Now about the temptation already hinted at, and all that followed in its train. The steamer in which I crossed the harbour twice daily, passed quite close to the ‘Impregnable,’ and thus gave me ample opportunity to scan her vast dimensions, and to gaze in wonder at her tall masts. But best of all was to see the sailor-boys on the forecastle, in the rigging, and manning the boats which were fastened to her lower booms. At the sight of all this my little life seemed to be thrilled, and oh, how I longed to become a sailor boy! I would give all the gold in the Mint did I possess it, in exchange for the realisation of my yearning desire. How nice to pull the ropes, to climb the rigging, but, above all, to wear a sailor’s uniform. Thoughts such as these haunted my mind constantly, and this daily allurement only helped to swell the number.

Full well I knew my parents would not consent my joining the navy. Still, one day I ventured to broach the subject to my mother, who replied “That she could not bear to hear of such a thing.” The craving still grew, and my parents, clearly understanding the bend of my inclination, made a compromise, steeped in love. This was it: “Seeing you have such a desire for the sea, we have been praying much about the matter, and after due consideration, conclude it will be far better for you to join the service as a young man, not as a poor, helpless boy. You shall have the trade of a shipwright (the same, trade as the one I should have been apprenticed to in the dockyard, had I desired to pas the necessary qualification, but as a matter of fact, this desire for the sea swallowed up every other) and when out of your time you will be in a different position to enter!” All this my uncle, who himself had been in the navy, corroborated by saying: “I should not put a dog before the mast poor boys are huffed and cuffed shamefully; but when a young man has a trade, and then joins, his treatment, by reason of his manhood and trade, is totally different.”

After all this advice my enthusiasm cooled down, only to reappear in a short time with greater fervour. In the meantime, I was apprenticed to a shipbuilding trade, and although seven years was the required time to learn it, I gathered it all up in one week. Wonderful! wonderful! for in that short time I was taught how to fill up a hole with putty, and this is the extent of my practical knowledge of a shipwright’s task to-day. Do you mean that you only stayed a week? you ask. That is all. And my mother had kept, until within a few months ago, the little white smock-frock, which I wore in my work, as a reminder in calico of my shipbuilding days.

During this week I met with still further enticements to become a sailor boy. The building yard being in close proximity to the ‘Impregnable’, I could hear the brass band every morning, and what is so enticing as music? Then, again, hundreds of boys came ashore in large pinnaces, landing within a few yards from me, each carrying a rifle. This was more than I could bear by way of temptation, and impressing my parents how very much I should abhor seven years in the shipbuilding yard, intimating that nothing would satisfy me but to be a sailor-boy, they, within the course of a few weeks, very reluctantly yielded to my burning request.

Having passed all necessary requirements, I joined the navy on my fourteenth birthday. It was Monday morning, and after eating my breakfast, I rose and wished my mother and sisters ‘good-bye.’ Sorrow filled their hearts and tears their eyes not so much because I was leaving home for a long time, as I should see them again before the week expired, but even this parting was considered long, for hitherto I had not slept one night away from home. I say not so much because of this fact, as that they were doubtful as to whether I was taking the right step or not. My parents impressed upon me that even now it was not too late to change my mind, even though my papers were all signed. I can remember how eagerly my mother pleaded to burn them, coaxing me to sit down and have another cup of tea, and to forget all about the navy in the drinking of it.

Truth to tell my enthusiasm was fast dwindling away, but enough was left at that moment to wish another ‘farewell,’ and to pass down the street With my father who walked with me to the pier and watched the boat bear me to the ship “Would to God I had never left home on that morning,” was an expression often on my lips during my career in the navy. My mother’s tears had been shed on the fire of my passion it was now becoming quenched, but not until it was too late did it become extinguished that is, when I had boarded the ship and given up my papers to the authorities.

So my readers will understand that it was with a heavy heart, yea and with a great deal of reluctancy, that I entered the navy that despite the great flame of enthusiasm that had been burning in my young life, it dwindled away almost to the point of being extinguished on this memorable morning; yet something within urged me quietly on and on till that which was done could not be undone.

I was now sent to H.M.S ‘Circe,’ the outfitting ship for young recruits, to get my uniform. On reaching the top of the companion ladder a ship’s corporal (i.e. a naval policeman) approached me and asked, “Had I any money or jewellery?” If so, it must be kept in his custody until such time as I should be prepared to join the mother-ship, the ‘Impregnable.’ I handed him the eight pence which I carried in my pocket. After being ordered to read from a board certain rules and digest them, then came the bath, followed by the dinner, which latter consisted of a piece of fat pork (called ‘dobs,’ I afterward learned, in the training-ship) and a thick piece of bread, neither of which tempted my appetite.

