Part of the Acorn Archive

Hearts of Oak

Captain J L Vivian Millett

Part 9

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Part One       Part Two     Part Three         Part Four

Part Five       Part Six       Part Seven         Part Eight

Part Nine      Part Ten     Part Eleven     Part Twelve

It was the month of January when we left Shields. We went north about, through the Pentland Firth, and bitter cold it was. The ship was flying light, having only 400 tons of ballast in addition to her ordinary water ballast, so as soon as we got out into the Atlantic we had an uncomfortable time with the heavy rolling of the ship. In fact, she did not roll, she jerked. Two days after our departure we ran into a heavy south-west gale, and the ship would not lie up to the wind at all, but fell off practically into the trough of the sea. This did not improve Pringle's temper, and, something having gone wrong, he came up on the lower bridge and began cursing at me. I cursed back at him, and as the gale prevented our hearing each other, he made a sign that he wanted me in the chart-room. He opened the door, and as he was going in, the ship gave an extra violent jerk. I was holding on to the bridge ladder, and I heard a fearful crash inside the chart-room. I flew to look in, and found that he had been thrown clean across the room, bursting the door on the other side; his legs were hanging over the ship's side and blood was streaming from his head. As the ship rolled him towards me, I raced across and caught him before she rolled back again, otherwise he would have gone overboard and sunk like a stone.

I hauled him on deck and blew my whistle, and some men coming alohg we carried him aft to his cabin, where, on examination, I thought he was dead, for his head was split clean open from the middle of his forehead right to the back of his head. I had the second mate called, and sent him on the bridge to take charge while I proceeded to doctor up the captain. I cut all the hair round the wound, but as the ship was jerking so much I was unable to do anything but strap the two parts of the scalp together. I gave him some brandy, and he recovered consciousness, but, of course, was so stunned that all I could do was to leave him to recover, if he was going to. I then went on deck and told Herbert all that had occurred, and although we were, in a measure, sorry for the captain, we could not help rubbing our hands that we were free from all control and were masters of the situation. The gale was increasing and the ship was making no headway, so that there was a spice of danger in the position.

I had often pictured myself in charge of an unmanageable ship during a gale of wind, and I had reasoned out that if I came astern slow on my engines, and set the fore-staysail, the ship ought to ride closer to the wind. Now that I had the opportunity of putting my idea into practice I immediately did so, with the happiest results, as the ship certainly came up with her stern closer to the wind, and made considerably better weather of it than she was doing previously. When one thinks of it, it naturally follows that a propeller working astern must act as a brake to the ship; and with the great aid of the fore-staysail blowing her bow off, a steamer must lie closer to the wind under small power of the engines than she would if she was being driven head on to the gale, and I am of opinion that the same manoeuvre could be executed with a loaded ship, although I never had occasion to try it. Of course she still jerked, and about five o'clock in the evening we heard a most unearthly sound going on in the after 'tween decks. I knew at once that the spare propeller blades must have broken loose from their lashings around the mainmast, so I called all hands, sent the second mate on the bridge, and going down to the 'tween decks, I found by the light of hurricane lamps three spare blades jerking from side to side. These blades weighed close on a ton each, and to see three of them charging around the 'tween decks in a howling gale of wind, with only the poor light of three or four hurricane lamps to help us to secure them, was enough to daunt the bravest heart.  

Fortunately we had a splendid crowd of men, but the old carpenter soon chucked it up when a propeller blade charged down upon him and missed him by an inch.   How we secured those blades was a marvel, as all we could do was (at the risk of our lives) to watch for the blade charging down, and then slip, or endeavour to slip, a chain round it to hold it long enough to get further lashings round it.   I breathed a sigh of relief when we had finally secured the three blades, and none of us, marvellous to say, had been hurt.  Fortunately the 'tween-deck hatches had high coamings, otherwise the blades would have shot down into the lower hold and either gone through the tank tops or else the side of the ship.   If that had occurred I do not think I should be here writing this now.

