's wicked Advice. — My Chum tells me a Tale to make my Hair stand on End, and pro- poses a Scheme that causes my Knees to knock together. — The Pirate quits us on Sighting a Dutch West Indiaman. — The Fate of the Crown Prince William. — I lose Peter, and go on a Cruise in the Frigate Houston of the Texas Navy. — Our Lieutenant Snubs a British Consul. — I select a new Chum. — We meet the Pirate that threatened the Emily and Fire a Broadside at her. — Yellow- Jack comes Aboard. — I go to New Orleans with a Prize. — Colonel Billy Wilson becomes my Friend. — I try the Mimic Stage for a while. — My Chum Jack joins me. — We are " Shanghaied " aboard a Liv~ erpool Ship, of which we take French Leave.— I make a Visit Home 56 CHAPTER VL Jack and I start for a Trip around the World on Board the Haunted Ship St. Lawrence. — An Explicable Ghost. — Father Neptune comes Aboard to Shave me at the Equator.— The Isl- and of St. Paul. — I join my Ship on Board a Log at Sydney. — We find an Island full of Cannibals, who try hard to eat us. —A Yankee Whaler who had Married a Princess.— Persistent Traders 74 CHAPTER VIL A Mutiny at Manila, in which I knock down the Mate.— The whole Crew put in Jail. — We see a Fugitive bayoneted by a Manila Soldier.- We and the Captain cool down, and he takes us out of CONTENTS. Xi Limbo. — I make a Social Call, and barely escape Assassination, — How a Handsome American Sailor became Captain of the Port of Manila. — A Typhoon in the China Sea Page 100 CHAPTER Vni. Battalio, the Malay, cuts his Throat. — Death of my Chum Jack, whose Thigh was Broken in the Storm. — His Burial at Sea.— I Study to become an Officer. — The Colored Steward endeavors to Fire my Ambition.— Arrival in the Delaware. — Battalio's Shock- ing Death 115 CHAPTER IX. Ships that I served in as Officer. — I Lose a good Berth by Falling in Love. — The English Service does not suit me 133 CHAPTER X. A Captain at Twenty-one.— A Fight between Sailors and Marines in a Dutch Port. —Dousing and Flogging for the Ringleader. — I have a Verbal Tilt with our Consul at Genoa. — Amoog the Isles of Greece 137 CHAPTER XI. Caught in a Levanter in the Grecian Archipelago. — I do a Stroke of Seamanship which attracts Attention Aboard two English Brigs. — Sir Edmund Lyons, British Minister to Greece, accepts a Cigar from me and praises my Countrymen. — I Return the Compliment by a Piece of Foolhardiness and by Showing my Heels to his two Brigs 154 CHAPTER XIL Driven Ashore in a Gale in the Dardanelles near the Plains of An- cient Troy. — A Turkish Commander who resembled the Actor Hackett. — I am Hospitable at Christmas, and am elected Admiral of a great Fleet, to which I show the Way into the Golden Horn. — A Smart Turkish Corvette which was built by a New- xii CONTENTS. Yorker. — I decline to be Admiral of the Turkish Navy. — A Dozen of us try to Swim the Bosporus as Byron did. — He must have done his Swimming in different Weather. — A Note from the most beautiful Woman I had ever seen Page 167 CHAPTER Xni. I assist a Christian Lady to flee from a Turkish Harem. — She comes to me and my Friend, a Swedish Captain, down a Silken Ladder in the dead of Night, goes on Board my Friend's Ship, and sails away to England, where they are Married. — Constantinople be- comes too Hot to Hold me after they are Gone.— A Collision in the Bosporus, and a Run to Odessa in which I beat the entire Fleet of which I was Admiral. — A Lucky New-Yorker the one Ship-chandler at Odessa 183 CHAPTER XIV. A Bit of Life-saving, of which the Life-savers of our Coast would think nothing. — Sued by the Man who ran into me.— For certain Reasons I disguise my Ship before Entering the Dardanelles, and run through without the Formality of Waiting for a Permit. — The Fort fires at us, but does not hit us 196 CHAPTER XV. A Voyage to Leghorn, where I make Enemies. — Threatened by Banditti at Pisa, and Rescued by Officers from the United States Naval Squadron.— Our Enemies board us as we are about to Sail, but Retreat in a Hurry 203 CHAPTER XVL We are Chased by two Boats filled with Pirates. — We Stop the Chase by Firing a Load of Grape and Canister into each Boat. — It's a Fortunate Sailor who gets Shark for Dinner. — Ten Enjoyable Hours at Cape Town. — We enter Batavia in Company with the Prince of Saxe- Weimar, whom I am the means of get- ting on Shore Dry-shod. — The Wonders of Chinese Ship-carpen- tering. — Driving Evil Spirits out of the Hawse-pipes 213 CONTENTS. xm CHAPTER XVII. The Landing of the Prince of Saxe- Weimar. —Fine Living at an Aristocratic Hotel a few Miles out of Batavia. — I Spend near ly a Year's Income there in Five Weeks. — Attentions to my Wife, who was the first American Lady that ever Visited the Place. — Our Departure from Batavia by Night amid Fireworks and Music, and a Wonderful Display of Phosphorescence in the Sea. — I am Washed Overboard in a Gale off the Cape of Good Hope Page 323 CHAPTER XVIIL Exchanging Civilities at Sea. — I get Bass's Ale and Cheese and Madrid Onions from an English Skipper, and he gets Good Things from me. — The Fox Family at Falmouth, who have Furnished our Consuls there since the Revolution. — My Wife and I in Ham- burg during the Cholera Epidemic of 1849.— I Sell my Ship, the Manhattan. — The Model of our Centre-board Yachts. — I carry a Dutch Steamer through a Storm.— The Dutch are a Sterling and Charming People 333 CHAPTER XIX. I come into the Command of the Dreadnought, which is built espe- cially for me. — The Summit of my Ambition is reached when I become Captain of this "Wild Boat of the Atlantic." — We beat Everything that Sails and a good deal that Steams. — The Days when the American Flag made Liverpool Fine. — Osceola's Daugh- ter makes a Voyage with us. — I Regard her as a Sort of Jonah. — We run into Field-ice and a Ship runs into us. — Osceola's Daugh- ter takes to the Boat 249 CHAPTER XX. The Mutiny on the Dreadn/)ught. —1 get a Crew of the "Bloody Forties." — They have Plotted in Liverpool to "do for " me and take my Ship. — They begin with Insolence. — I Knock one of them Down and Cause him to be put in Irons, whereupon the Mutiny breaks violently out 367 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. My Faithful Dog warns me.— He Flies at the Throat of one Muti- neer, and I Level my Pistol at the Head of Another. — No Sleep Aft and no Food Forward,— Germans to the Rescue.— I order Knives Overboard, and they go Dropping into the Sea. — I Knock the Ringleader into the Forecastle, — The Mutiny is over, and the Men go to Work with a Will.— We part good Friends . .Page 281 CHAPTER XXn. A Hurricane in the "Devil's Blow-hole." — We are boarded by an immense Sea. — I am twice knocked Senseless, and my Leg is broken.— We lose our Rudder, and are obliged to make for Fayal, — My Leg finds a Doctor after fourteen Days, but is not made sound for many Months 292 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE PORTRAIT OF CAPTAIN SAMUELS FrOuUspiece BREAKWATER LIGHT 7 SANDY HOOK 10 AT THE NARROWS , . , 11 NEWPORT 24 COXSWAIN OP THE CAPTAIN'S GIG 41 PORT OP LIVERPOOL 53 THE STERN-CHASE 67 ADRIFT ON A LOG 87 OVERBOARD AMONG THE CANNIBALS 93 SHIP IN A TYPHOON Ill PUMPING AND BALING ALL NIGHT 114 "CUTTING in" • 127 AMSTERDAM 139 GENOA 149 CONSTANTINOPLE 173 THE LADY OF THE HAREM 177 GIBRALTAR 215 CHINESE JUNK 220 A HURRICANE OFF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 229 BALING OUT THE LIFE-BOAT 231 ST. HELENA 235 THE "dreadnought" 251 HOLY-STONING THE DECKS 285 INTRODUCTOKY NOTE FROM THE BISHOP OF NEW YORK. Captain Samuels has given me the privilege of read- ing the proof-sheets of the following pages, and has asked me to introduce him to the public. I cannot conceive of a more unnecessary ceremony. "Good wine needs no bush," and " From the Forecastle to the Cabin " has not a dull line in it. ' The art of telling a story is, after all, as an Irishman would say, a gift, and Captain Samuels cer- tainly has that gift. I read to some friends of not un- critical disposition the tale to be found in the following pages in Chapters XII. and XIII., and they paid it the rare compliment of asking to Hear it again the next even- ing. In fact, a volume crowded with so much and such various incident, graphically told, could not fail to be in- teresting, and I may add (for I believe it is to say so that I am especially asked to prefix these few words), that if one wanted an effectual deterrent to use in the case of a lad seized with the fancy for going to sea, it would not be easy to find it more readily than in the often painful experiences of the author. The old love of adventure at sea is, perhaps, not so rife as a generation ago, but there are still lads who need to have painted for them in colors more truthful than those of much modern fiction, the life of a cabin-boy and a sailor. xviii INTRODUCTORY NOTE. I need hardly remind the readers of these pages that their author alone is responsible for their literary form as well as for statements of fact. It only belongs to me to add that he has, I am very sure, striven to tell the story of his boyish and youthful adventures, mistakes, and suc- cesses in a spirit of entire candor and straightforward- ness. His many friends who have sailed with him in the Dreadnought and others of his various commands will be glad to meet him once more in this volume of his recol- lections; and others, I am confident, will be not less glad that he has put them upon paper. Henky C. Potter. . Barcelona, %? Km ^January 14, 1887. FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN CHAPTER I. My Start upon a Seafaring Life. — Down the Schuylkill. — I Port the Helm in an Emergency. — Falsely Charged with Snoring. — The Unquiet Ocean. — A Cruel Remedy for Sea-sickness. — In New York Harbor. — My Nerves Unstrung by Tales of River Pirates, At the age of eleven I took French leave of home. My step-mother and I had such differences that a house the size of the Capitol at Wdfehington would not have been large enough to hold us both. When my father married her she had a son of my own age. He would not run away, and so, to promote the harmony of the family circle, I ran away myself. I was large for my age, and more fond of the water than of school. I had devoured the works of Cooper and Marryat, which had so stimulated my romantic im- agination that I determined on a sea -life. Nowadays there are no such inducements to fire the youth as there were then — no new lands to discover, no pirates to en- counter, no slavers to capture. The romance of the sea departed when our white-winged racers were superseded by steamers. In these times sailing-vessels are almost things of the past. The ship-master is now no longer a 1 g , ; , ; from: TIJEj^rORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. merchant. At that time, with prudence, he could amass a fortune. Telegraphy now precludes any possibility of a trading voyage. The highest attainable place now is the captaincy of a large steamer. The pay of such a place does not exceed three thousand dollars a year, and in many cases is only half that sum. Should misfort- une overtake the ship-master in the loss of a ship, his whole professional life would in most instances be ru- ined. Few passengers crossing the ocean realize the anxiety that fills the heart of the apparently happy cap- tain. Sitting at the head of the table, or walking the quarter-deck, he is a perfect picture of nonchalance and jollity ; but the canker-worm of anxiety is in the heart of this man, who runs so many risks, and hazards so much, for the poor pittance of an imderpaid first-class clerk. Let not the young man be carried away with the outward appearance of the ship-master, whose life can only be compared to that of Damocles under the sus- pended sword. 1 would not commit my memoirs to paper if I felt that they would, in the slightest, tend to induce a boy to become a sailor. The rough experience I have gone through, few could live to endure. I have seen many a man who started with me in this race of a daring and reckless life fall early on the journey, leav- ing his mother, wife, or sweetheart to watch and wait for one who will never return to her loving embrace, or meet her again until the sea shall be called to give up its dead. After several attempts at sailoring on one or two mi- nor trips, I found myself as cook and cabin-boy on board the schooner Hampton Westcott, commanded by Captain ON BOARD THE Blew, with a cargo of coal, bound down the Schuylkill for ^ew York. Kno^ying how to steer, [ was sent to the helm. I was too light to be of much service in hoisting the sails. A light, fair wind was blowing. ^Nearing Grey's Ferry bridge, which was drawn to let us pass, the captain yelled to me, " Port, you villain, or you will have the masts out of her !" This order was given so peremptorily and forcibly that it confused me in an instant. The word " port " I did not know was equivalent to larboard. Fortunately the idea struck me that Philadelphia was a port, so I pushed the tiller that way. This was not done a minute too soon, and, indeed, had it not been for the presence of mind of the captain's wife, who rushed up out of the cabin on hearing the confusion, we might have been dis- masted. She, taking in the situation at once, let go the main-peak halyards before any one could reach them, thereby saving the mainsail, and escaped with the loss of the after-horn of the main-crosstree. During the ex- citement I did not know what would become of me. I was about to jump overboard and swim ashore, when the mate's wife, who was also on board, seized me by the back of the neck and said, "Don't be frightened, little boy, the captain won't hurt you. He is my brother, and very kind to boys." This, however, did not reassure me, and after the sails were all set, I saw the captain coming aft with a piece of ratlin stuff in his hand and fire in his eyes, making directly for me. His wife interposed. " Don't you dare touch that boy," she said. " You 4 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. spoke to him like a brute, nearly frightening the life out of the poor little fellow. It is a wonder the masts are now standing.'' I soon saw who the real captain and mate were. I had made myself very agreeable to the ladies, who had no children of their own, by telling them a most pitiful story of my home life, not giving them my real name. I had gone aboard under an assumed name, as many an- other sailor has done before and since. I called myself Jack Williams. Sleep was a stranger to me for the first two or three hours that night, though the day had been the most try- ing and wearisome of my life. All hands slept in the cabin, and there I was with the captain, mate, three men, and the two female mates, who were the most influen- tial officers on board, and who took me especially under their wings. Tlie ladies were curious, and began ques- tioning me. " Kow, sonny," said one, " tell us all about it. Who are you, what are you, and where did you come from ?" "That cock-and-bull story you got oflf on us about your poor widowed mother with seven little children younger than yourself is all fudge," said the other. "Tell us all about yourself. We know you are a run- away boy." I tried to keep my secret, but it w^as of no use. They determined to know all about me. They questioned me so vigorously that once or twice we were asked not to talk so loud, as we were keeping all hands awake. Twice the captain mildly called, " Mary, do let the boy alone, and turn in." After the second invitation she re- ACCUSED OF SNORIXG. 5 plied, " Shut up, or I will throw a boot at you." The mate, however, was a little more stubborn. " You young pup," he yelled, " if you don't tell all you know, and more too, I will lick you within an inch of your life." I knew that these were Jersey people. Jerseymen were looked upon in those days as a sort of Spaniards, or half- savage. I became somewhat alarmed, fearing bodily harm, and answered all the ladies' questions until they had quite exhausted themselves. It turned out that they knew my father. They had often heard from him of my exploits, and how troublesome a boy I was. He had told them that he would not be surprised to see me brought home on a shutter, killed or maimed, as I had been almost drowned twice. It appeared that my fa- ther had been in the habit of visiting these people, mak- ing their house his home when he was in that part of Jersey. Not being especially in his confidence, I did not know who his friends were. After the explanation, I was told to turn in. It was not long before I went to sleep, nor was it long before I felt a punch in my ribs from my bunk- mate. The punch was accompanied by the assurance that if I did not stop snoring he would smother me. I soon fell off again, only to get a second thump. I thought it had broken all my ribs, and the yell I gave was something startling. I cried out that it was not I that snored, and in this I was seconded by the shrill voice of the mate's wife, who said it was my bunk-mate, as she had frequently heard him before, and knew the sound of his bugle. At this he got angry, when all hands joined in complimenting one another. They 6 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. quieted down at last, but I was too frightened to go to sleep. Presently Horace (this was my bunk-mate's name) began to toot up again. The noise resembled that of a fog-horn. I slipped quietly out of bed, and lay down on the locker, on the opposite side of the cabin. The mate, who could not sleep, got out of bed, took the pitcher of water from the table, and dashed it into Hor- ace's face. He jumped up, and the two men clinched. Then all hands arose and joined in, and for a few min- utes there was the liveliest time I had ever witnessed. When quiet w^as restored, Horace said that he would be even wdth me before long. The mate advised him not to lay a hand on me, as he declared my father never allowed any one but himself to whip me. (There was no necessit}^ for it either, for few boys were so fre- quently attended to as I was. My father was a true believer in the Scriptural doctrine, " Spare the rod and spoil the child," and he faithfully practised what Solo- mon preached.) It was now three o'clock in the morning. The day was beginning to break. The schooner got under way. I was told to straighten up the cabin. As I was mak- ing my toilet, the captain's wife, observing that I had no comb, presented me with one. At that age I needed a comb. I had a very heavy mass of black, curly hair on a cranium upon the top of which now only one solitary spear is left standing. This spear is as upright as a sen- tinel or a spar-buoy in slack-water. It appears to be filled with pride, and it seems to me at times as though I can almost hear it whispering, " I am monarch of all I survey." MY FIRST SEA-SICKNESS. 7 We worked down tlie Delaware, anchoring in the breakwater overnight in a very dirty soutli-easter. At dayliglit the wind hauled to the south-west, and hav- ing gotten under way and cleared the capes, with the wind dead aft, we shaped our course up the beach, wing and wing, for New York. I had never been C$r^<^- BREAKWATF.a LIGHT. at sea before. A *^ strange feeling came over me. The mo- tion of the vessel unsteadied my locomotion, and instead of entering the door I bumped against the side of the galley, in which my duties at that time lay. I became careless of what I did. I filled the fresh-w^ater kettle with salt-water, 8 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. and of course the coffee and mush were spoiled that morning. I have never yet met the writer who could describe the utter misery of sea-sickness. No one can fully ex- press the wretched feeling. Those who have endured the horrors of rtial de mer will sympathize with me when they know that I was never free from this plague during my first three years at sea. That June morn- ing 1 threw myself on the fore-hatch, utterly reckless of everything. There was quite a sea on. The water swashed over the decks and over me also. I made a resolve that if I ever got ashoi*e, the canals should be sea enough for me thereafter. My ambition soared no higher then than to be a horse-driver of one of those safe crafts in which, when we feel it time to shorten sail, the captain, or his wife, who may be steering, cries '' Whoa !" and all the danger is over. Horace jeered me, but another of the sailors kindly offered to effect my cure. lie went to the harness cask, took out a small bit of raw pork, to which he tied a piece of rope yarn, and told me to hold on to the end of the yarn and swal- low the pork, and then pull it up. He told me to do this two or three times. I believe I would have tried to swallow a handspike if I had been told it would cure me of the horrible sensation I was enduring. Down went the pork. I did not realize what I had done till I tried to pull it up, when a fright seized me. Holding the rope yarn with both hands, I ran aft to the captain, encountering Deborah, the mate's wife, on her way to the galley to see to the breakfast. She tried to quiet me as the captain took hold of the yarn and yanked the WE ROUND SANDY HOOK. 9 pork up. She was quite beside herself at the treatment I had received. She was a muscular woman, and seiz- ing a belaying-pin, she used it with the skill of a Liv- erpool packet-mate on the funny man who had played this practical joke on me. Abreast of tlie Tavern Houses (now Long Brand ») the wind hauled to the west and the sea became smootli. I began to notice things. I certainly presented a sorry sight. A sweep who had fallen down a chimney into a tub of water might vie with me in color. The ladies soon fitted me out, however, with some of the captain's old toggery. I cannot say I was cramped in them, nor would " Rock " have put me in his fashion-plate as a model. Tlie trousers would have fitted me if they had allowed me to use the side -pockets as arm-holes, but they put suspenders on me, cutting the trousers off be- low the knee — in spite of which, however, they still touched the deck. When fully rigged I looked as though I had been violently shortened. But I felt that the mantles of all the great navigators had fallen upon me, and that I would make a mark in history. The wind lasted just long enough to allow us to work around Sandy Hook on the last of the flood, when we anchored in the Horseshoe. During the evening the conversation turned upon the allegation of certain scien- tific men that the Hook was crawling to the northward, and before long would bar the channel to New York. Then our great city of Philadelphia would be the grand entrepot to the Western world. Where the light-house now stands on the Point was the main channel during the Revolution. But there is no evidence that the 1* 10 FROM THE FOKKCASTLE TO THE CABIN. deptli of water in the channel lias lessened since the time of which I write (fifty years ago), or indeed in over a hundred years. At present British interests ai-e knocking at our treasury door and ask- ing for the expenditure of $15,000,000 to deepen the channel to suit their obstinate notions of deep ships. When our legislators wake up to the necessity of restoring our lost commerce, and appropriate half this sum for that purpose, we shall produce ships to suit our waters, and again divide the commercial honors of the ocean with John Bull, who lately be- lieved that he had, after thirty years of study, produced the fastest type of vessel afloat, but who changed his mind, it is to be presumed, when the Puritan and Genesta raced to- gether. He challenged us to that trial of speed, and in nine- ty days (not thirty years) we built the craft which so well protected the trophy won by a single vessel (the famous America) against his entire fleet. ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PIRATES. 11 The anchor watch was set with strict orders to look out for bay and river pirates — whose indus- try is still carried on. The word pirate aroused a lively interest in me. I listened with bated breath to the many sto- ries told of the depre- dations committed by these robbers and mur- derers. Their prowess — I presume for my es- pecial benefit — was not > drawn very mildly. The a captain's wife, noticing a possibly my frightened | look, suggested that the i yarns be cut short, and that all hands had bet- ter turn in. There was ' little need that night for any other watch than myself, for I doubt whether I closed my eyes. The following morning we got under way, and worked up to New York. While we were passing Gibbet Isl- and it was pointed out to me as the place where pirates 12 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. were hanged. Little did I dream, as I looked with great interest at this islet, that in after-years I was to have with me on board a ship under my command a mutineer who should suffer the death penalty on this spot. Of the man Hicks, and of the mutiny on the Dreadnought^ I shall have more to say hereafter. We made fast at the foot of Rector Street, where we discharged our cargo. Pirates were the topic during Bupper on the first evening at the wharf. Two or three of the captain's friends who had come on board related their experience of robberies committed on their vessels. They told how they had been overpowered, beaten, and gagged ; how their cabins had been stripped, running rigging unrove, sails unbent, everything movable stolen and placed in boats and rowed off. I became dreadfully frightened at these tales. They took such firm hold on me that I must have dreamed of bloody battles, for I awakened in a fright and listened for footsteps. Tlie light had been put out, leaving the cabin in pitchy dark- ness. I heard some one jump from the wharf to the rail. I heard footsteps coming aft. I heard the com- panion-slide pushed back. Step by step some one came down into the cabin. I was too terror-stricken to make an outcry. I held my breath for fear of having my whereabouts discovered. I heard the footsteps coming towards me. I listened to the ticking of the watch hang- ing on the forward bulkhead. I heard the watch taken from the hook, and then its ticking ceased, as though the robber had put it into his pocket. Then the steps came towards my berth. I could restrain myself no longer. I gave a terrific yell of " Murder ! murder ! A AN IMAGINARY PIRATE. 13 man in the hold ! a man in the hold !" The women joined in the chorus. The men groped their way to the foot of the cabin steps, grappling one another. Each supposed he had the thief. The uproar was in- creased by the voices of the two women calling to their husbands, ''Are you alive? Answer me; do answer me !" All yelled to me to get a light, as I had the tin- der-box in bed with me to keep it dry and have it handy. There were no parlor matches in those days. 14 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER II. A very young Sailor's Power of Imagination.— I Desert my Ship.— A Mild-spoken Skipper gives me a Berth.— In Command of the Deck on Long Island Sound. — Hunger comes to me. — I Steal a Pig, and Deceive my Master.— In Newport, with Money in my Pocket. — I Ship with Captain Cozans for Mobile. With great difficulty I struck a light, after pushing the table between n:ie and the combatants. I got down on my knees behind it, to make myself as small as possi- ble, and held the candle over my head, which I kept below the table for fear of being struck. The uproar suddenly ceased upon the discovery that no one had pushed back the slide, or come down into the cabin, or removed the watch. All hands were more or less scratched and bruised in the grappling with one another, and I certainly would have received a severe w^hipping had it not been for the women, who were, however, angry with me for causing such a disturbance. It was half-past one. The mate got the whiskey bottle, and after he had given all hands a few drops several times over, their good-nature was re- stored to its normal condition, and they turned in, tell- ing me to go to bed, and let the light burn if I was afraid to sleep without it. 1 w^as too much excited to sleep. I kept my eyes fixed upon the companion-way, and listened to the various notes of snoring. Sailoi*s as a class are given to loud sleeping. A MIDNIGHT VISITOR. 15 It had begun to rain hard. The large drops pattered on deck with such force that I feared the deck would be crushed in. I had never heard anything like it before. Again my attention was drawn to the slide. It was be- ing puslied back. A hand unbolted the doors, which were opened, and tlie legs of a man came down. Pres- ently I saw his face, which was begrimed, evidently for disguise. He asked in a low voice, " May I come down ? may I come down ?" at the same time descending softly, so as not to awaken any one. Strange as it may appear, I was not frightened then, as the light was burning, but I called, " Captain, captain, there is a man in the cabin !" To this I received reply that if I did not stop my noise and go to sleep he would " whale the hide " off me. This awakened everybody again, when the stranger asked if he would be allowed to come down out of the rain. Af- ter some palaver he was allowed to take a seat on the floor, first being made to close the scuttle. I kept my eyes fastened upon him till daylight, which I feared would never come. Then the mate told the fellow to go ashore, and to go in a- hurry or he would boot him. Nothing could induce me to go to make the galley-fire unless some one would accompany me on deck, as I was afraid a thief might be stowed away in the galley, . ready to murder me. In three days the vessel was discharged and ready to return. I had made up my mind that she would leave without me, and so I ran away the afternoon of her sail- ing. Where to go I did not know. I had nothing but what I stood in, and not a cent in my pocket. That night I slept in a butoher^g cart near Franklin Market. 16 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Long before morning I was roughly disturbed by a brutal driver, who, coming to hitch up his horse, gave me a kick which made me feel as if all my ribs were broken. The yell I gave caused a crowd, which so an- gered him that he threw me to the pavement ; my head struck the stones, and I have no recollection of what oc- curred for a few moments after. When brought to by some kind-hearted market-women, I learned that a gener- al fight had taken place on my account, which ended by the watchman arresting the combatants. I had received an ugly scalp-wound, and was badly bruised about the body, but had no bones broken. After receiving a cup of coffee and a chunk of bread and butter, I felt myself a hero, and fairly launched in life. I sauntered along the docks to find a berth, being too small for some skip- pers, while others called me a young blackguard, and told me to go home and bring my mother. If she was good-looking, and wanted me to go to sea, perhaps they would take me. I finally boarded the schooner Rlo^ lying at a pier near Wall Street, and commanded by Captain Cozans, who said at once, " All right, my young tar, go home and bring your clothes. I will wait for you half an hour. As the tide will be making flood, I can wait no longer ; so hurry back." I replied that I lived too far, and that my clothes did not amount to much, and I could leave them for my brothers. lie said, '* You are a good boy, and I like the way you speak. I will be a father to you. Can you steer ?" "Yes, sir." " Can you cook ?" ON BOARD THE STEAMER " RIO." 17 " Yes, sir." " Have you ever been at sea ?" "IS'ot inucli." He spoke so kindly to me that he reminded me of my Sundaj^-school teacher ; but, oh dear ! afterwards I found a lambskin covered a rough brute. He had en- gaged another boy named George, who belonged in Providence. We two, with the captain, completed the crew bound to l^ew^port, R. I. We were too light to hoist the sails, so two negro wharf-rats were hired for five cents each, to help us set the canvas and cast off our lines. We ran up the East River with a brisk south- w^est breeze. The captain found I could steer pretty well — better than George — and so kept me at the tiller all day. I felt the importance of the place I filled, which was all very well till the novelty was wearing off and my stomach reminded me that there was a vacuum to fill. At about three in the afternoon I gently hinted that if George would take the tiller 1 w^ould cook the dinner. " We don't want no dinner. If you are hungry, go down into the cabin and you will find some bread and cheese. Help yourself." George and I went below and finished the remains of what had been a pound of cheese and some biscuits. The captain evidently was a thrifty man, who did not believe in laying in stores to be wasted, nor did he be- lieve in a variety. He bought the schooner cheap in New York, with money earned by close economy. She was a light draught centre-board vessel, his first com- mand, and as the wind was fair he expected to run up 18 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. to Newport in twenty hours, and therefore had no rea- son to lay in many provisions. We passed Captain's Island about six o'clock. The wind changed to east- ward, gaining strength as the night advanced. At eight o'clock we furled the flying-jib, after taking in the main gaff-topsail. She carried no fore. The watch was now set, the captain and George taking the first watch be- low. My orders were, just after we had tacked close under the Connecticut shore, to let her stand on until close under Long Island, then tack again to the north- ward, and call the watch at twelve o'clock, or earlier if it blew any harder, and to keep a sharp lookout and see that we were not run into. Here I was, a lad of twelve years, in actual command of the deck. Lord Nelson, at the battle of Trafalgar, could not have felt a greater responsibility than I did at this time. I laid out some wonderful plans for the fut- ure. In the mean time the wind was freshening. This prevented me from falling asleep, but I became very tired. I thought it time to tack, the land loomed up high. Its dark banks frightened me ; I feared I had stood in too close. I put the tiller into the becket, and ran forward, making fast the jib draw-rope, then put the helm down to let her come around. Becketing the tiller again, I went forward and let the jib draw once around, with the land astern. Then I felt safe. I now judged it time to call the captain. Upon look- ing down into the cabin I found the light put out, and therefore could not tell the time. When about midway across the sound I ventured down into the cabin, intend- ing to call the captain. His loud snoring scared me, BOUND FOR NEWPORT. 19 liowever, and 1 feared to wake him np. George I could not find, as it was so dark below, nor conld I stay down but a sliort time. I continued standing towards the Connecticut shore, the wind still increasing. I wanted to show the cap- tain how plucky I was in carrying sail. In tacking again, the shaking of the sails w^as so violent that he w\as awakened. Jumping on deck, he found the schoon- er staggering along with her rail under water. Then there was a lively time for a few moments in lowering the foresail. His language to me for not calling him before w^as anything but classical. I did not tell him he must have been very tired when he turned in, from the many times he went below to look at the glass, to see how the weather was to be. By the smell in the cabin I judged that the glass he inspected did not con- tain mercury. "Jersey lightning" was more probably its contents. But in this I must have been mistaken, as it was generally supposed that he was a prohibitionist. George now steered while the captain and I went for- ward to see the ground-tackle ready for anchoring. I was terribly tired, sleepy, and hungry. I asked the captain if there was anything to eat on board. He re- plied, " Do you think I keep a hotel ? I did not ship you to be stuffed like a turkey with truffles. Salt beef and pork are good enough for you." "Where is it?" I asked. "Ashore, you young rascal ! Go below and sleep off your hunger ; and if you give me that saucy look I will crack your jaw. The idea of a sailor saying he is hun- gry. Why, I have been a week at a time without eat- 20 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. ing. Tighten the waistband of jour pants and take a drink of water." I went below. Following a scent led me to the cap- tain's berth. Under his pillow I found a bottle. After refreshing myself with a portion of its contents, I cared no more for hunger than I did for his breaking mj jaw. I turned in all standing. With the exception of that in the captain's berth, there was not the approach to bedding in the cabin, but I was asleep in a moment. My dreams carried me back to my loving mother : her last dying look upon me, her lips moving, and her hands clasped as though praying for me. I was too young to fully understand — few chil- dren do — what it is to lose a mother. I was dreaming that she was caressing and fondling me, and had just brought me home such a package of candy, when the rough hand of the captain hauled me out of the berth. " Why did you not turn out when I called ?" he asked, with an oath. In a dazed condition he hurried me on deck. No boy knows the luxury of sleep so well as the sailor boy. When a poor little fellow craves a sea-life, he knows little of the hardships he will have to endure. He is kicked and cuffed by every one on board. He has the last chance at the kid. He is the last one to turn in, and is expected to be the first on deck, and is sometimes made to turn out to light some brute's pipe. Every Saturday he has to slush down the masts, and in tarring, his job is to tar down the light stays. Sailors have a strange idea that the rougher a boy is treated the better man he will make. OUTLOOK FOR A SEA-LIFK 21 A mother's instinct is always opposed to her darling's idea of a sea-life. Tliere are some incorrigible young rascals who are better at sea tlmn ashore. It is a kill- or-cure sort of profession. If a boy is bright and dar- ing, can stand the hard usage, is not carried off by a malignant fever, does not fall from aloft and become crippled for life, or does not lose his life by shipwreck, and can pass through the ordeal of the degrading influ- ence of forecastle life, he may become a master of a ship. If his lucky star still clings to him in the selec- tion of a wife, he will make a good citizen. However, the chances are a thousand to one against his passing through the ordeal safely. And when he has arrived at the command of a ship, what then ? If he loses a ship, although it may not be through any want of skill or care, he has a black mark set against him, and per- haps never can get another command. If his ship sinks under him, and by chance any lives are lost, he is looked upon as a coward for not going down with it, though he may be the bravest of the brave. I have in mind many instances of this kind. There is particularly in my memory one sad scene, the picture of which is now hanging on my wall. The captain in the case is still alive. His ship — I will not call her name — left Liverpool, bound to Boston. When off the Orm's Head, a few hours out from Liverpool, she took fire and sank, carrying down about four hundred poor wretches, wdio were looking forward to landing on this our glorious soil. The scene was most heart-rending. A few lives were saved by an English yacht in which the Prince De Joinville was cruising. The captain of 23 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the ship happened to be among those picked up out of the water. A better or a braver sailor never trod a ship's deck, yet he never had another command. Boys, look in the graveyards, and count on the tomb- stones, if you can, how many sailors lie buried there. Has it ever occurred to you how few die natural deaths? When I got on deck the day was just breaking. I found the schooner heading for a bay. It may have been Glen Cove. We came to an anchor w4th the mainsail standing, as w^e were too w^eak-handed to hoist it again if it had been lowered. George and I were sent ashore to forage. The captain gave me two dollars to buy provisions. As there were no stores, I went to the nearest farm-house, about a quarter of a mile fi'om the beach. I arranged a pitiful story as I was approach- ing the farmer's wife, who was feeding the chickens. I had scarcely begun my narrative of hunger and hard- ship, w^hen she rudely addressed me thus : '' Stop, you young liar! I know that you are chicken- thieves. I had my hen-roost robbed last week by just such a looking fellow as you, after he had told me all about a shipwreck. That night 1 lost three dozen of my finest chickens. You have come to see if I have any left. I have a great mind to have you locked up in the jail. Squire Jones lives near by, and if you don't leave pretty quick I will call the men out of the field to arrest you. Now go, or I will set the dog on you." Coaxing, or offering to pay for anything that she would let me have, was of no avail. As I turned from her she said, "There is no other farm closer than a mile, and it has SKIRMISHING FOR FOOD. 23 been robbed also. If jon go there, it may go hard with you." So I started for the boat. On my way I had to pass through an apple orchard. The apples looked very in- viting, but I had been forbidden to touch even a wind- fall. When a few rods from the boat I looked back, and found myself hidden from the old woman by trees. Near by was a sow, with a litter of good-sized sucklings. I called to George to shove off the boat, while I seized one of the porkers by the snout before it could squeal. Holding it before me, so as not to be observed, I jumped into the boat, tied the pig's feet, and gagged it with my handkerchief. We pulled off to the schooner without being detected. When we came alongside, the captain with an oath gave vent to his disappointment at not getting some bread, and he uttered a stronger oath when I told him that I had paid four dollars for the pig. I told him the old woman was going to bake that afternoon, and would send us a loaf. It did not take long to make a fire and boil the pig ; there was .no convenience to roast it. There was very little left when we had finished eating. There was no salt or dressing. Hunger is a good sauce. It sharpens the wits also, but it is an enemy to honesty. In the afternoon the weather moderated ; the wind hauled to the southw^ard. We got under way, and the next morning arrived at Newport. I left the vessel. The captain refused to pay me the two dollars which I said I had paid extra for the pig, but he gave me fifty cents, which he declared was all that was due me for three days' woi'k. I suppose it was, but be that as it 24 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. may, I felt myself rich with it and the two dollars that I already had, and I went ashore happy. After my wardrobe had been reinforced with a shirt and a pair of shoes, I looked around for a vessel to go to sea in. There were none here except fishing-smacks, and they manned by people of the place. After faring pretty hard for three or four days, I was glad when Captain Cozans met me, and asked if 1 would like to NEWPORT. ship again with him. He was bound to Mobile, and needed a cook, as he was going to take passengers. He took me to liis house to help around the place. His sis- ter, a smart girl a little older than myself, gave me in- struction in the culinary department. She was an adept at short-cake and corn-bread, knew how to fry fish and ham, and at baking beans had no superior. Sara was also very clever with the needle, and it was she who I SHIP WITH CAPTAIN COZANS FOR MOBILE. 25 reefed in some of her brother's clothes to fit me, so that I started on the voyage quite well supplied. She was a nice girl, but oh, how ugly I — pock-marked, snub-nosed, and red-headed. I fell in love w^ith her, however, be- cause the boys avoided her, and because she was so good to me. I believe I whipped every boy in town to whom she owed a grudge. I was sorry w^hen the time came to leave. Our ship was ready. The cargo consisted of lumber, potatoes, cabbages, onions, and some pigs and chickens. We had three cabin passengers, who, with the captain, owned the cargo, and w^ere going south to make a fort- une. The crew consisted of captain, mate (named Ball, a Block Islander), two men, George, and myself. As to the cooking, for the first day or two this duty de- volved upon one of the men, I was so dreadfully sea- sick ; but a few quarts of warm salt-water brouglit me around all right, and I soon became as saucy as was my w^ont. The cabin was very smalL There w^ere two lengths of berths on each side. Two of the passengers slept on the transom. Stern windows gave light from aft when the weather was fine. A skylight lighted the cabin from above. Our provisions were limited to a very few articles. Every one had access to my store-room, and a right to help himself. 2 FJiOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER III. Overboard from the Ma'msail Gaff. — The Captain's Tea Foams ■when he Stirs it. — I Learn who Tom Pepper is. — Greed costs our Captain a pretty Penny.— I am Wakened and Bidden to say my Prayers. — We Lose tliree Lives in the great Gulf Hurricane of 1836. — Sailor's Fun at Mobile. — I Desert again, and Ship on Board the Eevenue Brig Jefferson as Coxswain of the Captain's Gig.— Piping proves Greek to me. — Lieutenant Sampson saves me from Getting a Dozen over the bare Back. — I make the Ac- quaintance of French Peter. — In Mobile Jail. — I tell Yarns to the Ladies. We were crossing the Bahama Bank before a light north-east trade-wind, wing and wing, when, one day at three o'clock in the afternoon, the main gaff -topsail chafed oif, and orders were given to lower the mainsail and reeve the sheet again. I immediately offered to reeve it without having the sail lowered, and started up the mast by the hoops with the end ; there were no rat- lines in the rigging, George lighted up the bight to me. The rolling of the schooner slatted the mainsail so that the gaff jerked very hard. I got outside of the halyard blocks without difficulty, but when I undertook to shin the bare gaff the captain yelled, " Come down, you young rascal, or you will go over- board !" Nothing would induce me to go down, however, until I rove the sheet. All hands w^ere looking at me while 1 showed how smart I was. I had pointed the sheet OVERBOARD FROM THE MAINSAIL GAFF. 27 through the block when, as I made an extra effort to reach the end, the mainsail gave a heavy flap, which threw me overboard. In an instant all was confusion on board, while I was leisurely swmiming, waiting for the boat, which was duly lowered and picked me up. The fall into the water stunned and took the wind out of me for a moment, but I soon recovered to enjoy the fuss created. The threatened '' rope's ending " I was to receive from the captain was nothing to the great man I felt myself in being picked up out of the sea. At 6 P.M. I was sitting on my chopping-block by the galley door. All hands were at supper. I was think- ing of the future, and the part I was going to play, when the mate put'his head out of the cabin-scuttle and called me aft. I found the captain stirring his tea and looking very grave. A froth like that of new ale was at least an inch above the cup. " Cook," said he, " what is this T' " Tea, sir." " Taste it. What does it taste like ?" ^' Tea, sir." "Drink it!" "Yes, sir." " What does it taste like now ?" " Tea, sir." "That will do. Go forward, you young liar. You beat Tom Pepper !" I did not know then who Tom Pepper was, but sub- sequently learned that he was an old sailor who was kicked out of the infernal regions on account of his un- truthfulness. 28 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Bj some chance a piece of soap, to whicli some one had been helping himself out of my locker, must have fallen into the sugar-barrel, and from there found its way into the captain's teacup. I detected the soap in the tea the instant I tasted it, but would not admit it. It made me feel dreadfully ill, but my determination in sticking to what I said prevented me from being sick. It was a most disgusting dose. "We crossed the Gulf Stream and ran along the Flor- ida reefs. I paid more attention to what occurred out- side than inside my galley. I was not born to shine as a cook. My eyes were not large enough to take in the surrounding scenery of the historic waters and keys made famous by the buccaneers of the West Indies and the Spanish Main. We stopped at Key West, where we sold some of our cargo. I bought some coral and shells to take home, should I ever see home again, as a peace-offering. We then shaped our course for Mobile. West of this place, and near the entrance, we discov- ered the English bark Emerald ashore, with several small vessels anchored near by, which proved to be wreckers — pirates, I should say, from the way they were stripping the ship. In this business our captain and crew were not above taking a hand. Night approached while they were at it, and with it a norther. Our peo- ple were too busy to notice the coming storm. When the first blast struck us we started our anchor, and be- fore we fetched up on the second, which I with the aid of two of the passengers — all who were left on board — had let go, we had dragged neai'ly a mile. With much difficulty we got our crew on board and started. It blew THE captain's greed ENDANGERS THE VESSEL. 29 SO hard that we had to double-reef the sails and take the bonnet out of the jib. There was no supper to cook that night ; the weather was too bad — and, as far as I was concerned, I Ijoped it would continue. At 8 p.m. I turned in. At midnight I was called out to shorten sail. We furled the mainsail, which had split, and hauled down the jib and close-reefed the foresail. George and I went out to stow the jib while the rest were reefing, when the vessel made a heavy plunge, bringing her head and bowsprit under water up to the foremast, and wash- ing George and me off the foot-ropes. I was fortunate in being caught by the man at the tiller as I was washed aft, but poor George was seen no more. We hove -to under a close -reefed foresail, and all hands went below. Presently a heavy sea struck us which swept the decks. During the next lull we furled the foresail and hove -to under a main -trysail. My galley was washed overboard, which worried every one but myself. I rejoiced inwardly, not deeming it prudent to make any outward demonstration. jS"o more cooking for me ! We lived on raw ham, salt herring, and onions the rest of the voyage; the water in the cabin had spoiled the hardtack. That night I turned in, though everything w^as saturated, and slept as happy as a monkey in a menagerie. The next day and night the storm still continued in violence, without a break in the sky. The third night, at about eleven o'clock, the captain shook me, saying, " Boy, wake up ! Turn out and say your prayers." The scene was certainly a dismal one. The storm was still raging with fury, and the water knee-deep in 30 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". the cabin. The passengers were huddled together on the transom. I tried to pick np the captain's chart, which was floating around tlie floor, but did not dare to let go my liold, as the vessel was so tossed about that it was difficult to know which end of her was up. The captain said, " Never mind the chart. I'll have no more use for it. We shall all be drowned before daylight." At the same time I heard the leadsman giving the draft of water, which was rapidly shoaling. None knew where we were. It was decided when we were in six fathoms to run up the centre-board, get her off before the wind, and try to beach her. If we let her get into the breakers broadside to she would turn over. One heavy roll warned us that there was no time to be lost. After running up the head of the jib she paid off. The next instant she raised her stern high in the air, and with a fearful crash, as the sea rolled from under her, she struck. Out went our lights in the cabin. The next breaker stove in her stern ports, half filling the cabin with water. The vessel again mounted the sea, and with fearful velocity was carried onward until she struck a second time, when the following breaker struck us square in the stern, filling the cabin, so that we w^ere struggling in the water over one another to get on deck. Two poor fellows were drowned. When we recovered ourselves we found that we had been carried over a bar, and landed in four fathoms of water perfectly smooth. Then we let go the anchor. The vessel was full of water, and no land was visible. The flashes of lightning, with the roaring of the wild DRIVEN OVER A SAND-BAR IN A GALE. 31 wind and sea, made me grow ten years older in the same number of minutes. The horrible shrieks during the death-strnggle in the cabin are still ringing in my ears. The scene should have cured me of my desire for a sea- life, and I wish it had. Tins storm was the memorable hurricane in the Gulf in 1836. All hands began pumping and baling to free the ship. The wind abated as the long -wished -for day broke, but no land could be seen. By 4 p.m. the water was out of the hold. As we were exhausted, the cap- tain gave us each a good stiff glass of rum. The night came out starlight, and was followed by a gorgeous sun- rise. We saw islands all around. Near by was the dry sand-bar over which the sea had carried us. We did not know where w^e were until late in the afternoon, when a wrecking-sloop came along and offered to pilot us out. The wrecker would not tell our captain where w^e were until he liad struck a bargain. Then we found that we were off the Mississippi, and had been driven over a bar which extended from the Grand Grozier to the Bretain Island. That we were not dashed to pieces was a mir- acle. We set our tattered sails and made again for Mobile. As we passed by where tlie Emerald had lain there was nothing to be seen of her but a few timbers. Our cap- tain hurled an anathema at her, and w^ished she had gone to Davy Jones before he liad ever seen her. The loss of life, and what would have been the profit of the voyage, must be charged to his greediness and want of Jionesty. At Mobile we were greeted with the usual amount of 32 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. demonstration by the sailor-crimpSj who told us that we had arrived in high-water times. The pay by the run to Liverpool was eighty dollars, and to Havre ninety dollars, but the best chance, and the one by which we could get away that night, was to ship on board the Rev- enue brig Jefferson^ then waiting for a crew. Our two men and myself would make her complement. How lucky, we thought, to get such a chance ; eighteen dol- lars a month, and nothing to do but sail around the bay and live on the fat of the land — two glasses of grog a day, and plum-duff twice a week. When grog and duff are offered as an inducement. Jack yields at once and follows his leader, as the camel follows the music of his driver. That niglit, when all were asleep in the cabin, the two men and I slipped on deck, where we were met by the crimps, who took charge of our baggage and led us to the grog-shop. The watchman lent a hand, though the law prohibited any one carrying bundles through the streets after 9 p.m. The watchmen of those days were quite up to those of the present. I was shipped as an A. B., and was given to under- stand that my duties Avould be confined to steering the captain's gig, of which I was to be the coxswain ; to see that no one squirted tobacco -juice around the cabin door, and, above all, to see that there wxre no quids left around on the main liferail, as they stained the paint badly. I felt myself quite equal to perform these du- ties with any man ; therefore, I signed for six months, and received thirty-six dollars pay in advance for two months. I was rigged up in a man-of-war suit of duck and a straw hat. The whole midit have been worth THE REVENUE BRIG "JEFFERSON.'