"Captain Majoribanks, whom I ought to apologise to for not having
introduced first."
"Not at all, major: you just heard the brevet rank which Winterbottom's
baggage has procured him."
"Not the first time a man has obtained rank through his `baggage,'"
observed one of the officers, _sotto voce_.
"Mr Ansell, Mr Petres, Mr Irving."
The necessary bows were exchanged, and Mr Williams, the first-mate,
desired to show the officers to their respective accommodations, when he
would be able to ascertain what part of their luggage was required, and
be enabled to strike the remainder down into the after-hold.
As the officers followed the first-mate down the companion-ladder,
Captain Oughton looked at Mr Ansell, and observed to Newton, "That
fellow would _peel_ well."
The Windsor Castle sailed, and in a few days was clear of the channel.
Newton, whose thoughts were of Isabel Revel, felt not that regret at
quitting the country, usually attached to those who leave all dear to
them behind. He knew that it was by following up his profession alone
that he ever could have a chance of obtaining her; and this
recollection, with the hopes of again beholding the object of his
affections, lightened his heart to joy, as the ship scudded across the
Bay of Biscay, before a North East gale. That he had little chance at
present of possessing her, he knew; but hope leads us on, and no one
more than the youth who is in love.
The table of Captain Oughton was liberally supplied, and the officers
embarked proved (as they almost invariably do) to be pleasant
gentlemanlike companions. The boxing-gloves were soon produced by
Captain Oughton, who soon ascertained that in the officer who "would
_peel_ so well," he had found his match. The mornings were passed away
in sparring, fencing, reading, walking the deck, or lolling on the
hen-coops upon the poop. The announcement of the dinner-hour was a
signal for rejoicing; and they remained late at the table, doing ample
justice to the captain's excellent claret. The evening was finished
with cards, cigars, and brandy _pawnee_. Thus passed the time away for
the first three weeks of the passage, during which period all parties
had become upon intimate terms.
But the voyage is in itself most tedious, and more tedious to those who
not only have no duty to perform, but have few resources. As soon as
the younger officers thought they might take a liberty, they examined
the hen-coops, and selecting the most promising looking cocks, trimmed
them for fighting; chose between themselves as their own property those
which they most approved of, and for some days fed and sparred them to
get them into wind, and ascertain the proper way in which they should be
spurred. In the mean time, two pair of spurs were by their directions
clandestinely made by the armourer of the ship, and when ready, they
took advantage of the time when Captain Oughton was every day employed
with the ship's reckoning, and the poulterer was at his dinner (viz,
from twelve to one), to fight a main. The cocks which were killed in
these combats were returned to the hen-coops, and supposed by the
poulterer, who very often had a glass of grog, to have quarrelled within
the bars.
"Steward," said Captain Oughton, "why the devil do you give us so many
fowls for dinner? the stock will never last out the voyage: two roast
fowls, two boiled fowls, curried fowl, and chicken pie! What can you be
thinking of?"
"I spoke to the poulterer on the subject, sir: he constantly brings me
down fowls, and he tells me that they kill each other fighting."
"Fighting! never heard of fowls fighting in a coop before. They must be
all game fowls."
"That they are, most of them," said Mr Petres; "I have often seen them
fighting when I have been on the poop."
"So have I," continued Ansell? "I have seen worse cocks in the pit."
"Well it's very odd; I never lost a cock this way in all my voyages.
Send the poulterer here; I must inquire about it."
"Yes, sir," replied the steward; and he quitted the cabin.
With the exception of the major, who knew nothing of the circumstances,
the officers thought it advisable to de-camp, that they might not be
present when the _denouement_ took place. The poulterer made his
appearance, was interrogated, and obliged in his own defence to
criminate the parties, corroborating his assertions by producing a pair
of spurs found upon a cock, which had been killed, and thrown behind the
coop in a hurry at the appearance of Captain Oughton on deck.
"I am sorry that my officers should have taken such a liberty," observed
the major, gravely.
"O never mind, major, only allow me to be even with them; I shouldn't
have minded if I had seen the fighting. I think you said that you would
like to exercise your men a little this afternoon?"
"I did; that is, if not inconvenient."
"Not in the least, major; the quarter-deck is at your service. I
presume you do not superintend yourself?"
"Yes, I generally do."
"Well, don't this time, but let all the officers; and then I shall be
able to play them a little trick that will make us all square."
Major Clavering consented. The officers were ordered up to drill their
men. Captain Majoribanks and Mr Irving had one party at the platoon
exercise.
"Third man, your hand a little higher on the barrel of your musket. As
you were; support--the word support is only a caution--arms,--too--too."
"Two and two make four," observed one of the seamen.
