In which Mr Easy finds himself on the other side of the Bay of Biscay.
The next morning Jack Easy would have forgotten all about his
engagement with the captain, had it not been for the waiter, who
thought that, after the reception which our hero had given the first
lieutenant, it would be just as well that he should not be
disrespectful to the captain. Now Jack had not, hitherto, put on his
uniform, and he thought this a fitting occasion, particularly as the
waiter suggested the propriety of his appearance in it. Whether it
was from a presentiment of what he was to suffer, Jack was not at all
pleased, as most lads are, with the change in his dress. It appeared
to him that he was sacrificing his independence; however, he did not
follow his first impulse, which was to take it off again, but took his
hat, which the waiter had brushed and handed to him, and then set off
for the captain's lodgings. Captain Wilson received him as if he had
not been aware of his delay in joining his ship, or his interview with
his first lieutenant, but before breakfast was over, Jack himself
narrated the affair in a few words. Captain Wilson then entered into
a detail of the duties and rank of every person on board of the ship,
pointing out to Jack, that where discipline was required, it was
impossible, when duty was carried on, that more than one could
command; and that that one was the captain, who represented the king
in person, who represented the country; and that, as the orders were
transmitted from the captain through the lieutenant, and from the
lieutenant to the midshipmen, who, in their turn, communicated them to
the whole ship's company, in fact, it was the captain alone who gave
the orders, and that everyone was equally obliged to obey. Indeed, as
the captain himself had to obey the orders of his superiors, the
Admiral and the Admiralty; all on board might be said to be equally
obliged to obey. Captain Wilson laid a strong emphasis on the word
equally, as he cautiously administered his first dose; indeed, in the
whole of his address, he made use of special pleading, which would
have done credit to the bar; for at the same time that he was
explaining to Jack that he was entering a service in which equality
could never for a moment exist, if the service was to exist, he
contrived to show that all the grades were levelled, by all being
equally bound to do their duty to their country, and that, in fact,
whether a seaman obeyed his orders, or he obeyed the orders of his
superior officer, they were in reality only obeying the orders of the
country, which were administered through their channels.
Jack did not altogether dislike this view of the subject, and the
captain took care not to dwell too long upon it. He then entered upon
other details, which he was aware would be more agreeable to Jack. He
pointed out that the articles of war were the rules by which the
service was to be guided, and that everybody, from the captain to the
least boy in the ship, was equally bound to adhere to them that a
certain allowance of provisions and wine were allowed to each person
on board, and that this allowance was the same to all; the same to the
captain as to the boy; the same in quantity as in quality; everyone
equally entitled to his allowance;--that, although there were, of
necessity, various grades necessary in the service, and the captain's
orders were obliged to be passed and obeyed by all, yet still,
whatever was the grade of the officer, they were equally considered as
gentlemen. In short, Captain Wilson, who told the truth, and nothing
but the truth, Without telling the whole truth, actually made Jack
fancy that he had at last found out that equality he had been seeking
for in vain on shore, when, at last, he recollected the language used
by Mr Sawbridge the evening before, and asked the captain why that
personage had so conducted himself. Now, as the language of Mr
Sawbridge was very much at variance with equality, Captain Wilson was
not a little puzzled. However, he first pointed out that the first
lieutenant was, at the time being, the captain, as he was the senior
officer on board, as would Jack himself be if he were the senior
officer on board; and that, as he before observed, the captain or
senior officer represented the country. That in the articles of war,
everybody who absented himself from the ship, committed an error, or
breach of those articles; and if any error or breach of those articles
was committed by anyone belonging to the ship, if the senior officer
did not take notice of it, he then himself committed a breach of those
articles, and was liable himself to be punished, if he could not prove
that he had noticed it; it was therefore to save himself that he was
obliged to point out the error; and if he did it in strong language,
it only proved his zeal for his country.
"Upon my honour, then," replied Jack, "there can be no doubt of his
zeal; for if the whole country had been at stake, he could not have
put himself in a greater passion."
"Then he did his duty; but depend upon it it was not a pleasant one to
him: and I'll answer for it, when you meet him on board, he will be as
friendly with you as if nothing had happened."
"He told me that he'd soon make me know what a first lieutenant was:
what did he mean by that?" inquired Jack.
"All zeal."
"Yes, but he said, that as soon as he got on board, he'd show me the
difference between a first lieutenant and a midshipman."
"All zeal."
"He said my ignorance should be a little enlightened by-and-bye."
"All zeal."
"And that he'd send a sergeant and marines to fetch me."
"All zeal."
"That he would put my philosophy to the proof."
"All zeal, Mr Easy. Zeal will break out in this way; but we should do
nothing in the service without it. Recollect that I hope and trust
one day to see you also a zealous officer."
Here Jack cogitated considerably, and gave no answer.
"You will, I am sure," continued Captain Wilson, "find Mr Sawbridge
one of your best friends."
