Hurricane Hurry

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TWO.

  COMMENCEMENT OF THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.--APPOINTED TO THEORPHEUS FRIGATE.--CAUSES OF THE WAR.--SAIL IN COMPANY WITH THE CHATHAMFOR HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA.--STORMY PASSAGE IN MID-WINTER.--LOSE SIGHT OFCHATHAM.--LOSE MASTS.--THE CAPTAIN KEEPS AT IT.--RIG JURY-MASTS.--ASUCCESSION OF GALES.--GET IN AT LAST.--OUR CAPTAIN GAINS GREAT CREDIT.

  I had enjoyed the _otium cum dignitate_ of a midshipman's life on shorescarcely more than six weeks when, in September, 1775, the shrillbugle-blast of war sounded the knell of the piping tunes of peace; and Ireceived the very satisfactory intelligence that I was rated as master'smate on board the Orpheus frigate, of fifty-two guns, Captain Hudson,then fitting for sea with all possible despatch at Plymouth, anddestined for the North American station. I had hoped to have beenconfirmed in my rank as a lieutenant; but, disappointed in this, I wastoo glad under present circumstances to get afloat on any terms.

  The peace which had now lasted for nearly ten years was thus abruptlyterminated by the outbreak into open rebellion of the North Americancolonies, which led on to their Declaration of Independence. I wasnever anything of a politician, and I must confess that at that periodof my existence I troubled myself very little about the rights of thecase, though even then I had a lurking idea that the colonists were notquite the ragamuffins some people would have had us suppose. They hadno fancy, it appeared, to pay taxes without having a voice as to theemployment of their money or interest in the objects on which it wasexpended. The British Government and the upper classes generally athome had always treated the inhabitants of the colonies as if theyconsidered them an inferior race, and almost beyond the pale ofcivilisation. This conduct had naturally caused much discontent and illfeeling, and made the colonists more ready to resent and oppose anyattempt to curtail their rights and privileges. What was called theStamp Act met with the first organised opposition. The Governmentoffices were in many places pulled down, while the Governor of New Yorkand other promoters of the Act were burnt in effigy. Many influentialcolonists then bound themselves to make use of no articles on whichduties had been levied; while the people of Boston, proceeding a stepfarther, rather than pay the duty imposed by the British Government,threw into the sea the cargoes of several ships sent there by the EastIndia Company laden with tea. This proceeding of the inhabitants ofBoston induced the British Government to send General Gage, with anarmy, to take up his quarters there, with the intention of coercingthem.

  The belief that arbitrary Government was about to be establishedthroughout the colonies made the people in every direction rise in arms.A rebel force, consisting of several thousand men, began to collect inthe neighbourhood of the above-mentioned city. Petition after petitionand remonstrance after remonstrance had been sent over to England invain. The great Lord Chatham and the famous Mr Edmund Burke hadpleaded the cause of the patriots with all the mighty eloquence theypossessed; but without altering the resolution of the King or theGovernment. The celebrated Dr Franklin, already well known in Englandand America as a philosopher as well as a statesman, had come over toEngland to plead the cause of his countrymen, but had returned hopelessof effecting his object. What treatment, after this, could thecolonists expect, if they yielded to the dictates of the mother-country?

  The crisis at length arrived. There was at Concord, near Boston, alarge magazine of military stores. General Gage sent a force to destroyit. The patriots collected in considerable numbers to oppose theBritish troops, and drove them back, with a heavy loss, into the city.This engagement, though little more than a skirmish, was called theBattle of Lexington. If its results were to be taken intoconsideration, few battles have been of more importance. Brethren hadshed each other's blood. Both parties were exasperated beyond control.The patriots felt their power; the royalists burned to wipe out thedisgrace their arms had received. General Gage now regularly fortifiedBoston, which was in its turn besieged by the rebels. The wholecontinent was up in arms. Another successful enterprise had beenundertaken by a leader of irregulars, who had seized the Ports ofTiconderoga and Crown Point, which gave the patriots the command of LakeGeorge and the head of Lake Champlain, always recognised as the keys ofCanada.

  The patriots had by this time formed a regular Government. Each of thecolonies had sent delegates to a general assembly held at Philadelphia,to which the name of the Congress was given. The Congress hadauthorised the formation of an army and had appointed asCommander-in-chief a gentleman of Virginia of good repute, ColonelGeorge Washington. He was well known as a bold leader in frontierwarfare against the Indians, and had also seen service against theFrench; besides this, he was a man of the highest moral qualities, whichhad gained him the respect of his fellow-colonists.

