On hearing of the alarming scarcity of food on board, the captain called
the crew aft.
"Lads," he said, "I don't want to hide anything from you. Should the
wind shift to the westward, it may be a month or more before we reach
the Cape, so if you wish to save your lives, you must at once be put on
a short allowance of food and water. A quarter of a pint of water, two
ounces of pork, and half an ounce of flour is all I can allow for each
man, and the officers and I will share alike with you."
Not a word was said in reply, and the men went forward with gloomy
looks. To make the flour go farther we mixed whale oil with it, and,
though nauseous in the extreme, it served to keep body and soul
together.
At first the crew bore it pretty well, but they soon took to grumbling,
saying that it was owing to the captain's want of forethought in not
laying in more provisions that we were reduced to this state.
Hitherto the wind had been fair, but any day it might change, and then,
they asked, what would become of us? Most of them would have broken
into open mutiny had not they known that the mates and doctor, Jack and
I, Jim, and probably Brown and Soper, would have sided with the captain,
though we felt that they were not altogether wrong in their accusation.
I heard the doctor tell Mr Griffiths that he was afraid the scurvy
would again appear if we were kept long on our present food. Day after
day we glided on across the smooth ocean with a cloudless sky, our food
and water gradually decreasing.
We now often looked at each other, wondering what would be the end. At
last, one night, when it was my middle watch on deck, Jim came aft to
me.
"I'm afraid the men won't stand it any longer," he said. "They vow that
if the captain don't serve out more food and water they'll take it. I
know that it will be death to all of us if they do, or I would not tell
on them. You let Mr Griffiths know; maybe he'll bring them to a right
mind. They don't care for Jack or me, and Brown, Soper, and Sam seemed
inclined to side with the rest. Jack says whatever you do he'll do."
"Thank you, Jim," I answered. "You try to show them what folly they'll
commit if they attempt to do as they propose. They won't succeed, for
the captain is a determined man, and there'll be bloodshed if they keep
to their purpose."
Jim went forward, and I took a turn on deck to consider what was best to
be done. It was the second mate's watch, and it had only just struck
two bells. I did not wish to say anything to him. I waited for a
little, and then asked the second mate to let me go below for a minute,
for I could not quit the deck without his leave.
"You may go and turn in if you like," he said. "There's no chance of
your being wanted on a night like this."
"Thank you, sir," I answered, and at once ran down to Mr Griffiths's
cabin.
He awoke when I touched his shoulder, and I told him in a low voice what
I had heard.
"You have acted sensibly, Peter," he answered. "I'll be on deck in a
moment. When the men see that we are prepared for them they'll change
their minds."
I again went on deck, and he soon appeared, with a brace of pistols in
his belt, followed by the captain and the doctor, with muskets in their
hands.
At that moment up sprang from the fore-hatchway the greater part of the
crew, evidently intending to make their way to the after store-room,
where the provisions and water were kept.
"What are you about to do, lads?" shouted the captain. "Go below, every
one of you, except the watch on deck, and don't attempt to try this
trick again."
His tall figure holding a musket ready to fire cowed them in an instant,
and they obeyed without uttering a word. The captain said that he
should remain on deck, and told Mr Griffiths and the doctor that he
would call them if they were wanted.
Some time afterwards, going forward, I found Jim, who told me that they
had all turned in.
The night passed away without any disturbance. As soon as it was
daylight the captain ordered me to go aloft and take a look round. I
obeyed, though I felt so weak that I could scarcely climb the rigging.
I glanced round the horizon, but no vessel could I see. A mist still
hung over the water.
I was just about to come down when the sun rose, and at the same moment
I made out over our quarter, away to the southward, a white sail, on
which his rays were cast, standing on the same course that we were.
"Sail ho!" I shouted in a joyful tone, and pointed out in the direction
in which I saw her.
The captain, immediately I came down, ordered me to rouse up all hands,
and every sail the ship could carry being set, we edged down to the
stranger, making a signal that we desired to speak her. She was an
English barque, also bound for the Cape.
