an ocean pilot-boat lay off tompkinsville of an early spring afternoon, in the stillest water. the sun was bright, and only the lightest wind was stirring. when we reached the end of the old cotton dock, an illustrator and myself, commissioned by a then but now no more popular magazine, there she was, a small, two-masted schooner of about fifty tons burden, rocking gently upon the water. we accepted the services of a hawking urchin, who had a canoe to rent, and who had followed us down the main street in the hope of earning a half-dollar. he led the way through a hole in a fence that enclosed the street at the water end and down a long, stilted plank walk to a mess of craft and rigging, where we found his little tub, and pushed out. in a few minutes we had crossed the quiet stretch of water and were alongside.
like all pilot-boats, the hermann oelrichs was built low in the water, so that it was easy to jump aboard.15 her sails were furled and, from the quiet prevailing, one might have supposed that the crew had gone into the village. no sound issued until we reached the companionway. then below we could see the cook scraping cold ashes out of a fireless stove. he was cleaning the cabin and putting things to rights before the pilots arrived. he accepted our intrusion with a friendly glance.
“captain rierson told us to come aboard,” we said.
“all right, sir. stow your things in any one of them bunks.”
we went about this while the ashes were taken out and tossed overboard. when the cook returned it was with a bucket and brush, and he attacked the oilcloth on the floor industriously.
“cozy little cabin, this, eh?”
“yes, she’s a comfortable little boat,” replied the cook. “these pilots take things purty comfortable. she’s not as fast as some of the boats, but she’s all right in rough weather.”
“do you encounter much rough weather?”
“well, now and again,” answered the cook, with the vaguest suggestion of a twinkle in his eye. “it’s purty rough sometimes in winter.”
“how long do you stay out?”
“sometimes three, sometimes five days, sometimes we get rid of all seven pilots the first day—there’s no telling. it’s all ’cording to how the steamers come in.”
“so we may be out a week?”
“about that. maybe ten days.”
we went on deck. it was warm and bright. some16 sailors from the fore-hatch were scrubbing down the deck, which dried white and warm as fast as they swabbed off the water. wide-winged gulls were circling high and low among the ships of the harbor. on staten island many a little curl of smoke rose from the chimneys of white cottages.
that evening the crew of five men kept quietly to their quarters and slept. the moon shone clear until ten, when the barometer suddenly fell and clouds came out of the east. by cock-crow it was raining, and by morning it was drizzling and cold.
the pilots appeared one after another. they came out to the edge of the cotton wharf through the mist and rain, and waved a handkerchief as a signal that a boat should be sent ashore for them. one or two, failing to attract the immediate attention of the crew, resorted to the expedient of calling out: “schooner, ahoy!” in voices which partook of some of the stoutness of the sea.
“come ashore, will you?” they shouted, when a head appeared above deck.
no sooner were they recognized than the yawl was launched and sent ashore. they came aboard and descended quickly out of the rain into the only room (or cabin) at the foot of the companionway. this was at once their sitting-room, dining-room, bedroom, and every other chamber for the voyage. here they stowed their satchels and papers in lockers beneath their individual sleeping berths. each one sought out a stout canvas clothes bag, which all pilots use in lieu of a trunk, and began to unpack his ship’s clothes. all took off their land apparel and dressed themselves in ancient17 seat-patched and knee-worn garments, which were far more comfortable than graceful, and every one produced the sailor’s essential, a pipe and tobacco.
dreary as was the day overhead, the atmosphere of the cabin changed with their arrival. not only was it soon thick with the fumes of many pipes, but it was bright with genial temper. not one of the company of seven pilots seemed moody.
“whose watch is it?” asked one.
“rierson’s, i think,” was the answer.
“he ain’t here yet.”
“here he comes now.”
at this a hale norwegian, clean and hard as a pine knot, came down the companionway.
“my turn to-day, eh? are we all here?”
“ay!” cried one.
“then we might as well go, hey?”
“ay! ay!” came the chorus.
