"I will not, then, thwart your inclination, Harry," he answered. "Your
mother and I would rather you had selected a profession which would have
kept you nearer to us. But you have chosen a fine line of life, and may
Heaven protect you in your career! I should have been glad, for some
reasons, to have had the power of sending you into the Royal Navy; but I
have no interest to get you in, and still less any to advance you in it.
The merchant-service should not be looked on as less noble and less
creditable a profession. It is one of the chief means by which
England's greatness and prosperity is maintained. In it your progress
and success will depend almost entirely on your own exertions. You must
also so conduct yourself that you may sustain to the utmost the credit
of the service, and, I doubt not, you will have no cause to regret
entering it. I might have wished to keep you longer at home, but I am
unwilling to miss the opportunity of sending you to sea under charge of
a commander of the high character and attainments possessed by Captain
Frankland. He, in the kindest way, tells me that he is ready to take
you; and he also informs me that a relative of mine is one of the
officers appointed to his ship, Silas Brand by name. You have heard as
speak of my good Cousin Martha, Mrs Brand; Silas is her only son. He
was a steady, good lad when I last heard of him before he went to sea,
and I daresay that you will find him a firm friend. At all events, I am
sure, from Captain Frankland's remarks, that he will prove a profitable
one. He tells me also that his proposed voyage will be one of very
great interest; that the owners of the ship have a variety of objects in
view; so that he expects to visit a number of interesting places during
the voyage, which is, in fact, to be completely round the world."
"Round the World!" I exclaimed. "How delightful! And am I actually
going to sail all round the world in my first voyage? Well, I did not
expect anything so good as that. Isn't it a first-rate chance, papa?"
"It may be very long before you return, my boy," replied my father. "I
trust, however, that you will proportionately profit by the voyage.
Captain Frankland says, that he hopes to make you something of a seaman
before you return. You will, I trust, make the best use of his
instructions."
I promised that I would, and sincerely intended to keep my promise. So
it was finally settled that I was to go to sea, and few lads were ever
sent afloat under better auspices than I enjoyed. I cannot fully
describe the agitating sensations which passed through my bosom when I
began to reflect on the approaching consummation of my wishes. While my
heart beat with anticipated pleasure at the strange sights I was to
behold, I could not but contemplate with sorrow the thoughts of leaving
so many dear ones behind. Not that I for a moment hesitated what I
would do, but the sharp edge of the enjoyment I might have felt was
entirely blunted. Still, I went about talking with a keen relish of all
I was to see, and what I was to do, while the preparations for my outfit
were in progress; and I not a little excited the envy of my younger
brothers, and of some of the boys near us, when they heard that I was
starting on a voyage round the world.
At last the chest was packed, and lashed on behind the post-chaise. A
few minutes more, and the old home which knew me would know me no more
for many a long day. Can I describe that parting? Still, all bore up
heroically. I did my best not to give way, but there was a hot, choking
sensation in my throat, as if a Thug from India had got his fatal noose
tight round my jugular vein; and a pulling away at the heart, as if the
fangs of a stout double tooth were firmly clenched in it, and a
strong-fisted dentist was hauling it out. My father and Jack were going
with me to see me on board. I believe Jack envied me, and wished that
he was going too, instead of having to pore over dusty parchments. My
mother folded me in her arms, and kept me there. That was the worst.
Still, I could not bear to break away.
"Come, Harry," said my father, "we shall miss the train." He took me
gently by the shoulder, and guided me into the carriage. I took a last
kiss from Mary's dear lips as I passed her. "I shall be back to-morrow
evening, I hope," said he, following me.
"I say, Harry, don't forget the bows and arrows you are to bring me from
the Tonga Islands!" sung out Willie.
"Or the hunting-panther from South America!" cried Georgie.
"Or the parrots from Africa!" exclaimed Mary through her tears.
"Or the love-birds from India!" said Julia.
"Or my ivory fan from China, young sailor boy!" said Isabella.
"Don't forget the journal you are to keep, or the subjects I asked you
to note for me!" exclaimed the studious James.
Thus, amid various shouts and exclamations of a similar character, the
moment Jack mounted on the box we drove off towards the nearest station
on the railway which was to convey us to Liverpool. My father said
nothing for some time, and I felt that I could not utter a word without
allowing my feelings to get the better of me. However, by the time we
reached the station, I had much recovered my spirits; and when once we
were in the railway, Jack had so much to talk about, and cut so many
jokes, that I became very happy, as he did not leave me a moment to
think about the dear home I had left. I have often since thought, when
I have seen people grumbling at home, or finding fault or quarrelling
with their brothers and sisters or parents, let them go away and get
knocked and kicked about the world, and they will have good reason to
value their own quiet home as they ought.
