On Board the "Rocket"

by Robert C. Adams

One night in the Trades, while the mate's watch were bracing the yards, I heard the sound of angry voices on deck. The next morning I asked the mate if he had any trouble with any one in the middle watch.

He replied: "I had some words with Peterson, that's all, sir."

"What was the matter?"

The mate answered: "For some time back Peterson has been slack about giving an answer. I didn't want to check him before the men, for he has become religious this passage, and some of the men are down on him about it. If I growled at him, the men would have another handle on him; so, after we got through bracing, I called him one side and told him I wished he would be more particular about giving an answer. I thought that was treating him pretty kindly; I never condescended to do as much for a sailor before, but he got mad about it and was saucy. I gave him some strong talk, and it was all I could do to keep my hands off him. He says he is going to complain to you about my imposing on him. They say for'ard he is crazy, and I most thought so myself last night. I got excited and threatened to knock him down if he didn't shut up; but all the time he talked religion." Said he, "You can strike me if you like; I've got all over fighting now; if you hit me on one cheek I'll turn the other to you."

Peterson had the wheel that forenoon from eight to ten o'clock, and when I went up on the poop-deck he said, "Will you allow me to speak to you, sir." "No," I replied, "I am going to speak to you," and I gave him a sharp reproof for giving the mate "back answers." His feelings were very much hurt. I perceived the cause of his behavior to be erroneous ideas upon religious matters. He had led a wild life and always sailed in rough ships, and at the commencement of the voyage he was greatly impressed by the treatment adopted, and by the instructions given at our Sunday service. He professed to have been converted when a fortnight out, and had ever since been very zealous in exhorting his shipmates. One remark showed the whole trouble. He said to me, "Now that we are Christian brethren we are all equal and we ought to get along easily together." He evidently thought this sentiment should level the inequality of our stations, and there should naturally follow a relaxing of discipline, and more familiar treatment. Afterwards I called him below. He dropped his cap outside the door, and we sat down at the cabin table. I spoke to him about our difference as fellow Christians, and as captain and sailor, saying, "If you should insult me on shore, I should take no notice of it whatever, but if you do so on board of my ship, while personally I forgive you, yet as master of the ship I am obliged to resent it, for the sake of discipline. Suppose a man struck me in the street, to throw contempt upon me as a religious man, why then I would turn the other cheek to him; but if, when I entered my house, my boy should strike me in the face, I would punish him for it, because I consider it a christian duty to rule my own house well and keep my children in subjection. Just so on board ship it is my duty to be faithful to the owner's interests, and to guard the trusts committed to me, subject of course to the spirit of Christ's teachings. These interests require that there should be good discipline in the ship, and therefore the mate does right to notice any disrespect that is shown him."

A day or two after this, Peterson said to me at the wheel, "I've been thinking over what you said to me. I see that I was wrong, and it sha'n't happen again." For the remaining ten months of the voyage no one had a word of complaint against Peterson, and his influence over his shipmates was most excellent.

In the evening after this occurrence, when the mate came aft at eight o'clock to relieve the second officer, we began talking about the affair.

"There is one thing," said the mate, "that I haven't quite settled yet, and that is whether you can treat sailors well or not. At any rate, if a man is a Christian he had better not go on board of a ship as officer. I feel so mad sometimes I'd like to slaughter the whole watch."

I replied, "It's a matter that I settled a long time ago. You cannot treat a sailor well without his taking some advantage of it. Inferiors will presume upon a kind disposition in their superiors, all the world over. It is human nature. I made up my mind to that in the very beginning. But there is another question. Is it best to treat sailors well, all things considered? As a matter of principle there can of course be but one answer:—Christ's teachings entirely settle that. A divine precept must be of universal application; there can be no exceptions, and if sea life were proved to be a sphere where Christ's commands could not be obeyed, it would also be condemned as an occupation no one could follow guiltlessly. As a question of policy there seem to be different opinions, though whatever is good principle must be good policy. I say most decidedly it is best; best for the ship, for the owners, for the officers, and of course best for the men themselves. It is very poor policy to make sailors the enemies of the ship. How many vessels have been set fire to by an enraged crew! How many spars and sails have been lost, because, just out of spite, a sailor neglected to report the first stage of an accident which he alone observed in a dark night! How many ships have remained in port for weeks after they were loaded, because they had so bad a reputation no one would go in them, and they only sail at last with a kidnapped crew! How much running gear has been cut, and how many sails ripped with sheath knives on the night of arrival at the port of destination, by men thus taking revenge for harsh usage! How many refusals of duty, mutinies, murders, and lawsuits have their beginning in a foul word or blow! Just sum these up and look at the other side. I am no apologist for those who let sailors do as they like. The results of inefficiency do not belong to our side of the account. But take this vessel for an example. We are not treated with the strict deference the sailor gives to a severe ruler, but we secure his enduring respect and a good name on shore. We hear more growling about 'grub,' for if the cook doesn't make 'bread scouse' to suit them, the men are not afraid to come aft to the cabin to complain about it. In ordinary work we have not quite so much drive and smartness, but all important duties are done as well if not better. I think of no other disadvantages, and all that can be said of what I have named is, that our discipline is not as rigid as that of ships where men are abused; but no one can deny that we have good discipline. As to your remark about Christian officers, I must say I think it a very cowardly speech. If shipboard is a place of trial it is just the place for a Christian, for who has such resources as he?"

The mate took exception to one part of my admissions and paid me the compliment of saying, "I never sailed with a captain that received as much respect from sailors as you do. I notice whenever you come for'ard how the men straighten themselves up to their work, and the respectful manner in which they step out of your way."