Original subtitles

Get back.

Get back!

Get back to your own end.

That's better.

You keep your distance.

Samir.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

But they need to fatten up a bit before they grace our table. Still, the crew

will be glad of a bit of fresh meat.

That's true.

120 days?

Might be. You have to be on the safe side.

The point of this voyage is speed.

Cargo first drop China tea has to be with the merchants within three months.

First shipping gets top price, and I mean to get top price.

Aye, sir.

Load all this extra provender and the crew will lie down and enjoy life.

Men that know that it's our tuck after 90 days will jump to it.

No man alive can predict the winds of ocean and weather, sir. You get that

down by five percent.

You can't do that.

You can tell the Chandler that we'll buy our provisions elsewhere.

Aye, sir. I'll do the best I can.

Tight girth as ever, James?

Men are not starved.

Rations run short after 90 days. There's still salt, pork and biscuits to keep

life in them at a reasonable cost.

So we're back to thoughts of profit.

Well, on this voyage, what else is there, eh?

There's self -respect.

Mine? No.

Captain Baines.

Destroy his authority and you'll destroy the man.

me, Mr. Fraser.

Poggety, I had no idea you were also a lover of music.

Oh, uh, scarcely a lover.

I was being entertained by a business acquaintance.

You seem to have caught this young thrush's fancy.

You're flattering me.

I'm surprised you have time for this sort of diversion.

It's all work that they make for downward.

You should remember that, Poggety, next time you catch one of your duck plants

yawning in your press house.

May I ask after Mrs. Fred?

She's well.

All the better for restricting a filthy life to friends who are close.

Well, I wish you a good evening, then.

Albert, how was I? As charming as ever, my dear.

Oh, you're so gallant, Albert.

Mr. Chen.

That's an acquaintance for nobody.

He doesn't look nobody. He is, I assure you.

You're looking very lovely tonight, my dear.

Well, I have to be, don't I?

Not that this lot would notice if I fell down in a blue fit.

Oh, this place is better than boiling a pretty ham in the laundry.

I can do better than that.

It's all right.

Thank you.

I'll make a start in the proper theatre.

Why not grand opera?

Oh, Carrie, accept what you have.

You.

I haven't got you.

To you, I'm no more than a pleasant hour or two, when you're so inclined.

You think no more than that?

I know.

Gosh, that's what I like.

Most of us do.

Oh, surely you could afford to buy me a new dress and a pair of shoes for my

audition. Not even a small fan.

Anyway, how would I explain such expenditure to my shareholders?

Same way to explain it, just talk up Mrs.

Terry, you may not speak of Mrs. Fraser in that way.

You got me upset.

Let us forget it.

I'd only need... How much?

Say, ten pounds?

Ten pounds?

There's nothing to a man in your position.

But beyond me at the moment.

Where are you going?

Oh, I'll think again.

Shall I come tomorrow?

Suit yourself.

I have but two sovereigns on me.

Will that buy you finery?

He'd have me dressed on a chain.

Oh, with your beauty.

Would anyone notice?

Oh, Albert.

Welcome. I'm Mr. O 'Neill. Holden calls the tree.

Are they dead?

Near enough by the looks of it.

Don't breathe in.

Begging your pardon, ma 'am, but is it convenient to do the flow now?

Oh, very well, but make haste.

Aye, ma 'am.

How is the old potsail fellow, then?

Still asleep.

He didn't touch his broth again. Ah, well, that'll be best for him, Mum.

Have you rescued chipwreck men before?

Oh, bless you, Mum, yes.

Lifted them gently aboard like rare old living skeletons one day. Two days

later, tossed them back.

But surely we can save him.

Oh, after what he's seen, Mum.

Oh, just imagine, see, him sitting there day after day after day with his hand

like a furnace above you, burning his thirsty lips black.

That ain't but a sea all round.

Just a fat, hateful sea.

It's little wonder they tell tale by do of shipwreck madness, you know.

Fighting out in the very veins of the dead and drinking their very blood.

Please, Thomas, the very thought.

Oh, you don't believe me, ma 'am?

Ah,

I've had it from the lips of men who've known it.

I had a great push out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go your

pour out the wrath of God upon the earth.

And? And the second angel poured his vial upon the sea, and it

became the blood of a dead man.

