“what a clumsy, barrel-bellied old hooker she is, field!”
thus, closing his telescope with a bang, the elegant chief officer of the mirzapore, steel four-masted clipper ship of 5000 tons burden, presently devouring the degrees of longitude that lay between her and melbourne on the arc of a composite great circle, at the rate of some 360 miles per day. as he spoke he cast his eyes proudly aloft at the splendid spread of square sail that towered upward to a height of nearly 200 feet. twenty-eight squares of straining canvas, from the courses, stretched along yards 100 feet or so in length, to the far-away skysails of 35 feet head, that might easily be handled by a pair of boys.
truly she made a gallant show—the graceful ship, that in spite of her enormous size was so perfectly modelled on yacht-like lines that, overshadowed as she was by the mighty pyramid of sail, the eye refused to convey a due sense of her great capacity. and the way in which she answered the challenge of the west wind, leaping lightsomely over the league-long ridges of true-rolling sea, heightened the illusion by destroying all appearance of burden-bearing or cumbrousness. but the vessel which had given rise to mr. curzon’s contemptuous remark was in truth the antipodes of the mirzapore. there was scarcely any difference noticeable, as far as the contour of the hull went, between her bow and stern. only, at the bows a complicated structure of massive timbers leaned far forward of the hull, and was terminated by a huge “fiddle-head.” this ornament was carved out of a great balk of timber, and in its general outlines it bore some faint resemblance to a human form, its broad breast lined out with rude carving into some device long ago made illegible by the weather; and at its summit, instead of a head, a piece of scroll-work resembling the top of a fiddle-neck, and giving the whole thing its distinctive name.
the top-hamper of this stubby craft was quite in keeping with her hull. it had none of that rakish, carefully aligned set so characteristic of clipper ships. the three masts, looking as if they were so huddled together that no room was left to swing the yards, had as many kinks in them as a blackthorn stick; and this general trend, in defiance of modern nautical ideas, was forward instead of aft. the bow-sprit and jibboom looked as if purposely designed by their upward sheer to make her appear shorter than she really was, and also to place her as a connecting link between the long-vanished galleasses of elizabethan days and the snaky ships of the end of the nineteenth century. in one respect, however, she had the advantage of her graceful neighbour. her sails were of dazzling whiteness, and when, reflecting the rays of the sun, they glistened against the deep blue sky, the effect was so fairy-like as to make the beholder forget for a moment the ungainliness of the old hull beneath.
the wind now dropped, in one of its wayward moods, until the rapid rush past of the mirzapore faltered almost to a standstill, and the two vessels, scarcely a mile apart, rolled easily on the following sea, as if in leisurely contemplation of each other. all the mirzapore’s passengers, a hundred and twenty of them, clustered along the starboard poop-rail, unfeignedly glad of this break in what they considered the long monotony of a sailing passage from london to the colonies. and these seafarers of fifty-five days, eagerly catching their cues from the officers, discussed, in all the hauteur of amateur criticism, the various short-comings of the homely old tub abeam. gradually the two vessels drew nearer by that mysterious impulse common to idly-floating things. as the different details of the old ship’s deck became more clearly definable, the chorus of criticism increased, until one sprightly young thing of about forty, who was going out husband-seeking, said—
“oh, please, captain james, do tell me what they use a funny ship like that for.”
“well, miss williams,” he replied gravely, “yonder vessel is one of the fast-disappearing fleet of yankee whalers—‘spouters,’ as they love to term themselves. as to her use, if i don’t mistake, you will soon have an object-lesson in that which will give you something to talk about all the rest of your life.”
and as he spoke an unusual bustle was noticeable on board of the stranger. four boats dropped from her davits with such rapidity that they seemed to fall into the sea, and as each struck the water she shot away from the side as if she had been a living thing. an involuntary murmur of admiration ran through the crew of the clipper. it was a tribute they could scarcely withhold, knowing as they did the bungling, clumsy way in which a merchant seaman performs a like manœuvre. even the contemptuous curzon was hushed; and the passengers, interested beyond measure, yet unable to appreciate what they saw, looked blankly at one another and at the officers as if imploring enlightenment.
