Read Ebook: Life and Adventure in the South Pacific by Jones John D

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Ebook has 628 lines and 107703 words, and 13 pages

BREACHING 173

A SCHOOL 175

USING HIS JAW 208

GOING DOWN ON A SCHOOL 210

TRADING AT PLEASANT ISLAND 211

A RACE FOR A WHALE 217

THE "OLD MAN" TALKS 246

ORMSBY'S PEAK 309

"THERE SHE BLOWS!" 315

CHART OF SANDWICH ISLANDS 317

LAHAINA 320

HOMEWARD BOUND 346

A LANDSHARK 356

JUST LANDED 359

LIFE AND ADVENTURE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

In fitting out a whaler for a voyage, every thing is usually done as cheaply as possible, and often on the "penny-wise and pound-foolish" plan. With some owners, however, we are happy to say, it is different. They have a regard for the health and comfort of the ship's company, and their ships are generally well fitted, with good provisions, good whaling material, and every thing necessary to make the voyage one of pleasure and comfort to the crew as well as profit to themselves. In nine cases out of ten such ships get good crews, and make profitable voyages. But there are others who are actuated by a niggardly disposition in fitting and provisioning their ships, and the result of the voyage, as far as profit is concerned, is a corresponding one.

After a ship has her provisions, water, and every thing necessary for the voyage on board except her crew, she is "hauled into the stream," ready for sea as soon as the ship's company can be got on board, which generally occupies a day or two, as many of them are having their last "spree," spending their "advance," and often coming on board half intoxicated. Some of them, when they ship, are in that condition, and hardly know, until they are at sea, their true situation and how they came there. The majority of a whaler's crew are "greenies," hardly any of them ever having smelt salt water, and knowing nothing of a seaman's life, its hardships, its exposures, its joys, or its sorrows. But the poor fellows soon learn, and many of them, before they have been clear of the land a week, vainly wish themselves at home. Many of them are picked up by "shipping agents" throughout the country, who send them on to their respective shipping-houses in New Bedford. They are then furnished by the shippers with second or third rate boarding-houses, the board to be paid out of their advance. It is a common practice for the shippers to make contracts with owners to furnish them with so many "green hands" at so much per head; the shipper receiving his price from the owner, and then, in addition, charging poor "greeny" ten dollars for "getting him a ship."

Our ship was to sail on the 23d of October, 18--. Accordingly, on the morning of that day, every thing on board was in a glorious state of confusion. Chests, bundles, bedding, etc., were strewn about the decks until the lawful owners should take charge of them.

As soon as the crew were all on board, orders were given to "man the windlass," and in a few moments the anchor was on the bow, and our last hold on American soil broken. Many an hour must pass, and many a mile of the blue wave be plowed, ere we could again drop our anchor in this port. The captain now came on board, accompanied by his wife and son, the huge sails were loosed, and we left the city of New Bedford with fine breezes and pleasant weather; many of us with gloomy forebodings, vainly endeavoring to penetrate the dim veil of the future and conjecture as to whether we should be spared again to tread our native shores; again to clasp in our embrace those dear friends we were leaving behind us sorrowing. But the future was all shrouded in mystery, and we could but sigh farewell, and place our trust in Him who "doeth all things well."

As we are now at sea, the pilot takes his leave, with those who have come off to bid adieu to their brothers, sons, friends, etc.; and now the weather-beaten tar as well as the green hand brushes away a tear, as they bid a long farewell to happy homes; and as their native shores gradually sink behind the wave, all appear to be suddenly impressed with the loneliness of their situation, and the dangers they have to encounter and overcome ere they again behold the dear ones at home.

At about 6 P.M. the captain came on deck, called all hands aft, and made a short speech, the substance of which was that, "as long as they behaved themselves, they should receive good treatment, should have plenty to eat and drink, and a regular watch below; that they were to go when told, come when called, and that without grumbling; and if any of them should act contrary to this, they would find they had come to the wrong place; that there were some thirty of the crew, and he but one, and it was utterly impossible for him to do every thing to please so many different minds, yet it was perfectly easy for them to so conduct themselves as to suit him; and," he adds, "let every person sweep his own door clean and mind his own affairs, and there will be no difficulty; but if not, look out for 'breakers:' in fine, he hopes there will no trouble, and in forty months to be sailing up Buzzard's Bay with a full ship."

It being 8 o'clock, eight bells were struck, and one watch was sent below. About this time the majority of us landlubbers were paying tribute to old Father Neptune--casting up our accounts--and it mattered very little to some of us whether the ship went up or down.

Of all the miserable beings in the world, the sea-sick "greeny" is the most miserable. Those who have been sea-sick can appreciate his situation when we tell them that, in addition to the feeling produced by the sickness, he is made the butt and laughing-stock of those around him who escape the infliction. Those who have never experienced this sickness can not appreciate the blessing of having escaped it, and we will not attempt, therefore, to describe it. However, to use a homely expression, when one is really sea-sick, good and strong, he "doesn't care whether school keeps or not!"

