Part 29 (1/2)
”That's as it may turn out,” said Harry; ”but I have now more than ever resolved upon the sea. There is nothing like the sea for a fellow like me, Redburn; a desperate man can not get any further than the wharf, you know; and the next step must be a long jump. But come, let's see what they have to eat here, and then for a cigar and a stroll. I feel better already. Never say die, is my motto.”
We went to supper; after that, sallied out; and walking along the quay of Prince's Dock, heard that the s.h.i.+p Highlander had that morning been advertised to sail in two days' time.
”Good!” exclaimed Harry; and I was glad enough myself.
Although I had now been absent from the s.h.i.+p a full forty-eight hours, and intended to return to her, yet I did not antic.i.p.ate being called to any severe account for it from the officers; for several of our men had absented themselves longer than I had, and upon their return, little or nothing was said to them. Indeed, in some cases, the mate seemed to know nothing about it. During the whole time we lay in Liverpool, the discipline of the s.h.i.+p was altogether relaxed; and I could hardly believe they were the same officers who were so dictatorial at sea. The reason of this was, that we had nothing important to do; and although the captain might now legally refuse to receive me on board, yet I was not afraid of that, as I was as stout a lad for my years, and worked as cheap, as any one he could engage to take my place on the homeward pa.s.sage.
Next morning we made our appearance on board before the rest of the crew; and the mate perceiving me, said with an oath, ”Well, sir, you have thought best to return then, have you? Captain Riga and I were flattering ourselves that you had made a run of it for good.”
Then, thought I, the captain, who seems to affect to know nothing of the proceedings of the sailors, has been aware of my absence.
”But turn to, sir, turn to,” added the mate; ”here! aloft there, and free that pennant; it's foul of the backstay--jump!”
The captain coming on board soon after, looked very benevolently at Harry; but, as usual, pretended not to take the slightest notice of myself.
We were all now very busy in getting things ready for sea. The cargo had been already stowed in the hold by the stevedores and lumpers from sh.o.r.e; but it became the crew's business to clear away the between-decks, extending from the cabin bulkhead to the forecastle, for the reception of about five hundred emigrants, some of whose boxes were already littering the decks.
To provide for their wants, a far larger supply of water was needed than upon the outward-bound pa.s.sage. Accordingly, besides the usual number of casks on deck, rows of immense tierces were lashed amid-s.h.i.+ps, all along the between-decks, forming a sort of aisle on each side, furnis.h.i.+ng access to four rows of bunks,--three tiers, one above another,--against the s.h.i.+p's sides; two tiers being placed over the tierces of water in the middle. These bunks were rapidly knocked together with coa.r.s.e planks. They looked more like dog-kennels than any thing else; especially as the place was so gloomy and dark; no light coming down except through the fore and after hatchways, both of which were covered with little houses called ”b.o.o.by-hatches.” Upon the main-hatches, which were well calked and covered over with heavy tarpaulins, the ”pa.s.sengers-gattey” was solidly lashed down.
This galley was a large open stove, or iron range--made expressly for emigrant s.h.i.+ps, wholly unprotected from the weather, and where alone the emigrants are permitted to cook their food while at sea.
After two days' work, every thing was in readiness; most of the emigrants on board; and in the evening we worked the s.h.i.+p close into the outlet of Prince's Dock, with the bow against the water-gate, to go out with the tide in the morning.
In the morning, the bustle and confusion about us was indescribable.
Added to the ordinary clamor of the docks, was the hurrying to and fro of our five hundred emigrants, the last of whom, with their baggage, were now coming on board; the appearance of the cabin pa.s.sengers, following porters with their trunks; the loud orders of the dock-masters, ordering the various s.h.i.+ps behind us to preserve their order of going out; the leave-takings, and good-by's, and G.o.d-bless-you's, between the emigrants and their friends; and the cheers of the surrounding s.h.i.+ps.
At this time we lay in such a way, that no one could board us except by the bowsprit, which overhung the quay. Staggering along that bowsprit, now came a one-eyed crimp leading a drunken tar by the collar, who had been s.h.i.+pped to sail with us the day previous. It has been stated before, that two or three of our men had left us for good, while in port. When the crimp had got this man and another safely lodged in a bunk below, he returned on sh.o.r.e; and going to a miserable cab, pulled out still another apparently drunken fellow, who proved completely helpless. However, the s.h.i.+p now swinging her broadside more toward the quay, this stupefied sailor, with a Scotch cap pulled down over his closed eyes, only revealing a sallow Portuguese complexion, was lowered on board by a rope under his arms, and pa.s.sed forward by the crew, who put him likewise into a bunk in the forecastle, the crimp himself carefully tucking him in, and bidding the bystanders not to disturb him till the s.h.i.+p was away from the land.
This done, the confusion increased, as we now glided out of the dock.
Hats and handkerchiefs were waved; hurrahs were exchanged; and tears were shed; and the last thing I saw, as we shot into the stream, was a policeman collaring a boy, and walking him off to the guard-house.
A steam-tug, the Goliath, now took us by the arm, and gallanted us down the river past the fort.
The scene was most striking.
Owing to a strong breeze, which had been blowing up the river for four days past, holding wind-bound in the various docks a mult.i.tude of s.h.i.+ps for all parts of the world; there was now under weigh, a vast fleet of merchantmen, all steering broad out to sea. The white sails glistened in the clear morning air like a great Eastern encampment of sultans; and from many a forecastle, came the deep mellow old song Ho-o-he-yo, cheerily men! as the crews called their anchors.
The wind was fair; the weather mild; the sea most smooth; and the poor emigrants were in high spirits at so auspicious a beginning of their voyage. They were reclining all over the decks, talking of soon seeing America, and relating how the agent had told them, that twenty days would be an uncommonly long voyage.
Here it must be mentioned, that owing to the great number of s.h.i.+ps sailing to the Yankee ports from Liverpool, the compet.i.tion among them in obtaining emigrant pa.s.sengers, who as a cargo are much more remunerative than crates and bales, is exceedingly great; so much so, that some of the agents they employ, do not scruple to deceive the poor applicants for pa.s.sage, with all manner of fables concerning the short s.p.a.ce of time, in which their s.h.i.+ps make the run across the ocean.
This often induces the emigrants to provide a much smaller stock of provisions than they otherwise would; the effect of which sometimes proves to be in the last degree lamentable; as will be seen further on.
And though benevolent societies have been long organized in Liverpool, for the purpose of keeping offices, where the emigrants can obtain reliable information and advice, concerning their best mode of embarkation, and other matters interesting to them; and though the English authorities have imposed a law, providing that every captain of an emigrant s.h.i.+p bound for any port of America shall see to it, that each pa.s.senger is provided with rations of food for sixty days; yet, all this has not deterred mercenary s.h.i.+p-masters and unprincipled agents from practicing the grossest deception; nor exempted the emigrants themselves, from the very sufferings intended to be averted.
No sooner had we fairly gained the expanse of the Irish Sea, and, one by one, lost sight of our thousand consorts, than the weather changed into the most miserable cold, wet, and cheerless days and nights imaginable.
The wind was tempestuous, and dead in our teeth; and the hearts of the emigrants fell. Nearly all of them had now hied below, to escape the uncomfortable and perilous decks: and from the two ”b.o.o.by-hatches” came the steady hum of a subterranean wailing and weeping. That irresistible wrestler, sea-sickness, had overthrown the stoutest of their number, and the women and children were embracing and sobbing in all the agonies of the poor emigrant's first storm at sea.