THE GENT AFLOAT

This highly amusing article appeared in an issue of the Lightning Gazette that was a vivid character study typical of the mid-Victorian era:

THE GENT AFLOAT.

This class of individual is to be found in great abundance in every clipper ship community. He is easily known, more easily detected. He is a man of vast importance when first he steps aboard; makes no advances; keeps aloof; is evidently selecting, with great caution, those with whom he dare associate without compromising his connections. After a little time, however, he-with a condescending grace, which cannot be too highly extolled-relaxes slightly his vigorous demeanor, and smiles upon the very young men of known good family (of course), occasionally honours them with his arm and promenades the deck for half an hour-is very careful during the peregrination to recount his latest adventures at home-the parting dinners Captain Allalie and Colonel Gammon would insist on giving him; the ballet dancer, who forsook an Earl for his advances and embraces; the prima donna who would insist on rehearsing her role before him as she entertained so high an opinion of his musical criticism and abilities. The borough he might have gone in for at the last election, with the Duke of Sarum's interest, but that his own family objected on the score of the difference in political opinions, and the positive certainty that in a few years his great talents and eloquence must command the most independent seat in the House.

He is of an average height and features, with the exception of a protruding chin, which gives to the mouth a horrible grin; an eyeglass of course; luxuriant hair and whiskers, redolent of macassar. He apes the gait of a military man; wears a frock coat terribly inclined to the third and fourth letters of the alphabet; a waistcoat of the most approved and fashionable cut; trowsers of the loudest plain style about two to the pair, with very ragged bottoms and straps, the latter article proving a very useful adjunct when the supply of socks falls short; a shirt with miniature cartoons after Raphael or a correct likeness of the last murderer and the last ballet dancer printer upon it; a necktie of the striking stripe pattern to make him smart. His whole appearance is indicative of a worn-out stultz. His hands are covered with a variety of rings, from the enamelled and delicately wrought diamond to the massive and substantial signet bearing his crest. An immense watch chain (bearing a striking resemblance to a ship's cable) with an abundance of charms attached completes the tout ensemble of the outer man. His wardrobe is somewhat limited-but this he accounts for by 'D--n those agents, the rascals have put my trunks marked "wanted on the voyage" in the hold, and left out those "not wanted," isn't that annoying? Could you lend me a few shirts until they're got at?' He is decidedly great at the borrowing dodge. Of course his cigars, tobacco and all the little comforts for the journey are in his trunks in the hold. But the way he solicits a loan of the required articles is irresistible. His natural grace (or impudence, we don't know which) defies refusal. But at last even that-as all things good or bad will- palls and borrowing becomes a more difficult art. Friends shirk him, acquaintances avoid him, and long before the end of the journey 'the Gent Afloat" is known and scouted as a penniless, reckless adventurer void alike of honour or honesty.

Rivaling the Lightning Gazette for the passenger's attention was the Ship's notice board where communiqués were posted on the main mast.

By far, the most pleasant diversion aboard the Lightning was music for there was a band aboard. A piano was in the first-class saloon and on the poop deck in the evenings, whenever fair weather prevailed, dances took place. The ship's band made up by the stewards was often joined by amateur musicians among the passengers, among them numerous violinists as well as cornet players. At times when the Lightning was going along at a good clip the slant of the deck made for an amusing scene as the dancers tried to keep in step with the tune.

Concerts were popular in the saloon, where the band was joined by a piano player and singers among the passengers for an evening programme of song.

Other popular diversions among the first and second-class passengers were plays and mock trials.

A diversion for the more adventurous included fishing and the catching of seabirds and when a shark or albatross was caught it was a big event aboard the ship. First-class passengers with guns sometimes fired at bottles thrown overboard or at birds from the deck. More strenuous activities included impromptu ship's boat races and swimming whenever the ship was becalmed.

The most interesting diversion of all was the Crossing the Line ceremony when "King Neptune," his Queen, barber, and attendant would come aboard from their "barge" and inquire as to all those aboard the ship who had not crossed his domain before.

This was long a seafaring tradition steeped in elaborate ritual, costume, and ceremony that often turned out to be a rough and tumble affair that sometimes got out of hand, especially when the spirits flowed freely and the ceremony was not appreciated by some of those emigrants crossing the line for the first time. Those that requested that they not be forced to submit to the ceremony were exempted upon paying a fine. Some captains banned the Crossing the Line ceremony because of all the havoc it caused, among them Captain Forbes.