  The event which had induced the Government to despatch my ship andothers so hurriedly to the North American station was the battle ofBunker's Hill, the news of which had just been received. The engagementitself would not have been of much consequence had it not proved thatthe rebels were resolved to fight it out to the last. The Americans,besieging Boston, had fortified a height above the city called Bunker'sHill. General Gage resolved to dislodge them and to endeavour to raisethe siege. Our troops, after much hard fighting and considerable loss,claimed the victory, having driven the enemy from the heights; but theAmericans quickly rallied, and, many reinforcements coming up, the citywas more closely invested than ever.

  I frequently heard the subject of the rebellion discussed by my friendsduring my stay at home, and I cannot say that generally their sympathieswere in favour of the colonists. A few took the view of the caseentertained by Lord Chatham, Mr Burke, and a small band of enlightenedmen in advance of their age; but they mostly sided with the King and theTories, and considered that the presumption of the colonists must be putdown with a high hand. They little knew of what stuff the descendantsof the Pilgrim Fathers--the sturdy Puritans, the dashing Cavaliers, theprim Quakers, and of many other classes whom persecution, poverty, ortheir crimes, had driven from Europe--were made, as I had full manyopportunities afterwards of discovering. A just and judicious policywhich at once would have granted all the rights the colonists demandedwould have preserved the dignity of the mother-country and saved oceansof bloodshed; but it was ordained otherwise. The falsehood of traitorshad taught our too credulous King to disbelieve in the loyalty as wellas the courage of his trans-Atlantic subjects; and his ministers, inspite of all the warnings and the earnest entreaties of the colonists,persisted in forcing on them their obnoxious measures. I must againrepeat, that at the time I allude to I did not see things in the seriouslight in which I have described them. It would never do if midshipmenwere to turn politicians; still, I could not help hearing what otherssaid on the subject, and I had plenty of time to think of what I hadheard. The general cry was--"Crush the audacious rascals! Put down thetraitorous villains with a strong hand! What, venture to disobey theauthority of their lawful master and sovereign, King George? They willsoon learn reason at the point of the sword!" Such were the sentimentsshared by most on board, as well as throughout the army and fleet.

  Had it not been for this outbreak of war, I had proposed volunteering tosail with Captain Cook, who had just then returned from his famousvoyage in the Resolution with Captain Furneaux, who commanded theAdventure; and it was reported that he was about to start on another andstill more important expedition, which he actually did on the followingyear.

  During my stay on shore I had gone over to see my sister Mary and mybrother-in-law, Jack Hayfield. Jack was the same good-natured,thoughtless creature as before, and had done as little to better himselfas he had to improve me. I made inquiries for Tommy Rockets, whom Ifound was still at home, so I set out to see him and his mother, notforgetting what I knew would prove a welcome present to the poor woman.I found her looking more careworn and poverty-stricken than ever. Shedid not know me when I entered her cottage, for I was much grown andthoroughly sun-burnt.

  "Well, dame," said I, "how goes the world with you?
" She looked at mehard, surprised that a stranger should make such an inquiry; then,suddenly recognising me, she sprang up, and in her joy was about, Ibelieve, to kiss me as she would have done Tommy, when, recollectingherself, she took my hand, which I put out, and pressed it warmly.After I had told her somewhat of my adventures I asked her whether shewould allow Tommy to accompany me the next time I went to sea. The poorwoman turned pale at the question, but at last gasped out--

  "If the lad wishes it, if it's for his good, I dare not say him nay--but, oh, Master Hurricane, you'll look after him--you'll befriend him--you'll protect him--he's my only child, and he's very simple andignorant of the world's ways." I promised her that I would do my bestfor him, though I warned her he must trust to his own good conduct; andsoon after Tommy came in. I saw at a glance that he had the stuff inhim to make a sailor. He had grown into a stout, broad-shouldered lad,though still rather short, with fists big enough to fell an ox, a round,bullet head covered with curly hair, and a thoroughly honest,good-natured countenance, not wanting in intelligence, though a snubbynose, small eyes, and thickish lips formed his features. He had astrong struggle in his bosom, I saw, before he could make up his mind totell his mother that he would accept my offer; but he could do littlefor their mutual support while he remained on shore, and I left himattempting to comfort her by telling her of the wealth with which hewould ere long return to her.

