_The manner of their dinner--Believe the fish and fowl to be
fruits--Hears his brother and the colambs are coming--Account of their
lying--Peter's reflections on the want of the graundee--They view
the arkoe--Servants harder to please than their masters--Reason for
different dresses the same day._
PENDLEHAMBY having a mind to view my arkoe, took a long walk with
Hallycarnie in the wood till dinner-time; and he having before told me
that some of his guards always waited on him at meals, I ordered their
dinner before his return, sending a large dish of cold fowls, cut into
joints, into the tent, to be spread on clean leaves I had laid on the
chests; and setting a sufficient quantity of bread and fish there also,
I desired the officers present to refresh themselves now, and the rest
when relieved should have a fresh supply. I saw there was an oddity in
their countenances, which at first I did not comprehend; but presently
turning about to the superior, "Sir," says I, "though this food may look
unusual to you, it is what my island affords, and you will be better
reconciled to it after tasting." So taking a piece of fowl and dipping
it in the salt, I ate a bit myself, and recommended another to him; who,
eating it, they all fell to without further scruple, above all things
commending the salt as what they had never tasted the like of before,
though they thought they had both of the fish and fowl.
I then told them where my supply of water came from, and that they must
furnish themselves with that by their own men.
Upon the return of my father and sister, the gripsack sounded for
dinner; when four officers on duty entering, desired, as their posts, to
have the serving up of the dishes. One of them I perceived, having set
on the first dish, never stirred from behind Pendlehamby; but upon his
least word or sign, ordered the others what to do or bring, which he
only presented to my father; and he frequently gave him a piece from his
own plate; but the other officers served at the table promiscuously.
After dinner I brought in a bowl of punch; when begging leave to proceed
in my country method, I drank to my father's health. "So, daughter,"
says he to my wife, "we are at the old game again. Son," says he, "this
is no novelty to me, Youwarkee constantly drinking to the health of her
dear Peter, and the children at Graundevolet, and obliging us to pledge
her, as she called it; but I thank you, and will return your civility;"
so taking a glass, "son and daughter," says he, "long life, love, and
unity attend you and my grandchildren!" Youwarkee and I both rising till
he had done, returned him our thanks.
When we had sat some time, "Son," says my father, "you and your wife
having lived so retired, I fear my company and attendants must put you
to an inconvenience; now, as my son intends you a visit also, in company
with several of my brother colambs, if we shall be too great a load upon
you, declare it, for they will be at Battringdrigg arkoe to-morrow, to
know whether it will be agreeable for them to proceed.
"You know, son," says my father, "the mouth is a great devourer, and
that the stock your family cannot consume in a year, by multiplying
their numbers, may be reduced in a day: now freely let me know (for you
say you provided for us) how your stock stands, that you may not only
pleasure us, but we not injure you."
I told him, as for dried fish I had a vast quantity, and that my fowls
were so numerous I knew not my stock; as to bread, I had a great deal,
and might have almost what more I would; and then for fresh fish, the
whole province of Arndrumnstake could not soon devour them; but for
my pickles and preserves, I had neither such large quantities, nor
conveniences to bestow them if I had.
"If this be the case, son," says my father, "I may send your brother
word to proceed;" and despatched ten messengers with a gripsack to
hasten his son's arrival.
It now began to be time for rest, and the old gentleman growing pretty
mellow with the punch, which, by the heavy pulls he took at it, I
perceived was no disagreeable entertainment to him, I conducted him to
his repose; and disposing of the rest of the family, Youwarkee and I,
with great impatience, retired.
You may imagine I was sincerely glad to find myself once more alone with
my Youwarkee; when, after a transport of mutual endearments, I desired
to know how Pendlehamby first received her; which she told me, with
every circumstance, in so affecting a manner that the tears forced
passage from mine eyes in perfect streams; and I loved the dear man ever
after as my own father.
She told me Tommy was in great favour at court before her brother
returned from me; but ever since I sent him the flageolet he had been
caressed above measure, and would soon be a great man; that Hallycarnie
was a constant attendant on Jahamel both in her diversions and
retirement; and, she did not doubt, would in time marry very well; as
for Patty, she said her father intended, with my leave, to adopt her as
his own child.
My wife slept very sound after her journey; but my hurry of spirits
denying me that refreshment, I never so much as now lamented the want of
the graundee.--"For," thinks I, "now I have once again tasted the sweets
of society, how shall I ever relish a total desertion of it, which in a
few days must be the case, when all this company are fled, and myself am
reduced to my old jacket and water-cart again! Now, if I was as
others here are, I might make a better figure than they by my superior
knowledge of things, and have the world my own; nay, I would fly to
my own country, or to some other part of the world, where even the
strangeness of my appearance would procure me a good subsistence. But,"
says I, "if with my graundee I should lose my sight, or only be able to
live in the dark in England, why, I should be full as bad as I am here!
