The _Steadfast_, South Sea whaler, having doubled Cape Horn, was
traversing the broad waters of the Pacific. Royals and studding-sails
were set to catch the light breeze which sent her gliding majestically
along over the calm ocean; her six whaleboats, with stem and stern
alike, hung from the davits above her black sides. A tropical sun shone
down on her deck, making the pitch hiss and bubble in the seams, and
driving all on deck whose duty did not compel them to keep elsewhere,
into such shade as the sails and bulwarks afforded.
Captain Graybrook, a fine-looking man, with an open, intelligent
expression of countenance, stood aft, sextant in hand, prepared to take
a meridional altitude. Near him was his second mate, Leonard Champion,
with two boys, one of whom also held a sextant.
"You can now, Harry, take an observation as well as I can, and before
long, if you pay attention, you will become a good navigator," observed
the young mate.
"Thank you for teaching me, Mr Champion; that's just my wish," answered
Harry.
"Where there's a will there's a way; and you, Mr Bass," said the mate,
turning to the other boy, "ought to do as well as Harry by this time."
"Dickey is fonder of skylarking than shooting the stars," remarked
Harry, laughing.
"Not fonder than you are, Harry," retorted Dickey Bass, who was the son
of a former shipmate of Captain Graybrook, and brought by him to sea
through regard for the boy's father. "I don't happen to understand sums
as well as you do, and so I don't always get my day's work done as
correctly as yours."
"Always! why, if we were to go by your reckoning, Dickey, we should have
been in the middle of the forests of South America, or on the top of the
Andes, before now. When did you ever make a right calculation?" asked
Harry, who delighted in bantering Dickey, though they were really great
friends.
"Why, for the last fortnight I don't suppose I have been more than eight
or ten degrees out at the utmost."
Mr Champion and Harry laughed heartily.
"Rather a serious error, Mr Bass."
"I meant minutes," said Dickey, "or perhaps seconds; I always forget
which is which."
At that moment Captain Graybrook lifted his instrument to his eye, and
the mate and Harry followed his example.
"The sun has dipped; make it noon," said the captain; and the ship's
bell was struck.
Having written off their observations and quickly made their
calculations, the ship was found to be about seventeen degrees south of
the line, off the coast of Peru.
Look-out men were sent aloft, for they were now approaching a part of
the ocean where whales were in those days likely to be found. As they
looked over the side, many polypi, medusae, and squid were observed
floating on the surface; and occasionally a covey of flying-fish, rising
from the water, darted rapidly over it, quickly again, as their
brilliant wings dried, to sink down and become the prey of their
enemies, the dolphin or bonito. A seaman had just hauled a bucket of
water on deck. Within it was a gelatinous-looking mass. The mate and
his young companions examined it.
"That is part of a squid," he observed, "the whale's food. Probably the
remainder is down the monster's maw. We shall sight a whale before the
day is over, I hope."
"I hope so too," said Harry. "I long to see one killed and brought
alongside. We have had a dull time of it since we touched at
Valparaiso. I thought we should have captured a dozen or more before
this."
"You will have to learn patience at sea, my boy," observed the mate.
"We have three years to remain out, and may consider ourselves fortunate
if we get a full ship at the end of that time."
The sextants had been returned to their cases in the cabin, and Harry
and his chum, Dickey Bass, finding it very hot, seated themselves in the
shade by the side of a gun, of which the _Steadfast_ carried eight,
besides a good supply of muskets and cutlasses and other weapons; for,
having to visit regions inhabited by fierce and savage tribes, she was
well armed.
"I say, Harry, what was old Tom talking to you about in your watch last
night, and what made you look so grave this morning? I could not tell
what had come over you," said Dickey Bass.
"He asked me whether I was prepared to die. I thought it an odd
question."
"I should think it was," said young Bass. "What did you say in return?"
"I told him that I had not thought about it, and that, as I enjoyed
life, I had no intention of leaving it," answered Harry. "He then
reminded me that I might fall overboard any day, or the ship might be
lost with all hands, or the boat in which I happened to be might be
capsized, or I might die of fever, or be cut off by savages, or that I
might lose my life in a number of other ways. He asked me, if any of
these disagreeable things were to happen, where I expected to go. I
told him, of course, that I wished to go to heaven; and he then inquired
what right I had to go there."
"I do not think he had any right to ask you any such questions,"
observed Harry's companion. "I should have told him to mind his own
business. I do not like to be bothered by that sort of questions."
"I could not answer him in that way," replied Harry, "for he spoke very
kindly. He is, besides, an old man, and has been for a number of years
with my father, who thinks highly of him, for I have heard him say so.
Besides, he has taken great pains to teach me seamanship, always tells
me anything I ask him; and if it were not for him I should not know half
as much as I do."
"Still, I do not see why he should try to frighten you about dying, or
ask you where you expect to go if you do. It looks as if he doubted
that you would go to heaven," said Dickey.
