Part 1 (1/2)

Masterman Ready

by Captain Marryat

Chapter I

It was in the e shi+p, was running before a heavy gale of wind in the middle of the vast Atlantic Ocean She had but little sail, for the as so strong, that the canvas would have been split into pieces by the furious blasts before which she was driven through the waves, which were very high, and following her al waters; so her bon so deep into the hollow of the sea, that it appeared as if she would have dived down underneath the waves; but she was a fine vessel, and the captain was a good seaman, who did what he considered best for the safety of his vessel, and then put his trust in that Providence who is ever watchful over us

The captain stood before the wheel, watching thebefore a heavy gale, it requires great attention to the hel in a low voice the words of a sea song: ”One ater all around us, All above us one black sky”

And so it ith them;--they were in the middle of the Atlantic, not another vessel to be seen, and the heavens were covered with black clouds, which were borne along furiously by the gale; the sea rancrests, while the fierce wind howled through the rigging of the vessel

Besides the captain of the shi+p and the two es on deck: one was a young lad about twelve years old, and the other a weather-beaten old sea in the wind, as he paced aft and looked over the taffrail of the vessel

The young lad, observing a heavy sea coht hold of the old reat wave come into us, Ready?”

”No, Master William, it will not: don't you see how the shi+p lifts her quarters to it?--and now it has passed underneath us But it ht happen, and then ould become of you, if I did not hold on, and hold you on also? You would be washed overboard”

”I don't like the sea ain,” replied the lad ”Don't the waves look as if they wished to beat the shi+p all to pieces?”

”Yes, they do; and they roar as if angry because they cannot bury the vessel beneath theood shi+p like this, and a good captain and crew, I don't care for them”

”But sometimes shi+ps do sink, and then everybody is drowned”

”Yes; and very often the very shi+ps sink which those on board think are most safe We can only do our best, and after that we must submit to the will of Heaven”

”What little birds are those flying about so close to the water?”

”Those are Mother Carey's chickens You seldo on”

The birds which William referred to were the stormy petrels

”Were you ever shi+pwrecked on a desolate island like Robinson Crusoe?”

”Yes, Master William, I have been shi+pwrecked; but I never heard of Robinson Crusoe So reat hardshi+ps, and so many more have never lived to tell what they have suffered, that it's not very likely that I should have known that one man you speak of, out of so many”

”Oh! but it's all in a book which I have read I could tell you all about it--and so I hen the shi+p is quiet again; but noish you would help ”

”Then always keep your proive me your hand, and I'll answer for it that ill fetch the hatchithout a tuain, I'll tell you horecked, and you shall tellseen William safe to the cabin door, the old seaman returned to the deck, for it was his watch

Masterman Ready, for such was his na been bound apprentice to a collier which sailed from South shi+elds, when he was only ten years old His face was browned fro exposure, and there were deep furrows on his cheeks, but he was still a hale and active man He had served many years on board of a e stories to tell, and he e, for he would not tell an untruth He could navigate a vessel, and, of course, he could read and write The name of Ready was very well suited to him, for he was seldoer, the captain would not hesitate to ask his opinion, and frequently take his advice He was second mate of the vessel

The Pacific was, as we have observed, a very fine shi+p, and well able to contend with the most violent storm She was ofa passage out to New South Wales, with a valuable cargo of English hardware, cutlery, and other ator and seaoodthe best of everything, and when accidents did happen, always rave His name wasobrn The first h and ill-te strict attention to his duty - a man that Captain Osborn could trust, but whom he did not like

Ready we have already spoken of, and it will not be necessary to say anything about the seamen on board, except that there were thirteen of thee a vessel; but just as they were about to sail, five of the seamen, who did not like the treatment they had received from Mackintosh, the first mate, had left the shi+p, and Captain Osborn did not choose to wait until he could obtain others in their stead This proved unfortunate, as the events which we shall hereafter relate will show

Chapter II

Master William, e have introduced to the reader, was the eldest boy of a fa of the father, rave, a very well-infor for overnment at Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, was now returning from a leave of absence of three years He had purchased froovernment several thousand acres of land; it had since risen very much in value, and the sheep and cattle which he had put on it were proving a source of great profit His property had been wellhis absence in England, and he was now taking out with him a variety of articles of every description for its improvement, and for his own use, such as furniture for his house, iriculture, seeds, plants, cattle, and rave was an a health The family consisted of William, as the eldest, a clever, steady boy, but, at the same time, full of htless but good-tempered boy, full of irl of seven years; and Albert, a fine strong little felloas not one year old: he was under the charge of a black girl, who had come frorave to England We have now mentioned all the people on board of the Pacific: perhaps we ought not to forget two shepherd's dogs, belonging to Mr Seagrave, and a little terrier, which was a great favourite of Captain Osborn, to whoed

It was not until the fourth day froradually subsided until it was nearly a cal the gale now brought all their clothes which had been drenched by the rain and spray, and hung the to dry: the sails, also, which had been furled, and had been saturated by the ere now loosened and spread out that they ht not be one down, and the shi+p was running through the water at the speed of about four rave, wrapped up in a cloak, was seated upon one of the arm-chests near the stern of the shi+p, her husband and children were all with her enjoying the fine weather, when Captain Osborn, who had been taking an observation of the sun with his sextant, calad that the gale is over?”

”I didn't care,” replied Tommy, ”only I spilt all my soup But Juno tumbled off her chair, and rolled aith the baby, till papa picked them both up”

”It was a rave

”And so he ht only of hirave

”That's very true, sir,” replied Captain Osborn ”She saved the child, and, I fear, hurt herself”

”I thu

”Yes, and it's lucky that you have a good thick woolly coat over it,” replied Captain Osborn, laughing

”It is 12 o'clock by the sun, sir,” said Mackintosh, the firstme up the latitude, Mr Mackintosh, while I work out the longitude fro In five rave, I shall be ready to prick off over our place on the chart”

”Here are the dogs colad of the fine weather as we are Come here, Romulus! Here, Re by them with his quadrant in his hand, ”I should like to ask you a question Those dogs of yours have two very odd names which I never heard before Who were Rorave, ”were the names of two shepherds, brothers, who in ancient days founded the city of Roest and s of Roether History says that Re over a wall he had raised, and Roer, took away his life; but the history of early days is not to be depended upon”

”No, nor the brothers either, it appears,” replied Ready; ”however, it is the old story - two of a trade can never agree One sometimes hears of Rome now - is that the same place?”

”Yes,” replied William, ”it is the remains of the old city”