IN WHICH IS EXPLAINED THE SUBLIME MYSTERY OF KEELHAULING--SNARLEYYOW
SAVES SMALLBONES FROM BEING DROWNED, ALTHOUGH SMALLBONES WOULD HAVE
DROWNED HIM.
It is a dark morning; the wind is fresh from the north-west; flakes of
snow are seen wafting here and there by the wind, the avant-couriers of
a heavy fall; the whole sky is of one murky grey, and the sun is hidden
behind a dense bank. The deck of the cutter is wet and slippery, and
Dick Short has the morning watch. He is wrapt up in a Flushing
pea-jacket, with thick mittens on his hands; he looks about him, and now
and then a fragment of snow whirls into his eye; he winks it out, it
melts and runs like a tear down his cheek. If it were not that it is
contrary to man-of-war custom he would warm himself with the
_double-shuffle_, but such a step would be unheard of on the
quarter-deck of even the cutter Yungfrau.
The tarpaulin over the hatchway is pushed on one side, and the space
between the coamings is filled with the bull head and broad shoulders of
Corporal Van Spitter, who, at last, gains the deck; he looks round him,
and apparently is not much pleased with the weather. Before he proceeds
to business, he examines the sleeves and front of his jacket, and having
brushed off with the palm of his hand a variety of blanket-hairs,
adhering to the cloth, he is satisfied, and now turns to the right and
to the left, and forward and aft--in less than a minute he goes right
round the compass. What can Corporal Van Spitter want at so early an
hour? He has not come up on deck for nothing, and yet he appears to be
strangely puzzled: the fact is, by the arrangements of last night, it
was decided, that this morning, if Snarleyyow did not make his
appearance in the boat sent on shore for fresh beef for the ship's
company, the unfortunate Smallbones was to be _keel-hauled_.
What a delightful morning for a keel-hauling!
This ingenious process, which, however, like many other good old
customs, has fallen into disuse, must be explained to the non-nautical
reader. It is nothing more nor less than sending a poor navigator on a
voyage of discovery under the bottom of the vessel, lowering him [The
author has here explained keel-hauling as practised in those times in
small _fore-and-aft_ vessels. In large and square-rigged vessels, the
man was hauled up to one main-yard arm, and dropped into the sea, and
hauled under the bottom of the vessel to the other; but this in small
fore-and-aft vessels was not so easily effected, nor was it considered
sufficient punishment] down over the bows, and with ropes retaining him
exactly in his position under the kelsom [keelson], while he is drawn
aft by a hauling line until he makes his appearance at the
rudder-chains, generally speaking quite out of breath, not at the
rapidity of his motion, but because, when so long under the water, he
has expended all the breath in his body, and is induced to take in salt
water _en lieu_. There is much merit in this invention; people are very
apt to be content with walking the deck of a man-of-war, and complain of
it as a hardship, but when once they have learnt, by experience, the
difference between being comfortable above board, and the number of
deprivations which they have to submit to when under board and overboard
at the same time, they find that there are worse situations than being
on the deck of a vessel--we say privations when under board, for they
really are very important:--you are deprived of the air to breathe,
which is not borne with patience even by a philosopher, and you are
obliged to drink salt water instead of fresh. In the days of
keel-hauling, the bottoms of vessels were not coppered, and in
consequence were well studded with a species of shell-fish which
attached themselves, called barnacles, and as these shells were all
open-mouthed and with sharp cutting points, those who underwent this
punishment (for they were made by the ropes at each side, fastened to
their arms, to hug the kelsom of the vessel) were cut and scored all
over their body, as if with so many lancets, generally coming up
bleeding in every part, and with their faces, especially their noses, as
if they had been gnawed by the rats; but this was considered rather
advantageous than otherwise, as the loss of blood restored the patient
if he was not quite drowned, and the consequence was, that one out of
three, it is said, have been known to recover after their submarine
excursion. The Dutch have the credit, and we will not attempt to take
from them their undoubted right, of having invented this very agreeable
description of punishment. They are considered a heavy, phlegmatic sort
of people, but on every point in which the art of ingeniously tormenting
is in request, it must be admitted that they have taken the lead of much
more vivacious and otherwise more inventive nations.
