by Diann Hunt
The passage wrapped itself around her heart like a warm embrace from God. Regardless of the circumstances, she was not alone. God would never leave her. Though her choices had brought difficulties, God would see her through. No matter how far from home, she was never out of His care. The thought brought tears to her eyes. “Oh God, Thy mercy is never-ending.” She felt her heart nearly burst with praise.
Overcome with worship, her voice lifted with the melody “I Sing the Mighty Power of God.”
Footsteps sounded behind her, but before the melodies stopped in her throat, a couple of male voices joined in.
Adelaide turned in pleasant surprise to see Adam and another crewman, whose name she couldn’t remember, standing beside her, smiling. The three turned toward the sea and lifted their voices in further praise as they finished the rest of the song. Other sailors eyed them curiously.
When the song ended, Adam was the first to speak. “Would you share a scripture with us, Ad—Mrs. Buchanan?” he quickly corrected himself.
Adelaide smiled and threw him an I’m-sorry-you-have-to-call-me-that look. She nodded and looked at her Bible. Lifting it to her, she began to read Psalm 139. So engrossed was she in the scripture, she hadn’t noticed the footsteps surrounding her. By the time she had finished, three-fourths of the crew circled her.
Not sure what to do from there, Adelaide felt she must not let the opportunity go unheeded. Whispering a quick prayer in her heart for the right words, she told the sailors that everyone had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. She shared the message of God’s love for each of them and told them how He sent His Son to die in their place. Further, she explained that because of God’s provision through His Son, those who believed in Him would not perish but would have eternal life. Some of the crew shifted uneasily where they stood.
Quickly, Adelaide lifted her voice in a prayer for each of them. When the prayer was over, only a few had walked away. The others who lingered, she noticed, had removed their caps and simply stood in the warmth of the sunshine.
Greatly encouraged, she started singing “O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” Adam quickly joined in, and a couple of others soon followed. Though the song had been out a few years, the burly crew had probably not been exposed much to songs of faith.
At the back of the crowd, Adelaide spotted a man with cap in hand. He seemed clearly moved by their little service. His sad gaze caught hers, and he turned and walked away. She wanted to call after him but knew the time wasn’t right. Oh, how she wanted to know more about this man of mystery.
Captain Josiah Buchanan.
Chapter 7
Adelaide felt lighthearted after sharing scriptures and songs with some of the crew, although she couldn’t ignore the pain stabbing her heart each time she thought of the look on Josiah’s face. What troubled him? Maybe the Lord had been talking to him. Perhaps a painful past plagued him. Did he regret marrying her because he still loved his first wife? Could Adelaide make him forget Catherine? Did Adelaide want to? She had to admit to herself she had growing feelings for this man. Could he ever make room in his heart for her?
Adelaide went to the cookhouse and fixed mutton stew for lunch from leftovers. One thing she had already learned in her brief stay on the Courage: No food was wasted on a ship. She stirred the pot of vegetables and cut up the bread she had made earlier that morning.
Sometimes Josiah and Adelaide ate in their room alone while the officers ate in the adjoining cabin. Today was such a day. Josiah joined Adelaide for lunch. She arranged the bowls nicely on her trunk, managing even a little candlelight between them. Though the sun crept through the porthole, she thought the candle might make Josiah more comfortable.
She watched as he picked up his spoon. She quickly bowed her head and said grace for them both. Afraid to look up when she was finished, she picked up her spoon and started eating, feeling his gaze upon her.
“You have a beautiful voice.”
She dropped her spoon and splashed broth upon her dress. “Oh dear.” She wiped at the offensive stain with her cloth napkin. “I’m so clumsy.” Her face grew warm.
“I said, you have a beautiful voice.”
His compliment ran clear through her like warm cream on a cold winter’s night.
“Adelaide, would you look at me, please?”
She swallowed and looked at him.
“Your voice. It’s beautiful.” He extended his hand to her. “I had no idea you could sing like that.”
She struggled to get the last bite of vegetables down her throat. Things were definitely changing between them. With another swallow, she finally managed to murmur, “Thank you.”