for nobody would be able to keep me company abroad, as my hours for the
air would be theirs of retirement; and then, at home, it would be much
the same; no one would prefer my company in a dark room in the daytime,
when they could enjoy others in the light of the sun; then how should
I be the better for the graundee, unless I fixed a resolution of living
here, or hereabouts? and then to get into company, I must retire to
still darker regions, which my eyes are no ways adapted to: in short,
I must be quite new moulded, new made, and new born too, before I can
attain my desires. Therefore, Peter," says I, "be content; you have been
happy here in your wife and children without these things; then never
make yourself so wretched as to hope for a change which can never
possibly happen, and which, perhaps, if obtained, might undo you; but
intend only what you can compass, by weighing all circumstances, and
your felicity will lie in very narrow bounds, free from two of the
greatest evils a man can be beset by, hopes and fears; two inseparable
companions, and deadly enemies to peace; for a man is destroyed by
hope through fear of disappointment."--This brought me a show of peace
again.--"Surely," says I, "I am one of the most unaccountable amongst
mankind! I never can reflect till I am worn down with vexation. O
Glanlepze! Glanlepze!" says I, "I shall never forget thy speech after
engaging the crocodile, that everything was to be attained by resolution
by him that takes both ends of a thing in his view at once, and fairly
deliberates what may be given and taken from end to end. Surely," says
I, "this ought to be engraven on brass, as I wish it was on my heart; it
would prevent me many painful hours, help me with more ease to compass
attainable ends, and to rest contented under difficulties insuperable:
and if I live to rise again, I will place it where it shall never be
more out of my sight, and will enforce it not only more and more on
myself, but on my children."
With this thought I dropped to sleep, and with this I awaked again, and
the first thing I did was to find a proper place to write it, which,
having fixed for the door of my cupboard, I took a burnt stick for my
pencil, and wrote as follows:--"He that is resolved to overcome, must
have both ends of an object in view at once, and fairly deliberate what
may be given and taken from end to end; and then pursue the dictates
of cool reason." This I wrote in English, and then in the Doorpt
Swangeantine tongue; and having read it twice or thrice over, I went for
water and fish, and returned before the family were up.
I took care to-day also that the officers should be as well served as
possible, and where an accommodation must be wanting, I rather chose to
let it fall on my father than on them; for I had ever observed it to be
an easier thing to satisfy the master than the man; as the master weighs
circumstances, and from a natural complacency in himself, puts a humane
construction upon that error or omission which the servant wholly
attributes to slight and neglect.
My company being abroad, about the time I expected their return I
dressed myself as the day before, only without my cloak, and in a black
bob-wig, and took a turn to meet them.
Pendlehamby spying me first among the trees, "Daughter Youwarkee," says
he, "you have a husband, I think, for every day in the week. Who's this?
my son Peter! Why, he is not the same man he was yesterday." She told
him she had heard me say we changed our apparel almost every day in
England; nay, sometimes twice or thrice the same day.--"What!" says
Pendlehamby, "are they so mischievous there they are fearful of being
known in the latter by those who saw them in the former part of the
day?"
By this time I was come up, and after paying due compliments, says
Youwarkee--"My father did not know you, my dear, you are so altered
in your other wig; and I told him in your country they not only
change wigs, but their whole clothing, two or three times a day
sometimes."--"Son," says my father, "if it be so, I cannot guess at the
design of a man's making himself unlike himself."--"Oh, sir," says I,
"it is owing to the different functions he is to perform that day: as,
suppose, in the morning he is to pursue business with his inferiors, or
meet at our coffee-houses to hear and chat over the news of the day, he
appears in a light easy habit proper for despatch, and comes home dirty;
then, perhaps, he is to dine with a friend at mid-day, before whom, for
respect's sake, not choosing to be seen in his dirty dress, he puts on
something handsomer; and after spending some time there, he has, it may
be, an appointment at court, at play, or with his mistress, in all which
last cases, if he has anything better than ordinary, it is a part of
good breeding to appear in that; but if the very best was to be used in
common, it might soon become the worst, and not fit for a nice man to
stir abroad in."--"The different custom of countries you have told me
of," says my father, "is surprising: here are we born with our clothes
on, which always fit, be we ever so small or large; nay, are never
the worse for constant wearing; and you must be eternally altering and
changing colour, shape, and habit. But," says he, "where do they get all
these things? Does every man make just what he likes?"--"No," says I,
"there are a particular set of men whose business it is to make for all
the rest."--"What!" says he, "I suppose their lasks make them?"--"No,
sir, they are filgays," says I. "It is their trade, they do it for a
livelihood, being paid by them they work for. A suit of their clothes,"
says I, taking up the flap of my coat, "will cost what we call twelve
or fourteen pounds in money."--"I don't understand you," says he.--"Why,
sir," says I, "that is as much as will provide one moderate man with all
the necessary things of life for two months."--"Then," says he, "these
nice men must be very rich."--"No, sir," said I, "there you are under
a mistake; for if a man, very rich, and who is known to be so, neglects
his habit, it is taken to be his choice; but one who is not known to be
rich, and is really not so, is, by appearing gay sometimes, thought to
be so; for he comes little abroad, and pinches miserably at home, first
to get that gay suit, and then acts on the same part to preserve it,
till some lucky hit may help him to the means of getting another, as it
frequently happens, by a good marriage; for though he is but seldom seen
in public, yet always appearing so fine when he is, the ladies, whose
fancies are frequently more tickled with show than sense, admitting him
only at first as a companion, are at last, if worth anything, taken in
the toils he is ever spreading for them; and, becoming his wife,
produce a standing fund to make him a rich man in reality, which he but
personated before."
Pendlehamby could not well understand all I said; and I found by him
that all the riches they possessed were only food and slaves; and as I
found afterwards when amongst them, they know the want of nothing else;
but I am afraid I have put them upon another way of thinking, though I
aimed at what we call civilising of them.
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