journal of a voyage to lisbon-第22部分

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Taylor　teaches　a　led　captain　to　avoid　by　distinguishing　by　the

name　of　that　generous　liquor；　which　all　humble　companions　are

taught　to　postpone　to　the　flavor　of　methuen；　or　honest　port。



While　our　two　captains　were　thus　regaling　themselves；　and

celebrating　their　own　heroic　exploits　with　all　the　inspiration

which　the　liquor；　at　least；　of　wit　could　afford　them；　the

polyonymous　officer　arrived；　and；　being　saluted　by　the　name　of

Honest　Tom；　was　ordered　to　sit　down　and　take　his　glass　before　he

delivered　his　message；　for　every　sailor　is　by　turns　his　captain's

mate　over　a　cann；　except　only　that　captain　bashaw　who　presides　in

a　man…of…war；　and　who　upon　earth　has　no　other　mate；　unless　it　be

another　of　the　same　bashaws。　　Tom　had　no　sooner　swallowed　his

draught　than　he　hastily　began　his　narrative；　and　faithfully

related　what　had　happened　on　board　our　ship；　we　say　faithfully；

though　from　what　happened　it　may　be　suspected　that　Tom　chose　to

add　perhaps　only　five　or　six　immaterial　circumstances；　as　is

always　I　believe　the　case；　and　may　possibly　have　been　done　by　me

in　relating　this　very　story；　though　it　happened　not　many　hours　ago。



No　sooner　was　the　captain　informed　of　the　interruption　which　had

been　given　to　his　officer；　and　indeed　to　his　orders；　for　he

thought　no　time　so　convenient　as　that　of　his　absence　for　causing

any　confusion　in　the　cabin；　than　he　leaped　with　such　haste　from

his　chair　that　he　had　like　to　have　broke　his　sword；　with　which　he

always　begirt　himself　when　he　walked　out　of　his　ship；　and

sometimes　when　he　walked　about　in　it；　at　the　same　time；　grasping

eagerly　that　other　implement　called　a　cockade；　which　modern

soldiers　wear　on　their　helmets　with　the　same　view　as　the　ancients

did　their　creststo　terrify　the　enemy　he　muttered　something；　but

so　inarticulately　that　the　word　DAMN　was　only　intelligible；　he

then　hastily　took　leave　of　the　Swiss　captain；　who　was　too　well

bred　to　press　his　stay　on　such　an　occasion；　and　leaped　first　from

the　ship　to　his　boat；　and　then　from　his　boat　to　his　own　ship；

with　as　much　fierceness　in　his　looks　as　he　had　ever　expressed　on

boarding　his　defenseless　prey　in　the　honorable　calling　of　a

privateer。　　Having　regained　the　middle　deck；　he　paused　a　moment

while　Tom　and　others　loaded　themselves　with　bottles；　and　then

descending　into　the　cabin　exclaimed　with　a　thundering　voice；

〃Dn　me；　why　arn't　the　bottles　stowed　in；　according　to　my　orders？〃



I　answered　him　very　mildly　that　I　had　prevented　his　man　from

doing　it；　as　it　was　at　an　inconvenient　time　to　me；　and　as　in　his

absence；　at　least；　I　esteemed　the　cabin　to　be　my　own。　　〃Your

cabin！〃　repeated　he　many　times；　〃no；　dn　me！　'tis　my　cabin。

Your　cabin！　dn　me！　I　have　brought　my　hogs　to　a　fair　market。　　I

suppose　indeed　you　think　it　your　cabin；　and　your　ship；　by　your

commanding　in　it；　but　I　will　command　in　it；　dn　me！　I　will　show

the　world　I　am　the　commander；　and　nobody　but　I！　Did　you　think　I

sold　you　the　command　of　my　ship　for　that　pitiful　thirty　pounds？　I

wish　I　had　not　seen　you　nor　your　thirty　pounds　aboard　of　her。〃

He　then　repeated　the　words　thirty　pounds　often；　with　great

disdain；　and　with　a　contempt　which　I　own　the　sum　did　not　seem　to

deserve　in　my　eye；　either　in　itself　or　on　the　present　occasion；