Josiah looked down at his hand, and as if he suddenly realized he was holding hers, he quickly pulled it away.
Adelaide tried to ease the disappointment squeezing her heart.
He picked up his spoon. “My ma used to sing like that.”
Adelaide’s head jerked up. Josiah never talked about his family to her. All of a sudden, she realized how little she knew about him. She watched him as he stared into his soup bowl, seeming to catch a glimpse of days long ago.
“Tell me about your ma.”
He shrugged and looked at her. “Not much to tell, really.” Lifting his spoon to his mouth, he took another bite.
Adelaide feared she had broken their moment of sharing, but he continued. “Pa was the captain of a whaling ship; did I tell you that?”
She shook her head, praying he would tell her more.
“Ma pretty much raised me alone in Bayview. Pa was always at sea. I hardly knew him.” Josiah drank some water. “For a while, she cried herself to sleep most every night. I can’t say for sure when she finally stopped.” He scratched his face thoughtfully. “We did all right. Pa sent money home for us. Then Ma got sick when I was fourteen. Died of the fever. I didn’t know what to do. Had no other family. So I did what seemed natural. Signed up on a whaling ship. Course, I started out as a cabin boy. By the time I was eighteen, I was an experienced whaleman. Then I worked my way up to harpooner and eventually on up to captain. I guess it’s all the life I’ve ever known.” He looked at her. “Can’t help but think Ma wouldn’t like it, though.”
“What happened to your pa?”
“Don’t know. When Ma died, I just moved on to whaling. Never knew how to find him after that.”
“Oh Josiah, I’m sorry.”
He tipped his head. “That’s the way life is out here.” He suddenly looked at her as if he’d maybe said too much. “I hope I’m not scaring you about life on the sea.” He seemed to almost hold his breath.
Adelaide smiled. “No. Though I’ve never been on a ship before, I’m aware of some of the struggles.”
Josiah settled back into his seat as if he felt much relieved.
“I want to thank you for having the men slaughter the animals for our meals. That’s one thing I don’t enjoy. It’s a chore I had to do at home, of course, but I’m thankful for the help here.”
“It’s called survival. You’re too tender for your own good.” Josiah’s words were gruff, but she could feel the kindness behind them.
“I suppose you’re right. But I thank you just the same.”
He nodded, finished his last bite of lunch, then stood to go. He turned to her. “That little service you had this morning—good for the men. You can do it every week if you want.”
Adelaide nodded. Excitement shot through her with the idea of such an opportunity. “Thank you, Josiah.” Did she see a half smile touch his lips before he turned to go?
Josiah closed the door behind him. Adelaide settled back into her chair. She clapped her hands together. “Yes, Father, Thy mercy is never-ending.”
The next two weeks were fairly uneventful, but for the rough, strong winds, much to Josiah’s dismay. Though a few whales had been spotted, there had been nothing close enough to chase. They’d caught a porpoise or two and a few blackfish, storing away what oil they could. But he hoped they’d spo
t a whale soon.
Josiah had made his rounds on the ship and sat at a bench, whittling on scrimshaw for Adelaide. The gales had tossed the ship long enough, and now a pleasant breeze settled upon him, just warm enough for comfort.
All of a sudden, a flying fish plopped on the deck. A couple of men laughed then ran over to scoop it up. For Adelaide, no doubt. Flying fish were plenty. Adelaide had cooked some for breakfast. Josiah thought the way Adelaide prepared it, the fish tasted like fresh herring. A smidgen of pride overtook him for having the foresight to ask her to be their cook. Course, he knew now he wanted her for more than a cook, but that hadn’t been part of their agreement. She would cook and enjoy life on the sea. He would enjoy a happy crew and good meals. Oh, how he wished he could turn back the clock. He wondered how things might have played out had there been time for courting.
What was he thinking? He had been burned once by the fickleness of a woman; did he want to go through that again? He had given his heart, only to have it smashed like a ship wrecked upon rocky shores. A part of him wanted to believe Adelaide was different. Yet another part of him warned him to stay away. He couldn’t account for others, only himself. He had to make it on his own.
