THE VOYAGE.
In addition to those already named, the _Flying Scud_ carried some
twenty other cabin passengers. She took no emigrants forward, as she was
full of cargo, and was not, moreover, going direct to New Zealand.
There were therefore only three or four young men in addition to the
Grimstones forward. The fine weather that had favoured the start
accompanied them down the channel and across the bay. Life went on
quietly on board. It was early in May when they started; and the
evenings were still too chilly to permit of any sojourn on deck after
sunset. Each day, however, the weather grew warmer, and by the time the
vessel was off the coast of Portugal the evenings were warm and balmy.
"This is not at all what I expected," Marion Renshaw said, as she sat in
a deck-chair, to Mr. Atherton, who was leaning against the bulwark
smoking a cigar. "I thought we were going to have storms, and that every
one was going to be sea-sick. That is what it is like in all the books I
have read; and I am sure that I have not felt the least bit ill from the
time we started."
"You have had everything in your favour. There has been just enough
breeze to take us along at a fair rate with all our light canvas set,
and yet not enough to cause more than a ripple on the sea. The ship has
been as steady as if in port; but you must not flatter yourself this is
going to last all the time. I think we shall have a change before long.
The glass has fallen a little, and the wind has shifted its quarter two
or three times during the day. The sky, too, does not look so settled as
it has done. I think we shall have a blow before long."
"What! A storm, Mr. Atherton?"
"No, I don't say that; but wind enough to get up a bit of sea, and to
make landsmen feel very uncomfortable."
"But I suppose we should not be ill now even if it were rough, after
being a week at sea?"
"I do not think you would be likely to be ill so long as you might have
been had you encountered a gale directly we got out of the river, but I
think that if it comes on rough all those addicted to sea-sickness are
likely to suffer more or less. Some people are ill every time rough
weather comes along, however long the voyage. I suppose you don't know
yet whether you are a good sailor or not?"
Marion shook her head. "We have been at the seaside almost every year,
but we have never gone out in boats much there. Papa was always too busy
to go, and I don't think he likes it. Mother gets a bad headache, even
if she isn't ill. So I very seldom went out, and never when it was the
least rough."
Mr. Atherton's predictions turned out well founded. The wind got up
during the night and was blowing freshly in the morning, and only two or
three of the lady passengers made their appearance at breakfast; and
several of the gentlemen were also absent. Wilfrid, to his great
satisfaction, felt so far no symptoms whatever of impending illness. The
two Allens were obliged to keep on deck during the meal, being unable to
stand the motion below; but they were well enough to enjoy the cup of
tea and plate of cold meat Wilfrid carried up to them. An hour or two
later they went below. The wind was rising and the sea hourly getting
up. Marion came up after breakfast, and for some time afterwards walked
up and down on the deck with Wilfrid enjoying the brisk air, and
considering it great fun to try to walk straight up and down the swaying
deck. Presently, however, her laugh became subdued and her cheeks lost
their colour.
"I am afraid I am going to be ill, Wilfrid; but I shall stay on deck if
I can. Both the Mitfords are ill, I am sure, for neither of them got up,
though they declared that they felt nothing the matter with them. I have
made up my mind to stay on deck as long as I possibly can."
"That is the best way," Mr. Atherton said as he joined them in their
walk, and caught the last sentence. "There is nothing like keeping up as
long as possible; because if you do so it will sometimes pass off after
a short time, whereas if you give up and take to your berth it is sure
to run its course, which is longer or shorter according to
circumstances--sometimes two days and sometimes five; but I should say
that people who are what you may call fair sailors generally get over it
in two days, unless the weather is very bad. So fight against it as long
as you can, and when you cannot bear it any longer I will wrap you up in
rugs, and you shall have my great chair to curl up in close by the lee
bulwark. But determination goes a long way, and you may get over it yet.
You take my arm, you won't throw me off my balance; while if the vessel
gives a sharper roll than usual, you and your brother may both lose your
feet together."
As soon as they started on their walk Mr. Atherton began an amusing
story of some adventure of his in the Western States of America, and
Marion was so interested that she forgot all about her uncomfortable
sensation, and was astonished when on hearing the lunch-bell ring she
discovered she was getting perfectly well.
"Where is Wilfrid?" she asked.
"There he is, leaning over the lee bulwark; the fiend of sea-sickness
has him in its grip."
"Only think of Wilfrid being unwell and me being all right! You have
quite driven it away, Mr. Atherton, for I was feeling very poorly when I
began to walk with you."
"I will go down and get you some luncheon and bring it up here to you.
Curl yourself up in my chair until I return, and do not think more about
the motion than you can help. You had better not go near your
brother--people who are ill hate being pitied."
