Our ship made good progress, considering the impediments in her way,
towards the fishing grounds in the north, to which she was bound.
Sometimes we had a clear sea; at other times we were sailing among
patches of ice and icebergs, or through lanes penetrating into packs of
many miles in extent, and from which it seemed impossible we should ever
again be extricated. Our captain, or one of his mates, was always at
this time in the crow's-nest, directing the course of the ship amid the
dangers which surrounded her.
I shall not soon forget the first day of May, which I spent in the icy
sea. It was as unlike May-day at home as any day could well be as far
as the temperature went, though we were sailing through a sea tolerably
free from ice.
"All play to-day and no work, my boy, for we are going to have a visit
from a king and queen," said an old whaler, David McGee by name, as he
gave me a slap on the shoulder which would have warmed up my blood not a
little, if anything could in that biting weather.
"He must be King Frost, then," I answered, laughing; "for we have plenty
of his subjects around us already."
"No; I mean a regular-built king," said old McGee, winking at some of
his chums standing around, who had made many a voyage before. "He
boards every ship as comes into these parts, to ask them for tribute;
and then he makes them free of the country, and welcome to come back as
often as they like."
"Thank him for nothing for that same," I answered, determined not to be
quizzed by them. "But don't suppose, David, I'm so jolly green as to
believe what you're telling me; no offence to you, though."
"You'll see, youngster, that what I say is true; so look out for him,"
was old McGee's answer, as he turned on his heel.
I had observed that for a few days past the old hands were busy about
some work, which they kept concealed from the youngsters, or the green
hands, to which class I belonged. Everything went on as usual till
eight bells had been struck at noon, when an immense garland, formed of
ribbons of all colours, bits of calico, bunting, and artificial flowers,
or what were intended for them, was run up at the mizzen-peak. On the
top of the garland was the model of a ship, full-rigged, with sails set
and colours flying. Scarcely had it gone aloft, when I was startled by
a loud bellowing sound, which seemed to come from a piece of ice
floating ahead of the ship.
"What's that?" I asked of old David, who persevered in keeping close to
me all the morning. "Is that a walrus blowing?" I thought it might be,
for I could not make it out.
"A walrus! no, I should think not," he answered, in an indignant tone.
"My lad, that's King Neptune's trumpeter, come to give notice that the
old boy's coming aboard us directly. I've heard him scores of times; so
I'm not likely to be wrong."
The answer I gave my shipmate was not very polite. One never likes to
be quizzed; and I, of course, thought he was quizzing me.
"You'll see, lad," he answered, giving me no gentle tap on the head, in
return for my remark. "I'm not one to impose on a bright green youth
like you."
Again the bellow was heard. "That's not a bit like the sound of a
trumpet," I remarked.
"Not like your shore-going trumpets, maybe," said old David, with a
grin. "But don't you know, youngster, the water gets into these
trumpets, and makes them sound different?"
A third bellow was followed by a loud hail, in a gruff, voice, "What
ship is that, ahoy?"
Old David ran forward, and answered, "_The Shetland Maid_, Captain
Rendall, of Hull."
"Heave to, while I come aboard, then; for you've got some green hands
among you, I'm pretty sure, by the way your gaff-topsail stands."
"Ay, ay, your majesty. Down with your helm--back the main-topsail,"
sung out old David, with as much authority as if he was captain of the
ship.
His orders were not obeyed; for before they were so, the gruff voice
sung out, "Hold fast!" and a very curious group made their appearance
over the bows, and stepped down on deck.
I was not left long in doubt as to whether or not there was anything
supernatural about them. "There," exclaimed David, pointing with great
satisfaction at them, "that big one, with the thing on his head which
looks for all the world like a tin kettle, is King Neptune, and the
thing is his helmet. T'other, with the crown and the necklace of spikes
under her chin, is Mrs Neptune, his lawful wife; and the little chap
with the big razor and shaving-dish is his wally-de-sham and trumpeter
extraordinary. He's plenty more people belonging to him, but they
haven't come on board this time."
Neptune's costume was certainly not what my father's school-books had
taught me to expect his majesty to wear, and I had always supposed his
wife to be Amphitrite; but I concluded that in those cold regions he
found it convenient to alter his dress, while it might be expected the
seamen should make some slight mistake about names.