"He told me very distinctly that I had no claim whatever to go there,
and that unless my sins were washed away, the Bible says that I should
be unfit to go there; that heaven is a pure and holy place, and that all
people are impure and unholy," said Harry, in a graver tone than usual.
"But I suppose he wants you to become religious, and read good books,
and give up laughing and singing and being the capital jolly fellow you
are now, Harry," interrupted Dickey Bass. "If I were you, I would not
listen to him; neither your father nor Mr Champion ever speaks to us in
that way. Just forget all he said, and drive dull care away."
"I have already forgotten, I am afraid, a great deal that he said,"
answered Harry; "but he seemed, at all events, very much in earnest, and
I cannot help remembering some of the things. Besides, Mr Champion has
lately spoken to me more seriously than he has ever done before; and
only last Sunday he gave me a book to read, and told me that he thought
it would do me good. As I found my sister Hannah's name in it, I
suppose she asked him to give it to me, and that he had forgotten to do
so till then."
"I saw you with one in your hand. Did you read it?" asked young Bass.
"It seemed very dry, and I fell asleep over it, so that I cannot say I
know much about it," answered Harry.
"The best thing you could have done," remarked Dickey. "Whatever you
do, Harry, don't turn Methodist. I cannot say that I admire old Tom,
and do not want you to become like him. To my mind he is a dull, stiff
old fellow, with a very good opinion of himself, and I have never felt
inclined to be intimate with him."
"I did not at first; but he seemed so anxious to help me, and to put me
up to all sorts of things, that I could not help liking him, though I
own that I would rather he did not talk to me about religion. The next
time he does so I shall try to get him to change the subject."
"Of course you must," said Dickey Bass. "It's all very well for parsons
and ministers, but an old boat-steerer has no business to trouble one
with such things. Why, I only yesterday heard him lecturing Rob Burton
there, the merriest, happiest fellow in the ship;" and he pointed to a
fine, active-looking young seaman at work on the other side of the deck.
"I have a notion that he was talking to him about his soul and death,
as if he was not likely to live as long as any one on board, and longer
too than most of the old hands. Why should he put melancholy thoughts
into his head, and take the pluck out of him?"
"I suppose he thought Rob Burton careless about religious matters, and
wanted to get him to read his good books and tracts," observed Harry.
"Old Tom means well, at all events."
"He may mean well, but for my part I don't like those well-meaning
fellows," answered Dickey. "If I catch him lecturing you I will join
in, and we will soon put a stop to his preaching."
The thoughtless lads talked on for some time in the same strain, till
any good effect which the conversation Tom Hayes had held with Harry
might have produced on him was completely eradicated.
They were interrupted by a startling cry from the masthead, so welcome
to a whaler's ears, of "There she spouts!" and in a moment the crew,
hitherto so lethargic, were aroused into action. Some flew to the
falls, to lower a couple of boats, others sprang up the shrouds, to
observe the position of the whale; and soon afterwards the boats, of
which the first and second mates had the command, shoved off from the
ship's side. Another cry came of "There again!" indicating that the
whale had once more come to the surface, and was spouting. The monster
was at no great distance. Mr Gibson, the first mate, took the lead,
pulling the bow oar of his boat, that he might be ready to strike the
harpoon into the animal as soon as it was reached.
Harry and his friend were in the rigging watching the proceedings.
Quitting his oar, the mate stood up, harpoon in hand; it flew from his
grasp just in time to strike the monster, which was about to "sound," or
dive. The line attached to the weapon led aft to a tub, in which it lay
coiled at the bottom of the boat. The mate, who acted as boat-steerer,
now came to his proper place in the stern, where he guided the boat by
an oar passed through a ring called a grummet, while the headsman, who
had before been steering, took his place in the bow, armed with several
lances, ready to plunge into the body of the whale the instant it again
appeared.
After some minutes, up came the monster, lying somewhat exhausted with
its exertions to escape and the effects of the harpoon in its body. The
boat pulling close up to it, the headsman thrust first one lance and
then another into its body, near the fin, shouting as he did so, "Stern
all." Instantly the boat backed away as fast as the crew could use
their oars, only just in time to avoid the violent movements of the
monster, which now reared its tail, lashing the water into foam, and,
lifting its enormous head, threatened destruction to its assailants with
its formidable jaws. Suddenly its movements ceased, and the
boat-steerers, believing that its last struggles were over, and eager to
secure their victim, urged their men to give way towards it.
The first mate's boat still took the lead, and approached with less
caution than usual. The apparently vanquished monster, as it saw her,
without a moment's warning whirled round its enormous tail, which,
striking her, sent the boat flying into the air, scattering her crew on
either side in the blood-stained water, when it rushed forward with open
mouth to attack Mr Champion's boat. He narrowly avoided the fierce
assault, and then boldly steered to the assistance of his shipmates, who
were struggling for their lives. Once more the whale turned, dragging
the boat after it, swimming directly through the midst of the men in the
water.
