ADRIFT IN LIVERPOOL ONCE MORE.
That night I slept soundly, heedless of to-morrow; but when the day
dawned the problem of what I was to do confronted me, and a very awkward
question it was. For I was still so puny in size and so delicate-looking
that I knew it would be no easy matter to persuade any one to employ me.
Besides, I was penniless. I had little clothes but what I was wearing,
and I felt sure no boarding-master would take me in on the chance of my
paying him out of my advance-note here. My only hope was that I might be
allowed to work by the ship, at a small weekly wage, until I had earned
enough to pay for a week's board, either in the Sailors' Home or some
boarding-house where they would try and get me a ship. That hope was
soon dashed when the chief steward appeared. With unnecessary gruffness,
as I thought, he told me that I was not wanted, and the sooner I got
ashore "out of it" the better. Hadji was kinder. He gave me a cheerful
smile, a hearty shake of the hand, and half a crown, besides wishing me
luck. In a few minutes I stood outside the dock gates with all the town
before me, but not a friend or even an acquaintance, as far as I knew,
within its limits. Conscious that I had no time to lose, I wandered
about the docks until I was weary, speaking to every likely looking
officer on board the various ships I visited, and getting nothing but
plenty of good-natured chaff as well as outspoken comments upon my
childish appearance. Yes, I got one good meal; so that when night fell,
and I sought a great heap of hay in the Cobourg Dock that I had noted as
a promising place to spend the night, my precious piece of silver was
still unbroken. I slept soundly, though none too warm, my long stay in
the tropics having thinned my blood. At daylight I crept stealthily from
my nest and recommenced my tramp, but it was fruitless. Then I
remembered the wood-carver, and thought I would look him up again. But
there was another name over the shop, and I saw that another business
was being carried on there. I did not like to go into my old
boarding-house next door, feeling sure that I should be unwelcome with
only two shillings and sixpence in my pocket and no prospects. I went to
the Sailors' Home and told my story, but they refused to take me in--as
indeed I had fully expected they would.
For the next week I roamed about those wretched docks, getting more and
more discouraged every day, until, at last, I was afraid to ask for a
berth in case I got a cuff as well as a refusal. Finally, when I had
been reduced to picking scraps out of the gutter, I resolved to go to
the workhouse. How such an idea entered my head I can't imagine, but it
did, and seemed feasible too. So off I started up Brownlow Hill, but the
strains of a German band arrested my none too eager progress, and, all
hungry as I was, I stayed to listen. Perhaps the music cheered me up; at
any rate, while listening, I determined to go to my old
boarding-mistress and offer my services to her in return for a shelter
and such scraps as she could spare. She received me ungraciously enough;
but I pleaded hard, having learned well the hard lesson of not to take
"no" for an answer without a struggle, and eventually she agreed. The
place was a poor kind of cookshop, the staples of which were penny bowls
of broth and tea for the poverty-stricken dock labourers, with twopenny
plates of potato-pie for the better-off. I honestly earned my keep, and
more; but business getting slack, she told me plainly that she could not
afford to keep me much longer, and she would allow me a couple of hours
a day for a week to look for a ship, at the end of which time I must
shift for myself again. I was not altogether sorry at this chance,
slender though it was. Every day I hunted diligently about during the
time allotted me, and, after four days, I succeeded in getting a job as
cabin-boy on board a German barque, the _Greif_ of Rostock. The captain
had his wife and little daughter on board, neither of whom spoke a word
of English; but the captain said he had just discharged an English boy,
who had pleased them very well, and whose name of "Dan" I was in future
to answer to. I took up my new duties with zest, doing my best, not only
to give satisfaction in my work, but to master the (to me) awful
difficulties of the German language. For a time I succeeded admirably,
except that the ladies called me "schoufskopf" (sheep's-head) far more
frequently than Dan, being irritated, I suppose, by what they considered
my stupidity in not being able to understand them. The only person on
board who seemed inclined to be hard upon me was the mate, a huge North
German, who never missed an opportunity of giving me a blow, apparently
by way of keeping his hand in. Therefore, I exercised all the ingenuity
I possessed in keeping out of his way--no easy task--for, as soon as my
work in the cabin was finished, I was always called on deck to lend such
a hand as I was able. And I could not help noticing that, in spite of
the difficulty I had always found in getting a berth, whenever I did
succeed in finding one there was never any trouble in keeping me fully
employed. So matters progressed in fairly even fashion for three weeks,
while the _Greif_, which lay in the Huskisson Dock, was taking in a
general cargo for Demerara. I made fair progress with the language, and
was certainly something of a favourite with the bo'sun, the cook, and
the sailors. I began to hope that I should succeed at last in making
myself comfortable, as well as necessary, in some way, to the comfort of
others; and only my dread of the mate gave me any uneasiness. But one
morning the cook took advantage of some brief leisure I had to get me to
chop some firewood for him. Gaily I started to obey him, using one large
piece for a block, and was halfway through my task, when the axe struck
a knot, glanced off, and entered the deck, making an ugly mark. The next
moment I received a blow under the ear from behind which stretched me
bleeding and senseless on the deck. When I came to I felt very sick; but
there was such an uproar around me that I speedily forgot my own trouble
in my anxiety to know what was the matter. The mate stood, white as
chalk, the centre of an angry little crowd of the men, one of whom, a
tall, fair Swede, was fairly raving with excitement, and seemed by his
threatening motions to be hard put to it to keep his hands to himself.
