Outward Bound Part 8

After dinner the organization of the crew was continued. All hands were "piped to muster," and by this time most of those who had been disaffected at the drawing of berths had recovered their natural equanimity, and all were intensely interested in the arrangement of the details. None of the boys knew what was coming, and their curiosity kept them in a continuous state of excitement.

"All who have drawn even numbers will take the starboard side of the ship," said Mr. Lowington from his perch on the hatch. "All who have drawn odd numbers will take the port side."

"This is the starboard side, my lads," added Mr. Fluxion, the instructor in mathematics--who, like the princ.i.p.al, had been a naval officer,--as he pointed to the right, looking forward.

Some had already forgotten their numbers, and there was considerable confusion before the order could be obeyed.

"Young gentlemen, the books will be opened to-day; and a student who forgets his number again will lose a mark," said Mr. Lowington. "Are they all in their places, Mr. Fluxion?"

"They are, sir," replied the instructor, who had just counted them.

"Young gentlemen, you are thus divided into two equal parts--the starboard and the port watches. Now form a straight line, toe the crack, and call your numbers in order, beginning with the starboard watch."

The boys eagerly followed this direction, though some a.s.sistance was required from the instructors in repressing their superfluous enthusiasm.

"Very well," continued Mr. Lowington, when the students were formed in two lines. "Every boy in the starboard watch whose number is divisible by four, step forward one pace. Number three in the port watch, do the same. Mr. Mapps, oblige me by seeing that every alternate boy in the line steps forward."

"The line is formed, sir," replied the instructor, when he had carried out the direction of the princ.i.p.al.

"Each watch is now divided into two parts--the first and second parts, as they will be called. Now, young gentlemen, the clothing will be distributed, and each student will put on his uniform at once."

The four lines were then marched down into the steerage, each under the charge of an instructor, to a particular locality, where the head steward and his a.s.sistants had deposited the clothing for each watch and quarter watch. The uniform consisted of blue seaman's pants and a heavy flannel shirt or frock, such as is worn in the United States navy. To each student the following articles were served out:--

1 pea-jacket.

1 blue cloth jacket.

1 pair blue cloth pants.

1 pair blue satinet pants.

1 blue cap.

1 straw hat, of coa.r.s.e, sewed straw.

1 Panama hat, bound.

2 knit woollen shirts.

2 pair knit woollen drawers.

2 white frocks.

2 pair white duck pants.

4 pair socks.

2 pair shoes.

2 black silk neck-handkerchiefs.

These articles were given to the boys, and they were required to put on the every-day uniform; after which they were directed to arrange the rest of the clothing in the lockers belonging to them. The contractor who had furnished the goods was present with four tailors, to attend to the fitting of the clothes, which were all numbered according to the size. In a short time the students began to come out of their rooms, clothed in their new rig. They looked intensely "salt," and there was no end to the jokes and smart things that were said on this interesting occasion. Even Shuffles hardly knew himself in his new dress.

The frock had a broad rolling collar, in each corner of which was worked an anchor in white. The black silk neck-handkerchief was worn under the collar, and not many of the boys had acquired the art of tying the regular sailor's knot. Boatswain Peaks not only stood up as a model for them, but he adjusted the "neck gear" for many of them. Bitts, the carpenter, and Leech, the sailmaker, who were also old sailors, cheerfully rendered a valet's a.s.sistance to such as needed help.

Agreeably to the directions of Mr. Lowington, the sh.o.r.e suits of the students were done up in bundles, each marked with the owner's name, and the head steward took them to Mr. Lowington's house for storage.

Rigged out in their "sea togs," the students began to feel salt, as well as to look salt. Some of them tried to imitate the rolling gait of the boatswain when they walked, and some of them began to exhibit an alarming tendency to indulge in sea slang.

"There, my hearty, you look like a sailor now," said Peaks, when he had rolled over the collar and tied the square knot in the handkerchief of Wilton.

"Shiver my timbers, but I feel like one," laughed the embryo seaman.

"What's that, young gentleman?" demanded Mr. Lowington, who happened to be within hearing; "what did you say?"

"I said I felt like a sailor, sir."

"What was the expression you used?"

"I only said shiver my timbers, sir."

"You stole that expression from a yellow-covered novel. Did you ever hear Mr. Peaks, who has been a sailor all his lifetime, use such language?"

"I'll be bound he never did," added Peaks.

"No, sir. I don't know that I ever did."

"Some sailors do use such expressions; but it is gross affectation for these young gentlemen, who never saw a blue wave, to indulge in them. If you please, Wilton, you will not use such language. It is simply ridiculous. Mr. Peaks, you will pipe all hands to muster again."

