CHAPTER XXVIII
MORRIS ON "THE RULE OF THE ROAD"
On board of the Maud it had been issued as an order by Captain Scott after the matter had been fully talked over, that the watches should be four hours in length, except the dog-watches, which were to be half as long, both in the sailing and the engineer department. The arrangement was precisely the same as on board of the Guardian-Mother, or any other ship at sea. The tricks at the wheel were to be two hours in length.
The commander of the little steamer had all the dignity appertaining to the master of a vessel, but the smallness of the ship's company rendered it necessary that he should perform his full share of the work like an ordinary deck-hand. But he was accustomed to this sacrifice of one of the immunities of his position; for on board of the Seahound, in which he had made a voyage of over a thousand miles, he had been captain, crew, cook, and steward.
Felix was at the wheel, where he was to remain until four bells, or two o'clock in the morning. The half-hours were regularly struck on a bell hung in front of the pilot-house, and a line from its tongue extended into the apartment. Between the two windows in front was a clock, so that the wheelman could keep the run of the time, and strike the bells. Captain Scott was obliged to do duty as a deck-hand during the two hours of Felix's watch. His principal occupation at this time was to keep the lookout, a very important duty on board of a steamer.
Many vessels, a large proportion of them steamers, were constantly passing in and out of the Mediterranean, and there was always danger of a collision. At sea there are "rules of the road," as well as on the land; and Captain Scott had learned them so that he knew just what to do under any circumstances; and he was the only one on board who did know them in full, though Morris had learned the most necessary ones.
On the road, in the United States, it is generally the rule to keep to the right when two vehicles meet, going in opposite directions, and to keep to the left in getting ahead of another, though it is the opposite rule in England and Canada. At sea, when two steamers approach each other "end on," or going directly towards each other, both also keep to the right, and each leaves the other on the port hand. But the rules of the road on the ocean are too complicated and dry to be given in a story in full.
"Where are we now Captain Scott?" asked Felix, when he had about finished his trick at the wheel.
"Twenty miles east of Europa Point," replied the captain, who was beginning to be very sleepy, though he had walked the deck all the time in order to keep himself awake, for he had worked hard and been greatly excited from the early evening till two o'clock in the morning.
"I knew that myself," replied the wheelman cheerfully, for he had taken a nap.
"Then why did you ask me, Flix?"
"I thought we might be near some place."
"We are out of sight of land, and there isn't a thing to be seen."
"But where is the light we are running for?"
"Alboran; that is ninety miles ahead of us, and we shall not see it before eleven o'clock in the forenoon," replied the captain. "I will take the wheel now, Flix, for I need something to keep me awake."
"Then I suppose I may go to sleep," added Felix.
"No, you may not!" protested Scott with energy. "It is still your watch, and will be till eight bells. You will keep a sharp lookout, for that is your duty for the next two hours, as it has been mine for the last two;" and he struck four bells.
"All right, Captain Scott; and I am wide awake," replied Felix; and he left the pilot-house, and began to plank the deck on the forecastle.
The duty of the lookout was not of a very exciting character; and though the Milesian had not been dubbed a knight-errant, he would have preferred something a little more stirring. It would have suited him better to remain at the wheel; but the captain would not permit any one to take the trick of another. Occasionally he halted at the windows of the pilot-house and had a chat with the captain.
"I wonder if the Grand Mogul will try to arrest you and Felipe to-morrow?" he asked at one of these halts.
"I think he has a bigger bone than that to pick with Captain Ringgold," replied Scott. "I should not wonder, from what the Pacha said, if they had a row. He wanted to fight a duel with the commander, who would not do anything of the sort, though he would defend himself if he were assaulted."
"The captain is able to take care of himself, and he will do so," added Felix.
Then the lookout walked again, and continued to do so till Scott called him a couple of minutes before it was time to strike eight bells.
"Now you will turn out the port watch and call Don in the forecastle," said the captain.
"All right;" and Felix went to the cabin where he waked Louis and Morris; then he descended to the forecastle, and aroused the second engineer.
Everything was done with the greatest regularity, for all hands had learned on board of the Guardian-Mother to have a very high respect for all the forms in the routine of ship's duty. Morris relieved the captain as officer of the deck, and directed Louis to take the helm. Scott repeated the course to the latter as he resigned the wheel to him. In his turn the first officer became the lookout, and everything proceeded in as orderly a manner as before.
Just after Louis had rung one bell in the morning watch, Morris reported a sail dead ahead, only there was no officer on deck of higher rank than himself to whom he could discharge this duty.
"I see it; red and green light both to be seen," replied Louis.
"We are end on, and I suppose you know what to do, Louis," added Morris. "If you don't, port the helm, and remember this couplet:—
'When both lights you see ahead,Port your helm, and show your red.'"
'When both lights you see ahead,Port your helm, and show your red.'"
'When both lights you see ahead,Port your helm, and show your red.'"
'When both lights you see ahead,
Port your helm, and show your red.'"
