2 OLD WHALING DAYS. 



notice. The crew were absent, excepting the mate, who 

 conceived a dislike for me as soon as I presented myself. 

 His son was with him, and was about my own age. I had 

 not given any provocation, but he was ordered by his father 

 to kick me whilst I was scrubbing the deck. , He obeyed 

 the order, and I was very much surprised, not unnaturally, 

 at such cruel treatment. His father told him to do it again, 

 and he repeated the assault. My temper would not stand 

 ill-usage of so cowardly a character, and I got up and 

 knocked the lad down. His father brutally shook me, and 

 vowed he would make me smart for it before I got back to 

 Hull. I subsequently learnt that he had applied for my 

 berth for his son, but the captain had declined to have him. 

 When I was left alone I sat down and wept bitterly, and 

 almost regretted leaving a kind and indulgent mother for a 

 life which promised such hardships at its outset. I did not 

 complain to her, for it had troubled her very much when I 

 first made up my mind to go to sea. 



The next day we sailed from Hull, and the cheers of 

 those on shore found a responsive echo in the hearts of our 

 crew. Favoured with a fair wind we proceeded down the 

 Humber to sea. After passing Spurn I began to feel the 

 symptoms of sea-sickness for the first time. The crew 

 were too busy to pay any attention to me, so I sat upon a 

 spare spar feeling far from well. Our captain told me to 

 inform him when I felt sick, and I expected he would have 

 given me some relief. The boatswain was ordered to bring 

 a rope's end, and I then guessed what kind of relief was 

 meant. Captain Parker was too kind, however, to prescribe 

 such a panacea for my indisposition, and I found out that 

 he was joking. He good-humouredly told me to knock 

 about and I should soon be better. Happily bed-time 

 came soon after, eight bells being struck. The watch was 

 set, and I turned into a strange bed for the first time in my 

 life. I shall never forget the feelings I experienced. There 



