The Globe-republican., 1892-12-23
CHAPTER III.

The frequent changing Of the ships
course, together with the incessant In
terference Of these men, one with an
other, considerably delayed our passage,
and there were times when would think
that We should never double the Cape of
Good Hope at all, but that, ON the con-
trary, the three captains would quarrel
themselves out of all perception of the
ships true reckoning and end either in
putting the vessel ash re or In sending
boat to land on the first bit Of coast
they might sight to learn from the ma
tives Of the place where we were. Often,
as could observe, they differed merely
to spite one another. For instance,
Capt. Parfitt. ON quitting the deck,
would leave the ship under all plain sail,
royals set and tacks boarded, but Will
son, who kept watch and watch with the
ships carpenter acting in this respect
as chief mate, though the moment he
arrived on deck he asserted him
self as captain), took command
and carried out his own ideas Of
steering and of carrying sail and the
like, without the least regard to the
views and instructions of Punch and
Parfitt. Wilson, say, on relieving the
deck after Parfitt had gone below, would
look up at the sails. and then round up
on the sea. as though studying the
weather, then coolly sing out orders to
clew up this and haul down that, taking
not the least notice of Parfitt, who, on
hearing the men crying out at the ropes,
would rush on deck and ask Wilson what
he meant by shortening sail in the face
of a high barometer, while through the
skylight you might hear the voice of
Capt. Punch roaring out to know what
sail the ship was carrying and what
that fellow. Wilson, meant by altering
the course by three-quarters Of point.
Even about such a matter as side
lights the quarrels were frequent, for
Parfitt insisted upon exhibiting lights.
saying that h. was q married man,
with family Of children dependent upon
him, and that he was not going to be
run down and drowned out Of hand be-
cause Punch was rapacious old hunks
and did not do his duty as shipmaster;
while Punch, on the other hand, swore
that there should be no side-lights ex-
hibited ON board his ship; that he had
managed to pass thirty-eight years at
sea without ever having been in col
lision and without ever having more to
show in a moment of extremity than the
binnacle lamp; that oil was dear; that
he was captain: and that the boatswain
lights were shown.
1t will be supposed that no ship was
ever more miserably uncomfortable to
passenger than the Biddy McDougal
was to me. Fortunately, the sailors
were a body of respectable men. They
took their orders as they received them,
| ind Hs
were contradictory. and sometimes
umbling pretty loudly when they
We're put to unnecessary work through
one captain countermanding the IN
structious which another had given be-
fore leaving the deck. Indeed. hal the
crew been mutinously disposed they
might have foun1 plenty OF excuses for
conduct that need not have stopped
short of actual piracy" which, to be
plain, is another word for running away
with q ves-eL
We were to call at Capetown, and I
had made up my mind, if heaven ever
permitted US to cast anchor in Table Bay,
to go ashore and represent the state Of
the ship to those who might be empowered
to deal with the three captains, though
l would sometimes think that it was
doubtful whether there was any remedy
within the reach of the authorities to
apply, for it was certain that Punch was
still in command of the ship, and next.
that, being in command, he had right
to ;ntrust the charge Of the vessel to
the chief mate while he was confined
below by illness. SO that despite the
Rangoon authorities, Parfitt had no
official representation on board, had no
claim upon the obedience Of Mr.. Wilson.
and could achieve no end by logging
him or by threatening. Indeed, Parfltt
! seemed to have guessed - much. for.