"That is a good bit of mnemonics," said Louis, as he repeated the lines. "I see the other steamer is doing the same."
"She is following the rule of the road. I suppose you know that there are 'International Steering and Sailing Rules' so that all nations may follow the same directions."
"I never heard of them before, for I do not claim to be much of a sailor, though I have given some attention to sailing a steamer since I have been on board of the Guardian-Mother," replied Louis. "I have learned to steer, and I know something about handling the engine. I never was placed in any responsible position on board a vessel, and that is the way to learn all about it."
"Now she shows her red light, and we are doing the same thing to her," said Morris. "Here is a bit more mnemonics:
'Green to green, or red to red—Perfect safety, go ahead!'
'Green to green, or red to red—Perfect safety, go ahead!'
'Green to green, or red to red—Perfect safety, go ahead!'
'Green to green, or red to red—
Perfect safety, go ahead!'
That is, you cannot see the red or green alone unless you are abreast of the other vessel on one side or the other."
"I can remember the two couplets; but both of them assure you only when you are all right. One would like to know what to do when things are not all right," suggested Louis, who had already repeated to himself both of the safety couplets several times.
"Of course you know all the lights a vessel is obliged by law to carry at sea, Louis," continued Morris, as they passed the other steamer, distant about a quarter of a mile.
"I know that every steamer is obliged to carry a white light on the foremast, not less than twenty feet above the deck, a green light on the starboard side, and a red one on the port side."
"That is enough to know, though very minute directions are given in the international rules for placing these lights. I used to be bothered to remember which was which. But a naval officer told me that red was on the port side because that was the color of port wine; and any fellow must be green who could not tell the color on the other side."
"Captain Ringgold told me the first part of your rule—port from the color of port wine," added Louis.
"Now we have a case in point!" exclaimed Morris with sudden energy, as he pointed to another light in the distance. "That is a red light, and it is on the starboard side of us. This is the position of the greatest danger, for that steamer is running towards us. Here is more poetry:—
'If to your starboard red appear,It is your duty to keep clear;To act as judgment says its proper—To port, or starboard, back, or stop her!'
'If to your starboard red appear,It is your duty to keep clear;To act as judgment says its proper—To port, or starboard, back, or stop her!'
'If to your starboard red appear,It is your duty to keep clear;To act as judgment says its proper—To port, or starboard, back, or stop her!'
'If to your starboard red appear,
It is your duty to keep clear;
To act as judgment says its proper—
To port, or starboard, back, or stop her!'
That is just as yonder steamer appears in relation to the Maud—red on our starboard, her helmsman has green on his port, and this verse applies to him, as it would to us in his position:—
'But, when upon your port is seenA steamer's starboard light of green,There's not so much for you to do,For green to port keeps clear of you.'"
'But, when upon your port is seenA steamer's starboard light of green,There's not so much for you to do,For green to port keeps clear of you.'"
'But, when upon your port is seenA steamer's starboard light of green,There's not so much for you to do,For green to port keeps clear of you.'"
'But, when upon your port is seen
A steamer's starboard light of green,
There's not so much for you to do,
For green to port keeps clear of you.'"
"She is still a long distance from the Maud; but what am I to do when we come nearer?" asked Louis.
"Red to starboard; we must keep out of her way," replied Morris. "She will do nothing, for she has the right of way. Port the helm a little and we shall go astern of her all right."
"Where do you find these international rules?" asked the wheelman, as he obeyed the order.
"I found them in 'The Sailor's Handy Book,' which will tell you all about a thousand nautical things," replied Morris. "I have a copy of it in my valise, and I will lend it to you to-morrow."
"Thank you; and I will buy it as soon as I can find one; but I am not likely to find one over here," added Louis.
An hour later the Maud passed astern of the approaching steamer, and she had evidently not changed her course a point.
The day had already begun to dawn in the east, in the Orient towards which the little vessel was sailing. She was still out of sight of land. At four bells, or six o'clock, Pitts came out of the forecastle, and Morris saluted him with a "good-morning," as if one had not been the chief officer and the other the cook, and Louis did the same.
"What time am I to have breakfast ready on board of this steamer?" asked Pitts.
"You must ask the captain; but you need not wake him for that purpose. Half-past seven is the hour on board the ship, and you had better be ready at that time," replied Morris; and Louis nodded assent when the mate looked at him.
The cook went to his apartment, and made a fire in the galley. His first need was hot water, and he went to the run to obtain a supply with a couple of buckets. He took off the scuttle in the standing-room, careful to make as little noise as he could in order not to wake the starboard watch in the cabin, the doors of which were wide open.
He descended by the little ladder, but it was dark in the run, and as he stepped from the lower round, he put his foot ankle deep in water. He was startled, for it looked as though the steamer had sprung a leak. He hastened to procure a lantern, and made an examination. Two half-casks of water were secured on each side of him. He attempted to move one of them in order to find a leak. It was empty! So were the other three! It was an alarming discovery, and he made haste to report it to the first officer. Morris could not explain it; neither could Louis; but they knew they could not proceed on the voyage without water.