Original subtitles

There are two miles from shore!

We'll run for all.

Eat this.

Come on, it's not much, but it's something.

Can I have some, ma 'am? Not till your sister's eaten. Oh, build up the fire.

Good girl. Now eat it up, Mary.

Mary, for God's sake, girl.

You must eat, Mary. How can you hope ever to get well if you don't eat?

The singing, ma 'am.

The singing's stopped.

Alice!

What a way to greet your own flesh and blood.

Uncle Will, have you brought food for us, Uncle Will? Oh, that I have lad

Let me get properly in the door.

Thank God you've come, William. Thank God.

Well, I as near as didn't, Alice.

We had a close call on this trip.

The girl.

She's got to be got out of here, William. Worse than ever she is in this

She'll die.

Got out where?

To the country.

The country? Where the air is clean.

See, I've thought about it. If we could find a little place, it doesn't matter

how far away. I mean, Edward...

A big boy, now he could help with the land, and we could grow enough to keep

ourselves. A place in the country, woman, woman, you've got to have money

come by things like that. How much money?

How should I know? A hundred pounds? Alice, I'm just as many to shore.

And as I told you, it's a mercy I'm here at all. Couldn't you find Mr. O 'Neill

and raise a hundred pounds?

Mr. O 'Neill.

Isn't it his fault more than anybody's that we're reduced to a life like this?

He brought fever into the port. No, Alice. He brought fever into the port.

That meant the drains had to be blown up. So there was the end of our hearth

home. No regrets.

Mr. O 'Neill wasn't to blame.

You stand up for him because you believe your livelihood depends upon it. But

that's a mistake, too, William.

If the day ever dawned when your generous master had no further use for

you'd not remain his bondman for very long, and well you know it.

Mum!

Where is she? Will she earn a shilling?

I'm paying no more. Why, they come to my hunting in places like this!

Who are you, then?

I'm paying, aren't I?

Shilling!

You ought to be gone out of here.

God knows how.

But I'll find the money one way or another.

I'm in trouble.

The repair to the ship is really going to take six weeks. I'll have to make

other arrangements.

But Braganza's cast must be in particle on time.

What about me, sir? What about the crew?

You've your lives, haven't you?

It's the way of the sea.

You lose one berth, you find yourself another.

Well, you know well enough the scarce ability we had in Liverpool at the

time. And you're as good as promised us all this trip before we set sail on the

last one.

Six weeks to mend a damned hole.

Well, I was master out there in the storm and I said jettison the cargo.

You told me to the contrary.

So when it comes to responsibility for the damage... Are you trying to tell

me... Joe, don't provoke Mr. Bain.

Ah, provoke him? You know his reasons for needing employment just now.

And for demanding £100 off me.

Mr. Renedon not demanding, requesting by way of an advance.

I've never heard of an advance to that order. Being made admiral of the fleet,

let alone a merchant master.

For the Lord's sake, I must find the money to get my sister and her family

of that dothouse.

And I must repair the ship. Without her, we're all done for. Shall I scupper

myself to salvage you?

James, Mr. Bainby's sister's living in dire circumstances. I've been there and

seen for myself.

Look, we've got troubles of our own.

I should like to borrow money to get us out of troubles, but the world is not

like that.

Each man must shoulder his own burden.

Well, that was wanton, sir.

What you did out in the storm there, running for home unless the palving's

profit be lost.

Now men whose families depend on it are without their livelihood.

I call that evil action, sir, I do, wanton.

I've never heard you speak like that before, Mr. Baines.

Well, I'm sorry, ma 'am.

But it is doing.

I see it all plain now. All that's befallen me and mine is his doing.

Carrie Harris?

Yes, what is it?

Oh, there you are. Someone to see you, Carrie.

What are you?

A gentleman?

Bert, wait a minute.

Oh, give over, you lot, will you? Mind out the way. I want to get this one.

Thanks very much.

Was it you wanted to see me, then?

Carrie Harris?

