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- CHAPTER IV.
A SCENE IN THE FORECASTLE
I had scarcely been aboard of the ship twenty-four hours, when a
circumstance occurred, which, although noways picturesque, is so
significant of the state of affairs that I cannot forbear relating it.
In the first place, however, it must be known, that among the crew was
a man so excessively ugly, that he went by the ironical appellation of
“Beauty.” He was the ship’s carpenter; and for that reason was
sometimes known by his nautical cognomen of “Chips.” There was no
absolute deformity about the man; he was symmetrically ugly. But ill
favoured as he was in person, Beauty was none the less ugly in temper;
but no one could blame him; his countenance had soured his heart. Now
Jermin and Beauty were always at swords’ points. The truth was, the
latter was the only man in the ship whom the mate had never decidedly
got the better of; and hence the grudge he bore him. As for Beauty, he
prided himself upon talking up to the mate, as we shall soon see.
Toward evening there was something to be done on deck, and the
carpenter who belonged to the watch was missing. “Where’s that skulk,
Chips?” shouted Jermin down the forecastle scuttle.
“Taking his ease, d’ye see, down here on a chest, if you want to know,”
replied that worthy himself, quietly withdrawing his pipe from his
mouth. This insolence flung the fiery little mate into a mighty rage;
but Beauty said nothing, puffing away with all the tranquillity
imaginable. Here it must be remembered that, never mind what may be the
provocation, no prudent officer ever dreams of entering a ship’s
forecastle on a hostile visit. If he wants to see anybody who happens
to be there, and refuses to come up, why he must wait patiently until
the sailor is willing. The reason is this. The place is very dark: and
nothing is easier than to knock one descending on the head, before he
knows where he is, and a very long while before he ever finds out who
did it.
Nobody knew this better than Jermin, and so he contented himself with
looking down the scuttle and storming. At last Beauty made some cool
observation which set him half wild.
“Tumble on deck,” he then bellowed—“come, up with you, or I’ll jump
down and make you.” The carpenter begged him to go about it at once.
No sooner said than done: prudence forgotten, Jermin was there; and by
a sort of instinct, had his man by the throat before he could well see
him. One of the men now made a rush at him, but the rest dragged him
off, protesting that they should have fair play.
“Now come on deck,” shouted the mate, struggling like a good fellow to
hold the carpenter fast.
“Take me there,” was the dogged answer, and Beauty wriggled about in
the nervous grasp of the other like a couple of yards of
boa-constrictor.
His assailant now undertook to make him up into a compact bundle, the
more easily to transport him. While thus occupied, Beauty got his arms
loose, and threw him over backward. But Jermin quickly recovered
himself, when for a time they had it every way, dragging each other
about, bumping their heads against the projecting beams, and returning
each other’s blows the first favourable opportunity that offered.
Unfortunately, Jermin at last slipped and fell; his foe seating himself
on his chest, and keeping him down. Now this was one of those
situations in which the voice of counsel, or reproof, comes with
peculiar unction. Nor did Beauty let the opportunity slip. But the mate
said nothing in reply, only foaming at the mouth and struggling to
rise.
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