with an easy gliding motion, now resting in the long green hollow between two mighty waves, and again poised, bird-like, upon a foaming crest, with bow and stern a-dry, those lovely boats sped away to the southward under the impulse of five oars each. now the excitement on board the mirzapore rose to fever-heat. the crew, unheeded, by the officers, gathered on the forecastle-head, and gazed after the departing boats with an intensity of interest far beyond that of the passengers. for it was interest born of intelligent knowledge of the conditions under which those wonderful boatmen were working, and also tempered by a feeling of compunction for the ignorant depreciation they had often manifested of a “greasy spouter.” presently the boats disappeared from ordinary vision, although some of the more adventurous passengers mounted the rigging, and, fixing themselves5 in secure positions, glued their eyes to their glasses trained upon the vanishing boats. but none of them saw the object of those eager oarsmen. of course, the sailors knew that they were after whales; but not even a seaman’s eye, unless he be long-accustomed to watching for whales, possesses the necessary discernment for picking up a vapoury spout five or six miles away, as it lifts and exhales like a jet of steam against the broken blue surface. neither could any comprehend the original signals made by the ship. just a trifling manipulation of an upper sail, the dipping or hoisting of a dark flag at the mainmast head, or the disappearance of another at the gaff-end sufficed to guide the hunters in their chase, giving them the advantage of that lofty eye far behind them.
more than an hour passed thus tantalizingly on board the mirzapore, and even the most eager watchers had tired of their fruitless gazing over the sea and at the sphinx-like old ship so near them. then some one suddenly raised a shout, “here they come!” it was time. they were coming—a-zoonin’, as uncle remus would say. it was a sight to fire the most sluggish blood. about five hundred yards apart two massive bodies occasionally broke the bright surface up into a welter of white, then disappeared for two or three minutes, to reappear at the same furious rush. behind each of them, spreading out about twenty fathoms apart, came two of the boats, leaping like dolphins from crest to crest of the big waves, and occasionally hidden altogether by a curtain of spray. thus they passed the mirzapore, their gigantic steeds6 in full view of that awe-stricken ship’s company, privileged for once in their lives to see at close quarters one of the most heart-lifting sights under heaven—the yankee whale-fisher at hand-grips with the mightiest, as well as one of the fiercest, of all created things. no one spoke as that great chase swept by, but every face told eloquently of the pent-up emotion within.
then a strange thing happened. the two whales, as they passed the mirzapore, swerved each from his direct course until they met in full career, and in a moment were rolling each over each in a horrible entanglement of whale-line amid a smother of bloody foam. the buoyant craft danced around, one stern figure erect in each bow poising a long slender lance; while in the stern of each boat stood another man, who manipulated a giant oar as if it had been a feather, to swing his craft around as occasion served. the lookers-on scarcely breathed. was it possible that men—just homely, unkempt figures like these—could dare thrust themselves into such a vortex amongst those wallowing, maddened titans. indeed it was. the boats drew nearer, became involved; lances flew, oars bent, and blood—torrents of blood—befouled the glorious azure of the waves. suddenly the watchers gasped in terror, and little cries of pain and sympathy escaped them: a boat had disappeared. specks floated, just visible in the tumult—fragments of oars, tubs, and heads of men. but there was no sound, which made the scene all the more impressive.
still the fight went on, while the spectators forgot all else—the time, the place; all senses merged in wonder7 at the deeds of these, their fellow-men, just following, in the ordinary way, their avocation. and the thought would come that but for an accident this drama being enacted before their eyes would have had no audience but the screaming sea-birds hovering expectantly in the unheeding blue.
the conflict ceased. the distained waters became placid, and upon them floated quietly two vast corpses, but recently so terrible in their potentialities of destruction. by their sides lay the surviving boats—two of them, that is; the third was busy picking up the wrecked hunters. and the old ship, with an easy adaptation of her needs to the light air that hardly made itself felt, was gradually approaching the scene. the passengers implored captain james to lower a boat and allow them a nearer view of those recently rushing monsters, and he, very unwillingly, granted the request. so slow was the operation that by the time the port lifeboat was in the water the whaler was alongside of her prizes, and all her crew were toiling slavishly to free them from the entanglement of whale-line in which they had involved themselves. but when the passengers saw how the lifeboat tumbled about alongside in the fast-sinking swell, the number of those eager for a nearer view dwindled to half a dozen—and they were repentant of their rashness when they saw how unhandily the sailors manipulated their oars. however, they persisted for very shame’s sake, their respect for the “spouters’” prowess, and, through them, for their previously despised old ship, growing deeper every moment. they hovered about the old8 tub as they saw the labour that was necessary to get those two enormous carcases alongside, nor dared to go on board until the skipper of her, mounting the rail, said cheerily, “wunt ye kem aboard, sir,’n’ hev a peek roun’?”
thus cordially invited, they went, their wonder increasing until all their conceit was effectually taken out of them, especially when they saw the wonderful handiness and cleanliness of everything on board. the men, too, clothed in nondescript patches, with faces and arms almost blackened by exposure, and wearing an air of detachment from the world of civilized life that was full of pathos; these specially appealed to them, and they wished with all their hearts that they might do something to atone for the injustice done to these unblazoned warriors by their thoughtless, ignorant remark of so short a time before.
