"Scantlebury."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14056, 13 November 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

"Scantlebury."

(By Morley Roberts.)

Tlie man at the wheel'of the Pride of the Seas had very little to do, as it was almost- a. dead calm on the northern edge of the North Atlantic Doldrums. Therefore as Mr Billings, the mate, was on the main deck, he let go the wheel and went a step or two for'ard to .listen to the row in the cabin. The cook put his head out. of the galley, and Cully of tlio starboard watch, just then below, put his out of the foVslo. Almost every word uttered by Captain Josiah J)orcy and Mrs ])orey was audible foro and aft. The cause of the row was the fact that the barquentino Zenobia that lay half a mile away on the starboard side was signalling " come to dinner." " You are a drunken scallawarc, •Josiah," said Mr s Dorev, in a. shrill voice easily audible on the I'ero royal yard.

'"And I ain't as much as teched a clrop since we left Rio," roared Captain Dorey. "It's not what you touch but what you want to touch that annoys me," returned Mrs Dorey. "You slnWtgo outboard the Zenobia, so there." "You stop me then," said Dorey. "And while you are about it stop) Billings and M'Crosky. Stop the Jot of us. Iv'e had enough of it, Maria. I swore to you I'd not touch a drop on board the Pride and Billings and M'Crosky swore likewise, and to our words we'll stick. But if we like to go aboard the * Zenobia we'll drink what we like." And with that he went on deck and told Billings to " put the gig over the side." But Mrs Dorey was close behind. " You are not to go, Mr Billings," she said. " "You are to go, Billings," cried Dorey. "Very well, sir. Very well, ma am." "Put a clean, shirt on and come with me aboard the Zenobia," said the skipper when M'Crosky put his head, outside in answer to his knock. Ax- W l e l ' r ,? goi "S t( > grub with Captain Wada." "You are not to go, Mr M'Crosky," said Mrs Dorey. "You are to go, M'Croskv," said the skipper. ■\ Y ff'„ sir ; Ver y well, ma'am," said M'Crosky, but he hastily put on a clean white shirt. As they pulled for the Zenobia Mrs Dorey stood looking over the rail. " Good-bye, Josiah," she shouted. "Adieu, my love," said the skipper. ' . "You'll be sorry for this, Mr Billings." ''No my love," said the skipper. But he was. Maria Dorev might have a sharp tongue, but she was pretty without any doubt. There are- men who would have thought twice before they left her to her own officer* °" b ° ard * Sh ' P witmmt a " "Rummy go, ain't it?" said the crowd for'ard. Scantlebury, hv far the biggest man on board, voiced tlieir sentiments thunderously "Bh'my, but the old gal" is skip- ",'; T': , f or<l look at m« sicleharT" a-S KOO<I a "officer as Af] VJ 'r\" Ule " lc " ,lad t,lcir diaiiers, Airs Dorey went for ■ Bristow. He went aft at. once. ■-.•:.,. < i, : -i WJ A ai !ire » ho ,nen £ oi,, S to <lo tins afternoon," asked Mrs Dorey y. ■ IJie mate allowed I was to start, em tarring down, ma'am " "n.Cw- at aI V , TIIR-ship. « downt. ''"'f 3 , alt - We '" wash }»><• mit ,}J 0 r OUg,,IT - , T »<-"- the fo'c'slo watch£?*', "I? 1 Sefc tllp larboard •oS %"Z Tk thore - Sen <l the port St,?, «° ™e and I'll turn V '.'All 'iuids spring deanin'," said Bristow,. going for'ard again. "The old gals m command, and it's wash up. wash, out, and wash down." Before four bells the Pride smeliod uas as «hoWn,c as a new hospital, things! y Came tor ard aiKl Wceted «.-."i°?? n l eTCr y t "">B, swab it drv. ash the bottoms of your chests, and your bedding i„ the for'ard ri--<"g, siie commanded. In the meantime Bolter, the cook, bad bee,, boiling water in everything available There had never born" fCre mU m ,,nK + , Wat , 0r ° n board bpfore. When the boy in the star board watch struck four bells Airs Dorey's yoice was heard aft . Bristow, if y OT , are c , • f . d PP wu a " ] A a i lds f « r washing clothes" When Bristow tootled " all ands d?' W \ sh, l , , S '"« sho "- alkcd «P and down by the fore hatch on which they were doing it. " "Now, do you call that clean, Scantlebury r-» she demanded when he started to wring out a shirt : f » lt,s ., fi, £ - cleaner than I have 'ad "t^u 1 .S can tlebury, indignantly. R«b it' again. I'll ] lave e £ flung clean, or know the reason why " As soon as the clothes were all 'Th, 0,,t -.\l™ Dorey Cfl,,ed Brist<w nfl V i V ° r ,° ~ ,ot « oi "g to huve a H.-it calm much longer," she said i,;-; o ',. ni£ i am? " inquired Bristow. .. \v .1!" ai , n,3r not '" said Mrs D orev. Well shorten sail, Bristow. Snug her down to her top sails and ~e t the man, sail down off her at once" ho Bristow piped hands to shorten sail. About half the men said it wasn fc necessary, and half s.iid it was. However, Mrs Dorey looked determined, and they stowed the 1 " a f lsa , l1 ' tho t'gallin's'ls and royals. 11 Captain Dorey isn't on board when the breeze comes, Bristow I shall not \tyiin for him," said Mrs Dorey, when it was eight bells. "No, ma'am, not wait?" " What are you looking so scared about?"

