and less sensitiveness of soul, would have acted differently; and yet would have acted right: for it is always better to meet a difficulty boldly, than to flee in a cowardly manner from the responsibilities attending it.
Little Sarah Sullivan happened to be in the shop at the time I broke the window. I heard her exclaim, “God help us!”
I did not stay to hear any more: for in six seconds after, I had turned the nearest corner; and was once more homeless in the streets of New Orleans.
Volume One – Chapter Six.
Once More upon the Ocean!
I did not dislike a sea life; and would not have been dissatisfied with any situation on a ship, providing it had not been procured for me by Mr Leary.
On running away from Mr Sullivan’s shop, my inclination was to leave New Orleans in some ship; but, unfortunately, I knew not the proper manner of going to work to accomplish my desires.
I walked along the levee, till I reached a ship, that was just being hauled from the wharf – evidently for the purpose of standing down the river and out to sea.
I stepped aboard intending to apply for work; and after looking around for a while, I observed a man who, to all appearance, was the captain.
When asked to give me some situation in the ship, he appeared too busy to pay any attention to my request.
I was on a vessel proceeding to sea; and, knowing my ability to make myself useful, I determined not to go ashore without a hearing.
I walked forward; and amidst the confusion of getting the ship under way – where there was so much to be done – I found work enough to do; and took much care, while doing it, to keep out of the way of others – which, to a boy aboard of a ship, is a task of some difficulty.
No one seemed to take any notice of me that afternoon or evening; and about nine o’clock at night I laid down under the long boat, fell asleep, and slept till morning.
I turned out at the earliest hour, and lent a hand at washing the decks; but still no one seemed to know, that I was not one of the ship’s company!
At eight o’clock the crew were mustered, and divided into watches. My name was not called: and the captain observing the circumstance, requested me to walk aft.
“Who are you?” asked he, as I drew near.
Something whispered me not to undervalue myself, but to speak up with confidence; and in answer to his demand, I told him that I was a Rolling Stone.
“A Rolling Stone, are you?” said the captain. “Well, what have you rolled here for?”
“Because I wanted to go somewhere,” I answered.
He then asked me if I had ever been at sea; and, on learning the name of the ship I had deserted, he said that she had sailed the week before, or he would have sent me back to her.
He concluded his examination, by giving the steward orders to look after me – telling him that I could assist in the slop work to be done in the cabin.
To this arrangement I decidedly objected, declaring that I was a sailor, and would not be made a cuddy servant!
I have every reason to believe, that this declaration on my part elevated me several degrees in the captain’s good opinion.
He replied by expressing a hope, that I would not aspire to the command of the ship; and if not, he would see what could be done for me.
The vessel was bound for Liverpool with cotton; and was owned by the captain himself, whose name was Hyland.
I was never better treated in my life, than on board that ship.
I was not assigned to any particular occupation, or watch; but no advantage was taken of this circumstance, on the captain’s part, to make me do too much, or by me to do too little.
I was generally on deck all the day; and whenever I saw anything useful that I could do, it was done.
In this way, both watches had the aid of my valuable services – which, however, were not always sufficiently appreciated to prevent a few sharp words being applied to me. But a boy aboard of a ship soon learns to take no notice of such trifles.
I was ordered to mess with the sailmaker, who – as I afterwards learnt – was directed by the captain to look well after me.
On our arrival in Liverpool, the ship was docked, and the crew went ashore, with the exception of two men – both strangers to me – who with myself were left on board.
One of the men had something to do with the Custom House; and tried hard to induce me to go ashore, along with the rest of the crew. But the ship being my only home, I was not willing to leave her; and I resisted all the inducements held out by the Custom House officer to that effect. The captain had gone away from the ship, after seeing her safe into port; but I would not leave the vessel lest I should never meet him again: for something told me he was my truest friend.
The next day he came on board again; and seemed rather surprised at finding me there.
“Ah! little Rolling Stone,” said he, “I’ve been inquiring for you; and am pleased to see you have not gone ashore. What do you intend to do with yourself?”
“Stay here,” I answered, “until the ship sails again.”
“No, you can’t stop here,” said the captain. “You must come ashore, and live somewhere – until the ship is made ready for sea.”
He continued to talk with me for half-an-hour; and obtained from me a full account of the circumstances under which I had left my home.
“If I thought that you would stay with me, and do something for yourself,” said Captain Hyland, after hearing my story, “I would endeavour to make a man of you.”
My reply to this was, that I preferred a life on the sea to any other, and that I left Captain Brannon, for the simple reason that I did not like either him, or the man who had placed me under his control.
“Very well,” said the captain, “I’ll keep you awhile on trial; and if you prove ungrateful for what I shall do for you, you will injure yourself, more than you can me.”
After this conversation, he took me ashore, bought me a suit of clothes; and then told me to accompany him to his own home.
I found that Captain Hyland had a wife and one child – a girl about ten years of age.
I thought there could be nothing in the universe more beautiful than that girl. Perhaps there was not. Why should not my opinion on such subjects be as correct as that of others? But no man living could have looked upon Lenore Hyland, without being convinced that she was very beautiful.
Six weeks passed before the ship was again ready for sea; and during that time I resided at the captain’s house, and was the constant companion of his little daughter, Lenore.
In the interval, my kind protector asked me – whether I would not like to go to Dublin for a few days, and see my mother.
I told him that the “Hope” would then be in Dublin; and that I would certainly be handed over to Captain Brannon.
He