You knew what he said? Quite.

And every living soul died in the sea.

But you took his minion, ma 'am.

No, it escaped me.

Was it a stroke of blood?

Merely a quotation from the scriptures.

Ah, but what was he trying to say, ma 'am?

It was just delirium, the effect of his sufferings.

Well, there'd be reason for him.

It was revelation.

Verse 3.

Here. Ah.

Every living soul died in that.

Could he have been trying to tell us something about himself?

A pocket.

Or it could just have been part of a bad dream.

Consider, Anne. The darling man lives the whole of his life again in a moment.

The shipwrecked man has endless time to be wrecked by wild dreams and fantasies.

His mind can seize hold of any strange illusion and believe it true.

But he must have been trying to communicate something.

Perhaps some warning. Look, any Bible text can be made to sound ominous.

Of course it's set there.

Oh, in 80 days.

Oh, dear,

it's stinking hot.

It's worse to come before we cross the line.

Don't mind a bit of dry heat, I don't. It's that treacly monsoon rain I can't

abide.

Been topside, sir?

No, I've been to the mate's cabin.

Oh? How's the old Flotsam fella?

Oh, he woke up and muttered a word into a scripture.

Bible talk?

That's funeral talk, man.

Aye, well, maybe it sounded to him enough.

Something about the sea turning to dead man's blood.

He's raving.

Happily knows about things as we don't. What things?

Well, I mean, how long since we left the pool?

Seven months or more.

What could have happened?

What might have happened, eh?

Plagues, death, horrors?

You're raving yourself.

Is that all, or are you holding something back?

What? The bitter scripture, how does it go on?

Oh, I don't recall.

You do, by God, how does it go, you little weasel?

Well, well... And every living soul died in that sea.

You reckon?

Plain as your face.

Am I at sea?

You are indeed.

Aboard the Clipper Osiris, bound from China to Liverpool.

Osiris? It's the O 'Needon line.

James O 'Needon is my husband.

Husband and wife.

Is he aboard too?

He is.

And he can be brought to you now that you're awake.

Mum? That's Captain O 'Needon.

I know.

How long?

Three days.

So heaven knows you can have little recollection of them.

Three days.

Have I spoken?

Only in delirium.

A Bible text.

It's a favourite for shipped sermons.

The one about the seven angels from Revelation.

You do not need my name.

Neither your name nor anything about you. You had naught but rags.

My name is Ruth.

John. John.

John Hennessy, James.

A late acquaintance, Mr. Hennessy. None the worse for that, eh?

Fetch a kettle of hot water from the galley and tell Captain Baines to unlock

the quinine, will you?

Aye, sir.

How did I?

How did you come to be amongst us, eh? We picked you up in a longboat.

McCrow?

He was dead.

Had been so for two days or more.

We gave him a decent sea burial.

Oh, that was fitting.

May I inquire what ship you was from?

Yes, yes.

She was named the Usk, 1200 ton lad of Newport, with a cargo of smithy coal

Mauritius. Were you her master?

No, ma 'am, her mate.

Oh, thank you, Captain Bates.

Old man, what happened to your ship?

We took the inshore passage off Agulhas Bay.

Surrounding the Cape of Good Hope, eh? Yes, we must have struck during the

night. She went down in minutes.

Were any other lifeboats launched?

I don't think so.

There were four people in our boat.

Then after one day...

And the knight won't die.

And the others, they soon followed.

And they pitched them over to the side as long as we had the strength.

So there was just the two of you, eh?

Yes.

The crow and me.

Yes.

Thank you, ma 'am. I must try to get up soon. Oh, you must build up your

strength. We've got time enough.

We shall be home in a couple of months, given a fair passage.

I will pray for it.

But there is the rule of three.

What's that?

Luck, ma 'am.

It strikes in three.

This has been my third voyage, but the two before ended in disaster.

Are you ready to search our way?

Blow up Royals and together.

Blow up Royals and together.

The wind

has come right where?

I observed that.

Will you not take a long reach southwards?

Well, it's either that or short tax to wear around the cake.

Wednesday.

Whichever course you take, it's a long way.

It'll cost us three or four days.

Three days I can afford.

Not more.

Cookie surprise Chinese curry.

