Instead Of Violent Measures, Or, At Least,
An Outbreak Of Quarter-Deck Bravado, Threats, And Abuse, Which
They Had Every
Reason to expect, a sense of common danger and
common suffering seemed to have tamed his spirit, and begotten
something
Like a humane fellow-feeling; for he received the crew
in a manner quiet, and even almost kind. He told them what he
had heard, and said that he did not believe that they would try
to do any such thing as was intimated; that they had always been
good men, - obedient, and knew their duty, and he had no fault to
find with them; and asked them what they had to complain of - said
that no one could say that he was slow to carry sail, (which was
true enough;) and that, as soon as he thought it was safe and
proper, he should make sail. He added a few words about their
duty in their present situation, and sent them forward, saying
that he should take no further notice of the matter; but, at the
same time, told the carpenter to recollect whose power he was in,
and that if he heard another word from him he would have cause to
remember him to the day of his death.
This language of the captain had a very good effect upon the crew,
and they returned quietly to their duty.
For two days more the wind blew from the southward and eastward;
or in the short intervals when it was fair, the ice was too thick
to run; yet the weather was not so dreadfully bad, and the crew had
watch and watch. I still remained in my berth, fast recovering,
yet still not well enough to go safely on deck. And I should
have been perfectly useless; for, from having eaten nothing for
nearly a week, except a little rice, which I forced into my mouth
the last day or two, I was as weak as an infant. To be sick in a
forecastle is miserable indeed. It is the worst part of a dog's
life; especially in bad weather. The forecastle, shut up tight
to keep out the water and cold air; - the watch either on deck,
or asleep in their berths; - no one to speak to; - the pale light of
the single lamp, swinging to and fro from the beam, so dim that
one can scarcely see, much less read by it; - the water dropping
from the beams and carlines, and running down the sides; and the
forecastle so wet, and dark, and cheerless, and so lumbered up
with chests and wet clothes, that sitting up is worse than lying
in the berth! These are some of the evils. Fortunately, I needed
no help from any one, and no medicine; and if I had needed help,
I don't know where I should have found it. Sailors are willing
enough; but it is true, as is often said - No one ships for nurse
on board a vessel. Our merchant ships are always under-manned,
and if one man is lost by sickness, they cannot spare another
to take care of him. A sailor is always presumed to be well,
and if he's sick, he's a poor dog. One has to stand his wheel,
and another his lookout, and the sooner he gets on deck again,
the better.
Accordingly, as soon as I could possibly go back to my duty,
I put on my thick clothes and boots and south-wester, and made
my appearance on deck. Though I had been but a few days below,
yet everything looked strangely enough. The ship was cased in
ice, - decks, sides, masts, yards, and rigging. Two close-reefed
top-sails were all the sail she had on, and every sail and rope
was frozen so stiff in its place, that it seemed as though it
would be impossible to start anything. Reduced, too, to her top-
masts, she had altogether a most forlorn and crippled appearance.
The sun had come up brightly; the snow was swept off the decks,
and ashes thrown upon them, so that we could walk, for they had
been as slippery as glass.
It was, of course, too cold to carry on any ship's work, and we had
only to walk the deck and keep ourselves warm. The wind was still
ahead, and the whole ocean, to the eastward, covered with islands
and field-ice. At four bells the order was given to square away
the yards; and the man who came from the helm said that the captain
had kept her off to N. N. E. What could this mean? Some said that
he was going to put into Valparaiso, and winter, and others that
he was going to run out of the ice and cross the Pacific, and go
home round the Cape of Good Hope. Soon, however, it leaked out,
and we found that we were running for the straits of Magellan.
The news soon spread through the ship, and all tongues were at
work, talking about it. No one on board had been through the
straits, but I had in my chest an account of the passage of the
ship A. J. Donelson, of New York, through those straits, a few
years before.
The account was given by the captain, and the representation was
as favorable as possible. It was soon read by every one on board,
and various opinions pronounced. The determination of our captain
had at least this good effect; it gave every one something to
think and talk about, made a break in our life, and diverted our
minds from the monotonous dreariness of the prospect before us.
Having made a fair wind of it, we were going off at a good rate,
and leaving the thickest of the ice behind us. This, at least,
was something.
Having been long enough below to get my hands well warmed and
softened, the first handling of the ropes was rather tough; but a
few days hardened them, and as soon as I got my mouth open wide
enough to take in a piece of salt beef and hard bread, I was all
right again.
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