Disclaimer: I don't own the Bonanza characters, I simply play with them.
Thank you Katja for taking a look at this.
This story is not betaed just spell checked
Warning: This contains a bit of brutality on a teenager but it is in context
of the story. It also contains spanking of the same Teenager.
Please do not read this if it bothers you.
Ben Cartwright, Cabin boy
By Ciejye
Cabin boy Ben Cartwright had been on the ship Destiny’s Promise for 6 months.
And oh what a terrible six months it had been. He
signed on for a two-year stint with the first mate, a man he thought had
the look that a good sailor should have. Silvers was not a tall
man but he carried himself with an air of power that cowed the fresh faced
Ben who was all of 16 at the time. Ben should have realized
that any man who would sign up a lad of his age without his father’s consent
was not a man to be trusted. Still Ben had signed the paper
and now belonged to the Destiny’s Promise not for the two years he had thought
he had signed for, but until he reached the age of 21.
Five long years to tote and haul, to scrub decks and empty chamber pots,
to eat weevil infested bread and maggoty stew, cheese so
moldy there was no telling when it was first brought on board. Ben felt
mighty sorry for himself even more so with what was to come.
It had started with a cuff upside the head when he was not quick enough
to move his sore limbs and seasick belly to fetch and tote for
Captain Graham. The older Captain had little patience with a boy on his
first voyage and the cuffs quickly turned into slaps and kicks.
Everything in the Captain’s cabin had to be ship shape and woe to the lad
whose job it was to see to it if even one thing was out of place.
Ben got his first bruise from the kick to his backside when the bed was
not made properly. His first black eye came from taking too long
to empty and clean the chamber pot that Graham liked to leave filled to
the brim every morning. His first split lip came when he spilled
the Captain’s coffee onto his tray when they hit a bit of a rough spot one
morning.
Still it was safer in the Captain’s cabin with all the slaps and cuffs and
bruises and black eyes than it was out of it. Ben had become adept
at dodging the lecherous hands of some of the sailors. At first, appalled
at the pinches to his bottom and lewd comments, Ben soon
learned to know who not to be caught in the narrow passageway with and who
to avoid at all costs. If it had not been for a grisly old
sailor known as Lammel, Ben would have faired worse than he did for that
voyage. The old salt saw potential in the boy and took him
under his wing. Lammel kept the worst of the sailors away from Ben and taught
him to walk on a heaving deck, to tie the knots that
were needed when no one else would. He told the wide-eyed boy stories of
his youth about whales and mermaids and pirates.
Ben drank in all the information real and embellished and longed for the
day when his life would be more than cleaning someone else’s
pot. When he to could have a full wage rather than the quarter wage that
befit his age and station. Lammel spoke of other things as well.
Of a place of his youth, where the trees grew straight and tall, where men
worked hard at the land but found as much satisfaction in the
work as any sailor of a well turned ship. There was almost a longing in
the man’s eyes as he spoke but then after a silent pause he would
just laugh and swat the young boy on the shoulder and tell him to be about
his chores. Ben understood the older sailors need to be alone
for a few minutes and would head off to complete whatever task needed to
be done.
And such was Ben's life for the first six months at sea. Endless pots to
clean, beds to make, decks to scrub, and endless rounds of mold
and bugs and rats below deck. Often Ben would stand on the deck at night
and look up at the stars. He would promise himself a better
life one day. Where he would be the Captain of his own ship, where the orders
would come from him and woe be it to any man who
shirked his duties.
***
It was a steamy day in August, when the Promise put into port off the coast
of Africa. It was that day that young Ben would learn of the
true nature of the ship and why it stank below deck. Their cargo had been
rum, and it was taken off the ship first. Then the men were
permitted to go ashore for a time. All but young Ben, he was confined to
the ship as punishment in addition to the beating he got at the
first mates hands for punching a sailor who tried to get too friendly. Ben
was to remain on the ship tied to the mast with his back bared
to the blazing sun until the first mate and Captain returned from shore.