Yes, that's right.

The young lady that knew Mr Albert Fraser, I asked for.

Oh?

And what might you be to do with Mr. Albert Fraser?

Is there someone we could talk?

Sure of you not.

I know Mr. Fraser quite well.

We're old friends, really.

And I heard there was someone here who was a friend of his, too. And I thought

I'd like to make her acquaintance.

Hurry it up, girls.

Hurry it up.

Juggles on and you're on next.

Miss Harris, I'm going to be completely frank with you.

Yes, love.

Perhaps that'll be best. I'm more than a friend of Mr Fraser's. Much more.

Or at least I thought I was.

But I've just found out that he's a married man.

Oh, dear.

You haven't been a silly girl, have we?

You knew he was married.

You don't like being seen in a place like this, do you, Doc?

Not your style at all.

Miss Harris, if Mr Fraser is married, and if he's also been seeing someone

you... Well, surely it's obvious.

Do you want a drink?

No, thanks.

Oh, sick.

There's one born every minute, isn't there?

Us women need to benefit from each other's experience.

Always make sure they pay off, eh? Pay off?

For what else?

A girl's the one with most to lose.

Anyway, a gentleman ought to pay for his pleasures. It's only right.

Are you trying to tell me that Mr Fraser actually gave you money for... Oh,

didn't he, you?

No.

No, of course not.

Then you've learned something, haven't you?

You know better next time.

Ten pounds, all I ask.

And even to get that hard to pretend.

Those ships are torn available for charter. That is the sad fact, I'm

James. I mean, look at these lists for yourself.

Oh, there are clippers in nothing port.

If you have a couple of hundred pounds available to pay in advance, we gave the

tea brokers three months' grace.

You gave them.

Ah. But as for smaller vessels... Now, look what the devil I'm out to do.

I must deliver those cats by Friday week, otherwise I'm in breach of

with Briganza.

And let that cargo...

Plot ready for loading.

Couldn't you purchase whole space on some other master's ship? Look, if every

ship's chartered, every ship's loaded to the gulls.

No, I must see Braganza myself.

Hey,

wait on.

There is a ship.

The Peabody's called.

And she's going out half -laden, it seems.

Bound for West Africa, too.

Now, an obliging skipper might call in at Lisbon on his way, if you made it

worth his while.

P. Brock.

Not heard of her.

Easy now.

Straight down.

Easy.

Take the train.

Easy, I said!

Get this cleared up.

Morning. My name's Aneed. I'd like to see the captain, please.

We'll find him in his cabin.

By the way, what cargo is she carrying?

Blankets, glassware and Bibles.

West Africa, eh? Where else?

Pibroch.

She's new to me.

New to most of us aboard.

She's worked out of Port of London this last three years. For that Clydeside.

Well,

they need a man to show you to the master's quarters.

Ah, the dirty captain.

My name's James.

Why, Mr. O 'Neill, welcome aboard the P -Boxer, my new command.

One I was lucky to be offered, no doubt.

No, Elizabeth, surely you're mistaken.

Her name is Carrie Harris, a cheap little entertainer and a musical girl.

And Albert is paying her for her favours.

I don't understand.

Elizabeth, men don't go to women like that unless... Unless what?

Is there no hope for it?

I believe you offered me some tea.

How did you learn about this Carrie Harris?

Well, by complete chance, I ran into Daniel Fogarty. Something he said made

suspicious. I see.

Daniel Fogarty.

As I said, the meeting was a chance one.

He did call at the house one day to see young William.

Well, I suppose that's his right from time to time. After all, he is William's

father.

Albert's had a lot to forgive you for, one way and another, Elizabeth.

Perhaps you should think of that now.

What do you mean to do?

I shall leave, Albert, of course.

What? I'm not going to be made a laughingstock just so that he can enjoy

tawdry pleasures.

A common actress known to one and all to have taken my place in his affection.

It is not known to one and all.

It shall be made known.

You can't leave, Albert. Where will you go?

