A Boy's Voyage Round the World Part 1

A Boy's Voyage Round the World.

by The Son of Samuel Smiles.

PREFACE.

I have had pleasure in editing this little book, not only because it is the work of my youngest son, but also because it contains the results of a good deal of experience of life under novel aspects, as seen by young, fresh, and observant eyes.

How the book came to be written is as follows: The boy, whose two years' narrative forms the subject of these pages, was at the age of sixteen seized with inflammation of the lungs, from which he was recovering so slowly and unsatisfactorily, that I was advised by London physicians to take him from the business he was then learning in Yorks.h.i.+re, and send him on a long sea voyage. Australia was recommended, because of the considerable time occupied in making the voyage by sailing s.h.i.+p, and also because of the comparatively genial and uniform temperature while at sea.

He was accordingly sent out to Melbourne by one of Money Wigram's s.h.i.+ps in the winter of 1868-9, with directions either to return by the same s.h.i.+p or, if the opportunity presented itself, to remain for a time in the colony. It will be found, from his own narrative that, having obtained some suitable employment, he decided to adopt the latter course; and for a period of about eighteen months he resided at Majorca, an up-country towns.h.i.+p situated in the gold-mining district of Victoria.

When his health had become re-established, he was directed to return home, about the beginning of the present year; and he resolved to make the return voyage by the Pacific route, _via_ Honolulu and San Francisco, and to proceed from thence by railway across the Rocky Mountains to New York.

While at sea, the boy kept a full log, intended for the perusal of his relatives at home; and while on land, he corresponded with them regularly and fully, never missing a mail. He had not the remotest idea that anything which he saw and described during his absence would ever appear in a book. But since his return, it has occurred to the Editor of these pages that the information they contain will probably be found interesting to a wider circle of readers than that to which the letters were originally addressed; and in that belief, the substance of them is here reproduced, the Editor's work having consisted mainly in arranging the materials, leaving the writer to tell his own story as much as possible in his own way, and in his own words.

S. S.

_London, November_, 1871.

ROUND THE WORLD.

CHAPTER I.

DOWN CHANNEL.

AT GRAVESEND--TAKING IN STORES--FIRST NIGHT ON BOARD--"THE ANCHOR'S UP"--OFF BRIGHTON--CHANGE OF WIND--GALE IN THE CHANNEL--THE ABANDONED s.h.i.+P--THE EDDYSTONE--PLYMOUTH HARBOUR--DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND.

_20th February: At Gravesend._--My last farewells are over, my last adieus are waved to friends on sh.o.r.e, and I am alone on board the s.h.i.+p 'Yorks.h.i.+re,' bound for Melbourne. Everything is in confusion on board.

The decks are littered with stores, vegetables, hen-coops, sheep-pens, and coils of rope. There is quite a little crowd of sailors round the capstan in front of the cabin door. Two officers, with lists before them, are calling over the names of men engaged to make up our complement of hands, and appointing them to their different watches.

Though the s.h.i.+p is advertised to sail this evening, the stores are by no means complete. The steward is getting in lots of cases; and what a quant.i.ty of pickles! Hens are coming up to fill the hen-coops. More sheep are being brought; there are many on board already; and here comes our milk-cow over the s.h.i.+p's side, gently hoisted up by a rope.

The animal seems amazed; but she is in skilful hands. "Let go!" calls out the boatswain, as the cow swings in mid-air; away rattles the chain round the wheel of the donkey-engine, and the break is put on just in time to land Molly gently on the deck. In a minute she is snug in her stall "for'ard," just by the cook's galley.

Pa.s.sengers are coming on board. Here is one mounting the s.h.i.+p's side, who has had a wet pa.s.sage from the sh.o.r.e. A seaman lends him a hand, and he reaches the sloppy, slippery deck with difficulty.

It is a dismal day. The sleet and rain come driving down. Everything is raw and cold; everybody wet or damp. The pa.s.sengers in wet mackintoshes, and the seamen in wet tarpaulins; Gravesend, with its dirty side to the river, and its dreary mud-bank exposed to sight; the alternate drizzle and down-pour; the muddle and confusion of the deck;--all this presented anything but an agreeable picture to look at. So I speedily leave the deck, in order to make a better acquaintance with what is to be my home for the next three months.

First, there is the saloon--long and narrow--surrounded by the cabins.

It is our dining-room, drawing-room, and parlour, all in one. A long table occupies the centre, fitted all round with fixed seats and reversible backs. At one end of the table is the captain's chair, over which hangs a clock and a barometer. Near the after end of the saloon is the mizen-mast, which pa.s.ses through into the hole below, and rests on the keelson.

