| Contents Chapter 2-> |
THERE is an old service yarn told of a kind-hearted captain, addressing a youngster who had just joined the navy, by way of encouragement, " Well, my boy, I suppose it's the old story - 'The fool of the family sent to sea.'" "Oh no, sir," replied the lad, " things have changed since your time!" and so they have, and much for the better. Everything has changed - officers, men, ships, and guns. Fifty years ago any schoolboy of moderate acquirements could pass the requisite examination for the navy ; now I don't suppose many admirals or captains could pass the test. The medical examination alone is responsible for many fine lads being rejected, principally on account of eyesight ; and I have known several cases of otherwise healthy lads being turned back on this score : not but what it is necessary that a boy should know the difference between green and red ; but to reject him because he cannot read print 2 THE NAVY AS IT WAS across a room, or because he has lost a tooth or two, seems to me over-scrupulous. Anyhow, there were no such service tests when I joined the service on the 10th December 1851, and was entered on the books of the Victory, to be presently transferred to the Rodney, a fine 90-gun, sailing line-of-battle ship, then lying in Portsmouth harbour waiting for her crew. This operation often took six months at that time, instead of as many hours as at present. The crews were picked up anyhow - long-shore loafers, jail-birds, and suchlike, with a sprinkling of good seamen amongst them, and it took the first year of the commission to knock them into shape. Captain Graham was an officer of the old school and a fine seaman, and the commander, George Randolph, one of the smartest officers of the day, and a strict disciplinarian. It was for that reason, I suppose, that we had sent to us, in the shape of old midshipmen, some of the choicest specimens of humanity it has ever been my lot to be shipmates with. Most of them were notorious characters, who, having failed to pass their examinations, had been kicked out of one ship after another, and were sent to the Rodney on probation, to be finally disposed of according to their merits. There were nine of us naval cadets on first entry, the total being made up with clerks, master's assistants, and assistant-surgeons, bringing up our complement to thirty in the gunroom. During our long stay at Portsmouth some of the above, having their leave stopped for various offences, had abundant leisure to bully us unfortunate youngsters. An account of their amusements will scarcely be credited at the present day. 3 FOX-HUNT ON THE RODNEY There were four in the gang, whose names it is unnecessary to mention. They were all drunkards, and were turned out of the service before the ship went to sea. The fun (?) used to begin in the evening, when most of the respectable members had gone ashore. We were sent down to put on our tail-coats and swords, and then ; after being paraded, were made to sit across chairs and attack each other. At the order " Draw swords! " at it we went, cutting and slashing, four on each side, the odd one, there being nine of us, being kept in reserve, and pitched bodily into the melee when the combat was most lively. The next part in the programme was a fox-hunt ! This was the signal for us to off coats and swords. One of the youngsters, appropriately named Fox, had a curved crumb-brush tied on to him. Chairs and other obstacles were placed round the tables, and off we went in full chase, one of the party standing on the table and slashing into us, without "partiality, favour, or affection," while the rest of the "crew" looked on admiringly over stiff tumblers of grog. The proceedings were usually brought to a conclusion by prayer ! Divested of our coats and shoes, we were made to kneel on the lockers round the stern-ports, which were closed at that time, and at a given signal - a blow on the back with a hammer - we all commenced praying in a loud voice, our prayers being brought to an abrupt conclusion by a blow on the feet from the hammer. These prayers were all directed to the same end - viz., that our persecutors might pass their examinations with credit, and rise to the highest ranks in the service ! But as our petitions were not expressed in the same 4 THE NAVY AS IT WAS form, the babel of tongues can be more easily imagined than described: nor were they very successful, as having on one occasion prayed for the best part of the evening for two of this precious gang, who were going up for their examinations on the following day, and were both, unfortunately for us, rejected, the result was we were flogged all round. It is quite likely that the fact of our having some foul medicines (prescribed for one of the senior members) forced into our mouths was not conducive to devotion ! These playful "amusements" were of daily and nightly occurrence, and glad were we when the familiar signal, a fork stuck into a beam overhead, gave notice that it was time for us youngsters to retire : the rest of the evening was devoted to orgies by the old hands. In fact, the intemperate character of these creatures was to us the greatest blessing, since it was only when they were helplessly drunk that we could hope for any peace. I remember a night when one of them, who went by the name of Jack, came tumbling down the hatchway in a beastly state of intoxication, closely followed by another of the gang. The pair were then lashed up in their hammocks