Captain Streeter, her commander, was a fine-looking man of about forty years. He was tall and well formed, with dark complexion, black hair, beard and moustache, and a coal-black, flashing eye that bespoke a strong will and a passionate nature. He was very fluent in speech, and gave the impression on a first hearing that he was what sailors call "a blower."
When he engaged me, he gave a long and impressive harangue. He didn't want an officer that was afraid of sailors, but at the same time he allowed no one to abuse the crew, and especially objected to the use of profane language, which he condemned as the most foolish of practices. He appointed the day for me to come on board and I left him pleased with my success, but with a lurking suspicion that my fair-talking captain might prove to belong to the class known as "shore-saints and sea-devils." The owner, however, was one of the best men living, a noble philanthropist, and a vice-president of the Seamen's Friend Society. I therefore felt some assurance that his ship would have a respectable captain and be well conducted.
At six o'clock, one dark morning in the end of November, my fond father bade me farewell at the door, as I left my pleasant home and its gentle occupants, and trudged to East Boston, in a storm of sleet, to enter upon a sphere and mingle with associates so contrasted, that I needed no other illustration, for the next few months, to impress upon my mind the two extremes of the future life.
The ship was bound to Richmond, Virginia, in ballast, there to load a cargo of tobacco for the Mediterranean. In the forenoon, a negro crew of fourteen men and two boys came on board. They were mostly fine "strapping" fellows, with bright eyes and shining "ivories," and as we proceeded down the bay they made the decks ring with their songs; the main-topsail going to the mast-head to the tune of "Come down you bunch o' roses, come down," and the fore-topsail halyards answering to the strong pulls following the sentiment:
"Sally Brown's a bright Mulatto,
She drinks rum and chews tobacco."
A man who was loosing the mizzen-top-gallant-sail was heard to utter some profane exclamations over the bunt gasket, which was made fast with a knot that resisted all his efforts at untying, being what sailors call "an anti-gallican hitch." As I have mentioned, Capt. Streeter had remarked a few days before that he allowed no profane language on board of his ship, and I wondered if he would take any notice of this; but I did not wait long before having my curiosity satisfied. The same thought probably came to the captain's mind, for he stepped to where he could get a good look at the man, and then began: "Button your lip up, or I'll knock spots out of you. I don't allow swearing on board of this boat;" with more to the same effect, accompanied by several profane epithets. It was evident that the captain's fluency of speech was not limited to polite conversation, and his consistency was explained by his remarking, at a future time, that his rule on board ship was, "do as I order, not as I do."
The Pilot left at Boston Light. All hands were busily employed putting things to rights, for a ship is seldom in order except when at sea. There, men are constantly laboring to keep everything "ship-shape" and tidy, and the moment the vessel is moored at the wharf, crew and officers generally go over the side, stevedores, riggers and carpenters take possession, and the decks are in a turmoil until she is again out of the range of visitors.
It surprised me to see the captain interesting himself in all the work, for in previous voyages its execution had been left entirely to the officers. While the mate was securing the anchors, the captain visited the top-gallant forecastle and offered suggestions, which the high-spirited first officer treated with a contemptuous silence. The black eyes shone with suppressed rage, and their owner transferred his interference to the second mate's labors, which were being employed in putting on chafing-gear. He soon worked this officer into such a flurry, that he hardly knew whether he stood on his head or his heels, and then after putting a stop to a job the carpenter had undertaken, and peeping into the cook's boilers to see how much beef they contained, to the delight of all, he disappeared into the cabin, but in a few minutes his loud tones showed that the steward was the object of his attentions.
In the evening, after the watches were chosen, the captain joined the officers on deck and talked familiarly with us, illustrating his remarks by anecdotes and comparisons more amusing than refined. We were obliged to confess to each other that he was a very agreeable man in private, and for a time forgot all the mental imprecations we had bestowed on him during the day, on account of his interference with the work.
The mate and second mate had a talk by themselves concerning their duties, and the second mate, while expatiating upon his own good qualifications, put his hand in his pocket and pulling out a pair of brass knuckles put them upon his hand. Holding his fist up, he said: "I always carry my tools with me, and if you ever want any work done, you have only to say the word, and you'll find me on hand like Day and Martin's blacking."