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Read Ebook: The Trial of Jesus from a Lawyer's Standpoint Vol. 1 (of 2) The Hebrew Trial by Chandler Walter M Walter Marion
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Ebook has 1804 lines and 118778 words, and 37 pages
PAGE.
FROM PECK SLIP TO NANTUCKET BAR 1
IN AND OUT OVER THE BAR 12
FROM THE BAR ROUND GREAT POINT 24
FAIRLY AT SEA.--THE FIRST LOOKOUT.--INTRODUCTION 38
THE WESTERN ISLANDS.--"YARNS" AND ANECDOTES 50
THE FIRST WHALE 62
"CUTTING IN" 73
BOILING.--CUTTING THE LINE.--DUTCH COURAGE.--"MAN OVERBOARD" 85
"GAMMING" WITH A "HOMEWARD-BOUNDER" 98
WHALING NEAR THE FALKLANDS.--DEATH OF MR. JOHNSON 112
PROMOTION.--"COOPER'S NOVELS."--THE MATE MORALIZES.--CAPE HORN 125
FISHING AT JUAN FERNANDEZ.--FIGHT WITH AN UGLY WHALE 139
TALCAHUANA 153
THE BILL-FISH.--THE MARQUESAS.--A PRISONER AMONG THE SAVAGES 167
ESCAPE FROM THE SAVAGES.--RECOVERY OF THE BOAT.--MAGICAL EFFECTS OF LYNCH LAW 181
THE COOPER "ROMANCES".--INCIDENTS.--BYRON'S ISLAND 197
KINGSMILL'S GROUP.--SINGULAR WHALING INCIDENT.--HARD AND FAST.--A PERILOUS POSITION 211
OFF THE ROCKS AGAIN.--A BAD LEAP.--ANECDOTES.--THE RUN TO THE CAROLINE ISLANDS 225
STRONG'S ISLAND 238
ON JAPAN.--ORMSBEE'S PEAK.--WHALING INCIDENTS.--A YANKEE TRICK 253
RADACK CHAIN.--WATERING AT OCEAN ISLAND.--INCIDENTS ON THE RUN TO SYDNEY, N. S. W. 267
SYDNEY.--UP ANCHOR FOR HOME.--"GALWAY MIKE." 280
HOMEWARD.--THE EPISODE OF GALWAY MIKE.--CAPE HORN.--THE LAST WHALE 294
HOMEWARD. The Whale Recognized as an Old Acquaintance.--Incidents of the Run Home.--Nantucket Again 307
LEAVES
FROM THE
ARETHUSA'S LOG.
FROM PECK SLIP TO NANTUCKET BAR.
"WANTED--500 able-bodied, enterprising young men, to go on whaling voyages of from twelve to twenty months' duration in first class ships. All clothing and other necessaries furnished on the credit of the voyage. To coopers, carpenters and blacksmiths, extra inducements offered."
I had always a predilection for the sea, and had cultivated my adventurous propensities by the study of all books of voyages and travels that I had access to. All the wanderings of famous navigators, from the days of Sinbad down to the present era, had been perused with delight, and I had always affected the sailor, as well as I knew how, in manner and dress. I had discovered, since I arrived in the city, however, that I was a miserable amateur; and not a ragged boy along the piers but would have spotted me for a "green one" at sight, while Jack himself, the real article, would have found my verdancy really refreshing after a long cruise.
I stood, for a time, regarding this picture in silent admiration, and especially commiserating the situation of one luckless mariner, for whom the fate of Jonah seemed inevitable, as he appeared suspended in mid-air, directly over the jaws of the whale, which were widely distended in his agony.
"Now," said I to myself, "why wouldn't this be the sort of cruise for me? A long voyage, full of adventure and excitement. The very thing. I'll stop in here, and get some information about this business."
"Take a seat, sir," said Mr. Ramsay. "I'm happy to see you, sir; and the fact of your being early in the day argues well for your success in life. I presume you would like to try a pleasant voyage, to see the world, and make some money at the same time."
"Yes, sir," said I; "I did think of trying a sea voyage, but I would like to make a few inquiries first."
"Quite right, sir," said Mr. Ramsay, lighting a cigar; "quite right. 'Look before you leap,' as the saying is. Have a cigar, sir?" at the same time extending a handful of cheap sixes, with a general invitation to the company present. "I shall be happy to afford you any information in my power, sir. I have never been whaling myself, but from my long experience in this business, and my extensive acquaintance with whalemen and shipowners, I may say that you could hardly have applied, in this city, to a better source; and, as I was observing to these two young gentlemen just before you entered, there is the finest opening just at this time that I have ever known. Indeed, I do not remember any period since I have been in the business when such inducements were offered to enterprising young men as now. A packet leaves this afternoon for Nantucket, and there are crews wanted there for four new ships, just launched, and all to be commanded by experienced captains. There will be more ships fitted this year than any previous one; and, owing to the increased demand for young men, the lays are uncommonly high."
