many boys clamour for a sea life, will not settle down to anything ashore, in spite of the pleading of parents, the warnings of wisdom, or the doleful experiences of friends. occasionally at schools there breaks out a sort of epidemic of "going to sea," for which there is apparently no proximate cause, but which rages fiercely for a time, carrying off such high-spirited youths as can prevail upon those responsible for them to agree to their making a trial of a seafaring life. all this is quite as it should be, of course, in order that britain may continue to rule the waves; but many a parent, whose affectionate projects for the future of his offspring are thus rudely shattered, bitterly resents what he naturally considers to be unaccountable folly.
in my own case matters were quite otherwise. i belonged to the ignoble company of the unwanted. in spite of hard usage, scanty food, and overwork, i ridiculously persisted in living, until, at the approach of my twelfth year, an eligible opening presented itself for me to go to sea. being under no delusions whatever as to the prospect that awaited me, since i had known intimately those who had experienced all the vicissitudes of a sailor's life, i was not unduly elated at the idea. nevertheless, food and shelter were objects peculiarly hard of attainment ashore, while i felt satisfied that at sea these necessaries would be always provided, even if their quality was none of the best.
the vessel in which i obtained a berth as cabin-boy was commanded by my uncle: a stubborn, surly, but thoroughly capable old seaman. soured by misfortune and cross-grained by nature, it was small wonder that he had no friends, not even the sterling honesty of his character, or his high ability, being sufficient to counterbalance the drawback of his atrocious temper. his latest command was not calculated to improve him, for she was a survival of a bygone day, clumsy as a dutch galliot, impoverished by her owner, who was heartily sick of seeing her afloat, and would have rejoiced to hear that she was missing; and withal leaky as a basket. when i first saw her huddled into a more than usually dirty corner of the west india docks, i was filled with wonder to see that her cutwater was sunken between two swelling bows like the cheeks of a conventional cherub. though i could be no critic of marine construction, this seemed an anomaly for which there appeared to be no excuse. her bowsprit and jibboom soared into the air exactly like those of the galleons of old, and her three skimpy masts stood like broomsticks at different angles—the foremast especially, which looked over the bows.
it was a bleak, gloomy day in january when i first beheld her. the snow, which had fallen heavily for some days previously, was, wherever it could be, churned into filthy slush, and where undisturbed, was begrimed more into the similitude of soot-heaps than anything else. everything wore a pinched, miserable appearance. so forbidding and hopeless was the outlook that, had it been practicable, i should certainly have retreated. but there was no choice; i had burned my bridges.
climbing on deck, i found such a state of confusion and dirt reigning as i could hardly have believed possible. owing to the parsimony of the owner, not even a watchman had been kept on board, and, in consequence, the decks had not smelt a broom for a month. the cargo and stores were littered about so that progress was gymnastic, while in every corner and hollow lay the dirty snow. several discontented-looking men were engaged aloft bending sails, others were gradually coaxing the cargo on deck into the hold, but no one seemed to have any energy left. seated upon an up-ended beef-cask was a truculent-looking individual whom i instinctively regarded as the boss. him, therefore, i timidly approached. upon hearing my message, he rolled off his throne and led the way aft, uttering all the time some, to me, perfectly unintelligible sounds. i made no pretence of answering, so i suppose he took me for a poor idiot hardly worthy of his attention. when, after some effort, he disappeared down the cabin companion, i was close behind him, and, understanding his gestures better than his speech, made out that here was to be the scene of my future labours. the place was so gloomy that i could distinguish none of its features by sight; but the atmosphere, a rank compound of the reek of bilge-water, mouldering stores, and unventilated sleeping-places, caught me by the throat, making my head swim and a lump rise in my chest. a small locker by the ladder's foot, reminding me curiously of a rabbit-hutch, was pointed out to me as my berth, but i naturally supposed it to be a place for my bag. how could i have dreamed that it was also to be my chamber? but everything began to reel with me, so, blindly clutching the ladder, i struggled on deck again, where the bitter wind soon revived me.
henceforth no one noticed me, so i roamed about the deck, prying into holes and corners, until the stevedores knocked off for dinner. presently the mate came towards where i sat, shivering and solitary, on the windlass end, and made me understand that i was to come ashore with him. he conducted me through a labyrinth of mean streets to a spacious building in a wide thoroughfare, around which were congregated many little groups of seamen of all nations. we entered the place at once, and soon reached a large bare room crowded with seamen. here i was told to wait while mr. svensen went to seek the captain. while i stood bewildered by the bustle of the crowded place, i heard occasional hoarse demands for "three a.b.'s an' one ordinary for pernambuck!" "cook an' stooard for kingston, jamaica!" "all the croo of the star o' peace!" and similar calls, each followed by a general rush towards the speaker, accompanied by a rustling of discharges in the air as their owners sought to attract attention.