By far, one of the best existing diarist's account of the Crossing the Line ceremony comes from T. McKnight in his entry of June 25, 1853 while a passenger aboard the Netherby and is presented here in its entirety.

On Thursday evening the 17th of May, at 8 p.m., King Neptune's barge was seen approaching by a sailor on the lookout in the main top, which was hailed in due form, and when she was supposed to be alongside a gun was fired in honour of His Majesty. Shortly after His Majesty's barber, and an attendant, most fantastically dressed for the occasion, came up to the poop and announced to the Captain that His Oceanic Majesty, being indisposed from the circumstance of one of the ribs of a whale having stuck in his gizzard the day before, could not come himself but had sent a deputation in to inform the Captain that he would honour the ship with a visit the following day to see if there were any on board who had not crossed his domain before. At 2'oclock on the 18th inst., his Majesty, accompanied by his queen, arrived under the usual salute, and having entered their carriage, drawn by six horses, proceeded from the forecastle to the poop, headed by a band of musicians playing the grand march of See the conquering hero comes. The carriage was followed by His Majesty's barber and attendant, then came a strong police force, and last of all, those who had not crossed the line before. As soon as the procession reached the ladder, His Majesty and Queen descended from the state carriage, and, accompanied by his retinue, marched from the poop, passing the leeside, preceded by his standard bearers, having the royal standard with the words "Neptune, King of the Sea", inscribed thereon, suspended on two poles.

Next, His Majesty and royal consort, dressed in the fantastical robes peculiar to His Oceanic Majesty and Court, the King wearing a long beard, which quite concealed his face so that a particular description of his phiz could not be given. Next in order came the barber and attendant, the former carrying a ponderous razor on his shoulder of exquisite workmanship, and the latter a lather brush of equal proportion which showed that they were in earnest about having their work effectively performed. Next in order came His Majesty's body guard who were marshalled on the weather side of the poop and presented a formidable appearance. Without much ceremony the King announced his attention of shaving and scrubbing those who had not passed before through his dominion, and to exact the tribute he was entitled to, from time immemorial. The Captain addressed His Majesty in suitable words, congratulating him on his happy recovery after undergoing the operation of having the whale bone extracted from his gizzard, and offering His Majesty some refreshment which His Majesty politely declined as he already had swallowed a shark since the morning.

His Majesty, Queen and suite, after bowing to the Captain, returned in the same order to the State carriage and proceeded towards the forecastle. The royal vehicle was halted on the fore part of the main deck, when His Majesty could overlook the proceedings and satisfy himself that his barber and assistants performed their duty in accordance with the proscribed rules. The first victim was the ship's butcher. He was laid hold of by two of His Majesty's suite, and brought to the barber and attendant, who stood on an eminence. He was then lathered with the yellow liquid composed principally of peas. Questions were put to him during the operation, and on opening his mouth to answer the yellow liquid was poured in. he was afterwards shaved, and then handed over to two others who stood a little lower. These, before he knew where he was, tumbled him heels over head into a large sail containing a quantity of sea water, And there thoroughly dipped, scrubbed and washed by two others who were there to receive him. Thus ended the operation. Twenty more served in the same way.

The light airs and hot days encountered in the doldrums by the Lightning as she crossed the line often had a depressing effect upon many of the passengers for none of the McKay clippers were all that fast in light winds like the smaller tea clippers were. So King Neptune's visit aboard the Lightning was most likely seen by many passengers as a welcome distraction that broke up the tedium of the passage and was probably much like King Neptune's visit aboard the Netherby.

There were, of course, many flirtations and liaisons aboard the ship over the passage to Australia. Upon many occasions, the first-class gentlemen "Celestials" would often try and entice the "Nymphs," unmarried girls from the steerage class, to join them in the saloon or on the poop deck where attempts of seduction took place much to the resentment of some of the second and steerage-class male passengers. The Celestials and Nymphs connotations comes from the diary writings of T. McKnight, a keen-eyed observer who captured much of what went on aboard ship in good style.