During that night the gale moderated, and next morning I set the ship on her course again. After breakfast I went in to see the captain and washed his wound, but on his saying that he would try to get out on deck, I persuaded him to stay in bed, and frightened him into doing so by talking of his getting erysipelas if he caught cold in his wound. When I saw Herbert I told him what I had said to the skipper, and told him to keep the fiction up, as it was far more comfortable being on our own than having him bullying us round. Between us, therefore, we effectually frightened the skipper into keeping below, and it was not until we made the lightship off New York that he came on deck. How we made the lightship is a constant surprise to Herbert and myself, as often for days together we were unable to get a sight; but we made it nevertheless, and received orders to proceed to New Orleans, where we eventually arrived without further incident.

We proceeded to load cotton, and during the time we were there Herbert and I made the men get through so much work that the ship was regarded as the cleanest and best-kept ship in the harbour. She certainly looked a picture with her yards squared and canvas covers on, and everything round her deck looking immaculate.

We had two little bits of excitement while we were in New Orleans, one caused by the carpenter going "berserk" because one of the stevedore men kicked his cat! The carpenter (who was the same man who was in the S.S. GUILDFORD under Bully Pringle, a great, rawboned north countryman, about sixty years of age) absolutely went made with rage, and threatened to slaughter not only the man who kicked the cat but every other man connected with him; and, strange to say, there was not a man there who would take him on!

Another incident occurred between two of the stevedore's own men. When I came on the scene there had evidently been words between the two, who were working the bales of cotton on the wharf, for as I approached them one man made a dash at the other with his cotton hook, which, if he had got him, would have ripped him right down. The other man dodged and ran for all he was worth, with the man with the cotton hook running after him; but the man who was being chased caught up a paving-stone from a big heap he was passing and, turning round, flung it at the man who was chasing him, catching him fair and square on the forehead and bowling him over like a rabbit. A crowd collected, and as usual there were partisans on each side. I never shall forget the man who threw the stone turning round and saying, "I do not fight with cotton hooks, but I will take on any man with my fists who has a word to say about the matter" and he looked as if he could do it too. The men apparently thought the same, for there were no takers. The man who had been floored by the paving-stone was carried away, and what was the end of him I do not know, except that he lived.

Another incident that might have led to trouble was that Herbert had words with a great big buck driver of a trolly containing cotton. The first I knew of it was when one of the stevedore's men came running up to me and said "Here, mister, take your club ashore at once; your second mate is in trouble". I had no club, but I jumped on shore and found that the driver was just on the point of going for the second mate. He looked big enough to eat both of us, but on my running towards him, asking him what the Hades he thought he was going to do, to my surprise and pleasure he turned and walked to his cart (very hastily, I may say) and drove away.

We sailed for the Continent, and, as far as I can remember, arrived there without incident. We then proceeded to Cardiff to load coal for Alexandria.

Herbert and I remained in the ship and made the trip, again an uneventful one, out to Alexandria, where we discharged the coal and received orders to proceed to Seriphos in the Grecian Archipelago to load iron ore for Philadelphia.

On arrival at the island we found that a ship was loaded by lying right sheer alongside the cliff, there being no jetty at all to fend her off. Wires were run down from the top of the cliff to the ship's deck, and buckets were let down the wire with the iron ore. The bay was sheltered, but if a breeze sprung up in the wrong direction one had immediately to stop loading and heave the ship off clear of the cliff. The ore being heavy, we were only four or five days loading, and we proceeded to move out of the bay. I was on the forecastle head heaving the anchor up. Unfortunately the carpenter was not attending to his work, and when I blew the whistle for him to 'vast heaving he did not turn the steam off quick enough, with the result that the shackle of the anchor jammed in the hawse-pipe. I yelled out to the captain to stop his engines, as the shackle was jammed, but he refused to do so and came forward to see what was the matter. He proceeded to give orders, and as this was contrary to the old sailing-ship rule that a captain never came forward to give orders when the mate was in charge, I at once said