As we got close together, a boat being lowered, Mr Griffiths and I went
on board and stated our wants. Her captain at once agreed to supply us
with everything he could spare, and we soon had our boat loaded with a
cask of bread, another of beef, and several other articles, and in
addition a nautical almanack, for we had run out our last one within a
week before this. We had a second trip to make, with casks to fill with
water. As may be supposed, we had quenched our own thirst on our first
visit. When we again got back we found the cook and two hands assisting
him busily employed in preparing breakfast, and a right hearty one we
had.
We kept our charitable friends in sight till we reached the Cape, by
which time we had expended all the provisions with which they had
furnished us.
In a few days, from the abundance of fresh meat and vegetables which we
obtained from the shore, our health and strength returned, and I for one
was eager once more to put to sea, that Jack and I might the sooner
reach home. We had got so far on our way that it seemed to me as if we
were almost there. We were, however, detained for several days
refitting and provisioning the ship.
Once more, however, the men showed their mutinous disposition, for when
they were ordered to heave up the anchor they refused to man the
windlass, on the plea that they had had no liberty on shore. Though
this was the case, there having been work for all hands on board, there
was no real excuse for their conduct, as they were amply supplied with
provisions, and had not been really over-worked.
"We shall see, my fine fellows," exclaimed the captain, on seeing them
doggedly standing with their arms folded in a group forward.
At once ordering his boat, which was pulled by Jack and Jim, Miles Soper
and Brown, he went on shore. He soon returned, with the deputy captain
of the port, who, stepping on board, called the men aft, and inquired
what they had to complain of. As they were all silent, Captain
McL--- made them a speech, pointing out to them that they were fortunate
in being aboard a well-found and well-provisioned ship.
"And, my lads," he continued, "you need not have any fear of falling
sick, for the captain has an ample supply for you of anti-scorbutics."
As none of the mutineers had a notion what this long word meant, they
were taken completely aback; and after staring at him and then at each
other, first one and then another went forward to the windlass, and we
soon had the ship under way.
Whenever during the voyage any of us talked about the matter, we always
called Captain McL--- "Old Anti-Scorbutic." I felt happier than I had
been for a long time when the ship's head was directed northward, and as
we had a fresh breeze the men declared that their friends at home had
got hold of the tow-rope, and that we should soon be there.
On running down to Saint Helena we were followed for several days by
some black whales of immense length. Sometimes they were so close to
the ship's side that we might have lanced them from the deck. The
fourth day after we saw them the second mate and Horner took it into
their heads wantonly to fire musket-shots at them. At last one of the
poor creatures was hit, when it dived, the others following its example,
and we saw them no more. The only object of interest we met with
crossing the north-east trades was the passage through the Gulf Stream,
or Sargasso Sea, as it is sometimes called. It was curious to find
ourselves surrounded by thick masses of seaweed as far as the eye could
reach on every side, so that no clear water could be seen for miles
away. I can compare it to nothing else than to sailing through a
farmyard covered with deep straw.
The first land we made was Fyal. Thence we ran across to Pico, where we
obtained provisions and water. If we had got nothing else it would have
been well, but the crew managed to smuggle on board a quantity of new
rum, the effects of which were soon visible.
Leaving Pico, we shaped a course for old England. The wind was now
freshening, and all sail was made, as the captain was in a hurry to get
the voyage over. In the evening, when the watch was called, not a man
came on deck, every one of them being drunk, while most of the men in
the other watch, who had managed to slip down every now and then, were
in no better condition. The captain, who had been ailing, was in bed.