I ate nothing that day, and when a fortnight later my civilian’s suit was sent home, the sausage rolls which I carried on board with me were discovered in my pocket. I cannot hope to describe the feelings through which I passed on this first day. My poor little heart nearly broke it was my first lesson in the school of sorrowful tears. “Oh that I had listened to my parents’ advice this morning,” was what I whispered to myself a hundred times before closing my eyes in sleep that night.

The day wore away slowly oh, so slowly! I became homesick, and ran from one port-hole to the other watching the Millbrook steamers pass to and fro, endeavouring thereby to persuade myself into the belief that after all I was in touch with home. This gave me a kind of satisfaction, as it seemed to sever my thoughts, or rather to loose them, from the floating cage, and link them and my love to home, yea, and even to the passing steamers.

Just as when a traveller in a foreign land meets with a friend of his native town, and is filled with delight and fond memories of the home-land by such an event, in like manner did I regard those steamers they were connecting links uniting my heart to my home. Nor is this comparison overdrawn, for my readers must bear in mind that I was only a little boy. And how very natural homesickness was, amidst such strange surroundings, and, with no liberty, only they who have passed through a similar experience know.

Then came the hour for ‘turning in.’ As I lay in the hammock that night I could not but contrast this birthday with my last. The last represented sunshine, joy, merry laughter and freedom; this, darkness sorrow, tears and confinement. The tears began to flow, and I wept myself to sleep.

More than once during my subsequent visits to Devonport have I stood on Mutton Cove pier gazing intently on groups of boys gathered thereon waiting for the ship’s boat to bear them over to the ‘Impregnable’ with a view of joining the navy. Standing there, my sympathy has gone out toward them as a flood and I have prayed that their first night’s experience afloat might not be a repetition of mine.

The three days on this outfitting ship were spent in marking my name on the clothes which constituted my kit, pumping water for the cooks’ galley, helping to scrub the decks and wringing out swabs. On the Thursday, I, with other novices, was sent to the ‘Impregnable’ to commence my training in seamanship and gunnery. Every Thursday half a day’s leave is given to the boys, and we were granted this privilege. How glad and thankful I felt! After landing, I hastened home with all possible speed. The sight of me in my uniform overcame my mother’s feelings, and oh! how bitterly she wept, and how often did she ask me that afternoon whether I thought I should like the service or not.

I comforted her as best as I could upon wishing her ‘good-bye’ by saying I should be ashore again on the following Sunday, and with a heart as heavy as lead I trudged back to the ship.

Let me at this point give my readers an outline of the routine on the training-ship. ‘All hands’ rise at 5 a.m., lash up their hammocks and carry them to the upper deck for storage. One half of the boys of the watch take a bath and are inspected before dressing by the instructors. All the other boys in the ship scrub decks. Breakfast is piped at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m. the topgallant mast is hoisted, and the upper yards are crossed. Eight bells are struck, the national anthem is played, and the yards are ordered to be swayed across’ at one and the same time. There is discipline! Decks are swept, the mess deck receiving special attention, the cooks of the messes (and every boy has to take his week in rotation) polish the utensils, so that they shine as bright as silver, and the watch on deck coils the ropes and polishes the brass work. At 8.45 the bugler sounds the ’general assembly.’ Each watch falls in for inspection on its respective side of the deck that is, the starboard watch on the right side, the port watch on the left. This being done, the band assembles on the poop, and the officers’ call is sounded, in response to which they troop up from quarterdeck hatchways. “Attention!” shouts the instructor, at the same time saluting the inspecting officer. Every boy stands as erect as possible Then begins the inspection. Nothing escapes the eye these officers. Woe betide the boy whose duck suit is not spotlessly clean, or who has a button off his trousers, or whose suit is in need of a few stitches. He is severely reprimanded the instructor makes a note of it in his book; and should this be repeated, the boy is put in the Commander’s report and receives six cuts with the cane.

Each officer reports to the Commander when he has inspected his division of boys, and then the bell is tolled for morning prayers, which are said by the chaplain. All Roman Catholics are weeded out of the two watches, and are marched forward under the forecastle during prayer-time.

Now, should it be Monday morning, sail drill is engaged in until noon, but only on this day, whilst on other mornings one watch attends school, and the other, gunnery and seamanship classes. The advanced gunnery classes receive their training ashore in the drill field. Seamanship classes are held on the lower deck, and every boy has to pass out of one instruction before being admitted to the other. In these lower-deck instructions the first is the lashing up of the hammock and in the laying out of the kit in the uniform manner; then follow the ‘bends and hitches’ class, the reading of the semaphore, knots and splices, and so on. I may Say that boat sailing and swimming and heaving the lead are also included under the seamanship course.

