It needs no argument to prove, that a ship containing a great number of cadets, under the limited rates, would by no means be a gaining concern to the commander. Hence, the outward voyage is not the object of a commander, who, even under the most favorable circumstances, could not make any great profit by his passengers; but, by his liberal treatment of them, he obtains that character which insures him a choice of rich persons returning to Europe, who, in the aggregate, rarely fail to make up to him for his former trouble, and deficiency of pecuniary benefit.
It is usual to enquire among the commanders as to their probable number of passengers, and to ascertain the dates at which their ships are, according to the arrangements made at the India House, to be despatched. The pursers are commonly employed to adjust the rates of passage, and to dispose of such cabins as may be intended for the accommodation of passengers. Matters being settled, it is necessary to apply to the secretary for an order to be received on board the vessel in question; which order is delivered to the commander, or to his purser, so soon as obtained. The secretary likewise furnishes every Company’s servant with a certificate of his appointment; and to each free-mariner, &c. he gives a licence to proceed to India. These papers must be carefully preserved, for delivery into the office of the secretary under that presidency to which the party may be destined. It is always best to consign them to the keeping of the purser. In cases of certificates having been lost, much difficulty has arisen, and all the parties have been obliged to depose to that effect on oath.
I should advise those who are about to embark, to cultivate an acquaintance with the respective commanders. Experience fully establishes, that civility rarely fails to produce good consequences. It is reasonable to conclude, that some previous acquaintance must engender some good will. The captains navigating under the auspices of the India Company, are men who have seen much of the world, and who rarely fail justly to appreciate those marks of attention, and respect, which flow voluntarily from persons with whom they have dealings. On the other hand, it must be rather uncomfortable to go on board a ship where all are total strangers; or, at the best, where, perhaps, the purser alone, and that with some hesitation and difficulty, acknowledges ever to have seen your face! Common sense points out that such is both impolitic, and uncomfortable.
Having made a voyage in a foreign ship from Bengal to the Cape, it may be serviceable to some of my readers to receive a hint or two regarding the usage he is likely to experience, should he entertain a disposition to avail himself of that channel of conveyance. The detail need not be prolix; for it may justly be asserted, in few words, that foreign vessels are rarely sea-worthy; they are badly equipped, and worse manned; their decks are low; their accommodations dark, dismal, and offensive; their water execrable; their provisions scarce and bad; their commanders ignorant, avaricious, mean, proud, tyrannical, and deceitful! That some exceptions may exist, cannot be denied; but I never heard of one who did not, more or less, merit the above stigma.
Look to the Company’s ships, and see the reverse! The truth is, that in them we find most of those good points that are established in the Royal navy, added to much desire in their commanders to be on a friendly footing with the passengers; while, I believe, there is no doubt that, in the end, their terms are more moderate than those of any foreigners.
If the circumstances of a passenger should enable him to hire a cabin, his comfort will be increased inconceivably, even though he should have barely room enough to swing a cot, or to put up a standing bed. But, that he may not deceive himself in respect to the accommodation he is to derive from such a retirement, it would be proper for him to pay a visit to the vessel while lying in the river, probably at Gravesend, or the Hope, and there to ascertain the exact dimensions he is to occupy. It is an object, if he uses a swinging cot, that the breadth of the cabin should be such as to allow of its being triced up between the beams during the daytime; thereby to have it out of the way, and to give more space in the cabin. When suspended, it should be lengthwise; so that, as the ship rolls, or lays down on either side, the cot should swing even. When hung athwart-ships, unless the cabin be very broad, it would be perpetually knocking against the bulk-head (or partition), and the ship’s side. Hence it is advisable, wherever the space may admit, to make a standing bed-place fore and aft, furnishing it with rails, to keep the occupant from rolling out; for, if it be made athwart-ships, and the vessel be working against an adverse wind, he must, whenever the ship goes about, change the position of his pillow, from head to foot alternately.
In peaceable times, cabins are ordinarily constructed of wooden partitions, and have a door, with lock, &c. very complete; but, during war time, it is usual to make them of canvass, fixed to the beams above, and rolling up thereto, whenever the vessel may be cleared for action. Some cabins include a port-hole, which, in large ships, is peculiarly comfortable; especially under the Line, when a current of air is invaluable; but, in bad weather, when the port is shut, those cabins that have only skuttles, about one-fourth the size of a port-hole, become preferable; especially when they are provided with glass shutters; which can be at any time made by the ship’s carpenter, if not previously attached. The skuttles being higher up in the side of the vessel, and nearer to the deck above the cabin, are well calculated for allowing rarefied air, which would float above the level of a port-hole, to escape. They are usually placed at intervals between the ports. When a cabin is built so as to include a port, the gun appertaining thereto is commonly sent forward, and lashed up to the ship’s side, the muzzle pointing forward; but, on emergency, the cabin is knocked down, and the gun is run into its place. Hence, each kind of cabin has its advantages, and disadvantages.
The right side of the ship, from stem to stern is called the starboard; the left side is called the larboard: the line on which the mast stands, i.e. straight over the keel, divides them. The starboard, in most modes of applying the term, implies superiority over the larboard. Thus the chief mate has his cabin, which is usually 12 or 14 feet long, by 10 or 12 in breadth, next to the great cabin, on the starboard side of the gun-deck. The second mate has one rather smaller, on the opposite, or larboard side. Then, again, the third mate on the starboard side, immediately before the chief mate’s; next before him the fourth mate; while the surgeon and purser usually have their cabins on the larboard side, next before the second mate’s.
What is called the ‘great-cabin,’ is a slip taken off across the stern of a ship, on the gun-deck, about 14 feet deep, leaving a passage on the larboard side that the passengers and officers may have access to the quarter-gallery, or privy, on that quarter. The great-cabin includes all the stern windows, therefore, is extremely light and airy; but, on the other hand, its situation is rather disadvantageous to those who are troubled with habitual sea-sickness. The bows and the stern partake, in an accumulated ratio, of the ship’s motion, as she pitches; that is, as she rises and sinks, alternately, at the head and stern; consequently, the centre of every vessel is the part least subject to agitation.
The captain occupies, in general, a cabin called the ‘state-room,’ situated under the fore part of the poop, on the starboard side, with a glass door towards the quarter-deck: its dimensions, as well of those of all the cabins already described, vary according to the ship’s tonnage, but may be taken at about 15 or 16 feet square: the space including it, and the larboard side under the same parallel, is called the ‘cuddy;’ while all behind is designated the ‘round-house;’ and has a row of glass windows in the stern part, with two doors opening into the ‘stern-gallery:’ a flight of steps, rather confined to be sure, serves as a communication, by means of the starboard quarter-gallery, with the great-cabin. These steps, under which is a privy, are particularly convenient to ladies, who usually have the starboard side of the great-cabin allotted to their accommodation. When the passengers are very numerous, especially when many families are on board, the round-house is partitioned off into three or more cabins; the larboard quarter-gallery, on the upper deck, having also a privy. In such case, the dinner table is laid in the cuddy, instead of the round-house; but, as it is rarely spacious enough to allow the whole to sit down at the same time, the company are, commonly, divided into two parties, succeeding each other every day alternately.