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THE CLIPPER SHIP "SHEILA" ANGEL— MASTER
First published October, 1921. Reprinted January, 1922.
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The Clipper F vo "Sheila"
ANGEL-MASTER
BY
48826
CAPTAIN W. H. ANGEL
48826
HEATH CRANTON LIMITED 9 FI^EET I^NE I.ONDON E.C.4
This Book is respectfully dedicated,
by the Author,
To Mrs. J. Ernest Tinne, of Liverpool,
the Lady who officiated at the launching
ceremony of the clipper ship '' Sheila r
t U 0
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PREFACE.
The Author, a shipmaster of large and varied experience, does not apologize for launching this book into the literary world, his principal aim being an endeavour to keep alive the glorious traditions of what sea life used to be^in the good old days of Clipper sailing ships. These depended for their driv- ing force on their sails only (the cheapest by far of all means of propulsion) and the capabilities, nerve, and discretion of the man in command of the beautiful structure, to get the uttermost out of the wind forces as they came along. And it is a bold man who can vouch that the Clipper sailing ship will not come in to her own again for long voyages, in competition with the increasingly enormous expense of fuel driven hulls.
The whole of this book has been written up by the Author from carefully kept logs, and its accuracy can be vouched for. It also points out that the plums of the profession are open to all, with little or no preliminary expense.
W. H. A.
LIST OF Ilyl^USTRATIONS.
Coolie Emigrant Ship " Sheila " , . Frontispiece
Ship " Columba " of Liverpool,
W. H. Angel, Master .. Facing page 116
Coolie Passenger on Board .. Facing page 185
CONTENTS.
Ckapter
I. Building of the ship.
II. Launching and rigging of the ship.
III. Towing to a loacHng berth in Glasgow — Engaging ship's officers.
rV. My Darkie Cook's wedding — ^Midshipmen
apprentices join ship. V. Introducing the Captain — ^His early strug- gles with his chosen vocation, and his final success.
VI. The " Sheila's " cargo for Calcutta— Lying in the Gareloch to adjust compasses — Sir Wm. Thomson on board with his compass.
VII. The Pilot and the balance of the crew come on board whilst anchored at the " Tail of the Bank " — Heaving up anchor to tow to sea — Shantying sea
songs.
Vni. At sea, clear of the land — Choosing and setting watches — Description of every- body and everything on board.
IX. An old sailor's grumble — Sailors' duties
at sea. X. In the " Bay of Biscay, Oh " — Boarding a derelict — First flying fish — Anecdote — A tropical sunset.
XI. Crossing the Equator — A visit from " Father Neptune."
XII. Chips — The victim of practical jokes — How the captains dispense medicines at sea. Xni, A shark story. XrV. Racing and passing full powered steamers.
XV. Burying the sailors' deed hort«.
Chapter
3CVI. The brave west winds come at last —
A keen race against celebrated Clipper
sailing ships — Driving the " Sheila "
heavily.
XVII. A heavy storm — Scudding before the
wind — Enormous seas. XVIII. In the Bay of Bengal— Arriving at Cal- cutta— Boys being stalked by a tiger. XIX. Calcutta — Descriptive — The Hindoo Bab- boos, etc. XX. Towed above bridge — Opposite the burn- ing Ghaut. XXI. At sea once more with our Coolies, bound for Trinidad — A tack for tack match against two Clipper ships, in the Bay of Bengal. XXII. Rehgious behefs of the Coolies — Life on board ship — Nearing the Cape of Good Hope, and bad weather.
XXIII. Racing against the China Tea Clipper
" Cutty Sark."
XXIV. Driving the " Sheila " at utmost speed in
a gale, in the endeavour to get around the Cape, into the S. Atlantic — Wild work. XXV. " Sea birds " — An alarm of man over- board— A monster shark. XXVI. Arrival at St. Helena — A visit to Napo- leon's home, and grave. XXVII. Encounter with a floating island off the
river Amazon. XXVIII. Sighting Trinidad— Anchor fouUng the submarine cable. XXIX. The work done by the CooHes on the
plantations. XXX. Disembarking the Coohes — Description of
Trinidad. XXXI. A giant Aquarium — A coloured lady fully rigged for conquest, a la cake-walk — ^A local Derby day. XXXII. Leaving Trinidad for Demerara — A fine passage — Racing again.
Chapter XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.
XXXIX.
Arriving at Demerara, discharging and loading cargo.
Description of Demerara — ^The making of refined sugar.
In the dense bush — A custom of the country — A dance at a sugar plantation.
" Georgetown " Demerara municipal mar- ket— Queer fish — Electric eels.
Negroes stowing sugar, their weird looks, and songs.
I^eaving Demerara for Liverpool — An electric storm — Bad weather approach- ing— A brig in distress, put four sailors on board, a wave having swept that number (including their Captain) over- board, and drowned them.
Heavy gales of wind on approaching the land, and running up the channel — Crossing Liverpool bar — Arriving in the river Mersey—" AND SO ENDS THE VOYAGE."
CHAPTER I.
" Build me straight, Ojworthy Master, Staunch and strong, a goodly ve««el.
That shall laugh at ell disaster. And with wave and whirlwind wxeatle."
— LONGFKI,M)W.
On the 27th January, 1877, there was launched from the building yard of Messrs. Chas. Connell & Co., Whiteinch, Glasgow, the Clipper full rigged ship " Sheila," built to the order of Messrs. Sandbach, Tinne & Co., of Liverpool. Her dimensions were as follows : Length over all 258 feet, beam 37 feet, depth of hold 23 feet, 1,600 tons burthen. She was built on order for the special trade of carrymg Indian Coohe agricultural labourers to work on the sugar plantations of the West Indies.
The CooHes were recruited in India, and shipped from Calcutta, under strict Govern- ment supervision— in all that title conveys— and were indentured to estates at Demerara, Trinidad, or any other place where they may be required.
The orders to the builders of the ship were, that no expense was to be spared, and in the modelling, everything was to give place to speed— that was to be the first consider- ation, because in conveying upward of six hundred CooHes, besides the crew, even a day saved on the passage was a great consider- ation in cost of food. So injunctions were given to Messrs. Connell (already celebrated
12 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
for building some of the fastest Tea Clippers) to design a ship, to excel in that respect all they had ever done before ; and after con- sultations, and the submitting of many designs and models to the firm in Uverpool, one was accepted, and the order was given! The ship was to be built of the best Gart- sherrie iron, and of the highest equipment.
And so was turned out the most costly ship of her size that was ever launched, fitted with steam for all purposes except propulsion— winches, windlass, condensors, and cooking ranges.
^ She was also to be extremely heavily rigged as regards masts, yards, booms, and sails, the injunction was to give her as much as she could carry with a margin of safety. Her iron lowermasts and topmasts were in one piece, and were enormous spars specially strengthened inside with extra angle irons, and heavily strapped outside ; and together with topgallantmasts, royals, and skysail- masts, stood one hundred and eighty-seven feet above her decks. Her yards on the mainmast and foremast were interchangeable, as to the yards and sails, except the courses,' owing to their different shapes.
The main and fore yards were ninety feet in length, and the other yards in proportion ; m fact she was rigged equal to a ship twenty- five per cent, bigger, to get the speed out of her. Also to that end, she carried every imaginable extra sail as auxiHaries, "stud- ding-sails" lower, topmast, topgallant, and royal, each side, flying jibboom, balloon
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 13
sails, ringtails, and wind-savers of queer names ; and when all were on, as per sail plan, she spread eight thousand, four hun- dred and ninety seven yards of canvas.
Her deck fittings were a very large poop, with main saloon, and two beautiful after cabins, fitted with large air ports ; eight side cabins in the saloon, complete bathroom ; and in front of the poop, on the port side, was the chief officer's room, the second officer's on the starboard side, steward's pantry and berth in the middle, and entering out of the saloon, were stairs and companion way to give access to the poop. The whole of the cabins were handsomely furnished and upholstered in maroon plush velvet, with damask cur- tains, and all the floors covered with Brussels carpet — in the main saloon this was laid over linoleum. • TIV*-
The table appointments were very^^jlP^^ <y. plete, with a full set of the best electro-p^t^^^ % cutlery, china and glass, all supplied b}>^t]^^^ > builders without stint. ^ta '^
On the deck, she had topgallant fore- ^'® castle, for starboard and port watches of the crew. There was a very large house amid- ships, fitted fore end starboard side, to accommodate the midshipmen-apprentices ; on the port side, cook's galley and berth, aft of that, carpenters, sailmakers, boatswain and engine-drivers' berths and workshops, next came a large cooking-room, fitted with special steam cooking requirements for the coolies, and the after end of the house was occupied by the main boiler, engine, and
14 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
condenser. Further aft on the deck^by itself, was a large hospital.
She carried six large lifeboats, a pinnace, a gig, and no end of life-buoys.
The windlass and winches were all worked by steam ; and on her cutwater bow was a beautifully carved female figure-head, a strik- ing likeness of, and intended to represent, Mrs. J. E. Tinne.
CHAPTER II.
" Then the Master, with a gesture of command,
Waved his hand, and at the word, Loud and sudden, there was heard.
All around them, and below. The sound of hammers, blow on blow.
Knocking away the shores and spurt.
She starts — And see — she stirs I
She starts — she moves — she seems to feel
The thrill of life along her keel.
And spuming with her feet the ground.
With one exultant, joyous bound. She leaps into the ocean's arms."
— LovcntiAOW.
The official ceremony of christening the ship was performed by Mrs. J. Ernest Tinne, wife of a member of the firm, from a platform erected under the bows of the ship. A bottle of port wine was suspended from the bow of the ship on deck, with streamers of blue, white, and blue ribbon (the colours of the house flag) ; and on a signal being given as the dog shores were knocked away and the vessel commenced to glide down the ways, she threw the bottle against the bows and broke it, saying : " Success to the * Sheila,' " and one of the most beautiful models that was ever built took the waters of the Clyde, a veritable yacht in appearance. There was a goodly company on the platform, amongst them being Mr. and Mrs. Tinne, Mr. Chas. Connell, the Captain and Mrs. Angel, and representatives of the builders.
The launch was very pretty, and most
16 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
successful. It was somewhat of a gala day on the Clyde, as it coincided with the launch- ing on the opposite side of the river, of the " Nelson " and " Northampton ", two of our most powerful battleships of the day. The tug-boat in attendance then towed the " Sheila " to the quay under the shears, to take on board her masts and yards ; and after the usual ceremony and speeches in the builders' private office, the company dis- persed.
The ship's name " Sheila " was derived from the name of the heroine in William Black's novel "The Princess of Thule," a book much in vogue about that time. It also fitted in with the names of the firm's ships, the final letter of which ended in A.
The " Sheila " was designed on the com- bined lines and models of the celebrated tea clippers, "Sir Launcelot," "Thermopylae," " Taeping," " John R. Worcester," " Cutty Sark," " Duke of Abercorn," " Ailsa," and " Jura," so the " Sheila " ought to be able to move along. The " Ailsa," a composite, and the " Jura ", an iron ship, had previously been built by Messrs. Connell for the firm, and proved exceedingly fast as coolie carriers ; now the order was to build the " Sheila," and the " Brenda ", and excel these two former ships — an acknowledged difficult job, but the builders were put on their mettle, and given carte-blanche.
But in the coolie carrying trade, as the ships are Indian Government controlled, they do not leave port in fleets, as did the
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 17
tea clippers from China, but usually only one or two at a time, so that there is not so much public excitement in their competitive pas- sages. Private persons are not interested in their cargo ventures to give them publicity ; but as a fact the very fastest of the tea clippers, being built with a view of cargo carrying, could not compete with the coolie carrying ships for all round speed. Cargo capacity with them was only a secondary consideration.
B
CHAPTER III.
" If you require a particular type of anything, and cannot obtain it ready made, you must perforce evolve it, build it to your requirements — and pay for it."
The writer, of the firm's composite Barque " Mora," lately home from a Japan voyage, was early sent to Glasgow, to superintend the building and equipment of the ship ; and let me say here in passing, and for myself, the job was no sinecure. It was supposed to be considered a great honour that I should be picked out and chosen from amongst all the other captains of the firm, although I was not the senior for promotion. Well, perhaps it was an honour — let it stand at that — but I earned all the honour. In the first place in Glasgow and on the Clyde in the winter time, to be out in all its vagaries of weather, was no great catch ; for when it wasn't rain- ing, it would be snowing, and sometimes both together, with a temperature below zero and a gale of wind thrown in as well. And in my job there could be no shirking ; I had to be on the spot to see to everything all day, and write full reports to the owners, which took up all my evenings, and woe to me if I omitted anything or made an error. I have even now the correspondence, as I always took press copies of my letters, and sometimes I look at them — and smile. Those blessed clerks in the lyiverpool office seemed to have
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 19
but little else to do save worry me with their " potty " letters ; I sometimes thought they detailed one especially for the job.
After the launch, the hull having been towed under the shears, I engaged my three executive officers to assist me regarding the rigging — a most important job, as the two previous ships launched, after sailing, had been towed back to the Clyde dismasted, before they were clear of the Channel, and they were not nearly so heavily rigged pro- portionately as the " Sheila."
There was one good rule (and a very good rule too) with the firm. It was a somewhat difficult job for an outsider to get an appoint- ment with them as Captain ; but having obtained it, you were trusted, and on the other side they held you responsible in every- thing. They neither directly nor indirectly interfered with you in your choice of officers or crew, and would not allow the marine superintendent even to interfere in that direction ; so all the officers and crew knew that the Captain was Master.
For my chief officer I engaged Mr. George Caie, of Aberdeen, a man about my own age ; he was late of the ship " St. Enoch ", and left that ship to pass as master. He was a splendid officer, in the strictest acceptation of that term ; he was in after life for many years a Captain in the Allan line of steamers, but he has told me since he always kept a soft place in his heart for the " Sheila."
For my second officer I had Edward Drake, of Liverpool, as third officer Samuel
20 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Hearn, of Dartmourh (late of the ship " Brit- tish Navy "). Both of the latter officers had sailed with me before, and that is a sufficient character, as I also was somewhat hard to please.
Their first duty was to satisfy them- selves with everything as to the rigging and gear, not to be afraid to criticise, and call my attention to anything doubtful ; it was of the first importance to see that the eyes of the rigging were driven well down on to the mast- heads, and well set up, and that everything supplied by the builders and sub-contractors, was in accordance with the specification, and of the highest quality.
When the masts were stepped and yards aloft, we towed up the Clyde to her loading berth in Bridgetown, Glasgow, decorated with flags, rainbow fashion ; and when all the items of the specifications were on board, we were paid an official visit from the firm's marine superintendent. Captain Harrison, from Liverpool, and Mr. Connell. Now, I must say here in passing, that the specifi- cation we had to work from of requisitions from the contractors was a compendious work, undertaken by the owners in Liverpool ; and was the result of experience gained from a great number of former transactions of like nature, also hints given by others of like experience. It was especially the work of Captain Harrison, and was supposed to ex- haust all the requirements both as to items, quality and quantity. But the old gentleman in his dry old way was a bit fond of leg-
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 21
pulling, so he first asked Mr. Caie, if there was anything omitted or short of require- ments. No, he didn't think there was any- thing omitted, but he would like to have three more " shufSes " if you please. " Three more shuffles ? " repeats Captain Harrison, " you mean three more shovels, don't you ? " " Yes, sir, shuffles," again said Caie. " Don't you mean shovels ? " " Yes, shuffles," said Caie ; and so they went on. At last Captain Harrison gave up the contest and laughed. After he had gone, Caie turned to the second officer, Drake, and asked : " Why did Captain Harrison laugh like that ? "
" Enough to make anybody laugh, to hear you two sparring like that." " But why ? " said Caie. " Because you said to Captain Harrison you would like three more shuffles, meaning shovels." " Yes, I know, I did say shuffles," and Drake also laughed. On the passage Caie would often come out with " but why did Captain Harrison laugh? ' ' until one day I took him in hand and asked him to spell the two words which he did, and replied : "I can see it now." But I am not so sure.
Captain Harrison also tried a dig at me with, " Now, Capt'n Angel, is there anything more you would like, that the specification does not cover ? "
" Yes," I replied, " I should like to have a branding-iron with the ship's name on it."
" Humph ! " said the old gentleman. I got that iron — and, enpassant, him also . . .
22 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
and that omission was inserted in future specifications.
Messrs. Connell had a dupHcate ship to the " Sheila " (to be called the " Brenda ") building in the same yard, to be launched three months later ; so up to the time of my leaving Glasgow I had also to look after that one, in the interest of the firm.
CHAPTER IV.
My Darkik Cook's Wedding.
On moving ship to Glasgow to load, I sent to Liverpool for my steward, and cook, to join up — both " black men," the steward, James, born in Jamaica, and the cook a Barbadian. Both had sailed with me for the last five years and were very faithful.
The following is what Captain Harrison relates of a conversation he had with my cook in Liverpool.
" Ah, Cook, I hear that you are going to re-join your old Captain in his new ship."
" Yes, sah, no can leave Capt'n Angel."
" And is it true. Cook, you have just been married ? "
'* Yes, sah, last Saturday."
" And who is the bride. Cook ? I have heard she is a white girl ? "
" Yes, sah, she is a white girl. Her mother, sah, is a very respectable woman, sah, she sell fish in Cleveland market, sah. We kept the wedding up in style, sah ; was married in St. Michael's Church, Pitt Street ; wife dressed in white with bridal veil and bunch of flowers. Had four coaches. De company invited was four coloured ladies, and three white women ; three coloured genl'mens and four white chaps. Had a big spread after the ceremony in the house ; lots to eat and drink. Capt'n Angel he gave me
24 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
four bottles of port wine, and the steward he gave me plenty of rum, and then there was beer.
After the dinner, sah, when the things were cleared away, the ladies commenced to sing, and one coloured lady she sang a beauti- ful song, all about a — a — a blue bird — ^was it about a blue bird ? or about a blue fish a-wriggling on the hook ? It was all right at first, sah, quite all right, until the white chaps drank the rum and pitched into the wine that was intended for de ladies and drank that ; then they started in and mixed their drinks by going for de beer. Then they wanted to kiss all round, and wanted to kiss the bride. I wasn't going to stand that, so I egspostulated, and I wanted to put one white chap out of the window into the street ; but unfortunately we was in a back room, so he went into the court, and — and cussed. So I had to call in a policeman, as the other white trash interfered ; so I put 'em all out. Except that, sah, everything passed off all right, sah."
Also there now joined seven apprentice- midshipmen (first voyagers), Thorn, Mac- kenzie, Weldon, Gardener, Wilson, Tanner and Beresford, bound to the firm for four years. Their people paid a premium for them, which was returned to the boys in two years as pay.
Now, as I wish this book to appeal to all boys that have the call of the sea in their blood as I had, before I describe my experi- ences, and to point out that the terrors of a
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA " 25
sea life, as sometimes depicted in so-called sea novels, are as a rule very much over- drawn. There are hardships incidental ; but what cares a courageous boy for that ? I did not ! There are the compensations of a glorious sea life, and the visits to places all over the world to make up for it ; and that latter is what principally drew me to a sea life. I think on my two voyages to Venice I explored every Church, Palace and public building in the place, and the same with all the other places I went to in my voyaging.
Now, my boys were good average young- sters, no collymodels amongst them ; they were kept well to their work, and did it well, and were taught their profession to fit them to become officers in due time. They were berthed in a deck cabin by themselves, but in all else fared the same as the crew, which was not bad, as the firm's ships were noted for being supplied with the best provisions and stores that money could buy. The only difference made was, the men were allowed frequent tots of rum — the boys never. Their duties now were to help get all the stores, provisions, etc., on board, to check with the boatswain, steward and cook, and to see that all the items of the specifications in those departments were duly carried out. That kept them busy to start with, besides giving them an insight into all things connected with a ship and her fitments — a truly com- pendious affair — but they all worked like Trojans.
CHAPTER V,
" And I have loved thee, Ocean ! and my joy Of youthful sports was on thy breast to be
Borne, like bubbles onward ; from a boy I wanton'd with thy breakers, they to me
Were a delight ; and if the freshening sea Made them a terror, 'twas a pleasing fear,"
Byron.
Now, as I have introduced a lot of others to the readers I had better finish by introducing the Captain of this proud ship, prefacing my remarks by illustrating what determination can do, when you keep a goal in view.
I was born in Plymouth, a younger son of — at that time — a large family ; my father was a shipmaster owning his late command, who had sold out and retired from the sea. He gave me a good education at two schools, Glanvilles, and Rattenbury's (old Plymoth- ians will remember them). At the time of which I am writing, from various causes, our once large family was reduced to only a sister and myself ; and both my father and mother did all they could do, in their endeav- our to dissuade me from going to sea. My mother, especially, grieved when she saw that I was bent on going ; they would put me to anything if I would otherwise choose. But no ! it was evident that the salt sea blood of my ancestors on both sides of the family was in my veins, and I was never happier than when I was assuredly risking my life in boats, small craft, or in fact anything that would
THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEII.A " 27
float. I wasn't particular, and many a mess I got into. My poor mother, in her pride in her only surviving boy, used to dress me up in Eton jacket, white trousers, and tall silk hat. One Sunday I was sent off to school in that rig — but I preferred the joy of going to " Marrow-bone sHp," where a Quebec timber ship had been discharging, to tread timber (if you know what that means) . In doing so, however, a plaguey baulk turned over with me and let me down, one arm to the shoulder and one leg to the hip, into the black mud ; and in falling, my blessed hat jerked off my head and got jambed. After that was re- trieved and a scrape down in general, I had to walk for over a mile to m.y home through some of the prmcipal streets of Plymouth — and on a Sunday, too ! That is only a sample of my escapades. ... I deserved and ought to have had a good thrashing, but do you think that they would thrash me, or touch me in anger ? Oh, dear, no ; they had a better method than that for subduing me ; but that was a climax — it even had a sobering effect upon me. ... So I took a stool in a merchant's office as junior clerk, but I grieved — grieved — and fretted over it ; and the only thing that kept me alive was the frequent times I could get away to my be- loved boats. But I was watched all the time ; and in the end my father took a passive view of the matter and told my mother that she had better consent to my taking up with a sea life, " To keep me from getting drowned," as he put it. He wouldn't positively help me
28 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII^A "
by getting me bound apprentice, in the hope that a voyage or two roughing it would disillusion me, and make me more amenable. But as the sequel will prove, it did not ; and I must here say that in all my after life, I never met with anything but loving kindness from them. Their home was my home, in its truest sense, until in due time I started in that line myself. Also, that I never cost them one penny piece from that time onward.
Now, to commence. My first venture on my own was as " Cook and ordinary sea- man combined " in a collier schooner in the coasting trade, at eleven shillings per month wages. I had to work the cargo, as well as cook, in port ; and keep regular watch and watch at sea. I stood that from mere stub- bornness lor several short voyages, that it should not be said that I funked it. I must say not for the love of that sort of thing. But the end came when an old sailor, who had been in the craft for more than fifteen years, went for me, and gave me a rope-ending — because, as he said, I had wilfully knocked the bottom out of his favourite saucepan, that was in the craft when he joined her. Anyway, and otherwise, the job wasn't good enough ; so I left.
Next I shipped on board another craft as O.S. at ONE POUND a month; and at Dort, (Holland), on a Sunday whilst visiting a farm, I was given some milk to drink, with the result that I was nearly brought down to death's door with an attack of typhoid fever. The Captain, with his limited means, was
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 29
most kind, and got me home to Plymouth somehow. I had a near call, but slowly re- covered under my mother's care ; and in my convalescence I studied hard under Mr. Merrifield (one of his first pupils) and mastered the theory of navigation and nautical as- tronomy thoroughly — in fact, towards the end, I was paid and taught it to the students at the Academy. But it was " not good enough," though that period of studying was a splendid thing for me ; and I always fancy that having had such a sickness, the brain was clearer and more receptive — anyway, I seemed to grasp all the problems with the greatest ease, and what I learned at that time, was of the greatest use to me in after life.
After leaving Merrifield's, I made two voyages to Venice in a Cornish schooner, at twenty-five shillings a month ; then two voyages to South America as A.B. in a brig, but that also was " not good enough."
So at nineteen, having by this time completed my four years' sea time, I passed in Plymouth as second mate, and went to London to look for a berth—" THE WORLD MINE OYSTER." I first got a berth as third ofiicer in the ship " Phoebe Dunbar," but for two reasons, did not go to sea in her ; one was, it seemed I got the berth through an agency (or they said they were agents), who wanted me to pay a commission, which I would not and could not do, another and more determining factor being that, as third officer in those days, time served in that capacity did not count for passing. So, ' ' it wasn't good
30 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
enough," I left again and joined as second mate the " Primula," a large barque bound for Adelaide, South Australia, with a general cargo. On the coast she loaded wool and copper dross bound for London ; but on the passage, when about half way between New Zealand and Cape Horn, we collided with an iceberg, smashing in our port bow from the covering board down. Fortunately the worst of the damage was above water, but we had a narrow escape from sinking, as tons and tons of ice came on board over the bows and slid along the deck.
The accident occurred just as the watch was being relieved at midnight, and it was as dark as Erebus. All hands commenced to discharge, and to throw the bales of wool over- board out of the fore hatch, and w^e did not stop until we had so disposed of more than one thousand bales, and about fifty tons of copper dross. This brought the ship well up by the head out of the water ; fortunately it was an unusually fine spell of weather for the locality. We were able, with a great amount of risk, to rig a stage over the side and caulk the worst places with wool, nailing canvas patches over as we proceeded ; and we succeeded at the end in nailing a tar- paulin, heavily thrummed with wool, over all, with battens over all again, we should have liked to do m.ore, but our supply of nails gave out, although we robbed Peter to pay Paul. The ship was leaking heavily all the time. In discharging all out of the fore end, we had brought the ship ten feet by the
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 31
stern ; and as we could not attempt to steer or manage the ship in such trim, we had to take the wool out of the right aft, and re-stow it right forward, which was all of a job to do. In the end we had to be content with a trim of four feet by the stern, and twenty-five days after the accident, we limped into Taicuhano Bay, a port in Southern Chili, at the time used principally as a station for Yankee whalers. It was a narrow escape for the " Primula," and all on board her, as for one thing we never sighted a craft aU the way between Australia and Taicuhano. We never saw a bit of ice before or after the iceberg we collided with — and we didn't see even that one, as the collision occurred at black mid-night, as I have said ; but we had undoubted evidence in the immense blocks of ice on the main deck in the morning. In Taicuhano Bay we remained a long time effecting repairs, which were at best only temporary, as the local means were very limited ; we had to charter a sailing cutter and send her to Valparaiso for timber, etc., and had to ask assistance from the whaling ship's coopers before the job was completed. After re-stowing the cargo, we left, and finally reached L^ondon in just over a twelve months' voyage.
Then at twenty I passed as first mate at Plymouth, and going one voyage to the West Indies in a brig as chief, and two voyages to Brazils, I thus completed my twelve months' time, so I again passed at Plymouth — this time as Master at twenty-one.
32 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
And now I was fairly on my legs, and ready and willing to take command of any old thing that offered for a start.
My first chance was to take charge of the brig "Maid of the Mill," lying in Pickle Herring tier in London river and take her to Cardiff with a cargo of moulding sand. From that port I made a voyage to Bari, Gallipoli, and Taranto in Italy, and back to Hull with a cargo of olive oil. She was an ugly, leaky old craft, but never mind — she was my first command, and I was proud of her. But the end came, as all things do : one of the big Wilson S.S.s fell foul of us when docking in Hull, and did considerable damage ; they held a survey and paid a lump sum by way of compensation. The repairs ought to have been effected in Hull, but no, the orders to me were to effect temporary repairs in Hull and bring the vessel round to Cardiff, as she had run off her class, and it could all be done together. In endeavouring to get the old craft to Cardiff where she be- longed, via Brest with coals, she leaked so badly on the passage that the crew mutinied, and forced me to put into Dover, where the coals were sold and the voyage abandoned. We then took in chalk as ballast, engaged a crew of runners, and tried again ; the worst of it was, that while in harbour she made no water, but when at sea labouring, she leaked as badly as ever. We got along to within twenty miles of Lundy Island, saw the light, when we were caught in a hard South East gale, and the old craft leaked terribly ; the
THE CXIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 33
pumps could not keep the water down; finally it rose above the skin forward, and we had to bail with buckets as well as pump. But it was of no avail, the water got amongst the chalk — ^which was mostly mud in the first place — and shifted the whole lot, which went swish, swashing in the hold, and I had to keep the ship dead before the wind to prevent her capsizing, which she was very much inclined to do. And so, helplessly, we drifted across the Irish Sea, without sighting a solitary craft to help us in our distress. I was endeavouring all I knew how, to man- oeuvre so as to make Queenstown ; but every time I shifted the helm to that effect, over she would go, my liquid cargo would surge out of the main hatch-way, and we would have an awful job to get her once more off before the wind. At last we sighted the land of the old Head of Kinsale, right ahead, and we let go both anchors, which dragged, and finally landed the ship on the rocks, not far from the lighthouse, a helpless wreck. We managed to save our lives in the boat, by landing in Courtmasherry bay — and so ends that voyage.
But it was a narrow escape, and as all this experience occurred from the 16th to the 18th of January, all hands on deck all the time, in bitterly cold weather, we were all wet, cold and miserable.
My next command was the brig " Souv- enir " ; in her I went twice to Brazils — a somewhat better craft than my last, but not too much to boast about. I had a lot of
C
34 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA "
trouble with her ; she was badly found in gear, made up with odds and ends for cheap- ness sake. My principal bother was, that all her lower rigging of rope had been condemned (you may depend because it was thoroughly worn out) and replaced with wire, but the fore- topmast and topgallant backstays were still of rope, and not yet condemnable in the owner's eyes, who declared thai they had to remain. The consequences were that in strong winds — ^the wire lower rigging being, as is the nature of wire, not so stretchable as rope — I lost a foretopmast every passage regularly, and got quite drilled by the frequency of it. But finally, in running up the Bristol Channel bound to Cardiff, just as I was rounding Lavarnock Head in a squall, down came a foretopmast again ; and on landing I came across the owner and gave him a piece of my mind, which he did not like. He did not give me the push — ^but I left. It was " not good enough."
Then I took command of the Barque " John Peile," loading in Glasgow for Callao, (getting on, you see) ; a good little craft, but we had a bad time of it off Cape Horn, being driven back three times. After we got back to the point the second time, it turned out a beautiful day, the 25th of June — the northern midsummer day, but mid- winter there ; the sun did not rise until 11 a.m. and set again at 1 p.m., but it was a glorious full moon. We had a light wind from, the north, right off the land, and smooth sea, so we luffed up close to Cape Horn point at noon, and
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 35
fired rifle bullets clean at the rock, at not more than two hundred feet distance ; we could hear them pinging as they struck. There are not many that can say they have had a like experience in the dead of a Cape Horn winter. On our homeward passage, we were o:ff the pitch of the Cape on Christmas Day — ^six months afterwards — we had fine weather, as far as that goes, and passed within a mile then, but there was a heavy sea run- ning ; then we had the midnight sun in all its glory, and it was well up above the horizon at midnight.
But on the outward passage I am men- tioning, after passing the Horn so pleasantly, we were not out of the woods so easily after all.
The next day we again got a slap in the face. It blew heavily from the N.N.W., which soon brought us down to storm canvas head reaching, and with the current against us, once more we sighted Staten Island before we stopped. Such it is off the Horn. Finally, after it had been blowing a gale for several days, with the usual enormous sea, about ten o'clock at night the wind suddenly shifted to S.B., a strong gale but a fair wind. I was not going to miss a chance like this presented, to make westing after the rebuffs we had lately experienced, so we squared away. We at first had on only the two lower topsails and fore topmast staysail, so now, I thought, I could set the foresail ; but the N.W. sea was very- heavy from the late gale, and she went into it head on — Good Oh ! — ^putting her bows clean
36 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
under to the foremast. All hands were on the poop, so we could not see what was going on at that end ; all slept aft that night, as it was dangerous to go forward ; but when the morning came and the combers of the head sea had given place to the S.E. sea that was now running with us, the men went again to their quarters, and found that in driving so hard into the head sea, she had started the overhang cutwater. The head rails had evidently been carried away, and the figure head of " John Peile " was looking aft at an angle of forty-five degrees, or just tucked under the starboard cat-head, and in that condition it had to remain until we arrived back home in Liverpool, as all the means we could apply could not straighten it again, unless we cut the heavy bolts that held all the cut- water together. She looked very quaint for the rest of the voyage, but it was no harm to the ship, so that was all right.
But the S.E. wind carried us round the cape and en route to Callao we passed close to Juan Fernandez, the reputed home of Robinson Qm^oo.— which it was not, by a long way.
After discharging at Callao I found myself in a bit of a fix. It was just at the time when the Chincia Island guano deposit had pinched out, and there were upwards of one thousand large ships lying at anchor in the various ports waiting for the Peruvian Govern- ment to shift their gear to the Gunappe Islands. As is usual, they took their own time about it ; and as no one would charter me,
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 37
I was at first afraid I should perforce have to take in ballast, and sail across the Pacific to the Phillipine Islands seeking a cargo, or as an alternative round the Horn again to Barbadoes. Several vessels had individually done the both, but that spelled ruin financi- ally. However, I was saved for a better fate. I went to Lima to consult my agent, when he introduced me to a German merchant, with whom I made up a bargain — and a good one too for me — that I was to proceed to four ports to the north of Callao — ^Malabrigo, Pacasmayo, Huanchaco, and Cheripe — and take on board a cargo of chancaca sugar, etc., originally destined for Valparaiso (but the market there was down) ; I was to keep it on board for a lump sum per month, and if on completion of loading I had not by that time received orders to the contrary, I was to proceed to Liverpool, at a further lump sum. The latter eventuated. This German, it was said, had been reading a book, where it had been prophesied that an immense tidal wave was going to sweep along the northern Peruvian coast on a certain date and drown all the land ; he was afraid for his sugar, and he wanted it shipped so that he could cover the risk by insurance, which was the reason he chartered me, as being the smallest ship available. Very kind of him indeed ; but anyway it made for me a good paying freight, when otherwise it would have spelled ruin, as I have already said. Chancaca, as it was shipped at that time, was queer stuff ; it was large cakes of sugar baked ag hard as toffee,
38 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
about one hundred and fifty pounds in weight, and very sweet. We shipped it practically in bulk.
It was the first cargo imported into Iviverpool in that state, and the Customs made no end of fuss about it — something about illegal package. Their red tape books said that sugar was only to be imported into the United Kingdom in barrels, boxes or bags, and that the bags were not to exceed a certain weight ; there was no mention of bulk, so in the end the only way that they would allow it to be landed was that the whole cargo had to be bagged in the hold and roughly weighed there, so that the bags should not exceed the maxi- mum weight allowed.
My crew all the way home had a high old time — it seemed as if they mostly fed on toffee. It was amusing to see them come aft to the wheel with their monkey jacket pockets full of nice little knobs. " For thou canst not muzzle the ox, etc."
I arrived home in Liverpool in the " John Peile " in March, 1870, and when the cargo was discharged I left that ship. Again — " not good enough."
Immediately after, I joined the employ of Messrs. Sandbach, Tinne, & Co.— GOOD ENOUGH THIS TIME— by taking command of their barque, " Hesper " in the Demerara trade, vice Captain Robb, remaining behind in Liverpool to take command of a large ship the firm had purchased on passage to arrive in London. But the ship on going up the Channel struck on the Verne sand, and was
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 39
so seriously damaged the firm would not take delivery ; so when I arrived back in Liverpool I was superseded again by Captain Robb. The firm expressed themselves as sorry that they had no other craft available to offer me ; but about a week afterwards they asked me if I would take command of the " Christabel," to oblige friends of theirs — ^Messrs. R. Glad- stone & Co. — for one voyage to Demerara, to allow the Captain to remain home a voyage, he being ill. This I did ; and as a coincidence I left Liverpool just one week later than the " Hesper," but we arrived at Demerara side by side. When I landed in the " Hesper's " boat the good folks in Georgetown stared, and wanted to know if both of us were Cap- tains of the " Hesper."
On my arrival back again in Liverpool on New Year's Day, I was again superseded by Captain Martin, and I was now properly out of a berth. But I was rather glad of a rest, as I had led rather a strenuous life to date ; and there was another good and suffi- cient reason — I had married on arrival home in the " John Peile " from Peru. But I soon got a nomination through Captain Paton, one of the managers of the P.S.N. Co.'s Mail Steamers, as a junior officer to commence — the usual thing in those days ; I must wait my turn, and in the m^eanwhile it was a sine-que-non that I must pass and obtain a steam certificate through the Board of Trade. This I did ; but in the meantime a chance came along again to go back in Sandbach, Tinne & Co.'s employ, in command of their
40 THE ClylPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
celebrated old ship " Sandbach " in the Demerara trade. I did not hesitate, as going into steam in a junior capacity after being so long in command was — once again — " not good enough."
I remained in command of the " Sand- bach " until that wonderful old frigate-built ship attained fifty years of age, and became also obsolete owing to her great draught of water for crossing Demerara bar. In her younger days, they used to send off lighters to complete her loading whilst at anchor near the bar lightship, ten miles to sea, but the present low range of freights prohibited that.
But although fifty years old, she was still sound and good. The firm from a senti- mental point of view, would not sell, but handed her over to Messrs. Clover & Clayton, of Birkenhead, to be broken up, and a lot of her remains were given to interested parties as mementoes, and by the recipients made into souvenirs. She was a fully rigged frigate build ship, the same style of craft as the school ship " Conway," moored in the Mersey — only of course, a toy comparatively as to size, being only four hundred and thirty-five tons register, or six hundred tons burthen. In her palmy days she was one of the grand ships of the Mersey, carried a letter of marque and was armed, and manned to take care of herself against all and sundry, sea-rovers, buccaneers, pirates, and King's enemies gener- ally. It is said that she was the first ship to be fitted with, and to trust entirely to chain cables, instead of rope hawsers ; she was con-
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 41
sequently fitted with a windlass, instead of a capstan and messengers, and was also the first ship fitted with iron caps to her masts and bowsprit. She must have been a dandy in those good old days. It is historical that the bells of St. Nicholas church were rung when she arrived back safe in the Princes dock ; and in Demerara she was equally honoured, in that a representation of the old ship is perpetuated on their postage stamps.
From the " Sandbach " I was appointed to the command of the composite barque " Mora," a fine craft, in which I made four voyages to Demerara and a long one to Japan loaded with locomotives, and iron railway bridgework — a nasty cargo to handle. I had to discharge at several ports (some of them non-treaty) and as the whole cargo was inex- tricably mixed, the irony used to be that the portion required, at whichever port I happened to be, was most usually buried under most of the other cargo ; we had consequently to fill up the decks to get at what was wanted. I was glad to see the last of that cargo, and get back to Yokohama again, where I loaded a cargo of tea for New York, and from that port loaded a cargo of cotton for Liverpool.
This chapter of retrospect brings my history up to the date of the " Sheila." Let me say here and now, that I may not be charged with blowing my own trumpet too mucib, I have merely stated facts, and I leave the reader to judge me. I had no influential friends to push me on. But I got there all the same.
