My old friend took advantage of the opportunity to put me up to a good many wrinkles concerning my fellow-shipmates.
The mate, Mr Macdougall, who was a tall, hatchet-faced Scotsman, with high cheek-bones and a very prominent nose—Jorrocks told me, in confidence—was a tight-handed, close-fisted, cross-tempered man, ever fond of displaying his authority and working the hands to death, under the plea of preventing their idling or “hazing,” as he called it.
“I advise you not to get into a row with him, Mister Leigh, if so as you can help it; ’cause, once a chap falls foul of him in any way, he neversomedevers by no chance forgets or forgives it, nohow.”
“I shan’t give him the chance,” I answered to this, with a laugh. “I suppose he doesn’t think himself greater than the captain!”
“Ah, you just wait a bit ’fore you decide that p’int. The first mate aboard a marchint ship is a sight more powerful than a judge on the bench, as you’ll find out! The skipper allers tells him what he wishes, and the mate sees to its being done, an’ it depends what sorter fellow he is, and not on the cap’en, as to how matters go on when a vessel’s at sea; for, it’s in his power for to make things pleasant like and all plain sailing, or else to cause the crew for to smell brimstone afore their time, I tell you! That Macdougall, now, though you laugh in that light-hearted way, ain’t to be trifled with, Mister Leigh, I warn you; and if you go for to raise his dander ag’in you, why, you won’t find it worth grinning at, that’s sartin, for he’s as nasty as he’s spiteful, and every man Jack of us hates him like pizen, and wishes he were out of the ship. The skipper, I knows, wouldn’t have him aboard if he could have his own way, but he’s some connection of the owners, and he can’t help himself.”
“All right, Jorrocks, I’ll try and steer clear of him,” I said, trying to look grave, for I saw the old sailor was in earnest, and only speaking for my good. “I will endeavour to do my duty, and then he won’t have any occasion to find fault with me.”
“Ah, but you’ll have to do more than that; for, like most of them uppish chaps, if you don’t truckle under to him and purtend as how he’s the Lord Mayor, he’s safe to be down on you.”
“I’m not going to crawl under any man’s feet, first mate or no first mate!” I said, proudly. “Why, I’m a first-class apprentice, and the captain has rated me as third officer in the ship’s books.”
“Now, Mister Leigh, don’t you go on for being bumptious, now, my lad!” replied Jorrocks, laughing heartily at my drawing myself up on my dignity. “A third officer or ‘third mate,’ as we calls him, has a dog’s berth aboard a ship if he doesn’t lend his hand to anything and button to the first mate! You needn’t go for to really humble yourself afore that Macdougall; I only meant you to purtend like as how you thinks him a regular top-sawyer, and then you’ll sail along without a chance of a squall—Mr Ohlsen, the second mate, in charge o’ your watch, is an easy-going chap, and you’ll get on well enough with him.”
“All right,” I said in response, as if agreeing with his advice; but I formed my own resolution as to how I would treat the Scotsman should he try to bully me unjustly.