The Cruise of the Cachalot | Page 5

a ship before! The whole space was undivided by partition, but I
saw at once that black men and white had separated themselves, the
blacks taking the port side and the whites the starboard. Finding a
vacant bunk by the dim glimmer of the ancient teapot lamp that hung
amidships, giving out as much smoke as light, I hurriedly shifted my
coat for a "jumper" or blouse, put on an old cap, and climbed into the
fresh air again. For a double reason, even MY seasoned head was
feeling bad with the villainous reek of the place, and I did not want any
of those hard-featured officers on deck to have any cause to complain
of my "hanging back." On board ship, especially American ships, the
first requisite for a sailor who wants to be treated properly is to "show
willing," any suspicion of slackness being noted immediately, and the
backward one marked accordingly. I had hardly reached the deck when
I was confronted by a negro, the biggest I ever saw in, my life. He
looked me up and down for a moment, then opening his ebony features
in a wide smile, he said, "Great snakes! why, here's a sailor man for
sure! Guess thet's so, ain't it, Johnny?" I said "yes" very curtly, for I
hardly liked his patronizing air; but he snapped me up short with "yes,
SIR, when yew speak to me, yew blank lime-juicer. I'se de fourf mate
ob dis yar ship, en my name's Mistah Jones, 'n yew, jest freeze on to dat
ar, ef yew want ter lib long'n die happy. See, sonny." I SAW, and
answered promptly, "I beg your pardon, sir, I didn't know." "Ob cawse
yew didn't know, dat's all right, little Britisher; naow jest skip aloft 'n
loose dat fore-taupsle." "Aye, aye, sir," I answered cheerily, springing
at once into the fore-rigging and up the ratlines like a monkey, but not
too fast to hear him chuckle, "Dat's a smart kiddy, I bet." I had the big

sail loose in double quick time, and sung out "All gone, the
fore-taupsle," before any of the other sails were adrift. "Loose the
to-gantsle and staysles" came up from below in a voice like thunder,
and I bounded up higher to my task. On deck I could see a crowd at the
windlass heaving up anchor. I said to myself, "They don't waste any
time getting this packet away." Evidently they were not anxious to test
any of the crew's swimming powers. They were wise, for had she
remained at anchor that night I verily believe some of the poor
wretches would have tried to escape.
The anchor came aweigh, the sails were sheeted home, and I returned
on deck to find the ship gathering way for the heads, fairly started on
her long voyage.
What a bear-garden the deck was, to be sure! The black portion of the
crew--Portuguese natives from the Western and Canary Islands--were
doing their work all right in a clumsy fashion; but the farmers, and
bakers, and draymen were being driven about mercilessly amid a
perfect hurricane of profanity and blows. And right here I must say that,
accustomed as I had always been to bad language all my life, what I
now heard was a revelation to me. I would not, if I could, attempt to
give a sample of it, but it must be understood that it was incessant
throughout the voyage. No order could be given without it, under the
impression, apparently, that the more curses the more speed.
Before nightfall we were fairly out to sea, and the ceremony of dividing
the crew into watches was gone through. I found myself in the chief
mate's or "port" watch (they called it "larboard," a term I had never
heard used before, it having long been obsolete in merchant ships),
though the huge negro fourth mate seemed none too well pleased that I
was not under his command, his being the starboard watch under the
second mate.
As night fell, the condition of the "greenies," or non-sailor portion of
the crew, was pitiable. Helpless from sea-sickness, not knowing where
to go or what to do, bullied relentlessly by the ruthless petty
officers--well, I never felt so sorry for a lot of men in my life. Glad
enough I was to get below into the fo'lk'sle for supper, and a brief rest

and respite from that cruelty on deck. A bit of salt junk and a piece of
bread, i.e. biscuit, flinty as a pantile, with a pot of something sweetened
with "longlick" (molasses), made an apology for a meal, and I turned in.
In a very few minutes oblivion came, making me as happy as any man
can be in this world.
*
CHAPTER II
PREPARING FOR