Neptune himself had very large whiskers, and a red nightcap showed under
his helmet. In one hand he held a speaking-trumpet, in the other a
trident surmounted by a red herring. A piece of canvas, covered with
bits of coloured cloth, made him a superb cloak, and a flag wound round
his waist served him as a scarf. A huge pair of sea-boots encased his
feet, and a pair of sealskin trousers the upper part of his legs. Mrs
Neptune, to show her feminine nature, had a frill round her face, a
canvas petticoat, and what looked very like a pair of Flushing trousers
round her neck, with the legs brought in front to serve as a tippet.
The valet had on a paper cocked-hat, a long pig-tail, and a pair of
spectacles on a nose of unusual proportions. I had read descriptions of
Tritons, the supposed attendants on Neptune, and I must say his valet
was very unlike one. I might have been prejudiced, for I had no reason
to feel any warm affection for him.
"Come here, youngster, and make your bow to King Neptune," exclaimed
David, seizing me; and, with number of other green hands, I was dragged
forward and obliged to bob my head several times to the deck before his
marine majesty.
"Take 'em below. I'll speak to 'em when I wants 'em," said the king in
his gruff voice. And forthwith we were hauled off together, and shut
down in the cable tier.
One by one we were picked out, just as the ogre Fi-fo-fum in the
story-book picked out his prisoners to eat them. There was a
considerable noise of shouting and laughing and thumping on the decks,
all of which I understood when it came to my turn.
After three others had disappeared, I was dragged out of our dark prison
and brought into the presence of Neptune, who was seated on a throne
composed of a coil of ropes, with his court, a very motley assemblage,
arranged round him. In front of him his valet sat on a bucket with two
assistants on either side, who, the moment I appeared, jumped up and
pinioned my arms, and made me sit down on another bucket in front of
their chief.
"Now, young 'un, you haven't got a beard, but you may have one some day
or other, so it's as well to begin to shave in time," exclaimed Neptune,
nodding his head significantly to his valet.
The valet on this jumping up, seized my head between his knees, and
began, in spite of my struggles, covering my face with tar. If I
attempted to cry out, the tar-brush was instantly shoved into my mouth,
to the great amusement of all hands. When he had done what he called
lathering my face, he began to scrape it unmercifully with his notched
iron hoop; and if I struggled, he would saw it backwards and forwards
over my face.
When this process had continued for some time, Neptune offered me a box
of infallible ointment, to cure all the diseases of life. It was a lump
of grease; and his valet, seizing it, rubbed my face all over with it.
He then scrubbed me with a handful of oakum, which effectually took off
the tar. Being now pronounced shaved and clean, to my great horror Mrs
Neptune cried out in a voice so gruff, that one might have supposed she
had attempted to swallow the best-bower anchor, and that it had stuck in
her throat, "Now my pretty Master Green, let me give you a buss, to
welcome you to the Polar Seas. Don't be coy now, and run off."
This I was attempting to do, and with good reason, for Mrs Neptune's
cap-frill was stuck so full of iron spikes, that I should have had a
good chance of having my eyes put out if she had succeeded in her
intentions; so off I set, running round the deck, to the great amusement
of the crew, with Mrs Neptune after me. Luckily for me she tripped up,
and I was declared duly initiated as a North Sea whaler. The rest of my
young shipmates had to undergo the same process; and as it was now my
turn to look on and laugh, I thought it very good fun, and heartily
joined in the shouts to which the rest gave way.
If any one got angry, he was soon made to cut so ridiculous a figure,
and to feel his perfect helplessness, that he was compelled, for his own
sake, to get back his good-humour again without delay. We had an
additional allowance of grog served out, and what with dancing and
singing, the fun was kept up till long after dark.
I need scarcely say that the representative of his marine majesty was no
less a person than the red-whiskered cooper's mate, that his spouse was
our boatswain, and the valet his mate. I had often heard of a similar
ceremony being practised on crossing the line, but I had no idea that it
was general on board all whale ships.
The fourth day of the month was a memorable one for me and the other
green hands on board. The wind was from the westward, and we were
sailing along to the eastward of a piece of ice, about two miles
distant, the water as smooth as in a harbour. Daylight had just broke,
but the watch below were still in their berths. The sky was cloudy,
though the lower atmosphere was clear; and Andrew, who was walking the
deck with me, observed it was first-rate weather for fishing, if fish
would but show themselves.
Not ten minutes after this, the first mate, who had gone aloft into the
crow's-nest to take a look-out round, eagerly shouted, "A fish! a fish!
See, she spouts!" and down on deck he hurried with all despatch.