Gradually it dawned upon me that all this row was about me. The mate had
struck me brutally and unjustly for what was a pure accident, and his
cruelty had actually caused the whole crew to resent his action. This
was really one of the strangest experiences I ever had. I have been
beaten innumerable times in all sorts of vessels, but only once was a
voice ever raised on my behalf besides this occasion, and that was by
Joe, the Yorkshireman, against my uncle in my first ship. That a mixed
crew of Germans and Scandinavians, on board a German vessel, should
raise a protest against the ill-treatment of an English boy, was an
unheard-of thing, especially when it is remembered that in those days
brutality to boys at sea, except in American ships, was the almost
invariable rule.
I was more frightened at the consequences of the mate's action than
anything else, especially as it looked as if there would be a regular
riot directly. Before, however, any blows were exchanged, the captain
arrived. His presence acted like magic. He made no noise, but just
pushed his way into the centre of the disturbance, speaking quietly to
the men, who at once dispersed to their several duties. Then he turned
to me, and said, in the same passionless voice, "Ashore mit you. If I
findt you hier in den minutes more, I schlings you oferbordt." I did not
linger. In less than five minutes I was out of the ship, and again in
the unenviable position of being masterless. There was a change in my
hitherto persistent bad luck, however. Strolling dejectedly round the
dock, I came to the very biggest sailing-ship I had ever yet seen. When
I had done admiring her enormous proportions, my attention was caught by
a new spar, which lay upon the quay nearly ready for going aloft. I
walked round it wondering, with all my might, whatever kind of mast it
could be. At last I stopped, and, according to a lifelong habit of mine,
began thinking aloud. "T'aint a schooner's topmast, 'cause there's three
sheave-holes in it; nor yet a barque's mizzen-topmast, for the same
reason. N'ther ain't a ship afloat as 'ud carry sech a stick fur a
to'-gallanm'st, nor yet fur a jibboom. _I_ never see sech a spar 'n _my_
life." "You give it up, then, I suppose?" said a grave voice behind me.
Turning sharp round I confronted a tall, distinguished-looking
gentleman, who was regarding me with an amused smile. "Yes, sir," I
said, "I thought I knew all about ships' masts; but I can't think what
this one can be for." "Well," he replied, "I'll enlighten you. It's my
ship's foreto'-gallanmast, and that third sheavehole that puzzled you so
much is for the skys'le-halliards. Now do you see?" I thanked him and
said I did; but I was none the less surprised that any ship could carry
such a mighty spar so high up. And then, by a happy inspiration, I told
him my story, right down to the last episode. He heard me in silence,
and, as soon as I had finished, turned and went on board, telling me to
follow him. Gladly enough I obeyed, until we reached the quarter-deck,
where we found the shipkeeper. Telling him to find me something to do,
the captain then turned to me, saying, "I shan't be able to take you to
sea with me, for all our gear is so heavy that we never carry any boys;
but while the ship is in Liverpool you may stay on board doing what you
can, and I will pay you twelve shillings a week, out of which you must
keep yourself. Now, be a good boy, and I'll see what I can do for you
when we sail." I was hard put to it to express my gratitude; but he cut
me short by walking away, and leaving me to realize my extraordinary
good fortune. As soon as he was gone, I hunted up the shipkeeper, who
had taken himself off somewhere, and asked him for a job. He was an
easy-going individual, not over fond of work himself, or given to
expecting much from any one else. So he said, "Oh, I can't be bothered
just now. You scull round a bit 'n have a look at the ship, 'n I'll fine
yer sutthin to do bimeby." That was good enough for me. For the next two
or three hours I exhausted all my powers of admiration over this
magnificent vessel. She was called the _Jorawur_ of London, and built
frigate-fashion, with imitation quarter galleries, which added to her
already great appearance of size. She belonged to a school that has now
departed, whereof the _Superb_, _Calcutta_, _Lady Jocelyn_, and
_Hydaspes_ (the last two converted steamships), were conspicuous
examples. She carried thirty-two A.B.'s and six petty officers, so that
she was well manned, even taking her great size and enormous spars into
account. But alas! years after, I saw her bought by a firm of Jewish
ship-knackers, who razeed her taunt spars, sold the yards off her
mizzenmast, turning her into a barque, and finally sent her to sea with
_seven_ A.B.'s forrard. No one was surprised when she took entire charge
of the poor handful of men before she got clear of the Channel. God help
them! they could hardly get her yards round, much less shorten sail. She
was eventually picked up, almost derelict, and towed into Falmouth,
where the ill-used crew promptly refused to do any more in her, and
were, of course, clapped in gaol therefor, with that steady application
of the rights of owners so characteristic of our seaport magistrates.