“steward!” he called. “tell the men to hoist sail!”
“ay! ay! sir!” answered the steward.
then were rattlings and clatterings overhead. while the little company in the cabin were chatting, the work on deck was resulting in a gradual change, and when, after a half-hour, rierson put his head out into the wind and rain above the companionway, the cotton docks were far in the rear, all but lost in the mist and drizzle. all sails were up and a stiff breeze was driving the little craft through the narrows. mclaughlin, the boatman and master of the crew, under rierson, was at the wheel. already we were being rocked and tossed like a child in a cradle.
18 “who controls the vessel,” i asked of him, “while the pilots are on board?”
“the pilots themselves.”
“not all of them?”
“no, not all at one time. the pilot who has the watch has full control for his hours, then the next pilot after him, and so on. no pilot is interfered with during his service.”
“and where do we head now?”
“for sandy hook and the sea east of that. we are going to meet inbound european steamers.”
the man at the wheel, mclaughlin, was a clean athletic young chap, with a straight, full nose and a clear, steady eye. in his yellow raincoat, rubber boots and “sou’wester” he looked to be your true sea-faring man. with the little craft plunging ahead in a storm of wind and rain and over ever-increasing billows, he gazed out steadily and whistled an airy tune.
“you seem to like it,” i remarked.
“yes,” he answered. “it’s not a bad life. rather cold in winter, but summer makes up for it. then we’re in port every fifth or sixth day on an average. sometimes we get a night off.”
“the pilots have it better than that?”
“oh, yes; they get back quicker. the man who has the first watch may get back to-day, if we meet a steamer. they might all get back if we meet enough steamers.”
“you put a man aboard each one?”
“yes.”
“how do you know when a steamer wants a pilot?”
19 “well, we are in the track of incoming steamers. there is no other pilot-boat sailing back and forth on this particular track at this time. if a steamer comes along she may show a signal for a pilot or she may turn a little in our direction. either way, we know she wants one. then we lay to and wait until she comes up. you’ll see, though. one is likely to come along at any time now.”
the interior of the little craft presented a peculiar contrast to storm and sea without. in the fore compartment stood the cook at his stove preparing the midday meal. sailors, when no orders were called from above, lay in their bunks, which curved toward the prow. the pots and pans of the stove moved restlessly about with the swell. the cook whistled, timbers creaked, the salt spray swished above the hatch, and mingled odors of meats and vegetables combined and thickened the air.
in the after half of the boat were the pilots, making the best of idle time. no steamer was sighted, and so they lounged and smoked. two or three told of difficulties on past voyages. two of the stoutest and jolliest were met in permanent conflict over a game of pinochle. one read, the others took down pillows from the bunks, and spreading them out on the wide seat that lined two sides of the room, snored profoundly. nearly all took turns, before or after games, or naps, at smoking. sometimes all smoked. it was observable that no “listener” was necessary for conversation. some talked loudly, without a single person heeding. at times all talked at once in those large imperious voices which20 seem common to the sea. the two old pilots at cards never halted. storms might come and storms might go; they paused only to renew their pipes.
at the wheel, in tarpaulin and sou’wester, mclaughlin kept watch. sea spray kept his cheeks dripping. his coat was glassy with water. another pilot put his head above deck.
“how are we heading?”
“east by no’.”
“see anything?”
“a steamer, outbound.”
“which one?”
“the tauric.”
“wish she was coming in!” concluded the inquirer, as he went below.
we kept before the wind in this driving way. all the morning and all the afternoon the rain fell. the cook served a wholesome meal of meats and vegetables, and afterwards all pipes were set smoking more industriously than ever. the two old pilots renewed their cards. every one turned to trifling diversions, with the feeling that he must get comfort out of them. it was a little drowsy, a little uncomfortable, a little apt to make one long for shore. in the midst of the lull the voice of the man at the wheel sounded at the companionway.
“steamer on the port bow! pilot-boat number nine! she’s hailing us.”
“well, what does she want?”