but time pressed, and they felt in the way besides; so, bidding a humble farewell to the grim-looking skipper, who answered the inquiry as to whether they could supply him with anything by a nonchalant “no, i guess not; we aint a-ben eout o’ port hardly six month yet,” they returned on board, having learned a corner of that valuable lesson continually being taught: that to judge by appearances is but superficial and dangerous, especially at sea.
night fell, shutting out from the gaze of those wearied watchers the dumpy outlines of the old whale-ship. her crew were still toiling, a blazing basket of whale-scrap swinging at a davit and making a lurid smear on the gloomy background of the night. one9 by one the excited passengers sauntered below, still eagerly discussing the stirring events they had witnessed, and making a thousand fantastic additions to the facts. gradually the conversation dwindled to a close, and the great ship was left to the watch on deck. fitful airs rose and fell, sharp little breaths of keen-edged wind that but just lifted the huge sails lazily, and let them slat against the masts again as if in disgust at the inadequacy of cat’s-paws. so the night wore on, till the middle watch had been in charge about half an hour. then, with a vengeful hiss, the treacherous wind burst upon them from the north-east, catching that enormous sail-area on the fore side, and defying the efforts of the scanty crew to reduce it. all hands were called, and manfully did they respond; briton and finn, german and negro toiled side by side in the almost impossible effort to shorten down, while the huge hull, driven stern foremost, told in unmistakable sea-language of the peril she was in. hideous was the uproar of snapping, running gear, rending canvas, breaking spars, and howling wind; while through it all, like a thread of human life, ran the wailing minor of the seamen’s cries as they strove to do what was required of them.
slowly, oh, so slowly! the great ship paid off; while the heavier sails boomed out their complaint like an aerial cannonade, when up from the fore-hatch leapt a tongue of quivering flame. every man who saw it felt a clutch at his heart. for fire at sea is always terrible beyond the power of mere words to describe; but fire under such conditions was calculated10 to paralyze the energies of the bravest. there seemed to be an actual hush, as if wind and waves were also aghast at this sudden appearance of a fiercer element than they. then rang out clear and distinct the voice of captain james—
“drop everything else, men, and pass along the hose! smartly, now! ’way down from aloft!” he was obeyed, but human nature had something to say about the smartness. men who have been taxing their energies, as these had done, find that even the spur actuated by fear of imminent death will fail to drive the exhausted body beyond a certain point. moreover, all of them knew that stowed in the square of the main-hatch were fifty tons of gunpowder, which knowledge was of itself sufficient to render flaccid every muscle they possessed. still, they did what they could, while the stewards went round to prepare the passengers for a hurried departure. all was done quietly. in truth, although the storm was now raging overhead, and the sails were being rent with infernal clamour from the yards, a sense of the far greater danger beneath their feet made the weather but a secondary consideration.
then out of a cowering group of passengers came a feeble voice. it belonged to the lady querist of the afternoon, and it said, “oh, if those brave sailors from that wonderful old ship were only near, we might be saved!”
simple words, yet they sent a thrill of returning hope through those trembling hearts. poor souls! none of them knew how far the ships might have11 drifted apart in that wild night, nor thought of the drag upon that old ship by those two tremendous bodies alongside of her. so every eye was strained into the surrounding blackness, as if they could pierce its impenetrable veil and bring back some answering ray of hope. the same idea, of succour from the old whale-ship, had occurred to the captain, and presently that waiting cluster of men and women saw with hungry eyes a bright trail of fire soaring upward as a rocket was discharged. another and another followed, but without response. the darkness around was like that of the tomb. another signal, however, now made itself manifest, and a much more effective one. defying all the puny efforts made to subdue it, the fire in the fore-hatch burst upward with a roar, shedding a crimson glare over the whole surrounding sea, and being wafted away to leeward in a glowing trail of sparks.
“all hands lay aft!” roared the captain, and as they came, he shouted again, “clear away the boats!”
then might be seen the effect of that awful neglect of boats so common to merchant ships. davits rusted in their sockets, falls so swollen as hardly to render over the sheaves, gear missing, water-breakers leaky—all the various disastrous consequences that have given sea-tragedies their grim completeness. but while the almost worn-out crew worked with the energy of despair, there arose from the darkness without the cheery hail of “ship ahoy!”
could any one give an idea in cold print of the revulsion of feeling wrought by those two simple12 words? for one intense moment there was silence. then from every throat came the joyful response, a note like the breaking of a mighty string overstrained by an outburst of praise.
naturally, the crew first recovered their balance from the stupefaction of sudden relief, and with coils of rope in their hands they thronged the side, peering out into the dark for a glimpse of their deliverers.