And now the reader will perceive why Corporal Van Spitter was in a
dilemma. With all the good-will in the world, with every anxiety to
fulfil his duty and to obey his superior officer, he was not a seaman,
and did not know how to commence operations. He knew nothing about
foddering a vessel's bottom, much less how to fodder it with the carcase
of one of his fellow-creatures. The corporal, as we said before, turned
round and round the compass to ascertain if he could compass his wishes;
at last, he commenced by dragging one rope's-end from one side and
another from the other; those would do for the side ropes, but he wanted
a long one from forward and another from aft, and how to get the one
from aft under the cutter's bottom was a puzzle; and then there was the
mast and the rigging in his way;--the corporal reflected--the more he
considered the matter, the more his brain became confused; he was at a
nonplus, and he gave it up in despair: he stood still, took out a blue
cotton handkerchief from the breast of his jacket and wiped his
forehead, for the intensity of thought had made him perspire--anything
like reflection was very hard work for Corporal Van Spitter.
"Tousand tyfels!" at last exclaimed the corporal, and he paused and
knocked his big head with his fist.
"Hundred tousand tyfels!" repeated the corporal after five minutes' more
thought.
"Twenty hundred tousand tyfels!" muttered the corporal, once more
knocking his head: but he knocked in vain; like an empty house, there
was no one within to answer the appeal. The corporal could no more; so
he returned his pocket-handkerchief to the breast of his jacket, and a
heavy sigh escaped from his own breast. All the devils in hell were
mentally conjured and summoned to his aid, but they were, it is to be
presumed, better employed, for although the work in hand was diabolical
enough, still Smallbones was such a poor devil, that probably he might
have been considered as remotely allied to the fraternity.
It may be inquired why, as this was on _service_, Corporal Van Spitter
did not apply for the assistance of the seamen belonging to the vessel,
particularly to the officer in charge of the deck; but the fact was,
that he was unwilling to do this, knowing that his application would be
in vain, for he was aware that the whole crew sided with Smallbones; it
was only as a last resource that he intended to do this, and being now
at his _wit's_ end, he walked up to Dick Short, who had been watching
the corporal's motions in silence, and accosted him.
"If you please, Mynheer Short, Mynheer Vanslyperken give orders dat de
boy be keel-hauled dis morning;--I want haben de rope and de way."
Short looked at the corporal, and made no reply.
"Mynheer Short, I haben tell de order of Mynheer Vanslyperken."
Dick Short made no reply, but leaning over the hatchway, called out,
"Jemmy."
"Ay, ay," replied Jemmy Ducks, turning out of his hammock and dropping
on the lower deck.
Corporal Van Spitter, who imagined that Mr Short was about to comply
with his request after his own Harpocratic fashion, remained quietly on
the deck until Jemmy Ducks made his appearance.
"Hands," quoth Short.
Jemmy piped the hands up.
"Boat," quoth Short, turning his head to the small boat hoisted up
astern.
Now as all this was apparently preparatory to the work required, the
corporal was satisfied. The men soon came up with their hammocks on
their shoulders, which they put into the nettings, and then Jemmy
proceeded to lower down the boat. As soon as it was down and hauled up
alongside, Short turned round to Coble, and waving his hand towards the
shore, said--
"Beef."
Coble, who perfectly understood him, put a new quid into his cheek, went
down the side, and pulled on shore to bring off the fresh beef and
vegetables for the ship's company; after which Dick Short walked the
deck and gave no further orders.
Corporal Van Spitter perceiving this, went up to him again.
"Mynheer Short, you please get ready."
"No!" thundered Short, turning away.
