Noble Duty

21. Of Repairs and Training

Tuesday, 14th June, 1718

On Tuesday morning, while I pored over Father's papers on training midshipmen, a knock came on the door. Pleased by the opportunity for a respite, I rose, opened it, and greeted, "Good morrow, Mister Martin."

"And to you, sir." He tilted his head over a shoulder. "Mister Betheson is at the brow, wanting to see you."

"Thank you."

I followed him out and through the great cabin to the bulwark gate, and after greeting Charlie, I added, "Have you brought the potential midshipmen?"

He smiled and looked northward along the wharf. "When I left, they were still squabbling about who was to organise and lead them here."

"Oh! Petty rivalry has no place aboard our ships." I snickered. "But we will soon cure them of it. How many are they?"

"Eleven plus David, who already calls himself a cabin boy." He chuckled. "But my purpose at the moment is another matter." He turned and pointed up. "The men on the foremast have now cleared away most of the damaged futtock bands, trestle trees and hounds, and they will soon begin replacing them in preparation to receive the new topmast. It would ease their work if we moved the ship to the mast gyn. And, of course, it must be there to hoist and step the top and topgallant."

I nodded, appreciating the speed of their work. "We will have the ship moved posthaste. Make it so, Mister Martin."

"Aye, sir. Line the ship along to the gyn."

When Martin had left, Charlie said, "Immediately after breakfast, Mary took a carriage into the city to call on her uncle. Armed with what Gillian and Father composed last evening, she is confident he will take swift and appropriate action."

"Excellent!"

We discussed Sir Cedric for a short while before we returned our attention to the repairs. "Our priority is stepping the masts and hanging the spars," Charlie said. "Only when that is accomplished can we take accurate measurements for the sails. We have already begun stitching together the canvas, and ..." He paused and pointed at the narrow lane between two warehouses. "Oh, my! David has taken charge."

As the orderly group rushed out of the gap and across the wharf, directed only by David's hand signals, Charlie chuckled and explained, "Among their games is to silently sneak up on a pirate haven, ready to pounce in surprise. This comes from one of Father's stories, and I am always amused by their interpretation – so different from what mine had been."

At David's signal, a chorus of voices shouted, "Surrender. We have you outnumbered."

I held out my open-palmed hands. "We are unarmed. You have us."

David led the group up the accommodation ladder, and at the top, he turned to the other lads and said, "With our easy victory, the game is finished. Time now to be serious and be shown to our stations."

Amused by his eagerness, I raised my hands and waved them. "Not so fast, young lad. First, we must assess your merit and that of your motley crew. But before we do that, you all need to be aware of what lies ahead of you if you are accepted for training. But even before that, introductions are in order." I doffed my hat and swept it in an arc. "I am Captain Overton."

After each had stated their name, I pointed toward the great cabin door. "We will begin by showing you what lies ahead after a year and a half to two years of diligent application."

I led them into the great cabin, pointing to the damage along the starboard side and explaining its cause. "It will be restored to its former state before we sail. This is the accommodation and comfort for the officers. On the deck below here is the passenger accommodation, and below that is the gunroom for the midshipmen."

The lads nodded, and one said, "So, we will work our way up."

"Indeed. But first, you must work your way aft."

"Aft, sir?"

"You will begin all the way forward in the forecastle mess. This is part of your early training." I raised a finger. "Remember this well. Before an officer can order something done, he must understand what is entailed in carrying it out. But it is more than only understanding – before you move aft, you must have worked in every crew position and task and learnt the proper performance of each. Scouring kettles in the cookery, stoning and swabbing the decks and so on before learning the halyards, sheets and jeers."

While explaining this, I enjoyed the range of expressions, from understanding to consternation. Then, one asked, "Why the mundane tasks? We already know how to do those."

"Ah, but you must learn the peculiar shipboard methods and demonstrate to us your proficiency in them. Except for the cabin boy, all our officers begin this way."

"Why is he privileged?"

"Not privileged. If he proves his merit as a cabin boy, he will be made a midshipman to continue his training where you will begin. This was your grandfather's experience, as it was mine – and as it was for Sir Francis Drake."

Pleased with all the nodding heads, I opened the door to my quarters and led them in. "If you apply yourselves with diligence and integrity, you could become a ship's captain and enjoy comforts such as this."

I smiled at the wide-eyed gawping as the lads examined the space. "I will now show you the midshipmen accommodations below and then along the gundeck to the forecastle mess before we return here for individual interviews."