Shows what some men will do and dare for money, and what sometimes comes of it.
We must now beg the reader’s permission to allow a few more years to elapse. Eight have come and gone since the dark day when poor Mrs Boyns received that message from the sea, which cast a permanent cloud over her life. Annie Webster has become a beautiful woman, and Harry1 Boyns a bronzed stalwart man.
But things have changed with time. These two seldom meet now, in consequence of the frequent absence of the latter on long voyages, and when they do meet, there is not the free, frank intercourse2 that there used to be. In fact, Mr Webster had long ago begun to suspect that his daughter’s regard for the handsome young sailor was of a nature that bade fair to interfere3 with his purposed mercantile transactions in reference to her, so he wisely sent him off on voyages of considerable length, hoping that he might chance to meet with the same fate as his father, and wound up by placing him in command of one of his largest and most unseaworthy East Indiamen, in the full expectation that both captain and vessel5 would go to the bottom together, and thus enable him, at one stroke, to make a good round sum out of the insurance offices, and get rid of a troublesome servant!
Gloating over these and kindred subjects, Mr Webster sat one morning in his office mending a pen, and smiling in a sardonic6 fashion to the portrait of his deceased wife’s father, when a tap came to the door, and Harry Boyns entered.
“I have come, sir,” he said, “to tell you that the repairs done to the Swordfish are not by any means sufficient. There are at least—”
“Please do not waste time, Captain Boyns, by entering upon details,” said Mr Webster, interrupting him with a bland7 smile: “I am really quite ignorant of the technicalities of shipbuilding. If you will state the matter to Mr Cooper, whom I employ expressly for—”
“But, sir,” interrupted Harry, with some warmth, “I have spoken to Mr Cooper, and he says the repairs are quite sufficient.”
“Well, then, I suppose they are so.”
“I assure you, sir,” rejoined Harry, “they are not; and as the lives of passengers as well as men depend upon the vessel being in a seaworthy condition, I do trust that you will have her examined by some one more competent to judge than Mr Cooper.”
“I have no doubt of Mr Cooper’s competence,” returned Mr Webster; “but I will order a further examination, as you seem so anxious about it. Meanwhile I hope that the ship is being got ready for sea as quickly as possible.”
“There shall be no delay on my part, sir,” said Harry, rising; “the ship has been removed from the Birkenhead Docks, in which you are aware she has lain for the last eight months, and is now lying in the Brunswick Dock, taking in cargo8. But I think it a very serious matter, which demands looking into, the fact that she had no sooner grounded in the dock, than she sprang a leak which instantly let twenty-eight inches of water into her, and twice, subsequently, as much as forty inches have been sounded. Yet no repairs worthy4 of the name have been made. All that has been done is the pumping of her out daily by the stevedore’s men when their stowing work is finished.”
“Has the agent for the underwriters visited her?” inquired Mr Webster.
“He has, sir, but he seems to be of opinion that his responsibility is at an end because a surveyor from the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board had previously9 visited her, and directed that she should not be loaded deeper than twenty-one feet—chalking on the side amidships the six feet six inches clear beneath which she is not to be allowed to sink.”
“Well, well,” said Mr Webster, somewhat impatiently, “I will have the matter looked into. Good morning, Captain Boyns.”
The captain bowed and left the office, and Mr Webster leant back in his chair, clasped his hands, twirled his thumbs, and smiled grimly at the old gentleman over the fireplace.
True to his word, however, he had an inspection10 made of the Swordfish. The inspector11 was of a kindred spirit with Mr Webster, so that his report was naturally similar to that of Mr Cooper. Nothing, therefore, was done to the vessel—“nothing being needed”—and the loading went on in spite of the remonstrances12 of Captain Harry Boyns, who, with all the energy and persistency13 of his character, continued to annoy, worry, and torment14 every one who possessed15 the faintest right or power to interfere in the matter—but all to no purpose; for there are times when neither facts nor fancies, fair words nor foul16, fire, fury, folly17, nor philosophy, will avail to move some “powers that be!”
In a towering fit of indignation Harry Boyns resolved to throw up his situation; but it occurred to him that this would perhaps be deemed cowardice18, so he thought better of it. Then he madly thought of going direct to the President of the Board of Trade and making a solemn protest, backed by a heart-stirring appeal; but gave up that idea on recalling to memory a certain occasion on which a deputation of grave, learned, white-haired gentlemen had gone to London expressly to visit that august functionary19 of the State, and beseech20 him, with all the earnestness that the occasion demanded, that he would introduce into Parliament a bill for the better regulation and supervision21 of ships, and for preventing the possibility of seamen22 and passengers being seduced23 on board unseaworthy vessels24, carried off to sea, and there murderously drowned in cold blood, as well as in cold water; which deputation received for answer, that “it was not the intention of Government, as at present advised, to introduce a measure for providing more stringent25 enactments26 as to the equipments, cargoes27, and crews of passenger vessels!”—a reply which was tantamount to saying that if the existing arrangements were inadequate28 to the ends desired, Government saw no way out of the difficulty, and people must just be left unprotected, and go to sea to be drowned or spared according as chance or the cupidity29 of shipowners might direct!
