South Sea whaler--I write a letter home, and how far it got on its way
there--The Earl of Lollipop--Mr McTavish saves me from a flogging--My
prospects somewhat improve--Another storm--We lose another man--A
struggle for life--Tierra del Fuego--Cape Horn--In the Pacific--The
coast of Patagonia, and how we nearly got wrecked--Juan Fernandez--
Robinson Crusoe's Island--I again determine to run away, but am
prevented by an offer I receive--"Shark! Shark!"--A narrow escape--
Valparaiso--Callao--Paita--The Sandwich Islands--The king and his
court--Royal guests--Some queer dishes--Pooah--Am again prevented from
deserting--Columbia River at last--A glimpse of freedom--A farewell
dinner--An untoward incident--Once more a prisoner--My captors' fears
my only safety--My friends give up the search--At sea again--My
release--"Dis curious ship."
We had left the island for some days, when we fell in with a
homeward-bound South Sea whaler. As the ocean was calm, and the wind
light, her captain came on board and politely offered to convey any
message or letters home. "Now," I thought, "will be an excellent
opportunity of returning home. I'm sick of this life, and shall be glad
to go back to Mr Butterfield's office and the high stool, and listen to
Aunt Deb's lectures." How to accomplish my purpose was the difficulty.
I went up to the captain of the whaler.
"I'm a gentleman's son," I said; "I came off to sea unintentionally, and
I want to go home again."
He gave a loud "Whew!" as I said this.
"I can't take you, my lad, without your captain's leave," he answered.
"If he gives it, I shall be happy to do so."
Captain Longfleet just then came out of the cabin.
"I don't know how he came on board, but here he is and here he'll
remain," he said, as the captain of the whaler spoke to him. "Go
forward," he said to me, "and think yourself fortunate to escape a
flogging for your impudence."
However, I persevered, and turning to Mr McTavish, asked him kindly to
say a word for me. Captain Longfleet in reply told him that he had no
business to interfere.
"I've lost one boy through you gentlemen, and I'm not going to lose
another," he answered.
In vain Mr McDonald and the other gentlemen spoke to him; he replied in
his usual rough way.
"I'm sorry, my lad, that I can't take you out of the ship without your
captain's permission," said the whaling captain; "but if you'll get a
letter scribbled off, I'll undertake to post it."
I had neither paper, pens, nor ink, but Mr McTavish, hearing what was
said, instantly brought me some, and I ran off into the berth to write
it, hoping that I should be there undisturbed. I had great difficulty
in penning the letter; and while I was kneeling down at the chest, old
Growles came in and mocked at me, and another fellow asked me whether I
was sending a love-letter to my dearie, and a third gave me a knock on
the elbow, which spattered the ink over the paper and nearly upset the
ink-bottle. Still I wrote on.
"Ship `Emu,' somewhere off Cape Horn.
"My dear Father,--I didn't intend to run away, but tumbled down into the
hold and was carried off. When I came to myself I found that I was at
sea, and could not get out of my prison. I lived there for I don't know
how many days, till, when almost dead, I was released. I have been
treated worse than a dog ever since by the captain, officers, and men.
He's a terrible tyrant and brute, and if it had not been for Mark
Riddle--whom, wonderful to say, I found on board the ship--he and his
mates would have been knocked on the head and hove overboard.
"I would much rather be seated on the high stool in Mr Butterfield's
office than where I am. I wanted to return home, but the captain
wouldn't let me. I intend, however, to run on the first opportunity,
and to get back if I can. I tried to get away in the Falkland Islands,
but was prevented. Mark succeeded, and was left behind. Whether he'll
manage to live there I don't know, but I hope he will, and get back to
Sandgate one of these days, I have no time to write more; so with love
to mother, and my brothers and sisters, and even to Aunt Deb--
"I remain your affectionate son--
"Richard Cheveley."
"PS--Please tell old Riddle all about his son."