He had been whipped for fighting. The cat, a 6-strand flogger
hung next to him. Ben could see the knots tied in each strand and shuddered
at the thought of how that felt as it came down on his bare
flesh.
He had seen floggings before to be sure. In the six months he had been at
sea he had seen several floggings, one that took the skin right
off the back of the sailor it had been used on and most left the men unable
to work for at least a day. Yes he had seen floggings it was
required for the entire ship to watch as the strong-armed second mate whipped
a man to the count of the first mate. Ben thought himself
lucky that the first mate was the one to whip him then snorted a laugh at
the thought of anyone who would think themselves lucky to get
a whipping at all. It seemed such a far cry from his school days in New
England where the worst he had to worry about was a canning
from his teacher or his fathers strap across his backside. Not that a strapping
from Joseph Cartwright was a light thing but it was done
with love, and a sincere attempt to teach the lad that one action was wrong.
It was not done as pure punishment for defending his virtue.
The first lash of the cat bit into his back and the only thing that kept
Ben from screaming out in the pain was the shock of it. He had
never in his young life felt such agony. The pain from the first lash had
just begun to ebb when the second came on its tail. This time
Ben let out a scream that some were sure had been heard clear back in Boston.
Still the first mate didn't pause more than was needed to
let the pain sink in before he delivered the next blow. Ben writhed on the
mast and sobbed as he cried out. The pain was unbelievable,
never in his entire life had he hurt so badly. Not when he broke his arm
when he fell from the roof of the house when he was 11, not
even the last strapping from his father that came on top of a canning from
the teacher at school that was the reason that Ben ran away to
the sea. Ben sobbed in the pain as he realized they were not yet half way
done. By the 5th lash Ben had lost control of his bladder and
wet himself. And by the time the whole 9 lashes had been delivered he simply
hung from the mast in agony, his back a mass of welts
some of which bled freely.
And there he was left; at first he was almost a blessing with the breeze
blowing over the hot tortured flesh. But then came the flies that
buzzed around the wounds and lit on the raw edges and Ben thought he would
go mad. He twisted and jerked around as he tried to
shake them off. "Run off to sea, that will show Father." He thought to himself
as he remembered the day he signed on. "Yes that
showed him all right. Show him what a fool I was." Ben lowered his head
and wept. Several of his tormentors came over to taunt and
tease him but a sudden flurry of work put a stop to that. And Ben was left
alone in his agony.
A noise caused him to look up and in that instant to his horror Ben saw
the true purpose of the ship. Hundreds of black men and women
were loaded as he watched. They were chained to each other and many sobbed
as he had done. He could see the marks of beatings and
the blood from the shackles that encircled each wrist and ankle. A slaver!
Ohh Dear Lord he had signed on a slave ship. Ben hung his
head and wept bitterly. His misery was complete.
****
It was hours later when the ship was silent again that Lammel came to his
side. The old sailor tenderly bathed the blistered and welted
flesh and gave the lad sips of the cool water he brought. Ben was nearly
out of his head with the pain and misery he felt but he thought
he heard the old man tell him not to worry. All would be well. Ben snorted
and knew nothing would be well again, he was in hell. Then
the blackness took over him and mercifully he passed out.
The gentle rocking of the ship was the first sensation that filled him when
he came too; he knew that the ship was out to see by the roll
and pitch. The second sensation was that of cool sheets around him and his
back no longer screamed in agony. An experimental twitch
gave him some information. The whipping had not been a dream, his back ached
from it but it also felt as if someone had tended it.
"Bless Lammel," Ben thought, "He is a true friend." Ben shifted again opened
one eye, the sun on the deck of the cabin showed him it
was well past noon and he groaned as he knew he better get up and get to
work before the Captain took exception to his laying about.
Men who were flogged were only afforded the rest of the day in rest to recover
then they had to be about their duties even if they were
lessened for a while. Ben marveled that he had not already been kicked from
the bunk.
The bunk? Ben’s mind suddenly realized that he was on a bed and not the
small hard pallet on the floor that was his usual bed. Who
would put him in a bed? He moved again and turned his head to see the rest
of the cabin. This was not the Promise, of that he was sure.
He knew every inch of the Promise and this cabin was too fine and too clean
to be found on it. He sniffed and the air was too fresh as
well. The door opened a moment later and started Ben. He jumped and yelped
out as his back pulled against the healing wounds.
"Well I see you joined the living again lad." A voice boomed as an older
man came into view. "Stay still now lad." The man soothed the
boy as he set the tray he carried down on the table and moved to Ben’s side.
"Don't try and get up just yet. Turn around on your side if
you can boy. That’s it." The man was gruff yet soothing as he assisted Ben
into turning on his side and arranged the pillows to support
him. Then he lifted a glass of water from the tray and helped him take a
drink. "Easy now. I have no need to wear this water if your
stomach sends it back. Slow sips. Good lad."
Ben sipped the water and felt its sweet freshness sooth his sore throat
and dry lips. He sipped slowly as he looked at the bearded man
with his hard yet gentle eyes and gruff manner.
"That’s enough for the moment lad." The man said and pulled the glass away
gently but firmly. Ben tried to protest and keep the glass
but a stern look soon stopped him. "I can see you will be a handful."
Ben had the good grace to blush at the remark. The other man just chuckled.
"You’ll be wondering where you are and who I am. Well I
can answer all that and more. Names Stoddard. Captain Abel Stoddard and
your on my ship the Wanderer, I purchased your papers
from Graham after an old friend told me of your plight." The Captain snorted
in disgust. "Never could abide slavery or those who
transport them If you have any notions of this ship being on to profit on
the miser of another human lad then get them right out of your
head now. I’ll not abide that kind of thinking on my ship."
The look Ben got was of such fury that he shrank back a bit in the bed but
still his voice was strong when he replied. "No sir. I didn't
know what the ship transported when I signed on. I would have never." Stoddard
stopped him there.
"That’s fine lad, I just wanted it to be sure." Stoddard’s eyes bore into
the youth on the bunk. "Now that that is clear understand this. I
run a tight ship and each man," a pause then a harder look. "Or boy knows
his place and does his work the best he can. You are a cabin
boy, you’re duties will include running errands for me as well as seeing
to the state of this cabin. Mark my words I run a tighter ship than
Graham did. I believe that cleanliness is next to Godliness and I will not
abide a dirty ship."
Ben nodded to indicate his understanding but also added. "Yes Sir." As a
mark of respect. "Shall I begin now Sir?"
"You will rest and recover from your injuries first before you attempt any
duty. I will let you know when you are to start. You’ve been a
mighty sick boy these past few days."
"DAYS?" Ben gasped. "I’ve been here for days? I should get to work. I’m
sorry Sir I didn’t realize." Ben threw back the covers and
attempted to get out of the bunk. That little defiance was met with a stinging
slap to his bare rump.
"I SAID REST!" Stoddard boomed at the startled boy and landed a second swat
before he replaced the covers. "Any further attempts at
mutiny will be met with similar results boy! I am the captain of this ship
and MY word is law here. If you think you can ignore my words
like you just did then you will be sorely and I do mean sorely mistaken.
I don't believe in whipping any man unjustly and a boy doesn’t
need to feel the cat. But mark my words boy, you flaunt my orders again
and you will feel the flat of my hand on your backside."
"Yes sir." Ben spoke contritely and remained in the bunk. His backside stung
from the two swats and there was no way he wanted more.
"Now, if that is settled lets get some of this broth in you." Stoddard covered
Ben's chest with a napkin and picked up a bowl and a
spoon. To Ben's chagrin he proceeded to spoon the broth into the lad’s mouth
as he spoke. Any attempt to take the spoon was met with
a fierce glare that cowed the boy completely. "Lammel came to me while in
port and told me what had been done to you, and begged me
to come and take you from there, said you had no right being on that ship
and if I didn't save you then you would not make it back to
America. I came as soon as I could and purchased your papers from Graham.