42 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
And you can trust a hardbitten Liverpool marine superintendent, to find out quickly, the capabilities or otherwise of any Captain, and to make short shift of him if in any way deficient. They require men of sterling value to work their ships, from a profit point of view as merchantmen ; to that end it is dividends, dividends, with no sentimentality about the matter, and if a man is allowed to stay on and makes long service, it is because they see his value to them. And that is all. Further, amongst Liverpool shipowners there is this Camaradirie, if you offend one, you offend the whole, no written characters are given, so say good-bye to Liverpool, that is, so far as anything worth while is concerned.
For myself, I had a good sound nautical education, a receptive memory, and was a teetotaller and non-smoker, though broad- minded as to both. I was an abstainer simply because I didn't like either. But I was a voracious reader, reading any and every sort of book that came to hand ; it is all good education, and educational books are the best of all.
I was superseded in my command of the " Mora " by my chief officer Mr. Yarker (on my recommendation). That was another good trait of the firm ; although as I have already stated, they never interfered wdth their Captains in their choice of officers, they required the Captains to send home a report of their officers on a printed form after every passage, which w^as registered in the head office. On my leaving the " Mora " for
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 48
Glasgow, our Mr. Mackenzie, the firm's master cooper, a noted jokist, made this pun upon our surnames when we had a parting shake of the hand as I was leaving the old ship for the new one : " Oh, no Mora'n Angel— Mora Yarker."
CHAPTER VI. The " Sheila's " Cargo.
" Whosoever commands the Sea, oommands the trad», "Whosoever commands the trade of the world. Commands the riches of the world, And consequently the world itself."
Sir Walter Rai^eigh — 1 6th Century.
The " Sheila " was chartered by Messrs. Kerr, Newton & Co. to load a general " Dry goods cargo " at Glasgow for Calcutta, on a guaranteed dead weight carrying capacity. That was a mistake the powers that be made in Liverpool. You cannot have it both ways ; a clipper built ship to make her a clipper, must have her under body cut away into a great rise of floor, like a racing yacht, with a sharp bow and clean run, to induce speed, against the alternative flat bottom, bluff bow, and thick run, of a weight carrier.
The " Sheila " was the former, and as the definition of a Glasgow " dry goods cargo " resolves itself into a cargo mostly composed of pig iron and bricks, there was no difficulty in putting the ship down in the water. I was entirely in the dark as to how to dispose the weights (I found by experience, and to my sorrow, the weights were placed a long way too low) that wanted to test the sailing quali- ties and weatherliness of the ship to the ut- most, and how she would stand driving ; en passant, experience proved that she could stand driving better than I anticipated.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 45
The ship having been loaded down to her marks, and having from time to time, as" I came across good men, engaged a carpenter, boatswain, engineer, and sailmaker, we left Glasgow at noon on Saturday, the 4th of March, and towed to the Gareloch to adjust compasses, Lord Kelvin, then Sir William Thomson, Scotland's grand old man, was with us, accompanied by his assistant ; we being the first ship fitted with his celebrated compass, he wished to adjust it himself. It was late in the afternoon before the ship was moored, so he did nothing that day ; but the next day being Sunday and very fine weather, he kept himself very busy with all sorts of scientific instruments he had brought with him, and his attendant man, Malcolm, also very busy with the chronometer times for his various problems.
Of course it goes without saying, the intercourse we had with Sir William was an intellectual treat. He was most kind, and patiently explained everything we wanted to know, in those two long evenings he spent with us on board the " Sheila " ; he especially delighted to talk on steller subjects to the ladies on board (my wife and Mrs. Caie the chief officer's wife) . Of course on electric and magnetic subjects he was profoundly learned ; he said that those elements were as yet com- paratively speaking unknown quantities — you had to conceive what you wanted electri- city to do, set to, and compel that element to respond, and then harness it, and so long as you dared it, there was no finality. Also, as
46 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
to the world ; given a crucible big enough, and acid sufficient, the whole world could be resolved back again into its former constituent gasses, as the world was in its making, and as other worlds are now in the making. Of course you may be sure, with an enquiring mind like mine, I made all possible use of my chance ; Sir William, like all really great men, from a domestic point of view, was delightful company, full of fun and repartee, and I only wished that he had been making the voyage with me.
On the next day, Monday, the serious business of swinging the ship to adjust the compasses, by the aid of a tug, and a compass fixed on a tripod on shore, was proceeded with; and when finished we towed out of the loch and anchored off the Tail of the Bank, Green- ock, to await our crew. Sir William pointed out his schooner yacht at her winter moorings in Roseneath Bay ; he said he had enjoyed himself on board, it being a great holiday for him. On leaving he presented me with an Azimuth mirror, worth five pounds, his latest invention, but he cautioned me that he had not yet protected it by patent, so I was not to show it to anyone until I v/as at sea. As soon as the anchor was dropped at 3 p.m., a boat was seen pulHng hard for the ship from the direction of Greenock, containing his nephew, in a great state of excitement. Sir William was due to deliver an important lecture at Edinburgh that evening, so at the last the farewell was a hurried one. I have often wondered if he got to Edinburgh from Greenock in time.
THE GI.IPPBR SHIP " SHABIL " 47
Arrangements had been made on board to accommodate the first Berthon collapsible boat, twenty-eight feet in length, but as it did not arrive in time, it was put on board the " Jura," another of the firm's ships.
Whilst at the Tail of the Bank, Mr. Connell and his draughtsman, paid us a visit of inspection ; he said how satisfied he was with all we had done, and gave us a final caution about looking well to the rigging and lanyards. I pointed out to him the lot of tackles and strops in readiness. On a question arising of steam versus sail as a means of propulsion, he said that it would take engines of two hundred and fifty nominal horse power to drive the " Sheila " ten knots, three hundred horse power for thirteen knots, three hundred and seventy-five horse power for fifteen knots, and four hundred horse power for sixteen knots. He also said, " She is a ship of the best ; you have no throttle valve, as in a steamer, but give it to her for all she is worth, and act with judgment all the while. Any fool can drive a ship until he drove the spars out of her ; give her as much as she can carry with safety, and save the spars to make a passage with."
The time now came for the Mate to say good-bye to his wife, and she landed with Mr. Connell at Greenock. My wife, making the voyage with me, remained on board. We were to sail, all being well, in the morning.
CHAPTER VII.
"Is she not beautiful ? reposing there.
On her own shadow, with her white wings fvurled,
Moveless, as in the sunny air.
Rests the meek swan, in her own quiet world.
Is she not beautiful ? Her graceful bow. Triumphant rising o'er the enamoured tides,
That glittering in the noon-day sunbeam now Just leap and die, along her poUshed sides."
— CarrinGTon.
Ai,i, that day in the Gareloch, and the Tail of the Bank, the " Sheila " was again gaily- decorated with flags from flying jibboom-end to spanker-boom end, over the mast heads, the house flag (blue, white, blue, vertical) went to fore truck, a position of honour as being one of the fleet of I^iverpooi's senior shipowners ; burgee to main truck ; M.M.S.A. (Captains) to mizzen ; and ensign to spanker gaff. No yacht ever looked more beautiful riding at anchor.
The balance of our crew, the sailors, were due to arrive by the S.S. " Princess Royal," from Liverpool at 5 a.m. the next day. I preferred I^iverpool men to sail with me, and my instructions to Captain Harrison were to engage if possible men who had sailed in the firm's ships before, and any that had sailed with me, for preference, also to get a few good shanty men, as nothing so conduces to good temper, and go, as a good old sea shanty. In this book I am going to intro- duce a few of the best that were sung on board
THE CLIPPER SHIP '' SHEILA " 49
the " Sheila " ; it is now only on sailing ships that such can be heard and both are rapidly dying out — and a great pity it is — and my wish is to contribute such as I re- member to this volume.
It was a rule when any of Sandbach, Tinne's ships in Liverpool were ready to engage men, to put a notice to that effect on a board in the rigging several days beforehand, and we had no difficulty at any time in getting the pick of men. The chief officer took that job on, and held the applicants' last discharge in trust. And let me say en passant, I deny the cry of the decadence of the Briton as a sailor. There is no better man in the world, if you take the trouble to find him, and when found treat him as a man ; but if you do not, and otherwise fill your forecastles with a heterogenous crowd of mixed breeds of foreigners and riff-raff, can you expect a self-respecting Englishman to consort with such scum ? I always treated my so-called common sailors as potential officers doing their time, and there is no nursery equal to a sea training in a sailing ship to fit a man for any position of executive rank in a steamer. He learns nerve, which is of the first importance, quickness in emer- gencies, and endurance ; steamship owners know it (or their marine superintendants do) , hence the larger companies using a sailing ship of their own as a training college for cadets and junior officers, and incidentally crews as well.
Regarding the slipshod way that used to
D
50 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA "
prevail of engaging crews, and sighting them only for the first time at the shipping office. A lusty, big, and apparently good sailor man holding a V.G. discharge of recent date would present himself, and be engaged and sign on ; but on mustering the crew, most likely after the ship had been towed to sea from the dock, the men coming on board too drunk to do it before, a miserable specimen would turn up and answer to the name, that was not the man you engaged, but some one personating him ; (a boarding-master's dead- beat, as it used to be called).
It was said of a noted Paradise Street boarding house keeper, that in his back yard he had a bullock's horn and a ship's wheel fixed up, and used to instruct his men in the use of the latter, and get them to walk round the horn, so that if they were asked, they could truly say " they " had been round the Horn more than once, and could do their trick at the wheel. It was a " trick " right enough.
On Tuesday the 7th of ]\Iarch, thirty- eight days after being launched, at 5.30 a.m., the steamer, with my crew of sailors, came alongside, there were fifteen able seamen, which together with the crew I already had on board made thirty-two in all ; good, lusty men, the pick of lyiverpool ; some had sailed with me before, and most of them in ships of the firm. The crew of riggers who had already had a good breakfast and a parting tot of rum, now went on board the " Princess Royal " for Glasgow, giving us a lusty cheer
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 51
from the steamer as they left, to which we all responded. The cook had a heavy breakfast of beefsteak, onions, and the inevitable boiled potatoes ready for all hands ; and at 7 o'clock the tug-boat " Tay " came alongside. We up anchor by steam windlass and hauled down the " Blue Peter." The new crew were shantying in fine style. " Hurrah, we're out- ward bound," and " Unmooring " as if they meant it.
Shanty : " Outward Bound."
At the Princes dock we bid adieu to lovely Kate and
pretty Sue ; Our anchor's weighed, and our sails unfurled, And we're bound to plough the watery world, And say we're outward bound. . . . Hurrah, we're
outward bound.
The wind it blows from East-North East, Our ship she sails twelve knots at least. Our roaring guns we'll well supply. And while we have powder we'll never say die. And say we're outward bound. . . . Hurrah, we're outward bound.
And when we get to Malibar, Or some other pt^rt not quite so far. Our Captain will our wants supply ; And while we've got grub we will never say die. And say we're outward bound. . . . Hurrah, we're outward bound.
Then at last our Captain comes on board. Our sails are bent, we're manned and stored. The Blue Peter is hoisted at the fore, Good-bye to the girls we'll see no more, And say we're outward bound. . . . Hurrah, we're outward bound.
52 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
One day the man on the look-out Proclaims a sail, with a joyful shout. Can you make her out ? I think I can. She's the Calcutta pilot brig standing out from the land. Hurrah, we're outward bound. . . . Hurrah, we're outward bound.
Now, when we get back to the Princes dock, The pretty girls will come down in a flock. One to the others you'll hear them say, " Oh, here comes Jack, with his ten months' pay. For I see he's homeward bound," etc.
And when we get to the Cat and Bell,
It's there they've got good liquor to sell.
In comes old Doyle with a smile.
Saying, " Drink, my boys, it's worth your while,
For I see you're homeward bound," etc.
But when the money's all spent.
And there's none to be borrowed, and none to be lent.
In comes old Doyle with a frown,
Saying, " Get up, Jack, let John sit down.
For I see you're outward bound," etc.
Then poor old Jack must understand
There's ships in the dock that's wanting hands.
So he goes to sea as he did before,
And says good-bye to his native shore,
For you see he's outward bound, etc. Chorus.
Shanty : " Unmooring."
" All hands on board," our boatswain cries.
His voice Hke thunder roaring ; " All hands on board," his mates reply,
'Tis the signal for unmooring. Then your windlass man, heave your anchor up, and belay.
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 53
Chorus : And we'll think of those girls when we're far — far —
away; And we'll think of those girls when we're far — ^far —
away.
" Go, loose your topsails," next he cries,
" Topgallant sails, and courses, Your jibs and royals see all clear.
Haul home those sheets, my hearties. With a brisk and pleasant gale,
We will crowd on all our sail."
Chorus.
" Your anchor's a-peak," now he cries,
" Vast heaving, lads, vast heaving. Your cat, and fish, now overhaul.
Your windlass nimbly leaving. Then take heed to your boatswain's call.
And walk away with that cat fall."
Chorus.
Farewell to friends, farewell to foes,
Farewell to dear relations ; We're bound across the ocean blue,
Bound for foreign stations. While we cross the raging main.
Old England's flag we will maintain.
Chorus.
I had engaged the tug to tow the " Sheila " right out of the Channel to the Tuskar, two hundred and sixty-three miles away, or at differential rates, if towage was dispensed with short of that distance ; I also had a Channel pilot to assist me until I got clear out into blue water.
54 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
The wind on leaving was S. W. dead ahead for going down Channel, but fine weather, so to start with we had no sail on, and I feared we were in for the long tow ; but when Hearing Lamlash, fifty-two miles from Green- och, it drew more to the N.W., so I thought that I would set a sail or two to assist the tug. We had only set the lower topsails and two staysails, not thinking yet about the tug, when we heard shouting and cries of distress, with just a suspicion of expletives, and on looking, we found that the tug boat, instead of being ahead of us towing, was broad oS on our port quarter, with the tow rope con- necting, sagging and skipping in the water in a great loop between us. We were sailing faster than the capabilities of the tug to keep ahead of us, and instead of being towed we were towing the tug. !
The " Sheila " was showing off thus early. After doing a deep think, I made up my mind to drop the tug and set sail, and pull the tow rope on board, which is quite a job with the ship going through the water. The usual thing is in such procedure for the tug to assist, by keeping ahead and gradually slacking back, but in this case they let all go on board the tug and cleared out.
So I set all plain sail, my crew shantying in grand style, " Good-bye, fare you well," and proceeded down the Channel. The wind held good all the time at N.W., a pleasant breeze and clear weather.
THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHEIIvA " 55
Shanty : " Good-Bye, Farb You Wei^i,."
O, fare you well, I wish you well. Good-bye, fare you
well ; good-bye, fare you well. Fare you well, my pretty youug girls ; hoorah, my boys,
we're outward bound.
Don't you hear our old man say,
" We're outward bound this very day ? "
Chorus.
So we're outward bound, and I hear the sound.
So heave up on your capstan, and make it spin round.
Chorus.
Our anchor's weighed, and our sails are set.
And the girls we are leaving we leave with regret.
Chorus.
She's a flash clipper ship, and bound for to go ; You girls let go her tow rope, you cannot say no. Chorus.
In actual practice a good shanty man is one who can, and does, improvise to suit the occasion.
We let go the tug off Lamlash at 10 a.m. ; at 4 p.m. we were off South Rock Lightship — seventy-three miles ; at 8 p.m., off Baily — one hundred and forty-one miles ; 4 a.m. off Blackwater Lightship — one hundred and nine- ty miles ; at 6 a.m. off Tuskar — two hundred and eight miles ; and at 8 a.m. put the pilot on board the Conibeg Lightship, two hundred and twenty-nine miles from Lamlash. It was a very lucky send off for me, to get thus so expeditiously out of the narrows of the Channel ; and after passing Blackwater I reduced sail, as I did not want to reach the Conibeg before daylight, to get rid of my pilot.
CHAPTER VIII.
" How beautiful she is ! How fair She lies within those arms, that press
Her form with many a soft caress. Of tenderness and watchful care."
" Sail forth into the sea, O ship, Through wind and wave right onward steer."
— LONGFEI,I,OW.
W'E took our departure at 10 a.m. from the Conibeg, twenty miles N.W. of us ; and as we were clear of the land, and the hands had been on deck all night and wanted a sleep, we pro- ceeded to pick for watches. The starboard watch is for the Captain, the port for the mate ; the carpenter, engineer, sailmaker, steward and the cook, keep no watch and are called in sailor's lingo " Idlers." The boat- swain also keeps no watch, but is supposed to be always on watch night and day ; he gets his sleep when he can — he looks after that — and he is likened to the marines' breeches on board a war-ship, belonging to all hands. The chief mate has the first call for his watch, and as the name is called, his man steps to port ; the Captain calls, and his man steps to starboard, and so on until the watch is chosen. The Captain then makes his little speech, and the men reply with a cheer ; the steward pipes all hands " Grog O ! ", the men respond by \^dping their lips -with the back of their hands ; and the starboard watch goes off duty for the afternoon and " turn
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 57
in '* — the expression " going to bed " is never heard at sea.
The watches are four hours on deck, and four hours off, until 4 p.m., when there is a so-called dog-watch of two hours until 6 p.m. and another from 6 to 8 p.m. ; this is done to alter the time of the watches, as otherwise the crew would be on watch always at the same hours.
After the choosing of the watches, the starboard watch takes the starboard side of the forecastle, and the port watch the other side ; the forecastle is divided lengthwise for that purpose, with a separate door in the front of the forecastle on to the main deck.
Next comes the turn of the " midshipmen- apprentices " which hereafter in this book will be called " the boys," which is the generic name applicable.
The Captain, like the boatswain, keeps no general watch, but the starboard watch is his, and his deputy is the second officer. The chief officer has the port watch, and is assisted by the third officer the boys are apportioned between the two watches, with the odd man in the second mate's watch, and it was an imperative order, that at least one of the boys was to be always on the poop night or day in their watch, and in the day-time in harbour.
The chief mate's domain is the forecastle and all that pertains thereto — bowsprit, fore- mast, etc. ; the second mate has the poop, main and mizzen-mast, and is assisted by the third mate. The boatswain has a general supervision over all, which is no sinecure, as
58 THE CXIPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
he is responsible for the gear alow and aloft, looks to the rigging, and chafing gear, super- intending all work, and reports defects im- mediately to the officer of the watch.
There was also on board quite a farmyard full of the feathered tribe, a beautiful and intelligent retriever dog " Mora," a favourite cat of the Captain's wife, " Lisa Jane," and a wee piggy dubbed " Dennis " by the men. The pig soon became a general favourite and grew amazingly, and was the cleanest of animals and very fastidious. The men soon trained it, and it was quite amusing to witness the performances they would put him through; obstacle races was his forte, and if ever any animal expressed enjoyment by responding to the fun, that pig did. Occasionally, though, he would on his part carry his ideas of fun a bit too far for the men, especially when his depraved appetite prompted him to make a meal of an oil-skin coat and sou'- wester ; he would try his teeth on a stray boot if not watched, and Slushie (the cook), would have to watch or his galley would get raided. He was also extremely partial to crunching up and eating coal — a kind of condiment it seemed to piggy.
Mora and the cat attached themselves to the Captain's wife. At times they were very jealous of each other, especially the cat, and many a scratched nose poor Mora had to endure ; his intelligent eyes used to look with such sorrow at the cat, such times as he knew he dared not retaliate. Poor old Mora, a splendid dog on deck, but he did not like
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHBILA " 59
bad weather a bit. At such times he was sent below into the saloon. The Brussels carpet having been taken up, only the linoleum was left on the floor, and as the ship rolled from side to side (and she did roll a bit at times ! !) the poor old dog would always endeavour to climb to the higher side of the saloon ; just as he had accomplished it, it would become too steep, and notwithstanding poor old Mora trying to dig his claws desperately into the linoleum, always he would go to leeward with a bang, I have often wondered what a dog's private thoughts are about such d foolish- ness ; he probably blames somebody. In the end we had to shut him into a side cabin, and he didn't like that a bit.
Shanty : " Across the Western Ocean." O, the times are hard, and the wages low,
O Sheila, whar you bound to ? The rocky mountains is my home,
Across the Western Ocean.
The land of promise there you'll see,
O Sheila, whar you bound to ? I'm bound across that Western sea,
To join the Irish army.
To Liverpool I'll take my way,
O Sheila, whar you bound to ? To Iviverpool, that Yankee school
Across the Western Ocean,
There's Liverpool Pat, with his tall box hat,
O Sheila, whar you bound to ? And Yankee Jack, the packet rat.
Across the Western Ocean.
Beware these packet rats, I say,
O Sheila, whar you bound to ? They'll steal your money and clothes away.
Across the Western Ocean.
'For Chorus repeat the first verse after each.
CHAPTER IX.
" Morn on the waters — and purple and bright. Burst on the billows the flushings of light.
O'er the glad waves like a child of the sun, See the tall vessel goes gallantly on.
Pull to the breeze she unbosoms her sail.
And her pennons stream onward, like hope in the gale."
Hervey.
Now, before I proceed further on my voyage, I wish to get oS a little grumble. I am a sailor and a descendant of a race of sailors, and as they used to express it of my kind in olden times, every hair on my head is a rope- yarn, and every drop of my blood is Stock- holm tar.
Why do people, even those who ought to know better, misuse the expression " sail- or," and " sailing " ? Surely that only applys to sails, and sailing ships, and not steamers and other craft with mechanical propulsion, which carry no sails. You hear people say, " I am going for a sail," when they intend a trip in a steamer ; or, again, it is announced tha a certain steamer is going to " sail " on a certain date — even advertisements so state it ; and in seaports, Institutions exhibit flaring notices, " all sailors in port are wel- come." Why not state it correctly and sub- stitute the words " leaving " and " seamen " when applicable ?
And that is not all. In the matter of ignorance of shipping and nautical matters painters of shipping make laughable blunders,
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 61
and the higher the grade of artist, the more palpable the errors. Even the great English artist Turner in his celebrated picture of " The Fighting Temeraire " — hung in pride of place in the National Gallery, London — depicts her as being towed, with no tow rope attached at all, besides other errors offensive to the nautical eye.
But now to my voyage. At thirty-three years of age, with the history I have already outUned, I found myself in command of one of the proudest sailing ships that was ever built, of which I had superintended the building, and saw almost every plate put in her. She was a perfect structure. I had, as I have pointed out, no adventitious aids to promotion, and I say that the same road is open to all beginners of a sea life, if they will keep the object in view, and pursue it to the end.
Now there is another thing : the ship and her master — the one insentient, and the other sentient — must be animate in her master. The feeling must be that intuitively they are one ; he commands her, and the ship obeys. Never mind what sudden emer- gency arises, he must have a ready nerve, and never for a second's space lose it, grasping everything as it arises, and act upon his instincts. There is one particular thing about the master : he is a lone, solitary man in a crowd ; he never asks advice, or seeks it from his subordinates — he should be above all that — and of himself must grasp all the moods and changes in the mighty el^*^ents, of
62 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
which otherwise he would be the sport. In fact, in great emergencies at sea, no time is allowed for consultation, hence the training in self-reliance.
Being now fully at sea, out of sight of the land, with all plain sail set, I will proceed with my sea log. Although I hope to make a fast passage to Calcutta, wonders in that direction cannot be attained in a sailing ship however smart she may be, unless the winds, her only means of propulsion, are propitious. From that point of view the steamers get the pull of us ; they steer a straight course, indepen- dent of the direction of the wind, and in calms they ramp along ; but in those vicissitudes lies the real charm of a smart sailer — it breaks monotony.
So in the first place, after losing sight of the land, the wind drew ahead for three days, a very light wind, and overcast, with no observation of the sun to be had to ascertain our position.
The first duty obtaining on board ship after clearing the Channel outward bound, is to unshackle the chain cables from the anchors, after securing them on the topgallant forecastle, and stow the cables in the lockers. Also to send aloft all studding sail booms on the yards, and reeve the gear ready for fair winds. The driver, and carpenter (otherwise " Chips ") are busy making Scotchmen — (why do they call them Scotchmen ?) — of sheet iron, or wood, to put on the rigging to prevent chafing by ropes or chains touching the rigging, a goodly number being required.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 63
On the 11th we got an observation at noon, Lat. 43. 3N. Long. 12. 41. W. ; the wind a little more favourable. The next day with a fresh S.E. wind we made two hundred and ninety-five knots ; the rigging was begin- ning to stretch, so the following day, being fine, we tightened up the lanyards on the starboard side, and put the ship about on the starboard tack to tighten up the other side. Fresh breeze before we finished, so we ex- perimented a bit as to the ship's capabilities in staying, and wearing, under various can- vasses, a very necessary precaution. I found her rather difiicult in both operations. In staying she came up in the wind fast enough, but hung in stays, and unless very carefully watched and handled, was liable to make a stern board, fall off, and not go round on the other tack. That was owing to her being built so fine aft ; directly her hull felt the influence of the sails aback, she ran astern — lesson No. 1. In trying her for wearing, the result was not so bad, but even in that manoeuvre she ran a long way to leeward before she got on the other tack — lesson No. 2. It was all right, but it was as well to know it ; she wanted plenty of sea room and to be handled boldly.
We apportioned crews to the various boats, and commenced the instruction of the boys in knotting and splicing, under the boat- swain, who initiated them into their various duties. One of these is keeping the ship's time, by striking the small bell hung at the break of the poop every half hour ; one stroke
64 THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHEILA "
for 12.30, two strokes for 1 o'clock, 3 strokes for 1 .30, and so on until 4 o'clock, when it is eight strokes in doubles — or eight bells as it is called — and so on round the clock. The time on the ship is constantly altering, as the ship alters her longitude by going east or west from Greenwich.
Whatever order is given on shipboard must be responded to in the actual words as given, to prevent misunderstanding ; " aye, aye, sir," is never allowed. As to the boys, every assistance is given them to learn their profession, but the boys must be appreciative and respond, if not, the executive officers have no time to bother.
Shanty : " Bound for The Rio Grande."
Oh say, was you ev-er in Ri-o Grande, 0-yovi Ri-o ?
It's there that the riv-er runs down golden sand, For I'm bound to the Ri-o Gtande, and a-way you Ri-o.
Chorus.
O — you Ri-o, sing fare you well, my bonny young girls, For I'm bound to the Rio Grande.
Now you Iviverpool ladies, we'd have you to know,
O — you — Ri-o, We're bound to the South'ard, so girls let us g-o.
For I'm bound to the Ri-o Grand-e.
So I'll pack up my donk-ey, and get under wa-y. The girls we are leav-ing can take our half pa-y.
We'-U sell aU our cargo, for su-gar and ru-m,
And get back to you a-gain 'fore Christ-mas shall come.
And good-bye, fare you we-11, you ladies of tow-n, We've left you enough to bu-y a sil-k gown.
Chorus after each verse.
CHAPTER X.
" In thk Bay of Biscay O."
To the 18th March in latitude 26 N., longitude 25 W., nothing of importance had occurred. We sighted a number of ships of all sorts going our way, and had passed every one of them, and not taking long about it ; nothing we had met with yet was a competitor to try our metal.
At noon we sighted an object ahead, and bringing it nearly alongside, found it was the hull of a small wooden craft, probably a schooner. There was about twelve feet of the stern of her sticking straight out of the water, the rest of the hull being down under the sea ; she was evidently kept afloat by the air confined in the after end. I concluded that she had been a cod-fish carrier. A lot of weed, mostly Sargasso, was all around. As she was certainly a danger to navigators I sent the carpenter away in a boat to bore auger holes in her to let the air out. She had been aban- doned a long time, as there was a lot of barnacles and weeds on her ; she had evi- dently been in trouble first, as she had been jury rigged. The boat brought back several nice small blocks that would come in handy ; on the stern was painted her name, " Sophia " of St. John's, New Foundland. Of course there was no trace of her crew, and I hoped that they had been saved long ago.
K
66 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
This day we passed quite a number of " nautilus," or, as the sailors call them " Portuguese Men of War," looking very pretty on the water, with their translucent sails up. The boys were very curious about them as they were the first they had seen ; and a few days later in a lower latitude, they were delighted to bring aft a couple of fine flying fish (after first cutting off the wings, which they kept as mementoes) for Mrs. Angel's breakfast. The fish had flown on board in the night, and were about eight, inches long ; they tasted much like pollock. Afterwards, their flying aboard was a frequent occurrence ; the bows of the ship starts them out of the sea, and at night they are attracted to their doom by the ship's Hghts. In the day time quite a lot are to be seen at times, flying and skipping over the sea to escape from their many enemies — dolphins, alber- core, and bonita in the sea, and various gulls above. They are a very plentiful fish in all tropical seas. The native coloured fishermen of the West Indies (especially Barbadoes) catch them in great quantities with a special net they have — a primitive-looking thing, but very efiicacious as the result proves.
A sailor, home from his voyage, began telling his old mother of the wonders he had seen in his travels — how that in Jamaica there were mountains of sugar, and rivers of rum, and that once in weighing anchor in the Red Sea, he had hooked up a wheel of Pharoah's chariot ; then, his imagination failing, he began telling her about the flying
THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHEII.A " 67
fish and what they did. This last, however, was too much for the old lady's credulity, and she stopped him. " No, no, Johnny boy, you are carrying it on too far. Flying fish, indeed ! What next ? About the mountains of sugar and the rivers of rum, that may be all right, as I know that sugar and rum do come from Jamaica ; and it may be all true about Pharoah's chariot wheel, for of course the Bible tells us he was lost in the Red Sea. But no, no, Johnny, I can't believe that about fish flying. You will tell me next perhaps that you have seen pigs flying. Flying fish indeed ! "
On the 19th in I^at. 23' N., I^ong. 26 W,. wind N.E. and fine, we were entering the region of the N.E. trade winds. We set all our studding sails on the port side — fore- lower, topmast, and topgallantmast — and car- ried them until the 23rd, in lyat. 4' N., and lyong. 26' W., when the trade wind failed us. We had entered the region called the Dol- drums, a debatable space of sea, lying between the N.E. and S.E. trade winds, where you have to endure winds and squalls from all quarters, lots of calms, and rain in torrents, with a blistering sort of heat that tans the skin — for it is a fact, never mind how you are exposed to its rays, the sun does not tan the skin so much as the influence of a cloudy, overcast sky.
The doldrums latitudes are very tedious to get through, and advantage of every oppor- tunity must be taken to make southing Some dull sailers have been detained for three
68 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
or four weeks at a time, before they could get through ; and I have noticed, when in com- pany with a dull sailer, that they are the worst for trying, whereas they should be the most persevering. As I have said before, it is tedious and vexatious ; you most times seem somehow to be on the wrong tack ; but with the " Sheila " we would allow none of that, around she would have to come instantly the wind headed us, if it was half a dozen times in a watch. She was a marvellous ship to move along in almost a calm ; when other ships would lose steering way, she would move along doing six or eight knots and with even a very light breeze would respond up to ten knots. We crossed the Equator in Long. 28' 6" W. on the 25th March, eighteen days out from the Tail of the Bank — very good considering that up till then we had had no chance of trying our speed. All the time it had been light winds and fine weather — still very nice and enjoyable for the Captain's wife, who made a capital sailor, untroubled by mal de mere, and who by now thoroughly appreciated the splendid accommodation the ship provided, and was happy with Mora, and lyisa Jane.
There is one thing — and a magnificent thing at that — the tropical region we were then passing through provides. Have my readers ever witnessed a tropical sunset ? If not they have missed one of the most glorious sights ever presented to human gaze by nature. The heart must be obdurate indeed, void of all feeling, aye, and of all
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 69
reverence, if it is not melted and softened. One is apparently looking into heaven itself — more so than is depicted by the rhapsodies of St. John the Divine in the Book of Revela- tions, who perhaps got his inspiration from some such scene. I have stood entranced for about an hour before sunset, gazing at that orb sinking through a mass of resplendant clouds, opening up a vista so sublime, that a pen fails to describe the scene in words. All colours were depicted, glorious buildings, beings, and landscapes presented in perspec- tive ; and as the light of day gradually failed, it would catch the heart with longings and regrets, until the fuller darkness would blot all out.
CHAPTER XI.
Father Neptune's Visit.
" How cheery are the Mariners,
Those lovers of the sea, Their hearts are Uke its yeasty waves.
As bounding and as free. They whistle when the storm-bird wheels
In circles round the mast, And sing when deep in foam the ship
Plows onward to the blast."
— Park B en j amen.
And now having reached the equator, there was a time-honoured ceremony to be ob- served. Of course I was cognizant of what was going to occur, but I stipulated that there should be no rough play to injure any- one.
So at 4 p.m., all hands being on deck, there was a hail from over the bows : " Sheila, ahoy ! Is the Captain on board ? " I an- swered, " Aye, aye." Then there came up from apparently out of the sea, a gigantic figure with a trident, and a crown on his head made up of seaweed, with the addition of a lot of barnacles. He was wearing an immense beard reaching to the deck, made of manilla rope-yarn, also freely embelHshed with sea- weed and barnacles, and a nondescript gar- ment reaching below the knees, also covered with the same in tufts.
This was Father Neptune without a doubt. He was accompanied by his wife, Amphitrite, dressed in like manner only with
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 71
a longer skirt and train as became her modesty. The train was held up by accom- panying nymphs ; after them came the barber with his shaving utensils, an inverted polished copper saucepan with the handle in front on his head, and a piece of white cloth over his face with eyeholes cut lancet shape, ascending-wise, and edged with red cloth, giving the whole frontispiece a weird look, to say the least of it.
I could guess at once that they got the sargasso weed and barnacles from the wreck.
They all came lumbering along the deck singing " Reuben Rantzau," until they got to the break of the poop ; then they hailed again and were replied to, and asked their business. Father Neptune answered that he had received despatches sent down to his locker, that a new ship answering to the name of " Sheila " had invaded his domains, and on board of her were several neophites, who had never before entered the realms over which he held sway — and here he gave a sly glance at the Captain's wife — they must accordingly be initiated into the mysteries of " the most ancient Guild of Zoophites of the Sea," etc., etc.
Whilst all this bye-play was going on, his attendants had rigged up a studding sail by the corners and sides, on the main deck in front of the poop, and filled it with water from the force pump. It made a splendid bath, fifteen feet long, ten feet broad, and five feet deep.
All the boys and one A.B. were the
72 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Neophites. Father Neptune would read their names out of his book, and they would be brought to the bar, one by one, previously being blindfolded. The barber would be ready for them. Neptune asked their names, birthplace, religion, and anything else he thought of, making beheve to enter their answers in his book. Then, their faces being lathered with some frothy concoction made up in a bucket, he continued plying the boys with questions, to put them off their guard ; so if one opened his mouth, in would go the brush, but it was not often he would catch my boys like that, never mind what device was tried— they knew too much. The shaving proper proceeded with a piece of wood made to represent a razor ; then, as a finale, they — all the time seated on a cross bar — ^were tipped head over heels into the bath, for them to flounder about and enjoy the fun and chaff the others as they came along. That was the procedure for the whole of them, and they enjoyed it all hilariously — especially at the last. The barber was laughing uproari- ously at them, when three or four got out of the bath and before he knew what they were after, bundled him in despite his struggles. They held him under the water, sat on him, until he yelled that he was drowning, and promptly they caught liim nicely in his ample mouth with his shaving brush. In his strug- gles his disguise being torn off it was disclosed that he was my redoubtable cook. We all enjoyed the fun ; for myself I ached with laughter.
THE CivIPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA " 73
I bought off my wife with an extra tot of rum all round, and the day finished up with a concert of shanties and songs.
Several of my crew I found had musical instruments of sorts, and could play quite well ; so they enjoyed themselves and were a happy lot. The bath, with the thermometer in the air standing at 85° to 90° and the sea water at 85°, was no punishment, but rather a treat.
Shanty : " Reuben Rantzau."
Solo " Hurrah .... for Reuben Rantzau ! "
Chorus " Rantzau .... boys .... Rantzau."
Solo " Hurrah for Reuben .... Rantzau ! "
Chorus " Rantzau .... boys .... Rantzau."
Solo " Rantzau was .... no ... . sailor,"
Chorus " Rantzau .... boys .... Rantzau."
Solo " Rantzau .... was a . . . . tailor."
Chorus " Rantzau .... boys .... Rantzau."
Solo " Rantzau . . . joined . . . the . . . Beauty,
And did not know his . . . duty."
N.B. — If not wanted, the chorus is left out of the rest.
Solo " The skipper was a dandy,
And was too fond of brandy."
Solo " He called Rantzau a lubber.
And made him eat whale blubber."
Solo " ' The Beauty ' was a whaler,
Rantzau was no sailor."
Solo " They set him holystoning.
And cared not for his groaning."
74 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Solo " They gave him lashes twenty.
Nineteen more than plenty."
Solo " Reuben Rantzau fainted,
His back with oil was painted."
Solo " They gave him cake and whisky,
Which made him rather frisky."
Solo " They made him the best sailor,
Sailing in that whaler."
Solo " They put him navigating.
And gave him extra rating."
Solo " Rantzau now is skipper
Of a China chpper."
Solo " Rantzau was a tailor,
Now he is a sailor."
This is a good hoisting shanty.
Sai,i,y Brown.
Solo " I love a maid across the water,"
Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " She is Sal herself, yet SalUe's daughter."
Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
Solo " Seven long years I courted Sally,"
Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " She called me Boy and Dilly Dally,"
Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
Solo " Seven long years and she wouldn't marry,"
Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " And I no longer cared to tarry."
Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 75
Solo " So I courted Sal, her only daughter,"
Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " For her I sail upon the water,"
Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
Solo " Sally's teeth are white and pearly," Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " Her eyes are blue, her hair is curly," Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
Solo " The sweetest flower of the valley,"
Chorus " Aye, aye, roll and go."
Solo " Is my dear girl, my pretty Sally,"
Chorus " Spend my money on Sally Brown."
This is a good capstan shanty.
" Stormalong " is another good old-time shanty — one (rf the best, when accompanied by a violin.
Shanty : " Stormalong."
Solo " O'Storm-y-he is dead and gone,
Chorus To my way you Storm-a-long,
Ay — ay — ay — ay, Mister Storm-a-loag."
Solo " We'll dig his grave with a silver spade,
And lower him down with a golden chain."
Chorus.
Solo " I wish I was old Stormy 's son,
He would build me a ship of a thousand ton."
Chorus.
Solo " I'd fill her up with Demerara rum,
And all my sheUbacks they should have some."
Chorus.
Solo " But old Stormy 's dead and gone to rest,
Of all the sailors he was the best."
Chorus.
CHAPTERIXII.
" O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea. Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free, Par as the breeze can bear, the billows foam, Survey our Empire, and behold our home."
— Byron.
On crossing the line the S.B. trade winds fell very light and tended a long way south, but we struggled down to Lat. 15' S., Long. 37' W., by the 1st April, then it fell a glassy calm. There was not a breath of wind for twenty-four hours, and for the first time the " Sheila " lost way on her ; with a current running north one knot per hour, we were actually twenty miles further north than the day before by observation.
Our old chips was the first victim of 1st April. He was a Welsh man from Welsh Wales, a good-tempered old sort, and as fond of a joke as anyone, if it was intended for a joke. But that day he was a bit off colour, having had a touch of colony fever in a late voyage to the river Congo, which recurs, so was lying down for a bit. The watch was at work setting up the rigging again, when by order of the officer of the watch one of the boys rushed into his berth shouting : " Chips, Chips, you are wanted up on the mainmast head. Come as quickly as you can ; the fid of the maintopmast has nearly worked out, and they are afraid that the topmast and all the rest of it will come down by the run, if
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA " 77
the fid comes out. Come as quickly as you can with your biggest maul."