Why, ma'am, ain'fc it mutiny?" "I don't care," said tlio Captain's wife. " Besides, how can a woman mutiny?" "Well, ma'am," after a pause, " I've heard tell ol' female women convicts goin' out to Australia mutimng. They chased the skipper up aloft." "But I'm not a convict," .-nid Mrs Dorey. " No, to l)e sum you ain't. 1 suppose that does make a difl'erouco. Owsocver, if we scoot off without 'em, ma'am, ain't we li'ble to yet into difficulties?" "If 1 didn't know as much munition as Captain Dorey I'd he ashamed, and it's the lesson to him I'm thinkin' of, Bristow." "All the same if you piles I ho old Pride up no one won't get the insurance money, ma'am." "Very well," said Mrs Dorey, "but iL's not my ship, Bristow." "I'm afeared the Captain and the two mates will have their certificates took away!" lie urged. "And serve them right, too," said Mrs Dorey. (Vnd within live minutes ihe Ireezo had so freshened that the Zpikibia lost her forotop-gallant mast, while the Pride of the Seas ran oti' In the north-west under her shortened canvas. " What -what do the men say?" she asked later in the evening. "They allows we'll it sornethin' .<:oniewhers or other," said Bristow.

"They say they ain't particular to a thousand miles or so, Noo York or Noo Orleans, ma'am." "They—they don't think I can find New York then, Bristow?" "That's wot they're arguing about now, ma'am, and 'ave bin since supper. Some says ' yes' and some ' no' and Scantlebury is very vicious. " I always disliked Soantleburv."

"But ho allows, ma'am, thetOwin' to 'avin' bin to sea so much with your father, ma'am, you knows about workin' a ship. And 'e says ma'am, that 'o admires you." "Admires mo, does he?" said Mrs Dorey.

"Awful!" said Bristow. "Ho says that if we'ra wrecked on a desert hisland, he's going to marry you himself." " " Mrs Dorey gasped, "Marry mo!" Bristow nodded. "That's' wot ho allows, ma'am.. He allows that when a ship's wrecked on a desert island it's the custom, unless the lady's husband is wrecked too. And even then Scantlebury, who let's on he's a desprit character, says he onco fot a dool with a 'husband " "And what happened, Bristow?" " Well, ma'am, Scantiebury allows that 'a killed the 'usband and married the lady." " But was there a clergyman there, Bristow ?" "Scantlebury allows that they ain't necessary on' -a desart liisland, ma'am." Mrs Dorey quivered. "But—but you wouldn't allow it, Bristow!" "Me bein' bos'n, ma'am?" " Yes, yes." " But in a hisland I shouldn't bn bos'n, ..ma'am. When a ship's piled up it's the law there ain't any law, o'nv custom, like Scantlebury lets