Sick of the Sea.--Description of the Boats and Whaling Apparatus.-- Boat-headers.--Boat-steerers.--Mastheads.--The first Whale.--"There she blows!"--All hands excited.--Lowering the Boats.--"Pull, every man of you."--A Fisherman's Luck.--Whales again.--Cape Verd Islands.-- St. Antonio.--St. Jago.--Fogo, the Island of Fire.--Going ashore.--A noisy Crowd.--Tom and the Portugee Donkey.--Manuel.--Now for Cape Horn.

It blew very fresh through the night, and could the old ship have come to an anchor about this time, we hardly think many of the "green hands" would have remained on board. But it was of no avail now to complain; all were in for it, and must take the evil with the good from this time until the end of the voyage.

Nothing worthy of note transpired, with the exception of occasionally seeing a sail, until Wednesday, November 31st, being about five weeks out, when we saw our first sperm whale. But before we lower the boats and capture this fellow, let us make the reader acquainted as much as possible with our boats and whaling apparatus.

Our ship carried four boats on the cranes, besides four more spare ones in case of accident, such as a boat being stove, etc. They are built in a manner to enable them to stand a very heavy sea, and at the same time very light and buoyant; about twenty-five feet in length and four in breadth, and sharp at both ends, for motion in either direction without turning. Near the stern of the boat is placed a strong, upright, round piece of wood, a little one side from the centre, which is termed the "loggerhead." The whale-line passes two or three times around this when running out of the boat. At the head or bow is a groove, exactly in the centre, through which the line passes when taken out by the whale. In each boat are two tubs, containing each about one hundred and fifty fathoms, or eighteen hundred feet altogether in length, of the best Manilla tow-line, very carefully coiled, that it may run out perfectly clear and free; for such is the velocity of its egress sometimes that, should any thing obstruct its free passage, the boat, with all its contents, would be immediately drawn under the surface. There are also five or six harpoons, three lances, a keg, called the lantern-keg, containing a lantern with candles, matches, tinder, bread, pipes, and tobacco, that the boat's crew may have something with which to sustain nature in case of being off in the night-time, or losing the ship in the day-time; a waif, which is a small flag fastened to a pole, to be inserted in the dead whale, as a signal to the ship that it is a "dead fish;" one or two drugs, which are pieces of plank about a foot or eighteen inches in diameter, with a centre-post, and short line attached, by which they are fastened to the whale-line, serving to check the speed of the whale in sounding or running.

Each boat is commanded by one of the officers of the ship, who is styled "boat-header;" the captain commanding the starboard boat, the first mate the larboard boat, the second mate the waist-boat, and the third mate the bow boat; and they are manned each by a crew of five, one of whom is the harpooner, or "boat-steerer." All four boats are used in the chase, the race often becoming exciting as to which shall be the "first boat fast."

From the commencement of the voyage to its close men are stationed at each masthead, on the look-out for whales, and are relieved every two hours. When a whale is seen by any one of the men aloft, he immediately sings out in a peculiar voice, "There she blows!" and repeats it as often as the whale spouts. The officer of the deck immediately cries out, "Where away?" and the look-out replies, giving the direction of the whale from the ship. The officer again asks, "How far off?" The distance is given, and, in a shorter space of time than is occupied in relating it, the captain is at masthead with his spy-glass. As soon as he ascertains the fact that they are sperm whales, he sings out, "Call all hands; get the boats ready, and stand by to lower;" at the same time giving directions to the man at the wheel to keep the ship in the proper direction.

On Tuesday, November 27th, we again saw sperm whales, lowered all the boats in chase, but they were going too fast for us, and, pulling a long time with no success, gave up and came on board.

The next day we saw the island of St. Antonio, and ran in toward the land. The inhabitants of this island, like all others of the Cape Verd group, are Portuguese. They subsist principally on the yam, sweet potato, cocoanut, banana, orange, etc., and fish; live in nearly a nude state; are, as a general thing, treacherous, thieving, ignorant, and superstitious. The Roman Catholic religion is the only one tolerated.