The cabins, which surround the saloon, are separated from it by open woodwork, for purposes of ventilation. The entrances to them from the saloon are by sliding doors. They are separated from each other by folding-doors, kept bolted on either side when one cabin only is occupied; but these can be opened when the neighbours on both sides are agreeable.

My own little cabin is by no means dreary or uninviting. A window, with six small panes, lets in light and air; and outside is a strong board, or "dead-light," for use in rough weather, to protect the gla.s.s. My bunk, next to the saloon, is covered with a clean white counterpane. A little wash-stand occupies the corner; a shelf of favourite books is over my bed-head; and a swing-lamp by its side.

Then there is my little mirror, my swing-tray for bottles, and a series of little bags suspended from nails, containing all sorts of odds and ends. In short, my little chamber, so fitted up, looks quite cheerful and even jolly.

It grows dusk, and there is still the same bustle and turmoil on deck.

All are busy; everybody is in a hurry. At about nine the noise seems to subside; and the deck seems getting into something like order. As we are not to weigh anchor until five in the morning, some of the pa.s.sengers land for a stroll on sh.o.r.e. I decide to go to bed.

And now begins my first difficulty. I cannot find room to extend myself, or even to turn. I am literally "cribbed, cabined, and confined." Then there are the unfamiliar noises outside,--the cackling of the ducks, the baa-ing of the sheep, the grunting of the pigs,--possibly discussing the novelty of their position. And, nearly all through the night, just outside my cabin, two or three of the seamen sit talking together in gruff undertones.

I don't think I slept much during my first night on board. I was lying semi-conscious, when a loud voice outside woke me up in an instant--"The anchor's up! she's away!" I jumped up, and, looking out of my little cabin window, peered out into the grey dawn. The sh.o.r.es seemed moving, and we were off! I dressed at once, and went on deck.

But how raw and chill it felt as I went up the companion-ladder. A little steam-tug ahead of us was under weigh, with the 'Yorks.h.i.+re' in tow. The deck was now pretty well cleared, but white with frost; while the river banks were covered with snow.

Other s.h.i.+ps were pa.s.sing down stream, each with its tug; but we soon distanced them all, especially when the men flung the sails to the wind, now blowing fresh. At length, in about three-quarters of an hour, the steamer took on board her tow-rope, and left us to proceed on our voyage with a fair light breeze in our favour, and all our canvas set.

When off the Nore, we hailed the 'Norfolk,' homeward bound--a fast clipper s.h.i.+p belonging to the same firm (Money Wigram's line),--and a truly grand sight she was under full sail. There were great cheerings and wavings of hats,--she pa.s.sing up the river and we out to sea.

I need not detain you with a description of my voyage down Channel. We pa.s.sed in succession Margate, Ramsgate, and Deal. The wind kept favourable until we sighted Beachy Head, about half-past five in the evening, and then it nearly died away. We were off Brighton when the moon rose. The long stretch of lights along sh.o.r.e, the clear star-lit sky, the bright moon, the s.h.i.+p gently rocking in the almost calm sea, the sails idly flapping against the mast,--formed a picture of quiet during my first night at sea, which I shall not soon forget.

But all this, I was told, was but "weather-breeding;" and it was predicted that we were to have a change. The gla.s.s was falling and we were to look out for squalls. Nor were the squalls long in coming.

Early next morning I was roused by the noise on deck and the rolling of things about my cabin floor. I had some difficulty in dressing, not having yet found my sea legs; but I succeeded in gaining the companion-ladder and reaching the p.o.o.p.

I found the wind had gone quite round in the night, and was now blowing hard in our teeth, from the south-west. It was to be a case of tacking down Channel,--a slow and, for landsmen, a very trying process. In the midst of my first _mal de mer_, I was amused by the appearance on board of one of my fellow-pa.s.sengers. He was a small, a very small individual, but possessed of a large stock of clothes, which he was evidently glad to have an opportunity of exhibiting. He first came up with a souwester on his head, the wrong end foremost, and a pair of canvas shoes on his feet,--a sort of miniature Micawber, or first-cla.s.s c.o.c.kney "salt," about to breast the briny. This small person's long nose, large ears, and open mouth added to the ludicrousness of his appearance. As the decks were wet and the morning cold, he found the garb somewhat unsuitable, and dived below, to come up again in strong boots and a straw hat. But after further consideration, he retired again, and again he appeared in fresh headgear--a huge seal-skin cap with lappets coming down over his ears.

This important and dressy little individual was a source of considerable amus.e.m.e.nt to us; and there was scarcely an article in his wardrobe that had not its turn during the day.