after about an hour's wait i heard the cry of "croo of the arabella here!" which was followed by the usual rush; but, to the disappointment of the watchers, the whole of the crew had been already selected. one by one they squeezed through the crowd into an office beyond, whither i managed to follow. i was too much amazed at the hurly-burly to notice who were to be my future shipmates, but i paid a sort of awe-struck attention to the reading of the "articles." doubtless much excuse must be made for the officials, who have to gabble the same rigmarole over so many times each working day; but i certainly think some attempt might always be made that the essential parts of the agreement should be clear to men who are about to bind themselves for a long period to abide by it. in our case, the only words clearly accented, heard, and understood by all, were the last three, "no spirits allowed." each man then signed the articles, or made his mark, ending with myself, when i found i was entitled to receive five shillings per month, without any half-pay or advance. each of the men received a month's advance, in the form of a promissory-note, payable three days after the ship left the downs, "providing the said seaman sails in the said ship." none of them lost any time in getting away to seek some accommodating (?) shark to cash their notes at an average discount of about forty per cent., most of the proceeds being payable in kind.
this important preliminary over, i was free till next morning, when all hands were ordered on board by ten o'clock. not feeling at all desirous of returning to the ship, yet being penniless, and in a strange part of london, i made my way westward to the strand, where i soon managed to pick up enough for a meal. i spent the night in hyde park in a snug corner, unknown to the police, that had often served me as a refuge before. at daybreak i started east, arriving on board at about half-past nine very tired and hungry. the mate eyed me suspiciously, saying something which i guessed to be uncomplimentary, although i was still unable to understand a word. but, as before, he did not interfere with me, or set me any task.
the litter of cases, bales, etc., about the deck was fast disappearing under the strenuous exertions of the stevedores and dock-wallopers, while the raffle of gear aloft was reduced to as near an approach to orderly arrangement as it could ever be expected to assume. presently a grimy little paddle-steamer came alongside, through the clustering swarm of barges, and was made fast ahead and astern. an individual with a stentorian voice, a pilot suit, mangy fur cap, and brick-red face mounted the forecastle, bellowing out orders apparently addressed to no one in particular. their effect was at once evident, however, for we began to move deliberately away from the wharf, splitting the crowd of barges asunder amid the sulphurous remarks of their attendants. once out into the comparatively clear centre of the dock, we made good progress until the last lock was reached; but there we came to a full stop. as yet none of the crew had arrived, the vessel being handled by a shore-gang so far. after about a quarter of an hour's delay, during which the captain and pilot exhausted their vocabulary in abuse of the laggards, the latter hove in sight, convoyed by a motley crowd of tailor's "runners," boarding-masters, and frowsy looking women.
they made a funny little group. the sailors were in that happy state when nothing matters—least of all the discounter of an advance-note; hence the bodyguard of interested watchers, who would leave no stone unturned to see that their debtors went in the ship, although being under the vigilant eyes of the police, they dared not resort to violent means. the ladies, possessing but a fast-fading interest in outward bounders, were probably in evidence more from slackness of business than any more sentimental cause. but having cajoled or coerced jack to the pierhead, he seemed unpersuadable to the final step of getting aboard. again and again a sailor would break loose and canter waveringly shoreward, only to be at once surrounded by his escort and hurriedly hauled back again. at last, exasperated beyond endurance by the repetition of these aimless antics, the skipper sprang ashore followed by the pilot. bursting in upon the squabbling crowd,they seized upon a couple of the maudlin mariners, hurling them on board as if they had been made of rubber. with like vigour the rest were embarked, their "dunnage" flung after them; the warps were immediately let go, and the ship began to move ahead.
outside the dock-gate a larger tug was waiting in readiness to hook on as soon as we emerged, and tow us down the river. with a final shove, accompanied by a stifling belch of greasy smoke, our sooty satellite shook herself free of us, retreating hastily within the basin again, while, obedient to the increasing strain on our hawser ahead, we passed rapidly out into the crowded stream.