“hurrah!” and the boatswain hurled the mainbrace far out-board at some dim object. a few seconds later there arrived on board a grim figure, quaint of speech as an elizabethan englishman, perfectly cool and laconic, as if the service he had come to render was in the nature of a polite morning call.
“guess you’ve consid’ble of a muss put up hyar, gents all,” said he; and, after a brief pause, “don’t know ez we’ve enny gre’t amount er spare time on han’, so ef you’ve nawthin’ else very pressin’ t’ tend ter, we mout so well see ’bout transhipment, don’t ye think?”
he had been addressing no one in particular, but the captain answered him.
“you are right, sir; and thank you with all our hearts! men, see the ladies and children over-side!”
no one seemed to require telling that this angel of deliverance had arrived from the whale-ship; any other avenue of escape seemed beyond all imagination out of the question. swiftly yet carefully the helpless ones were handed over-side; with a gentleness most sweet to see those piratical-looking exiles bestowed them in the boat. as soon as she was safely laden, another13 moved up out of the mirk behind and took her place. and it was done so cannily. no roaring, agitation, or confusion, as the glorious work proceeded. it was the very acme of good boatmanship. the light grew apace, and upon the tall tongues of flame, in all gorgeous hues that now cleft the night, huge masses of yellow smoke rolled far to leeward, making up a truly infernal picture.
meanwhile, at the earliest opportunity, captain james had called the first-comer (chief mate of the whaler) apart, and quietly informed him of the true state of affairs. the “down-easter” received this appalling news with the same taciturnity that he had already manifested, merely remarking as he shifted his chaw into a more comfortable position—
“wall, cap’, ef she lets go ’fore we’ve all gut clear, some ov us ’ll take th’ short cut t’ glory, anyhaow.”
but, for all his apparent nonchalance, he had kept a wary eye upon the work a-doing, to see that no moment was wasted.
and so it came to pass that the last of the crew gained the boats, and there remained on board the mirzapore but captain james and his american deliverer. according to immemorial precedent, the englishman expressed his intention of being last on board. and upon his inviting his friend to get into the waiting boat straining at her painter astern, the latter said—
“sir, i ’low no dog-goned matter ov etiquette t’ spile my work, ’n’ i must say t’ i don’ quite like th’ idee ov leavin’ yew behine; so ef yew’ll excuse me——”
and with a movement sudden and lithe as a leopard’s he had seized the astonished captain and dropped him over the taff-rail into the boat as she rose upon a sea-crest. before the indignant englishman had quite realized what had befallen him, his assailant was standing by his side manipulating the steer-oar and shouting—
“naow then, m’ sons, pull two, starn three; so, altogether. up with her, lift her, m’ hearties, lift her, ’r by th’ gre’t bull whale it’ll be a job spiled after all.”
and those silent men did indeed “give way.” the long supple blades of their oars flashed crimson in the awful glare behind, as the heavily-laden but still buoyant craft climbed the watery hills or plunged into the hissing valleys. suddenly there was one deep voice that rent the heavens. the whole expanse of the sky was lit up by crimson flame, in the midst of which hurtled fragments of that once magnificent ship. the sea rose in heaps, so that all the boatmen’s skill was needed to keep their craft from being overwhelmed. but the danger passed, and they reached the ship—the humble, clumsy old “spouter” that had proved to them a veritable ark of safety in time of their utmost need.
captain james had barely recovered his outraged dignity when he was met by a quaint figure advancing out of the thickly-packed crowd on the whaler’s quarter-deck. “i’m cap’n fish, at yew’re service, sir. we haint over ’n’ above spacious in eour ’commodation, but yew’re all welcome t’ the best we hev’; ’n’15 i’ll try ’n’ beat up f’r th’ cape ’n’ lan’ ye’s quick ’s it kin be did.”
the englishman had hardly voice to reply; but, recollecting himself, he said, “i’m afraid, captain fish, that we shall be sadly in your way for dealing with those whales we saw you secure yesterday.”
“not much yew wunt,” was the unexpected reply. “we hed t’ make eour ch’ice mighty sudden between them fish ’n’ yew, ’n’, of course, though we’re noways extravagant, they hed t’ go.”
the simple nobility of that homely man, in thus for self and crew passing over the loss of from eight to ten thousand dollars at the first call from his kind, was almost too much for captain james, who answered unsteadily—
“if i have any voice in the matter, there will be no possibility of the men, who dared the terrors of fire and sea to save me and my charges, being heavily fined for their humanity.”
“oh, thet’s all right,” said captain silas fish.