"It does not want two good men up here, so I'm off" "You can ruddy well go up on the bridge then" he replied. I went, and from that point saw what the captain was doing. He hooked on the cat-fall to the anchor and proceeded to heave away until the anchor was as high as the jammed shackle would allow it to come, and then, to my surprise, he yelled out "Let go of the cat-fall" the result being that the anchor came down with a crash against the ship's bow. This went on for half a dozen times when I saw great excitement, and the captain and everybody else peering over the bow, so I left the bridge and went forward to see what was the matter. I found that the fluke of the anchor had knocked a hole clean through the bow, luckily just above water. I could not help giving the captain a congratulatory smile which made him squirm with rage, and all he could say was "Heave the anchor up as far as it will go and secure it, and stop up that hole in the bow". Then he went along to the bridge and took charge. Of course Herbert and I enjoyed the discomfiture of the captain exceedingly, and he, knowing what a fool he had made of himself before everybody, did not dare to say a word, but sulked down in his cabin. It took the second and third engineer six hours to cut the shackle with a cold chisel and hammer, and the language that they used was not fit for an innocent child to hear! We plugged up the hole in the bow and had no trouble with it day after day, as the sea was like a mill-pond, but the captain decided to put into Gibraltar to have a plate placed over it.

We went alongside Government Mole, and by filling the after ballast tanks got the bow well out of water, and the fitters soon got to work in drilling holes to fit a plate. Our engineers fraternized with the Government Dockyard engineers, and a very amusing incident happened in consequence. The chief engineer came along to Herbert and myself roaring with laughter, and said he had a huge joke up against us, so we asked him what it was, and it appeared that one of the Government artificers remarked to him "I see that you have apprentices on board this ship". The chief engineer asked him what he meant, to which he replied "Why, those two blinking boys walking round in uniform there"; and he would not credit it when the chief engineer said "They are our first and second officers!" He thought it was a huge joke, but Herbert and I took it as a compliment, because, neither of us being able to grow a moustache, we undoubtedly looked very much younger than we were; but after that the chief engineer never gave us any peace, and was always reminding us of the fact that we were only two blinking boys!

We sailed from Gibraltar and had a good run over to Philadelphia. During the greater part of the time the Captain never spoke to me unless he was absolutely obliged, and I could see I was in his black books, but shortly before taking the pilot he veered round and was extremely friendly. Going up the river, Herbert was on the bridge by the telegraph and I was forward getting everything ready for going alongside the wharf, when, as Herbert afterwards told me, the pilot said to Pringle, "Guess you have got a smart chief officer forward there, captain". Herbert, with great glee, told me how well the skipper had spoken of me, and jeered at my blushing, but at the same time, of course, I could not help feeling gratified at having such a good account given of myself.

We only took two days to discharge our cargo, and on the way down the river, under another pilot, Herbert, who was again on the bridge, told me afterwards that this pilot also made some good remark about me, whereupon, as something had gone wrong between the skipper and myself, he replied, " He smart! I would not carry the silly swine for ballast another voyage!" Of course Herbert told me this with even greater gusto than the laudatory remark the skipper had made about me previously, and whenever he wanted to rile me after that, he used to remind me that I was a silly swine and would not be carried for ballast another voyage! Needless to say, Captain Pringle and I were at daggers drawn after that for some time; but he again veered round and I, knowing what kind of man he was, always blowing hot and cold, tried to forget the incident.

We went to New Orleans again and loaded cotton, and then sailed for Havre. It was the depth of winter, and we had bad weather coming across, generally from the north-east; but on going on watch at midnight one night I found the wind had veered round to the west, which pleased me so much that I resolved to make all sail. There were only four men in the watch, and therefore, according to Pringle's practice, I left the bridge, called the man down from the look out, and we set every stitch, even to the staysails and topgallantsail. The gale freshened and she was staggering along for all she was worth, and at four o'clock, when Herbert came on the bridge to relieve me, he was as pleased as I was to find us doing at least eleven knots with a following sea. I gave him the course, and after one or two remarks, was just going off the bridge when the wind chopped right back to the north-east, with the result that we were taken all aback. Being under steam, of course I soon had her before the wind again ; but, unfortunately, by that time almost every sail that we had set had carried away and was being blown into ribbons, and it took all hands an hour and a half to secure them. I went aft and roused the captain and told him what had occurred ; as the sails were the apple of his eye, he was speechless for a few minutes, and then he started by saying "You call yourself a ruddy sailor!" But he got no further, for I had been up five and a half hours, was wet through, and my clothes were freezing on me, so I felt in no mood to take his remarks. The language that poured out of my mouth shocked even him. All he could say was "Get out of my ruddy berth at once" and I went and turned in.

