The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3 Read online

  CHAPTER 6

  THE leading particulars of this narration were all that Augustuscommunicated to me while we remained near the box. It was notuntil afterward that he entered fully into all the details. He wasapprehensive of being missed, and I was wild with impatience to leavemy detested place of confinement. We resolved to make our way at onceto the hole in the bulkhead, near which I was to remain for the present,while he went through to reconnoiter. To leave Tiger in the box was whatneither of us could endure to think of, yet, how to act otherwise wasthe question. He now seemed to be perfectly quiet, and we could not evendistinguish the sound of his breathing upon applying our ears closelyto the box. I was convinced that he was dead, and determined to open thedoor. We found him lying at full length, apparently in a deep stupor,yet still alive. No time was to be lost, yet I could not bring myself toabandon an animal who had now been twice instrumental in saving my life,without some attempt at preserving him. We therefore dragged him alongwith us as well as we could, although with the greatest difficulty andfatigue; Augustus, during part of the time, being forced to clamberover the impediments in our way with the huge dog in his arms--a featto which the feebleness of my frame rendered me totally inadequate. Atlength we succeeded in reaching the hole, when Augustus got through, andTiger was pushed in afterward. All was found to be safe, and we didnot fail to return sincere thanks to God for our deliverance from theimminent danger we had escaped. For the present, it was agreed that Ishould remain near the opening, through which my companion could readilysupply me with a part of his daily provision, and where I could have theadvantages of breathing an atmosphere comparatively pure.

  In explanation of some portions of this narrative, wherein I have spokenof the stowage of the brig, and which may appear ambiguous to some of myreaders who may have seen a proper or regular stowage, I must here statethat the manner in which this most important duty had been performedon board the Grampus was a most shameful piece of neglect on the partof Captain Barnard, who was by no means as careful or as experienced aseaman as the hazardous nature of the service on which he wasemployed would seem necessarily to demand. A proper stowage cannot beaccomplished in a careless manner, and many most disastrous accidents,even within the limits of my own experience, have arisen from neglector ignorance in this particular. Coasting vessels, in the frequent hurryand bustle attendant upon taking in or discharging cargo, are the mostliable to mishap from the want of a proper attention to stowage. Thegreat point is to allow no possibility of the cargo or ballast shiftingposition even in the most violent rollings of the vessel. With this end,great attention must be paid, not only to the bulk taken in, but to thenature of the bulk, and whether there be a full or only a partial cargo.In most kinds of freight the stowage is accomplished by means of ascrew. Thus, in a load of tobacco or flour, the whole is screwed sotightly into the hold of the vessel that the barrels or hogsheads, upondischarging, are found to be completely flattened, and take some timeto regain their original shape. This screwing, however, is resorted toprincipally with a view of obtaining more room in the hold; for in afull load of any such commodities as flour or tobacco, there can be nodanger of any shifting whatever, at least none from which inconveniencecan result. There have been instances, indeed, where this method ofscrewing has resulted in the most lamentable consequences, arising froma cause altogether distinct from the danger attendant upon a shifting ofcargo. A load of cotton, for example, tightly screwed while in certainconditions, has been known, through the expansion of its bulk, to rend avessel asunder at sea. There can be no doubt either that the same resultwould ensue in the case of tobacco, while undergoing its usual courseof fermentation, were it not for the interstices consequent upon therotundity of the hogsheads.

  It is when a partial cargo is received that danger is chiefly to beapprehended from shifting, and that precautions should be always takento guard against such misfortune. Only those who have encountered aviolent gale of wind, or rather who have experienced the rolling ofa vessel in a sudden calm after the gale, can form an idea of thetremendous force of the plunges, and of the consequent terrible impetusgiven to all loose articles in the vessel. It is then that the necessityof a cautious stowage, when there is a partial cargo, becomes obvious.When lying-to (especially with a small head sail), a vessel which is notproperly modelled in the bows is frequently thrown upon her beam-ends;this occurring even every fifteen or twenty minutes upon an average, yetwithout any serious consequences resulting, provided there be a properstowage. If this, however, has not been strictly attended to, in thefirst of these heavy lurches the whole of the cargo tumbles over to theside of the vessel which lies upon the water, and, being thus preventedfrom regaining her equilibrium, as she would otherwise necessarily do,she is certain to fill in a few seconds and go down. It is not too muchto say that at least one-half of the instances in which vessels havefoundered in heavy gales at sea may be attributed to a shifting of cargoor of ballast.

