Fabian left me, to look for his cabin, which, according to the ticket he
held in his hand, was number seventy-three of the grand saloon series.
At this moment large volumes of smoke curled from the chimneys; the
steam hissed with a deafening noise through the escape-pipes, and fell
in a fine rain over the deck; a noisy eddying of water announced that
the engines were at work. We were at last going to start.
First of all the anchor had to be raised. The “Great Eastern” swung
round with the tide; all was now clear, and Captain Anderson was obliged
to choose this moment to set sail, for the width of the “Great Eastern”
did not allow of her turning round in the Mersey. He was more master of
his ship and more certain of guiding her skilfully in the midst of the
numerous boats always plying on the river when stemming the rapid
current than when driven by the ebb-tide; the least collision with this
gigantic body would have proved disastrous.
To weigh anchor under these circumstances required considerable
exertion, for the pressure of the tide stretched the chains by which the
ship was moored, and besides this, a strong south-wester blew with full
force on her hull, so that it required powerful engines to hoist the
heavy anchors from their muddy beds. An anchor-boat, intended for this
purpose, had just stoppered on the chains, but the windlasses were not
sufficiently powerful, and they were obliged to use the steam apparatus
which the “Great Eastern” had at her disposal.
At the bows was an engine of sixty-six horse-power. In order to raise
the anchors it was only necessary to send the steam from the boilers
into its cylinders to obtain immediately a considerable power, which
could be directly applied to the windlass on which the chains were
fastened. This was done; but powerful as it was, this engine was found
insufficient, and fifty of the crew were set to turn the capstan with
bars, thus the anchors were gradually drawn in, but it was slow work.
I was on the poop at the bows with several other passengers at this
moment, watching the details of departure. Near me stood a traveller,
who frequently shrugged his shoulders impatiently, and did not spare
disparaging jokes on the tardiness of the work. He was a thin, nervous
little man, with quick, restless eyes: a physiognomist could easily see
that the things of this life always appeared on their funny side to this
philosopher of Democrates school, for his risible muscles were never
still for a moment; but without describing him further, I need only say
I found him a very pleasant fellow-traveller.
“I thought until now, sir,” said he to me, “that engines were made to
help men, not men to help engines.”
I was going to reply to this wise observation, when there was a loud
cry, and immediately my companion and I were hurled towards the bows;
every man at the capstan-bars was knocked down; some got up again,
others lay scattered on the deck. A catch had broken, and the capstan
being forced round by the frightful pressure of the chains, the men,
caught by the rebound, were struck violently on the head and chest.
Freed from their broken rope-bands, the capstan-bars flew in all
directions like grape-shot, killing four sailors, and wounding twelve
others; among the latter was the boatswain, a Scotchman from Dundee.
The spectators hurried towards the unfortunate men, the wounded were
taken to the hospital at the stern; as for the four already dead,
preparations were immediately made to send them on shore: so lightly do
Anglo-Saxons regard death, that this event made very little impression
on board. These unhappy men, killed and wounded, were only tools, which
could be replaced at very little expense. The tender, already some
distance off, was hailed, and in a few minutes she was alongside.
[Illustration: EVERY MAN AT THE CAPSTAN-BARS WAS KNOCKED DOWN.]
I went towards the fore-part of the vessel, the staircase had not yet
been raised. The four corpses, enveloped in coverings, were let down,
and placed on the deck of the tender. One of the surgeons on board
embarked to go with them to Liverpool, with injunctions to rejoin the
“Great Eastern” as quickly as possible. The tender immediately sheered
off, and the sailors went to the bows, to wash the stains of blood from
the deck.
I ought to add that one of the passengers, slightly wounded by the
breaking of the pinion, took advantage of this circumstance to leave by
the tender; he had already had enough of the “Great Eastern.”
I watched the little boat going off full steam, and, turning round, I
heard my ironical fellow-traveller mutter,—
“A good beginning for a voyage!”
“A very bad one, sir,” said I. “To whom have I the honour of speaking?”
“To Dr. Dean Pitferge.”