I hurriedly folded this letter, and addressed it to the Reverend John
Cheveley, Sandgate, England; and having no wax, I sealed it with a piece
of pitch which I hooked out of a seam in the deck. I rushed out,
intending to give it into the hands of the captain of the whaler; but
what was my dismay to see his boat pulling away from the ship. I
shouted and waved my letter, thinking that he would return; but at that
moment the third mate snatched the letter out of my hand, and waved to
the men in the boat to pull on. I turned round, endeavouring to recover
the letter, but instead got a box on the ear. I made another snatch at
it.
"What's this about, you young rascal?" shouted the captain; "give me the
letter, Simmons. You'll try next to take it out of my hands, I
suppose."
In spite of all my efforts to regain it, the mate handed the letter to
the captain, who, looking at the superscription, at once tore it open.
He glanced at the commencement and end.
"So you pretend to be a gentleman's son, you young scapegrace," he
exclaimed. "You'll not get me to believe such a tale. Why, bless my
heart, the last voyage I had a fellow who was always writing to the Earl
of Lollipop, and signing himself his son. The men called him My Lord.
He was made to black down the rigging, notwithstanding, and polish up
the pots and pans. He was found at last to be a chimney-sweeper's son."
I was convinced that the captain said this to be heard by the
passengers, and to try and throw discredit on me, as they were already
inclined to treat me kindly, through seeing that I was at all events a
boy of education; and from the service I had already rendered them in
giving them warning of the crew's design. I was in hopes that the
captain would let me have my letter back, but to my dismay he again
looked at it and read it. I saw a thunder-cloud gathering on his brow;
his lips quivered with rage; I cannot repeat the terms he applied to me.
"And so, you young anatomy, you dare to call me a tyrant and a brute,"
he shouted out in a hoarse voice; "to write all sorts of lies of me to
your friends at home. You see that yard-arm. Many a fellow has been
run up for a less offence. Look out for yourself. If the crew don't
finish you off before the voyage is over, I'll make you wish you had
never set foot on the deck of the `Emu.'"
"I wish I never had," I exclaimed.
"What! You dare speak to me," roared the captain. "Here, Mr Simmons,
take this mutinous young rascal and give him three dozen. We'll
keel-haul him next, if that doesn't bring him into order."
Here the passengers interfered. Mr McTavish declared that he would not
stand by and let me be unjustly punished.
"If it were not for young Cheveley, where should we be by this time,
Captain Longfleet?" he asked. "You know as well as we do what was
intended. If your mate attempts to touch him, he must take the
consequences."
The captain was silent for some minutes. Perhaps some sense of what was
right overcame his ill-feeling.
"Let him go, Simmons," he said, turning to the mate. "It's lucky for
you, boy, that this letter was not sent," he said, looking at me. He
tore it up and threw the fragments overboard. "Remember that the next
time you write home, I intend to have a look at your letter. You may
let your friends know where you are, but you can't accuse me of carrying
you away from home."
As the captain turned from me, I thought that the best thing I could do
was to go forward. I saw two of the men, who had been within earshot
while the captain was speaking, eyeing me with no friendly glances. I
looked as innocent as I could; but weary though I was, when it was my
watch below I was almost afraid lest I should never awake again in this
world. When I was forward the men treated me as badly as ever, but I
found the conduct of the captain and officers towards me greatly
improved, owing to the influence of the passengers. I had frequently to
go into the cabin to assist the steward, who, though he often gave me a
slight cuff, never did so in the presence of my friends. Knowing that I
had those on board interested in me, I bore my sufferings and annoyances
with more equanimity than before. I one day, unknown to Captain
Longfleet, had the opportunity of giving my father's address to Mr
McTavish. He promised to write home from the first place at which we
touched. It would be useless for me to attempt writing, as my letter
would, I knew, be seen and taken from me. This was some comfort. I can
but briefly relate the incidents of the voyage.