"The what, sir?" asked one of the country youths.
"And what may be the lay of a new hand--one who has never been by water," I asked.
"Well--yes, sir; I have served some time at the blacksmith's trade, though I can hardly call myself a finished workman," I answered.
"A blacksmith! ah, indeed! The very thing, sir. That reminds me that I have a special demand, at this time, for three or four blacksmiths, and as many carpenters. As to your being a finished workman, that is not at all essential, sir. If you can botch a little and do an indifferent sort of job, that is quite sufficient. I may safely promise an able-bodied young man like you with some knowledge of the blacksmith's trade, as good as the hundred and thirtieth. That, however, is a matter to be arranged with the agent of the ship when you sign the articles. I shall mention the subject to my correspondents, Messrs. Brooks & Co., at Nantucket, and they will use their influence for you."
"The voyage, you say, will not be more than twenty months, sir?" I asked.
"Ye--no, sir--that is, they are seldom absent beyond that length of time, and, if very fortunate, you may finish a voyage in a year. Then your chances of promotion! Consider, sir--a young man of your ability ought certainly to command a third mate's berth on the second voyage, in which case, of course, your pay is more than doubled; and so on each successive voyage as you advance still higher on the ladder. That is, of course, supposing you should wish to follow the business. If not, why, a year or a year and a half is not much at your time of life. You would still be young enough to turn your attention to something else."
"How's the victuals on these whaling boats?" inquired one of the verdant youths.
"Excellent, sir," returned the voluble Mr. Ramsay. "I have reason to believe there are no ships on the ocean where the living is so good as in whalers. Even the luxuries of life are to be found in abundance. Cows are generally kept on board, so that the supply of milk and fresh beef scarcely ever fails."
"Do you furnish the outfit of clothes here, sir?" I inquired.
"No, sir," answered Mr. Ramsay, "that is not in my line. My correspondents, Messrs. Brooks & Co., will attend to that; and, from their perfect knowledge of the articles required, and their extensive facilities, cannot fail to give you satisfaction."
The sleepy clerk had the pleasure of registering the names of all three of us on the list of recruits to go on board the "Lydia Ann," and at four o'clock that afternoon, I found myself, in company with a score or more of others, on board the old sloop, with the mainsail hoisted, and dropped down to an outside berth; and, after the most affectionate farewells and hand-shaking from Mr. Ramsay and the sleepy clerk, the whole party were mustered and counted, and the roll being found correct, the Lydia Ann slipped the only fast by which she rode to the pier, and was fairly under way for Nantucket, amid the shouts and hurrahs of her passengers, who seemed to have bid adieu to all care and sorrow, and to consider themselves fairly enrolled in the ranks of the elect.
After taking our last looks at the great metropolis, I found ample amusement in studying human nature, and observing the peculiarities of my several companions, who were a motley crowd, composed of men of every stamp, from the fresh and innocent country youth, like myself, who had just left his mother and sisters, to the city rowdy, who had run himself "hard up" on a spree, and, unable longer to raise the wind, had shipped for a sea voyage as a last resort. It was surprising to note, now that we were brought together, and all bound on the same mission, how quickly we became acquainted with each other, and how quickly all distinctions were levelled. Many of my companions were more or less in liquor at starting, and some had brought suspicious bottles with them, and now were clustered in groups about the deck, roaring snatches of songs, breaking out into boisterous merriment, and cracking jokes on the old skipper, who only shook his head, and joined in the laugh, muttering:
"Hold on, my lads, till I get you out off Pint Judy, with a good stiff breeze and chopping sea on to shake up your stomachs, and I'll bet some of you will laugh out of the other side of your mouths."
The old gentleman was not at all averse to taking a stout pull at the bottles with those who offered them; and, after two or three applications of this sort, he grew communicative, and volunteered much information for our special behoof, touching the business in which we were about embarking. Many of his statements differed widely from those of the shipping-master, which is not strange; for it is well known that two witnesses are seldom found to agree to their accounts of the same matter.
The Lydia Ann was an old time-worn and battered sloop, which ran as a regular transport between Nantucket and New York, having no accommodations for any considerable number of passengers, though she had carried so many human cargoes to the same consignees, all bound on the same errand, that she had acquired the pet name of "the Slaver."
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