Lost Lenore: The Adventures of a Rolling Stone Page 3

said, that all know what it might have meant intimes past, for Stormy Jack was not a fair specimen of English sailorsof the present day. The majority of the men aboard of British ships arenot now as they were thirty years ago. English sailors, in general,seem to have lost many of the peculiarities that once distinguished themfrom other people, and a foreign language is too often spoken in theforecastle of English ships.

  To return to Stormy Jack.

  One day the carpenter had ordered me to bring him a pannikin of water.Leaving a job on which I had been set to work by Stormy Jack, I startedto obey. In doing so, I caught the eye of the latter, who was standinga little to one side, and had not been seen by the carpenter as he gaveme the order.

  Stormy shook his head at me, and pointed to the work he had himselfordered me to perform, in a manner that plainly said, "go at it again."

  I obeyed this interpretation of his signal, and resumed my task.

  "Did you hear what I said?" angrily shouted the carpenter.

  "Yes, sir," I answered.

  "Then why do you not start, and do what I told you?"

  I stole a sly glance at Stormy Jack, and seeing upon his face a smile,approving of what I did, I made bold to answer, in a somewhat brusquemanner, that I had other work on hand, and, moreover, it was not mybusiness to wait upon him.

  The carpenter dropped his adze, caught up his measuring rule, andadvanced towards me.

  He was suddenly stopped by the strong hand of Stormy placed firmly onhis shoulder.

  "Avast!" said the sailor, "don't you molest that boy at his work. Ifyou do, I am the one to teach you manners."

  The carpenter was a man who knew "how to choose an enemy," and with suchwisdom to guide him, he returned to his own work, without resenting inany way the check he had thus met with.

  The fact that I had refused to obey the carpenter, and that Stormy Jackhad interceded in my behalf, became known amongst the others who hadbeen hitherto bullying me, and I was afterwards permitted to go aboutthe ship, without being the slave of so many masters.

  Some time after the incident above related, Stormy Jack chanced to bestanding near me, and commenced a conversation which was as follows:

  "You are a boy of the right sort," said he, "and I'll not see youmistreated. I heard what you said to the lubber as brought you aboard,and I always respects a boy as respects his mother. I hope that man inthe boat was not your father."

  "No," I answered, "he is my step-father."

  "I thought as much," said Stormy, "by his appearing so pleased to getrid of you. It's my opinion no one ought to have more than one father;but you must brace up your spirits, my lad. Two or three voyages willmake a man of you, and you will then be able to go back home, and teachthe lubber manners, should he forget 'em. Do the best you can aboardhere to larn your duty, and I'll keep an eye on you. If any one goes toboxing your compass, when you don't deserve it, I'll teach him manners."

  I thanked Stormy for his kind advice, and promised to do all I could tomerit his protection.

  After having made a friend of Stormy, and an enemy of the carpenter, Ibegan to be more at home on the ship, and took a stronger interest inits mysteries and miseries. Familiarity does not with all things breedcontempt. That it should not is a wise provision of Nature, for theaccommodation of the majority of mankind--whose necessity it is tobecome familiar with many cares, annoyances, and disagreeablecircumstances.

  Second nature, or habit, is only acquired by familiarity, and seamenbecome so familiar with all that is disagreeable in a life on the sea,that they are never satisfied long with any home, but a floating one.The mind of youth soon becomes reconciled to circumstances, howeverunpleasant, much sooner than that of an older person, and this wasprobably the reason why, although greatly dissatisfied at the beginningof the voyage, I soon became so contented with a life on the sea, that Ipreferred it to one on land--at least in a home with Mr Leary as mymaster.

  Upon occasions, Stormy Jack permitted the storm in his soul to rage alittle too wildly. One of these occasions occurred about two weeks,before we reached New Orleans. He had got into a dispute with thesecond mate about the setting of a sail, and both becoming intemperatein the use of the Queen's English, words were used which had to beresented with violence.

  The first assault was made by the mate, who soon found that he was but achild in the hands of Stormy Jack.

