I AM PLEASED WITH MY NEW CAPTAIN--OBTAIN LEAVE TO GO HOME--FIND MY
FATHER AFFLICTED WITH A VERY STRANGE DISEASE, AND PROVE MYSELF A VERY
GOOD DOCTOR, ALTHOUGH THE DISORDER ALWAYS BREAKS OUT IN A FRESH PLACE.
The day after O'Brien had sailed for the East Indies, the dock-yard men
came on board to survey the brig, and she was found so defective, as to
be ordered into dock. I had received letters from my sister, who was
overjoyed at the intelligence of my safe return, and the anticipation of
seeing me. The accounts of my father were, however, very
unsatisfactory. My sister wrote, that disappointment and anxiety had
had such an effect upon him that he was deranged in his intellect. Our
new captain came down to join us. He was a very young man, and had
never before commanded a ship. His character as lieutenant was well
known, and not very satisfactory, being that of a harsh, unpleasant
officer; but, as he had never been first lieutenant, it was impossible
to say what he might prove when in command of a ship. Still we were a
little anxious about it, and severely regretted the loss of O'Brien.
He came on board the hulk to which the ship's company had been turned
over, and read his commission. He proved to be all affability,
condescension, and good-nature. To me he was particularly polite,
stating that he should not interfere with me in carrying on the duty, as
I must be so well acquainted with the ship's company. We thought that
those who gave us the information must have been prejudiced or mistaken
in his character. During the half-hour that he remained on board, I
stated that now that the brig was in dock, I should like very much to
have an opportunity of seeing my friends, if he would sanction my asking
for leave.
To this he cheerfully consented, adding, that he would extend it upon
his own responsibility. My letter to the Admiralty was therefore
forwarded through him, and was answered in the affirmative. The day
afterwards, I set off by the coach, and once more embraced my dear
sister.
After the first congratulations were over, I inquired about my father;
she replied, that he was so wild that nobody could manage him. That he
was melancholy and irritable at the same time, and was certainly
deranged, fancying himself to be made of various substances, or to be in
a certain trade or capacity. That he generally remained in this way
four or five days, when he went to bed, and slept for twenty-four hours,
or more, and awoke with some new strange imagination in his head. His
language was violent, but that, in other respects, he seemed to be more
afraid of other people than inclined to be mischievous; and that every
day he was getting more strange and ridiculous. He had now just risen
from one of his long naps, and was in his study; that before he had
fallen asleep he had fancied himself to be a carpenter, and had sawed
and chopped up several articles of furniture in the house.
I quitted my sister to see my father, whom I found in his easy-chair. I
was much shocked at his appearance. He was thin and haggard his eyes
were wild, and he remained with his mouth constantly open. A sick
nurse, who had been hired by my sister, was standing by him.
"Pish, pish, pish, pish!" cried my father; "what can you, a stupid old
woman, know about my inside? I tell you the gas is generating fast, and
even now I can hardly keep on my chair. I'm lifting--lifting now; and
if you don't tie me down with cords, I shall go up like a balloon."
"Indeed, sir," replied the woman, "it's only the wind in your stomach.
You'll break it off directly."
"It's inflammable gas, you old hecate!--I know it is. Tell me will you
get a cord, or will you not? Hah! who's that--Peter? Why you've
dropped from the clouds, just in time to see me mount up to them."
"I hope you feel yourself better, sir," said I.
"I fell myself a great deal lighter every minute. Get a cord, Peter,
and tie me to the leg of the table."
I tried to persuade him that he was under a mistake; but it was useless.
He became excessively violent, and said I wished him in heaven. As I
had heard that it was better to humour people afflicted with
hypochondriacism, which was evidently the disease under which my father
laboured, I tried that method. "It appears to me, sir," said I, "that
if we could remove the gas every ten minutes, it would be a very good
plan."
"Yes--but how?" replied he, shaking his head mournfully.
"Why, with a syringe, sir," said I; "which will, if empty, of course
draw out the gas, when inserted into your mouth."
