A Sailor of King George Part 4

The water not being sufficiently deep to admit the ship, we manned and armed three boats and sent them in. I had the six-oared cutter, with nine men; we were soon alongside of them. They proved Spanish vessels, four small schooners and a sloop laden with fruit, princ.i.p.ally oranges and shaddocks, and a quant.i.ty of yams and plantains. We sent them all down to Jamaica-why, you must ask the captain, as by the time they reached their destination almost the whole of the fruit was rotten, and the vessels did not pay the expenses of their condemnation. Shortly after this affair, two of the boats, with a lieutenant, a master's mate, and myself, were sent in sh.o.r.e near Cape Francois, St. Domingo, on a cruise of speculation. No object being in sight when we left the ship, about 10 P.M. we came suddenly on three dark-looking schooners, who on seeing us gave us a warm reception. The night, fortunately for us, was very dark, and we were nearly alongside of them without our perceiving them, as they were anch.o.r.ed so near the land. I was mid of the lieutenant's boat, and he determined on boarding the largest of them. I knew, or rather I could foresee, the result; but as he had taken in the course of the last two hours three north-westers, and was half-seas over, my advice availed little. The other boat was at some distance from us. On we went, when three of our men were seriously wounded and I received a musket-ball through the left side of my hat, which slightly wounded my ear, taking part of the hair, and I felt a distressing whirling noise inside my head, and was so giddy I was obliged to sit down, not before, however, I had shot a man in the main-channels who I thought had fired the shot at me. We had kept up a brisk firing, and must have killed several of their men, when they got long spars with a spike at the end over the side, and endeavoured to drive them through the bottom of our boat. The lieutenant, who was now more himself, found boarding her impracticable, as she had her boarding netting up, her decks filled with men, and nine ports in her side. We reluctantly pulled off. We had unfortunately taken the bull by the horns-that is, pulled for her broadside. The lieutenant and myself, for I recovered sufficiently to load my musket, kept firing at her decks as we retired. She paid us the same compliment, and slightly wounded another of the boat's crew. Had the night not been so cloudy, and without a moon, we should have paid dearly for our temerity. We rowed in a straight line for her stern. The two other vessels were well armed, and they saluted us with a few shot as we pulled off, which, however, went far over us. We soon after joined the other boat, which had lost sight of us when we attempted boarding the enemy's vessel. We learnt a few days afterwards, from a New Providence privateer, that they were three guardacostas, as the captain of her called them-in other words, Spanish government vessels, commanded by lieutenants, well armed, manned and equipped. We joined the ship next morning, and gave a Flemish account of our cruise. One of the wounded men, through loss of blood, died soon after coming on board. The other three having received flesh wounds, soon returned to their duty. The surgeon examined my ear, and found the tympanum ruptured. It destroyed my hearing on that side for ever, and for years after I was distressed with a loud roaring noise on the left side of my head. A fortnight later we fell in with a Spanish eighty-gun ship, a large frigate and a heavy-armed store ship. We were soon alongside the former, having beat to quarters previously. We asked her where she came from. Her answer was, "From sea." We then asked her where she was bound to. Her answer was, "To sea." Our skipper then jumped upon one of the quarter-deck carronades, with his eyes glistening like a Cornish diamond.

The muzzles of our guns were at this time almost touching her side. One of our crew spoke Spanish. He was desired to hail her, and say that if she did not answer the questions which had been put she should be fired into.

"From Cadiz" was the prompt answer, and "Bound to the Havannah." "You might have answered that before," said the skipper; "if I had given you a good dressing, you richly deserved it." "I do not understand what you say," was the reply. "You be d--d," said our man of war, and we turned off on our heel. The same evening a court of inquiry was held by the mids, who were unanimous in declaring that the captain of the line of battle ship ought to be superseded and made swab-wringer, and that their own captain had acted with that spirit which became a British commander of a man-of-war, and that he deserved to have his health drunk in a b.u.mper of grog, which was accordingly done. Here the court broke up, hoping the mate of the hold would bring with him, after serving the grog, an extra pint of rum to make up the deficiency. The captain, having heard of our proceedings, sent his steward to us with a bottle of the true sort as a proof of his satisfaction.

CHAPTER VIII.

MUTINY ON H.M.S. _HERMIONE_.