  As soon as I got my appointment I sent directions to Tom to join me atPlymouth, with a small sum to fit him out, being very certain that hewould at once be taken on board. I had a wide round of farewell visitsto pay to numerous friends who had been kind to me during my stay onshore. They all wished me plenty of prize-money and rapid promotion,but I cannot say that I had much expectation of getting either. I wasmuch concerned at this time at observing the state of my father'sspirits. His worldly affairs were, I suspected, not flourishing,though, as he did not speak to me about them, I could not venture tomake any inquiries of him on the subject. I could only cherish the hopethat if I did realise a sailor's dream and make any prize-money I mightbe able to render him some assistance. My poor mother's health also wasfailing, weakened, as it long ago had been, by cares andresponsibilities of her numerous family. With a heart therefore morefull of misgivings than usual, I bade them and those of my brothers andsisters who remained at home farewell, and, with a chest rather moreamply supplied with necessaries than when I first went to sea, I set offfor my ship then lying at Hamoze, and joined her on the 15th of October,1775. I was, as I fully expected, successful in getting Tommy Rocketsrated as a landsman on board, and though, poor fellow, he at firstlooked very much like a fish out of water, and a very odd fish too, Isaw that it would not be long before he would be perfectly at home onhis new element.

  As soon as he had been entered and had become one of the ship's company,I told him to go aloft, to give him some experience before we got tosea. "What, to the top of them big sticks that grow out of the ship?They be plaguey high, Master Hurricane!" said he, looking up doubtingly,at the same time preparing to swarm up by the foremast itself. When hefound that he might go up by the shrouds he seemed to think it a veryeasy matter, and before many days were over he could go aloft as quicklyas any lad in the ship. I got an old seaman, Nol Grampus, who hadsailed with me in two ships before, to look after him and to put him upto his duty, which, to do him justice, he was very anxious to learn. Alittle help of this sort to a lad when he first goes to sea is of greatservice to him in many ways; it gives him encouragement, it saves himfrom many a cuff and harsh word, and makes a seaman of him much soonerthan he would otherwise become. On the 16th of the month we went intothe Sound, where the remainder of the officers joined. By frequentlysending press-gangs on shore we got together our ship's company, but wehad yet to learn the stuff they were made of. I was truly glad to findtwo or three old shipmates on board. One of them was Gerrard Delisle,my greatest friend. We had gone afloat at the same time and wereexactly the same age and standing, though, I must confess, he was vastlymy superior in education and ability. He had all the gallantry andimpetuosity of an Irishman, with a warm heart full of generous feelings,and at the same time the polish of a man of the world, not always to beobtained in a cock-pit. Another friend of mine was Noel Kennedy, also amaster's mate. He was a Scotchman of good family, of which he was not alittle proud. His pride in this respect was an amiable failing, iffailing it was, for his great anxiety was to shed honour on his name.Among my other messmates were John Harris Nicholas, Richard Ragget, JohnDrew. A great pet of ours was little Harry Sumner--one of the smallestmidshipmen who ever came to sea. Left an orphan, without a connexionbound to him by the ties of blood, the poor child had been sent afloatby his guardians as the simplest mode they could devise of disposing ofhim. The event was happy for him, for he soon found many more friendson board than he ever would on shore, and in a short time there was nota man of the ship's company who would not have risked his life to shieldhim from injury. As I shall have to mention the officers and my othermessmates in the course of my narrative I need not here describe them.

  On the 30th, the moment we had cast off the lighters from alongside, wesailed for North America in company with the Chatham, bearing the flagof Rear-Admiral Shouldham, who was going out to take the chief commandon that station. The wind continuing fair and the weather fine, we, onthe following day, lost sight of the English shore, which many on boardwere destined never to see again--none of us, until months and monthshad passed by.

  Things had begun to shake a little into their places and the officersand ship's company to know something of each other by the time that wehad got about three hundred leagues to the westward of Scilly. Instead,however, of keeping to the southward, where we might have found acontinuance of fine weather, our captain, in his anxiety quickly toreach the scene of action, notwithstanding the advanced season of theyear, ordered a northerly course to be steered. The consequence wasthat we had soon work to try the mettle of all hands. By noon on the6th of November we fell in with a gale of wind which would aseffectually have blown up the Houses of Parliament as would Guido Faulksand his barrels of gunpowder, if it could have got under them. Sail wasshortened and all was made snug aloft in time, hat below many an articletook a voyage which terminated in total shipwreck to itself orneighbours.

  "Here comes a combing sea in a vengeance!" exclaimed Delisle, seizinghold of little Harry to save him from being by chance washed away. Wewere standing aft on the quarter-deck. On came the watery mountain withits curling crest of snowy foam, and, striking the ship with terrificforce and with a noise like thunder, broke over the starboard chesstree,deluging the decks forward and carrying away a fine cutter off thelarboard skidds, with some of the rails and carlings of the head.

  "Where are we going to, Mr Delisle?" exclaimed little Harry, as heclung to his arm with a look of very natural terror in his countenance.

