Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.
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The American Brig Nonsuch. "A story of Yankee notions." |
Quebec Mercury, Tuesday, September, 17, 1833. | ||
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"A few years since the brig Nonsuch, sailed from Boston for
Demerara, with a cargo consisting of lumber and Yankee notions. When
crossing the pleasant latitudes of the trade winds, the Captain went on
deck one morning about 2 o'clock, and found the brig under the influence
of a light breeze, comfortably ploughing her way towards the south, and
every person on deck fast asleep! The mate was taking a comfortable
snooze on the weather hen-coop, the 'man at the helm', desirous of
following such a laudable example, had nippered the tiller rope with a
rope yarn, and stretched himself on the quarter deck, and the remainder
of the watch was snoring away like good fellows under the lee of the long
boat!"
"The Captain, who was something of a wag, said not a work, but went quietly to work and disemcumbered the tiller of the rope, unshipped it, and laid it in the waist. He then took his large speaking trumpet from the companion-way, went out to the end of the flying jib-boom, and hailed the brig with the whole strength of his lungs." "'Brig ahoy-oy-oy! Hard up your helm, or I shall run you down!'" "His stentorian voice awakened the watch, who half freightened out of their senses, and supposing that it came from on board another vessel about coming in contact with them, repeated the order, 'Hard up your helm!'" "The mate jumped off the hen-coop, and screamed 'Hard up your helm!'" "By this time the helmsman had recovered his legs, and loudly responded to the general cry of 'Hard up your helm!' By what was his astonishment when he found 'the helm' had disappeared!" "The Captain again bawled out from the end of the jib-boom. 'Why don't you put your helm hard up? Hard up at once, or I shall cut you down to the water's edge!'" "The men in the waist reiterated the orders 'Hard up!' and aft, the mate turned to assist the helmsman, but was thunderstruck when he found that the tiller was missing!" "By this time the watch below came running on deck to see what was the matter, and a scene of clamour and confusion ensured, which may be more easily imagined than described. It was, however, soon terminated by the Captain, who came in from the jib-boom and soundly rated the watch for their negligence of duty. He never had occasion to complain of want of vigilance afterwards. |
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| G.R. Bossé©1998-07. | Posted: March 30th, 1999. |
Updated: 19 February, 2007. |
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