during the uneventful trip the shore-gang, under the direction of mr. svensen and the second mate (who, being also the carpenter, was always known as "chips"), worked indefatigably to get the decks clear for sea—lashing spars, water-casks, boats, etc. but their efforts were greatly hindered by the crew, who, not being sufficiently drunk to lie still in the forecastle, persisted in tumbling continually about the decks, offering assistance while getting in everybody's way. in vain were they repeatedly conducted to their doghole; no sooner were they left than they were out again, until the hard-working "lumpers" were ready to jump on them with rage.
meanwhile i grew so weary of standing about that i was quite grateful when chips ordered me to fetch him a marlinespike. what he wanted i had not the slightest idea; but, unwilling to confess such ignorance, i ran forward and asked a labourer who was stowing the cable. he told me that it was a pointed bar of iron with a hole at one end for a lanyard to hang it round the neck by, adding that i should find some in the fo'lk'sle, "right forrard in the eyes of her." away i went into the thick darkness of the men's dirty cave, groping my way into its innermost recesses among the bags, chests, and beds with which the deck was bestrewn. reaching the farthest corner, i felt a great bundle of something upon what i took for a shelf, which barred my further search. tugging heartily at it to get it out of my way, i suddenly felt it move! i did not wait to investigate, but floundered back on deck again almost witless from fright. breathlessly i reported to chips my discovery, which brought him quickly to the spot with a light. sure enough there was a sea-bag, about six feet long, stuffed full—the draw-string tightly closing the mouth. as soon as it was touched, there was a movement within. its contents were evidently alive. chips and his assistant promptly muzzled the bag, dragging it out on deck, and, casting the cord adrift, turned it bottom upwards. out there tumbled, head foremost, a lanky nigger-lad, who had been missing since the previous morning and given up as having deserted. on being questioned as to the meaning of this freak, he humbly explained that, despairing of ever getting warm again, he had put on his entire wardrobe, lain down in his bunk, and crept into his bag, managing somehow to draw the string tight over his head; that he had been there ever since, and was likely to have died there, since he could not get his arms up again to let himself out. he was dismissed to work with a grim promise of being warmed in an altogether different fashion if he was again guilty of skulking.
upon arrival at gravesend we anchored; the tremendous racket made by the cable rushing over the windlass giving me a great fright. i thought the bottom of the ship had fallen out. the tug departed for a berth close at hand, the pilot and shore-gang leaving us in a wherry. i looked longingly after them as they went, for i felt strangely that the last link connecting me with england was now broken, and, although i had not a single soul ashore to regret me, or one corner that i could think of as home, there was sufficient sadness in the thought of leaving the land of my birth to bring to my eyes a few unaccustomed tears.
fortunately the cook, a worn-out seaman, whom, in common with most vessels of that class, we carried for the double duty of cook and steward, was now sober enough to get supper ready. in the emphatic sea-phrase, he "couldn't boil salt water without burning it;" but, as nobody expected anything different, that passed without comment. my regular duties now began: my uncle, the captain, giving me my first lesson in laying the table sea-fashion, showing me where to find the gear, and so on. the curious atmospheric compound below was appreciably improved, but still there was a prismatic halo round the swinging lamp. the skipper and his two officers took no notice of it, seeming quite at their ease as they silently ate their humble meal, though i got a racking headache. supper over, i was ordered to "clear away the wreck," and get my own meal in the pantry: a sort of little-ease in a corner of the cuddy, wherein a man might successfully block all the crockery from falling out by inserting his body in its midst. hungry as i was, i could not eat there, but stealthily seized the opportunity, as soon as the skipper had retired to his state-room, to flee forrard to the galley with the cook. his domain consisted of an erection about six feet square, with sliding doors on either side, which was lashed firmly down to ring-bolts in the deck. a coal-locker ran across it at the back, its lid forming a seat. between it and the stove there was just room to turn, while most of the cooking utensils—no great store—had permanent positions on the range.
here, by the dim flicker of an antique contrivance of a lamp like a handleless teapot—the wick sticking out of the spout and giving almost as much smoke as flame,—i spent quite a pleasant hour with the ancient mariner who ruled there, eating a hearty supper of biscuit and tea. he was not in the best of spirits, for the drink was dying out of him; but his garrulous, inconsequent talk amused me mightily. at last, feeling that i might be wanted, i returned to the cabin, where i found the captain and chips making melody with their snores; mr. svensen being on deck keeping watch, for which none of the crew were[12] yet available. and, finding no other corner wherein i might creep, i made just such a lair as a dog might, in the hutch that held my scanty stock of clothing, and, crawling into it, was soon in the land of perfect peace.