  The first mate happened to be on deck smoking his pipe, as also thecarpenter, and, as in duty bound, both ran to the relief of theirbrother officer. Poor Stormy was knocked down with the carpenter'smallet, his hands were tied behind him, and he was dragged below.

  The next day I was allowed to take him his dinner, and found him wellpleased with his situation. I was expecting to see him in great griefover his misfortune--which to me appeared very serious--and wasagreeably surprised to find him in better spirits than I had ever seenhim before.

  "It's all right, Rowley, my boy," said he. "If they can afford to keepme in idleness, and pay me wages for doing nothing, I'm not the one tocomplain. I'm glad this has happened, for I never liked the firstbreezer, nor yet Chips, and now I've got an opportunity for letting themknow it. I'm going to leave the ship, and when I've done so, I'll teachthem manners."

  I expressed the opinion, that it could not be very pleasant to be keptso long in a dark place and alone.

  "That's no punishment," said Stormy. "Can't I sleep? I've been servedworse than this. On a voyage to India I refused duty on the second weekout. I was put in a pen along with some turkeys and geese, and was toldwhenever I would go to my duty, I should be taken out. I never gave in,and finished the voyage in the turkey coop. That was far worse thanthis, for the noise on deck, with the conversation between mycompanions, the turkeys and geese, often used to keep me from sleep.That was a queer plan for teaching a fellow manners, but I did not letit succeed.

  "I was going to say one place was as good as another, but it a'nt. Thisship is no place for me. After we reach New Orleans I shall leave it,and if ever I come across eyther the first breezer, or carpenter,ashore, they'll both larn what they never knew afore, and that'smanners. When two men are fighting, another has no right to interrupteither of 'em with a blow of a mallet, and the man who does so has nomanners, and wants teachin'."

  I was pleased to hear Stormy say that he intended to leave the ship, forthe idea of doing so myself had often entered my thoughts, and had beenfavourably entertained.

  I had no great hopes of finding a better home than I had on board theship, but I had been placed there by Leary, and that was sufficientreason for my wishing to leave her. He had driven me from my own home,and I would not live in one of his choosing.

  I resolved, therefore, to take leave of the ship if Stormy would allowme to become his companion, and even if he should not, I had more thanhalf determined upon running away.

  Volume One, Chapter IV.

  A CHANGE OF CALLING.

  Two days before we reached New Orleans, Stormy Jack expressed some shamcontrition for what he had done, with an inclination to return to hisduty. He was liberated, and once more the deck was enlivened by thesound of his rough manly voice giving the necessary orders for workingthe ship.

  I found a favourable opportunity of telling him, that I should like togo along with him. At first he objected to aid me, and urged me toremain, as a reason for my doing so, urging the argument: that a boyserving his apprenticeship was much better off than one wandering aboutwithout a home.

  To me this argument was worth nothing. The idea of remaining for sevenyears in a situation chosen for me by Mr Leary, was too absurd to beseriously entertained for a moment. I told Stormy so; and he finallyconsented that I should go with him.

  "My reason for objecting at first," said he, "was because I did not liketo be troubled with you; but that's not exactly the right sort o'feeling for a Christian to steer by. One should expect to have sometrouble with those as need a helping hand, and I don't know why I shouldtry to shirk from my share o
f it."

  I promised Stormy that I would try not to cause him any trouble, or aslittle as possible.

  "Of course you will try," said he, "or if you don't, I'll teach youmanners."

  Stormy's threat did not alarm me; and our conversation at the timeended--leaving me well pleased with the prospect of getting clear of theship, by his assistance.

  Stormy's return to duty was only a pretence. It was done to deceive theofficers--so that he might the more easily find an opportunity ofescaping from the ship.

  Two days after our arrival in the port of New Orleans, he was allowedliberty to go ashore; and I was permitted to accompany him. The Captainprobably supposed that the wages due to Stormy would bring him back; andthe suspicion, that a boy like myself should wish to leave the ship,