"My dear Peter, you have saved my life," replied my father; "be quick
though, or I shall go up, right through the ceiling." Fortunately,
there was an instrument of that description in the house. I applied it
to his mouth, drew up the piston, and then ejected the air, and
re-applied it. In two minutes he pronounced himself better, and I left
the old nurse hard at work, and my father very considerably pacified. I
returned to my sister, to whom I recounted what had passed; but it was
no source of mirth to us, although had it happened to an indifferent
person, I might have been amused. The idea of leaving her, as I must
soon do--having only a fortnight's leave--to be worried by my father's
unfortunate malady, was very distressing. But we entered into a long
conversation, in which I recounted the adventures that had taken place
since I had left her, and for the time forgot our source of annoyance
and regret. For three days my father insisted upon the old woman
pumping the gas out of his body; after that he again fell into one of
his sound sleeps, which lasted nearly thirty hours.
When he arose, I went again to see him. It was eight o'clock in the
evening, and I entered with a candle. "Take it away--quick, take it
away; put it out carefully."
"Why, what's the matter, sir?"
"Don't come near me, if you love me; don't come near me. Put it out, I
say--put it out."
I obeyed his orders, and then asked him the reason. "Reason!" said he,
now that we were in the dark; "can't you see?"
"No, father; I can see nothing in the dark."
"Well, then, Peter, I'm a magazine, full of gun-powder; the least spark
in the world, and I am blown up. Consider the danger. You surely would
not be the destruction of your father, Peter;" and the poor old
gentleman burst into tears, and wept like a child.
I knew that it was in vain to reason with him. "My dear father," said
I, "on board ship, when there is any danger of this kind, we always
float the magazine. Now, if you were to drink a good deal of water, the
powder would be spoiled, and there would be no danger."
My father was satisfied with my proposal, and drank a tumbler of water
every half-hour, which the old nurse was obliged to supply as fast as he
called for it, and this satisfied him for three or four days, and I was
again left to the company of my dear Ellen, when my father again fell
into his stupor, and we wondered what would be his next fancy. I was
hastily summoned by the nurse; and found my poor father lying in bed,
and breathing in a very strange manner.
"What is the matter, my dear sir?" inquired I.
"Why, don't you see what is the matter? How is a poor little infant,
just born, to live, unless its mother is near to suckle it, and take
care of it?"
"Indeed, sir, do you mean to say that you are just born?"
"To be sure I do. I'm dying for the breast."
This was almost too absurd; but I gravely observed, "That it was all
very true, but unfortunately his mother had died in child-birth, and
that the only remedy was to bring him up by hand."
He agreed with me. I desired the nurse to make some gruel, with brandy,
and feed him: which she did, and he took the gruel just as if he were a
baby.
This fit lasted about six days; for he went to sleep, because a baby
always slept much; and I was in hopes it would last much longer: but he
again went off into his lethargic fit, and after a long sleep awoke with
a new fancy. My time had nearly expired, and I had written to my new
captain, requesting an extension of leave, but I received an answer
stating that it could not be granted, and requesting me to join the brig
immediately.
I was rather surprised at this, but of course was compelled to obey and,
embracing my dear sister once more, set off for Portsmouth. I advised
her to humour my father, and this advice she followed; but his fancies
were such, occasionally, as would have puzzled the most inventive genius
to combat, or to find the remedy which he might acknowledge to be
requisite. His health became certainly worse and worse, and his
constitution was evidently destroyed by a slow, undermining bodily and
mental fever. The situation of my poor sister was very distressing; and
I must say that I quitted her with melancholy forebodings.
I ought here to observe, that I received all my prize-money amounting to
1560 pounds, a large sum for a lieutenant. I put it into the funds, and
gave a power of attorney to Ellen, requesting her to use it as her own.
We consulted as to what she should do if my father should die, and
agreed that all his debts, which we knew to amount to three or four
hundred pounds, should be paid, and that she should manage how she could
upon what was left of my father's property, and the interest of my
prize-money.