Poor old Chips hurried out of his berth along the deck and up the rigging, loaded with his great hammer, only to find when he got to the top, what he ought to have remembered before ; the mast had no fidded topmast, the lowermast and topmast being one continuous piece. You can fancy poor old Chips's glare as he came down that rigging. Again poor old Chips — he was at no time a match to cope with the youngsters practical jokes.
And another time — and I may as well tell it now as later when it occurred — there was a joke at the second officer's, Mr. Drake's, expense. Poor old Chips, as I have said, was frequently laid up with his attacks ; this time he had been off duty for several days, but we all thought he was getting over it again. I had been physicking him out of the medicine- chest supplies. Now, as a guide to the dis- pensing of medicines supplied to ships, all the bottles, etc., are numbered, and a correspond- ing number is also in the book supplied, with a diagnosis of symptoms, and the dose applic- able. It used to be said of the small craft, brigs, schooners, etc., that in olden time traded to such places as the Mediterranean, matters frequently happened thus : The steward would report to the Captain, " Bob (the A.B.) is ill, sir, and wants some m-edi- cine." " What is the matter with him ? " " His old complaint, sir, says he has pains in his innards again." " Ah," says the Captain' book in hand, " give him forty drops of
78 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
No. 3, and forty drops of No. 5, in two ounces of water." " No. 3 and 5 bottles are empty, sir." " Empty, eh ? Nos. 3 and 5 are 8 ; give him a dose of No. 8." " You let No. 8 fall off the table last time and it smashed, sir." " Smashed ! " " Oh, well, give him a double dose of No. 4 ; I see there is plenty of that stuff in the bottle." . . . Also the univer- sal specific used to be, two spoonsfuls of Epsom Salts in half a pannican-full of water, even if a man had broken his leg. And the sailor would recover all the same. It has been also said of a noted druggist in a seaport- town, that a sailor came into his shop with a bottle to be filled with a lotion. ... It was handed back to the sailor across the counter with a demand for a shilling. The sailor produced a penny and left the shop in haste. By the time the druggist wormed his way from behind his counter to the street, the sailor was a long distance away, and past chasing. So the druggist gave it up, with a consoling remark, " Never mind you rascal, I've made a half-penny out of you after all." But to resume. One dog watch, Mr. Drake was in his berth writing up his log (for by my orders both chief and second did that) when Hearn knocked, and opened his door with the remark : " Poor old Chips ! I didn't think it would turn out like that." " Eh ! What ! " said Drake, " dead ? " Out he rushed on deck, and calling Weldon, and Gardener to follow, made away for the carpenter's berth, arriving there very quietly. " Here, you boys," he whispered, " get hold
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 79
of that tool chest, and take it aft, or else some of the men will be raiding the contents." He then told them to send along two more boys to take away more of Chips's effects. Chips was l5dng in the upper bunk, with his face to the side, so he put his hand on him and apostropliising thus said — " Poor old Chips! I didn't think you would die like this ! " when Chips turned over on his other side and looked at Drake, saying : " Whateffer do you mean ? " " Oh, lor ! " said Drake. " Why, aren't you dead ? " — and fled out on the main deck and aft, looking for poor innocent Hearn, who declared (and rightly too) he never said that Chips was dead. It was a long time before Chips got on the right side of that joke, but he laughed at it with the rest of them in the end ; the more so, as he said that the joke scared away, and cured his complaint. He was a good one on a new ship, and was the most clever man I ever had for turning out all sorts of fancy work.
CHAPTER XIII.
A Shark Story.
After crossing the equator we caught quite a lot of fish, albercore, bonita, and dolphin mostly. They are all of the mackerel family as to species, only immensely larger. Some we caught by baited hook and line, and others by graining ; they look more beautiful in the sea than on deck, especially the dolphin, and I cautioned the men about eating them, as sometimes evil effects arise, but there were none in our case.
But there was one nasty looking 1: uc shark in attendance, accompanied b> a number of beautifully striped pilot fish, who keep just ahead of the shark, only a few teet away from his mouth, and it is one of the sea's mysteries why the shark never attempts to molest them. We baited a hook with a pound lump of pork, which they are particu- larly partial to. (It is said to be the nearest approach to human flesh in taste, so comment is superfluous) . But he was very shy of it for a long time ; he would swim up close to it, smell it, and swerve away. Meanwhile we grained at different times three of his pilot fish ; they are about as large as a medium sized mackerel and good eating. Whether the shark had had a good feed or not lately, I do not know, but he would go away out of sight for hours and then come back. Once he
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHElIvA "81
caught at the hook gingerly and sucked away- half the pork, and went away all night ; but the next morning he was back again, gleaming up at us with his cruel-looking eyes.
We rebaited and tried the hook again ; he turned over, belly up and went for it at once. We had him — ^yes — but only hooked ; he backed astern, gave a heavy kick with his tail, sending the water flying, and was off. When we pulled the hook in we found a piece from his jaw adhering, and thought that would be enough for Mr. Shark ; but no, there he was, and closer up even than before. So we rebaited, and as soon as the hook touched the water he went for it, with an apparent snarl, and swallowed the lot this time. We got a block on the spanker boom end, through which we put the rope, and a whole excited crowd, tailed on to hoist him on board ; we got him well out of the water, towards the taffrail, and I could nearly touch him, when down he goes flopoh into the sea again. On examining, we found that his weight had straightened out the hook, and of course it slipped. We thought that treatment would surely finish the job, but no ; we took the remains of the pork that was left from our previous endeavours, and throwing it over board he suddenly appeared, apparently out of nowhere, turned over and snapped up the lot.
So we got the driver and his forge under- way, and in record time — ^with no end of assistants — made a barbed hook out of heavy steel, with a two foot length of chain attached.
F
82 THE ClylPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
We were ready for him again, and he was ready for us — and waiting. The persistent wretch went for the bait again with a wicked gleam in his eyes, as if he winked at us in de- rision ; but this time the hook held good, and we pulled him on to the poop, and from there to the main deck. He was a monster, fifteen feet in length — a very Patriarch. He had a bad time of it from the sailors, who have an undying hatred of all the shark family ; and no wonder, for what chance would a poor fellow have in the sea with the likes of that about ? I have seen many cau.ght, but never one that had such treatment in the sea as that one had ; at any rate it goes to prove that they can have no feeling of pain.
We also harpooned a good sized por- poise ; that and shark fiesh is passably good eating — for those who like it. Sailors are queer fellows, and appreciate a change of diet, so a lot was made into a mess which they called " hash-my-gandy," baked and eaten.
CHAPTER XIV.
" A wet sheet and a flowing sea,
A wind that follows fast, And fills the white and rust'ling sail.
And bends the 'gallant mast. And bends the 'gallant mast, my boys,
While like the Eagle free, Away the good ship flies and leaves
Old England on the lee."
— A. Cunningham.
After the shark episode, a light breeze sprang up and again we were going seven knots closed hauled on a wind. At noon we sighted a ship ahead going the same way, and came up with her at 2 p.m. ; she was the wooden ship " Morning Star," a one time celebrated Clipper packet ship, from Liverpool bound to Calcutta forty-five days out. The " Sheila " was then out thirty- two. Then I had an experience of what the " Sheila " could do in light airs of winds. We were going seven knots ; I was speaking to the Captain of the " Morning Star " from his lee beam, when he shouted : " L,ook out, my ship is falling off and will be on top of you ! " I jumped ; as he had said, he was nearly on top of us. His ship had lost steerage way, and was not mov- ing through the water, owing to the lightness of the wind, and we were slipping along at seven knots. In an hour we had left him out of sight astern. Lands-folk may say, what harm could happen even if the two ships did come together in a calm ? Harm indeed, incalculable ; for although the sea in a calm
84 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA "
seems motionless, there is nearly always an undulation, as if the ocean was a sleeping bosom, and you would find it so if two big ships came together — they would grind no end before they got clear.
Next day we passed the ship "St. Mon- an," London for Calcutta, forty- two days out ; and the barque " Craigmullen," London for New Zealand, fifty days out ; also spoke the ship " Rooparell " by word of mouth, Grimsby for Negapatam, forty-seven days out ; and signalled Mr. Caie's old ship " St. Enoch," forty days out from London for Melbourne. There was quite a fleet of ships steering in our direction during those two days ; we passed them all with ease, and some of them were noted clippers.
On the 5th of April we passed between the islands of Trinidada, and Martin Vas, belonging to Brazil ; uninhabited except for a pest of land crabs, and those disgusting things swarm over everything, and everybody, mak- ing life in such places truly not worth living. Tfis is a group, amongst others, that is assigned as a place where the notorious pirate, Captain Ividd, buried some of his ill-gotten treasures of jewels, gold, and silver of fabu- lous value. Old sailors used to deUght in singing such doleful ballads as —
O . . . my name is Captain Kidd . . .
As I sailed ... as I sailed . . . O . . . my name is Captain Kidd . . .
As I sailed , . . Many wicked things I did . . . And God's laws I did forbid . . .
As I sailed ..." etc., etc., etc.
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 85
For a day after passing Trinidada the breeze was a little better, then another half day of calms befell. Up to now, since we left Glasgow, we had been short of sufficient wind to try the capabilities of the ship, and a small row boat would have been safe in any of the seas we had encountered so far. But I was not going to be deluded into thinking, but that I should soon get all the wind I wanted, and perhaps more sea than was agreeable, as we got down south, and began to make easting.
On the 7th, in I,at. 25 S., I,ong. 40 W. a better breeze came from E.S.E., but still light — too light. We had several sail in company, and a Lamport & Holt's S.S. came up with us from astern, bound to Monte Video. We had every sail that we could put on the ship, including studding-sails and wind savers (in sailors' parlance), everywhere a little that could help along ; she must have looked a beautiful sight as viewed from the steamer. He passed us close (in fact I saw he edged to us) ; there were several passengers on deck, the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and my wife responded. I knew the Captain by repute, he had served his time in the Com- pany's ships ; he was showing off to his passengers a bit of swank against a " wind jammer." As he passed he impudently held up an end of a rope and shook it, signifying " shall we give you a tow ? " and I daresay he strutted a bit over his coffee-grinder craft ; he was going ten or eleven knots, we were only going eight at the time, so he soon went out of sight ahead.
86 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
That night the wind increased and drew more to the eastward. We had to take in some of our Hghter kites, going twelve knots ; on the 9th we had as much wind as we we could carry all plain sail to, going fifteen knots good — we did that and sometimes a bit better even, all night. At day break, from the masthead, we caught sight of the Lam- port & Holt's S.S. right ahead, eight miles away ; I could see that at 7 a.m. he altered his helm to keep away from us, but I was after him, he had sighted us too late to escape, and I expect his officer of the morning watch got a wigging for not calling the Captain as soon as they caught sight of us overhauling them. At 8 a.m. we were abeam of her, less than a quarter of a mile away, and passed her like a race-horse ; at 10 o'clock she was out of sight astern — and do you think the rope's end was forgotten ? The steamer was going about twelve knots — her capacity ; the " Sheila " nearly sixteen knots, and that not her capacity, as I had means afterwards of finding out.
As the day wore on the wind went a little more to the N.E., and as we were a long way to the westward for the Lat., we hauled up a little bit — as much as we dared with the crowd of canvas we were now carrying, for we were at last giving the ship " Beans," although the wind was not free enough to get the best out of her. Too much on a wind, and the masts wanted watching ; the upper ones were bending like whip sticks, and the rigging was getting very slack again, so we had to exercise caution with our bravery, but every-
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 87
thing held on good. We had up to now been pressed badly to the westward and to leeward of our course, as I have said, to be in the lane of the River Plate Steamers ; and now with this splendid breeze I was testing what the " Sheila " was like from all points. Too stiff, I found, no amount of pressing could make her heel over — the effects of the Glasgow " dry goods cargo " stowed too low down in the hold.
At noon going fifteen knots, we sighted a S.S. on our port bow five miles away, going the same course as ourselves, or steering a little more westerly — so by that was a bit freer of the wind — and closing down on us. She was a P.S.N. Co. craft, and a big one, Barque rigged carrying sails, which were also crowded on her ; she was bound to Valparaiso, through the Magellan straits. Now came the tug of war. He was steaming full speed as well ; he tried conclusions with us, and we with him. He closed with us, and tried to cross our bows from port to starboard, but we would not let him ; he tried it time after time, by running by our side, only a few fathoms away, but we well out-sailed him. Finally, after an exciting race, he dropped astern — had to — ported his helm and con- tinued his course ; it was his place, being a steamer, to get out of my way. But I did not show a rope's end to him ; I saluted him by dipping my ensign, to which he responded.
CHAPTER XV.
" Oh ! you can't go wrong in a nautical song. If you sing yoe, ho, lads, oh ! "
On the 10th of April, the wind fell light again. It was very fine weather, and at the 4 p.m. dog watch, my sailors went in for another frolic. They had dragged aft to the break of the poop a nondescript looking animal, made up to represent a dead horse ; some were sitting astride, whipping and beating it all along the decks, and it was being pulled by all interested, singing their whole repertory of songs and shanties. The principal one, and which was the key to the meaning of the ceremony was :
" Poor old Man . . . your horse is dead . . . And it's say so . . . And it's hoped so . . . Poor old man. . . .
I think I heard our old man say . . .
That our dead horse is up to-day . . . And it's say so . . . And it's hoped so. . . . Poor ... Old Man.
And from now our wives will . . . draw half pay . . . And it's say so. . . And it's hoped so . . . Poor ... Old Man.
For this to them is white stocking day,
And it's say so. . . . And it's hoped so . . .
Poor ... Old Man. . . Etc., etc.
This shanty lends itself greatly to im-
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 89
provising ; and it is instructive to keep your ears pricked up and listen and learn, for such improvisations, what your crew think in general, on board, of your officers, and your- self in particular.
The meaning of the present ceremony is, when the crew join on, they are given a month's advance of their wages, which they have to work out ; this the sailors dub their " dead horse." The month being now up, hence the ceremony and celebration. At the end the old horse is thrown overboard, and round upon round of cheers are given — which of course earns a tot of rum.
Meanwhile, and by now, my boys, and the whole crew had shaken themselves down to their various duties and stations, and all bid fair to make a happy ship. They all seemed willing, and in their several ways were as proud of the ship as I was myself, especially when she was giving a licking to competitors. No persuasion was needed to get them to help in that direction — just a little sweat up on this halyard, or a pull on that brace, and they jumped to do it.
My boys thus early were getting quite useful ; they were proud to be sent aloft to loosen or furl the lighter sails, such as the sky-sail, royals, or lighter staysails, and generally help the men whilst aloft.
My wife at first was much disturbed at night by the officers of the watch, tramp, tramp, tramping on the poop deck over her head. I had to tell her she would have to get used to that, as they were keeping watch, and
90 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
had to keep an eye on everything. She got so used to it in the end, that if they suddenly stopped it would wake her — and she would wake me. Oh, she was sure that something was wrong ; had I not better go on deck and see ? It was of no use my telling her that they were instructed — as she already knew — to stamp on the deck if they wanted me, so to pacify her I had to go.
In these ships there was no stint of food, and the best of food at that — none of the hard salt horse that formerly prevailed. There was nothing weighed except small stores and that was done mainly to keep an account of expenditure. The only deprivation from the boys' point of view was, there was neither butter nor milk, but the former was made up in beef and pork at all meals. Sometimes I would instruct the steward to let them have a few raisins for their Sunday duff, out of my own private stores ; that was greatly appre- ciated— baked in a shallow tin it was ir- reverently called " spotted dog." Occasion- ally, though, boys being boys, they used to delight to watch the steward, and when they thought they had a chance, to raid his pantiy for jam tarts and such likes. One day there was a rumpus, for the old steward had caught Thorn, and was giving him a talking to as well as a shaking in his pantry. Thorne was innocence personified, and was volubly ex- plaining his presence within the sacred pre- cints of the private pantry ; but evidently without convincing the steward, who above the din kept saying : " Torn, I don't care
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 91
what your f adder is ; Torn, 3^ou are a tief," and so on until I quelled the disturbance.
Thorn's father was a retired naval officer ; Gardener was a ward in Chancery ; Wilson's father was connected in some way with the Cunard line ; Tanner's, I think, was a York- shire maltster — or else it was Douglas' ; Beresford was a scion of the Waterford family. I shall speak of him again on arrival in Cal- cutta ; and Weldon came of a great Irish family, and was great of himself, with a raucous, throaty voice out of keeping with his fifteen years of age. I was in the lyiverpool office when I was asked into the owner's private room (The Court of Green Carpet). There were two strange gentlemen in the room speaking to Mr. Tinne, both dressed up in great Irish friese overcoats. Mr. Tinne intro- duced them to me (or the other way about), and said that one of them was an apprentice for the " Sheila " ; I stepped forward to shake hands with my new boy, and mistook the father for the son. The father was big, but the son was bigger ; they laughed, but the mistake was excusable.
Mr. Caie had Weldon and Wilson in his watch. Partly for instruction he used to send one or other of the boys to I^ord Kelvin's compass on the top of the hospital — which although the nearest house to the poop was a considerable distance away — to compare that standard one, with the one in the binnacle on the poop, that is used for steering. When ready, Mr. Caie would call out : " How's her head, Weldon ? South west by south half
92 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
south, it should be." But Weldon's voice being so thick and raucous, we could not make out a word he said, and the more he shouted the worse he made of it. Then Mr. Caie would say : " Confound that boy — here you, Wilson, you go and tell me." Wilson was the smallest boy of the lot, but his treble voice came as clear as a bell.
But they were good boys all, very willing, and responded cheerfully to the training they got to fit them for future officers ; my own officers were very patient with them, and the only discipline they got, that I allowed, was to masthead them for a stated time, and when they got big enough, put them at the lee wheel. The steering wheel was a very large one, over six feet in diameter ; one of half the size would have done for the " Sheila," as she steered very easily, and could be de- pended on, which was a blessii^ej
The following is another ditty the old time sailor used to hold forth on, and it speaks for itself.
" OivD Horse." " Old horse, old horse . . . what brought you here ? From Castletown to Portland pier . . . I've carted stone for many a year, TiU killed by blows, and sore abuse, They salt me down for sailors' use."
" The sailors they do me despise.
They turn me over and d my eyes,
They eat my meat, and pick my bones. And pitch the rest to Davy Jones."
And another which says : —
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 93
Betwixt the mainmast and the pumps,
My body Hes cut up in salt jimks ;
If you don't believe my story to be true,
Just go to the harness cask and you'll find my shoe."
In those days the sailors used to carve snuff-boxes and such Hke out of pieces of the so-called beef that was rationed out to them, and specimens of such used to be exhibited in the windows of a celebrated public house in Paradise Street, Liverpool, " The Steer Inn," its sign representing a sailor at a steering wheel, hence the title. Another celebrated public house in the same street was called the " Dew Drop Inn "... I can remember when in that long street there were more public houses than all the other shops and houses put together ; and of the latter most were sailors' boarding-house, etc., — mostly etc.— and every facility was given to poor Jack on his arrival, to get rid of his hard earned pay, in the shortest time possible. For it was—" Get up Jack, let John sit down, for you see he's homeward bound."
And one of the standing jokes amongst the sailors (told at sea, used to be), that at first after being paid off with a good round sum of money, he would be given the use of the best bedroom, and the good-looking maid of the house would knock at the door in the morning and call out " Mr. John, Mr. John." " Well, what is it," would be the reply. " What will you have for breakfast this morning, Mr. John, a herring or an egg," and the boarding master would kindly respond to his greeting ; but later, when the money was
94 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
all spent, the response to his good morning would be, " Good-morning my .... Go and look for a ship," and another homeward- bound John would be given the best bedroom.
It was hard times in ships fore-castles in those days, I must admit ; weevily bis- cuits, flour, pease, and rice, and leaky wooden ships, badly found in sails, and gear, whilst the idea seemed to be with the ship's officers of those days to work the men nearly to death, whether necessary or not. Sundays or week- days, it made no difference to them ; the men were kept hard at it, even in their day watch below. And it used to run like this — " Six days shalt thou work, and do all thou art able. On the seventh, holystone the decks, and chip the cable."
So what wonder, when the tension was relieved, that poor mercantile Jack did shake a loose leg when he had the chance on shore ?
CHAPTER XVI.
" Borne upon the ocean's foam. Far from native land and home. Midnight curtain, dense with wrath. Brooding o'er our ventrous path.
Yet should wildest tempest swell. Be Thou near, and all is well. Saviour, on the stormy sea. Let us find repose in Thee."
— L. H. SlGOURKEY.
On the 13tli of April we were in Ivat. 39 S. lyong. 18 W. Fine weather and light winds again, but we were now approaching the region of what is called " The brave west winds for running the easting down." We ought to have had more wind than we have had. We had not had much luck in that direction so far, but now it looked at last as if a change was coming. The glass had been steadily falling, and there was quite a large S.W. swell on, making the " Sheila " roll heavily, and banging the sails, it reminded me of my schooner days, when the Captain used to say, " Every shake's a shilHng."
So to prepare, we had a general super- vision, tightening up the rigging, and lan- yards, and looking well to all the chafing gear, leaving nothing to chance, as I knew by ex- perience that when the brave weather did come, it was likely to come with a rush. Up to this date so fine had been the weather, we had never had occasion to take in the sky- sail for too much wind, and we were thirty »
96 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA "
seven days out — quite remarkable. But now we fell in with quite a large fleet of homeward- bound, around the Horn craft, of all sorts of rigs. Some with no sails set above their topsails, others had their topgallantsails set, and some showed effects of bad weather down south, in loss of bulwarks, and spars. We signalled the ships " Tintern Abbey " and " Borrowdale," from San Francisco, who reported very heavy gales, and high seas, from N.B. and N.W. around the Falkland Islands, and had a lot of damage.
There were four large ships going our way, all under comparatively easy sail. The passenger liner "Hesperus" 1,777 tons, 47 days out from I/ondon, bound for Melbourne, a most beautiful looking ship, in splendid trim. The others were the ships " Thomas Stephens," the American ship " Nancy Pen- dleton," and a ship flying a Dutch ensign.
Now commenced a race, that put them all on their mettle. As I have stated, they were sailing under easy canvas at first, that was nothing higher than a main topgallant-sail above their top-sails.
We first sighted the " Hesperus " and the " Thomas Stephens " about six miles ahead of us, and a Httle on our port bow, the other two ships came in sight later on in the day. The wind by this time was in sufiicient quantity to satisfy us, the " Sheila " had all sail on to the skysail, with the wind on the port quarter, and was going a good 16 knots. When they saw us coming after them, both of the ships put on more sail, and had great
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 97
difficulty in doing so owing to the high wind. The " Hesperus " lost her mizzen and fore royals in the process, and the " Thomas Stephens " a middle staysail, but we passed the both of them, the " Hesperus " close to, and the passengers gave us a cheer and waved their handkerchiefs frantically.
The " Thomas Stephens " was by then a- bout two miles ahead, and was seemingly sail- ing faster than the " Hesperus ", but we were after him. As I have said, we started with all on to the skysail, and if you will believe me " that w^as quite enough." But my crew and officers by this time were quite excited with the contest and wanted to do more. So I gave orders to set the port foretopmast studding- sail, and to be very careful about it. They managed to set it all right, after a fashion, (stopping the whole sail up length-wise first) ; but when set it was neither high enough up by the head, nor far enough out by the sheet to do much good, but we all hurrahed, and felt good in our hearts, especially when we passed the " Thomas Stephens," and we had all overhauled and passed the Yankee and the Dutchman. The Yankee was making shocking bad steering of it, a fine looking wooden ship, with her white cotton sails, but we gave her a wide berth. Now as to our British competitors, we were contesting against two of the most celebrated clippers of the day. Well I think, for me to be quite fair to them, they might have had a better chance against the " Sheila " if they had started the race mth the corresponding sails
G
98 THE CWPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
we had on, but we steadily and persistently outsailed them by about two knots an hour, and we soon lost sight of them astern — and then took in the studding sail.
That was the commencement of our big run to make easting in the brave westerly winds, or gales rather. The first sails to be taken in were the higher staysails, and the balloon jib ; they were big ones, made large under my direction, my argument being that if they could be set at all, she could carry them big.
You may depend I was watching carefully before I took them in ; the masts were bend- ing to the enormous pressure, and the stays sagging. Towards night we had perforce to take in the skysail, the fore and mizzen royals, and a couple more staysails, and as the ship was now nearly running before the wind, the jibs were not doing any duty, so we took them in. " We were in for it now." With all the wind we wanted, and plenty more com- ing up behind. . . . And the Captain was smiling at last. . . . There was a high follow- ing sea, and the " Sheila " lumped it in merrily.
That day we did 328 knots to noon but it was not a full day, as we only com- menced to run heavily the evening before. We intend to do better than that if this glorious west wind will hold, and I was going to take it out of the " Sheila " for all she was worth.
Next day at noon we sighted Gough Island ahead — a mighty rock of an island
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 99
sticking right out of the sea. We passed it to the south of us half a mile off ; there was a brigantine lying hove-to to leeward of the island, I expect in attendance, as seals fre- quent it. We were going at our tremendous best at that time, and I can imagine what they thought of us on board ; we were going seventeen knots, when the heavier winds would strike us, and we had on the sails for those heavier winds — ^when the gusts would pass she would slow down to about fourteen knots for a while. Anyway, we made three hundred and forty-eight knots that day.
On the 15th we had to take in the main royal, and fore and mizzen topgallantsails, to save the spars and yards for another day. We were going sixteen knots all that day. With an enormous sea running, the " Sheila " was making bad weather of it ; too deep and too stiff, the decks were continually full of water from rail to rail, careering along the deck and banging heavily against the front of the poop, and at times overtopping that obstruction to its course. But she was steering beautifully ; a child could do it as far as the strength required. I was afraid, though, of the front of the poop giving away to the pressure, so we managed to rig a breakwater with spars and deals to protect it ; a risky job, but we did it, with a liberal number of abrasions and healing balm of tots of rum. I was glad, though, when the job was finished, as some of my fellows were nearly drowned ; they hung on like limpets to a rock, when the seas would cover them, and come up blowing.
100 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEIIvA "
But I was for carrying all the sails the spars would bear, and I did not want to be beaten by the seas coming on board. We made three hundred and sixty knots that day.
On the 16th we managed to make a Httle more sail, the seas running so-called moun- tains high, but more regular. We had to make, and take in sail, several times on the 17th, but we were giving it to her good. " Roaring 40's, indeed," we made another three hundred and sixty knots this day, and passed the meridian of Cape of Good Hope in lyat. 45 S., forty daj^s out from the Clyde.
On the 18th we made about the same, or three hundred and fifty eight knots ; and on the 19th we capped the lot, although the wind was lessening. We clapped on all sail, even to the port fore topmast studding sail, and I believe at times she went twenty laiots that day.
Anyway, she made by observation three hundred and sixty-six knots, or an average of three hundred and fifty-three knots a day for six consecutive days. That was going it — yes, but it took some doing. As you may think, I was on watch all the time, night and day, for in such stress, the least mismanage- ment, or error of judgment, would be fatal — " Tory done, one time," as the West India niggers say.
I suppose I did get a wink of sleep occa- sionally ; if so it was behind the dodger lashed to the mizzen rigging. The mates afterwards said that I did, so it must be true ; I don't know — only that I was utterly done
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 101
up. But I was young, and the excitement kept me going, and I was soon quite fit again and ready for another bout. I was made by my wife to take plenty of food — the steward saw that I took it, and so reported to her.
In the foregoing I have only told of the bare facts of the distances run day by day ; the thoughts and experiences in accomplishing it are almost past description, as they varied minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day.
But there is a wonderful fascination in watching a noble ship, sail driven to her utmost speed, in a driving gale of wind, and the most enormous seas in the whole world of waters ; watching her, as a more than usually high sea comes towering down on her, with its crest breaking and tumbling in a mass of dangerous foam. There lies the most danger, in those breaking crests. They can only be avoided by careful steering, and as it were, tooling the ship along. See her now, as one towers up following her ; up goes her stern until the crest arrives and passes, with a liberal donation of sea tumbling over the rails to career along the deck — a small ocean, sufficient to float a coasting schooner ; then down goes the bow with a plunge at an angle of thirty degrees, and apparently goes strug- gling up the other side. This is only faintly describing what happens when the sea is a regular following one, but often there is that awful cross sea to contend with (a relict of gales from other directions), which, as the ship rises on to its crests, seems to be en-
102 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
deavouring to twist and curl her to destruc- tion.
And then, almost equal in thrill, is watching the strain on the sails and spars, and in the great ocean highway down south, this goes on, seemingly, for ever.
We were now in Lat. 44'' South, and Long. 33.30 E. In six days we had travelled two thousand, one hundred and eighteen knots through the water, by good observations. Now a nautical knot, or mile, differs from a land mile ; the nautical mile, or knot, is six thousand and eighty feet, as against a land mile of five thousand, two hundred and eighty feet, so our travelling, if it had been com- puted in land miles would be two thousand, four hundred and thirty-nine miles, or an average of four hundred and nine miles per day. I should like to know if that record has ever been beaten by any craft, whose only means of propulsion was by sails. I doubt it — notwithstanding the claims put forward in that direction by Captains of ships in Maury's journal of voyages to Australia in the gold rush days of the '40 's. I had that book with me on board. Anyway, I had a magnifi- cent clipper ship built all for speed under my feet, and everything good and new about her ; and by this time well-tried. We had given her all the canvas and pressure that her masts and yards would stand, and nothing gave out ; I had the vessel as it were in the palm of my hand, to do as I liked with her, and a fair chance to do it, for there was next to nothing to fear in the way of coming across vessels
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 103
bound in the opposite direction — a terror sometimes by night. This sea is the great highway to the East, and all are bound east ; the only risk of collision was the chance of running into another ship's stern, proceeding the same way, but not going so fast. We had sighted only three ships in the run, and those in the night time. One we did give a pretty close shave to — that is why I have mentioned the risk ; we must have been sail- ing about double his speed. One of the others, I think, was the " Tweed," as she had a very long poop, and was carrying passengers bound for Melbourne ; she set a few extra sails to try conclusions with us, but we soon dropped her out of sight astern. We were bowling along sixteen and a half knots with all sails set, and a topmast studding sail. The latter I must admit was a bit of swank, and just as we got abeam of her the halyard block on the topsail yard arm broke from the strop. The whole business came down on the run, and also broke the yard and boom ; that was just at daybreak, so she had a full sight of it, and I daresay commented thereon freely.
As you may expect, during all that six days' run, every soul on board was on the qui-vive. The crew on watch were for emer- gency sake located in the hospital house, ready for instant call ; they were all right and comfortable there, as they had the bogey fire lit, and the place was used generally for drying their wet clothes. The boys were on the poop with the officer of the watch, " a stand-by man " the lee side of the wheel, and tiller relieving tackles rove.
104 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
My wife had a nervous time in the saloon, with only poor old Mora and I/isa Jane for company, but the steward was at all times within call, and she gave no trouble. But it was the first time in her life she had experi- enced such a time, and when it moderated somewhat, and I brought her on deck to witness the waves, she was truly astonished, as these seas have a clear fetch of the ocean all the way from Cape Horn to Australia.
Since passing Gough Island, I had been taking a restricted great circle track, to save longitudinal distance, so we were running along the parallel of 50' S.
CHAPTER XVII.
" what care the mariner for gales ?
There's music in their roar. When wide the berth along the lee,
And leagues of room before Ltt billows toss to mountain's height,
Or sink to chasms low, The vessel stout, will ride them out.
Nor reel beneath the blow."
P. BENJAMIN.
We had about two days of moderate weather after the run, with the wind unsteady in direction, but it enabled us to examine and look into matters. We had done no damage, bar the studdingsail gear, and that does not count. We wedged up the spars composing the breakwater and altered it a bit, making it ascend from the main deck to break of poop at an angle of 30 degrees ; the seas when they raced along the main deck coming in contact with the breakv/ater would rush up pell-mell on to the poop, not conducing to our comfort thereon, but we had to put up with that, and I am convinced that it saved the front.
The ship, as I have said before, was loaded too deep and badly loaded at that ; the rolling seas as they overtook her poured over the iron bulwarks in enormous volumes, rushing in and out the relieving ports. The latter were a source of anxiety to me (especi- ally when my men were at work the first time erecting the breakwater) ; they were four feet square, and if a man should lose his holdfast, and be flung in their direction with
106 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
the sea and the roll, out he would go into the sea with never a chance of rescue. So the first thing I did was to get Chips to make gratings and fix them securely. But one peculiarity of the ship was the seas used to come on board mostly to the after part of the main deck, or from abeam the main-house to aft, and so to the poop ; the deck at the fore end would be quite dry — good for the crew !
When I asked the boys how they got on in their quarters, Gardener answered, with his aristocratic voice : " Oh, sir, my bunk is in a complete state of moisture," and that expression stuck. Poor boys !
One bad thing happened. We had a three thousand gallon main drinking water tank in the lower hold connected to the main deck by a lead pipe and brass flange with screw top, which, being removed, a pump was attached. The third officer, after drawing the water the last time, had neglected to screw the flange tight enough ; so salt water got down and filled it, and rendered the fresh water in the tank unfit for use. There was about two thousand gallons of water in it, and the only other water we had, was a small two hundred gallon tank in connection with the galley, which was supplied from the main one, and a little in the four hundred gallon condenser tank. We had only about three hundred gallons of water in all, and it would have been a serious matter for us, but very fortunately we were fitted — as a coolie carrying ship — with an exceptionally heavy condenser, so we had to get that under weigh and replenish.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 107
Well, to resume, on the 22nd, just as I was thinking of edging my way up to the northward to get into fine weather again, the weather changed and looked ominous, with the glass very unsteady and jumping badly. The next day, out of a clear unclouded sky and brilliant sunshine, suddenly, with a terrific squall, the sea all around was a mass of foam and spoondrift. It came on to blow a gale of hurricane violence, and was soon accom- panied by an awful cross sea running from North to East ; the worst wind was East — our course being E.N.E., it was a dead head wind for us.
I knew we were in for a bad time, but I was fortunately prepared for it, under re- duced canvas. I took sails off to main and fore lower topsails, fore stay-sail, and storm main stay-sail, and brought the ship to the wind on the port tack, hove to, to ride out the gale. But the seas were awful, pouring on board this time fore and aft, in such immense volumes as to be of the utmost danger. I feared that my decks would be swept of everything on it, and she flung herself up to windward into the sea so terribly I was afraid also that I should be dismasted. The seas by now were making a clean breach right over the ship, and the wind getting worse, if possible, with a very low barometer, 28.6. Fortunately only the day before, not being satisfied with the berths assigned to the boats on the skids, I had them stowed bottom up- wards and as close together as they would stow amidships ; and I assuredly believe,
108 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
if that had not been done, I should have lost them especially those on the after skids ; as it was, the seas would come down ker- wallop on them.
Night was coming on, I knew I could trust the ship to scud well if I could only dare to hard up, but it was a perilous thing to do, and wanted a lot of nerve and handling to put the ship into the trough of such a sea as was then running. I was a very anxious man, I can tell you, before I made up my mind ; but if ever a man was, to quote a saying, literally " between the Devil and the deep blue sea," I was that man. I was in desperate extremity, not knowing what might happen ; but even a risk was better than lying passive, for a ship lying to is peculiarly helpless. On board practically you can do nothing but wait with patience on events, and also I never liked the idea of lying to.
Everybody was at his station, hands at the braces ; even if it meant getting nearly drowned, they were told to hang on. Watch- ing my chance, which was a long time coming, in the interval of the breaking seas and a big one that had just tumbled on board, we shifted the helm hard up, and set the reefed foresail simultaneously. FeeHng its effect her head commenced to pay off beautifully, when the chain tack snapped with the tremendous weight of the wind ; the weather clew of the sail flew up in the air, and thrashed and thrashed itself to destruction ; finally about one third of the sail left bodily, and took to itself a flight which apparently coilld only end
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 1C9
when it fouled the South Pole. My men did all they could to save it without avail, but happily the rope fore sheet held good, so we had about half the sail to leeward " goose- winged " (and it was a brand new No. 1 canvas foresail, only bent ten days). The loss of the weather side of the sail affected her a bit, but she paid off ; but in doing so she shipped an awful sea, assuredly the heaviest weight of water I have ever seen fall on a sliip's deck in my life. She was full from end to end, and it made her reel and stagger, but like a thing of life she shook herself free, and stood up to her punishment nobly. My men at the braces got the full benefit of it, but as I told them at the first they had to stick it, as their job was to follow with the after yards as the ship paid off before the wind, and when off before it to square the fore yard. But nobody was hurt — ^well, not much !
When she was dead before the mnd we took in the foresail and jib and all the sail we then had on was the lower topsail and a small fore topmast staysail. The wind was still blowing a hurricane with an enormous sea, but she behaved better than whilst lying to. The seas were making a clean breach over everything, poop and all occasionally ; we were scudding N.W, — that is, opposite to our course, and just then I did not admire the sailing qualities of the " Sheila," as this losing ground would have to be made up. But there was one comfort, I knew by the very violence of the wind it would the sooner
no THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
spend itself out ; already it had shifted to the S E., and at 8 p.m. it flew into the South with rain and hail. But it seemed to blow even harder ; the sea all around was a mass of foam, and the force of the wind so great it would take and flatten off the heads of the waves. Everybody on deck had to hold on for dear life. The sky was clear again, and a strong moon showing was of the utmost comfort in our misery.
We were now scudding North, so not losing so much ground ; at 4 a.m. the wind went into S.W. and seemed to lessen in force, the glass being on the upward ten- dency, so at 6 a.m. I tried to bring the ship a little more to the Eastward on her course. This we succeeded in doing by careful steer- ing ; but we soon shipped an awful sea over her starboard 'midships, which came rushing along the main deck with irresistible fury, and in spite of our boasted breakwater, smashed it and stove in the starboard front of the poop, gutting out the second oflicer's cabin, also the sail locker. Poor Drake was in his bunk at the time, and arrived on deck not through his doorway, but through one of the broken panels. Though that side of the breakwater was smashed, I think it broke the heaviest force of the sea and so saved a worse disaster. The water got into the main saloon and did a lot of damage to stores, and the Captain's effects — and a bit scared the Captain's wife, whilst everything was all afloat in the cabins. I had enough of the experiment of hauling the ship up to her course, so I kept
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 111
her away again ; but towards mid-day the wind and sea lessened decidedly, the wind went more westerly so once more we steered our proper course. But it was some time before we could enlarge on our sails, as we were now ruiming into a head sea from the gale. It was an awful time, and undoubtedly proved disastrous to several ships. On my arrival in port I read in the " Shipping Gazette " amongst other missing ships, the names of the " Rooparell," and " Saint Enoch," both of whom we spoke on the 3rd of April, the first by word of mouth, and the latter by signals, and just as we were keeping off before the wind we saw a large ship about two miles off our port beam ; she was decidedly in difficulties, and had lost her fore topgallant mast and bowsprit. My mates told me afterwards that some of her yards were void of canvas. She seemed to be taking the weather even worse than we were, and also that she had made a signal to us, but they had refrained from reporting it, as they did not want to distract my attention. Well, poor fellows, in any case, however des- perate their plight might have been about that time, I could have done nothing, so great was my own need in that awful weather. I heard afterwards that it was one of the gales so greatly dreaded off the South African coast when they " come home," which is a local coUoquaHsm at Algoa Bay, Mossel Bay, East London, and other southern ports, when they do a lot of damage, principally by the heavy seas.