Tea with the boatswain's wife-News of the mutiny at the Nore causes trouble among the sailors-Sent to cruise in consequence-A white squall and waterspout-Capture of a Spanish cruiser-Return to Port Royal-H.M.S. _Hermione_ seized by mutineers and carried to Porto Bello-Recaptured by Captain Hamilton-An alarm caused by fireflies.

On the evening of the next day the boatswain's wife invited me to take tea. I could not refuse so kind an offer, and at the vulgar hour of six, behold us sipping our Bohea out of porringers, with good Jamaica stuff in it in lieu of milk. "Do you like it?" said the boatswain to me. "Have you enough rum in it? Take another dash." "No, thank you," said I; "no more splicing, or I shall get hazy, and not be able to keep the first watch."

"That rum," said he, "is old pineapple, and like mother's milk, and will not hurt a child. Now," said he, "we are talking of rum, I'll tell you an odd story that happened to me in the last ship I belonged to. I had a capital case of the right sort given to me by a brother Pipes. One evening I had asked some of the upper cla.s.s dockyard maties, for we were lying at Antigua, to take a gla.s.s of grog. When I went to the case, I found two of the bottles at low-water mark, and another a marine. 'Ho! ho!' said I to myself; 'this is the way you make a southerly wind in my case-bottles, and turn to windward in my cabin when I am carrying on the war on the forecastle, is it? I'll cross your hawse and cut your cable the next time, as sure as my name is Tricing.' After the last dog-watch, I threw myself into my cot all standing, with my rattan alongside of me. About three bells of the first watch, I heard someone go very cunningly, as he thought, into my cabin. I immediately sprung out and seized a man in the act of kissing one of my dear little ones, for it was a case with nine quart bottles. 'Who are you?' said I. 'n.o.body,' replied he. 'You are the fellow I have been cruising after since I entered the service five-and-twenty years ago, and now I have got you, by G--d! I'll sheet you home most handsomely for all past favours.' I then gave it to him thick and thin. 'Now, my lad,' said I, 'chalk this down in your log, that when you have the thievish inclination to take what does not belong to you, remember my cane, if you do not your G.o.d.' This rum gentleman belonged to the after-guard, and I did not forget him."

After cruising round Porto Rico and Hispaniola for two months, we bore up for the mole, where we found two sail of the line, a sixty-four and two sloops of war. In the course of our cruise we had sent in an American brig and a schooner laden with flour. The latter was condemned, half-barrels of gunpowder being found in the under flour casks. The former was let go, although we thought she ought to have been condemned, as her register was defective. We understood that the judge's wife, of the Vice-Admiralty Court, who was notorious for accepting presents, had received a purse from some of the masters of the American vessels detained by the cruisers to let them escape trial. How true this may be must be left to time and the curious to decide.

On overhauling the fore-shrouds and mainstay, we found them too much worn to be trustworthy. As we could not be refitted with lower rigging from the naval stores at this place, the senior officer gave us an order to proceed to Jamaica. We took leave of all the "Ballaker ladies," as the mids chose to call them. Know, reader, that the fish called by that name is a most destructive and voracious one, and as I presume they thought the ladies were of that character, some of them had too much reason to call them so.

We reached Port Royal on the afternoon of the following day, but remarked we were not received with that welcome as before; no boats filled with yellow-legged females came off with banjos. Why? Because we brought in no prize with us. And when we went on sh.o.r.e some of these delicate dames exclaimed when we accosted them: "Eh, ma.s.sa, you hab know me before? I no recollect you. What ship you belong to?" And we were seldom asked to the dignity b.a.l.l.s. We were all now in tolerable health, when the packet from England arrived, bringing letters for the squadron, one of which I received, acquainting me that my sister's husband was appointed to command the A. frigate fitting for the Mediterranean, and that my youngest brother, in the India marine, had died in Bengal. He was a fine, spirited youth, nineteen years of age; we had not met since we were at school. Some of our seamen also received letters by the same opportunity, acquainting them with the mutiny at the Nore, and a few days afterwards a disaffected spirit broke out in the squadron, which we had some trouble in subduing.

However, by reasoning with the petty officers and the best seamen, it terminated without open mutiny or bloodshed, although the crews of some of the ships had been mistaken enough to have delegates for their proceedings. To finally root out the trouble the admiral ordered the five line of battle ships fitting out at Port Royal to complete their stores and sail without delay for the Gulf of Mexico. Two days afterwards we stood out to sea. The squadron consisted of a ship of ninety-eight guns, four seventy-fours, and a frigate. The commander-in-chief had his flag on board the former. After touching at the Grand Caymans for turtle, we reached the Bay of Mexico, where, and off the Havannah, we cruised for some weeks without taking anything. One night, having the middle watch and looking over the lee gangway, I observed some black spots on the water.

