So, climbing cautiously, I reached the head without any very great difficulty, and after holding on for a few minutes to rest, I came back to the main-top. When it came to leaving it for the deck I hesitated, but no, I said to myself, and sure enough I did and managed all right, without having to go through the lubber hole.
I thought no one had noticed me going up, and hoped they had not, but, to my surprise, the chief mate called me to him.
“I see you’ve got the right grit in you my lad,” he said kindly, “that’s the only way to learn the ropes, you’ll soon get the run of the rigging.”
CHAPTER III
A Burning Ship
On the 20th August we sighted the island of Tristan d’Acunha: when about seven miles off, our yards were backed to see if any of the natives would put off to us to barter. This, of course, was all new to Jones and me, and we were talking to each other about it, and wondering what new experience we should have, when Mr. Weeler, the second mate, came along, and I asked him if he would tell me a bit about the island.
“Yes, boys,” he said in his usual kind way of speaking to us, “I will willingly tell you what I know:
“Tristan d’Acunha is the largest of a group of three islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is about 1,500 miles from the nearest land, and has a circuit of 15 miles. It is both mountainous and volcanic, and one peak attains the great height or elevation of 8,000 feet above the level of the sea. Its position, which, of course, you do not yet understand, is in latitude 37° south, 15°w. 40′ west, and is believed to have been uninhabited until 1811, when three Americans took up their residence upon it for the purpose of cultivating vegetables and selling the produce, particularly potatoes, to vessels which might touch there on their way to India, the Cape, or other parts of the southern ocean. These Americans remained its only inhabitants until 1816, when, on Napoleon Bonaparte being sent to St. Helena, the British Government deemed it expedient to garrison the island, and sent the Falmouth man-of-war with a colony of forty persons to the island; they arrived in the month of August and found that the chief of the American settlers had died, and only two were left—what became of these two is very uncertain. But the British garrison was soon given up, the colony abandoned, and all returned to the Cape of Good Hope, except a Scotchman, named Glass, who had been a corporal of artillery, and his wife, who was a Cape Creole. As time went on other families joined them, and thus a nation on a small scale was formed, Mr. Glass, the founder, being the chief law-giver for all. The little colony increased as the years passed away, a considerable number of children having been born since the settlement. The different families built cottages and thatched them with the long grass of the island, and they had every appearance of English cleanliness and comfort. The north side of the island was well-cultivated by them, they are a quiet, industrious, social lot of people. The last time I came this route there were 107 people living on the island, 61 men and 46 women, they possessed 114 head of cattle, 37 sheep, 70 pigs, and about 300 fowls. They also have a Commonwealth Government, with a vigilance committee to keep order. The produce of the island, you will see for yourselves, as four whale boats are being put off from it now.”
As Mr. Weeler finished speaking we thanked him, and turned out attention to the boats now rapidly approaching us, and it was not very long before they came alongside the ship and we saw that they were loaded with potatoes, cabbages, lettuce, water-cress, eggs, fowls, young pigs, birdskins, and a few large albatross eggs, weighing about two pounds each. For this stock they wanted in exchange tea, sugar, peas, molasses, and rice, and, of course, wanted twice the value of their own stock, needless to say they did not get this. They also gave us another interesting item of news, which, to Jones and me, who had been listening to Mr. Weeler’s graphic description of the island and its history, made it doubly interesting, a clergyman had arrived on the island a few weeks before to take up his residence amongst them, and during his first week on the island had the pleasure of uniting thirty-three couples in marriage. They seemed very pleased to impart this news, and after a great deal of hand-shaking and many “hurrahs,” they got into their boats again, well pleased with their bargains, and pulled for the shore. Our yards were trimmed to the wind, and with a brisk breeze we continued our voyage.
A few days after leaving these islands the weather became very rough and boisterous, with mountainous seas running after the ship and threatening to swamp her every moment. But she rose nobly to her duty and remained staunch and tight. Our sails were reduced to lower top-gallant-sail and the dear old ship was staggering under the pressure of her canvas. I was in my element, as happy as a bird, and in the best of health. How I loved the sea in all its moods, whether wild and restless or calm and still, and the life on board with its ups and downs seemed to entwine itself more and more around my heart every day. The more I saw of the work of the ship the more I loved it, and put my heart into all I did, and I was making good progress, and was a fair helmsman in moderate weather, fairly proficient in making all sorts of knots, splices, etc. Both officers and sailors were doing their best for me, and were quite as willing to teach me as I was to learn, and I felt that there was nothing to complain of and much to be thankful for.