"What cheer, my hearties, have we ever sailed together?"
"Can't say exactly, sir, for we've knocked about at sea so long that
it's hard to mind all the officers we've served under. But now I looks
at you, sir, I think you used to come aboard the `Amphion' before she
left Old England. We heard say you were the captain's brother."
"The `Amphion!'" exclaimed Uncle Jack, eagerly, looking hard at the men.
"Can you give me any news of her?"
"Aye, sir, but it's bad news."
"Out with it, whatever it is," exclaimed Uncle Jack, fixing his eyes on
the man, to judge whether he spoke the truth.
"It's a matter of over four years gone by when we sailed for the Eastern
seas. We had been knocking about in them parts for some months, when we
were caught in a regular hurricane, which carried away our topmasts and
mainyard, and did other damage. At the same time we sprang a leak, and
had to keep the pumps going without a moment's rest. When night came
on, and a terrible dark night it was, sir, matters grew worse and worse,
not a hope but that the ship would go down, though we well-nigh worked
our arms off to keep her afloat. Howsomedever before long, she struck
on a reef, though she hadn't been thrashing away on it three minutes
when she drove off, and the water came rushing in like a mill stream.
`Out boats,' was the cry. Bill here and I, with three others, got into
the jolly-boat, but before another soul could spring aboard her she
drifted away from the ship. We felt about, and found a lugsail and an
oar. To go back was more than we could do, and it's our belief that
scarcely had we left her than the ship went down. As our only chance of
keeping the boat afloat was to run before the sea, we stepped the mast
and set the lug close reefed, hoping to come upon some land or other.
When morning broke no land was in sight. We thought we saw what looked
like it far away on the starboard quarter, but we could only go where
the wind drove us. Three days we scudded on without a drop of water or
bit of food to put into our mouths. I speaks the truth, Bill, don't I?"
"Ay, ay!" said Bill, looking as if he did not even like to think of that
time; "you does, mate."
"Go on," said Uncle Jack.
"Well, first one went mad and jumped overboard, then another died, then
another, and I thought that Bill would die too, when down came a shower,
and with the help of our sail we filled an empty breaker which we had in
the boat. Then we knocked down a bird which came near us, and that gave
us a little more strength. Then three flying-fish came aboard, which
kept us for three days more, and after that we caught a small shark, but
the water came to an end, and we were both so well-nigh done for that
neither Bill nor I could hold an oar to steer by, nor knew where we were
going--I speaks the truth, don't I, Bill?"
"I suppose you does, but I don't mind much what happened then. I was
too bad," said Bill.
"Well, as I was a-saying, I thought it was all over with us, when a ship
hove in sight and took us aboard. She was a foreign craft, and not a
word of what her people said could we make out, any more than they could
understand us. We were not over well treated, so we ran from her the
first place we touched at; and after knocking about for a long spell in
them South Sea islands among the savages, in one craft or another, we
got home at last. What I've told you is the blessed truth; ain't it,
Bill?"
Bill grunted his assent to this assertion; he evidently was not a man of
words.
My uncle cross-questioned the men, but could get nothing more out of
either of them. Whether or not he was perfectly satisfied I could not
tell. Still it seemed too probable that the "Amphion," with my father
and all hands, was lost.
Having lodged the seamen so as to find them again, my uncle returned
with me to my mother. She was prepared for the information he had to
give her. She had for some time been persuaded of what everybody else
believed, that my father was lost, and she now knew herself to be a
widow. It was a severe shock to her notwithstanding. She looked at me
and my five brothers and sisters, all younger than I was.
"What shall I do with these fatherless children?" she asked, while her
eyes filled with tears, thinking more of us than of herself; "my means
are almost exhausted, for my dear husband saved but little, and I shall
not have the wherewithall to pay the rent of this house, much less their
food and clothing."
"God has promised to provide for the fatherless and widows," answered
Uncle Jack; "while I have a shilling in my pocket it shall be yours,
Mary. Harry, too, is able to support himself. We'll take him aboard
the `Lily,' and soon make a prime seaman of him."
My mother looked at me, grieving at the thought that I must so soon be
taken from her. Then other thoughts came into her mind.
"But you, my dear Jack, require all the means you possess for yourself.
Grace has promised to become yours whenever you desire it."