To most of the local boys, swimming exercise was as play, and accordingly they received V.G. (very good) on the instructor’s class book on passing-out day. To pass out, the boy must be an efficient swimmer, and able to swim in a duck suit a considerable distance. Boys on the other hand who had been brought up as strangers to the sea, regard this instruction with much fear, and it becomes a terror to them. All these exercises passed through, which in most cases require a year, the boy then receives the rate of a first class boy as distinguished from a second class.

But to return to the routine. At 11.30 a.m. school and instructions are ended, the bugle call for drill aloft is sounded, and then there is a mighty tumult. Hundreds of boys are running along the decks and up the ladders, and as though they were not smart enough, ship’s corporals make use of their canes very freely. At 11.45, in the midst of drill, the bugler sounds: ‘Cooks.’ Cooks of messes repair to the galley, fetch the dinner and lay it out under the supervision of the caterer of the mess, who is generally a senior boy. At 12 a.m. dinner is ‘piped,’ and every boy sits at the table according to his seniority that is to say, if one has been in the ship six months, sitting next to him would be the boy who had joined the mess after him in the order of time. It will thus be readily seen that every boy has his own seat at the mess-table. But lest partiality should creep in amongst the boys in the messes so that A would have a far better dinner than B; and poor C all bone on his plate, or, as they say, “two spuds and a joner,” this order is very often reversed, and this means that the caterer finds himself at the end of the stool with the dinner of the youngest boy before him to eat, and it also means that this last recruit in the mess finds himself possessor of the caterer’s plate of dinner.

At 1 p.m. instructions are resumed, and concluded at 3.30 p.m. The boatswain’s mate then pipes, “Hands shift in night clothing.” The uniform of the day is then taken off, and each boy wears a blue serge suit. At the call of the bugle the boys fall in on the upper deck with the clothes for washing. These are inspected by the instructors for the purpose of seeing that each boy has stops in his clothes that is, two sets of string in each garment for hanging on the line. This inspection of stops being over, then follows the shrill cry, “Hands scrub and wash clothes.”

I cannot hope to describe the scamper there is at this moment for the tubs of water, and the reason for it is this that the tubs are limited, perhaps three allowed to each mess of twenty boys, and considering the washing has to be done in a short time, the reader will understand the cause of this dreadful war. And it happens every day with the exception of Thursdays and Saturdays, when no washing is done. The articles for washing on the various days are as follows Monday, a duck suit; Tuesday, a day shirt, night shirt and flannel; Wednesday, a duck suit; Friday, hammock or bedcover. Clothes being hung up, the upper deck is washed down and tea is ‘piped.’ After this meal the boys have an hour or so to themselves the schoolroom is opened for reading and draught-playing, etc.

At 7.45 the pipe is sounded: “Stand by for hammocks.” All run (for no walking is allowed in the service when responding to duty’s call) to the upper deck, where each boy gets his hammock, carries it below deck, and hangs it on the hammock hooks. The bugle call, “Turn in,” is sounded an hour later, followed in five minutes with the bugle note: “Still.” Not a sound is heard, for it is prayer-time. After prayers, which every boy is supposed to say in his hammock, the officer in command, with other subordinates, goes the ‘rounds’ to see that all is safe for the night. Thus ends the day’s routine on the training ship. Very often, however, there is a departure from it, which takes place at noon, the occasion being the punishment of a boy or boys. All the crew assemble on the quarterdeck, the offender midships. The Commander reads the charge, which concludes usually: “I hereby judge him to receive twelve strokes with the cane.” The poor boy is lashed arms and legs to a wooden horse, the master-at-arms counting the strokes as the ship’s corporal lays them on. The cane with which he punishes the boy is a very stout one, each end being covered with wax-string, and is reversed every fourth stroke. This caning is a punishment, and is meted out to boys who are caught smoking, to boys who may be untidy or to those who break their leave a short time. The other punishment is that of the birch again the boy is lashed to the horse, and this time no garment intervenes. The ship’s doctor stands by with water in case of fainting, as generally the boy receives twenty-four strokes. To witness such a proceeding was to make me tremble. Here and there the ends of the birch would be scattered, and the blood flowing freely. Of course the birch is not in such frequent demand as the cane; only the boy who is insolent to his instructor, or who breaks a day’s leave, or worse still, if he be committed for theft, is birched. In the case of the thief he has to wear a badge with the word ‘T H I E F’ printed in large, black letters on it, in front and behind for six months or even longer. During this time he is cut off from the company of other boys, and partakes of his food in the ‘thieves’ mess.