Lieutenant Winterbottom had another party on the lee-side of the
quarter-deck. "Ram down--cartridge.--Number 12, slope your musket a
little more--_too--too_--only two taps at the bottom of the barrel.
Return--ramrods. Number 4, why don't you draw up the heel of your right
leg level with the other? Recollect now, when you shoulder arms, to
throw your muskets up smartly.--Shoulder--as you were--the word shoulder
is only a caution; shoulder--arms. Dress up a little Number 8, and
don't stick your stomach out in that way."
Mr Ansell and Mr Petres had two fatigue parties on the poop, without
muskets. "To the right--face--to the right face. To the right--face--
to the right--face."
"It's a dead calm with them soldiers--head round the compass," said one
of the seamen to another.
"To the left--face--quick march, to the left--turn--to the right--turn--
close files--mark time--right--left--right--left--forward."
"Them ere chaps legs all going together put one in mind of a centipee--
don't they, Tom?"
"Yes, but they don't get on quite so fast. Holloh, what pipe's
that?--`All hands, air bedding.'"
The ship was hauled close to the wind, which was light. At the pipe,
the sailors below ran up the hatchway, and those on deck threw down
their work. In a minute every hammock was out of the netting, and every
seaman busy at unlashing.
"Now, major, we had better go into the cabin," said Captain Oughton,
laughing. "I shall, I can assure you."
Beds and blankets which are not aired or shook more than once a month,
are apt to be very full of what is termed _fluff_ and blanket _hairs_,
and they have a close smell, by no means agreeable. The sailors, who
had an idea that the order had been given inconsiderately, were quite
delighted, and commenced shaking their blankets on the forecastle and
weather gangway, raising a cloud, which the wind carried aft upon the
parties exercising upon the quarterdeck.
"What the devil is all this?" cried Captain Majoribanks, looking forward
with dismay. "Order--arms."
Lieutenant Winterbottom and half of his party were now seized with a fit
of coughing. "Confound it!--shut--pans--handle--upon my soul I'm
choked."
"This is most excessively disagreeable," observed Mr Petres; "I made up
my mind to be _tarred_ when I came on board, but I had no idea that we
should be _feathered_."
"Support--damn it, there's no supporting this!" cried Captain
Majoribanks. "Where's Major Clavering? I'll ask to dismiss the men."
"They are dismissing a great many little men, forward, I suspect," said
the first-mate, laughing. "I cannot imagine what induced Captain
Oughton to give the order: we never shake bedding except when the ship's
before the wind."
This last very consoling remark made it worse than all; the officers
were in an agony. There was not one of them who would not have stood
the chance of a volley from a French regiment rather than what they
considered that they were exposed to. But without Major Clavering's
permission they could not dismiss their men. Captain Majoribanks
hastened to the cabin, to explain their very un-pleasant situation, and
received the major's permission to defer the exercise.
"Well, gentlemen," said Captain Oughton, "what is the matter?"
"The matter!" replied Ansell. "Why, my flesh creeps all over me. Of
all the thoughtless acts, Captain Oughton, it really beats--"
"Cock-fighting," interrupted the captain, with a loud laugh. "Now we
are quits."
The officers hastened below to wash and change their dress after this
very annoying retaliation on the part of Captain Oughton. When they
felt themselves again clean and comfortable, their good-humour returned,
although they voted their captain not to be very refined in his ideas,
and agreed with him that his practical joke beat "cock-fighting."
I believe there are no classes of people who embark with more regret, or
quit a ship with more pleasure, than military men. Nor is it to be
wondered at, if we consider the antithesis which is presented to their
usual mode of life. Few military men are studious, or inclined to
reading, which is almost the only resource which is to be found against
the tedium of long confinement and daily monotony. I do not say this
reproachfully, as I consider it arises from the peculiarity of their
profession, and must be considered to be more their misfortune than
their fault. They enter upon a military life just after they have left
school, the very period at which, from previous and forced application,
they have been surfeited with books _usque ad nauseam_. The parade,
dress, the attention paid to them, which demands civilities in return;
society, and the preference shown by the fair sex; their happy and
well-conducted mess; the collecting together of so many young men, with
all their varied plans of amusement, into which the others are easily
persuaded to enter, with just sufficient duty on guard, or otherwise,
not to make the duty irksome; all delight too much at first, and,
eventually from habit, too much occupy their minds, to afford time for
study.
In making this observation, I must be considered to speak generally.
There are many studious, many well-stored minds, many men of brilliant
talents, who have improved the gift of nature by constant study and
reflection, and whose conduct must be considered as the more
meritorious, from having resisted or overcome the strong temptation to
do otherwise, which is offered by their profession.
