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- CHAPTER XXIX.
REDBURN DEFERENTIALLY DISCOURSES CONCERNING THE PROSPECTS OF SAILORS
The ship remained in Prince’s Dock over six weeks; but as I do not mean
to present a diary of my stay there, I shall here simply record the
general tenor of the life led by our crew during that interval; and
will then proceed to note down, at random, my own wanderings about
town, and impressions of things as they are recalled to me now, after
the lapse of so many years.
But first, I must mention that we saw little of the captain during our
stay in the dock. Sometimes, cane in hand, he sauntered down of a
pleasant morning from the _Arms Hotel_, I believe it was, where he
boarded; and after lounging about the ship, giving orders to his Prime
Minister and Grand Vizier, the chief mate, he would saunter back to his
drawing-rooms.
From the glimpse of a play-bill, which I detected peeping out of his
pocket, I inferred that he patronized the theaters; and from the flush
of his cheeks, that he patronized the fine old Port wine, for which
Liverpool is famous.
Occasionally, however, he spent his nights on board; and mad,
roystering nights they were, such as rare Ben Jonson would have
delighted in. For company over the cabin-table, he would have four or
five whiskered sea-captains, who kept the steward drawing corks and
filling glasses all the time. And once, the whole company were found
under the table at four o’clock in the morning, and were put to bed and
tucked in by the two mates. Upon this occasion, I agreed with our
woolly Doctor of Divinity, the black cook, that they should have been
ashamed of themselves; but there is no shame in some sea-captains, who
only blush after the third bottle.
During the many visits of Captain Riga to the ship, he always said
something courteous to a gentlemanly, friendless custom-house officer,
who staid on board of us nearly all the time we lay in the dock.
And weary days they must have been to this friendless custom-house
officer; trying to kill time in the cabin with a newspaper; and rapping
on the transom with his knuckles. He was kept on board to prevent
smuggling; but he used to smuggle himself ashore very often, when,
according to law, he should have been at his post on board ship. But no
wonder; he seemed to be a man of fine feelings, altogether above his
situation; a most inglorious one, indeed; worse than driving geese to
water.
And now, to proceed with the crew.
At daylight, all hands were called, and the decks were washed down;
then we had an hour to go ashore to breakfast; after which we worked at
the rigging, or picked oakum, or were set to some employment or other,
never mind how trivial, till twelve o’clock, when we went to dinner. At
half-past nine we resumed work; and finally _knocked off_ at four
o’clock in the afternoon, unless something particular was in hand. And
after four o’clock, we could go where we pleased, and were not required
to be on board again till next morning at daylight.
As we had nothing to do with the cargo, of course, our duties were
light enough; and the chief mate was often put to it to devise some
employment for us.
We had no watches to stand, a ship-keeper, hired from shore, relieving
us from that; and all the while the men’s wages ran on, as at sea.
Sundays we had to ourselves.
Thus, it will be seen, that the life led by sailors of American ships
in Liverpool, is an exceedingly easy one, and abounding in leisure.
They live ashore on the fat of the land; and after a little wholesome
exercise in the morning, have the rest of the day to themselves.
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