At Dartmouth, a day or two before the ship started, I found that
William had expended some money on a quantity of stuff rolled up
like balls of black ropeyarn. I exclaimed with astonishment, "In
the name of goodness, are you going to chew or smoke all the way to
Australia?" for the commodity was the good old pig-tail tobacco. He
said, smiling, "This is to make friends with the sailors: I intend
to learn something about a ship by the time we reach our
destination." I dare say the worthy skipper of the good ship Janet
Mitchell, should he be still alive, has some recollection of him.
His mode of proceeding, as he told me, was first to secure the good
graces of the crew through the persuasive medium of the pig-tail;
then, to learn the name and use of every rope, and of every part of
the ship's tackle from stem to stern. He soon acquired the art of
splicing and reefing, and was amongst the first to go aloft in a
storm, and to lend a hand in taking in topsails. When I arrived in
Melbourne at a later period, several of his fellow-passengers spoke
to me with praise and wonder, referring to his activity, and
readiness to leave an unfinished meal, on the slightest indication
of danger or difficulty.
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