"I wish," said Irving, who was stretched out his full length on one of
the coops abaft, with the front of his cap drawn over his eyes--"I wish
this cursed voyage was at an end. Every day the same thing; no
variety--no amusement--curry for breakfast--brandy pawnee as a finish.
I really begin to detest the sight of a cigar or a pack of cards."
"Very true," replied Ansell, who was stretched upon an adjacent coop in
all the listlessness of idleness personified--"very true, Irving; I
begin to think it worse than being quartered in a country town inhabited
by nobodies, where one has nothing to do but to loll and spit over the
bridge all day, till the bugle sounds for dinner."
"Oh! that was infinitely better; at least, you could walk away when you
were tired, or exchange a word or two with a girl as she passed over it,
on her way to market."
"Why don't you take a book, Irving?" observed the major, laying down the
one with which he had been occupied to join the conversation.
"A book, major? Oh, I've read until I am tired."
"What have you read since you embarked?" inquired his senior.
"Let me see--Ansell, what have I read?"
"Read!--nothing at all--you know that."
"Well, perhaps so; we have no mess-newspapers here: the fact is, major,
I am not very partial to reading--I am not in the habit of it. When on
shore I have too much to do; but I mean to read by-and-bye."
"And pray, when may that by-and-bye be supposed to arrive?"
"Oh! some day when I'm wounded or taken prisoner, and cannot do any
thing else; then I shall read a good deal. Here's Captain Oughton--
Captain Oughton, do you read much?"
"Yes, Mr Irving, I read a great deal."
"Pray, may I take the liberty to ask you what you read?"
"What I read! Why, I read Horsburgh's Directory:--and I read--I read
all the fights."
"I think," observed Ansell, "that if a man gets through the newspaper
and the novels of the day, he does a great deal."
"He reads a great deal, I grant you," replied the major; "but of what
value is that description of reading?"
"There, major," replied Ansell, "we are at issue. I consider a
knowledge of the passing events of the day, and a recollection of the
facts which have occurred during the last twenty years, to be more
valuable than all the ancient records in existence. Who talks of Caesar
or Xenophon now-a-days, except some Cambridge or Oxford prig? and of
what value is that knowledge in society? The escape of a modern
pickpocket will afford more matter of conversation than the famous
retreat of the ten thousand."
"To be sure," replied Captain Oughton; "and a fair stand-up fight
between Humphreys and Mendoza create more interest than the famous
battles of ---, I'm sure I forget."
"Of Marathon and Thermopylae; they will do," added Ansell.
"I grant," replied the major, "that it is not only un-necessary, but
conceited in those who would show their reading; but this does not
disprove the advantages which are obtained. The mind well fed becomes
enlarged: and if I may use a simile, in the same way as your horse
proves his good condition by his appearance, without ascertaining the
precise quantity of oats which has been given him; so the mind shows by
its general vigour and power of demonstration, that it has been well
supplied with `hard food.'"
"Very _hard food_ indeed," replied Captain Oughton; "nuts that I never
could crack when I was at school, and don't mean to break my teeth with
now. I agree with Mr Ansell, `that sufficient for the day is the
knowledge thereof.'"
"Well as the tree of knowledge was the tree of evil, perhaps that is the
correct reading," replied Ansell, laughing; "Captain Oughton, you are a
very sensible man; I hope we shall see you often at our mess, when we're
again on shore."
"You may say so now," replied Captain Oughton, bluntly, "and so have
many more said the same thing to me; but you soldiers have cursed short
memories in that way after you have landed."
"I trust, Captain Oughton," replied Major Clavering, "that you will not
have to make that accusation general."
"Oh! never mind, major, I never am affronted; the offer is made in
kindness, and at the time sincere; but when people get on shore, and are
so occupied with their own amusements, it is not to be wondered if they
are thoughtless and forget. At one time, it did annoy me, I confess;
for when I say I should be happy to see a man, I mean it; and if I did
not mean it, I never would ask him. I thought that other people did the
same; but I have lived long enough to discover that a `general
invitation,' means, `don't come at all.'"
"Then I most certainly shall not say one word on the subject at
present," replied the major. "How many bells was that?"
"Six; dinner will be on the table in a few minutes."
"Then, gentlemen, we had better go down and prepare. Why, Mr Irving,
you have not shaved this morning."
"No, major, I mean to do it after dinner."
"I should rather think that you intended to say before," replied Major
Clavering.
This gentlemanlike hint was taken by the young ensign, who was aware
that Major Clavering, although invariably polite even in reproof, was
not a commanding officer to be trifled with; and Mr Irving made his
appearance at the dinner table with his "chin new reaped," and smooth as
if appertaining to one of the fairer sex.