  "To Halifax, in Nova Scotia, I hope," answered Gerrard, laughing."Where else should you think?"

  "I thought we might be going to the bottom," answered the poor boy withperfect simplicity; "but I'm not afraid, you know."

  "No reason why you should be, Harry," answered Delisle. "The old barkiewill have to swim through many a worse sea than this, let me tell you--so remember, my boy, you are never in future to begin to be afraid tillyou see the rest of us turn pale."

  Little Harry promised obedience, and he had before long ampleopportunities of proving his nerves. The seamen, as they hurried aboutthe decks, shook the water in showers, like Newfoundland dogs from theirshaggy coats; and in a short time we had things put as much to rights ascircumstances would allow.

  The gale continued all night, but ceased on the following eveningwithout having committed further damage, and from that time till themorning of the tenth we had tolerably fine weather. It then fell astark calm, but there was an ominous cold-grey silky look in the skywhich I did not like. The captain was constantly on deck, anxiouslyscanning the horizon, and Jonatha
n Flood, our old master, kept hisweather-eye open, as if apprehensive of evil.

  "Vary fine weather this, Mr Hurry," said Andrew Macallan, our surgeon'smate, who had come to sea for the first time. "Just a wee bit more windto waft us on our way to the scene of action, and we may well becontent."

  "Wait a bit, doctor, and we shall have wind enough and to spare,"replied I.

  It was not long before my words were verified--though just after thatthe appearance of coming bad weather wore off, and even the captain andmaster seemed to think that a moderate breeze was all we had to lookfor. We were lying with our topsails on the caps and courses hauled up,when, without a moment's warning, a gust of wind with the force of ahurricane laid the ship on her beam-ends.

  "Up with the helm!" shouted the captain, who had that instant come ondeck. "Brace round the foreyards--trice up--brail up the after sails!"

  The helm was put up, but before the canvas could be handed, with clapslike thunder, the main-topmast-staysail and jib were blown from thebolt-ropes, the topsails and courses were flying in shreds from theyards, the topsail sheets, clew-lines and bunt-lines were carried away,as were also the main-clew garnets, bunt-lines and leech-lines, while amore tremendous sea than I had ever before beheld got up as if by magic.

  The ship, however, happily answered her helm and flew before the gale,which at the same time kept freshening and shifting round to every pointof the compass.

  All we could now do was to scud, and that every instant, as the wind andsea increased, became more and more dangerous. To bring her to underpresent circumstances was impossible--indeed, deprived of all means ofhanding the sails, we were helpless; and by this time every one of themwas flying aloft in tattered streamers, adding not a little to theimpetuous rate at which the gale drove us onward.

  The seas, each apparently overtopping the other, kept following upastern, and before long one broke aboard us, deluging the decks andsweeping everything before it.

  "Hold on! hold on for your lives, my men!" shouted the captain as he sawit coming.

  Few needed the warning. When for a short time all was again clear welooked round anxiously to ascertain that none of our shipmates had beencarried overboard. By next to a miracle all were safe. The carpenterand his crew were called aft to secure the stern ports and to barricadethe poop with all the planks and shores they could employ, but to littlepurpose. The huge dark-green seas, like vast mountains upheaved fromtheir base by some Titan's power, came following up after us, roaringand hissing and curling over as if in eager haste to overwhelm us, theircrests one mass of boiling foam. As I stood aft I could not helpadmiring the bold sweep of the curve they made from our rudder-postupwards, as high it seemed as our mizen-top, the whole a bank of solidwater, with weight and force enough in it to send to the bottom thestoutest line-of-battle-ship in the Navy. The taste we got occasionallyof their crests, as they now and then caught us up, was quite enough tomake me pray that we might not have the full flavour of their wholebody.

  No one on board had thought all this time of the Chatham, and when atlength we did look out for her she was nowhere to be seen. It wasprobable that she was in as bad a plight as ourselves, so that neitherof us could have rendered the other assistance. Hour after hour passedwithout any improvement in the weather. Every instant we expectedsomething worse to befall us. To remain below was out of the question,as at any moment we might be wanted. To keep the deck was scarcelypossible, without the risk of being frozen to death or carriedoverboard. Matters were bad enough in the daytime, but when darknesscame on and we went plunging away amid showers of snow and sleet andbitter frost, with the cold north-west wind howling after us, I thoughtof what the friends of some of our delicately-nurtured young gentlemenwould say if they could see us, and, for my own part, often wishedmyself by the quiet fireside of the humblest cottage in old England. Wedid our best to look after little Harry Sumner, and got him stowed awaycarefully in his hammock, where we told him to lie still till he waswanted. There was no object in allowing him to remain on deck, where hecould not be of use and was very likely to get injured.

