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Our ships now load, the deck's all clear,
But still lays moored in the tier.
The captain, he then comes on board,
With all the dignity of a Lord---
"Well, John, You are all load, I see
But still she looks very bold to me.
I think the measure still grows worse,
The coal trade won’t be worth a curse--
Did she take in all the two and twenty?”
Yes, sir, all, and there was plenty!”
“John, have you got on board the ale and beer?
I’ll change our brewer, if I live, next year;
His beer he makes so very small,
His ale I’m sure won’t keep at all.
I expect you will all ready be,
For at high water she must go to sea,
If wind or steam can take her out
And go, she must, there’s not a doubt.”
“Oh, the - - - - - - - - Ohoy!” the pilot cries,
As under the ship’s bow he lies;
The captain then looks o’er the bows,
When the following dialogue ensues;
“Well, sir, all ready for sea?
Tully can’t get, so has sent me;
If you think of going, let’s begin,
It’s time you had your stern rope In –
She won't sail out, the winds too shy,
But we must heave her out and try;
The wind looks as if it would be
All from the North-East at sea –
So come, my lads, and let's be at her,
We'll have a steam-boat, where's the matter?”
“Sea! certainly, pilot, there's no doubt,
We won't lay here if we can get out”
Our ship's now hove out of the tier,
At single anchor lays all clear;
The steam-boat she then comes a-head
And by a warp the ship doth lead,
Our anchor then hove to the bow,
With catt and fish the same to stow;
“Come, lay aloft, my lads, hurro,
Your yard-arm gaskets too let go!
Hold fast your bunts, let go your gear,
For sheeting home see all things clear;”
With rapid pace the vessel goes,
Nor cares which way the wind it blows.
The wind at north, a pleasant gale,
Below the Middens we make sail;
“Steam-boat ahoy! let go the warp,
Come haul it in, my lads, look sharp!”
The ship's now safely out at sea,
The pilot then discharged must be;
“Now sir, I'll thank you for my note,
Brace the yards by, haul up the boat --
You know, sir, what you mostly pay,
You’ll make it square money I dare say;”
The pilot now has got his note,
With haste he steps into the boat.
“I wish you a good passage,sir, goodbye!”
“Thank you pilot," they reply;
The captain, then, takes the command,
And on the quarter-deck does stand.
“Square away your yards, my lads, right square,
And all your steering-sail gear prepare;
Look sharp, my lads, come bear a-hand,
Set every steering-sail that will stand.”
The boys aloft the haulyards reave,
The mate on deck the same receive;
The men the steering-sail booms rig out,
With all the haste they can, no doubt.
All sail’s now set the breeze to catch,
We clear the decks, and set the watch;
One half on deck the watch to keep,
The other half below in hammocks sleep.
She rolls along, the wind keeps fair,
The nights not dark, there’s little care;
The morning comes, ‘tis eight-o-clock,
They call the watch -- on deck they knock
Each man who ha tea and sugar got,
He makes the first board to find his pot;
Which, if not boiled the boys the know,
That they to leeward soon will go!
The captain wakes – “you boy!” he cries,
“I'm coming, sir,”, the boy replies;
“Come boy, look sharp, the coffee make,
And tell the cook to fry me a stake.
Set the cold beef out for the mate,
And put me some butter on a plate;
The boy moves as quick as he is able,
And sets all things upon the table.
He views the beef with anxious eyes,
That some is gone he soon espies;
“You boy,” says he, “It's my belief
That you have eat some of this beef.”
“A've never touched it sir, not I,
A'm sure I would not tell a lie;
The piece you cut me for my tea
Was plenty, quite enough for me.”
“Them d---n you, tell me who it's been
That it is gone is plainly seen!
It's not been rats, I'm sure of that;
And I'm as sure it's not the cat!
So speak at once, the truth let's have,
If your back you wish to save.”
“In the middle watch, last night,
It was not dark, but t'was moon-light –
Aw saw the mate come down below,
And cut about three pound or so;
And then on deck he eat the same –
Aw knew that aw should get the blame.”
“Curse his guts, the gormandizer!
But no, I never shall be wiser;
If my beef I wish to save it,
I under lock and key must have it”
The mate on deck does little know
How bets are going on below;
Unconscious when the message sent,
Unto the breakfast table went.
He sees all's not right – some sad disaster
Has enraged his lord and master;
His sullen look, his heavy frown,
When at the table he sat down.
He dare not enquire what's the reason,
The very thought would be high treason;
But scarce had he ta'en his cup in hand,
Ere he received the following reprimand;
“It's a most surprising thing to me,
That people who have got their tea,
Cannot with that be satisfied,
But stuff and eat all night beside.
Its what I assure you I don't allow
I never did, and will not now;
If you must eat supper after tea,
You're not a man that will suit me!”