"Perhaps so," replied Jack, "but I did not much admire our first
acquaintance."
"It will perhaps be your unpleasant duty to find as much fault
yourself; we are all equally bound to do our duty to our country. But,
Mr Easy, I sent for you to say that we shall sail to-morrow; and, as I
shall send my things off this afternoon by the launch, you had better
send yours off also. At eight o'clock I shall go on board, and we can
both go in the same boat."
To this Jack made no sort of objection, and having paid his bill at
the Fountain, he sent his chest down to the boat by some of the crew
who came up for it, and attended the summons of the captain to embark.
By nine o'clock that evening, Mr Jack Easy was safe on board his
Majesty's sloop Harpy.
When Jack arrived on board, it was dark, and he did not know what to
do with himself. The captain was received by the officers on deck,
who took off their hats to salute him. The captain returned the
salute, and so did Jack very politely, after which, the captain
entered into conversation with the first lieutenant, and for a while
Jack was left to himself. It was too dark to distinguish faces, and
to one who had never been on board of a ship, too dark to move, so
Jack stood where he was, which was not far from the main bitts; but he
did not stay long; the boat had been hooked on to the quarter davits,
and the boatswain had called out--"Set taut, my lads!"
And then with the shrill whistle, and "Away with her!" forward came
galloping and bounding along, the men with the tackles; and in the
dark Jack was upset, and half a dozen marines fell upon him; the men,
who had no idea that an officer was floored among the others, were
pleased at the joke, and continued to dance over those who were down,
until they rolled themselves out of the way. Jack, who did not
understand this, fared badly, and it was not till the calls piped
belay that he could recover his legs, after having been trampled upon
by half the starboard watch, and the breath completely jammed out of
his body, Jack reeled to a carronade slide, when the officers who had
been laughing at the lark as well as the men, perceived his
situation--among others, Mr Sawbridge, the first lieutenant.
"Are you hurt, Mr Easy?" said he, kindly.
"A little," replied Jack, catching his breath.
"You've had but a rough welcome," replied the first lieutenant, "but
at certain times, on board ship, it is every man for himself, and God
for us all. Harpur," continued the first lieutenant to the doctor,
"take Mr Easy down in the gun-room with you, and I will be down myself
as soon as I can. Where is Mr Jolliffe?"
"Here, sir," replied Mr Jolliffe, a master's mate, coming aft from the
booms.
"There is a youngster come on board with the captain. Order one of
the quarter-masters to get a hammock slung."
In the meantime Jack went down into the gun-room, where a glass of
wine somewhat recovered him. He did not stay there long, nor did he
venture to talk much. As soon as his hammock was ready, Jack was glad
to go to bed--and as he was much bruised he was not disturbed the next
morning till past nine o'clock. He then dressed himself, went on
deck, found that the sloop was just clear of the Needles, that he felt
very queer, then very sick, and was conducted by a marine down below,
put into his hammock, where he remained during a gale of wind of three
days, bewildered, confused, puzzled, and every minute knocking his
head against the beams with the pitching and tossing of the sloop.
"And this is going to sea," thought Jack; "no wonder that no one
interferes with another here, or talks about a trespass; for I'm sure
anyone is welcome to my share of the ocean; and if I once get on shore
again, the devil may have my portion if he chooses."
Captain Wilson and Mr Sawbridge had both allowed Jack more leisure
than most midshipmen, during his illness. By the time that the gale
was over, the sloop was off Cape Finisterre. The next morning the sea
was nearly down, and there was but a slight breeze on the waters. The
comparative quiet of the night before had very much recovered our
hero, and when the hammocks were piped up, he was accosted by Mr
Jolliffe, the master's mate, who asked, "whether he intended to rouse
and bit, or whether he intended to sail to Gibraltar between his
blankets."
Jack, who felt himself quite another person, turned out of his hammock
and dressed himself. A marine had, by the captain's orders, attended
Jack during his illness, and this man came to his assistance, opened
his chest, and brought him all he required, or Jack would have been in
a sad dilemma.
Jack then inquired where he was to go, for he had not been in the
midshipmen's berth, although five days on board. The marine pointed
it out to him, and Jack, who felt excessively hungry, crawled over and
between chests, until he found himself fairly in a hole infinitely
inferior to the dog-kennels which received his father's pointers.
"I'd not only give up the ocean," thought Jack, "and my share of it,
but also my share of the Harpy, unto anyone who fancies it. Equality
enough here! for everyone appears equally miserably off."
As he thus gave vent to his thoughts, he perceived that there was
another person in the berth--Mr Jolliffe, the master's mate, who had
fixed his eye upon Jack, and to whom Jack returned the compliment. The
first thing that Jack observed was, that Mr Jolliffe was very deeply
pockmarked, and that he had but one eye, and that was a piercer; it
appeared like a little ball of fire, and as if it reflected more light
from the solitary candle than the candle gave.