The moon, which was in her third quarter, was sometimes hidden by the dark scud, for it was blowing fresh, and when she shone in full splendour the spots appeared stationary. I lost no time in pointing this out to the lieutenant of the watch, who agreed with me that they must be the negro heads of some coral reef. We were with the squadron running directly on them. We immediately fired a gun and hauled our wind, and then fired a second to warn the ships astern of us of the danger. When we hauled off we could not clear them, and it was more than an hour before we got an offing. They were the "Double-headed shot" keys. Our signal was made for the captain and master to repair on board the admiral. The latter, we understood, was well hauled over the coals, and he came on board looking like a boy who had been whipped. He thought it was "moral impossible" (for that was always his favourite way of speaking when he thought he had anything of importance to relate) that the admiral should find fault with him as a navigator; he could not account for counter currents and undertows, and he knew how to navigate a ship as well as any man in the fleet.

The inhabitants of the c.o.c.kpit, as usual, held a court of inquiry on his conduct, when they declared on summing up what they had remarked of his character, that he was too conceited to be clever, that he was a very indifferent navigator, and they wondered who the devil gave him his warrant as master, for they would not trust him to navigate a barge in the New River. After cruising till the mids declared they were _ennuied_ of seeing the Havannah, the dry Tortugas, Cape Antonio, and the low land near Mississippi so often, and that they had worn their chemises twice over and had only soiled sheets for table-cloths; that they were obliged to get one of the marines to pipe-clay their stockings and the collar of their shirts when they were asked to dine in the cabin; that it was a horrible, hard case to eat biscuits filled with bargemen and purser's lice; that the water was full of jenny jumps-all these miseries, concluded they, ought to be made known to the admiral, and that if he did not order the squadron in again he ought to be tried by a court of mids and reduced to the humble rank of a c.o.c.kpitsman and feed off bargemen for a month.

We had now been out for two months when we bore up for the Gulf of Florida. In making the Havannah for a departure, we fell in with four Spanish brigs laden with quicksilver, which we captured. When near Cape Florida we experienced a white squall which carried away the foretop-gallant mast and split the foresail. The ninety-eight gun-ship, which led the squadron, heeled so much over before she could shorten sail that she appeared to be turning the turtle. At last her foreyard went in the slings, and her main-topsail in ribbons, and she righted.