Besides, even if she did fall in love with him, what could he offer her? Oh, she liked the ship now, but a year from now? Three years? What then? What about children? Though he knew some captains took their families aboard the whaling ship, he didn’t want that for his family. That would leave Adelaide to raise the children on land. Alone. Just like him and his ma.
If only they would spot a whale, he could keep busy and forget all the nonsense clouding his thoughts. His jackknife gouged deep into the whalebone as Josiah worked with determination to shape it into a rolling pin. Though he knew he wouldn’t have it done by Christmas, he figured he could give it to Adelaide later.
Christmas. They would be upon Verdade soon. The crew was restless, and a stop in the port would do them all good. He kept his eyes on Ebenezer. He didn’t like what he saw. Seemed each time Josiah passed Ebenezer, the man was whispering to other crewmen, only to stop abruptly when Josiah walked by. What was so secret? Josiah couldn’t trust the man, of that he was sure.
No, he’d better get the crew to port before Ebenezer stirred them up into a disgruntled lot.
With breakfast over, Adelaide settled down to work on the unfinished shirt she was putting together for Josiah. She hadn’t had much chance to sew since she’d spent so much time in the cookhouse. Her fingers ran over the material appreciatively. She hoped Josiah would like it. It hadn’t been easy to keep it from him. After all, she didn’t want to spoil his Christmas surprise.
With great concentration, she worked on the shirt, adding a few final touches as needed. Before she knew it, the time had come to prepare lunch. She flipped out the shirt before her and looked at the handiwork with pleasure. It turned out all right. She hoped Josiah thought so. Folding it neatly in place, Adelaide tucked the gift carefully in her drawer in a space emptied for it.
Just then their door swung open. “A whale’s been spotted. “We’re going out.” Excitement filled Josiah’s words, while a touch of fear settled upon Adelaide. With the news delivered, Josiah disappeared behind the closed door.
Adelaide could hear the crew thunder across the deck above. She put away her things and hurried up to watch the excitement.
The crew scurried across the deck in a frenzy of commotion. Tubs of harpoon line were quickly hoisted into the three whaleboats. Josiah, Adam, and the second mate, Benjamin West, took their positions at the steering oars in the stern of their respective whaleboats, and the boat steerers manned the harpooner’s oar in the bows. The twelve oarsmen remained on deck and lowered the boats into the water. Once the boats floated beside the ship, the oarsmen climbed down the sides of the ship, and four men each crowded into their assigned boat.
Though Adelaide knew this was the reason they had come, she couldn’t prevent the concern that shadowed her heart. Not only did she care about Josiah, but she cared about the souls of his crew.
Breathing a prayer, Adelaide continued to watch the busy crew at work. Maybe this would be the day they would catch a whale. Josiah had thought perhaps they could stop at Verdade, but if they caught a whale, most likely they would sail on. She had hoped to step foot on land and browse through some shops, but then that was selfish thinking on her part. Once again, she found herself praying for the men.
When the boats were out a distance, bobbing on the swells, Adelaide went to the cookhouse to prepare dinner. With no lunch in their stomachs, the men would be hungry when they returned.
Though the owners of the Courage provided little extra provisions for the sailors, Adelaide knew Josiah surrendered some of his wages to grant his crew better eating. Most sailors’ meals consisted of nothing more than hardtack—biscuits so hard they could break a man’s teeth—and a hunk of salt beef or pork with an occasional dumpling thrown in. Though sometimes the men had to eat such meals, and the common sailor didn’t eat quite the fare of that of the officers, Josiah still saw to it that they ate a decent meal as often as possible. He insisted the success of a whaling ship depended on his crew’s health.
After sticking a chicken in the oven to roast with some potatoes and carrots, Adelaide prepared some bread for baking for the officers. She then prepared salt pork with a small serving of potatoes for the rest of the crew. She would also set aside some bread for them. With the chicken cooking in the oven, she slipped back on deck. By then, the whaleboats were merely a speck on the horizon.