by the middle, and triced up to the beams, the head and foot clews being let go, and there they hung like the Golden Fleece till cut down. Soon after this Jack had an epileptic fit, and was nearly drowned in his bath, and had to be invalided out of the service. Two others were dismissed for drunkenness, and only one remained. This fellow had the credit of being the ugliest man in the service, and the claim was not likely to be disputed. He was seen one day 5 THE BITER BIT admiring himself in the glass, exclaiming, "Well, you are an ugly brute! " and so he was, and a coward as well as a bully. However, his turn was now come; he couldn't tackle us single-handed, and we felt ourselves strong enough to turn the tables on him, so we held a council of war in the main-top, and we decided to "bell the cat" on the first opportunity. Having conveyed our intention to the individual, and been answered with ridicule and threats, we armed ourselves with pieces of rope to bind our victim, and other pieces, knotted at the end, to punish him when bound, and quietly bided our time. The opportunity soon arrived. There were only five of us conspirators out of the nine, the remaining four having declined to take part in the operations; so one day, when he had thrashed one of us for no cause, we sprang on the wretch as he was leaving the gunroom, knocked him down, and lashed him "spread-eagle" fashion to iron bolts in the deck, and gave him such a thrashing that he was on the sick-list for a fortnight. After every dozen rounds, administered with a rope's-end or a sword-scabbard, we asked him if he would leave us alone in future; but being answered with oaths and execrations, the punishment was continued till he had received thirteen dozen, when he fainted and was cast off. This quieted the scoundrel for a bit, but he had to have another dose. This time he armed himself with the office-ruler, with which he felled one of our party like an ox; but we were on to him like tiger-cats and gave him such a dressing that he was hors de combat for many a day. This matter came to the commander's ears, and we were reprimanded for taking the law into our own hands; 6 THE NAVY AS IT WAS but I fancy he winked at it, knowing how the case stood. Soon afterwards this worthy was dismissed from the service for drunkenness. Having thus disposed of the whole gang, I will dismiss them from my story ; but let it not be supposed that the above-mentioned crowd is a fair specimen of the gunroom officer of that day, for we had some fine fellows, who have since risen to the highest posts, and are still living, a credit and an ornament to the service. There were also others who, though not so fortunate in that respect, were at least harmless, and often amusing, messmates. One had been on a brig on the West Coast of Africa slave-hunting, and he used to relate how he had written to his old father, a parson in the Midlands, telling him of his terrible experience in the brig - how they had been "running for three days under close-reefed capstan, with the poop triced up," and how his father had offered up thanks for his merciful deliverance, and sent him a �5 note, with which he went on the spree! Being desirous of acquiring the rudiments of our profession, we youngsters spent a good deal of time with the boatswain, a fine old salt, who used to entertain us with long yarns of his experiences. One day, by way of consolation, he thus addressed one of the youngsters who had left home and was looking rather miserable: "Well, my boy, did your father cry when you left 'ome ?" "No," said the boy. "'Ard-'arted old scoundrel ! Did your mother cry?" "Yes." "Pore, soft-'earted old gal! Did your sisters cry?" "Yes." "Pore, tender-'earted little fools." [This story was illustrated in �Punch� not long ago.] A few days before we sailed the boatswain gave a tea- 7 WITH THE CHANNEL SQUADRON party in his cabin in the fore-cockpit; his wife and his wife's sister were of the party, and the cabin-boy was giving the last finishing touches, when the bo's'n, by way of showing off his eloquence, thus expressed himself: "Here, boy, we'll hexpense with your services, you disgustable young blackguard!" At last the time arrived for the Rodney to put to sea, so we were sent for a cruise in the chops of the Channel to look for a gale of wind, and we were not long in finding one. Anything more miserable I cannot imagine than an old line-of-battle ship rolling and pitching in the trough of the sea, the gunroom ports all barred in, and nothing but "salt horse" to eat, for in those days we were not allowed to take any live stock to sea. After this cruise the Rodney was attached to the Channel Squadron. Whilst cruising with this squadron we came very near being wrecked on Lisbon bar. We were being towed out by a steamer in a dead calm, but there was a terrific sea on the bar, the hawsers parted, and we were left rolling helplessly in the trough of the sea, and drifting towards a most dangerous reef. The tiller broke off short in the rudder, the rudder-head sprang, and it seemed all over with us, when a light breeze came up from seaward, all sail was made, and we managed to get. back into port. From Lisbon we returned to England, and soon afterwards sailed for the Mediterranean. Feb, 1853.- We left Spithead in a snowstorm, and being discovered snowballing on the poop, the commander ordered me and another youngster to remain there for the rest of the day and sweep the poop clean of snow. ^ back to top ^ |