112 THE CUPPER SHIP "SHEILA"
Off this dreaded Cape of " Good Hope," ships encounter the heaviest and most danger- ous seas in the world — especially if you are caught just S.E. of the Agulhas bank, as it falls into deep water. The seas there are deep and short, as I once found to my cost in the " Mora." The ship was in very light trim, loaded with tea, from Japan bound to New York ; she was caught in just such another gale as this, and nearly stood on end in the short seas, which broke on board, over the bows and stern together.
There was a lot of controversy as to the actual height of waves ; the expression " the seas ran mountains high " is often made use of, but it is not so in fact. The actual height of waves has been variously measured ; some observers have claimed to have seen them over one hundred feet high, but from twenty to fifty feet is the average. The breadth of a wave is calculated at fifteen times its height, thus a wave four feet high is sixty feet broad ; the inclination of the sides of the Vv^ave varies, however, with the force of the wind, and with the force of the secondary vibrations in the water, which may interfere with the primary ones.
The travelling or speed of the waves is only apparent. It is like the motion of the wind over a field of ripening corn, or like the motion in a length of cloth shaken up and down. Floating objects on the waves do not change their relative positions ; the danger arises from the rollers and the breaking and tumbling of the wind driven crests. The
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 113
weight is prodigious ; Stephenson calculated that the sea dashing against the Bell Rock lighthouse had a force of seventeen tons for every square yard.
If the actual height of the waves was as much as some people imagine, it would be bad for a lot of low-lying coral islands, that come to the surface sheer up from the deepest depths of the ocean ; they would be com- pletely wave swept. But it is a grand sight, notwithstanding, to witness the giant rollers between Cape Horn and Australia. Even in a calm sea (and by-the-bye, that is the most comfortable time to see them) from the crest of one wave to the crest of another is from one to two miles, travelling at the rate of fifty miles an hour. That sort of sea is not to be dreaded ; it is the turbulent waves, and in the lurching of the ship into them, the water borne fabric is seemingly pitched bodily from wave to wave with nothing but void between.
After the storm, or rather cyclone, abated, we made all sail again as soon as it was possible. We resumed our passage, and soon turned north out of the high lati- tudes.
We had one more storm in Lat. 10. 30. S., Long. 83. 35 E. in the heart of the S.E. trades. At 6 a.m. we were engaged in crowding on all studding sails, as the wind was S.S.E. with an average high barometer 30' 20", when the weather suddenly broke up with a sulky look- ing squall, which was quickly succeeded by a gale. We took in sail after sail as quickly as
H
114 THE CUPPER SHIP "SHEILA"
all hands could manage it, commencing with the kites first ; and finally once again she was scudding before the wind, with only the main lower topsail and fore topmast staysail on her, as on the former occasion.
We were now in for a proper tail end of a typhoon. What, luck we were having, to be sure. The sea was breaking right over the ship fore and aft — and this time raining a deluge. The density of the rain made one gasp for breath, almost like being under water ; but it kept the tops of the waves from breaking somewhat, and we did no damage this time, as we kept the ship dead before it, which ever way the wind revolved.
The third officer, Hearne, was by my side aft of the binnacle, on the port side of the poop. We had hold of the skylight gratings, but he must have relaxed his hold ; anyway, a sea came on board over the taffrail and swept him clean along the poop. The helms- man shouted to me, " Mr. Hearne is over- board, sir ; " and in his horror he lost his presence of mind by dashing away from the wheel, fell himself, and was washed along. I was just in time to catch hold of the wheel and steady the ship, so preventing her from broaching to, which would have been fatal in such a gale and sea. It was 11 p.m. and as dark as Erebus at the time, and raining no end. The first I knew was the helmsman came back ; I would not let him catch hold of the wheel, but sent him to fetch another man and find out about Mr. Hearne. He came back with a man (which he did not
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA " 115
like), and said that Mr. Hearne had been washed the whole length of the poop and down the ladder on to the main deck ; he was badly bruised, but with no bones broken, though he was picked up in an insensible condition, having struck something with his head, en route.
I have mentioned before, a lot of trouble to me was caused by the ship having two hundred tons too much pig iron as cargo. I have frequently been asked w^hy, in the circumstances, did I not jettison ? Well, there was more than one reason why I did not. First, it was against my grain ever to do such a thing ; again, I thought of the character the ship would get, and I always hoped that if I got clear of this particular gale, it would be the last. I was running towards a finer weather latitude, as it ought to have been, lyastly and principally I thought of the danger there would be in the taking off the hatches to get at the cargo — a matter of sheer impossi- biUty with the seas that continually swept the decks in the height of the storms, and I firmly believe many a ship has been lost in this way.
CHAPTER 'XVIII.
The^ Bay of Bbngai,.
We reached the equator in the Indian Ocean on the 20th of May, in Long. 82 E., and after- wards got into fine weather — in fact too fine to please the Captain ; the wind was very- light with plenty of calms. The sailors also were light-hearted again, and there were concerts every evening and shanties on the slightest provocation. All hands were now busy cleaning, and varnishing teakwood touch- ing up paint, and tarring rigging ready for port ; " messing," my wife called it as it was being done, but she admitted it was worth it all when it was finished, especially when all the holystoning of the decks completed the job.
On the 25th we sighted the Indian land (very low), also seeing the Black or Jughernaut Pagoda, a prominent landmark ; and the next day came up with a Calcutta Pilot brig, and took on board Mr. Lindguist as pilot, his apprentice pilot, and a native servant, while I also engaged the tug " Hunsdon." The " Sheila " had thus made a seventy-nine days' passage from the Clyde. Further, we overtook and passed this day (to finish the job) the ships " British Navy " (my third officer's (Hearne) last ship), and the barque " Whittingham " bound to Calcutta ; both vessels sailed from Liverpool on the day the
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEH^A " 117
" Sheila " was launched, so we had beaten them thirty-eight days on the passage — not bad!
The last week coming up the Bay of Bengal the temperature rose steadily day after day, and on arrival stood at 95° ; it was very oppressive also, with a damp feeling, and altogether very trying to those not used to it. We rigged up a splendid punkah in the saloon as a comfort for Mrs. Angel, who was feeling the heat very badly. She was never- theless charmed with her first introduction to tropical scenery, and foliage, as it unfolded itself to the gaze on the banks of the Hooghly or Ganges — the dense vegetation and graceful looking palm trees. But she did not appre- ciate the (to her) wild looking natives, Babboo runners from Calcutta, who tumbled on board at Diamond harbour. They made her quite scared at first, as they were almost in a state of accustomed nudity ; she had not been used to that sort of scenery, or kind of Ufe.
At anchor in Saugor roads, the first shelter at the head of the Bay of Bengal, at the sea entrance of the river, and the swamp- like Sunderbunds, was a large American built wooden ship, the " Star of England," which had been there about fifteen months, owing, I believe, to some sort of trouble amongst the owners at home. The Captain used at times to land at the Sunderbunds, tiger hunting, the land about here being infested with the brutes. One day he landed about two miles to the north of the lighthouse,
118 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA "
and went into the jungle, leaving his two boys on the beach with the boat to wait for him. But the boys, boy like, thought that to pass away the time they would do a little stalking on their own ; and in doing it, were stalked instead by a tiger. They ran for all they were worth back to the beach and their boat, which they had just time and thought to turn bottom up and get under, when the tiger was along- side. He could not get at the boys who kept heeling the boat over whichever side their enemy approached ; who would have won in the end is only conjectural, but fortunately their predicament was seen from the light- house by the keepers. They pot-shotted at the tiger, did not bag it that time, but drove it off. Tigers, although so fierce at times, are timid at others ; and fortunately for the boys, this one hesitated to leave the gloom of the jungle for the open beach just long enough to let the boys get a start, whilst they did the right thing — if they had attempted to launch the boat the tiger would have bagged them for sure.
The head of the Bay of Bengal is a delta cut into numerous rivers and creeks to let out the waters of the Ganges through its tributaries, and from the Brahmapootra on the east to the Hooghly rivers on the west, extends to about two hundred and thirty miles. The so-called land of the Sunderbunds reaches back some forty miles or more, cov- ered with dense bush and worthless trees ; the land looks cultivateable, but it would be impracticable to do so, for if a cyclone comes
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII<A " 119
along, it is liable to inundation by the sea ; in normal times it is only a few feet above tidal level, and some land is always swampy. It runs out into tongues of sand, and this is significant ; on nearly every one of those tongues of land, just back out of reach of the sea waves, the Government have built shelter houses for any that are ship-wrecked, con- taining, beside essentials to maintain life, notices in several languages, not to attempt to penetrate inland, notwithstanding hearing cocks crowing, for this might mean only the presence of fowls that have escaped from their owners further inland.
The whole land is infested with wild beasts and venomous snakes, not the least amongst the latter being water snakes, for they are all poisonous, and are known to climb up the chain cables of ships riding at anchor and appear on deck. There are also scorpions, tarantulas, enormous spiders, ants of innumerable species — although the smallest not the less annoying — alligators and sharks in the water, and mosquitoes, gnats, and bats, etc. in the air, so that you can see the Sunderbunds is not a delectable paradise.
The alligators are frequently found close to Calcutta, and as one of the acts of religion of the Hindoos is apparently to end life by drowning in the holy Ganges, and also to consign the bodies of their dear departed to the said holy river, the alligator gets many a free meal. But speaking for myself, I wish the people who so consign the dead bodies to the
120 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
river would so contrive, that those bodies would steer clear of ships' moorings ; for it is a disagreeable job to clear them away — especially when they are truly ripe.
Now, as we had arrived at our destin- ation, all the sails were furled harbour fash- ion, the sailors shantying at their task.
Shanty : " So Early in the Morning." Chorus. Hoorah . . . and up she ri . . . ses, Hoorah and up she ri . . . ses. Hoo . . . rah and up she ri . . . ses, So early in the morning.
Solo. What shall we do with a drunk ... en sail ... or, What shall we do with a drunk ... en sail ... or ?
Chorus.
Solo. What shall we do with a drunk ... en sail ... or. So early in the morn . . . ing ? Chorus.
Solo. Put him in the cala . . . boosh, until he gets so . . . ber ; Put him in the cala . . . boosh until he gets sober.
Chorus.
Solo. Put him in the cala . . . boosh until he gets sober, So early in the morn . , . ing. Chorus.
Shanty : " Johnny Boker." Solo. O . . . do my John . . . yBoke , . . r, come
rock and roll me o . . . ver. Chorus. O ... do my John . . . y Boker . . . do . . o
THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEII.A " 121
And the following goes fine in bunting up a square sail. The leading shanty man is never at a loss in improvisation, as the time and occasion calls for it.
Shanty : " Paddy Doyle." To . . . my , . . way ... a ... y ... ay ... ah . . We'll . . . pay . . . Paddy . . . Doyle . . . for . . . Ms . . . boots. Repeated.
CHAPTER XIX. The Source of the Ganges.
" None has seen its secret fountain, But on the top of Mouris mountair Which rises o'er the hills of earth, la light and doud it has its mortal birth."
— R. SouTHBY.
The scenery of the river Hooghly is not very interesting until after passing Diamond har- bour, when the elevation of the land rises a little and shows signs of cultivation. Then you pass numerous native villages, and on approaching Garden reach, large jute and cotton factories in full work, whilst on the starboard side further up is the King of Oude's palace, or rather a congeries of large villas surroimded by a wall. One of the largest of the villas was dedicated to a huge colony of pigeons ; the keepers cleaned out the house twice a day, and that operation was in pro- gress as we passed. There seemed to be thousands of birds, all obeying the motions of a baton wielded by a man on a balcony ; it was a very interesting sight to see the birds on the wing swirl, twist, rise and fall in unison, and when the baton dropped the whole mass of birds streamed like a liquid into the small open windows. It greatly amused my wife. The King of Oude was kept there a political prisoner on parole, a remin- iscence of the mutiny ; an easy restriction, especially in the number of his wives.
THE CIvIPPKR SHIP " SHEII.A " 123
We discharged our cargo at the jetties, and towed down and moored off the Eden gardens in-shore berth, Strand (Maidan) to put up our coolie fittings, and await the opening of the season, on the 1st of September. It was interdicted for sailing ships to leave Calcutta before that date, to avoid, if possible, bad weather in the Bay of Bengal and off the Cape of Good Hope, so we had to make our- selves as comfortable as possible here for over three months, and it gave us plenty of time to explore the neighbourhood.
But first, owing to the great heat — which yV' most times even at midnight and in houses ^«^ built to resist it, would cause the thermometer o to register 100° — the ship was now covered in all over with canvas awnings, doubled on the poop and forecastle. Also I moved my wife ashore at the invitation of a kind friend, to a beautiful house in the Chowringie road, one of the best in Calcutta. My host was a Government official filling a high position, so we were of all people very fortunate in having such a friend. The houses in Calcutta are built with very thick stone walls and all chunam — or as you would call it, with con- crete floors — the former heat resisting as far as possible, and the latter to frustrate the ants, which otherwise would soon make a meal of a wooden floor. All the furniture, except that which is made of a special ant- resisting wood, is stood with the legs in receptacles of water.
The menage is carried on thus : Chota hazra, or little breakfast, consisting of a cup
124 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEII.A "
of cocoa or tea brought to your bedside by a native servant at six o'clock ; then a second breakfast which is a very substantial meal of many courses, after which the gentlemen of the household depart for their business ; they have tiffin at one o'clock in their offices, and come home in the evening after a ride in their carriages, to a mighty dinner at eight o'clock.
The houses, shops and offices, in the hot season of the S.W. monsoon, are specially protected from the heat by cus-cus, a species of rushes, in bundles, placed on top and out- side the doors, which are constantly kept wet, if the doors have to be used. Inside immense punkahs are constantly being swung by coolies ; in later years electric fans were introduced, but they are not nearly so efficacious.
In private houses it seems as if the outer doors are kept hermetically sealed in the day time, and the punkah kept going day and night. But from five to eight o'clock in the evenings is the great time in Calcutta, for then the rank and fashion, and everybody that can, turn out in his own carriage, with Indian coachmen and Syces, they seemed to try how they could outdo one another in splen- dour and ostentation, as they drove up and down the Strand in full view of the " Sheila."
There is without doubt no place in all the world to equal Calcutta in that respect. Here would come a great Indian Prince with his retinue ; then a Rajah ; a Zemindar ; a Parsee ; a high class Babboo, dressed all
THE CLIPPER vSHIP " SHEILA " 125
in white, with a wonderfully made turban ; then the " King of Oude," and a small army with him — -all these in native dress. It was simply past describing, as each was dis- tinctive. Then would appear the Viceroy of India, and his semi-regal staff ; next the Governor General — all must not be outdone by the grandest, representing, as they do, the British Raj. Then the Merchant Princes of India ; high Government officials ; lesser officials ; prosperous European merchants, the quieter residents, and visitors to India ; it was an endless procession, miles in length. All, with the exception of the natives (who, when their caste forbids, do not show the females of their households), were accom- panied by ladies dressed in the highest fashion.
My wife either went with our friends in their carriage, or with me in mine. This sort of show goes on every evening, but more especially when the Viceroy and his court is in residence in Calcutta ; this is only on rare occasions in the S.W. monsoon, as most times in the hot season the court is held at Simla.
I have mentioned that one of my boys was named Beresford ; he was of the family of De-la-poer. In the Viceroy's entourage was a cousin. Lord Marcus Beresford, to whom the boy had letters of introduction, so he asked leave to go to Government House. On his being ushered in, he said, his cousin was very nice and kind to him — " I should say he was " — told him to come again, and on his leaving " passed him a family joke," and a
126 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
present of fifty rupees. The boy returned back on board delighted, and got Mr. Caie to grant leave for the day to the other boys, six of them.
That evening they all appeared in the grand procession, on top of an antiquated leather hung four horse coach, and lorded it with the best. You can depend upon it, Beresford was at the reins (I was going to say " at the helm "), with the coachman and syce stowed away inside. They were the observed of all, including their Captain ; but I was really highly amused at the young rascals, and as they were most decidedly enjoying themselves, I had not the heart to mar their fun, and feigned not to see them. But in such goings on, the rupees were soon melted.
One of the institutions on the river is the native bum-boat, selling all kinds of fruit, such a^ the boys had never before seen or eaten — guavas, mangoes, sapodillas, man- gosteens, and of course bananas, oranges, with a lot of other sorts.
We had to caution the boys against eating to excess, and happily there were no ill effects. But their bunks were a sight with the mixtures ; for bunks are used as receptacles for all manner of things. I used to give them at times a little money ; but I found out that some had rather too much, sent to them, either direct from kind and indulgent aunts and parents, or through me. But I drew the line when the remittance took the shape of enclosing in the letter to me, five shillings
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 127
worth of English penny postage stamps for the dear nephew, or son — as if they were worth anything in India ! — and would I, etc.
We also allowed the boys to interchange visits with boys in other ships, and mutually got up nice concerts ; they had also great times on board with the native jugglers, whose performances are very clever, consider- ing the limited and primitive properties.
But we had, in their own interest, to keep a tight hand on the boys in the matter of shore leave in Calcutta, for Calcutta, aye, and other Indian and Eastern seaports, have an evil repute. It is a deep reproach to our Government that it, not tacitly, but openly, allows sinks of debauchery and prostitution to flaunt itself in a quarter in Calcutta as- signed to them. These licenced brothels, named " the German barracks " are, as its name implies, carried on by Germans, who systematically address letters of invitation to new comers ; and the wording of the letters is cleverly insiduous. They were sent to my boys and officers by name.
We took frequent excursions by carriage about Calcutta, that great city of palaces, and visited the famous Bazaars, Radah, and Burrah, exploring all the mysteries of the stalls, and making frequent purchases. When you can cope with the native seller's cunning, you find that he will at first ask five or six times as much as he will eventually let you have his goods for — and then he has done you !
I have spent as long time as a week of
128 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
daily calls, in the endeavour to beat down a seller to my offer. I got it in the end. He would come down a little every day, with hands clasped and uplifted. He would go down on his knees and kiss your boots if you would let him, protesting all the time ; but when all this by-play was over, and you had got what you had been bargaining for, he would salaam, Burrah Sahib, washing his hands with imaginary soap, and invisible water, with the slightest little twinkle in his eye — for after all you may be sure that he has done you ; you are not his equal at that kind of game.
And the smells ! Not that the natives are dirty — far from it — but there is that indescribable penetrating scent, most dis- tressing to new-comers, that can only be summed up as Eastern, and which in a little while you seem not to notice. In all the bazaars or native shop selling quarters it is their fashion that the various goods and commodities are strictly kept to their own quarter, thus if you want to buy boots, there is the boot quarter where all the stalls sell boots and nothing else. It is the same with clothing, brass ware, jewellery, curiosities, food, etc. The stall holders, when they see you coming, start up from their recumbent positions, chattering to you most vociferously as you endeavour to pass. It is an amusing experience.
The only bazaar that in any way departs from the general rule is the most celebrated in the world — the " Radah Bazaar." It is a
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 129
most cosmopolitan affair, got up decidedly to sell everything to the world at large, and the British in particular. Here is the land of the obsequious shop-keeper, yclept " Hindoo Bab- boo." As the song runs :
The Bengalee Baboo.
I very good Bengalee Babboo,
In Calcutta a long time e-stop ; Ram Jam Tundah Ghose my name ;
In Radah Bazaar I keep it e-shop. Very good Hindoo, smoke my hookah, (native pipe)
Eat my dhall-hat every day ; (pan-cake)
Night time come, make plenty poojah, (fun)
Hear Nauch-wallah on tom-tom play. (dancing girls).
Chorus. Kautch-per-wanee, good time coming ; (never mind)
Sing Britannia rules the waves. Jolly good-e-feUow, go home in the morning —
Babboo how he can make slaves.
(2). Sub Sahah logue, come my shop look now (stop sir)
Very good thing got, you shall see. Not money want-it, give long credit.
Then Sahab pay me plenty rupee, Come inside ... I very poor man, Sahab ;
Something buy from me, I pray — Bito — I tell you what thing got now, (sit down)
I sell " you " very cheap to-day. Chorus.
(3). I got pens, Belattee sabon, (Foreign)
Overland paper, hair-pins too, Pencils got, and very good watch guard,
Pocket knife . . . (Rodgers) I e-speak-ee true.
130 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Macassar oil, and very good key-ring,
Sola topee, one rupee ; Cashmere shawl, second-hand portmanteau,
Guava jelly, and Assam tea. Chorus.
(4). I make very fine shirt for you, Sahab ;
NiUen front . . . see . . . proper fit. Four rupees each, nillen very dear, Sahab ;
One rupee buy very small bit ; Coat and trousers, I give too, now ;
You send pattern, I very well make. Better than Belattee durzie ; (tailor)
I . . . how can make one mistake ? Chorus.
(5). Bye and bye make very long journey,
Cross Kalla-panee I shall go, (black-water)
In Balattee country travel,
There I make one very big show, Everybody give nice presents, read big books.
Then long time think ; Little time make good ci\il servant.
Eat beef-steak, and sinipkin drink, (champagne) Chorus.
(6). I then come back to Calcutta,
Not keep shop . . . how then can do ? Famine relief . . . give five rupees . . . then,
Everybody say . . . What kind Hindoo 1 Then some great man give me lesson.
All day long in chair I sit, Keep nice carriage, get member of council.
Star of India, then must get. Chorus.
(7). Last week I get invitation, First-class ball, must go and see,
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 131
I then put on very best cuprah, (clothes)
Everybody . . . look at me. Plenty of lights, very good tamasha ; (entertainment)
All night long make music play, Smoke cigars, drink plenty of simpkin ;
Not go home 'til break of day. Chorus.
(8).
Then Sahab say . . . Come, Babboo . . . dance now,
Very fine gallop this for you ; I say . . . No . . . excuse me . . . sir,
That bobbery for me can't do. 'Spose I want dance, hire nautch-wallahs (dancing girls)
Give five rupees, and plenty get. I think gentlemen must be mad,
Make nonsense jump up and down like that. Chorus.
(9).
Then vSahab say : Babboo, take supper.
I say yes, of course must do. Young Bengal must have his Khannah, (food)
Eat mutton chop, and Irish-e stew. Every Sahab he then turn waiter.
Hand 'round plate in foolish manner ; I say . . . ahra . . . you got kitmitgar, (waiter)
Why not make him bring the khannah. Chorus.
(10).
Every Sahab then wait on lady ;
Of course I can-not do less. Then I upset two, three custard,
Spoil one lady's new silk dress. Mem-Sahab then get very grossa,
Tell me quick . . . Jow . . . you leave the place (gp) Called me then, one stupid guddah, (fool)
Mustard pot throw in my face. Chorus.
132 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
(11).
When Mem-Sahab see I first-class Babboo,
She say, excuse, I make mistake ; Then Sahabs say. Come . . . Babboo . . . drink now
Very good punch for you I make. Then we all sat down together.
Make sing-song 'till dayHght come, Take plenty pegs, get Httle mudwallah, (drunk)
Then in Palkee must go home. (chair carried
by cooHes) Chorus.
" Note." — Belattee means foreign country, or England. Anglicized into BUghty. — D. Carson.
And then the nights of that great city ; when the orb of heaven would sink out of sight under the horizon, and the temperature would begin to be bearable, and Hfe also to be worth living.
The ship was moored abreast the cele- brated " Eden Gardens," a favourite resort of the higher class white residents, and their children, the latter in charge of Ayahs in their picturesque costumes. In the evenings, when the trees would be lit up with innumer- able fairy lights it looked like what its name represented ; and on its lake were two boats, " Adam " and " Eve," which were a joy to the children. A first class military band played every evening until eight o'clock, when all the pedestrians gradually cleared out, going home to dinner.
One day we drove to the beautiful Zoological Gardens, kept in splendid order ; on another day we took the carriage over the not beautiful bridge of boats — a disgraceful
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 133
structure over a dirty river, but the only means of communication between Calcutta and its opposite shore at Howrah — and took a long drive down the river bank to the Botanical Gardens at ShaHmar. There we found a truly wonderful assemblage of plant life of tropical growth, in fact everything that could grow in the tropics is shown in be- wildering profusion ; it is beyond my pen to describe a tithe.
The Curator asked, " How would you like to see our hothouse with its collection of ferns, and cactus grown under artificial heat ? " " Hot house ? " I said. " Could an3''thing in plant life live in a climate hotter than this, with the thermometer standing at from 97 to 100 degrees in the shade ? "
" Come and see," was the reply. " As to ferns, in some species or another they are found all over the world, each indigenous to its locality, and when submitted to more warmth and moisture, they improve and develop wonderfully."
In this case, in the Shalimar hot-house, under terrific heat and moisture, the ferns were amazing ; and it was the same with the cactus ; most extraordinary and comical most of those looked, calculated to raise a laugh from anybody that had any risible faculty about him. But in going through, we had to make a run for it, for fear of collapse ; it would never do for new-comers, but we were getting seasoned, and were all dressed in tropical fashion. But, phew ! however they can get even the natives to^take on^a job like that is surprising.
134 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
After a very interesting visit we started on our homeward journey, and when about two miles on our way were caught in a rain storm, a " north-easter " so called, preceded by a dust storm. And such dust ! People in carriages have to close everything up tight, and it is the same in the houses. Fortunately, in the dust storms the temperature comes down by the run. The rain, when it arrived, was accompanied by heavy thunder and Hghtning, and came down in a deluge ; in a short time the land, being quite flat, was inundated, and the flood rose steadily, until first the axles were under water, then the body of the carriage, and finally the occupants had to pull their legs up on to the seats. A little more and we should have been all afloat, horses and all ; we could do nothing but stick it. It was a reminiscence of the water in the saloon of the " Sheila " in our storm, but for choice I would prefer to be here anyhow. The poor villagers as we passed them were in comical plight, with all their goods and chat- tels drifting away along the roads ; but happily for them, their usual clothing being of the scantiest, a wet through was no dis- comfort. As we drove along, the weather cleared, the water subsided, and it only made us wet through — and late for dinner.
CHAPTER XX.
In the middle of July we broke out of tier, towed above bridge, and moored off the Government Salt Golah's at Sulkea. The import of salt into India is a Government monopoly and subject to a heavy duty, so it is bonded in warehouses, unless the duty is paid ex ship.
The two ships that were moored in the tiers with us also left, bound for London. They were the " Greata " and " Red Gaunt- lett." We chaffingly told them that we should look out for them at sea when we left. Later on in this tale you can read the sequel.
At Sulkea we were moored for several days right opposite the Hindoo burning ghaut, which place had a great and peculiar attraction for my second officer, Mr. Drake. The burning of the dead bodies takes place in the evenings as soon as it is dark ; Drake would perch himself up in the tops, and from time to time we on deck could hear that he was getting excited — muttering and growling and shouting that the wretches were burning live people. He declared that he could dis- tinctly see the victims sit up on the pyre, and then the attendants would hit them on the head with a billet of wood, and make them lie down again. Poor Drake said that he could hear them supplicating, and the atten- dants swearing ; anyway, whether the atten- dants did or did not, we could distinctly hear
136 THE CLIPPER SHIP "SHEILA"
Drake swearing, which was against all the rules of the ship. All that Drake said he saw or heard was sheer imagination, but, nevertheless, it was a gruesome sight, and I was not sorry when we went into the graving dock to examine and paint the " Sheila's " bottom, which is done at the builder's ex- pense in a new ship. The Ghauts are landing steps on the river bank, and some are very imposing structures.
Having finished with the graving dock, we again moved down the river and moored in our old berth, opposite the Eden Gardens, to load. We took on board as cargo one thousand tons of upland rice, called mooghy by the natives, quite a dark coloured cereal ; the Indians much prefer it, as being more nutritious than the white rice used in England, which is lowland or swamp rice.
As the flat plain lands have been inun- dated in the rainy season, and the waters are subsiding, just sufficiently to allow of wading in the mud up to the knees, the sowers, male and female, with a basket of rice seed (called paddy) slung from their necks, scatter the seeds on the water ; it immediately sinks, and in a few days germinates, giving rise to the Biblical expression, " Cast thy bread upon the waters, and it shall return to thee after many days." Rice is the staple article of food in the East for many millions of people, and is their bread. Casting the seed, as I have described it, is necessarily a wasteful method, and a lot of after thinning out has to be done ; it is now mostly sown in plots,
THE CUPPER vSHIP "SHEILA" 37
and when the land just shows above water and is ready, it is transplanted by hand, plant by plant — a nice muddy job, and the trans- planters, male and female, go back to the primitive nature costume of the Garden of Eden, without the superfluous fig leaf.
Our carpenter and his helpers had been very hard at work. They had repaired the sea damage to the front of the poop, put up all the Coolie fittings on the 'tween decks, and the latrines on the main deck, and generally got the ship ready for her living cargo. When completed it showed up the advantage of the " Sheila " over the old type of Coolie carrying ships, that were not built for the express purpose, but adapted to it — somehow.
The 'tween decks were the full length and beam of the ship, viz., two hundred and forty-five feet long, thirty-eight feet beam, and seven feet high, with no obstructions whatever, save central iron stanchions to support the main deck, and the masts, lower- hold ventilators and pumps ; there were no 'tween deck hatch coamings even, those having been sacrificed to general utility, so all the hatches were caulked down level with the deck, with the exception of those neces- sary to get at the reserve water and stores.
We had on board three thousand, six hundred gallons of water, in ninety tanks, three thousand in main tanks, eighty-five tons of coal, and two hundred tons of mis- cellaneous provisions, so that the ship when laden had about one thousand, three hundred
138 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
and fifty tons weight on board. Nice sailing trim for me to see what I could do this time, to get the speed that was in the ship out of her, and not to swamp her as I did so fre- quently on the passage from Glasgow with those " dry goods."
Before dropping down the river to the coolie embarkation depot at Garden Reach I gave my men general leave for the day. They all had had occasional leave from time to time, but this was special, to attend a native Babboo's wedding. They were to bring their own music — "And they did!" Hearn went with them, and he describes the Tamasha.
The native taste for music is peculiar to European ears. The more din and discord, bang and clash, as much of the big drum, or tom-tom, as strenuous arms and hands can get out of those instruments of torture, the more the applause. Hearn said his crew worked at it like Trojans.
They had a procession through the native quarters, largely representative. The poor little bride and the fat Babboo husband were stowed away in a big resplendant palanquin, carried shoulder high by bearers, who, in their peculiar swinging gait, seemed to grunt out, " Heavy beggar, heavy beggar, let him drop, let him drop, heugh ! " The whole tag-rag of the neighbourhood was after them yelling and shrieking. Our men were treated as honoured condescending guests, and given plenty to eat and drink ; Ileam said they would never forget their experience, at times they didn't quite know what would
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 139
happen next, and at the end were glad to get out of it. I spoke to my own particular Babboo about it next day, but he only laughed and said it was all right ; it was their way, a little bit too much " mud-wallah," he sup- posed— mud-wallah being the native equiva- lent for getting drunk.
And now came the time of worry and trial for me. I had for the last fortnight, seemingly, to be everywhere all at once, examining stores, attending endless surveys of all sorts. There were miles of Government red tape, enactments, and exactions, meeting you in the face every way you turned. I was continually rushing from one end of Calcutta to the other — in my carriage fortunately — and that with the thermometer 100 degrees in the shade. You could not call it taking things coolly.
Happily everything comes to an end, and on the 28th of August, all things being ready, we dropped out of tier down the river, and moored alongside the debarkation depot. Dr. Chapman, senior medical officer, came on board with his luggage and took up his quarters. He had arrived from London about a week before, and had been in atten- dance at the depot.
On the 30th of August we embarked our quota of Coolie emigrants, four hundred and twenty-one men, one hundred and twenty women, and eighty-five children, making six hundred and twenty-six souls in all. There were two native doctors, Gug Mahon as senior, and Essen Mitter as junior. We
140 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIyA "
had also stowed on board five hundred head of various poultry, forty sheep, four pigs, and a Bramah cow owned by Essen Mitter, to take as a present to the priest at Trinidad. He had taken a bull and cow on a former voyage, but the cow had died en route. The Bramah breed of cattle are never killed by the high caste Hindoo, but are considered sacred, and as such are worshipped.
At daybreak on the morning after the embarkation, the tug " Bombay " towed us away down the river from where we had anchored off the depot the evening before. My men once more lustily gave voice to their shanties, as the anchors came up from the mud of the river, glad at the prospect of once more getting into the purer and cooler atmos- phere of the bay of Bengal. In the afternoon we anchored off Fultah point, owing to lack of water to cross a bar until midnight, when, it being a moonlight night, we weighed anchor again and proceeded. As a rule the pilots object to move in the river Hooghly in the dark ; it is a very dangerous river to navigate, the sand banks are constantly shifting, and consequently the pilots are guided by land- marks which have to be constantly attended to.
Shanty : " So Handy My Giri<s."
(1). So hand . . . y . . . my girls, so hand . . . y Why can't you be so hand . . . y O . . . hand . . . y, my girls, so hand . . . y.
THE CUPPER SHIP "SHEILA" 141
(2). For we are outward bound, you . . . know ;
Hand . . . y, my girls, so hand . . . y. O ... up aloft that yard must go . . .
Hand . . . y, my girls, so hand . . . y.
(3). Yes, up aloft that yard must ... go,
O . . . hand . . . y, my girls, so hand . . . y ; For Mister Mate he's told . . . us so . . .
So hand . . . y, my girls, so hand . . . y.
Shanty : " Whiskey." O whiskey is the life of man . . . O whisk . . . ey,
John . . . nie ; I'll drink whisk . . . ey when I can . . . O whisk . . .
ey John . , . nie.
Whisk . , . ey is the life of man, O whisk . . . ey,
John ... nie I'll drink whisk . . . ey from an old tin can. . . *
O whisk . . , ey, John ... nie
Whisk . . . ey gave me this broken noee. O whisk . . . ey
John . . . nie.: O whisk . . . eymademepawnmydothee. O whisk...
ey, John .... nie.
Whisk . . . ey here and Whisk . . . ey there. . . O Whisk . . . ey for my John . . . nie.
Shanty : " Poor Paddy Works on the Railway." O in eighteen hundred and for . . . ty one My cor . . . du . . . roy breeches I put ... on.
Chorus. To work up ... on the rail . . . way, . . . the rail . . . way, . . , the rail . . . way. I'm weary of the rail . . . way, . . . the rail . . . way. . . .
142 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Solo. In eighteen hundred and fort . . . y . . .
two . . . I did not know what I should do. . . . Chorus.
Solo. In eighteen hundred and fort . . . y . , ,
three I sailed away across the . . . sea. . . .
Chorus.
Solo. In eighteen hundred and fort . . . your . . .
I landed on Columbia's . . . shore. . . . Chorus.
Solo. In eighteen hundred and fort . . . y . . . five .... When Daniel O'Connell was . . . a . . . live. Chorus.
Solo. In eighteen hundred and fort . . . y . . .
six . . . I knocked off work, and carried . . . bricks. Chorus.
In eighteen hundred and fort . . . y . . .
seven . . . Poor Paddy was thinking of . . . going to
heaven, . . .
Chorus.
A very good hoisting shanty — plenty of go in it.
CHAPTER XXI.
Head the ship for England,
Shake out every saU, BUthe leap the bUlows,
Merry sings the gale.
Captain work the reckoning.
How many knots to-day ? Round the world, and home again,
That's the sailors' way.
— W. Cunningham.
On the 1st of September at 4 a.m., we let go the tug, and set all sail off the buoy at the tail of the bank (Gasper Channel). The pilot had left us previously, so we were again at sea and on our passage. With an augmented crew — ^now forty-five all told — and with the CooHes, doctors, etc., we had a total of six hundred and seventy-five souls on board. My additional crew I had picked up as opportunity occurred in Calcutta ; they looked all right, but I could see that they were not so good as my old crew, and that could not be expected — ^unless you get men that have been left behind, say, through being in hospital, those which you pick up, as a rule, have been in some trouble, or they would not be so stranded.
We spread the " Sheila's " wings once more ; though this time loaded under my personal supervision, I was sorry to find we were trimmed by the head, and drawing sixteen feet aft, and seventeen feet, nine
144 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
inclies forward, but I hoped as the heavy stores (coal and water) got used up, she would come into better trim.
We had a competitor to tackle in the " Lhassa." She was about our own size, a new ship also, belonging to an opposition line, and bound with Coolies for Demerara. She was considered a smart ship, and also expected to beat the " Sheila " — so the Captain was instructed. She was about five miles ahead of us, with every stitch of canvas on her that she could carry ; she got away from us the previous night, as her pilot did not anchor, while ours did, being timid. Also we had in company the clipper ships " Battle Abbey," " Golden Fleece " and "City of Ningpo " — all three noted ships for speed ; so we were in for it to start with, as all three of their Captains had been boasting.
The wind and weather on leaving was a moderate S.W. monsoon, hazy with a souther- ly swell ; at night a bit better breeze. At daybreak next morning the " Battle Abbey " and the "Golden Fleece" were hull down astern, so they were disposed of. There was no sign of the " Lhassah " ; I think she must have gone around in the night on the port tack, as the wind being dead ahead, with a strong northerly current, it was as well on one tack as the other ; or perhaps, I concluded, he did not want to keep our company, and try conclusions with us thus early in the game. The " City of Ningpo " stuck to us for two days, the wind being very light, only going about eight knots ; but on the wind freshening
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 145
to twelve knots, we passed and dropped her out of sight astern.
It was a God-send to leave Calcutta in the S.W. monsoon with all that number of Coolies on board, and have a few days of fine weather to start with, so as to get the poor wretches accustomed to their new surround- ings, and ease up the sea-sickness, which otherwise they would have to endure. On subsequent voyages, leaving at the same date, I have been towed from the Sandheads to sea in a veritable gale of wind ; the tug towing us bows under against the heavy head seas. You can imagine what an experience it must be in such circumstances ; before the tug lets go the rope, one has to make sail to keep the ship from being driven back, and as fast as possible, press on all the canvas the ship can stagger under, to get sea room, as it is all a maze of sandbanks to leeward. So you can imagine how I appreciated my present bit of luck. But we were to get it later on.
On the 4th we got down to lyat. 17' N., I^ong. 86 E., when the wind freshened, at first from S.W. We were in the monsoon, and the usual weather was on us — a strong gale drawing into South, heavy squalls of wind, rain, and a turbulent sea (hatefully short and choppy). From now onwards, we had an exciting time, and we put the " Sheila " on her mettle. It was thrash, thrash, thrash, tack for tack, to make southing. We had to give her every inch of canvas she could stagger under, grudgingly taking in sail by sail, as the weather got too bad, and gleefully giving
J
146 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
it to her whenever there was a chance. We would tack as often as there was any advan- tage in doing so — night or day, watch below, or watch on deck — making good use of my double crew, and though I wore them out, they never whimpered, but entered fully into it, specially when they could sing out " Sail in sight, right ahead, sir; going same way; " and we caught up and passed her.
Sometimes in beating down the Bay of Bengal, against the south-west monsoon, in the squalls the wind will fly into N.W. and blow harder than before for an hour or two ; on such occasions, if you are able to stand it, it will give you a chance to steer due south, and is taken full advantage of. But this time we had no such luck ; the wind kept persistently at south, with an occasional veering to S.W. — especially when nearing the Andaman Island group. Their proximity was not comforting, as they are extremely dan- gerous to approach on the west side, and we often had to make a losing tack to keep clear of them ; but we did not sight them, being always nearest to them when on the star- board tack at nigh ttime — ^which again was not comforting.
