The Castaways | Page 2

my gaze. "And
she's a good staunch ship, too; well built, well found, and well
manned--the owners of them `red star' liners won't have nothin' less
than the very best of everything in their ships and aboard of 'em--and I

hopes your honour'll have a very pleasant voyage, I'm sure. You ought
to, for there's some uncommon nice people goin' out in her; I took three
of 'em off myself in this here very same boat 'bout a hour ago. And one
of 'em--ah, she is a beauty, she is, and no mistake! handsome as a
hangel; and such eyes--why, sir, they're that bright and they sparkles to
that extent that you won't want no stars not so long as she's on deck."
"Indeed," answered I, with languid interest, yet glad nevertheless to
learn that there was to be at least one individual of agreeable
personality on board. Then, as we drew up toward the accommodation
ladder, I continued: "Back your starboard oar; pull port; way enough!
Lay in your oars and look out for the line that they are about to heave to
you!"
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the fellow, as he proceeded with slow
deliberation but a great show of alacrity to obey my injunctions. "Dash
my buttons," he continued, "if I didn't think as you'd seen a ship afore
to-day, and knowed the stem from the starn of her. Says I to myself,
when I seen the way that you took hold of them yoke-lines, and the
knowin' cock of your heye as you runned it over this here vessel's hull
and spars and her riggin'--`this here gent as I've a got hold of is a sailor,
he is, and as sich he'll know what a hard life of it we pore watermen has;
and I shouldn't wonder but what--knowin' the hardness of the
life--he'll'--thank'ee, sir; I wishes you a wery pleasant voyage, with all
my 'eart, sir. Take hold, steward; these is all the things the gent has
brought along of 'im."
I was received at the gangway by a fine sailorly-looking man, some
thirty-five years of age, and of about middle height, sturdily built, and
with a frank, alert, pleasant expression of face, who introduced himself
to me as the chief mate--Murgatroyd by name--following up his
self-introduction with the information that Captain Dacre had not yet
come down from town, but might be expected on board in time for
dinner.
It was just beginning to rain rather sharply again, or I should have been
disposed to remain on deck for a while and improve my acquaintance
with this genial-looking sailor; as it was, I merely paused beside him

long enough to note that the deck between the foremast and the
mainmast seemed to be crowded with rough, round-backed,
awkward-looking men, having the appearance of navvies or something
of that kind; also that the main hatch was partially closed by a grating
through an aperture in which, at the after port angle of the hatchway,
other men of a like sort were passing up and down by means of a ladder.
The mate caught my inquiring glance as it wandered over the
rough-looking crowd, and replied to it by remarking:
"Miners, and such-like--a hundred and twenty of 'em--going out to
develop a new mine somewhere up among the Himalayas, so I'm told.
Rather a tough lot, by the look of 'em, Mr Conyers; but I'll take care
that they don't annoy the cuddy passengers; and they'll soon shake
down when once we're at sea."
"No doubt," I replied. "Poor fellows! they appear to be indifferent
enough to the idea of leaving their native land; but how many of them,
I wonder, will live to return to it. Steward," I continued, as I turned
away to follow the man who was carrying my hand baggage below for
me, "is there anyone in the same cabin with me?"
"No, sir; you've got it all to yourself, sir," was the reply. "There was a
young gent," he continued--"one of a family of six as was goin' out
with us--who was to have been put in along with you, sir; but the father
have been took suddenly ill, so they're none of 'em going. Consequence
is that we've only got thirty cuddy passengers aboard, instead of
thirty-six, which is our full complement. Your trunks is under the
bottom berth, sir, and I've unstrapped 'em. Anything more I can do for
you, sir?"
I replied in the negative, thanking the man for his attention; and then,
as he closed the cabin-door behind him, I seated myself upon a sofa and
looked round at the snug and roomy apartment which, if all went well, I
was to occupy during the voyage of the ship to India and back.
The room was some ten feet