Last Of All, Was A Broad-Backed, Thick-Headed Boy From
Cape Cod, Who Had Been In Mackerel Schooners, And Was Making His
First Voyage In A Square-Rigged Vessel.
He was born in Hingham,
and of course was called "Bucketmaker." The other watch was composed of
about the same number.
A tall, fine-looking Frenchman, with coal-black
whiskers and curly hair, a first-rate seaman, and named John, (one name
is enough for a sailor,) was the head man of the watch. Then came two
Americans (one of whom had been a dissipated young man of property
and family, and was reduced to duck trowsers and monthly wages,)
a German, an English lad, named Ben, who belonged on the mizen
topsail yard with me, and was a good sailor for his years, and two
Boston boys just from the public schools. The carpenter sometimes
mustered in the starboard watch, and was an old sea-dog, a Swede
by birth, and accounted the best helmsman in the ship. This was
our ship's company, beside cook and steward, who were blacks,
three mates, and the captain.
The second day out, the wind drew ahead, and we had to beat up
the coast; so that, in tacking ship, I could see the regulations
of the vessel. Instead of going wherever was most convenient,
and running from place to place, wherever work was to be done,
each man had his station. A regular tacking and wearing bill
was made out. The chief mate commanded on the forecastle, and had
charge of the head sails and the forward part of the ship. Two of
the best men in the ship - the sailmaker from our watch, and John,
the Frenchman, from the other, worked the forecastle. The third
mate commanded in the waist, and, with the carpenter and one man,
worked the main tack and bowlines; the cook, ex-officio, the fore
sheet, and the steward the main. The second mate had charge of
the after yards, and let go the lee fore and main braces. I was
stationed at the weather cross-jack braces; three other light
hands at the lee; one boy at the spanker-sheet and guy; a man
and a boy at the main topsail, top-gallant, and royal braces;
and all the rest of the crew - men and boys - tallied on to the
main brace. Every one here knew his station, must be there when
all hands were called to put the ship about, and was answerable
for every rope committed to him. Each man's rope must be let
go and hauled in at the order, properly made fast, and neatly
coiled away when the ship was about. As soon as all hands are at
their stations, the captain, who stands on the weather side of the
quarter-deck, makes a sign to the man at the wheel to put it down,
and calls out "Helm's a lee'!" "Helm's a lee'!" answers the mate on
the forecastle, and the head sheets are let go.
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