  When a partial cargo of any kind is taken on board, the whole, afterbeing first stowed as compactly as may be, should be covered with alayer of stout shifting-boards, extending completely across the vessel.Upon these boards strong temporary stanchions should be erected,reaching to the timbers above, and thus securing every thing in itsplace. In cargoes consisting of grain, or any similar matter, additionalprecautions are requisite. A hold filled entirely with grain uponleaving port will be found not more than three fourths full uponreaching its destination--this, too, although the freight, when measuredbushel by bushel by the consignee, will overrun by a vast deal (onaccount of the swelling of the grain) the quantity consigned. Thisresult is occasioned by settling during the voyage, and is the moreperceptible in proportion to the roughness of the weather experienced.If grain loosely thrown in a vessel, then, is ever so well secured byshifting-boards and stanchions, it will be liable to shift in a longpassage so greatly as to bring about the most distressing calamities.To prevent these, every method should be employed before leaving portto settle the cargo as much as possible; and for this there are manycontrivances, among which may be mentioned the driving of wedges intothe grain. Even after all this is done, and unusual pains taken tosecure the shifting-boards, no seaman who knows what he is about willfeel altogether secure in a gale of any violence with a cargo ofgrain on board, and, least of all, with a partial cargo. Yet there arehundreds of our coasting vessels, and, it is likely, many more from theports of Europe, which sail daily with partial cargoes, even of the mostdangerous species, and without any precaution whatever. The wonderis that no more accidents occur than do actually happen. A lamentableinstance of this heedlessness occurred to my knowledge in the case ofCaptain Joel Rice of the schooner Firefly, which sailed from Richmond,Virginia, to Madeira, with a cargo of corn, in the year 1825. Thecaptain had gone many voyages without serious accident, although he wasin the habit of paying no attention whatever to his stowage, more thanto secure it in the ordinary manner. He had never before sailed witha cargo of grain, and on this occasion had the corn thrown on boardloosely, when it did not much more than half fill the vessel. For thefirst portion of the voyage he met with nothing more than light breezes;but when within a day’s sail of Madeira there came on a strong gale fromthe N. N. E. which forced him to lie-to. He brought the schooner to thewind under a double-reefed foresail alone, when she rode as well as anyvessel could be expected to do, and shipped not a drop of water. Towardnight the gale somewhat abated, and she rolled with more unsteadinessthan before, but still did very well, until a heavy lurch threw her uponher beam-ends to starboard. The corn was then heard to shift bodily, theforce of the movement bursting open the main hatchway. The vesselwent down like a shot. This happened within hail of a small sloop fromMadeira, which picked up one of the crew (the only person saved), andwhich rode out the gale in perfect security, as indeed a jolly boatmight have done under proper management.

  The stowage on board the Grampus was most clumsily done, if stowagethat could be called which was little better than a promiscuous huddlingtoge
ther of oil-casks {*1} and ship furniture. I have already spoken ofthe condition of articles in the hold. On the orlop deck there was spaceenough for my body (as I have stated) between the oil-casks and theupper deck; a space was left open around the main hatchway; and severalother large spaces were left in the stowage. Near the hole cut throughthe bulkhead by Augustus there was room enough for an entire cask, andin this space I found myself comfortably situated for the present.