  "I'll do as you tell me, Mr Hurry," said he. "But I'm not afraid ofthe sea or the wind--if it were not for the bitter, bitter cold I wouldrather be on deck, I would indeed."

  "You're a brave little fellow, Harry, but we must take care of you forsome nobler work, and then I've no doubt you'll give a good account ofyourself," said I. "So now go to sleep and try and get warm."

  Of my own immediate follower and protege, Tom Rockets, I have saidnothing since we came to sea. By the courage and activity he displayedon the present occasion he showed that he was made of the right stuff toform a first-rate seaman, and I had no reason to be ashamed of him.

  The whole of that long, weary night did we run on, the gale ratherincreasing than falling, and when daylight broke over the waste oftumultuous waters the prospect seemed as unpromising as ever. Nothingcould be done to get in any of our tattered canvas. The ship remainedtight, and that was our chief comfort. At length, on the evening of the11th, the wind began to drop a little. Everyone was on deck ready totake advantage of any opportunity which might occur for getting the shipinto a better condition. Suddenly the wind shifted round to thenorth-east and dropped considerably. The hands were called aft. Afore-staysail was set on the mizen-mast--the helm was put down and theship brought-to under it. The most necessary part of the rigging beingalso replaced, the ship's company was divided into four watches, and allbut the watch on deck were sent below to sleep. Never did weary seamenturn in with a greater good-will, or more require rest.

  All hands had ample occupation the next day in unbending the remnants ofour tattered canvas from the yards and in replacing it with a new suitof sails fore and aft, in reeving new running rigging, and in repairingthe stern frame. All this was done with a tolerably fresh breezeblowing and a pretty heavy sea running, though moderate in comparison towhat we had had and to what we were to encounter. This sort of weathercontinued till the 15th, during which interval we contrived to getthings a little to rights. Gale number three now sprung up, and duringthe whole of it we lay under a balanced mizen. We did not escape,however, without damage, losing the bumkins and the remaining part ofthe carlings and rails of the head, and a part of the starboardquarter-gallery. The wind lulled again in the evening and continuedmoderate till the 19th, when it breezed up once more for the fourthtime, and by the 21st we were in the centre of a perfect hurricane.Still nothing would induce our captain to run back or to endeavour tomake his way across the Atlantic in a more southerly latitude. He hadmade up his mind that this northerly route was the right one to take,and he was not a man to be diverted from his purpose. The gale had beenblowing for some hours, when at about one o'clock in the morning watch,the night being dark as Erebus, the ship pitching heavily into the seasand straining terrifically, Delisle and I were on deck together,endeavouring to pierce with our eyes the thick obscurity into which wewere driving. It was much of a time for moralising, considering theshowers of snow which ever and anon beat into our faces, the sheets ofspray which came aboard and froze as it fell over us, and the bitingwind which blew down our throats.