Right button and rope in. It has to be. Chandelier's meat's one thing, but

Chinese chandelier's meat... Yeah, it's grit and grizzle.

Ah, it is meat, though.

And we'll be thinking of this as a banquet in a day or two's time.

But there's worse to come.

Yeah, and couldn't get no worse.

You're wrong, man.

We're way off course, did you know that?

We've got a gale in our teeth.

Blown us back to Fu Chow.

Ah, everything was fair wind till we picked up that old... You know, I

I think he's a Jonah.

There won't be no luck on this voyage no more, not while he's aboard.

He knows it himself, too.

He was telling the missus.

This'll be his third voyage to go bad on him.

You won't be very elegant, I'm afraid, but at least you'll be decently covered.

There's a couple of my husband's linen shirts and the best trousers and tunic

could find in the slot chest.

They're very kind to me, ma 'am. It's not much, I'm afraid.

Come in.

Come on.

Here, I've ordered you something more substantial than broth today.

Oh, thank you, ma 'am, but the meat, I will never touch.

Oh, it's good beef, but like a slaughter in full chow.

I postpone all meat.

I still hope the man that eats meat becomes like the very beef himself.

Beg your pardon, ma 'am, but could I have the leave -ins?

Focaccia tuck isn't that prime?

Would you try the potatoes?

You may leave.

Hey, us old schoolmen.

She throw good roast beef over the side, rather than let us even have a smell of

it. The old soulful wouldn't eat it himself.

No.

He said he'd forsworn all meat.

He who eats flesh becomes like the very beast himself.

That's what he said.

Then we've turned into scrawny old cattle long years since.

You know what I reckon?

Them days in the long boat have turned him.

Touched his brain.

Ah.

Blood, the smell of it, has turned him.

I never believed those stories.

Well, you think on.

He's the one who had the strength to live. There were three who died.

Two of them over the side, I haven't seen.

That's good, Danny.

Ah, days and days on it. No food, no water, and a dead end beside you, like a

lovely fat cock on a butcher's flat. Ah, your brain's gone rancid. Well, I'll

tell you one thing.

What's that?

It's a Jonah, like you said, Taff.

There's no flying fish following this ship.

Mr. Brock. Thou shall rest till that time.

I, J .B. Follinger, speak out and chart the same in this. That's right, Mr.

Brock. My eyes are blue and together.

Who am I?

Thomas.

We therefore commit his body to the deep to be turned into corruption, looking

for the resurrection of the body when the sea shall give up her dead and the

life of the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ, who at his coming

change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body according

to the mighty working.

whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

and stomach nothing tonight.

Not roast turkey and chestnuts.

Poor old Taff.

It wasn't a bad ship, mate, poor little bleeder.

Lent me 50 candarine in Foodchow Market.

Won't want them back now.

It's an ill wind.

We've had nothing but ill wind ever since that old duna climbed over.

We're carrying bad luck.

Until we slip them.

Slips him.

You mind the story of the real Jonah.

How there was no end to the storm until the sailors cussed him over.

Not a light now, Lord.

What?

Leave him over?

Change our look, see?

We'd never get him topside without the mate seeing. Yes, we would.

Tonight, after four belts.

Captain asleep.

You at the helm. Me on watch.

Nish the wheel for five minutes.

Nip below. Bring him up. Splash. None the wiser.

Just a couple of us. People have been quick.

None else to know. A soldier.

Are you with me?

I have to be, don't I?

with you.

Give him the handbrake.

You miserable scum.

We heard the old man cry out. We're trying to help him.

Back on what's hard.

Pop tides. I'll deal with you later.

All right, Mr. Henderson.

What's the disturbance?

Well? Caught Bogner and Hadley trying to hump him topside.

What for?

Said he'd be taken bare, but I know Bogner, spooky old brass bander. All

they were plotting the old evil.

God's name, what?

The folks that's running the rumors.

Seems he's the joker that's bringing us bad luck.

What rubbish.

All your rough passages before.

Give up a reason. There's none so superstitious as your ignorant packet

Don't you give him time for idle fantasies. You work him harder.

I'll drop him to see Orford Gerbinson.

Put Special into port.

We're best off without him.

Is superstition worth two days? Two days on a classroom with first cup of tea

and the price falling from the day the first shipman's landed?