"Got for dam, dat is mutiny," muttered the corporal, who immediately
backed stern foremost down the hatchway, to report to his commandant the
state of affairs on deck. Mr Vanslyperken had already risen; he had
slept but one hour during the whole night, and that one hour was so
occupied with wild and fearful dreams that he awoke from his sleep
un-refreshed. He had dreamed that he was making every attempt to drown
Smallbones, but without effect, for, so soon as the lad was dead he came
to life again; he thought that Smallbones soul was incorporated in a
small animal something like a mouse, and that he had to dislodge it from
its tenement of clay; but as soon as he drove it from one part of the
body it would force its way back again into another; if he forced it out
by the mouth after incredible exertions, which made him perspire at
every pore, it would run back again into the ear; if forced from thence,
through the nostril, then in at the toe, or any other part; in short, he
laboured apparently in his dream for years, but without success. And
then the "change came o'er the spirit of his dream;" but still there was
analogy, for he was now trying to press his suit, which was now a liquid
in a phial, into the widow Vandersloosh, but in vain. He administered
it again and again, but it acted as an emetic, and she could not stomach
it, and then he found himself rejected by all--the widow kicked him,
Smallbones stamped upon him, even Snarleyyow flew at him and bit him; at
last, he fell with an enormous paving-stone round his neck, descending
into a horrible abyss head foremost, and, as he increased his velocity,
he awoke trembling and confused, and could sleep no more. This dream
was not one to put Mr Vanslyperken into good humour, and two severe
cuts on his cheek with the razor as he attempted to shave, for his hand
still trembled, had added to his discontent, when it was raised to its
climax by the entrance of Corporal Van Spitter, who made his report of
the mutinous conduct of the first officer. Never was Mr Vanslyperken
in such a tumult of rage; he pulled off some beaver from his hat to
staunch the blood, and wiping off the remainder of the lather, for he
put aside the operation of shaving till his hand was more steady, he
threw on his coat, and followed the corporal on deck, looked round with
a savage air, spied out the diminutive form of Jemmy Ducks, and desired
him to pipe "all hands to keel-haul."
Whereupon Jemmy put his pipe to his mouth, and after a long flourish,
bawled out what appeared to Mr Vanslyperken to be--all hands to be
_keel-hauled_; but Jemmy slurred over quickly the little change made in
the order, and, although the men tittered, Mr Vanslyperken thought it
better to say nothing. But there is an old saying, that you may bring a
horse to the pond, but you cannot make him drink. Mr Vanslyperken had
given the order, but no one attempted to commence the arrangements. The
only person who showed any activity was Smallbones himself, who, not
aware that he was to be punished, and hearing all hands piped for
something or another, came shambling, a an wings, up the hatchway, and
looked round to ascertain what was to be done. He was met by the bulky
form of Corporal Van Spitter, who, thinking that Smallbones' making his
appearance in such haste was with the intention of jumping overboard to
avoid his punishment, immediately seized him by the collar with the left
hand, turned round on a pivot towards Mr Vanslyperken, and raising his
right hand to his foraging cap, reported, "The prisoner on deck, Mynheer
Vanslyperken." This roused the lieutenant to action for he had been
walking the deck for a half minute in deep thought.
"Is all ready there, forward?" cried Mr Vanslyperken.
No one replied.
"I say, boatswain, is all ready?"
"No, sir," replied Jemmy; "nobody knows how to set about it. I don't,
any how--I never seed anything of the like since I've been in the
service--the whole of the ship's company say the same." But even the
flakes of snow, which now fell thick, and whitened the blue jacket of
Mr Vanslyperken, could not assuage his wrath; he perceived that the men
were refractory, so he summoned the six marines, who were completely
under the control of their corporal.
Poor Smallbones had, in the meantime, discovered what was going on, and
thought that he might as well urge something in his own defence.
"If you please, what are you going for to do with me?" said the lad,
with a terrified look.
"Lead him forward," said Mr Vanslyperken; "follow me, marines;" and the
whole party, headed by the lieutenant, went before the mast.
"Strip him," cried Mr Vanslyperken.
"Strip me, with the snow flying like this! Ar'n't I cold enough
already?"
"You'll be colder when you're under the bottom of the cutter," replied
his master.
