Where a young man has established his character for imprudence, the only recourse is to place a few guineas, say from twenty to thirty, in the hands of the captain, or the purser, with directions to supply what may be absolutely required, rather in form of a loan; keeping the youth in ignorance of his having a banker on board, and giving him, at taking leave, perhaps five or six guineas, in order to carry on the deception.
When it is known that no shop of any kind exists in a ship, (excepting the purser’s slop-shop,) we must conclude there can be little opportunity for extravagance: the principal danger is to be apprehended from gaming, which in some ships reaches to a dreadful extent; always creating difficulty, and rarely terminating without bloodshed. This, added to emulation for the favorable opinion of the ladies, may be considered the usual causes of discord. The latter is, in a great measure, restrained by that custom which fixes every passenger to the same seat at table during the whole voyage; whereby daily contests for vicinity are avoided.
The number of accidents that have happened from trivial causes, renders it necessary to be extremely cautious in regard to smoking; which in all men of war, and India-ships, is permitted only on the fore-castle. By this means danger is avoided, and the stench carried away. It is to be lamented that so proper a regulation is not observed throughout the merchant service; in which so much carelessness prevails, that it appears to me miraculous so many vessels arrive in safety. On my return from India, I embarked at St. Helena on board a whaler, of which the captain had a strong predilection for his pipe, which was scarcely ever out of his mouth. His practice was, to smoke in the cabin where we dined, throwing his hot ashes down upon the deck, in which was a skuttle, or small hatchway, under his own seat. Two lieutenants of the navy, who were fellow-passengers, used to remonstrate very freely, but without the smallest effect, against so improper a practice.
It happened, one morning, as we were off the Azores, that a suspicious-looking vessel hove in sight, laying-to under close reefed top-sails: we altered our course, and were immediately chased. Having at least forty-five young fellows, and about a dozen six-pounders, on board, we cleared ship for action. Imagine what was our surprise at finding that, under the identical hatchway, over which our captain had been perpetually smoking, was a magazine of about thirty barrels of gun-powder; some hooped in, and some having their chimes barely covering their contents which proved to be ready-filled cartridges! I conceive it would have been utterly impossible, if the vessel in chace had proved an enemy, and that we had been compelled to defend our ship, to have avoided being blown up!