Three days before leaving Calcutta, the ships " Reigate " and " Crossbill "—both into my agents — left ; and on shaking hands with me on parting, their Captains chaffingly said they wished they were going to leave on the tame tide as the " Sheila " (very safe to say that, as they knew the date we were going so leave), as they also would give me a
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEHvA " 147
dressing down with their ships. We kept a good look out for them, you may depend, but it was a forlorn hope, and we had many a disappointment. But on the 10th at 10.30 a.m. we fell in with the pair of them, about seven miles ahead of us. " Dressing down, indeed ! " They caught sight of the " Sheila " tearing after them, and crowded on all the sail they dared in the gale that was blowing ; but at 12.30 we had passed the " Reigate " close to leeward of us, lying well over and nearly burying herself under the pressure of her sails. The " Crossbill " was then two miles ahead, and a bit to windward, close hauled ; and he kept it so in his attempt to keep me from passing him to windward, so I had in sailor's parlance, to go in for a luffing match, and pinch the " Sheila " up ; but as I luffed, he luffed, and so it went on. I fre- quently got as near as a hundred yards from him, but always to leeward, so he kept me from passing, and we would drop back. But at last in dropping back, I caught a fluke of wind, or something, and came up like a race-horse, passing him to windward two hundred yards off — and in the passing becalmed his sails. When she dropped astern and caught the wind again in a heavy gust, her big boom jib blew into tatters ; and I believe it sprung her main-topgallantmast and yard, as he reduced sail rapidly. On looking round, we found that in our luffing match with the " Crossbill " the " Reigate " had forged ahead again, and was now five miles away, two points on our port bow. We were soon after him again ;
148 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
he tried to escape by tacking, crossing our bows three miles ahead. But he was not to be allowed to get clear of us that way, and after- wards to boast that he had passed the pair of us, and perhaps not state under what cir- cumstances he had managed to do it. So as he tacked, we tacked ; and it was a game that we could play at better than he could, as my men had been so well drilled, and were quite excited at the contest. It was blowing and raining all the time, with a nasty sea running ; we were carrying nothing above the main and fore top-gallant-sails, with the mizzen top-gallant-sail furled, and it was as much as we could do to hold on to what we had. But in two hours of this sort of work we crossed his bows on the starboard tack, close to, and gained the victory ; the second time, as we passed him, he, like the " Crosshill," took in sail and eased down, and we soon dropped him out of sight astern.
That kind of racing game is very exciting whilst in progress ; mind, it is big powerful ships we are dealing with here, and not yachts in a regatta — mere to3''s in comparison, that are built entirely as racing machines.
On the 16th we beat down the Bay, out of the monsoon limits in Lat. 7' N. Long. 92 E. and a hard beat it was — not a slant in our favour from first to last. Now we entered the doldrum region again, between the monsoon and the S.E. trades ; calms, squalls from all points, and copious rains. Here one of the male Coolies attempted suicide by jumping overboard ; we rescued him by
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 149
lifeboat, and on enquiry found the cause assigned was jealousy.
On the 19th several waterspouts were about, and a big one crossed our bows, rather closer than was comfortable. It was a weird looking phenomenon ; some of the water fell on our decks, but happily not to do any harm, as it is quite possible. The suction and hissing noise attendant is very curious.
On the 20th we crossed the equator in Long. 89 E. and entered the S.E. trade winds on the 23rd ; light wind, fine weather, and smooth seas. We had b^^" this time got the coolies well in hand ; and from being a rather poor emaciated-looking lot of creatures on embarkation, under the influence of care, and the best of food, they were already putting on flesh.
The doctor and his assistants looked well after that ; the food was supplied at the cost of the ship, and doctors were paid at the port of delivery for all the souls they delivered alive. The English doctor, being senior (that is, he had made at least five voyages in the trade) got paid a guinea per head, with a first class passage provided by mail steamer from England to Calcutta, and on the completion of the voyage a first class passage back to England by mail. He had his meals at the Captain's table ; and it was stipulated that he had to be supplied with a pint of good wine, and a quart bottle of ale or stout daily, with good well-fed poultry for dinner on at least five days a week. Also he had charge of unlimited brandy and rum as medical stores ;
150 THE CI^IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A1"
so if he had been so minded he need not have done badly ! Of course we all fed equally well, and that accounts for the large number of poultry of sorts we started with ; we had a multitude of dishes on the table, equal to a first class hotel on shore.
The coolies had their own cooks, in strict accordance with their caste or faith, though caste is in a great measure broken by the mere fact of their leaving India and coming to sea or calle pannee, as they name it. They con- sumed a great quantity of rice and curry, which they mixed fresh from ingredients we supplied ; a much appreciated meal was a curry of boiled rice and fresh mutton, or in lieu thereof tinned mutton (of which we carried a large quantity), or preserved fish. On three days a week they each had three, or sometimes four, chupatties for dinner in lieu of rice ; a chupatty is a pancake made of flour and ghee (a native butter) baked on immense steam heated iron plates — fancy making two thousand and upward of those ! Then they were given kedgeree of fish, and lots of various vegetables, pumpkins, potatoes, shalots, etc. They had two good meals a day, and if they were at all seedy, or off colour, special treatment and food — plenty of port wine, extract of beef, chicken broth, condensed milk, and a host of good things, so they ought to have been fit. The ship also supplied clothing, which at first did not amount to much — about three yards of calico for the males, and five yards for the females, as the latter draped their one gar-
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 151
ment over the shoulder, right or left ; but when getting in the vicinity of the Cape of Good Hope, a large woollen blanket as extra precaution against the cold was served out to all of them.
For the first six or seven weeks out there are always a number of cases which give the doctors a good deal of anxiety. The trouble is caused chiefly by the unaccustomed food, and too much of it ; their stomachs, and their forebears' stomachs for many generations, have not been used to such stimulating food. This continues from about forty-five to fifty days on an average — or until the ship is about due to arrive at St. Helena — but from there onwards for the rest of the passage they pick up wonderfully, and veritably, like the fat boy in Pickwick, " they wisibly swell," finally arriving in port in the pink of con- dition, fit to go at once to the plantations. In that relation lies the advantage of a sailing ship over a steamer ; the steamer, if she is a full powered one, beats the sailing ship by just the last fifteen to twenty days, which is the most critical time ; and usually on arrival has to send a large contingent of her coolies to hospital for treatment, where they do not get treated or looked after so well as on board ship.
The oversea carrying of coolies was in accordance with an exact system, arrived at by experience. To every one hundred adults four sirdars and four topases are appointed ; the former acting as police, the latter being responsible for general cleanliness. At the
152 THE CUPPER SHIP "SHEILA"
completion of the voyage, they were given a special gratuit}^ for good behaviour and gener- al fitness in carrying out their assigned duties. That is the answer to the question, " How did you guard against possible treachery, with so many native Indians on board ? " It was the sirdars who saw to that ; also — for our hold on the countless millions of our subjects in the Indian Empire was largely due to a native characteristic — that if three men plot together, there is generally a race be- tween two of them to give the other one away. We looked to the sirdars and topases, of whom we had forty-eight on board, to pre- vent quarrelling or plotting mischief, and the coolies were encouraged to keep themselves amused in their own fashion. This mostly resolved itself into tum, tum, tumming on their small drums — the same sort of affair that I have described in the doings at the Babboo's wedding. The tunes they get out of those tom-toms, to European ears, is most dreary, tuneless, and monotonous ; but the natives at times work themselves up to a high pitch of excitement — dangerously so, as we had bitter experience in the Mutiny. It is said, and with truth, you can always fathom the thoughts of the native mind by listening to the performers on their tom-toms, and then act accordingly.
The coolies for mustering purposes were cleared out of the 'tween decks three times a day when the weather was fine ; if not fine, they were rounded up at one end of the 'tween decks and counted.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 153
Their assigned quarters were, unmarried females right aft, married and children amid- ships, and unmarried males right forward. They all slept in bunks raised eighteen inches above the deck, and twice a day all the decks were holystoned with " prayer books " and fine sand. Every fortnight whitewash and disinfectants were liberally used, and the whole ship was kept spotlessly clean.
CHAPTER XXII.
' We abuse without limit the heretic one. While he bends to the image, or Icneels to the sun ; We must interfere with all other men's creeds. From the Brahmin's white bull to the Catholic's beads. But heaven, like Rome, may have many a road That leads us direct to the wished-for abode. And a wise exhortation, in Christians' prayers. Would be — " Trouble your heads with your own affairs."
— E. Cook.
The emigrants were of mixed religions, and truly pious. There were no professing Chris- tians among them, and after a large experi- ence all over the world, I say, why should there be ? The so-ealled Christians I have come in contact with are so only in a per- functory sense, through early training. And as for missionaries, I do not believe in them — and that is " That." They interfere too much, and have been the cause of endless friction with the governments of the countries they intrude in ; they are discourteous in the mere fact of their interference with an estab- lished religion, perhaps as good as their own, and oft times better ; and when they are hurt, they squeal and cry out for reprisa s. I think there is a big field open for some of those native, priests to come home here as missionaries, for we are grand object lessons at the present time.
The coolies on board professed Brah- minism, Mahometism, Confucianism, and were all very devout, believing sincerely in the faith as taught to them. They were a pattern
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHBILA " 155
in this to our unctuous, bumptious, so-called Christians ; nothing, neither time nor place, will prevent the Hindoo or Mahometan at certain hours, from going down on his knees and, as I have said, devoutly praying to whom he thinks it is right to pray to, in the open streets, or the roadside, or on shipboard. It is a sight to make one pause and think, when you see the poor coolie stop working — say, at discharging coals, for which he only gets in our money value, four pence half- penny a day — and bow his head in prayer for ten or fifteen minutes. Do you not think he believes in whom he is praying to ? Surely then, he should not be disturbed or dis- couraged— until such time as we can point to our own so-called horney-handed sons of toil doing likewise.
In contrast to such simple worship, pay a visit, as I have, to Calcutta's great cathe- dral— and I am mentioning that place only as an illustration. On entering, that which first catches your attention is the great number of heavy punkahs hung from the roof, swing, swish, swish, swish in unison ; the motive power being supplied by the Hindoo punkah- wallah, or coolie, at the end of the aisles, who crouched on his haunches against the wall, is pulling and slackening a rope. There is the highly paid European choir, singers and soloists, and the grand organ ; not much simplicity about all that — it seemed to me all form and formality. On leaving the church, you have to assemble under an immense portico for a kind of church parade, and
156 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
witness the carriages constantly arriving, taking up their occupants and departing in an endless stream ; if you are not ready as your carriage comes abreast the steps, it has to pass on, and you have to wait its next appearance. Yes, I may hear some say, but have you not heard of the bigotry, intolerance, and awful cruelty by those simple worshippers you mention, to those not of their faith ? Yes, all right, but are the speakers cognisant of our own history ? When stones are being flung about, whose glass windows are likely to be broken ? Experience as a sailor perhaps makes me speak somewhat bitterly on the subject ; but all I ask is for a little more charity — and an open mind. All rehgion is superstition, and faith ; there is nothing proven.
But this theme is not getting along with the voyage, which is the main purpose of this book.
So far, we had been saiHng through the Indian Ocean in very beautiful weather, but sailing close hauled to the wind on the port tack. The wind was a long way too far south, and we were not lying our true course ; so could only carry our ordinary sails — no kites or studding-sails. On the 30th of September we sighted the island of Rodorigues, in Lat. 20 S., Long. 63' 20" E.— a small island belong- ing to England — and another waterspout, but this one well clear of us. We saw also a stray albatross. We had some baffling winds from here — not bad weather, but approaching thereto, with the barometer low (30-26) and
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 157
jumping — and a heavy southerly swell de- noting bad weather down that way. On the 3rd of October we were close to the islands of Mauritius, and Reunion ; in fact I had to tack ship to clear them. It is most unusual for vessels to be so deflected from their course as to sight these islands coming from so far east as the Bay of Bengal, but such was our luck. There was plenty of thunder and lightning about, but no rain, and I was a bit anxious, as this position is notorious for cyclones of awful destructive violence, and they had not had one for some time. The saying is about these parts (as it is in Japan about earthquakes), if they do not coine along frequent and regular, they are afraid that something is going to happen ; however, as you may depend, I was taking advantage of every opportunity to get along, and could do no more.
But it was a break up of the fine weather. That is the worst trait of a clipper ship ; when you are enjoying a fine weather region, she will not stop in it long enough, like a dull sailer. And now we had quite a spell of bafHing winds and weather to the parallel of the south end of Madagascar, with heavy sulky squalls, in which we broke — in three different squalls — main and fore topgallant yards, and flying jibboom, but without losing the sails. After that we had again a v/eek of fine weather, but a very heavy head sea, indi- cating bad weather off the Cape of Good Hope — something for us to look forward to !
Up to this date we have had three deaths
158 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
amongst the coolies — all through stomach complaints — and three births, a very good average so far, and no signs of epidemic.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Ax Calcutta several of my boys and crew had possessed themselves of various kinds of musical instruments. Consequently we had quite a band on board, and on every available opportunity they got up concert parties, singing playing and dancing. Two of my boys, Wilson, and Gardener, had been taught the violin in their school days ; and the doctor, an accomplished musician, was de- lighted with his class of pupils. I encouraged them all I knew, as it conduced to a good ship's company, and made the men happy and contented. For, being a coolie ship, a lot of exceptional things had to be done, and some were nasty and disagreeable. One thing was the scrubbing all the upper deck, poop, etc., every morning at 4 a.m., and squeejeing them dry by 6 o'clock, ready for the coolies ; and frequently at night times there would be rows with the coolies for their dirty habits amongst the coils of rope on deck. But as regards musical instruments, the violin looks an innocent enough thing to handle, with not many strings to learn to play, but poor Mr. Caie used to find that it was not so easy as it looked. Under the doctor's tuition he worked hard at it, but the faculty was not in him, I suppose ; still, he was a persevering beggar, and stuck at it. Being a Scotsman his learning piece was of course " Highland Laddie," and he would go scraping at that piece for hours, getting no
160 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
further ahead than the eternal " Highland I^addie — 'E'eland laddie-heuch," etc., until he would get upon our nerves, and I would send a boy to him with " my compHments." Perhaps, under very careful coaching he might get a little further ahead, say, a bar or two ; but if again left to himself he would get stuck as before. Still, he was happy, and he used to believe that if he could not get ahead as a learner, he was a dab hand with the baton as a conductor.
Since crossing the equator we had seen very few ships coming our way ; we saw them coming up from down south bound to Indian ports, and three, a long way to leeward (like ourselves) near Mauritius, but too far off to signal. I was in hopes of coming across some of the homeward bound Australian clippers to have a try with them, but began to be afraid there was very little chance of that, until I got into the vicinity of the Cape.
We had been taking advantage lately of the fine weather to get everything about the ship, her gear and rigging, in good order for a probable tussle to get around the Cape into the South Atlantic. A lot depends upon the ability of the ship to carry on sails to the last extremity ; and one complaint I had to make against the ship's outfit was that the chain supplied for halyards, ties, and sheets, was not to be depended on. It kept breaking, and it was through that cause I had lately lost the two top-gallant yards and flying-jibboom ; so where a larger size could be rove we were doing so.
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 161
But now came along a competitor in the " Cutty Sark," Captain Wallace, from Wham- poa (China) bound for New York, with general cargo, mostly tea. She first appeared at daybreak, about five miles away on our port bow, ahead of us, with the same sail on that we had — that was, nothing higher than the three top-gallant-sails, as it had been very squally in the night. We set the royals, and most of the stay-sails, and were after her ; she did the same, and as we increased sail, she followed sail for sail, until we both had all plain canvas on the ships. She seemed to hold her own for a long time, and also it was problematical which ship was going the faster ; but anyway, it was a pretty race, although not in the best of weather for it, being far too squally. We had frequently to stand by the royal halyards, and pull down the higher stay-sails, which we set again directly the squall would pass. We were going a good sixteen knots at times, with the lee rail under, but when the squalls would ease up, slow down to twelve knots ; we were close hauled to the wind, two points off our course, so not at our best. However, in the afternoon we had closed up to the " Cutty " within speaking distance ; the Captain said that he was going to call at St. Helena, and would report that the " Sheila " was coming along after him ! ! ! The next morning she was still in sight, but six miles astern. But, anyhow, she was the nearest competitor to tying us up we had come across yet ; I should have liked to do a bit of hard running with her in company.
K
162 THE CivIPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
Shanty : " Blow the Man Down." Solo. O blow the man down . . . Bui . . .lies,
blow the man down.
Chorus. Way . . . ay . . . blow the man down. . . . O . . . Blow the man down in Liver . . . pool town. . . . Give a man time . . . to blow the man down,
(2). As I was a . . . walk . . . ing down Paradise . . .
Street . . . A saucy young . . . Bobby I hap . . . pened to . . . meet.
Chorus.
(3). Says he . . . you're ... a Black . . . bailer by the
cut of your hair. I know you're a Black . . . bailer by the clothes you wear.
Chorus.
(4). You've sailed in a pack . . , et that flies the Black . . .
ball, You've robbed some poor Dutch . . . man of boots clothes and all.
Chorus.
(5). O Bobby . . . O Bobby . . . you do me great . . . wrong . . . 'm . . . a Sandbach Tinne sailor man . . . just home . . . from Hong Kong.
Chorus.
Shanty : " Blow . . . Boys . . . Blow." Oh . . . blow my boys. ... I long to hear you . . .
Blow . . . boys . . . blow ; Oh blow . . . my boys. ... I long to hear you . ..
Blow my bul . . . ly boys, blow. . . .
THE CUPPER SHIP "SHEILA" 163
Shanty : " A . . . Roving." Solo. In Amsterdam there lived a maid. . . . Mark
well what I do say. . . . In Am . . . ster . . . dam there lived a maid . . . And she was mistress of her trade. I'll go no more . . . a . . . rov . . . ing with you, fair . , . maid. . . .
Chorus. A rov . . . ing ... a rov . . . ing
Since roving's been my ruin, .... I'll go no more a rov . . . ing . . . with you, fair . . . maid. . . .
Solo. I put my arm a , . , round her waist. . . .
Mark well what I do say, I put my arm a . . . round her waist. . . .
Says she, " Young man, you're in great
haste." I'll go no more a ro . . . ving . . , with you
fair maid. . . .
Chorus. A . . . . roving . , . a . . . rov . . . ing. Since rov . . . ing's been my ruin, I'll go no more a rov . . . ing with you, fair .... maid. . . .
CHAPTER XXIV.
"Away, away, what nectar spray she flings about her bow. What diamonds flash in every splash that drips upon my brow. She knows she bears a soul that dares, and loves the dark rough
sea; More sail ! I say, let, let her fly. This is the hour for me. "
— E. Cook,
And now we were fast approaching that point which has aptly been called the " Cape of Storms," otherwise " Good Hope." On the 8th we sighted the highlands at the back of the coast of Natal, sixty miles away, which we closed to five miles, where we had every indi- cation of bad weather ahead of us in the nature of a tremendous heavy breaking sea from the S.K. to S.W. and West. There was quite a large fleet of craft of various sizes and rigs in company, dodging under the land for shelter ; some a bit crippled as if they had run back, after a tussle, and all under storm can- vas. It was not looking very appetising for me yet. I signalled some of them ; they all reported very heavy weather off the Cape, and hard battering, and I knew that they must have had it so, by the seas from that direction we had experienced. Well, anyway, the winds that caused that sea must have passed ; so we cracked on all the sail we could carry, and in company with three fine ships, " Accrington," " Star of Greece," and " City of Madrid " we kept on. I fancy one other ship a long way astern of us, but coming along, was the " Cutty Sark."
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 165
On the 11th of October we got down to Lat. 35 10. S., Long. 29 E. or off the Algoa bay coast, which, however, was not in sight. The winds were mostly West to N.W. (against us) ; but although blowing hard, with an enormous sea, we pressed on, still in company with the three ships I have mentioned, but the one we thought may have been the " Cutty " was not to be seen. We had a very dirty time that day, and the coolies were ordered off the main deck. The other three ships tacked to get under the shelter of the land, and we lost sight of them — they had had enough. I stood on to make the best of it, as all the time I was putting the ship nearer to the AguUias current. When at 4 p.m. the wind flew into S.E. and South, a fair to a leading wind (wind, do I call it ! ! — dub it a gale, and a hard one). Here was a piece of luck, to get round the Cape, and I was not going to neglect the chance, so I put the " Sheila " to it once more for all she was worth. It had been blowing a gale from the N.W. previously to the shift of wind, with the Agulhas stream sea on, and it is only those who have experienced it can under- stand what that term can convey ; there can- not be anything worse — short, deep, and choppy, the sea seems to come up from the deeper depths in sudden lumps, and fling great masses on board at you in seeming derision. Before the shift of wind we had reduced our canvas down to nothing higher than our top sails, and I had been thinking of further reducing by reefing the upper top-
166 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
sails and furling the main-sail — the wind being dead ahead there was less than nothing to be gained by forcing, and the only object in view was to watch for a chance of the wind favouring us ; and now it had come, and with it our chance.
We had to go easy a bit at first when we squared away, for our bows were going into the head seas of the previous gale right under. It was a wondrous sight to see the new wind comb off the top of the old wind's waves, and dash them in the new direction ; and although we had a hard job to set them, being now running before the wind, as soon as practical we set the three top-gallant-sails, and the main-royal over, also the main and mizzen stay-sails, the wind having southerned a bit.
And now there followed the wildest time of my life. The ship fairly staggered at times under the press of the sail, going all seventeen knots as an average. The only easing she got was with the helm. The ship would seem to squirm as she rose on the top of a sea, and the rudder would give out an ominous vibrating rattle, but she was steering as usual, as easy as a boat. It was a wonderful trait, and of the utmost importance to me, as I knew what I could do with the ship if the spars and gear would hold on. She was answering to every spoke of the wheel, and nothing gave out. The wind, although heavy, was constant ; no squalls — or perhaps it was all squall — and for the most of the time a three to five knots an hour Agulhas current in our favour. We never budged tack, or
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 167
sheet, all that night ; if we had attempted it, we should have lost them sail by sail — they would have been blown to tatters in the process, before they could have been secured, and it would have been the same had I at- tempted to make more sail.
That night the " Sheila " scudded before it like a veritable thing of life. It was only a matter of whether we could hold her to it. We took not much water on deck, after the sea became true to the wind, and she was in better trim than on our outward passage from Glasgow with that cargo of " dry goods " ; but the sprays and spoondrift covered everything ; there was no rain, but up aloft our top-gallant-sails and royals were completely wetted by the drift, not- withstanding they were so high up.
At daybreak it was a wild sight we looked out on. We passed quite a large fleet of vessels in the early morning, and during the following day, all jogging along in our direction, and most under easy canvas ; none with anything higher than their top-sails. We passed them all as if they were at anchor, the " Sheila " flying past them ; they per- haps thought I was the " Flying Dutchman." I heard afterwards that some of them had been detained off the Cape, four and five weeks, by persistent head winds and bad weather, and that that was the first time the wind had changed to the S.E. I could guess that was so, as we had experienced heavy head seas all the way through the Indian Ocean ; and knowing that, was my principal
168 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
reason for taking all advantage of the slant to get around the Cape — more especially as the prevaiHng winds off there are from the westerly quarter, nine months out of the twelve.
By observation we had made a run of three hundred and ninety-four knots through the water in the twenty-four hours, and there must be added to that seventy-two knots of a current in our favour (Agulhas stream), which, turning knots into miles, makes a total of five hundred and thirty-six land miles over the ground, and it put us into Lat. 35. 20. S., I/ong. 19. E., or only thirty miles to the east- ward of the parallel of Cape Point, which we passed at 2 p.m. in sight, thirty miles due north, forty-one days out from Calcutta.
I doubt if my last day's work has ever been exceeded by a sailing ship. I can't see how it could be, for no ship could be pressed for so long with more sail, without carrying something away. The ship and all her gear was new, and by now well tried ; and I saw to it, by careful handling of the beautiful structure I had control of, she should give up to me the most she was capable of doing. She had, as I have said many times, splendid steering qualities, that could be depended on. I have been in ships where everything else was fair, but when pressed to run, they steered so badly, as to be dangerous ; and they would run up to a certain speed, but beyond that they would have to be hove to, to pre- vent broaching. Another characteristic of the " Sheila " was, there was no limit, seemingly,
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA " 169
to the speed you could get out of her, if you could and did put canvas on her to get it out — except what that canvas could stand without bursting, and the spars could stand in the matter of strain. There it is, where nerve and judgment comes in ; how far to go with safety. Some ships attain a limit of speed, and nothing you can do will get more out of them, steering or no steering, they have attained " Top Notch."
My wife told me afterwards that she spent an anxious time in her cabin with poor Mora and her cat for company ; she had never a wink of sleep, and said she felt at times as if the ship was being shot along. As to dear old Dr. Chapman — he used to be very fond of amusing the cooHe children with clockwork mechanical toys, and on last being used, the mechanism of all of them (and he had quite a number) got stuck ; but in the violent jerking of the ship, they fell off the shelves where he had placed them, and as they careered along the saloon floor, in the heavy rolling of the ship, the works got loosened and they all started off to dance and go through their several performaces. The poor old gentleman scrambled after them on all fours, and was awfully afraid I should be vexed and " think things " if in the midst of it I should suddenly come into the saloon, with those things going on and he on his knees — and I came down occasionally from the poop to study the weather glass, and reassure my wife.
Next morning I asked the doctor what he thought of the " Sheila " now. All I got out
170 THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHEII.A "
of him by way of answer was : " Hobbery, bobbery old craft ; she is not like the old ' Jorawhar,' " (his previous ship for several voyages — ^she had been a steamer converted into a sailing ship). " Well, doctor," I answered, " you can now boast that you never before travelled at sea so fast in your life." But that fact did not comfort him. He was a dear old gentleman, and it goes without say- ing a hint from him, or what would have been worse, an official letter of complaint, that he would have entered in his log-book that what I was doing was injurious to his coolies, would have squashed me an^^ time ; but he did neither the one nor the other. He was too old on the other hand, to enter into the zest of the racing, but I noticed that without any hint from me (which of course I dared not give myself) , he gave instructions to his subordinates to take all precautions with the coolies ; he could see by the pre- parations and the look of the weather, what we were in for.
The ship and her gear, as I have said, took no injury ; but in my cabin on a shelf, and over my two chronometers, amongst others, were four very large books, Maur^'-'s " Physical Geography of the Sea," Hors- burgh's " Directory," Nories' " Epitome," and a " Nautical Almanack." They came down, one after the other, like sledge ham- mers on the top of my two chronometers ! A nice job for me now taking lyunars, to find out if any injury had been done to their rating, or time keeping qualities (and I don't flatter myself) . I moved that shelf, you may depend.
CHAPTER XXV.
" It is the midnight hour, the beauteous sea,
Calm as the cloudless heaven, the heaven discloses.
While many a sparkling star in quiet glee. Far down within the watery sky, reposes.
As if the Ocean's heart were stirred With inward life."
— J. WlI,SON.
And now we are around the Cape, " rolling down to St. Helena," as the sailors sing in one of their shanties ; every mile run is a mile nearer fine weather, and the S.B. trades again. The wind took off in the afternoon of the 12th, and went into the West again with rain, finally veering into its old quarter, N.W. It was dirty looking weather, with a falling glass ; but I was around the Cape, though I had only just saved it with good luck. There was another thing, that which would have been a head wind a little further back and off the Cape coast, now at least enabled me to make Northing. I wondered if some of those vessels I passed under such snug sail got round for some time longer, and I con- gratulated myself for pressing on the " Sheila" for all she was worth when the chance came. We had now a day or two of adverse winds, once sighting the coast of Africa, off Saldanha Bay, and had to tack off shore, But on the 16th we got as far as I^at. 30. S., lyong. 10. E. and into beautiful weather again, studding sails of all kinds set once more ; but the wind was very light and the sea
172 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA "
smooth, but with us the everlasting rolling westerly swell all the way from Cape Horn.
There is no finer thrill in life's experience than the consciousness of man's superiority and control over nature's elements ; taking full use of a destructive force for your own purpose, making it your servant and sub- servient to you, and never allowing it to become your master. And in a sailing ship, under skilful management, backed up with a whole-hearted service of those on board, you have all this, and can work your will.
I have not hitherto said much about the sea birds. It is said of them, as it is of poor relations, they are aways apparent. At any rate the birds are apparent enough about here in astonishing numbers — the Albatross, that majestic king of all south sea birds, Molihawks, Petrels, and Cape Pigeons by the hundreds, besides a host of other sorts. The Cape Pigeon is a beautiful bird, and is ubiquitous — the first to appear and the last to leave ; they will attach themselves individually to a ship, and follow her for thousands of miles, or until the weather gets too warm for them ; they will apparently disappear for a day or two, and then a missing one turns up again. We had an instance of that this passage. A Cape Pigeon appeared and followed us from off the Rodridgues Islands the other side of the Cape ; it had an injured leg and could not tuck it up under its wing in flying, but it stuck straight down. It was conse- quently made a pet of by the ship's company, and it knew it, for in the early mornings it
THE CivIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 173
would fly in over the ship's taffrail and cry out to be fed. But in the stormy night and the heavy sea running off the Cape, it did not turn up the next day, so we thought that we had shaken it off by outrunning it, and that it had attached itself to some other ship. But no, it was soon in attendance again, and clamouring to be fed. Is that the homing instinct ? Perhaps, but, also, a ship is their great feeder, and we had lots of food for them. Albatrosses are huge birds ; they will soar for miles on end, with never a move of their great wings. They are easily caught with a baited hook, but I rather objected, or at any did not encourage their capture, as they are no good except for their feathers. The sailors make tobacco pouches of the skin of their feet. One we caught had a twelve foot spread of wings, and that was not the largest.
"vVe also caught another monster man- eating shark. This one, when pulled on deck, disgorged from her stomach twenty-four young ones about the size of mackerel, which, when placed in a deck tub of sea water, swam about in quite a lively manner, and amused the children immensely. The parent shark has the faculty of so sheltering her progeny ; fancy a cold-blooded cannibal like a shark having that instinct — that, and the immunity ot the pilot fish from being devoured by the voracious beast, passes comprehension.
The coolies and their children were all about now ; they also knew that all the bad weather had passed, and got quite fat and sleek. We had only two more deaths to
174 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
report, and two births, so now as to the number of souls we are equal, as when we left Calcutta.
Dr. Capman was quite happy, too, as he saw ahead of him a prosperous report and a corresponding number of guineas. He had an amusing habit, at which I could not help smiling. Of course in dealing direct with the coolies, you have to acquire rather more than a smattering of the native ver- nacular ; the doctor, whenever he spoke in the native language, would nearly always repeat what he said in English, thus : nichy-jow — go below ; tuum-jeb-deda — show me j^our tongue ; jeldi-carow — make haste ; suh-a- carow — stop a bit — and so on.
Poor Chunder had great trouble and anxiety in looking after his Zehu or sacred cow. It never prospered from the start, and did not take to sea life, notwithstanding all the attention and special diet it got. It was a standing joke, for, as the vessel approached the cold weather of the Cape, Chunder fairly fitted it out with a complete suit of clothes, made of blanketing. Its food was mostly gram, lentils, and hay, and I daresay helped out by medical comforts, so called. However, he managed to get it round the Cape, and was in great hopes of getting it as far as St. Helena, to procure a supply of green food, which was the general verdict of what it lacked, when my officers and boys got to chaffing, and told him (which was quite correct) that the animal was starving for want of green grass instead of dry hay, and
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 175
advised him to ask the driver, who was handy man at various trades, to make it a pair of green spectacles, so that when the hay was put down for it, she would think it was nice green grass and eat it with avidity. Chunder, good fellow, did not mind ; and it was a comical sight to see the poor beast dressed up in its habihments, supplemented by an im- mense pair of spectacles, and all hands en- deavouring to coax it to eat. But notwith- standing all that, the poor cow died all the same, and nearly in sight of St. Helena. The two native doctors took all the chaff in good part — if the cow did not — they were broad- minded enough for that, and laughed as heartily as the rest.
Before arriving at St. Helena we had one very special entertainment, commencing with a learned lecture by the doctor on " the eye." To assist this, at the last killing of a sheep for the cooHes (which was several days before) one of the eyes was kept for demonstrating purposes. It was high and even smelly, as it was placed on the table ; but the doctor was seemingly oblivious of that fact, if all the rest were not, and held forth in grand style. The audience was very orderly, and by exemplary attention earned a tot of rum, by my orders. Pheugh ! After the lecture came the concert, and general entertainment, programmes were prepared this time, and reserve seats provided.
On the 17th an alarm of man overboard was raised. We were always prepared for that ; and on the crew and coolies excitedly
176 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
pointing to a black looking object in the water some two miles astern, without hesitation a lifeboat was lowered from the davits and sent away. Meanwhile all hands were called to back the main-yards and at the same time all the studding-sails had to come in. By the time all this was done, the boat was nearly out of sight astern from the look-out at the mast-head, and we had to send two of the boys up on the sky sail yard as a lookout, for we were drifting all the time badly to leeward. I was very anxious and afraid to tack ship to beat back to them, for fear I should confuse the officer in charge of the boat ; but I knew — and was comforted there- by— that the ship could be seen by him (being a bigger object) even after we had lost sight of the boat. However, after I had taken off a lot more sail and further lessened the drift, I was relieved to see the boat come in sight again from the deck. Meanwhile we had mustered all the coolies on deck, to try to ascertain who was missing, when the boat came alongside and reported that they had picked up one of our small deck tubs that someone had carelessly thrown overboard — hence the alarm ! Oh no ! no one owned up to doing it. My boat's crew were a little bit off temper, for the sweat was pouring off them in streams when they returned ; it is laborious work pulHng a heavy lifeboat in the tropics. And then we had another job for all hands to set all sail again. As bad luck would have it, on the next day about the same hour, the cat, I^isa Jane, fell overboard. She was very fond
THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHEILA " 177
of promenading around the poop on top of the fife rail ; this time Mora made a playful jump at her, and the poor old cat slipped and was gone. Well, I couldn't risk sending away the boat again after yesterday's experience. The risk was too great, for if the least accident should happen even to the excited coolies on deck, I should get the blame, and be sneered at, about stopping the ship and all to rescue a cat. So that was the end of Lisa Jane, to the great grief of my wife ; and Mora was under a cloud.
Up to the 18th we had experienced light fine S.B. trades, running dead before the wind with all sails set, and all the studding-sails, wind savers, and " quiffs " we could carry on both sides. But now the wind increased, and drew more easterly with squalls ; so we took in all the port studding-sails, etc., but held on to those on the starboard side.
The doctor had it up his sleeve for me for his Cape experience, so about 2 p.m., my wife told me afterwards, he came down into the saloon quite excited, and said to her : " Come on deck quickly and see a bit of fun the studding-sails are all going to be blown away, yards, booms and all. All hands are trying to get them in, and can't manage it quick enough."
He was partly right. The wind had headed, and was blowing a fresh gale ; we had to point the yards forward, and in trying to get in the fore-topgallant studding sail, the sheet had stranded in the block at the studding-sail boom end, and the only way to
I.
178 THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHKIIvA "
save the sail was to send hands aloft on the upper top-sail yard to rig the boom in. This they succeeded in doing ; meanwhile, snap went the topmast studding-sail boom, caused by the yards being braced too far forward. The sheet could not support the boom with the strength of the wind. But we saved the sails, and a new boom was rigged and sails set again in the evening. The losses of booms do not count, and we had quite a supply.
But what vexed me most was, we were in company with the ship " Torrens " from Adelaide for I^ondon with passengers ; she was commanded by a namesake of mine, and was supposed to be quite a clipper also. We had been slowly catching her up all day, and would have been abeam of her in another half-hour, and I wanted to speak with the Captain, but the accident let her get a start again. I could not catch sight of her in the night, although I knew I must have passed her, and there was no sign of her in the morning. As we were steering the same course, I could only put it down, " One more to the ' Sheila.' "
On the evening of the 20th of October we sighted the island of St. Helena right ahead, seventy miles away. The sight was a relief to me, as I had had trouble with my chronometers after the accident, and a busy time constantly taking lunar observations. I had found, and corrected the rate ; the ship's chronometer from previously losing one second a day, altered to gaining five seconds a day, and my own chronometer from losing
THK CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHE:iI,A " 179
one second a day, to gaining nine seconds a day. It was a large alteration, though nothing alarming as long as you knew it. But taking lunars are nice bits of figuring — " an exact science in practice."
CHAPTER XXVI.
" He who of old would rend the oak
Dreamed not of the rebound ; Chained by the trunk, he vainly broke —
Alone . . , how looked he 'round ?
Thine evil deeds are writ in gore,
Nor written thus in vain ; Thy trivunphs tell of fame no more,
Or deepen every stain.
Then haste thee to thy sullen isle.
And gaze upon the sea, That element may meet thy smile,
It ne'er was ruled by thee." -'*'
— Byron.
We anchored in St. James roadstead, St. Helena, at daybreak on the 21st of October, having been hove to the most of the night before to windward of the Island, in company with a lot of vessels of all rigs and sizes. We had evidently caught up to a batch that had rounded the Cape before we did ; some re- ported dreadful weather, and that they had been five and six weeks detained off the Cape. At anchor within hail of us, arrived that morning, were the ships " Red Gauntlet " and the " Greata," that were in the tier with us in Calcutta, and sailed forty-five days before us. Captain Guthrie of the " Red Gauntlet " wanted to know if the " Sheila " had come overland — he was sure that we had not come round the Cape ; poor fellow, he was extremely ill with dysentery, and was landed in hospital, and I believe died soon afterwards.
THE CIvIPPKR SHIP " SHEILA " 181
We had made a fifty days' passage, they ninety-five, and yet I was not pleased at mine, as several times we had experienced hard luck where I ought to have had better. There was no sign of the " Cutty Sark," so I re- ported that he was " coming along " ; I should have liked to have seen him in the breeze we had coming round the Cape.
There was one other coolie craft in the Bay — a French barque from Pondicherry (Bay of Bengal), a French settlement just south of Madras ; she was bound for Guada- loupe, West Indies, and had made one hundred and ten days' passage. The coolie ships when they arrive here take precedence over all other craft for stores, and cause quite an excitement on shore, so we were busy all day on board, to be ready to sail in the even- ing. There was no sign of the " lyhassah " the coolie ship that left Calcutta with us, bound to Demerara.
After breakfast my wife and I landed to see the sights of St. Helena. Jamestown, the capital, was soon exhausted. They could not tempt us to mount up their thousand steps as a short cut to the hills, but after an early lunch at the agent's, we chartered their immense lumbering old coach, and its pair of horses. Surely it was the same that Napoleon had — I do not include the horses, though even that looked possible — but anyhow we started off in style, with a gentleman resident in the Island as a guide, to explore the Island, and visit I/ongwood, and Napoleon's first burial place.