"I don't like your looks," thought Jack--"we shall never be friends."
But here Jack fell into the common error of judging by appearances, as
will be proved hereafter.
"I'm glad to see you up again, youngster," said Jolliffe; "you've been
on your beam ends longer than usual, but those who are strongest
suffer most--you made your mind up but late to come to sea. However,
they say, 'better late than never'."
"I feel very much inclined to argue the truth of that saying," replied
Jack; "but it's no use just now. I'm terribly hungry--when shall I
get some breakfast?"
"To-morrow morning at half-past eight," replied Mr Jolliffe.
"Breakfast for to-day has been over these two hours."
"But must I then go without?"
"No, I do not say that, as we must make allowances for your illness;
but it will not be breakfast."
"Call it what you please," replied Jack, "only pray desire the
servants to give me something to eat. Dry toast or muffins--anything
will do, but I should prefer coffee."
"You forget that you are off Finisterre, in a midshipman's berth:
coffee we have none--muffins we never see, dry toast cannot be made,
as we have no soft bread; but a cup of tea, and ship's biscuit and
butter, I can desire the steward to get ready for you."
"Well then," replied Jack, "I will thank you to procure me that."
"Marine," cried Jolliffe, "call Mesty."
"Pass the word for Mesty," cried the marine--and the two syllables
were handed forward until lost in the forepart of the vessel.
The person so named must be introduced to the reader. He was a
curious anomaly--a black man who had been brought to America as a
slave, and there sold.
He was a very tall, spare-built, yet muscular form, and had a face by
no means common with his race. His head was long and narrow, high
cheek-bones, from whence his face descended down to almost a point at
the chin; his nose was very small, but it was straight and almost
Roman; his mouth also was unusually small; and his lips thin for an
African; his teeth very white, and filed to sharp points. He claimed
the rank of prince in his own country, with what truth could not of
course be substantiated. His master had settled at New York, and
there Mesty had learned English, if it could be so-called: the fact
is, that all the emigrant labourers at New York being Irishmen, he had
learned English with the strong brogue and peculiar phraseology of the
sister kingdom dashed with a little Yankeeism.
Having been told that there was no slavery in England, Mesty had
concealed himself on board an English merchant vessel, and escaped. On
his arrival in England he had entered on board of a man-of-war. Having
no name, it was necessary to christen him on the ship's books, and the
first lieutenant, who had entered him, struck with his remarkable
expression of countenance, and being a German scholar, had named him
Mephistopheles Faust, from whence his Christian name had been razed to
Mesty. Mesty in other points was an eccentric character; at one
moment, when he remembered his lineage, he was proud to excess, at
others he was grave and almost sullen--but when nothing either in
daily occurrences or in his mind ran contrary, he exhibited the
drollery so often found in his nation, with a spice of Irish humour,
as if he had caught up the latter with his Irish brogue.
Mesty was soon seen coming aft, but almost double as he couched under
the beams, and taking large strides with his naked feet.
"By the powers, Massa Yolliffe, but it is not seasonable at all to
send for me just now, anyhow, seeing how the praters are in the
copper, and so many blackguard 'palpeens all ready to change net for
net, and better themselves by the same mistake, 'dam um."
"Mesty, you know I never send for you myself, or allow others to do
so, unless it is necessary," replied Jolliffe; "but this poor lad has
eaten nothing since he has been on board, and is very hungry--you must
get him a little tea."
"Is it tay you mane, sir?--I guess, to make tay, in the first place I
must ab water, and in the next must ab room in the galley to put the
kettle on--and 'pose you wanted to burn the tip of your little finger
just now, it's not in the galley that you find a berth for it--and den
the water before seven bells. I've a notion it's just impossible."
"But he must have something, Mesty."
"Never mind the tea, then," replied Jack, "I'll take some milk."
"Is it milk massa manes, and the bumboat woman on the oder side of the
bay?"
"We have no milk, Mr Easy; you forget that we are on blue water,"
replied Jolliffe, "and I really am afraid that you'll have to wait
till dinner-time. Mesty tells the truth."
"I tell you what, Massa Yolliffe, it just seven bells, and if the
young gentleman would, instead of tay, try a little out of the copper,
it might keep him asy. It but a little difference, tay soup and pay
soup. Now a bowl of that, with some nuts and a flourish of pepper,
will do him good, anyhow."
"Perhaps the best thing he can take, Mesty; get it as fast as you
can."
In a few minutes the black brought down a bowl of soup and whole peas
swimming in it, put before our hero a tin bread-basket full of small
biscuit, called midshipmen's nuts, and the pepper-caster. Jack's
visions of tea, coffee, muffins, dry toast, and milk, vanished as he
perceived the mess; but he was very hungry, and he found it much
better than he expected; and he moreover found himself much the better
after he had swallowed it. It struck seven bells, and he accompanied
Mr Jolliffe on deck.