A Sailor of King George

by Captain Frederick Hoffman

CHAPTER I.

EARLY EXPERIENCES.

My mother consents to my going to sea—Journey to Portsmouth—Join H.M.S. Blonde—Take General Prescott and suite on board—We sail—Supply West Indiamen with provisions and in return impress six seamen—Windbound at Falmouth—Again sail—Attacked by four French frigates, but escape and again make Falmouth—Finally sail for West Indies—Amusements in crossing the Equator.

One morning sitting with my mother in the drawing room and entreating her to comply with my wish to enter the Navy, she was so intent on listening to my importunities and her patchwork that she did not observe that the cat was running away with her favourite goldfinch; the cat, with the poor bird in its mouth, was near the door, waiting to escape. Seeing what had happened, I immediately ran to the poor little bird’s assistance, but, alas! too late, as the cruel animal had torn off one of its wings.

Whilst my mother was feelingly lamenting her favourite’s untimely death, and deliberating whether the cat should be given away, the door opened, [pg 2]the culprit escaped, and Captain Elphinstone entered. On his observing my mother’s paleness, he requested to know if anything of a serious nature had occurred in the family. “No,” replied she, “except the loss of a favourite bird, which I certainly regret, as it was killed by the cat in a most distressing manner, and,” added she, “my spirits are not at this moment very good in consequence of my son’s wishing to enter the Navy.” “The first,” said he, “I lament, as it has deprived you of a pet; the latter may in the end be a matter of rejoicing. Who knows but that your son, if he enters that noble service, may turn out a second Hawke.” My ears thrilled at his remark.

“Do you really think, Captain Elphinstone,” said my mother, with a half-sorrowful countenance, “that it would be to his advantage?” “Most assuredly,” replied he, “as I think it very likely war will shortly be declared against that unhappy and distracted France, and he will have a very fair chance of making prize money, and in time will gain his promotion.”

“Quit the room a short time, my love,” said my mother to me. In about a quarter of an hour, which I thought an hour, I was sent for. Captain Elphinstone had taken his leave. I found my mother still very pale. “I am afraid, dear boy,” she began, “that Captain Elphinstone has almost persuaded me against my will. He has spoken of the prospects of the Naval Service in so favourable a manner that I am nearly tempted to let you [pg 3]enter it, and should war unhappily be declared against our unfortunate neighbours, the French, and my friend Captain Markham be appointed to a ship, I believe I must make up my mind to be quite persuaded and let you have your wish.” “Thank you, my dear mother,” replied I, overjoyed at what I knew nothing about. A short time after this conversation, war was declared against France, or rather France provoked it, and Captain Markham was appointed to the Blonde frigate. My mother instantly wrote to him; his answer was favourable, and he requested her to let me join him as soon as possible. All now was bustle and preparation. My brothers were sent for home, and begged to be allowed to go with me. Poor fellows! they little knew what they asked. In a few days I was fully equipped. I mounted my uniform, and I thought my brothers and the young friends who came to take leave of me appeared to envy me my finery, particularly my dirk, which they examined so often that I began to think they would wear it out. At length the evening arrived for me to quit my dear, happy home. My mother was sensibly affected, my sister looked serious, but my brothers, who were younger than myself—little rogues!—only looked disappointed that they could not go with me. I am sorry to say that my spirits were so buoyant that sorrow did not enter my head.