182 THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
The ascent up the hills were as steep as the two poor horses could negotiate. We left Jamestown in brilliant sunshine with a cloudless sky, but as we mounted up we entered a region of mist and wet fog, which, occasionally clearing, enabled us to view the scenery for a short time ; then the fog would come down again and blot all out. This was not very cheerful, and we seemed to be travelling for miles and miles on end. But in the midst of it, we heard strange voices ahead of the horses, and found that we had at last arrived at a sort of farmhouse. The farmer's wife brought out for sale some beautiful looking one pound pats of butter, made up in the same form that was so familiar to us in Devonshire ; I bought up all her stock, both of butter and eggs, and a quantity of clotted cream, made Devonshire fashion. And we Devon folk ! — ^it was a treat, and I guess the good people of Jamestown went short of butter and eggs on our account that week.
On leaving the farm, the road descended somewhat, and we soon after arrived at Long- wood, where we were shown over by a kindly little man in French military uniform. We saw all that was to be seen of what had been Napoleon the Great's prison ; the place the bed occupied where he died is reverently railed off, and the very few relics that have been left in the island were shown to us. These are very few indeed, as all were supposed to have been taken to France years ago. The weather by now being beautifully clear, we
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 183
had a good look round, and out over the ocean. One reaHsed then how that great man's heart must have been seared, standing on that very spot !
We then drove a short distance down the valley to the grove, where is situated the grave in which Napoleon was first buried. It was humble looking enough — just a mound of earth planted all over with geraniums, and surrounded with breast-high iron railings presenting an enormous contrast to the Mausoleum at the Invalides in Paris, which we had also seen. The place was well looked after by French custodians. After buying some local and commemorative picture post cards, and collecting flowers, geranium leaves, and a twig of the famous weeping willow, we bade farewell, and drove back to town and to the agent's house for dinner. The lady of the house had provided what she thought would be a special treat for my wife and me, coming from off a long voyage, a roast leg of mutton, and a pair of fowls. I could manage all right — trust me ! — but the lady kept looking at my wife, who was not clearing her plate of the good things pro- vided, but almost making her meal, and a hearty one at that, from bread and butter and watercress. She asked : "Do you not care for the mutton or the fowl ? " " Oh, yes," replied my wife, " but this butter is a far greater treat — Devonshire butter and baker's bread." She was properly fed up on board with mutton and fowls, ducks, and geese, either one or the other being pre-
184 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA "
sented at eveiry meal. This our hostess had not thought about ; and somehow our steward could never master the mystery or knack of making bread as good as shore-made bread.
Our hostess also said that she had been trying in our absence to get us some butter, but lately the country farmers had not brought much to market. We were amused at that remark about " country farmers " in a tiny little dot of an island like St. Helena, whose greatest length does not exceed 10| miles, with a breadth of 6^ miles, while 7/lOths is bare barren rock ; its nearest neighbour. Ascension Island, is seven hundred and sixty miles away, and the coast of Africa is one thousand, one hundred and forty miles off. But Islanders always talk, and think like that ; it is all a question of environment.
The Island is, perhaps, the most noted in the world. It is of volcanic formation, and rises to a height of one thousand, eight hundred feet above the sea, at a short distance away appearing as black as coal. But it is cut up into numerous ravines, of varying sizes, and wherever there is a cleft in the rocks, however small, where earth can settle, is extremely fertile. From the sea it presents a remarkable appearance by showing huge clusters of vividly red geraniums, and in other places masses of white arum Hlies, all growing wild, with very fine flowers, but here named inelegantly " yam-stocks," a generic name for the Islanders. The island produces an abundance of vegetables, and immense quan- tities of wild watercress, wherever there is
THE ClylPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA " 185
running water — which also seems plentiful. There seems only one staple industry, the growing and preparation of flax. The princi- ple business of the Islanders is supplying the wants of passing ships ; which, alas for them, through the opening of the Suez Canal, and the rapidly superseding of the saiHng ship by steamers, presents a poor outlook for their future.
Amongst our coolie passengers (she paid her own passage money down), was a fine looking woman about forty years of age. She had returned to India from Trinidad, having completed her term entitling her to a free passage. She got the name among us of the " Queen of Sheba." She had made quite a considerable fortune in the island, partly by judicious marriages, and partly in her widowhoods, and as a trader, for as such she had a natural inclination ; but in time a long ing came over her to return to the land of her birth, but a short experience was enough for her. The priests got hold of her, and required her to do heavy penance, and pay a lot of money to get back her caste, which she had lost by leaving India ; but she declined to buy the goods at the price asked, and came with us again, her expression and verdict on the subject being, " India only fit place for coolie." She made a corner in fresh fish at St. Helena by buying up all the fishermen's catch for the day, as a treat for the coolies on board.
The lady was a sight to look at when she was fully dressed, according to her ideas.
186 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
For one thing slie was loaded with jewellery all over her person — immensely heavy silver bracelets from the elbows to the shoulder, also from the wrists to the elbows on both arms ; similar from ankles to knees ; a kind of diadem on the forehead ; a lot of rings of all sorts on her toes and her fingers ; a pendant nose ring ; and the ear-lobes were pierced with holes big enough to admit bottle corks, which were the customary adornment at ordinary times, but in cases of ceremony, the holes were decorated in the same manner as the rest of her person. Of course, I have not described the rest of her wearing apparel, but I believe she did have some on — must have had, or I should have noticed the de- ficiency ; but being a mere man I must plead inabiHty to describe the intricacies of ladies' apparel. Anyhow, you may depend on it, she was in the height of fashion.
By dusk I had settled up all my shore business, and took boat for the ship. We hove up anchor, set all sail, and the island soon faded from view, my sailors cheerily singing.
Shanty : " Rolling Home."
Call all hands to man the capstan.
See the ca-ble runs down clear, Heave away, and with a will, boys.
For old England we will steer. And we'll sing in joy-ful chorus,
In the watches of the night, And we'll sight the shores of Eng-land,
When the grey dawn brings the light.
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHBII.A " 187
Chorus.
Rolliiig home, roll-ing home, Rolling home, across the sea, Rolling home to dear old England, Rolling home, dear land, to thee.
Up aloft, amid the rigging,
Blows the loud exulting gale ; Ivike a bird's outstretched pinions. Spreads on high each swelling sail ; And the wild waves, cleft behind us.
Seem to murmur as they flow, " There are loving hearts that wait you.
In the land to which you go."
Chorus.
Many thousand miles behind us.
Many thousand miles before, Ancient ocean heaves to waft us
To the well-remembered shore. Cheer up. Jack, bright smiles await you.
From the fairest of the fair. And her loving eyes will greet you
With kind welcome every-where.
Chorus.
Shanty : " Hawl Away, Jo."
Solo. A . . . way, hawl a . . . way, . . . O hawl
a . . . way to ge . . . ther ;
Chorus. A . . . way, hawl a . . . way, O hawl a . . . way, Jo.
Solo. O, once I had an Irish gal, and she was fat
and lazy. Chorus. A . . . way, hawl a . . . way, O hawl a . . .
way, Jo.
188 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
Solo. But now I've got a nigger one, she nearly
drives me crazy. Chorus. A . . . way, hawl a . . . way, . . . O hawl
a . . . way, Jo,
Solo. King Ivouis was the king of France before the
Revolution. Chorus. A . . . way, hawl a . . . way, . . . O hawl
a . . , way, Jo.
Solo. The people cut his head off, which spoiled
his constitution. Chorus. A . . . way, . . . hawl a . . . way, . . . O
hawl a . . . way, Jo.
CHAPTER XXVII.
" Majestic o'er the sparkling tide,
See the tall vessel sail. With swelling wings in shadowy pride,
A swau before the gale. "
— J. Montgomery.
We were now sailing dead before the wind — that is, with only one mast of square sails drawing, the others being becalmed to lee- ward. So we took in all the sails on the mizzen-mast and most from off the fore-mast, and spread everything we could carry on the main-mast, from the sky-sail downwards. We set all studding-sails on both sides, spreading a lot of canvas that way ; and wherever we could put a windsaver, we did so. We could have raised another sail over the sky-sail, a moon-raker, but take it for all in all, the extra help that it would have given was not worth the expenditure of rope for halyards, sheets, and clewlines, to reach so high as the sky sail-mast for so short a run ; moreover, it would have been a nasty, dangerous sail to handle if caught in a squall at night, and even in these so-called placid seas, squalls at times arise with startling suddenness, as witness my experience on the 18th.
Eight days after leaving St. Helena we sighted the remarkable looking small island of Fernando do Noronha. It bears E.N.E. from Cape San Rocque, on the N.E. coast of Brazil, from which it is distant two hundred
190 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEII^A "
miles. It presents a singular appearance from the sea ; it is lofty of itself, but nearly in the centre there rises a pinnacle mountain eight hundred feet higher, very like a church steeple. The island was used chiefly as a convict establishment by the government of Brazil, to whom it belongs.
We were running down off the north coast of South America, but well out of sight of land, to get steadier winds, as we were again approaching the doldrum region, and also to obtain any advantage from a westerly current that prevails about here, but which at times is very erratic. So now we had to be cautious, as the wind here flies in all and any direction. All studding-sails were therefore taken in ; but our present experience was one of light winds and dense cloudy weather.
At daybreak on the 2nd November the look-out man on the forecastle shouted out, " Land O ! — right ahead ", followed by, " lyand on both bows, and breakers ahead " — a sufficiently alarming cry. The officer on watch stamped the deck over my berth and shouted down the companion hatch. I was on deck in a second. The helm was put hard down, and the ship brought close hauled on the starboard tack in record time, all the watch trimming the yards as she came up in the wind, the deck coolies helping at the braces ; for at an alarming cry like that, it is a case for no hesitation. The ship slid away quickly from the so-called land and breakers, and cleared the obstruction, although I be- lieve we touched some of it.
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEUvA " 191
And now for the elucidation — by my reckoning we were one hundred miles clear to the north of any land hereabouts, but it does not do to take any chances at sea, as we are all liable to error, but in this case my reckoning was quite correct. What we had nearly come in contact with was a great mass of detritus and floating forest, eroded from the banks of the great river Amazon. By observation at noon we were one hundred and forty miles to sea of that river's mouth, but the ocean all round us was a reddish muddy- looking colour, and the sea water tasted merely brackish. The floating island was five or six miles in circumference, and quite twenty feet high, covered by all manner of trees, great and small, some quite upright and high. When we knew what it was, we kept away and stood back quite close to leeward of it. It is a well-known phenomenon, and in the direction books a caution is given never to attempt to land to examine any- thing, as all kinds of venomous reptiles, and even wild beasts, are known to lurk amongst the undergrowth, and they are savage with hunger. Of course, as time goes on and the restless sea eats into it, it breaks up piece by piece, the floating trees being eventually stranded on the Guiana coast, or one or the other of the West India Islands, with the westerly drift of the current, whilst the occupants are drowned in detail.
The river Amazon is the largest and most amazing river in the world. It is navigable by large ocean-going vessels for over three
192 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEHvA "
thousand miles from its mouth to Iquitos ; and with a Httle assistance from the engineer to build a lock or two above that place, they might go two thousand miles further, and when trade in the upper reaches develops that will be done. But it wants to be handled by a non-Iyatin race. With all due respects to him — ^where he can claim respect — the Portuguese Brazilian is a lazy, shiftless beggar. His motto is " never do to-day that which you can put off until to-morrow." On my first voyage to Pernambuco as master, I kept constantly hearing the BraziUes saying, " Mannanah, mannanah " ; it seemed to be all over the place. I asked a British resident what that expression meant, and he laughed. " Oh, have you heard that already ? " he said. ' ' Mannanah means to-morrow. ' '
To give some conception of the immensity of the Amazon, it is enough to say, that its mouth at the Atlantic, from Cape Magsary on the east, to Cape do Norte on the west, is one hundred and forty-five miles wide — " some river ! "
CHAPTER XXVIII.
" Foiir years on board a merchanttaan,
He sailed a growing lad, And all the Isles of Western Ind.,
In endless summer clad. He knew from pastoral St. Luce
To palmy Trinidad."
— H. D. MoiR.
Life on board a coolie carrying ship differs a little from that on an ordinary ship, chiefly because the coolies entailed extra work. They were given the whole of the main and poop decks for their use from 6 a.m. till dusk ; the forecastle was reserved for the crew, and there most of the work was done ; the poop was for the women and children only.
Hot coffee was served out at 6 a.m. to the watch on deck ; at the same time the so- called " idlers " came on deck to their several duties, being called at 5.30. The steward served out to the cook the stores for the day for the use of the crew, and nothing being stinted the allowance fixed by the Board of Trade was largely augmented when required. The strict allowance per day was one and three-quarters pounds beef each, with the alternative of one and a quarter pounds of pork, and half a pound of flour, with the alternative of one-third of a pint of split peas, or half a pound or rice ; small stores were issued once a week, and comprised per man, one pound of sugar, one pint of molasses (or marmalade, as long as that kept good and
M
194 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
otherwise held out), one ounce of tea, two ounces coffee, a pannican full of pickles, or vinegar, and a sufficiency of mustard and salt. It was compulsory to issue lime or lemon juice, as an anti-scorbutic, ten days after leaving port, even if a supply of vegetables was given. Tinned beef or mutton was some- times issued as a substitute for salt meat ; as long as they lasted, there was also a supply of potatoes, other vegetables, and salt fish ; the biscuits were ad-lib. The bread barge was replenished when wanted, and the cook allowed anybody that cared to make up hashes, which he baked for them. Sunday was always a baked duff day. S.T. & Co.'s ships carried a generous supply of rum on board for the use of the crew, at the Captain's discretion ; and although an abstainer myself, as I have already explained, I have nothing but admiration for a drop — or as the sailors term it " tot " — of rum, after severe exposure in a storm, when it would be impossible to get anything hot. Three quarts of water is the ordinary allowance per day, but it was ad-Hb. with us.
The third officer served out his cooUe stores under the supervision of the native doctors to the kitmagars ; and the small stores were multitudinous, especially those for curry making — turmeric, chillies, black-peppers, coriander-seed, mustard-seed, garlic, tama- rinds, etc. All these had to be ground up by the coolies with mullars supplied for the pur- pose, and the rice, dholh — lentils, you would call them — winnowed before being cooked.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 195
After breakfast at 8 a.m. the watch below came on deck to reHeve those going off watch, and the business of the day commenced. The sail-maker always found plenty to do in his department, chiefly on the sails, sometimes effecting altrations or repairs, and in slack times mat making ; in busy times he was assisted by whomsoever could wield a sail needle, and by some of the boys. The car- penter— " Chips " — was always a busy man from morning to night, doing something for the ship ; and if a yard or any spar had to be replaced, it had to be done in the shortest possible time, and as many as could crowd around were requisitioned, night and day, until the job was finished. The boatswain, too, was always at it, serving, parselling, knotting, splicing, and mending ; and with him always were sure to be the boys as willing helpers, with their eyes and ears wide open, accompanying him all over the ship and up aloft, putting on chafing gear, loosening, furhng, or reefing sails. Their poor mothers (or maiden aunts) would have shuddered if they had seen them at times. But they were all taught never to relax hold with one hand before they had gripped fast something safe with the other ; never to trust to a reef- point, or a ratline ; always to turn round and face the object as they are descending, and especially never to throw anything overboard to windward — except hot water, or ashes — for obvious reasons. The Driver, or engineer, when the coolies were on board, had the time of his Ufe, being in charge of, and responsible
196 THE CIvIPPER SHIP "SHEILA "
for, all the steam for cooking, chupatty plates, and condensing water, besides the steam winches when required.
Saturday afternoons were reserved to the men as a general washing and mending day, and no work was done on Sundays, except when absolutely necessary.
The coolies were treated as passengers, in the strictest sense that term applies ; they were never asked to help in anything in con- nection with the ship, and were not allowed to go higher than the deck or loll about the ship's rails.
CHAPTER XXIX.
" The ocean in his eager course
Proclaims his restless sway ; His billows roll from pole to pole.
And who may bid them stay ? The myriad sands upon the shore
Have never couuted been. Whilst many a glist'ning planet gleams
That eye hath never seen."
—J. I. Stuart.
On the 12th of November we sighted Cape Galera, N.K. point of the Island of Trinidad. It had been almost a drifting match for more than a week ; the wind had been so light, it almost amounted to a calm at times, but luckily we had a prevailing strong current in our favour. We had to anchor in Macaripe Bay for the night, off the north coast of the island, it being dangerous to attempt to get through the Bocas entrances in the dark, owing to lack of wind, and the eddying currents that prevailed ; there is no place when you are in the narrows to anchor, to prevent going alongside the rocks — the depth of water is too great, there being one hundred fathoms sheer alongside the rocks.
The next morning at 4 a.m. we commen- ced to heave up the anchor, and as bad luck would have it, we brought up the telegraph cable as well. We had a nasty job to clear it ; fortunately for the cable it was the shore end, and very big, or else the weight of the ship with all her sails aback would have broken it. Another irony was, a nice breeze had sprung
198 THE CivIPPKR SHIP *' SHEII.A "
up. I was vexed, I can tell you ; I tried all manoeuvres and means to clear the anchor, but the cable would not keep still long enough — or rather the ship would not. We tried under-running the cable with a wire rope, but that proved a failure; also to capsize the anchor — ditto, and nearly lost two of my men on that job. It was the backed sails that caused the difficulty. The anchor with the cable on it would be out on end, and jumping like a mad thing ; and as the ship would break her sheer and make a wild drive towards the land, with the strain that was on the cable, the whole of the parcelling and serving would slather off to the bare vdre. Then the ship would drive off on the other tack, by our checking the yards in our endeavour to steady her, and with a like result. Anyway, we were playing old mischief with the cable, short of breaking it. So, finally, I had to clew up all the sails, and pull the cable close up to the bows above the hawse pipes, cat the anchor, and let slip the cable. There were no cable marks on the shore, so I was all right as to blame, " but an angry man was the Captain." I reported the matter to the authorities when I arrived, and they told me that the cable was a new one, only laid three days, and the cable ship was still at sea ; their man at the shore station had not reported loss of spark, and that being so, it must have been all right.
At 6 a.m. we set all sail again, and at 7 o'clock entered the Grand Bocas, betw^een the Island of Chacachacara and the mainland of Venezuela, and commenced beating up the
THE CivIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 199
Gulf of Paria towards Port of Spain, our destination. It took us until 4 p.m. to do it, although the distance is only some fifteen miles, having again calms and light airs of wind to finish with.
But we were in time to receive official visits from the port and emigration authorities as they could see us approaching all day. We found on enquiry that we were the first arrival from India with coolies for the season — seventy-four days on the passage. The " Ivhassah " bound for Demerara had not arrived, although we passed Demerara Light- ship eight days before ; we found afterwards that we had beaten her thirteen days.
The authorities had a right to keep the coolies on board the ship, or at a depot — " the five islands " — about three miles down the gulf for ten days, at the ship's expense. They said for medical inspection — not quar- antine, as if they had suggested that, they could not themselves have passed freely to and fro the islands. In reality it was to give them time to allot the coolies to the estates, free of expense to themselves. The pro- cedure was, those estates that required coolies would first make requisition to the authorities for a stated number, against which they had to deposit so much money ; then they would be allowed so many from each ship as she debarked them — men, women and children, proportionately.
The coolies were consequently indentured to a particular estate for five years, of two hundred and eighty days, of nine hours.
200 THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHKIIvA "
After serving this, they can re-engage them- selves as free labourers ; and after ten years' service, which they had to make up on the above basis and which on an average took fourteen years to do in the colony, they were entitled to a free passage back to the part of India they were recruited from. That was absolutely at their discretion, or they could claim their passage money back, or take a free grant of ten acres of crownlands, and become free to do as they liked. Some took the cash, and went to various occupations, many becoming highly prosperous and rich. In their places of origin in the agricultural dis- tricts of India their pay only averaged from one to three annas a day (that is in English equivalent, three half-pence to four pence halfpenny per day) and feed themselves ; in the West Indies, when on the estates, their pay commenced at twelve pence half penny per day and all found, for the first two years — after which their emoluments rose much higher on a sliding scale — and they were also provided with free quarters, doctor, and hospital.
Their wages were paid to them in English silver coins, which they promptly put out of circulation by melting them into personal ornaments of all kinds, such as I have des- cribed in mentioning the rig- out of the " Queen of Sheba." It is one of the grievances of the government that owing to this they have constantly to import silver coins to keep pace with the loss ; and some of the wealthier class of coolies go even one better by melting
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 201
down the gold coinage, and turning it into elaborate heavy rings set with valuable stones.
The estates in past times, have tried all expedients to obtain suitable labourers. It goes without argument that it is impossible for white men to work in the open in such terrific heat as obtains in the fields in this chmate ; his life would be a short one if he tried it. The aboriginal races of tropical America are impossible ; nothing can induce them willingly to take up any kind of labour ; they will not work, and if one attempts to make them, they sulk and die — they are children of nature. African negroes, kept as slaves, were first class working material ; but when the great scheme of manumission set in, and they were made free — the pro- moters of that made one mistake, at any rate — the sugar estates were practically ruined. They were often situated a long distance apart, in the back lands, wherever the soil and position were adapted for cultivation ; and the freed negro would not stop on them, pre- ferring to live in towns and large villages. He had nothing to fear as to satisfying his wants, for in a country like the West Indies, and Guiana, it is impossible for a man to starve ; Nature is kind, and the indigenous food growing wild all around in abundance, is easily sufficient to sustain life. It is only when the ex-slave or his descendants wants a few dollars for other purposes that the planter can induce him to work as a free labourer ; and if he obliges by coming to-day, he is not
202 THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHEII.A "
to be depended on to come to-morrow not- withstanding his promises — he gets so easily sick, you know, fever, they call it.
The sugar crop is most risky and tricky. It must be cut at a particular stage of its growth, for the saving of the feather head, which is the future cane in embryo ; and this has to be planted at once in a prepared plot of vacant land on the estate. Also, when the cane is cut, it must be taken to the crush- ing mills in a very few hours, if not, the whole crop is spoiled by turning sour. The negro is a good hand, and to the fore at the cutting stage, as he is extremely partial to that succu- lent dainty ; but the labour of carrying is another tale.
The importation of coolies from China was first tried after the negro failure. I believe they worked all right, but were troublesome, owing to their well-known vices. They preferred also to be traders, small agriculturists, or shopkeepers. The China over which we had control was of ver^^ limited area, and the coolies were mostly town work- ers, and slum at that.
Then the present system of Indian coolies was adopted, and it met with great success. The coolies being at all times on the estates, they were of course dependable, and worked well and cheerfully. A stringent law looked well after their interests. Never mind what provocation is received, it is a penal offence for anyone to ill-use a coolie ; the Home Government-appointed Protector of Immi- grants looks after that. A stipendiary magis-
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 203
trate visits all the estates periodically, and metes out even handed justice . . . and it is complained leans more often to the coolie's side than to the other ; that is as may be, but it goes to show that the coolie has his rights and means of redress if aggrieved.
In the early '70's the Home Government sent out to Guiana, and the West Indies generally, a commission of enquiry as to coolie matters, under a Mr. De Vries. When all and everything connected with a coolie had passed under a severe review, the planters came out very well in the report stage ; only a few recommendations were made, but like all government reports it is too voluminous for me to cite. In adopting the recommenda- tions, the planters declare they did more harm than good — and I agree with them.
CHAPTER XXX.
Disembarking the C001.1ES.
On the 17th of November, we disembarked our cooHes, and we were all complimented on their fine condition by the authorities. We landed four hundred and twenty men, one hundred and twenty women, and eighty- four children and infants, making six hundred and twenty-four souls in all ; or an aggregate of only two less than was embarked at Cal- cutta. They were sent to the depot at Five Islands, together with Dr. Chapman, the two native doctors, and Mr. Hearn, my third officer, who was detailed from the first to be entirely at the command of the doctor. We had to send to the islands provisions, lan- terns, candles, medical stores, etc., for seven days.
On leaving, my crew awoke the echoes by giving them no end of cheers, and several rousing shanties. The coolies, at the start of the voyage could not make out what that kind of singing meant, it being so strange to their ears ; but towards the end, it was amus- ing to hear their attempts to join in. They never accomplished it — the melodies were not Eastern enough for them ; even in that, it is as Kipling puts it, " East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." We were all sorry at the last to part with our living freight, and as I stood at the
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 205
gangway I felt for the moment a kind of " superior being " in a way ; for as they passed, they all put their hands to their fore- heads, bowed low, and said : " Salaam, burrah Sahib." Although I had been ship- mates with them for so long, I did not recog- nise one half of them ; there was an illusive- ness about their general features, like the Chinese, that is hard to define.
There were even some affecting sights among my crew, notably, my nigger steward. He was chaffed about his saying that he would like to marry one of the girls. " But, steward, surely you would not care to marry one of them ? — you a Christian ! Why, they are heathens ! "
" Well, yes, that is so," he replied, " but before I married her, I would Christianize her first, and baptise her up a bit." Needless to say, the steward's ambition did not eventuate. I have not hitherto said anything as to the personal appearance of these coolies ; al- though they differed greatly in colour, varying from black to light brunettes, their features, as a rule, were most pleasing, and amongst them were some beautiful girls, with long, straight and abundant hair.
The coolies being landed, the crew were kept busy clearing up ship, with the carpenter hard at work taking down all the coolie fit- tings. On leaving Trinidad, I had instruc- tions to proceed to Bemerara with the balance of my rice cargo, after discharging four hun- dred tons in this port, which would leave me with six hundred tons to form ballast for the
206 THE CIJPPKR SHIP " SHEILA "
passage. At Demerara we were to load sugar and rum for lyiverpool.
Now I liad a little leisure to take my wife sight-seeing over this magnificent island, where I had many friends of former voyages. Trinidad is the southernmost island of the West Indies, and in many respects the most favoured. Although it is well within the N.E. trade wind zone, it is just sufficiently near the equator to be outside the influence of the devastating hurricanes. Those who have seen, and worse still experienced, their effects, will grant this is an enormous advantage ; for when a hurricane comes, it is not wind you experience ; it is phenomenon in the form of wind, as lightning is a form of fire, with all the destructive nature of both these ele- ments. Another advantage of the position is, it has the most commodious harbour in the world, formed by the Gulf of Paria, a water space eighty miles from north to south, and forty miles from east to west, perfectly land- locked, and with easy anchorage depth. Every ship in the world cotdd ride at anchor clear of one another, and not a danger, ex- cepting that in the Bocas entrances at the north of the gulf ; and that danger is only the liability of sailing ships getting suddenly becalmed, and at the mercy of the currents, which might then drag them through the smaller Bocases.
The only blight is that all the west coast is Venezuelan ; and although without doubt, it is the most valuable land in the world, teeming with natural productions and precious
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 207
metals, that government, " dog in the manger " style, will do nothing themselves, and makes it impossible for anybody else to exploit the country. In fact, at the time of which I am writing, they would not allow even surveying or exploring.
Trinidad was discovered by Columbus on his third voyage, on the 31st July, 1499. He had determined to name the first land he should see after the blessed Trinity. " It is passing strange how pious those Spaniards were. ' ' He found the island peopled by a race of Indians with fairer complexions than any he had hitherto seen ; people of good stature, well made, and of graceful bearing, with much and smooth hair. The Chief he first saw wore a tunic of coloured cotton, and on his head a beautifully worked handkerchief, so fine in texture it looked like silk. They carried square bucklers, the first Columbus had seen in the new world, and bows and arrows, with which they made feeble efforts to drive off the Spaniards, who had landed seeking water.
Thenceforward a story of endless misery to these happy, harmless creatures arose. A certain Cacique, so goes the tale, took from off Columbus's head a cap, and replaced it with a circlet of gold which he himself wore. Alas for him ! That fatal present of gold brought down on them enemies more ruthless than the Caribs of the northern islands, who had a habit of coming down in their canoes and carrying off the gentle islanders to eat at their leisure, first fattening them up like cattle, after the fashion which Defoe has
208 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHBII.A "
depicted iji " Robinson Crusoe." The island that Defoe depicts is most certainly intended for the island of Tobago, lying to the north of Trinidad, and most certainly not Juan Fer- nandez, which is round Cape Horn in the South Pacific. Man Friday had undoubtedly been kidnapped from Trinidad. All that Defoe speaks of (and he was always most exact and particular in his descriptions) as pertaining to Crusoe's Island, its indigenous fruits, trees, palms, etc., does not apply to Juan Fernandez, which is situated in Lat. 33. 45'. S. in the Pacific, a long way outside the tropics, and possessed of rather a cold climate even for that latitude. It is also a tiny island comparatively, alone by itself three hundred miles off the mainland of South America, and it is most improbable that canoes could locate it in the way des- cribed. Tobago, on the other hand, is a beautiful, luxuriant island, with an area of one hundred and fourteen square miles, and is only eighteen miles to the north of Trinidad. Even the geographical features as depicted in the book can there be identified, and it is indeed strange how such a palpable error should have been perpetuated.
When the West India Islands were first visited by Columbus, he identified six dis- tinct races of natives, calling themselves, as far as he could make out, Jaios, Arwacas, Salvayos, Nepoivs, Carinepagotes and Caribs. All except the latter were kindly unsuspecting children of nature, but the Caribs were the Ishmaels, the terror of all the other tribes.
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 209
and inveterate cannibals ; hence the visita- tion at his island as described by Crusoe.
There was one terrible advantage the Spaniards and the later Europeans held over these poor natives — i.e., their firearms, which they freely made use of, shooting and terroriz- ing them all. The Spaniards found no gold in Trinidad ; there is none in the island. What gold the natives possessed at Colum- bus's first visit came from the mainland of South America, where there is plenty. Never- theless they served the gentle aboriginals most cruelly, as was their wont, taking them into slavery ; and the history of the Indians of Trinidad for the next century is one long tale of rapine and cruelty.
In 1595 the island was visited by Sir Robert Dudderley in the British war ship " Bear," accompanied by the " Whelp," and two small craft, named the " Frisking " and " Earwig." They came straight from Cape Blanco in Africa, expecting to fall in with Raleigh ; not doing so, after re-victualling, they sailed away north on the 12th of March, to hold up and plunder Spanish ships of what they had plundered, and had a great old time of it. But they left Trinidad too soon by a few days, for on the 22nd of March, Raleigh and his fleet reached the island.
But I must pass more lightly over the vicissitudes of this most lovely island ; they rightly belong to the historian, in any case are somewhat controversial. Let me finish by saying that it has been a British Crown Colony, after successively belonging to Spain,
N
210 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHBIIyA "
France, and Holland, since 1766 ; of the two former owners, there are many indications, and people, whilst Spain has left her mark in that the capital city is called " Port of Spain."
Of the aboriginal inhabitants, there is left not a trace. The few that did survive the unkindly attentions of the first inter- lopers have long since made their way across the dragon's mouth entrance at the south end of the island, on to the vast mainland, with its impenetrable forests.
The " Sheila " was lying at anchor close to the beautiful city of Port of Spain, which disputes with the rest of the capital cities of the West Indies the cognomen of being the most beautiful — but that is not for me to decide. It is splendidly situated ; its suburbs rising from the level, to the hills at the back, give it a most picturesque appearance, whilst the sloping situation is good for its drainage, which necessity is sadly lacking in some tropical places. The city contains many fine churches and buildings, both official and private ; and the place is kept in good order, and clean, as there is an abundant supply of water from the high hills at the back, supplemented by a copious rain- fall at times that comes down in enormous volumes through the rather steep streets, which have correspondingly big channels to carry it off into the bay.
This rainfall is somewhat of a phenomen- on when it comes, but is very obliging, in so much as that you know it is going to fall at a
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 211
certain hour, when the weather will again be as beautiful as it was before. In the morning the sun will arise out of a cloudless sky ; or perhaps a few innocent-looking, white flecky trade wind clouds will be about, giving promise of a beautiful day. But about 11 a.m. — " What is that ? " — someone has appar- ently dropped a single large drop of water on your head, out of nowhere. You look up — there is not a cloud about — then where did that water come from ? But on looking to the northern mountains, there is the indubitable " table cloth," a la Table Mountain, Cape Town, creeping down where it was cloudless just before and after that, for about two hours, it rains/. Do you call it rain ? — better say deluge, and have done with it. If you happen to be on one side of the street, it is impossible to cross to the other until it has abated ; if you attempt it, you are liable to be swept ofF your feet, and sent down the ample gullies. I crossed it once — but in a cart, and then the shower was not quite such a bad one. In the afternoon and evening the weather will be normal. The cause is easily found in the swing of the sun as it reaches its meridian, condensing the moisture of the clouds as they pass the high mountains ; it is a blessing in disguise, and makes for no one's discomfort, as it is known and prepared for.
My boys were very interested even at the boat landing place ; for a feature there was a very fine grove of almond trees, at that time in full bearing. There were also cocoanut palms without end, always in bearing ; and,
212 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
close by, gardens full of bananas, plantains, guavas, avogada pears, sapodillas, and man- gosteens. The Trinidad oranges are noted ; and, in fact, the island is not surpassed in tropical fruits and verdure by any other place in the world. En passant, there is no possible comparison in the luscious taste of fully sun-ripened fruit eaten at once, against that of fruit which is shipped away, and consumed in a northern country.
We paid a visit to the celebrated botani- cal gardens in the outskirts of the city. It surpassed the one at " Shalimar " in so much that the latter is a wondrous exhibition of hot tropical growth only, made more wonderful by heat forcing ; this one did not carry that idea to such a degree, but nevertheless ex- celled in that the gardens being continued up the mountains into a cooler temperature than normal, it had a larger range than Calcutta. Here is produced, and in the greatest abun- dance, every known variety of fruit, flower, and spice — in fact everything grown that can be made use of by man either for profit or to administer to his sense of pleasure. The sight of the orchids is a wonder in itself. There was one tree that took the fancy of my wife (I suppose it aroused her housewifely qualities) bearing bunches of a wonderful resemblance to strings of tallow candles, wicks and all — the sort that in former days used to be sold in country grocers' shops and called " long sixteens." An enquiring mind could easily spend a week in the gardens. There was one drawback to those not used to it ; the perfume
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 213
of the garden was lovely, but at times seemed rather overpowering ; also the pollen was a bit trying to the lungs. On leaving we were loaded up by the kindly curator and his attendants. These splendid gardens have a utilitarian purpose other than for mere show, and are deserving of all praise for showing how to naturalise and hybridize plant life all over the world, and borrow and lend for the world's benefit.
Another day we paid a visit by boat, and remained the night, at a great friend's plantation, Quessa valley, on the old Macaripe road, which was built as a mail road in the old Falmouth sailing packet days to save the delay of the Brig beating up the bay. It was a six mile pull. The plantation belonged to a Mr. Tucker, an Exeter born man ; he had recently erected a new house (on stilts, as is the fashion in this country), his old house l3ang too far back in the high bush. His present house was a typical planter's bunga- low, most commodious, built of wood with a shingle roof. The stilts are eight feet high, to make the most of the ventilation that is so necessary in the tropics ; most houses in the West Indies are built in this style. They are approached by a flight of wide steps on to an extensive verandah, which is such a feature that it constitutes a house outside a house ; the house proper has a central corridor lit by windows at each end, and rooms each side, and the whole building can be extended as required.
Mr. Tucker was delighted to welcome us ;
214 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
he knew that we had arrived, as he had seen the ship passing up the bay. He would not let my wife walk up to the house, which was two miles up the road, so we waited for his carriage to be sent for ; and as his people were at the boat landing fishing, we were much interested in the proceedings, which I will describe later on.
The principal cultivation on his estate consisted of cocoa, and coco nuts. Do not confuse the similar sounding names, for they are not a bit alike ; in fact the growers do not know the former by that name — the right name is Cacao.
Whilst on this subject I may as well describe how the coconut trees were raised. First the ubiquitous Chinaman would come along ; he wanted a bit of land to cultivate on the cheap, and so interviewed the Boss. Yes ! Off they went to the so-called virgin bush to peg out a section. The Chinaman had to clear that land — and it wants some clearing, I can tell you ; if anyone knows what clearing tropical virgin primeval undergrowth means, he will concede the Chinaman had all his work cut out. But he would do it cheerfully and well ; no one in the world can better him — when he is working for himself. Now his aim was to bring his wife and progeny, erect his " little grey home in the west," and grow amazing crops of what in Trinidad was called " ground provisions " — salads, cu- cumbers, okrahs, varieties of yams, sweet potatoes, and one hundred and one other tilings, for sale in the market.
THE CivIPPER SHIP "SHEILA" 215
Now for the other side of the coin. For the use of the land he had to plant so many coco nuts, so many feet apart, the said nuts supplied by the Boss ; to tend them carefully for three years, keeping all the land clear of weeds ; and then he gave that up to the Boss, cleared for himself another section, and went on as before — thus he paid no actual rent. From the time the seed nut is planted it takes from eight to ten years before the tree gets to full bearing. It is only fair to say that the Boss reserves to himself the right of ter- minating the possession of the ground at the expiry of any of the unwritten leases ; but you can see to whom the advantage belonged in the long run. When the trees came into bearing their fruit belonged to the Boss. Also, as they grow big they would present too much shade for the Chinaman to grow things under them successfully. The China- man was also of the utmost use to the planter as a pruner, and as collector of the ripe fruit, and was paid a good wage for the work.
The cacoa tree can only be brought to perfection when grown under shade trees, and in moist heat. The shade trees were a beautiful sight. In this island they were the forest-like " Bois Immortelle," bearing a huge scarlet flower ; and this, when in full bearing, presented the appearance of the whole forest being ablaze, and the perfume was lovely. The cacoa planter's life is an ideal one, and I felt at times I should have liked to give up sea life and go in for it ; but amongst other things, my wife did not see eye to eye with
216 THEICLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
me. I daresay she would have been right in the end, for it would have been rather monotonous for a lady, cut off from accus- tomed society, " The world forgetting, by the world forgot " ; it is different if you are born and bred in the colony. We spent a very pleasant evening with Mr. Tucker and his family, enjoying his balcony ; and finished it up with a dance till the small hours of the next morning.
In the morning we had a good old West Indian breakfast, a plentiful supply of fresh fish caught in the bay. The evening before my wife had been most interested in the modus operandi of their capture by throw nets. First a fisherman, standing on a pro- jecting jetty flimsily built on bamboo piles for the purpose, would throw into the water a handful of (in this case) rice, but other grain was sometimes used to draw the fish together. His assistant had ready a circular net that would spread fifteen or twenty feet, weighted at the edges with pieces of lead ; by a dex- terous throw its whole circumference fell in the water and quickly reached bottom. On being drawn up the weighted edges came together and the whole formed a pocket, very few fish escaping when once in. The choicest are then taken home to form the basis of the breakfast ; the favourites were a species of sea trout, and a large transparent fish of the smelt variety. We also collected a good supply of succulent, toothsome oysters, picking them off the trees ; and to be able to say that she had done so, my wife picked a large quantity herself.
THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHEILA " 217
The other things on the table which were novelties to Europeans, were cassava bread, a variety of yams of sorts, some boiled, some roasted, and lovely fresh made curry, served with boiled rice. For drink we had freshly grown and freshly made coffee, and cocoa picked from the estate, making most delicious beverages. There was ordinary bread and butter, and — what never seemed to be absent from a West Indian planter's breakfast table — roast plantains, and salt cod fish. The local grace on the latter comestible was, " Plantain and salt fish is the staff of the land. Those that don't like them, may starve and be — sugared."
Whilst at Macaripe, I walked to the bay on the north coast of the Island facing the Caribbean Sea, to the shore end of the cable I had fouled. The j^oung electrician in charge was being lodged in Mr. Tucker's bungalow, whilst the new cable was being laid ; he said he guessed we had fouled the cable when he saw our procedure, and had signalled to us, but we did not see it, and if we had it would not have helped us. He showed us his re- flecting mirror with its wondrous spark dancing about, indicating that for its full length the cable was working all right. It was another scientific invention of Lord Kelvin, and the instrument was graduated to a scale so exact that if there should be a break in the continuity of current, it would indicate the distance away on the deep ocean's bed.