Never.

There's respect, sir.

I am the master of this ship and I'm responsible for the crew as well as the

cargo.

You're a superstitious man.

In your opinion, sir.

You disappoint me, Captain.

I'm sorry.

You might be captain of this ship, but I'm master of the Anita line, and I say

we sail on.

Owner's orders.

That's right, Captain.

Elizabeth. Daniel, this is the very last place I'd expect to encounter an old

sea dog like you.

Well, I was buying a book on the advice of a friend.

What a charming idea.

I'm glad somebody is opening your mind to the world of letters.

Our mutual friend.

How very suitable.

You admire the work of Mr. Dickens?

Well, I've not had much chance to read him as yet.

But no doubt our mutual friend, Miss Emma Callan, thinks you should.

I don't really think that's any concern of yours, is it, Mrs. Fraser?

Oh, you bite.

How's William?

Growing more like his father every day, I'm told.

I scarcely recognise him now.

May I call?

You know that's not possible.

Because of Albert? Yes.

Though he's scarcely seen enough of himself these days.

Out till all hours working.

He, uh...

He tells me work on the steamship is progressing well enough.

You've been to the yard?

Oh, no, I keep out of there.

But you have been, Albert?

Yes, it was in the street.

Daniel, you're not telling me the truth.

Where did you see Albert?

Why the mystery? Tell me, Daniel.

Well, it was another place.

He was probably meeting a business acquaintance.

Fox's music rooms.

A music hall?

But he has so little time or money for amusement.

Well, it's a well -known meeting place for business folk. Yes, I'm sure.

Well, I won't keep you from Miss Callan any longer, Daniel.

Are you sure?

I've been to old widow crew.

She's had enough of her own.

Albert, you'll have to help me. Oh, how can I? With your brat.

I should have thought you'd have known what you'd be doing all those afternoons

in the sales door. I'll be quiet.

Because you tell me to.

I don't care who knows.

But I have responsibilities.

Problems. And me.

I expect you've been wondering why you've been so tired of late. She must

hear of this.

So what do you suggest?

Haven't you got any idea what to do?

Surely one of your friends did.

I think Crone's got a gentleman.

Don't you think the College of Medicine did?

How much? What?

How much would it cost me for you to make your arrangements and go away so

I'd never set eyes on you again?

Is that what you want?

More than anything.

Oh, Al.

You're cruel.

Practical. How much?

I don't know if we could... Get me the croon, gentlemen.

Suppose we can.

Well,

there'll be a pound or two on the side for her, and then there's me rail fare

back to Preston.

Could you manage 25?

25 pounds?

I couldn't do it for much less.

I'll give you 10.

Then I'll go to your wife.

You'll get nothing from her but boxed ears.

There.

Not in bed.

I wasn't tired.

Have you had your supper?

I ate earlier.

At the yard?

Yes.

Come to bed, my dear.

It's cold down here.

I went to your yard.

They told me you left before seven.

I had one or two calls to make on our suppliers.

At Fox's music hall?

Elizabeth, are you trying to pry into what I do with my time?

I am your wife. I have a right.

You have no right.

The door's a damn well pleased.

Where are the women?

If I so choose, yes.

God knows you've been cold comforted nothing past few months.

That seems to settle the matter.

I'll sleep in the guest room.

Not a tickle?

No.

Any sign of a wind?

Not a breath.

Here, Anne.

Do you remember our first voyage together, when I taught you to navigate?

Scant instruction for the riggers of that journey.

Aye.

Now, if I had to command over to you again, what would you do?

I haven't a notion, except to pray for a strong wind.

Let's hope it's not long in coming.

I'd be in hard press without you sometimes.

Compliments now?

Just the one.

Could you not spare one for Captain Baines?

Baines? Show him that you trust his judgement.

What, and let him waste time calling in a derby? Well, it would have set the

crew's minds at rest. Look and think what they like. So long as when Baines

jump, they jump.

Come in.

Mr Hennessy. How are you feeling, old man?

Oh, except for a bit of dizziness, I'm all right. Please sit down.

Thank you, ma 'am.

Will you take tea?

Thank you, yes.

Begging your pardon, Captain, what course have we?

Same course as a cork, or whichever way the current chooses to send us.