Mr Griffiths, the doctor and I, Jim and Brown, were the only sober
ones. The second mate evidently did not know what he was about. Mr
Griffiths advised him to turn in. I was very sorry to see my brother
Jack nearly as bad as the rest, though he afterwards told me that,
having been so long without spirits, they had had an unexpected effect
upon him. We sober ones had to remain all night on deck, running off
when a puff of wind struck the sails. It was a mercy that it didn't
come on to blow hard, for we could never have managed to shorten sail in
time to save the spars. Indeed, very probably the masts would have
gone. Brown, Jim, and I took it by turns to steer till morning broke,
by which time some of the rest of the crew began to show signs of life.
As we got into northern latitudes a strong north-easterly breeze made
the weather feel bitterly cold to us, who had been for so long a time
accustomed to a southern climate.
During all that period I had not worn shoes. For the sake of warmth I
now wanted to put on a pair, but my feet had so increased in size that I
could not find any large enough in the slop-locker.
At last the wind shifted to the south-west, and we ran before it up
Channel.
The first object we made was the Owers light-vessel, about ninety miles
from the Downs. Having made a signal for a pilot, one boarded us out of
a cutter off Dungeness. How eagerly all of us plied the old fellow for
news, though as he was a man of few words it was with difficulty that
the captain or mates could pump much out of him. We remained but a few
hours in the Downs to obtain provisions, of which we were again short,
and thence proceeded to the Thames, where we dropped our anchor for the
last time before going into dock to unload.
Jim and I, although we had been kept on board against our will and had
never signed articles, found that we could claim wages. Though I had no
reason to like Captain Hawkins, yet I felt that I ought to wish him
good-bye.
To my surprise, he seemed very friendly, and said that if I ever wished
to go to sea again he should be very glad to have me with him, as well
as my brother and Jim. Poor man! He had made his last voyage, for I
heard of his death shortly afterwards. I was very sorry to part from
Mr Griffiths and Dr Cockle. They invited me to come and see them,
both of them saying that they never intended again to go afloat, though
I heard that Mr Griffiths got the command of a fine ship shortly
afterwards; so I supposed that like many others similarly situated he
was induced to change his mind and tempt once more the dangers of the
ocean.
"We will meet again, Peter," said Miles Soper; "and I hope that if you
and Jack go to sea, we shall all be aboard the same ship."
Brown said the same thing, but from that day to this I have never been
able to learn what became of him. Such is often the case in a sea life.
For years people are living on the most intimate terms, and separate
never to meet again in this life.
After remaining a week in London for payment of our wages, Jim and I
each received five-and-twenty pounds, Jack also obtaining nearly half
that amount. Our first care before we set off for Portsmouth, to which
we were eager to return, was, our clothes being worn out, to supply
ourselves with decent suits of blue cloth and other necessaries.
At daylight the morning after we were free, carrying our bundles and the
various treasures we had collected, a pretty load altogether, we went to
the place from which the coach started for Portsmouth, and finding three
seats on the top, off we set with light hearts, thinking of the friends
we should meet on our arriving there. Jack confessed that he had
forgotten the appearance of most of them, though he longed to see Mary
and to give her the curiosities he had brought. We had a couple of
parrots, three other beautifully coloured birds, a big basket of shells,
and a whole bundle of bows, and arrows, and darts, and a lot of other
things.
Rattling down the Portsmouth High Street, we at last dismounted and set
off for Mr Gray's house, where I fully expected I should still find
Mary living. As we walked along, the boys gathered round us to look at
our birds, and some asked where we had come from with so many curious
things.
"From round the world," answered Jim, "since we were last at home,"
which was not a very definite answer.
In vain we looked, about expecting to see some old acquaintances, but
all the faces we set eyes on were strange. No wonder, considering how
long we had been away, while certainly no one would have recognised us.
It was not quite an easy matter to find our way to Mr Gray's house, and
we had to stop every now and then while Jim and I consulted which
turning to take, for we were ashamed to ask any one. At last, just as
we got near it, we saw an old gentleman in a Quaker's dress coming along
the road. He just glanced at us, as other people had done; when I,
looking hard at him, felt sure he must be Mr Gray. I nudged Jim's
shoulder.
"Yes, it's he, I'm sure," whispered Jim.