When off New Providence the wind was light and the clouds heavy and low, and in less than half an hour seven waterspouts had formed, two not far from us on our weather beam, the largest of which was nearing us rather fast. We got two of the main-deck guns ready, and waited until we could see its suction. The cloud which drew up and contained the water was in the shape of a reversed cone with a long point at the bottom of it: this was something like a corkscrew. We now thought it high time to fire, when down it came, discharging a sheet of water which must have contained many tons. The shock it gave the water drove it in breakers to some distance, and we partook of the motion, as we rolled for at least ten minutes before the swell subsided. The other waterspout pa.s.sed some distance astern. In this gulf some years ago a dreadful catastrophe occurred to a West Indiaman homeward bound, caused by one of the sucking clouds or waterspouts. Several had formed very near her, one of them so near that the master of her was afraid to fire as it might endanger the vessel. It appeared to be pa.s.sing when a flaw of wind came, and being heavily surcharged with water, broke it. Fortunately the hatches were on, and only the master, mate and four men on deck. The immense body of water it contained fell with such violence that it carried away all her masts, boats, spars and hen-coops, with all the live stock, as well as washing the master and three of the men overboard. The mate and the other man were saved by jumping into the caboose which held on, although they were half-dead with fright and half-drowned with water. After we had cleared the islands forming the Bahama group, we fell in with a low, rakish-looking schooner, which gave us a chase of seven hours, although our shot went over her. At length two of her men were killed, and the spygla.s.s knocked out of the skipper's hand, when he, finding it was useless holding out any longer, hove to. She proved a Spanish privateer of six guns and forty men, with a number of sheep on board, but the mids declared they were more like purser's lanterns. When killed, one of them weighed only fifteen pounds. Nothing further occurred during the remainder of our pa.s.sage to Jamaica, where we anch.o.r.ed two days after with our prizes. Before the sails were furled, half the inhabitants of Port Royal were round the ships making a most hideous noise with their squalling and banjos. Our five prizes made their eyes shine like a dollar in a bucket of water, and their mouths water like a sick monkey's eyes with a violent influenza. The last time we had anch.o.r.ed we returned prizeless, and no boat came off but an old washerwoman's; we now paid them off in their own coin, and desired all the canoes with the exception of two to paddle to some other ship, as we should not admit them on board. After lingering for about half an hour in the hope that we should change our minds, they paddled away looking blacker than their skins. Soon after our arrival we heard that the _Hermione_ frigate had been taken and carried into Porto Bello on the Spanish Main by her crew, after having killed their captain and all the officers. This dreadful news gave me real concern, as one of my late messmates was third lieutenant of her. Captain Hamilton, of the _Surprise_ of twenty-eight guns, offered to bring her out from where her rebellious crew had anch.o.r.ed her, and a few days after he sailed for that purpose. We were refitting very leisurely, and had been in harbour nearly five weeks, when one afternoon we saw the _Surprise_ towing in the _Hermione_. Captain Hamilton had kept his word to the letter. He was three days before the port where she lay before he attempted his purpose. She was at anchor very close in sh.o.r.e, protected by a heavy half-moon and triangular battery. On the evening of the third day Captain Hamilton made his will, and after consulting with the officers he armed and manned the boats, and took with him the lieutenants, surgeon, a proportion of mids, and the lieutenant of marines, besides sailors and marines, making in the whole a hundred. He left the master and the remainder of the crew in charge of the ship, and ordered him when the boats shoved off to stand out by way of feint. The night was very dark. After a short pull they were alongside of the _Hermione_, which was evidently taken by surprise. On seeing the crew of the _Surprise_ board them, they seized their boarding-pikes and cutla.s.ses, and made a resistance which would have done them credit in a better cause. The conflict was severe and fatal to many of them; several jumped overboard. The struggle had continued about half an hour when her cables were cut and her topsails loosed. The remainder of the mutineers finding their numbers considerably decreased threw down their arms and surrendered, and at daylight the ship was in company with the _Surprise_.(4) Captain Hamilton received a severe contusion on the head, and had it not been for his surgeon, who was a powerful son of the Emerald Isle, he must have been killed. The loss on board the _Hermione_ was considerable, that of the _Surprise_ comparatively speaking trifling.

Soon after they anch.o.r.ed I was sent on board the latter to learn the particulars which I have given above. The mutineers taken in the _Hermione_ were but few, as the greater part were either on sh.o.r.e or had jumped overboard from her when they saw they should be overpowered. Before we sailed they were tried, and, with the exception of two who turned King's evidence, were hanged in everlasting jackets on the small islands without Port Royal harbour. I also learnt that my former messmate was lieutenant of the watch when the mutiny broke out, and one of the King's evidence mutineers gave me the following account:-

[Ill.u.s.tration: PORT ROYAL, JAMAICA. [_P. N. Edwards, Photo._]

"The captain," said he, "was very severe with the men, who were all good seamen, and they were determined to either run the ship on sh.o.r.e and desert, or else take her by force. This had been in their minds for months before it happened. At last," said he, "on a dark night, when the young lieutenant had the watch, our minds were made up. A party went to the cabin-door, knocked down the sentry, and entered it. The captain was in his cot, and he was soon overpowered. We threw him out of the cabin-window. Another party threw the officer of the watch over the larboard quarter, but he, being young and active, caught hold of the hammock-stanchion, when one of the men cut his hands off, and he soon dropped astern. The first lieutenant had been ill and keeping his cot, but on hearing the noise, he came up the hatchway in his shirt, when one of the carpenter's crew cut him down with an axe, and he was sent overboard with several others." Captain Pigot, who commanded her, was no doubt a severe disciplinarian, but this was a most unheard-of, cruel and bloodthirsty mutiny; all the officers, both guilty-if there were any guilty-and innocent shared the same untimely fate, and surely if the crew found themselves oppressed and ill-used, they ought to have represented their complaints to the senior officer or the admiral, and they, in justice, would have been listened to; at least I hope so. I am sorry to state here that I have seen men sometimes flogged for trifles where a minor punishment would have been more appropriate. Caprice and partiality should never govern an officer's conduct; young lieutenants are too p.r.o.ne to make complaints to their captain without reflecting on the character of the offender. A thorough-bred seaman is very seldom in fault, and should he unfortunately trespa.s.s a little on the discipline of the ship, his offence should be visited as lightly as possible. Well-timed admonition will make a surer impression than half-a-dozen cats. I speak from experience. Before we sailed I had occasion to purchase some stockings, as I found on inquiry that my dingy-faced washerwoman had supplied her "lubing bruder" with several pair belonging to me, to dance with her at a banjo hop, and took care I should not have them until the day before we sailed, which was Sat.u.r.day. On examining them I found they were so worn into large holes that I could not put them on. Having obtained permission to go on sh.o.r.e, I repaired to the magazine. All shops in the West Indies are called magazines or stores, although some of them are so small that you are not able to turn round without hurting your elbows. The said shop, magazine or store was kept by a worthy, said to be honest, Israelite. I acquainted him with my wants. "I can't sell you nothing to-day," he said; "it is my Sabbath; but I will tell you what I can do. I will lend you six pair, and you can pay me to-morrow." "Thank you," said I; "where's your conscience? To-morrow will be my Sabbath." "Ah," said he "I forgot that.

