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Page 22
The shrill whistle of the boatswain sounded through the ship, and the
boys tumbled up the ladders, eager to learn what was to be done next. As
they formed in lines, they presented a novel and picturesque appearance
in their jaunty uniform. Most of them had already learned to wear their
caps canted over on one side, and not a few of them, perhaps as much
from necessity as because it was a sailor's habit, hitched up their
trousers, and thrust their hands deep down into the side pockets.
The students were again formed in watches and quarter watches, each of
which classes and sub-classes was indicated on the uniforms. All the
starboard watch wore a small silver star on the right arm, above the
elbow, and the port watch the same emblem on the left arm. The first
part of each watch had a figure 1, under the star, and the second part a
figure 2 in the same position.
The rest of the day was spent in the organization for ship's duty, which
was far from completed when the sun went down. The next day every boy
was kept so busy that he had no time to grumble. The instructors
attended to the lessons in the steerage with one watch, while the other
was on deck acquiring seamanship. In the course of the month, as the
boys learned their duties, and the capabilities of each were
ascertained, they were assigned to their stations in the various
evolutions required in working the vessel.
Boatswain Peaks had taught the boys, a few at a time, how to set a
sail, reef and furl it. They had been gradually accustomed to going
aloft, until the giddy height of the main royal did not appall them, and
they could lay out on the yards without thinking of the empty space
beneath them. By the first of June, all the petty officers had been
appointed, and every student had his station billet. When the order was
given to unmoor ship, to make sail, or to furl the sails, every one knew
where to go and what to do. The station billets were cards on which the
various evolutions of the ship had been printed in a column on the left,
while the particular duty of the owner of the card was written against
it. The card was kept by the student, and he was expected to learn its
contents so that he could take his place without stopping to consult it,
when an order was given. Here is a specimen of the cards:--
+---------------------------------------------------------+
|PORT WATCH, NO 21, WILLIAM FOSTER, |
|Second Part. _Captain of the Forecastle._ |
+----------------------+----------------------------------+
|REEFING. |Head Bowlines. |
|TACKING OR WEARING. |Forecastle. Let go head bowlines. |
| | Let go and shorten in foretack |
| | and belay it. |
|GETTING UNDER WAY. |Head Bowlines. Downhauls and |
| | head-sheets. |
|ANCHORING. |Head Bowlines, Sheets and Tacks. |
| | Downhauls. |
|LOOSING SAILS. |Foretopmast Staysail. |
|FURLING. |Head Bowlines and Downhauls, |
| | Staysail. |
|MOORING AND UNMOORING.|Forecastle. |
|BOAT. |Professor's Barge, stroke-oar. |
|MESS. |No. 11. |
+----------------------+----------------------------------+
The crew had been in training a month before an attempt was made to set
more than one sail at once; but by this time the officers knew the
orders, having practised every day since the organization. The petty
officers had been appointed, and had, to some extent, become familiar
with their duties.
The boys still continued to wonder when the Young America would go on a
cruise, for they were very anxious to see the blue water, and to roll on
the great waves of the Atlantic; but they were so constantly occupied
with ship's duty and their studies, that the time did not hang heavily
on their hands. Two months of constant practice had made tolerable
seamen of them, and the discipline of the ship went on regularly. The
young officers, as Mr. Lowington had promised, began to conduct the
evolutions and give the orders.
On the 1st day of June, after breakfast, the students were thrown into a
fever of excitement by an unusual order, and they ventured to hope that
the ship was to leave her moorings.
"Mr. Gordon, you will pipe all hands to muster," said Captain Carnes to
the first lieutenant.
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