The Survivors of the Chancellor | Page 5

seaman and
thoroughly understands his duties I could not for a moment venture to
deny; but that he is a man of resolute temperament, or that he pos-
sesses the amount of courage that would render him, phy- sically or
morally, capable of coping with any great emer- gency, I confess I
cannot believe. I observed a certain heaviness and dejection about his
whole carriage. His wavering glances, the listless motion of his hands,
and his slow, unsteady gait, all seem to me to indicate a weak and
sluggish disposition. He does not appear as though he could be
energetic enough ever to be stubborn; he never frowns, sets his teeth, or
clenches his fists. There is some- thing enigmatical about him; however,
I shall study him closely, and do what I can to understand the man who,
as commander of a vessel, should be to those around him "second only
to God."
Unless I am greatly mistaken there is another man on board who, if
circumstances should require it, would take the more prominent
position -- I mean the mate. I have hitherto, however, had so little
opportunity of observing his character, that I must defer saying more
about him at pres- ent.
Besides the captain and this mate, whose name is Robert Curtis, our
crew consists of Walter, the lieutenant, the boat- swain, and fourteen
sailors, all English or Scotch, making eighteen altogether, a number
quite sufficient for working a vessel of 900 tons burden. Up to this time
my sole ex- perience of their capabilities is, that under the command of
the mate, they brought us skillfully enough through the narrow
channels of Charleston; and I have no reason to doubt that they are well
up to their work.

My list of the ship's officials is incomplete unless I men- tion Hobart
the steward and Jynxstrop the negro cook.
In addition to these, the Chancellor carries eight pas- sengers, including
myself. Hitherto, the bustle of em- barkation, the arrangement of cabins,
and all the variety of preparations inseparable from starting on a voyage
for at least twenty or five-and-twenty days have precluded the
formation of any acquaintanceships; but the monotony of the voyage,
the close proximity into which we must be thrown, and the natural
curiosity to know something of each other's affairs, will doubtless lead
us in due time to an ex- change of ideas. Two days have elapsed and I
have not even seen all the passengers. Probably sea-sickness has
prevented some of them from making an appearance at the common
table. One thing, however, I do know; namely, that there are two ladies
occupying the stern cabin, the win- dows of which are in the aft-board
of the vessel.
I have seen the ship's list, and subjoin a list of the pas- sengers. They
are as follows:
Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Americans, of Buffalo.
Miss Herbey, a young English lady, companion to Mrs. Kear.
M. Letourneur and his son Andre, Frenchmen, of Havre.
William Falsten, a Manchester engineer.
John Ruby, a Cardiff merchant; and myself, J. R. Kazal- lon, of
London.
CHAPTER III
BILL OF LADING
SEPTEMBER 29. -- Captain Huntly's bill of lading, that is to say, the
document that describes the Chancellor's cargo and the conditions of
transport, is couched in the following terms:
Bronsfield and Co., Agents, Charleston:
I, John Silas Huntly, of Dundee, Scotland, commander of the ship
Chancellor, of about 900 tons burden, now at Charleston, do purpose,
by the blessing of God, at the earli- est convenient season, and by the
direct route, to sail for the port of Liverpool, where I shall obtain my
discharge. I do hereby acknowledge that I have received from you,
Messrs. Bronsfield and Co., Commission Agents, Charles- ton, and
have placed the same under the gun-deck of the aforesaid ship,

seventeen hundred bales of cotton, of the estimated value of 26,000 L.,
all in good condition, marked and numbered as in the margin; which
goods I do undertake to transport to Liverpool, and there to deliver, free
from injury (save only such injury as shall have been caused by the
chances of the sea), to Messrs. Laird Brothers, or to their order, or to
their representatives, who shall on due delivery of the said freight pay
me the sum of 2,000 L. inclu- sive, according to the charter-party, and
damages in addi- tion, according to the usages and customs of the sea.
And for the fulfillment of the above covenant, I have pledged and do
pledge my person, my property, and my interest in the vessel aforesaid,
with all its appurtenances. In witness whereof, I have signed three
agreements all of the same purport, on the condition that when the
terms of one are accomplished, the other two shall be absolutely null
and void.