being；　indeed；　paid　for　the　freight　of　　weight　of　human

flesh；　which　is　above　fifty　per　cent　dearer　than　the　freight　of

any　other　luggage；　whilst　in　reality　it　takes　up　less　room；　in

fact；　no　room　at　all。



In　truth；　the　sum　was　paid　for　nothing　more　than　for　a　liberty　to

six　persons　（two　of　them　servants）　to　stay　on　board　a　ship　while

she　sails　from　one　port　to　another；　every　shilling　of　which　comes

clear　into　the　captain's　pocket。　　Ignorant　people　may　perhaps

imagine；　especially　when　they　are　told　that　the　captain　is

obliged　to　sustain　them；　that　their　diet　at　least　is　worth

something；　which　may　probably　be　now　and　then　so　far　the　case　as

to　deduct　a　tenth　part　from　the　net　profits　on　this　account；　but

it　was　otherwise　at　present；　for　when　I　had　contracted　with　the

captain　at　a　price　which　I　by　no　means　thought　moderate；　I　had

some　content　in　thinking　I　should　have　no　more　to　pay　for　my

voyage；　but　I　was　whispered　that　it　was　expected　the　passengers

should　find　themselves　in　several　things；　such　as　tea；　wine；　and

such　like；　and　particularly　that　gentlemen　should　stow　of　the

latter　a　much　larger　quantity　than　they　could　use；　in　order　to

leave　the　remainder　as　a　present　to　the　captain　at　the　end　of　the

voyage；　and　it　was　expected　likewise　that　gentlemen　should　put

aboard　some　fresh　stores；　and　the　more　of　such　things　were　put

aboard　the　welcomer　they　would　be　to　the　captain。



I　was　prevailed　with　by　these　hints　to　follow　the　advice

proposed；　and　accordingly；　besides　tea　and　a　large　hamper　of

wine；　with　several　hams　and　tongues；　I　caused　a　number　of　live

chickens　and　sheep　to　be　conveyed　aboard；　in　truth；　treble　the

quantity　of　provisions　which　would　have　supported　the　persons　I

took　with　me；　had　the　voyage　continued　three　weeks；　as　it　was

supposed；　with　a　bare　possibility；　it　might。



Indeed　it　continued　much　longer；　but　as　this　was　occasioned　by

our　being　wind…bound　in　our　own　ports；　it　was　by　no　means　of　any

ill　consequence　to　the　captain；　as　the　additional　stores　of　fish；

fresh　meat；　butter；　bread；　&c。；　which　I　constantly　laid　in；

greatly　exceeded　the　consumption；　and　went　some　way　in

maintaining　the　ship's　crew。　　It　is　true　I　was　not　obliged　to　do

this；　but　it　seemed　to　be　expected；　for　the　captain　did　not　think

himself　obliged　to　do　it；　and　I　can　truly　say　I　soon　ceased　to

expect　it　of　him。　　He　had；　I　confess；　on　board　a　number　of　fowls

and　ducks　sufficient　for　a　West　India　voyage；　all　of　them；　as　he

often　said；　〃Very　fine　birds；　and　of　the　largest　breed。〃　　This　I

believe　was　really　the　fact；　and　I　can　add　that　they　were　all

arrived　at　the　full　perfection　of　their　size。　　Nor　was　there；　I

am　convinced；　any　want　of　provisions　of　a　more　substantial　kind；

such　as　dried　beef；　pork；　and　fish；　so　that　the　captain　seemed

ready　to　perform　his　contract；　and　amply　to　provide　for　his

passengers。　　What　I　did　then　was　not　from　necessity；　but；

perhaps；　from　a　less　excusable　motive；　and　was　by　no　means

chargeable　to　the　account　of　the　captain。



But；　let　the　motive　have　been　what　it　would；　the　consequence　was

still　the　same；　and　this　was　such　that　I　am　firmly　persuaded　the

whole　pitiful　thirty　pounds　came　pure　and　neat　into　the　captain's

pocket；　and　not　only　so；　but　attended　with　the　value　of　ten　pound

more　in　sundries　into　the　bargain。　　I　must　confess　myself

