"Well, then, Mr Ralph Marsden, up aloft with you, and help to loose
that fore-topsail. We shall be wanting a little head sail on the ship
presently."
I knew perfectly well which was the fore-topsail, but how to loose it
was a piece of practical seamanship of which I was as yet entirely
ignorant. Up the rigging, however, I went as fast as I could--greatly,
I fancy, to poor Herbert's horror, who trembled in every joint as he saw
me, wondering how I could do such a thing, while Solon looked up and
barked, and would, I am persuaded, have come up likewise, could he have
managed it with his four legs, to help me. I knew that some of the
seamen would be on the yard, and I hoped to get them to show me what was
to be done. I never felt particularly giddy on a height, so I was not
at all unhappy waiting in the top till some one came to join me. I
found, however, that Mr Grimes had only sent me up there, as he said,
to give me something to do. He knew at the same time that he was
without necessity separating me from my brother. Still, I gained an
advantage even from his ill nature, as I was thus somewhat accustomed to
go aloft before the ship was in the open sea, and exposed to rough
weather. I stood, therefore, in the fore-top watching what was going on
below me on deck. Many of the first-class passengers were walking the
poop. They were mostly going out as settlers to Cape Colony and Natal,
while a few merchants, planters, and clerks were proceeding on to the
Mauritius. The second-class passengers were nearly all emigrants to the
first-mentioned places. They were mostly small shopkeepers, farmers,
servants who had saved up a little money, and others who had belonged to
a superior class, but were broken down, and all of whom had paid for
their passages. They were a very independent set of people, apparently,
and not at all inclined to submit to discipline. They were wonderfully
varied in the style of their costume, and it struck me that all were
aiming to be considered as belonging to a rank superior to what I
suspect they had in general held. They were scattered about, sitting on
the bulwarks or holding on by the main rigging, watching the vessels and
the shores of the river, which few of them were destined ever to see
again. There were fathers and mothers, with their young children, and
single men, shopmen, and farmers, and artisans going out to seek their
fortunes alone, and a few unmarried women, mostly connected with the
married couples. There were even some old men, whom I should have
supposed would have been content to spend their latter days at home;
but, strange as it may seem, they were urged on by the same desire which
animated many of their younger companions--to make money--to do what
they had failed to do at home. As I watched the motley collection of
people from my high perch, I observed that some were laughing and joking
as if nothing important was taking place. Others were thoughtful, as if
conscious that they were taking an important step in life, while others
looked very sad, evidently feeling that they were quitting for ever the
home of their birth. The little children were playing about,
unconscious that they were going to sea, and running a great risk of
tumbling down the hatchways, while several of the men were arguing and
wrangling as if the welfare of the nation depended on the result of
their discussions. I thought to myself, I am well out of all that.
Belonging to the ship, I shall not have to associate with those people.
I had been some time in the top when the other two new midshipmen joined
me. They had never been to sea before; and there we all stood looking
very foolish, and staring at each other, wondering what we were to do.
They also had been sent up by the first mate, as he told them to loose
the topsail. To them it signified very little; but as I wished to be
with poor Herbert, I was very much vexed at being kept up there doing
nothing. At length several seamen did come into the top in a lazy,
half-asleep sort of way. I found that they had all been tipsy the
previous night, and were even then scarcely sober. They cut their jokes
at us, loud enough for us to hear them, and addressed us as the three
Master Greenhands with much mock respect, begging to know if they really
were expected to loose the topsail, and to be informed how they were to
do it. I was pretty well versed in nautical phraseology, though my
practical experience of sea affairs was very limited; so, knowing that
there was nothing like making a good impression at first, I turned round
on them, and said quickly--
"Come, bear a hand, my hearties! You are sent up here to loose that
topsail,--I was sent to see you do it. You do your duty; I'll do mine."
They looked at me with surprised glances, never suspecting my ignorance;
and instantly laying out on the yard, they cast off the gaskets and let
fall the topsail; which done, as soon as it was sheeted home, I
descended on deck. I determined to try and make myself acquainted with
everything about the ship as soon as I could, and to maintain, if
possible, the superiority I had gained over the seamen in the top.
Among Mr Ward's many valuable gifts was one on practical seamanship,
full of prints and diagrams, which made it very easy to understand.
This also I resolved to study with all the attention I could give it, so
that I might avoid the necessity of constantly asking questions of the
seamen,--at the same time, I must say that it is very much wiser to ask
questions about things than to remain ignorant of what one wants to
know. When I got on deck I found Herbert and Solon waiting for me at
the foot of the fore-mast, and we agreed to remain there, hoping by
keeping out of the sight of Mr Grimes to avoid more of his annoyance.
As I watched the scenes which were taking place, and the look of the
crew, and the way they went about their work, I began to be sorry that
Herbert had accompanied me on board to witness them, as I knew the
unfavourable impression they would create in his mind--which was of an
especially refined order--and that either he would fear that I might
become vitiated by them, or that I should be made very unhappy by the
sort of people with whom I should have to associate. I tried,
therefore, to relieve his mind on that point.
"You know, Herbert, that I shall have to associate chiefly with Mr
Henley and the third mate, Mr Waller, who seems a quiet sort of young
man, while there appears to be no harm in my two fellow-midshipmen,
Sills and Broom, though they certainly do not look very bright geniuses.
I like the look, too, of Dr Cuff, the surgeon; so, depend on it,
people will soon shake into their proper places, and everything will
turn out right in the end."
We brought up at Gravesend, and had to remain there another twenty-four
hours, that certain officers from the Government Emigration Board might
visit the ship. That night Herbert would have had to go on shore, but
Mr Henley very kindly told him that he should have his cabin, and thus
we were able to remain longer together.
The next morning the passengers were all employed in arranging their
berths, and the crew were busy in stowing away casks and bales, and so
no one attended to me--which was an advantage, as I was thus able to be
much more with Herbert. As the time for sailing approached, it was
whispered about that Captain Seaford was very ill, and would be unable
to take charge of the ship. Still, nothing certain was known. At
length the hour arrived when it was necessary for Herbert to take his
leave.
After Herbert had gone, it became known positively that Captain Seaford
was unable to make the voyage; and after waiting a whole day longer,
another master came on board with one of the owners, who formally put
him in charge of the ship. I did not at all like his looks; nor did
Solon, I suspect, for he snarled loudly at him, and in consequence, when
getting in his way, received a severe kick in his ribs. It seemed as if
there was at once an open declaration of war between the two. I was
very sorry for it; for I was afraid that poor Solon, being the less
powerful of the belligerents, would come off second best. Once more the
anchor was hove up, and with a fair breeze we ran past the Nore, and
stood down Channel under all sail. Captain Gunnell was the name by
which our new master was known. I asked Mr Henley what sort of a man
he was.
"I sailed with him once, and I had hoped never to sail with him again,"
was his unsatisfactory reply.