But this is digression.
"Knock-off" time came, and with it the exodus of all the motley crowd of
riggers, painters, and stevedores who had been busy about the ship all
day. Seeing them depart homewards I remembered, with some misgivings,
that I too could only be considered a day-worker, and might also be
required to clear out, but whither? So I sought the shipkeeper, and
timidly approached the question whether I might be allowed to stay on
board. I found him very glad to have some one who would relieve him of
the necessity of keeping so close to the ship as he had been doing. He
at once gave me the free run of the cabin, and hastened to "clean
himself" preparatory to a cruise down town. I busied myself in hunting
up such odds and ends as lay about the staterooms available for bedding,
and before long had rigged myself quite a cosy nook, near the glowing
stove, which, as the weather was cold, was very comforting. My friend
having departed, I was left quite alone on board the huge vessel; but
this, so far from giving me any uneasiness, was just in my line--I was
more than contented. I found the keys of the pantry and store-room,
where my eager search soon discovered plenty of cuddy bread (biscuits),
half a chest of tea, sugar, oatmeal, sago, and arrowroot. There was
nothing else eatable or drinkable. This find, however, gave me great
delight. I felt no apprehensions now that I should have to spend much in
food--a fear which had somewhat daunted me before, seeing how badly I
wanted to save all my wages to get myself a few clothes and pay for a
week's board in the Sailors' Home when the _Jorawur_ sailed. Another
expedition to the galley provided me with a saucepan, with which I at
once proceeded to make myself a mighty bowl of arrowroot, thinking, in
my ignorance, that not only was it very nice to eat, but that it must be
most strengthening as well. How could I know that it was only starch? A
couple of biscuits and the half-gallon of arrowroot (plenty of sugar in
it) made me feel at peace with all the world, if even I was in rather an
inflated condition. Fed and warmed, with a good roof over my head, and a
fairly comfortable bed (if it _was_ composed of rags), I only wanted
one thing more to be perfectly happy. And even that was forthcoming--a
book. "Bleak House" lay in one of the pantry drawers waiting for me, I
felt. Putting the lamp handy and replenishing the fire, I settled down
luxuriously into my nest, all my troubles forgotten in present bliss.
When the shipkeeper came on board I don't know, for when I awoke it was
morning--five o'clock. I jumped up, hustled my bed out of sight, and lit
the fire. While it was burning up I went on deck for a wash, returning
sharp-set to a good breakfast of tea and biscuit, after which I felt
ready for anything that might come along. By the look of the shipkeeper
when at last he appeared, his last night's excursion had been anywhere
but in the paths of virtue. But his amiability was unimpaired, and it
was in quite a deprecatory tone that he requested me to "pop across the
road" and get him a drop of rum, as he didn't feel very well. Whether it
was my alacrity in obeying his request, or the speed with which I
afterwards got him a cup of tea, I don't know, but thenceforth our
relations were of the pleasantest kind. I wished, though, that he hadn't
found me quite such a miserably cold job; for that forenoon he set me to
clean out the row of 400-gallon tanks in which the sea-stock of fresh
water was carried, my slender body being easily able to slip in through
the "man-hole"--a feat that was really impossible to him. Now, some of
these tanks had over eighteen inches of water in them: all had enough to
come well above my ankles. As it was late autumn I got chilled to the
marrow, for, as I must needs bale all the water into buckets and pass it
up to him through the man-hole, I soon got wet through. Then I had to
scrub and sluice vigorously to get the thick coating of rust off, in
which process I became very much like a piece of rusty old iron myself.