therefore　at　a　loss　how　the　epithet　PITIFUL　came　to　be　annexed　to

the　above　sum；　for；　not　being　a　pitiful　price　for　what　it　was

given；　I　cannot　conceive　it　to　be　pitiful　in　itself；　nor　do　I

believe　it　is　thought　by　the　greatest　men　in　the　kingdom；　none　of

whom　would　scruple　to　search　for　it　in　the　dirtiest　kennel；　where

they　had　only　a　reasonable　hope　of　success。　　How；　therefore；　such

a　sum　should　acquire　the　idea　of　pitiful　in　the　eyes　of　the

master　of　a　ship　seems　not　easy　to　be　accounted　for；　since　it

appears　more　likely　to　produce　in　him　ideas　of　a　different　kind。

Some　men；　perhaps；　are　no　more　sincere　in　the　contempt　for　it

which　they　express　than　others　in　their　contempt　of　money　in

general；　and　I　am　the　rather　inclined　to　this　persuasion；　as　I

have　seldom　heard　of　either　who　have　refused　or　refunded　this

their　despised　object。　　Besides；　it　is　sometimes　impossible　to

believe　these　professions；　as　every　action　of　the　man's　life　is　a

contradiction　to　it。　　Who　can　believe　a　tradesman　who　says　he

would　not　tell　his　name　for　the　profit　he　gets　by　the　selling

such　a　parcel　of　goods；　when　he　hath　told　a　thousand　lies　in

order　to　get　it？　　Pitiful；　indeed；　is　often　applied　to　an　object

not　absolutely；　but　comparatively　with　our　expectations；　or　with

a　greater　object：　　in　which　sense　it　is　not　easy　to　set　any

bounds　to　the　use　of　the　word。　　Thus；　a　handful　of　halfpence

daily　appear　pitiful　to　a　porter；　and　a　handful　of　silver　to　a

drawer。　　　The　latter；　I　am　convinced；　at　a　polite　tavern；　will

not　tell　his　name　（for　he　will　not　give　you　any　answer）　under　the

price　of　gold。　　And　in　this　sense　thirty　pound　may　be　accounted

pitiful　by　the　lowest　mechanic。



One　difficulty　only　seems　to　occur；　and　that　is　this：　　how　comes

it　that；　if　the　profits　of　the　meanest　arts　are　so　considerable；

the　professors　of　them　are　not　richer　than　we　generally　see　them？

One　answer　to　this　shall　suffice。　　Men　do　not　become　rich　by　what

they　get；　but　by　what　they　keep。　　He　who　is　worth　no　more　than

his　annual　wages　or　salary；　spends　the　whole；　he　will　be　always　a

beggar　let　his　income　be　what　it　will；　and　so　will　be　his　family

when　he　dies。　　This　we　see　daily　to　be　the　case　of　ecclesiastics；

who；　during　their　lives；　are　extremely　well　provided　for；　only

because　they　desire　to　maintain　the　honor　of　the　cloth　by　living

like　gentlemen；　which　would；　perhaps；　be　better　maintained　by

living　unlike　them。



But；　to　return　from　so　long　a　digression；　to　which　the　use　of　so

improper　an　epithet　gave　occasion；　and　to　which　the　novelty　of

the　subject　allured；　I　will　make　the　reader　amends　by　concisely

telling　him　that　the　captain　poured　forth　such　a　torrent　of　abuse

that　I　very　hastily　and　very　foolishly　resolved　to　quit　the　ship。



I　gave　immediate　orders　to　summon　a　hoy　to　carry　me　that　evening

to　Dartmouth；　without　considering　any　consequence。　　Those　orders

I　gave　in　no　very　low　voice；　so　that　those　above　stairs　might

possibly　conceive　there　was　more　than　one　master　in　the　cabin。

In　the　same　tone　I　likewise　threatened　the　captain　with　that

which；　he　afterwards　said；　he　feared　more　than　any　rock　or

quicksand。　　Nor　can　we　wonder　at　this　when　we　are　told　he　had

been　twice　obliged　to　bring　to　and　cast　anchor　there　before；　and

had　neither　time　escaped　without　the　loss　of　almost　his　whole　cargo。