Part 2 (1/2)

As my former messmate, the gunner of the frigate, did not join this s.h.i.+p, I had to find another mess. One of the master's mates asked me if I would join him and six other mids.h.i.+pmen, which I did. Our berth, or the place where we messed, was on the orlop deck, designated by the name of c.o.c.kpit, where open daylight is almost as unknown as in one of the mines of Cornwall. The mids' farthing candles and the sentinel's dark, dismal, not very clean lanthorn just made a little more than darkness visible. When the biscuits are manned, that is, infested by ”bargemen,” they may be swallowed in this dark hole by wholesale, as it is next to an impossibility to detect them, except they quit their stow-holes and crawl out, and when they do, which is but seldom, they are made to run a race for a trifling wager. On the home station bargemen are scarcely known; it is only in warm climates where they abound. Another most destructive insect to the biscuit is the weevil, called by the mids purser's l--e.

While walking down Fore Street one morning with one of my messmates we came up with two well-dressed females, when he exclaimed, ”By Job! what a well-built little frigate she is to the left! How well she carries her maintop-gallant sail! What a neat counter, and how well formed between the yardarms! I'll heave ahead and have a look at her bow chasers, head rails, and cut heads, for I think I have seen her before somewhere. You,” said he to me, ”can take the one on the starboard hand.” He then let go my arm and shot ahead. He had no sooner done so than the youngest of them exclaimed, ”Why, my dear George, is that you?” ”Yes,” he replied, ”my dear Emily, and my dear mother, too; this is, indeed, taking me aback by an agreeable surprise. How long have you been here?” They were his mother and only sister, who had arrived that morning and were going to the Admiral's office to gain information respecting the s.h.i.+p to which he belonged. His mother was a genteel woman, to whom he introduced me; but what shall I say of his sister! She won my heart at first sight. She was a beautiful, delicate girl of about nineteen. Her figure haunted me for months afterwards. They were at the ”Fountain,” and intended staying there until we sailed. ”You will go on with us,” said his mother. ”Yes,” said he, ”that I will, my dear mother, but after I have conveyed yourself and my sister to your anchorage I must make all sail I possibly can on board, and ask the first lieutenant for fresh leave. I hope to be with you in about an hour.” Having seen them both to the inn, we made our bows and repaired on board. On explaining to the lieutenant his reason for wis.h.i.+ng to go again on sh.o.r.e he obtained further leave, put on a fresh set of rigging, jumped into the boat that had brought us off, and was soon in the fond arms of his mother and sister. Shall I say I envied him? No, I did not; I only wished my mother and sister-for I had, like him, only one-were at the ”Fountain” and I alongside of them.

In less than a month we were ready for sea, and when we were all a _taunto_ I was proud to belong to such a commanding and majestic-looking vessel. Before sailing, I will indulge my reader with a little sketch of the officers of our n.o.ble man-of-war.

The most n.o.ble captain I have before described, except that they had given him in the c.o.c.kpit (he being a very dark-complexioned man) the name of ”Black Jack”; his praying propensities seldom quitted him, but, notwithstanding this fault, he had many good qualities. The first lieutenant of the frigate we left had gone to his family. The second, in consequence, had become first. He was a thorough seaman, and carried on the duty with a tight hand. Woe betide the unfortunate mid who was remiss in his duties: the masthead or double watches were sure to be his portion.

When the former, he hung out to dry two and sometimes four hours. The mids designated him ”The Martinet.” The second lieutenant was an elderly man, something of the old school, and not very polished, fond of spinning a tough yarn in the middle watch if the weather was fine, a fidgetty, practical sailor with a kind heart. He informed us he was born on board the _Quebec_, that his father was gunner of her when she blew up in the action with the French frigate _Surveillante_, when all on board except fourteen of the crew perished. Among the number saved were his father and himself. The former jumped overboard from the fore-channels with the latter, who was only seven years of age at the time, on his back, and swam to the Frenchman's foremast, which was floating at a short distance, having been shot away by the English frigate. He added that had not this unfortunate accident occurred, the French frigate must have struck her colours in less than ten minutes. He spoke most indignantly of the conduct of an English cutter that was in sight at the time. His nickname was ”Old Proser.” The third was a gentlemanly person, but more the officer than practical sailor, fond of reading and drawing, and he frequently gave some of us instruction in the latter. He had been in the East India Service, and was a good navigator. We named him ”Gentleman Jack.” The fourth had been third in the frigate we left. I have already handed him up. His right leg was rather shorter than the left; he was called ”Robin Grey.” The fifth was a delicate-looking man, fond of dress and the ladies, almost always unwell; he was something of a sailor, but thought it a horrid bore to keep watch. Strange as it may appear, this officer left the s.h.i.+p a few months afterwards, and was made commander, post captain, and retired admiral without serving afloat! We named him ”The Adonis.”