An hour later Wilfrid went below. In the evening, however, the wind
dropped considerably, and the next morning the sea was sparkling in the
sunlight, and the _Flying Scud_ was making her way along with a scarcely
perceptible motion. Thenceforth the weather was delightful throughout
the voyage to Rio. The passengers found upon closer acquaintance that
they all got on well together, and the days passed away pleasantly. In
the evenings the piano was brought up from the cabin on to the deck, and
for two or three hours there was singing, varied by an occasional dance
among the young people.
From the day of their leaving England Mr. Atherton had been the leading
spirit on board the ship. If a misunderstanding arose he acted as
mediator. He was ever ready to propose pastimes and amusements to
lighten the monotony of the voyage, took the leading part in the
concerts held on deck when the evenings were calm and clear, and was
full of resource and invention. With the four or five children on board
he was prime favourite, and Mr. Renshaw often wondered at the patience
and good temper with which he submitted to all their whims, and was
ready to give up whatever he was doing to submit himself to their
orders. He had, before they had been ten days at sea, talked over with
Mr. Renshaw the latter's plans, and advised him upon no account to be in
a hurry to snap up the first land offered to him.
"Half the people who come out to the colonies," he said, "get heavily
bit at first by listening to the land-agents, and allowing themselves to
be persuaded into buying property which, when they come to take
possession of it, is in a majority of the cases almost worthless. I
should advise you when you get there to hire a house in Wellington,
where you can leave your wife and daughter while you examine the various
districts and see which offer the greatest advantages. If you do not
feel equal to it yourself, let your son go in your place. He is, I
think, a sharp young fellow, and not likely to be easily taken in. At
any rate, when he has made his report as to the places that seem most
suitable, you can go and see their relative advantages before
purchasing.
"'There is no greater mistake than buying land in a locality of which
you know nothing. You may find that the roads are impracticable and that
you have no means of getting your produce to market, and after a while
you will be glad to sell your place for a mere song and shift to another
which you might at first have obtained at a price much lower than you
gave for your worthless farm. I have knocked about in the States a good
deal, and have known scores of men ruined by being too hasty in making a
choice. You want to be in a colony six months at least before investing
your money in land, so as to know something of the capabilities and
advantages of each district. To a young man I should say--travel about
in the colony, working your way, and making a stay of a month here and a
month there. Of course in your case this is out of the question; but a
personal examination of the places offered to you, which in nine cases
out of ten men are ready to sell for less than they have cost them, will
ensure you against absolute swindling."
"What are you going to do yourself, Mr. Atherton?"
"I have come out simply to study the botany of the island. I may stay in
the colony for a month or for a year. At any rate, if you depute Wilfrid
to travel about to examine the various districts where land can be
bought, I shall be glad to accompany him, as I myself shall also be on
the look-out."
"You are not thinking of farming, Mr. Atherton?"
"No. My own idea is to take a bit of land on one of the rivers, to get
up a hut to serve as my head-quarters, and to spend much of my time in
travelling about. I am very fortunately placed. I have ample funds to
enable me to live in comfort, and I am free to indulge my fancy for
wandering as I please. I consider that I have been spoiled by being my
own master too young. I think it is bad for a young man to start in life
with a competence; but when it comes to one in middle age, when one has
learned to spend it rationally, it is undoubtedly a very great comfort
and advantage. I suppose, however, that the time will come when I shall
settle down. I am thirty-five, and I ought to 'range myself,' as the
French say."
Mr. Atherton had not been long upon the voyage when he discovered that
the chances of success of the Renshaw party as settlers would be small
indeed if they depended upon the exertions of the head of the family. He
had not been more than a day or two on board before Mr. Renshaw began to
discuss his favourite hobby with him, and confided to him that he
intended thoroughly to investigate the history, customs, and religion of
the Maoris, and to produce an exhaustive work on the subject. "An
excellent idea, very," the stout man said encouragingly, "but one
demanding great time and investigation; and perhaps," he added
doubtfully, "one more suited to a single man, who can go and live among
the natives and speak their language, than for a married man with a
family to look after."
Mr. Renshaw waved the remark aside lightly. "I shall, of course, set to
work immediately I arrive to acquire a thorough knowledge of the
language, and indeed have already begun with a small dictionary and a
New Testament in the Maori language, brought out by the Missionary
Society. As to my family, my exertions in the farming way will be of no
use whatever to them. My wife and daughter will look after the house,
and Wilfrid will undertake the management of the men out of doors. The
whole scheme is theirs, and I should be of no assistance to them
whatever. My bent lies entirely in the direction of archæology, and
there can be little doubt that my thorough acquaintance with all
relating to the habits, and, so far as is known, of the language of the
ancient Britons, Saxons, Danes, and the natives of the northern part of
the island, will be of inestimable advantage in enabling me to carry out
the subject I have resolved to take up. There are analogies and
similarities between the habits of all primitive peoples, and one
accustomed to the study of the early races of Europe can form a general
opinion of the habits and mode of living of a tribe merely from the
inspection of an ancient weapon or two, a bracelet, and a potsherd."