Then you can pay me on Monday." "No," said I; "I'll pay you off with the foretop-sail." He laughed. "Here, take the stockings, and pay me when you please." This I did not do until I had given him a little note promising to pay him when we returned from our cruise.

We sailed the following morning, to cruise off the windward pa.s.sages, where we fell in with two American sloops of war, cruising for an appet.i.te. We were now tolerably well manned. Yellow fever and scurvy had taken their departure, and the only evil which remained with us was the blue devils, in consequence of the monotony so prevalent in a long cruise.

We boarded several American vessels, and from one of them we procured some long, lanky turkeys. They stood so high that they appeared on stilts; they were all feather and bone, and Jonathan asked four dollars apiece for them, but we got him down to two by taking nine, which was all he had. I asked him if he had any dollar biscuits. "No," said he; "but some of the men have a pretty considerable quant.i.ty of notions." Here he called to one of them, and said, "Nathan, I guess you bought some notions at Baltimore; bring them up, and let the officer see them." Nathan was soon down the hatchway, and as quickly up again with his venture, or notions. They consisted of two pounds of infamous Yankee tea, three pounds of tobacco made into a roll, a jar of salt b.u.t.ter, a six-pound ham, and a bag of hickory nuts. The tea and ham I bought, and one of the boat's crew had the tobacco. The first proved too bad for even a midshipman's palate; and the ham, when the cover and sawdust were taken away, was animated by nondescripts, and only half of it eatable. I was tried by a court of inquiry by my messmates for want of discernment, and found guilty; and the Yankee who had cheated us was sentenced to be hanged, but as he was out of sight, the penalty was not carried into execution. We once more anch.o.r.ed at the mole, after having reconnoitred Porto Rico and part of Cuba, without any addition to our riches.

On the fifth evening of our arrival we heard the drums at the town beating to arms. We manned and armed three of our boats, and sent them on sh.o.r.e to inquire the cause of the alarm. The soldiers were forming to march, when one of our mids exclaimed: "Look what a vast number of large fire-flies there are in the bushes over the town!" "Are you sure those lights are fire-flies?" said a captain of one of the companies. "Yes," said the mid; "I'll convince you in a jiffy." Away he flew into the bushes, and in about five minutes returned, with his hat swarming with them, which produced a pale, bright light equal to several candles. The adventure produced much laughter at the expense of the piquet who had given the alarm, and the retreat was beat.

At particular periods of the year these little insects meet in the same manner that birds do on St. Valentine's Day. The soldiers who formed the piquet had never seen anything of the kind before, and as the sentinel at a small fort at the entrance of the harbour had been shot by the enemy a few nights previously, they were determined not to be taken by surprise.

CHAPTER IX.

A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.

Transhipped to H.M.S. _Queen_ (98)-Sailors' appreciation of books-The ship runs aground and sinks: with difficulty raised-A mock court-martial on the master-Author made lieutenant with a commission on a twenty-four-gun ship.

After completing our water and stores, we sailed, and made the circuit of St. Domingo, and a month afterwards returned to Port Royal, where we found the dignity ladies looking as blooming as black roses, and as it was understood that we were to be paid prize money, a general invitation was given to all the wardroom officers to a grand ball two days after our arrival; for be it known to you, gentle reader, that humble mids are never invited to dignity b.a.l.l.s of the first cla.s.s, which are given by the mustees and quadroons. Some of these ladies are beautifully formed, with handsome features. The second cla.s.s generally consist of mulattos and blacks; these last are the most numerous; the mids at their b.a.l.l.s are quite at home, and call for sangaree and porter-cup in first style.