" Oh," said Mrs Dorey to herself, " I wish Josiah was here." Then she spoke aloud. "I wish you'd go for'ard and hear what they're saying, Bristow. I shan't allow mutiny. I think Scantlebury ought to be put in irons." ' "In irons, ma'am! Well, I dou't believe hall of us could do it. He's a giant for strength, ma'am, and, as I said, a desprit character." Bristow went for'ard and shoved his head into the fo'c'sle, and found both watches playing cards. " 'Ave you been givin' it to the new skipper straight?" they asked.. "Straight! D'ye think I'm a jackass?" asked the bos'n contemptuously, as he put his hand in "the desnrit character's" pocket and extracted a plug of tobacco and bit off a chew. "Straight? Not me. I've been backin' and fillin', comin' -to and fallin' off, so to speak, and throwin' out 'ints, awful 'ints. about our 'a"hdsome shipmate here." " You let on I'd marry 'er by force if so be we hit a desert liisland, bos'n?" "I did it delicate, Scantlebury. I let on we was all scared to death of you and that you was a very desnrit character and 'ad done it before." * "Done wot afore?" "I allowed, after some 'delicate 'ints, that you'd been wrecked before and 'ad fo't a dool with a skipper and 'ad killed 'im an' married 'is wife. I reckon she was some nervous, but she bucked up surprisin' and allowed that you, Scantlebury. ought to be put in irons. I ups an' says, why, ma'am, that Scantlebury is a most desprit character, as strong as the fore bitts, an' I says the 'ole of us couldn't put the irons on 'im."

" Why don't you baft and tell tho missus you're goin' to 'cave the Pride to," they said. "1 owns it freely," said Bristow. "J wouldn't do it for three months' pay. 'O.wsoeveiv .my idea- is this: 1 don't want to make no passage with a woman in command. I ain't sure that I, bein' bos'n, won't bo 'eld responsible if she piled 'or up. They'll say to me why did you allow it, an' I'll have to own up that I was scared of the skipper's wife." "There's sense in that," said the crowd. "B'nt if she plucks up in the mornin', Bristow?"

."If she docs," sa id' Bristow. -' 'Sea n - tlebury is the card I shall' play." "Oh, I say, 'ow'll you work me anv more?" said Scantlebury, uneasily":

'"I'll think it bout. And now I'll go baft and work it> up a bit afore she .turns in."

Mrs Dorey came up the companion soon after one bell in the first watch. As she had declined ever since parting with the Zenobia to make sail and still let the Pride crawl under her topsail and foresail, the old barque was making little, headway. "This will he a lesson to Josiah," she said to herself. Then aloud to Bristow: "How do you think Captain Dorey will take this?" " Why, ma'am," returned Bristow. t after a* thoughtful pause, " I should [ say he'll he that intoxicated that he ■won't- care. Captain Wadd will see to that, ma'am. But cheer up, ma'am', T daresay we'll be alj right. whatever 'appens to the Zenobia. If I was you' ma'am, I'd turn in and get a good sound sleep, if so bo you're goin' to take the middle watch, as you allowed." " Yes, yes," said Mrs Dorey. She looked for'ard, looked aloft, and then, with a sound that resembled a sob, she went below." " Queer things, women," murmured Bristow. "Uncommon queer. She wants Josiali now, or I'm a dago. Get a good sound sleep, says I! I'll hct a jug of the best that she doesn't sleep a wink for the want of Jpsiab and for fear of Scantlebury." In the middle watch it fell dead calm, and the Pride turned round and looked at her wake, and then boxed the compass till dawn, when Bristow came aft again. He nodded to himself when he saw Mrs Dorey just before eight bells. "Not a wink," lie murmured, "she'll chuck it." coffee and there were signs off aslul But when she had had a cup of coffee and there were signs of a breeze, Mrs Dorey recovered her calm and some of her courage. She stamped on the deck. "Make sail, every rag of it." Bristow pulled his call out and put it to his lips. But not a sound did lie make. "Somethin' in it, ma'am," said he. "I'll go and turn 'em out myself." Going into the fo'c'sle where the starboard watch were iust turning in. be sang out, "Hold on, mates, 1 heskipper's for niakin' sail!-' The port watch, including Scantlebury, of course, was just about to go on deck. "Hold on, Scantlebury,"' said Bristow. "I've something to say. When you goes aloft, some of you on the main royal yard must discover a desart hisland. 1 ain't goin' to risk Cape Hatteras and the 'olo coast of North Ameriky with an amaloor in command. And when one of you calls out 'land,' which there isn't none 'ereabouts, I'll say it's likely a new hisland, and you give three cheers. D'ye see? And you, Scantlebury, when yon 'ears 'land oh,' coiup down and take your clothes off." "Wot?" asked Scantlebury in amassment, "take off my clothes And wot for ?" "Whv, to put hon your best, and when you've got 'em lion 1 wants you to come ha I ft and loaf about the main deck in sight of the missus,.and every time you catches 'er eye, smile!" "Quite right, Bristow," said the