Captain Elphinstone was kind enough to accompany me to the coach, and on the 12th day of October, 1793,—oh! happy day, at least I thought so[pg 4]—we repaired to the sign of that nondescript bird, the “Swan with Two Necks” in Lad Lane, Cheapside. After taking an affectionate farewell of those who came with me, I stepped into the vehicle of transport with a light foot, a light heart, and, I fear, a light head, as I fancied by the people staring at me that I was the lion of the occasion. When we stopped for supper a gentlemanly person, who sat opposite, asked me what ship I belonged to. I informed him, and he told me he was Captain W., of the 31st Regiment, going to join his division at Portsea, destined for Gibraltar. “It is probable you will not join the frigate for a few days after your arrival,” said he, “and if you do not, we have a mess at Portsmouth where I shall be happy to see you.” I thanked him warmly for his considerate and kind invitation. I had only one opportunity of dining with him, as he embarked three days after his arrival. About six o’clock in the evening I reached the “Blue Postesses” where the midshipmen put their chestesses and eat their breakfastesses. Next morning, and whilst I was prosing over my breakfast, in walked a midshipman, about twenty years of age, with a face which appeared to have been rolled down Deal beach a dozen times. “Waiter,” said he, “have you in the house a young officer lately arrived from Lunnen?” “Ho, ho!” thinks I, “my boy, you are from my country the West, and probably from where it rains upon Dock[1] nine months in the [pg 5]twelve.” “Yes, sir,” said the waiter, “the young officer is eating his breakfastesses;” saying this he brought him to my box. “Good morning, sir,” said he, “I have come on shore to take you on board. Have you all your things ready?” “Yes,” said I, “I shall be ready in twenty minutes. Can you spare me that time? But,” continued I, “have you breakfasted?—you look rather cold,”—I was afraid to say hungry—“I think a cup of tea will warm you.” I then gave him one. “If you will allow me,” said he, “I’ll put a poker in it.” I wondered what he meant. It was soon explained. He called the waiter and told him to bring a glass of rum, which he put into the tea, and, as he thought I should feel the cold going off, he said I had better do the same. As I considered him my superior officer I complied, although the fiery taste of the spirit almost burnt my mouth, which he perceiving smiled, and told me I should soon be used to it. “You will oblige me,” said I, “if you will give me a little insight into the characters of the officers of the ship.” “Why,” said he, “the captain is a tight one, and sometimes in a hurricane I never heard any officer pray so well or so heartily as he does: his prayers, if not heard elsewhere, are certainly heard by all on board, and are generally effective. However,” added he, “you will soon be able to judge for yourself. The first lieutenant is one of the old woman’s school, an easy and good kind of person, but not fit to be first of an active frigate. The second lieutenant is a [pg 6]regular-built sailor, and knows his duty well, but he is fond of mast-heading the youngsters when they think they do not deserve it. The third lieutenant would be a sailor if he knew how to set about it; he generally begins at the wrong end, and is always making stern way, but,” said he, “he almost prays as good a stick as the skipper. As for the other officers, we have not so much to do with them as with those I have described. However,” added he, “there is one more—I mean the purser: he is a complete nip-cheese, and as for his steward, he ought to have swung at the fore-yard arm long ago.” “There is one more question I have to ask,” said I, “which is, what sort of young gentlemen are the midshipmen?” “Why,” replied he, “two of what you term young gentlemen are old enough to be your father, but take them in a lump they are not so bad; four of them are about your age, and full of fun and frolic. Now,” said he, “it’s time to be off.” He beckoned to a seaman near the door, who, I found, was the coxswain of the cutter. “Take this officer’s chest to the boat.” Here the waiter interposed, and said it was customary for the waterman of the “Blue Postesses” to take packages down to the water side. To this I consented, and away we trotted to sally port where the boat was lying. On our arrival at the stairs, I found another midshipman about my own age, who had been left in charge of the boat’s crew during the other’s absence. He eyed me obliquely; then turning to the elder, “I thought,” said he, [pg 7]“you would never come. I have been so bothered during the time you were away by three of the men’s confounded trulls, who wanted me to give them a passage off, that every five minutes appeared an hour, and I have only this moment got rid of them.” “Never mind, my boy,” said the other, “let’s shove off.”

Passing round a point, going out of the harbour, I observed a gibbet with part of a human skeleton hanging on it. “You are looking at the remains of Jack the painter,” said the elder midshipman to me. “Do you know his history?” I answered in the negative. “Why,” said he, “that burning rascal set fire to the rope-house in the dockyard about the time you were born, and there the gentleman’s bones are rattling to the breeze as a warning to others.” The wind was blowing strong, and we were more than an hour before we reached the frigate, which was lying at Spithead. My eyes during that time were fixed on twelve sail of the line ready for sea. As I had never seen a line of battleship, I was much struck with their noble and imposing appearance, and I imagined everybody who served on board them must feel pride in belonging to them. After a severe pull we got alongside as the boatswain and his mates were piping to dinner. I followed the elder midshipman up the side, the other came up after me. On reaching the quarter-deck we made our bows, when I was introduced to the second lieutenant, who had the watch on deck. He asked me some indifferent [pg 8]questions, and sent for one of the master’s mates to give orders respecting my hammock. The first lieutenant, an elderly, weather-beaten, gentlemanly looking person, now came on deck. I had a letter for him from my sister’s husband-elect, which I gave him. After reading it he asked me how I had left my friends, and before I could answer the question I heard him say to the second lieutenant, “What the devil do they send such delicate boys into the Service to be knocked on the head for?—much better make civilians of them.” Then turning to me, “Well, youngster,” said he, with a good-humoured smile, “you’ll dine in the gun room with us at three o’clock.” He then sent for the gunner, and requested him to take me into his mess, who grinned assent. This last was a square, broad-shouldered Welshman, with an open countenance, and of no little consequence. I descended to his cabin, which was under water, and I could, when in it, distinctly hear that element bubbling like a kettle boiling as it ran by the ship’s side above our heads. I found this said cabin not too large for three of us, as the surgeon’s mate was an inmate as well as myself. Its dimensions were about eight feet by six, and when we were at table the boy who attended us handed everything in we wanted by the door. In a few days I was quite at home with the mids; some of them began spinning tough yarns respecting the hardships of a sea life—what a horrible bore it was to keep night watches, or any watch at all, and you are sure, [pg 9]said one of them, to catch the fever and ague after you have been four hours walking under the draught of the mizzen stay-sail; and, added another, to be mast-headed for three hours with your face to windward by those tyrants, the second and third lieutenants. They both ought to be turned out of the Service for tyranny and oppression, and as to the last he does not know how to put the ship about without the assistance of Hamilton Moore or the old quartermaster. I thought this all very encouraging. I, however, kept my own counsel, and as I did not appear much discomposed by the recital of so many miseries, they considered me a complete Johnny Newcome just caught.