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Reprinted　Pieces



by　Charles　Dickens












THE　LONG　VOYAGE







WHEN　the　wind　is　blowing　and　the　sleet　or　rain　is　driving　against

the　dark　windows；　I　love　to　sit　by　the　fire；　thinking　of　what　I

have　read　in　books　of　voyage　and　travel。　　Such　books　have　had　a

strong　fascination　for　my　mind　from　my　earliest　childhood；　and　I

wonder　it　should　have　come　to　pass　that　I　never　have　been　round　the

world；　never　have　been　shipwrecked；　ice…environed；　tomahawked；　or

eaten。



Sitting　on　my　ruddy　hearth　in　the　twilight　of　New　Year's　Eve；　I

find　incidents　of　travel　rise　around　me　from　all　the　latitudes　and

longitudes　of　the　globe。　　They　observe　no　order　or　sequence；　but

appear　and　vanish　as　they　will　…　'come　like　shadows；　so　depart。'

Columbus；　alone　upon　the　sea　with　his　disaffected　crew；　looks　over

the　waste　of　waters　from　his　high　station　on　the　poop　of　his　ship；

and　sees　the　first　uncertain　glimmer　of　the　light；　'rising　and

falling　with　the　waves；　like　a　torch　in　the　bark　of　some

fisherman；'　which　is　the　shining　star　of　a　new　world。　　Bruce　is

caged　in　Abyssinia；　surrounded　by　the　gory　horrors　which　shall

often　startle　him　out　of　his　sleep　at　home　when　years　have　passed

away。　　Franklin；　come　to　the　end　of　his　unhappy　overland　journey　…

would　that　it　had　been　his　last！　…　lies　perishing　of　hunger　with

his　brave　companions：　each　emaciated　figure　stretched　upon　its

miserable　bed　without　the　power　to　rise：　all；　dividing　the　weary

days　between　their　prayers；　their　remembrances　of　the　dear　ones　at

home；　and　conversation　on　the　pleasures　of　eating；　the　last…named

topic　being　ever　present　to　them；　likewise；　in　their　dreams。　　All

the　African　travellers；　wayworn；　solitary　and　sad；　submit

themselves　again　to　drunken；　murderous；　man…selling　despots；　of　the

lowest　order　of　humanity；　and　Mungo　Park；　fainting　under　a　tree　and

succoured　by　a　woman；　gratefully　remembers　how　his　Good　Samaritan

has　always　come　to　him　in　woman's　shape；　the　wide　world　over。



A　shadow　on　the　wall　in　which　my　mind's　eye　can　discern　some　traces

of　a　rocky　sea…coast；　recalls　to　me　a　fearful　story　of　travel

derived　from　that　unpromising　narrator　of　such　stories；　a

parliamentary　blue…book。　　A　convict　is　its　chief　figure；　and　this

man　escapes　with　other　prisoners　from　a　penal　settlement。　　It　is　an

island；　and　they　seize　a　boat；　and　get　to　the　main　land。　　Their　way

is　by　a　rugged　and　precipitous　sea…shore；　and　they　have　no　earthly

hope　of　ultimate　escape；　for　the　party　of　soldiers　despatched　by　an

easier　course　to　cut　them　off；　must　inevitably　arrive　at　their

distant　bourne　long　before　them；　and　retake　them　if　by　any　hazard

they　survive　the　horrors　of　the　way。　　Famine；　as　they　all　must　have

foreseen；　besets　them　early　in　their　course。　　Some　of　the　party　die

and　are　eaten；　some　are　murdered　by　the　rest　and　eaten。　　This　one

awful　creature　eats　his　fill；　and　sustains　his　strength；　and　lives

on　to　be　recaptured　and　taken　back。　　The　unrelateable　experiences

through　which　he　has　passed　have　been　so　tremendous；　that　he　is　not

hanged　as　he　might　be；　but　goes　back　to　his　old　chained…gang　work。

A　little　time；　and　he　tempts　one　other　prisoner　away；　seizes

another　boat；　and　flies　once　more　…　necessarily　in　the　old　hopeless

