LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 641, 8 July 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE. {Continued.) There is an axiom founded on experience, that what a man has steadily set his mind upon doing, he is sure to do. He may have to wait for years before the opportunity arrives, but if his mind remain fixed in the same direction, that opportunity will assuredly come. I mention this, as Vaughan —though carefully attending to the navigation of the vessel—seemed like a rnan who was working out a scheme. At night, when it was his watch on deck, he would often steal down to our berth, and taking down the cockpit lantern, would bring his writing pad, and write a little note in pencil. After writing one of these, he would vevy often destroy it, and commence another. We were now getting down to the southward, and hoping in a very few days to be in the latitude of the Cape. About a week after I had first seen Vaughan writing those notes, it was a dark night, and raining.heavily; it was hss middle watch on deck. He was in the starboard watch with the secoad mate. The watch were setting a topmast studding sail, and were shouting as they hauled on the hal yards. It was about 2 a.m., when he rushed into the cockpit with his oilskin on, and

taking down the battered, old lantern which was suspended from the deck, carefully opened a little pink cocked hat note, and read it over several times, smiling and looking very plgased as he did so. At last he tore it up, carefully putting the pieces V"3> into his pocket. He then produced from his waistcoat another little paper, from which he took a lock of pale Saxon hair, and this he deliberately tied round with a piece of blue silk thread, and kissed; then opening the locket he always wore round his neck, he enclosed the lock of hair, and replaced the locket round his neck. He was absent from the deck about ten minutes, and . had just rehung the lantern in its place again, and was going on deck, when a stentorian voice roared out—

* Skulking again. Come out, you scum of a. fish-pond, and go and loose that mainroyal ;' and at that minute the head and shoulders of the second mate appeared enveloped in oilskins. He was crimson with rage, and loudly added, ' I've put up with your monkey tricks long enough.' 'lf you are speaking to me, I should advise you to adopt a different tone,' said Vaughan. ' Recollect that you are not in the forecastle now, though it certainly is your proper place.' Although Vaughan appeared to be cool, he was evidently in much the same temper as the second mate, who sung out—'By Jove, I'll make you swallow those words;* and with that he rushed in and seized Vaughan by the collar, and dragged him on deck. ' I'm ready for you,' said Vaughan, and giving a sudden spring, closed in with him like a tiger. They were both now locked together, reeling and scuffling, and each trying to strike the other. Though very active, Vaughan in strength was no match for the second mate, who was the most powerful man in the ship's company, and it was evident that Vaughan was getting the worst of the encounter, when in his passion he suddenly made a spring and snatched a belaying pin out of the rail, and quick as thought struck Sparks a fearful blow with it across the forehead. The second mate dropped senseless on the deck, smothered in blood, and the scene of confusion that ensued baffles description. Clere, the fourth officer, followed by several of the watch, rushed up to stop Vaughan; but he stood at bay, with his back to the bulwark, and ejaculated: ' Stand back, or I will give any man the same who dares to lay a finger on me.' Sparks was carried by Clere and some of the watch, unconscious to his cabin, with his head bound up in a silk handkerchief k and the doctor, who had been called out, had some doubts at first whether his skull was not fractured. It was some hours before he came round: and several days elapsed before ho was able to appear on deck again and resume duty, and when he did so he was marked and disfigured for life. When this incident occurred, it was about half-past two in the morning. All the passengers and troops were below and asleep in their cabins. The chief officer was not very pleased at being disturbed from his watch below; he was however quickly on deck; and after calling up Vaughan, and hearing hia statement, ordered him off duty, and kept the remainder of the watch himself until Captain Benbow should come on deck.