All night it blew a gale; the wind still from the same quarter. We kept tacking between the coast of England and the opposite coast of France, making but small way as regards mileage,--the wind being right in our teeth. During the night, each time that the s.h.i.+p was brought round on the other tack, there was usually a tremendous lurch; and sometimes an avalanche of books descended upon me from the shelf overhead. Yet I slept pretty soundly. Once I was awakened by a tremendous noise outside--something like a gun going off. I afterwards found it had been occasioned by the mainsail being blown away to sea, right out of the bolt-ropes, the fastenings of which were immediately outside my cabin window.

When I went on deck the wind was still blowing hard, and one had to hold on to ropes or cleats to be able to stand. The whole sea was alive, waves chasing waves and bounding over each other, crested with foam. Now and then the s.h.i.+p would pitch her prow into a wave, even to the bulwarks, dash the billow aside, and buoyantly rise again, bowling along, though under moderate sail, because of the force of the gale.

The sea has some sad sights, of which one shortly presented itself.

About midday the captain sighted a vessel at some distance off on our weather bow, flying a flag of distress--an ensign upside down. Our s.h.i.+p was put about, and as we neared the vessel we found she had been abandoned, and was settling fast in the water. Two or three of her sails were still set, torn to shreds by the storm. The bulwarks were pretty much gone, and here and there the bare stanchions, or posts, were left standing, splitting in two the waves which broke clear over her deck, lying almost even with the sea. She turned out to be the 'Rosa,' of Guernsey, a fine barque of 700 tons, and she had been caught and disabled by the storm we had ourselves encountered. As there did not seem to be a living thing on board, and we could be of no use, we sailed away; and she must have gone down shortly after we left her. Not far from the sinking s.h.i.+p we came across a boat bottom upwards, most probably belonging to the abandoned s.h.i.+p. What of the poor seamen? Have they been saved by other boats, or been taken off by some pa.s.sing vessel? If not, alas for their wives and children at home! Indeed it was a sad sight.

But such things are soon forgotten at sea. We are too much occupied by our own experiences to think much of others. For two more weary days we went tacking about, the wind somewhat abating. Sometimes we caught sight of the French coast through the mist; and then we tacked back again. At length Eddystone light came in view, and we knew we were not far from the entrance to Plymouth Sound. Once inside the Breakwater, we felt ourselves in smooth water again.

Going upon deck in the morning, I found our s.h.i.+p anch.o.r.ed in the harbour nearly opposite Mount Edgc.u.mbe. Nothing could be more lovely than the sight that presented itself. The n.o.ble bay, surrounded by rocks, cliffs, cottages--Drake's Island, bristling with cannon, leaving open a glimpse into the Hamoaze studded with great hulks of old war-s.h.i.+ps--the projecting points of Mount Edgc.u.mbe Park, carpeted with green turf down to the water and fringed behind by n.o.ble woods, looking like ma.s.ses of emerald cut into fret-work--then, in the distance, the hills of Dartmoor, variegated with many hues, and swept with alternations of light and shade--all these presented a picture, the like of which I had never before seen and feel myself quite incompetent to describe.

As we had to wait here for a fair wind, and the gale was still blowing right into the harbour's mouth, there seemed no probability of our setting sail very soon. We had, moreover, to make up our complement of pa.s.sengers, and provisions. Those who had a mind accordingly went on sh.o.r.e, strolled through the town, and visited the Hoe, from which a magnificent view of the harbour is obtained, or varied their bill of fare by dining at an hotel.

We were, however, cautioned not to sleep on sh.o.r.e, but to return to the s.h.i.+p for the night, and even during the day to keep a sharp look-out for the wind; for, immediately on a change to the nor'ard, no time would be lost in putting out to sea. We were further informed that, in the case of nearly every s.h.i.+p, pa.s.sengers, through their own carelessness and dilly-dallying on sh.o.r.e, had been left behind. I determined, therefore, to stick to the s.h.i.+p.

After three days' weary waiting, the wind at last went round; the anchor was weighed with a willing "Yo! heave ho!" and in a few hours, favoured by a fine light breeze, we were well out to sea, and the brown cliffs of Old England gradually faded away in the distance.

CHAPTER II.

FLYING SOUTH.

FELLOW-Pa.s.sENGERS--LIFE ON BOARD s.h.i.+P--PROGRESS OF THE s.h.i.+P--HER HANDLING--A FINE RUN DOWN TO THE LINE--s.h.i.+P'S AMUs.e.m.e.nTS--CLIMBING THE MIZEN--THE CAPE DE VERD ISLANDS--SAN ANTONIO.