Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 25, 2025
I need scarcely mention, that, when a shark is floundering about, the quarter-deck becomes a scene of pretty considerable confusion; and if there be blood on the occasion, as there generally is, from all this rough usage, the stains are not to be got rid of without a week's scrubbing, and many a growl from the captain of the after-guard.
"It's worse than the cholera!" cried a man of the After-guard. "I'd sooner the water-casks would give out!" said a Captain of the Hold. "Are we ganders and geese, that we can live without grog?" asked a Corporal of Marines. "Ay, we must now drink with the ducks!" cried a Quarter-master. "Not a tot left?" groaned a Waister. "Not a toothful!" sighed a Holder, from the bottom of his boots.
Against all whalers, indeed, he cherished the unmitigated detestation of a true man-of-war's man. Poor Tubbs can testify to that. Tubbs was in the After-Guard; a long, lank Vineyarder, eternally talking of line-tubs, Nantucket, sperm oil, stove boats, and Japan. Nothing could silence him; and his comparisons were ever invidious. Now, with all his soul, Jack abominated this Tubbs.
This gave the required impetus to the working party on the main deck, who were waiting for this order, really to "Heave round!" At once, the drummer and bugler, in attendance on the eager marines and after-guard, struck up with fife and drum the festive strains of "Judy Calaghan," which Corporal Macan said "did his sowl good to hear, faith!"
The forecastle-men, of course, come first, as they stand so in the lists by which they are mustered at night by the mate of the watch; then the foretop men, and so on to the gunners, after-guard, and waisters. Each division is under charge of a lieutenant, who, as well as the midshipmen of his division, appears in full uniform.
In the day-time, the pitch in the seams of the upper-deck began to melt, and, by sticking to the soles of our shoes, plastered the planks, to the great discomfiture of the captain of the after-guard. The tar, oozing from the cordage aloft, dropped on our heads, speckled the snow white boat covers, and obliged us to spread the hammock-cloths, to prevent the bedding being ruined by the spots.
"Hard case to lose our boat and our bread, sir," said Tom touching his hat. The first lieutenant, now that the marines and after-guard were at a regular stamp and go, had, unfortunately more leisure to attend to us. He looked at us earnestly, and walked aft to see if the wherry was yet in sight. At that moment up came the master's mate, who had not yet reported himself to the first lieutenant.
"You may muster with the after-guard," was the only reply he made, but we all could see that he had hard work to keep his gravity, as he turned towards the boatswain's mate and ordered him to pipe the men to dinner in a sharp tone; and he said to Mr Cheffinch, the gunnery lieutenant, when he crossed over the deck to go on board the old Blake to lunch, "He had me nicely there, like that other joker the chimney-sweeper.
From our arrival, none of them except the captain and officers took the slightest pains to conceal that they regarded us as unwelcome interlopers and even the courtesy of the after-guard was short-lived enough. In that desert of taciturnity Mansfield babbled like a brook and overflowed with young sentimentality.
Among the genteel youths of the after-guard was a lad of about sixteen, a very handsome young fellow, with starry eyes, curly hair of a golden colour, and a bright, sunshiny complexion: he must have been the son of some goldsmith. He was one of the few sailors not in the main-top whom I used to single out for occasional conversation.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking