Rodman the Boatsteerer

Name: Rodman the Boatsteerer
Author: Louis Becke

The story begins with a mutiny on board the American whaleship Shawnee. The leader of the mutineers is Gerald Rodman, who has a personal vendetta against Captain Harvey Lucy, also known as "Brute" Lucy. Rodman's sister, Nell, had been in love with Martin Newman, one of the ship's officers, but Rodman had discovered their letters and was angry that his sister had been deceived. The mutineers take control of the ship, overpowering the crew and locking them in the sail-locker. They then set about sabotaging the ship by cutting through the foremast and head stays, making it impossible for the ship to sail without being repaired. Rodman's brother, Ned, is one of the mutineers, and he is tasked with helping his brother escape in a small boat. The two brothers make their way to Apia Harbour in Samoa, where they hope to find refuge. Meanwhile, Captain Lucy is left on board the Shawnee, which is drifting aimlessly at sea. He is furious that the mutineers have escaped and vows to track them down and bring them to justice. The story jumps forward seven years, when a tall, muscular-looking man in the uniform of a sergeant of the New South Wales Artillery appears on board an American whaleship called the Heloise. The man is revealed to be Gerald Rodman, who has been living in Australia for many years. Rodman asks Captain Newman if his sister Nell is still alive, and is told that she died three years ago, hoping to see him before she passed away. Rodman is devastated by this news, but is also relieved to know that his sister was happy in her marriage to Martin Newman. The story ends with Rodman leaving the Heloise and making his way back to Australia, where he hopes to find some sense of closure and peace after all these years.

By Louis Becke · First published 1870 · Genre: Adventure, Drama, Historical Fiction · 3 chapters · 6,055 words

First lines

With her white cotton canvas swelling gently out and then softly drooping flat against her cordage, the _Shawnee_, sperm whaler of New Bedford, with the dying breath of the south-east trade, was sailing lazily over a sea whose waters were as calm as those of a mountain lake. Twenty miles astern the lofty peaks of Tutuila, one of the islands of the Samoan group, stood out clearly in the dazzling sunshine, and, almost ahead, what at dawn had been the purple loom of Upolu was changing to a cloud-capped dome of vivid green as the ship closed with the land.

What this Textopian page supports

Rodman the Boatsteerer is listed on Textopian as a short story by Louis Becke, dated 1870 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Louis Becke
Date: 1870 CE
Language: English
Genres: Adventure, Drama, Historical Fiction, Sea Fiction, Literary Fiction
Length: 6,055 words
Structure: 3 chapters, 84 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles

Genres

Adventure — The plot revolves around the high-seas adventure of whaling, featuring intense action and conflict among the crew.
Drama — The story explores deep emotional themes, including conflict, revenge, and the complexities of human relationships.
Historical Fiction — Set in the 19th century whaling industry, it reflects historical practices and societal norms of the time.
Sea Fiction — The narrative is centered on life at sea, focusing on the experiences of sailors aboard a whaling ship.