CHAPTER XXXI.
' The ship was at rest in the tranquil bay.
Unmoved by a ripple — undimmed by a cloud ; The winds were asleep, and her broad sails lay As still and as white as a winding shroud.
She was a fair and beautiful thing.
With the waters around her, all peaceful and bright, Ready for speed as a wild bird's wing.
Graceful in quiet — 'mid glory and Ught."
— E. Cook.
In the evening, with the ladies of Macaripe, we all rowed back to the ship. In going up the bay there was one never ending scene of interest — " Stop the boat and look down through the sea." The clearness of the in tensely blue water shows up the sea bottom of white sand and corals, even at one hundred feet depth, and in lesser depths one can see quite distinctly. There is also a strange illusion, that at, say, fifty feet depth the water so reflects the bottom that it is hard to believe it is more than twenty feet deep ; so at a lesser depth it is like a gigantic ac- quarium, a panorama of life — and such life ! Fish great and small ; crabs of all sorts, and some queer looking ones at that ; lobsters also, and shrimps in many varieties, some vieing with the lobsters for size. All darting in and out of the coral formations, which seemed really to be formed by nature into caves and grottoes for their sole use, and as lairs and shelters from their devouring enemies.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 219
But what an existence ! Some fish seem as if their only raison d'etre is to be swallowed alive by a fellow fish, even not excepting one of his own species. Look at them down below. In an effort evidently to escape a palpable fate, some are striped in all colours, some spotted, some iridescent — all made that way to be able to hide themselves in their surroundings from their abundant enemies, who seek and approach their prey mostly from a horizontal direction. Fortu- nately for their survival, few look at them as we do, from the vertical.
As the boat slowly drifts along the sur- face of the bay, the bottom seems crowded with fish of all sorts, who seem to know in- stinctively they have nothing to fear from us, even as fishermen. Some even inquisitively leave the bottom and approach the boat to dart after any crumbs that are thrown in the water, ravenously swallowing them. The varieties are past numbering or describing. But again, what an existence ! — it is the old. old saying paraphrased, not " dog bite dog," but " fish eat fish."
Now they are feeding passably quiet, with again perhaps, just a suspicious eye cast around watching their neighbours. But look, here comes a disturber of the whole family of fishes — an ugly looking sprawling ray spread- ing about five feet, and a sting-ray at that ; see everything scuttles away and gives him a clear berth, for if he only touches a fish with his antenae, it is bad for that poor fish. Then a sneaking hammer-headed shark comes on
220 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
the scene, and the objectionable ray clears out for him. Finally, a horrible giant octopus appears, and all hands clear away from that devil fish, with his paralysing tentacles and voracious appetite. For he is the monarch of them all, great and small, an ugly, disgusting- looking beast. And that is the kind of life led in the under world, surrounded with beauty unimaginable. On the sea floor, crawling about, are live shell fish of all sorts, truly marvellous in their shape, colouring, and convolutions ; and the sea anemonies, amongst the most beautiful of God's created things, and the so-called sea-weeds, again in beauty out-run all description.
" But call us not weeds — ^we are flowers of the sea ; For lovely and bright, and gay-tinted are we, And quite independent of sunshine or showers. Then call us not weeds — ^we are Ocean's gay flowers."
We reached the " Sheila " about 9 in the evening. The ladies of the party enjoyed the trip, and my boys also — their messmates were quite envious, but I promised them a turn before we left beautiful Trinidad.
In my absence my officers and crew had been very busy painting the ship outside. I don't know if I have mentioned that she had a chequered streak (black and white) around her, called in sailors' parlance " painted ports ; " the starboard watch paint and look after the starboard side, and the port watch the port side, and there is a great good- tempered rivalry which side turns out the best work. On board ship there is a surprising
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 221
amount of painting to be done, and conse- quently consumption of material on masts, yards, bulwarks, and hull, and all iron work down in the hold. In the " Sheila " there was a great amount of bright teak work to be thoroughly cleaned and coated with the best copal varnish ; the bulwark's inside was grain- work, w"hich was carefully attended to, and it grieved our hearts to see the mischief that was done to it, where the latrines had been erected. But it had all to be made as good as new, and we accomplished it in the end, and the " Sheila " again looked as when she left Glasgow.
The Macaripe ladies enjoyed their stay on board, it was as great a novelty to them as Macaripe was to all of us. My darkie steward and cook next morning put on the table a breakfast which they tried to make excel the one we had at the plantation, the fame of which had travelled by aid of the boys ; and as they had ample ingredients on board to draw from, all praised and appre- ciated their efforts.
After breakfast we landed at " Port of Spain " with the alternate crew of boys in the boat, to see the sights. The greatest of all from the human standpoint, was the full- blooded negroes, male and female. As a whole they were here, as physically perfect as human beings can be. The women especially. Their training, and habit of carrying heavy weights of all sorts poised on their heads from early childhood, gives them a perfect carriage, their chests well out. How they did it was
222 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
a puzzle, but they would poise a round- bottomed earthen-ware pitcher full of water, a little one-sided for preference, on their woolly heads and nonchalently march through a crowd, elbowing their way even, without spilling a drop. It was a mystery of mysteries " but they did it."
And when there was a town gala-day {or Festa) to call in the country ladies from their homes miles away, through the dusty roads, tramping along with their dress skirt, as a sailor would say, " brailed up " tight above their most ample hips; no shoes on, but affording a liberal display af fine bare legs, as they drew near the outskirts of the town. There was a large clean stone by the wayside ; one wonders was it placed there for the purpose ? and my lady would stop and prepare. First she would produce from a receptacle (though sometimes she could not) a pair of stockings, then a pair of most gaudy patent-leather French made high top boots with tassles — of a size to fit her ample feet — or a size or two smaller for preference ; then a struggle to get them on commenced ; it was " hold on good tags," which as a rule they did not, " hold on good uppers ", and then stand upright. In her exertions, fortunately, she couldn't get red in the face, but there was a conscious pride in her as she looked down. Never mind the cramp ; the tops of the boots it was that took her fancy. They might be coloured fawn, yellow, brown, green, or red, and adorned with coloured tassels front and back. Next she would arrange a gaudy
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 223
bandanna head-dress, or perhaps a Paris- model hat. And last scene of all — let go the reef points and brails, and shake out the dress all round. Her gorgeous, very full made print dress trailed a yard or two behind her, but well up in front, " to show her boots " and — tout-ensemble — my lady was out for conquest as she strutted towards the town, with fawn coloured gloves on, and a green and red striped sunshade open, to protect her com- plexion, and with that inimitable and peculiar swinging gait of hers, a la cake walk. And her shiney black face, and sparkling eyes aglow with excitement " and pleasure in anticipation," "when she meets the beaux." I am not describing all this to deride, far from it ; I have stated what I have often seen, and what was a common sight all over the West Indies.
The negro women, by some happy faculty in them, are notably more inclined to work than their men folk — whom they maintain as often as not ; but they are very fond of dressing up to vie with, and if possible, out- shine one another. It has been said that the first thing noticeable on landing on the wharf in Port of Spain, is the multitude of coloured men who are doing nothing ; it is not that they have taken an hour's holiday to see the passengers land from the mail steamer, if it is mail day — no, you will find them in the same place to-morrow and the next day. They stand idle in the market-place, not because they have not been hired, but rather because they do not wish to be hired, being able to
224 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHBII.A "
live, like the lyazzaroni of Naples, on mid- shipmen's half pay — " nothing a day and find yourself." You are told that there are eight thousand human beings in Port of Spain alone, without visible means of support, and you congratulate Port of Spain on being such an Elysium that people can live there — not without eating, for everyone you pass is eating something or other all day long — but without working.
The fact is that they will eat as much and more than an European, if they can obtain it ; but they can do well without food, and feed as do the lyazzaroni, on mere heat and light. The best substitute for a dinner is a sleep under a south wall in the blazing sun — and there are plenty of south walls in Port of Spain, and plenty of blazing sun. But if the negro does not work, who supplies him with food that, anyway, he must eat occasionally ? He cannot exist all the time by eating the sun's heat, and statistics do not say that he steals — well, not too much. A gentleman in passing a negro's hut about dinner time, noticed a decided smell of turkey roasting ; the coloured " gen'lman " was home, and lounging against the doorpost to keep it upright, and the following dialogue ensued : " Well, Sam, turkey for dinner to-day ? " " Yes, sail ; and I will give you the history of that there turkey. That turkey, sah, took to roosting on my back fence for this last three nights, sah, and dis mamin' I seized him for de rent — Good marnin', sah ! "
I wonder how much sugar cane is planted
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 225
extra to make up for loss, as in the season they all seem to be chewing that delectable food, and the plantation fences are not very formidable. As to bananas, that one fruit alone contains all the proteids necessary to sustain life, and it is here in profusion, and of the right sort — the fig banana, a truly delicious fruit, that will not bear the length of time necessary to convey it to Europe ; that which we get in England is not the true banana, but one of the species of plantain, and that even is cut in an unripe state for export.
One of the reasons of the reluctance of the male negroes for work lies with their coloured helpmates ; they work, and work hard and well, and if they are content — hands off, let them alone, and it is as well. The West Indian coloured population are very sharp in repartee, and in a battle of wits you are likely to be beaten, and badly so. As a rule they are good-tempered and can take a joke and give one back, and laugh — and have you ever seen a negro laugh ? When jokes are intended as such, they laugh — but there is no race alive that can be so contemptuously insulting as a truly angry negro ; and they can be dangerous, too, not caring a rap for consequences.
Our time in Port of Spain was now rapidly drawing to a close. We paid a farewell visit to the depot at Five Islands, and saw the de- barkation of several batches of immigrants to their future homes on the plantations. They all again salaamed the " Burrah Sahib "
o
226 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "'
and his " Mem Sahib," and if allowed would go on their knees with their foreheads to the ground. Poor souls, an utterly different world was about to open to them. I again scanned their faces, after my experience on their leaving the ship ; no, I could not call to recollection the features of one half of them.
On our last day on shore at the invitation of our Macaripe friends we went to the races, a great local and West Indian event. They showed real sport, with splendid race horses, some being brought from the other islands, and Guiana, as tliis island is chosen as the general racing rendezvous. Horse racing was not my forte — ships racing being more in my line — but I enjoyed the excitement ; and it was a sight to witness the evident enjoyment of the well-dressed crowd in attendance. Everybody was present from the Governor and his suite, with their ladies, and in grad- ations all the principal inhabitants of the island and visitors downwards ; all resplen- dant — and the ladies' dresses ! — no use asking me to describe them — I'm only a mere man. But they had got it all on, you may be sure.
Our party made up a sweepstake for a goodly sum. They allowed my wife to choose her horse, and she chose the one with the prettiest name — " Village Belle," supposed by the knowing ones to be a rank outsider. There was great excitement within our party on the grand stand, and amazement amongst the others, when the youngest son of our host kept shouting excitedly : " Village Belle !
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 227
Village Belle ! Mrs. Angel's Village Belle leads — Village Belle wins — hurrah ! " It was the Derby of the races, and the mare was bred and owned by a Coolie (who had long ago concluded his contract on the estates), and who was seated on the grand stand not far from the Governor of the crown colony.
Our ship was now looking exceedingly nice and clean. My crew had done well ; and it was my rule, as I have before stated, whilst in port, to encourage the men by letting them have shore leave, half a watch at a time, with a little money to spend, and it was very seldom I was given cause to regret it, and then only in individual cases. I always remembered, in dealing with my crews, my own yearnings when I formerly occupied their present positions ; for I also entered sea life by coming on board through the hawse-pipes.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Come list to our song as we dance along.
And scatter our music gay. As we plunge and splash with a jovial dash,
And reel 'neath the glist'ning spray. As we curve and spin, now out, now in.
And eddy, and toss, and roar, Now high, now low, now fast, now slow.
Away to the furthermost shore. Ye-ho, ye-ho, who so merry as we ?
We waves of the stirring deep ; We banish dull care from our briny air,
No sorrow's dark thought we keep.
See, yonder our pride, our stately ship-bride.
Like a bright seagull on the wing ; Whatever betide, we cling to her side.
While crested white laurels we fling, To lie and remain where her sweeping train
May leave its proud track behind ; Then high our refrain we roll back again.
To echo and swell on the wind. Ye-ho, ye-ho, who so merry as we ?
We waves of the stirring deep ; We banish dull care from our briny air.
No sorrow's dark thought we keep.
— J. I. STUARt.
On the 25th of November we hove the anchor up short at noon. All the morning the ship had been gaily decorated with flags, rainbow fashion, whilst we were receiving visits from town friends. We now pulled the flags down, with the exception of the ensign at the mizzen peak, S.T. and Co.'s house flag at the fore truck, M.M.S.A. Club flag at the main truck, and the flag (G) of the commercial code, at the mizzen. This last is used as a private flag, signifying that the Captain is on board, when flown in harbour, and is attended to by
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 229
the poop middle on watch, whose other duty- is to watch approaching boats, acquainting the officer in charge as they near the gangway. We had been waiting all the morning for a breeze to start with, as it had been a flat calm since dawn ; it came along fine at noon, with the swing of the sun, and looked good and lasting. So we set all sail, tripped our anchor, and at 2 p.m. passed out of the Grand Bocas into the open Caribean sea, passing Macaripe en route, where our friends had mustered to give us a farewell wave of their handkerchiefs ; they had also sent off a boat with a present of beautiful fruit and the morning's catch of fish, an unexpected but not the less welcome gift.
And now out of the Gulf of Paria, and in the open Caribean sea, I had two alter- native routes before me. I could either beat up to Demerara in the channel between Tobago and Trinidad against the N.E. trade winds and a three knot adverse current, or stand boldly to the northward close hauled to the wind, passing to leeward of the lesser Antilles, and seek an opening between the islands, where the current would be much less, than beating sufficiently to windward to fetch our destination on the port tack. Each route has its champions ; I chose the latter, as giving me the most sea room.
Before leaving, I had asked Captains of coasters just arrived from Demerara as to wind prospects ; they all said that I should get as much wind as I wanted. It was now N.E. fresh breeze and fine, and we started at
230 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
twelve and a half knots easily ; at 6 p.m. we sighted Grenada, three points on our star- board bow, thirty-two miles away, and at 10 p.m. the south end of Point Saline was abeam fifteen miles off, but it was too dark to describe the island. At noon on the 26th our position was I,at. 14' 55" N., I^ong. 62' 30" W. — seventy-five miles due west from Cape St. Martin, Martinique, but out of sight of all land. We tacked ship, and at 5 p.m. St. lyucia bore east, thirty-five miles ; we again tacked ship, and at 8 p.m. Port Royal Bay, Martinique, bore east, twenty miles off. All that night we made short tacks to windward between Dominica and Martinique ; all right — but it was an intensely dark night, though luckily with no haze. There were no shore lights that were any good to us, but we kept our reaches, as a rule, until we caught sight of breakers ahead, and then down helm smart- ly and tacked.
This passage was also a trial as to the stiffness of the " Sheila " in ballast trim under sail in a fresh breeze. On leaving Trinidad our draft of water was a little less than twelve feet mean, and I was a little cautious and anxious at first as to her stiffness to stand upright to a strong wind, with her lofty spars, enormous yards, and heavy rig in general ; but she stood up to it as stiff as a church (in a manner of speaking) with six hundred tons of rice on board. I had in reserve, in case of necessity, empty water tanks of one htmdred and fifty tons capacity in the lower hold, which I could have filled with sea water if
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 231
necessary ; but I was reluctant to do that except if the need arose, as they would have to be all pumped out again on arrival in Demerara by hand pumps, a work of time.
As we had passed in the night, succes- sively, the islands of Grenadines, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Dominica, we could not dis- cern them ; but they are all rugged and mountainous, but the cultivatable land, being, however, very fertile, they produce in abun- dance all tropical fruits, etc.
In beating to windward in the eighteen miles passage between Martinique and Domi- nica, and on a very dark night, all hands were kept on deck to work the ship ; we first took in the lighter stay-sails and jibs, and furled the cross- jack, reducing thus the speed to eleven knots. At 11 p.m. Cachacrow Point, Dominica, bore E.N.E. six miles ; we tacked ship, and at 1 a.m. on the 27th, Cape Martin bore South, four miles. We tacked again, and stood to the eastward of Martinique, steering a large course for Barbadoes, one hundred and fifteen miles distant, with all the plain sail we could crack on her once more ; and in a spanking trade wind breeze the good little " Sheila " was showing her heels again. And the watch was sent below.
At 2 p.m. we sighted the north point of Barbadoes, distant fourteen miles right ahead; we could have weathered the island easily, but we kept on the lee side, half a mile off, or just clear of the outer shipping lying at anchor off Bridgetown. At 3 p.m. we hoisted our Ensign at the peak, and Sandbach Par-
232 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
ker's house flag at the fore (the Barbadians would all know it), and with a nice check on the yards, and a glorious breeze, amounting to a fresh gale, we passed the island in sight of everything, going fifteen and a half knots an hour, with not a movement in the "Sheila " (excepting her speed through the water) as being to leeward of the island and so close up, the sea was very smooth. In an hour the island was out of sight astern. I heard after- wards the " Barbadians " were quite excited at seeing us swank by their little island.
We had done remarkably well thus far, and the " Sheila " had proved herself good and true in beating dead to windward, and as handy as a racing yacht, overcoming both wind and current. Is it not truly exhilarating to be in command of such a perfect specimen of naval architecture ; your heart lifts to the joy of it, and there is no mechanical excite- ment equal to it in all the world.
After passing Barbadoes, we had three hundred and eighty miles in front of us to make Demerara bar lightship, lying ten miles off the land. So now we set the taff-rail patent log ; it was the first time it had been used except for rate checking purposes. We had to pay out seventy fathoms of stray line to keep the log from skipping, as we were going so fast. After passing the island the wind freshened somewhat in squalls, but still a glorious trade breeze ; and now it was as much as we could do to hold on to our lighter stay-sails, and balloon jib. The wind was now about two points free, so we were going
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHBIIyA " 233
ramping full. The " Sheila " was lying well down to it under the pressure of her canvas, the hull taking every pound of weight it was capable of carrying ; but there was nothing to be afraid of — my only concern was about the holding capacity of my spars and gear, for she was now dancing along, averaging a good sixteen and a half knots.
From here to the Guiana coast we had to steer about a point to windward, to counter- act the current on the weather side, setting us to leeward (and the strength was erratic). The Guiana coast is one of the worst in the world to make direct from the blue ocean, it is so low, and shallows off the land to a great distance, there being only twenty feet of water twenty miles off in places, so it needs cautious approach.
A long way ahead of us, " hull down," we sighted two barques bound our way, and this race was a very interesting one. First we saw from our masthead one barque chase and pass the other one quite close ; then we came along, and quickly passed the defeated barque, which was fiying the American ensign. She was a Boston ice ship, bound for Demerara, staggering under all sail, and going for all she was worth. Then we were after the other, going at her utmost speed — about thirteen knots — and making no end of a fuss about it. She proved to be the "Delaware," one of Messrs. Perot's American Barques ; a regular trader with provisions between Baltimore and Demerara — the firm has an office in Demerara. It was a beautiful race as we
234 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHBII.A "
came up with her ; the " Sheila " was sailing sixteen knots, and we passed through her lee, which is a test. I was not going to give him a chance of a luffing match like the one I had in the Bay of Bengal ; her Captain tried to luff me, but it was no go — I was up to that. His old craft had the beating of her life, and it is said for the first time. There was quite a fleet under Messrs. Perot's flag, all beautifully modelled craft, carrying light cargoes, and built like the " Sheila " for speed. They always made for Barbadoes as a landfall on their southern passage, to make sure (as I was endeavouring to do) , that they should not be caught to leeward of the lightship, which would be an awful misfortune, as the current there at times attains a velocity of four miles an hour. That has been the bad luck of many a poor unfortunate skipper, who has had a weary time of it beating back. And frequently, as Paddy would say, the first land you see off Demerara, would be the ships lying at anchor off Georgetown. The land is down under.
The wind fell considerably lighter after sunset, but it was a glorious night, and we were still going twelve knots ; at noon on the 28th by observation, we were in I<at. 9' 10" N., Ivong. 57' 40" W., or one hundred and forty- five miles N. by E. of the bar lightship. I now found myself a bit to windward of my anticipated position, having encountered only two knots of westerly current, so kept the ship away a bit, steering due south, and at midnight sighted the bar light right ahead,
THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHEILA " 235
three and a half days from Trinidad. Not bad — and it served to show what the "Sheila " could do if the winds were propitious in strength. For, as my journal shows, it took me seven days to run before the wind from the parallel of Demerara to Trinidad with the coolies, so paltry was the wind — when there was any.
The bar at Demerara has only eleven feet on it at low water springs, with about eight feet rise to high water. Our arrival coincided with the neaps ; it was high water at 4 a.m. ; so we backed the main yards at 1 a.m., and roused out the pilot from the light- ship, stood off on the starboard tack for half an hour, then 'bout ship, and ran bang for the bar, which is composed of soft mud. At 3 a.m. we crossed it without a stop, and anchored in the river close off Messrs. Sandbach, Parker & Co., stelling, for the office staff to have a good look at us after their Chota Hazra in the morning.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
" Believe not what the landsmen say,
Who tempt with doubts thy constant mind ;
They tell thee, sailors, when away,
In every port a mistress find.
Yes, yes, beUeve them, when they tell thee so.
For thou art present wheresoe'er I go."
—J. Gay.
Georgetown, Demerara — I salute you as my second home ; or, as you so often see in English boarding-house visitors' book, " a home from home." For whilst in other ships belonging to the firm I was so frequently here on my voyages, and spent on an average twice the length of time in Demerara that I did in my home in I^iverpool, so that I knew every- body, and everybody knew me. I found the people approachable, kindly, and beyond everything hospitable, and they showed me many kindnesses. Their city of Georgetown, once so dreaded, and even dubbed the " white man's grave," has been rendered one of the healthiest cities in the tropics by strict atten- tion to sanitary hygiene. It is also beautifully planned, and the villa residences, built of decorated wood painted and on stilts as in Trinidad, are very commodious and pictur- esque ; most of them standing well back in lovely gardens, and all with the universal balconies and verandahs, they have such a " cared-for " look.
The churches and public buildings cannot be excelled anywhere in the West Indies.
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 237
They are mostly built, as to the framework, of green-heart, as are the towers and church steeples ; the wo jd is plentiful here, and is practically everlasting.
The streets are of enormous width. The principal one, has a main trench in the centre, which drains the land ; it is kept clean and the banks are planted with choice flowers, whilst in the water are aquatic plants, notably the Victoria Regia, with its enormous saucer-like leaves floating on the surface, and the monster wax-like flowers.
The land of Georgetown lies below the level of high water, as is most all of Guiana, but flooding is kept out by a series of im- pervious dykes, as in Holland ; the Dutch, when they were masters of all Guiana, were the originators of the scheme, copying their own home land (and using slave labour). In the dykes are placed automatic shutters, here called cokers ; as the tide ebbs in the river, below the drainage trench level, the pressure of the land water, opens them bit by bit, letting out the superfluous water, and on the river water rising with the flood, they auto- matically close.
My cargo of rice was badly wanted, and a shore gang commenced discharging it at once into coasting craft. Some was destined for Barbadoes, and the Windward Islands ; only about three hundred tons was landed at Georgetown. I was informed that nearly all my cargo for Liverpool was ready, but any- how, I knew that they could not discharge and load the " Sheila " in less than a week,
238 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHElIvA "
which would be necessary to catch the coming springs ; j?o I was to be there for three weeks — until the springs following.
It only occupied a few days alongside Messrs. vSandbach, Parker's stelling, to which we were moored, to discharge our rice, and land our four hundred gallon water tanks, sixty-six in number. These s tellings are a feature of Demerara river ; they are extensive wharves built out over the river banks, on large baulks of greenJieart — timber piles driven into the mud — and decked over. Even the offices and warehouses are built on them ; but the latter thus built have this peculiar disadvantage : the enterprising negro in his narrow, native-made canoe has been known to worm himself between the piles and under the flooring of the rice store, prick the bags with a cutlass, and so has stolen off with many a load.
Whilst lying alongside the stelling the " Sheila " was visited by crowds of George- towners, from the Governor of British Guiana, and members of the Court of Policy, to the townsfolk of all degrees. For was she not " one of our ships," belonging to the port ? She was very much admired by all, and was gaily decorated all the time with flags, and there was lavish hospitality in the saloon by the Captain.
After finishing discharging we dropped off into the river, and made ready to take in cargo. And now I got a Uttle bit of my own back ; as I had in time past been served, now I was serving others. The first to come
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 239
along-side to put cargo into us, was the Company's ship " Fairlie," Captain Plant, loaded and ready to go to sea, v/ith eight hundred and fifty tons of sugar and rum. 1 was to take it all out of her— ras the big Coolie ship must not be detained ! I had before time been served like that in the " Sandbach," twice running, one voyage, causing my detention in Demerara over three months. On this occasion Captain Plant did not mind — in fact rather liked it — as his residence was in Georgetown ; and also he was not over anxious to encounter a winter passage in the western ocean, unless forced to.
All estate produce for shipment came to Demerara by water, in large, shallow, flat- bottomed punts (some with sails) able to carry sixty to eighty hogsheads of sugar of a ton weight each ; they were manned by two or three negroes who were very expert, and went a long way up and down the coast and river.
The less one says about the river the better. It is a very dirty looking stream, almost black at times, principally owing to the leaves of dye wood trees, very non- buoyant, and supposed to be even poisonous. The banks are low, but fringed by high trees, and you have to travel a long way up inland before the shore rises to any extent.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
On the invitation of Mr. L<orimer, attorney and manager, of the plantation " Wales ", we rowed up the river to that estate — one of the models of the colony. Everything in connection with it was of the most modern type and highest class. It was situated fifteen miles up the river on the west side, belonging to the Gladstone family. When I commanded their barquentine " Christabel " (I being lent for a voyage, as I have already stated, by S.T. & Co.) I had taken out as cargo an entirely new set of machinery of the most perfect description — ^vacuum pans, centri- fugals, and concentrators — and he wanted to show me how it worked, and, incidentally, the whole process of sugar-making, from the cane fields to the finished product.
All the talk of the planters at that time was of the unfair competition of the German, Austrian, and French systems of granting bounties, or cartels, to their manufacturers of beet-root sugars, with the deliberate inten- tion of ruining the cane industries. They contended, that the home government should insist, by treaty, on their removal ; or, as an alternative, impose a duty on the import in favour of our own cane-growing colonies. Their view was that on equal terms the West India sugar grower could hold his own. But no, the home government was afraid of the election cry that would be raised of " dear
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHKII.A " 241
sugar " ; and so a valuable British industry, employing many thousands of hands in home refineries and in the colonies, was allowed to languish, stop, and go to ruin, in order that the consumers at home might get their sugar a penny a pound cheaper, and to placate a lot of thankless foreigners.
The refining of the sugar on the estates where it was grown, instead of sending it home in a raw state, was an expedient having the advantages of cheap labour, a greater yield of rum from the bye-products, and a smaller weight for export, thus saving somewhat on freight.
The cane, when ripe, is like to a jointed bamboo, or rather a big grass, of from one to two inches in diameter, and from ten to fourteen feet in length. But instead of, like the bamboo, having a thick rind with a hollow in the centre, the sugar cane has a softer rind — ^yellow, green, purple, or striped, accord- ing to the variety — and the interior is a pith, containing the juice.
Guiana, although it has a rainy and a dry season is, owing to its irrigation facilities, independent of that providence ; but still it has its time of great cuttings. The reaping season having arrived, the labourers go into the immense fields — there is no difficult^^ as I have said before, to get negroes when wanted, to attend to this class of work — and with a cutlass, or as some call it, matchet, cut the cane close down by hand with a single stroke.
The next operation is to carry the canes to the factory by punts, through the main
P
242 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEIIvA "
drainage canal. All Guiana estates are intersected by canals and cross cuts, which are of great use for irrigation, or drainage, and all have a system of backwaters which render the use of roads unnecessary. When the punts with their loads arrive at the crush- ing mills, all available labour springs upon the canes (for no time must be lost), and throws them upon an endless band, somewhat like a moving staircase, which carries a con- tinuous stream of canes high up into the jaws of the mills in a tumbling, irregular cascade.
Now comes the most impressive part of the whole process of sugar making. The mills consist of massive iron rollers, from six to seven feet in length, by three to four in diameter, driven by powerful engines, which, in some estates, work as many as twelve to sixteen rollers. They seize the stream of canes, and grind them until the refuse (called liiegass) emerges i*n a pulverised condition ; this is wetted en route with water to get out all possible sugar, and it then leaves the last set of rollers quite dry. The megass is then loaded into immense baskets (as the stuff is very light), raised on the head of coolies (mostly women) carried up an incline plank and tipped into a hopper, from which, with an occasional shovel of coals the boiler fires are fed.
The next process in sugar making is to purify the juice as much as possible, as it now presents the appearance of a dirty, greenish- yellow, turgid, foaming liquid It is collected
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA " 243
into cisterns as it runs from the mills, and represents over ninety per cent, of the sugar of the cane, but it requires much treatment before it can be made to yield up its sugar in the form of crystals. Milk of lime is some- times used, or, on some estates, the gaseous product of burning sulphur is now pumped in. To complete this stage of the process, heat is applied, the juice being passed through cylinders fitted with tubes heated by steam ; and as it is pumped through these vessels it is gradually raised to the boiling point. From the juice heaters, it is delivered into settling tanks for one or two hours, then the im- purities sink to the bottom, and a clear green- ish coloured liquid remains. This is now ready for the process of concentration, and crystillisation. The top liquor is carefully drawn off into other receptacles, the impurities re-subsided, and the clear liquor added to that first drawn off. As the mud-like mass of impurities still remaining contains much sugar, this is forced through the presses, consisting of iron frames over which coarse cloth is stretched, so as to form a series of compartments and as one fills with the solid matter, the clear juice escapes through the cloth into the others from which it is drawn off.
The cane juice has now been separated as far as possible from its impurities, but before any attempt can be made to separate the sugar from the juice, it has to be concen- trated to syrup.
This means that upward of seventy-five
244 THE CI.IPPKR SHIP " SHEII.A "
per cent, of its bulk has to be boiled off — by an ingenious application of the principle that the boiling point of water varies with the air pressure to which it is subjected. An appara- tus is used which consists of three or four vessels joined together, the last one being connected with an air pump to produce a vacuum. In this apparatus steam is ad- mitted to the heating chamber of the first vessel, and the vapour from it is used to boil the juice in the third, and so on, the steam being thus as it were used three times over.
The juice has now been concentrated to a brownish-green syrup, and is ready for the crystallising process. This is carried out in what are known as vacuum pans, in which a pressure consistant with a low boiling tem- perature is maintained by means of an air pump. The low boiling temperature is of the greatest advantage in the process, in as much as the high temperature at which the non- centrated syrup boils in the open is destructive of sugar, and acts against the formation of crystals ; this can be seen by comparison of the old raw " muscavado," or moist sugar, with modern crystals.
A vacuum pan is made of brass and is a costly affair. It is an upright cylindrical vessel with a dome-shaped top ; a large pipe connects the body of the vessel with a con- denser, from which connections lead to the air pump. The bottom of the pan is cone- shaped, with a valve door at the lower point to permit of the easier discharge of the solid contents. In the lower part of the body of the
THE CLIPPER SHIP '' SHEILA " 245
pan, and in the cone-shaped bottom, are coils which are charged with steam w^hen the pan is working ; the thick syrup is drawn into the pan at the out-set in considerable quantities, and boiled down until fine crystals appear.
This stage of the process is very carefully watched, the operator testing the condition of the contents of the pan from time to time by introducing through a special nozzle a " proof stick," so contrived that a sample of the juice can be drawn without disturbing the vacuum. The syrup is carefully added in small quantities as soon as the crystals appear ; in this way no fresh formation of cr^^stals takes place, but as the boiling goes on the sugar from the moving syrup is de- posited on the original crystals, which grow in size accordingly. The vacuum pan is thus gradually filled with a mixture of crystals and original, or " mother " liquor ; the latter, when separated from the crystals, is knov/n as molasses.
The next step in the process of sugar making is to separate the crystaL Trom the molasses, and this quick and beautiful oper- ation is done by means of centrifugal force. The machine for this purpose, measuring three or four feet in diameter and two or three feet in depth, consists of a cylinder made of brass, with closed bottom and finely perforated sides, wdiich is suspended by a spindle in such a manner that the cylinder, or " basket," can be made to revolve at a speed of from ten to twelve hundred revolutions per minute, ac- cording to its diameter.
246 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
The mixture of crystals and molasses is run into the basket until it is half full, and then the machine is set in motion. The mix- ture is thrown against the sides of the " bas- ket " as the machine revolves, and the mo- lasses forced through the perforations ; while the crystals, being unable to pass through, are left in the form of a layer against the wall of the basket. And now comes a wrinkle to those who use Demerara sugar. Left alone at the stage I have described, it is a straw colour, or a shade darker even than that ; but it can now be " washed " (as it is called) even quite white — but at a great loss of its sweetening qualities — by clearing the crystals from the side of the basket into the middle, adding a sufficiency of water (or introducing steam) and setting the machine in motion again for a few minutes, or until the desired colour is obtained. When the process is concluded the bottom of the basket is opened and the contents discharged into a truck running beneath the machine, which conveys the sugar to the stores.
In the molasses there is still a large quantity of sugar, which can be recovered by subjecting it to further concentration in the vacuum pan, and treatment in vessels called crystallisers, viz., large horizontal cylindrical tanks fitted with slowly revolving arms. The process adopted is to take a certain amount of pure syrup and form " grains " or crystals in the pan, as in the first stage of the syrup sugar ; and then, instead of adding more syrup, to add molasses, when the whole is
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 247
run into the crystalliser, the arms keeping the mass in motion. The combined motion and cooHng cause a separation of the sugar, which is deposited on the crystals already formed. In from three to four hours the mass is ready for treatment in the centrifugals, and a sugar obtained which admits of being mixed with the finest product.
Of the bye-product of sugar-molasses, there is still a large percentage left after all the processes I have enumerated. This, after being diluted with water to a certain weak- ness, is largely distilled into rum on the estates, and shipped to Europe and America in enormous quantities, at a usual strength of forty per cent over-proof.
We all spent a most interesting visit to the works with the manager and his over- seers. I had seen the process of sugar making as a looker-on before, but that falls far short of every process being shown and explained to you, commencing with the raw cane, and finishing with a high-class table sugar, con- taining as it does ninety-five per cent, pure sucrose. On passing out of the works, the manager pointed to a brass plate, rivetted into the side of the vacuum pan, with " Christabel Angel," and the date in raised letters and figures on it — so I have left my name in the colony anyhow.
CHAPTER XXXV.
In the Dense Bush.
After luncheon we proceeded higher up the river to plantation " Glasgow " for two pur- poses, which will be seen in due course. It lies at the entrance of the Communey Creek, and is one of the farthest up plantations on the west bank. The cultivation here is of a mixed variety, sugar, cotton, and cocoa. On the way up the river the banks were very inter- esting. As the river narrowed the water was somewhat clearer, but still a brandy colour ; and was perfectly fresh. The whole of the country on each side was densely wooded with high bush trees, teemingwith birds, monkeys, and green parrots by the hundreds, and the land swarming with insect life. We pro- ceeded some miles up the creek, when the dense trees met overhead, obscuring the light, and we could go no further with our boat The monkeys were in swarms ; the grinning, chattering beggars were following us over- head, jumping from tree to tree, as if ques- tioning our right to be in their domain.
We had with us a gentleman, owner of one of the west coast estates, as well as the man- ager of " Glasgow " plantation ; and the reason we were so far up the creek was, it formed the head waters of his and other owners' main irrigation canals (and had to bfr surveyed from time to time). Although the
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 249
creek was only about one hundred feet wide, the water was fifty feet in depth. The tem- perature in the river before we entered the creek was about 90° in the shade ; but under the trees it felt quite temperate in com- parison, though rather oppressive. To get cool water to drink, a large empty bottle was weighted sufficiently to sink it, a cork with a trigging line attached, was put in tight, and the bottle put over the side and sunk to the bottom ; it was then pulled up a yard or two, the cork trigged out, and the bottle drawn up. The contents tasted to us like iced water, and very sweet.
There is a saying among the Demerara folk that if you eat Labah and drink bush water, you will never leave the colony, or if you do leave, the delicious memory will entice you back again. The Labah is a small wild animal of the pig tribe.
Whilst up the creek waiting until the two gentlemen had completed their survey, three of my boys landed on the south bank, as they said, on an exploring expedition. They had each a matchet, which they had obtained from " Wales " plantation, to en- deavour to cut their way through as they went ; also they were in hopes of capturing a monkey, or a parrot at least. Trust either of that pair to be caught ! As one of them had his watch with him, I told them not to penetrate further than would take them an hour, and then turn back. I had no fear of los'ng them, as if they did not turn up to time, their trail could easily be found in that dense
250 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
jungle. They came back all right, and quite satisfied that they had had quite enough of bush ranging. They had to chop, chop all the way ; not a foot of clear ground— a perfect labyrinth of supple jack, vines, and thorns — and all the ground swarming in ants, beetles, and centipedes. No monkey, no parrot. My other two boys with me were better pleased in the delicious cool bath they enjoyed in the creek ; but even in that, a good look out must be kept against " Johnny Alligator " ; so you see this country is not altogether Eden-like.
By this time our friends had come back from their survey, which they had prose- cuted in a native canoe, and we pulled down the creek and river in the cool of the evening to " Wales." One of the sights on the east side of the river, nearly opposite " Glasgow," is a somewhat sad one. All the land on both sides of the river that is primeval, or lapsed from cultivation from whatever cause, is densely covered with forest growth, the trees rise to a great height, though looking at it from a distance it all appears level as a field of ripe corn ; but here, in one place, about two miles in from the river, towering up in solitary grandeur like a lone sentinel, is a single tree, said to be one hundred and fifty feet high — a splendid specimen of the Mora, growing out of the top of an abandoned estate factory chimney, formerly called " Gar- den of Eden." This, in the slave times, was a highly prosperous sugar plantation ; it is now actually unapproachable, except you cut your
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHElIvA " 251
way to it foot by foot. It is a typical example of wiiat happened to a lot of valuable estates, on the emancipation of the negro slaves.