As each tank was thoroughly cleansed, a pail of limewash was handed in
to me with a big brush, and I gave top, bottom, and sides a liberal
coating of it. In consequence of this occupation my appearance was
filthy beyond words; but I did not mind that, until, one day, having
come on deck for something, I met the captain. Looking at me with an
expression of the liveliest disgust, he said, "Dirty little beast!" This
cut me to the quick, as being both unkind as well as utterly undeserved.
However, I made no defence. One of the earliest lessons inculcated on
board ship is "no back answers," and the boy of gumption loses no time
in understanding that the less he says, by way of excuse, the better for
his welfare. Much injustice is thus suffered, of course, but there is
apparently no help for it. From that day forward I carefully avoided the
captain, lest he should discharge me--a fate which I dreaded.
The peculiar diet beginning to pall, even upon my palate, I hit upon a
plan which, however indefensible morally, gave me then no qualms, while
the results were extremely gratifying. The gang of painters who were
re-decorating the cabin brought their meals with them, and I supplied
them with tea out of the half-chest in the storeroom, receiving in
return a portion of their food. By this means I still kept my wages
intact. The only money I spent while on board was on one unlucky
Saturday. Fired by the description of a savoury dumpling, filled with
bacon and kidney, which I read in the late steward's cookery book, I
slipped ashore and bought the necessary ingredients. On Sunday morning I
tried my hand, and, having succeeded in making the dumpling, dropped it
clothless into a saucepan of boiling water, made up a roaring fire
under, and hungrily awaited the result. Rigidly repressing an eager
desire to peep into the pot, I watched the clock until the specified
time had elapsed. Then, my fingers trembling with excitement, I lifted
the lid and peered through the dense steam. A greyish soup with a
villainous burnt smell greeted my sight; my dumpling had melted. Crying
with vexation and disappointment, I turned the mess out into a dish, but
I couldn't eat it. It was too bad even for me. So I fell back upon sago,
and made no more experiments in cookery.
The inevitable day drew near when the ship was to sail. Her cargo of
salt (for Calcutta) was nearly all in, the riggers had bent the sails,
and a smart steward took charge of the cabin, ejecting me summarily. I
took refuge in the forecastle that night, and the next morning, having
made myself as presentable as I could (I _was_ a queer-looking little
scarecrow), I waylaid the captain and besought him to ship me for the
voyage. Giving me a half-laughing, half-pitying look, he said, "No, my
boy, there is no duty here light enough for you; I cannot take you to
sea with me. But I will take you up to the Home, and tell them to get
you a ship. You shan't have to prowl the docks again if I can help it."
I thanked him, but ventured to say that I should have liked much better
to sail in such a splendid ship as the _Jorawur_. He seemed pleased, but
shook his head decidedly, and in a few minutes we were ashore, making
for the Sailors' Home. Arriving at the great building, the captain
immediately made for the office, and sought an interview with the
superintendent. As soon as that gentleman appeared I was brought
forward, and introduced to him, with a brief summary of my adventures
and present position. My good friend the captain concluded his remarks
by paying down a fortnight's board for me, at the same time expressing a
hope that they would find me a berth as speedily as possible in some
outward-bound ship, so that I should for some time at least be beyond
the reach of homeless destitution. The superintendent readily promised
his aid, and, bidding me good-bye, the kindly captain returned to his
duties, happier, I hope, for the knowledge that he had done me a really
good turn, for which it was highly improbable I could ever repay him.
I was at once handed over to the care of one of the stewards, who led
the way up a seemingly interminable series of staircases to a cubicle on
the fourth floor. The place was built in tiers of galleries, running
right round a large central space lighted from above, and paved at the
bottom. This covered-in quadrangle was used as a promenade,
smoking-room, and lounge by the inmates, while it was, of course,
possible to take in a complete view of the whole interior from any one
of the seven galleries. Before we arrived at my berth, the steward was
in possession of most of my story, and began to regard me with more
friendly interest than I looked for, seeing that no "tip" was to be
expected from me. He seemed surprised when, in answer to his inquiry for
my "dunnage," I told him I had none but what I stood in; and at once
promised that he would see what he could do by way of beating up a few
duds for me--a promise he faithfully kept. Then he ushered me into the
snug little chamber, with its clean bed and handy lockers, and, giving
me a key of it, left me to my own devices.