But his
wounds proved so severe that he was not able to leave his bunk until the
vessel reached Philadelphia. Owing to the new arrangement, everything
went well. There was no more fighting, cursing, or driving and the work
on board was done promptly and cheerfully.
In a conversation with one of the two young fellows who were the special
victims of the wounded mate's ferocity, Paul ascertained that he was a
delicate and well educated youth from Hartford, Connecticut, whose
romantic dream for years had been to go to sea. He ran away from home
and fell into the hands of the master of a sailor's boarding house who
robbed him of all he could and put him aboard a ship bound for Hull.
The captain and officers of this ship proved humane, and though not
absolutely ill-treated or beaten, his life was a misery. From Hull he
went up to the Tyne on a coaster, where he joined the Campbell. He
assured Paul with tears in his eyes, that several times before the
outbreak in the forecastle he had concluded to dive overboard and swim
far down in the sea to end his misery. He is a type of the many boys who
think there is nothing but pleasure and romance in connection with life
on the sea.
About this time heavy westerly winds set in against the Campbell and
drove her far out of her course and for weeks she beat about in the
most horrible weather.
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