“can’t make out yet.”
one and all hastened on deck. on our left, in the21 fog and rain, tossed a little steamer which was recognized as the steam pilot-boat stationed at sandy hook. she was starboarding to come nearer and several of her pilots and crew were at her rail hailing us. as she approached, keener ears made out that she wanted to put two men aboard us.
“we don’t want any more men aboard here,” said one. “we’ve got seven now.”
“no!” said several in chorus. “tell ’em we can’t take ’em.”
“we can’t take any more,” shouted the helmsman, in long-drawn sounds. “we’ve got seven aboard now.”
“orders to put two men aboard ye,” came back over the tumbling waters. “we’ve a sick man.”
“don’t let ’em put any more men aboard here. where they goin’ to sleep?” argued another. “one man’s got to bunk it as it is, unless we lose one pretty soon.”
“how you goin’ to help it? they’re puttin’ their men out.”
“head away! head away! they can’t come aboard if you head away!”
“oh, well; it’s too late now.”
it was really too late, for the steamer had already cast a yawl and the two men, together with the crew, were in it and heading over the churning water. all watched them as they came alongside and clambered on.
they were jersey pilots who had been displaced on the other boat because one of their number had been taken sick and more room was needed to make him comfortable. he was thought to be dying, and must be taken back to new york at once, and his condition22 formed the topic of conversation for the rest of the day.
meanwhile our schooner headed outward, with nothing to reward her search. at five o’clock there was some talk of not finding anything before morning. several advised running toward princess bay on staten island and into stiller water, and as the minutes passed the feeling crystallized. in a few minutes all were urging a tack toward port, and soon it was done. sails were shifted, the prow headed shoreward, and gradually, as the track of the great vessels was abandoned, the waters became less and less rough, then more and more quiet, until finally, when we came within distant sight of princess bay and the staten island shore, the little vessel only rocked from side to side; the pitching and churning were over.
it was windy and cold on deck, however, and after the crew had dropped anchor they remained below. there was nothing to do save idle the time. the few oil lamps, the stove-fire and the clearing away of dishes after supper, gave the cabin of the fore-and-aft a very home-like appearance.
forward, most of the sailors stretched in their bunks to digest their meal. there were a few magazines and papers on the table, a few decks of cards and a set of checkers. it was interesting to note the genial mood of the men. one might fancy oneself anywhere but at sea, save for the rocking of the boat. it was more like a farmhouse kitchen. one little old sailor, grizzled and lean, had only recently escaped from a hongkong trader, where he had been sadly abused. another was a mere boy, who belonged to staten island. he had23 been working in a canning factory all winter, he said, but had decided to go to sea for a change. it was not his first experience; this alternating was a regular thing with him. the summer previous he had worked as cook’s scullion on one of the other pilot-boats; this summer he was a sailor.
the staten islander had the watch on deck from ten to twelve that night. by that time the rain had ceased and the lights on the distant shore were visible, glimmering faintly, it seemed good to be on deck. the wind blew slightly chill and the waters sipped and sucked at the prow and sides. coming above i chatted with the young sailor.
“do you like sea life?” i asked him.
“there ain’t much to it.”
“would you rather be on shore?”
“well, if i didn’t have to work so hard.”
“you like one, then, as well as the other?”
“well, on shore the hours are longer, but you get your evenings and sundays. out here there ain’t any hour your own, but there’s plenty days when there’s nothin’ doin’. some days there ain’t no wind. sometimes we cruise right ahead without touchin’ the sails. still, it’s hard, ’cause you can’t see nobody.”
“what would you do if you were on shore?”