The sixth was a stout-built regular man-of-war's man, an officer and a sailor, fond of conviviality, of gaming and a stiff gla.s.s of grog, but never off his guard. He went by the name of ”Tom Bowline.” The seventh was as broad as he was long; the c.o.c.kpitonians dubbed him ”Toby Philpot.” He was an oddity, and fond of coining new words. He knew the s.h.i.+p had three masts and a sheet anchor. He was a strict disciple of Hamilton Moore, fond of arguing about dip and refraction, particularly the former, as he put it in practice on himself, being sometimes found with his head and heels at an angle of 30 degrees in consequence of dipping his head to too many north-westers. He was, however, good-natured, knew by rule how to put the s.h.i.+p in stays, and sometimes, by misrule, how to put her in irons, which generally brought the captain on deck, who both boxhauled the s.h.i.+p and him by praying most heartily, although indirectly, for blessings on all lubberly actions, and would then turn to the quarter-master and threaten him with a flogging for letting the s.h.i.+p get in irons, poor Toby looking the whole time very sheepish, knowing the harangue was intended for him.

The master was a middle-aged, innocent west-countryman, a good sailor, knew all the harbours from Plymouth to the Land's End, and perhaps several others, but he was more of a pilot than a master, and usually conversed about landmarks, church steeples, and crayfish. The surgeon was a clever little dapper man, well-read, shockingly irritable, fond of controversy on ethics, etymology, and giving the blue pill. I need not acquaint my reader he was from York. The purser was the shadow of a man, very regular in his accounts, fond of peach-water, playing the flute, of going on sh.o.r.e, receiving his necessary money and taking all imaginable care of number one. The captain of marines was a soldierly-looking, little, strong-built man, very upright, fond of his bottle of wine, of holding warm arguments with the surgeon, which always ended without either's conviction-sometimes to the annoyance, but more frequently to the amus.e.m.e.nt of the wardroom, and he always appeared an inch taller when inspecting his corps. In his manner he was always on parade, and he thought it a condescension to notice a mid. The first lieutenant of marines was a tall, slight man, knew the manual by heart, was fond of reading novels, presumed he was a great man among the ladies (question, what sort of ladies?). He was a great puppy, and when he pa.s.sed the mids he regarded them with an air of patronage, which they returned by a look of sovereign contempt. The second lieutenant of marines was quite a different character. He was as playful as a kitten, and never happier than when skylarking with the mids in the c.o.c.kpit. He was not a bad soldier, and a promising officer. When at sea he always worked the s.h.i.+p's reckoning for his amus.e.m.e.nt. The mids, with the exception of three, were fine-looking lads from the ages of fifteen to eighteen, fond of fun and mischief and of their half-pint of rum; were frequently at watch and watch, mast-headed, p.o.o.ped, and confined to their half-farthing candle-lighted mess-holes. But, notwithstanding all these complicated miseries, they were wicked enough to thrive and grow, and when on sh.o.r.e forgot all their troubles and enjoyed themselves like princes.

The first surgeon's a.s.sistant was a tall, slight young man, with his head filled with the Pharmacopoeia, bleeding, blistering and gallipots. We dubbed him ”The Village Apothecary,” and sometimes ”Snipes.”

The second a.s.sistant was a coa.r.s.e Scotsman, full of pretension and conceit, who a.s.sured us that if any of us should have occasion to have our legs or arms amputated he could do it without any pain. He used to feel our pulses after dinner with ridiculous gravity, and after examining our tongues tell us we should take great care and not eat salt junk too quickly, for it seldom digested well on young stomachs, and, added he with great consequence, ”I have a specific for sair heeds if ye ha' any.” As he was much pitted with the small-pox, we called him ”Doctor Pithead.”

With every feeling of reverence to the revered chaplain, I will tread as lightly over him as a middy's clumsy foot encased with boots is capable.