crowd. "You do it, Seantlebury." "And meantime," went on liristow, hurriedly, "1 wants yon to go hup aloft slow and solemn, lookin' very sad, and the missus'll ask mo why, ami I'll say, gloomy like, that you hall thinks you'll never, never see laixl again. And then when the chap on the main royal sings out "iaiul >ili >ou'll he that joyful to see it that you'll shed tears and give three cheer's, and when you comes down you'll <■ mi .. lialft in a body and say as 'ow you must go hashor.' on the hisland. .Ui-I Scantleliury in 'is best togs will sil on the main capstan and snide. Do vim savvy, Scantleliury ?'" "No," said .Se.intlehury, "T don't." "Then you've go to," said Bristow, firndy. "and you've got to do it <(uick, and as I said', and Jll do the rest." When Bristow sot back Mrs Dorey, who felt her courage ooze, was stamping with impatience. "Why wore you so long, Bristow ' "1 was persuadin' of the men t:-i ill their dooty, . - jna'ani. They're very melancholy, ma'am." '

"Whai^houL?" "They thinks, hoggin'' vour pan! in, ma'am, that they'll never see their 'oiiiOß no more. "They're tools. Oh, here they come at ■ hist. - How verv slow thev arc, Bristow." "It came hover them in the ni ?:, ma'am, they feel solemn, ma'am, al most religious." "Thev look like it." said Mrs Dorey, bitterly. "I wish Mr Billings was behind them." "Ah. they look as if they were gnin' to a funeral ma'am. Mr Billine's was a (rood mate, ma'am. ' And :.fr M'Crosky is a less to bus. to s-iv nothing of our Captain. 'Ow he would 'ave roared at"'em to see Ui.> men -re haloft like that." "Then why don't you roar 0 " "I feels I can't, ma'am. I've come over solemn myself, not that T ea'-s for mv life, only T'm sorrv for tl|.> rest. But lord! don't they crawl like dead cats. I nevv fl <n the like. Gawd knows when we'll hover see land again at this rate."

I But presently the men reached the topgallant yards and at last one man. Japp, was seen reaching painfully and elaborately for the royal. , He oast the starboard gasket off the tie and then lifted his head. "Land !u>!" he roared. "Land right a'ead!" "Hurrah, hurrah." said the overjoyed crowd, suddenly smitten into ac-t-'vity. Most 'of them climbed tip to ths main rigging,, and declared that Ihey, too, saw tlio' land, and again they cheered. And then Janp was seen in earnest talk with Soantlohurv, who began to come down from aloft. "But, Bristow, there's no land hero- " bouts, according to the charts," said Mrs Dorey. "Oh, ma'am," declared Bristow, with tears in his voice, "don't talk to me of charts. I'll buck Jaw's eves agin' any Hadmirnliiy nr Bluebaok chart in boxistenee, and if so he it's onlv a new volcanic hisland, it's land, i'lid the men is fair mat! to see it. Oh, they'll be askin' to fro ashore. But "•hat's and Jann comin' down for? I'll go and Fee." He rushed for'ard in time to see Japp and Seantlebury disappear into the fo'c'sle. "\ou- then, ouick," said Japp. "Off with them tarry duds." "Oh. .Tann. I'm that miserable.'' wailed the huge and .simple ftcant'->-burv.. t "Ston fhal," said Bristow. "'Ere'.* host trousers."* "They're, tight,'' moaned Scaniiebnrv. - ■ "Ul the hotter. And 'ore's Cullv's shirt," "And now my bandanna," said .Tann. "Am! 'ere'« Cool->'s 'at.'My, don't vou lock a daisv, Seantk-bury. Now ■siiii'", old sonny." "I can't, Bristow." "Ob. if \> 'ad a drink now," said ,"J'p.m\ gloomily. •yu*','if I 'ad, •X■ ' smile then '" said Scantlebnrv, hopelessly. "'Righto," said Bristow. "11'o'uHi T've. iicvcv let en T'yn •> bottle in mv €•!'«•(■. AY,, it a ntf.' Ho <•;,„„. back with e l-.ttle and liclned Soautlehurv' lo a drink. "Can von smile now " b.e as'-'" 1 .