  By the time my friend had got safely into the berth, and readjustedhis handcuffs and the rope, it was broad daylight. We had made a narrowescape indeed; for scarcely had he arranged all matters, when the matecame below, with Dirk Peters and the cook. They talked for some timeabout the vessel from the Cape Verds, and seemed to be excessivelyanxious for her appearance. At length the cook came to the berth inwhich Augustus was lying, and seated himself in it near the head. Icould see and hear every thing from my hiding-place, for the piece cutout had not been put back, and I was in momentary expectation that thenegro would fall against the pea-jacket, which was hung up to concealthe aperture, in which case all would have been discovered, and ourlives would, no doubt, have been instantly sacrificed. Our good fortuneprevailed, however; and although he frequently touched it as the vesselrolled, he never pressed against it sufficiently to bring about adiscovery. The bottom of the jacket had been carefully fastened to thebulkhead, so that the hole might not be seen by its swinging to oneside. All this time Tiger was lying in the foot of the berth, andappeared to have recovered in some measure his faculties, for I couldsee him occasionally open his eyes and draw a long breath.

  After a few minutes the mate and cook went above, leaving Dirk Petersbehind, who, as soon as they were gone, came and sat himself down inthe place just occupied by the mate. He began to talk very sociably withAugustus, and we could now see that the greater part of his apparentintoxication, while the two others were with him, was a feint. Heanswered all my companion’s questions with perfect freedom; told himthat he had no doubt of his father’s having been picked up, as therewere no less than five sail in sight just before sundown on the day hewas cut adrift; and used other language of a consolatory nature,which occasioned me no less surprise than pleasure. Indeed, I began toentertain hopes, that through the instrumentality of Peters we mightbe finally enabled to regain possession of the brig, and this idea Imentioned to Augustus as soon as I found an opportunity. He thoughtthe matter possible, but urged the necessity of the greatest cautionin making the attempt, as the conduct of the hybrid appeared to beinstigated by the most arbitrary caprice alone; and, indeed, it wasdifficult to say if he was at any moment of sound mind. Peters wentupon deck in about an hour, and did not return again until noon, when hebrought Augustus a plentiful supply of junk beef and pudding. Of this,when we were left alone, I partook heartily, without returning throughthe hole. No one else came down into the forecastle during the day, andat night, I got into Augustus’ berth, where I slept soundly and sweetlyuntil nearly daybreak, when he awakened me upon hearing a stir upondeck, and I regained my hiding-place as quickly as possible. When theday was fully broke, we found that Tiger had recovered his strengthalmost entirely, and gave no indications of hydrophobia, drinking alittle water that was offered him with great apparent eagerness. Duringthe day he regained all his former vigour and appetite. His strangeconduct had been brought on, no doubt, by the deleterious quality of theair of the hold, and had no connexion with canine madness. I could notsufficiently rejoice that I had persisted in bringing him with me fromthe box. This day was the thirtieth of June, and the thirteenth sincethe Grampus made sail from Nantucket.

  On the second of July the mate came below drunk as usual, and in anexcessively good-humor. He came to Augustus’s berth, and, giving him aslap on the back, asked him if he thought he could behave himself ifhe let him loose, and whether he would promise not to be going into thecabin again. To this, of course, my friend answered in the affirmative,when the ruffian set him at liberty, after making him drink from a flaskof rum which he drew from his coat-pocket. Both now went on deck, and Idid not see Augustus for about three hours. He then came below with thegood news that he had obtained permission to go about the brig as hepleased anywhere forward of the mainmast, and that he had been orderedto sleep, as usual, in the forecastle. He brought me, too, a gooddinner, and a plentiful supply of water. The brig was still cruising forthe vessel from the Cape Verds, and a sail was now in sight, which wasthought to be the one in question. As the events of the ensuing eightdays were of little importance, and had no direct bearing upon the mainincidents of my narrative, I will here throw them into the form of ajournal, as I do not wish to omit them altogether.