I'll find somewhere. Oh, it sounds easy enough.

You left James. And I suffered, Elizabeth, as well, you know. I can

under the same roof with Albert after this. But you must. There's nowhere

Thank you for the tea, Anne.

Listen. William isn't Albert's child. I'm aware of that. In law, you have no

claim on your husband, not the least.

If you walk out on the street, you'll be left there to starve.

Elizabeth. Let go of my arm. Listen to me. Let go.

I'm speaking the truth.

A woman has no redress in this world. A woman alone has no chance. I shall not

be alone for long.

I'm not like you, Anne. I don't have your pride.

I'll find someone to take care of young William.

All well, Mr. O 'Neill?

I heard you'd gone below, so I thought I'd follow to see if there was something

not to your satisfaction.

It's checking to see that me cargo was lashed properly. You've no objections,

Captain Baines, eh?

Not in the world.

It's yours and probably paid for.

Yes.

Poorly, though.

Eh? Well, I offered you a share of the profit of my cargo of cloth, but you'd

none of it.

You'd rather a flat sum.

It was a sincere effort to help you, you know.

You might find that you've been the loser once we get to Lisbon.

That says maybe.

It doesn't worry you. Oh, I can see to myself, Mr. Needham.

Don't you lose no sleep about that.

Anyway, I am obeying my owner's orders.

Owner's orders.

Aye, as fast a runner as I will allow.

And no obligations taken above those already contracted for.

Blankets, beads, Bibles.

Strange cargo for a fast run.

Captain!

Owner's orders, eh?

If there are any difficulties with the storage, Mr. O 'Neill, take them up with

my mate, Mr. Carlo.

I wonder they'll let you accept my cargo as paid freight, seeing they were so

anxious to set sail off loaded.

What do you have to do? Get down on your hands and knees and plead with them?

You're in trouble, sir.

And it's not my way to leave a fellow sea bearer high and dry. Note me how you

can assist him.

Please, um... Bibles and beads.

What about them? Well, I'll just see where the profit lies in a cargo like

The West African traders need them to barter with the natives. No, I know, but

the profit must be in Tubman's evening.

Oh, that's as may be.

There's a big consignment of hides and palm oil to come back, and there's a

sight more profit than Tubman's evening.

And I have to report to the agents in Freetown.

Peebrock.

Interesting how you pick up a command just like that, so conveniently.

Don't you think?

We'll just never come to the end of your curiosity, will we, Dan?

She rides a deal lower than you think.

A respectable draft.

She's shipping a lot of water. I've no other ship more or less to be said about

it.

I wonder what happened to our last master.

Eh? Well, seemed to have taken up your command, voyage and cargo all arranged,

and crew aboard.

Why, was there no master?

How the hell should I know about things like that? You mean it doesn't matter to

you?

I was offered a paying proposition, and I took it up because I couldn't afford

not to.

You're very fond of your sister, Alice, aren't you, Mr. Baines? And you want to

see her living in a decent home again.

What are you trying to say?

Maybe he died, eh?

Or retired from the sea, eh?

Who? The Peabrocks, last master.

Have you done, sir?

Plenty of master mariners in Liverpool, some with wider experience than you, yet

they chose you. Why was that, Captain Baines, eh?

Now, Mr. O 'Neill, if you're anxious that it'll come to a fight between us...

No, no.

I never did harm to you or yours, Baines.

Not deliberately, eh?

There may be, sir. There may be, but you've done precious little to aid us

either.

And so, if I can be of no further service to you...

What's the matter with your man down there?

Hasn't he got a bunk below?

Barely. Well, give him a feather bed below, he still wouldn't use it.

Why not?

Because he always dusts his above, that's why.

Less chance of the rats of the wild waves, guarantee me, he says.

Look, don't fret yourself about him, sir.

He's daft.

Daft as rabbits.

Bartley,

are you awake?

Listen to me, Bartley.

There are some things I want to know, and maybe you can tell them to me.

Now, it's worth a flogging if you can answer my questions.

I hear you shipped aboard the Peabrook the last five voyages.

Right?

Mr. Queership?

Something amiss with her.

Who was her last master, eh?

What was his name?

Hey, are you... Are you the one, then?

The one?

What one?

What are you talking about?

He? Him.

But see, fairest friend.

They do say there's such a one.

All lies, isn't it?

Sailor lads can go to bottom of the sea and be damned to them.

Sailor lads that perish and know what to say.

I'm sorry.

Now, come on, tell me.

Old Will Rigger.

Now, he reckon things will be different some day.

There he is.

Drowned?

It was Al Gibbons.

Me, even.

Aye.

Maybe there's the way of it.

Maybe I'm drownded, too, and the rest is... It's just mad dreams.

It's the rats that survived.

They don't stay below when it's too late.

No fear of that.

The sailor lads should take a leaf out of their book.

The sailor lads shouldn't stay below on ships like the Mary Blanche.

Mary Blanche?

There's no sea ferris friend, I tell you.

None in the wide world.

What about the Mary Blanche?

Some ship you was on?

That went down?

I see.

Come out of them bales.

Everyone thought they was cotton.

They put the rats in.

Timbers went.

The sea was on us all before.

That should do it.

Now then, deliver this at once to the editor of the courier for inclusion in

next edition.

I won't squash any rumours about Mr Fraser's sale to Steamship.

Oh, and tell the editor I shall look forward to the pleasure of having lunch

with him one day next week.

Good job, lad.

Mrs. O 'Neill.

Mr. Fogarty, I hope I'm not disturbing you at a busy time.

Well, the fact is I... I'm sure you know I wouldn't dream of calling unannounced

unless my business were of the first importance.

May I sit down?

Yes.

I'd better say at once that I've come to ask your help.

My help?

Not for myself.

For someone for whom in the past I know you've entertained affection.

Mr. Fogarty, why did you tell Elizabeth that her husband was associating with a

music hall singer?

Mrs. O 'Neill. Do you deny that you told her? I deny that I knew.

I saw Mr. Fraser at Fox's music rooms and observed his interest in a certain

party. But I in no way concluded or wished to give the impression that Mrs.

'Neill... Well, Elizabeth has found out that it's so.

And as a result, she means to leave her husband.

Leave him? Yes.

Well, I fail to see what all this has to do with me. That marriage has been an

adulterance for a long time, from what I gather.

I could whistle for a wind if it would help, but apart from that... Elizabeth

mustn't be allowed to leave her husband, Mr Pockety.

A woman alone in England today is a woman damned.

My dear Mrs O 'Neill, how am I to prevent it?

By speaking to Elizabeth.

Aye, speak to her. She won't listen to me any more, nor to anyone else in her

family. There must be someone in the wide world whose judgment she still

respects. And you think she will accept my advice?

She was expecting my child. I asked her to marry me. She refused.

Are you saying you don't care what happens to it?

That's an unfair question.

Well, this is all very difficult. As you know, I'm engaged to Miss Emma Callan.

Well, if you don't want that marriage to run into squalls on its first day out,

shouldn't you see to it that Elizabeth set fair on her course?

Please, Mr Fogarty.

In spite of the fact she once burned you, Elizabeth deserved something of

Hello, Robert. Oh, Anne, we were waiting on your return.

There's someone here I think you must meet.

Captain Lubbock.

Mrs O 'Neill.

I happened on Captain Lubbock this morning at the insurance office. I was

applications.

Until three weeks ago, Captain Lubbock was master of the Peabrook.

What do you think you are doing?

Oh, no, sir, that's my question for you.

We've noted your interest in the Peabrock and everything about it.

Now we'd like to be told what you're seeking.

She rides too low. Any fool can see that.

Shipping more water every day.

Oh, we're bound to get sweating this weather.

It's more than sweating.

Will you come nice and quiet now, Mr. Needham?