“oh, go to the show.”
it developed that his heart yearned for “nights off.” the little, bright-windowed main street in new brighton was to his vision a kind of earthly heaven. to be there of an evening when people were passing, to loaf on the corner and see the bright-eyed girls go by, to be in24 the village hubbub, was to him the epitome of living. the great, silent, suggestive sea meant nothing to him.
after a while he went below and tumbled in and mclaughlin, the boatman, took the turn. in the cabin most of the pilots had gone to bed. yet the two old salts were still at pinochle, browbeating each other, but in a subdued tone. all pipes were out. snores were numerous and long.
at dawn the pilot whose turn it was to guide the next steamer into new york took the wheel. we sailed out into the east and the morning, looking for prey. it came soon, in the shape of a steamer.
“steamer!” called the pilot, and all the other pilots turned out and came on deck. the sea to the eastward, whither they were looking, was utterly bare of craft. not a sail, not a wisp of smoke! yet they saw something and tacked ship so as to swing round and sail toward it. not even the telescope revealed it to my untrained eyes until five minutes had gone by, when afar off a speck appeared above the waters. it came on larger and larger, until it assumed the proportions of a toy.
with the first announcement of a steamer the pilot who was to take this one in gave the wheel to the pilot who was to have the next one. he seemed pleased at getting back to new york so soon. while the ship was coming forward he went below and changed his clothes. in a few minutes he was on deck, dressed in a neat business suit and white linen. his old clothes had all been packed in a grain sack. he had a bundle of new york papers and a light overcoat over his arm.
25 “how did you know that steamer wanted a pilot?” i asked him.
“i could tell by the way she was heading.”
“do you think she saw you?”
“yes.”
“can you always tell when a steamer so far off wants a pilot?”
“nearly always. if we can’t judge by her course we can see through the telescope whether she has a signal for a pilot flying.”
“and when you go aboard her what will you do?”
“go to the bridge and direct her course.”
“do you take the wheel or do any work?”
“not at all.”
“what about your breakfast?”
“i’ll take that with the officers of the deck.”
“do you always carry a bundle of papers?”
“sure. the officers and passengers like to get early news of new york. sometimes the papers are pretty old before we hand them out, but they’re better than nothing.”
he studied the approaching steamer closely through the glass.
“the ems,” he said laconically. “get the yawl ready, boys.”
four sailors went to the lee side and righted the boat there. the great vessel was plowing toward us at a fine rate. every minute she grew larger, until at half a mile she seemed quite natural.
“heave the yawl,” called the man at the wheel.
over went the boat with a splash, and two men after26 and into it. they held it close to the side of the schooner until the departing pilot could jump in.
“cast loose!” said the man at the wheel to the men holding the rope.
“ay! ay! sir!” they replied.
“good-by, billie,” called the pilots.
“so long, boys,” he cried back.
our schooner was moving swiftly away before the wind. the man in the yawl pulled out toward where the steamer must pass. already her engines had stopped, and the foam at her prow was dying away. one could see that a pilot was expected. quite a crowd of people, even at that early hour, was gathered at the rail. a ladder of rope was hanging over the side, almost at the water’s edge.
the little yawl bearing the pilot pulled square across the steamer’s course. when the vessel drifted slowly up, the yawl nosed the great black side and drifted back by the ladder. one of the steamer’s crew threw down a rope, which the oarsman of the yawl caught. this held the yawl still, close to the ladder, and the pilot, jumping for a good hold, began slowly to climb upward. no sooner had he seized the rope ladder than the engines started and the steamer moved off. the little yawl, left alone like a cork on a thrashing sea, headed toward us. the schooner tacked and came round in a half circle to pick it up, which was done with safety.
this was a busy morning. before breakfast another ship had appeared, a tramp steamer, and a pilot was dressing to board her. down the fore hatch could be seen the cook, frying potatoes and meat, and boiling27 coffee. the change in weather was pleasing to him, too, for he was singing as he clattered the dishes and set the table. in the cabin the pipes of the pilots were on, and the two old salts were at pinochle harder than ever.
