Masterman Ready | Page 4

it's not very likely that I should have known that one man
you speak of, out of so many."
"Oh! but it's all in a book which I have read. I could tell you all about
it--and so I will when the ship is quiet again; but now I wish you would
help me down below, for I promised mamma not to stay up long."
"Then always keep your promise like a good lad," replied the old man;
"now give me your hand, and I'll answer for it that we will fetch the
hatchway without a tumble; and when the weather is fine again, I'll tell
you how I was wrecked, and you shall tell me all about Robinson

Crusoe."
Having seen William safe to the cabin door, the old seaman returned to
the deck, for it was his watch.
Masterman Ready, for such was his name, had been more than fifty
years at sea, having been bound apprentice to a collier which sailed
from South Shields, when he was only ten years old. His face was
browned from long exposure, and there were deep furrows on his
cheeks, but he was still a hale and active man. He had served many
years on board of a man-of-war, and had been in every climate: he had
many strange stories to tell, and he might be believed even when his
stories were strange, for he would not tell an untruth. He could navigate
a vessel, and, of course, he could read and write. The name of Ready
was very well suited to him, for he was seldom at a loss; and in cases of
difficulty and danger, the captain would not hesitate to ask his opinion,
and frequently take his advice. He was second mate of the vessel.
The Pacific was, as we have observed, a very fine ship, and well able to
contend with the most violent storm. She was of more than four
hundred tons burthen, and was then making a passage out to New
South Wales, with a valuable cargo of English hardware, cutlery, and
other manufactures. The captain was a good navigator and seaman, and
moreover a good man, of a cheerful, happy disposition, always making
the best of everything, and when accidents did happen, always more
inclined to laugh than to look grave. His name was Osborn. The first
mate, whose name was Mackintosh, was a Scotsman, rough and
ill-tempered, but paying strict attention to his duty - a man that Captain
Osborn could trust, but whom he did not like.
Ready we have already spoken of, and it will not be necessary to say
anything about the seamen on board, except that there were thirteen of
them, hardly a sufficient number to man so large a vessel; but just as
they were about to sail, five of the seamen, who did not like the
treatment they had received from Mackintosh, the first mate, had left
the ship, and Captain Osborn did not choose to wait until he could
obtain others in their stead. This proved unfortunate, as the events
which we shall hereafter relate will show.

Chapter II
Master William, whom we have introduced to the reader, was the eldest
boy of a family who were passengers on board, consisting of the father,
mother, and four children: his father was a Mr. Seagrave, a very
well-informed, clever man, who having for many years held an office
under government at Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, was now
returning from a leave of absence of three years. He had purchased
from the government several thousand acres of land; it had since risen
very much in value, and the sheep and cattle which he had put on it
were proving a source of great profit. His property had been well
managed by the person who had charge of it during his absence in
England, and he was now taking out with him a variety of articles of
every description for its improvement, and for his own use, such as
furniture for his house, implements of agriculture, seeds, plants, cattle,
and many other things too numerous to mention.
Mrs. Seagrave was an amiable woman, but not in very strong health.
The family consisted of William, who was the eldest, a clever, steady
boy, but, at the same time, full of mirth and humour; Thomas, who was
six years old, a very thoughtless but good-tempered boy, full of
mischief, and always in a scrape; Caroline, a little girl of seven years;
and Albert, a fine strong little fellow, who was not one year old: he was
under the charge of a black girl, who had come from the Cape of Good
Hope to Sydney, and had followed Mrs. Seagrave to England. We have
now mentioned all the people on board