I thought Liverpool a very fine city, with its large public buildings,
and its broad streets, and its churches, and its Sailors' Home, which I
visited, where sailors have a large smoking-hall, and dining-rooms, and
a lecture-room, and a chapel, and where some hundreds may each have a
little separate cabin to himself. I wish every port in the world, much
frequented by shipping, had a place of a similar character. Most of
all, I was struck with the docks, crowded with ships of great size, and,
indeed, craft of every description and nation; as also with its wide
quays and wharfs, and floating landing-stages, and steamers dashing in
and out, and running up and down the river in such a hurry, that they
looked as if they were conscious that they had to struggle for their
existence among the struggling human multitude of the place. We
inquired for the _Triton_.
"There she is, with the blue Peter flying at the fore! She sails
to-night, don't she, Tom?" said a waterman whom we addressed. "Do you
want a boat, gintlemen?"
My father said, "Yes;" and agreed with the man as to his fare.
We stepped into his boat, and away we pulled towards my future home--the
good ship _Triton_. I had never seen a ship before, it must be
remembered. I had looked at pictures of them, so I was acquainted with
their shape; but I had formed no adequate idea of the size of a large
ship; and as the boat lay alongside of the _Triton_, and I looked up and
saw one of the officers standing at the gangway to receive us, it
appeared something like scaling the walls of a castle to climb up to the
deck. What should I have thought had the _Triton_ been a hundred and
twenty gun-ship, instead of a merchantman of 500 tons, for such was her
size! However, I then thought her a magnificent ship; she was indeed a
very fine one for her size. Side ropes being rigged, we soon gained her
deck. The captain was still on shore, but my father at once made out
Silas Brand. He was a shortish, rather thick-set, fair man, with a
roundish face and a somewhat florid complexion. He had light hair, with
largish whiskers, and he shaved his chin in harbour. I had to look at
him frequently, and to talk to him more than once, before I discovered
that his countenance showed much firmness and decision, and that his
smile betokened more than a good-natured, easy disposition. My father
had a good deal of talk with him, while Jack and I went round to see the
ship. In the course of our peregrinations, we entered what I found was
the captain's cabin. A lad of about my own age was sitting at a table,
with a book and slate before him. He turned round when the door opened,
and eyed me narrowly before he got up from his chair. Then, apparently
recollecting himself, he advanced towards us.
"Are you the new youngster who is to sail with us?" said he, putting out
his hand. "My name is Gerard Frankland, though it is seldom people take
the trouble of calling me more than Jerry. My father told me to expect
you. I'm to look after you, and see you don't get into mischief, I
suppose. I'll be very strict with you, mind that!"
Amused with his free and easy way, I told him that he was not mistaken
as to my identity.
"That's all right then," he answered. "This gentleman is your brother.
Take a seat, sir, and make yourself at home. You'll have something?
When my father is on shore, I reign here supreme, though on deck, to be
sure, I can't boast much of my authority. Steward, bring glasses, and
biscuits, and anything else! You're not going with us, sir? I wish you
were. We'll have rare fun before we come back, I'll warrant."
"No," answered Jack, laughing, and highly diverted with Master Jerry's
volubility and perfect self-possession. "I should much like to take the
trip though. However, my brother Harry will, I hope, on your return,
give us a full account of all you see and do."
"He'll have plenty to tell then of what we do, and not a little of what
we see," answered Jerry, with a sort of a half wink at me, which was as
much as to say, "We'll be up to all sorts of things." He added aloud,
"My father is not the man to let the grass grow under the ship's bottom;
but here come the glasses! What will you have--hot or cold?"
"Thank you," said Jack; "our father is here, and we must not stop. We
came to see Harry on board, and have soon to return on shore." While he
was speaking, our father appeared at the door, accompanied by Silas
Brand.
Gerard's whole manner changed the moment he saw them. He got up to
receive my father with perfect politeness; and, instead of exhibiting
the forward, flippant manner with which he had treated us, he turned at
once into a steady-looking, somewhat demure boy. My father, after
addressing a few kind words to him, and telling him that he was his
father's oldest friend, signed to me that he wished to speak to me
alone. He took me into Silas Brand's cabin, and kneeling down, offered
up a few prayers, full of deep, deep love, for my preservation from all
earthly dangers, and for my acceptance as a forgiven sinner at the day
of judgment.
"Look straight on beyond this transient world in all you think, or try,
or do. Remember, delightful as this existence may appear, and
undoubtedly is to those who know how to employ it properly, it is but a
passage which leads to eternity. May Heaven guide you, my boy!" He
took me in his arms, and then I knew how his fond, tender heart felt the
parting. He burst into tears: he was not long in recovering himself.
Captain Frankland came on board. Last farewells were said. My dear
father and Jack went down the ship's side. The pilot remarked that the
tide would suit. The anchor was hove up. A steamer took us in tow;
then, after pulling ahead of us for a couple of hours or more, she cast
off. All sail was set, and free of the Mersey's mouth, away we glided
on our voyage Round the World.