United States or Zambia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"So I did," declared the captain boldly. "This crew o' mutineers I speak of turned pirates, and they held me the only one of the afterguard left alive to navigate the ship. "Guess mebbe you've heard tell, Cap'n Joab, of the mutiny of the Galatea?" went on the narrator unblushingly. His fellow skipper nodded. "I've heard of it yes. But you don't mean to say you sailed on her, Am'zon?"
The afterguard were organised in two parties by Evans to work buckets; the men were kept steadily going on the choked hand pumps this seemed all that could be done for the moment, and what a measure to count as the sole safeguard of the ship from sinking, practically an attempt to bale her out!
Telling the cooper, who was the only one of the afterguard on deck, that he was going ashore to look at the dance, and that only Macy and another hand need come with him, North ordered the boat to be hauled alongside.
"Go among the archers, Hawthorne," said he to his Squire. "Charge them on their lives to make no sound! You also, Loring. Go to the afterguard and say the same to them. We are lost if one of these great ships should spy us." For an hour with bated breath they stole through the fleet, still hearing the cymbals clashing all round them, for in this way the Spaniards held themselves together.
The observer is to look round every hour or oftener if there is aught to be seen. He is allowed cocoa and sardines with bread and butter the cocoa can be made over an acetylene Bunsen burner, part of Simpson's outfit. I took the first turn last night; the remainder of the afterguard follow in rotation.
I wondered what Lynch would do when the lads came aft. Aye, and I discovered that this was one reason the lady was so terrified at the prospect of mutiny. For Lynch, she was certain, would make common cause with the rest of the afterguard against any uprising forward. He was helping her and Newman. But he had no interest in helping the hands.
The scientific staff were soon efficient at handling, reefing, and steering. Every one lent a hand at whatever work was going. Victor Campbell was christened the "Wicked Mate," and he shepherded and fathered the afterguard delightfully. Wilson and I shared the Captain's cabin, and when there was nothing afoot he made lovely sea sketches and water colour drawings to keep his hand in.
I wondered what to do. Do something, I felt I must. If I sang out and informed the watch, the afterguard would reach me and squelch my voice long before my mates could lay aft. And indeed, laying aft in a body was what the crew must not do. That would be trouble, mutiny perhaps, and Newman's injunction was to keep the peace. I could do nothing to help my friend. But I felt I must do something.
"Mr, What's-his-name, have the goodness to what-do-ye-call-'em, the, the thingumbob." "Ay, ay, my lord," said I. "Afterguard! haul taut the weather main-brace." This was exactly what he meant. He was very particular and captious when not properly addressed.
Now if you have a loud voice, I can provide you with all the rest. 'Do you gain your livelihood by that? To be sure I do; and I can tell you, that of all the trades going, there is none equal to it. You see, my hearty, I have been on board of a man-of-war not that I'm a sailor, or was ever bred to the sea but I was shipped as a landsman, and did duty in the waist and afterguard.
Word Of The Day