Dear man, he came all the way from the Emerald Isle to join our s.h.i.+p, and brought with him an ample supply of pure brogue, which he spoke most beautifully. He was very inoffensive, perfectly innocent, and never ruffled in temper, except when the wicked youngsters played tricks with him while he was composing his sermon. One day he was much alarmed by the following adventure, got up expressly by the mids. Some of these incorrigible fellows, among whom I blush to acknowledge I was one, had laid a train of gunpowder to a devil close to his cabin, whilst they presumed he was very busy writing for their edification. The train was fired from the c.o.c.kpit hatchway, and soon caught the devil. As soon as the dear, good man saw the sparks, he rushed out of his cabin, crying out, ”Oh, shure, byes, the s.h.i.+p's on fire! Och! what shall I do now the s.h.i.+p's on fire? Och! what will I do?” On seeing that he was really alarmed, one of the master's mates went up to him with a comically-serious face, and informed him that the first lieutenant finding, when looking round after breakfast, that there was something which smelt unpleasant in his cabin, had ordered it to be fumigated with a devil, but as he knew it was about the time he composed his sermon, he was unwilling to disturb him, and the devil had in consequence been placed as near his cabin as possible to effect the purpose intended. His reverence was quite bewildered-an unpleasant smell in his cabin, and a devil to drive it away was to him incomprehensible; until the mate requested him to calm himself, and a.s.sured him there was no danger, that the devil was perfectly harmless except to unwholesome smells. ”There,” added he, ”is his infernal majesty,” for he was ashamed to say devil so often before the chaplain, ”nearly exhausted,” pointing to the shovel which contained the lump of gunpowder mixed with vinegar. ”Now, sir, I hope your alarm has subsided, and that you will not be more disturbed.” During this ridiculous scene, worthy of the pencil of Hogarth, the youngsters with their laughing, wicked heads up the hatchway, were enjoying themselves most heartily. The following day was Sunday; prayers were read, but no sermon, as the poor man was too much agitated afterwards to make one, and whenever his messmates thought his sermon too long, they threatened him by a visit from another devil.

The captain, on being informed of this trick, sent for the whole of the mids and admonished them as to their future conduct.

CHAPTER IV.

OFF USHANT.

Join the Channel fleet off Ushant-Capture the French frigate _Gentille_, also a twenty-four-gun s.h.i.+p five days later-Fleet returns to Portsmouth-Prize-money-To sea again in charge of a convoy-Transport with two hundred Hessian troops on board founders off Cape Finisterre-Suddenly ordered to West Indies-Fight between a negro and a shark at Port Royal, Jamaica-Dignity b.a.l.l.s-Collision with H.M.S. _Sampson_-Outbreak of yellow fever-Ordered to sea-Capture two French s.h.i.+ps and two privateers.

We were now destined to make one of the Channel fleet, which we joined off the Island of Ushant, consisting of thirty-six sail of the line and seven frigates.

At daylight on the 6th of October, 1794, our signal was made to chase three suspicious vessels in the S.W. On nearing them we made the private signal, which they did not answer. We beat to quarters, and as they were under the same sail as when we first saw them, we neared them fast, and when within gunshot the nearest yawed and gave us a broadside, running up a French ensign, as did the other two. The shot fell short of us; we opened our main-deck guns and brought down her mizzen top-mast. The other two fired from time to time at us with little effect. They did not support their companion as they ought to have done. In a short time we were nearly alongside the one we had engaged, and gave her another broadside which she returned, and struck her colours. She proved the _Gentille_, of forty-four guns and three hundred and eighty men. The other two, also French frigates of the same size, made all sail to the southwards. The enemy had eight men killed and fifteen wounded; we had four men wounded. We soon exchanged the prisoners; put the second lieutenant, a master's mate, three mids.h.i.+pmen and fifty men on board her, and sent her to Portsmouth. We immediately made sail in chase of the others, but as they had gained a considerable distance from us during the time we were exchanging the prisoners, there was little chance, without a change of wind, of overtaking them. In the middle watch we lost sight of them, and the day after rejoined the fleet.

In five days afterwards we were again in chase of a s.h.i.+p, and after a severe tug of fourteen hours we captured her. She proved a French twenty-four-gun s.h.i.+p, with one hundred and sixty-five men. We also sent her into Portsmouth. After having cruised off and on near Ushant for about eight weeks, we were ordered to Portsmouth, where we arrived shortly afterwards and completed our stores for six months. Before sailing we received some prize-money, which produced, from stem to stern, little wisdom, much fun, and more folly. We were again ready for sea, and received orders to repair off Plymouth and join part of the Channel fleet and a convoy consisting of more than two hundred sail, bound to different parts of the world. In a few days we joined the rest of the fleet off Cape Finisterre, where some of the convoy parted company. The day following a most tremendous gale sprung up from the S.W., and in the night a transport with two hundred Hessian troops on board went down on our weather beam.

The shrieks of the poor fellows were distinctly heard. As it was impossible to render them any a.s.sistance, every soul on board her perished. In the morning the convoy were much dispersed; the gale continuing, they were ordered to leave the fleet for their destinations.

After the gale abated the signal was made for our captain. An hour afterwards he came back looking as black as a thundercloud. As soon as he reached the quarter-deck he stamped with rage, and when it had nearly subsided he informed the officers that we were to proceed to the West Indies without delay. This was an unexpected shock to many of the officers as well as himself, as they had left some of their clothes behind; however, there was no remedy for this mishap. As for myself, I antic.i.p.ated a merry meeting with the many copper-coloured dignity ladies I formerly knew, provided the land-crabs had not feasted on their delicate persons.

In the afternoon we gave a long, lingering look at the fleet, and parted company with two other seventy-fours who were in the same sc.r.a.pe. Our n.o.ble captain did not get rid of his angry looks for some days, and actually wept at what he termed the treacherous conduct of the Admiralty.

We understood afterwards that he was under an engagement of marriage to the sister of a n.o.bleman, which was to have taken place in three months.

Nothing worth notice occurred during the pa.s.sage, except the visit from Neptune and his wife, and the shaving and ducking all his new acquaintances, who were rather numerous. We saw several tropical birds, which the sailors call boatswains, in consequence of their having one long feather for a tail, which they term a marlin-spike-an iron instrument sharp at one end and k.n.o.bbed at the other, used in splicing ropes, etc.

The captain of marines also shot an albatross or man-of-war bird, so called from its manner of skimming through the air after other birds, which the seamen compare to sailing. It measured seven feet from pinion to pinion. On the fifth week of our separation from the fleet we made the Island of San Domingo, and on the day after anch.o.r.ed with the squadron in Cape St. Nicholas mole. We found here the _Sampson_, of sixty-four guns, the _Magicienne_ and the _Thorn_, and some transports. This mole, or harbour, is formed by the high land of the island on the right hand going in, and on the left by a peninsula, joined by a narrow sandy isthmus to the island at the head of the mole. It is strongly fortified. The harbour is a fine one, and would contain the whole British fleet. The town has a common appearance and has nothing remarkable in it. We remained here three weeks, at the end of which period we ran down to Jamaica, and anch.o.r.ed off Port Royal. This town is built on a small peninsula, joined to the island by a long, narrow neck of sand called the Palisades. Here all unfortunate whites who depart this life become feasts for crabs of all descriptions, as it is the place of burial for the town and men-of-war. This isthmus is the dam which secures the harbour of Kingston from the inroads of the sea.

The houses of this town are generally not more than a single storey high, constructed of wood with overhanging s.h.i.+ngled roofs, and verandahs in front, which prevent the sun entering the rooms.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLYMOUTH HARBOUR. [_Frith, Reigate._]

One evening, being on sh.o.r.e at Port Royal, seated on a bench, I overheard a grey, woolly-headed black man relate the following story. I will give it in good English. In the year 1788, said he, the harbour of Port Royal was much troubled by a very large shark, which drove all the fish out to sea and distressed a number of fishermen. Every attempt had been made to catch him, but without success. He at length became so constant a visitor that they named him ”Port Royal Tom.” At last, continued old Sambo, for that was the narrator's name, a young friend of mine, who was a very strong, courageous fisherman, said if the magistrates of the town would give him a doubloon, he would engage the shark and try to kill him in single combat.

The magistrates consented, and two mornings after, before the sea-breeze set in, the dorsal fin of ”Port Royal Tom” was discovered. The black fisherman, nothing dismayed, paddled out to the middle of the harbour where the shark was playing about; he plunged into the water armed with a pointed carving knife. The monster immediately made towards him, and when he turned on his side (which providentially sharks are obliged to do to seize their prey, their mouths being placed so much underneath) the fisherman, with great quickness and presence of mind, dived, and stabbed him in the bowels. The shark, in agony, gave a horrid splash with his tail, and disappeared for a short time. He then rose again and attempted to seize the man a second time, but the latter once more dived and gave him his death-blow; he then regained his canoe almost exhausted. The shark soon after turned on his side, discolouring the water with his blood. Four men in a canoe threw a rope over his tail and towed him on sh.o.r.e, where all the town came to meet the courageous fisherman, with the magistrates at their head, who presented him with his well-merited reward and his liberty. The shark was dissected and the skeleton sent to Spanish Town, where a few years afterwards it fell to pieces for want of care. This unfortunate town has been twice destroyed by an earthquake; the ruins on a clear day may be seen in three-fathom water.