Now before leaving this subject, I may tell my readers that all local boys are styles ‘Cossacks’; consequently I was one. The Cossacks were allowed to have a night’s leave every alternate Saturday, provided the parents of the boy wrote a request to the Commander for it. The Cossacks generally brought aboard with them from their homes a large handkerchief full of good things, and they were met by the non-Cossacks in the gang-way ladder with this expression: “Tally you your tack and plush,” which being interpreted, is: “Let me have your allowance of bread and tea.” It was understood that all Cossacks would have their tea ashore, and therefore would not require the naval tea when returning on board. Hence readers will now understand why it is the boys who hail from London and the provinces grow so stout in the training ship it is because they eat, in addition to their own allowance, the Cossacks’ share.

Boys who were noted for being smart and clean wore a gold badge as a token of the same. The advantages reaped from this badge were two in number (V12): an extra half day’s leave on Saturday, and one penny a week additional pay. There were two other sets of boys who were entitled to the first of these privileges (V12): the advanced scholars in school, and members of the drum and fife band. Accordingly, on Saturdays during the dinner-hour the boatswain’s mate would pipe: “Leave for badge-boy, advanced class, and drum and fife band;” As I was a badge boy, and an advanced scholar, and a flute-player, I nestled under the wing of this threefold privilege, and used to think in my boyish pride, Who indeed has more right to go ashore than I?

Before any boy is supposed to be ready for sea, he has to undergo in addition to the ‘Impregnable’ studies, a course of gunnery, and from ten to twelve weeks on a training brig. I underwent my gunnery course in H.M.S. ‘Foudroyant,’ one of Nelson’s flagships, which lay at that time in close proximity to the ‘Impregnable,’ and I returned every evening to the mother-ship. The two brigs which trained her boys were the ‘Nautilus’ and the ‘Pilot.’ I was drafted to the latter for three months. Speaking generally, daily sea trips were taken that is to say, that after making sail and slipping the buoy, we would leave Plymouth Sound for the Channel, drill all day, and return to our mooring in the evening, weary and fatigued, although, even then, we had to scrub and wash clothes. On two occasions we took longer trips, first to Dartmouth, and then to Portsmouth. Fearful was the weather we experienced sailing to the latter port fearful, I mean, to my boyish experience, though I must say that even an old salt was heard to pronounce it “a very stormy voyage.”

I met with an accident on board the ‘Pilot.’ One night whilst at anchor I was ordered to row the dinghy ashore. It was very wet and dark, and in the act of climbing down the painter which attached the boat to the boom, it was so slippery that I lost my grip and fell. My shoeless feet came in contact with the boat’s crutch (an instrument with two arms into which the oar fits); my right foot bled profusely, as one of these arms had pierced the flesh deeply. I managed to get on board to the sick berth, and after the steward’s treatment it ceased bleeding. Whilst in the act of lashing up my hammock the next morning I fell to the deck, so weak had I become by the loss of so much blood on the previous night.

The discipline on board this brig, as on the ‘Impregnable,’ was rigid in the extreme. On the upper deck at drill time would stand the ship’s corporal with his cane, and woe betide any boy who was not putting his weight on the rope, or who was not doubling along the deck. It may be of interest to remark here, that neither in the ‘Impregnable’ nor the ‘Pilot’ did I know the queer experience of being lashed to the horse. This was due not so much because I did not deserve it, as that I was fortunate enough to escape detection. To appreciate the above remark the reader must realise the trivial offences for which a poor boy is caned, and in the light of this reflection he will wonder that any sailor boy should be a stranger to the cane during his training.

Through all my naval career I was a sufferer to sea-sickness, which began on this brig. No sooner had we passed the Plymouth Breakwater Lighthouse, when the brig would begin rolling, and I would repair to the lee-scupper. In connection with this part of my story I must not omit to say a kind word for the captain. When many of us poor boys lay strewn along the deck like stricken sheep, he, in passing from the forecastle to poop, would not disturb us. This in itself may not appear much, but in reality it was a great kindness, and one over which I love to ponder. It was the act of a gentleman, to say the least of it, and I cannot but believe that sympathy prompted it, and in this sense it was Christlike. “Inasmuch,” said the great Storm Walker who quieted storm-tossed Galilee “as ye do it unto one of the least of these My little ones, ye do it unto Me.”

Very near the line of punishment did I approach when on this brig. Working one day on the foretopsail yard, my knife, which by some means had become detached from my lanyard, fell on the forecastle. Fortunately it struck no one, and I was reprimanded only.

The course of training being completed, I was sent back to the ‘Impregnable’ on draft for sea. Within a few days an order was received stating that a large company of boys were required for the North American and West Indian Station, and I was numbered amongst them.