* 33 five dollars, and when I remonstrated with the people who had me in charge for keeping the balance of my money, the watchman told me if I did not shut up he would take me to the calaboose, and the old woman that kept the house declared that she had cashed an order from me on her that afternoon. She vowed that she would not be cheated by a young pup like me, and that if she were a man she would give me a licking for try- ing to rob a poor innocent widow. I was glad to get out of the house. My shipmates fared worse than I did, for they were made drunk and gagged, and so were taken on board the Jefferson. When the officer of the deck asked what was the matter, he was told that after we had received our advance we tried to run away. When I tried to speak, the boatswain promised me a dozen laslies if I dared to say a word. At 4 A.M. all hands were piped on deck to heave up the anchor. We soon got under way, and proceeded down the bay about twelve miles or more, and then anchored. The crew consisted of Captain Foster, who was not on board ; First-lieutenant McLane, a man of Scotch descent, who was constantly grinding his teeth, and was a great believer in the cats ; Second-lieutenant Sampson, a large, good-natured man from Maine ; Third- lieutenant Smoot, I believe from Virginia, a sharp, thin- faced fellow who did not know much and showed it by letting McLane ride rough -shod over him before the crew, who took advantage of Smoot on all occasions; the usual number of petty officers, and sixty men for- ward. The brig, with her four broadside carronades and a long-Tom swivel, was a match for any pirates or smug- 2* 34 FROM THE FOKECASTLE TO THE CABIN. glers, supposed to infest the Gulf of Mexico. After the decks were holy -stoned and brasswork and guns pol- ished, all liands were piped to breakfast. Everything was new to me. I was like a cat drinking her early morning milk, I enjoyed it so much. After breakfast all hands were piped to stations. I, being the smallest, was appointed fore-royal-yard man, and when that sail was not used, I was to attend the bunt-jigger in the fore- top. On deck, I attended the fore -royal brace. All hands w^ere piped aloft to mend sails ; that is, to loose and refurl sails. Up w^e scrambled to our stations. *' Stand by to loose,'' was piped. "Loose," was the next pipe. " Let fall," the next. Then the boatswain piped, " Pick up and furl." The piping was perfect Greek to me, but I w^atched the rest of the crew, and did as they did, and so far all went w^ell. Now came the rub. I had never helped furl a square sail. I rolled my sail up as well as I knew how. The bunt was nowhere, the boatswain piped at me without avail, and the more he piped the more con- fused I became. All hands were on their yards, sails furled, staring up at me. Lieutenant McLane could stand it no longer. He came forward on the forecastle, and forgetting himself in his anger, called me very uncomplimentary names, and shook his fist in such a savage way that I felt that keel-hauling would be my punishment w^ien I landed on deck. All hands were piped down. A Boston boy named Nickerson, much larger than I, was sent aloft to exercise and show me how to furl a royal. He did this very kindly, but sadly, saying, ORDERED FOR PUNISHMENT. 35 '* I am sorry for you. How you will catch it when you get on deck ! I have been in the brig four months, and have seen four dozen served out for a much less offence than yours. Do you think you can stand it? It will only be a few strips of flesh off your back, and it will give you a chance to show your grit and have something to brag about when you are a man — how you could take a couple of dozen and not w^ink. The sailors will all feel proud of you if you take your punishment without a yell, especially as it would make McLane mad if you showed no signs of caring a d — n for him or the boat- swain's cats." When we came down, all hands were called to witness punishment. We mustered aft. I was seized up by the thumbs to the main fiferail, my body bent forward, and my back bared ready for the lashes. One dozen was my award. I did not utter a word. My teeth were tight- ly clinched, I was determined to show my pluck, and, Indian-like, to brave death rather than make an outcry for mercy. A murmur of dissatisfaction was plainly to be heard among the crew, as the boatswain made ready to strike. Hardened as he was at this work, he hesi- tated a moment before flaying my little white back. This hesitation was caused by the uplifted hand of Mr. Samp- son, who had approached Mr. McLane, when words in an undertone passed between them. I was then ordered to be cut down. Mr. McLane asked me how I had dared to ship as an A. B. When I told him all the circum- stances, and what I had expected my duties were to be, all hands gave vent to their feelings in laughter, where- as but a few moments before they were ready to mutiny 86 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. and risk being sliot rather than see me flogged. Mr. Sampson shared in the feelings of the crew, and his re- monstrance saved me, as well as the serious consequences which he saw threatening. He spoke kindly to me, and told me to go forward. Mj feelings gave vent in tears as 1 thanked him. French Peter, the desperado of the forecastle, who had braved many battles, had offered to take my punishment, and undoubtedly would have led the mutiny. Flogging had been a pastime on this vessel, and the crew had about determined to put an end to it. My case was a good cause for them to espouse. When I went forward Peter claimed me as his own. We became chums. He said that I had good stuff in me, and the making of a good topman, and perhaps a boatswain. This man played a very prominent part in shaping my future, and I shall speak of him again. For the three succeeding days, we were constantly ex- ercised in handling sails, working guns, holy -stoning, etc. On the third day a schooner, with a sheriff and a posse of officers and several captains who had lost their crews and wanted to find them again, came along-side. Among the captains was Captain Cozans. A demand was made upon us for deserters. All hands were mus- tered, and each captain picked out his men and took them away, the result being that the brig lost about half her crew. All these men had had their two months' ad- vance from the Government, and this easy submission to the civil authorities cost Lieutenant McLane his place, which was filled by Lieutenant De Costa, the same who was in command at Charleston of the Revenue cutter, IN MOBILE JAIL. 37 which fired the gun that precipitated the great rebel- lion. We were taken to the city and before a magistrate, who gave us a taste of Alabama justice. The captains told their stories ; the sailors had nothing to say. My captain said his two men and I had shipped at Newport for the round voyage, and told how we deserted. I tried to tell the magistrate that I had not signed any articles, but was told to hush up. I may have been a little saucy, for when I attempted to speak again I was grabbed by the tliroat and hustled out of court in the most uncere- monious and violent manner, and was locked up with the rest of my shipmates. Presently some lawyers like those who in N^ew York City frequent the Tombs po- lice-courts and go under the name of '' shysters '' came to us and offered to get us out for ten dollars each. I was among the few unfortunates who had not the w^here- withal to purchase such valuable aid, and was therefore left in jail. The fare was not sumptuous, the company was the scourings of a vile city. They numbered among them murderers, burglars,- and pickpockets. With such delectable companions I was associated nineteen days, which I spent in observing humanity in its degraded forms. The lesson taught me here was that liberty and honesty are synonymous. I formed a determination never to be in prison again. The time of the prisoners was mostly occupied in card-playing, boxing, wrestling, and dancing ; but how they all longed for liberty ! I passed part of my time in laundry w^ork. One morning I would wash my shirt, and go without until it was dry ; the next day I would treat my ducks to a swim, and pre- 88 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. sent the appearance of a young Highlander. Mj ward- robe, it must be understood, did not boast of many changes ; it was an Irish fit-out — " a put on, a take off, and a go naked." I was told that my schooner had sailed by the same crimp who had induced me to desert her, and who had taken part in robbing me. He told me that if I would sign an order on the purser of the Revenue brig for two months' extra advance, which he said it would take to pay the sheriff and costs of court, he would get me out ; if not, I should stay where I was, and rot. But he said he felt sorry for me, and would try to have me released. I had had enough of prison life, and although I would have to work out a " dead horse " of four months, I glad- ly signed the order when it was prepared, and the next day I found myself aboard the brig, and happy to get a square meal at the mess. Peter having charge of it that week, I fared well. Now for the first time I saw our captain, who was a tall, liandsome man, about sixty years old, with iron-gray hair and mustache. I was ordered into his cabin, where he asked me to give an account of myself. The natural austerity of his countenance gave place to the benignity of a good-hearted sailor while I related my history in a half-whimpering way. His wife, good soul, who had no children of her own, fortunately for me was in the cab- in at the time with Mrs. De Costa, the first-lieutenant's wife. The ladies expressed much sympathy for my hard lot, which I drew in strong colors. MAN-OF-WAR LIFE. CHAPTER IV. Millie, the Black Cook, Feeds me Well.— I Learn the Art of Smug^ gling from my Friend Peter.— Life is Lazy on Board the Jeffer- son. — We Lose our First and Second Captains of the Top in a Norther. — I Desert again, this Time along with Peter. — We have a Rattling Time, and the Crimps ship us off to Liverpool.— Some of our Crew object to being "Shanghaied." — Comparative Ad- vantages of a Crust and a Dry Bed at Home. — Money Flies in the Great English Port.— Peter and I Ship on Board the Emily for Galveston.— Trouble in the Galley.— I Thrash a Boy or two, and Win the Captain's Regard. Now began my life in a man-of-war. I was ap- pointed coxswain of the captain's gig. I liad the care of that boat, and carried messages to and from the ves- sel. The captain and the ladies occupied a house on Mobile Point, near the fort. Everj morning early I was sent ashore with my boat's crew of four men, who would ramble around and work about the house while I rigged up a tent on the beach and took the ladies down to bathe. The trip generally resulted in my having a good breakfast with Millie, the black cook, with whom I had become a great favorite. She always had some- thing nice saved for me. I kept the old woman sup- plied with tobacco for smoking and snuff for chewing. She was a perfect type of the Southern Dinah, clean as a new pin from the bandanna on her head to her white stockings, of which she was very proud. She did not 40 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. know her age, but declared that she belonged to Gen- eral Washington, and also to General Jackson, and was in 'New Orleans with the latter when lie fought his fa- mous battle. She loved to talk as much as I loved to listen while stowing away chicken-gumbo, curried pig, corn-cakes and molasses, and all such delicacies. There were no clothes in the slop-chest to fit me, so Peter rigged me out in true man-of-war style. He em- ployed some men to make my hat-s and canvas shoes, while my pumps were brought from town. He himself made my clothes. Men-of-war's men ai*e adepts with the needle. My trousers fitted so snugly that it would have been impossible to pinch me. I was the pet of the crew, and an apt scholar. At a jig or a hornpipe I had no superior. Peter had an eye to business, and taught me some- thing in the way of smuggling. My boat's crew, of course, were in with me, and we rarely came off at night without a bladder or two of whiskey under the boat, tied to the lanyard that went through the plug. As the gig was never hoisted above the rail, we were safe from detection. Peter attended to the sale and kept the cash. Strange to say, he was so judicious in his disposition of the liquor as not to let any man have enough to become noisy, and we were never suspected. This game lasted for six months. In that time Peter had taught me to make all the splices and knots, the use of the compass and the lead-line, and to hand, reef, and steer with any man, besides all the deviltry which was known to the sailors of that time. The life was a lazy one. Occa- eionally we would get under way to give the ladies a COXSWAIN OF THE CAPTAIN S GIG. CAUGHT IN A "NORTHER." 43 sail, and once we went as far as Pensacola, but it was our liabit to stay anchored so long in one place tliat we were in danger of grounding on our beef-bones. Once we were caught in a norther which came out very cold and was followed by a snow-flurry. Signals were made from shore by the captain, who w^as rarely on board, for us to up anchor and run for the cove. We hove sliort, and all hands were piped aloft to reef the sails. The lead w^as taken by the first and second cap- tains of the top, in turning which the first captain lost his hold, owing to the sharp jerking of the ship, or per- haps to the numbness of his hands, and fell backward, striking the second captain in his fall, when both went overboard, striking the rail in their descent. The men drifted slowly astern, apparently lifeless, in a very short, choppy sea. In lowering away the starboard quarter boat, with the crew in it, the forward fall fouled. Mr. Smoot had his liand caught in the block, and to save the hand, one of the men cut the rope, when down went the boat bov/ first, dumping her whole crew overboard. In the mean time the second cutter had got away safely and pulled for the men, while w^e on board managed to save the first cutter's crew. The second cutter returned with the second captain, but the first had sunk before the boat reached him. The young fellow who was picked up lived only a short time, and died in great agony of injuries that he had received in striking the rail. A few days after this Peter said that we had money enougli, and that we should draw all we could from the purser and desert the ship, as it was no place for me to 44 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. sto]3 in any longer. I had learned to love this man so that I would have followed him anywhere. He said that he would sham sick, so as to be sent to the hospital at Mobile, where we could get a ship for Europe. He told me to ask for liberty to accompany him to the city. I had no difficulty in getting permission, or in drawing a month's pay. Shamming sick proved a success. Two days later we found ourselves in Mobile early in the morning. Upon landing we were met and shown to a sailor boarding-house, the only home Jack knows. Well does Jack know, too, that he will be swindled before he leaves it. We were received with the usual demonstra- tions that the sailor provokes when he lands with his pockets well filled. We were assigned to the best room, and all hands were called to drink at our expense. We breakfasted sumptuously, and had the seats of honor at the table. A 23lan for the day's pleasure was laid out as w^e ate. Two cari-iages and two large coaches with flags were engaged. Everybody was invited. After break- fast we started, and what a jolly time we had ! There had been a great deal of drinking, and when we returned in the evening Peter was so helpless that he had to be put to bed. I stayed in the room with him. I had not taken any liquor, for fear of being drugged, I took off Peter's belt, which contained most of our money, and fastened it around my own waist, as I felt myself the safer custodian of the two. On being invited to supper I feigned fatigue, and turned in, after fastening and barricading the door. It was not long before it seemed as if bedlam had broken loose. A general fight was going on in the THE CRIMPS SHIP ME OFF TO LIVERPOOL. 45 house. Pistols were used, and the screaming of tlie women and the oaths of the men were frightful to hear. I had not undressed, and if it had not been for my churn I would have jumped out of the window. The police finally cleaned out the place below and all be- came quiet. To arouse Peter was impossible. I was overcome by fatigue, and fell asleep, but was soon awakened by loud rappings at the doon I was too frightened to speak. The door was broken in, and I was seized, blindfolded, gagged, and led out of the house. They told me that if I squealed I would have my throat cut. I was taken into a dark cellar, and bid- den to stay there until I was wanted. I cried myself asleep. How long 1 slept I don't know. "When I woke, my thirst and hunger were painful. Finally a villau- ous rascal, carrying a lighted candle, unlocked the door, and said that if I would ship for Havre he would give me something to eat and drink. I asked for Peter, and was told that he would ship on the same vessel. I agreed to everything in order to see daylight again. I got something to eat, and what I supposed was some coffee, but I had hardly drunk it when a stupor seized me, from which I only recovered under a rough shak- ing and a bucket or two of water which was soused over me. Then I found myself in company with Peter on board the ship J^elvedere, of Baltimore, Captain Oli- ver, bound for Liverpool via Appalachicola, where we were to land sixty thousand bricks and reload with cot- ton. We were told that we had shipped, and had re- ceived eighty dollars each in advance. Protest was use- less, and we obeyed when we were ordered to man the 46 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. windlass quickly under penalty of having our heads smashed. This was Wednesday. We could give no account of ourselves since Monday. We had been robbed of our money and uniforms, and were rigged out in old trousers and ragged shirts. These, with the Scotch caps that we found on our heads, were all we could show for the money and dunnage that we had landed with from the Jeffersmi^ to say nothing of the advance the captain told us we had received from him. To be carried or forced on board of a ship in this manner is what is termed in sailor parlance being ^' Shanghaied." The word was coined in N^ew York in the latter part of our Liverpool packet and California clipper service, when men were scarce and wages high. Many times have I seen men mustered to roll-call who did not know the names they had shipped under or where they were bound. This barter in human flesh, I am happy to say, is no longer practised. Only six out of a erew of sixteen on the Belvedere were able to stand up ; so the captain ordered the mate to pull over to the cutter for assistance to help us to get under way. Peter told him that we belonged to her, and had been shang- haied and robbed. The captain did not want to lose us, or his hundred and sixty dollars, so we managed to get up our anchors without extra aid. We had a tough job to set our sails, but finally passed the fort, and headed for Appalachicola. Now began a voyage on which occurred the most shocking scenes. As I said before, there were but six of us who could do anything. I did not amount to CRUEL MANNER OF TREATING SICK SAILORS. 47 much, as I was too liglit ; but I could steer, and I made up in activity at liglit work what was wanting in weight. My chum was as good as tliree men. His herculean strength and splendid seamanship stood him in good stead now. We were well treated, as all sailors are if they do their duty without a growl. We had not been out an hour when one of the crew, in a fit of delirium tremens, jumped overboard, while nine men in the fore- castle were either sick from being drugged or had yel- low-fever. The mates believed them to be shamming, and used their fists and ropes'-ends accordingly. The w^ay these poor fellows were beaten was dreadful. The captain would stand by and look on, saying, " Give it to them. I'll have my eighty dollars out of them, or kill them if they don't go to work.'' Four of them suc- cumbed and were thrown overboard like carrion during our trip of three days. The other Rvg were landed, and I believe also died. Our ship had been a perfect pest- house. They fumigated us, and we had no communica- tion from the shore for ten days. At the end of that time we began discharging- the bricks. Four men of the six remaining determined to desert. They were not sailors, but Hoosiers. They had been brutally treated. Peter and I entered into the plot to help them to escape. We could not have bettered our condition by deserting, and felt ourselves safer on board than ashore. It took us a week to save enough of onr scanty portion of food to provide them a three days' supply, as they intended to steer for Pensacola. We were to have what dunnage they could not take as re- ward for assisting them. We were glad to get rid of 48 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the men anjliow, as we certainly could get no worse ones in their places. A sail had been secretly prepared, and the starboard quarter boat was selected for their purpose. The night fixed for their escape had arrived. The hour was two o'clock in the morning, and our cap- tain and olficers were asleep under the awning aft. The men armed themselves with hatchets and cleavers from the galley, but none had fire-arms. They had promised US' not to attempt to murder the officers. Their will was good enough to do so, however, in i*etaliation for the hard treatment they had received. They got into the boat, while Peter and I passed their dunnage to them. Then we went forward to watch events. Pres- ently one of them got out of the boat, hatchet in hand, and went to the binnacle, in which hung a w^atch to show the ship's time. This he put into his pocket. Then he approached the sleeping mate, and raised the hatchet as if to strike ; but after a moment of hesitation he turned and got into the boat again. Then they held a consultation, and Peter felt sure they were discussing a proposition to kill the officers and rob the cabin before they left. Their original plot was that we should all join in and murder the officers and rob the cabin, and then set fire to the ship. I begged Peter not to listen to this, as we had no reason to complain of our treat- merit from the officers. The suspense we were in end- ed as we heard them lower away rapidly. The boat had not touched the water before all was confusion aft. T lieard the men cut the falls which had fouled and let the boat drop. Guns and pistols were fired at them by tlie officers, but as the night was dark, with a fresh A PORTION OF OUR CREW DESERT. 49 breeze blowing, and the current strong, they were soon out of sight. The horrible oaths I heard, and the ex- citement of this hour, made a life-long impression on me. Our captain hailed a schooner whicli w^as close under our stern, and requested her to get under way and catch the boat. He offered a hundred dollars for the service. The schooner slipped her anchor and started in pursuit, but fortunately did not find the runaways. If they had been found blood would have been shed. The schoon- er's crew little knew the desperate character of the fugi- tives. When the officers came forward to see who had escaped, they found Peter and me apparently sound asleep. We disclaimed all knowledge of what had occurred. Seamen were very scarce thereabouts, and we were compelled to sail six men short, which made the ship a floating workhouse. This we could stand, but the food was of the worst kind, and short at that. We never had vegetables on the passage of thirty-hve days to Liv- erpool. ^N^early all of us .had the scurvy. Added to this, the beating that some of these men were daily sub- jected to, made them on landing fit subjects for the hospitals which they entered. My young friend, a crust of bread and a dry, warm bed at home you will find better than the romance of the seas, so beautifully depicted by some authors. Yet a sea-life will always have its charms to allure the dar- ing spirit on. Peter and I remained a short time on the ship in or- der to earn enough to pay a couple of weeks' board in 8 50 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. advance. Liverpool was so overcrowded w^ith sailors, and the times were so hard, that crews could be obtained for American ships for the privilege of working their passage home. Philanthropists hired houses, covered the floors with straw, and dealt out coffee and rolls to the destitute sailors who had been turned out of their boarding-houses. In one of these boarding-houses Peter and I were made welcome on paying a week in advance. With the money left Peter showed me something of the town. Of all the seaports I subsequently visited, I found none so fllthy and degrading. Drunkenness was almost universal. The saloons were supposed to be shut at midnight, and on Sundays during church hours. When God's temple on earth was closed, the devil opened his gin palaces. Ten days passed, when we were invited to give up our room. Everything except what we had on had been put out on loan ; in fact, we were so hard-up that we were glad to get a chance to work our passage home on the ship Balance, of Bristol, R. I. She was lying in the Waterloo Dock, loaded with salt in bulk, and leaking like a sieve. As we were hauling through the gates the ship Pow- hatan lay at the pier-head, waiting to haul in. On her forecastle we recognized two of our shipmates, who had served their time on board the cutter, from which they went directly on board tlie Powhatan. They had re- ceived eighty dollars each by the run, and, as they avoid- ed Mobile, they arrived here flush with money. Of course they would not let us go to sea in such a leak}'- hulk while they had " a shot in the locker." We helped DEAD broke! 51 them to heave into the dock, and. we also helped them to squander their dollars. Jack never thinks while the money is going, but he always begins to moralize when he is hard-up. He walks the streets, looks in at the shop-windows, and resolves that when he comes ashore again he will buy this, that, and the other thing. These good intentions are quite forgotten when he does land again, and is cheated and robbed the same as before. Thus, he is a slave for life unless he has the moral strength to shake off the fetters which chain him to the bottle. Dead broke! Peter and I now had lodgings in the " Straw house," from which we sallied forth daily to look for a ship. We finally made up our minds to enter the navy and ship on board the British frigate Vernon. With this intention we were wandering through the Princess Dock, when the Emily attracted our attention. She was battening down hatches and taking in stores, getting ready, evidently, for sea. She was a trim little craft, built for the Pernambuco trade, one hundred and ninety-eight tons register, .and owned in Liverpool by Fielding Brothers, the owners of the first iron-built ship, which was named the Ironsides. The captain was on the quarter-deck. Peter approached him 'and asked, " Do you want two men f " You don't call that boy a man, do youf ' " 1^0, sir ; but he is a good fellow, and I can make up any deficiency in his weight." " That won't do ; I will take you, but I don't want him. I have eight apprentice boys already, and that is enough small-fry on one ship." 53 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. However, tlie captain had taken a fancy to Peter. He knew liim at once by his dialect as a Guernseyman, and finding further that he knew some of Peter's rela- tions, he took him, and agreed to take me also, as Peter would not ship without me. I was to be cook at thirty shillings a month. The apprentice who had filled that berth was to go into the forecastle. We hauled into the river at high water, and at mid- night anchored. As no fires were allowed to be made, and no cooking done in the dock, it was not discovered that I was not a professional cook until too late to send me ashore. "We were to leave at daylight, and I took my chances in the matter of the captain's anger. Un- fortunately for me, the steward was a greenhorn, just out of the army, who knew less about cooking than I did. He had thought he could depend upon the cook for his information, and the poor fellow also believed that because he made a good servant for an army officer he was capable of acting as steward on shipboard. He had been hard-up, like ourselves, and wanted to get away, and seeing a sign on the ship's rigging which read, "" Enuly, first ship for Galveston, America," he offered himself as steward, and was accepted. He paid dear enough for his assurance — of which he had plenty, being an Irishman. It was a raw, foggy, miserable morning in November. Only those who have been in Liverpool at this season can comprehend its discomforts, which has given to November, indeed, the name of the " suicides' month." Breakfast was to be ready at seven o'clock for a crew of three men arid eie^ht boys before the mast* The British BRITISH LAWS RELATING TO SHIPS' CREWS. 53 laws made it compulsory that ships should be manned with two seamen and one apprentice for every hundred tons of her registered tonnage. It will thus be seen how England made her sailors. This law was not changed until about 1856, when the supply far exceeded the de- mand. We had a large crew, there being five boys more PORT OP LIVERPOOL. than the law called for. Sky-blue (boiled barley), hard- tack, and tea sweetened with treacle was Jack's fare for the morning meal. The cabin table was to be supplied with beefsteak, fried potatoes, and oatmeal (or stir- about). The steward was at his wits' end w^hen I told liim he would have to cook the cabin breakfast, as I 54 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. would spoil it. Six bells had struck, and all hands were ordered to breakfast. They had been rigging out the jib-boom, squaring the yards, and getting ready for sea generally. ^' Eed Bill," as he was nicknamed, had been snuffing around the galley all the morning, and had cau- tioned me, not in a very polite tone of voice, that if I burned the barley I should get " cobbed." That was a punishment meted out in those days to the cook when he spoiled a meal. The process was to tie him to the windlass and administer a dozen or more blows with the flat side of the carpenter's handsaw upon his bare flesh. This was fun for the crew, but liai'd on the cook. Yery few captains forbade this punishment, as it stimu- lated the cook to do his best. My time had come. Bill brought the kid to the gal- ley, and I turned the pot of barley over into it. The barley ran half raw out of the centre, while the sides were burned fast to the pot. Barley is very hard to cook, especially if the fire is strong and one has never cooked it before. I ran my knife around the sid^s to free it from the pot, when the barley dropped into the pot with a flop, looking like a man's hat that had been singed. Bill called down the forecastle, inviting all hands to a "cobbing" entertainment, and proceeded to run a line through the windlass, to which the crew were to bouse me while he undertook to fasten a bowline around me. But I had some objections to this treat- ment that neither Bill nor the rest dreamed of till Bill found himself in the lee scuppers. Peter was at my side in a moment, saying, " Take your time, boys, you can all have a chance. One at a time ; he will accom- A -'cobbing" entertainment interrupted. 55 modate you all." The row brought the chief mate, Mr. Crawford, forward ; but Peter asked him to keep his hands olf and let us fight it out. I was at the third boj w^hen Captain Gillette came upon the scene and stopped the fight. I had had a pretty lively time for a little while. Boxing had been taught me by Jim Sweeney in the Mobile jail, and I had fairly perfected myself in the manly art on board the cutter. Peter always wanted me to show off, and here had been a chance. The re- sult was that Bill, who had been the cook on the previ- ous voyage, was ordered to take charge of the galley again, while I was sent forward. Peter told the captain that I was a better sailor than cook, and that only our anxiety to get out of Liverpool made me ship as cook. The captain was delighted with my pluck when I asked, " Will you please let us finish the fight while we are at it ? Some of the boys may think that they can whip me if they got a chance." " Go forward, young rascal ; I will have no more fighting," he replied. We had a fine run before the north-east trades, but when nearing the passage between the islands of Mar- tinique and Antigua, before entering the Caribbean Sea, the weather became squally. All light sails were furled, the mizzen- top -gallant sail was clewed up, and a boy and I went up to furl it. Sailor-like, I scanned the ho- rizon for a sail, and discovered one on the starboard quarter, and reported it. 56 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER Y. Threatened by a Pirate. — I listen to Peter's wicked Advice. — My Clium tells me a Tale to make my Hair stand on End, and pro- poses a Scheme that causes my Knees to knock together. — The Pirate quits us on Sighting a Dutch West Indiaman. — The Fate of the Crown Prince William.— 1 lose Peter, and go on a Cruise in the Frigate Houston of the Texas Navy.— Our Lieutenant Snubs a British Consul. — I select a new Chum. — We meet the Pirate that threatened the Emily and Fire a Broadside at her. — Yellow- Jack comes Aboard. — I go to New Orleans with a Prize.— Colonel Billy Wilson becomes my Friend. — I try the Mimic Stage for a while.— My Chum Jack joins me. — We are "Shanghaied" aboard a Liv- erpool Ship, of which we take French Leave. — I make a Visit Home. The vessel came down on us like a meteor. Before we got on deck she was close aboard on our starboard beam. Peter told me to look at her carefully. Slie was a two- top-sail schooner ; that is, she had a square fore and main top-sail, with top-gallant sails over. When these square sails were furled, the yards on deck, and the masts housed, the fore and aft sails would equal single reefs. This rig is now obsolete ; though, if I were going to build a large sailing-yacht, I would rig her in this way. She would be the most rakish and saucy-looking craft afloat. The stranger had a long swivel amidships, and a smaller one mounted forward of the foremast. She was painted black, had a flush deck, and four quarter boats. No flag was flying. We were hailed in good STRUCK BY A SQUALL. 57 EiJglish, though he who hailed us looked like a Span- iard. '' What ship is that ?" he asked. " Where are you from, aud where are you bound ?" We replied to all these interrogations. Our captain was too much astonished at her extraordinary speed and appearance to ask any questions. There was no name on her stern, and only three men were to be seen on deck. Captain Gillette asked the mate what he made her out. He replied that she was a mystery, and that he did not like her looks, as she appeared like neither a war-ship nor a merchant-man. At ten o'clock the wind moderated enough to let us set all light sails, including the starboard studding-sails. At noon we sighted the mysterious stranger again right ahead. At 1 p.m. a heavy squall was coming down on us. Then we took in the studding-sails and royals. The main top-gallant studding-sail fouled over the brace- block, and I went aloft to clear it. While I was on the yard the squall struck us with terrific force. Every- thing had to be let go by the run to save the masts. The studding-sail blew to ribbons in my hands. The top-sail halyards had been let go, and down I went with the yard. I had secured myself on the foot-rope near the brace-block. This I did to save myself from being knocked off by the slapping of the top -gallant sheet. It was marvellous that I was not thrown from the yard when it came down on the cap. The squall was soon over, but it took the rest of the day to repair the split Bails. About four o'clock the stranger hove-to till we passed 3^ 58 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. lier, when she trimmed her canvas, and was along-side again like magic. " What does your cargo consist of ?" he asked. " Coal, salt, crates, and iron," we replied. She starboarded her helm and hauled to the south- ward, but before dark was ahead of us again. By this time all hands showed uneasiness, but said nothing. Supper was announced, but no one had any appetite. "We all sat on the forecastle, straining our eyes into the darkness to see if we could discern the schooner. The captain came forward at eleven o'clock to join the mate, who had been sitting forward among us all tlie evening. " Mr. Crawford," he said, " let us trim the yards and haul up four points to the southward. I don't like that craft. She was right ahead when last seen. We had better give her the slip during the night." Peter now joined in and said, "If you don't want them to board us, we had better keep our course. They have their eye on us, and if we attempt to avoid them they may suppose we are not bound for Galveston, and that our cargo is not of such small value as we told them. Once on board of us they will show their true character, and before dayliglit we shall all have walked the plank, and the Emily will be sunk five thousand fathoms deep. ]^one of us will be left to tell the tale. I have been on these waters before, Captain Gillette, and know these crafts and what I am talking about.'' Peter's words were ominous. They sent a thrill of horror through us all. They sounded like the deatli sentence pronounced by a judge in deep, solemn tones to a prisoner whose hours are numbered. PETEK's narrative. 59 The course was not changed. Silence pervaded the whole crew. The night was very dark. Suddenly Pe- ter nudged me, and motioned me to follow him aft. When abreast of the gangway he whispered in my ear, ^* Boy, be a man. Don't tremble so. Your teeth chatter as if you had the ague. Slip down below and bring up a pannikin of rum ; you know where it is stowed. You need courage to carry out what you will have to undertake before sunrise. By that time there will be no more of the Emily or her crew, except you and me. Get the rum and then hear the rest." I groped my way down the after-hatch and into the store-room, and got the rum. 1 begged him not to take too much, as I knew his desperate character when in liquor. "Don't fear," he said. "I never take too much in serious times. Now drink a little yourself ; it will brace you up. Put the cup where we can get it again, and let us walk the deck where we can be seen but not heard. Much of my life you have heard me relate, from boyhood to manhood. The rest you shall hear now. My first criminal act, when I was a mere child, led on by others, landed me and them in the galleys, whence we escaped after murdering the guards. All except me were taken and guillotined. I was too small to have a hand in the murder. At the trial my plea of ignorance of any evil intent saved me from the extreme penalty of the law, but I was sent on board a French man-of-war, from which I escaped after many years of service. Then I found myself in the Spanish navy, and after the battle of Trafalgar I shipped in a slaver. " We were on our way from the Congo, bound to San 60 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Domingo, witli four hundred slaves stowed in the hold. The prospects were good for a profitable voyage. When we were off Porto Rico a schooner, just like the one you have seen this morning, came up and hailed us. It was just getting dark, and she passed ahead. When the next day was breaking she hailed us to heave -to, and brought her guns to bear. In a moment we were grap- pled and boarded. Part of our crew at once attacked our officers, and, with the pirates who had boarded us, made short work of those who showed any resistance. We who had done this were allowed to join the pirate crew, as we had proved ourselves worthy of them. If we had acted otherwise we would have been slain also. "An officer with a prize crew took charge of our schooner, after we had been sent aboard the pirate, and took the slaver into Havana, where she and her cargo w^ere sold. I stayed with the pirates three years, but their life did not suit me, and I made my escape during a battle with two English ships-of-war which had dis- covered our stronghold in the Bay of San Lorenzo.* * The Bay of San Lorenzo is one of many bays opening into the great Bay of Samana. Tliis vast sheet of water, with its many high headlands, behind which ships can lie hidden from observation, was the chosen spot of the buccaneer. The enormous caverns hereabout afford great interest to the naturalist. He finds here some of Dame Nature's most beautiful and grotesque handiwork. The entrances to these caverns are so hidden tliat one would suppose the devil had selected this place as a fit rendezvous for his crews of the ocean. The peninsula on the south-east end of San Domingo on which these strongholds are situated divides the great bay from the Caribbean Sea, and commands the Mona passage leading into it. From its points the pirates watched their prey, or prepared for battle with war- ships, which did not always leave as victors. IN SUSPENSE. 61 "Now, boy," Peter continued, "to save ourselves we must join these pirates who will board us about day- break. You take your position behind Mr. Crawford, and as soon as they board, strike him with this knife between the shoulders." At these instructions my knees began to give way. Peter seized me, or I should have fallen. The story he told me was all very well until it became my turn to be an actor. But a nip of rum, administered by him, set me all right. He said it would be better to kill the mate than to be killed myself, and our crew would all be slaughtered anyway. He called it justifiable self-de- fence, and said that after w^e had joined the pirates he would find a way for us to escape. He so worked on my imagination that I really felt I was going to do an excusable deed. The knife he gave me was his favorite one; it had a very long blade incased in a wooden sheath instead of the leather usually used for sheath- knives. I agreed to do as he bade me, and took^my place behind the mate. Peter took his place near the captain. It had just struck seven bell^. There had been scarcely a word spoken forward during the night. The sound of the bells fell upon me like a funeral knell. Tears began to run down my cheeks. Mr. Crawford had always been good to me ; why should I kill him ? Everybody had treated me well on board. I thought of home, and the plans I had laid for the future : now my aspirations and hopes would all be ruined in the next half -hour. A horror of the situation seized me. I slipped off the bitts upon which I had been sitting, and walked aft. Peter followed me, He said, 62 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. "You had better take a little more rum. I don't think the cook will serve us with coffee this morning. It is chilly for you after the long night's watch. I see that you have a slight attack of ague." "]^o, Peter, I don't want to drink; I am not cold. But I would rather be killed than commit murder in such cold blood." But his pleadings, his love for me, and the review of our friendship had their effect. The demon that se- duced our great mother was wdiispering in my ear. I again did as he told me, and stationed myself behind the mate. The silence was broken by the captain saying he wished it was daylight. "It will be here soon enough," I heard Peter say. " I see it breaking in the east, and before the sun is up all will be over." The day was indeed breaking, and night was furling her black flag. The light mounted slowly towards the zenith, and as our eyes were strained to catch a glimpse of the mysterious craft, we saw her shoot out of the darkness, heading across our bow to the northward. We looked in that direction and saw a large West India- merchant-man about four miles on our starboard beam. She was running before the wind, with studding-sails set on both sides, and was evidently Dutch from her build. " She is doomed," Peter said, " and we are safe. Those poor fellows will never muster around the grog -pail again. Presently you will see the schooner make her heave-to." The words were scarcely spoken when we saw the FATE OF THE SHIP " CROWN PRINCE WILLIAM." 63 smoke from her Long Tom. The signal was unheeded, and a sliot brought down her foremast, which took the maintop-mast with it. This crippled her so that in less than an hour she w^as out of sight astern. While in Amsterdam, years after, my curiosity led me to ascertain what ships were lost during the year in which the above incident occurred, and I learned that the ship Crown Prince William from Rotterdam, bound for Cura9oa, w^as never heard from. "VVe felt ourselves safe for the time being, but changed our course, fearing that after she had pillaged and sunk the ship she might overtake and destroy us, to avoid being reported. We did not consider ourselves out of danger until w^e entered the harbor of Galveston. Here Peter and I intended to desert, but there were no vessels in port except the Houston^ a frigate of the Texas navy, commanded by Captain Moore, Captain Gre}^ (late of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company) be- ing her first-lieutenant, and two rakish-looking schoon- ers. These were fitting out for the coast of Africa, nom- inally for the slave-trade, but perhaps for something worse. Large inducements were offered us to join them, but we preferred the frigate. At this time Galveston w^as the refuge for outlaws of all nations. There were not more than twenty bouses — I should say shanties — in the place. The British consul's wife was the only white woman I saw there. Our ship was said to be the first square-rigged merchant-ship that had ever crossed the bar. After we had been here a week, an opportu- nity presented itself for our escape. A dark night fa- vored us, when we brought up in a vile den, whose pro- 64 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. prietor, a Spaniard, agreed to put us on board the frigate before morning. Liquor flowed freely in the mean time. Peter became intoxicated and quarrelsome, and soon there was a general fight, in which knives were used without ceremony. I was seized by a negro woman and hustled out of the place. Once outside, she said, '' I'se gwine to take you whar you isn't gwine to hab your froat cut. You was 'mong pirates, or slavers as dey call demselves, who is waiting to make up dair crew." Two negro men joined us, and the three put me into a small boat and rowed me off to the frigate, on which I was glad to find myself. The officer of the deck asked me no questions, but told me to go below. The negroes were recompensed by the officer for bringing me on board. During the night the schooners left the harbor. "Whether Peter was on board one of them, or had been killed during the fight, I could not tell. However, I was glad to part company with him, for although I loved him, his dangerous character made me fear him. When in liquor he would rather fight than eat, and was always too ready with his knife. At four in the morning all hands were piped on deck to holy-stone. This done, and the decks being squill- geed, and well dried with swabs, we were mustered, and those who had not regularly enlisted did so now. The wages were ten dollars a month ; time of service, two years. After this we were stationed, then piped down to breakfast. The captain of the maintop was in the mess to which I was assigned. He was a handsome English man-of- w^ar's man, with a long black beard and mustache, and AN ENGLISH CONSUL SNUBBED. 65 was as straight as an arrow, suppJe as a whalebone, and every inch a sailor. During breakfast he plied me with all sorts of questions, and it was finally agreed, if Peter did not turn up, that I should be his chum. At 10 A.M. the British Consul came on board, and po- litely requested that two of his Britannic Majesty's sub- jects who had deserted from the British ship Emily be delivered to him. Lieutenant Grey replied that the crew consisted of Texans, and when the consul asked to have the crew mustered. Grey lost his temper, and said, " Do you mean to doubt my word by asking the crew to pass in review before you ? The right of search is not to be tolerated in the Texas service any more than in the United States navy. If you feel that you have been aggrieved in your visit on board, you may report me to General Houston. Good-day, sir." And Grey turned on his heel and w^alked aft. To say that the Englishman was angry at this recep- tion would be expressing it very lightly. His face showed what he felt. At 6 p.m. it was high water, and with the first of the land breeze we got under way and crossed the bar. As the Houston drew only twelve feet of water, she had no difficulty in doing this. Our course was shaped for Vera Cruz. When off this harbor we hove-to, to blockade, and occasionally, just to keep us in exercise, we would exchange shots with the forts. With- out taking any prize, two weeks of this became irksome. Then we took a stretch down the coast towards the Car- ibbean. As we were passing through the Yucatan chan- nel, well over towards Cuba, and just before daylight, a vessel standing the same way neared and hailed us. We 66 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. were instantly beaten to quarters and ready for action. It had been my watch below, so I had not seen the stranger; but when I did see her she was near enough for me to make her out to be the schooner that, when I saw her last, was boarding the ship off the Island of Do- minica. " Jack," I cried to my chum, who was captain of the gun I was serving, " I know that schooner. That is the craft I told you about." In answer to their hail we ordered them to back their main-yards. Both of us were on a wind heading to the east-south-east. To our order they replied by putting the helm down and tacking to the northward. We fired our whole broadside at them without doing any visible damage, then tacked after her. The day was dawning, and it was plain that she had the heels of us. She was directly ahead. Shots from our bow swivel fell short of her. She luffed into the wind as though tacking, but instead she fired her Long Tom with such effect that it took our jib-boom out of us; then she filled away and left us very rapidly. It took but a short time to rig out another boom and set the jib, but by this time she appeared like a speck on the horizon. We stood close in under Cuba before we tacked, and saw no more of her. I believe that Moore would have given his right hand to have captured her. We cruised off the coast of Mexico nearly four months, when the yellow-fever broke out on board, and in a short time became epidemic. From three to four deaths occurred daily. Finally the disease made such ravages that we were compelled to run for Galveston. We an- I GO TO NEW ORLEANS IN A PRIZE. 69 cliored off the bar, as we were not allowed to go np to the city. A small coasting schooner had been captured a few days previous, and the third-lieutenant, six men, and myself were put on board the prize to take her in. It was a lucky escape for us to get out of the ship when the dark angel held high carnival, gathering our poor fellows under his wing. I saw as many as fifty at a time dying and dead. The prize was to be sent to New Orleans to be sold. Her crew, of which I was one, were allowed to draw two months' pay from the purser, but as the treasury of the Republic of Texas was not in good credit, and as twenty-five dollars paper-money equalled one silver dollar, we preferred to take land- war- rants and pea-jackets instead, as we could trade them off and realize more than we could for paper-money. Af- ter two days on shore we were ordered to New Orleans. My friend the negress, before mentioned, had obtained permission from the doctor to let my chum, who was convalescent from the fever, stay at her hut, so that she might nurse him. I was so grateful for her kindness that I left her all my worldly possessions, such as they were, and in return she sent me off with a pound of navy plug and a gallon of whiskey— whiskey that " Jer- sey lightning " would pale before. Off we went. It took three daj^s to reach the mouth of the Mississippi, and six more to reach the city, as we had no money to pay for a tow-up. We sailed and tracked her with tow-lines when the wind failed ; it was one of the toughest jobs I ever had. When we arrived at the city we deserted. I joined a cotton gang. The foreman was Billy Wilson, after- 70 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. wards notorious as a pugilist, as alderman from the First Ward in New York, as keeper of an emigrant boarding- house, and finally, in the early part of our civil war, as the organizer and commander of a regiment to which it was popularly believed no one was eligible who had not killed his man or served a term at Sing Sing. I was three months in New Orleans before Jack joined me. I had promised to wait for him. For amusement after my day's work I took to the stage, where I was a super- numerary. I had a great passion for the theatre. Mrs.- Sefton was the lessee, and J. W. Wallack, Jr., the stage- manager. I became quite a favorite with these nota- bles, as I could do the hornpipe and other dances, as well as take the part of the sailor boy to perfection. My love for the sea almost gave way before the fascina- tions of the ballet, but Jack's head was more level than mine, and we agreed to go to sea again. We shipped on the Sultana, bound for New York. We were to go on board that night at eight o'clock. Wages were high for European voyages, but we wanted to go north. We each received a half month's advance, and that is all we knew till the next morning, when we were yanked out of our berths by the mates, and found ourselves on the ship Ocmitlgee going down the river, bound for Liverpool. We had been "shanghaied." The shipping -master had received sixty dollars for each of the crew carried on board. Among these was a dead man who had died of yellow-fever that day. He had been put into the berth behind me. The discovery was only made when the mate went to haul him out. We were ordered to A SHIPPING-MASTER SURPRISED. 