  "No unapt picture this, of the life of many of us, Hurry," said mycompanion. "Here have we been knocking about for some weeks very muchthe worse for wear--no nearer our voyage's end, and utterly unable tosay whither we are driving. I doubt much that we have seen the worstyet." Scarcely had he spoken when a gust stronger than ever struck theship. We felt her quiver and shake all over, and at the same instantthere was a terrific crash forward. I hurried to see what had occurred.The foremast had been carried away about twenty feet above theforecastle, and lay over the lee fore-chains. The captain was on deckin a moment, and all hands were called to clear the wreck. In doingthis the main-topmast-stay was cut, and thereby the main-topmast wascarried away, severely wounding in its fall nine men. The poor fellowswere borne below and placed under the surgeon's care. The morning cameand showed us our
sad condition; but the gale had not yet sufficientlyshorn us of our pride or tried to the full our captain's perseverance,for soon after daybreak another gust struck us. I looked up to see whatwas next to happen. Before me stood our stout mainmast. Then, as ifwrenched by a giant's grasp, the shrouds and stays were torn away, andwith a loud crash down it came by the board, crushing the booms,gallows, bits, gangway-rails, and the fore part of the quarter-deck, andstaving in the long-boat and a large cutter so as to destroy themcompletely. The daylight enabled those on deck to stand from under intime to escape injury; but it was a work of time, danger, and difficultyto clear the ship of the wreck, for while we were engaged in it the seawas constantly breaking over us fore and aft, threatening every instantto engulph the ship. At the same time we were in momentary expectationof seeing the mizen-mast share the fate of the other masts. At length,having cleared the wreck, we hoisted a fore-topgallant-sail to the stumpof the foremast, which we stayed up as well as we could, and werethereby able to keep the ship once more before the wind, though eventhen the heavy seas which followed us threatened every moment to breakaboard. We were truly in a forlorn condition--with our fore andmainmasts gone, two suits of sails carried away with the exception ofthe sails on the mizen-mast, the remainder required for jury-sailswhenever the weather would allow us to erect jury-masts--with numbers ofthe crew falling sick from exposure and excessive fatigue, and with aship strained and battered in every direction. At length, the windgetting round to the westward, with unequivocal reluctance CaptainHudson resolved to bear up, to the very great satisfaction of everybodyelse on board. We were then four hundred and sixty leagues from theLizard. For several days more the gale continued, and we were all inexpectation of shortly reaching England and getting a thorough refit,when the weather suddenly became more moderate than heretofore. Theopportunity was immediately taken of erecting jury-masts, and all handswere employed on this important work. To do this we had to use all thestudden-sail-booms and spare spars on board. When completed and set up,they were pronounced to be equal if not superior to any ever beforeunder similar circumstances fitted at sea. The captain looked at themwith no little satisfaction, and complimenting the ship's company onwhat had been done, called the officers aft, and informed them that hewas resolved to attempt once more to reach the coast of America. Hadthere been a war with France, we should have been eager to get to ourstation, but as we expected to have little enough to do in putting downthe American rebellion, I cannot say that our captain's announcement wasreceived with any great satisfaction. For several days we madetolerably fair progress, but on the 2nd of December a gale of windsprang up, and carried away our jury-main-topmast and top-yard, andsplit the sail from clew to earing. During the whole of this month theweather continued as boisterous as at the commencement. Disasterfollowed disaster in quick succession. Among others, we lost fourtop-masts, six topsail-yards, one mainsail and one foresail, twotopsails and one fore-topsail, besides which the cover of the arm-chestfell out of the mizen-top, and, striking the gunner, knocked out four ofhis teeth, broke his shoulder in two places, and cut his right eye inthe most shocking manner. He was carried below in great agony, and hislife was despaired of. I need not mention any more of the accidents weencountered. It may be supposed that by this time we were in atolerably forlorn condition, with nearly every yard of our spare canvasexpended, and with scarcely a spar remaining to replace our jury-masts,should they be carried away. Unpleasant, however, as was our position,I must say that we respected our captain for his perseverance, though ithad become the pretty generally received opinion on board, both fore andaft, that we were destined never to reach our station. All sorts ofstories were going the round of the decks. An old woman near Plymouth,Mother Adder-fang she was called, had been heard to declare, two nightsbefore the ship went out of harbour, that not a stick of the Orpheuswould ever boil a kettle on English ground. Another was said to havecursed the ship and all on board. Then we had a fine variety of FlyingDutchman's tales, till the men began to look upon the captain as a sortof Vanderdecken himself, and to fancy, I verily believe, that we weredestined ourselves to box about till the day of judgment. Now of coursea man of calm sense should be uninfluenced by these sort of tales--weshould be well assured that God only knows the future, and that words ofanger, uttered by a wicked, ignorant old woman, cannot possibly alterHis determination; still, when a man is worn out with fatigue, hardshipand hunger, when the gale howls fiercely, and the raging seas appearevery instant ready to engulph the ship, he cannot help thinking of thewords he has heard and the stories which have been told him, and lookingforward with sad forebodings to the future.

  In spite, however, of the raging storm, the battered condition of theship, and the predictions of disaster, we jolly Orlopians resolved notto be baffled in keeping our Christmas dinner in the accustomed manneras far as circumstances would allow. Our means for so doing werecertainly not very extensive, either with regard to our condiments orthe utensils for serving them in. The greater part of our crockery hadbeen broken in the previous gales, and all our luxuries had long beenconsumed. We managed, however, to exhibit a dish of boiled beef at oneend of the table, and one of boiled pork at the other, and a tureen ofpeas-soup and a peas-pudding; while our second course was a plum-puddingof huge dimensions, and solid as a round-shot--the whole washed downwith a bowl of punch. Our seats were secured to the deck, and thedishes were lashed to the table, while it required no small amount ofingenuity and rapidity to convey each mouthful from our plates to ourmouths. Never did the good ship tumble and roll about more violentlythan she did on that 25th of December, while we young gentlemen weredrinking "sweet-hearts and wives," and other appropriate toasts. Let myreaders picture us to themselves, if they can, as we sat, each member ofthe mess holding on like grim death to either a dish, or bowl, or can,or mug, endeavouring, often in vain, to keep the contents from spilling,and then to carry a portion of them to his mouth, our voices nowclattering away together, now one of us breaking forth into a song, andjoined in chorus by the rest, the ship rolling and pitching, thebulkheads creaking and groaning, and the wind howling overhead. Thecontrast between the picture we presented and the dining-room of acomfortable, well-lighted country-house in England on the same day wasnot small.

