Stranded alive

1

She was a grand ship, never before had i seen anything like her; 105 meters of beauty and sail all combined to create a beautiful frigate. The Lady Iris was her name, owned by one of the biggest shipping companies in London. East India trading something or other. I stood there mouth agape at her magnificence. I had never seen a frigate before, or any ship for that matter having grown up in the country side. I stood there until an officer of the ship had roused me back to reality.
"Whats your purpose here? New crew or just admiring the view?" He asked me
"Im new to the crew sir." I responded.
"What is your name then?" Asked the officer
"Jacob sir, Jacob Smith" to which he pulled a clipboard from his side and soon found my name.
"Get aboard. You're the first cannon, port side closest to the bow."
"I'm what sir?"
"Ugh, you're to report to the cannon closest to the front on the left side of the ship. That is your position. Now get aboard."
"Aye sir."
"Good, I'll not be escorting you up the gangway. But do start your way up on the right foot, its bad luck with the left."
Still staring at her i made my way to the gang plank stopping at what i thought was just before the plank with my left toe had touching the gangway. No one saw right? No worries, ill just start my way up.
I made my way to the cannon where I had met Mr. Buckley, Mr. Johns, Mr. Godfrey, & Mr. Joseph- my mates for the journey. Mr. Buckley grew up in the country side like me. Mr. Johns was born to a family of decent dignity but was thrown aboard a ship when he was only 13, he knew everything there was to know about "The Lady" he called her for short. "Shes a 20 gun square rigged frigate" he says "boasting 8 guns to either side, 2 astern, & 2 bow chasers" I also learned from him we were to dine and sleep near the cannon in hammocks that hung from the ceiling, we got different watches on deck each day through something he called a dog watch which he tried explaining to me to no avail. I find it rather confusing but ill get it eventually. Mr. Godfrey was made an orphan young by a sickness which took his father, he explained his mother died in birth. Mr. Josephs father was an abusive drunk but he was not like most men with fathers like that. He had a confident stride to him.
The officer from before had come by & taken attendance & handed out our hammocks & uniforms we were to wear coming into & leaving port. He then told us to get on deck in our uniforms for departure, after that we were to sign up for watches. Of course I would need Mr. Johns' help, but now we were to report on the deck in our "whites" as they were called, which made sense, as they were all white.
On deck was the whole crew either waving over the side, up in the rigging, or working near the masts, I'm told theyre called, all in their whites. Mr. Johns had pointed to a man in magnificent attire on the raised deck towards the back or stern called the quarterdeck. "Thats the captain" he told me "next to him is the quartermaster, & his officers." I saw the officer from before by the helmsman or man steering the ship as hes called. Id like that position one day.
Soon, as ravens flew over head, we got underway through the Thames & away from home.