71 carry the body on deck and throw it overboard, without even putting a stone to the legs. Jack and I were so horrified with this brutality that we determined to make our escape, even at the risk of our lives, rather than go in this ship. During the day there was no chance for us, as the mates were around. Had we attempted to jump overboard we should have been shot. Tliat afternoon in crossing the bar we grounded, and the tug left us. The mates themselves kept watch turn about during the night for fear of losing us. About three o'clock sleep overcame the second mate while it was his turn on, and Jack and I slipped over the bow by the jib-downhaul, and swam for a large inward-bound ship on the bar out- side of us. At her stern was a small boat in which the pilot had boarded her. We clambered into it almost exhausted and pulled for a Spanish fruiter which was anchored and waiting for a tow-boat. Climbing on board, we begged for a passage back to the city, and the favor was readily granted. When w^e reached the city the Sultana had gone. Jack and I, together with Billy Wilson at the head of his- gang, surprised the shipping- master and his runner by appearing in his office and de- manding the sixty dollars a head he had received for "shanghaing" us. The crimps were convinced on look- ing at us that they must either pay or fight, and they chose to pay. After our money was all gone — and it did not take us long to spend it — my chum and I shipped for Philadel- phia on the ship Chester. I was anxious to see home and those left behind me. I had not heard or written for three years. Time and hard usage had changed me 72 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. from the stripling into a stout fellow much older in ap- pearance than my real years. The voyage north was without especial incident. My step-mother even kissed me. A truce of three years had wonderfully softened her towards me. Her son and I shook hands, and the differences of the past were buried in the tales I told of my adventures. But at the end of two weeks I felt it time to vacate. She was tiring of me, as I was draw- ing rather freely on her pin-money, and my father even hinted that if I wanted to stay ashore he wonld find me employment. So my chum and I shipped again, and made several voyages together, or I should say half-voy- ages, as we ran away in every port we came to. The sailor's roving disposition costs him dear. I have known men to quit first-rate ships, leaving behind money due them and a good chest of clothes, for the sake of having a very short spree. And they knew, too, that after the spree they would be picked up and shipped off without a cent in their pockets. They never profit by experience. But the sailor of to-day is not the sailor of the time I write about. He is not so wild, nor is he so good a seaman. Modern appliances have simplified his work. Jack used to say to me, "My idea is to make a sailor of you. This can only be done by sailing in many ships, and seeing how work is carried on in each ; by setting and taking in sails, carrying on and reefing, handling yards and masts, setting up rigging, etc., so that when you get to be an officer you will know something. Then the men forward will respect and obey yon. I shall be a happy man when I see you tread the quarter-deck." EXCUSE FOR ROVING. 73 Then be would become sad, and I would reply, " I will never go aft while you remain forward." " I must stay forward," Jack would say, " as I can neither read nor write." The poor fellow always felt this want. He could have been a petty officer, but he preferred the inde- pendence of a man before the mast. This was his ex- cuse for roving from ship to ship until we joined the St. Lawrence. As there was a spice of danger attached to going in this vessel, it suited us. 4 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER VI. Jack and I start for a Trip around the World on Board the Haunt- ed Ship St. Lawrence.— An Explicable Ghost.— Father Neptune comes Aboard to Shave me at the Equator.— The Island of St. Paul. — I join my Ship on Board a Log at Sydney.— We find an Island full of Cannibals, who try hard to eat us. — A Yankee Whaler who had Married a Princess. — Persistent Traders. This unlucky vessel was never known to make a suc- cessful voyage. Crews could only be induced to go on board of her by extra pay, and then only the most ad- venturous would ship. On the voyage before that on which I joined her, a murder had been committed. The ghost of the murdered man was said to appear nightly at the quarter-moons, in the middle watch, with a sheatli- knife stuck in his throat, presenting himself at the star- board gangway, as thougli he had been slain there and tlien thrown overboard. The St. Lawrence was lying at the Walnut Street wharf, Philadelphia, having been pur- chased in that city from a Boston house at a very low figure on account of her unfortunate reputation. She was chartered from Mr. Oakford, now residing in tlie City of New York, by three young Philadelphians, Messrs. Welch, Mifflin Lewis, and Charles Willing (who celebrated his coming of age off the Cape of Good Hope in 1840). The love of adventure of these three induced them to accompany the ship as supercargoes. If they are still alive these gentlemen will pardon me for using THE HAUNTED SHIP "ST. LAWRENCE." 75 their names, but the incidents of this memorable voyage may be interesting to their children. Tlie ship was loaded with a general cargo for a trad- ing voyage around the world under the command of Captain Drinker. We left Philadelphia in the fall of 1840. After saying good-by to our friends, with many forebodings we proceeded down the Delaware in tow of a tug. While towing and preparing for sea w^e had a taste of what we might expect from our chief officer, Mr. Hennessey, who was noted for his brutality. When the decks were cleared w^e were mustered aft, and watches were chosen. If my memory serves me right, we had a crew of twelve able seamen, two ordinaries, and two boys. I was one of the latter, and was chosen on the port watch. For the landsman's benefit, I will explain that crews are divided into two watches, star- board and port. The port watch is commanded by the chief officer, and the starboard by the second officer. After our first supper on board, when we were below, we compared notes and swore to stand by one another to the death in resisting cruelty, and even went so far as to swear to throw Mr. Hennessey overboard rather than submit to his abuse. We took the oath on our sheath- knives, and the men, as it proved, were quite capable of carrying out that oath. How many captains and mates have been put down as lost overboard, when in reality a murder has been perpetrated, will probably never be known. Afterwards we fell into a conversation about the many murders which had been committed on this ship, and all sorts of marine horrors. Of course none of us were -re FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. afraid to face a ghost. When we shipped we knew to what we might look forward, and we were all anxious to see a ghost and prove our bravery. Such boasting I never heard, when a thump overhead caused us to jump as though a dynamite mine had been sprung under our feet. TJiis thump, we found out afterwards, was caused by a handspike ; the jar from it put the slush light out. At the moment of its occurrence, we heard also the cry, "All hands on deck. Brace around the yards." We obeyed the order in an instant. The mate com- mended us for our alacrity, saying, *' Boys, if you always turn out as quickly as this you will save me from hurry- ing you along with the toe of my boot." When we went below again, of course we said, and tried to make one another believe, that we were not afraid, but only went on deck so quickly to obey orders. Nevertheless, I never saw such a scared lot of men in my life. I know that I was well frightened, and no doubt all fancied, as I did, that the thump had come from the ghost. The following morning at daylight we cast off the tug, set everything alow and aloft, including the port studding-sails, to a brisk northerly wind. After cross- ing the Gulf Stream we doffed our winter clothing for light summer rigs. The wind had now hauled into the north-east, and the ship was spinning along at the rate of ten knots an hour. This carried us fairly into the north-east trades. The captain being a pious man, we had prayers on Sunday. The morals of the ship, as far as he was con- cerned, were very good. But that did not prevent the CRUELTY OF MR. HENNESSEY, THE MATE. 77 mate from swearing fiercely at us whenever the captain w^as out of ear-shot. We liad been out sixteen days, and had entirely forgotten about tlie ship's being haunted, when one evening at eight bells, after we had pumped ship, tightened home the sheets, and taken a sway on the halyards, the mate, with an oath, struck one of the men with a belaying- pin. The man drew his sheath- knife, but before he could use it the mate struck his wrist and broke the arm. We were about to attack the mate, when the noise aroused the captain, who, with the second mate, ran forward to see w^iat was the matter. The mate said to the man he had struck, " If you say how this was done, curse you, I will murder you." The captain was in the midst of us in a moment, asking the mate what had happened. His reply was, ^' Nothing, sir, except that Bill, in swaying on the fore- topsail halyards, fell off the rail and broke his wrist." We, of course, were silent, but we determined to have our revenge. Bill had his wrist set by the captain, and stood his watch as usual, fully determined to knock the mate on the head on some dark night and drop him overboard. This could easily be done, as he usually slept in his watch on deck on the weather -rail, sup- ported by the mizzen- swifter and monkey -rail. (The ship had a very wide rail, with a high monkey-rail.) As there is nothing to do after dark in running down the trade-winds except to steer, all hands slept on deck, pretty well tired out after the hard day's drilling the mate usually gave us. The ship was a perfect work- house. It was continually scrape, paint, tar-her-down, and holy-stone, and for a change it was holy-stone, tar- 78 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. her- down, paint, and scrape; but so far we had been fairly well fed. We had been out twenty days. The moon was at her full. I had just struck two bells in the middle watch. It was my trick at the wheel. The wind had become light, as w^e were entering the doldrums. I was leaning against the wheel, building air-castles and rescuing prin- cesses from enchanted islands. I had finally been made an admiral, when I was suddenly startled by a sepulchral voice : " How do you head ?" To describe my terror would be impossible. Every hair seemed to stand on end. I w^as seized with a cold shiver, and became utterly speechless. I tried to call the mate, who was asleep on the weather-rail, but could not articulate a sound. Then the voice spoke again. The sound appeared to come from over the taffrail. I made one spring to escape from it. Letting go the wheel, I rushed forward, pulled the mate off the rail, and yelled at the top of my voice, "A ghost! a ghost!" The mate seemed to be stricken with the same fear that I had. The men forward, frightened out of their sleep by the cry, jumped up, armed themselves with whatever they could seize, and retreated as far as they could towards the knight-heads. Kot a word was spo- ken. Suddenly we saw a white apparition come from behind the cuddy-house and instantly disappear. This was enough. We had all seen the ghost. There w^as a great scampering among us as we hurried farther for- ward, some into the head and others out on the bow- A GHOST. 79 sprit. 'No one would for a moment snjDpose we were seventeen as brave men as could be found on any man- of-war in battle. This had made cowards of us all. It is necessary to digress to describe the situation of the deck-houses. On deck aft, over the cabin entrance, was a house about eight by ten feet. The entrance was aft, two windows being on either side, and two on the fore-end. In the forepart was the pantry, out of which, on either side, was a passage leading to tlie cabin stairs. Abaft this house was the skylight over the cabin. Still farther aft w^as the coach-house, not seen on vessels of the present day, with its two rooms on each side for the petty officers and the boatswain. The paint lockers were aft. The open space was occupied by the steering-gear, binnacle, etc. I am thus particular in describing the situation of these houses because of the tragedies that were enacted in them in the latter part of this voyage and on the homeward trip. We had not yet recovered from the fright, when sud- denly the captain appeared with his passengers and af- ter-guard. They were armed to the teeth, and coming forward, demanded the meaning of this mutinous con- duct. The captain's eye fell upon Mr. Hennessey, of whom he requested an explanation. " There is no mutiny, sir, but the ghost has been seen by the man at the wheel," said the mate. " Who was the man at the wheel ?" " I, sir," I replied. "What did you see?" ^ " The ghost." " What did it say V "* 80 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. " How do you head ?" '' You were asleep at the wheel, you young scoundrel !" ^' Ko sir ; I heard it twice. The second time I looked aft and saw something in white coming over the taffrail, whence the sound appeared to come." '' Well, go on." "When I ran forward and cried out something — I was too scared to know what — Mr. Hennessey followed me. That is all I know." " Where were- you, Mr. Hennessey 2" "Walking the quarter-deck, sir." " Did you see the ghost ?" " I heard a voice and saw a strange apparition, which was the same that frightened the man at the wheel." " That is enough. I have heard all I care to hear. I will now prove to you that the ship is not haunted, 'and it was I who asked how she headed. You young reprobate " — addressing me — " go take the wheel again. Lay aft all hands, and you shall hear the ghost." I took the wheel. The crew came aft and arranged themselves around the cabin door. Suddenly a voice was heard : " How do you head ?" The sound seemed to go through us like an electric shock. The voice continued : " What are you afraid of, you infernal cowards ? I am no ghost." This remark was made by Mr. Willing. In the mean time the captain had come on deck to witness the effect. " You see," said he, " the ship is not haunted. Ghosts don't use such forcible language." THE APPEARANCE OF THE GHOST EXPLAINED. 81 Captain Drinker was one of those luxurious East In- dia skippers who rarely come on deck after ten o'clock at niglit. Before leaving Philadelphia he had a speak- ing-tube put in from his berth to a point directly over the head of the man at the wheel. A speaking-tube was never seen or heard of by a sailor before. He had not had occasion to use it until the night of which I am Bpeaking, when he was awakened by the shaking of the sails caused by my castle-building and consequent bad steering. He no doubt was on the alert, as we were about leaving the trade -winds. The crew were too sound asleep to hear anything. In fact, Jack never does hear, nor would he come on deck to save the ship from wreck unless the watch were called. He never loses an opportunity to sleep, and some sailors can sleep with their heads in a bucket of water. Many have I seen punished for sleepiness by being made to ride the spanker-boom. The captain, hearing the sails shake, brought the speaking-tube into requisition. He asked twice how she headed, and then heard us all run forward yelling. Not understanding the cause of the noise, he supposed we had attacked the mate, and rushed on deck in his light silk pajamas, emerging from the after-part of the house. Seeing us all huddled forward, his first impres- sion that there was a mutiny on board was confirmed in his mind, and awakening his passengers, he armed them hastily, and they all came forward as described. We were not assured, however, by this oral and ocu- lar demonstration of the captain, that the ship was not haunted. 4* 82 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. We had long since passed the Cape Yerd Islands and lost the trade - winds ; and after box -hauling and bracing aronnd the yards in order to work south of the doldrums, we finally passed the equator, which I had never before crossed. I was the only one before the mast who had never crossed it ; therefore, in order to make me a true salt, IS^eptune came on board and shaved me. On. a bright equatorial morning we had fairly entered the south-east trades, with decks holy-stoned, squillgeed, and swabbed. All hands were ordered to breakfast. Afterwards they were turned to with the exception of myself, and I was ordered to prepare for being shaved. At six bells my chum, Jack, came down to take me on deck, saying, " Neptune has just come over the bow to search the ship for any one who dares to cross his dominions with- out being properly initiated by being shaved by the 'King of the Seas,' and thereby becoming one of his subjects — a true child of the ocean, with all the privi- leges thereto belonging." I was blindfolded, led on deck, and seated in a chair, to which I was firmly bound. My chum had told me to show my courage by not making an oiitcry, but to *'grin and bear" whatever might happen. My shirt had been stripped off, and a voice through a speaking- trumpet asked if I was prepared to be made a true salt. I replied that I was. The trumpet again spoke, saying, " Apply the brush !" The brush was a common paint-brush dipped into a tar-bucket. The sun was very hot, so the tar, of course, I AM INITIATED ON CROSSING THE LINE. 83 was thin. I received the coat over my face, neck, and Bhoulders. After this the razor was produced and the ahaving process began. This razor was a piece of hoop, rounded smootli on the edge. The bandage was re- moved from my eyes, and before me stood Neptune, dressed in long white flowing robes girdled at the waist. His gray hair and beard hung below his shoulders, and scarcely anything could be seen of his face except his eyes and nose. In his right hand was a trident, in his left a trumpet. While the shaving process was being completed — that is, while the tar was being scraped off and fat out of the slush-tub applied to the parts tarred, and then wiped off with oakum — I found that I had been made a butt for the amusement of the sliip's com- pany. The captain, with the after-guard, had come for- ward to do homage to the King of the Ocean. The sail- ors formed a background for Neptune, who addressed me thus : " You have now a right to become an able seaman, boatswain, and so upward to captain, if you are not killed or drowned. In the latter event you will be turned into a sea-horse, and be forever my subject. You may now eat salt pork, salt horse, mush, and weevilly bread, with- out grumbling. I will now depart." Through his trumpet he called his chariot to come under the bow. I was then blindfolded, and not allowed to see his departure. At eight bells we went below to dinner. It being Saturday, we got a half- holiday for a sort of jollification and a general wash-up. To each watch was allowed a bottle of gin, kindly furnished by Mr. Willing, and at four o'clock that afternoon all 84 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. hands were called to skylark. We climbed up lee- leaches and luffs of sails, went up backstays hand over hand, and down fore and aft stays. We went hand over hand up the ratlines, turned under a belaying pin, walked on a slack rope and on a tight rope, and marked dis- tances with the arm thrust forward under the leg. We performed the difficult feat of throwing ourselves down at full length, supported by one hand, marking with the other, and springing backward with the aid of the hand by which we were supported. We had sack races, the prize being a glass of grog, and a greased studding-sail yard was set upright, with a bottle of gin on top for any one who could get it. A ship's company in those days would have been a prize to Barnum's circus. The amusements wound up at seven o'clock, when we were mustered aft and received each a good stiff horn, which was no six -water grog. Such was he day in former times when a novice crossed the equator — times when sailing-vessels rivalled the albatross in speed and beauty, and steam-kettle sailors were not known. We weathered Cape St. Eoque well to the eastward, and stood to the southward until the south-east trades changed to south-west. We then stood over towards the Cape of Good Hope, where we arrived the day after Christmas, which we had celebrated with a grand plum- pudding dinner. Our arrival at the cape was a great event to the inhabitants, to whom we sold such Yankee notions as were suitable to their wants. Then we shaped our course for Sydney, New South Wales. At nine o'clock one morning, when we were in longitude Y3° 30', we discovered what we supposed were several small THE ISLAND OF ST. PAUL. 85 islets, but they sank upon our approach, proving to be monster squids, floating, and lifting eight and ten feet above the water. The only record of such squids hav- ing been seen before was made by Captain Lavender, in the ship Levant from Philadelphia. These monsters are supposed to be food for the sperm - whale, several of wliich were in siglit at that time. The following day we made the island of St. Paul, which was at that time uninhabited. It was a volcanic island, perhaps a mile in extent north and south, and about half that east and west. We hove-to to leeward of it, and in two of our boats entered a basin over a ten- foot bar. This basin had evidently been a crater. Sev- eral hot springs were tested on the islet by Captain Drinker and his passengers, who amused themselves by boiling eggs in them, and hunting penguins and gulls, with which the island abounded. Outside the bar the sailors caught two boat-loads of fish of various kinds. The hook seemed to be a stranger to them, as a line would scarcely be dropped overboard before the bait was taken. The water was so transparent we could see the bottom at ten fathoms. In six hours we must have caught a thousand pounds of fish. Eight years after- wards, while in command of the Manhattan, bound to Batavia, I revisited the island, and found a Pole who called himself the king of the island, and claimed its ownership. He said he had two small schooners plying to the Mauritius with fish caught and prepared for that market, and employed twenty men. He also raised pigs, chickens, and fowls, which he sold to passing vessels. Leaving St. Paul's, we squared away, set the studding- 86 FROM THE FORPXASTLE TO THE CABIN. sails, and continued our voyage. Passing through Bass Strait we arrived at Sydney, where we disposed of near- ly the wliole of our cargo. Sydney had been a penal settlement of Great Britain. The best society was made up of some of the convicts, who had become ticket-of- leave men, and whose families had followed them. We enjoyed our prolonged stay in this port very much. The ship was a warehouse, and the scene on board was very lively, owing to the many and various characters who visited us daily. Bat the time came to leave this gay and festive scene, where 1 had contracted my first deep baby-love for a "young cabbage-stalk," as the chil- dren of convicts are called. This young lady's father was a wealthy and important merchant, who had been transported for some misunderstanding with the stock- holders of the bank with which he had been connected. Our ship was in the river ready to sail. On the last night I was fired with a desire to see my sweetheart, and I resolved to go ashore, though I had been forbid- den to do so by the captain, who feared that I would de- sert. At nine o'clock a boat was lowered, into which I managed to smuggle. Stowed away in the bow, I was hidden by the men's monkey-jackets, which had been thrown over me. Four stout men manned the boat and landed the captain and four friends. After this the boat made for the ship, but turned when the captain was out of siglit and landed me. I promised to be at the dock at twelve o'clock, as the captain had ordered the boat to return for him at half-past twelve, but I did not reach the dock until two o'clock, and missed the boat, of course. The night was dark, with a strong ebb-tide GAINING MY SHIP ON A LOG. 89 running. The ship lay just inside the heads, waiting for daylight to get under way, and, as I could neither hire, beg, borrow, nor steal a boat to reach the vessel, which was about three miles distant from the landing, and consequently out of sight, owing to the darkness, I was obliged to swim for it. A jetty was being built close by, and from this I rolled a small string-piece over- board. I then stripped, and tying my clothes into a bundle, secured it to the piece of wood, and using my legs as propellers made for the middle of the river. I headed down stream, and in a few minutes saw ahead of me the ship's anchor-lights, for which I steered. As I neared the ship the noise of the tide breaking on her bow made me realize for the first time the great danger to which I liad subjected myself. In an instant my log had struck the anchor-chain, to which I had hoped to cling and climb up, throwing me off to the port side of the ship, while it passed to the starboard. I sang out lustily for a rope, but the men on the lookout failed to hear me. I found myself drifting by the ship rapidly, and as there was nothing I" could grasp to save myself, I shouted, "Man overboard! Man overboard! Throw me a rope !" Instantly all was bustle on board, and I heard the or- der given, " Lower away the boat, and put a lantern in her." To me they gave encouragement by calling out, "Swim, my lad, swim. The boat will pick you up di- rectly." In the mean time a hen-coop had been thrown overboard, to which they told me to cling ; but for this 90 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. I had no use, having fortunately regained my log in the ship's wake, after we had both passed out of her eddy. I was drifting very rapidly to sea, and conld hear the breakers roaring in the direction I was taking. Sure destruction was beyond if the boat missed me. The lantern, I could see, was not always coming in my di- rection. In the mean time I had lost my voice in call- ing out to indicate my position, and had become exhaust- ed in trying to stem the tide. I was finally picked up by the boat just as I was about to be swallowed by the breakers, and taken back to the ship and hoisted on board. AVhen questioned by the captain as to how I came to be overboard, I replied that I had to go into the ship's liead, from which I fell. When asked how I got my clothes so nicely tied up, I said that, being a good swim- mer, I undressed in the water. I knew the sailors dare not tell 1 had been ashore, for fear of punishment. The captain very doubtingly had to accept my yarn. The only one who guessed the truth was my friend Mr. Willing. At five o'clock that morning we got under way and passed out by the Heads, bound to Manila, and thence through the Indian Archipelago. One fine morning we made an island ahead not laid down on the chart. This, of course, was a great event. We approached it cautious- ly, with the light sail stowed preparatory to making a sur- vey. There was a lookout at the mast-head watching for sunken rocks or reefs. Our ship was armed, after the fashion of the East Indiamen of the time, as a defence against the Malay prows — the pirate craft that infested DISCOVERY OF AN ISLAND. 91 nearly all the straits in and around the China seas. Our armament consisted of four carronades and six " Quak- ers." (Quakers were mock cannon bolted fast to the bulwarks, and with painted ports gave the ship the ap- pearance of a sloop -of -war.) We had also the usual number of pistols, boarding-pikes, cutlasses, etc. Witli our men well drilled we were a fair match for a single prow. As we neared the island under its lee it appeared to be uninhabited, and we ran in close, clewed up our courses, and lowered away the first cutter to land and reconnoitre. The island, we found, was well wooded and about three miles in length. Our captain expected to immortalize himself by reporting the position of his discovery. The second officer, four men, two passengers, and myself, well armed, formed the cutter's crew. We took with us the necessary instruments for ascertaining the situation of the centre of the island. As we pulled towards shore we discovered a coral reef, over which the sea was breaking. We rowed along the reef trying to find a passage to enter. The water was perfectly smooth inside. The distance was about a third of a mile from the reef to the beach, our ship being about one mile to the leeward of us.* Presently we discovered smoke on the island, and that caused us to lay on our oars and await events. We had not waited long when we saw three natives in nature's attire on the beach, beckoning us to approach. Opinion was divided between the sec- ond mate and the passengers as to whether it would be safe to cross the reef. While we were debating, the three natives on the beach were joined by about a hun- 92 FROxM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. dred or more of their fellows. They all made signs for us to approach. The sign was a wave of the hand down towards the knee instead of upward to the head, as is customary with civilized nations. We had an excellent opportunity of viewing these men. They appeared to be of herculean stature, and were of a dark copper color, and perfectly nude, with long hair which stood out from their heads fully five inches, and flowed down over their backs and shoulders. How they contrived to make it stand out like bristles we never learned, but it gave them the appearance of horrible monsters instead of hu- man beings. They had high cheek-bones, deep-sunken eyes, and large mouths and lips, like the Patagonians. Their numbers continued to increase until they must have exceeded three hundred. Finding that we did not attempt to cross the reef, they with terrific yells took to the water and began to swini towards us. They were perfectly regardless of the sharks, of which there were many about. As the savages were unarmed, and had no canoes, w^e apprehended no danger, though we had made up our minds that they were cannibals. We waited in silence for their arrival. Clearing the smooth space, they passed over the reef and through the break- ers, and surrounded our boat. Like all other islanders, they were as much at home in the water as on land. So much at home did they seem to be, indeed, that we were suddenly possessed with a desire to return to our ship, but the moment we dipped our oars they were wrenched out of our hands. Upon tliis w^e drew our cutlasses to prevent them from coming near us. They evidently intended to upset our boat. Seeing the sec- ATTACKED BY CANNIBALS. 95 ond cutter coming to our assistance, tliey made a rush for us. I was in the bow, and one of the savages near me put his hand on tlie rail, when I struck him with my cutlass. He let go and dived under the boat, as though to capsize her. As he did so I stabbed him be- tween the shoulders. But in an instant our boat was upset and we were all struggling in the water. The captain witnessed our danger from the ship, and de- spatched the third cutter to our assistance. He also fired blank-cartridges, which frightened the natives, who had probably never heard a gun before. The cutter's men, using their pistols with deadly effect, gave us timely aid, and the natives, with yells and shrieks, swam for shore, leaving us to be picked up by our shipmates. When we arrived on board the captain gave us a lect- ure. He said we deserved to be taken by the cannibals for not obeying the recall signal which had been made, and also for not having sense enough to fire our pistols, which would have frightened the savages, instead of using cutlasses when we found the oars wrenched from us. The fact was that Mr. Willing was so determined to land that he kept urging the second mate to pull ashore. We sailors backed Mr. Willing, but the mate, fortunate for us, was too great a coward to comply. If we had landed, our fate would have been sealed. After careful observations the captain located the island on his chart, placing it in or near the Caroline group. We now continued our course through Micro- nesia, stopping at some of the larger isles to trade with the less savage natives, though, as all were cannibals, we never allowed more than one canoe to come along-side 96 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. at a time. At one of these islands — one of the sontli- western of the Carolines— we were met bj a hearty hail from one of the canoes, calling upon us to heave-to and give them a rope, as they were civilized. We backed our main-yard and complied, when over the side jumped a Yankee whaler, who had deserted his ship about ten years previous. He had married the chief's daughter and received a coat of the most perfect tattooing, where- by he had become duly naturalized and invested with the privilege of man-eating. He assured us, however, that for a year or two cannibalism had not been prac- tised by the tribe with which he was identified. He was, however, rather too anxious to pilot us into a la- goon, where he said we might lie and trade quietly for sandal-wood and tortoise-shell. His subjects wore aprons made of braided palm-leaves. Shells were thrust through the lobes of their ears, and around their necks hung strings of beads and shells. The women had the most magnificent and abundant hair imaginable. It was braided across the top of the head in one flat braid, standing about four inches high, the ends falling loose over their backs, and was perfumed with cocoa-nut oil. Their bodies were smeared with the same oil, which gave them the appearance of bronze statuary highly polished. The men were even less scantily attired. "We amused ourselves for a few hours in dressing some of these savages, to whom a coat or vest was an un- known article. Mr. Willing was particularly generous in dispensing his wardrobe. As he was six feet in height, his clothes would fit any of the natives. To one man was given a vest. Through the armholes he thrust BOUND FOR MANILA. 97 his legs, buttoning the garment in front. Another, re- ceiving a pair of trousers, put his arms into the legs, and fastened the buttons behind his back. There was not a high hat left in the cabin when we were through. One of these people, with a crownless hat pulled down over his eyes, presented a most amusing appearance. It would require a Dickens to describe the ludicrous scene, and the gravity and dignity which the savages displayed strutting the decks. We received from these people some shells, yams, and bread-fruit, for which we exchanged tin cuttings and scrap-iron, of which we had on board several casks for trading purposes. In those days in the Indian Ocean these articles were more useful to the natives than money. For one turtle — the largest I ever saw, it being over five feet long — we gave three old files, a broken saw, and some pieces of old hoop -iron. This was considered a very fair and satisfactory exchange. The chief was so delighted with the reception we gave him that, after we had dressed him from head to foot, given his face a coat of red paint, and treated him to a glass of whiskey, he offered to present each of us with any of his or his subject's wives or daughters. The generous offer was not accepted. After having as much fun as we wanted with our visitors, we filled away the main-yard and cut the ropes by which their canoes were fastened. This was the only way of getting rid of them. When they saw the ropes cut they jumped overboard and swam for their boats or the shore. We now shaped our course for Manila, situated on one of the Spanish islands of the Philippine group. 98 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. We arrived there on onr Saturday. The ship Avas leak- ing badlj, and preparations were made for hauling her into the canal. We worked all day and night, and as the following day was Sunday, we expected to have a holiday. But at daybreak on Sunday, eight launches, with double-banked oars and thirty men in each, were sent by the captain to tow the ship in, in charge of a pilot. There were no steam-vessels at that time. After heaving up our anchor, we were ordered to breakfast, and after that to trim ship on an even keel. Against this we rebelled, because we had gained a day in our trip eastward, and it was really Sunday, but the mate with the after-guard, armed, came forward, and fearing incarceration, we went grumblingly to work. About three-quarters of the cargo had been disposed of up to that time, and the rest was to be sold at Manila. Among the freight there were quantities of cider, ales, and liquors. After trimming ship we went on deck, not, however, before learning where tlie liquor was stowed. At noon, while the officers were at dinner, some of us went down the fore hatch into the between- decks and helped ourselves to all the ale we could drink. One old man-of-war's man, named Kelso, made another visit to the stores later, and was caught by the mate coming up the main hatchway, with three or four bot- tles of liquor under his shirt, gloriously drunk. He was immediately seized and put in irons. By this time we had arrived in the canal, and were moored, head and stern, near the bridge. All Manila had turned out to witness the arrival of so large a vessel in such narrow waters; we nearly blocked the channel. The mate THE IRONS BROUGHT INTO REQUISITION. 99 hailed the captain, who was standing on the wharf, say- ing, " The crew have broached the cargo, and all are drunk." The captain immediatelj^ came aboard, fol- lowed by his passengers, and he and his officers started forward. As I was the only one of the crew on deck, I was seized, hustled aft, and put in irons under the coach- house, where Kelso had preceded me. He was utterly reckless of what was going on around him, and was sing- ing an old sea refrain : "I met Moll Roe in the morning, And she was most happily drunk." 100 FKOxM THE FOKECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER VII. A Mutiny at Manila, inwiiicb I knock down the Mate. — Tlie whole Crew put in Jail. — We see a Fugitive bayoneted by a Manila Soldier. — We and the Captain cool down, and he takes us out of Limbo. — I make a Social Call, and barely escape Assassination. — How a Handsome American Sailor became Captain of the Port of Manila. — A Typhoon in the China Sea. I HAD been in limbo but a few minutes when I saw the crew coming aft in a half-drunken and determined manner, headed by my chum and a herculean Irishman, nicknamed " Dublin Jim." They demanded my release. The awnings had been spread, and the captain and the passengers were sitting on the rails and spars on the starboard side, while the officers were on the port. The captain ordered the men forward, but thej refused to go without me. Upon this the captain seized a capstan bar from under the rail and raised it aloft. It caught in the awning, and his blow was stopped. In less time than I can tell it there was a general fight. Mj interest was chiefly directed to the mate and my chum. The latter was down, while the former was on his chest, beat- ing him unmercifully with a belaying-pin. Unable to stand this, I rushed forward, and with my manacled hands struck the mate a downward blow with the irons, laying his face open from his forehead to his chin. At the same time I received a blow from a heaver, and was MUTINOUS CONriuCT W, .TJ^jfc "nj^i'A^i '< \ 101 stunned for a moment. RecoveHng in an instant, I heard the cry, " Murder ! murder i A cutlass ! a cutlass !" Upon the decks, which were covered with blood, some of the men were stretched senseless. The fight still con- tinued. I started towards the place whence the cry came. Jim had the captain by the throat, with his head over the skylight, and was choking him to death. Just then the steward came up from the cabin with a cutlass, w^hich was seized by the mate. He was too nervous and too much weakened by loss of blood to use it eflt'ectually, but he struck Jim over the head, partly scalping him down to the left ear. At this, Jim let go his hold and wrenched the cutlass out of the mate's hand. He would have used it with deadly effect if I had not interposed myself to prevent it. " Guards !" and " Help !" had been called, and in a few moments the American Consul with a number of soldiers came on board, and we were over- powered, manacled, and sent to prison. There we lived like princes on three cents a day allowed by the ship. Our food consisted of rice, bread, bananas, beef stew, and soup. As some of our men had a little money, the jailers treated us with due respect. They furnished anything we could pay for, from a needle to a bottle of absinthe or anisette. The natives of Manila were the most treacherous and blood-thirsty 1 had ever seen. Murder was a daily oc- currence. Our prison was so situated that we had a fair view of the town. A bridge, with a guard-house at ei- ther end, crossed the canal close to us. One day, as we were idly looking out of the wnidow, we saw a murder 102 - F'iPQ^flL 'd^EE FOftECXSTJ^E TO THE CABIN. perpetrated. A soldier was in pursuit of a man, who was running for his life across the bridge. Seeing the guard at the other end levelling his gun at liim, the fu- gitive hesitated, and was about to leap into the water, when he was overtaken and bayoneted by his pursuer. The body fell into the canal beneath. The soldier cool- ly wiped his bayonet, walked back, and mounted guard as though nothing had occurred. Our quarters were the best in the jail, having win- dows on the east side and on the north. The floor, walls, and ceiling were stone. We had to do our own cooking, and furnish our utensils and furniture. Each had an iron pot, a tin cup and spoon, and his sheath- knife. For beds we had, according to the custom of the country, mats and wooden bolsters. Chairs and tables we had none. We were great favorites with the jailer. He allowed us to witness punishment, such as garrot- ings, of which we saw three. Flogging was a common occurrence, the Chinese usually being the subjects. A Chinaman was always brought into the punishing-room on a stretcher, tied face downward, and so received the number of lashes prescribed for him. All prisoners not manacled, except us, were employed in some way, the Chinese doing the worst of the drudgery. We were al- lowed to do as we pleased, and we amused ourselves chiefly with card-playing. At the end of four weeks this life liad become very irksome, and we would have been glad to return to duty on board the ship upon any terms. One day Captain Drinker and Mr. Willing appeared at the prison. They were apparently much chagrined at seeing us playing THE CREW RETURN TO DUTY. 103 cards and looking quite happj. Instead of begging the captain to take us out, we took no notice of his presence, anxious as we were for freedom. He called me to him in the lobby, and asked if I was not sorry for causing tlie mutiny. He inquired whether I would ask pardon. My reply was that he had put me in jail to please him- self, and would take me out when it suited him. I had not the slightest fear of being left behind. After a par- ley, eight of us were released and taken on board the ship. During our incarceration the rest of the cargo had been disposed of. The ship had been stripped, hove down, calked and coppered, and had begun taking in a cargo consisting of sugar, hemp, cassia, and dye-woods. With the eight released men and some of the consul's men our crew was completed. I shall never forget the savage look I received from Mr. Hennessey as I came on board. Mr. Willing, however, assured me that the cap- tain had come to a fair understanding of matters, and that the mate should keep his hands off me. After painting and rigging the- ship, we hauled her out into the bay to finish loading. The Manila of forty-five years ago contained but few substantial houses. These few were built either of brick or stone, in the old-fashioned Spanish way. The general population was densely packed in houses perched in the air on bamboo uprights from six to eight feet above the ground, and shaped like bird-cages with peaked roofs. They were made of bamboo, and the roofs were covered with matting to shed the rain. Entrance was through the floor, by means of ladders. The only furniture was 104 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. a mat to sleep on, and a wooden pillow covered with matting. What little cooking these people did was done on the ground under the houses. Rice, bread, and bananas were the chief articles of food. The stores were also built of bamboo. They were from eight to ten feet wide, about six in depth, and the same in height. They were opened in the morning by the letting down of a shutter, which fell outward and rested on legs, thus forming a counter on which to display the wares. Few of these stores had doors, so that the store-keeper was obliged to hop over the counter in case he had to settle any difference with a customer. The store-keepers were mostly Chinese, who made up fully one-quarter of the population. After dark few people were to be seen on the streets except soldiers on patrol or some drunken sailors ashore on liberty. Common enough it was for these sailors to find themselves the following morning in the calaboose, stripped, and in many cases badly wounded. The Malays and most of the inhabitants looked very much like the Japanese we meet in our streets. The Malays, however, chewed beetel-nut and sharpened their teeth, which gave to their mouths a frightful and bloody appearance. The women were passably good-looking, and had beautiful hair, which was black, of course. Their skirt consisted chiefly of a piece of grass cloth, cotton cloth, or silk, wound around the body three or four times, and reaching nearly to the ankle. Their upper wear was a loose, short smock, coming below the waist. Their feet were thrust into sandals, usually high-heeled, to keep the feet from the ground, as the streets were not paved. The common Chinese umbrella and fan completed their A DAY ON SHORE IN MANILA. 105 attire. Nearly all the men were armed with a creese, which was a crooked, poisoned dagger, from six to twelve inches long. The life of a man in this region was of as little value as that of the fighting-cock which nearly every native carried in his arms. It is an old and true saying that tlie sailor has a sweet- heart in every port, and 1 recall that I myself fell in love again at Manila. Our last day in this port was a Sunday. My watch had liberty. The captain allowed us two dollars each for spending money. With part of this I purchased a pound of tea and a caddy, and the balance I spent in luxuries, fifty cents going a long way in that port at that time. The day I spent at cock-fights and various other amusements, and in the evening I ventured to visit the lady of my love. I say " vent- ured," because I had a rival, a native, and a dangerous fellow, named Lorenzo. At the entrance of the court in which she lived w^as a billiard-saloon. The lights of this saloon shone brilliantly across the lower end of the court, but its upper end was in utter darkness. The house in which 1 made my visit was the last of ^ve in the row on the same side as the saloon. It consisted of a single room, entered through the floor by means of a ladder, in the. manner of those that I have already de- scribed. After an hour spent in smoking a cheroot with the lady's father, and in casting sheep's eyes at her, I took my departure, having been warned to look out for Lorenzo. As I regained the floor of the court it be- came at once apparent to me that I was in danger. A figure was stealing up the court, and I could see a creese flashing in its hand from time to time as the light struck 5* 106 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. it. I grasped my slieath- knife firmly, determined to strike the first blow. I had the advantage of my oppo- nent, being in the darkness, while he was between me and the light. When he had come very near nie he hesitated a moment, apparently listening. Then, with a bound like a panther's, he was at the foot of the ladder I had just descended, and I saw him mount it and dis- appear. In front of the saloon meantime were several men, evidently waiting to prevent my escape. I slipped off my shoes. I w^as, fortunately, dressed in dark blue dungaree trousers and jumper. Shading my face with my left hand, my right tightly griping my knife, I advanced cautiously through the darkness until within twenty feet of the men, when, as I had to emerge into the light, I made a dash past them. As soon as they comprehended what had happened they were after me. Keaching the canal I plunged in, and they followed. Doubtless they supposed I would swim down to where my ship was lying, but instead I swam up the canal to where a Dutch galliot lay, moored head and stern. As I climbed up her anchor-chain I was nearly brained by a handspike in the hands of the lookout, who took me for a Malay robber. I cried, " Don't strike ; I am an American." The noise made by the lookout calling for help, under the impression that the ship was being boarded by Malays, brought the officers and crew on deck, armed to the teeth. In the light 1 was recognized at once, being known to the crew. That night a double watch was set to repel boarders, as my place of refuge had undoubtedly been revealed by the noise made by the Dutchmen in the stillness of the night. A ROMANTIC INCIDENT. 107 Presently we were hailed by the captain of the port, who was a Baltimorean. He asked if there was any trouble on board. I explained briefly that trouble might ])e expected, whereupon he kindly came off in his boat with a double guard, and when he ascertained the facts in the case he rowed me to my ship. He had a son on board our vessel — a boy twelve years old, whom he had placed under the care of our captain, to be taken home to Baltimore to be educated. The cap- tain of the port, whose name was Eogers, had deserted from one of our men-of-war, on which he had been cap- tain of the foretop. He was a handsome, dashing fel- low. A senorita, the daughter of a rich nobleman, sit- ting in her carriage listening to the music on the Plaza, saw and fell in love with him at first sight. She be- came his wife. Her father was reconciled upon ascer- taining through the American Consul that Kogers was of a good Maryland family. It was his love of advent- ure that took him aboard a man-of-war. Through the influence of his father-in-law he was made captain of the port. This place greatly increased the fortune brought him by his wife. With his fortune, wife, and family he would gladly have left the island, but the law pro- hibited the exporting of the fortune, and the father-in- law forbade the going of the wife and family. Poor Rogers was therefore doomed to exile. His heart con- stantly yearned for home, where his parents were still alive, but he could not desert his wife and family, whom he loved dearly. The son spoken of was the eldest of four children, and was to join his grandparents. The ship was now loaded, the chain hove short, the 108 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". anchor a-peak, topsails, topgallant sails, and royals mast- headed, courses and fore-and-aft sails loosed ready for dropping and hoisting. We had not long to wait after eight o'clock in the morning. It was a lovely tropical day, and with joyful hearts we were ready to weigh an- chor, homeward bound. Nothing marred the pleasure of this start but the fact of its being Friday. The sailors disliked that day for going to sea. It is a well-known fact that sailors are very superstitious, much of their life being passed in watching signs in the heavens, the earth, and the seas. Captain Drinker and Mr. Willing, with the latter's valet, a Malay named Battalio, who had waited upon him at the hotel, and to whom he had be- come very much attached, came along-side in the gig. They were followed by Captain Rogers in his barge, with our supercargoes and several gentlemen from the shore. All retired to the cabin, I presume to empty a parting bumper. We, the crew, were engaged in tak- ing on board live-stock, consisting of a cow, pigs, chick- ens, turkeys, and geese. These passengers, who rarely land at the end of the voyage, are usually the last re- ceived on shipboard. We accomplished our task and began our adieus. A premonition seemed to possess Captain Rogers and his son that they would never meet again. This made the parting so touching that it brought tears to the eyes of the by-standers. Then came the orders : *' Up anchor ; run up the head-sails ; fill away ; set the courses and port studding-sails alow and aloft." They were executed in rapid succession. We passed the fort, from which we received a salute. We replied wuth our guns and dipped our flags, while PKEPARING FOR A TYPHOON. 109 tlie ladies on the parapets waved their handkerchiefs. We shaped our course down the China seas, the mon- soon being light. The ship was heavily loaded, and though a smart ship, her speed was but seven knots. At 6 P.M. the decks were cleared and the dog-watch set. I was ordered into the captain's watch. The usual monotony of a long homeward voyage was broken the following Thursday at noon. The wind had partly died out, the sun became obscure, the sky dark- ened, the air was heavy and oppressive, and the barom- eter fell rapidly. A typhoon was coming upon us. The sea-birds flitted around the ship in wild confusion — a sign of the approaching hurricane. There was no time for dinner. All hands were called to shorten sail. By 3 P.M. the ship was made snug — studding-sails out of the tops, booms on deck, as well as the topgallant and royal yards, flying jib-boom rigged in, and everything furled in double gaskets, except a reefed foresail, fore- stay sail, and close- reefed maintop sail. With .extra lashings passed around the water-casks, spars, and boats, and the hatches battened down, we felt that the ship was snug enough to meet the storm. At 4 P.M. the barometer had fallen below 27°. All hands were called to house the fore and mizzen topgal- lant masts, and pass spilling lines around the foresail and maintop sail. Thus we waited the dreaded night and coming storm. The ship held on her course, making two knots. At four bells we were sent below to supper, with orders to be on deck at a moment's notice. Meals were served at eight, twelve, and six o'clock. In some ships the kid is allowed to remain in the forecastle, and in 110 FROxM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. such cases Jack regales himself at midnight with a piece of pork or salt junk and biscuits. At 11 P.M., six bells, a vivid flash of lightning was fol- lowed by a peal of thunder which shook every rib in the ship, making her tremble like an aspen. At the same moment the floodgates of heaven were lifted, and we had to open the ports to let out the deluge, the scup- pers and wash-ports not being large enough to free the ship. Egyptian darkness was upon us. Orders were given to clew up the maintop sail and haul up the fore- sail and furl and set the main spencer. The lightning flashed in a rapid succession of glares, followed by deaf- ening peals of thunder. Before we could secure the sails, the typhoon burst upon us with terrific fury, burying the ship's lee rail under water. The sails which we were endeavoring to furl were blown into shreds. After a few flaps, which resembled the noise of a heavy discharge of musketry, they were entirely blown from the yards. This relieved the ship somewhat. The rain had ceased and the light- ning and thunder passed over. During this time, how- ever, it was with difliculty that we could secure our- selves from being blown out of the maintop. Those on the foretop fared worse, as two of their number were lost overboard. The violence of the wind picked up the sea so that the spoon-drift would strike us with the force of hailstones. The sea was a mass of seething foam, presenting the appearance of one great breaker. The ship was lying nearly on her beam-ends, almost mo- tionless. The fury of the storm prevented both ship and sea from rising against its pressure. SHIP IN A TYPHOON. OUR SHIP SPRINGS A LEAK. 113 It seemed as though the earth had taken the place of the heavens. They looked doubly black by contrast with the white, foaming sea below. The scene was one of awful grandeur, which none can understand but those wlio have witnessed the wrath of the elements on the face of the waters. Momentarily expecting the ship to founder, we uttered, as we supposed, our last prayer. This night's agony of fear found some relief in the morning, when the gale abated a little. The sea now rose, and waves like mountains chased one another w^ith the velocity of over sixty miles an hour. With difficul- ty we got her off before the wind under a close-reefed foretop sail. We lost the jib in attempting to set it, and the forestay sail had been blown away. By noon the wind had sufficiently moderated to allow us to bend and set a close-reefed foresail. The havoc caused to the ship during the night gave her the appearance of a wreck. The bulwarks and parts of the main and mon- key rails were w-ashed away. Boats and water-casks were stove or washed overboard. The galley was stove in and the decks were swept clear of nearly everything except a few chickens, ducks, and pigs, which had been put into the long-boat. Most of these were drowned. One of the guns had broken from the lashings and had gone into the sea, and the " Quakers," of course, were lost with the bulwarks. The heavy strain on the ship had caused her to spring a leak, and by the time we could man the pumps there was four feet of water in the hold. Had the gale continued in its fury we should have foundered. The plank sheer and covering board in some places having been started up, the water entered 114 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. PUMPING AND BALING ALL NIGHT. the ship in streams. All hands were kept at the pnmps. At 6 P.M. we had gained one foot on the water in the hold. The decks were still covered with water from the occasional combers that boarded us. The wind moder- ating, we bent and set a close-reefed maintop sail and forestay sail. At Y p.m. the appearance of the weather indicated a second edition of the previous night, chain- lightning making its appearance, accompanied by heavy peals of thunder and by rain.. As our caboose had been badly damaged, no cooking was done during the day. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. 115 CHAPTER yill. Battalio, the Malay, cuts his Throat. — Death of my Chum Jack, whose Thigh was Broken in the Storm. — His Burial at Sea.— I Study to become an Officer. — The Colored Steward endeavors to Fire my Ambition. — Arrival in the Delaware. — Battalio's Shock- ing Death. It was my trick at the wheel. I had just struck sev- en bells, and the crew were at the pumps. The captain and passengers were below taking their supper (eight bells being their usual hour), when the little boy, Rogers, came up the companion-way to ascertain the cause of Battalio's not answering a call from the captain. Both doors being open, I could clearly see into the pantry. The steward, a colored man, entered on one side, the boy on the other. In an instant, with a scream, the boy rushed to me and clasped me around the body. The steward, starting towards the companion-way, cried, "Murder! murder! Help!" The captain and those below came up to ascertain the cause of the confusion. Seeing the boy clasping me, and still screeching, I was asked to explain. The stew- ard had fallen in a faint. The crew came rushing aft. All expected that the ghost had been seen. As we had started on Friday, and this was Friday night, in the quarter-moon, we felt that our time had arrived. The captain and Mr. Willing went into the pantry, where I 116 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. said there must be something wrong. Upon entering, they found Battalio, with a gunnj-bag tied around his body and one under his feet to prevent the blood from staining the floor, sitting on a chair, his throat cut from ear to ear. This horrible spectacle at such a time fairly froze the blood in our veins. Life was not extinct, and he was carried out and laid on deck on the starboard side. There he lay on his back, apparently writhing in the agonies of death. When asked why he had committed the deed, he could not ar- ticulate, but moved his lips as though wishing to speak. I had been relieved at the wheel, and was standing at his head with a lantern. I was ordered to raise his head to bring the windpipe together so that he might perhaps be able to speak. I had to obey. He tried to speak, but the blood choked him. He motioned to Mr. Will- ing as though he wished to communicate with him. When asked why he had done the deed, he indicated by signs that he had left a written communication. We learned his story afterwards. He had fallen in love with Mrs. Kogers when he was a clerk in her father's office. She did not seem averse to his advances until Rogers ap- peared, but then she spurned him. On seeing her anoth- er's wife, he was determined to be revenged. Dismiss- ed from her father's service, he had waited years for an opportunity to strike. He had learned that young Rog- ers was to take passage on our ship, and had ingratiated himself with Mr. Willing, who agreed to take him to the United States as his valet. His plot was to avenge him- self upon the mother by poisoning her child. On that Friday night he had intended to do the murder. He REPAIRING DAMAGES AFTER THE STORM. 117 was at work with liis poisonous stuff when a sharp flash of lightning, followed by a terrific peal of thunder, de- terred him for an instant. Then he was seized with a superstitious awe, and he fancied that his hand was seized by his dead mother's. At the same time all his love for Mrs. Rogers returned, and he resolved to put an end to his own existence rather than cause her misery. He had had a good education, and was intended for the priesthood, but his love for worldly pleasures deterred him from taking holy orders. The storm continued, and the lightning still illumi- nated this ghastly scene. A big sea boarded the ship, washing us into a heap. We gathered ourselves up more or less injured. My poor chum had his thigh broken. Taking Battalio tip, we laid him on the spars on the starboard side of the long-boat. There was no sleep for us that night. We all stayed together, not one attempting to go below. Though not cowards, we felt more courageous in one another's presence, dreading we knew not what, but feeling that this unlucky ship must be possessed of a devil. All hands continued to work at the pumps during the night, and thus freed the ship from water. By 4 a.m. the gale had broken, the weath- er had cleared off beautifully, and the sun rose once more upon a fine morning, with the trade-wind blowing. We at once set to work repairing damages. The galley received the attention of the carpenter and " doctor." (All sea-cooks are called doctors). Hot coffee was served, and by. noon we had the topgallant masts on end, with all the yards aloft and sails set, including studding-sails on the port side. At noon we had a dinner of salt beef 118 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. of tlie mahogany sort, and yams, finishing off with a rousing pluni-diiff, with molasses, as an extra treat. Duff was served only on Thursdays and Sundays, and the plums were allowed only on high festivals. We were now on the equator, between Borneo and Sumatra. The sun was scorching hot. Battalio's breath- ing during the night had become very difficult. The rattling noise in his throat still haunts me. Suddenly he rose and went to the rail, over which he attempted to jump. The captain called to us to stop him. We did so. During the morning the captain and Mr. Will- ing had tried to persuade Eattalio to have his throat sewed up. This he would not submit to until his breath- ing became agonizing. They would not give him a glass of water until he would allow them to sew it. He finally consented. The operation was performed by the ca23tain. The loss of blood did not seem to affect the man's strength much. After bandages had been put around his neck, a drink of water was given him, and he was able to articulate indistinctly ; but he would give us no satisfactory answer as to why he wishedto die, only replying that he had written it all down. His writing being in the Malay patois, we could not read it. He was a great smoker, and asked for his cheroot, which was given him. Finishing this, he became morose. When no one was near he took his head in both liands, and with a sudden jerk threw it backward, and his body following, he fell behind the spars under the long-boat. His intention apparently was to break his neck. This revolting sight made us wish he had accomplished his original purpose. The captain and Mr. Willing came BATTALIO S STRANGE DETERMINATION. 119 forward and tried to reason with him by working on his religious fears, promising him that if he w^ould de- fer taking his life until w^e were ashore they would give him a religious burial or send his body home. Thirst alone made him consent to have his throat again sewed up. With a skull-cap, the long strings of which were tied to the waistband of his trousers, we secured his head. He had taken no nourishment except water, to which he helped himself from the scuttle-butt. At eleven o'clock on the morning of the third day he came aft and asked the captain to allow him to work. His request w^as mildly refused. Eight bells struck, and I took the wheel. The captain and officers had gone be- low to work out the day's reckoning. The crew w^ere at dinner, and no one was on deck except myself. Bat- talio came aft on the lee side, hidden by the cuddy-house. Suddenly entering the pantry, he took the knife-box and boots and went to his accustomed place, where he had been in the habit of cleaning them, and began polishing them as though nothing had happened. This act was so sudden and unexpected that I dared not make an outcry for fear of an attack, as I was no match for him with a knife. Ha was not over six feet from me. I was riveted to the spot, paralyzed with fear. The ship came up to the wind and shook her stud- ding-sails, bringing Mr. Hennessey on deck. He imme- diately retreated upon seeing Battalio with the knife- box in hand, but again came on deck, reinforced by the captain, who went to Battalio and told him he could not allow him to work. To this he replied : " I must work, or I will kill myself. I cannot be idle." From this 120 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. time forward he attended to his regular duties, finally working himself into the cabin. My chum's injuries were more serious than thej were at first supposed to be. He had received an internal hurt which caused him intense suffering. Having no doctor on board, the captain, w^ith the aid of the medi- cine-chest and medical guide, did all he could to allevi- ate his sufferings, but death was inevitable. In mj watch below I waited on him, as well as in my watch on deck, the captain allowing me to go down to look after him. My presence seemed to allay his sufferings. He loved me as he had never loved a human being before. To me he showed his great bravery and tender heart. His knowledge that his end was near had made these things more manifest. "Boy," he would say, "when I took you under my wing in the Texas frigate I felt I had something to live for. I never knew a mother's love. From the orphanage at Portsmouth I was put on a school-ship. Thence I went to the Vernon frigate, and thus became a British man-of-war's man. After serv- ing many years I joined the Texan service during the struggle of that State for freedom. Meeting you there awakened in me a feeling that I had more to live for than the reckless life I had been leading. I hoped to live long enough to see you made a captain. You were only fourteen years old when I took you in hand. I taught you to splice and knot. No man can make a better man-rope knot, single or double wall, or crown a lanyard, tie a reef-knot, or toss a royal bunt better than you. You can hand, reef, and steer, and though young you are large enough to ship on your next voyage as an A BURIAL AT SEA. 121 * A. B.' This is as sure as that the voyage I am about to take will be the last we will all have to make. What I leave belongs to you. The prayer your mother taught you you must never forget. Be brave, be true, and di- vide your last plug of tobacco with your shipmates." These remarks are a part of his utterances during his last hours. Death had no terror for him. Seeing the end drawing near, I asked him to let me call the cap- tain to pray with him. Clasping my hand tightly, he said, " No ; tell me your mother's prayer." Uttering the Lord's prayer after me, he breathed his last. In him died the truest heart I ever met. It is strange, but nevertheless true, that this was the second calamity that had occurred on this voyage on a Friday. He died at 4 a.m. I had never before witnessed a burial at sea. The body was sewed up in a canvas and ballasted at the feet, to insure its descent. At noon it was placed on a plank at the lee gangway, covered by an American flag. The main-yards having been thrown aback to stop the ship's way, all hands were called to attend the burial, the bell tolling while we were mustering around the corpse with heads bared. The captain took his place by the side of our dead shipmate, when the bell ceased to toll, and with a clear voice, read the impressive Episcopal service for the dead. At the conclusion the inner end of the plank was raised, and the body was allowed to slide into the ocean, the grave that no monument can mark. A few ripples from the splash and a few bubbles from the broken water, and all was over. The order to fill away the main-yard was given. We 6 122 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. immediately obeyed. Work recalled us from the sad scene, but it was a long time before I could be comfort- ed, for the dead man and I had been chums for over three years. We had now passed out of the China seas into the Strait of Sunda, stopping at Anjier Point, Island of Java. This was the stopping-place for all homeward- bound ships to lay in fresh supplies of live-stock, yams, bananas, cocoa-nuts, etc. We did not forget to take two or three dozen monkeys and parrots, and hundreds of Java sparrows. The natives here had been spoiled by the Americans, even at this early date. They would no longer exchange their commodities for tin cuttings, scrap- iron, and beads. The old Spanish pillar dollar was -the only money that would pass with them. For one of these we could buy from four to five monkeys, accord- ing to the size, beauty, and kind, the most costly being the "ringtail." Java sparrows sold for the equivalent of one cent each. Fine capons cost one dollar per dozen, and chickens or fowls fifty cents a dozen. We were treated that day to a chicken pot-pie dinner, a regular triple-decker. After remaining here a day and filling our casks with fresh water and obtaining a supply of turtles, we continued our voyage. Leaving the Java Heads, we shaped our course for the Cape of Good Hope. One of my watch, " Portuguese Joe," had endeared himself to me by assisting in the care of my late chum, and by lauding him as one of the best shipmates he had ever sailed with. As he had no chum — Portuguese were never favorites in a ship — my sympathies drew me towards him. I STUDY NAVIGATIO^\ 133 During our night-watches he was constantly trying to fire my ambition, and urging me to turn over a new leaf and make a gentleman of niyself, saying that there was no reason why I should not become chief officer of a 'New York packet. By applying myself to the study of navigation, which the captain had offered to teach me, I could raise myself from a Jack in the forecastle to a captain on the quarter-deck, and instead of being or- dered I could order others. I formed resolutions accord- ingly, and asked the captain if he would fulfil his prom- ises. He kindly consented. I went to work with a will. Every spare moment was occupied in the study of Bowditch, and by the time we arrived at the Capes of Delaware, by dint of extraordinary application I had been taught enough navigation to fit me to be an officer. In running down the Indian Ocean towards the Cape, although we never had watch and watch, the captain allowed us Saturday afternoons for w^ashing and mend- ing our clothes. Afterwards we were allowed to sky- lark, our fun usually ending with a treat from Mr. Will- ing in the shape of a couple of bottles of Holland gin. Battalio would come forward in the evenings, and al- though his throat had failed to heal, he would talk with., us freely upon any subject except the attempt at suicide. He was still obliged to wear the skull-cap to press his head forward. The boy Rogers always shunned him, which was no more than natural, for he presented a ghastly appearance. We were in as much dread of him as if he had been the Evil One himself, and we all felt that Satan was saving him for some horrible deed. Though he had lost so much blood, and suffered from 124 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the constant suppuration of the wound, his strength still appeared as great as ever. The knowledge of this increased our superstitious fears, and at every full moon and on Fridays they were intensified. We had hoped that during the hot weather mortification would set in and so end him ; but it was not to be. We had entered a cooler climate. When we reached the Cape we beat around it, entered the South Atlantic, and shaped our course to the brisk south-east trade-winds for the Island of St. Helena, where East Indiamen of all nations stop for fresh vegetables as a curative for the scurvy, so common among crews on long voyages. Canned vegetables and the luxury of all tinned goods were unknown then. The island abounded in water -cress and yams. The former the natives gathered in very large quantities, bringing it along-side as soon as the ship hove-to under the lee of the island. Our stay here was not over two hours. The United States Consul came on board with letters. 'No one went ashore. Leaving St. Helena and passing close to the westward of the Ascension Islands, we crossed the equator and entered our home waters, the North Atlantic. Nothing had broken the harmony of the homeward voyage after we had rounded the Cape. I was very fond of steering, and was considered a good helmsman. I would take anybody's trick at the wheel for a chew of tobacco. This article had become scarce, as it usually does on a long voyage. I have seen a quid pass from mouth to mouth, to be finally dried and smoked in a pipe. I had several reasons for wanting to steer. First, I got clear of the dirty work, such as "PORTUGUESE JOE." 125 tarring, painting, scraping, and general cleaning. Apart from this, I was left more with my own thoughts, and could build air-castles, and when no one saw him the steward, with whom I was a great favorite, would bring me out many a tidbit from the pantry. In the even- ings he would " pat Juba " to my dancing. I was pro- ficient at this, having learned it, among many other accomplishments, on board of a man-of-war. Many a time he would sit along-side of me and say, " Boy, you is a great fool. What for don' you hab better sinse? What is you gwine ter do when de Lawd calls you an' fin' you 'mong dese hyar rase' Is fo'ward, or in some wusser place ? I heerd de cap'n say dat he wus gwine fur ter make you sumfin'. You might be a cap'n, den you could wear fine clo's. Did you see me go ashore at Sydney an' de gals eye me ? De gemman is 'stinguished for de fine clo's what he hab on an' de watch what he wears." This good-hearted colored man was very fond of dress and jewellery. He would go ashore in the very height of Philadelphia negro style. The Philadelphia negroes, by - the - way, are always considered the most aristocratic and fashionable of their race. I saw him go ashore in a long-tailed blue coat, with velvet collar and brass buttons, yellow open vest, an immense frill-shirt, lavender trousers, the very finest patent-leather boots, a white hat with a green rim, a cane, an eyeglass, and a handsome red silk handkerchief trailing out of his tail-pocket. So dressed, he felt him- self the equal of any lady in the land. With the Syd- neyites he was exceedingly popular, and invitations from 126 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the fashionable folks were forced upon him to such an extent that, as he said, he " had to classify dem." Off the West Indies we fell in with a whaler fifty days out from ISTew Bedford. He had been successful, having cut in and tried out three large whales. One fat fellow yielded one hundred barrels of oil, and he got the same quantity from a cow and a calf. If the bull whale is iirst struck the cow never leaves him. She stops by him until killed herself. The calf, of course, follows. The iiffection thus displayed by the female is not reciprocated by the male, for the instant she is struck he runs away like a great coward, not even giv- ing a roar. He dives deep in the ocean, not daring to come up to blow until nature compels him to. Having arrived off the Capes of Delaware, we took a pilot and proceeded as far as Bombay Hook, where we anchored at 4 p.m., the wind and tide being against us. The captain and passengers went ashore to get a con- veyance for Philadelphia. It was too cold and weari- some a journey to take the boy Rogers with them. They did not dream for a moment that any harm could befall him. We had just finished supper and congratu- lated ourselves at having arrived safely in the Delaware, when an evil genius said, " Boys, do you know this is Friday night?'* This utterance fell like a knell upon our spirits, l^one of us had forgotten, but we did not like to be reminded of it so near home. Of course we were very bold, each trying to outboast the other. We were all feeling hap- py, being slightly under the influence of a " warmer " administered to us by the mate's orders. Even the BATTALIO S THREAT. 129 mate seemed happy, though we never saw him smile. Packing up what dunnage we had, so as to be ready to go ashore tlie next day, we turned in. Eight bells hav- ing been struck, the anchor watch was set, with two men in it. The time was equally divided among us, and the hours between eleven and one fell to Joe and me. "When we thought it time to strike seven bells, Joe went aft to look at the watch which was hanging in the bin- nacle, where a light is always kept at night. Presently he came running forward, and, without speaking a word, jumped down the forecastle. This aroused the crew. Seeing Joe so terror-stricken, all felt sure he had seen the ghost. But he said, " No ; Battalio is armed, and is going to murder the Rogers boy." This was enough. Ghosts we feared, but not men. Reality had taken the place of imaginary terrors. In a moment we were on deck, fully determined, if neces- sary, to kill Battalio in order to save the boy. We gath- ered around his door, ready to strike should he come out of his room. This room was on the port side of the coach-house. The door directly opposite the wheel and binnacle stood wide open, and a light was burning with- in. Battalio was standing with folded arms, his back against his berth. When Joe went aft to look at the time, he found him in this position. Seeing Joe, whom he had always liked, he called him and said, " Joe, you see this knife " — displaying a carving-knife sharpened on both sides. " My time is nearly up. This time I will cut both sides" — pointing to his throat — " and put it in here " — pointing to his heart. With this he threw the knife on his bed and resumed 6^ 130 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. his former position. Joe wished to leave him, but dared not, for fear of being stabbed if he turned. " Joe, is it nearly one o'clock ? At that time I must have my revenge," said Battalio. '' You and I were al- ways good friends. You are a Portuguese. You know that in your country death awaits the scorner. Though I cannot kill her, I will kill her offspring. The boy's room is next to Mr. Hennessey's. He is not in his room to-night, but I will find him." Joe proposed to go into the cabin to ascertain where the boy slept. Blittalio said, " Go," upon which he came forward. When we went aft I slipped down into the cabin through the window in the fore part of the cuddy- house. Waking Mr. Hennessey cautiously, I told him how matters were. He came on deck, cutlass in hand, and rushed into Battalio's room backed by the crew, who pinioned the desperate man before he could grasp liis knife. This room had been formerly occupied by the carpenter, and everything was taken out of it but the carpenter's clothes - chest. A thorough search was made for any instrument with which Battalio could do violence to himself or others. The door was then locked and the light put out. We were sent below, but sleep was out of the question, for we felt that something must happen before morning. About 5 a.m. a hail came from the steamer Ice-hreaker — " St. Lawrence, ahoy ! Give us a line !" We never jumped more nimbly on deck. The steam- er had been sent down by the captain to take us up to the city, so we got up the anchor and were taken in tow. I was at the wheel again. An early breakfast had been ordered for seven o'clock. The crew were below, eating. DEATH OF BATTALIO. 131 and so were the officers. I heard a noise like a scuffle or struggle, attended by a gurgling, as though some one were choking. I left the wheel for an instant, ran to the cabin door, and called Mr. Hennessey. He came on deck at once to learn the trouble. He said that Battalio was only clearing his throat, and then returned to his breakfast. Everything had become still again. The breakfast was over and 1 was about to be relieved, when the steward came up with some breakfast for Battalio. Finding that the door was not opened at his call, he tried to force it. Failing in this, he asked me to help him. To our united efforts it yielded. We found Battalio dead. He had cut his throat on both sides and had dis- embowelled himself. In his agony he had bitten off the forefinger of his right hand at the first joint. He had found in the carpenter's chest a pocket-knife with a bro- ken blade, not over an inch and a half long. The han- dle he wrapped in cloth, and with this instrument he ended his life. When we arrived at the city the body was taken ashore, and the skeleton was placed in the Jefferson College, where" it still remains. Battalio ac- complished his destruction one hundred and thirty days after his first attempt. I have never learned what be- came of young Rogers after he was sent to his friends in Baltimore. So ended this tragic voyage. Shortly afterwards the vessel was in l^ew Orleans, where, through jealousy, the steward murdered his wife. In 1855 or 1856, when in command of the Dreadnought, I found the St. Lawrence in Liverpool, turned into a bark. The captain, in a fit of delirium tremens, had committed suicide. Since then I have not heard of this historically unfortunate ship. 132 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER IX. Ships that I served in as Officer. — I Lose a good Berth by Falling in Love. — The English Service does not suit me. After a month's stay in Philadelphia, Captain Drinker recommended me to Captain Fairfoul for second mate's berth on his ship, the Henry Pratt ^ bound to Liverpool from New York. At Liverpool we lay along-side the British ship Caledonia in the Princess Dock. Her cap- tain had sailed in American ships, liked our discipline, and offered me tlie place of chief officer. My captain did not stand in the way of such an offer, but feared that my youthful appearance and want of experience would not command the respect of the sailors. This lat- ter doubt I told him he might dispel, as I would take care of that, and as to my experience. Captain Pine said he was quite satisfied. I joined his ship. She belonged to Fielding Brothers of Liverpool, and for those days was a very large vessel — twelve hundred tons register. We sailed for New York with eight hundred emi- grants. Before we were out of the channel the British tars had been taught Yankee discipline, and after this all went well. The captain's wife was on board — she always travelled with him. This lady was proficient in mathematics, and took me in hand to finish me in navi- gation. After landing our passengers in New York we proceeded to Quebec, and took a cargo of timber for I FALL IN LOVE. 133 London. In passing through the Strait of Belle Isle, on our way, I witnessed a most gorgeous sight ; we passed iceberg after iceberg, for a distance of over two hundred miles. In London the captain resigned to take charge of the ship William Sharj>less, a large India- man due from Bombay. I left the Caledonia to go with him. In a short time my money gave out, and I could wait no longer, so he recommended me to Cap- tain Legg, who commanded the ship Royal Consort, be- longing to Sir Henry Metcalf. She w^as lying in the East India docks dismantled. I joined her as chief officer, and fitted her out for an India voyage via Australia with convicts, but did not go in her. The captain's daughter was to make the voyage with him. She had heard Mrs. Pine, who was at the same hotel, speak of me in such terms that when slie visited the ship she looked at me particularly. Our eyes met, and Mrs. Pine did the rest by asking me to dine at the hotel the next Sunday. Being young and full of romance, and she as beautiful as a picture, I lost no opportunity to show how very agreeable I could make myself to her. Her father pretended not to see this, but he had other fish to angle for, so on the morning of our sailing-day he called me into his cabin, and said, " Mr. Samuels, I have the highest regard for you. You have before you a brilliant career, and I hope some day to see you at the top of your profession. Until then, however, much as I regret the loss of an officer like yourself, we must part company. My daughter is an only child. She lost her mother when she was very young. She is all and all to me, and I cannot part with 134 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. her yet. When you are a few years older, and have obtained a rank suitable to place her in, you may see me again. As it might seem strange that you should leave my ship so suddenly just as we are about to sail, here is a document that will get you a ship at any time." During this interview the temperature of my blood changed between hot and cold maybe every second. Those who have been truly smitten for the first time, and have had their hopes so unexpectedly dashed, can understand how I felt. My pleadings were useless, he was inexorable. I could not have an interview with her. He thought it best not. He had arranged for her to come on board at Gravesend. He said that I need not follow her, as I should not be permitted to see her. He had taken precautions to prevent our meeting. I will discontinue this subject, as I do not propose to write my love ventures; they would read too nmch like ro- mance. Some lady readers might wish me to proceed, but others might say, " Close your volume ; 'tis large enough." Sad and broken-hearted I left the ship for my boarding-house, and thence I went to my good friend Mrs. Pine for consolation. Only the sweet sym- pathetic voice of a woman can save a man under such affliction. (This good lady had the misfortune some time later to lose one of the best husbands ever allotted to wife. In London, years afterwards, I had the pleasure of seeing her prosperously engaged in teaching a school for navigation.) For a few days I was entirely unfitted to do anything but mope. Then Captain Pine sent for me and told me to meet him at the Jerusalem Coffee- AN englishman's PREROGATIVE. 135 house, a great resort for captains. Here lie introduced me to Captain Stewart of the ship Leander, He was loading for New Orleans, and engaged me to go with him. She was lying in the dock at Blackwall, where she had discharged a cargo of lumber. I did not like her much ; she was a " blue-nose," built as they all are in the cheapest and flimsiest manner, of unseasoned timber, iron fastened, in the expectation of being sold to the underwriters. This is the class of ships some of our Western members of Congress are clamoring for us to have the privilege of flying the American flag over. I took my dunnage on board the Leander and sailed for l^ew Orleans. There I left the ship. The English service did not suit me ; neither did the pay and disci- pline. In an English ship Jack is as good as his mas- ter, and he is a chronic growler. This does not suit American ideas. I was in a constant turmoil with the men, and the captain generally sided with them. An Englishman's prerogative is to grumble, but we break him of the habit after his head has come in contact with a belaying-pin a few times. I now changed ships as chief officer frequently. First I made a voyage in the ship Metoka^ with Captain McLarren, to Liverpool and return ; then on the Rock- all^ with Captain Evans, to the same port and return ; then on the Yicksburg to New York; from here on the Wabash to New Orleans and return ; and once more on the Rockall and return. On this last voyage home I met the lady who subse- quently became my wife. My next voyage was to New Orleans and back in the Jessore^y^\\\i Captain Putnam. 136 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. I then married, and made another voyage in the same ship to London and return. The refining influence and Christian gentleness of mj wife softened my turbulent nature. When a sailor is well mated he is the happiest man alive. His wife can guide him with a silken thread ; whereas, in his single state, a chain-cable cannot hold him. I now made a voyage in the Independence^ with Cap- tain Allen, to Liverpool and return ; then three voyages with Captain Edwards in the Angelique to Amsterdam. It will be seen that I sailed with the greatest martinets of their day, and as they were considered among the best seamen afloat, I received a good training. To write sketches of the various incidents on board the many ships I have sailed in would fill a large volume. THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY. 137 CHAPTER X. A Captain at Twenty-one. — A Fight between Sailors and Marines in a Dutcli Port.— Dousing and Flogging for the Ringleader. — I have a Verbal. Tilt with our Consul at Genoa. — Among the Isles of Greece. I LEFT New York as chief officer of the ship Man- hattan, corainanded by Captain Carroll, bound for Am- sterdam, and arrived at Nieuwe-Diep after a twenty- three days' passage which was void of any special incident. We hauled into the I^orth Holland canal, and were tak- en in tow by horses ranging in numbers from four to eighty, according to the strength of the wind for or against us. The canal which led to the famous old city was wide enough to allow the largest Dutch Indiamen of fourteen hundred tons to pass one another. These splendid ships were chartered by the Dutch East India Company. Each vessel received a number which enti- tled her to a charter in turn. Arriving after a voyage, she would be stripped and laid up until her turn came again for a voyage to Batavia — the island of Java being the principal colonial possession of the Dutch. This was the only nation the Japanese would trade with. Two ships a year was the limit allowed, and the crews of these were not permitted to land. Commodore Per- ry's famous treaty opened the ports of Japan to the out- 138 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. side world, and the Dutch thereby lost the monopoly so long enjoyed. Arriving at Amsterdam we entered the entrepot dock, where I was quite at home, having made several voy- ages to this port from New York as chief mate of the ship Angelique, under Captain John Edwards. At Am- sterdam our crew deserted, and Captain Carroll resigned. It was understood between us that he should do so be- fore w^e left home. He did not care to make long voy- ages, which were to be the business of the ship in fut- ure. So here I was at twenty-one years of age, married, the father of a child, and the nominal owner and actual captain of a full-rigged ship, with an entire Dutch crew, including officers, bound for Genoa with a cargo of re- fined sugar, and thence to Constantinople or Odessa, as my judgment of the freight market should dictate. Though young in years, the hardships I had endured to arrive at the top of my profession made me appear much older than I was. Let not the young man who intends to follow the sea think that his promotion is likely to be as speedy as mine, for not one out of a thou- sand would be so fortunate as I was, or be able to en- dure the rough usage I went through and live ; nor do the same opportunities present themselves at this day. The ship was now loaded and manned by a Dutch crew (Americans were not to be had), consisting of ten men, two ordinaries, two boys, cook, steward, and two officers. Any one would suppose from our language that she was a Dutch ship. The first part of the voyage was not pleasant for the men or myself, I not being used to the slow movements of the Dutch sailor when an or- "BULLY EDWARDS.' 141 der was given. To drill these men to American agility in handling canvas and working ship produced much unpleasantness between us, but before the end of the voyage I felt quite proud of my handiwork. I had learned to speak very fair Dutch, and they to work ship by orders given in English. Passing through the canal on my way to sea, I found myself at Nieuwe-Diep, a place which will always be mem- orable to me because of an incident which I will now relate. It occurred at a time when I was chief mate of the packet-ship Catharine^ under Captain John Edwards. It was Sunday morning. After the decks had been thoroughly scrubbed, and the flags set in honor of the day, and after the men had breakfasted, all hands got liberty to go ashore and enjoy themselves. They were not allowed any spending money for fear of their get- ting drunk, but Jack always manages to get rum, though he has to sell his shirt off his back. Our crew happened to be a pretty hard set, and they proved a perfect ter- ror to the peaceable Dutchmen. Before they had been long ashore there was general consternation in the town. About two o'clock two of them came on board, and in a few minutes they began to quarrel over their dinner, and fought. I was in the cabin at the time, and the steward called my attention to the trouble. Our cap- tain, nicknamed '' Bully Edwards,'' forbade me to inter- fere, for he would rather see a fight than eat his dinner. At this moment I saw *' French Peter " coming over the gangway. The reader is already acquainted with him. He was the same who had been my chum in the United States service. I had loved him for his seamanship, 142 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. bravery, and magnificent physique ; he was one of the handsomest men I had ever seen. Sober, he was gentle as a kitten ; drunk, he was a brute. Seeing him go for- ward wdiere the fight was going on, I knew he would have a hand in it. I started after him, and reached him just as he was raising his sheath-knife to stab the upper of the combatants. I seized his wrist. Turning in- stantly, he saw it was I, and exclaimed, " I thought you were nnderneath, so I wanted to kill that fellow." In his drunken rage his mind had carried him back to the time when we were both in the forecastle, and on one of our occasional larks. He obeyed my orders to go below and turn in. The two men fought till they were sober, when the captain told them to wash themselves, as they were cov- ered with blood and badly punished. At this juncture we saw some of our crew driven to the ship by marines frorn the guardship, followed by the villagers with clubs and sticks. These phlegmatic people, if they " get their Dutch up," know how to defend themselves when im- posed upon. Our men had not been satisfied with get- ting all the gin free of charge, but had created a riot. The burgomaster, not having sufficient force to suppress it, had called upon the navy for assistance, and with this help our men were driven on board in a very battered condition. The commandant demanded the ringleader, as lie had struck and wounded one of his officers. After some parley with the American consul (resident at Amster- dam, but now a passenger on our ship), it was decided to allow the authorities to take him ashore, with the un- THE KIOT ACT READ ON BOARD. 143 derstanding that lie should be returned to the ship when we were ready to sail. The arrest being permitted, twenty marines with two officers came on board to take the man. They had scarcel}'- got as far as the foremast when our whole crew rushed at them from the fore- castle, armed with handspikes and heavers. The move- ment was so unsuspected by the marines that they be- came demoralized and landed in disorder. The whole scene was witnessed from the guardship, lying at the dike close under our stern, and a reinforcement of one hundred men, headed by the captain of marines came on board and demanded the surrender once more. The burgomaster, wdio was still on board of us, here stepped a few feet forward (we were all on the quarter-deck) and read the riot act, after which the marines were divided into two squads, one on either side of the ship, faced forward, and ordered to load. Matters had assumed a serious aspect, and as the law was on the side of the au- thorities, 1 was sure they would exercise their power after the insult they had received. The crew w^as called to surrender, but no response was given. Fearing a massacre, I volunteered to bring aft the ringleader, and consent being given by the com- mandant, who had just boarded us, I went forward to the forecastle and harangued the men in a few words on the untenable position they had taken. I then called to French Peter, who obeyed me reluctantl}^, and one after another followed, until all had come forward except the ringleader. Jack, an Englishman, who had been the cause of the whole trouble. This man was a turbulent and quarrelsome fellow, and when in liquor quite des- 144 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. perate ; but we officers can forgive anything in a man if he is a good sailor. His quarrelsome disposition we can manage ; and Jack and I had had an understanding with each other before he had been on board half an hour after leaving 'New York. He had proved a splen- did sailor, and was therefore one of my favorites. I could not stand bj and see him killed (which, without my intervention, he certainly would have been) without an effort to save him. Returning to the forecastle soon after having secured the crew in the deck-house, I called on Jack to come out. He made no reply. The com- mandant, becoming impatient, ordered two of his offi- cers and six men to join me. The ship had a top-gal- lant forecastle in which were the quarters of the crew. As the place was very dark, the soldiers entered with fixed bayonets, the officers with drawn swords. Knowing that Jack was armed with his sheath-knife, they did not intend to let him use it. Gradually be- coming accustomed to the dark forecastle, they prodded the berths, block-lockers, and other places where a man could stow himself. He was discovered under the heel of the bowsprit, and was badly wounded in several places before he made an outcry. When brought on deck he was covered with blood ; his shirt had been torn off in the struggle to secure him. As he was being led aft, he freed himself from the guard, and seizing a heav- er, defied them to take him, swearing that he would not be taken alive. He was between the water-casks and the rail. I was standing on the former, watching a chance to seize him, and he noticed me. The order from the commandant to " Present arms ; take aim," JACK TKIED BY A DUTCH COURT-MARTIAL. 145 drew his attention, and I took advantage of the moment by jumping upon him from my elevated position. This prevented him from using the heaver, and my weight and strengtli overpowered him not an instant too soon to save his life. When Peter heard the threat that Jack would brain me, he burst open the deck-house door, in front of which our struggle was taking place, just as Jack was getting away from me. As he was nearly naked, and reeking with blood and perspiration, I could not hold him alone. Peter's iron gripe on his throat kept him quiet until I handcuffed him. Had he got away from us he undoubtedly would have been shot, as I had heard the order in Dutch, " Kill him, kill him." After being secured he was taken on board the guard- ship and double -ironed, and a guard was placed over him. The following morning he was tried by a court- martial and condemned to be dipped (keelhauling being impracticable, as the water was too shallow along-side), and to receive three dozen lashes. This inhuman and brutal punishment is no longer practised in our navy. Directly after sentence had been pronounced he was taken to the port gangway. A gauntline had been rove through a block on the main -yard, which was braced forward enough to allow the gauntline to clear the ship's side some six feet. A piece of kentledge about four hundred pounds in weight, taken out of the ship's bal- last, had been brought on deck. In each end of it was a hole, through which a rope was rove and knotted un- derneath. The ends of the rope were brought up and 7 146 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. fastened to the gaiiiitline, and he was well secured be- tween, a wooden stretcher keeping the lines taut and close to his sides. He was then placed on a grating, stripped to the waist, head and body bent down, with his thumbs fastened to the pin -rail, and he thus re- ceived his first dozen lashes. The crew then ran him up to the yard, whence he was dropped overboard, striking the bottom in his descent. They then took him on board, the second dozen were given him, and he was again run up to the yard and dropped. After the third dose he was carried below in a fainting condition to be washed in pickle. His back presented a sickening sight. The blood had begun to flow at the third lash, and by the time the punishment was Completed the poor fellow was nearly flayed. Few men ever recover from the ef- fects of a punishment like this. The victims are usual- ly carried off by kidney disease or by consumption. The following day we were notified that if we wished we might have our man. Onr captain refused to take him, but the American Consul sent him to the hospital. The man-of-war's-men cannot be too grateful to the humanitarians and the public press for their successful efforts in having the laws permitting flogging in the navy and army expunged from the statute-books of the United States. That cruelty like that above described would be permitted by the staid and honest Dutchmen few w^onld credit, yet I have seen branding and flogging in their public places for petty larceny. But I have not been in IloUand since 1852, and laws and customs change in a third of a century. I do not wish to be understood as pointing out the Dutch as a people especially cruel — far ON THE WAY TO GENOA. 147 from it. I have found them the fairest dealing nation on the earth, and shall always love them for many rea- sons, particularly for their prompt sympathy and help during the struggle to save our Union. They were the first to show confidence in our national integrity, and believed that the w^ar would end in cementing the per- manent union of our country, where none are born rulers, and where all peoples of the earth look for free air to breathe. I must be pardoned for occasional digression ; a ship cannot always sail the course laid down. But as I am not writing the history of the Dutch, I will proceed with my voyage to Genoa. With a rattling north-easter we bade good-by to our friends. I felt, as any young fellow would feel, not only the importance of my place, but my own importance. I felt just at that time that if all the Yon Tromps, Nel- sons, Decaturs, and Hulls were condensed into one man, he would not be my equal at handling and navigating a ship. But the lesson was taught me before this voyage I now describe was completed, and I have profited by it ever since, that it is never wise to be sure of our po- sition, or to feel that we have nothing to learn. With everything set that would draw, including the starboard studding-sail, w^e crossed the North Sea, and so went through the Strait of Dover and out of the English Channel without touching a brace except to tauten it. I established a rule for myself never to turn in at night while at sea except during a calm. By daylight the ship- master can trust his officers to carry sail, but if he wants to make a quick passage he must keep the deck himself 148 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. at night, when it requires nerve to drive the ship to lier utmost speed, without losing her sails or carrying away her spars. Any lubber can do the latter, but it re- quires good judgment and pluck to do the former. After a rapid and delightful passage, we entered the harbor of Genoa at sunrise. The scene was bewilder- ingly beautiful, and the reader may judge of my high spirits as I came upon it. The conformation of the port is that of a semicircle, the Apennines forming the background of an amphitheatre — the harbor (an arti- ficial one) the stage ; the ships the actors ; the auditorium the metropolis, with the palaces dotted here and there through the city, which rises from the water and as- cends towards the grand mountains beyond ; the tout ensemble gives one the impression of a gorgeous spec- tacular drama, especially to the traveller who has read the history of this noted place. After shaving myself to raise a beard— that emblem of a lord of creation — I dressed with scrupulous neatness, hoping to impress our consul, Mr. L , with the dignity of my appearance. Arriving at the consulate with my ship's papers, I was shown into the office. Before me I saw a very hand- some man, who eyed me at first with some curiosity, and then, it seemed to me, with a good deal of imperti- nence, I asked him, with all the assurance 1 had, " Are you the American Consul ?" Giving me an Irish answer, he inquired, " And pray, by whom have I the pleasure of being addressed T I answered, with my blood somewhat stirred, " By a gentleman just arrived from Amsterdam with a cargo A VERBAL TILT WITH OPR WNSUli AtP'^'s^'b.^. 151 of sugar consigned to Messrs. Giglio Brotliers <&; Co., and if you are the consul, which I hope you are not, you will please receipt for my register and articles, and let me depart without delay." My short answer brought him to his feet ; I, in the mean while, had been standing. " What do you mean, sir, by hoping I am not the consul ?" he asked. '' I mean that I expected to find a gentleman, and should not like to be disappointed." For a few moments our further conversation was too forcible to be set down here. He tried to intimidate me by starting to draw his sword, but he was not success- ful. He little knew then the history of my early training, though he learned it afterwards, as I did his. He was a good fellow, after all, and we became fairly good friends. During the afternoon, while the ship was being dis- charged, I enjoyed myself with an occasional ride over the grounds, and visited the natural grotto which Byron was wont to frequent. This great genius spent hours in meditation, receiving inspirations from this enchant- ing cave, listening to the music of the purling stream, and inhaling the sweet fragrance of flowers clustered around in wild' profusion. The guide I occasionally had as companion related many incidents of the poet's life and habits during his stay in Italy. As this man had been his valet, his anecdotes had a charm for me. I also took in the grand old churches and palaces, the upper stories of the latter mostly occupied by nobles, while the lower floors in many cases were given up to plebeians in the lowest walks of life. 152 , •'. ; ?«!0'AI; T^EjIOKEqiKSTIlE TO THE CABIN. The opera, however, was my passion. 1 never lost an opportunity to visit the temple of the muse of song. Many of the streets in Genoa are so narrow that a good fat monk would bar the way and compel a way- farer to step into a door-way to allow him to pass. The queerest scenes to me were the muleteers, with from two to four mules each, laden with wine in goat- skins slung on each side. They always claimed the right of way, and took it, pedestrians turning the corner as though they had business in another street. My ship was discharged and ballasted, and we ran out. I had a letter of credit from my owner for thirty thou- sand dollars to purchase a cargo of grain if I thought proper. (This was the year of the famine and high freights.) We ran down the Gulf of Genoa, passing Corsica and Elba — the former the birthplace and the lat- ter the temporary prison of Napoleon, whose grave I had visited at St. Helena — and entered the Grecian Archipelago through the Cerigo Channel, Greece at our left, Candia at our right. At Milo it was the habit for strangers to take Greek pilots, but I omitted to take one, preferring to save the expense, and feeling quite able to pilot my ship alone. We passed through the Zea Channel, with Cape Colonna, in front of which is situated the islet of Micronisi, on our left, and on our right the Zea Island. We had scarcely run out of this when we entered the Doro Strait, between Negropont and the isl- and of Andros, where we encountered a " Levanter," as the fierce storms in these regions are named. Those experienced can always foretell the Levanter's approach. It comes from the north-east, blowing with great fury, A TRIAL OF SPEED. 153 and lasting in the winter season generally about seventy- two hours. The one I speak of caught us at night as we were trying to beat through the strait in company with a large ship that I afterwards learned was the Johann Sehmitt, of Hamburg, formerly the American ship Echo. This vessel I knew, as I had met her in New Orleans when she was under our colors. As she was a fast ves- sel, I was glad of the opportunity to measure speed with her. It was sharp work for us, but before morning we lost sight of her to leeward. 7* 154 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XI. Caught in a Levanter in the Grecian Archipelago. — I do a Stroke of Seamanship which attracts Attention Aboard two English Brigs. — Sir Edmund Lyons, British Minister to Greece, accepts a Cigar from me and praises my Countrymen,— I Return the Compliment by a Piece of Foolhardiness and by Showing my Heels to his two Brigs. Daylight found us through the strait and in the ^gean Sea under double-reefed sails, trying to work to windward. The gale increased as the day advanced. At noon we were under close reefs, with tlie current against us, and were dropping fast to leeward, back tow- ards the strait. Before dark we put our hehn up, and ran back under IS^egropont, where we hung on till day- light, hoping the gale would abate. The day brought us no relief ; on the contrary, the storm increased. We managed, however, as the water was smootli, to keep her under the land. We could not anchor, the water being too deep. The day presented a most gloomy appear- ance. Though we were surrounded by islands, none w^ere in sight. The horizon was narrowed down to within a few ships' lengths of us. Our salvation depended upon our holding on under the point. To leeward was a sheet of white foam. Night came on, and a dreadful one it was. Had we been blown off we certainly would have perished. All hands were on deck all night, working ship. Now for the' first time I felt that I should have CAPE COLONNA. 155 taken a pilot, and that I did not know as niQcli as I sup- posed I did. When day broke all were exhausted. A harbor I must find before night, at all hazard. To the leeward lay the nearest refuge, Cape Colonna. Under this cape — noted as a famous resort of Greek pirates — was the only anchorage to be had. The danger in reaching it lay in passing Micronisi, as I had to keep it close on board to luff around its end. If we gave it too wide a berth we could not fetch the cape. To beat to wind- ward was impossible under the canvas w^e could show. But the attempt must be made, as we could hold on no longer where we were. Taking a good departure, we squared away before the wind under close- reefed topsail and foresail, steering di- rect for Micronisi. Negropont was out of sight astern. We were scarcely. away from under the lee of the land when we were surrounded by a sea of hissing foam — the storm was too violent to let the sea rise. The ship was fairly flying through the water to a place either of safe- ty or destruction. Two hours would decide our fate. Both anchors were ready to let go. A dark ridge was discovered close under our bow ; its appearance was that of a half -tide rock, with the water breaking over it. Starboarding our helm, we found ourselves running along the wished -for islet. The main -land inside, less than half a mile distant, was not discernible, so thick was the weather. We at once ran up the jib and maintop-mast- stay sail, and braced up the yards on the starboard tack, ready for luflang, to shoot across for the point of the isl- and and fetch the anchorage under Cape Colonna. Pres- 156 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIX. entlj the end of the island was reached, and down went our helm, the spanker at the same time being set. The force of the wind careened ns over, bulwarks under water. The spoon-drift from the breakers of the island blinded us so that it was impossible to see to windward. Presently the ship careened to starboard, and we found ourselves under the lee of the cape, which broke the wind and headed us off a couple of points. We had way enough to fetch into thirty fathoms of water, when we let go both anchors and veered out seventy fathoms of chain. Night had just set in. Close by us, just ahead, lay two brigs at anchor. 