The words were scarcely out of his mouth before the crews of two boats
had jumped into them, and were lowering them down, with their harpoons,
lances, and everything else ready, not forgetting some provisions, for
it was impossible to say how long they might be away. The chief mate
jumped into one, and the second harpooner into the other, in which my
friend Andrew went as line-manager.
Away they pulled. I looked over the side, and saw the whale a mile off,
floating, thoughtless of danger, on the surface of the ocean, and
spouting out a fountain of water high into the air. I fancied that I
could even hear the deep "roust" she made as she respired the air,
without which she cannot exist any more than animals of the land or air.
Every one on deck follows the boats with eager eyes. The boat makes a
circuit, so as to approach the monster in the rear; for if he sees them,
he will be off far down into the ocean, and may not rise for a long
distance away. With rapid strokes they pull on, but as noiselessly as
possible. The headmost boat is within ten fathoms of the fish--I am
sure it will be ours. The harpooner stands up in the bows with harpoon
in hand. Suddenly, with tail in air, down dives the monster; and the
faces of all around me assume an expression of black disappointment. It
must be remembered that, as all on board benefit by every fish which is
caught, all are interested in the capture of one.
"It's a loose fall, after all," said old David, who was near me. "I
thought so. I shouldn't be surprised if we went home with a clean ship
after all."
However, the boats did not return. Mr Todd was not a man to lose a
chance. Far too experienced ever to take his eye off a fish while it is
in sight, he marks the way she headed, and is off after her to the
eastward. With his strong arm he bends to the oar, and urges his men to
put forth all their strength, till the boat seems truly to fly over the
water. On they steadily pull, neither turning to the right hand nor to
the left for nearly half-an-hour. Were it not for the ice, their toil
would be useless; but the boat-steerer looks out, and points eagerly
ahead.
On they pull. Then on a sudden appears the mighty monster. She has
risen to the surface to breathe, a "fair start" from the boat. The
harpooner stands up, with his unerring weapon in his hand: when was it
ever known to miss its aim? The new-fangled gun he disdains. A few
strong and steady strokes, and the boat is close to the whale. The
harpoon is launched from his hank, and sinks deep into the oily flesh.
The boat is enveloped in a cloud of spray--the whole sea around is one
mass of foam. Has the monster struck her, and hurled her gallant crew
to destruction? No; drawn rapidly along, her broad bow ploughing up the
sea, the boat is seen to emerge from the mist with a jack flying as a
signal that she is fast, while the mighty fish is diving far below it,
in a vain effort to escape.
Now arose from the mouth of every seaman on deck the joyful cry of "A
fall, a fall!" at the same time that every one jumped and stamped on
deck, to arouse the sleepers below to hasten to the assistance of their
comrades. We all then rushed to the boat-falls.
Never, apparently, were a set of men in such a desperate hurry. Had the
ship been sinking, or even about to blow up, we could scarcely have made
more haste.
The falls were let go, and the boats in the water, as the watch below
rushed on deck. Many of the people were dressed only in their drawers,
stockings, and shirts, while the rest of their clothes were in their
hands, fastened together by a lanyard; but without stopping to put them
on, they tumbled into the boats, and seized their oars ready to shove
off. Among them, pale with terror, appeared poor Tom Stokes and another
youngster in their shirts. They hurried distractedly from boat to boat.
At each they were saluted by, "We don't want you here, lads. Off with
you--this isn't your boat."
I belonged to the after or smallest boat, which was most quickly manned,
and most easily shoved off; so that I was already at a distance when he
ran aft and saw me going. "O Peter, Peter!" he exclaimed in a tone to
excite our commiseration, though I am sorry to say it only caused loud
shouts of laughter, "you who have gone through so many dangers with me,
to desert me at last in a sinking ship!"
Poor fellow, aroused out of a deep sleep by the unusual sounds, he not
unnaturally thought the ship was going down. I heard the gruff voice of
the cooper's mate scolding him; but what he said I don't know. The
scolding must have brought him and the other back to their senses; and
they of course went below to get their clothes, and to return to assist
in working the ship. On such occasions, when all the boats are away,
the ship is frequently left with only the master, one or two seamen, and
the rest landsmen on board.
