The Mate of the Lily | Page 5

the time when my kind father last sailed I suspect she thought
that she might never see me again; still she knew that I must work for
my livelihood, as I did myself, and I was going to begin the profession
I had chosen, and for which I had long had a desire. For dangers and
hardships I was ready, fully persuaded that, though I might encounter, I
should get through them.
We were at sea at last, running down channel with a fair wind. Uncle
Jack had had no difficulty in obtaining a good crew, for when he could
find them, he picked up old shipmates, who were always glad to sail
with him. He had promised Timothy Howlett and Bill Trinder to look
them up, and they, having spent the last shilling in their pockets, were
glad to ship on board, he hoping that they having been before in those
seas might be useful. James Ling was second mate and Sam Crowfoot
boatswain, making up the complement of our officers, besides which
there was our supercargo, Edward Blyth, a young but very intelligent
man, who had already made a voyage to the Eastern seas, understood
Dutch as well as the Malay languages, and was thus able to act as
interpreter at many of the places where we were going. He was well
informed on many subjects also, and possessed a good knowledge of
natural history. I must not forget "Little Jem," the smallest boy on
board. Instead of being knocked about and bullied, he was somewhat of
a favourite among the men, with whom, however, he was pretty free
and easy in his way of talking; but they liked him all the better for that.
To the officers he was always respectful, well-mannered, and, being
very intelligent and active, was consequently a favourite with them.
We had on board four carronades and a long gun, as where we were
going it was necessary to have the means of defence, but they were
stowed below during the first part of the voyage. We had also a supply
of cutlasses, pistols, and boarding pikes for all hands, which
ornamented the fore bulk head of the main cabin, though occasionally

taken down to be cleaned and polished, so that they might be of use
when wanted.
Uncle Jack took great pains to teach me navigation, and, as I had learnt
mathematics at school, I was soon able to take a good observation with
my sextant and to work out the calculations correctly. A knowledge of
seamanship I found was not to be obtained so rapidly, though Crowfoot,
the boatswain, was always ready to give me instruction and express his
opinion how a vessel ought to be handled under all possible
circumstances, but a large amount of presence of mind, and what may
be called invention, has to be exercised on numerous occasions, for
which no rules can be laid down.
"Now, Harry, you see wits is what a sailor wants. You've got learning,
and with learning you can pick up navigation pretty smartly. I haven't
got the learning, and so I can't get a mate's certificate; but I've got the
wits and have been many a long year at sea, and so I am fit for a
boatswain, and can take charge of a watch with any man," he remarked.
The wind favouring us after we left the chops of the channel, we ran
into the north-east trades, which took us to within two or three degrees
of the equator; and after that we had the calms and heavy rains which
are invariably met with, and were sometimes wet to the skin, at others
roasted in the hot sun. No one suffered, however, and after getting out
of them, we picked up a fine south-east trade wind. This carried us
down to twenty-six degrees south. The meridian of the Cape was
passed about the fiftieth day after leaving the Lizard. We ran down our
easting on parallel forty south. The brig was going about eight knots
before the wind, when one morning there was a cry of "Man
overboard!"
Uncle Jack, who had been below, sprang up the companion-ladder, and,
looking over the side, saw that it was little Jem, who had fallen from
the fore yardarm. Ordering all hands to brace up the yards and the man
at the wheel to put down the helm, while he threw off his jacket, he
leaped overboard and struck out for the boy.
"Heave a grating here!" he shouted. "Harry, don't come," and I, who

was on the point of following, did as he directed.
The captain was on deck a moment afterwards and made ready to lower
the lee quarter boat. Every one on board, as may be supposed, was busy
pulling and hauling