1 could not distinguish their char- acter, as they had nothing above the top-mast. In the indistinct light, as we were running for them, I took them for Greek feluccas, possibly pirates. After getting our fire-arms ready, and loading our carronades, we set the watch for the night ; but before doing that I determined to find out the character of the strangers. Lowering our whale-boat, I sent the second officer to reconnoitre. As the boat neared the first brig she was met by a hearty hail of "Boat ahoy! What boat is that?" in good round English. The language liad never sounded so musical to me before. I felt my- self safe among friends. They proved to be English man-of-war brigs, anchored in seven fathoms, with a scope of fifty fathoms of chain out on both anchors, in good holding ground. Learning who we were, they ad- vised us to give her all the chain we had, as we were in such deep water, near the edge of the bank. I did not wait for our boat to return, but paid out our chain to FKEEMASONRY AMONG SAILORS. 157 the bare end, not wishing to let the Englishmen know I had taken their advice. They being to windward, I heard what passed, and they heard the rattle of our chain running out. During the night the wind blew in violent gusts, stretcliing our chains like harp-strings. At nine o'clock the following morning (Sunday) I was still sleeping. I had put in thirteen hours. IIow much lon- ger I would have slept I don't know. The steward awakened me with the information that the man-of-w^ar boats were pulling ashore. Ordering my gig to be man- ned immediately, I pulled after them. The weather had cleared and the gale abated. The brig's boat had land- ed the officers, who, seeing my gig approaching, waited. They were as curious to know me as I to know them. There is that freemasonry among sailors that we sel- dom lose an opportunity to exchange civilities by ask- ing one another, " What ship is that ? Where from, and where bound ?" As soon as I jumped on the beach, therefore, we went through the rubric, my catechiser being a perfect type of an English gentleman and sail- or, somewhat past the meridian of life. He stood a lit- tle in advance of a group of officers, all in full uniform in honor of the day. God's holy day is always more respected outwardly by the English-speaking people than by any other. I was addressed thus : " What ship is that? Where from? where bound ? Where does she hail from? What is her captain's name?" To all these questions I replied as promptly as they were put. Going on, the Englishman asked, " Did 3^ou attempt to anchor here Friday afternoon ?" "No." said I. 158 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. " I thonglit not from the way your ship was handled, which was one of the prettiest pieces of seamanship and of daring I have ever seen. Your captain must have been in these waters before." I was about to reply to this, when one of the young- est officers asked, "Why did you not tack ship and anchor on the bank in less water ?" This question was one to be asked by a sailor who studies by rote. A practical seaman would not have asked it. To attempt to tack or wear a ship under our canvas and in our circumstances, on the edge of a bank a cable's length to leeward of which there was no an- chorage, was entirely out of the question, as sailors will understand. I was about to reply to this young scion of the wardroom with more warmth than politeness, but before I could answer, the first interrogator, seeing the Yankee blood mounting to my cheek, undertook to turn the conversation. I interrupted him, saying, " You will excuse me, but before answering any fur- ther questions may I ask by whom I have the honor to be addressed ?" " Certainly, sir. My name is Lyons ; I am called Sir Edmund. I am the British Minister to Greece, and re- side at Athens. Those brigs belong to her Majesty's Royal !N^avy. One has been stationed here some time to rid these waters of pirates, who are, I am happy to say, less numerous than when she arrived. With her great speed she can overhaul anything sighted. The other, which has come out to relieve lier, is said to be still faster. To-morrow we will leave here for Smyrna, on a trial of speed between the two. If your captain, SIR EDMUND LYONS. 159 whom I should be happj to know, were ashore, I would ask him to join the race, as his ship is evidently a smart one. Bear him this message, if you please ; 1 presume you are his chief oflBcer, though young." lie was proceeding when I interrupted him. '' Excuse me," I said, "I am the captain." I did it as modestly as my pride and self-conceit would allow. We had been ascending a high mound on the top of the promontory of Cape Colonna, where Sir Ed- mund said a temple had been erected to Minerva. He was a perfect walking encyclopaedia. The Mediterra- nean he knew as well as his prayers, for under Sir John Franklin he had surveyed this inland sea from Gibral- tar to the Sea of Azof. He took special interest in me when he found that I had not taken a pilot at Milo, and intended to rely on the correctness of his charts as be- ing sufficient for me to navigate by. His retinue were very obsequious to him, but it was not in my nature — certainly not at that time — to be anything of the sort. Taking off my hat, in which I had several cigars, I asked, "Will you have a cigar? There is nothing else I can offer you in return for your sailing directions, which have told me how~ to enter the various harbors which afford shelter to a large ship, and how to observe the first indications of a Levanter." My youth and ingenuousness, added to my admiration for him, which I could not hide, seemed to give me a warm place near his heart. He thanked me, seeming to know that when an American offers a cigar or a chew of tobacco it is like the Indian's pipe of peace. I gave 160 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. cigars to all present, and we lighted up, and Sir Ed- mund went on to tell us about Minerva's temple, in tlie ruins of which we were now standing. Afterwards he pointed out the various islands, and described their points of special interest. He said to me : "You see, mj young friend, that stretch of narrow sand in front of us? That is Micronisi. If you had not hugged that point as closely as you did in rounding it you would not have fetched the cape, and would have missed the anchorage, as did a ship that attempted to run in last Friday. When she supposed she was close enough she let go her anchors without fetching up, and we last saw her drifting to leeward towards the Cardi- nal's Cap with her sails in ribbons. She was possibly lost. The violence of the gale prevented us from ren- dering her any assistance. When I saw your ship last night, and noted the manner in which she w^as handled, I was satisfied she was not the ship we saw the day be- fore, although many of our officers supposed to the con- trary." "We were in company with the ship you speak of," I replied, "but lost sight of her in the Strait of Doro at the beginning of the gale." " Between Micronisi and where you stand," he con- tinued, " you see a narrow passage, which I regret to say Sir John did not survey. I intend to survey it when we return from this trip. The channel is very narrow, not navigable for large vessels. There is said to be a shoal in it, which I intend to mark on the chart. I have written to my friend, Captain Washington, hydrographer to our Admiralty, of my intention. To-night will finish ADDRESS OF SIR EDMUND LYONS TO HIS OFFICERS. 161 this gale. To-morrow we will get under way. The weather will be fine, with a nice breeze blowing. We shall lay-to off the point of the island and wait, if you will join us and try your speed." To this I assented. How little I dreamed that within a few short years this man, as admiral, would be in com- mand of the British fleet at the taking of Sevastopol in the Crimean War. Sir Edmund, with the warmth of a true sailor, invited me, should I visit London, to call on him, and said it w^ould afford him much pleasure to in- troduce me to his associate officers at the Admiralty. He then turned to his officers, most of whom were very young, and made to them a rather astonishing little ad- dress, of which I and my native land were the subject. " You see here, gentlemen," he said, " a type of the go-ahead American character. The place he now holds was plainly won by dint of perseverance, confidence, and boldness. America w^as once our own, and in the veins of her people flows English blood. They are the off- spring of our forefathers. Their growth was rapid in the clear, pure air they breathe. Is it to be wondered at, then, that when the child grew to be a man he could not brook the tight rein of his parents, and, like his neighbors, the Indians, would be free ? England still looks upon Americans as her children. I have been much among these people, whom I admire for all that is noble and good, and because in their institutions we find the highest aims of manhood, charity, art, science, literature, and religion. Their tastes are ours, and they, too, speak our mother tongue." While he was thus speaking, I felt myself soaring as 163 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". high as our American eagle. We returned to our boats, and after a hearty good-bj were pulled to our respect- ive ships. That afternoon we picked up our starboard anchor, and hove in twenty fathoms of the port chain. The wind was still moderating. The following morning, before daylight, we set all our canvas to the royals. With courses and fore and aft sails loosed and the anchor short apeak, we waited for the Britisher to break ground. I had fully determined upon a manoeuvre which would prove the justice of Sir Edmund's eulogy of American seamanship. At 5 a.m. I heard their boatswain pipe, "All — hands — up — an- chor." The way their chains were run in, and the ra- pidity with which their sails were set and their vessels got under way, would have gladdened the heart of any tar. Filling away on the port tack, they crossed our bow. We in the mean time were heaving in. They were at the rendezvous to leeward of the point of the island, with their main yards aback, waiting for us to follow. Tripping our anchor we started after them. We luffed into the entrance of the narrow passage be- fore alluded to as not having been surveyed by Sir John Franklin. Seeing this they tilled away. We all headed in the same direction — to the north- ward — Micronisi being between us. We had a fine roy- al breeze abeam, and the sun was just rising. With my pulse at fever heat I mounted the fore-topsail yard to con the ship through, and to survey the channel in presence of these Britishers, or run her ashore in the attempt. For this mad act I must be pardoned on account of my youth and love of display of what I then thought clev- A RECKLESS UNDEKTAKING. 163 erness. My chief officer was on the forecastle witli a compass, to take the bearing of the various points I should name, while two men were in the chains heaving the lead. Presently the light blue water we were sail- ing through showed a much lighter patch ahead, extend- ing nearly across the channel. This evidence of shoal water reminded me at once of my foolhardiness. The water was now shoaling rapidly as we went on. Go on 1 must, however, as there was no room to tack and re- turn, and to let go all standing, my pride would not allow. Seeing the water darker to windward, we luffed into it. I could almost feel the sand grinding our sides and bottom while passing through the narrow gully. We took cross-bearings, which enabled us to locate the shoal with exactness. Then running out into open wa- ter in the Zea Channel, abreast of the brigs, we put our helm up and ran under their stern, intending to give them the position of the shoal, not knowing that every- thing said on board of us (as we were to windward) had been distinctly heard by them. Sir Edmund raised his cap, and, with their ensign run up, thanked us. The cheers that rent the air from tlie British tars made me feel myself a great hero. I have since learned that I must have appeared a reckless boy. With a rap full we ran under the lee of both brigs, then trimmed our canvas close-hauled, and headed tow- ards Andros. We soon showed superior speed, outfoot- ing and weathering them until the weathermost brig was on our lee quarter. Then giving our ship several good shakes up into the wind, to let them draw ahead, we kept broad off, going again under their stern within 164 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. twenty feet, when Sir Edmund said, " You have a fast ship." " Good-bj," I replied. " Time is money." Hailing me again, he said, " Meet me in London." With the usual dipping of colors, and a salute to which I answered with my carronade, we parted com- pany. We pointed towards the Doro Channel, and they, with their yards trimmed in a couple of points, headed for the southward of Andros, and thence for Smyrna, and were soon out of sight. So ended one of the most delightful episodes of my life. 1 felt more proud of winning this race from these two opponents than I did after the ocean yacht-race of ^Q6 in beating the J^leet- toing and Vesta. Eight years afterwards I had occasion to be in London, and to appear before the Lords of the Admiralty with the Larcher life-boat. The reception I met was exceedingly flattering, as Sir Edmund (then Lord Lyons) had related our meeting to his colleagues. We once more entered the ^gean Sea. The wind was fresh from south-west, and our course was north-east for Anidola (Asia Minor). The following morning we saw the isle of Metelin. The wind freshened to a double- reefed topsail breeze, and before dark we made the isle of Lemnos on the port, and Tenedos on the starboard bow. Between the latter island and the main-land is a narrow passage in which two rocks rise about the height of a ship's hull out of water. This passage is laid down in the sailing directions as too hazardous to be attempted at night. Prudence and experience would have coun- selled me to heave -to till morning, especially as there were no lights to point out the way, but self-confidence OFF THE MOUTH OF THE DARDANELLES. 165 prevented ; so we steered direct for the passage, and with our courses hauled up, the fore and aft sails down, and topsails double-reefed, we ran along close under the land in six fathoms of water. My second officer, a good leadsman, was in the chains, giving soundings. I mount- ed the fore yard to con the ship through the passage. I could not see, as the night was quite dark. Presently land was reported close on the port bow. Edging her off a little, as the lead-line indicated five fathoms, w^e en- tered the passage. Though we could see no opening, our lead showed that we were in a fair way, and in less than half an hour rocks were reported. The crew not being in my confidence, thought I was deliberately go- ing to wreck the ship, but the angel above that looks out for poor Jack below guided us between the two rocks and into the open passage beyond. After passing Tenedos, we closed in with the land, running along it in four fathoms, over a sandy bottom, about seven miles from the Dardanelles, which I intended to enter, though the law prohibited vessels doing so after nightfall. As the wind was fair, I thought to slip by the forts under cover of night, and was willing to take the chances of being fired into rather than lose the fair wind that was blowing. The lead suddenly indicated a depth of ten fathoms, which proved us to be off the " mouth," but I could see no entrance. As the channel formed a bend, the shore presented an unbroken line. It was two o'clock when we backed the maintop sail to wait for daylight. In my inexperience I had not made sufficient allowance for the current setting out of 166 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". the Dardanelles, consequently, I found myself at day- light in the Gulf of Zeros, about twenty miles to the north-east of Europa Point. After regaining my posi- tion, which took the entire day, with a stiff top-gallant breeze against a strong current, I entered the Dardanelles, a much wiser if not a better man, and anchored between the inner and outer castles of Asia. We could get up no farther, as the wind had died with the day. The following morning, a light north-east wind blow- ing, we and several others, mostly brigs, got under way, and tried to work up to a less exposed anchorage. Find- ing the current (which always sets down) too strong, after several tacks we anchored again, and found ourselves to- gether with twenty-two vessels of every rig and nation- ality. That night it came on to pipe hard, causing the ship to drag, and w^e let go our starboard anchor. At 3 A.M. we sent down the royal yards, and at 5 a.m., the wind still increasing, the top -gallant yards also. The barometer was falling rapidly, with every indication of a hurricane. IN COLLISION WITH AN ITALIAN BARK. iG7 CHAPTER XIL Driven Ashore in a Gale in the Dardanelles near the Plains of An- cient Troy. — A Turkish Commander who resembled the Actor Hackett. — I am Hospitable at Christmas, and am elected Admiral of a great Fleet, to which I show the Way into the Golden Horn.— A Smart Turkish Corvette which was built by a New- Yorker. — I decline to be Admiral of the Turkish Navy. — A Dozen of us try to Swim the Bosporus as Byron did. — He must have done his Swimming in different Weather, — A Note from the most beautiful Woman I had ever seen. As the wind and current were nearly in the same di- rection, the former about three points on the port bow, the latter right ahead, we had dragged into three and a half fathoms of water, and should we be carried two cables' lengths farther we would strike a hard, shingly bottom. Accordingly we let go our spare anchor from the starboard bow, with a spring from the same quarter, to throw her head to port into deeper water should she drag again. By this means we hoped, too, to get the current on the starboard bow. At this time, 9 a.m., six of the fleet were hard and fast. Most of them had dragged their anchors, fouling and doing one another a great deal of damage. An Italian bark came down on us, having parted her chains, and our port cathead took her mizzen, main, and fore rigging, which made her a complete wreck. As she struck us we started our anchors, and dragged until our hawser tautened on 168 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIX. the third anchor; this brought us up. In the mean time we had cut the bark clear of us, but not until we had slioaled our water to tliree fathoms. But at 10 A.M., in a heavy squall, our anchors once more broke ground ; nor did we fetch up until we struck, about a cable's length from shore. The ship began to leak bad- ly. To keep her bottom from being stove in we veered out our chains to the very end. The ship then took the bottom, which relieved her from her heavy thumping. The United States consul now appeared, displaying the American flag with signs for us to land. I had the whale-boat manned with four of my best men. We bent two coils of three-inch Manila-rope together, and made the end fast to the stern to keep her end on to the sea in landing, and to haul us off again to the ship. On going ashore I met the consul, who advised me to land my men, as the ship would certainly go to pieces at once. This advice I rejected. I told him I only want- ed assistance to heave the ship oif when the gale had sufficiently abated. This the consul said I could only obtain at the castles, which were four miles distant. To reach them we crossed the plains of Troy on donkeys. It was the rainy season, and the mud was knee -deep. At the castles I found stationed a small military guard whose commandant w^as a fellow who reminded me much of Ilackett as Falstaff. The austere dignity with which he met us was only softened when the consul told him who I was. He had taken us for Englishmen, but Americans were much liked abroad in those days. He offered to render any assistance in his power, but he had no vessels or boats of any sort that were available for ANCHORED OFF LAMSAKI. 169 my purpose, which was to cany out our anchors into deep w^ater. I was prepared to pay liberally for any aid which he would afford, but he said that under no circumstances would he allow any of his men to board the ship until the gale had abated. The following afternoon the gale liad sufficiently abated to allow us to carry out our anchors without as- sistance, but within another twenty-four hours the wind changed to a violent south-wester, w^liich checked the outflow of the current, and the water soon swelled suffi- ciently to allow us, after we had thrown fifty tons of ballast overboard, to heave off and get under way ; but we were leaking badly. The same afternoon the wind failed us, and we anchored oft' Lamsaki. It was the day before Christmas, and we found our- selves among a fleet of sixty vessels, from all nations — Greece, Turkey, Austria, Italy, Spain, England, and Germany — all bound to Constantinople. We were the only one flying the American flag, and with the excep- tion of a Turkish corvette ours was the only full-rigged ship. Our nationality and speed excited much atten- tion, and when I landed to make some purchases for our Christmas festival I met a hearty reception from the English-speaking captains who had landed for the same purpose. There was nothing to be had at this mis- erable mud-hole of a village except goat's meat — rams, I should say, for with all the skill of my Dutch cook the meat was as tough as the sinews of an albatross wing. Not a potato or any kind of vegetable could be had. As a substitute for these we had mashed chestnuts, which were plentiful and very good, although nothing 8 170 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. can take the place of potatoes. Landsmen do not know what a hixurj potatoes are ; only sailors appreciate their true worth. Christmas, though a gloomy and miserable day, was made lively on my ship in receiving and entertaining visitors from the fleet. I did nothing to diminish the reputation which Americans had acquired for hospitali- ty, and before the day was over I was voted a " young trump." My vanity was pleased when they elected me admiral of the fleet in consideration of the fact that I was the only captain who had a chronometer on board, which fact stamped me as a deep-sea sailor and naviga- tor. Colliers or coasters have little use for nautical in- struments, and a compass is enough for them. When I flrst went to sea chronometers were not as common as they are now ; then only deep-sea ships carried them. American ships, however, always carried chronometers, and when a foreigner saw a Yankee ship come dashing along he would invariably ask for the longitude. This practice is still in vogue with those who have no confi- dence in their own navigation, but a thorough ship-mas- ter spurns the idea of asking the longitude. We stayed at this place twenty-seven days before a slant of wind favored us to get under way. Then we took the lead of the fleet into the Sea of Marmora. The only vessel that was a match for us was the corvette. She could have beaten us if she had been handled by sailors. The Turks know little of seamanship — less than the French, who say that those who are not satisfied to live in Paris, and prefer a sea-life, deserve to be drowned. The wind favored us until we were off the island of TACKING INTO THE GOLDEN HORN. 171 Marmora; tlien it hauled riglit aliead, giving us a dead beat to windward. Now came the fine work. Any tub can sail before the wind. Only a regatta reporter could do justice to such a scene as we afforded when all rigs were represented in a cracking breeze that would have satisfied any yachtsman. At 11 p.m. we anchored just below Seraglio Point in company with the corvette, leadins: the rest of the fleet from two to four hours. The following morning at daybreak we started to work to windward again. Yery rarely can a vessel be found that is smart enough to work into the Golden Horn ; but seeing the Turk under way we followed with the rest of the fleet, wliicli had increased in number to over a liundred vessels. The sun rose, shedding his golden lustre upon landscape and architecture which for beau- ty and picturesqueness are unexcelled in any port in the world. The corvette and we worked tack for tack un- der the Scutari shore, while the others kept on the other side, trying to work around Seraglio Point. When abreast of Leander's Tower the wind hauled enough to allow us to cross the Bosporus and fetch into the har- bor a half mile ahead of our competitor — and sharp work we had of it. The distance to the anchorage from the point is short. Little time was left us to handle the canvas, and we did not come to in as seaman-like a manner as I could have wished. We brought up with both anchors, however, in time to avoid carrying away the bridge that stretches across the Golden Horn, our cork fenders over the stern just touching it, but doing no damage. When the sails were furled we sprung her ahead by heaving in twenty fathoms of chain, which 172 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. left US riding to fifty fatlioms among a number of small vessels. It was a wonder that we did not sink many of them in rounding to. The corvette and ourselves were the only vessels that worked in ; the rest of the fleet were anchored between the Seven Towers and the Mosque of St. Sophia for ten days, waiting for a change of wind before they could enter the harbor. I afterwards ascertained the cause of the fast sailing of my antagonist the corvette. She had been built by Mr. Rhodes, a IS^ew- Yorker, who had been the Turkish naval constructor, and had built most of their navy. He went to Turkey from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. American ingenuity and character were highly appreciated in the Ottoman Empire. A Penn- sylvanian had charge of the mint. On landing I was warmly greeted by our consul, one of the best fellows that ever lived. He was glad enough to see us, as Yankee vessels were a rare sight in those waters. He was in company with the Pacha of the navy, to whom I was introduced. He congratulated me on my skill in handling my vessel. He had witnessed the day's sailing with much pleasure while awaiting im- portant despatches by the corvette. Our mishap had been announced by a messenger, and the Pacha offered any assistance in his power. He re- gretted that his dry-docks were occupied by two frigates, but I might have the use of the dockyard, where we could heave down, and any material I might need for repairs was at my disposal. The following day we hauled through the bridge to the yard, where we dis- mantled and hove out. Our men occupied tents on :i.||ir^iiiiiiiiiiii:!i:ii!iiii:iii;iiiiii ATTEMPT TO SWIM THE BOSPORUS. 175 shore, as there were no sailors' boarding-houses, or crimps to entice them to desert. We had many visitors during the repairs, which were done entirely by my crew. The leak was in the garboard, and it was necessary to strip off only two courses of metal. The captains in the fleet felt as anxious to see my ship ready for sea as I did. I am proud to say I became quite a favorite. The Pacha saw me occasionally, and was very kind, and when the ship was repaired and ready to go into the stream, I had the honor of declin- ing, through our consul, the admiralship of the Turkish navy. 1 called upon his Highness the next day to thank him for his courtesy, and he presented to me as a memento one of his chibouques, the mouth -piece of w^hicli I still have and prize highly. It will always re- mind me that I might have become a Turk had I not been married. The time hangs heavily when ships are waiting for freights or winds to start them into active service. Pera had become dreadfully dull to us, and we had done up Constantinople and the surrounding country to our heart's content. With the exception of an occasional dinner at the consulate, there was no recreation to be had — no theatres or operas. A dozen of us tried to swim the Bosporus from the point at which Byron was said to have started. He must have accomplished his feat in summer, for we signally failed in the attempt, owing to the temperature of the water, and were glad enough to be taken on board our boats before we got half way. Our only resort was a hotel which was kept by the 17a FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. wife of tlie captain of the port, wlio was in exile foi murder. She was a true type of Grecian beauty, a na- tive of Athens, just such a person as the bard who swam so well would immortalize in verse. Between the hotel and the landing where we took our boats for the ship was a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. Most of the streets were guarded by gates, which were closed at night, when no one was allowed to pass — unless sail- ors, who with a few piasters could bribe the guard to open for them at any time. We never ventured to be out late unless we were a dozen or so strong; then we would sally forth, lantern in one hand and pistol in the other, ready to defend ourselves against robbers who did not hesitate to take life. The Turkish authorities took no notice of troubles arising among foreigners. The consuls were supposed to care for the interests of their own people. I saw a Greek stab and rob an Aus- trian captain within twenty feet of a Turkish guard, who did not interfere, and who showed less interest than he would have shown at a fight between two packs of dogs. The street which was our regular route to the ship had a gate and a guard-house at either end. Blank walls abont twenty feet high extended some ^ve hundred feet along both sides of the street. Behind these walls were the palaces of two of the grand Pachas. We could only see the windows of the upper stories, the magnificence within was left to our imagination. As we were walk- ing past one afternoon, one of the windows was suddenly thrown open, and there appeared at it the most beauti- ful woman I had ever seen. We were fairly electrified THE LADY OP THE HAREM. 8* A NOTE I'HROWN FKOM A HAREM. 179 by lier beaiitj. She had defied a well-known edict in showing us her face, as we knew. Instantly as she ap- peared we saw her throw something over the wall, and then she closed the window. It was a note which she had thrown. We all rushed to pick it up. The prize was won by a Swedish captain, who immediately pock- eted it. When we arrived at the landing the Swedish captain invited me on board his ship. We had been so intimate during our stay here that the rest of the party could not take offence at this preference ; but how anxious they were to know the contents of that note ! I insisted that no gentleman could ask, nor would any divulge its con- tents, which justly belonged to its captor. Once on board, the note was opened, when an agitation seized the captain which made him appear to me like a lunatic. " Captain," he said, handing me the note, " you are married, and circumstances have proved how much you love your wife. I am unmarried, and have fallen des- perately in love. Help me by your advice. What shall I do ? My ship is ready to sail, and the wind is fair. I do not own the vessel or cargo, and therefore have no right to detain her. Read, and tell me what to do." As my own marriage had been very romantic, this af- fair was doubly exciting to me. The note was written in a good English hand, as follows : " I know you are Christians, and will save me from this life of degradation. Entombed in tliis harem, from which there is no other way of escape, I appeal to you in mercy to save me. God, I know, will open your hearts, give wisdom, and guide you to-morrow night to 180 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIX. a silken thread thrown from this window, near wliere you found my note. To the thread attach your answer. Death awaits discovery." The night was spent in devising means of rescue. The captain swore upon the Bible that he would marry her if rescued, and if she would consent. Jewels are most prized when most difficult to obtain. I was in full sym- pathy with his feelings, and when the day broke our plan of action had been determined. I saw that he was unfitted to go to sea, his head being entirely turned, and to ease his conscience upon the point of his duty 1 pointed out that the interest of all parties would be served best if he should defer his departure until the dark moon, when the plan devised could be put into operation. This would necessitate a delay of five days. Among our friends we were to pretend that no im- portance attached to the missive which the lady had thrown out. As a reason for his delay in not sailing, the Swedish captain w^as to say that he had discovered a leak in his ship's top side after he had loaded her, which made it necessary to careen her for repairs. It required much tact to avoid the captains with whom we had been in daily company, and to make excuses to stay ashore late every night. We stayed ashore to become well acquainted with the guards, whom we thought we could induce, by appearing to be half drunk and by a liberal use of money, to open the gates for us at any tijne. The first night we half staggered up to the gate, handed the guards one hundred piasters, and then showed then; our empty pockets, whereupon they al- lowed us to pass through the gate, pointing to their IN COMMUNICATION WITH A HAREM. 181 hearts to assure us that no one should pass that way to molest us. Each of us carried the usual paper lantern to illuminate the way, and we were well armed with pistols and cutlasses. During the day we had paced the distance from the gate to the spot where we might ex- pect to find the thread, and we now had but to pace off the same number of steps in the darkness. During the day also we had not failed to show ourselves frequently in the street, to let the prisoner know that we meant to communicate with her. We found the thread, and attached our note of reply, first putting out our lights to avoid discovery. Softly pulling the thread, we felt a gentle strain in reply, and the note was pulled up, to reach, w^e prayed, the hands of her who so anxiously awaited it. On our return to the gate it was immediately opened when we had knocked, and the guard had recognized our English voices. 183 FliOM THE FOKECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XIII. I assist a Christian Lad}' to flee from a Turkish Harem. — She comes to me and my Friend, a Swedish Captain, down a Silken Ladder in the dead of Night, goes on Board my Friend's Ship, and sails away to England, where they are Married.— Constantinople be- comes too Hot to Hold me after they are Gone. — A Collision in the Bosporus, and a Run to Odessa in which I beat the entire Fleet of which I was Admiral. — A Lucky New-Yorker the one Ship-chandler at Odessa. Our letter to the lady contained the following : "On the iifth night, counting from to-morrow, we will rescue you by a rope-ladder. At one o'clock we will attach a strong line to the end of your cord. Pull this until the ladder reaches you. The line will be suf- ficiently strong to bear your weight. Place the line over a hook or post, but do not make it fast. We w411 hold the end, so fear not. The line will be withdrawn after your descent, so that no one w411 discover the man- ner of your escape. There will be no moon. Before daybreak you will be on a vessel under way for England. If you can devise any other means, or have any sugges- tions to make, you can communicate as before ; we will pass nightly, until we have some token from you. We are two who have sworn to save you. One of us will ascend to assist in your descent, if you desire it. May God, to whom you have prayed, nerve you to your task." The next night we received the following answer : PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. 183 " I will provide the ladder, which you will pull tow- ards you by the cord. I have a trusted eunuch wlio will assist me, as his life belongs to me. Think well of the danger. 1 have no right to place you in jeopardy. In case of discovery a rope-ladder upon you would prove your guilt ; you would be seized and disposed of, none would know how except the headsman. Your crime and mine are punishable by death. My life is nothing, nor would I be missed, but you have loved ones at home. Should you change your minds on the night ap- pointed, God have mercy upon me ! I will not live to see the light of another day. I have often meditated this act. I liave felt that God, to whom 1 have always prayed, would deliver me, and that I would be allowed to thank him in his Sanctuary. If you do not find the cord, you may know that I liave been betrayed. If all is safe, the cord will be weighted with a silken purse containing jewels to reward you and to assist me in my escape. Should you not find this token, it will be be- cause I have been discovered. Then be on your guard against assassination. I shall not look for you until the hour named." My friend, Captain H , had fallen most desperate- ly in love. I say desperately, because he neither slept, ate, nor drank ; nor would he give me any rest. It was reassuring to me to see a fellow so far gone; I had thought myself the only one who could be so " cracked." He was always at my heels, and had become my shadow. I learned his whole history. The cause of his going to sea was the removal of a flaxen-haired, blue-eyed school- mate who had been his beloved little friend from his earliest memory. Her parents had moved to Moscow, 184 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". and thence, as he was informed, to Odessa, from which port he liad last sailed, with a cargo of grain for Fal- mouth for orders. At Odessa he had made the most searching inquiries, and learned that a family of the same name had gone to Alexandria about six years pre- vious. He had been, until our present adventure, re- markably quiet and diffident. He had told me that his diffidence arose from the fact that he was almost a wom- an-hater, and that he never' expected to be happy until he found his early love, whom he last saw when she was eleven and he twelve years of age. His interest in the fair captive was doubtless aroused by the fact that she strongly resembled his early love. The eventful night arrived. I gave a supper at the hotel to allay any suspicion. Supper was ordered for twenty, and was served at eleven o'clock, which meant an all-night spree. Wine flowed freely, and had its ef- fect upon our friends. At twelve o'clock, by a precon- certed arrangement, a note was handed to me by a serv- ant. I pretended that it had been sent by my second officer, and that it announced that my chief officer had killed one of the crew. Apologizing for my sudden de- parture, I promised to return as soon as possible and fin- ish the night. My friend. Captain H , insisted upon going with me. I protested, but he was obstinate, and finally, as the company insisted that it was not safe to go alone, we two separated in company. We arrived at the gate in our usual apparently drunk- en condition, feed the guard liberally, and passed through. A few minutes later we returned and had our cigars and lanterns lighted, pretending that the latter had been put WE BRIBE THE GUARDS. 185 out accidentally. They were so ready in assisting us that we gave them another handful of piasters, and made them understand not to allow any one to follow us. They earnestly promised, and we started again, our hearts almost bursting with rapid pulsation. We found the cord ; a purse was at the end of it. So far all was safe. Kunning to the farther gate as quickly as possible, we repeated our former strategy of bribes, and the guards there promised us that while we were in the street no- body should pass them. Thus we had the field to our- selves, with guards on either hand to protect us from interference. We retuijned to the spot where the purse lay. It was readily discovered by reason of its brilliancy, being worked in gold and silver threads. A stout cord was attached to it. We pulled gently upon the cord, and drew down a ladder made of silk. The night was dark, not a star visible. Thus far ev- erything favored us. We put a strain upon the ladder with both our weights, to keep it from swaying, when suddenly we felt a heavy burden upon it, and in an in- stant a man in a white tunic sprang from the ladder and seized me by both arms, muttering something I could not understand. Letting go his iron gripe upon me, he took the captain in the same manner. Then he sprang up the ladder and disappeared. We were so taken by surprise that we could not have defended ourselves if occasion had required it. Treach- ery or not we did not know, but we stood at our post. Presently we felt by the strain upon the rope that some one was again descending. This time it was the lady 186 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". lierself. She sprang lightly to the ground, and a mo- ment later came the man who had before descended. He was her faithful slave. He fell on his knees, beg- ging to be taken with us. But this was impossible. He was to be relieved by another guard at four o'clock, and his absence would have caused tlie discovery of the es- cape. She advised him to return, close the window, and let go the rope. She would not be missed until noon, when it would be imj)0ssible to know during whose w^atch she had made her escape. It might be supposed that she had committed suicide, as she had frequently threatened to do, and might have done by throwing her- self into the Bosporus through a trap in the floor of a boat-house near by. She did not speak, nor evince any terror, but trusted us entirely. As we heard footsteps rapidly approaching, and feared pursuit or a meeting with street marauders, we lost no time in reaching the gate. The guard opened it immediately. The word " American " had a charm for them, especially as it was followed by a handful of piasters thrown at them when the gate was opened. I presume they imagined we did it in our drunken fun, but it was really to draw their attention from our com- panion. After we had passed through I locked the gate and threw away the key. The guards were too busy picking up the money to heed a thundering at the gate after we liad gone on. We did not reach our boats too soon, for we could hear muttering voices and tramp- ing feet close behind us. With muffled oars w^e pulled for my friend's brig. We had proceeded not more than fifty yards from the shore, when we heard our pursuers A CHRISTIAN LADY RELEASED FROM A HAREM. 187 jumping into boats at the landing. Who they were we could not tell, but they had not the customary lights with them to indicate that they were honest citizens. The extreme darkness favored our flight among the many vessels anchored in the harbor, most of which had their anchor lights up. My friend's vessel had two lights in the main rigging as a private signal. These were put out as soon as we reached the deck. Entering the cabin, we again saw the face of the lady. As I have before said, she was the most beautiful wom- an I had ever seen. I could not help feeling that my friend was not the handsome fellow that deserved to be united to such loveliness — yet the gods mated Yenus and Yulcan. The Swedish captain was speechless with admiration. I acted as his ambassador, and informed her how desperately in love he was, and that he was de- termined to save her or lose his life in the attempt. She was now free to act for herself, but I was sure that if she married him she would have a loving husband. As I had been concerned in her rescue from captivity, I felt it my right as well as my duty to urge her to ac- cept him. She did not utter a word, but remained per- fectly passive. I advised him to leave the cabin and get his ship under way at once. My boat's crew would assist him. The vessel must be outside the harbor, I said, before daylight, and before sunrise be well into the Sea of Marmora. And so we parted. It was three o'clock when I reached my ship. Sleep was out of the question. The events of the previous few days were like a dream out of which I had just awakened. The consequences might have been serious 188 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. to me. But I was always ready for adventures, and liad been in many a predicament equally hazardous. I lived, as all young sailors live, on romance and daring. The excitement of this occasion was as exhilarating to me as champagne is to the wine-bibber. In the morning I was visited by several of the cap- tains who had been my guests of the night before. They had felt some fear for our safety when tliey learned that a conflict had taken place between the guard in the street we passed through and a band of Greek robbers. Two of the robbers had been killed. These must have been our pursuers, who, after we had eluded them, had returned, and attacked the guard. They were overpow- ered by a company of soldiers from the fort, who were making their rounds to relieve the guard. Of course 1 knew nothing of what had become of the Swedish cap- tain. I assured them that he went safely on board, and was to have sailed at sunrise, and that, as the wind was fresh and fair, I supposed he was off. I feigned an attack of rheumatism as an excuse for not going ashore that day. The following day our consul, hearing I was sick, came on board. From him I learned that one of the wives of the Pacha of the army had made her es- cape by the aid, it was supposed, of the Greek robbers, some of whom had been captured and would be exe- cuted unless they told where their companions and the captive were to be found. It was supposed that she was held for a ransom. A rigid search was made on board all the Greek vessels, of which there were many lying in the harbor, but of course the missing lady was not found. THE SEQUEL OP MY ADVENTURE. 189 Our consul, I think, had his suspicions as to the man- ner of the lady's escape from the palace. He asked me to dine with him, saying that I, being a person so well known in Pera, would be missed if I did not go ashore and show myself at my usual resorts. I took his advice and dined with him, remaining all night at the consul- ate, which he insisted upon my making my home for the rest of my stay. He w^as too much of a gentleman to question me, whatever he may have thought, and I deemed it advisable, because of his official position, to keep him in ignorance of my part in the affair. Though not pertinent to this voyage, I will here give tlie sequel of this adventure. Nine years later, while in command of the clipper-ship Dreadnought, arriving in ]N"ew York one day I made fast at my usual berth at the foot of Rector Street, when Captain Hope, a Sandy Hook pilot who was harbor-master at the time, boarded my vessel and told me that a Swedish brig was lying at Pier 8, and that her captain was very anxious to meet me before he sailed. The Constantinople episode had nearly passed from my mind in the exciting years that had intervened. As soon as our gang-plank was hauled ashore a lady and gentleman came on board. I was standing on the quarter-deck with some custom-house officers and passengers. The lady, whom I inmiediately recognized, came forward and embraced me with much warmth, and the gentleman followed suit. The pleasure attending this happy meeting was shared by all who wit- nessed it. It is needless to say that the pair were the Swedish captain and the lady whom I had assisted to escape from Constantinople. That truth is indeed stran- 190 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. ger than fiction is here exemplified. After leaving Con- stantinople their joj was unspeakable upon discover- ing that they had been lovers in their childhood. She was the flaxen -haired girl for whom mj friend had pined so long. When they parted as children her fami- ly went to Moscow, where they remained several years, and where she had the advantage of an excellent educa- tion and became a proficient linguist. Her great beau- t}' attracted universal attention. She was courted by many, but won by none. Her father received the ap- pointment of consul at Odessa, but he gave up this place and they migrated to Alexandria, where he be- came a grain exporter. This frequently necessitated journeys into the interior of Egypt, and his beautiful daughter was liis constant companion. During one of these excursions their caravan was assaulted by Arabs. The men were slaughtered and robbed, and the women were disposed of among the chiefs. She fell to the lot of one who sold her into the harem whence she was res- cued by us. When the pair arrived at Falmouth, after the rescue, they were married, and sailed for Antwerp, where some of her jewels were disposed of to purchase the brig which he commanded when they paid their vis- it to me on board the Dreadnought. They had sailed together around the world, but this was their first voy- aire to Kew York. Colonel Graham, now clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, was custom - house ofiicer in charge of my ship at that time, and he lives to bear witness that he heard this remarkable tale told in my cabin by the Swedish captain at that time. My friend the captain has since sold his vessel, and retired from A COLLISION IN THE BOSPORUS. 191 sea -life to business on shore in one of our Eastern towns. I will now resume the narrative of my voyage, from which I digressed to tell the sequel of my adventure in Constantinople. The news had arrived that the ice had broken up at Odessa. The wind had changed to the south-east, and the fleet started for the Euxine Sea. We would all be obliged to stop at the outer castles to send our boats on shore to have our passes signed before running out of the Bosporus, as permission must be obtained from the Turkish government before vessels can enter or leave the Black Sea. As the commodore of the fleet, 1 took the lead, and anchored for the night at Buykotere Bay, since it was too late for the fleet to pass the castles be- fore sunset. At a meeting of captains held on my ship certain sailing directions were agreed upon for the next day. If they had been followed all would have been w^ell, but a large Austrian ship, determined not to await her turn, came booming along at the rate of ten knots at least, and colliding with me, took Our starboard cat- head, fore-yard, and jib-boom out of us. Our anchor dropped from the bow, and hung to twenty fathoms of chain. We were compelled to run over under the Eu- ropean shore, and come-to in forty fathoms with both anchors, and to pay out chain to the bare end before we fetched up, when we were so close to the rocks that we could throw a biscuit ashore. Of course the fleet pro- ceeded, but I was determined to be in Odessa first to take advantage of the high freights. I felt sure the others would hug the shore, and if they did, and should 192 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the wind come in from the north-east, after once get- ting out into open water I might beat tliem by a week's time. The collision occurred at 9 a.m., and by 3 a.m. next day we liad another fore-yard crossed and a jib- boom rigged out. The crew were then sent below for rest and refreshments, for we had had no time to take anything, with the exception of an occasional glass of gin and a biscuit. After an hour's rest we started to get under way. The sailor will understand that it was not an easy task to heave in eighty fathoms on both chains, with the ship ranging ahead in a half gale aft, a five -knot current ahead, and an iron-bound shore close on board, all on a dark winter morning. It was eight o'clock before we broke ground, and then the ship took charge of us. She dragged her port anchor, with forty fathoms of chain, out of the Bosporus into the Black Sea. It was noon before we were comfortably under way, with a rattling maintop-gallant breeze, heading for Tendra Isl- and, with a falling barometer and everything indicating a storm. I felt sorry for any poor fellows who might be caught on a lee shore. During the night the wind increased to a gale, with vivid lightning ahead, followed by heavy peals of thun- der. Tendra light I must make before the wind changed. We did not carry sail, but dragged it. We were now under double-reefed top-sails. At four o'clock we made the light ahead. Then, after a short lull, the storm sud- denly burst upon us from the north-east, as it does on our coast from the north-west, coming butt end first. We shaped our course for Odessa, with the wind abeam AT QUARANTINE IN ODESSA ROADS. 193 and tlie main-sail furled. The ship was running under close -reefed fore and mizzen top sails, reefed foresail, double - reefed maintop sail, and forestaj sail. Under this canvas we fetched Odessa roads, and anchored. It blew too heavily to communicate with the shore for the rest of the day and night. This was acceptable, as we all needed rest. Both anchors were down, with long scopes of chains out in good holding ground, with little sea on. We were safely sheltered deep in the bight, when I ordered all hands " to grog and turn in." The next morning the wind had moderated sufficient- ly to allow the custom-house boat to put an officer on board. The regulations at this port were that no vessel could enter the mole until she had ridden fourteen days in the roads. This was quarantine in earnest ; the plague was greatly dreaded. During this time we were not allowed to land. All written communications went through the smoke-rooms. 'No boats were allowed along-side, under any pretence. If any cargo was to be discharged, lighters were towed out and set adrift ; the ship's boats picked them up, and after they were loaded they were once more set adrift, to be picked up by boats from the Palatoria. At the end of fourteen days, ships were allowed to enter the harbor, which was protected on the south by a jetty, to which they were moored head on, with an anchor astern. The Palatoria, where the business was transacted, was on the north side, a long, low building, divided into compartments about six feet wide and twenty deep. Three sets of upright bars separated us from any one with whom we might communicate. Be- 9 194 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. bind the first set a custom-house officer was stationed, who observed all that passed between the merchant and ourselves. It was considered that the bars kept persons sufficiently far enough to avoid infection. We were not allowed to enter the city until we had passed through the f umigating-room, in which we had to re- main fourteen days. After fumigation we were stripped and kneaded like a batch of dough, to see if there were any indications of boils under the skin. Our limbs then were twisted nearly out of their sockets, after which they pronounced us fit to enter the city. One ship-chandler supplied the vessels with all of their stores. For this monopoly he paid the govern- ment annually eighty thousand silver rubles, which went towards the support of the opera. The lucky individual who kept this store was a l^ew Yorker. He had been Mr. Rhodes's assistant constructor in the building of the Turkish fleet, and afterwards had been appointed chief of construction in the Russian navy. After he had built several ships of war, the jealousy of the Russian engineers became too threatening to be unheeded, and by the advice of one of the noble ladies, given during a reception at the palace, he resigned his place. The Czar accepted his resignation with i-egret, and conferred the title of Baron upon him, and granted him the right above mentioned. He and I were boon companions. He had not seen the American flag for many years, and was as delighted as a boy when we came in. He was a noble fellow, generous to a fault. As ours was the only vessel free, and there was no chance of any other arrival, the wind being from the A SHIP WRECKED ON THE RIPRAPS NEAR ODESSA. 