While still to the southward of Cape Horn, the appearances of another
heavy storm came on. The lighter canvas was instantly handed. Almost
in an instant a heavy sea got up, into which the ship violently pitched
as she forced her way ahead. The flying jib having been carelessly
secured, the gaskets, or small ropes which bound it to the jibboom, gave
way. Two hands were immediately sent out to make it fast. While they
were thus employed, a tremendous sea struck the bows. One of the men,
old Growles, scrambled on to the bowsprit, to which he held on like grim
death, but before the other man could follow his example, the jibboom
was carried away and he with it. I saw the poor fellow struggling amid
the foaming seas. The captain did not on this occasion refuse to try to
save him. The ship was hove-to, and pieces of timber, an empty cask,
and a hen-coop, were hove overboard to give him the chance of escaping.
He failed to reach any of them. Mr McTavish and two of the men and I
were on the point of jumping into the jolly-boat to go to his rescue,
but the captain shouted out in no gentle terms, ordering us to desist,
and asked us if we wished to lose our lives also. This, if we had made
the attempt, we should certainly have done. The boat could not have
lived many moments in such a sea. For fully ten minutes the poor fellow
was observed buffeting with the waves, but he at length disappeared.
The ship was kept away, and we stood on our course. We soon afterwards
perceived the snow-capped mountains of Tierra del Fuego rearing their
majestic heads, and looking down on the raging waters below them.
The weather soon after moderated, and as we sighted Cape Horn the
captain ordered the topgallant and royal masts to be got up, and the
lighter sails to be set. With a gentle breeze from the eastward we
rounded the dreaded Cape, and found ourselves in the Pacific. I heard
some of the men say that they had never passed Cape Horn in such fine
weather. Whales, and porpoises in countless numbers, were playing round
us, and if we had had harpoons and gear on board we might have captured
many of the former and filled up our ship with oil. We were not
destined, however, to enjoy the fine weather long. Another gale came on
and nearly drove us on the western coast of Patagonia, carrying away our
bulwarks, and doing much other damage. When within about five or six
miles of the coast the wind shifted, and we once more stood off the
land. We sighted the far-famed island of Juan Fernandez, the scene of
Robinson Crusoe's adventures, or rather those of the real Alexander
Selkirk. The ship was hove-to when we were about two miles off shore,
and the pinnace and jolly-boat were sent to obtain wood and water. The
passengers taking the opportunity of going also, I slipped into the boat
with Mr McTavish, without being perceived by the captain. The second
mate, who had charge of the boat, did not inquire whether I had leave.
I was not aware till the moment before that the boat was going.
There was no time for consideration; but the hope seized me that I might
manage to make my escape and remain on the island. If Robinson Crusoe
lived there, so might I. A solitary life would be infinitely better, I
thought, than the existence I was doomed to live on board. I said
nothing to Mr McTavish, for fear he should try to prevent me. We found
when approaching the shore that a heavy sea was breaking over it, and
that it would be impossible to land. We soon, however, discovered that
we had entered the wrong bay, and pulling out again, we got into
another, where the landing was less difficult, though not free from
danger. While some of the party remained on the beach to fill the
water-casks and to draw a seine which had been brought to catch fish, I
accompanied Mr McTavish and the other gentlemen into the interior. The
island appeared to be one vast rock split into various portions. We
pushed on up a deep valley. At the bottom ran a stream of fine water,
from which the water-casks were filled. The valley, scarcely a hundred
yards wide at the entrance, gradually widened. We climbed up the wild
rocks, ascending higher and higher, startling a number of goats, which
scrambled off leaping from crag to crag; some of them fine-built old
fellows with long beards, who looked as if they must have been well
acquainted with Robinson Crusoe himself. We frequently had to turn
aside to avoid cascades, which came rushing down the mountain's side.
Sometimes we were involved in the thickest gloom, and then again we
emerged into bright sunlight as we gained a higher elevation. The
appearance of the country was picturesque in the extreme, though it
didn't tempt me to make it my residence for the remainder of my life;
and then again, I considered that there must be other parts of a more
gentle character where Robinson Crusoe must have resided. I had been
often looking about, considering how I might accomplish my object, when
Mr McTavish said, "I know what you are thinking about, Cheveley, but
for your own sake I do not intend you to succeed; and even if it were
otherwise, I am bound to see you safe on board the boat. So come along.
