Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 398, December 1848Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 398, December 1848
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
didn't know what to say when he saw the boat pulling for shore, except
he wanted to have a sight of his bed-room. "Jacobs," says the mate,
laughing like an old bear, "take him below, and show him his bed-room,
as he calls it!" So down we went to the half-deck, where the
carpenter, bo'sun, and three or four of the 'prentices, had their
hammocks slung. There I left him to overhaul his big donkey of a
chest, which his mother had stowed it with clothes enough for a lord
ambassador, but not a blessed thing fit to use--I wouldn't 'a given my
bit of a black box for the whole on it, ten times over. There was
another choke-full of gingerbread, pots o' presarves, pickles, and
bottles; and, thinks I, "The old lady didn't know what _shares_ is at
sea, I reckon. 'Twill all be gone for footing, my boy, before you've
seen blue water, or I'm a Dutchman."
In a short time we was up anchor, going down with a fast breeze for
the Nore; and we stood out to sea that night, havin' to join a convoy
off Spithead. My gentleman was turned in all standing, on top o' some
sails below; and next day he was as sick as a greenhorn could be,
cleaning out his land-ballast where he lay, nor I didn't see him till
he'd got better. 'Twas blowing a strong breeze, with light canvass all
in aloft, and a single reef in the tops'ls; but fine enough for the
Channel, except the rain--when what does I see but the "Green Hand" on
the weather quarter-deck, holding on by the belaying-pins, with a
yumberella over his head. The men for'ard was all in a roar, but none
of the officers was on deck save the third mate. The mate goes up to
him, and looks in his face. "Why," says he, "you confounded
long-shore, picked-up son of a green-grocer, what _are_ you after?"
an' he takes the article a slap with his larboard-flipper, as sent it
flying to leeward like a puff of smoke. "Keep off the quarter-deck,
you lubber," says he, giving him a wheel down into the lea-scuppers,--"it's
well the captain didn't catch ye!" "Come aft here, some of ye," sings
out third mate again, "to brace up the mainyard; and you, ye lazy
beggar, clap on this moment and pull!" At this the greenhorn takes out
a pair o' gloves, shoves his fingers into 'em, and tails on to the
rope; behind. "Well, dammit!" says the mate, "if I ever see the likes
o' that! Jacobs, get a tar-bucket and dip his fists in it; larn him
what his hands was made for! I never could bear to see a fellow ashore
with his flippers shoed like his feet; but at sea, confound me, it
would make a man green-sick over again!" If you'd only seen how Master
Collins looked when I shoved his missy fingers into the tar, and
chucked the gloves o'board! The next moment he ups fist and made a
slap at me, when in goes the brush in his mouth; the mate gives him a
kick astarn; and the young chap went sprawling down' into the
half-deck ladder, where the carpenter had his shavin'-glass rigged to
crop his chin--and there he gets another clip across the jaws from
Chips.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account