195 north-east, I held out until I received the highest freight ever paid at that port. We were half loaded before the first vessels of the fleet from which I had been separated made their appearance. Several of that fleet were nev- er heard from, while others made harbors in distress. The wind, which had been blowing twenty days from the north-east, died out, and then came in from the south- west, and blew a gale. On the morning of the second day we observed a vessel with jury foremast steering wildly and heading for the harbor. J^ear the mole she took a lurch, and seemed to become unmanageable. She came-to with her head to the west instead of to the east- ward. Finally she strnck on the ripraps, a short cable's length outside the mole, over which the sea was break- ing. The water around her w^as boiling, and her de- struction was inevitable. The spray from the sea which struck her enveloped those on sliore. It was like a rain- burst near the equator. At noon the wind moderated slightly. The crew had taken to the foretop. Her main-mast was gone, and her stern stove in. There were no life-saving appliances to be had, and we saw the crew one after another drop into the sea. Night was coming on, and she was breaking up fast. 196 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XIV. A Bit of Life-saving, of which the Life-savers of our Coast would think nothing. — Sued by the Man who ran into me.— For certain Reasons I disguise my Ship before Entering the Dardanelles, and run through without the Formality of Waiting for a Permit. — The Fort fires at us, but does not hit us. With a picked crew, and stripped for a swim, we start- ed out around the mole in my whale-boat to save those who were left. The difficulty experienced in rescuing the rest of the wrecked crew I will not dwell upon. I was fully repaid for the risk by the cheers we received w^hen we returned. I again felt myself a great hero ; yet the life-saving crews on our coast do this dangerous work during nearly every gale, and think notliing of it. The vessel proved to be the Italian brig Pius /X., of Leghorn. As a reward for our exploit I received from Baron Yon Zuckerbocker a very handsome embossed snuffbox, made of platinum and gold. The Austrian that had run into me now arrived. Her collision with us had carried away her stanchions, port-rail bulwarks, and main rigging. Her captain im- mediately libelled our ship. Anticipating that I would prosecute him for damages, he thus assumed to be the aggrieved party. His complaint set forth that I had blocked his passage. I met him by a cross-suit, and ev- idence was taken on both sides. His witnesses w^ere the WE PICK UP A SHIPWRECKED CREW. 197 Austrian, Italian, and Greek captains, while mine (who were outnumbered two to one by the others) consisted of the English and Germans. The testimony was sub- mitted to our agents, and all agreed to an arbitration. After a week's deliberation, it was decided that each ship should pay her own damage. To this unrighteous judgment I was compelled to accede, as my ship was nearly ready for sea, and to appeal to the courts would have necessitated a delay probably of months. Each vessel paid five hundred dollars, and so ended this suit in admiralty. The lesson taught me never to sue or be sued, but to settle, right or wrong, on the best terms I could make. My day for sailing had arrived, and with a fair wind we started for Flushing, Belgium, where we were to re- ceive orders whence to proceed. The following day we met a boat with eight men, who boarded us. They proved to be the crew of the Jenny Jones, a brig which had been wrecked ten days previous about five miles nortli of the mouth of the Danube. I was glad of the acquisition to my crew, for my ship was loaded as deep as a sand barge, and pumping was the order of the day and night both. The risk the ship-master takes in load- ing too deep when no inspectors are near to watch him has sacrificed the life of many a brave fellow. It is done to put as much money as possible into the pockets of greedy employers, who would find fault with him un- less he brought his ship home so deep that a few more tons would sink her. What care they? The under- writers must pay. The ship and cargo are well insured. I was once told, " Captain, your ship is well insured. 198 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Take good care of her, but load her well down. Are you sure she is properly marked ? The stevedore told rae there was a mistake when you last coppered her, and that her marks were a foot out of the way. See that your boats are all right. We do not want you to take any risk of your life, as we expect to build you a large ship in case this one is lost." Such suggestions to some men I fear have cost the underwriters millions of dol- lars. Once more we entered the Bosporus, leaving the treacherous Black Sea behind. On approaching the Golden Horn, a caique, with an American flag flying, caused us to heave-to, when one of its occupants jumped on board with a note from the consul, saying that I need not anchor, and that he would board me with my pa- pers. After an hour's delay he made his appearance in his barge. On consultation he said it would be prudent for me, for reasons he did not explain, instead of de- laying, to lay in a supply of fresh provisions, to square away, set studding-sails, and get out of Turkish waters. The truth is, my name had become mixed up with the escape of the lady whose story I have told. In the cir- cumstances I deemed it advisable to show my vessel's speed. I preferred salt beef just then to the finest poul- try or other luxuries obtainable in the market of Con- stantinople. The day was fine, with a light, fair wind blowing, and as soon as I was beyond observation we went to work to disguise the vessel. My ship, which had painted ports in the morning, was as black a§ a crow before night. All hands applied the brush with a will; for DISGUISING MY VESSEL. 19& sailors are not fond of a white -sided ship which has to be scrubbed at times under most dangerous circum- stances, since no officer will bring his ship into port with iron-rust disfiguring her sides. When Jack found him- self over the side with the black brush, a Raphael or a Rubens could not have done his work more lovinglv. We painted her to the water's edge in two hours. I considered black paint more economical than white, should my owner ask my reason for the change. During the night the wind freshened as we were run- ning down the Sea of Marmora, and just as we passed the island of that name. I was below looking at my chart, when I heard a call, "Captain, come up quickly; there is a ship close on board." I was on deck in an instant, and ordered the helm aport. The stranger took my toping-lift over his jib- boom, which pulled it and the bowsprit out of her. As she was on the starboard tack with a brisk breeze, and I running with starboard studding-sails, her spars were easily snapped. The rascal had no light set. He begged me to stay by him, and asked my name, to which I re- plied, "Sound your pumps." On his assuring me that be did not leak, I wished him good- morning. I did not care to give him my name, because I did not court a lawsuit. If he should ever meet us in port the case might go against me, for it was my duty, having a fair wind, to get out of his way. An additional reason w^hy I did not obey my first impulse to stay by and help him, was that my time was too valuable to waste on line sentiments. 300 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. At daylight we entered the Dardanelles. We ran up the English flag instead of ours in passing Gallipoli and Lamsaki. The current was very strong, and so was the wind. I kept the European shore close on board, as the castles, where we had to send our boats ashore, were on the Asiatic side. On nearing the fort I took in the studding-sails, as though making ready to land, but in reality 1j:o have them ready for setting on the port side when I should shape my course across the ^gean Sea. Our colors were at half-mast, union down, as though we were in distress. I yawed my ship to make it seem that our steering-gear or rudder was broken. All this was done with intent to deceive. We wished the authori- ties to think that the ship was partially unmanageable, and could not heave-to at the proper place. In this way we passed the castles before the Turks were aware of the fact that we did not intend to stop. A shot fired from the fort fell wide of us. As I had formerly visited the fort, and noticed that only one gun was used for bringing vessels to, I felt no fear. I knew I was sure to be out of range before a second shot could be fired ; and this proved to be the case, the second shot falling short. We had now set everything that would draw on the port side, and there was nothing to hinder us. The run to Flushing (I call it a run, as the wind was fair during the whole passage) was a quick one. Here w^e were delayed four days. I made the best use of the interval in visiting Antwerp's picture-galleries, cathe- dral, and other noted places. These visits to foreign countries, when the ship-master does not go through the GRANDEUR OF A STORM AT SEA. 201 world blind, recompense him well for all tlie privations, liardsliips, and dangers of his early life. lie pities his friends on shore, whose lives and usefulness are confined within a radius of twenty miles, and who are satisfied to remain at home and read while he goes forth and sees this beautiful world. Grandest scene of all that the landsman misses is a storm at sea. In the storm man feels that it is his Maker who is stirring up the mighty waters, and sending forth the lightning flashes before the thunder, which makes even the insensible ship to tremble as if with fear. It is then that mortals feel tlie truth of the Psalmist's words when he says, " They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters ; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep." We received orders to go -to Rotterdam, and twenty- four hours afterwards found ourselves in that quaint old Dutch city, and discharged our cargo. My owner com- plimented me upon the success of the voyage, and his appreciation was substantially expressed in the permis- sion for me to take my family on the voyage following. 9* 203 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XV. A Voyage to Leghorn, where I make Enemies. — Threatened by Banditti at Pisa, and Rescued by Officers from the United States Naval Squadron.— Our Enemies board us as we are about to Sail, but Retreat in a Hurry. My sliip was now loaded with a full cargo of refined sugar, and ready for sea. I had a picked crew oii board, most of whom had been with me on the voyage pre- vious ; the ofiicers were the same. My wife and two children were the only passengers. We were bound for Leghorn, and thence to Batavia. With a fresh north- easter we started. My owner had cautioned me against extravagance, and had not forgotten to say that he had not insured the ship, because, as my family were on board, he considered they would be sufficient insurance for him. The passage was pleasant until we were abreast of Sardinia. Here a heavy south-wester overtook us, blow- ing with great fury. When passing Corsica we were under double reefs, with main-sail furled. The sea was running high, and as night set in the weather became very thick. We had not made land yet, and we hauled np to slow her and pick up the soundings. A cast of the lead showed twenty-five fathoms. We immediately luffed to, and close-reefed the top-sails. 1 judged we were five miles from Grenachi, a small island off Leg- ON A LEE SHORE DURING A STORM:. 203 horn. A second cast of the lead showed twenty fath- oms. "VVe hiffed-to on a wind. The third sound was fifteen fathoms. We wore ship. Still the water shoaled rapidly, and we wore again to the north-east. The ship was making very heavy weather. It was 10 p.m. The lead showed eight fathoms. Neither land nor lights was in sight, and the wind w^as still increasing. The ship labored heavily, at times pitching her bow under and lessening her draft. Destruction seemed to await us. The foresail split, and was blown to ribbons. This eased her pitching, but stopped her headway. We were setting almost dead to leeward. The leadsman cried, '' Six fathoms — six fathoms— and a half five — and a half five — and a half five !" The sailor who has been driven on a lee shore in a storm knows the chill that passes through the stoutest heart at such a time. Death I never feared. The ship- master, the true sailor, has enough to think of in trying to save his ship. His own life is his last thought, and if he feels otherwise he is not only unfit to command, but he degrades the name of sailor. But I had my help- less little ones with me. . A sudden clap of thunder, after a blinding fiash of lightning, preceded a change of wind to the north-east. At the same time a sea struck us which fairly buried the ship, and two poor fellows of our crew never more answered to the muster-roll when the watch was called. The leadsman cried, " Five fathoms — ^ve fathoms !" Momentarily I expected the ship to strike. Our an- chors were ready to let go, but we should only have snapped the chains. I was debating the, advisability of 204 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. letting them go, and had clewed up the mizzen-top sail preparatory to keeping her off before the wind and beach her (as I had once seen done, and all hands saved), when the wind suddenly ceased, and the lightning showed the land close aboard. The roar of the sea to leeward warned lis of our close proximity to the breakers. God's provi- dence alone could save us. The ship was rolling in the trough of the sea, almost rails under, without wind to steady her. Between us and the shore was a white sheet of foam, and every instant we expected to be ingulfed. I looked down the cabin skylight and saw my poor wife on her knees in prayer. " And a half four !" was given by the leadsman. My wife had heard me say that evening that we need not fear striking until we shoaled the water under five fathoms. We had now struck four and a half. As she heard the depth given she came to me and said, " Fear not. God has heard my prayer, and made the winds cease. Look ! look ! There is a light ! Yes, there is a light !" At this time a light wind sprang up from the shore. We set all the canvas to catch it. This steadied her, and we held our own by the lead, and then began to draw ahead. The lights, with the aid of the lead, guided us around the Melora Islet into four fathoms, where we anchored in smooth water at 2 a.m. Then for the first time I knelt with my wife in prayer. Until now I had let her do all the praying, thinking it un- manly to kneel or pray. When daylight broke the whole scene had changed. It was an exquisite Italian morning. There was scarce- ly a ripple on the sea, and we rode under a cloudless ARRIVAL AT LEGHORN-. 205 sky. We were close to the harbor of Leghorn, out of which the breeze came, making it necessary to beat in. At sunrise two fehiccas came running towards us with signals flying. I took them for pilots. When the first came along-side he at once asked how much I would pay him to pilot us in, telling me that a rebellion was raging, and that I must pay war prices. He wanted two hundred dollars for the service. After much hag- gling I agreed to pay eighty dollars for both crafts. They were to take my hawser and tow me to the mole. Before I gave them my hawser they assured me distinct- ly that they were branch pilots. When we were abreast of the harbor, an eight-oared launch, with two men and a uniformed officer, and an Italian flag flying at her stern, hailed, and asked if I wanted a pilot. To this I replied that I had one. " Those are not pilots, they are fishermen," he said. He came on board and at once assumed command, after displaying his certificate. He also acted as harbor-mas- ter, and hauled us hito our berth between two American vessels. The skipper of one of these, which was named the Lepanto, had his wife on board w^ith him. There w^ere several other American vessels in port, all taking in marble and rags for New York. The American cap- tains all called on me, as was the custom. From them I learned that a rebellion was raging at Leghorn, and that mob -law prevailed. Americans thus far had not been molested, as we had a fleet of men-of-war in Italian waters which occasionally visited this port. I refused to pay the fishermen who had pretended to be pilots, for of course they were swindlers. They 206 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. caused me to be taken before a magistrate, to whom I stated my case after the fishermen had been heard. The judge was a just man. " Your case is clear," he said. " You have been imposed upon. But the city is in the hands of lawless bandits, and 1 advise you to submit to the imposition rather than be annoyed, and perhaps as- sassinated. The civil authorities can afford you no pro- tection." '''No American," I replied, " will allow himself to be forced by any arbitrary power, and I look to my consul for protection." The United States consul was present. "As the squadron is not in port," he said, " I can afford you none." " Then I shall endeavor to protect myself," said I. The court -room was crowded with Italians. There were several American captains with me who were glad I took this stand, independent of the consul. I was a young man, and very easily led to act as champion for the rights of American citizens. Thanking the judge for his courteous hearing, I left the court amid mutter- ings of revenge from the Italians. Had I been older and wiser I would have done as the other captains had done — paid all and saved annoyance — but the spii-it of young America was in me, as it was in our forefathers, who spurned imposition and servility. I lived on board my ship with my family, rarely go- ing ashore. When I did go it was in company with several other captains, and we were all well armed. We were dogged and annoyed by the fishermen and their friends, but they did no overt act to bring about a col- SIGHT- SEEING. 207 lision, and we took no notice of taunts. Mj ship was discharged of lier cargo, and we were taking in ballast. One bright Sunday morning the captain of the Lepanto came on board with his wife, and persuaded us to take the early train and visit Pisa, the vineyards, and the Baths of St. Julien. We expected to sail in a day or two, and as we might never visit this region again I consented. My wife, who always preferred church on Sunday to any other place, was opposed to the trip, but she was persuaded finally, as any other woman might have been at the prospect of seeing the Leaning Tower, and the many other objects of interest in this ancient city, and of obtaining a sunset view of the Arno. We arrived at Pisa at 10 a.m., and ordered luncheon to be served at noon at the hotel. Then with our guide we went sight-seeing. This place is so familiar to the tourist and reader that I leave them to judge of the pleasure of our visit. We returned to the hotel half famished, as we had taken a light breakfast in our hurry to be off. We entered the dining-room in high spirits, and seated ourselves to such a repast as only an Italian can serve. We had just begun to congratulate ourselves upon our coming, when eight of the most villanous-look- ing fellows entered and seated themselves at the next table, calling in a loud voice for wine. I soon recog- nized these rascals, and indeed they were determined that I should do so. To say that we were at ease as we heard the bravos clinking glasses would be an untruth. We felt that some other place w^ould suit us better. I ordered and paid the bill, and we took a carriage and drove to the Baths of St. Jnljen, passing on our way 208 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. some of the richest vineyards in Italy. At St. Julien we bathed in tlie noted hot sulphur springs, had lunch, and enjoyed ourselves generally. We left in time to arrive at Pisa by six o'clock, and to have dinner at a hotel near the depot. We had just seated ourselves before a well-selected meal when in walked our annoyers of the morning. They seated themselves at the next table, and ordered wine. Our appetites suddenly left us, and we were sat- isfied with the first glass we took. We feared that even that contained poison, for our guide had told us that some of the innkeepers were in league with the ban- ditti. We deemed it prudent to leave the hotel with- out delay. The train was not due until eight o'clock, and we had nearly an hour and a half to wait at the de- pot. We had not waited half that time when the same villanous gang niade their Appearance on the platform. They had been reinforced by several others. The one who seemed to be the leader we had not seen before ; a more rascally cutthroat I have never set eyes on. He wore a short, blue military cloak, his sword hanging a foot below it. On his head was a fur cap. He had lost one eye, apparently from a sword-cut, as a deep gash extended from his temple to his cliin. This fellow strutted up and down the platform, eying ns. Unquestionably the gang were bent on mischief. Their loud talking and half-drunken songs were very disagreeable. They marched so close to us that we had to keep changing our position to avoid being jostled. They must have numbered over twenty. Suddenly we heard the whistle of a locomotive ap- PROTECTED BY UNITED STATES OFFICERS. 309 proacliing from Leghorn. There was no train due from that direction, and for some reason the whistle created confusion among the banditti. Thej grasped their dag- gers as though expecting an attack, and at a signal from their captain massed themselves closely together. When the train stopped in front of us our astonishment was great to see several United States naval officers, f nlly armed, step out upon the platform and surround us. Tlie curses and mutterings that escaped from the disap- pointed cutthroats were quite unheeded by our brave fellows, who assured the ladies that they had nothing to fear, as they were quite equal to twice the number of those cowardly villains. It appeared that the squadron had arrived from Civita Yecchia that afternoon, and that when some of the offi- cers landed they had ascertained that we had gone to Pisa. Knowing the distracted state of the country, they had at once armed themselves and taken a special car in search of us. There was no time lost in switching on to the down track. We did not want the regular down train to precede us, for fear the rascals would get off and attempt to wreck us. When we boarded our car they started to follow, but our revolvers were looking into their faces, and they concluded to remain where they were. On our return to the city we took a whole hotel for the night, and ordered the host to close up. Then sit- ting down to a jolly good supper, we paid no heed to the clamors of the villains outside, who arrived about two hours after us. A crowd finally collected in the street and threatened to pull the house down if the doors 210 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. were ftot opened. We baiTicaded tlie doors. A lively time we would have had, had they broken in. The noise was kept up until daylight, when they departed. Then we had a good breakfast, and rewarding the landlord lib- erally we left for our ships. Should this meet the eyes of the brave officers who came to us with such timely aid, let them be assured that my gratitude to them has not diminished in all these years. Undoubtedly it was the intention of these scoundrels to steal my wife and hold her for ransom, as they knew that I had a large amount of money subject to my order in Leghorn. On the following Tuesday our squadron sailed again on a cruise. The next day 1 was notified by my banker that on Thursday eighty thousand dollars which I was to take on my voyage would be ready at 11 a.m., and that he would not be responsible for it after that hour. It is well known that in those days the only money that passed current in the Indies was the old Spanish pillar dollar. The eighty thousand dollars was in this money. To carry such a quantity of silver through streets tilled with lawless ruffians was of course very hazardous. On the morning in question we were ready to sail, for it would not be safe to remain in the harbor overnight with this treasure on board. Sixty seamen belonging to the various American ships in the harbor marched to my bankers as a guard to escort the treasure to my vessel. These with my crew presented no mean force in oppo- sition to the villanous rabble who lined the streets and looked on, but had sense enough not to molest us on our way. As soon as the money was stowed in the cabin we unmoored and ran up our colors, and began to haul out, BOARDED BY PIRATES. 211 and when we readied the end of the jetty we set sail. I was in the cabin witli a nnmber of my friends the cap- tains when my cliief officer announced that about twen- ty Italians had come over the side and demanded to see me. I had forbidden him to allow any boats along-side, but he said they had forced themselves on board. I im- mediately armed myself and went on deck, followed by my friends. There, near the cabin door, stood that vil- lanous-looking rascal whom I have described as the lead- er of the gang of the Sunday night previous at Pisa. I did not parley with him, but pointed my pistol at his head. That one eye of his soon convinced him that I meant to shoot if he did not leave, and it was a ludi- crous sight to see these braggarts of a few moments be- fore scampering over the rail and tumbling into their boats. The boarding - pikes and cutlasses which were pointed at them by my crew as soon as they saw me raise my pistol at the ringleader, were too much for the nerves of the thieving gang. 313 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XVI. We are Chased by two Boats filled with Pirates. — We Stop the Chase by Firing a Load of Grape and Canister into each Boat. — It's a Fortunate Sailor who gets Shark for Dinner. — Ten Enjoyable Hours at Cape Town. — We enter Batavia in Company with the Prince of Saxe- Weimar, whom I am the means of get- ting on Shore Dry-shod. — The Wonders of Chinese Ship-carpen- tering. — Driving Evil Spirits out of the Hawse-pipes. My friends now left us, and we squared away, with studding-sails on both sides, to a four- knot breeze. About tliree o'clock the breeze began to freshen, and at ^ve o'clock we were twelve miles from shore, when I felt somewhat uneasy at seeing two small vessels steer- ing directly for us, and gaining rapidly. Mj uneasiness grew when they got close enough for me to see that they were the two fishing-craft that had offered to be my pilots, and that they were crowded with men. I had no doubt they meant to board us. Piracy was a well-known crime in the Mediterranean. They could pillage and sink our ship, and she would merely be re- ported at home as " missing." In a moment I decided upon my line of action. I had two twelve-pound car- ronades on board. These were brought aft, aud loaded to the muzzle with grape and canister. I did not in- tend to let these rascals come within pistol range of us. We had changed our course four points on two occa- WE BRING OUR CARRONADES INTO USE. 213 sions, to be certain tliat they were following lis, and in each case they changed theirs, pointing directly for us. The gap between us lessened rapidly. I no longer need- ed the telescope to distinguish their piratical visages. Below me was the ship and treasure for which I was re- sponsible, as well as for the lives on board. To hesitate longer would have been criminal. I must say that my Christian spirit forsook me for the time, and that I felt a grim satisfaction in anticipating revenge for the Pisa episode, and in having an opportunity to blow these dogs out of water. The sun was about setting, and the land just visible astern. I had taken in the port stud- ding-sails to let everything draw well on the starboard quarter, to increase, if possible, our speed. Further, I could do nothing to avoid being boarded, except to sink our pursuers before they came too close. My crew were too few to meet their number at close quarters. I took good aim at the nearest craft, which was now about a quarter of a mile off. The pirates saw my movement, and dropped flat on their decks, firing at me as they saw me apply the red- hot salamander to the gun. The next instant their yells rent the air. There was no occasion for a second shot, as the first took the mast out of the boat it was aimed at, and swept her decks. The second craft luffed to to get out of our reach. She was not so close to us as the one fired into, but I was determined to cripple her if possible, to prevent her from crawling up to us during the night. As she was broadside to, she presented a good mark. I fired my second gun, and the grape and canister did their work. Her sails were riddled and her 214 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. gaff dropped. The water around her was ploughed up as tliougli struck bj a tornado. How many were killed or hurt I never knew. We kept our course, with the wind over our starboard quarter, till nightfall, then edged off on the regular course, to pass about four miles north of Corsica. We had a fine run out of the Mediterranean, as we caught the north-east trades directly after leaving Gibraltar. We ran close by the Madeira, Canary, and Cape Yerd Islands towards the equator, passing through the dol- drums with very little delay on our way down. The monoton}?- of the voyage was broken by the occasional harpooning of a porpoise. When a fish of this kind is caught, it is a time of rejoicing, especially if fresh stock has given out. The porpoise is served at sea in a style that would put the chef of Delmonico's to the blush. Only a sea cook has the taste, or knows how to produce from this sea-hog the most delicious roasts, fricassees, and triple-deck pot-pies ; while as for the hash — oh, ye shade of the boarding-house marm ! your house would be im- mortalized in praise instead of execrations if you could deck your tables with so dainty a dish. To the liver no jpate defois gras can compare. A dolphin was occasionally secured, and also the fly- ing fish, which is caught in a flat net suspended under the martingale, with a light directly over it to attract the fish at night, but these dainty morsels are exclusive- ly for the cabin table. The bonetta, when a school is struck, is a godsend, and a clear gain to the ship-owner. We eat it cooked in various styles ; but Jack tires of it after a few days, and asks for his salt beef. Jack is a lliii|l!ii'^:ax::.. i|l!:r i!ilillilllilllllllllililliiiillilil!li!!llli!l illiiil!lllliiii ORIGIN OF A TIME-HONORED CUSTOM. 217 queer coinpoiind. Of salt beef and pork he never tires ; and it is a well-known fact that many a row has been caused on shipboard by feeding him on poultry and fresh meat. I have frequently heard him growl against chickens in the Eastern Hemisphere. As to turtle, when I was before the mast I saw turtles strangled to prevent the skipper from giving us steaks and soup after the fourth day. On crossing the equator the men had the usual sport with an unlncky fellow who had not crossed the line before. Of my Dutch crew, some had been in the East India service many years, and were well up in Neptune's part in the shaving process. This time-honored custom, it is said, was founded by a Dutch captain, whose father was the first man to cross the equator The venture- some mariner never returned, but in a vision his spirit appeared to his good frau in great glory as King of the Ocean, with a home on the equator, and to see him thus honored was enough to encourage her to send her six sons to sea. I enjoyed the day very much, especially as I discov- ered the culprits who had been stealing my gin. The bottle was kept in the pantry, next to which were the officers' quarters. Both had disclaimed any knowledge as to its disappearance. The chief mate suggested that it was the mischievous monkey I had. The second offi- cer suggested evaporation, due to the great heat in these latitudes. To solve the mystery I dosed the gin, and about 11 A.M. went on deck to take the sun. My offi- cers did the same. Presently the mate had a call to the cabin, and when he returned the second officer wanted 10 218 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. to go below for a minute. I apparently paid no atten- tion to this backing and filling, and at eight bells we all went down to work up our observations. This done, I asked the officers to take a glass of bitters before dinner, and called for the bottle. When it was brought it was empty. Of course no one knew anything about it. At two bells the dinner-bell rang. I asked the stewardess the cause of the absence of the officers from the table. They had no appetite, she replied. After dinner I dis- covered the second mate stretched out on the forecastle in a most pitiable plight, from the effects of the dose that I had put into the gin. Thinking he was poisoned, he said, in his native tongue, "Ach^ mein Gott im Him- mel^ ich hin todt .^" lie had taken the longest swig at the bottle, but the chief mate was almost as bad. Both lost their taste for gin from that time. I think the remedy might be advantageously employed in our inebriate asylums. Of course this method of discovering unlaw- ful tipplers is old ; I do not for a moment claim to have been its originator. I met the first officer, years after, in command of a ship. The scare I gave him, added to the shame he felt, had made him forswear the use of liquor ever afterwards. The bottle had been his weak- ness ; had it not been, he would have been in command much earlier. Good effects are worked by strange de- vices at times. We met the south-east trades well to the southward, and had a rattling run to the Cape of Good Hope. We put in to Cape Town for water, as that which we had taken at Leghorn in casks purchased there was entirely unfit for use. Here I was very politely received by the consul, THE PRINCE OF SAXE-WEIMAR. 219 a splendid fellow from Virginia, who sliowed us every attention. He let us see something of Hottentot life, giving us a spin into the country. The ten hours passed at Cape Town were among the most enjoyable of my life. We had nothing to detain us longer, and the casks being filled, we started for the run across the Indian Ocean. We ran down to St. Paul, where we stopped for a few hours, and found the island which I have before de- scribed. When I was last upon it it was deserted, but now it was inhabited by a Pole and some followers. He said that when he landed he had found some wild pigs, chickens, and ducks. These were probably the ones left by Captain Drinker eight years previous, when I was with him in the /St. Lawrence. The animals had greatly multiplied. From the Pole we obtained quan- tities of fresh fish and a few vegetables. Then we filled away on our voyage. We had extraordinary good-luck, for on the seventy- eighth day from Leghorn we sighted Java Head. The same evening we entered the Strait of Sunda, through which we passed, running into the Java Sea before day- light, and then shaped our course for Batavia. When the day broke, we found ourselves along-side the Dutch frigate Admiral De Ruyter^ bound in. She had left Holland the day after us with the Prince of Saxe-Wei- mar, who was to take command of the Dutch forces against the Ballyneese — a tribe in rebellion against the Dutch. We anchored at the same time in the bay where the fleet were awaiting the prince's arrival. It may not seem amiss to the young reader if I name 220 FROM THE FOKECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHINESE JUNK. a few of the peculiarities of the Chinese sailors and their junks. Three of these singular-looking crafts were ly- ing in the bay, riding to a kayar hawser bent to an an- chor made from the crotch of a tree — the trunk being the shank and the limb the fluke. The anchor was heavily weighted and pointed with iron to force itself 'into and gripe the bottom. Their sails of matting were stiffened, longitudinally to the mast, by bamboo, to which were laced the reefs. The rudder showed a want of genius. CURIOUS CUSTOM OF THE CHINESE. 221 This necessary appendage to a ship's stern was shaped like a barn door, and had holes bored through to relieve the lateral pressure in a brisk breeze, when it required the whole crew of sixteen or twenty men to steer her with a tiller reaching nearly the length of the poop. An eye was painted on each bow. As John Chinaman says, " No liaDee eye, how can see T In the after-part of the cabin an altar was erected to the evil spirits. Upon it fruits and flowers were offered to his Satanic Majesty, whom they sought to conciliate. They believe that God is too good to punish, and re- quires no offerings. At night, when the anchor watch was set, and before all hands turned in, they mustered around the altar. Each man had a flat piece of bamboo, or gong, with which the most hideous noise was begun. Starting from the cabin, they kept up the racket all over the vessel, driving the evil spirits before them, and so out of the hawse-pipes. They made but one voyage a year from China, being able to sail only with a favorable monsoon, and to return only with the change. On land- ing I found Mr. Morris, our consul, ready to meet me. This scholarly gentleman had represented the American interest for many years. His private means enabled him to give sumptuous entertainments. He was lacking in only one requisite — a wife. FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XVII. The Landing of the Prince of Saxe- Weimar.— Fine Living at an Aristocratic Hotel a few Miles out of Batavia. — I Spend nearly a Year's Income there in Five Weeks. — Attentions to my Wife, who was tlie first American Lady that ever Visited the Place. — Our De- parture from Batavia by Night amid Fireworks and Music, and a Wonderful Display of Phosphorescence in the Sea. — I am Washed Overboard in a Gale off the Cape of Good Hope. The following day great preparations were made for the landing of the prince. The ceremony took place at 10 A.M. All the dignitaries and the military were drawn up at the landing. The Bay of Batavia is an open road- stead. Two long jetties, about one hundred feet apart, formed an artificial harbor for the convenience of light- ers and small boats. These could enter to land their cargo only when tlie land-breeze is blowing, as the bar at the mouth of the harbor was too dangerous to cross when the sea-breeze set in. Amid the booming of guns from the fleet and fort, the navy flotilla of small boats pulled up towards the steps, abreast of the custom-house. Our consul and 1 were near by, witnessing the grand ceremony. As the barge with the prince came near the landing she ground- ed about ten feet from the steps, the water being too shoal for her to get along-side. The confusion among the plilegmatic Dutchmen amused us much. While a Hollander is thinking, an American is acting. When I KOYALTY STUCK IN THE MUD. 228 saw their difficulty, I jumped upon a float on which some calkers were working at the sides of a lighter. Casting it off, I pushed it between the barge and the steps, and offered my hand to the prince, which he ac- cepted, stepping over the float to the landing. I saw nothing more in this than in any other act of presence of mind and politeness. That he was a royal personage, the uncle of Queen Victoria, and invested with powers superior to those of tlie governor, did not give me a thought — excejDt the thought that it was somewhat ludicrous to see so much dignity stuck in the mud. I don't believe that his Royal Highness was overpleased with the stupidity of the authorities in not knowing that the water was too shoal to land the barge. He was such an immense man, it w^s not considered safe to bring him ashore in a small boat. For a young Yankee to ap- proach his august person and offer his hand, no doubt seemed to the authorities little less than sacrilege ; but the assistance was pohtely acknowledged, nor was it for- gotten when 1 was presented to the prince by Mr. Mor- ris that evening at the governor's ball. I was not a stranger to the Dutch officers of the fleet and army, for I had met many of them in Holland when trading there. In Holland I was nicknamed " the young devil of New York." The expedition was leaving Holland when I sailed for Leghorn, and for me to run to Leghorn, dis- charge my cargo, and arrive with them at Batavia was considered a wonderful feat. I certainly had had a very quick passage. Our stay at Batavia was notable for the luxurious life we led there. I felt bound to keep up the tide of 224 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. American lavishness, especially as my wife was with me. She was the first American lady who had visited the place, and we received much attention. On the recom- mendation of Mr. Morris we were domiciled at the aris- tocratic hotel in Buytenzorich, a few miles out of Bata- via. The whites did not live in the city, which was a perfect pest-hole, fatal as a residence to any but natives, who did the counting-house work. The merchants and captains met at the merchants' offices once a day to transact business, which was generally concluded before 10 A.M. Our hotel was most beautifully situated, facing the main road and standing back about fifty feet. The building was eighty feet square, one story high, and raised six feet from the ground. It contained but four rooms, used as parlors, with two wide halls crossing at the centre and leading to covered verandas sixteen feet wide on all sides of the building. The east side was used as a dining saloon. It faced a garden filled with the rarest tropical plants and flowers, with fountains interspersed. Here the military band played soft airs from the operas. On another side of the hotel extended a row of one -story buildings, which were mostly con- nected, and let in suites of two to four rooms each. Back of them was a stream of limpid water running over a sandy bottom, in which the luxury of a bath was complete. To each suite of rooms two or more servants were assigned. These were your shadows during your stay at the hotel. If you had but two, one acted as your valet, and the other as coachman, for a carriage was assigned to you when you engaged rooms. No STYLE OF LIVING IN BATAVIA. 225 one walked, the heat being too excessive. We arose at 6 A.M., had a cup of coffee— this is the place for that aromatic beverage — and mounted our horses for a ride of ten or twenty miles over perfect government roads. Home again, we were rubbed down, and had a bath, with another cup of coffee and rolls. Then the carriage took us to the city. Returning, we again bathed, then took breakfast a la fourchette, and afterwards chatted and smoked. The siesta time lasted until four o'clock, which hour was announced by a gong. Then once more a bath, and a glass of bitters. The dinner at six o'clock was served in true Orien- tal style. The edibles were veiy savory, and the wines most costly. The flowers and the hundreds of varie- gated lanterns lent enchantment to the feast, which lasted about two hours. Then come the gayeties of the evening, either a ball, reception, the opera, or a drive. On a drive your footman carried a large flambeau, and when many were driving, the lights produced a brilliant scene. The roads were not otherwise lighted. Society conventionalities were punctiliously observed. The gentlemen in full dress suffered more from the heat than the ladies in their light gauze dresses. At the opera the gentlemen occupied seats behind the ladies, to fan them during the play. It is not to be wondered at that women in this cli- mate should become unwieldy and lose their beauty early in life. The men, though not drinkers in the common acceptation of that term, are not abstainers. But while the Dutch are too sober a people ever to be intoxicated, they eat well. On leaving their native land 10* 226 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. tliey do not leave their habits. Tliese habits, when in- dulged in an equatorial climate, make sad havoc with a man. The Dutchman in Batavia has been likened unto a goose in a hot oven, whose liver becomes abnormally large from over-feeding and heat. When an East India merchant returns home with his riches, he brings also a diseased liver. An object of much interest to us was the museum. Among the East India curiosities I saw skeletons of the antediluvian ages. Java boasts of its large crocodiles, which are held sacred by some sects. I saw the lower jaw of one of these creatures, which, when placed against the wall in an upright position, reached from the floor four feet above my head. Tradition says that this mon- ster was thirty feet long. The Yalley of Death was also very interesting to us. Though the npas-tree was not in bloom, we did not venture near its shade. The poison streams near by, we were informed, would kill any living tiling tliat attempted to swim in them. Though my orders were to await advices from Am- sterdam before purchasing a cargo, I took the responsi- bility of availing myself of the low market. I did this under the advice of Mr. Morris, who had been a mer- chant, as well as consul, for twenty years. By delaying I would have come in competition with others, who were also waiting for news from Europe. We loaded with coffee, arrack, sandal and lance wood, cochineal, some spices, and rattan, making up the rest of our cargo for other shippers. We had been just five weeks in Bata- via when we were ready for sea. I did not anticipate a very quick passage home, as on the morning prior to GORaEOUS PHOSPHORESCENT DISPLAY. 227 our departure we discovered that our mizzen-mast-liead was badly rotted, which showed itself after the rigging had been set up. This discovery was not known on shore. The night before our departure Mr. Morris gave a ball of Oriental grandeur in our honor. Our start, which was made at evening, was attended by a display of fire- works and music from tlie fleet. We set sail to a very light breeze from the land. The full moon had just risen above the mountain-tops to shed her silvery splen- dor on the bay. The sea was without a ripple, and only disturbed by the men-of-war boats which had come to take lines to assist us seaward, while their officers en- joyed a supper prepared for the occasion. While dan- cing was the order on the quarter-deck, I was forward enjoying the gorgeous phosphorescent display caused by the rowers in the boats. All pulled together to one song, with the chorus from a hundred voices. As the oars dipped it was seemingly into liquid silver, and as they rose it seemed as -though myriads of diamonds dropped from them. To enhance the enchantment to the scene, the sharks with which the bay abounds shot hither and thither, leaving streaks in their wake like flashes of forked lightning. At 11 P.M. the breeze freshened, the boats cast off, and followed by cheer after cheer, we ran away from Batavia. I believe that if I had had to remain in this place much longer I should have had to mortgage the ship to get away. Though I tried to be moderate in my expenditures, those Ave weeks cost me nearly a year's income. For my extravagance I plead the excuse 238 FROxM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABm. of youth. I wish to say that the only American in the liarbor with us was the ship Kensington. The gentle- man who was then her chief officer is now in the tug and steamboat business in I^ew York, and all know Cap- tain Parks as a true salt. The following morning we gave our attention to the mizzen-mast. We fished it with the spanker-boom and gaff, and a spare top -gallant yard, and to these were added preventer back-stays. This kept the mast in po- sition for the rest of the voyage ; but of course we could not carry sail on it in heavy weather. We had a fine run until we were witliin two hundred miles of the Cape of Good Hope. Here we caught a south-wester, which terminated in a gale, and nearly end- ed my existence. On the second morning of the gale I was standing between the two boats, which were turned bottom up, their fore-ends supported by a gallows, their after-ends on the house. (The ship had a break-poop, with a house in the centre.) In this place I thought myself safe from the seas which occasionally swept our decks. We were under two close-reefed top-sails, and as my hands were raised to my mouth to give the order to clew up the fore-top sail, a sea struck us abaft the starboard main-rigging, which stove in our bulwarks and the fore part of the house, and washed the two boats, between which I was standing, and myself overboard. I managed to get into one of the boats. Fortunately it was a life-boat, and floated well out. My south-wester, which had been well tied under my chin, I used as a baler. Not for a moment did I think my time had come. I thought though of the agony of suspense which A NARROW ESCAPE. 231 I knew my wife was suffering during the six long hours that I was in the water. The mate was a good sailor, and handled the ship well, but he missed picking me up by wearing ship until BALING OUT THE LIFE-BOAT. the fourth time, when he fetched me by heaving to lee- ward of me. As my boat was light, and well out of the water, she drifted faster than the ship, and as I came under her stern I caught a bowline which had been thrown to me. To slip this under my arms was the 232 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. work of a moment, when I was hauled on board with- out a scratch. This was a narrow escape. There was no boat left on the ship except the long-boat, and to try to launch her would have been folly. I met Captain Young, of the ship Otseonthe, in Liverpool, in 1854, who related to me a similar experience in which he was the actor. EFFECTS OF THE GALE. 233 CHAPTER XVIII. Exchanging Civilities at Sea. — I get Bass's Ale and Cheese and Madrid Onions from an English Skipper, and he gets Good Things from me. — The Fox Family at Falmouth, who have Furnished our Consuls there since the Revolution. — My Wife and I in Ham- burg during the Cholera Epidemic of 1849.— I Sell my Ship, the Manhattan. — The Model of our Centre-board Yachts. — I carry a Dutch Steamer through a Storm.— The Dutch are a Sterling and Charming People. When 1 got on board 1 found the ship leaking badly. A sea had struck her bowsprit and started the knight- heads and opened the wood ends, through which the sea was pouring. We hove -to under the main spen- cer, after which the ship rode comparatively easy. It took both pumps to prevent the leak from gaining. During the night the gale moderated, and gaining on the leak as the sea went down, we gave her canvas again. With morning the ship presented a very bat- tered appearance. Bulwarks, stanchions, and rails were partially lost, and the cabin was nearly gutted through, the forepart of the house being stove in. The sea that entered nearly drowned my wife and children and the stewardess. But all this was forgotten in the bright sunny morning which followed with a fair leading breeze, and we. were once more happy when our clothes were dry. Sailors soon forget past dangers, and only live in the present. 234 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. We stopped the leak as much as possible, the most of it being above water. We worked around the cape, entered the south-east trades, and shaped oar course for St. Helena. Here we anchored close in shore, letting go both anchors, and running out the chains to the bare ends, to lighten our bow as much as possible, so as to get at the leak. Then we launched our spare yards as far out as we could over the stern, and to these we hoisted the long-boat, filled with water. We succeeded in tipping the ship enough to repair the damage to the wood ends and to stop the leak. In thirty-six hours we were under way again, with a fresh supply of water. The only fresh thing to be had were yams, water -cress, kohlrabi, and a few turtles. On the island we visited the grave of I^apoleon, and ascended Jacob's Ladder. In latitude 10° north we fell in with an English top- sail schooner from Lisbon, bound for Rio Janeiro, load- ed with wine, potatoes, cabbages, and onions. She was a perfect godsend to us, as we had not tasted such lux- uries in six months. As the captain wanted to know the longitude, lie hove -to and sent a boat along-side with some vegetables, in return for which we gave him some gin and arrack. When their boat returned to us again she was loaded as deep as she could float with potatoes, Spanish onions, a keg of wine, a box of Bass's ale, and a Chedder cheese. As I would not be outdone in civilities, and be the Englishman's debtor, I sent him in return a pig, a Westphalia ham, two Dutch cheeses, imd a case of gin. It was a gala-day ; the monotony of the voyage was broken by a grand feast. Reader, if THE YOUNG MERMAID. 237 you like bread and cheese and English ale, with a mel- low Spanish onion, and have been deprived of them for a long time, you can imagine our enjoyment. The north-east trades forced us well to the westward, and we sighted the Azores. Twenty-five miles south- east of the island of Pico, at 4 a.m. one morning, I was made the happy father of a baby girl. A ship-master is called upon to act many parts in the drama of life, and if he is a thorough sailor he acts well in every emer- gency. The first-class ship -master of years gone by, when America claimed supremacy on the seas, com- bined the sailor, sail - maker, rigger, carpenter, painter, and, in fact, cook, doctor, lawyer, clergyman, navigator, merchant, and banker. This education fitted him to do anything except enter Wall Street profitably. Tliough no class of men understood human nature better, yet he was the most gullible and easiest swindled. The weath- er was exceedingly fine ; the sea was smooth as glass, with light airs and calms ; the only squall we knew was from the young mermaid, and Jack rejoiced when to each watch w^as served out an extra allowance of grog, with a double-deck sea-pie, and plum-duif and wine sauce, for dinner that day in her honor. We had a tedious time from here to Falmouth, where w^e were bound for orders. There were no despatches awaiting me. Sir Arthur Fox, the United States con- sul, had been informed by my owners that I might be expected two months hence. I at once notified Mr. Pfeifer, then residing in Amsterdam, that I had arrived, and sent invoices of our cargo. Eight days afterwards I received his congratulations and compliments for my 238 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. prompt and judicious management. Fortunately I had arrived during a high market in Hamburg, whence I was ordered to proceed without delay. Our time was delightfully passed in Falmouth. I accepted the hospitality of Sir Arthur. The Fox fami- ly had long been, and I believe still are, our representa- tives. During our struggle for liberty they incurred aud braved the displeasure of the British Government in their sympathy for the cause of freedom, and they also afforded aid and shelter to distressed Americans. When peace was declared, and America free, Washing- ton appointed the grandfather of the gentleman just named the first United States consul at Falmouth. The Foxes were noted for their charity and humanity. Mr. Joshua, the brother of Sir Arthur, carried his humanity to eccentricity. Life was not allowed to be taken on his domain. The birds there were strangers to the sound of a gun. At a whistle they would alight and flutter around him to be fed. To show how tame they were, any bird that my wife would point out he would call, and the bird would take crumbs out of her hand or from between her lips. The burrows of the rabbits and the badgers, and the holes of the foxes, were never molested. In passing through the grounds the deer as well as the lambs would cease browsing to give us a look of welcome. Gold and silver pheasants, and peacocks and doves, all mingled as one family. Inno- cence prevailed here, leading the mind to the Script- ural Eden. The hunter lost his prey when, wing-tired or panting, it sought refuge in this happy spot. Wild flowers with the cultivated filled the air with fragrance, HAMBURG. 