You mustn't play me any trick."
"Well, I did think that I should like to stop here and live as Robinson
Crusoe did. Perhaps I might give an account of my adventures when I got
home," I answered.
"The chances are that you would be starved, or break your neck, or die
of some disease, and never get home; so I intend to keep an eye on you,
my laddie," said my friend, in a good-natured tone. "Besides this, my
friends and I propose to induce Captain Longfleet to set you at liberty
when we reach the Columbia River, and you can either wait at the fort
till you can hear from your father, making yourself useful there as a
clerk, or you can turn fur-hunter, and lead a life which I believe would
be to your taste."
"I'm very much obliged to you, sir," I said, "and accept your offer, and
will not attempt to run away."
After a tiring excursion we got back to the boats just as they were
about to shove off. We after this touched at Massafuero, an island
mountain rising abruptly from the sea, surrounded by a narrow slip of
beach. Here we obtained a vast quantity of fish and a few goats. The
abundance of food contributed much to tranquillise the minds of the
crew, and also, I suspect, to prevent them from carrying their plans
into execution. One day when we were becalmed, several of the crew who
could swim jumped overboard to take a bathe, and as I was a good swimmer
I did the same, and got farther than the rest from the ship. While I
was sporting about, I heard the dreadful cry of "Shark, shark!" The
rest of the men quickly making for the side, clambered on board. I was
swimming towards the ship, when I saw a dark fin rising between her and
me. I knew what it indicated, for I had seen several sharks before. To
gain the ship without encountering the monster seemed impossible. I
therefore, instead of swimming on, stopped and trod water, beating the
surface with my hands, and shouting out. I saw some of the men leaning
over the sides with ropes. Presently there was a shout. One of the men
had lowered a rope with a bowling knot into the water, when the shark in
its course round the ship ran its head and upper fin between it. At
this moment it was secured to the cathead, and before the brute could
get free it was hoisted on deck. I now darted forward, and seizing a
rope which hung over the side hauled myself up. As I saw the monster
floundering on deck, I was thankful that he had not caught me in his
jaws.
"You have had a narrow escape, my laddie," observed Mr McTavish. "It
will be a lesson to you not to swim about in these latitudes."
Not many other incidents worth relating occurred for some time.
We touched at Valparaiso, where we discharged some of our cargo, and
afterwards at Callao, where we got rid of a still larger quantity. We
also put into Paita farther north. As goods brought in English vessels
were subject to a very high duty, or were altogether prohibited, they
were smuggled on shore. Had I been so disposed I might on two or three
occasions have made good my escape, but I was relying on the promise of
Mr McTavish. From the coast of Peru we steered to the Sandwich
Islands, of which I should like to give a description. We there took on
board three of the natives, to supply the place of the men who had been
lost. The king and a brace of queens, besides several chiefs and a
number of white men, visited the ship. The king and his brown consorts
came in a large double canoe, formed by lashing two canoes together
separated by bars. Each canoe was paddled by twenty or thirty men. On
the bars was raised a kind of seat, on which the ladies reposed.
Raised considerably higher than his consorts was a sort of throne placed
on the top of a large arm-chest full of muskets, and on this his
Sandwich Island Majesty was seated in regal state. In front of him
stood a dark-skinned native, carrying a handsome silver hanger in
imitation of the sword-bearers of European monarchs; behind the king sat
a boy holding a basin of dark-brown wood, in which his Majesty ever and
anon spat abundantly. Instead of a crown the king's head was covered by
an old beaver hat. His coat was of coarse woven cloth of ancient cut,
with large metal buttons. His waistcoat was of brown velvet, which had
once been black, while a pair of short, tight, and well-worn velveteen
pantaloons, worsted stockings, and thick-soled shoes covered his lower
extremities. His shirt and cravat had been once probably white, but had
attained the hue of his own swarthy skin.