It seems he had decided you were trouble and as he put it.
He had no time to molly coddle a babe who wet himself at the first stroke
of the cat." Ben blushed hotly at the mention of his accident.
"Now now, don't take it so hard, happens to the best of men. I brought you
here and had our ship’s second mate tend your back. That
was three days ago. Now you rest and sleep and let yourself heal."
"Please Captain, what happened to Lammel? Did he come with you?" Ben asked
as he yawned.
"I’m sorry Lad, Graham wouldn't sell his papers to me. Said he was short
of men as it was." Stoddard growl "But he told me to remind
you of the tall trees and how you should see them sometime."
"Thank you Sir." Ben murmured then even though he wanted to stay away he
felt himself drift off to sleep.
***
When Ben woke again it was near dark from the looks of the shadows. He shifted
his body and looked around the neat cabin. The small
desk with its capped ink and quill, the log neatly opened to the page for
the day. The maps and compass set up on the table. Ben could
see the sea chest and a couple of small personal mementos. Everything was
in place neat as a pin. This was the kind of ship Ben thought
he had signed onto in the first place. Ben tossed back the covers, swung
his legs out of the bed and sat up. The room swayed for a few
minutes but then righted itself. He gave a push and stood up. A moment later
he was on the floor, as the ship seemed to lurch suddenly.
The door opened a moment later.
"What the devil?!!" Stoddard boomed as he strode in the room and lifted
the lad from the floor. "I told you to stay in that bed, Boy!" He
growled at Ben.
"I …" Ben started and then his world tilted suddenly again. Ben found himself
face down across the Captain’s knees as a pain exploded
in his neither quarters. Ben yelped as the large, callused hand smacked
down again and again.
"I gave you an order boy! And I expect to be obeyed!" Stoddard growled out
as he swatted the lad’s rump several more times. Then as
suddenly as he was tilted one way Ben was tilted the other and put firmly
back in the bed, an angry Sea Captain right in his face. "If you
get out of that bed again without my express permission I’ll turn that backside
of yours as red as a sunset over Barbados. Is THAT
understood BOY!"
There was only one answer to that and Ben knew it. "Yes Sir." He spoke clearly
but softly. "I’m sorry Sir."
Stoddard waved off the apology. "I don't want apologies. I want obedience!
You will learn to do as your told or your backside will pay
the price! Now, why were you out of that bed in the first place?"
Ben blushed and mumbled something about his biological needs. Stoddard was
hard pressed not to chuckle at the lad and helped him use
the pot and get cleaned up. Then much to Ben's surprise, the Captain handed
him a bowl of stew and admonished him to eat while he
told Ben stories of his younger days at sea.
Over the next few weeks Ben learned that while Captain Abel Stoddard was
a gruff and strict man he was also a fair one. He may scold
but he also praised as well and never handed out a punishment that was not
fair. Ben learned more in the next two months than he had in
the entire six months onboard the Promise. Ben loved the older man dearly
and did his best for him. Often Ben could be found up late
polishing the Captain’s boots or brushing the salt from his sea coat. And
while he did have occasion to find his way over the Captain’s
knee again, Ben knew it was done with love and affection to teach and not
just to punish. Ben carried two faint scars from his days on
the Promise, but they reminded him long into his later life what it was
to work for an unjust employer. Just as Captain Stoddard
reminded him what it was to work for a just one.
Ben stood at the railing of the ship as she pulled into Boston harbor. His
backside stung from the Captain’s hand for a prank he had
pulled on the first mate. And there on the shore was the most beautiful
sight he had ever seen. A raven-haired beauty who looked to be a
year or two younger than he was. She waved at him. Ben was startled and
started to wave back when he felt the Captain beside him
wave. Then a hardy slap on the back and Stoddard spoke. "Come on Benjamin,
me lad, I’ll introduce you to my daughter, Elizabeth."
Ben smiled broadly as he realized who the beauty was. "Yes Sir." Came the
answer as he followed his Captain down the gangplank.
Fin
November 2002
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