On Thursday, the 29th, we passed the island of St. Jago, another of the same group. We were now steering for Fogo, which, on the following morning at daybreak, we saw distant about nine miles. On this island is a volcano, whose summit is one and a quarter miles above the level of the sea. From this volcano the island derives its name, "Fogo, the Island of Fire." Some years since an eruption took place, which destroyed most of the vegetation, and many of the inhabitants lost their lives. Those that escaped took boats and proceeded to the island of Bravo, a few miles distant. Our captain sent two of our boats in to the shore, for the purpose of trading with the natives, exchanging calico, beads, looking-glasses, trinkets, etc., for various fruits. The opportunity now being given us of visiting dry land once more, we accepted it joyfully. As we drew in near to the shore, the island presented a beautiful appearance; the mountains and hills were covered with green verdure; the natives were seen flocking down their sides, some loaded with baskets of fruit of various kinds, some driving a miserable-looking donkey before them, with a basket of fruit on one side and a pig on the other; here, too, might be seen a great strapping Portuguese woman, with a pig over her shoulder, shouting as loud as her burden squealed, and all hallooing to the boats; the waves breaking over the reef in thunder tones, and all together creating one of the wildest scenes of confusion we have ever witnessed. We finally found, after pulling along the shore for some distance, an opening in the reef, where we might land without danger of getting our boats stove to pieces, and pulled in. As soon as we landed we were surrounded by nearly two hundred Portuguese, and a scene now ensued that beggars description. Imagine a flock of two hundred birds, all chattering, about fifty hogs squealing, goats bleating, donkeys braying, and sailors shouting and laughing, and you have some faint idea of the real scene. Some of our men, too, went in for a little fun. One of them, Tom W., a regular wag, managed to steal a Portuguese's donkey for a short ride up the mountain and back. When he returned, the donkey's master wanted the moderate sum of seven dollars for the use of the animal. Tom told him he would give him his note for ten years; but the Gee would not be satisfied, until, a crowd gathering around, the matter was finally compromised by Tom's buying his basket of oranges, containing, perhaps, a hundred, for which he gave him about one eighth of a pound of tobacco.

In the afternoon we returned to the ship, our boats loaded with fruit. We also brought off with us a wild Portugee, who was determined, in spite of the remonstrances of our officers, to "see the elephant." He could not speak a word of English, and seemed to look on all the proceedings on board ship with a great deal of comical dignity and interest. He made the captain understand by signs that he wished to go the voyage. Accordingly they soon struck a bargain, and Manuel became a member of the ship's company. He was furnished with a couple of suits of clothes, Tom W. gravely remarking that "it was the first suit of clothes that was ever in the family," and sent forward. He was of noble build, being six feet three inches high, and well proportioned. He soon, however, was obliged to "cast up his accounts," and we never saw a more pitiable-looking object than sea-sick Portugee Manuel; and, while many of the crew were passing jokes upon him, he looked as if he fully believed he had fallen into the hands of barbarians.

From this island we shaped our course for Cape Horn.

Our Captain.--Officers.--Boat-steerers.--Foremast Hands.--Jo Bob.--Sailor's Fare.--The Cask of Pies.--Mackey.--Lawrence asleep.

The ship being by this time "shipshape and Bristol fashion," and the crew pretty well acquainted with each other, we will give a brief description of the officers and crew. Our captain is a man of about fifty, and has "beat the wash" for the past twenty-six years. He is a thorough sailor, a skillful navigator, and an impartial and decisive judge, and one who commands the respect of both officers and crew. His lady is an agreeable, intelligent woman, well fitted to be the wife of such a man; his son, a lad of about ten years, a smart, active boy, and cut out for a sailor.

Our chief mate, Mr. C., is a seaman of the first water, one thoroughly versed in the mysteries of sailorship, prompt and efficient, kind and obliging, and, above all, a most skillful whaleman.

Our second officer, Mr. L., is also an excellent seaman, an experienced whaleman, and one whom the whole ship's company love, for he is a good man, and to them all a kind friend.

Quite the contrary is our third officer, Mr. K. He is a pompous, windy sort of a being, who knows more than the captain and all hands, and one whom the men detest.

Our fourth officer, Mr. F., is a fine jovial fellow, as smart as a steel trap, and perfectly at home on board ship. He is also an excellent whaleman.

The boat-steerers are good-natured boys, always ready in the discharge of their duties; and the cooper, a quiet, peaceable man, who attends to his own business, which he thoroughly understands, and does not trouble himself with other people's.

"Certainly," replied his tormentor, "and it was put aboard on purpose for the green hands, and you're a fool if you don't go and tell the old man you want some."

So off Barney posts aft to the captain and mate, who were walking the quarter-deck together. It was not long before he returned to the forecastle, his countenance considerably elongated, and feeling very much crestfallen.

"What's the matter, Barney? Didn't you get any pies?"

"Why, what did the old man say?"

"He said that some one was making a fool of me, and if I came to him after any more pies he would stop my watch below for the whole cruise."

Poor Barney was obliged to submit, not only to sailor's food, but to be one of the butts of the ship's company for the voyage.

We had on board a fellow from Nova Scotia by the name of Mackey. It was the delight of some of the watch to "stuff" Mackey with all sorts of imaginable stories on divers subjects, and to get the poor fellow, who was very credulous withal, into some scrape. One night, when it was blowing very hard, and the ship lying-to under easy sail, rolling heavily, some one of the watch told Mackey to place a handspike in one of the lee scupper-holes to prevent the ship rolling so badly. Off posts Mackey for a handspike, but, finding none, he contented himself with using a scrub-broom handle, which he placed in the scupper-hole, and commenced jumping upon it, until he finally broke it. The officer of the watch espied him, and sang out,

"What are you about there, you Mackey?"

"Stopping the old ship from rolling, sir."

"Well, I guess you have worked at that about long enough; now point yourself aloft, and try your hand at slushing down the masts; away you go!"

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