He never spoke to me again, and gave all his instructions through Herbert until we got to Havre, when we had to make our indent for the stores for the next voyage to send home. He told Herbert to instruct me to put down for what amounted to almost a new suit of sails, with the result that the owners wrote back and said that they had decided to follow the practice of other shipowners and do away with the yards. When Pringle received that letter he was absolutely dancing mad, and told Herbert that he had no use at all for me, that I was no ruddy sailor, and that I could clear out immediately the ship arrived at a home port. As I had resolved to do this I did not care, and on arrival at Cardiff we received orders to lay the ship up, as freights were so bad that in the end she was sold to James Knott & Company.

Meanwhile, Herbert and I were transferred as first and second officers to the S.S. WEYBRIDGE under a little Welshman, who is now dead. We had heard of him, but what we had heard certainly did not come up to what we found out about him, for I think he was the meanest-spirited and meanest-natured man that I have ever come across, and, as far as we could see in the two voyages we made with him, had no redeeming traits. He was a thorough cur, and the only idea he had of maintaining his dignity as master was saying "Indeed to goodness, you must remember that I am the captain of this ship". In bad weather, and even in narrow waters, he was such a coward that one could almost say that he was brave with it. I have been on the bridge making the Lizard lights in a howling gale of wind, with snow and sleet storms, and he has been so scared that he has actually turned into his bunk and tried to sleep away his trouble, trusting the ship entirely to Providence and to Herbert and myself. We used to despise him for doing this, but, at the same time, marvelled at the man's nerve in being able to turn in, when we and all other men in charge of the ship would have thought it necessary to be on the bridge the whole time.

We sailed on Christmas Eve at 10 o'clock, and as soon as we were clear of Lundy Island we felt the full force of the south-westerly gale. The captain, of course, went and turned in, but the second mate and myself had to stand our watches. When the day dawned on Christmas Day the scene was far from making one feel cheerful, as the ship was burying herself in the seas, and everything was grey and wet and miserable. The Cornish coast showed indistinctly, and our thoughts naturally turned to the festivities going on at home, while we poor devils were having about as bad a time as people could have. The Christmas dinner consisted of beef and pudding, both so badly cooked, owing to the gale, that we couldn't eat them. Altogether, there was not a soul on the ship who did not feel that it was the worst Christmas they had ever spent, and as for the firemen and sailors (suffering as they were from the after effects of drinking) they must have felt wretched!

Out in Buenos Ayres the skipper claimed that a man had come into his cabin during the night and stolen money, so he actually gave orders that the lazarette hatch was to be left open during the night hours. As it was situated outside his cabin door, it was a constant surprise to us that someone did not fall down and break his neck. However, nobody was bagged, but it was a risky thing to do as the ship might have had to pay compensation heavily had anyone who had lawful occasion to go to the cabin door fallen down the hatch.

On the second voyage, when we arrived at Dunkirk, the owner came aboard and said that he wanted me to take him round the ship, to show him her condition. This I was only too glad to do, as Herbert and I had got her into first-class order, and after an hour's inspection the owner congratulated me on the condition of the ship, and went below to see the captain. Two hours later the owner came up again on deck, and, calling me to him, informed me that on mentioning to the captain that a master was required for their S.S. PEMBRIDGE; he had recommended me for the position. I could therefore leave the ship next day, and, subject to his partner's consent, I should be given command of the S.S. PEMBRIDGE. I never liked our captain, but when I found that he had recommended me for promotion I felt sorry for having thought so evilly of him, and straightway went down to the cabin and asked him to forgive me if I had given him cause for offence in the two voyages I made with him. I felt rotten at having misjudged him, and I left the ship thinking that he was really a decent chap.