"I know that," answered Uncle Jack. "I prize her love, but we are both
young and can wait, and true as mine is for her it must not overcome my
duty to you and yours. Captain Haiselden talks of some day going to
live on shore, when he will give up charge of the `Lily' to me, or I may
obtain a larger craft and shall make enough for Grace, and you, and
myself, I hope. At all events, my dear sister, you and the children
must not starve, and we shall have Harry here making his fortune. So
cheer up, Mary, and trust in God."
"I do, Jack, I do," she answered, taking his hands, while the tears
still flowed down her pale cheeks. "Harry will do his duty, I know, and
some day be able to help me, and I must try to do what I can for myself,
though I fear it will be but little."
"You have friends who will be glad to lend you a helping hand," said
Uncle Jack, who judged of others by himself. "We may have, I trust, a
successful voyage, and all will go well, Mary."
Much more he said to the same effect. My mother appeared comforted, at
all events she grew calm, and as Captain Haiselden consented to take me
on board as an apprentice, she set herself busily to work to prepare my
outfit, while my sister Mary, who was next to me, and my two younger
brothers were sent to school, and Grace Bingley came in every day to
assist her in her task.
How industriously Grace sat working away with her needle, every now and
then jumping up to prevent Frank or Sally from getting into mischief!
Some of the larger garments were certainly not for me. My mother had
promised to overhaul Uncle Jack's wardrobe and supply what was wanting,
according to a list he gave her. I should like to describe Grace as she
sat in the bay window opposite my mother with the work-table near them,
but it will suffice to say that she was young, fair, and pretty, with
eyes that seemed to have borrowed their colour from the sky. My mother
had assumed the widow's cap, and might from her clear complexion, and
her brown hair braided across her brow, have been taken for Grace's
elder sister. Though the heart of Grace must have been sad enough I
suspect, she talked cheerfully, endeavouring to distract my mother's
mind from the thoughts of the past as well as the approaching parting
from me. I came in occasionally and found the two sitting as I have
described, but I was generally on board the brig with Uncle Jack,
assisting in fitting her out, and thus got initiated into many of my
duties before I ever went to sea. The captain often came on board
during the evening to see how we were getting on, but during the day he
was mostly engaged in looking out for freight in addition to the cargo
he intended to ship on his own account. He was just the man the crew
were willing to serve under, his countenance exhibiting sense and
determination, and a kindly spirit beaming from his eyes; his hair
grizzled rather by weather than by years; his figure, of moderate
height, broad and well knit, betokening strength and activity.
We were to sail for Singapore, after which we were to proceed eastward
to trade with the various islands in that direction.
We expected to have the "Lily" ready for sea in about a week, when just
before this time Captain Bingley, who had been long absent in command of
the ship "Iris" of some four hundred tons, returned home. I was at my
mother's one evening when Uncle Jack, with Grace Bingley, came in. She
looked, I thought, somewhat out of spirits. My mother thought so too,
and asked her the cause. She hesitated for a moment as if to master her
feelings, and then said--
"It is, I have no doubt, for the best, and father wishes it. Mother and
I are to accompany him on his next voyage round Cape Horn and up the
western coast of America, then across the Pacific to Java, and so round
the world. I cannot refuse to go, and of course we should both like to
see strange lands, as well as being with father, but I had hoped to be
able to remain with you, Mary, and you know how happy I should have been
in doing so."
My poor mother looked much distressed. "Of course, if your father
wishes you to go you have no choice, but I shall miss you greatly." She
could scarcely restrain her tears as she spoke.
Uncle Jack became very grave as he heard what Grace said.
"You sail round the world! Has your father positively determined on
this?" he asked.
I guessed his thoughts; he was ready enough to encounter all the risks
and perils of the sea himself, but he was very unwilling that Grace
should be exposed to them. What if the ship should be wrecked! What if
sickness should break out on board, or a mutiny occur, or should she be
captured by an enemy! He dreaded dangers for Grace which he did not
take into a moment's consideration in regard to himself, but he strove
not to allow her to perceive his anxiety.
"Father is not a person, as you well know, to be turned from his
purpose," she answered, trying to smile. "Mother has promised to go,
and I cannot let her go without me. She or father might fall ill, for
he is not so strong as he was, and I ought to be ready to nurse them,
and I hope, my dear Jack, that we shall be back as soon as you are,
though my chief anxiety is leaving Mary; and Harry also away. Perhaps,
too, we may meet; my father doesn't know exactly where we shall go after
we leave the China seas; it must depend upon the freight obtained."