The moment the fast-boat displayed her jack, up went the jack on board
the ship at the mizzen-peak, to show that assistance was coming. Away
pulled the five boats as fast as we could lay back to our oars. The
whale had dived to an immense depth, and the second boat had fastened
her line to that of the first, and had consequently now become the
fast-boat; but her progress was not so rapid but that we had every
prospect of overtaking her. To retard the progress of the whale, and to
weary it as much as possible, the line had been passed round the
"bollard," a piece of timber near the stern of the boat. We knew that
the first boat wanted more line by seeing an oar elevated, and then a
second, when the second boat pulled rapidly up to her. The language of
signs for such work is very necessary, and every whaler comprehends
them.
We now came up and arranged ourselves on either side of the fast-boat, a
little ahead, and at some distance, so as to be ready to pull in
directly the whale should reappear at the surface. Away we all went,
every nerve strained to the utmost, excitement and eagerness on every
countenance, the water bubbling and hissing round the bows of the boats,
as we clove our way onward.
"Hurra, boys! see, she rises!" was the general shout. Up came the
whale, more suddenly than we expected. A general dash was made at her
by all the boats. "'Stern for your lives; 'stern of all!" cried some of
the more experienced harpooners. "See, she's in a flurry."
First the monster flapped the water violently with its fins; then its
tail was elevated aloft, lashing the ocean around into a mass of foam.
This was not its death-flurry; for, gaining strength before any more
harpoons or lances could be struck into it, away it went again, heading
towards the ice. Its course was now clearly discerned by a small
whirling eddy, which showed that it was at no great distance under the
surface, while in its wake was seen a thin line of oil and blood, which
had exuded from its wound.
Wearied, however, by its exertions and its former deep dive, it was
again obliged to come to the surface to breathe. Again the eager boats
dashed in, almost running on its back, and from every side it was plied
with lances, while another harpoon was driven deeply into it, to make it
doubly secure. Our boat was the most incautious, for we were right over
the tail of the whale. The chief harpooner warned us--"Back, my lads;
back of all," he shouted out, his own boat pulling away. "Now she's in
her death-flurry truly."
The words were not out of his mouth when I saw our harpooner leap from
the boat, and swim as fast as he could towards one of the others. I was
thinking of following his example, knowing he had good reasons for it,
for I had seen the fins of the animal flap furiously, and which had
warned him, when a violent blow, which I fancied must have not only
dashed the boat to pieces, but have broken every bone in our bodies, was
struck on the keel of the boat.
Up flew the boat in the air, some six or eight feet at least, with the
remaining crew in her. Then down we came, one flying on one side, one
on the other, but none of us hurt even, all spluttering and striking out
together; while the boat came down keel uppermost, not much the worse
either. Fortunately we all got clear of the furious blows the monster
continued dealing with its tail.
"Never saw a whale in such a flurry," said old David, into whose boat I
was taken. For upwards of two minutes the flurry continued, we all the
while looking on, and no one daring to approach it; at the same time a
spout of blood and mucus and oil ascended into the air from its
blow-holes, and sprinkled us all over.
"Hurra, my lads, she spouts blood!" we shouted out to each other, though
we all saw and felt it plain enough. There was a last lash of that
tail, now faint and scarce rising above the water, but which, a few
minutes ago, would have sent every boat round it flying into splinters.
Then all was quiet. The mighty mass, now almost inanimate, turned
slowly round upon its side, and then it floated belly up and dead.
Our triumph was complete. Loud shouts rent the air. "Hurra, my lads,
hurra! we've killed our first fish well," shouted the excited chief
mate, who had likewise had the honour of being the first to strike the
first fish. "She's above eleven feet if she's an inch," (speaking of
the length of the longest lamina of whalebone); "she'll prove a good
prize, that she will." He was right. I believe that one fish filled
forty-seven butts with blubber--enough, in days of yore, I have heard,
to have repaid the whole expense of the voyage.
Our ship was some way to leeward; and as the wind was light, she could
not work up to us, so we had to tow the prize down to her. Our first
operation was to free it from the lines. This was done by first lashing
the tail, by means of holes cut through it, to the bows of a boat, and
then two boats swept round it, each with the end of a line, the centre
of which was allowed to sink under the fish. As the lines hung down
perpendicularly, they were thus brought up and cut as close as possible
down to the harpoons, which were left sticking in the back of the fish.
Meantime the men of the other boats were engaged in lashing the fins
together across the belly of the whale. This being done, we all formed
in line, towing the fish by the tail; and never have I heard or given a
more joyous shout than ours, as we pulled cheerily away, at the rate of
a mile an hour, towards the ship with our first fish.