It would grieve me something wicked to have to put a fellow master under

restraint.

Especially one, as you could say, taught me the ways of command.

Last time I asked you, what business is it of yours?

What's in those bales? I've told you, blankets, beads and bibles.

Blankets that weigh a ship down.

Beads and bibles that smash in a hatch cover.

I've known plenty of accidents like that in my time.

And a sharp crew you've signed on here.

Oh, they may not be the best sailors in Liverpool, but... A lunatic for one. Oh,

Bartley, I mean, will he works well enough?

He knows what's in those bales. I don't care what's in them bales. Will you sign

guns, maybe, or opium?

I've known some mighty respectable skippers run things like that and get no

conscience from it.

Talking about conscience, anyway, I know yours well enough.

You'd never do anything discreditable just for money now, would you?

What's that?

Money. More than is usual.

If I'm in need of money, Mr. O 'Neill, you know well enough it's not for

It's a bad arrangement.

I've heard of it before.

Bigger fee than is usual. Then you agree to forfeit a large part of it if your

cargo doesn't get in on time.

It compels the skipper to run through all sorts of weather.

Run risks.

You're afraid that if you was to go down there and open up one of those bales,

you'd find something to prove that the odds was already stacked against you.

Fetch Bartley.

I want to work with him.

Aye, Captain.

Now, sir.

You've got something on your mind, say it now.

The Peabrock, a coffin ship.

Yes, I'm a coffin ship.

That's our fear.

Mind, it's only my opinion, Mrs. O 'Neill. I make no direct accusations.

I don't understand what you mean, a coffin ship. I resign my command of the

Peabrock because I considered she was too old and too rotten to put out into

deep water anymore.

But there she is, halfway to Africa again.

I am on a fast run, too.

Are you suggesting that she isn't safe?

I'm afraid he's suggesting more than that, Anne.

He is suggesting that... Suggesting what?

Tell me, please.

A coffin ship, Mrs. O 'Neillian, is one whose days of reliable service are long

over. But she's heavily insured.

So her owners overload her and order her to deep water trades for the insurance.

What is it?

How the blazes should I know?

Copper dross from the smelting works.

Heavy.

Found on deck, near the hatch cover, just after that accident with the

Well, it could have come from anywhere.

It'd come from one of those bales down there. Now, come on, man, she's sipping

water like a sieve, and you know it.

I'm a master mariner, and I'll get her back no matter what she's carrying.

They'll have their cargo, bibles, copper dross, whatever it may be, and I'll

have my money.

To get my sister that place in the country where she can support herself.

Ah, the owners chose the right man for master here.

Thinking just like your owners want you to think.

But your sister and family, they don't matter here. Ship and crew matter here.

Your conduct's likely to prove wanton, Captain.

Wanton!

Badly, Captain.

Soaked as a flounder, you crazy old loon.

Can't you even sleep below on a night like this? Least of all on a night like

this, Captain.

Because it's on a night like this that coffin ships go down.

Am I not right, Bartley? A night like this that the Mary Blanche went down,

Oh, come on, man. I've just remembered seven years ago, the Atlantic run.

Mary Blanche went down.

And the owners claimed from complete loss from the insurers. Only you

somehow.

It was the rats.

Them rats in bales.

I seen them come out from where they'd been nesting, just before she broke

asunder.

And inside them bales... Go on.

Iron bars.

Where there should have been cotton.

Iron bars to sink us all.

The seafarer's friend, Samuel Plimsoll.

He wants a line to be put around all ships...

to mark a level above which they shouldn't be loaded.

Save lives at sea and prevent greedy masters from suicidal profiteering. But

what are we to do now?

He'll drown.

No, Anne. He'll drown, Robert. James will drown. If you please, Mrs. O

may be completely wrong about the pubra. But you don't believe so, do you,

Captain?

But why would the owners let James take whole space if all along they knew they

only wanted to sink her? There was space available.

It might have created suspicion to refuse.

And my husband's as good as dead already, isn't he?