direction；　for　he　can　take　no　other。　　He　is　soon　cut　off；　and　met

by　the　pursuing　party　face　to　face；　upon　the　beach。　　He　is　alone。

In　his　former　journey　he　acquired　an　inappeasable　relish　for　his

dreadful　food。　　He　urged　the　new　man　away；　expressly　to　kill　him

and　eat　him。　　In　the　pockets　on　one　side　of　his　coarse　convict…

dress；　are　portions　of　the　man's　body；　on　which　he　is　regaling；　in

the　pockets　on　the　other　side　is　an　untouched　store　of　salted　pork

（stolen　before　he　left　the　island）　for　which　he　has　no　appetite。

He　is　taken　back；　and　he　is　hanged。　　But　I　shall　never　see　that

sea…beach　on　the　wall　or　in　the　fire；　without　him；　solitary

monster；　eating　as　he　prowls　along；　while　the　sea　rages　and　rises

at　him。



Captain　Bligh　（a　worse　man　to　be　entrusted　with　arbitrary　power

there　could　scarcely　be）　is　handed　over　the　side　of　the　Bounty；　and

turned　adrift　on　the　wide　ocean　in　an　open　boat；　by　order　of

Fletcher　Christian；　one　of　his　officers；　at　this　very　minute。

Another　flash　of　my　fire；　and　'Thursday　October　Christian；'　five…

and…twenty　years　of　age；　son　of　the　dead　and　gone　Fletcher　by　a

savage　mother；　leaps　aboard　His　Majesty's　ship　Briton；　hove…to　off

Pitcairn's　Island；　says　his　simple　grace　before　eating；　in　good

English；　and　knows　that　a　pretty　little　animal　on　board　is　called　a

dog；　because　in　his　childhood　he　had　heard　of　such　strange

creatures　from　his　father　and　the　other　mutineers；　grown　grey　under

the　shade　of　the　bread…fruit　trees；　speaking　of　their　lost　country

far　away。



See　the　Halsewell；　East　Indiaman　outward　bound；　driving　madly　on　a

January　night　towards　the　rocks　near　Seacombe；　on　the　island　of

Purbeck！　　The　captain's　two　dear　daughters　are　aboard；　and　five

other　ladies。　　The　ship　has　been　driving　many　hours；　has　seven　feet

water　in　her　hold；　and　her　mainmast　has　been　cut　away。　　The

description　of　her　loss；　familiar　to　me　from　my　early　boyhood；

seems　to　be　read　aloud　as　she　rushes　to　her　destiny。





'About　two　in　the　morning　of　Friday　the　sixth　of　January；　the　ship

still　driving；　and　approaching　very　fast　to　the　shore；　Mr。　Henry

Meriton；　the　second　mate；　went　again　into　the　cuddy；　where　the

captain　then　was。　　Another　conversation　taking　place；　Captain

Pierce　expressed　extreme　anxiety　for　the　preservation　of　his

beloved　daughters；　and　earnestly　asked　the　officer　if　he　could

devise　any　method　of　saving　them。　　On　his　answering　with　great

concern；　that　he　feared　it　would　be　impossible；　but　that　their　only

chance　would　be　to　wait　for　morning；　the　captain　lifted　up　his

hands　in　silent　and　distressful　ejaculation。



'At　this　dreadful　moment；　the　ship　struck；　with　such　violence　as　to

dash　the　heads　of　those　standing　in　the　cuddy　against　the　deck

above　them；　and　the　shock　was　accompanied　by　a　shriek　of　horror

that　burst　at　one　instant　from　every　quarter　of　the　ship。



'Many　of　the　seamen；　who　had　been　remarkably　inattentive　and　remiss

in　their　duty　during　great　part　of　the　storm；　now　poured　upon　deck；

where　no　exertions　of　the　officers　could　keep　them；　while　their

assistance　might　have　been　useful。　　They　had　actually　skulked　in

their　hammocks；　leaving　the　working　of　the　pumps　and　other

necessary　labours　to　the　officers　of　the　ship；　and　the　soldiers；

who　had　made　uncommon　exertions。　　Roused　by　a　sense　of　their

danger；　the　same　seamen；　at　this　moment；　in　frantic　exclamations；