  Our condition was not improved when at length the year 1776 commenced.We had expended all our sails with the exception of those actually bentto the yards; of spars we had scarcely one remaining. In consequencealso of the great expenditure of provisions and stores, the ship hadbecome so light that she rolled excessively and with so quick and rapida motion that some of the guns in the galley, drawing their ring-boltsfrom the side, broke loose, and before they could be secured committedmuch damage. Added to all this it was announced that our supply ofwater was very short, and we were put on an allowance of a pint for eachperson. On these occasions the captain and the smallest boy sharealike. If any of us breakfasted or dined in the gun-room or cabin, wecarried with us our allowance of water to help make the tea. We werestill fully four hundred leagues from the coast, and to all appearancesas little likely to make it as we had been a month back. The officerswere unanimous in their opinion that we should bear up for the WestIndies, but Captain Hudson still resolved to persevere and to endeavourto gain our intended port. Though I, like the rest, was heartily sickof the life we had been enduring, and longed as much as anybody to getinto port, I could not help admiring the perseverance and determinationof our captain. Grave and anxious as he could not help appearing attimes, he did his utmost generally to assume a cheerful countenance, andby words of encouragement to keep up the spirits of the men. As,however, one after the other the people fell sick, and disaster upondisaster overtook us, I more than once, when I went into the cabin,found him sitting pale and silent at the table, with his head resting onhis hand, evidently meditating on the responsibilities of his position.

  Meantime the men forward were grumbling and evincing no slight mutinousdisposition. "Here, old ship, do y
e see, have we been boxing about forthe best parts of two months, and for what we knows to the contrary,farther off from our port than ever we were," I heard one of thequartermasters, Jos Lizard, observing to a messmate, another old salt ofthe same kidney. Old Jos, as he was called, was somewhat of a sealawyer in his way, though not the less superstitious on that account.

  "Well, what's to be done, mate?" asked his chum, Ben Goff.

  "Done!" exclaimed old Jos; "why, I axes, are we to go knocking our headsagainst Providence, so to speak, till we've no water and no grub, andthen to rot away, as I've heard of a ship's company doing, and one leftto tell about it!"

  "No, old salt, I wouldn't for one wish to do that same; but how's it tobe helped?" asked Goff.

  "Helped!" said Lizard, with a look of scorn, "helped! why, let's go aftto the captain, and tell him our mind. Either we bears up for a port,or let the ship sink at once; it's only what we must come to at last.We'll get the rum casks on deck, and have a regular jollification of itfirst. Then no matter what turns up, we sha'n't know much about it."

  I well knew the horrible folly seamen are capable of, so I thought itbest to put a stopper at once on the precious notion old Jos had gotinto his head. I therefore presented myself suddenly before the twomen. "You're a couple of donkeys, to talk such nonsense as you've justbeen doing!" I exclaimed, in a contemptuous tone. "Do you think twoignorant old fellows like you know better than the captain what ought tobe done? Let me hear no more about it. I am not going to report what Ioverheard, and if you catch any of the other men talking the game sortof stuff, just let them know what fools they are." I felt that it wouldnot do to reason with the men, but that I should have a better chance ofputting them off this notion by making them feel ashamed of themselves,and this I think I succeeded in doing. I cannot say, however, that Ifelt very sanguine as to the termination of the voyage.

  What the temper of the crew might at length have led to, I don't know,but at last we got a slant of fair wind and moderate weather, and it wasannounced that we were within twelve leagues of Cape Sambro, near theentrance of the harbour of Halifax. As may be supposed, there was greatrejoicing on board; all our troubles and misfortunes were forgotten, andwe fully expected to be in harbour the next day. That night Delisle andI were on deck together. Kennedy also was there, and little HarrySumner. Mr Gaston, the third lieutenant, had charge of the watch. Wewere congratulating ourselves on the turn which fortune had made in ourfavour, when Delisle called my attention to a thick gloom which wasgathering over the land. We pointed it out to Mr Gaston, and asked himwhat it signified.

  "That we are going to have another gale, which may drive us farther tothe southward than we have hitherto been," he replied.