The accident had been clearly seen from the ship. Several had been
picked up. Mr Champion then steered towards the whale, which was in
its death struggle a short distance off. Another boat had been lowered
to go to his assistance, under the command of Tom Hayes.
In a short time, the first mate's boat having been righted, all three
were seen returning.
"Any one hurt, Mr Gibson?" inquired the captain, as the whale was
brought alongside.
"Sorry to say, sir, that Rob Burton has gone," was the answer. "Either
the whale or the boat struck him, and he went down like a shot."
"Poor Rob Burton!" exclaimed several voices. "The gayest and
best-hearted fellow aboard."
"Dickey, you said he was likely to live as long as any of us," remarked
Harry, very much shocked. "I wonder whether he listened to what old Tom
said to him?"
"It's not a subject I like to think about," answered Dickey. "I wish it
had not happened."
"So do I. But our wishes cannot bring poor Burton to life again,"
observed Harry. "I cannot help thinking that old Tom must be right; and
when he speaks to me I think I ought to listen to what he says."
"Now, Harry, don't let this thing make you turn Methodist!" exclaimed
Bass, after a silence of some minutes. "It is very shocking, of course;
but that's no reason why we should mope and grow serious, and fancy that
the same is going to happen to us. I don't feel quite comfortable
myself, I own; but we shall get over it in a few days, and all hands
will be as merry as ever."
Such, indeed, was the case. Poor Burton's clothes were put up to
auction and disposed of among the crew, and his name was seldom or never
mentioned afterwards. Too often the same thing happens on board ship
when a seaman is lost, much as his shipmates may mourn for him at the
time.
Old Tom did not, however, fail to speak to Harry about Burton.
"I was talking to him on the state of his soul only just two or three
days before he had to go and stand in the presence of his Maker, and
give an account of the deeds done in the body," said the old man. "I
asked him whether he knew that it was washed in the blood of the
Saviour, or whether he had his sins still clinging to him. He did not
know, poor lad, that his soul needed cleansing; and when I said that it
was vile and foul, and loaded with sin, and that unless it was washed he
could not enter heaven and stand before the all-righteous Judge, he
asked me how that was to be done. So I told him the way God has
appointed--the only way by which it could be done--through faith in the
blood of the risen Saviour shed for us on Calvary. And I tell you,
Harry, that it gives me great joy to think that his answer was, `I do
believe Jesus died for me. May God in His mercy help my unbelief.' I
told him to pray, and that he might be sure God would answer his prayer.
He said he would that very night; and next morning he told me that he
had prayed, and that he felt happier than he had ever done before. I
had not another word with him after that; but I only wish that you and
every one in the ship were like Rob Burton. I know little more about
him than what I have told you, but that is enough to give me comfort;
and if I ever get home and can visit his mother, it will give her
comfort too, for she is a Christian woman, and had taught him to pray,
and had never ceased praying for him, he said. Of that he was sure."
"Then do you think he has gone to heaven?" asked Harry.
"Yes," answered old Tom; "for God has promised that He will receive all
who trust in Jesus. Whatever are their sins, He will put them as far
from Him as the east is from the west; that though they be red like
scarlet, they shall become white as wool."
"I wish that I understood these things better than I do," said Harry,
earnestly.
"You have your Bible, Harry; read that, with prayer for grace to
understand it."
Harry said he would try and find time; and he actually took out a small
Bible which his mother had put into his chest, and carried it in his
pocket; but he did not like reading it when Dickey was looking on, and
somehow or other never found the time he expected.
Dickey tried his best to do away with the impression old Tom had made on
Harry's mind; and the thoughtless boys soon, like the rest of the crew,
forgot the fate of poor Burton. All hands were, indeed, kept actively
employed. Numerous whales appeared, several of which were captured, and
night after night the crew were engaged in "cutting in" and "trying
out"--that is, cutting the blubber off the body of the animal and
boiling it in huge cauldrons on deck. The bright glare falling on the
masts and rigging, and the sturdy frames of the sailors, as they stirred
up the cauldrons, placed on tripods, with their forks, gave them the
wildest and most savage appearance.
"I don't think my mother and sister would recognise the ship if they
were to see us now," observed Harry to his companion, as they stood aft,
ready to cast off the carcase of a whale which had been stripped of its
blubber, and had an opportunity of observing the scene going on beyond
them.
"They would think we were a set of spirits from the lower world busy
over some diabolical work, I suspect," said Dickey.
The business was not exactly pleasant, but as there was no disagreeable
smell, Harry did not mind it; and even Mr Champion, whom he looked upon
as very refined, was so accustomed to the work that he took it as a
matter of course.
After the oil was thus extracted, it was ladled into casks, which were
stowed below.