St. Valentine's Day was always a source of high amusement aboard any ship commanded by Captain Enright and aboard the Lightning in front of the poop on Valentine's Day, a letter box was set where Valentines were placed by all those desirous of flirtations with their fellow passengers. Richard, a black steward, who was apparently quite a character, collected the Valentines there and beloved by all aboard the Lightning as the following passenger account will attest.

Richard, the coloured steward, made a first-rate walker, dressed in the tip-top style of St. Martins-le-Grand, with gold-laced hat, yellow collar and cuffs to his coat and white tops to his boots: he acted the part of cupid's messenger to admiration and drew down thunders of applause. There was a second delivery in the afternoon on the poop, when Richard again made his appearance dressed in a full general's uniform. . . . The Valentines, which were very numerous, contained the usual amount of bitters and sweet, flattering verses and lovers' vows; some amusing hits at marked propensities and a few rather broad hints at infirmities and habits were all taken in good part and the day passed off most pleasantly.

Captain Enright that day received the following Valentine.

To

Captain Go-ahead Enright, A1,

Ship "Flash of Lightning,"

who never cracks on, and is supposed to have

at no time seen a moonsail.

It is currently reported that he lays to

and turns in when it blows a gale.

N.B.-No certain address, but always to be found

ON DUTY.

The diarists aboard the voyage kept a running account of much that went on over the voyage and reflected the tensions that were felt by all toward the end of the passage. A high point on a voyage was always the sighting of another ship, particularly a clipper and passengers would enthusiastically gather along the rail to cheer as she passed.

The wet and cold weather encountered in the "Roaring Forties" caused a great deal of discomfort among the passengers and the rough seas encountered at the bottom of the world curtailed many of the passengers' amusements, except for reading in the safety of their bunks. All the passengers looked forward to the end of the tedious passage and the "Land-Ho!" bets increased in number as the day approached. Eventually the "Land-Ho!" cry was made from the lookout, but then it was often days or weeks, depending on the winds, before the Lightning approached the port and anchored in Hobson's Bay off Williamstown.

All the passengers had to be cleared by the Melbourne health authorities before being allowed to go ashore and all were glad to depart the ship. Melbourne was located up the shallow Yarra Yarra River. Fortunately, by the time of the Lightning's second voyage, a railway line connected Williamstown with Melbourne. It still was an expensive proposition for the passengers to transport themselves and their luggage to Melbourne.

But the situation was not quite as bad as things had been in earlier days when luggage and freight had to be lightered up and down the river in sailing craft of every description at exorbitant rates. In addition, sailing crews were often seen pilfering through the goods in which they had been entrusted. It seems that a number of Land Sharks had somehow managed to find their way to Australia in those earlier years.

The railway line now made passenger transportation to Melbourne with their luggage somewhat easier and less expensive, but finding suitable lodging upon their arrival in the city was still an ordeal. But the passengers were glad to have arrived in their new land of opportunity and would go on to make the best of it. All the recently arrived emigrants would pass on down to their families their memories and mementos of their passage aboard the Lightning to Australia.

Captain Enright had taken the Lightning out to Melbourne on her second around the world voyage in 78 days, and 79 days home again to Liverpool. The Lightning brought back to England 6,500 pounds of gold, the largest gold shipment ever carried by a Black Ball liner. The homeward passage carried fewer passengers but had many prosperous gold-seekers returning home from the diggings with their newfound riches.

Over the course of the voyage, many games of chance proliferated, particularly the card games of blackjack and poker. Inevitably, some of the passengers soon lost their precious hordes of gold and fights broke out aboard ship, which had to be broken up by the captain and crew.

Where upon the Lightning's arrival at Liverpool, the sharp hollow entrance of her bow, even after two successful around the world voyages, suddenly came under closer scrutiny by the shipping community. Because of this adverse publicity, her owners put her into dry dock and planked in her hollow bow with slabs of oak sheathing.

This enraged ship designers on the other side of the Atlantic when they heard of it. Particularly so was John Willis Griffiths who wrote the following article in his publication The U.S. Nautical Magazine and Naval Journal.