another pilot left before breakfast, and after he was gone another steamer appeared, this time the paris. it looked as though we would soon lose all our pilots and have to return to new york. after the pilot had gone aboard the paris, however, the wind died down and we sailed no more. gradually the sea grew smoother, and we experienced a day of perfect idleness. hour after hour the boat rocked like a cradle. seagulls gathered around and dipped their wings in charming circles. flocks of ducks passed northward in orderly flight, honking as they went. a little land-bird, a poor, bedraggled sparrow, evidently blown to sea by adverse winds, found rest and salvation in our rigging. now it was perched upon the main boom, and now upon the guy of the gaff-topsail, but ever and anon, on this and the following day it could be seen, sometimes attempting to fly shoreward, but always returning after a fruitless quest for land. no vessel appeared, however. we merely rocked and waited.
the sailors in the forecastle told stories. the pilots in the rear talked new york politics and criminal mysteries. the cook brewed and baked. night fell upon one of the fairest skies that it is given us earthlings to behold. stars came out and blinked. the lightship at sandy hook cast a far beacon, but no steamer took another pilot that day.
once during the watch that night it seemed that a28 steamer far off to the southeastward was burning a blue light, the signal for a pilot. the man at the wheel scanned the point closely, then took a lighted torch made of cotton and alcohol and circled it slowly three times in the air. no answering blue light rewarded him. another time there grew upon the stillness the far-off muffled sound of a steamer’s engine. you could hear it distinctly, a faint “pump, pump, pump, pump, pump.” but no light could be seen. the signal torch was again waved, but without result. the distinct throb grew less and less, and finally died away. some of the pilots commented as to this but could not explain it. they could not say why a vessel should travel without lights at night.
at midnight a little breeze sprang up and the schooner cruised about. in one direction appeared a faint glimmer, which when approached, proved to be the riding light of a freight steamer at anchor. all was still and dark aboard her, save for two or three red and yellow lights, which gleamed like sleepless eyes out of the black hulk. the man at the wheel called a sailor.
“go forward, johnnie,” he said, “and hail her. see if she wants a pilot.”
the man went to the prow and stood until the schooner drew quite near.
“steamer, ahoy!” he bellowed.
no answer.
“steamer, ahoy!” he called again. a light moved in the cabin of the other vessel. finally a voice answered.
“want a pilot?” asked our sailor.
“we have one,” said the dim figure, and disappeared.
29 “is it one of the pilots of your association that they have?” i asked.
“yes; they couldn’t have any other. they probably picked him up from one of our far-out boats. every incoming steamer must take a pilot, you know. that’s the law. all pilots belong to this one association. it’s merely a question of our being around to supply them.”
it turned out from his explanation that the desire of the pilots to get a steamer was merely to obtain their days off. when a pilot brings in a steamer it is not likely that he will be sent out again for three days. each one puts in about the same number of days a month, and all get the same amount of pay. there is no rivalry for boats, and no loss of money by missing a steamer. if one boat misses her, another is sure to catch her farther in. if she refuses to take a pilot the government compels her owners to pay a fine of fifty dollars, the price of a pilot to take her in.
on the third day now breaking we were destined to lose another pilot. it was one of the two inveterate pinochlers.
that night we anchored off babylon, long island, in the stillest of waters. the crew spent the evening lounging in their bunks and reading, while the remaining pilots amused themselves as usual. two of them engaged for a time in a half-hearted game of cards. one told stories, but with the departure of so many the spirits of the company drooped. there was no breeze. the flap-flap of the sails went on monotonously. breakfast30 came, and then nine o’clock, and still we rocked in one spot. then a steamer appeared. as usual, it was announced long before my untrained eyes could discern it. but, with the first word, the remaining valiant pinochler went below to pack. he was back in a few minutes, very much improved in spirits and appearance.
“does she starboard any?” he asked the man at the wheel.
the latter used the telescope and then said:
“don’t seem to, sir.”
“think she sees us?”
“can’t tell, sir,” said the boatman gravely.
“spec’ we’d better fire the gun, eh?”
“yes, sir.”
“you strip the gun. i’ll take the wheel.”
so a little gun—a tiny cannon, no less—was made ready and while it was being put in place at the lee rail, germond, the oldest of the pilots, came on deck and took the wheel.