We will be calm, too.

What, on the longboat? Yeah, for six days.

After Slick and Davey had died, I was alone in the boat with Macro.

I must tell you, he was a very violent man.

Very violent.

But every minute, I watched him.

Every second, I watched him. I watched his hunger growing worse.

His desperation more acute.

How terrible.

For the day we sat on that flat sea.

And a long night.

And a longer day.

You see.

I happen to know what happened.

Davies. What, McCrow?

Your sufferings have ended now.

I hope so.

In a couple of days, we'll pick up some wind again.

Captain, we'll be taking the inshore at the Billisbank, Woody.

Well, how can I tell?

With a fair wind, an inshore passage could save us a day. It's a danger to

ships.

I need a fast passage, Mr. Hennessy.

But I assure you, as owner, my concern for safety will be as great as yours.

Big catch.

A pair of gravel -laying bullocks with 50 ribs aside.

Yeah, it's better than dry biscuits any road.

That's enough to break a rye. When are we going to get some decent grub on this

cow? I don't need decent meats on that deck. Them two porkers.

And the captain's saving those until we're round the Cape, providing they

die of old age.

They might have a nasty accident.

You're wishing one of them.

I suppose it happened.

They'd have to be cooked and eaten the same day, wouldn't they, in this heat?

Think of it.

Lovely, juicy crackling.

Soft meat.

Thick gravy.

Where are you going?

Topside. I talk about it. You're right.

I told you not to call.

I was just patting the house. I thought, why not?

Do you mind?

No, not as it happens.

Hello,

William. Last time I saw you, you were no bigger than a skinned rabbit. Oh,

Daniel.

We're not bald here, are we?

Hey, look at that. Oh, isn't it great?

There's a storm coming up. Look.

Storm, eh?

Don't get him too excited, please.

Big Star Wester, Big Star Wester there. That's quite enough.

Oh,

water everywhere.

Out you come. Go with your eyes.

Now, let's get you dry.

There we are.

Let's rub you down.

Rub, rub, rub.

May I?

Oh, dear.

My boat's towed on you.

Our son.

What's that thing?

I didn't marry you because I couldn't stand the thought of becoming a lonely

captain's wife.

And now?

Now I'm a shore man, home every night.

And I'm married to Puffing Billy's boiler man.

Made you a good husband?

I made the choice. I can't regret my bargain.

Come on now, William.

Let's get you into your night shift.

There's a good boy.

Is that what you were looking for, a bargain?

Was there nothing else between us?

Love? You know you can't ask that, Daniel.

Well, I tell you there was love on my side. But you're engaged to Miss Emma

So a mistake can never be put right.

No, Daniel.

There's no way.

I think you'd better go now, Daniel.

Can I call again?

Better not, I think.

I don't want you to get the impression that either William or I need you.

Reminiscence about my death.

See?

I had hoped to prove it wrong.

All day long.

In the boat.

With my crow.

All that long night.

And all the next day I was watching.

Watching for the moment.

When he attacked you?

No.

When he fell asleep.

That was my chance.

That was my moment, my chance to support him.

So you attacked him?

I killed him.

I smothered his head with a blanket and I fought him as he struggled to breathe

until at last he succumbed.

It was my only chance.

God forgive me. Oh, Matt.

For three days.

Two nights.

He lay there. I hadn't the strength to pitch him over the side.

Yet I had to fight the desire not to cut his body open and drink his blood.

as he had done to Smith and Davis.

Swear to God.

Hear that wind?

Old Jonah must be dead then.

What if he's dead?

That's Manslaughter.

Quiet down there, chum.

You'll get your day for talking for the magistrate.

Oh, my God, Bogner.

What have you done?

Work well, Captain.

Aye, Mr. Leighton. Do well.

Consider the pointer to north and west.

Take us inside the Agulhas Bank.

Aye. Where the old man's ship went down?

Well, it's the shortest way.

The wind behind us, we could gain a half a day if we take the inshore passage.

Only if the wind held.

The shift of two points would put us on a lee shore.

Are you superstitious, Captain Baines?

No, sir, but my judgment is we best avoid those particular streets.

Is it? Why, Mr. Indy, it is.

Very well, then.

Captain, it's your ship.

Aye, sir.