This was pretty resolute30 on the part of Government, considering that above a thousand lives were then, and above two thousand still are, lost annually31 on the shores of the United Kingdom; a very large number of which—if we may believe the argument of facts and the pretty unanimous voice of the press—are sacrificed because Government refuses to interfere effectively with the murderous tendencies of a certain class of the community!
When Harry Boyns thought of all this he sighed deeply, and made up his mind to remain by the Swordfish, and sink or swim with her. Had he been more of a man of business, perhaps he might have been more successful in finding out how to have prevented the evil he foresaw; but it was the interest of the owner to keep him in the dark as much as possible, for which end Mr Webster kept him out of the ship’s way as much as he could, and when that was impossible, he kept him so busily employed that he remained ignorant of a great deal that was said and done in regard to his vessel.
At length the Swordfish left the Brunswick Dock, six inches deeper than the surveyor had directed, and was towed to the Wellington Dock, where she took in 120 tons of coke, and sank still deeper. Harry also discovered that the equipment of the ship was miserably32 insufficient33 for the long voyage she was intended to make. This was too much for him to bear. He went at once to Mr Webster’s office and said that if a deaf ear was to be turned any longer to his remonstrances he would throw up his appointment.
Poor Harry could scarcely have taken a more effective step to insure the turning of the deaf ear to him.
“Oh!” replied Mr Webster, coolly, “if you refuse to take charge of my vessel, Captain Boyns, I will soon find another to do it.”
“I certainly do refuse,” said Harry, preparing to leave the office, “and I think you will find some difficulty in getting any other man to go to sea in such a ship.”
“I differ from you, Captain Boyns. Good afternoon.”
“And if you do, and lives should be lost in consequence,” added Harry, grasping the handle of the door, “I warn you solemnly, that murder will have been committed by you, whatever the law may say on the subject.”
“Good afternoon, Captain Boyns.”
“You’ve got a hard master,” said Harry to Grinder as he passed through the outer office.
The confidential34 clerk shook his head in a deprecatory way, and smiled.
Next moment Harry Boyns found himself in the street—with nothing to do, and the wide world before him!
Meanwhile, the loading of the Swordfish went on—also the pumping of her. That same day she was visited by a surveyor from the Underwriters’ Association, who found her only five feet clear above water, and still taking in cargo. That gentleman called in another surveyor to a consultation35, who agreed with him in pronouncing her overladen. She was represented as such to the local Underwriters’ Association for which the surveyor acted, but as the Swordfish was insured in London and not with them, the Liverpool underwriters did not consider themselves called upon to interfere. Their surveyor, however, visited the vessel again, a few days later, when he found her “only four feet clear,” and declared that, so far from going to Bombay, he should not like to attempt to cross to Dublin in her in anything like rough weather.
Now it must be observed that all these consultations36 and investigations37 took place in a quiet way. To the public eye all was “fair and above board.” Few among the thousands who visited the docks knew much about deep loading; still less about adequate equipping. They saw nought38 but a “noble ship,” well painted, washed, gilded39, and varnished40, taking merchandise into her insatiable hold, while the “Yo-heave-ho” of the seamen rang out cheerily to the rattling41 accompaniment of chains and windlass. Many other ships were there, similarly treated, equally beautiful, and quite as worthy of the titles “good” and “noble” as the whited sepulchre is to be styled pure.
A few days before the Swordfish was ready for sea, a new captain was sent down to her. This captain was not a “bad man” in the worst sense of that term—neither was he a “good” one. Vigour42, courage, resolution when acting43 in accordance with his inclinations—these were among his characteristics. But he was a reckless man, in want of money, out of employment, and without an appreciable45 conscience. In the circumstances, he was glad to get anything to do, and had been so long ashore46 and “in trouble,” that he would probably have agreed to take command of and go to sea in a washing-tub if part paid beforehand for doing so.
Nevertheless, even this man (Captain Phelps by name) felt some degree of nervous anxiety on getting on board and examining the state of the ship. On further acquaintance with her, he was so dissatisfied that he also resolved to throw up his appointment. But he had obtained the berth47 through the influence of a friend who happened to be acquainted with Mr Webster. This “friend” wrote him a stern letter, saying, if he ventured to do as he proposed, he should never have a ship out of Liverpool again, as long as he (the friend?) could prevent it!