Mr. Atherton looked down upon his companion with half-closed eyes, and
seemed to be summing him up mentally; after a short conversation he
turned away, and as he filled his pipe muttered to himself: "It is well
for the family that the mother seems a capable and sensible woman, and
that the lad, unless I am mistaken, has a dogged resolution about him as
well as spirit and courage. The girl, too, is a bright sensible lass,
and they may get on in spite of this idiot of a father. However, the man
shows that he possesses a certain amount of sense by the confidence with
which he throws the burden of the whole business of providing a living
for the family on their shoulders.
"Of course they would be much better without him, for I can foresee he
will give them an awful lot of trouble. He will go mooning away among
the natives, and will be getting lost and not heard of for a tremendous
time. Still, I don't know that he will come to much harm. The Maoris
have fine traits of character, and though they have been fighting about
what they call the king question, they have seldom been guilty of any
acts of hostility to isolated settlers, and a single white man going
among them has always been received hospitably; besides, they will
probably think him mad, and savages have always a sort of respect for
madmen. Still, he will be a terrible worry to his family. I have taken a
fancy to the others, and if I can do them a good turn out there in any
way I will."
As the voyage went on Mr. Atherton's liking for Mrs. Renshaw, her son
and daughter, increased greatly, while his contempt for Mr. Renshaw
became modified as he came to know him better. He found that he was
really a capable man in his own particular hobby, and that although weak
and indecisive he was very kind and affectionate with his wife and
children, and reposed an almost childlike confidence in his wife's good
sense.
Madeira had been sighted lying like a great cloud on the horizon, and
indeed the young Renshaws had difficulty when they came up on deck in
the morning in believing that it was really land they saw. No stay was
made here, nor did they catch a glimpse of the Canary Islands, being too
far to the west to see even the lofty peak of Teneriffe. The first time
the ship dropped anchor was at St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verde
Islands; here they took in a supply of fresh water, meat, and
vegetables. The passengers all landed, but were much disappointed with
the sandy and uninteresting island, and it was no consolation for them
to learn from the captain that parts of the island were much more
fertile, although the vegetables and fruit came for the most part from
the other islands. "Now," he said, "if all goes well you will see no
land again till you get to Rio. We shall keep to the east of St. Paul,
and unless we get blown out of our course we shall not go near
Ascension."
As the wind continued favourable the ship kept her course, and at twelve
o'clock one day the captain, after taking his observations, told them
that he expected to be in Rio on the following evening. The next morning
when they came up on deck land was in sight, and in the evening they
dropped anchor in the harbour of Rio, one of the finest ports in the
world.
"Yes, it is a splendid harbour," Mr. Atherton agreed as he listened to
the exclamations of delight of the Renshaws. "I do not know that it is
the finest, but it is certainly equal to any I have ever seen. As a
harbour New York is better, because even more landlocked. San Francisco
is, both in that respect and in point of scenery, superb. Bombay is a
grand harbour, but exposed to certain winds. Taken altogether, I think I
should give the palm to San Francisco."
A few minutes after the anchor had dropped a number of shore-boats came
alongside filled with luscious fruit, and rowed for the most part by
negroes, who chatted and shouted and gesticulated, making such a din
that it was impossible to distinguish a single word amid the uproar.
Wilfrid, the Allens, and others quickly ran down the ladders, and
without troubling themselves to bargain returned with quantities of
fruit. Several negresses soon followed them on to the deck, and going up
to the ladies produced cards and letters testifying that they were good
washerwomen and their terms reasonable. The captain had the evening
before told them it would take him three or four days to discharge his
cargo for Rio, and that they had better take advantage of the
opportunity if they wanted any washing done. They had, therefore, got
everything in readiness, and in a few minutes numerous canvas bags
filled with linen were deposited in the boats.
In addition to the fruit several great bouquets of gorgeous flowers had
been purchased, and the cabin that evening presented quite a festive
appearance. After it became dark and the lights of Rio sparkled out, all
agreed that the scene was even more beautiful than by daylight. The air
was deliciously balmy and soft, the sea as smooth as glass. The moon was
nearly full, and the whole line of the shore could be distinctly seen.