“going to fire the gun, eh?” he observed, in deep bass tones.
“yes,” said the pinochler.
“well, that’s right. blaze away.”
the boatman, who had superintended the charging of the gun, now pulled a wire attached to a cap and the little cannon spat out a flame with a roar that shook the boat.
“do they do this often?” i asked the footman.
“not very. when fogs are on and boats can’t find31 us it comes in handy. there’s hardly any use in this case. i guess she sees us.”
germond, at the wheel, seemed to enjoy playing warship, for he called out: “fire again, johnnie!”
“won’t she turn?” asked the restless pinochler.
“don’t seem to.”
“then,” said he, and cast a droll look of derision upon the midget cannon and the immense steamer, “sink her!”
with the third shot, however, we could see the steamer begin to turn, and in a little while she was headed toward us. we could not move and so we waited, while the anxious pinochler walked the deck. long before she was near he ordered the yawl ready, and when she was yet three-quarters of a mile off, cast over and jumped aboard. he seemed somewhat afraid the yawl would not be seen, and so took along with him a pilot flag, which was a square of blue cloth fastened to a long bamboo pole. this he held aloft as the men rowed, and away they went far over the green sea.
the cook served coffee at three, and was preparing supper when another steamer was sighted. she came up rapidly, a great liner from gibraltar, with a large company of italians looking over the rail.
“no supper for you,” said germond. “you’ll have to eat with the dagos.”
“oh, i don’t mind,” returned the other, smiling. “i want to get back to new york.”
just before supper, and when the sun was crimsoning the water in the west, a “catspaw” came up and filled32 our sails. the boat moved slowly off. at supper germond announced:
“well, i go now.”
“is there a steamer?”
“no, but i go on the other pilot-boat. i see her over there. the last man always leaves his boat and goes on one with more men. that allows this boat to go back for another crew.”
“do you get the first steamer in, on the other boat?”
“yes, i have the first turn.” i understood now why our crew, at the outset, objected to any pilots being taken on our boat. it delayed the return of those on board to new york. “steward!” called germond, finally, “tell one of the men back there to run up a signal for the other boat.”
“ay! ay! sir!” called back the steward.
at half after six the other pilot-boat drew near and germond packed his sea clothes and came up on deck.
“well, here she is, boys,” he said. “now i leave you.”
they put out the yawl and he jumped in. when he had gone we watched him climbing aboard the other schooner.
“now for new york!” exclaimed mclaughlin, the boatswain, and master of the crew in the absence of any pilot.
“do we sail all night?”
“to get there by morning we’ll have to.”
all sails were then hoisted, and we bore away slowly. darkness fell. the stars came out. far away the revolving light of the highlands of navesink was our33 guide. far behind, the little pilot-boat which had received germond was burning a beacon for some steamer which had signaled a blue light. gradually this grew more and more dim, and the gloom enveloped all.
we sat with subdued spirits at the prow, discussing the dangers of the sea. mclaughlin, who had been five years in the service, told of accidents and disappearances in the past. once, out of the night had rushed a steamer, cutting a boat such as ours in two. one pilot-boat that had gone out two years ago had never returned. not a stick or scrap was found to indicate what had become of her fifteen men. he told how the sounding of the fog-horns had chilled his heart the first year of his service, and how the mournful lapping of the waters had filled him with dread. and as we looked and saw nothing but blackness, and listened and heard nothing but the sipping of the still waters, it did seem as though the relentless sea merely waited its time. some day it might have them all, sailor and cook, and where now were rooms and lockers would be green water and strange fishes.
that night we slept soundly. a fine wind sprang up, and when morning came we were scurrying home over a thrashing sea. we raced past sandy hook and put up the bay. by eight o’clock we were at the narrows, with the battery in sight. the harbor looked like a city of masts. after the lonely sea it seemed alive with a multitude of craft. tugs went puffing by. scows and steamers mingled. amid so much life the sea seemed safe.