"It is a wide region, and I was hoping that I could picture you when I
was away, safe at home," answered Uncle Jack, but he refrained from
saying more. He was unwilling to create any anxiety in Grace's mind.
He certainly, however, looked more distressed than any of the party.
After this Grace could be less at our house than usual, as she had to
help her mother in preparing for their voyage. The "Iris," she told us,
was to be got ready for sea with all despatch. Uncle Jack and I one
evening went on board to have a look at the ship that, as he observed,
he might at least know what sort of a craft Grace was sailing in. The
cabins were comfortably fitted up and well suited for the accommodation
of the captain's wife and daughter, as well as for a few other
passengers. I asked him what he thought of the ship.
"She's a fine enough vessel, but I can judge better of her if she were
loaded, and I should like to know what sort of a crew she has," he
answered. "Captain Bingley is a good seaman, and I respect him as
Grace's father; but he wants to make money, and he may be tempted to
overload his ship, or visit dangerous places to obtain freight."
I did not see the parting between Uncle Jack and Grace, as I went on
board the "Lily" the night before we sailed. I had already wished
good-bye to my dear mother and all the young ones, and as she had to
look after them, she could not come to see us off. I know very well
what she must have felt, and I heartily wished, when the moment came for
leaving, that I could have remained to comfort and protect her. My
going away must have brought back to her recollection with painful
vividness the time when my kind father last sailed I suspect she thought
that she might never see me again; still she knew that I must work for
my livelihood, as I did myself, and I was going to begin the profession
I had chosen, and for which I had long had a desire. For dangers and
hardships I was ready, fully persuaded that, though I might encounter, I
should get through them.
We were at sea at last, running down channel with a fair wind. Uncle
Jack had had no difficulty in obtaining a good crew, for when he could
find them, he picked up old shipmates, who were always glad to sail with
him. He had promised Timothy Howlett and Bill Trinder to look them up,
and they, having spent the last shilling in their pockets, were glad to
ship on board, he hoping that they having been before in those seas
might be useful. James Ling was second mate and Sam Crowfoot boatswain,
making up the complement of our officers, besides which there was our
supercargo, Edward Blyth, a young but very intelligent man, who had
already made a voyage to the Eastern seas, understood Dutch as well as
the Malay languages, and was thus able to act as interpreter at many of
the places where we were going. He was well informed on many subjects
also, and possessed a good knowledge of natural history. I must not
forget "Little Jem," the smallest boy on board. Instead of being
knocked about and bullied, he was somewhat of a favourite among the men,
with whom, however, he was pretty free and easy in his way of talking;
but they liked him all the better for that. To the officers he was
always respectful, well-mannered, and, being very intelligent and
active, was consequently a favourite with them.
We had on board four carronades and a long gun, as where we were going
it was necessary to have the means of defence, but they were stowed
below during the first part of the voyage. We had also a supply of
cutlasses, pistols, and boarding pikes for all hands, which ornamented
the fore bulk head of the main cabin, though occasionally taken down to
be cleaned and polished, so that they might be of use when wanted.
Uncle Jack took great pains to teach me navigation, and, as I had learnt
mathematics at school, I was soon able to take a good observation with
my sextant and to work out the calculations correctly. A knowledge of
seamanship I found was not to be obtained so rapidly, though Crowfoot,
the boatswain, was always ready to give me instruction and express his
opinion how a vessel ought to be handled under all possible
circumstances, but a large amount of presence of mind, and what may be
called invention, has to be exercised on numerous occasions, for which
no rules can be laid down.
"Now, Harry, you see wits is what a sailor wants. You've got learning,
and with learning you can pick up navigation pretty smartly. I haven't
got the learning, and so I can't get a mate's certificate; but I've got
the wits and have been many a long year at sea, and so I am fit for a
boatswain, and can take charge of a watch with any man," he remarked.
The wind favouring us after we left the chops of the channel, we ran
into the north-east trades, which took us to within two or three degrees
of the equator; and after that we had the calms and heavy rains which
are invariably met with, and were sometimes wet to the skin, at others
roasted in the hot sun. No one suffered, however, and after getting out
of them, we picked up a fine south-east trade wind. This carried us
down to twenty-six degrees south. The meridian of the Cape was passed
about the fiftieth day after leaving the Lizard. We ran down our
easting on parallel forty south. The brig was going about eight knots
before the wind, when one morning there was a cry of "Man overboard!"
