I Could Take But Little Part In All These Preparations.
My Little Knowledge Of A Vessel Was All At Fault.
Unintelligible orders
were so rapidly given and so immediately executed; there was such a
hurrying about, and such an intermingling of strange cries and stranger
actions, that I was completely bewildered.
There is not so helpless
and pitiable an object in the world as a landsman beginning a sailor's
life. At length those peculiar, long-drawn sounds, which denote that
the crew are heaving the windlass, began, and in a few moments we were
under weigh. The noise of the water thrown from the bows began to be
heard, the vessel leaned over from the damp night breeze, and rolled
with the heavy ground swell, and we had actually begun our long, long
journey. This was literally bidding "good night" to my native land.
CHAPTER II
FIRST IMPRESSIONS - "SAIL HO!"
The first day we passed at sea was the Sabbath. As we were just from
port, and there was a great deal to be done on board, we were kept at
work all day, and at night the watches were set, and everything put
into sea order. When we were called aft to be divided into watches,
I had a good specimen of the manner of a sea captain. After the
division had been made, he gave a short characteristic speech,
walking the quarter deck with a cigar in his mouth, and dropping
the words out between the puffs.
"Now, my men, we have begun a long voyage. If we get along well
together, we shall have a comfortable time; if we don't, we shall
have hell afloat. - All you've got to do is to obey your orders and
do your duty like men, - then you'll fare well enough; - if you don't,
you'll fare hard enough, - I can tell you. If we pull together, you'll
find me a clever fellow; if we don't, you'll find me a bloody rascal.
- That's all I've got to say. - Go below, the larboard watch!"
I being in the starboard or second mate's watch, had the opportunity
of keeping the first watch at sea. S - - -, a young man, making, like
myself, his first voyage, was in the same watch, and as he was the
son of a professional man, and had been in a counting-room in Boston,
we found that we had many friends and topics in common. We talked
these matters over, - Boston, what our friends were probably doing,
our voyage, etc., until he went to take his turn at the look-out,
and left me to myself. I had now a fine time for reflection. I felt
for the first time the perfect silence of the sea. The officer was
walking the quarter deck, where I had no right to go, one or two men
were talking on the forecastle, whom I had little inclination to join,
so that I was left open to the full impression of everything about me.
However much I was affected by the beauty of the sea, the bright stars,
and the clouds driven swiftly over them, I could not but remember that
I was separating myself from all the social and intellectual enjoyments
of life.
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