"That was a rum sort of tale, Mas'r Harry," said Tom as soon as we were
alone. "Do you believe him?"
"Yes," I replied, "I believe he is sincere."
"What! and see those great things, Mas'r Harry, out at sea?"
"I believe he saw something," I replied, "but whether it was just as he
described is another thing. There's plenty of room, though, in the sea
for more than that, and perhaps people will find out some day that we
have not seen everything that there is in the world."
"Talk about snakes, though, Mas'r Harry," said Tom suddenly; "where did
you say we was going?"
"To Caracas first."
"Ah! Crackers--that's it. Do you think there'll be any snakes there?"
"Not sea-serpents, Tom," I said laughing; "but up the country where we
are going there are sure to be plenty of land-serpents."
"Not big ones, though, Mas'r Harry?"
"I should say there will be some very big ones in the swamps by the
great rivers."
"Think o' that now!" said Tom. "Big serpents! ugh! I can't abide eels
even. I don't know how I should get on with serpents. But I say, Mas'r
Harry, it's all nonsense about sea-serpents, ar'n't it?"
"I don't know, Tom," I replied. "Perhaps they never grow to a very
large size; but there are thousands of small ones."
"What! sea-serpents, Mas'r Harry?"
"To be sure there are."
"But not in the sea--snakes couldn't swim?"
"Indeed but they can, Tom. Why, I've seen our common English snake go
into a stream and swim beautifully with its head reared above the water,
and after swimming about for some time, come out."
"Think of that now!" said Tom. "Where's the sea-serpents, then?"
"Oh, all about the Indian and Chinese Seas."
"Big uns?"
"I never heard of their being more than five or six feet long, but some
of them are very poisonous. People have died from their bite."
"Have they, though?" said Tom. "And where else are there any, Mas'r
Harry?"
"Oh, they swarm in the Caspian Sea. I've heard that they float about in
knots of several together on calm, sunny days, and they come ashore in
the shallow parts."
"Caspian Sea!" said Tom; "where may that be--anywhere near Crackers?"
"No, Tom," I said; "we've left that behind us in the Old World."
"And a good job too," said Tom; "we don't want sea-serpents where we're
going. Why, Mas'r Harry, I shall never like to do a bathe again."
Soon after this Tom proposed that we should try sea-fishing, but when we
had borrowed lines and begun to make our preparations the weather set in
so rough that we never once had a chance. In fact there were many days
when we had no opportunity of coming on deck unless we were prepared to
be drenched with the spray that deluged the deck as some great wave
struck the steamer's bows, and then flew in driving showers from end to
end.
There were times when I fancied that the officers looked quite serious,
but they said nothing, only were very particular about the hatches being
kept closed.
Then came a spell of finer weather, during which we reached Jamaica, and
I was thinking of getting a few days ashore, so as to see something of
this beautiful island; but it was not to be, for we found that we were
very late, that the steamer into which we were to shift had been waiting
for us three days, and if we did not take passage in her we should have
to wait a fortnight, perhaps longer, for another.
"And I did so want to see the niggers in the sugar plantations, and
taste real Jamaica rum. Say, Mas'r Harry, that stuff people drink in
England's all gammon."
"Why so?" I asked.
"Because it's brown and yellow, like wine," he replied. "Real Jamaica
rum's quite white."
"Well, Tom," I said, "I don't know that it will make any difference to
us; and as to the sugar plantations and the niggers, as you call them, I
daresay you will be able to see some at my uncle's place."
"But he don't grow sugar, does he, Mas'r Harry?"
"I don't know about that," I said, "but I think so. I know he grows a
great deal of coffee."
"Think of that, now, Mas'r Harry! And tea, too?"
"No, he does not grow tea, Tom."
"Well, I do wonder at that," said Tom, "because you see tea's better
than coffee to keep to."
"How about climate, Tom?" I said laughing.
"Climate? Ah! yes, I s'pose that do make a difference, Mas'r Harry.
But he might grow sugar."
"Perhaps he does, Tom," I said, "but we shall see before very long."
"Well, it won't be because it isn't hot enough," said Tom, wiping his
face. "Phew! the sun does go it out here."
"But it may be colder where my uncle lives, Tom."
"Why, how can it be, Mas'r Harry, if it's anywhere out here?"
"Perhaps he's high up in the mountains, and there it will be much
colder."
"Ha-ha-ha! Well, that is a good un, Mas'r Harry," laughed Tom. "You
had plenty of schooling and I had none, but I do know better than that.
Going up closer to the sun and finding it colder! Well, that is a rum
un, and no mistake."
I tried to explain to Tom why it was that the climate was colder in
mountain regions, but I suppose I did it in too bungling a way for him
to comprehend, and he stood out for his own opinion till he saw, some
weeks later, a magnificent specimen of a snow-capped mountain, at which
he stared in amazement; and even then he was obstinate enough to declare
that, after all, the dazzling whiteness might be due to the clear
transparency of crystal rock.