At this period I had served my six years within a few months, when the captain sent for me, and told me he intended sending me on board the flag-ship on promotion. "I send you there," added he, "beforehand, that you may have the opportunity of becoming known to the commander-in-chief, that at the expiration of your time you may be more immediately under his notice and be sure of your promotion." I thanked him sincerely for his kind intention, and the following morning behold me, bed and traps, ensconced in the starboard midshipman's berth-one of the darkest holes of a c.o.c.kpit I ever was yet in-on board the _Queen_, a ninety-eight gun ship.

My messmates, ten in number, were the poorest of all poor mids. I was welcomed to the mess by the master's mate, who held in his hand a dirty, empty bottle, with a farthing candle lighted in the neck of it. "Take care," said he, "you don't break your shins over the youngsters' chests."

"Thank you," said I; "but I always thought a flag-ship's c.o.c.kpit too well regulated to have chests athwartships." "Why, to tell you the truth,"

replied he, "those d--d youngsters are so often changing ships, being here to-day and promoted to-morrow, that it is impossible to keep either chests, mess or them in anything like order. I wish they were all at the devil." "Amen," responded a person in the berth, whose nose was looming out of a hazy darkness, "for, d--n them," he continued, "they have eaten all the cheese and have had a good swig at my rum-bottle, but I'll lay a point to windward of them yet." These two hard officers were both old standards. The last who spoke was the mate of the hold, and the other of the lower deck. One had seen thirty-five and the other thirty-nine summers. The hope of a lieutenant's commission they had given up in despair, and were now looking out for a master's warrant. They were both brought up in the merchant service, and had entered the Navy at the beginning of the war as quarter-masters, and by their steady conduct were made master's mates, a situation which requires some considerable tact.

The greater portion of my hopeful brother officers were from eighteen to twenty years of age. Their toast in a full b.u.mper of grog of an evening was usually, "A b.l.o.o.d.y war and a sickly season." Some few were gentlemanly, but the majority were every-day characters-when on deck doing little, and when below doing less. Books they had very few or none; as an instance of it, we had only one, except the Hamilton Moore's and the Nautical Almanack, among ten of us, and that was "Extracts from the Poets." One of the mates above mentioned, seeing me moping with the blue devils, brought it me. "Here," said he, "is a book n.o.body reads. I have looked into it myself, but there is so much dry stuff in it, that it makes my grog go too fast; but," added he, "'Dry' is put under that part, so you can skip over it." Now, reader, the most beautiful pa.s.sages of this neglected book were from Dryden. The mate, happy, ignorant man, imagined, in his wisdom, that where the abridgment of this poet's name was placed, it was to indicate to the reader that the poetry was dry and not worth reading. Oh, Ignorance, thou art sometimes bliss, but in the present instance it were not folly to be wise! I attempted to take the Irish half-crown out of his mind by comparing some of Dryden's pa.s.sages with the others, and he was as much convinced as a cable-tier coiling and stowing-hold officer is generally capable of being, that the "Dry" poetry was the best.

The captain of this ship was from the north, I believe, strictly moral and as strict in discipline, admirably economical, and as regular in his habits as any old-clothes man in Monmouth Street. He kept all the c.o.c.kpitonians on the _qui vive_, and as every recommendation went through him to the admiral it was but good policy for the mids to be on the alert.

As all the lieutenants were constantly changing, those promoted making room for others, I shall not describe their characters, except noticing that the generality of them were good officers and gentlemen. A month after I joined we were ordered to sail, and on going out of Port Royal Roads we struck with great force on a sand bank called the Turtle Head.

The master, who was as ignorant as he was conceited, had taken charge of the ship before she was out of pilot water, and in less than half an hour after the pilot left us she struck. As we were still in sight of the vessels at Port Royal, we made the signal for a.s.sistance, and soon afterwards saw a frigate and a store ship coming out towards us. The sea breeze began to set in, which drove us more on the shoal, notwithstanding that we had carried out two anchors ahead. At length she thumped so violently that we jumped at least a foot high from the deck. I could not refrain from smiling to see the captain and officers with serious, long, anxious faces, cutting capers against their will. The rudder and false keel soon parted company, and we all expected to see the masts jerked out of their steps. On sounding the well we found the ship making water rapidly. The pumps were set to work, but in vain. She soon sank in three fathoms and a half water, and we had eighteen feet of water in the hold.