Adelaide decided to go to the cabin to pray and read her Bible for a while. Later, she went back to check on the chicken and to stick the bread in the oven. By the time she returned to the deck, low-flying clouds hung from the sky like a lumpy mattress. Day had surrendered to night. An eerie feel settled upon the ship and covered Adelaide with shivers. She tried to rub the chill from her arms.
“No use to fret none, Miss Adelaide.”
Adelaide spun on her heels. Who would dare call her that after Josiah had given strict instructions not to do so? She turned to see Ebenezer. He looked sickly, his eyes bloodshot, his nose as red as a boil.
Knowing Ebenezer’s job was oarsman on Benjamin’s whaleboat, Adelaide asked, “Wha–what are you doing here?”
“Now is that any way to treat a man who’s been seasick?” He pulled a bottle from his back pocket, took a drink, and swiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Adelaide felt fear climb her spine. Her gaze swept across the deck in search of help. She didn’t see the three shipkeepers who were supposed to stay behind and handle the ship.
“Oh, one of the men filled in for me. I’m sick, you know.” A wicked grin heightened his evil expression. “The other two are in the cookhouse, helping themselves to your fine food.”
Her head jerked around toward the cookhouse. She thought she heard distant sounds of the crew returning to the ship, but Ebenezer’s hearing appeared dulled by his drink. He didn’t flinch.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he said with insincerity. “I told them you said to eat so they would have strength when the rest of the crew returned.” His lip curled into a snarl. “I’d like to help myself to a little dessert.”
Adelaide gasped.
Before another moment passed, sounds of the crew climbing back up the ship came from the starboard side. Ebenezer turned with a start, searching frantically for a place to deposit his bottle. Adelaide drew a shuddering breath and watched as he ran off the deck and down the stairs. Shaken but unharmed, she turned her attention toward the returning crew.
Adelaide’s heart lightened with the sight of Josiah. He came right to her. The uncomely sight before her took her breath away, but the excitement on his face lessened the trauma.
“We caught a fin. Not the biggest whale, but a whale, nonetheless.”
She thought he was going to slap her on the back, but he stopped his hand midair. Her nose wrinkled with the smell.
&nb
sp; Josiah laughed. “Sorry, but you’ll get used to it. Hopefully, you’ll see more than this in the days ahead.”
Activity swirled around her. Wood was thrown beneath the try-pots where a fire soon commenced. Adelaide stood out of the way and watched the process with fascination. Blubber was cut into pieces and placed into the heavy iron pots. Crispy scrap pieces floated to the surface of the pot and were skimmed off then tossed into the fire for more fuel. The smell of the burning scraps created a black smoke and an unforgettable stench.
Adelaide pinched her nose to squelch the foul odor. She turned a glance toward the bloodstains, the huge masses of flesh and blubber soaking the pine-timbered deck, and decided not to announce dinner. With her hand held tight against her stomach, she slid through the greasy planks for her cabin.
“You chose this life, Adelaide Buchanan,” she told herself. “You and you alone.”
Her swift, uneasy footsteps carried her to the cabin, where she arrived at the privy just in time.
Chapter 8
Adelaide couldn’t believe it. She had always dreamed of a whaling ship, and here she was sick at the sight of a catch! The very idea. Her pa would be shocked. She wiped her mouth with a cloth, feeling ashamed beyond belief.
She’d never seen such a sight. That thought helped justify her illness. Such a massive creature. Why, the mere sight of it took her breath away. Josiah was right. She was too tender. One look at the dying creature turned her insides soft. A nurturing instinct told her to run to the whale, defend it, nurse it to health. But, of course, the killing wasn’t for sport but rather the good of mankind. A necessity. At least that’s what she had always heard. Yet after seeing the whale …
Enough of that, she told herself, attempting to calm her stomach.
Adelaide walked over to the drawer that held her journal and slipped it out. Before writing, her thoughts went to Ebenezer. She hadn’t told Josiah of the earlier episode. She felt Ebenezer didn’t want a woman on the ship and hoped to stir up trouble for Josiah. Well, she decided, she wouldn’t give Ebenezer the satisfaction. It seemed best to keep the matter hidden.