Mr. Trunnell | Page 7

plenty of bawling we got the canvas on her fore and aft and
trimmed the yards so as to make each one look as if at odds with its
fellows, but yet enough to make a fair wind of the gentle southerly
breeze. Then we let go the tow-line and stood to the westward, while
the little tug gave a parting whistle and went heading away into the
rising sun astern.

II
I will say now that when I look back on that morning it is evident there
was a lack of discipline or command on board the _Pirate_; but at the

time it did not appear to me to be the fact, because the lack of discipline
was not apparent in my watch. Trunnell and I divided up the men
between us, and I believe I laid down the law pretty plain to the Dagos
and Swedes who fell to my lot. They couldn't understand much of what
I said, but they could tell something of my meaning when I held up a
rope's-end and belaying-pin before their eyes and made certain
significant gestures in regard to their manipulation. This may strike the
landsman as unnecessary and somewhat brutal; but, before he passes
judgment, he should try to take care of a lot of men who are, for a part,
a little lower than beasts.
If a man can understand the language you use, he can sometimes be
made to pay attention if he has the right kind of men over him, but
when he cannot understand and goes to sea with the certain knowledge
he is on a hard ship and will probably come to blows in a few minutes,
he must have some ocular demonstration of what is coming if he
doesn't jump when a mate sings out to him. Often the safety of the
entire ship depends upon the quickness with which an order can be
carried out, and a man must not hang back when the danger is deadly.
He must do as he is told, instantly and without question; if he gets
killed--why, there is no great loss, for any owner or skipper can get a
crew aboard at any of the large ports of trade. Of course, if he takes a
different point of view, the only thing for him to do is to stay on the
beach. He must not ship on a sailing packet that is carrying twenty
percent more freight than the law allows and is getting from three to
four dollars a ton for carrying it some ten or fifteen thousand miles over
every kind of ocean between the frigid zones. My men were surly
enough, perhaps because they had heard what kind of treatment they
should expect; so after I had told them what they must do, I bade them
go below and straighten out their dunnage.
Mr. Trunnell, after separating his men from mine, cursed them
individually and collectively as everything he could think of, and only
stopped to scratch his big bushy head to figure out some new
condemnations. While doing this he saw me coming from the port side,
and forthwith he told me to take charge of the ship, as he was dead beat
out and would have to soak his head again before coming on watch. He
smelled horribly of stale liquor, and his eyes were bloodshot. I thought
he would be just as well off below, so I made no protest against taking

command.
"Ye see, I never am used to it," he said, with a grin. "I can't drink
nothin'. Stave me, Rollins, but the first thing I'll be running foul of
some of these Dagos, and I don't want a fracas until I see the lay of the
old man. He's a queer one for sure, hey? Did you ever see a skipper
with such a look? Sech bleeding eyes--an' nose, hey? Like the beak of
an old albatross. He hasn't come out to lay the course yet, but let her go.
She'll head within half a point of what she's doin' now. Sink me, but I
don't believe there's three bloomin' beggars in my watch as can steer
the craft, and she's got a new wheel gear on her too. Call me if the old
man comes on deck." As he finished he staggered into the door of the
forward cabin and made for his room, leaving me in command.
I went aft and saw the lubber's mark holding on west by south, and
after being satisfied that the man steering could tell port from starboard,
I climbed the steps to the poop and took a good look around. It was a
beautiful morning and the sun shone brightly over our quarter-rail. The
land behind us stood boldly outlined against