239 and transported the senses to dreamland. At the end of a two hours' stroll we came upon what appeared to be a grotto between two rocky mounds, overgrown with iv^y. The rustic walls and roofing showed the exquisite taste of the designer. Mr. Fox leading the way, we entered, and after a few paces were surprised to find ourselves in an old mansion, which was the home of this English Quaker gentleman. We left this earthly paradise with regret. The happy memory of it will always remain with us. We made good use of our time in Falmouth in hav- ing our bulwarks repaired, and by the time we arrived in Hamburg our ship was painted and scraped and the rigging was tarred down, so that she looked as only an American Indiaman — the pride of a sailor — can look. Paint and putty hid the decay of the mizzen-mast, and with sails unbent and top -gallant and royal -yards on deck, man-of-war fashion, I felt as proud of my ship as I did of my wife. All sailors do, and Jack's wife feels happy in believing the ship to be her only rival. At Hamburg we found the cholera raging in its most violent form. It will be remembered that this plague visited the north of Europe in 1849. In this beautiful and prosperous city Death, the reaper, used his merci- less scythe alike on rich and poor, old and young. Busi- ness was nearly suspended. Among the shipping alone the deaths averaged one hundred and sixty a day for over a week. My ship was lying in a tier with two others. I had paid off my crew, and sent them, as per agreement, back to Holland. I and my family, with cook and stewardess, remained on board in preference 240 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. to taking hotel lodgings. We used every precaution known to sanitary science to avoid the plague. I saw several ship- masters and officers leave on their last voy- age, poor fellows ! without time to send a good-by to their loved ones at home. Jack has one grim satisfac- tion in expecting to be cut off short when away from home. As I have heard many a sailor say, it saves the wear and tear of your friends. When you die slowly at home, under skilled doctors and with careful nursing, the agony of the weeping ones around your bedside is only prolonged. Besides, I would rather take a tussle with ISTeptune, and float till the trumpet calls, than lie cramped in the earth. One night I believed that my turn had come. I had all the symptoms of the plague. I was prepared for the emergency. To get a doctor was out of the ques- tion. Hot water we always kept ready for use, and I plunged into a hot mustard bath, from which I emerged looking like a boiled lobster. Then I took a mixture of brandy, cayenne-pepper, laudanum, and Angostura bit- ters, and applied a turpentine cloth over my entire ab- domen. To this heroic treatment I owe my presence liere. My will and strength and remedies were too much for the reaper that time, but I must say we had a terrific tussle. The discharging of our cargo occupied three weeks. In the mean time I received instructions, with the pow- er of attorney, from my owner to sell the ship. He set the minimum price at eight thousand dollars. In fact, lier stern frames were rotten between wind and water, fore and aft, but wdth a fresh coat of paint inside and SALE AND TRANSFER OF MY SHIP. 241 out, and a new coat of whitewash in the lower hold, she was the trimmest-looking craft in the harbor. I adver- tised her for sale, freight or charter. Hamburg and Bremen were the great markets for the sale of American ships, as they built none themselves. Messrs. Marps & Co. were the largest ship-owners and brokers in the place. They had their own dry-docks and repair shops. Mr. Marps, the head of the house, an exceedingly nice old gentleman, responded to the adver- tisement, and came on board to see me. We entered into negotiations for the sale at once. My price was fixed at fourteen thousand dollars, and I would guaran- tee her sound for that figure. He offered me twelve thousand dollars on the guarantee, which I declined. After a very careful examination he said that he would call again. He called the next day. He said that he would give me command of her in case we came to terms — with the privilege of taking my family, and the same pay that I was receiving. After a few days' ne- gotiations he finally agreed to pay eleven thousand dol- lars for the ship, and take her as she lay, selling me out of command, as he could get a captain for less than half the pay that I was receiving. Americans in those days commanded from two to three times as much salary as was paid on foreign ships. The transfer was made, and I received a certified check. I declined his ofier to give me a draft on Amsterdam in favor of my owner. Pleading my youth and inexperience in money matters, I preferred cash, and as I was going to Holland on the mail -steamer I could take it with me. After I had turned the ship over to him, and sent my family and 11 242 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. traps to the hotel, I went to the bank to cash the check and make sure of the money. Mr. Marps called and passed the evening, and invited ns to dine with him the next day. I accepted the invitation, as I had three days to wait for the packet. No allusion w^hatever had been made to the ship. The topics of the evening were chief- ly the voyage I had just completed, and the general ship- ping and freighting business. The following morning Mr. Marps called at the hotel, and asked me to accompa- ny him to the ship, as he wished me to see her opened. I found a gang of men stripping some of her whale streaks, exposing her true condition. He complained very little of his purchase, but felt that I had got all the ship was worth, and more. I said truthfully that 1 did not think her so soft. "No, nor did I think my- self so soft," he said, " as to buy her without boring ;" but he was very good-natured. He took me through his ship-yard and counting-house, and I passed the en- tire day with him. After a sumptuous dinner, during which he gathered the history of my life, and after the ladies had retired, we came to business. He proposed to make me a member of his firm, saying, that as the years were rapidly passing, and his worldly goods needed care, he was looking for some one to relieve him of some of his laborious duties. He paid me the compliment of calling me a clever Yankee, and just such a one as would suit him as a business partner. He said he was satisfied that I knew how to sell as well as how to sail a ship. I thanked him, but declined his offer. The romance of the sea had been too deeply rooted in me to allow me to abandon the profession. I wanted to see the world AN ANXIOUS NIGHT. 243 and become a great captain. In refusing his offer 1 made the first great mistake of iny life. I parted from him with some regret. He said that he hoped 1 would change my mind and return after I had settled with Mr. Pfeifer. We took passage on the steamer Governor Van Eyhe. She w^as the first and only steamer owned by the Dutch at that time, and a vast improvement on their old galiot style of coasters. She was built in England, and I have never been on board such a rattle-trap before or since. Four persons besides myself and family were the only passengers. We passed out of tlie Elbe into the North Sea just after sundown, and fully expected to be in Am- sterdam the next day ; but the Fates willed it otherwise. The wind was blowing fresh from the northward, with an ugly beam sea. The ship made such bad weather of it that I turned out at 3 a.m. I found it was blowing a stiff gale, and the boat heading off shore, as the captain said that it would be unsafe to run for the Vlie passage before daylight. When the day broke, the gale had in- creased in violence, and the sea was very rough. We were steering north, trying to crawl off shore. The isl- ands along the coast of Holland are low and sandy, the shoals extending some distance and making a norther a dangerous wind. Rarely is a vessel saved when once stranded in the breakers. When night set in we found that we had been struggling all day with scarcely any perceptible distance gained in the offing. The night was a very anxious one. We had to steam at full speed to hold our own. She took sea after sea over the bow, and was swept fore and aft. All the boats were either 244 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. stove in or washed overboard. Several of the crew were badly injured. The captain was taken sick, and had to go below. Matters assumed an ugly appearance. Every one seemed demoralized when the morning broke with- out any change in the weather. I had kept no run of the ship, and no one seemed to know our position. A sea struck us, carrying away the bridge, steering gear, binnacle, and standard compass. As the captain was laid up, he asked me to assume command, which I gladly did, as all I held dear to me were on board. The chief officer was no navigator. The engineer was in constant dread of the engine break- ing down, for the ship was laboring heavily and the coal getting short. The lead-line indicated eight fath- oms of water, and I judged we were on one of the nu- merous fishing - banks, and going over the ground at about a knot an hour. I deemed it advisable to take the strain off the ship, as she w^as now leaking badly, and at the same time to save the coal. So we slowed her down, and let go both anchors, paying out the chains to the bare ends. This relieved her very much, and, steam- ing slowly to relieve the strain on the chains, we rode comparatively dry. At ten o'clock that night the gale broke, and the moon showed her face through the fleet- ing clouds. At 11 P.M. she would pass the meridian. The patches of sky began to grow larger, and the hori- zon became sufficiently defined to afford me a good ob- servation, which placed us sixty miles north of Texel. The captain had supposed us not five miles off. At 1 A.M. we got under way, and steered south. At 3 a.m. an observation placed Texel entrance south-south-east, THE ZUYDER-ZEE. 245 and we so steered. At 5.30 we made the land, and at Y A.M. ancliored in Texel roads in a most battered con- dition. We had been given up as lost. Many boats came along-side, as a steamer was a great wonder to the Dutchmen. There were some packages to land here. While we were at breakfast I heard a stampede and a rush for the side. Running on deck, I found every one in confusion and jumping into the boats, yelling that the boiler was going to explode. Go- ing down to the engine-room, I learned that the water was low in the boilers, and the feed-pipe choked with sea-weed, the strainer having been broken. At once I ordered the fires drawn, and opened the safety - valve. Instead of doing this at first, the second engineer had been trying to feed the boiler. The chief engineer had gone ashore for some purpose, leaving him in charge. I was glad enough when we got under way ; I wanted to get out of a ship in which the last chapter of acci- dents came near blowing us into space. The day was fine, and the run up the Zuyder-Zee was very pleasant. This sheet of water is very shoal, and obliged the Dutch to produce a very light-draught type of vessel, the galiot, which is now, however, almost ob- solete. The galiot was flat - bottomed, with bow and stern nearly square. One end was distinguished from the other only by the bowsprit. She had no rudder- port wherein a leak might start ; her rudder hung out- side. She had a great shear, was an excellent sea boat, and off the wind ran well. On a wind she used her leeboards. From this idea sprang our centre - boards. These vessels (galiots) were the strongest boats to be 246 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. found in any nation. They thought nothing of beach- ing tliem, light or loaded, if caught on a lee shore. When the storm was over they launched them as if noth- ing had occurred. I have never heard of one going to pieces, except she knocked her head against a rock, and the rock would have to be granite to do that. The last of these crafts I saw in our waters was the Fosha Hele- na^ brig rigged, and a regular packet to New York. She made very good time. When we arrived in Amsterdam all Holland was there to see us. The news had spread like wildfire how the steamer had weathered the gale. The agent's son had been one of our passengers ; from him were learned the perils of the voyage. I was made quite a lion of for my conduct on the trip. The underwriters made me a handsome present. Upon the whole, I be- gan to foel as if I should take my place among the great captains whose portraits decorate the walls of the art galleries. Mr. Pfeifer, who was a stockholder in the steamboat company, was desirous for me to take a com- mand. He felt much interest in my welfare, as he had given me my first captaincy, but I felt that the Dutch were too slow a nation for me to become one of them. During my stay of four weeks among these people, however, I learned to love them very much. Tourists very rarely visited this interesting country, which stands first among the nations for thrift, peace, cleanliness, and honesty. A contented life is here exemplified. It was difficult to move them out of the beaten track of their forefathers, and induce them to patronize the STERLING QUALITIES OF THE DUTCH. 247 first railroad built between the Hague and Amsterdam, a perfectly straight line over a dead-level country. They preferred the diligence, or even the canal-boat, in which they would be safe. The Dutch are not a demonstrative people. Their phlegmatic disposition and quiet reserve do not attract the fashionable travelling butterfly ; hence the Nether- lands receive few encomiums from him. Here dress does not make the man or woman. Adventurers have little chance to enter society by palming themselves off as lordlings. It has its doors barred until the proper credentials warrant their being thrown open ; then a hospitality is displayed which makes one feel at home without being burdened with over - attention. Hasty marriages are never made ; divorce is unknown. There is a saying here that " the wife and cat never leave the house." To see a lady and gentleman out together is to know of their engagement. Society is never shocked by any of its members. My friend, when you travel see Holland, and if the Dutch have not been metamorphosed since I was there in 1852 you will appreciate them as I did, and feel that your time has been profitably passed in a country that was rescued by the industry of man from the bottom of the sea. I must continue my voyage — as I fear that I may have tired the reader, who is not always in sympathy with the writer — and take my passage on board the packet-ship Catharine, with Captain Edwards, for New York. Upon my arrival with letters to the firm of 248 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Messrs. Scliucliardt & Gebhard, I was appointed to take command of the ship AngeUque, then on her way home from San Francisco, to resume her place in the Amster- dam line. During the interval I made a voyage as chief oflScer of the Catharine. A SERIOUS ILLNESS. 249 CHAPTER XIX. I come into the Command of the Dreadnought, which is built espe- cially for me. — The Summit of my Ambition is reached when I become Captain of this "Wild Boat of the Atlantic." — We beat Everything that Sails and a good deal that Steams. — The Days when the American Flag made Liverpool Fine. — Osceola's Daugh- ter makes a Voyage with us. — I Regard her as a Sort of Jonah. — We run into Field-ice and a Ship runs into us. — Osceola's Daugh- ter takes to the Boat. Upon" the return of the ship Angelique from Cali- fornia I took command of her. This post I held for three years, running her as a packet between New York and Amsterdam. Her last voyage was a short one to Charleston and return, when she was sold. Now, for the first time in my life, I realized what serious illness meant. I was seized with hemorrhage of the liver, caused by bilious fever. My life hung in the balance for several days. Hitherto, out of respect to my pious wife, I had accompanied her to church — not for any spiritual benefit, however, as I regarded the preacher simply as a man leading an easy life, living on the fat of the land, and preaching destruction to those who did not support church and minister. This flip- pant idea which possessed me, as it does, I fear, many men, was quickly dispelled by the intercourse I had with the Rev. Dr. Francis Yinton. To his eloquence I owe the knowledge that God did not create man after 11* 250 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. His own image to blot him out, as the sun does the dew- drop. I learned that there w^as something more to live for than the pleasures of this life. I recovered my health rapidly. A party of merchants — the late Governor E. D. Morgan, Francis B. Cutting, David Ogden, and others — subscribed to build me a ship, the construction of which I superintended at Newbury- port. The highest pinnacle of my ambition was reached when I entered the front rank o-f my profession in com- mand of the Dreadnought — for *o the ship was named as she kissed the waters of the Merrimac. As her ex- traordinary career as the champion of the Atlantic Ocean is sufficiently historic, I shall only dwell briefly upon some events. She was never passed in anything over a four-knot breeze. She was wdiat might be termed a semi-clipper, and possessed the merit of being able to bear driving as long as her sails and spars would stand. By the sailors she was nicknamed the "Wild boat of the Atlantic," while others called her the " Flying Dutch- man." Twice she carried the latest news to Europe, slip- ping in between the steamers. The Collins, Cunard, and Inman lines were the only ones at that time. There are merchants still doing business in New York who shipped goods by us which we guaranteed to deliver within a certain time, or forfeit freight charges. For this guarantee we commanded freight rates midway be- tween those of the steamers and those of the sailing- packets. The old adage that " misfortunes never come singly " was exemplified in the case of Mr. Ogden, our agent and part owner, who lost six first-class ships in rapid succes- IN COMMAND OF THE "DREADNOUGHT. 253 sion, leaving the Dreadnought solitary in the Ked Cross Line. The first sliip lost was the St. George^ which was burned in tlie Chops of tlie British Channel. The sec- ond was the St. Patrick^ wrecked on the Jersey coast — but no lives lost. The third was the Highflyer^ from San Francisco, bound to Shanghai. She was never heard from. It was supposed that she was burned by Chinese pirates off Formosa, and that they murdered her crew. Our Government sent a vessel of war to the island to investigate the matter, but she failed to discover any trustworthy data. The captain's spy-glass was found, and also the wreck of a vessel which had been run ashore and burned. The fourth vessel lost was the Driver, bound to ]^ew York from Liverpool ; the crew and six hundred emigrants were never heard from. The fifth was the Racer^ lost on Blackwater Bank, in the Irish Channel ; no lives were lost. The sixth was the Andrew Forster^ lost by collision in the Irish Chan- nel ; two lives were lost. It was predicted that my turn would be next. As my family was getting large, I thought it well to leave them ashore. My wife and children had been with me almost constantly from 1848 until 1856. Our ship was a favorite among the travelling public. Her cabin accommodations were usually secured a season in advance. On our first voyage outward bound, we crossed Sandy Hook bar with the then crack packet- ship Washington^ Captain Page. We landed in Liver- pool, and took in a cargo and two hundred emigrants, and met her off the north-west lightship bound in as we were running out. On our way home we crossed 254 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the bar the day after the steamer Canada sailed for Boston, and when the news of her arrival reached New York we were reported off the Highlands. The extraordinary good -luck that followed us for several years has no parallel. M}^ success, under God's providence, I attributed to discipline, and to forcing the ship at night as well as during the day. Night is the time to try the nerve and make quick passages. The best ship-masters that I had sailed with were those w^ho were most on deck after dark, and relied upon no- body but themselves to carry canvas. The expert sailor knows exactly how long his sails and spars will stand the strain, the lubber does not, and therefore is apt to lose both. When I first started in this ship, I turned over a new leaf in my log-book of life. Swearing, which appeared to me so essential in the make-up of an officer, I found degrading in the gentleman, and I prohibited its indul- gence. I also insisted that the crew should be justly treated by the officers. The first night out, at 8 p.m., my wife sent for me, and when I entered the cabin I found her seated at the table with the passengers, and a large prayer-book opened at the evening service. " As you did not hesitate," she said, " to acknowledge Christ before men in Grace Church, I am sure you will read His works where two or three are gathered together." The book had been presented to me by Dr. Yinton. From it I read the beautiful Episcopal service. At the finish tears of joy trickled down my wife's cheeks, while I felt myself a better man. For the ten following years, EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 255 or until I left the ship, 1 read or had the service read daily, inviting all to join. On Sundays the services were performed on deck, when the weather permitted, and our flags were set. On one occasion a lady asked my wife, " Why are the flags lioisted, when there are no ships in sight to see them ?" " God sees them," my wife replied. " Flags are hoisted on Sundays ashore, why should they not be at sea? We feel ourselves nearer to Him on the ocean, as only six inches of planking separate us from eternity." I began to feel that His merciful hand was my guide, and the efiicacy of prayer made me more courageous and less reckless. I once saw His finger raise the dark veil to save us from destruction by shipwreck in Cardi- gan Bay. We had been running before a south-west gale, and making the best use of it. The last observa- tion we had taken was in longitude 23° 20'^, and latitude 51° 00^^ Our anxious time began when the discolored water indicated soundings in the mouth of the channel. The weather was so heavy that the ship could only stand double-reefed fore and mizzen, and single-reefed main- top sail, with reefed maintop-gallant sail, a whole fore, and single - reef ed main -sail. At 9 a.m. we suddenly came upon a large ship under double-reefed top -sails and foresails, running the same way. We sounded, and found sixty fathoms. We used the lead frequently, and because we did this the stranger kept up with us, as she did not stop to sound. Coming in from the southward, she may have had a more recent observation than I, and supposed that sh^ knew the exact position, and that / 256 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. did not. At 1 p.m. we again sounded in sixtj-five fath- oms, and a muddy bottom. Then we immediately hauled up from east one-half south, to north-east, for St. George's Channel. The last we saw of the stranger she was still holding her course. At 3 p.m. the weather cleared for a moment, when St. David's Head (Wales) loomed up, close on our starboard bow. I remarked to our chief officer, who was standing near me, that if our companion of the morning had not changed his course he w^ould run ashore back of the Bishop's Rocks. This prediction was only too true. We learned, the day after our arri- val in Liverpool, that on the night in question the ship Grand Duke, Captain Sampson, from I^ew Orleans, bound to Liverpool with a cargo of cotton, was lost with all hands, except two men who were saved on a bale. This is one proof that the use of the lead should nev- er be neglected, however sure we may be of our po- sition. I was a noted believer in the use of the "blue pigeon," as the sailors call the deep-sea lead. After we passed St. David's Head we shaped our course so as to pass three miles off Holyhead, to make sure of seeing it. We were running fifteen knots. The weather was still thick, and I expected to see Holyhead light by seven o'clock, if it cleared. Up to this time our pas- sage promised to be the quickest. We had the evening service at six o'clock instead of the usual hour of eight, so that I could be on deck directly after the reading. I had scarcely closed the book when I heard the cry from the lookout, " Light on the port bow !" A QUICK RUN TO LIVERPOOL. 257 There was not a moment to be lost in hauling up to clear the land. God's mercy was clearly shown, for had not the thick veil lifted to let me catch a glimpse of the light, the Dreadnought would have been wrecked in less than five minutes. The roaring of the sea lashing the rocks to leeward w^as already chanting our funeral hymn. My passengers little knew of our narrow escape, but enjoyed the scene, and began to speculate upon the time we should arrive in the morning. The tide had been flood, and stronger than I expected. I thought that I had made sufficient allowance for the indraught into tlie bay, but I had not allowed enough. Man is fallible; he may plan most carefully, and still may err in judgment. 'Tis a true saying that " there is nothing sure in this life but death." We rounded the Skerries, and had to wait until morn- ing for a pilot ; the weather was too bad to run for the bar without one. We arrived just too late to cross the bar, and were detained five hours by the tide. Deduct- ing this, together with the seven hours we waited for the pilot, from the thirteen days and eleven hours it took us to run from port to port, would have brought our passage within thirteen days. We afterwards made a passage in thirteen days and eight hours. We arrived on Sunday morning, and docked in our berth in the Waterloo Dock in time to attend divine worship. The minister, with whom I was acquainted, seeing me enter, offered thanks for our safe arrival. At the time of which I write, the American flag pre- dominated in the docks of Liverpool. American ship- ping furnished the city with food supplies and wdth 258 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. cotton for her factories. The impetus given her by American industry has made her tlie second, if not the first and greatest, seaport in the world. The packet services between Europe and America were entirely performed under our flag. There was not one English line of packets on the Atlantic Ocean. Our packet- ships were the wonder of the world, and so were our transient ships. We had the confidence of the travel- ling public and the patronage of the shipping merchants. For speed, safety, and beauty our packets surpassed any ships in the world until the California gold-fever broke out. Then our clipper-ships took precedence in speed. In such high favor were our vessels held that Bremen and Hamburg drew their supply from^us, and James Baines & Co., of Liverpool, contracted with Donald McKay, of Boston, to build them a line of clippers for the Australian trade. Alas! what has become of our ships? and why is our flag so rarely seen in Liverpool or elsewhere now ? What has become of this lost industry? and why is this once strong arm on the ocean now so paralyzed that the weakest nations look in pity at our fallen greatness ? I do not propose to enter into a discussion of political economy, or mourn as did Niobe at the loss of her chil- dren. Niobe's children could never be restored, but our shipping can, and it will again be in the van among all the nations. Our Rebellion, in which England lent aid to the South with money, and through letting loose from her ship -yards Alahamas to destroy our shipping, is the prime cause. England took advantage of our internal DECLINE OF AMERICAN SHIPPING. 259 strife to regain lier supremacy on the sea, which in a great measure we had wrested from her. She saw the advantage, and took it ; and will retain it until our leg- islators rise to the occasion, and give aid to our marine interests. Why should we not have the same protec- tion in shipping that we have in manufacturing? Who but the foreign interests among us are clamoring for free -trade in shipping? If free -trade had existed for the last twenty years, would our country be as wealthy as it is, and would our national debt have been reduced to a minimum without distressing our people? Would our manufactures and the -business of our mines have attained to such gigantic proportions without protec- tion, or would we have gridironed this country with railroads ? No. It is not the export of corn and wheat alone that makes us rich. The farmer says, "Let us ship by the vessels which will carry our products for the least rates.'' He forgets that all he pays for foreign trans- portation is a dead loss to his country, of which he bears his proportion. It is not the lowest price paid for trans- portation that is always the cheapest. It is to be hoped that the short-sighted policy in letting our marine inter- est languish is due to ignorance on the subject rather than to the influence of lobbyists who are stimulated by foreign gold. We have Benedict Arnolds among us now as in the time of the Revolution. It is they who clamor for free ships in the interest of Europe. As I have drifted somewhat out of my course, I will let go the anchor and get on board the Dreadnought again. As we left Sandy Hook in the middle of Feb- 260 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. ruary, before a strong north-wester, it was so cold that eight of our men were badly frost-bitten the first night out. We were driving her hard. The decks and rig- ging were a mass of ice. We were making the northern passage, to be sure of having wind enough. In seventy- two hours from Sandy Hook we had sailed a thousand and eighty miles. Had the wind continued we would have landed our passengers in Liverpool under nine days. At the tea-table I was congratulated by the pas- sengers, who were in high glee over the quick time we had made so far. Among them was an Indian princess, a daughter of Osceola — so she said — going to visit the Queen of England, whom she claimed as her cousin. I had my doubts of her pure Indian lineage from the size of her lips and kinky hair, but, upon the whole, she waa not bad-looking, with her coffee-colored skin, and lips and cheeks tinged with carmine. She wore a fantastic dress, and was extremely dignified in her carriage. She was not troubled with sea -sickness, and was therefore able to devote much of her time to me when I could listen to the wonderful tales of her power as a medicine- woman and a seer. She would sometimes close her eyes and see the spirit-land. She predicted our landing in England and her reception at Buckingham Palace after a run across the Atlantic in eight days. She declared that she bore a charmed life, and that where she was dangers were warded off. While in the cabin listening to one of her pleasantest fancies, I heard the lookout cry, " Breakers ahead !" It had just struck eight bells in the dog-watch. The ship had been logged fourteen and a. half knots. The temperature of the air was 30°, and of A DAUGHTER OF OSCEOLA ON BOARD. 261 the water 34°. A half hour previous I had judged tliat there were quantities of ice to the north-west of us, but I did not expect it to break up so early. The reported breakers I knew to be field-ice, into which we were run- ning with maddening speed. The helm was put hard aport to get our head to the southward. We took the ice beam on, to avoid the shock of running head into it. We were well into the field. The scene was grand but fearful. Below, as far as the eye could reach, was one vast sea of ice, the light from which made the sky seem of inky blackness. 1 deemed it advisable to work the ship out rather than take the chance of having her chafed through. The weight of the ice kept the sea down, with the exception of a slight undulating motion. Forcing the ship through it made her tremble like an aspen leaf. The princess was the most frightened of all the pas- sengers. She had clambered into one of the quarter- boats, and she remained there until we worked out of the pack at about 3 a.m. I then assisted her into the cabin, where a good stiff horn of " fire-water " was ad- ministered to the poor slaverer. This medicine was so grateful to her that she believed a second dose would quite restore her, and it did. At the breakfast- table the princess had regained all her composure when I asked, " Why did you not let me know that you had fore- seen this event, in order that I miglit have taken a more southerly course and avoided the danger?" " Small matters I do not notice," she said. " Eeal dangers I can avert." 263 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". "Do you think we may expect any further unpleas- antness?" " ^N"©," she replied. During the day the wind hauled around to the east- ward, and by 10 p.m. we were standing on a starboard tack under single reefs, heading north-east. I went be- low at midnight to observe the barometer. My chief officer, a first-class man, had the deck. I heard him or- der the helm hard up, and at the same time felt the ship careen to windward. I jumped on deck and found a large ship running down on us before the wind. A col- lision was inevitable. She had no light set. Her look- out must have been asleep, as our lights were burning brightly. We would have crossed her bow if she had kept her course, but when they finally saw us coming they became confused, and instead of starboarding they ported her helm. Her disregard to the rule of the road, that " the ship with a fair wind must go under the stern of the one on a wind," brought us together. Our star- board bow took her port bow, giving her a glancing blow. By this time her sails were aback, and we were partly becalmed under her lee. Our head had paid off enough for us to receive a second blow from her. Her stern board was caused by her yards being aback. They became so confused that they did not brace them around. The crew tried to jump on board of us, saying that they were sinking. The second blow took us aft of the mizzen-rigging, as we both came down into the hol- low of the sea. We knocked a hole in his port counter large enough to drive a wagon through. We parted again on the rise of the sea, and cleared her. He dam- CONSTERNATION OF THE PRINCESS. 263 aged us by sweeping away our starboard rail, stanchions, part of the covering-board bumpkin, and quarter-chocks, also our mizzen-top-gallant mast and everything attached to it. In answer to his cries to lay by him, as he was sinking, we at once shortened canvas and hove-to, to re- pair damages and pick up his cre\^. We kept our torch- es burning to show our position. We were not far from each other. We lost sight of him at three o'clock. I sup- posed that he had sunk, and that his boats would board us. We lay-to till daylight, but saw no more of him. We had no time to ask the name of his ship, nor he ours. At the time of the collision the princess appeared upon the scene. I looked upon her as my evil genius. I never saw a more terrified -looking creature. I was too busy with my crew, who were rather demoralized, as crews sometimes are under such circumstances, to be very courteous in my replies to her. She was ready to leave the ship, and was in the boat. Her fantastic toilet had been forgotten, and she wore only her robe du nuit. She had a pillow under each arm. (Afterwards she told me that she considered feathers as good for lif^-pre- servers as cork, and much lighter.) Nothing could in- duce her to get out of the boat before daylight. I had some blankets thrown over her to keep her from freez- ing. There was very little prophesying from her after this. She attributed her loss of power to the ocean, where the red man never treads. She said she would never cross the sea again. I informed her that perhaps she could find her way back by the way of the North Pole. It would be a cool trip, but the chances of solid 264 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. footing were better there than along the usual route. She did not entirely recover her composure until we ar- rived in the Mersey. Our ship did not present her usual trim appearance. The ice had ahnost cut through her planking, her stem showed hard usage, and her starboard-quarter presented a very dilapidated appearance. But with all our mis- haps the passage was made under fifteen days. About two or three voyages after this I picked up an old Liverpool paper, and in it I read that the ship Eio- genie^ from London to Quebec, had been run into by a large Yankee packet, which would not stop to see what damage had been done, but left all hands to sink with the ship, as it was supposed she would from the hole in her stern. I was so indignant at this false version of the affair that I was going to sue for damages and ex- pose his cowardice in running away from us before daylight, for fear of having his identity discovered and being mulcted in costs. When he found that his damage was above the water-line, and that there was no imme- diate danger of sinking, he squared away, without even asking if we needed any help. I have referred before to the demoralization of the crew. The Liverpool packet sailors were not easily de- moralized. They were the toughest class of men in all respects. They could stand the worst weather, food, and usage, and put up with less sleep, more rum, and harder knocks than any other sailors. They would not sail in any other trade. They had not the slightest idea of morality or honesty, and gratitude was not in them. The dread of the belaying-pin or heaver kept them in TRICKS OF THE " PACKETARIANS." 265 subjection. I tried to humanize these brutal natures as much as possible, but the better they were treated the more trouble my officers had with them. They came on board the ship, winter and summer, with scarcely more than what covered them, and perhaps an empty bag to take ashore at the end of the voyage filled with plunder stolen from those of their unfortunate ship- mates who were on a packet-ship for the first time. The unfortunate ones would not dare tell who stole their clothes, even if they knew. Sometimes I would notice these hard cases getting stouter and stouter until there was not an article of clothing left in the forecastle. Then I would call all hands aft and make them strip to their under - clothing, and mix the clothes in a heap. Then, one by one, those who had been robbed were al- lowed to select what they had lost. The "packeta- rians" came last, and they invariably found themselves reduced to the same toggery in which they boarded the ship. I was outwitted by the rascals once, and could not find where they hid the plunder until, as we were dock- ing, I missed two of them from the capstan. It was not quite light yet, and I slipped down the cabin through the steerage, and up the fore-hatch on the port side for- ward. I found the two men straddling a water-cask and fishing their plunder out of it. It was a queer place to hide clothes, in the water we drank. I had had a large square hole cut in our water -cask instead of a bung-hole, in order to break the ice as it formed in the casks in severely cold weather, for the expansion would have otherwise destroyed them. This trick was never 12 266 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. tried again on tlie Dreadnought. I never rejected a crew, or a part of one, on account of their bad character. I generally found among these men the toughest and best sailors. I frequently had a number of the " Bloody Forties," as they styled themselves, among the crew. These rascals could never be brought to subjection by moral suasion. I SHIP A CREW OF THE '' BLOODY FORTIES." 267 CHAPTER XX. The Mutiny on the Dreadnought. —I get a Crew of the "Bloody Forties." — They have Plotted in Liverpool to "do for" me and take my Ship. — They begin with Insolence. — I Knock one of them Down and Cause him to be put in Irons, whereupon the Mutiny breaks violently out. It fell to my lot to ship a full crew of these pirates, as there happened to be just thirty of them in Liverpool at the same time. Xo remonstrance from my friends could induce me to change my mind. Justice Mansfield used to send me many boys in whom he thought there were some good traits. Instead of send- ing them to jail, he would turn them over to me to make sailors of, and bring out their better nature. Some, I am happy to say, grew up to be excellent officers. The justice manifested much interest when he heard that thirty of the *' Bloodies" were going with me. It was an open secret that I was to be dealt with after a fash- ion of their own. The magistrate informed me through his detectives of a plot that had been agreed upon in Mrs. Riley's den which meant trouble for me. Some of the fellows were a part of the crew on board the Co- lumbia when Captain Bryer was murdered on the voy- age homeward the winter previous. We were anchored in the river ready for sea, waiting for the emigrant offi- cers to clear the ship, when Captain Shomburg, who came on board to give me my clearance, remarked, 268 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. " I never saw such a set of pirates in my life, and ad- vise you not to take them." " Never fear ; I will draw their teeth," said I. Then, addressing the crew, " Men, you know the rules of the ship. Pass by tlie carpenter shop and have the ends of }/our knives broken." " What for ?" they asked. "You heard the order. Obey it." It was done, but not with very good grace, as the grumblings around the shop indicated. The grumblings drew my attention, so I ordered, " Lay aft here, all hands." They came in a sort of dogged, insolent manner. "Men," I said, "you have a right to growl, but let it be in the forecastle, not in the hearing of myself or of- ficers. Obey orders promptly. Don't shamble your feet as you walk, but raise them and move quickly. W hen you are spoken to, answer so as to be heard." " Ay, ay, sir." " 1 noticed you coming aft just now. The saucy man- ner you assumed is insulting, and some of you know it. Finnigan, you and Casey have sailed with me before, and therefore know me. I know you to be the ring- leaders of the Bloody Forties, thirty of whom I see be- fore me now. I know that you have banded youi-selves together, and that you took an oath in Mrs. Riley's den to clip the wings of the bloody old Dreadnought, and give the skipper a swim. You think that the lid of Davy Jones's locker has been open long enough for me. You intend to do as you please, and have your own way on the ship. Now you see that I know, and do not fear A MUTINY IMPENDING. 269 you, but am glad to have such men, as I think I can teach you a lesson that will last you through life. Swee- ney, you and I were together in the Mobile jail. What w^as in me there as a boy is now fully developed in me as a man, but divested of the villanous associations. Now, men, stand where you are while the officers search you for hidden weapons." Afterwards the officers searched the forecastle. ''According to your behavior," I concluded, '^ you shall have watch and watch, and an occasional glass of grog. As I see some of you shivering for the want of it, you shall have one now." After they had finished it they manned the windlass and hove up the anchor. The tug took us as far as Point Lynas. There was a moderate breeze from the south-west, and we stood across the Channel to the Irish shore, then tacked again, and worked down the Channel w^ith a steady royal breeze from the westward. The weather was clear. The next morning, the 12th of July, 1859, at 4 a.m., we tacked ship to the northward. We were then close to St. David's Head, and I gave the order to put the helm down, which the man at the wheel did without re- peating the order. The next order was " hard a-lee," at which time the head sheets should be let go. As this was not done promptly, it nearly caused the ship to mis-stay. The next order, as she slowly came to, was, " Raise tacks and sheets." As she was head to the wind, swinging around, the next order was, "Maintop -sail haul." Then, " Let go and haul." Then, " Haul taut the weather main-brace." 270 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. I tbeu called all hands aft, and the men who were slow in letting go the sheets were sharplj reprimanded, and the man at the wheel who failed to answer when spoken to was told that the next time he neglected this rule of the ship he would be punished. The movements of the men plainly showed that there was trouble brewing, and I cautioned the officers to be very prudent in the management of the crew. The wind backed to the southward, so that the ship luffed up to her course down the Channel. At noon, off Queenstown, while the crew were at dinner, I was walk- ing the quarter-deck watching the course, and noticing that the man at the wheel was not steering steadily, I said, " Steer steady !" He made no reply. "Did you hear me speak to you, sir?" " I am steering steady," he answered, in a sullen man- ner. The impertinent tone of his voice caused me to jump towards him. He attempted to draw his sheath-knife. Seeing my danger, I struck the man, knocking him senseless leeward of the wheel. Wallace, my dog, then took charge of him, and kept his fore paws on his chest. I took the knife from him, and called the officers to handcuft" him. He was then put in the after -house, and locked up. This scene was enacted so quickly that the crew knew nothing of it, except what they heard from the passen- gers immediately after. The second mate took the wheel until two bells, or BREAKING OUT OF THE MUTINY. 271 one o'clock. Orders were given to " Turn to, and haul taut the weather main-brace." The crew came aft to the quarter-deck without any attempt to obey the order, which was repeated. " Why don't you obey the order ?" I asked. " We want Mike let out of irons," was their reply. " From this time, men, you shall see who is master. You have acted so insolently that I see no kind treat- ment on my part will deter you from carrying out the compact made with your pals in Liverpool. For the remainder of the voyage I shall stop your watch and watch, and treat you as you deserve. Again I repeat. Haul taut the weather main-brace. The refusal to obey an order given places you in mutiny." ^Not a man moved. It was a very exciting time. The emigrants had all huddled aft as far as the main- mast — they were not allowed on the quarter-deck — to witness what would happen. I felt as if blood would be shed. With right on my side and might on theirs the contest would appear, unequal. I turned to go into the cabin to arm myself when the crew ran forward. The knife which had been taken away from the man at the wheel had been repointed, which led me to believe that the knives of the rest of the crew had been treated in the same manner, and that mischief was intended. When I came out of the cabin I had on a raglan, to conceal rny weapons. I ordered the emigrants to go below. I went forward, followed by my faithful dog, but unaccompanied by the officers. They were of no possible use except one. The first officer was an old 273 FKOM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. man, the second a coward, the third, Mr. Whitehorn, who had been with me for many years, and was as brave as a lion though small in stature, had taken the wheel, as the man had deserted it to join his ship- mates. I reached the galley door, which was about six feet from the forward end of the house. The passage which I had traversed between the water-cask and the rail was less than five feet wide. I still advanced to the end of the house, when, with a yell like that of demons let loose, the crew rushed at me with their knives. The time had come for me to prove to these men that moral courage was superior to brute force. With a pistol in each hand, pointed at the heads of those nearest to me, and a cutlass at my side, I stood immov- able. The screaming of the women and children below, blended with the noise on deck, beggars all description. Not a man dared to come nearer than about twelve feet from me, knowing that another step forward would seal his doom. My pistol practice had been heard of, and it was well known that with either hand I was a dead shot. The pistols had hair-triggers, and carried each an ounce minie-ball. During a momentary lull, when I could be heard, I said, " Men, you have found your master." Finding that they would not listen to what I had to say I retreated. With a yell they attempted to rush upon me as I was about to turn. Suddenly wheeling again, and pointing my pistols at them, and with a voice that could be heard above the din, I said, " The first man that advances another step dies." AN EXCITING TIME ON BOARD. 273 Then backing through the passage-way as far as the main-hatch, I turned and walked aft. During the afternoon the passengers came to me and requested me to go into Queenstown, which was bear- ing north about eiglit miles. I replied that the ship was bound to 'New York, not Queenstown, and that they need have no fear of their lives. At 6 P.M. I went forward to reason with the men, but it was of no use. The yells and the language they used were the worst I have ever heard. Finnigan bared his breast and dared me to shoot, calling me an outrageous name. For a moment they thought Fin- nigan would be a dead man when I raised my pistol at him point-blank, with hammer uplifted. Finnigan re- ceded a step or two, and a deadly silence prevailed. " You cowardly dog, you shall bite the dust for this," I said. At the same time, taking advantage of the momentary stillness, I called upon the crew to return to their duty. This they refused to do unless I gave them watch and watch. " I am here to command," I replied, " and you to obey my orders. You shall neither eat nor drink until you return to duty." This was met with yells and jeers. "Let's kill the old devil now," they cried. " Stand back, you cowardly villains," I said. " Shoot ! shoot ! shoot !" they yelled. "I would if I feared you. The law gives me the right, but I prefer to teach you a lesson. Perhaps you will come to your senses when you are hungry." 12* 274 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN". " Oil ! we will help ourselves when we d — n please." "I am responsible for the ship and all on board. Any one ^o attempts either to injure or rob I will look upon as a pirate and treat him as such. If one of you attempts to come abaft the main-mast I will blow your brains out." This was met with a brandishing of knives and a vol- ley of oaths. Seeing that no impression could be made upon them, I walked aft. That night the men, fearing that the forecastle would be battened down upon them, set a watch of four, while the others turned m. At midnight we passed Cape Clear, with a six -knot breeze. During the night I walked the deck. The officers relieved one another at the wheel every two hours. There was no sleep for us aft that night. At seven bells the following morning I went forward again to reason with the crew, but the same scene was enacted as on the day before. At noon the breeze freshened, and I ordered, in a voice which could be heard fore and aft, " Take in the royals." The order was met with, " Go to h — !" from forward. The sails were furled, however, by the officers and boys. The wind still freshened, and we headed the ship off to north-north-west. By midnight the ship was tear- ing through the water at the rate of twelve knots, and seeing a heavy squall coming down upon us, we lowered the top-gallant sails to the caps. The sea was making rapidly, and the ship was pitching and burying her fore- castle, filling the lee gangway. The spray from the I ADDRESS THE PASSENGERS. 275 weather bow made a clear breach over us. I never car- ried sails so hard in my life. I had to keep the top-sails set, for had 1 lowered them the after-guard would have been too light to hoist them again. At 4 A.M. the wind moderated, and at 8 a.m. it was nearly calm. We then set the top-gallant sails again. Afterwards I went forward to see what could be done with the men ; but the result was the same as before, except that they said if they got their breakfast they would turn to. " You shall work before you eat," I answered. " D — n you ! then we will help ourselves to the best grub in the ship." At 11 A.M. we exchanged signals with one of the In- man steamers, bound east. At noon we tacked ship to the south-west, and I went forward with the third offi- cer to work tacks and sheets, as the men had threatened to throw any one overboard that came forward on the forecastle. During the day several of the passengers came aft to ask me to give the men something to eat. One or two of the roughest went so far as to say that if the request was not complied with they would supply them them- selves. " I am sorry to see that you sympathize with the mu- tineers," I said. "If they conquer me they will scuttle the ship, after having committed the greatest outrages on those whom you hold most dear ; and at night, while you are asleep, the hatches will be battened down and the ship sunk, while they will take to the boats, expect- ing to be picked up by a passing ship, and making up 2.16 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. sucli stories as have frequently been told — that the ship had sprung a leak and sunk, leaving them the only sur- vivors. The§^ men know now that according to marine laws they have subjected themselves to &ve years in State-prison, and a fine of five thousand dollars. This virtually means imprisonment for life. You see, there- fore, that these men intend to take my life and to es- cape in the boats rather than subject themselves to such penalty. I mean to bring them to subjection through hunger, and I forbid you to give them food or aid them in any way in their mutinous conduct. If you disobey, you are subject to the same penalty to which they are liable. The sympathy you have already shown them has protracted this difficulty ; let me see no more of it. I have now warned you." Except upon two or three, my remarks made a very favorable impression. To these I said, "Understand me. I have the same authority over you that I have crver my crew, and if I see a possibility of your joining them I will put you in irons." One of them defied me to do so, and after a short tus- sle Mr. Whitehorn and I succeeded in putting the irons on him, without any interference from the rest of the passengers, who were ordered to leave the decks and go below. As the sunset was clear, with a nice breeze from the north-west, the sea smooth, and the ship running eight knots on a wind, I went forward again to talk to the men. The result was as before. They demanded watch and watch, and I refused it. However, they appeared in a better frame of mind. MY AUTHORITY UPHELD. 