- end_line
- 3493
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3429
- text
- CHAPTER XXVI.
WE ENTER THE HARBOUR—JIM THE PILOT
Exhausted by the day’s wassail, most of the men went below at an early
hour, leaving the deck to the steward and two of the men remaining on
duty; the mate, with Baltimore and the Dane, engaging to relieve them
at midnight. At that hour, the ship—now standing off shore, under short
sail—was to be tacked.
It was not long after midnight, when we were wakened in the forecastle
by the lion roar of Jermin’s voice, ordering a pull at the
jib-halyards; and soon afterwards, a handspike struck the scuttle, and
all hands were called to take the ship into port.
This was wholly unexpected; but we learned directly that the mate, no
longer relying upon the consul, and renouncing all thought of inducing
the men to change their minds, had suddenly made up his own. He was
going to beat up to the entrance of the harbour, so as to show a signal
for a pilot before sunrise.
Notwithstanding this, the sailors absolutely refused to assist in
working the ship under any circumstances whatever: to all mine and the
doctor’s entreaties lending a deaf ear. Sink or strike, they swore they
would have nothing more to do with her. This perverseness was to be
attributed, in a great measure, to the effects of their late debauch.
With a strong breeze, all sail set, and the ship in the hands of four
or five men, exhausted by two nights’ watching, our situation was bad
enough; especially as the mate seemed more reckless than ever, and we
were now to tack ship several times close under the land.
Well knowing that if anything untoward happened to the vessel before
morning, it would be imputed to the conduct of the crew, and so lead to
serious results, should they ever be brought to trial; I called
together those on deck to witness my declaration;—that now that the
Julia was destined for the harbour (the only object for which I, at
least, had been struggling), I was willing to do what I could toward
carrying her in safely. In this step I was followed by the doctor.
The hours passed anxiously until morning; when, being well to windward
of the mouth of the harbour, we bore up for it, with the union-jack at
the fore. No sign, however, of boat or pilot was seen; and after
running close in several times, the ensign was set at the mizzen-peak,
union down in distress. But it was of no avail.
Attributing to Wilson this unaccountable remissness on the part of
those ashore, Jermin, quite enraged, now determined to stand boldly in
upon his own responsibility; trusting solely to what he remembered of
the harbour on a visit there many years previous.
This resolution was characteristic. Even with a competent pilot,
Papeetee Bay, is considered a ticklish, one to enter. Formed by a bold
sweep of the shore, it is protected seaward by the coral reef, upon
which the rollers break with great violence. After stretching across
the bay, the barrier extends on toward Point Venus, in the district of
Matavia, eight or nine miles distant. Here there is an opening, by
which ships enter, and glide down the smooth, deep canal, between the
reef and the shore, to the harbour. But, by seamen generally, the
leeward entrance is preferred, as the wind is extremely variable inside
the reef. This latter entrance is a break in the barrier directly
facing the bay and village of Papeetee. It is very narrow; and from the
baffling winds, currents, and sunken rocks, ships now and then grate
their keels against the coral.
- title
- Chunk 1