Poor John he sat in great surprise,
Nor scarcely dared to lift his eyes,
Till roused from his sudden stupor,
He found he was allowed no supper
A man that won't stand out for food,
That man I'm sure he is not good;
“I own” says John “I did last night
Eat my supper by moon-light --
I’ve been at sea now twenty years,
And never in that time did hear
Such work about a slice of beef --
You could not say more were I a thief!
It is a rule which I have seen
In every ship where I have been,
If the master did not feel inclined,
Or to eat supper had no mind.
He would tell his mate not him to mind,
But get his supper when inclined;
But you, you take your bread and cheese
Your porter, grog, and what you please:
You go to bed, all night to sleep,
Whilst I on deck the watch must keep;
Now, I will ask you, if you please,
If to sleep all night wants bread and cheese?
Must I not, think you, hungry be,
That walk the deck all night at sea?
Stare not, nor in a passion be,
Nor cast your angry looks at me --
I’ll tell you plainly, once for all,
You need not shout, nor need you bawl;
Put your beef by, and mind you lock it,
And keep the key safe in your pocket.
For if you don’t I vow and swear,
I’ll have my meat while I am here,
“That won’t be long -- this voyage no more --
Then you may hand yourself on shore.”
“Don’t be alarmed, I’ll go no more,
Much sooner would I stop on shore”:
John takes his hat, on deck he goes,
And thus you see the scene they close.
This is a specimen you hear,
With what a mate has got to bear;
But mind, I do not mean to say
All mates are treated in this way.
The wind keeps fair, we jog along,
Some half asleep, some hums a song;
The word from aft a good look out to keep
They reply -- “Aye Aye!” though half asleep.
Nothing particular did us befall,
On the fifth day we got Blackwall;
We saved our market too that day,
As from the Nore our papers went away.
Next day into the Pool we went,
We moor’d our ships, and our sails unbent,
We dried our warps and cables too,
Before we coiled them below.
Next day we received on board a vat,
We are meter’d you may know, by that;
We lift our boat, set her athwart,
And get all ready for a start.
The cook his baskets overhauling
Some wants straps and some wants marling;
On board comes the basket man and crew,
The meter’s man hails at the bow:
“Master, mate, come get your ladder ready,
Pray, sir, hang it well and steady;
That no serious disaster
May happen to my master!”
The ladder fast, up comes the meter,
Followed close by his man Peter;
The captain pass’d the morning compliment,
When they down into the cabin went.
“Let me see, sir, you’ve got Russel’s in,
Have we a craft here to begin?”
“Yes, sir, the lightermen just now
Has brought a craft unto the bow.”
“Pray, sir, what may be in your cockett?
But, stop, I’ve got the turn-bill in my pocket.”
“This time,sir, we have taken in more,
By far, than ever we did before.”
“Well, sir, there is not a doubt,
If the coals are in, they will come out;
But those cursed imperial vats, I say,
Are fifty pounds per year out of our way
Believe me, sir, as I do live,
We cannot satisfaction give;
And then, you know, if we don’t please,
We are deprived of our fees."
Well, sir, pray do what you can,
You’ll find me, I believe, a liberal man;
About your dinner, sir, pray name
Whatever you choose, it’s just the same!
To go on shore is my intention,
I’ll send it off, if you but mention"
“Oh! any thing -- it matters not,
I’ll be content with what you’ve got!
But if you really do intend
Something from the shore to send,
Say a chine of pork, or lamb and peas,
A beef steak, or what you please;
Or a boiled tongue and leg of mutton,
Or any thing,sir, I’m a glutton!"
Self-interest, that ruling passion,
That’s lately got so much in fashion;
Look at its weight, it turns the scale
When every argument will fail;
How frail is man! just now you see
How liberal that man can be
But if the reason you must know,
And what it is that makes him so,
He treats the meter with his dinner;
To make him still the greater sinner.
He thinks the meter well must treat,
And then he will the merchant cheat;
If you but look, you sure must see,
It cannot his disposition be!
His kindness now is nought but gammon,
He heaves a sprat to catch a salmon;
Well, by this time I think you’re tired,
But I just write as you desired.
You told me to give a true description,
I’ve done it here without deception;
The captain’s now returned on board,
His market-basket is well stored.
He’s got some lamb, likewise some peas.
No doubt it will the meter please;
The mate the same may chance to taste,
Ere he will let it go to waste.
Our cook’s quite busy, there’s no doubt,
The galley’s now turned inside-out;
He will do his best, it’s my belief,
To roast the lamb and boil the beef --
Likewise the peas and brocoli,
Before they to the table go;
A good large pudding too is made,
A constant thing in the coal trade.
I’ll describe to you, as I am able,
The scene that’s at the dinner table;
The cabin’s small, in the first place,
A stout oak table does it grace --
A looking-glass stands in the centre,
Which faces you as you do enter;
And this being the first working day,
The dirty table cloth is put away.