277 "!N^ow, men, hear what I have to say. To all those who will throw their knives overboard and go to work I will forgive this mutinous conduct, except Finnigan, Casey, and Sweeney." The offer was received with yells and howls. I then went aft, and the crew set their watch as before. Fifty-six hours had passed without sleep aft or food forward. This state of things would have to have an ending very soon, and there was not the slightest doubt in my mind that some one would be killed. At 8 P.M. I ordered Mr. Whitehorn to take charge of the deck, and shoot the first man that came abaft the main-mast. I went into the cabin, and passed into the after-steer- age, where the Germans were partitioned off from the other passengers. I addressed them in their own lan- guage. My remarks were the same as those addressed to the other passengers. I pointed out their danger should I be killed. " Germans," I said, " most of you have served in the army, and have the reputation of being brave men. I therefore call upon you to defend your wives and little ones, and join me in quelling tliis mutiny." With a shout they said, " Order us, captain, and we will obey." I was reinforced by seventeen brave fellows. I armed them with iron bars taken from the cargo, and cut in handy lengths. The night was dark, and the time near midnight. All the passengers were below. A death- like stillness prevailed, when suddenly a low growl from Wallace drew our attention to the gangway forward. 278 FROM THP: FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. between the house and rail, where two men were discov- ered crawling aft, close under the rails. I fancied that I saw their knives in their hands. I was standing at the break of the quarter-deck, Mr. Whitehorn was near by. " Shall I shoot r he asked. *' No, there are only two." *' Shall I go down into the cabin and call up the Ger- mans V " ]^o, not now." I waited till the men got aft as far as the capstan, which was about twenty feet from where I stood, when I said, " Move no farther. Stand and throw up your arms, or I will put a bullet through you." The order was obeyed instantly. "Now walk aft and let me see who you are. What do you want ?" " Captain, you said you would forgive any one who joined yon. We are married men, and ask your for- giveness." " All right," I answered. " Throw your knives over- board. Now, one of you take the wheel, but mark me, if I find any treachery you will be the first ones to fall." They were then searched for concealed weapons, but none were found. " Men, what were your motives for joining me ?" " We all took an oath to stand by one another and kill you if you came forward of the house to-night ; and it you did not come forward we were to burst in the gal- ley at eight bells and help ourselves. When Dutch Bill PREPARATIONS FOR QUELLING THE MUTINY. 379 said, ' Boys, we liad better go to work,' he was struck on the head with a serving-mallet by Sweeney, and knocked senseless. He was lying in that condition when we left him to take our watch on deck. Joe and Tom, who are now on deck, are willing to come aft and join you when we call them. If you will trust us four with arms, we will help you to bring the rest to terms." One of these men was sent forward to tell the others to take no notice of what was being done, and not to join ns just yet, but go below as usual, and if asked what had become of the other two men in their watch, to say that they had deserted to join the captain. And at the same time they were told that when I came for- ward in the morning to ask the men to go to work, at the proper moment, when they could be well heard, they were to say, " Well, boys, here goes my knife," and with that to throw their knives overboard. " I will attend to the rest," I said. At five bells the Germans were brought out of the cabin. The pig-pen was placed across the port side as a barricade, and four men were put behind it. The rest were so distributed on the top of the house and else- where as to prevent the crew from surrounding me. The ladders leadino: down the steerao^e were hauled up, and the hatches fastened down, to guard against the steerage passengers joining the crew. At daybreak (seven bells) the two sailors who had the watch forward were to be relieved by four others. Among them were Casey and Sweeney. I had learned from the two men who had jojnecl us aft that the attack 280 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. was to be made on the galley and store-room, in which many of the provisions were kept. At 3.45 A.M. Mr. Whitehorn and I, with Wallace in advance, walked forward on the starboard side, prepared for the encounter. When abreast of the galley, not see- ing any of the men, I said, " Go ahead, Wallace." MY FAITHFUL DOG WARNS ME. 281 CHAPTER XXL My Faithful Dog warns me.— He Flies at the Throat of one Muti- neer, and I Level my Pistol at the Head of Another.— No Sleep Aft and no Food Forward, — Germans to the Rescue.— I order Knives Overboard, and they go Dropping into the Sea. — I Knock the Ringleader into the Forecastle.— The Mutiny is over, and the Men go to Work with a Will. — We part good Friends. When the dog reached the corner of the lionse a deep growl indicated that some one was hidden forward of it. Having learned that Casey and Sweeney were the ones to make the attack, I proceeded cautiously, with pistol in hand, to the edge of the house, when they both jumped from behind it towards me, with arms up- lifted and knives in hand, ready to strike. In an instant I levelled my pistol at Casey, while the dog jumped at Sweeney's throat. Casey, seeing his dan- ger, backed to the forecastle scuttle, while the other two men yelled down the forecastle. "Jump up, boys! We've got liini ! Let's murder him now !" With shouts and oaths they ruslied on deck, deter- mined to finish their w^ork. They had planned during the niglit that some w^ere to go around, while others were to clamber over the house and make an attack on flank and rear. In this movement they were checked, however, by the Germans, who arose from behind their barricade and felled the ringleaders w^ith their iron bars. 283 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. Seeing themselves defeated and me reinforced, they re- treated to the starboard side forward, where I held tliem at bay, with pistol levelled and hammer raised. " Death to the first man who dares advance ! I will give you one moment to throw your knives over- board." Finnigan now spoke up. " You shall be the first to go, you d — d psalm-sing- ing !" "Throw your knives overboard and go to work." " What guarantee shall we have, captain, if we throw our knives overboard, that you will not shoot usf ' asked one of the men. " If I do not fear you armed with knives, I certainly will not unarmed, and to show how little I fear you, I will give my pistols into the custody of any passen- ger you name as soon as I see your knives thrown over- board." "Will you give us watch and watch again, and prom- ise not to prosecute us when we get ashore ?" "I will make no bargain with you. Throw your knives overboard and go to work." " Well, boys, it's no use," said one of the men. " He is too much for us. Here goes mine." With that one knife after the other went spinning overboard to leeward just as the sun w^as rising. A more gratifying sight I never saw than those gleaming- blades dropping into the ocean. After this I discharged my pistols. " Now, men, to let you see that I keep faith with you, name the man who is to take charge of these pistols. SUBMISSION OF THE CREW. 283 Finnigan, you insulted me just now, calling me a coward and other vile names. You are the leader of this gang and the bully of the forecastle. 'Now ask my pardon at once. I never take an insult from any one without re- senting it, and certainly not from a brute like you." " And I never have and never will ask pardon of any man," he answered. The spirit of the muscular Christian seized me for the time, and the blow I dealt him sent him headlong down the forecastle, in front of which he had been standing. " Stand back, men," I said. " Whitehorn, go bring that fellow up." He found him lying at the foot of the ladder, uncon- scious. A rope was tied around him, and he was hauled on deck and placed in charge of the doctor. While Whitehorn was putting the rope around him, he found a knife concealed under his shirt. Upon this I drew my cutlass, and pointing it at Casey and Sweeney, ordered them to throw up their arms, which they did instantly, asking if I meant to kill them now. Mr. Whitehorn searched them at my request, and found, as in Finnigan's case, a bowie-knife on each : one had it under his jumper, and the other had it in his boot. The rest were searched, but nothing was found upon them. " Now, men, let it be understood. You are to jump when you are spoken to, and instead of walking you are to run to obey the orders given. I will treat you as you deserve. The last order I gave you, and which you dis- obeyed, was, ' Haul taut the weather main-brace.' I now repeat it, ' Haul taut the weather main-brace !' '' 284 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. With one voice thej called, " Ay, aj, sir !" and ran to obey. From the way they hauled on that brace, I feared they would spring the yard. " Belay there, men !" 1 sang out ; and then, " Boy, tell the cook to get the men's coffee ready. "Whitehorn, turn the men to holy-stoning decks." By this time Finnigan, under the doctor's care, had re- covered from the effects of the rough handling, and was sitting aft near the break of the poop-deck, where he had been ordered to remain until I came aft. When again asked if he would apologize, he made no reply. I or- dered him bucked, and put into the sweat-box. In less than half an hour he cried out for mercy, and was ready to say or do anything to be let out of Irons. A few minutes afterwards he was brought unshackled to the quarter-deck, where all hands were holy-stoning. " Men, listen to what your recent leader and bully has to say. He would have led you to murder and to the gallows." ^' Captain," he said, " I have had enough. To say this does not make a coward of a man when he has found his master." " This won't do. You must take back your insulting language," I replied. " Well, then, captain, whoever calls you a coward is a d— d liar." "■ Leave out the ' d — d.' You know that swearing is prohibited, and if there is to be any I claim the iirst privilege. Xow down on your knees and holy-stone." *'Ay, ay, sn\" At seven bells all hands were ordered to breakfast. THE SHIP IN WORKING ORDER. 287 At eight bells they turned to again. The order was scarcely given when the men were on deck, scrubbing, stoning, and polishing brasswork with such a will that one would think that when they got through they were to have forty-eight hours' leave of absence on shore and a month's pay, after a year's cruise. The day was lovely. All the emigrants were ordered on deck, and the 'tween-decks thoroughly cleaned and fumigated. At noon the wind backed to the south-west. We tacked ship to the northward, and the way they made the yards fly around was only equalled in the race we had with the clipper-ship LigJdning the winter pre- vious in the Channel. The men were put through a day's work that would make up for lost time. One could hardly realize that a few hours before there had been such a serious time on board. I insisted that the officers should treat the men as though nothing had happened. At seven o'clock (six bells) the men were called aft. " Men,'' I said, " I think we understand each other." ^* Please, captain, make the punishment as light as pos- sible," they replied. The ordinary ship's work w^as carried on for the rest of the voyage without any watch below, and a smarter set of men I never had. My heart was very much softened when several of the crew attended divine wor- ship on Sunday, and they were all allowed a glass of grog before dinner. On a beautiful August morning the Highland lights hove in sight right ahead at four bells, and at the same time we took a pilot on board. At daylight all hands were turned to after they had had 288 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. their coffee, which was always served out at this time in the morning. The order was given to reeve the signal halyards fore and aft, which was instantly obeyed, al- though the men might expect that the signals were to be set for assistance. I had told them at the height of the mutiny that they could not hope to escape punishment, as I would run up the signals for the Harriet Lane Kev- enue cutter. Signals were run up, but not such ones as the men had expected. All hands were ordered into the forecastle, where I joined them with the ship's ar- ticles. I told them that I had come to say a few words to them. I then reviewed a part of my forecastle life. I told them how I had been as they were, a prey to the sharks ashore — how I had been drugged, bought, sold, and robbed. I begged them to break the chains that bound them to the depraved life they were leading, and assert the manhood God had given them for a better purpose than to be the slaves of boarding-house keepers and crimps. I told them there was no reason why they should not become officers, captains, or merchants, and drew a picture of a home life with wives and children which I set in contrast with another dark picture show- ing the end that would overtake them if they gave way to their unbridled passions. " And now," I said, " I for- give you as freely for what has passed as I hope to be forgiven in tlie world to come. I beg you to repent your past sins, and pray to God to give you a new life." I ended with a prayer which brought tears to the eyes of most of these hardened men. " I leave with you,'' said I, " the ship's articles which you have signed, or had signed for you. On the back I TENDER SOME ADVICE. 289 of these are the marine laws, wherein you will see the penalty you have subjected yourselves to. I have one request to make, which is that you will not leave the ship until she is moored to the dock with rigging stopped up, and you have received from me yourselves what lit- tle pay there is due you. I want you to do this instead of deserting the ship in the usual fashion, and allowing the landlords or the sailor lawyers to collect your money. They generally cheat you out of most of it. I know you will do this, to show me that you mean to lead bet- ter lives, and by so doing you will convince me that my forbearance has taught you a lesson of repentance. If what has happened has been the means of converting all or any of you, I shall feel that this has been the most fortunate voyage of my life." I then went aft. A short time afterwards Finnigan, who had been the ringleader, brought the articles to me, saying that he had come to return them and, in behalf of the crew, to thank me for my forbearance. He had the most to be thankful for, he said. He declared that they would do all I asked them, and would try to be better men. Abreast of the light-ship we were taken in tow by the tug. We furled the sails, and squared everything man-of-war fashion. At ten o'clock we arrived at quar- antine, and were passed by the doctor. We discharged our passengers in barges, to be taken to Castle Garden. During the short time the ship was detained at quaran- tine the news of the mutiny had spread all over the city like wildfire, and by the time we were moored at the dock we were besieged by all the runners and sailor thieves in New York, expecting to see a row, in which 13 290 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. thej were quite ready to take a hand. These villains had no love for me, whom they considered their natural enemy, standing between them and their prey. Much to their astonishment, the men, instead of deserting in the usual way by jumping to the wharf or overboard, prevented the runners from coming on board. It would be impossible to describe the taunts and jeers of these rascals at what they called the cowardice of the crew in not daring to come ashore without liberty. They sug- gested among other things that I must have licked the whole lot of them. No attention was paid to these jeers by the crew, who were stowing away hawsers, sweeping decks, and giving the brasswork an extra polish. I paid the men off in the cabin. When about half were paid, the Kangaroo^ of the Inman line, left the dock above us for Liverpool. Our men on deck called to those in the cabin to come up and give her three cheers. This was done with a will, and her crew with equal heartiness returned three cheers for the " bully Dread- nought^'* whereupon our men gave three cheers for me. I finished paying off the crew. When everything was ship-shape alow and aloft the men took their seats on the spars, evidently waiting for something. This being reported to me, I went on deck and walked to the capstan, where the men surrounded me, with their hats in their hands, each urging the other to speak. Under- standing that they wanted to make a speech, I said, " I think 1 know what you wish to say. Your actions speak plainer than words. Let me say that 1 would trust any of you hereafter with my life. I never had or expect to have a better set of sailors with me. The THE CREW AND I PART GOOD FRIENDS. 291 moral lesson wliicli God has given me the privilege to teach you I know will make you better men. When I am ready to go to sea again, if any of you want to ship I shall be glad to take you." This was met with three rousinof cheers for "the wild boat of the Atlantic." They expressed their willingness to sail to the ends of the world, or to h — 1, with me. I wished them good-by, and expressed the hope that they would find their wives, children, and friends as well as they could wish them to be. With a "God bless you, captain," they left the ship. Superintendent Kennedy with a posse of police ar- rived on the scene just in time to clear the docks and ask what was the matter. Mr. Ogden, the ship's agent, had sent him word that the crew, aided by the runners, had attacked the officers and myself. "There has been a mistake, Kennedy," I said. "As you see, the crew are going ashore very peaceably." " What about the mutiny ? Shall I arrest the men f ' "No. I would ship them to-morrow, if I wanted a crew." Poor Jack has a hard enough time at the best of it. He is a prey to plunderers ashore, and the sport and plaything of the wild elements of the deep, and lie is at the mercy of officers who are too often ready to exert to a tyrannous extent the authority they possess. It is little wonder that his heart should be warped at times until it seemed to be almost dead in his bosom. But let us remember that a little kindness and consideration, joined with firm justice on the part of his superiors, will often melt that obdurate nature, and make that heart full and warm again. FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. CHAPTER XXII. A Hurricane in the "Devil's Blow-hole." — We are boarded by an immense Sea. — I am twice knocked Senseless, and my Leg is broken.— We lose our Rudder, and are obliged to make for Fayal. — My Leg finds a Doctor after fourteen Days, but is not made sound for many Mouths. Three years after the mutiny I resolved to sliip a colored crew. They did very well during the summer months, but in cold, stormy weatlier they were worth- less. It was difficult to keep them from freezing. They would shrink into themselves so that their jackets would have to be opened to ascertain if they contained human beings. I was sorry for the poor wretches, but in order to keep their blood in circulation, and to prevent them from falling asleep and freezing while on duty, it was necessary for one of the officers to trot them around the decks and stimulate them by a piece of ratline stuff. Each man was supplied with a piece, to urge the one ahead of him to a sharper run ; the officer brought up the rear. This may appear to be cruel treatment, but it is not so cruel as it would have been to let them freeze their fingers and toes. February I consider one of the worst months for the mariner bound to the westward. It was my misfortune to be cauo^ht workiner throuo^h the "Devil's Blow-hole" in this season. The locality received its name by the unanimous consent of the Atlantic sailors. The storm A HURRICANE IN THE " DEVIL'S BLOW-HOLE." 293 centre of this place is about in latitude 45°, and longi- tude 45°. We were reaching to the north-west. The weather and barometer indicated a storm, which was also foretold by a heavy sea from the westward. At noon our sails were reduced to double-reefs. The sun was obscured, and the screeching of the wild sea-fowls that flitted under our lee, as though in dread of the coming tempest, warned me, as it does all mariners, to look to spars and sails. The packet-ships carried or dragged the latter as long as they could stand it, and never took them in until the storm was upon them ; hence the extraordinary time these vessels made. At 4 P.M. we were compelled to close-reef the top-sails and furl the main-sail. This was the smallest canvas the Dreadnought had ever been brought under. As I had built her for hard usage, and to make a reputation for herself and me, I intended that she should do her duty or that we both should sink. I had never hove her to, and when the wind would let us lay our course double- reefs was the least canvas we showed. For this reason the sailors called her " the wild boat of the Atlantic." She was the packet of fame, immortalized in song by the poet of the forecastle. The gale steadily increased in fury. The night was a very long one. I was wishing for daylight to put her on the starboard tack. The sea was too heavy to at- tempt to wear her in the darkness. When the day dawned all hands were called to wear ship and shorten sail. The mizzen-top sail was furled, after an hour's work. The hail, rain, and spray were blinding. Watching an opportunity, we put our helm up. The men were by 294 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIX. the braces. The clew-lashings were taken off the fore- top sail. (The clews of the top-sail w^ere always lashed to the lower yards.) With the helm put hard up, and main-yards rounded in, her head fell off before the wind and sea without accident. The foresail and foretop sail were ordered clewed up. This evolution was slowly executed, and as the ship was now flying before the wind and sea in the di- rection opposite to that in which we were bound, 1 sent for the third officer to watch the steering of the ship, while I went forward to see the sails prop- erly handled. After the foresail was furled, and wliile the men were furling the top-sail, 1 ordered the chief officer aft with the boys to point the yards, while I slacked away the weather - braces, so that everything should be ready, when the men came down from aloft, to brace up the main-yard, and heave the Dreadnought to for the lirst time. The violence of the wind may be imagined w^hen I say that it required my whole strength to work my w^ay along the pin-rail aft to the head-braces, which I slacked away. Up to this time the ship had been well steered, and went along dry, but suddenly I felt her take a careen to port. Looking aft I saw an immense sea coming down on our weather-quarter. 1 knew it would board us and sweep the decks. I motioned to the men at the wheel to put the helm up, but they became frightened and put it the wrong way before the officer could reach it. I had called to the boys to run forward and save themselves, w^hile I secured myself under the weather-rail, holding on to a couple of iron belaying-pins, and straddling the spare DISABLED DURING THE STORM. 295 fore-yard. I thought myself safe. I felt the shock to the ship as the sea came rushing over and burying her. I was swept away by its irresistible force ; as the tor- nado sweeps the prairie, I was buried under water, and felt myself being washed overboard. My arms were extended, and my hands ready to clutch what might come in my way. My presence of mind did not for- sake me until my head came in violent contact with some hard substance. The blow rendered me uncon- scious. When my senses returned I found myself un- der water, with my head jammed under a spar, and my body swaying to and fro with the sea. I closed my mouth to keep from drowning. I was certain that I was still on the ship, and that the crew would soon reach me. I could hold my breath no longer, and felt myself drowning, when a lurch of the ship lessened the water where I lay, and allowed the spar to settle on its bed with sufficient force to knock me again senseless. After regaining consciousness, I found myself hanging over the lee-rail, which was on a- level with the sea. My head and arms were hanging outboard, while the lower part of my body and legs were in the water inboard. The cries from the men, women, and children, who thought the ship was sinking, were heart-rending. The sea, in the trough of which we lay with maintop- sail aback, swept over us as it does over a half-tide rock. Taking in the situation, I looked for assistance ; I was too much exhausted to help myself. I saw no one near me. The sea had stove in the hatches, down which it was pouring, and some of the spars had broken from their lashings. I raised my body on the rail, to prevent 296 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. myself from being crushed by the floating spars. My left leg I succeeded in raising, but the right one was powerless ; it was broken. I was bleeding from a scalp wound. My left wrist was injured and useless, and I- was so exhausted that death had no terror for me. A lee lurch of the ship once more brought the monkey- rail on a level with the sea, when I let go my hold from sheer w^eakness, to give my body to the deep. I thought my time had come. My whole life passed before me with the rapidity of a lightning flash, and I saw the fin- ger of the Great Creator pointed in anger at my mis- deeds. That I had fallen from grace I was aware. I was uttering, as I thouglit, my last prayer — " Into thy hands, O God, I commit myself. O Clirist! hear and save me, before I am swallowed up in the deep." It might be called the passing fancies of a disordered brain, or the rambling of one who dreams, if I noted here just what I felt and saw at that time ; but this fact was ap- parent to all on board, that after my prayers, which had been heard, a weather-roll saved me from falling over- board. In the midst of the storm there was a lull. The water left the deck, and the crew carried me below. While being carried aft, I ordered some one to take the wheel, which had been deserted, or we should lose the rudder. When I was taken into the cabin, it presented a sad appearance. The skyliglit had been stove in, and the water had poured in through it until it covered the floor a foot deep. More dead than alive, I was laid upon a sofa in my state-room. My clothes were stripped off, and when my right boot and trousers had been split PREPARING FOR A SURGICAL OPERATION. 297 down, my leg below tlie knee revealed a compound oblique fracture, with tlie skin broken on tlie inner side. There was no doubt that the femoral artery was punct- ured ; it was apparent from the bright scarlet color of the blood, which I was losing very fast. With my re- maining strength I ordered a tourniquet applied till I could recover myself, which I did after a few minutes, aided by a stimulant. I felt that the hand of God which had snatched me from the deep would not be withdrawn from me now. We had no physician on board this voy- age, and no one who knew how to set a leg. I therefore undertook the task myself, aided by my purser and a couple of men. After a fruitless attempt we abandoned the idea of setting it. Our ignorance on the subject was not enlightened by any rules laid down for such contin- gencies in the medical books that usually accompany the ship's medicine-chest. We tried to force the bones into place while the leg was extended ; we did not know that bending the knee would have relaxed the muscles, so that the strength of a child would have sufficed to do what was required. After an ineffectual attempt by three strong men to pull the limb into place, I became so exhausted that they desisted. I asked to have the compress applied, to give me time to collect myself; then I decided upon amputation. Life was ebbing fast, and now was the time to act before I became too weak. I had the tourniquet twisted tight, and the knife laid ready for use. It was necessary for me to perform the operation, as no one else would undertake it. I gave instructions for the taking up of the arteries, in case I became too weak to attend to them. Everything de- 13* 298 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. pended upon nerve. I felt tliat it was better to die in making the attempt than to die without making it. At this juncture the second officer, in whom I had mucli confidence, came below, and said that, as he had had some hospital practice, he could bandage the limb to stop the bleeding. He begged me not to amputate it. He said he had fallen from the maintop-gallant yard of tlie ship Benjamin Adams and broken both legs, which he showed me were as crooked as ram's horns. He said that we were in the track of the steamers, which always carried surgeons, and might fall in with one at any time. The weather was moderating, and we might soon have a chance to get the leg properly set. I took his advice, and was made as comfortable as wet bedding would allow. Everything was saturated with sea-water. My leg was laid in a Y-shaped box, while I was wedged on the sofa, to keep from rolling. My worst fears were now realized. We lost our rud- der, and were left to the mercy of the waves without the power to guide ourselves. Night set in without our meeting any vessels. The wind and sea moder- ated, and finally became calm. The ship, which liad Oeen heading southward, was turned to north by the motion of the sea. The morning sun rose with a light breeze from the west. I sent for the carpenter. I did not know that he had been killed by the sea the day previous. His death had been purposely concealed from me. I wished to instruct him how to fit a jury- rudder. His loss at this juncture was doubly great. I gave the instructions to others, and at the same time gave orders to get the ship on the southward tack for ATTEMPT TO RIG A JURY-RUDDER. 299 Fayal, for which place the wind was a leading one, and the distance being about three hundred and sixty miles. Every attempt to turn the sliip by the use of drags ended in failure. My inability to be on deck worried me so that inflammation showed itself in my leg. An- otlier day passed and we did not see a sail. At mid- night the jury-rudder was ready to be shipped. Tackles were hooked on to its head and heel from the fore and main yards, the chief mate attending to the after end, and the second officer to the fore. It had scarcely been hoisted over the rail when the straps parted and the whole apparatus dropped overboard and was lost. This nearly drove me frantic. Four days passed. Sleep was a stranger to me ; narcotics seemed to excite instead of quieting me. My diet was tea and toast, instead of the nourishing food which I should have taken to sustain me. My leg was kept cool by constant applications of cold cloths. I had excellent nursing from the steward- ess, and from the purser. The latter had been with me on several voyages, and I had taught him some naviga- tion. He could mark the ship's position, and bring it to me for verification. On the fifth morning a French ship hove in sight, bound east. She answered our signals of distress by sending her boat along-side with the chief officer. They had no doctor on board. I could not prevail upon him to undertake to tow us in, nor could he induce me to leave the ship, although he expected to be in Bordeaux in four days. He kindly agreed to take a hawser from ns, and turn our ship's head to the southward, when, 300 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABl>r. with sails properly trimmed, we could make towards Fayal while building a second rudder. From nine o'clock in the morning until three in the afternoon we undertook to run him a line, but in vain. There is no doubt that this was bad seamanship, for at times the Frenchman would pass so close to our jib- boom that a man could have jumped on board. I sent for the second mate and our herculean boatswain, and ordered the former to take charge of the ship, and the latter to support him. I had no confidence in my first ofiicer. My whole trouble I believed had been caused by his incompetency. It had occurred through his fail- ure to have the sails properly handled, which made it necessary for me to leave the quarter-deck. The boat- swain went into the boat with a fresh crew and reached the French ship while the second mate paid out the line, to which a hawser was attached. The Frenchman at once hauled in, when by some chance the hawser kinked, and the line parted. The excitement of the day was almost too much for me. Night was closing in fast. The Frenchman sent his boat along-side with his compliments, and said that he regretted to leave me, but could waste no more time. He urged me once more to go on board his ship. I wrote letters home, and to our agents in New York and Liverpool. To the latter 1 sent for Mr. Bursley, who I knew was due at Liverpool. I gave the letters to the Frenchman to post. After thanking him we parted, he with the happy thought that he would soon reach home and expectant ones, while I suffered the torments of hell. Inflammation had attacked my leg, I believe, ARRIVAL AT FAYAL. 301 through my sheer worry at finding myself so utterly helpless. But my suffering was my second thought; my first was how to get the ship into Fayal. The wind was still fresh from the westward, with a smooth sea. Another jury -rudder had been begun. During the first watch I decided to back her towards the island until the rudder was built. I sent for the second officer, who had charge of the deck, to instruct him to back the yards, trim and furl such head-sails as the occasion required, and give her a steady sternboard. This was successful, and we backed on a southerly course at the average of three and a half knots an hour, for by observation we found that we had made one hundred and eighty- three miles in fifty- two hours. Then the wind died away, and the sea became smooth, giving us an excellent opportunity to ship the rudder, which was successfully done. Again a light wind favored us from the westward, and continued until we arrived at the island on the evening of the fourteenth day after the accident. I was more dead than alive. My leg was in a shock- ing condition, my body w^as covered with bed sores, and my face was shrunken almost beyond recognition. As soon as we anchored in the roadstead, Mr. Samuel Dab- ney came along-side, with the assuring words, which I could hear through my open side-light, that the quaran- tine laws forbade boarding after sundown, but that he would come on board in the morning with a doctor and take me ashore. It seemed to me, I think, the longest night since the accident. My strength was entirely gone. I had not slept during the entire fourteen days ; 302 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. at least, I had never lost consciousness of my pain or been free of mental anxiety. My anxiety was for the safety of the ship, and on account of the enormous cost that would be incurred in repairing her. There being no dry dock here, she would have to be hove down, which would necessitate discharging the cargo, and disman- tling. Moreover, there was the cost of maintaining or forwarding the passengers, gold being at a premium of 280. I felt there would be little left of the ship after her debts were paid. But I matured a plan to avoid this enormous cost, should I live to get ashore to have it executed. Early next morning I was placed on a stretcher, sided a foot high, and taken to the gangway, where a wdiip from the main-yard lowered me over the side. The wails of the warm-hearted emigrants, as they looked upon my emaciated form, were heart-rending. They never expected to see me alive again. Mr. Dabney was along-side as soon as the authorities permitted, and su- perintended my landing, which was accomplished with much difficulty, as there was a high sea and wind. On landing, I at once felt myself among friends. I had pulled my cap over my face to hide it from the curious eyes of the Portuguese. Presently I felt my hand taken as if by the hand of an angel, and heard the comforting words that Christ would deliver me. I raised my cap, and opened my eyes upon a countenance so benign and loving, that my spirits received fresh impetus in the struggle for life. 1 was looking at a face that I shall never forget. It was the face of Mr. Dabney, our consul, better known KIND TREATMENT ON SHORE. 303 as the philanthropist of the island, for his many virtues, his even - handed justice, and liis care of the sick and needy. I received such care and sympathy from him and his family as seldom falls to the lot of man at the hands of a stranger. My stretcher was slung upon a bamboo, and so carried on the shoulders of natives to the hotel. Captain Wins- low, with his first-lieutenant, Mr. Thornton, were on the island waiting to take command of the Kearsarge upon lier arrival. There were also Captain and Mrs. Gray, and all these, with an American dentist and his wife, made quite an American colony. They vied with one another in their attempts to alleviate ray suffering. Un- der such treatment I gained strength so rapidly that in two weeks I was ready to be operated upon. The doc- tors, two in number (one a native, the other a foreigner, who had come to the island twenty years before and had never been off it afterwards), were the only medical men in Fayal, or its neighbor, the island of Pico, with their sixty thousand inhabitants. They knew little of modern surgical practice, and amputation was their hobby ; but when they proposed to try their skill on me, I objected to being dismembered, for a one-legged sailor is doomed to shore service, though a one-armed one with a steel auxiliary is sometimes seen on ship- board. Amputation was too often resorted to unneces- sarily in former times, but now our home surgeons pride themselves in saving instead of cutting off a limb, and in their skill they lead the world ; to this I bear testimony. The day after our arrival it was decided by a survey, composed of the various underwriters' agents, that as 304 FROM. THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. tlie ship had lost her rudder-braces with the rudder, in order to replace these she would have to be stripped and hove down. I could not accept this proposition, and suggested that the ship should be trimmed bj the head to bring her stern-post out as much as possible, when there could be fitted to it a cradle consisting of two flat iron bars on each side, held in position by iron braces, to receive the rudder. The upper part could be bolted to the stern - post, and the lower lield in position by chains brought into the quarter - chocks. The rudder might be five feet shorter on the foot than the old one. This was the plan I had conceived, and was determined to have carried out to save the enormous expense and delay. Mr. Dabney was the only one of the agents who agreed with me that this could be done, and he also had it executed against the protests of the agents, who de- clared that the ship would not be sea-wortliy. I said that I would assume the responsibility, as I intended to go home in the ship. Some ship-masters are too ready to take advice from underwriters' agents in foreign ports, and to shift their responsibility upon otliers. They also make a sad mistake when they give up the command of their ships to pilots. The pilot's duty is only to indi- cate the courses to be steered ; but he obligingly takes command if the captain desires it. The fitting to a ship's stern of such an apparatus as I have described was the first work of the kind. This was acknowledged by the underwriters, as well as by Mr. Dabney, who waived his commission in my favor, in a handsome letter to my associate owners. This doc- ument is preserved as an lieirloom in my family. NOVEL KIND OF BONESETTING. . 305 On the fourteenth day, as before stated, I was ready for the doctor to draw my leg, which was two inches shorter than the other, into position. The bedstead was secured by shores and braces, head and foot. My thigh was fastened by a sheet to the headpost, and my foot secured by a towel to a tackle hooked to a strap, which was held by a beam outside the window-casement. Chlo- roform was applied, and three of my sailors hauled upon the tackle. This was the kind of bonesetting practised upon me, nor was I any more skilfully treated later on. A part of my heel had to be taken off on account of gangrene. In dressing the heel the leg was allowed to drop out of position, when the muscles drew it up and forced a point of bone through the flesh in front. It looked like a large front tooth. This, after what I had suffered in the last forty days, nearly deprived me of my courage. We were, however, in constant expectation of the arrival of the Kearsarge, which, I knew, had a skil- ful American surgeon on board, and he, I thought, would set my leg properly. But when she did arrive, all the surgeon was ready to do for me, in the condition I was in, was to amputate. This I would not listen to, and he advised me, as my ship was nearly ready, to go home, for another month of such treatment as I had receivedy he declared, would kill me. He packed my leg, and I was put on board the ship, after being ashore fifty-two days. Mr. Dabney sent his son-in-law with me as a companion, and, with the ship in charge of Mr. Bursley, we arrived safely in ISTew York. Dr. Ayers, of Brooklyn, and Dr. Stone, of Kew York, immediately operated upon me. They cut off part of- 306 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. the bone which had been exposed, placed it in position, and held it by wire passed through holes bored in the bones and lashed. Mj convalescence was slow, and I was not out of bed till J^ovember. Twenty-three years have since passed, and my leg is, strange to say, as long as its fellow, and just as strong, nor has it ever been affected by changes in the weather. The Achilles ten- don has somewhat too close a hold npon the heel, which causes me at times to limp, but the limp is so slight as to be hardly perceptible. I hope that I have not tired the reader with this his- tory of a broken leg. I have presented it as affording an illustration of the endurance of which the human body is capable when it has a firm will-power to fall back upon. Before I close this volume I will relate an incident w^iich occurred during my stay at Fayal. The Rebel- lion had assumed such gigantic proportions that the world believed our country would be severed. Lieuten- ant Thornton was at my bedside, listening to Mr. Dab- ney relate the heroic deeds of the late Commodore Eeed, commander of the privateer General Arinstrong^ in the battle against the British fleet in the harbor of Fayal. No nation records its parallel. During this recital news was brought that a suspicious craft, which had made her appearance in the afternoon, and was supposed to be the Alabama^ was nearing the anchorage. Thornton had been in a terrible state of excitement all the afternoon because, after obtaining my consent, he was not allowed by Captain Winslow to take our boats and crew of black men, well armed, to surprise and capture the stranger INSIGNIFICANCE OF OUR NAVAL POWER. 307 that night. Winslow would not allow the attempt to be made, through fear of offending the Portuguese Gov- ernment. 1 relate this incident chiefly for the benefit of our Washington law -makers, who look with indifference npon the loss of our navj and the brave men who played such a prominent part on the seas in 1776-1812, 1861-65. But for these heroes, whose nursery was our mercantile marine, this nation of freemen and free government would not now be in existence. Through this indiffer- ence our naval power has sunk below that of the smallest nation on the globe. Once our emblem floated from the mast-heads of vessels seen in every sea, bay, and har- bor ; and now, what are we ^ One of the great nations of earth, at the mercy of the least of nations in case of war. We have been too much absorbed in the interior development of our country and in money - making. The making of money has brought with it such luxuri- ous modes of living that if war were to come upon us we would find ourselves as enervated as the Romans were when their empire tottered around them. British gold is playing the same prominent part in Washington now that it played in the days of Benedict Arnold. The loudest clamorers for free ships are from those who never raised their arms in battle for our country. 'No sailor who loves his country and flag will encourage an enemy who took such mean advantage in our struggle for life as to allow freebooters to leave his harbors and prey upon our defenceless shipping. The destruction of our commerce through her treachery has given to England supremacy on the seas. Fie upon the coward 308 FROM THE FORECASTLE TO THE CABIN. who says we can't build ships equal to hers, and asks for permission to buy her ships. I saj truthfully that we have taught our mother country many lessons in the arts of war and in science. It is not for the American mind to retrograde and to look across the ocean for an inspiration. THE END. VOYAGES OF A MERCHANT NAVlGATOIl Of the Days that are Past. Compiled from the Jour- nals and Letters of the late Kichard J. Cleveland. By H. W. S. Cleveland. With Portrait, pp. x., 246. 12mo, Cloth, $1 25. A volume of the highest interest. It is not only authentic historical material concerning a most important epocli ; it is a thrilling and fasci- nating romance, and a portrayal of character which forces admiration and deiiglit, ... A story of human achievement that reads like a fairy tale. — N. Y. Commercial Advertise)'. , The part taken by Salem in the revolution, and the incidents of a suc- cessful commercial career, are here pictured with a graphic pen, showing that if truth is not stranger than fiction, it is at least as full of all that can kindle the imagination, please the fancy, and instruct the heart. — -A^. Y. Journal of Commerce. The volume is exceedingly entertaining, and a valuable addition to the maritime history of the country. — Albany Press. These pages presented by a filial hand, with the rich charm of simplic- ity and the added beauty of truth, will command wide attention from every class in the country. . . . They disclose the hardy and adventuious spirit, the skill and principle that made the struggle for freedom successful. We hope not only that every adult will ponder the story here presented, but that every boy may also find it among his reading. It will certainly aid both character and the American instinct. — Hartford Post For all who would learn the character of our American merchants and seamen in the early days of tbis century, this book will possess a wonder- ful interest. ... A story which has all the elements of romance. . . . The style in which the work is given merits the highest commendation for its simplicity and tender, filial expression. . . . Fathers who wish to show their boys of what stuff the American seaman and merchant was made in former days, can do no better than to buy this biography, for their own reading first, and then for handing over to the younger members of the household. — Christian Intelligencer^ N. Y. The subject of this memoir was a merchant seaman, but a bold and en- terprising one, and at a time when a long voyage, half round the world, Avas a very different thing from what it is now. The book is made up chiefly of his own journals and letters, and is in that way made to rep- resent so much the more vividly his, in some respects, striking individual- ity. It is a very interesting book, and a good one for a young man to read. — The Sta7\dard^ Chicago. ( All who have learned to feel that happiness or pleasure merely is bound to no man, but highest reward in this life is to be found in the patient pursuit of duty, the quiet achievement of which alone brings satisfaction and good cheer, will find their spirits refreshed by this book. — Living Churchy Chicago. Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. t^e~ The above work sent by mail, pontage prepaid, to any part of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price. A TRAMP TRIP. How to See Europe on Fifty Cents a Bay. By Lee Meriwether, pp. 276. 12mo, Cloth, $1 25. " Travelling afoot, and determined to see the people and country face to face at the least possible cost, his movements are free and full of in- cident, and they are described with a crisp minuteness, seasoned with gay or quiet humor, that is very engaging. The story throughout is fresh, piquant, and animated. To see how the common people live, to be ad- mitted to the houses of the peasantry, to have some hair-breadth escapes, some amusing adventures, and some rather embarrassing experiences, were all included in the "Tramp Trip.' The tramp extended over Italy, Switzerhmd, Bavaria, Prussia, Austria, Hungary, Servia, Bulgaria, Turkey in Europe, and Russia, and is brimful of brief and novel sketciies of the people of those countries, and of their characteristic, social, industrial, and other features." Any one who wishes a merry tramp trip from New York to the Bos- porus, and who would have for a companion a rollicking, jovial young gentleman of quick wit, keen appreciation of the ludicrous, much self- possession and native common-sense, will do well to buy this book and join Mr. Meriwether in his interesting rambles. He will not be likely to find himself often in gilded saloons, or have the chance to hob-nob with bloated aristocrats. But he will be given such a picture of low life as he will, perhaps, never otherwise obtain, unless (which is very urdikely) he should take it into his head to undergo Mr. Meriwether's experiences. . . . That Mr. Meriwether has the power of graphic description will be evident to all who read his account of his midnight visit to Vesuvius; and no one will be likely to forget his jovial audacity who follows him while at Rome into the "gallery of skulls and bones." — Brooklyn Union. The book is most excellently written as by a man to men ; there is no aiming at effect, but the effect is present. The reading is a treat no one should deny himself. — llie Evening Post, Hartford. It contains a great deal of interesting matter about topics not found in ordinary books of travel. — Christian Advocate, St. Louis. Since Bayard Taylor's " Views Afoot," there has not been a more novel record of European travel than "A Tramp Trip." . . . The book is a rec- ord of amusing and interesting adventures. — N. Y. Evening Post. Mr. Meriwether went abroad to collect facts for the United States Bu- reau of Statistics about the income and expenses of the European work- ing-men. The results of his investigations are contained in his report to tiie Bureau. This book gives his personal experience> and au interesting narrative it is. — iV. Y. Sun. Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. U^T' The above work sent by mail, pontage prepaid., to any part of the United Sta'es or Canada, on receipt of the price,. THEIR PILGRIMAGE. By Charles Dudley Warner. Richly Illustrated by C. S. Reinhart. pp. viii., 364. 8vo, Half Leather, $2 00. For pleasant and truthful description of most of the celebrated water- ing-places of this country, for vivacity and humor in the portraiture of people and their ways, and for downright interest as a story, the book has had no equal this year. — Observer, N. Y. No more entertaining travelling companions for a tour of pleasure re- sorts could be wished for than those who in Mr. Warner's pages chat and laugh, and skim the cream of all the enjoyment to be found from Mount Washington to the Sulphur Springs. . .'. His pen-i)ictures of the charac- ters typical of eacii resort, of the manner of life followed at each, of the humor and absurdities peculiar to Saratoga, or Newport, or Bar Harbor, as the case may be, are as good-natured as they are clever. The satire, when tliere is any, is of the mildest, and the general tone is that of one glad to look on the brightest side of the cheerful, pleasure-seeking world with whicli he mingles. ... In Mr. Reinhart the author has an assistant who has done with his pencil almost exactly what Mr. Warner has accom- plished with his pen. His drawings are spirited, catch with wonderful success the tone and costume of each place visited, and abound in good- natured fun. — (Jhrintian Vniofi, N. Y. Warner alone is good, humorous, and funny; but Warner and Reinhart combined must have the palm. . . . Human nature is most deiiciously set off by Mr. Warner's skilful pen and Mr. Reinhart's dexterous pencil.— Boston Advertiser. The watering-places are all exquisitely touched with the life which they represent, and the pictures will stand for an accurate exposition of the social features of our American homes at the sea-side or at the mount- ains. The writing is in Mr. Warner's best vein. It is not intentionally humorous, neither is it forgetful of that quality. The characteristic of the l)ook is that it delights the reader. ... It is entertaining in the high- est degree as a treatment of American society, and this is what it was in- tended to be. The illustrations are- a notable feature of the work. — Boston Herald. Mr. Reinhart's spirited and realistic illustrations are very attractive, and contribute to make an unusually handsome book. We have already commented upon the earlier cliapters of the text; and the happy blend- ing of travel and fiction which we looked forward to with confidence did, in fact, distinguisli this story among the serials of the year. The appear- ance of the complete work allows one to appreciate better the wide area and the marked diversity of scene traversed. — N. Y. Evening Post. Nobody will question that Mr. Warner has seen with his own eyes every landscape, every stretch of beach, every hotel piazza and dining- room, every skirt and whisker which in this book he describes. There is an intense life-likeness to it all, like that of the stereograph; the figures are as real as the places; the characters are more than types; they even will recognize themselves. . . . The author's humor is a constant quality. His good-nature is contagious. His companion artist is in sympathy with him. — Literary World, Boston. Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. '^ The above work sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price. W. CLARK RUSSELL'S NOVELS, The sea and seamen have never been so well described. . . . The author has done for the merchant-sailor what Marryat did for the man-o'-war's man. . . . If Dana and Defoe had written together they could not have produced anytliiiig better.— Vanity Fair, London. A novel by Mr. Clark Russell cannot fail to reach the strongest inter- est, and to be ciiaracterized by the genius of one who, beyond all writers, understands sailors and the sea. — The Graphic, London. As a writer on all subjects connected with the sea and those who live on it, he is without a rival. — Morning Tbsi, London. Those bewitching narratives of the sea, by which Mr. Clark Russell sets us all longing to be afloat.— CoMri Journal, London. A SAILOR'S SWEETHEART. 4to, Paper, 15 cents. A SEA QUEEN. 16mo, Cloth, $1 00; 4to, Paper, 20 cents. A STRANGE VOYAGE. 4to, Paper, 20 cents. A VOYAGE TO TilE CAPE. 12rao, Paper, 25 cents. AN OCEAN FREE-LANCE. 4to, Paper, 20 cents. AULD LANG SYNE. 4to, Paper, 10 cents. IN THE MIDDLE WATCH. 16mo, Paper, 25 cents. JACK'S COURTSHIP. 16mo, Half Bound, 15 cents; 4to, Paper, 25 cents. JOHN HOLDSWORTH, CHIEF MATE. 4to, Paper, 20 cts. LITTLE LOO. 4to, Paper, 20 cents. MY WATCH BELOW. 4to, Paper, 20 cents. ON THE FO'K'SLE HEAD. 4 to. Paper, 15 cents. ROUND THE GALLEY-FIRE. 4to, Paper, 16 cents. THE " LADY MAUD." Illustrated. 4to, Paper, 20 cents. THE WRECK OF THE '' GROSVENOR." 8vo, Paper, 30 cents; 4to, Paper, 15 cents. Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. rF~ Any of the above works sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of lli» United Sta,teH or Canada, on receipt of the price. 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