Uncle Jack, who had been below, sprang up the companion-ladder, and,
looking over the side, saw that it was little Jem, who had fallen from
the fore yardarm. Ordering all hands to brace up the yards and the man
at the wheel to put down the helm, while he threw off his jacket, he
leaped overboard and struck out for the boy.
"Heave a grating here!" he shouted. "Harry, don't come," and I, who was
on the point of following, did as he directed.
The captain was on deck a moment afterwards and made ready to lower the
lee quarter boat. Every one on board, as may be supposed, was busy
pulling and hauling and bracing up the yards and backing the main
topsail, so that there was no time to see what had become of the first
mate and boy, but the captain had his eye upon them. It was sharp work,
for we knew the lives of our fellow-creatures depended upon our
exertions. I wished that I had possessed the strength of two men. As
soon as the brig was hove to, I took one glance to windward. I thought
I saw Uncle Jack and the boy, but I also saw what filled me with alarm,
a huge albatross flying above, apparently about to swoop down upon them.
It was but a glance, for I sprang over to the other side to jump into
the boat, eager to be among those going to save them. The second mate
was already in the boat, three other hands following. As soon as we got
under the stern of the brig, we saw the captain standing aft, pointing
in the direction we were to steer. The second mate, I thought, appeared
very cool.
"Give way, lads," he shouted. "We shall be up to them before that bird
strikes either of them on the head, for it seems that is what he is
trying to do."
A long rolling sea was running, and only when we were at the top of a
wave were those ahead of us visible to the mate, who stood up every now
and then the better to watch them.
"There's that bird making another swoop!" he exclaimed, and soon
afterwards he cried out, "He has risen again. Give way, lads! He may
not have struck both."
I did give way as may be supposed. If one had been struck, might it not
have been Uncle Jack!
"He has hold of the grating at last!" cried the mate. "I see him waving
his hand. There comes the bird again!"
Once more my heart sank within me. I could not turn round to look, or I
might have missed my stroke. The boat seemed to be making but fearfully
slow progress as I watched the brig rising to the seas, and as she
pitched into them, throwing the spray over her bows. There stood the
captain pointing with his hand, as if to encourage us to persevere. On
and on we pulled, I expecting every moment to hear the mate exclaim that
the albatross had made a fatal swoop. At last I heard a voice, though a
very weak one, cry, "Take the boy in first."
I knew it was that of Uncle Jack; I saw him lift little Jem up while he
held on to the gunwale. The two men in the bow then hauled him in, and
next the grating on which he had supported himself.
Uncle Jack sank down utterly exhausted. We passed the boy aft. He
seemed to be dead. We then dragged the first mate into the
stern-sheets, but could not attend to him, for we were compelled to keep
our oars going to get the boat round as soon as possible. Uncle Jack
lay without moving. I saw that one of his shoes was off. He presently
came to. His first thought was for the boy, whose hands and chest he
began to chafe as well as his weakness would allow.
The second mate, I thought, might have spared a hand to help him, but he
looked on, it seemed to me, with indifference, jealous that the first
mate should have behaved so gallantly, or--although I tried to put the
thought from me--angry that he had escaped. We pulled away until
rounding the stern of the brig, we got alongside, when a cheer burst
from the crew as they saw that we had the first mate and little Jem
safe. Eager hands stood by to lift them or board, for even Uncle Jack
was still too weak to help himself. While the boat was being hoisted up
the captain directed Mr Blyth and me to carry the boy into his own
cabin, he and two of the men following with the first mate, who was
placed in his own berth. We, in the meantime, had got the boy's clothes
off him and had wrapped him up in a dry blanket, while we kept chafing
his chest, arms, and feet until he breathed freely. He soon returned to
consciousness, and looking about him was much surprised to find where he
was.
"Where's Mr Radburn? Oh, sir, have you got him safe?" was his first
question.
He is all right, my lad.
"It's that bird, sir; it's that bird, sir! Oh, save me from it!" he
continued crying out.
"The bird won't hurt you, and Mr Radburn is safe in his cabin, I hope,"
answered Mr Blyth, in a kind voice.
As soon as I could I went to see how the first mate was getting on. He
had swallowed a cup of hot tea, for we were just going to breakfast, and
this had greatly restored him; and though the captain had advised him to
be still, he was putting on his dry clothes, and in a short time joined
us at table.
