Perhaps the most worthless characters, who follow the sea as a
profession, are to be found among the crews of Atlantic liners--
especially those trafficking between Liverpool and New York.
These men seldom make voyages to any other ports, than the two above
mentioned; and their custom is to "ship for the run" in one vessel, and
return in another. They do not affect long voyages; and prefer that
between Liverpool and New York to any other.
There are several reasons for this preference on their part.
One is the facility with which--on an Atlantic liner--they can rob each
other, and steal from the passengers.
Another is, that being, even for seamen, a profligate, dissipated set,
these short voyages give them more frequent opportunities of being in
port--where they can indulge in the vices and habits so congenial to
their vulgar tastes.
A third reason is, the great number of emigrant-passengers carried
between those ports, along with the loose observance of the Passenger
Act--the rules of which are less strictly enforced upon Atlantic liners,
than aboard ships going on longer voyages.
It may be inferred from this, that the ruffians comprising the crews of
the Atlantic liners, have a better opportunity of plundering the
passengers than in any other ships.
When embarking on one of these vessels to recommence my duties as a
seaman, I was not encumbered with much luggage; and I was not very long
in her forecastle, before discovering that this was rather an advantage
than a misfortune!
I had spent so much of my money, that I should have been absolutely
unable to buy an outfit for any other "trip" than that between Liverpool
and New York.
The less a sailor takes aboard with him on such a voyage, the less will
he lose before it is terminated.
One of the crew of the ship in which I sailed, was a young seaman, who
had never made the voyage from Liverpool to New York; and therefore
lacked experience of the evil doings incidental to such a trip. He had
been foolish enough to bring on board a large "kit" of good clothing.
The first night out of port, when this young man was keeping his watch
on deck, one of his comrades below took notice of his chest.
"It's locked," said the man, stretching out his hand to try the lid.
"Blast him!" cried another, "I suppose he thinks we are all thieves
here!"
"Sarve him right if he were to lose every-things that's in it,"
significantly remarked a third.
"So say I," chimed in a fourth speaker, drawing nearer to the kit, in
order to be at hand in case of a scramble--which the moment after was
commenced.
The chest was turned over, all hands taking share in the act; and
without further ado, its bottom was knocked in. Most of the sailor's
effects were pulled out, and scattered about--each of the ruffians
appropriating to himself some article which he fancied.
Amongst other things, was a new pair of heavy horseskin boots, which
were obtained by a fellow, who chanced to stand in need of them; and who
pulled them on upon the spot.
The next day, the young sailor having missed his property, of course
created a disturbance about it. For this, he was only laughed at by the
rest of the crew.
He complained to the officers.
"Had your clothes stole, have you?" carelessly inquired the first mate.
"Well, that's what you might have expected. Some of the boys are queer
fellows, I dare say. You should have taken better care of your togs--if
you cared anything about them."
The next day, the young sailor saw one of the men with the stolen boots
upon his feet, and at once accused the wearer of the theft. But the
only satisfaction he obtained, was that of getting kicked with his own
boots!
We had on board between three and four hundred passengers--most of them
Irish and German emigrants.
Several deaths occurred amongst these poor people. Whenever one of them
died, the fact would be reported to the officers; and then the first
mate would order the sailmaker to enclose the body in a sack--for the
purpose of its being thrown overboard. This command to the sailmaker
was generally given as follows:
"Sails! there's a dead 'un below. Go down, and sack 'im."
As these words were heard by the passengers--alas! too often repeated--
the sailmaker was known during the remainder of the voyage by the name
of Mr Sackem; and this unfortunate functionary became an object of
mysterious dread to many of the passengers--especially the women and
children.
Women generally have a great horror of seeing the dead body of any of
their relatives thrown into the sea; and Mr Sackem incurred the
ill-will of many of the female emigrants, who were simple enough to
think that he was someway or other to blame for the bodies being
disposed of in this off-hand, and apparently unfeeling fashion!
A young child--one of a large family of Irish people--had died one
night; and the next morning the sailmaker went into the steerage where
the body lay--to prepare it for interment in the usual way.
The first attempt made by Mr Sackem, towards the performance of his
duty, brought upon him an assault from the relatives of the deceased
child, backed by several others who had been similarly bereaved!
Poor Sails was fortunate in getting back upon deck with his life; and he
came up from the hatchway below with his clothing torn to rags! He had
lost the greater part of a thick head of hair, while his countenance
looked like a map of North America, with the lakes and rivers indicated
in red ink.
It was not until the captain had gone down--and given the passengers a
fine specimen of the language and manners of the skipper of an Atlantic
liner in a rage--that the body was allowed to be brought up, and
consigned to its last resting place in the sea.
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I landed in New York, with the determination of trying to do something
on shore, for I was by this time convinced, that a fortune was not to be
made by following the occupation of a common sailor.
I did not remain long in New York. Too many emigrants from Europe were
constantly arriving there; and continuing that same struggle for
existence, which had forced them into exile.
I had every reason to believe, that a young man like myself was not
likely to command his full value, where there were so many competitors;
and I determined to go on to visit the West.
Is it true, a life on the sea might have been preferable to the
hardships, that were likely to be encountered beyond the borders of
civilisation; but Lenore was not to be won by my remaining a common
sailor, nor would such a profession be likely to afford me either time
or opportunity for prosecuting the search after my lost relations. I
knew not whether I was acting prudently or not; but I directed my course
westward; and did not bring to, until I had reached Saint Louis, in the
State of Missouri. There I stopped for a time to look about me.
On acquaintance with it I did not discover much in this western city to
admire. A person of sanguine hopes, and anxious to accomplish great
things in a very little time, is, perhaps, not in a fit frame of mind to
form correct conclusions; and this may account for my being discontented
with Saint Louis.
I could not obtain a situation in a city where there was but little to
be done, and no great wages for doing it. I was told that I might find
employment in the country--at splitting rails, cutting wood, and other
such laborious work; but in truth, I was not in the vein to submit
myself to this kind of toil. I was disappointed at finding, that in the
great West I should have much more work to do than I had previously
imagined.
It chanced that at this time there was a grand commotion in Saint Louis.
Gold had been discovered in California--lying in great quantities in
"placers," or gold washings; and hundreds were departing--or preparing
to depart--for the land where fortunes were to be made in a single day.
This was precisely the sort of place I was looking for; but to reach it
required a sum of money, which I had not got. I had only the poor
satisfaction of knowing that there were many others in a similar
situation--thousands of them, who wished to go to California, but were
prevented by the same unfortunate circumstances that obstructed me.
Many were going overland--across the prairies and mountains; but even
this manner of reaching the golden land required more cash than I could
command. A horse, and an outfit were necessary, as well as provisions
for the journey, which had to be taken along, or purchased by the way.
I regretted that I had not shipped in New York, and worked my passage to
California round the Horn. It was too late now. To get back to any
seaport on the Atlantic, would have required fifteen or twenty dollars;
and I had only five left, of all that I had earned upon the liner. I
spent these five dollars, before I had succeeded in discovering any plan
by which I might reach California. I felt convinced that my only chance
of finding my relatives, and making myself worthy of Lenore, lay in my
getting across, to the Pacific side of America.
While thus cogitating, I was further tantalised by reading in a
newspaper some later accounts from the diggings. These imparted the
information that each of the diggers was making a fortune in a week, and
spending it in a day. One week in California, was worth ten years in
any other part of the world. Any one could get an ounce of gold per
diem--merely for helping the giver to spend the money he had made!
Should I--the Rolling Stone--stay where I could find employment at
nothing better than splitting rails, while Earth contained a country
like California?
There was but one answer to the interrogation: No.