And a clean cloth is handed out,
Clean from the captain’s house no doubt;
All things are now set in their place,
The cleanly boy has wash’d his face.
The meter’s summon’d down, and then
He’s follow’d by three lightermen;
Who, because they’ll get tha coals soon out,
Must live well, there’s not a doubt.
The captain and meter claim the chairs,
Two lightermen the locker shares;
Where will the third sit? you will ask,
Why, upon the empty porter cask.
And I’m afraid that the poor mate
Will find no seat, nor yet a plate;
But John with patience is so blest,
He will take his dinner on his chest.
The captain looks and sees all right,
Is quite obliging and polite;
He hopes they will no inviting take,
But, as at home, a dinner take.
He carves -- he eats -- and thinks by turns,
For a quick dispatch his bosum burns;
He sees, as clear as the sun’s rays,
She will be all out in four days.
The lightermen they promise fair,
They know the money will be there;
With grog and dinner when they choose,
A chance that they will seldom lose.
Each man’s now satisfied, they say,
And the dinner things are put away;
To make room for the rum and gin:
To have a glass ere they begin.
They take their grog -- they talk and sup,
Some use a glass, and some a cup;
The turn-bill is on the table laid,
And by each man it is surveyed.
The captain and lightermen now agree,
For he has told them what it is to be:
To work, to work, the word they pass,
The meter now must leave his glass.
The lightermen now leave the barge,
And go on shore, to the mate’s charge;
The seamen they must swing and trim,
For it won’t be done at all by him.
Thus you see each succeeding day,
Just goes on in the same way,
Until the stocks begin to fail,
And they have drunk out all the ale.
I’ll tell you now our cargo’s out,
And glad I am, you need not doubt;
Would you believe it, she has made out no more,
Than she has mostly done before.
The meter now may go away,
A single copper he won’t pay;
He need not wait, it is no use,
He will get nothing but abuse.
Our ballast is now alon side,
We shall be ready in the morning tide;
To heave it in they are just begun,
Pat says there is good seventy ton.
But Pat’s word must not be taken,
For in that they’re oft mistaken;
They are begging hard for a drop of gin,
Almost before they do begin.
The half-hour glass is set in motion,
To spell the hold a very good notion;
It’s what is termed very fair,
Then each man trimshis equal share.
And some of us will have, you know,
To get our stocks before we go;
Our ballast, now, it is all in,
Another scene I must begin.
We have hove our ship out of the tier,
And by good luck our anchor’s clear;
Which very seldom is the case,
There’s such confusion in this place.
Here comes our waterman and boy,
The constant man he does employ;
His name is Sam, a clever fellow,
But Sam sometimes gets a little mellow.
But that, you know, is nothing new,
For clever fellows often do;
It’s now high water, the winds at west,
We set our sails to do our best.
The wind is fair, and you must know,
Sam did ashore to Greenwich go;
A steady breeze, the river clear,
We went along -- had naught to fear.
At night we brought up in Sea-Reach,
Furl’d sails, and set the anchor watch;
Next morning, before break of day,
The mate knock’d out to heave away.
The wind north-west, and a strong breeze,
By a reef we did our topsails ease;
The wind continuing still the same,
At night to Yarmouth Roads we came.
And, when a-breast of Caister Rails,
We brought her up and furled sails;
We have been here now a week to-day,
The wind’s come fair, we’re under weigh.
We have had a most unhappy time,
Which I can scarce describe by rhyme;
The beef! the beef! -- Oh sad disaster!
Is the constant topic of our master.
The cook in troubled waters swims,
He is watched as he the kettle skims;
The mate, poor man, the Lord preserve him,
For if he don’t, I think he’ll starve him.
Us fore-mast Johns, we have to fight,
And still for breakfast not a bite;
In the half-deck, when altogether,
We are discontentat wind and weather.
Some overhaul their chests to see
How stands their stocks of sugar and tea;
Our stocks of tobacco too, we fear,
Will soon be out if we lie here,
Each man a sovereign had in London,
The place that sailors are so fond on;
And some that lead a regular life,
Has got goods stocks to please his wife.
And some there is that has got none,
And still the sovereign is gone;
We have passed the Float, and seen the Spurn,
Flambro’-Head will come in turn.
Our captain now seems better pleas’d,
The wind’s at south, the pinch is eas’d;
He does expect, if all goes right,
She will be down to-morrow night.
Well, I’m thankful now we’re here at last,
At Fairless’Crane we made her fast;
And will be there, I make no doubt,
Until the ballast is all out.
When that will be I need not mind,
Another ship I must try to find;
To-morrow the wages will be paid,
And I’ll bid adieu to the COAL TRADE.