As eight bells were sounded in the morn* ing, Captain Benbow made his appearance on deck, clean shaved, his clothes well brushed, and looking as fresh and bright as though he had enjoyed his night's rest. He was in a very good humour. The watch had finished washing the decks, and were coiling down the ropes, when Mr Blake reported to him the particulars of the encounter during the middle watch, and also stated that he himself of late had been dissatisfied with Vaughan's conduct; that disrespect to the officers of the vessel was a bad example to the crew, and if not effectually checked, wouhi be subversive of all discipline on board:. Old Benbow listened attentively, for he had a great opinion of his chief officer; and then getting very red in the face, said—' Of course, of course ! Why, it's mutiny, rank mutiny—and by a youngster, too. Send in that fellow to my cabin at once.' When called up, Vaughan, in his defence, said that from the very commencement of the voyage the second officer had systematic cally persecuted and bullied him, till at last, in a moment of passion, when assaulted in a cowardly way by him, he had attempted to defend himself, and that Mr Sparks* wound was more the result of accident than design. He then detailed Mr Sparks' language to him, and also repeated his former statement, that he would not allow any man on board to lay a finger npon him. He had no sooner made this unlucky speech than Captain Benbow, with the air of » judge, said, 'Silence, sir. If you dare to speak to me in that tone, I will have you put in irons at once. I did expjßt betterthings from you, but since you have chosen to mutiny on my ship, and strike one of my officers, you must take the consequence?, and as you don't know how to behave as a gentleman, you must live in the forecastle and do duty before the mast as an ordinary seaman; and I caution you that, should I hear of any more assaults by you on my officers, I shall have you put in irons, and haud you over to the police at the Cape.* Vaughan was beginning to reply to his sentence, when the captain said, ' Go forward, sir. I never allow replies. Go forward and do your duty.' He then gave an oration on discipline to the officers and-midshipmen assembled, which he said he would have maintained on any vessel- which he commanded, or know the reason why. He then dismissed every one but the second officer, whom he severely reprimanded. 'Coarse manners, execrations, and abusive language,' said the captain, 'render men discontented, no matter how good they may be as seamen; and I trust, Mr Sparks, that I shall not a second time have to speak to you on the subject.' Sparks was about to reply, when Captain Benbow reminded him that he never allowed replies irom either officers or men, and desired him at once to return to his duty. Chapter- 11. After hearing his sentence, Vaughan went to our berth, and threw -off his cap; and pulling off his uniform jacket, took out hie knife, and after carefully cutting off all the gilt buttons from his jacket, and likewise removing the badge off his cap, went to the vessel's side and threw them overboard. He then put on a blue serge shirt and pair of dark blue trousers, and said with a laugh—'Bye, bye, boys; I am going before the stick, and have got Irish promotion. But I've not done yet, so some of you look out.'

He seemed perfectly reckless; and asking young Lafflin, the junior mid, to lend him a hand with his chest, threw it over his ..*<■■ shoulder, and marched boldly into the Fore- " xcastle with it, and within ten minutes had r slung a hammock there* From that day, Vaughan altered much for the worse. The affair with the second mate, and consequent disgrace, occasioned much excitement and discussion among the passengers : the ladies especially, who sympathised with their interesting friend. There was, however, one on board who felt Vaughan's disgrace far more keenly than he did himself, and that was Blanche Talbot. The day that he was sent forward she did not appear on deck, and remained in her cabin, saying that she was unwell: and Mrs Boyle, although a strict disciplinarian, privately interceded for Vaughan with Captain Benbow, but without success, as the colonel and the judge approved strongly of the action taken by the captain. The subaltern officers, however, said that it was a shame, and that Sparks had deserved all that he had got. Under the plea of indisposition, Miss Talbot declined to play in «The Loan of a Lover '; and as the scenes were unfinished, and no one but Vaughan could paint them, the entertainment did not come off; and so a concert was substituted, which, owing to the indifference of the ladies, turned out the reverse of successful. We were in the latitude of the Cape, and bowling along before a moderate breeze, ■ with studding sails set on both sides. It was about three in the afternoon. The captain was in great good humor, and said that he never remembered making a voyage with so little bad weather, and was looking forward 'to arriving at the Cape in a couple of days. . This voyage, he said, was to be his last, r prior to his retirement from the sea. While seated at the table, one of the stewards came hastily to the chief officer, and whispered to him that he was wanted on deck. Mr Blake rose from the table, went up the companionladder, and in a few moments returned and - whispered something in the captain's ear. What that something was no one heard, but ■ the old captain turned very red, and said, 'Excuse me, ladies, but I am wanted on deck.' He neither finished the story he was telling nor his curry. ' * Are we near land ?' asked Miss Talbot; but the captain apparently did not hear her, for he seized his cap and rushed out of the cabin on to the main deck. ■• {To be continued.