I got over to London, and the next day gaily went to the office, thinking I was sure of getting command, but, on seeing the owner who had promised me the job, namely, Mr. John Temperley, he told me that I had to go in and see Mr. Joseph Temperley. I went in, and this is what occurred: "What do you want?" "Mr. John said he would give me command of the S.S. PEMBRIDGE, subject to your consent, sir." "Oh! did he? Are you the senior chief officer of the company?"

"No, sir." "Well, it is like your impudence to expect to get command of any of the ships before you are the senior chief officer. When you attain that position you shall have command, not before. Good morning!" I went out of his office a very disappointed man, and, returning to Mr. John, told him what had happened, whereupon he said "Well, Mr. Millett, I have been thinking over what the captain of the S.S. WEYBRIDGE said as regards you, and I have come to the conclusion that he recommended you so highly that he evidently wanted to get rid of you!"

I saw at once that what he said was the truth, and told him so; but the rage and hatred in my heart against the captain was greater by reason of the misplaced tenderness I had felt for him when he recommended me that command.

I now had to wait for another ship, which was presently forthcoming in the shape of the S.S. BRACADAILE, sister ship to the first steamer I served in, namely, the S.S. GUILDFORD. The BRACADAILE was getting to be an old ship, and had a very unreliable steam steering-gear, which broke down almost every other day, and sometimes two or three times a day, necessitating the use of the hand gear. She was a beast to steer, and there were very few men who could hold her to her course.

I joined her at Cork, and found that the late chief officer had just been appointed to the command, and was extremely nervous about taking the position. We sailed for Cardiff and loaded coal for Genoa, afterwards going up the Black Sea and loading grain for Dunkirk. The captain relied upon me so much that I had an exceedingly good time, as I was really as much in command of the ship as he was. He disliked turning out at nighttime, and when rounding points, like Cape St. Vincent, he would simply say to me, when I told him that we were approaching the light "You know what to do as well as I, Millett. I am not going to turn out". However, by good luck we managed to make the voyage without mishap. One peculiarity about this captain was that he had an enormous black moustache, which used to get between his lips when he was eating. It was a most disgusting sight to see him put a forkful of food into his mouth and comb his moustache out with his fork afterwards!

Although I was able to assist him in running the ship at sea, of course he had all the ship's business to do on shore, and the poor beggar apparently did it so badly that on arrival home he was dismissed, and, to my disgust, an old captain was appointed to our ship. I was so wild about it that I sent in my resignation to the firm, but received a telegram next day advising me to withdraw it. Scenting that promotion was coming, I withdrew it, and made another voyage to the Black Sea under the old skipper.

On arrival in London the engineer superintendent came aboard, and after I had taken him round the ship he turned round to me and said "Do you think you could take command of this ship, Mr. Millett?” I laughed, and said "I guess I could."

So he said "Well, I want to be the first to tell you that you are going to get command, but do not let on to anybody, as you have to go up to the office to-morrow morning and the owners will appoint you themselves." Of course I was hugely delighted, and next morning, on my way to the office, I bought a tall hat, such as all self-respecting skippers wore in those days. I marched boldly into the office, and asked for Mr. John Temperley. Immediately my name was taken in, he came to the door of his room, looked across the general office at me standing by the counter, and, like the good old chap he was, yelled out so that all could hear, "Come in, CAPTAIN Millett". He could have chosen no more gratifying way of letting me know I was in command. I squared my shoulders and marched into his room to receive my instructions as to how I was to proceed. I then hurriedly obtained the necessary gold braid for my cap and clothes to denote my rank, and on arriving on board the ship soon blossomed out into full uniform. A very proud man I was when, for the first time in my life, I was saluted as captain on all sides!

Part Ten

Raymond Forward