The frigate and store ship, with some smaller vessels, had anch.o.r.ed as near us as they could with safety. The small craft came alongside and took out our guns and stores, and one hundred additional men were sent on board us to work the pumps. Pumps were also sent from the dockyard, and were introduced into the hold through the decks, which had been scuttled for that purpose. On the morning of the third day we had got everything, except the lower masts and bowsprit, on board the lighters, and by the exertions of the men at the pumps, which had been incessant for three days and nights, we had lightened her, and she floated off the shoal. The frigate took us in tow, and in three hours afterwards we were lashed alongside the dockyard. The fatigue and want of rest, for not a single hammock had been piped down during the time the ship was on sh.o.r.e, threw about fifty men into the sick list, and several of them died at the hospital afterwards. The seamen of the fleet in general had a great aversion to go to the hospital, and when ill used to entreat the doctor not to send them there. It was said of the matrons, which did not redound to their credit if true, that when a seaman died, and was reported to them, they exclaimed: "Poor fellow! bring me his bag, and mind everything belonging to him is put into it." This they considered their perquisite.

Surely this is wrong and robbery! Ah, Mr. Hume! why were you a puling, helpless babe at that time? Had you been a man and known it, you would have called for reformation and been the seaman's friend.

We had now a difficult and arduous duty to perform, which was to heave the ship down keel out. I was stationed on the lower deck with a party of thirty seamen to keep the chain pumps going as long as they would work-that is, until the ship was nearly on her side. In about twenty minutes she was nearly on her beam ends, when all the temporary stanchions which had been fixed to keep the deck from yielding gave way like a regiment of black militia in chase of Obie, or Three-fingered Jack in the Whee Mountains, when they are in full retreat. I was standing at this time in no enviable position, my feet rested on the combings of the main hatchway with my back against the deck. I expected every moment to have my brains knocked out, but this apprehension was soon superseded by a cry from the sh.o.r.e of, "Make for the stern ports and jump overboard; the hawsers are stranded; there will be a boat ready to pick you up." "Sooner said than done," thinks I to myself; "I wish with all my heart that the first lieutenant who ordered me here was in my place, and he would find the order practically impossible." Another cry was then heard: "Hold all fast on board!" "You are a wise man," thinks I again for that order; "it is the very thing we are determined to do." "All's safe," was the next squall through the trumpet, "the mastheads are secured to the beams."

"Thank you for nothing," said I to myself, "it's more good luck than good management." When the ship was hove down, we got some of the pumps to work on the side next the water, as it had gone from the well, and in a few hours kept her clear. On the fourth day we righted her, as the dockyard maties had botched her up.

We had now to wait about six weeks for the rudder; in the meanwhile we got on board the water, provisions and stores, and fresh powder, the last having had a ducking. From the time the ship came to the yard we had slept and messed in the capstan house, consequently we had not an opportunity of holding a c.o.c.kpit inquiry on the master's conduct for running the vessel on sh.o.r.e. The second day after getting on board we put on our sc.r.a.pers and toasting-forks, and a.s.sembled in the larboard berth, which was illuminated for the occasion by four farthing candles. The court consisted of fourteen members. I was chosen president; a black man who waited on our berth was to personate the master. After taking our seats according to seniority, we declared we would show neither favour nor partiality to the prisoner, but try him fairly by the rules of the c.o.c.kpit. I began, as president, by asking him the reason he let the pilot quit the ship before she was clear of the shoals.

Prisoner: "'Cause, ma.s.sa, I had berry good opinion of myself, and I tink I sabby de ground better den dat black scorpion who call himself pilot."

President: "If you knew the channels better than the pilot, how came you to let the ship get on sh.o.r.e on the Turtle Head shoal?"

Prisoner: "Ah, Ma.s.sa President, me no tink Turtle Head lib dere; me tink him lib tree legs more west. De chart say him moral impossible he lib so near Port Royal."