No timid hand, or hesitating brain, gave form and dimensions to the Lightning. Very great stability, acute extremities, full short, midship body, comparatively small deadrise, and the longest end forward, are points in the excellence of this ship. By European naval authorities such a model would be repudiated on account of the centre of gravity of displacement being found abaft of mid-lengths of load line, but such authors have little weight with the independent modellers of America and although the mechanical advisers of her owners have accomplished their purpose, by filling out the bow of the vessel to suit their crude notions of science, it will be found that some modification in the distribution of the propulsory power was all that was necessary (as we shall show in connection with her spar draught in our next issue) to make her all that could be desired by the fogyistic advocates of full bows of the old world.

When Donald McKay heard of this he too became incensed. The following letter appeared in the Scientific American on November 26, 1859, some years after:

Although I designed her and built the clipper ship Lightning and therefore ought to be the last to praise her, yet such has been her performance since Englishmen learned to sail her that I must confess I feel proud of her. You are aware that she was so sharp and concave forward that one of her stupid captains who did not comprehend the principal upon which she was built, persuaded the owners to fill in the hollows of her bows. They did so, and according to their British bluff notions, she was not only better for the addition, but would sail faster, and wrote me to that effect. Well, the next passage to Melbourne, Australia, she washed the encumbrance away on one side, and when she returned to Liverpool, the other side was also cleared away. Since then she has been running as I modeled her. As a specimen of her speed, I may say that I saw recorded in her log (of 24 hours) 436 nautical miles, a trifle over 18 knots an hour.

The Lightning, still under Captain Enright's command, sailed on her third voyage to Melbourne and en route the Lightning Gazette noted that the oak sheathing at her bow slowed her down by at least three knots. Apparently, the oak sheathing wasn't fastened too tightly to the bows for part of it washed away over the course of the voyage, or perhaps the Lightning had made a determined effort to shake the sheathing off.

Upon the Lightning's arrival at Melbourne, the Port authorities were unhappy at the sight of her damaged bows and refused to allow the Lightning to take on passengers and gold until the repairs were made.

There were no dry docks in Australia, but after a great deal of trouble, the repairs were made and after five weeks the Lightning was reluctantly allowed to return to Liverpool. Captain Enright resented the delay and considered it unnecessary and the damage superficial. He wrote in a letter to the Liverpool Mercury upon his return that if the authorities had just taken a boat out to the Lightning and inspected her in the clear water while she lay off Queenscliff they could have seen this for themselves.

The oak sheathing was removed from the bows of the Lightning upon her return to Liverpool and the Lightning sailed from Liverpool on May 6, 1856, on her fourth voyage to Australia, Enright's third in command, and had a fine voyage of 68 days, 10 hours to Melbourne.

The Lightning left Port Philip Heads on August 28th and on her run for Cape Horn this time the Lightning almost piled upon the Bristows, off Enderby's Island, but fortunately escaped this untimely end thanks to the qualities endowed to the Lightning by her builder and the seamanship of her captain.

Soon after crossing the line in the Atlantic the Lightning fell in with the New York clipper Tornedo for a time in variable and squally weather. A sailing contest developed between the two until at last the Lightning was able to harness the full strength of the wind and gradually pulled away from her rival and as her log entry states, "Bid him good bye."

Enright made one more successful around the world voyage to Australia, his fourth, as captain of the Lightning and left Liverpool on February 5, 1857. It was on this fifth voyage that the Lightning made her best 48-hour run in March. The following letter appeared in the March 21, 1857 edition of the Lightning Gazette:

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I cannot help informing you of the extraordinary run we have made during the last 48 hours-or rather, allowing for change of time, 46 hours 48 minutes. During this time we have run, by thoroughly good and trustworthy observation, no less than 790 knots, or 920 statute miles, being an average of nearly 17 knots, or more that 19 1/2 statute miles per hour. Yesterday our noble ship made no less than 430 knots, amounting to an average during the 24 (23 1/2) hours of more than 18 knots. Our change of longitude has amounted to 18 degrees, each degree being equal to 44 miles.

"I firmly believe this to be the greatest performance a sailing ship has ever accomplished. I hope this information will in some degree compensate you for the inconvenience which the heavy weather has occasioned you.

Captain Enright brought the Lightning home to Liverpool in early August 1857. Soon after, the Lightning was chartered along with her sister ships, the Champion of the Seas and the James Baines to transport troops to India at the time of the Indian Mutiny which is covered in detail later on in this book.

Next: The Champion of the Seas

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