The shrill whistle of the boatswain sounded through the ship, and the boys tumbled up the ladders, eager to learn what was to be done next. As they formed in lines, they presented a novel and picturesque appearance in their jaunty uniform. Most of them had already learned to wear their caps canted over on one side, and not a few of them, perhaps as much from necessity as because it was a sailor's habit, hitched up their trousers, and thrust their hands deep down into the side pockets.

The students were again formed in watches and quarter watches, each of which cla.s.ses and sub-cla.s.ses was indicated on the uniforms. All the starboard watch wore a small silver star on the right arm, above the elbow, and the port watch the same emblem on the left arm. The first part of each watch had a figure 1, under the star, and the second part a figure 2 in the same position.

The rest of the day was spent in the organization for ship's duty, which was far from completed when the sun went down. The next day every boy was kept so busy that he had no time to grumble. The instructors attended to the lessons in the steerage with one watch, while the other was on deck acquiring seamanship. In the course of the month, as the boys learned their duties, and the capabilities of each were ascertained, they were a.s.signed to their stations in the various evolutions required in working the vessel.

Boatswain Peaks had taught the boys, a few at a time, how to set a sail, reef and furl it. They had been gradually accustomed to going aloft, until the giddy height of the main royal did not appall them, and they could lay out on the yards without thinking of the empty s.p.a.ce beneath them. By the first of June, all the petty officers had been appointed, and every student had his station billet. When the order was given to unmoor ship, to make sail, or to furl the sails, every one knew where to go and what to do. The station billets were cards on which the various evolutions of the ship had been printed in a column on the left, while the particular duty of the owner of the card was written against it. The card was kept by the student, and he was expected to learn its contents so that he could take his place without stopping to consult it, when an order was given. Here is a specimen of the cards:--

+---------------------------------------------------------+ PORT WATCH, NO 21, WILLIAM FOSTER, Second Part. _Captain of the Forecastle._ +----------------------+----------------------------------+ REEFING. Head Bowlines. TACKING OR WEARING. Forecastle. Let go head bowlines. Let go and shorten in foretack and belay it. GETTING UNDER WAY. Head Bowlines. Downhauls and head-sheets. ANCHORING. Head Bowlines, Sheets and Tacks. Downhauls. LOOSING SAILS. Foretopmast Staysail. FURLING. Head Bowlines and Downhauls, Staysail. MOORING AND UNMOORING. Forecastle. BOAT. Professor's Barge, stroke-oar. MESS. No. 11. +----------------------+----------------------------------+

The crew had been in training a month before an attempt was made to set more than one sail at once; but by this time the officers knew the orders, having practised every day since the organization. The petty officers had been appointed, and had, to some extent, become familiar with their duties.

The boys still continued to wonder when the Young America would go on a cruise, for they were very anxious to see the blue water, and to roll on the great waves of the Atlantic; but they were so constantly occupied with ship's duty and their studies, that the time did not hang heavily on their hands. Two months of constant practice had made tolerable seamen of them, and the discipline of the ship went on regularly. The young officers, as Mr. Lowington had promised, began to conduct the evolutions and give the orders.

On the 1st day of June, after breakfast, the students were thrown into a fever of excitement by an unusual order, and they ventured to hope that the ship was to leave her moorings.

"Mr. Gordon, you will pipe all hands to muster," said Captain Carnes to the first lieutenant.

"Pa.s.s the word for the boatswain," added Gordon to one of the midshipmen, who stood near him.

This call was answered, not by Peaks, who no longer performed the duties of boatswain, but by one of the students, who had been appointed to this position.

"Pipe all hands to muster, boatswain," said the first lieutenant, as the petty officer touched his cap to him.

"All hands on deck, ahoy!" shouted the boatswain, as he piped the call.

This was an unusual order for that time of day, the forenoon being appropriated to study for each watch in turn; and those who were below hastened on deck to ascertain what was to be done.

"All hands, stations for loosing sail!" piped the boatswain, when ordered to do so by Gordon.

The first lieutenant was in charge of the ship, under the direction of the captain. The second lieutenant stood on the forecastle, where he was attended by the boatswain. The third lieutenant was in the waist, and the fourth on the quarter deck, near the mizzenmast. These were the stations of the officers whenever all hands were called. Mr. Lowington and the instructors stood near the companion-way, watching with interest this first attempt to make sail all over the ship.

"Lay aloft, sail-loosers!" shouted Gordon; and his order was repeated by the officers at their several stations.