  Scarcely had he spoken than the first indications of the coming windreached us--a rising sea and a driving shower of sleet--the helm was putup, and the ship kept before the wind, and then down came the gale uponus, and once more we were driving before it, surrounded by dense sheetsof snow, which prevented us from seeing a yard beyond our bowsprit end.Away we went during the whole of the next day and night and thefollowing day, driving madly before the gale. If the ship's company hadbefore this been full of forebodings of coming ill, it is not surprisingthat they should now have entirely abandoned all hope of ever againseeing land. On the 25th of January we were eighty leagues from theCape, and more distressed than ever for masts, spars, sails, provisions,and water. So short, indeed, was our store of the latter necessary thatwe were now put on an allowance of half a pint a day; so severe also wasthe frost that we were compelled to throw hot water on the sails whenthey were furled before we could set them. The men more rapidly thanbefore fell sick day after day, and completely lost their spirits, andit became the fashion when the watch turned out for them to inquire whatfresh accident had occurred.

  At length one night, as I lay sleeping in my hammock, I was awoke by aterrific noise. I found that the ship was on her beam-ends. There wasa rushing of water, a crashing of timbers, a splitting of sails, thehowling of wind, the cries and shrieks and stamping of men. I feltcertain that the fatal and long-expected stroke had been given, and thatI and all on board were about to be hurried into eternity. I have beensince in many a hard-fought battle, I have seen death in every form, butI never felt its horrors so vividly as I did on that night. I remainedin my hammock without attempting to dress, for I thought that I might aswell drown as I was, and I had not the remotest expectation of beingsaved. Still the water did not reach me, and at length I heardKennedy's voice rousing up the idlers to go on deck, and help take thecanvas off the ship.

  "We've been in very great danger, and for some minutes I thought it wasall over with us," he observed: "we've brought her to, however, and shemay ride out this gale as she has done many others."

  "I hope so," said I, springing up and putting on my clothes, whileKennedy hurried on deck. I found that the chief noise had been causedby a number of shot boxes breaking loose from the mainmast, and as theship heeled over, they came rushing under my hammock and crushingeverything before them. I had no little difficulty in getting themsecured. This appeared to be the last piece of malice those wintergales had to play us. The next day the weather moderated, and we wereable to lay a course for Halifax. We could scarcely believe our sensesas we found ourselves entering that magnificent harbour, after ourprotracted and disastrous voyage. We had been out ninety seven days,ten weeks of which time we had been under jury-masts. Our onlysquaresail was a spritsail at the main-yard to serve as a mainsail. Thewhole ship was covered with ice, and a most complete wreck she looked inevery respect. We had the second lieutenant, gunner, and seventy-threemen sick, twenty of whom were suffering from frost-bites. No wonderthat such was our condition when we had encountered no less thanforty-five heavy gales of wind, and it spoke well for the soundness ofthe hull of our ship that she had held together so perfectly. Ourcaptain, officers, and ship's company received the thanks of thecommander-in-chief for their perseverance and resolution, and certainlyno one deserved more credit than did our captain, for the determined wayin which he held on and succeeded in bringing his ship into harbour.

  The next Sunday we all repaired to church, to return public thanks toAlmighty God for preserving us from the perils and hardships of the sea,to which we had been so long exposed. It was a solemn and touchingoccasion. Two and two, the captain at our head, and the officersfollowing with the ship's company, we all marched up together to thechurch. Thoughtless and careless about our spiritual being as wegenerally were, I believe very few among us did not feel our heartsswell with gratitude to the Great Being who had so mercifully watchedover and preserved us from the dangers to which we had been exposed,when the minister gave forth the words of that beautiful hymn ofthanksgiving,--"The sea roared, and the stormy wind lifted up the wavesthereof. We were carried up as it were to heaven, and then down againto the deep; our soul melted within us because of trouble. Then criedwe unto Thee, O Lord, and Thou didst deliver us out of our distress.Blessed be Thy name, who didst not despise the prayer of Thy servants,but didst hear our cry, and hast saved us. Thou didst send forth Thycommandment, and the windy storm ceased, and was turned into a calm."The minister also gave us a sermon appropriate to the occasion, and mostdeeply attentive to it were the greater part of the ship's company.There is as much religious feeling about seamen as in any class of men,though they are in general grossly ignorant of the doctrine of theGospel. This is owing entirely to the wicked neglect of those of theupper classes who ought to have seen that they were properly instructed.I have, however, only to remark that it is the duty of the risinggeneration, not to sit idly down, and with upturned eyes to abuse theirancestors, but to arouse themselves, and by every means in their powerto remedy the neglect of which they were guilty. The people seemed verysoon to forget the hardships they had endured, and I fear likewise thatthe recollection of the mercies vouchsafed to us speedily passed fromour memories.