"O Lord, then it is keel-hauling a'ter all; why, what have I done?"
cried Smallbones, as the marines divested him of his shirt, and exposed
his emaciated body to the pitiless storm.
"Where's Snarleyyow, sir?--confess."
"Snarleyyow--how should I know, sir? it's very hard because your dog is
not to be found, that I'm to be dragged under the bottom of a vessel."
"I'll teach you to throw paving-stones in the canal."
"Paving stones, sir!" and Smallbones' guilty conscience flew in his
face. "Well, sir, do as you please, I'm sure I don't care; if I am to
be killed, be quick about it--I'm sure I shan't come up alive."
Here Mr Vanslyperken remembered his dream, and the difficulty which he
had in driving Smallbones' soul out of his body, and he was fearful that
even keel-hauling would not settle Smallbones.
By the direction of Mr Vanslyperken, the hauling ropes and other tackle
were collected by the marines, for the seamen stood by, and appeared
resolved, to a man, to do nothing, and, in about half an hour, all was
ready. Four marines manned the hauling line, one was placed at each
side-rope fastened to the lad's arms, and the corporal, as soon as he
had lifted the body of Smallbones over the larboard gunwale, had
directions to attend the bow-line, and not allow him to be dragged on
too fast: a better selection for this purpose could not have been made
than Corporal Van Spitter. Smallbones had been laid without his clothes
on the deck, now covered with snow, during the time that the lines were
making fast to him; he remained silent, and, as usual when punished,
with his eyes shut, and as Vanslyperken watched him with feelings of
hatred, he perceived an occasional smile to cross the lad's haggard
features. He knows where the dog is, thought Vanslyperken, and his
desire to know what had become of Snarleyyow overcame his vengeance. He
addressed the shivering Smallbones:--
"Now, sir, if you wish to escape the punishment, tell me what has become
of the dog, for I perceive that you know."
Smallbones grinned as his teeth chattered--he would have undergone a
dozen keel-haulings rather than have satisfied Vanslyperken.
"I give you ten minutes to think of it," continued the lieutenant; "hold
all fast at present."
The snow-storm now came on so thick that it was difficult to distinguish
the length of the vessel. Smallbones' naked limbs were gradually
covered, and, before the ten minutes were expired, he was wrapped up in
snow as in a garment; he shook his head occasionally to clear his face,
but remained silent.
"Now, sir," cried Vanslyperken, "will you tell me? or overboard you go
at once. Will you tell me?"
"No," replied Smallbones.
"Do you know, you scoundrel?"
"Yes," replied Smallbones, whose indignation was roused.
"And you won't tell?"
"No," shrieked the lad--"no, never, never, never!"
"Corporal Van Spitter, over with him," cried Vanslyperken in a rage,
when a sudden stir was heard amongst the men aft, and as the corporal
raised up the light frame of the culprit, to carry it to the gunwale, to
the astonishment of Vanslyperken, of the corporal, and of Smallbones,
Snarleyyow appeared on the forecastle, and made a rush at Smallbones, as
he lay in the corporal's arms, snapped at his leg, and then set up his
usual deep baying, "bow, bow, bow!"
The re-appearance of the dog created no small sensation--Vanslyperken
felt that he had now no reason for keel-hauling Smallbones, which
annoyed him as much as the sight of the dog gave him pleasure. The
corporal, who had dropped Smallbones on the snow, was also disappointed.
As for Smallbones, at the baying of the dog, he started up on his
knees, and looked at it as if it were an apparition, with every
demonstration of terror in his countenance; his eyes glared upon the
animal with horror and astonishment, and he fell down in a swoon. The
whole of the ship's company were taken aback--they looked at one another
and shook their heads--one only remark was made by Jansen, who muttered,
"De tog is no tog a'ter all."
Mr Vanslyperken ordered Smallbones to be taken below, and then walked
aft; perceiving Obadiah Coble, he inquired whence the dog had come, and
was answered that he had come off in the boat which he had taken on
shore for fresh beef and vegetables. Mr Vanslyperken made no reply,
but, with Snarleyyow at his heels, went down into the cabin.