Here the chart was examined, and the shoal was in reality laid down in a wrong place. This saved the master, or he must have been smashed. Here the court adjourned to consider the sentence. After laughing and joking some short time in the larboard wing, we again a.s.sembled looking as solemn as a Lord Chancellor, when I, as the n.o.ble president, addressed the prisoner as follows:-

"Prisoner, this honourable Court having duly considered the unseamanlike and stupid blunder you have committed, do adjudge you to be suspended from your duty as master of this ship for six calendar months, in order to give you time to reflect on the mischief you have done and the great expense you have occasioned by running His Majesty's ship on a shoal called the Turtle Head; and they advise you not to be so self-sufficient in future, and, if it be not morally impossible, to clothe yourself with the robe of humility, and to put all your conceit into the N.W. corner of your chest, and never let it see daylight. And the Court further adjudges you, in consequence of your letting the pilot quit the ship before she was in sea-way, to be severely reprimanded and also admonished as to your future conduct, and you are hereby suspended, reprimanded, and admonished accordingly. I dissolve this Court. Master Blacky, get dinner ready as fast as you can, as we are very sharp set."

"Yes, ma.s.sa," was the answer; "to-day you hab for dinner salt junk and bargeman biscuit, and to-morrow you hab change." "What do you say, you black woolly-headed rascal?" said one of the mids. "Why, I say, ma.s.sa, you hab change to-morrow-you hab bargeman biscuit and salt junk." "Why," said another horrified mid, "I heard the caterer order you to get some fish from the canoe alongside." "Yes, ma.s.sa, dat berry true, but de d--d black scorpion would not sell 'um to ma.s.sa midshipman, cause he no hab pay for fish last time." "If you mention that again," said one of my messmates, "I'll crack your black cocoa-nut, and if you do not get some to-morrow, I'll take care your grog shall be stopped." Here the caterer of the mess interfered by promising the mess should have some fish for their dinner next day, and the contest ended. Master Blacky started up the ladder to stand the wrangle in the galley for our dinner, and shortly after we attacked a tolerably good-looking piece of King's own, with the addition of some roasted plantains, which our black factotum had forgotten to mention in his bill of fare.

Having procured our rudder we sailed to prove, the middies said, "Whether promotion should be stopped or not by the ship's sinking or floating?"

Fortunately for us, by the aid of the chain pumps twice a day, she did the latter. We continued on a man-of-war's cruise there and back again for five weeks, and then returned to our former anchorage. During this short cruise I had prepared myself for pa.s.sing, and soon after our arrival, my time being served, I requested the first lieutenant to speak to the captain that I might pa.s.s for a lieutenant. "Go yourself," said he, "and tell him. He is in his room at the capstan house. I'll give you the jolly boat."

I was soon on sh.o.r.e and at the door of his room. I knocked. "Enter," said a voice not at all encouraging. "What do you want, any orders?" "No, sir,"

said I, with one of my best quarter-deck bows, which appeared to soften him. "I hope I am not intruding; I have taken the liberty of waiting on you, sir, to acquaint you that I have served my time." He was half-shaved, and my visit appeared unfortunately ill-timed, and I began to apprehend by the expression of his countenance, and the flourishes he made with his razor, he intended making me a head shorter. "Who sent you to me at this inconvenient time?" asked he. "The first lieutenant, sir," said I; "he thought it was better for me to inform you before you went to the Admiral's pen." "Oh, very well; you may go; shut the door, and let the barge come for me at seven o'clock." On board I repaired, and delivered the message. I kept pondering whether my hardy, half-shaven captain's manner was favourable to the information I had given him or not. My messmates were anxious to know how I was received. "Not very graciously,"

was my reply. Next morning, to my agreeable surprise, I was ordered to take the barge, and go on board the _Alarm_ frigate, where I met my old captain, who shook hands with me, and two others. "Well," said the former, "are you prepared to prove you are an able seaman and an officer?" "I hope so, sir," said I. He introduced me to his two brother officers, and informed them I had sailed with him some time, and that I had frequently charge of a watch. We all descended to the cabin, where Hamilton Moore's "Epitome," a slate and pencil were placed before me. I was first asked several questions respecting coming to an anchor, mooring, tacking, veering, and taking in sail. I was then desired to find the time of high water at different places, and the variation of the compa.s.s.

They appeared satisfied with my answers and solutions, and before I left the ship they presented me with my pa.s.sing certificate. On the following day I took the oath of allegiance, abused the Pope-poor, innocent man-and all his doctrines, and received my commission for a twenty-four gun ship which I joined the day after. I left some of my messmates with regret, as they were made of the very stuff our Navy required.