And there's nothing we can do about it.

Nothing.

Daniel, the maid didn't say.

I neglected to give a name. I thought if perhaps Albert were at home... Albert

doesn't spend a great deal of time at home these days.

He's busy working on his steamship, and when he's not, he seems to prefer Fox's

music rooms.

I know, and it was that I came to talk to you about.

Indeed.

It seems something I said the other day when we met in the library may have

caused you to make further inquiries. Who told you that?

It was not my intention. Anne!

Was it Anne?

Elizabeth, listen.

Answer me, please.

She's concerned for you, and rightly so.

You can't leave Albert.

Even if there's some chit of a girl at Fox's, it's nothing for you to get on

your high horse about.

Shouldn't I be the judge of that?

Oh, these musical girls. This kind of thing happens all the time. Oh, yes. A

wife should be tolerant and understanding of her husband's little

know.

Men are all alike, you included, I suppose.

We're not talking about me.

Aren't we?

Nevertheless, I should like to know.

You already know, damn you.

Wouldn't bother my head with some little doxy. Then why should I forgive a fault

in Albert that I wouldn't have to put up with in you? Because he's your husband

and I'm... And that's all that matters to you, isn't it?

I'm married and therefore someone else is concerned.

Nothing to do with the correct and ambitious Daniel Fogarty.

Just the mother of his child, not to be seriously considered. Then why do you

think I'm here if I'm not concerned for you?

Pat, Daniel, you've nothing to come back to this house for.

Baby, I have, by God.

Baby, I have!

One day, my girl, one day, I'll do just what your husband is too weak to do.

What's that?

Give you a damn good wrapping.

Right, Vance.

Let's get in it. It's alive.

There,

there, there.

Cape finish there. We can make a run for it.

Into the wind.

We'd never make it.

There's a lighthouse there to guide us.

Lighthouse to show us where the hundreds lie.

Unless you're talking just to hear the sound of your own voice, sir. We're as

good as hammered into our coffins already.

Dead men don't climb well up.

Then you must send again the Pibroch, news of the Pibroch. Some ship returning

home may have signalled Lloyds at the Lizardabout, or asked the Paris

Anne, why don't you go away home, eh?

Captain Lubbock and I can see to all that's got to be done here.

Yes, Captain Lubbock's being very kind.

And then if she's off the coast of Spain, as we suspect, when she's

we'll get a report.

And if... if not, then... Then we may never hear, may we?

You don't have to tell me, Robert.

I was a seafarer's daughter before I was a seafarer's wife.

A long wait.

Weeks, months even, before that bit of wreckage you sighted somewhere that said

plane at the ship and her crew are no more.

The long wait.

It seemed like an eternity already.

as you can.

We're coming in close now.

If you stay in one piece long enough, Captain, I mean a run or a short, we'll

the longboard.

Men don't ground so easy with rocks to cling to, Captain.

He's safe, Anne.

What do you think of that?

Captain Baines ran her into the shallows before the timbers gave way.

All the men got ashore.

There.

James is safe.

Yes, you shouldn't have worried.

The ship hasn't been launched yet. That can sink me.

That coffin, Jim.

Aye, I knew it was bad.

Worse for Baines, though.

Mr. Baines?

Aye, and his kin.

There's our any for you now.

You were so anxious to help them, and you done for them.

Sorry to say, here, any food in the house?

Done for them? Aye. All those tables you sent come to the attention of the

insurers. Such things do, you know. Now there's to be a full -scale inquiry into

the thinking of the Peabrock with Baines as master held responsible for the

deliberate wrecking of his vessel.

But Mr. Baines couldn't have known she was a coffin ship.

He didn't want to know.

He was just thinking of the money for his sifter.

Are you not saying Mr. Baines is guilty?

The inquiry will answer that. We've troubled enough of our own, eh?

There's nothing we can do to help, Mr. Bain.

Try and help people and you only harm them.

Each man must take up his own burden.

God help those that haven't the strength, eh?