Captain Phelps was one of those angry men of iron mould, who appear to take pleasure in daring Fate to do her worst. On receipt of the letter, he swore with an awful oath that he would now go to sea in the Swordfish, even if he knew she would go to the bottom in twenty-four hours after weighing anchor. Accordingly, having intrenched himself behind a wall of moral adamant48, he went about with quiet indifference49, and let things take their course. He made no objection whatever when, in addition to the loading already in the ship, the agents added a deck cargo of some massive pieces of machinery50, weighing thirty tons, and a supply of coals, the proper receptacle for which below had been filled with iron goods. Neither did he utter a word when—after the vessel had been taken out into the stream by the riggers—he and the owner, agents, pilot, and crew (only six of which last were A.B.’s), were taken off to her in a tug51 and put on board with orders to sail immediately.
Only a few passengers were going. These were already on board, but some of their friends went off in the tug to bid them a last farewell.
This was a sad scene, but the captain regarded it with stoical indifference. There was a stout52, hale old Indian officer going out on a pleasure trip to his beloved East, and a daughter of the same whom he hoped to get married “offhand, comfortably there.” There was a sick nephew of the old officer, going the voyage for the benefit of his health, on whose wan44 countenance53 consumption, if not death, had evidently set a deep mark. There were, also, a nurse and a lady’s-maid, and two girls of ten or thirteen years of age—sisters—who were going to join their father and mother, besides one or two others. Earnest loving words passed kindly54 between these and their relatives and friends as the moment of parting drew near.
“Don’t forget to remember me to Coleman and the rest of ‘ours,’” cried a stout elderly man, waving his hand as the tug moved off.
“That I won’t, and I shall expect to shake you by the hand again, old fellow, in a year or two.”
“You’ll never see him again,” thought Captain Phelps, as he stood with compressed lip and frowning eye on the quarter-deck.
“Good-bye, darling Nelly,” cried a lady to one of the sobbing55 girls from whom she was parting; “remember the message to mamma.”
“Oh! yes,” exclaimed the child, trying to look bright, “and we won’t be very long of coming back again.”
“You’ll never come back again,” thought the captain, and he sighed very slightly as the thought passed through his brain.
“Look alive there, lads,” exclaimed the pilot, as the tug sheared56 away.
Soon the anchor was at the bows, the sails were shaken out, and the Swordfish began her voyage.
“There’s not a piece of spare rope aboard, sir,” said the first mate, coming up to the captain with a blank look; “we can’t even get enough to cat and fish the anchor.”
“You can unreeve the tops’l halyards,” replied the captain, quietly.
This was done, and the anchor was secured therewith.
“How much water in the hold?” asked the captain.
“Three feet, sir; the carpenter has just sounded. It seems that the riggers were at work on the pumps when we came out in the tug, but were stopped by the agents before we got alongside. I fear she is very leaky, sir,” said the mate.
“I know she is,” replied the captain; “keep the men at the pumps.”
That night the weather became what sailors call “dirty,” and next morning it was found that the water had mounted to 4 feet 10 inches. The pumps had become almost unworkable, being choked with sand, and it became evident that the voyage thus inauspiciously begun would very soon be ended. During the day the “dirty” weather became gale57, so that, although the wind was fair, Captain Phelps determined58 to run to the nearest port for shelter. With a “good ship” this might have been done easily enough—many a vessel does it during every gale that visits our stormy shores—but the Swordfish was by this time getting water-logged and unmanageable. She drifted helplessly before the gale, and the heavy seas broke over her continually, sweeping59 away everything moveable. Another night passed, and next morning—Sunday—it became plain that she was settling down so the captain gave orders to get out the long-boat, and told the passengers to get ready. Day had broken some time before this, but the weather was still so thick that nothing could be seen.
“Take a cast of the lead,” said the captain.
“Ay, ay, sir,” was the prompt reply, but before the order could be obeyed, the roar of breakers was heard above the howling of the storm, and the shout, “Land on the port bow!” was instantly followed by “Down with the helm!” and other orders hurriedly given by the captain and hastily obeyed by the men. All too late! The ship was embayed. As if to make their position more painful, the mists cleared partially60 away, and revealed the green fields and cottages on shore, with the angry sea—an impassable caldron of boiling foam—between.
Another instant and the ship struck with a convulsive quiver from stem to stern. The billows flew madly over her, the main-mast went by the board—carrying two of the men to their doom61 along with it—and the Swordfish, “bound for Bombay,” was cast, a total wreck62, upon the coast of Cornwall.
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1
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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persistency
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| n. 坚持(余辉, 时间常数) | |
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torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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seduced
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| 诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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stringent
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| adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的 | |
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enactments
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| n.演出( enactment的名词复数 )；展现；规定；通过 | |
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cargoes
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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consultations
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| n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找 | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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varnished
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| 浸渍过的，涂漆的 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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adamant
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| adj.坚硬的，固执的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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sheared
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| v.剪羊毛( shear的过去式和过去分词 )；切断；剪切 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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