"N T ">, pM, vet," said fieautleb"vv. firrplv. RrV'iw groaned hut gave hi in ;>iW>er drink. "O-m't -vmi do it imw?" ho do■nr—^d. "It's i'n!'' ; n' on." r- ; :l «.fj:.- „,r> |l.o lv.Ule he-'ii.:.' "Oiy 't 'im." s-"''d .Tipii "Y-n «i'i'h q'm'h' |.i s>ip ; ' the ship, be-s'ii. for a haijorth of H.r." "T .endd s'-ile ensr It T 'ad i*' i-< -«v •vipt-et," 'aid. Seantlohury. "Bo«"'dos. '"vin' a h-'+tle in ,'>ocket 1 .nks 1i.1.'« n weddin', don't, it?" Bristow surrendered thobotU;>.

"Now us soon as I gets alt von come, too, and sit on the capstan ;ii<il smile • continuous," said lirisloiv. "D'ye savvy?" "Of course I savvies," said .Scmllehury, grinning delightedly. So Bristow went on dock and superintended tilings, while Mrs Dorey was amazed to see the sudden .change.'which had come over the crew! As they hauled the sheets home they roared with laughter and seppied to have lost their heads. When all the sails were set and (hawing lightly, she beckoned to Bristow, who went up on the poop clock looking very wild. "What's eosne ovar the men?" she asked. "Tney're fair mad about the land." "Oil,"' said .Mrs Dorey, suddenly. "Wot is it, ma'am;" a'sJrea bnsuow. "Oh, it's—it's ScuntleouiS. ■■ liuok at fcho way he's dressed." Scantloljury had come -aft and ho looked wonderful in tight blacic trous.iy, a very broad brimmed slouch hat and a blue-spotted bandanna handkerchief and a pea-jacket from the 'pocket of which protruded the neck of a bottle But "the chief thing about hhn was his smile. "Seantlebury's thinkin' of the desart hislaud already, ma'am." "Oil," said Mrs' Dorey. "And the men says thev must go ashore." "Ashore!" said Mrs Dorey. "Yes, ma'am, they says they must. This is what comes over men at sea sometimes." "Oh, here comes the men aft. What do they want:-'" "We want to anchor close into the land wot ) see from aloft, ma'am," said Japp, "and we must go ashore. But we'll take you too, ma'am." "1 won't go." said Mrs Dorey. "Von must," said Seantlobury, whose smile now was vague and wandering. "I insist on it. I'm a d sprit character." "What shall 1 do. Bristow." asked Mrs Dorov. "'Oh, how 1 wish I'd never left .losiah. Oh, if only Mr Billings or Mr M'Crosky were here. Shall I lock myself in my cabin?"' "It seems your only chance," said Bristow, "but first tell 'em they may go ashore." "Yes, yes," said Mrs. Dorey, "of course, men, you can go ashore. Oh, yes, of poiirse."

••Hurrah!" yelled the crowd. "Three cheers for the missus!" Scantlebnry's smile was awful. "Oh, he's dreadful," cried Airs Dorey. "Ain't he," said Bristow. "I'd Ret down afore -he falls off the eapstain, ma'am!" As she fled she heard Scnntlehiiry utter a tremendous roar. "Lock yourself "in, ma'am," shouted Bristow. "I'm afenred Vs a-eomin'." Before Srnntlehu'ry was reduced, in the ensuing battle, to a state in which his smile was wholly a thins; of the past, there was no one but Hemmings, who took refuge up aloft, without some marks likely to Inst for days. "Good lord," said Bristow, as he picked himself up from the scuppers and inspected things through his uu-

closed eye. "Good lord, but 1 wish I'd kept my bottle." "On deck there," roared Hemmings. "Hallo," said the badly-bruised crew. "If I ain't mistook, there's the old Zenobia comin' up astern bringin' a good breeze with her." "And time she was," said Bristow. "Starboard fore-braces, my sons, we'll 'cave 'or to and let Josiah come up with ns. I'm blamed if Scantlebury ain't a dosprit character after all."