On coming on deck he shook hands with every one he met between the
gangway and cabin, assuring them of his affection. I had to attend at
the dinner, to which the royal party were invited. The ladies, however,
had to sit aside, the king taking his place at the table at the right
hand of the captain, while the minister, who carried his saliva bowl,
squatted behind him. He ate voraciously, and washed down the solids
with numerous glasses of Madeira. He drank the health of each person
present, finishing well-nigh three decanters of his favourite wine. As
soon as the king, the captain, passengers, and first mate had risen, the
ladies were allowed to approach their dinner, which had been cooked on
shore, and was now placed on the table. It consisted of a couple of
roast dogs, several dishes of small fish, and a white mixture called
pooah, of the consistency of flummery.
The steward and I could scarcely keep our countenances as we saw them
dipping the two forefingers of the right hand into the pooah, and after
turning them round in the mixture until they were covered with three or
four coats, by a dexterous twist rapidly transfer the food to their open
mouths, when, with one smack of their lips, their fingers were cleared.
Their dress consisted of a cloth worn over the shoulders--a long piece
of cloth wrapped in several folds--round the waist and reaching to their
knees.
The king spent a part of the afternoon in going over the ship, and
measuring her from stem to stern, while the ladies played draughts and
beat their antagonists hollow. There were a number of English and other
white men settled on the island. Two acted as the king's chief
counsellors, and took an active part in all the affairs of the country,
many of them having become very rich.
I may here remark, that the daughter and granddaughter of one of these
gentlemen afterwards became Queen of the Sandwich Islands. The country,
as far as I could see, appeared to be highly cultivated. The people in
their habits and customs presented a curious mixture of savagery and
civilisation.
As I gazed on the shore on which I was not permitted to set foot, I
considered whether I could not manage to get away and offer my services
to the king, as I was better educated than most of those about him. I
thought that I should probably rise to the highest dignities of the
State; perhaps become his prime minister, his commander-in-chief, or
admiral of his fleet, but I found that I was too strictly watched by old
Growles and the boatswain to accomplish my object. Had Mark been with
me, I had little doubt but that we should have managed to escape. I at
last asked Mr McTavish if he would take me on shore.
"No, no, my laddie, I know what is running in your mind," he said. "The
natives would be too ready to assist, and I might find it difficult to
prevent your being carried off and stowed away till the ship sails. You
may fancy that your life would be a very pleasant one, but I know what
it is to live among savages. You would, in course of time, have a brown
wife given to you, and, unwilling to leave her, you would become a
banished man from home and country. Follow the plan I at first
proposed. If you will remain with us you will in the course of a few
years make your fortune, and be able to return home and enjoy it."
I felt that the advice given was sound, and I promised Mr McTavish not
to try and run away while we remained at the Sandwich Islands. He said
that the next day he would take me on shore if the captain would give me
leave. Shortly after, however, we went out of harbour. We had a quick
passage to the entrance of the Columbia River. A dangerous bar runs
across the mouth of it, so that the captain was unwilling to enter until
we had a fair wind and a favourable tide. Boats were sent ahead to
sound. While thus engaged a canoe, followed by a barge, were seen
coming off. The canoe, which was paddled by six naked savages, and
steered by an old Indian chief, was soon alongside, but as they could
not understand a word we said we could gain no information till the
barge arrived, when our passengers greeted a number of their friends who
had come off in her. The ship now entered the river, and came to an
anchor off a fort which had been erected by the fur-traders. I never
felt more happy in my life, believing that my sufferings were over, and
that I should regain my liberty. I hoped that Mr McTavish and his
friends would at once go on shore and take me with them; but as it was
late in the day, and they heard that the accommodation in the fort was
limited, they accepted the captain's pressing invitation to remain with
their friends on board till next morning. A more sumptuous repast than
I had yet seen was prepared. The captain produced his best wine in
abundance. The steward and I had to wait at table. The captain, when
giving me my orders, spoke in a far more conciliatory tone than he had
ever done before. "I suppose he wishes to make amends to me for his
past conduct, and to show my friends that he has no ill-will towards
me," I thought. The wine flowed freely, and hilarity and good-humour
prevailed for some time, till a remark was made by one of the officers
of the ship which offended a gentleman from the shore. His Highland
blood being up he hove a glass of wine in the face of the mate, telling
him that the bottle should follow if he didn't apologise. This the mate
did, in a somewhat humble fashion, at the request of the captain, and
order was restored. The wine continued to flow freely; songs were sung
and speeches made, and every one appeared to be talking at once at the
top of their voices. The captain at last ordered me to go on deck with
a message to the second mate, who was the officer of the watch, and to
come back and let him know how the ship was riding. He said this in a
loud voice so that every one might hear.