demanded　of　heaven　and　their　fellow…sufferers　that　succour　which

their　own　efforts；　timely　made；　might　possibly　have　procured。



'The　ship　continued　to　beat　on　the　rocks；　and　soon　bilging；　fell

with　her　broadside　towards　the　shore。　　When　she　struck；　a　number　of

the　men　climbed　up　the　ensign…staff；　under　an　apprehension　of　her

immediately　going　to　pieces。



'Mr。　Meriton；　at　this　crisis；　offered　to　these　unhappy　beings　the

best　advice　which　could　be　given；　he　recommended　that　all　should

come　to　the　side　of　the　ship　lying　lowest　on　the　rocks；　and　singly

to　take　the　opportunities　which　might　then　offer；　of　escaping　to

the　shore。



'Having　thus　provided；　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　for　the　safety

of　the　desponding　crew；　he　returned　to　the　round…house；　where；　by

this　time；　all　the　passengers　and　most　of　the　officers　had

assembled。　　The　latter　were　employed　in　offering　consolation　to　the

unfortunate　ladies；　and；　with　unparalleled　magnanimity；　suffering

their　compassion　for　the　fair　and　amiable　companions　of　their

misfortunes　to　prevail　over　the　sense　of　their　own　danger。



'In　this　charitable　work　of　comfort；　Mr。　Meriton　now　joined；　by

assurances　of　his　opinion；　that；　the　ship　would　hold　together　till

the　morning；　when　all　would　be　safe。　　Captain　Pierce；　observing　one

of　the　young　gentlemen　loud　in　his　exclamations　of　terror；　and

frequently　cry　that　the　ship　was　parting；　cheerfully　bid　him　be

quiet；　remarking　that　though　the　ship　should　go　to　pieces；　he　would

not；　but　would　be　safe　enough。



'It　is　difficult　to　convey　a　correct　idea　of　the　scene　of　this

deplorable　catastrophe；　without　describing　the　place　where　it

happened。　　The　Haleswell　struck　on　the　rocks　at　a　part　of　the　shore

where　the　cliff　is　of　vast　height；　and　rises　almost　perpendicular

from　its　base。　　But　at　this　particular　spot；　the　foot　of　the　cliff

is　excavated　into　a　cavern　of　ten　or　twelve　yards　in　depth；　and　of

breadth　equal　to　the　length　of　a　large　ship。　　The　sides　of　the

cavern　are　so　nearly　upright；　as　to　be　of　extremely　difficult

access；　and　the　bottom　is　strewed　with　sharp　and　uneven　rocks；

which　seem；　by　some　convulsion　of　the　earth；　to　have　been　detached

from　its　roof。



'The　ship　lay　with　her　broadside　opposite　to　the　mouth　of　this

cavern；　with　her　whole　length　stretched　almost　from　side　to　side　of

it。　　But　when　she　struck；　it　was　too　dark　for　the　unfortunate

persons　on　board　to　discover　the　real　magnitude　of　the　danger；　and

the　extreme　horror　of　such　a　situation。



'In　addition　to　the　company　already　in　the　round…house；　they　had

admitted　three　black　women　and　two　soldiers'　wives；　who；　with　the

husband　of　one　of　them；　had　been　allowed　to　come　in；　though　the

seamen；　who　had　tumultuously　demanded　entrance　to　get　the　lights；

had　been　opposed　and　kept　out　by　Mr。　Rogers　and　Mr。　Brimer；　the

third　and　fifth　mates。　　The　numbers　there　were；　therefore；　now

increased　to　near　fifty。　　Captain　Pierce　sat　on　a　chair；　a　cot；　or

some　other　moveable；　with　a　daughter　on　each　side；　whom　he

alternately　pressed　to　his　affectionate　breast。　　The　rest　of　the

melancholy　assembly　were　seated　on　the　deck；　which　was　strewed　with

musical　instruments；　and　the　wreck　of　furniture　and　other　articles。



'Here　also　Mr。　Meriton；　after　having　cut　seve