Boats flitted about between the vessels and the strand; fishing-boats,
with their sails hanging motionless, slowly made their way in by the aid
of oars. The sounds of distant music in the city came across the water.
There was no singing or dancing on board the _Flying Scud_ that evening.
All were content to sit quiet and enjoy the scene, and such conversation
as there was was carried on in low tones, as if they were under a spell
which they feared to break. The next morning all went ashore soon after
breakfast; but upon their assembling at dinner it was found that the
general impression was one of disappointment. It was a fine city, but
not so fine as it looked from the water. Except the main thoroughfares
the streets were narrow, and, as the ladies declared, dirty. The young
people, however, were not so critical; they had been delighted with the
stir and movement, the bright costumes, the variety of race and colour,
and the novelty of everything they saw.
"The negroes amuse me most," Marion said. "They seem to be always
laughing. I never saw such merry people."
"They are like children," her father said. "The slightest thing causes
them amusement. It is one of the signs of a low type of intellect when
people are given to laugh at trifles."
"Then the natives ought to be very intelligent," Marion said, "for as a
whole they appeared to me to be a serious race. Of course I saw many of
them laughing and chattering, but most of them are very quiet in manner.
The old people seem to be wrinkled in a wonderful way. I never saw
English people so wrinkled."
"All southern races show age in that way," Mr. Atherton said. "You see
marvellous old men and women in Spain and Italy. People who, as far as
looks go, might be a hundred and fifty--little dried-up specimens of
humanity, with faces more like those of monkeys than men."
"Are the negroes slaves, Mr. Atherton? They still have slavery in
Brazil, do they not? They certainly are not at all according to my idea
of slaves."
"The estates are mostly worked by negro slaves," Mr. Atherton said, "and
no doubt many of those you saw to-day are also slaves. Household slavery
is seldom severe, and I believe the Brazilians are generally kind
masters. But probably the greater portion of the negroes you saw are
free. They may have purchased their freedom with their savings, or may
have been freed by kind masters. It is no very unusual thing for a
Brazilian at his death to leave a will giving freedom to all his slaves.
Government is doing its best to bring about the entire extinction of
slavery. I believe that all children born after a certain date have been
declared free, and have no doubt that in time slavery will be abolished.
Great changes like this take some time to carry out, and even for the
sake of the slaves themselves it is better to proceed quietly and
gradually. I suppose nobody inclines to go on shore again to-night?"
There was a general negative. The day had been very warm, and having
been walking about for hours no one felt any inclination to make a fresh
start. The following morning the vessel began to unload her cargo. Some
of the older passengers declared that they had had enough of shore, and
should not land--at any rate until the afternoon. The rest went ashore;
but the greater part of them returned at lunch-time, and the heat in the
afternoon was so great that none cared to land again.
In the evening the two Allens and Wilfrid agreed to go ashore to visit a
theatre. Mr. Atherton said that as he had no inclination to melt away
all at once he would not join them, but would land with them and stroll
about for a time, and see the town in its evening aspect. Several other
parties were made up among the male passengers, and one or two of the
ladies accompanied their husbands.
Wilfrid and the Allens did not stay out the performance. The heat was
very great, and as they did not understand a word of the dialogue they
soon agreed that it would be more pleasant to stroll about, or to sit
down in the open air before a café and sip iced drinks.
Accordingly after walking about for a while they sat down before a café
in the Grand Square, and as they sipped iced lemonade looked on with
much amusement at the throng walking up and down.
"It is later than I thought," James Allen said, looking at his watch.
"It is nearly twelve o'clock, and high time for us to be on board."
They started to make what they thought would prove a short cut down to
the landing-place; but as usual the short cut proved delusive, and they
soon found themselves wandering in unknown streets. They asked several
persons they met the way down to the water, but none of them understood
English, and it was a considerable time before they emerged from the
streets on to the line of quays.
"We are ever so much too far to the right," James Allen said as they
looked round. "I fancy that is the ship's light not far from the shore
half a mile away on the left. I hope we shall find some boatmen to take
us off; it would be rather awkward finding ourselves here for the night
in a place where no one understands the language."
"I think we should manage all right," Wilfrid said. "We know the way
from the place where we landed up into the part where the hotels are,
and are sure to find people there who understand English. Still I hope
it will not come to that. They would be in a great fidget on board if we
were not to turn up to-night."
"I do not think they would be alarmed," James Allen replied. "Every one
is in bed and asleep long ago, and we should be on board in the morning
before the steward went to our cabin and found that we were missing. I
consider we are quite safe in that respect, but Atherton might be doing
something if he found we did not come back."
"He might do something, perhaps," Wilfrid said; "but I am quite sure he
would not alarm my father and mother about it. He is the last sort of
fellow to do that."