We arrived back to plantation " Wales " in time for early dinner, and to get ready for the evening ; for this was their " At Home " day and " long evening," held once a month. Before I explain what that means, I must describe a custom of the country. There were no hotels or rest houses, outside the towns proper ; therefore if any white people for either pleasure or business, were in the country districts, and it got near a meal time, the quite proper thing to do was to stop at one of the manager's houses of an estate. . . . As the traveller entered the precincts, it was quite likely that no one would observe him — the servants very probably were doing a siesta, and the manager at that hour might be miles away at a distant end of the estate — but that did not matter, the matter was to find the house servants, and the visitor knew where they were stowed. The rest went without saying ; the servants knew and never asked questions. They set the table and brought forward the ubiquitos " buck pot," which con- tained all manner of good things in the shape of meats and poultry, and the Indian native made cazzarette. This is a fluid of molasses- like consistency and colour, made by the natives expressing the juice out of the wild cassava — (a species of yam), and really the plant that arrowroot is made from. Cazzar- ette has the notable quality of rendering tough meat tender, beside imparting an appetising
252 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
flavour. The pot — black and also of native make — was fireproof to a high degree ; it was always kept replenished, and brought to the boiling point every day, whether the contents were to be used or not, thus keeping it sweet, and some families prided themselves that the pot had never been emptied for years and years, although always used from. Of course the buck pot was supplemented by delicious roasted plantains, yams, cassava bread, plain bread, and crackers, and if you gave the cook time, he would prove himself a master in the art of producing spatch-cock. He would catch a fowl, pluck it, split it open lengthways, give it a peculiar tangle twist, griddle it, and put it before you on the table, cooked to a turn — time occupied, fifteen minutes. When you had satisfied your wants, you went on your way rejoicing, saying to the servants : " Tell your master so and so called." The master, in his peregrinations abroad, was glad of being served likewise.
Now to return to plantation " Wales." This was the day — or night rather — of their long dance, another institution of the estates. Mr. Lorimer's family at home consisted of himself, his wife, and two daughters. About nine the company commenced to arrive — ladies and gentlemen on horse-back, by gig, and by boat, from the surrounding plantations far and near, and even from Georgetown ; and I never saw any party so thoroughly out to enjoy themselves as those present. It was dance after dance, interrupted only by music and singing ; then dancing again, on a perfect
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 253
floor of polished hard woods, with bountiful refreshments at a buffet, plenty of ice, and so-called " long drinks " and pockethand- kerchiefs at a premium ! It was a merry, good-tempered party, all out to get as much enjoyment as possible ; and all this in a temperature of 90° ! The party — of about fifty — flagged out very reluctantly between four and five in the morning, and after a very early breakfast as many as my boat would hold returned with me to Georgetown.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
" Oh, naughty, naughty Clara, how could you serve me so ?
I'll go to Demerara, if you tell me to go.
I'll sail across the ocean, I'll go far o'er the seas.
If you'll tell me to go, my dear, I'll do just as you please."
Of all the cities in the world, there was not one that could vie with Georgetown, Demera- ra, in the gradations of colour of the human faces you met in the streets. They ranged from the blackest of black negroes — the sort that if a piece of burnt cork were rubbed on their faces would leave a white mark — and on and on through seemingly endless gradations of black and yellow, until you came to quite white — apparently, but still even then there might be a mixture of Portuguese and blacks, ad infinitum, with many albinos in between ; then the coolies, and some of them were as near black as makes no odds, grading to white again. The Portuguese, mostly from Madeira and the islands, abounded in the colony, chiefly as small shopkeepers, and they are naturally swarthy ; then there were Dutch, Americans, and British, (English, Irish, and Scotch — Scotch mostly) and the aboriginals. There were five principal tribes of Indians in Guiana, very similar to those I have described in Trinidad — all much of a muchness. They lived in small hamlets, consisting of a few huts, always in the forest and near a river or creek ; their huts were miserable affairs, and their principal furniture
THK CLIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 255
a hammock, of which they made good use. Their food was plentiful in a wild state, and they were celebrated for their poison-tipped arrows, which they used indiscriminately against man, beast, bird, and fish.
They had no public religion. They ack- nowledged two superior beings — a good one and a bad one ; they prayed to the latter not to hurt them, and were of the opinion that the former was too good to do them an injury.
In this colony they were certainly an indulged race, and no other country except England would allow what they did. They would come down the river from the far interior in their canoes, whole families of them — their generic name is " Bucks " — children of nature dressed in almost Adamite costumes. For appearances sake only, the adult male had slung from a string around his loins a piece (not too big) of native made cloth; his spouse the same, if possible not quite so ample, and his elder children " dressed " the same as ma. Thus they stalked through the streets of the city at their own sweet will, entering any house they thought fit so to honour ; and housewives, when they were about, took precautions by carefully securing the front door that there should be no right of entry. Sometimes a laughable sight was witnessed, as although they came not over- burdened with clothes, as I have just said, they were not averse to receiving presents of same ; and if you gave the Boss a pair of trousers, he would, as like as not, carefully^ separate the bifurcated part in twain, and
256 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHKIIvA "
giving one leg to his better half to don, adorn himself with the other. Or perhaps in his original state he would be given a high silk hat, and a paper collar. I don't suppose really he felt quite comfortable, over-bur- dened with so much unaccustomed clothes — but pride makes one suffer a lot ! These natives came to Georgetown to barter grass hammocks and woven baskets, at making which they were very clever ; they were made of the same species of wild grass that is used in the making of Panama hats, only coarser, and although very light, were waterproof. They also brought " cassarette," which I have previously mentioned, parrots, monkeys, and such curios as bows and arrows ; they were very fond of rum — if they could get it — but there was a rigid penal ordinance against anyone found guilty with supplying them with intoxicants.
The natives were of the same breed as those I have described in Trinidad, but I should think rather more debased. Efforts had frequently been made to civilise them. Some have been taken when quite young, sent to Europe to school, and domesticated in European families, with an idea that such treatment would be the best means of civilis- ing them ; as a result it frequently happened that the education and domesticity proved only the thinnest veneer, and when the lad was sent back to his tribe, he, in a very short time, was seen minus his clothes, and re- turned to the state of his forefathers.
As an example : I brought out from
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 257
England in the " Hesper," a cabin passenger, a native chief's son, who had been sent as a boy of thirteen to a school in Edinburgh. He remained there, and in a superior Scotch family, six years ; and on my arrival he was met in Georgetown by the agent of the Abori- ginal Protection Society. He was sent by them, with instructions, back to his tribe in the interior, loaded with lots of presents (that was all right) ; but on my next voyage to Demerara, there was my late passenger in a native canoe, supplying me with dunnage wood, his European clothes all to rags and tatters. I put questions to him, but could get no sensible answers. On subsequent voyages I asked about him, and I saw him once after- wards, gone " back to nature," in so far as his clothes and appearance showed. I was told by interested parties, " Oh, he is a moral set- back." Comment is superfluous.
One of the sights of Georgetown was its municipal market, built on a stelling pro- jecting over the river bank as usual. High market was held from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., and between those hours it was a very busy scene, crowded with buyers and sellers, very vocifer- ous, and creating a regular babel. Fish, flesh, fowl, and vegetables of wondrous sorts, and fruit of every known tropical variety was there. On the arrival of the Boston ice ship, there were also temperate zone fruits and food in abundance. But it was with the fish I must dwell awhile, for some of the varieties brought to market were uncanny-looking objects ; although they all might be good to eat, some
Q
258 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
did not look it. There was one fish in parti- cular— and I suppose it must have been scarce also, by the fuss they made, as they sent round the city crier when they had one to sell. Oh, that crier — he was a beauty ; especially about the facial opening, a not unworthy competitor of the fish he was em- ployed to advertise. He went into the streets shouting for all he was worth, and the whole capacity of his lungs : " Jew fish in de market." The fish is one of the ugliest that is made, I should say ; a kind of a cousin a long way removed to the monk fish, that is some- times caught in the English Channel — and she's a beauty ! It seems all head and mouth. The one in the market would weigh about two hundred pounds, and was sold by weight to eager buyers. Next in ugliness were giant squid ; octopuses, sun fish, eels of all sorts — even the electric variety. All were sold, for what was unsaleable to regular buyers, was bought up by the Chinaman, who will mess up and eat anything that even remotely had Hfe.
Those funny repulsive fish, the electric eels, were very plentiful in some of the creeks and bends of the upper Essequibo (which con- nects with the Demerara river), and were most dangerous to anyone, or anything they touched ; they have frequently been known to kill a horse with the shock only. In wading or swimming across a river, a human being who received a shock had no chance, being instantly paralysed, and without immediate help would drown.
THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEII.A " 259
In Virtue's chemist shop in town, one used to be kept in a large tank of water. I was in the shop one morning with my steward, and the trick is, to insidiously lead a person to look into the tank ; the eel lying perdu amongst the rockery, a very convenient stick is at hand, oh yes, which the enquiring mind uses to stir up the fish. Then — hey presto ! — a shout of suffering ; but the proprietor is always at such a time close by with a hand in a rubber glove to break contact. " Hullo, steward," I said, " did em bite ? " " No, sah, him no bite — him kick ! "
On the extensive mud banks of the river there were swarms of another extraordinary fish, called " Four-eyes " — ridiculous little things, four to five inches long, which, when startled at anything, instead of diving to the bottom like ordinary sensible fish, seemed possessed with the idea that they would be safer in the air, or on the land, and would accordingly jump over each other, scramble out, and flop about upon the mud with their goggle eyes projecting — in fact do anything but behave like decent fish. The name of stargazer has been given them, and they looked upon the whole, somewhat like a grey mullet, with large blunt heads, out of which stood, almost like horns, the eyes from which they took their name. At a first glance the fish appeared to possess four distinct eyes, but on a further look you could see that each of those organs was divided across the middle, and apparently separated into two distinct portions. These strange specialised eyes —
260 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
so the Guiana-folk believed — the fish used by- halves. With the lower halves they could see through the water, with the upper halves through the air, and possessing this quaint privilege they aspired to be a terrestrial animal, emulating presumably the alligator, and trying to take their walks upon the mud, but without their prototypes advantage of flippers. They were comical looking things anyway. Walking on the river bank you would come across a group of black dots, in pairs, peering out of the mud. As you ap- proached, they would leap up and prove themselves to belong to a party of " Four- eyes " which would run — there is no other word so apt — down the bank, and dash into the river, but the moment they thought you had disappeared, and all was safe for them, back they would run again up the bank, and begin staring at the sky once again.
He who sees " Four-eyes " for the first time without laughing, must be devoid of the risible faculty — and in need of treatment.
Also there is another denizen, that makes its habitat on the river mud banks, seemingly by choice : a small bird somewhat like a swallow, or martin, with a sharp note, calling all the time, " Kis-ka-dee, Kis-ka-dee," as plain as language can make it, and to add to the eternal night noises, don't forget the bull- frogs in the main drain trenches, he will make himself heard anyway.
Then there was the so-called " Calling Crab ", another ridiculous animal, or crus- tacean rather. They always abounded, but
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 261
mostly outside the river (is it through in- herited instinct) , as they would have no chance of existence on the river banks, through being hunted by the blacks for food. I must ask the reader to picture a moderate sized crab, the front of whose shell is very broad, and almost straight, with a groove along it, in which lie right and left his two eyes, each with a stalk half as long as the breadth of the shell, and rooted in the centre so that the crab, when at rest carries his eyes like two epaulettes, an arrangement which gives him the advantage of a look all around for possible enemies. But it was when he saw an enemy, actual, or potential, that the fun commenced. Then the eye-stalks would jump upright side by side, like a pair of little lighthouses, and survey the field of battle in a fashion utterly ludicrous.
Moreover, as if he were not comical enough even thus, he was, as it were, a small man gifted with one arm of Hercules, and the other of a pigmy. One of the claw arms had dwindled to a mere nothing, and was not to be seen, while along the whole front of his shell lay folded one mighty arm, on which he put his trust. With that arm, when danger appeared, he would beckon the enemy to " come on," and with such wild defiance that he gained the name of " The Calling Laughable." He was, as might be guessed, a shrewd fighter, holding his long arm across his body, and fencing and biting therewith swiftly and sharply enough. Moreover, he was a respectable animal, with a wife, and took
262 THE CIvIPPBR SHIP " SHBII.A '
care of her. To see him in his glory, I was told, he should be watched sitting in the mouth of his burrow (his spouse packed safely behind him inside), beckoning defiance and proclaiming to all passers-by the treasure he protects, challenging them all to molest it. All these things, puzzles of the universe, must give us pause. We human beings assume that our brain is so much more devel- oped, and all creatures around us in the world so inferior to us, that we do not give credit to the " Economy of Nature," that endows even the humblest of God's created things with instincts far surpassing those allotted to us ; otherwise in it we might recognise the truism of the survival of the fittest.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Ai^L the time we were enjoying the bounteous hospitality of our friends in Georgetown, and on the estates, all of whom I hold in undying gratitude. Never an evening went by but someone's hospitable doors were open to us ; and the singing, especially on " Scotch nights" at Scotch folk's homes, was a generous treat. The good ship " Sheila " was taking on board her cargo, and I always made a point of supervising the stowage, especially the rum. By orders of the firm, the Captains of their ships were made responsible (and had to pay, too) for any damage done to rum casks through bad stowage ; on the other hand, to minimize that risk, I gave instructions that if any casks coming on board from estates showed signs of damage or leakage, they were to be held back for my survey, and at my discretion skipped into new casks sent on board from the town cooperage. Very often the town cask would not hold within a gallon or two of what had been contained in the original cask ; we were then supposed either to waste the surplus rum on the deck, to run into the scuppers en route to the river, or send it ashore to the Custom House. Had I chosen the latter course the officials would not thank us (and had so expressed themselves, pri- vately) for the bother we were giving them, and in the next place I should have had the worry of filHng up no end of forms, and attend-
264 THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
ing personally at the Customs ; so we had a third alternative — rum shrub, and milk punch, made out of forty per cent, over-proof rum. My steward was a professional at the making ; and they tell me, the result was very nice in hot water on cold nights in winter.
The Captains, being made responsible for stowage, have the privilege of employing who they mind to as stevedore. My old man was redoubtable, by name Douglas ; he was one of the blackest specimens of nigger, but a good one, and he brought his own gang of stowers. We hoisted the cargo on deck with our engine and lowered it to him in the hold. The niggers were all notable singers, and in jack-screwing heavy hogsheads of sugar a ton weight, in the wings, or under the 'tween decks aft in the run, they had their own shanties, in rythmic time, and tune, screwing and singing, " Whar you been, Abram, whar yo been so long ? Ebery time I turn in the bed, I take the pillow for you — ew — ew." And again another, " Sweet Evilina — dear Evilina — My lub for you, can never, never die — ie " ; and many which I forget now.
It was comic to see that black mass of perspiring humanity, a long way aft in the run of the lower hold, almost dark (for lights were not allowed owing to so much rum being about), with their great eyes rolHng and bHnking at you, carroling forth such ditties. It presented a glimpse of the nether regions, in more ways than one ; for the heat where they were working was terrific, and the smells in the ill-ventilated hold of the mixture of
THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 265
sugar and rum fumes, overpowering to those not used to it.
Certainly in my experience, I must with- draw a little of the strictures I have placed on the Trinidad coloured men, for standing idle in the market place, and praying that no man will hire them, in favour of their con- freres in Demerara. I expect the same criti- cism may prevail in the country districts (I have heard so) ; but the labourers on board ship in Demerara worked well under their own Boss, and in the terrific heat that pre- vailed in the ship's hold no other human beings could compete. But they also in their times of relaxation with their women folk, enjoyed life in their own way of thinking to the full, apeing the white folks — aye, and sur- passing them. Did you visit them in their homes on gala days, there was nothing in life that could come up to a " dignity ball," or a cake walk ; and laughable as it might be to " white folks " — it was not advisable, though, to let them see you laugh — they treated the latter from a very serious point of view, ap- pointing judges who were very fair and im- partial in their verdicts, and the victor was very proud of having " taken the cake." The ball was another affair, carried on with the utmost zest, and a corresponding ex- penditure of required perfume.
Our time in Demerara was now drawing to a close, as the ship was rapidly completing her cargo. She could carry more, but I had to stop her loading when her draught got to eighteen feet, on account of the shallowness of
266 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEIIvA "
the bar. We had on board about one thou- sand five hundred and fifty tons of sugar and rum, and fifty tons of annatto, the latter being used for colouring cheese, and such like.
On the 20th of December we unmoored and dropped down to the mouth of the river ; the pilot apprehended there would be a poor spring tide, with a bare eighteen feet on the shallows. My sailors were raising their voices singing their shanties, as now we were really " homeward bound." As I have said, my original crew that I left the Clyde with, were an exceptionally good lot of men ; I could do anything with them, and they would obey my officers or myself with alacrity and cheerful- ness, never mind what the order was — but this on dit, I had been as them myself one time, and I would never ask any man, or allow him to be asked by others, to do anything I could not do myself. But the lot of extra men I shipped in Calcutta in accordance with government requirements, were of a different sort, and if they had dared, would have caused trouble ; but they were very firmly handled — if you know what that means on shipboard — some of them I left in jail in Trinidad, and the balance I paid off in Demerara. So now our present crew were as per original ; and they were as glad to get rid of their late shipmates as I was.
On the morning of the 21st, one of Messrs. Sproston's paddle wheel steamers came along side. They are very shallow draft steamers, used for carrying passengers and merchandise up and down the Essequibo river, and are not
THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEILA " 267
tugs, by a long way. We passed our two tow ropes on board entirely, only retaining the ends on board our ship, made fast to the bits on the starboard and port bows. The tug was short up under our bows with our hawsers made fast to the bollards on his star- board and port sponsons, and about one hundred fathoms of hawser from each coiled along his deck. (I am particular in describing this to prepare the reader for what follows). As soon as the anchor was off the bottom, the tug started off with the ship, full speed for the bar, one hour before high water ; but the trouble soon commenced. The ship gradually lessened speed, and then stopped as she took the mud on the bar ; and through having no way on her, the tug could not steer, although her paddle wheels were going round no end. She would first break sheer to star- board, and they on board would ease out a little on the starboard rope, trimming her by so doing until she got right ahead again, when they would try to steady at that. We had a lead line over the side on the bottom, to test if we were moving or not. She moved a bit ahead — then the tug would take a wild, senseless sheer to port, and the port rope would have to be slackened as in the former case until she got ahead again. So the " Sheila " would accomplish a few more lengths ahead ; and that sort of thing would be repeated time after time, for two hours — or until past high water. Sometimes the plaguey tug, before she would stop sheering, would only bring herself up, when she was
268 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEII.A "
abaft our beam. On the tide ebbing, and all the lengths of both ropes on the tug being expended, she slipped the ends and anchored, leaving to us the job of getting on board the two tow-ropes. The pilot said the next tide (which would be in the night for one thing) was not so good water for another ; so we had perforce to remain where we were — no fear of driving away, or need of anchoring.
I was very anxious, as I was afraid, if the result of the next day should be the same, I should be blamed for loading too deeply, and the ship would lose the springs to cross the bar, which would mean a fortnight's delay. The trouble mostly was, being a heavy ship to tow, and of great length, the inade- quate tug boat could not make her respond to her wild eccentric sheers. So a worried man was I. As we were drawing a foot more water aft than forward, I got all hands to discharge the fifty tons of anatto, that was in the after hold in casks, and stow them on the fore deck, even if it put the ship a little by the head.
On the next day we repeated the oper- ation of passing the tow-ropes to the tug, and with a parting injunction to do his best, he went ahead full steam. I thought at first that he was going to fail to tow us even out of the bed we had made in the mud. After vainly endeavouring to accomplish that de- sirable end, the tug stopped and came close under our bows again, with the hawsers slackened. Then he went full speed ahead for all he was worth once more, when he was brought up all standing with a jerk through
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 269
the weight of the ship, which brought her tafrail down level with the water. It didn't do his machinery any good, I am sure ; but the " Sheila " reluctantly came out of her bed and moved a few lengths — still she moved, so I set all my fore and aft canvass, alow and aloft. There was a nice breeze, but the wind was so far ahead they were hardly drawing ; still they were doing a little good by heeling and rolling the ship. Only a few minutes before high water she moved a little more decidedly, and then went off with a rush. In a moment we had a deuce of a job, for our sails being set and now drawing, we had the tug boat in tow, broadside on this time, as he could not cast off our ropes quick enough. One of them had got foul, and all hands were vociferating loudly on board, so we had to let all our sails come down on the run, and luff her to the wind to stop the ship — but not before (I saw to that) we had considerably deepened our water, to ensure we were clear of the bar.
At 3 p.m. the tug-boat left us with a part- ing cheer, we set all sail and got on board our tow-ropes. The pilot was taken on board the lightship, with my despatches and the crew's letters, and we were once more at sea, close hauled on starboard tack, wind N.E. light trade breeze, going ten knots.
Shanty : " Stand to Your Ground."
Solo. Sal ... ly am de gal dat I lub dear , . . ly,
O ... Sal ... ly am de gal dat I lub dear . . . ly.
270 THE CI^IPPBR SHIP " SHBII.A "
Chorus. Way , . . sing Sal . . . ly, Hi . . . low,
John Brown, Stand to your ground.
Solo. Sal . . . ly am de gal dat I lub dear . . . ly.
Her cheek so red an' her hair so cur . . . ly.
Chorus. Way . . . sing Sal . . . ly, Hi . . . lo, John
Brown, Stand to your ground.
Solo. Sal. . . ly, she's a Badian bright mu-lat-to ;
Seven long years I courted Sad . . . ly.
Chorus.
Solo. Neb . . . ber mind de weather, but keep
yo's legs to-ged-der, Fair land ob England, soon be show . . . ing.
Chorus.
General Chorus. Stand to your ground, and walk him up lively, Or de Bosun he come 'round a dingin and a dangin . . . Hi . . . lo, John Brown . . . stand to your ground.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
" What care we for storms, or hurricane's might ? Our souls as froward can measure their height As the free-born cloud that exults in the air. We skim o'er the deep, nor barter with care.
The baron may boast of his castle grand, And the king of his name that rules the land ; But we are the kings of the fathomless sea. And as blithe as her dancing spray are we."
J. I. StUART.
On the 24tli of December we passed to wind- ward of Barbadoes, five miles off at 4 a.m., and we carried a light trade breeze to Lat. 25 N., Long. 57 W., which we reached on Decem- ber 30lh. After leaving Demerara my crew replaced the annatto in the after hold, and on Christmas Day all hands on board held high revel as a holiday. It being now the dead of winter in the North Atlantic, I knew by ex- perience, there was stern work in front of us, and it would, in all probability, be the last en j oy able day we should have . Even from the Lat. of Barbadoes we encountered a taste of what to expect, in the beginning of a heavy N.W. swell, gentle at first, but for three days the " Sheila " put her bows into it, good and well. The sea nearly breaking indicated bad weather ahead ; but I had a good ship, well found, and nicely loaded with a homo- geneous cargo — no Glasgow " dry goods " this time — so I did not fear.
After clearing the Guiana-land, Finlay, the driver had a job after his own heart,
272 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
cleaning the steam boiler and overhauling the machinery, engines, etc. The boiler especially was much encrusted with salt, as it had been in use every day between Calcutta and Trini- dad, condensing fifty thousand gallons of fresh water, and working sometimes at night as well as day. The old man was very careful, and took a pride in everything connected with his department ; he wanted it all in apple- pie order by the time we reached the Mersey. He was also lamp trimmer, and keeper of oils, varnish, and paints, and very good at the job. On December 31st we had our first taste of what was to come. We were caught flat aback in a squall, and were in for it. The glass was high before, but it now came down with a rush, and we had thunder, lightning, rain, and utter darkness. The wind before we were caught aback was N.E. — a light breeze ; in the squall it flew to N.W. — a gale, and after that it seemed to blow alternately from every point of the compass, with a correspondingly confused sea. It was quite a lively time. All that night the ship was reduced to storm canvas, perhaps not so much on account of the weight of wind, though at times that was considerable ; but we had a visitation and liberal display of St. Elmo's fire balls, hanging from yard arms, gaffs, and boom ends — a weird-looking phenomenon, indicating an ab- normal amount of electricity about, which even affected the magnetism of the compass, and (I also believe) our spirits. Anyway, I didn't like it. The sea by now had got up in heavy lumps, and as the ship was lurching
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHKII.A " 273
and pitching so violently, I had to put on more canvas to steady her ; it was coming away from the N.W. like a cliff, and breaking. Some poor beggars were getting the wind that caused that sea, but I was not sufficiently far north for that, for which mercy I was duly grateful ; it is quite enough to be at sea in a magnetic storm — " pooh-poohing " that, is rank blasphemy. Also, as luck would have it, the sea was full of phosphorescence, and that does not often happen.
The next morning, although the wind was unfavourable, we made some more sail, and corresponding headway. We passed a large Yankee ship bound south, with loss of fore topmast, main topgallant-mast, and jib-boom, a legacy I expect from yesterday. They had got down, and in, the wreckage of the topmast and jib-boom ; but all the top- hamper on the main was still hanging in wreckage. I signalled to him : " Did he want any assistance ? " but he made no reply, not even by his ensign. He was too grumpy, I " guess and calculate."
We now encountered proper winter weather : gales of wind and heavy seas from all directions. At times the wind would veer to a slant, and we would take it out of the " Sheila " again, starting with all her studding sails we could pack on her, then having to take them in one by one, followed by others, sail by sail, as the wind got too violent. We were going again fifteen to sixteen knots, passing no end of steamers, and all other craft that essayed to accompany us. Then the wind
R
274 THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
would head us, by the north chiefly, with a terrible high cross sea, flooding the decks from rail to rail, as per outward passage. But the ship behaved infinitely better, and did not wallow and roll to windward so badly. No Glasgow " dry goods " this time, but good old sugar and rum, although the weight of the cargo was nearly the same.
On the 19th of January in Lat. 40' N., I/ong. 40 W., we had three days of fine weather again. The sun shone out, wind E.N.E. to S.E. — not much good for us, and still there was a nasty sea from the westward. On the 10th it veered to the south again, and soon we had as much wind as we well could do with. The " Sheila " was going it again for all she was worth, reaching sixteen and a half to seven- teen knots at times, and once more attained three himdred and fifty-five knots in the twenty- four hours. We passed a lot of vessels of all rigs going our way, some under easy canvas, and outward-bounders lying to ; we had never less than three topgallant-sails, with main royal over. Even now, after these many years, my heart exults over the re- membrance of those glorious times — as it were holding in leash that noble craft then sHpping, and letting her race. There is nothing in a machine-driven hull that can compare with the nerve required to give a sail driven craft just that right amount of push, or to show the possession of judgement that everything you have charge of is up to its limit, sails, gear, masts, yards, and hull — all have to be con- sidered. In a steamer it is altogether differ-
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 275
ent ; it is on the power of her engines and propeller you reckon for speed. Given two vessels of identical hulls, one of one thousand H.P. and the other of twenty-thousand, it's the latter gets the speed over the former — no racing there ; and it is up to the Captain of the latter craft to get the speed out of her " to the tail knot." If he doesn't do it, his job is a short one. He is asked : " What is the use of putting the mechanical power in your ship. Captain, if you don't make use of it ? "
At daybreak on the 13th in Lat. 47 N., Long. 24 W., I was called as usual by the officer of the watch stamping on the deck over my head. On my going on deck, he said : " There is a brig in sight on our weather bow, about four miles away, with a British ensign half-masted and upside down, and signals flying from her spanker gaff ' I want assis- tance.' "
I immediately luffed to the wind, and all hands being called, took in sails as fast as we could, and backed the main yards, as by this time we had reached a long way ahead of the brig. She came up with us under our lee quarter, as close as was prudent, and this is the tale the poor fellows had to tell. She was the brig " Argo " of Swansea, from Curacao, with a cargo of phosphates, bound to Fal- mouth for orders, forty days out. On Janu- ary the 5th in a heavy gale, coming out of the straits of Florida, an enormous sea had come on board, and swept overboard and drowned the Captain and four able seamen, every soul that was on the deck at the time. The wheel
276 THE ClylPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
was broken, but had been repaired. They had jettisoned fifty tons of cargo, lost their harness casks overboard, besides sundry other dam- ages ; and as their full crew was nine, they had only four left, and could I spare them four able seamen ?
Yes, I could ! but the job was putting them on board in the sea that was then running. So I put it to my men, who all knew what had transpired, as the communication was by word of mouth, and on my calling for volunteers, a lot too many responded (as I knew they would on my call) . They left it to me in the end, and I picked out five A.B.'s, Bulley, the leading seaman in my watch to be one, and in charge. So they picked together their kits, or donkeys as they name it, and we lowered away a lifeboat in charge of the second officer, Mr. Drake, and dispatched them, together with a plentiful supply of pro- visions and " comforts." But the Captain pro tern would only take four of my men — said he could manage with that number. The journey was made in safety (for which I was very much relieved), and on her return we hoisted up the boat, without damage and again made sail, and with a hon voyage and parting cheers, we proceeded on our way.
That adventure I should call one of the tragedies of the sea — all those poor fellows being swept overboard by one enormous wave. The mate said that he was not aware of the casualty at the time ; it being his watch below, and on going off the deck, he had left the brig with the wheel lashed hard down,
THE CI.IPPER SHIP " SHEILA " Til
the brig head reaching under lower top-sails, and fore topmast-staysail. He noticed by the cabin clock, it was a long time after his watch below had expired, so he went on deck, and found the brig head reaching, as when he had gone below, but there was not a vestige of the watch left on deck — all gone.
On my arrival in Liverpool I reported the matter. The vessel had not arrived at Fal- mouth, and as time went on caused anxiety again ; but about ten days after our arrival in Liverpool she was reported, arrived at'Brest, having in a big N.W. gale after parting com- pany with us, been driven to leeward into the Bay of Biscay. We had that same wind also on making the land, but the " Sheila " was too powerful to be driven to leeward.
The bad weather the " Argo " encoun- tered at her casualty, accounted for the ab- normal weather, and head seas we had in the N.E. trades. It is an interesting coincidence, by the way, that the " Argo " belonged to relatives of mine, of the same name.
Shanty : " One More Day."
Solo (slow). Only one more day, my John-ny. . . . One more . . . day. Chorus. O come rock and roll me over. . . . One more . . . day.
Don't you hear the old man roar . . . ing, John-ny, . . . One more day.
Don't you hear that Bosun bawl-ing . . . One more . . . day.
278 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA ''
Then put on your square-tailed blue, my John-ny, . , . One more . . . day,
For your nine months' pay is nearly due, John-ny, . . . One more . . . day.
Repeat first verse as chorus.
Shanty : " Fareweli, and Amtv."
Solo.
Farewell and adieu to you, Span-ish la-dies, Farewell and a-dieu to you, la-dies of Spain,
For it's, we've received or-ders for to sail for old England, But we hope very soon we shall see you again.
Chorus.
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors, We'll rant and we'll roar a-cross the salt seas. Until we strike sound-ings in the channel of old England, From Ush-ant to Scil-ly is twen-ty five leagues.
Solo.
Then we hove our ship to — with the wind at sou-west,
my boys ; We hove our ship to — our soundings for to see. So we rounded and sounded — and got forty-five fathoms.
We squared our main yards — and up channel steered we.
Now the first land we made, it is called the Dead-man, Then Rame-head off Plymouth, Start, Portland, and Wight,
We sailed by Beachy — by Fairlee and Dungeness, Until we came a-breast of the South Foreland-I/ight.
Then the signal was made for the ship for to an-chor. All in the Downs, that night for to meet.
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 279
Then it's stand by your stoppers, let go your shank painters, Haul up your clew-garnets, haul up tacks, and sheets.
Now let ev-e-ry man toss off a full bump-er, And let ev-e-ry man toss off a full bowl,
And well drink and be merry and drown melancholy, Singing here's a good health to all true-heart-ed souls.
Repeat chorus after each verse.
CHAPTER XXXIX. Heavy Gaines in the Ati^antic.
" Welcome, my lad, from the dark stormy main. Welcome, my hearty, to old England again ; Welcome the sound of your deep, rolling voice. That swells like the ocean, and bids us rejoice.
Come give us your hand as a sailor true. Whilst we gaze in your eye's most tender blue. For down in their lurking depths we can trace The shadow of many a time and place,"
J. I. STUART.—
The weather we had the day after we parted company with the " Argo " was simply despicable. We had everything in turn that was bad, and that could be had in the broad Atlantic within a winter's day. The wind was a gale that started at N.B. — a dead muzzier for us ; a heavy sea got up at that, bringing us down in the ship to storm canvas. After four hours of that, it went into the east, and worked its way to S.B., blowing great guns, and then, in a terrific squall, flew to S.W. A fair wind in direction again, so we squared away and put on some sail, and went at it again, right into the N.B. and Bast seas. We drove the bows clean under to the foremast, but that game was too dangerous, I was afraid of doing some damage. For one thing, the men in the forecastle told me they were afraid one of the anchors stowed on the topgallant fore- castle wasjgetting adrift, and it would be utterly impossible to send anybody up there
THE ClylPPER SHIP " SHEII.A " 281
to secure it, as they would assuredly have been swept overboard. So we reduced sail reluctantly on that account. The fact was my officers were in the midst of bending on the chain cables, when the bad weather suddenly broke on us and stopped them, and I could not be sure how far they had gone in unlashing the anchors, preparatory to putting them over the bows. Anyway, my sailors had a high old time of it in their quarters in the forecastle, for the plugs had been taken out of the hawse- pipes — they had previously been driven in from the outside. So the forecastle was being flooded every time the ship made a dive (which was as frequent as to be nearly continuous), the whole of the men's gear was all afloat, and some washing out of the doors on to the main deck. I went there to have a look at them, and it was laughable — ^but I didn't feel inclined to laugh. To see a man with the hawse-plug hugged up in his arms, and two men with big hammers in attendance, gin- gerly approach the hawse-pipe, that was absolutely spouting water. When they thought they had a chance — and the lookers- on urging most vociferously, " Now's your time!" — they would thrust in the plug, and the hammer men would go at it ; then the ship would give an extra wild plunge, the plug would come out again with a bang, and all hands would be sent flying like drowned rats (the like of which we all were). But I knew that something must be done ; so I got all hands on deck, and took all sail off to the main and fore lower topsails, and fore topmast
282 THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA "
staysail, and hove the ship to. And a fair wind blowing ! ! ! !
We managed to get the plugs into place from the outside again, and also secured the anchors. That job cost us five good hours. The plaguey plugs were the worst job ; I dared not send men over the bows even when lying to. In the end we made a more or less successful job of it (mostly less) by pa5dng out a small rope through the hawse-pipe, fishing it up as it came aft, and splicing it into a hole bored by Chips in the tail of the plug, and drawing it to its destination. Anyway, the more the plugs were hit by the sea, the firmer they were, and the men chinched up all the leaky spots. When finished, we kept the ship away again on her course, but I found I could carry no more sail with safety, for if anything the weather was worse. We had a bitter squall of wind, rain, snow, sleet, and hail ; the wind flew into N.W., and after blowing a howling gale from that quarter for another four hours, it flew back again to S.E. by way of S.W.
That was the sort of weather we had for the twenty-four hours, with heavy seas from points all around the compass. It was verit- ably like a huge boiling pot ; the poor little " Sheila " and all on board her, were indeed like drowned rats. Landspeople can have no proper idea of what I have described ; it seemed as if all the elements were out to des- troy everything on the world of waters. Once, when in the thick of it, we fell in with a mass of floating balks of Quebec timber, scores of
THE CLIPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 283
them (some poor timber- carrying craft had evidently come to grief), but we saw nothing of the ship. Those floating balks are a great danger, for if you come in contact with them at a dangerous angle, they may drive a hole in your bows. We saw several ships about, all lying-to, not one sailing. Also, about 2 p.m. a large brig-rigged S.S. (an American liner) came up from the leeward bound west. I didn't like the look of her at first, as she seemed to be coming straight for my amid- ships, and yawing about as if she was difficult to steer. However, she passed close across our stern, and then took a header into the N.W. sea. I thought she was gone under ; she disappeared altogether forward, right to her bridge- deck amidships, and threw her propeller clean out of the water. She was steaming slow, and it took a long time before we lost sight of her ; in fact we could see her at 5 p.m., till when it got dark. Then the wind went W. and N.W., after a terrific squall ; the sky cleared, but with that peculiar steely blue, when you can see a great distance — a bad sign.
The next day the wind settled back to W.S.W., a gale with a high confused sea. We made as much sail as we dared, and at mid-day on the 16th sighted the Irish land, " Galley Head." At 5 p.m. Kinsale light bore N.W., ten miles distant ; and at 2 a.m. on the 17th we passed Tuskar, distant one mile. It was blowing heavily from W. by N. We kept the Irish land aboard, and at 7 a.m. passed Arklow, distant six miles, the wind
284 THE CIvIPPER SHIP " SHBIIyA "
N.W. with the same force, but there was com. paratively smooth water off the land. All hands were now engaged getting the anchors over the bows, and cables shackled on — and not much before time. At 9 a.m. we kept away for South Stack, Holyhead ; at 1 1 sighted it, and passed it at noon. It was now blowing a heavy W.N.W. gale, the sea one smother of foam and spume. There was quite a fleet of sailing craft in the channel, all lying- to.
At 4 p.m. we steered close around Point Lynus, into Dulas Bay, to try and find a Liverpool pilot. It was rather a daring game, and I do not recommend it in such weather, unless you are as well acquainted with the spot as I was ; but it was my only chance to get a pilot on board that night, since, as I knew, it was there they dodged in such weather. I got one all right ; and at 4.30 p.m. stood off the land, under main and fore lower topsails, and fore topmast staysail only.
On looking round the Pilot commented : " So this is one of Sandbach, Tinne & Co.'s new clipper ships there is so much talk about ? " and asked me if I could depend upon her steering qualities. I assured him on that point. " She is not liable to broach-to, is she ? " " Never a broach," was my answer. " Well, then," he asked, " shall I run for the bar ? " I told him that was for him to decide. He then said that he had often wished to see how a clipper ship like the " Sheila " would behave on the bar, in a gale dead on like that which was now blowing, and with such a sea.
THE CUPPER SHIP " SHEILA " 285
" Mind we shall get wet," said he. " Wet, indeed, all right, let her go," I replied. We manoeuvred about a bit to keep the ship back, so as to take the bar exactly at high water to a minute, to get (so we expected) a better sea; but we all had an experience, especially the Pilot. The deep, short, breaking seas were awful ; the ship's taffrail went down under repeatedly, and the seas swept over the poop, and along it on to the main deck in a cataract. It was luckily only for about ten minutes — but such a ten minutes — as by that time we had got clear inside the bar, and in the shelter of the Formby Channel. The man at the wheel held on good ; but the mate, and two boys were swept clear off the poop, on to the main deck, where fortunately they fell soft, up to their necks in water. I had, on " ex- perienced knowledge ", placed myself to lee- ward of the big ventilator, and between it and the main skylight, where I could get a good grip of the skylight gratings. I looked around for the Pilot ; he had made a big jump for the spanker boom, and had managed to get his arms clasped over the boom, and was holding on like grim death, with his legs dangling from side to side. I laughed aloud at him, and repeated what he had said, " Mind, we shall get wet." All he answered was, " By Gosh, never again ", and he laughed.
At 5 a.m. on the 18th of January we anchored in the Mersey, less than twenty-six days from Demerara. At 3 p.m. we docked in the Prince's Dock, and moored at the com-
286 THE CI.IPPBR SHIP " SHEILA "
pany's berth— and " SO ENDS THE VOY- AGE."
The dark blue jacket that enfolds the sailor's manly breast. Bears more of real honour than the star and ermine vest. The tithe of folly in his head may make the landsman's mirth. But Nature proudly owns him as her child of sterling worth.
His heart is warm, his hand is true, his word is frank and free. And though he plays the ass on shore, he's Hon of the sea ; He's Britain's boast, and claims a toast, " In peace, my boys,
or war. Here's to the brave upon the wave, ' The Gallant English Tar.' "
— E. Cook.
THS EKD.
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