  July 3. Augustus furnished me with three blankets, with which Icontrived a comfortable bed in my hiding-place. No one came below,except my companion, during the day. Tiger took his station in theberth just by the aperture, and slept heavily, as if not yet entirelyrecovered from the effects of his sickness. Toward night a flaw of windstruck the brig before sail could be taken in, and very nearly capsizedher. The puff died away immediately, however, and no damage was donebeyond the splitting of the foretopsail. Dirk Peters treated Augustusall this day with great kindness and entered into a long conversationwith him respecting the Pacific Ocean, and the islands he had visitedin that region. He asked him whether he would not like to go with themutineers on a kind of exploring and pleasure voyage in those quarters,and said that the men were gradually coming over to the mate’s views.To this Augustus thought it best to reply that he would be glad to goon such an adventure, since nothing better could be done, and that anything was preferable to a piratical life.

  July 4th. The vessel in sight proved to be a small brig from Liverpool,and was allowed to pass unmolested. Augustus spent most of his timeon deck, with a view of obtaining all the information in his powerrespecting the intentions of the mutineers. They had frequent andviolent quarrels among themselves, in one of which a harpooner, JimBonner, was thrown overboard. The party of the mate was gaining ground.Jim Bonner belonged to the cook’s gang, of which Peters was a partisan.

  July 5th. About daybreak there came on a stiff breeze from the west,which at noon freshened into a gale, so that the brig could carrynothing more than her trysail and foresail. In taking in theforetopsail, Simms, one of the common hands, and belonging also tothe cook’s gang, fell overboard, being very much in liquor, and wasdrowned--no attempt being made to save him. The whole number of personson board was now thirteen, to wit: Dirk Peters; Seymour, the blackcook; Jones, Greely, Hartman Rogers and William Allen, all of thecook’s party; the mate, whose name I neverlearned; Absalom Hicks, Wilson, John Hunty Richard Parker, of the mate’sparty;--besides Augustus and myself.

  July 6th. The gale lasted all this day, blowing in heavy squalls,accompanied with rain. The brig took in a good deal of water through herseams, and one of the pumps was kept continually going, Augustus beingforced to take his turn. Just at twilight a large ship passed closeby us, without having been discovered until within hail. The ship wassupposed to be the one for which the mutineers were on the lookout. Themate hailed her, but the reply was drowned in the roaring of the gale.At eleven, a sea was shipped amidships, which tore away a great portionof the larboard bulwarks, and did some other slight damage. Towardmorning the weather moderated, and at sunrise there was very littlewind.

  July 7th. There was a heavy swell running all this day, during which thebrig, being light, rolled excessively, and many articles broke loose inthe hold, as I could hear distinctly from my hiding-place. I suffereda great deal from sea-sickness. Peters had a long conversation this daywith Augustus, and told him that two of his gang, Greely and Allen, hadgone over to the mate, and were resolved to turn pirates. He put severalquestions to Augustus which he did not then exactly understand. Duringa part of this evening the leak gained upon the vessel; and little couldbe done to remedy it, as it was occasioned by the brig's straining, andtaking in the water through her seams. A sail was thrummed, and gotunder the bows, which aided u
s in some measure, so that we began to gainupon the leak.

  July 8th. A light breeze sprang up at sunrise from the eastward, whenthe mate headed the brig to the southwest, with the intention of makingsome of the West India islands in pursuance of his piratical designs. Noopposition was made by Peters or the cook--at least none in the hearingof Augustus. All idea of taking the vessel from the Cape Verds wasabandoned. The leak was now easily kept under by one pump going everythree quarters of an hour. The sail was drawn from beneath the bows.Spoke two small schooners during the day.

  July 9th. Fine weather. All hands employed in repairing bulwarks. Petershad again a long conversation with Augustus, and spoke more plainly thanhe had done heretofore. He said nothing should induce him to come intothe mate’s views, and even hinted his intention of taking the brig outof his hands. He asked my friend if he could depend upon his aid in suchcase, to which Augustus said, “Yes,” without hesitation. Peters thensaid he would sound the others of his party upon the subject, and wentaway. During the remainder of the day Augustus had no opportunity ofspeaking with him privately.