I mentioned seven days IOA. Now, although I passed through my
training days without being beaten by many stripes, I was not so
fortunate in the 'Emerald,' though my punishment is but a pin-prick,
hardly worth mentioning, but I do so in order to point out that I was
no superior being. Strange man indeed would he be who, on such a ship
as the 'Emerald,' never stood as a defaulter on the quarterdeck. Yes,
I once received seven days IOA, which being interpreted means--That
the bluejacket's rum is, stopped; that he is not allowed to smoke;
that he only gets thirty minutes to dinner, and has to eat it with
other IOA men off a piece of canvas spread out on the upper deck, and
the other half of the dinner hour he has to whitewash spare cells:
moreover, that he has to rise at 4 a.m. mornings and scrub decks--all
this included in IOA. My readers will readily notice that the first
clause is a means of strengthening the temperance cause, and
non-smokers will see no punishment in the second clause, whilst those
who are fond of picnics will consider the third clause a pleasure,
but the pinch is felt in the fact that during IOA one's leave
is cancelled. Now, IOB is similar to IOA with one or two slight
modifications.
Although I was not a smoker I once spat on the deck, and was marked
doing so by the first lieutenant. He ordered me to patrol the deck in
my spare time with a cutlass, and to capture the first man who
repeated the sin, Next day I discovered a transgressor and took him
aft to the officer of the day, before whom he confessed and was
ordered to relieve me of the cutlass. The sin was a general one, I
take it, if judged by the number of men to whom the sword was
transferred.
The Third Newfoundland Cruise.
The last southern cruise was drawing to an end, and many were the
conjectures as to which place we should depart for England, but the
general belief was that it would be Bermuda. When arriving here, at
the conclusion of the cruise, we heard news which faded the brightest
hope and caused much murmuring. It was to the effect that we had to
sail to the fisheries once more. Away to Halifax for another share of
warm clothing' and at this port complaining ceased, and I will let
you into a secret--the sausages proved the remedy. Who could grumble
when living upon such dainties?
On reaching St. John's we saw great improvements in the city. During
our absence wooden buildings had been erected, and the appearance of
a devastated place had vanished. I will write of two incidents which
occurred--the first being pleasant, the second unpleasant. Our ship
had moored one evening in a creek on the west of Newfoundland. It was
a notorious place for salmon. A large net was put across the creek at
its narrowest width, and on hauling it into the boat ninety salmon
were caught. These were distributed to the messes, who all enjoyed
the salmon dinner, being a pleasant change from salt meat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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