Uncle Jack said that he had felt the tips of the bird's wing pass over
his head each time that it swooped down, but that he had taken off his
shoe and attempted to defend himself, until the bird had seized upon it
and carried it off. "It will find the shoe a tough morsel to digest,"
he added, laughing; "but truly I have reason to thank God that it did
not strike either little Jem or me with its sharp beak, and I was so
exhausted that if the boat hadn't come up when she did, I should have
been unable to keep him longer at bay."
Either Mr Blyth or I stayed by "Little Jem" all day, the captain and
first mate every now and then looking in. By night he was well enough
to be removed to his own berth forward, where the men promised to look
after him.
The captain and Mr Blyth complimented the first mate on his gallant
conduct, but he seemed to think he had done nothing out of the way.
"There is one thing a man should consider before he jumps overboard, and
that is, whether there is too much sea on to allow of a boat being
lowered, for if there is he will not only lose his own life, but cause
the loss of others," observed the captain. "It is a hard matter,
however, to lay down a rule. Still it is very certain that we should do
our best to save the lives of our fellow-creatures."
We once sighted an island, which I believe was one of the Crozet group.
In rather over three months we entered the Straits of Sunda, when, as we
were approaching shores the inhabitants of which were addicted to
piracy, we got up our guns from the hold and mounted them, and
overhauled our firearms. Before long we had a good chance of requiring
them, for when running through the Straits of Banca, between that island
and Sumatra--while nearly becalmed--we made out three large prahus full
of people, pulling towards us. Whether their intentions were friendly
or the reverse we could not ascertain, but we certainly did not like
their looks; a breeze, however, sprang up and we stood on our course.
Soon afterwards we came in sight of the fine town of Singapore, founded
in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who made it a free port. At that
period a wretched village stood on its site, the neighbouring harbour
being the rendezvous only of a few trading prahus. It is now a
magnificent city, and upwards of a thousand square-rigged vessels anchor
annually in the roads. On the hills beyond it can be seen the
residences of the merchants, surrounded by plantations of spice-trees,
while excellent roads with bridges over the streams run in all
directions.
Besides English churches and chapels, there are Chinese Joss houses,
Hindoo temples, and Mohammedan mosques, while large numbers of Chinese
and Malay cottages form the suburbs. The Chinese are here seen in
considerable numbers, being the most industrious part of the population,
and include many wealthy merchants. There are Klings from Western
India; Arabs, chiefly shop-keepers; Parsee merchants; Bengalese, mostly
grooms and washmen; Japanese sailors, many of whom are also domestic
servants; Portuguese clerks, and traders from Celebes, Boli, and other
islands of the vast archipelago.
Having discharged part of our cargo, we took on board such articles as
we heard were in demand among the natives with whom we hoped to open up
a trade. In the interval Mr Blyth proposed that he and I should make a
trip into the interior. We could not, however, go far, for the island
is only about twenty-seven miles in length and eleven in breadth. We
were particularly warned not to venture into the forest, as we should
run a great risk of being carried off by tigers, large numbers of which
infest the jungles, and, it is said, kill a Chinaman a day, they being
the chief workers in the plantations. The captain gave me leave to
accompany the supercargo, and we hired two small Timor ponies for our
excursion. We had not got far when we met a party of men carrying
between them the skin of a large tiger, propped up on a sort of platform
formed of bamboos, looking very fierce, with its mouth open and tail on
end. They were on their way to the government office to receive the
reward given for every animal killed, just as payment was made in former
years in England for the head of each wolf put out of existence. The
animal had been caught in a pit covered over with sticks and leaves, the
usual mode in which they are trapped. We kept a sharp look-out, with
our pistols ready to shoot a tiger should one attack us. We heard
several roars, and a huge beast crossed the road in front of us. After
this we did not feel altogether comfortable, expecting every moment that
it would spring out from the jungle and carry off one or both of us.
We returned to the city, however, without an actual encounter. I cannot
stop further to describe this interesting place. In a few days we
sailed for George Town on the eastern side of the island of Penang, the
seat of Government of the British possessions in the Straits of Malacca,
Penang is larger than Singapore, a considerable portion being rocky, and
those most industrious of mortals, the Chinese, form the chief part of
the population. After discharging the cargo we had brought from England
for this place, we again sailed, steering through the straits of
Singapore for the eastward.