I could not find the mate aft, so, supposing that he had gone forward to
examine the cable, I was making my way in that direction when suddenly I
found myself seized. A cloth was shoved into my mouth, and another
bound over my eyes, so that I was unable to see or cry out, and I was
carried down the main hatchway in the strong arms of a man whose voice I
had been unable to recognise, though I fancied that he was either
Growles or the boatswain. In vain I struggled to get free. On
reaching, as I supposed, the spar-deck, another man bound my arms and my
legs, and I was then carried still farther down into the hold, when I
was shoved into some place or other, a door was shut and locked on me,
and I found myself alone. I was very nearly suffocated with the cloth
in my mouth, but I managed after much exertion to work it out. Having
done this, I was inclined to shout; but I feared that if I did so old
Growles would return and put it back, and perhaps ill-treat me into the
bargain. I therefore thought it wiser to remain silent, and to try and
get the handkerchief off my eyes. I lay quiet for some time to recover
my breath. Though I could not move to feel about, I was convinced, by
the closeness of the atmosphere, that I was in a small place--probably
in a compartment of the boatswain's store-room. My next object was to
get the handkerchief off my eyes, to ascertain if any light penetrated
my place of confinement. It was a difficult matter to do this without
hurting myself, but I tried, by turning over and rubbing the knot at the
back of my head against the boards on which I lay, to work it upwards,
though at the expense of making a sore place, so tightly was it secured.
At last I succeeded in getting it off. All was dark, as I had
expected. The next task I undertook was to free my arms. This was a
far more difficult undertaking. I made up my mind to bite through the
ropes if I could get my teeth into them; but that, after many attempts,
I found to be impossible. I avoided, as much as I could, drawing them
tighter round my wrists. I endeavoured, by making one of my hands as
small as I could, to draw it out of the knot, but again and again I was
obliged to desist. Still I recollected how I had before escaped from
the hold, as well as from the mill, and I repeated to myself, "Fortune
favours the persevering."
I had been on foot for a number of hours; and, wearied by the exertions
I had lately made, I at last began to feel very sleepy, and shortly
dropped off into an uncomfortable slumber. I was awakened by a gruff
voice, which I recognised as that of the boatswain.
"Gregory, I do believe the young rascal is dead," he said.
"It may save a world of trouble if he is," answered old Growles; "for
those passengers are making a precious fuss about him. If he was to get
ashore, he'd be telling tales. We can say he died in his sleep, and let
them have his body, which will show how it happened."
"Not if he's black in the face. Here, hand the lantern, and let's have
a look."
All this time I was afraid to open my eyes, or even to breathe; and I
thought that, if I could sham being dead, they would carry me on deck,
and I would then soon show them the contrary. I guessed that I must
have rolled over with my face away from the door, so that they couldn't
see it. Presently I felt a hand placed on my shoulder to draw me round.
I let them move me as they liked, and I knew, from the light which I
saw through my eyelids, that the rays of a lantern were cast on me. I
flattered myself that I was succeeding very well, till I heard the
boatswain remark--
"People don't die with their eyes shut."