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intimate with my passengers。 The most of them were then in their berths
sea…sick； however； in going among them； telling them what was good for
them； persuading them not to be there； but to come up on deck and feel the
breeze； and in rousing them with a joke； or a comfortable word； I made
acquaintance with them； perhaps； in a more friendly and confidential way
from the first； than I might have done at the cabin table。
Of my passengers； I need only particularise； just at present； a bright…
eyed blooming young wife who was going out to join her husband in
California； taking with her their only child； a little girl of three years old；
whom he had never seen； a sedate young woman in black； some five years
older （about thirty as I should say）； who was going out to join a brother；
and an old gentleman； a good deal like a hawk if his eyes had been better
and not so red； who was always talking； morning； noon； and night； about
the gold discovery。 But； whether he was making the voyage； thinking his
old arms could dig for gold； or whether his speculation was to buy it； or to
barter for it； or to cheat for it； or to snatch it anyhow from other people；
was his secret。 He kept his secret。
These three and the child were the soonest well。 The child was a most
engaging child； to be sure； and very fond of me： though I am bound to
admit that John Steadiman and I were borne on her pretty little books in
reverse order； and that he was captain there； and I was mate。 It was
beautiful to watch her with John； and it was beautiful to watch John with
her。 Few would have thought it possible； to see John playing at bo…peep
round the mast； that he was the man who had caught up an iron bar and
struck a Malay and a Maltese dead； as they were gliding with their knives
down the cabin stair aboard the barque Old England； when the captain lay
ill in his cot； off Saugar Point。 But he was； and give him his back against a
bulwark； he would have done the same by half a dozen of them。 The name
of the young mother was Mrs。 Atherfield； the name of the young lady in
black was Miss Coleshaw； and the name of the old gentleman was Mr。
Rarx。
As the child had a quantity of shining fair hair； clustering in curls all
about her face； and as her name was Lucy； Steadiman gave her the name
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THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY
of the Golden Lucy。 So； we had the Golden Lucy and the Golden Mary；
and John kept up the idea to that extent as he and the child went playing
about the decks； that I believe she used to think the ship was alive
somehowa sister or companion； going to the same place as herself。 She
liked to be by the wheel； and in fine weather； I have often stood by the
man whose trick it was at the wheel； only to hear her； sitting near my feet；
talking to the ship。 Never had a child such a doll before； I suppose； but she
made a doll of the Golden Mary； and used to dress her up by tying ribbons
and little bits of finery to the belaying…pins； and nobody ever moved them；
unless it was to save them from being blown away。
Of course I took charge of the two young women； and I called them
〃my dear；〃 and they never minded； knowing that whatever I said was said
in a fatherly and protecting spirit。 I gave them their places on each side of
me at dinner； Mrs。 Atherfield on my right and Miss Coleshaw on my left；
and I directed the unmarried lady to serve out the breakfast； and the
married lady to serve out the tea。 Likewise I said to my black steward in
their presence； 〃Tom Snow； these two ladies are equally the mistresses of
this house； and do you obey their orders equally；〃 at which Tom laughed；
and they all laughed。
Old Mr。 Rarx was not a pleasant man to look at； nor yet to talk to； or to
be with； for no one could help seeing that he was a sordid and selfish
character； and that he had warped further and further out of the straight
with time。 Not but what he was on his best behaviour with us； as
everybody was； for we had no bickering among us； for'ard or aft。 I only
mean to say； he was not the man one would have chosen for a messmate。
If choice there had been； one might even have gone a few points out of
one's course； to say； 〃No！ Not him！〃 But； there was one curious
inconsistency in Mr。 Rarx。 That was； that he took an astonishing interest in
the child。 He looked； and I may add； he was； one of the last of men to care
at all for a child； or to care much for any human creature。 Still； he went so
far as to be habitually uneasy； if the child was long on deck； out of his
sight。 He was always afraid of her falling overboard； or falling down a
hatchway； or of a block or what not coming down upon her from the
rigging in the working of the ship； or of her getting some hurt or other。 He
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THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY
used to look at her and touch her； as if she was something precious to him。
He was always solicitous about her not injuring her health； and constantly
entreated her mother to be careful of it。 This was so much the more
curious； because the child did not like him； but used to shrink away from
him； and would not even put out her hand to him without coaxing from
others。 I believe that every soul on board frequently noticed this； and not
one of us understood it。 However； it was such a plain fact； that John
Steadiman said more than once when old Mr。 Rarx was not within earshot；
that if the Golden Mary felt a tenderness for the dear old gentleman she
carried in her lap； she must be bitterly jealous of the Golden Lucy。
Before I go any further with this narrative； I will state that our ship
was a barque of three hundred tons； carrying a crew of eighteen men； a
second mate in addition to John； a carpenter； an armourer or smith； and
two apprentices （one a Scotch boy； poor little fellow）。 We had three boats；
the Long…boat； capable of carrying twenty…five men； the Cutter； capable of
carrying fifteen； and the Surf…boat； capable of carrying ten。 I put down the
capacity of these boats according to the numbers they were really meant to
hold。
We had tastes of bad weather and head…winds； of course； but； on the
whole we had as fine a run as any reasonable man could expect； for sixty
days。 I then began to enter two remarks in the ship's Log and in my
Journal；