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journal of a voyage to lisbon-第23部分

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

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



The most distant sound of law thus frightened a man who had

often; I am convinced; heard numbers of cannon roar round him

with intrepidity。  Nor did he sooner see the hoy approaching the

vessel than he ran down again into the cabin; and; his rage being

perfectly subsided; he tumbled on his knees; and a little too

abjectly implored for mercy。



I did not suffer a brave man and an old man to remain a moment in

this posture; but I immediately forgave him。



And here; that I may not be thought the sly trumpeter of my own

praises; I do utterly disclaim all praise on the occasion。

Neither did the greatness of my mind dictate; nor the force of my

Christianity exact; this forgiveness。  To speak truth; I forgave

him from a motive which would make men much more forgiving if

they were much wiser than they are; because it was convenient for

me so to do。



Wednesday。This morning the captain dressed himself in scarlet

in order to pay a visit to a Devonshire squire; to whom a captain

of a ship is a guest of no ordinary consequence; as he is a

stranger and a gentleman; who hath seen a great deal of the world

in foreign parts; and knows all the news of the times。



The squire; therefore; was to send his boat for the captain; but

a most unfortunate accident happened; for; as the wind was

extremely rough and against the hoy; while this was endeavoring

to avail itself of great seamanship in hauling up against the

wind; a sudden squall carried off sail and yard; or at least so

disabled them that they were no longer of any use and unable to

reach the ship; but the captain; from the deck; saw his hopes of

venison disappointed; and was forced either to stay on board his

ship; or to hoist forth his own long…boat; which he could not

prevail with himself to think of; though the smell of the venison

had had twenty times its attraction。  He did; indeed; love his

ship as his wife; and his boats as children; and never willingly

trusted the latter; poor things! to the dangers of the sea。



To say truth; notwithstanding the strict rigor with which he

preserved the dignity of his stations and the hasty impatience

with which he resented any affront to his person or orders;

disobedience to which he could in no instance brook in any person

on board。  he was one of the best natured fellows alive。  He

acted the part of a father to his sailors; he expressed great

tenderness for any of them when ill; and never suffered any the

least work of supererogation to go unrewarded by a glass of gin。

He even extended his humanity; if I may so call it; to animals;

and even his cats and kittens had large shares in his affections。



An instance of which we saw this evening; when the cat; which had

shown it could not be drowned; was found suffocated under a

feather…bed in the cabin。  I will not endeavor to describe his

lamentations with more prolixity than barely by saying they were

grievous; and seemed to have some mixture of the Irish howl in

them。  Nay; he carried his fondness even to inanimate objects; of

which we have above set down a pregnant example in his

demonstration of love and tenderness towards his boats and ship。

He spoke of a ship which he had commanded formerly; and which was

long since no more; which he had called the Princess of Brazil;

as a widower of a deceased wife。  This ship; after having

followed the honest business of carrying goods and passengers for

hire many years; did at last take to evil courses and turn

privateer; in which service; to use his own words; she received

many dreadful wounds; which he himself had felt as if they had

been his own。



Thursday。As the wind did not yesterday discover any purpose of

shifting; and the water in my belly grew troublesome and rendered

me short…breathed; I began a second time to have apprehensions of

wanting the assistance of a trochar when none was to be found; I

therefore concluded to be tapped again by way of precaution; and

accordingly I this morning summoned on board a surgeon from a

neighboring parish; one whom the captain greatly recommended; and

who did indeed perform his office with much dexterity。  He was; I

believe; likewise a man of great judgment and knowledge in the

profession; but of this I cannot speak with perfect certainty;

for; when he was going to open on the dropsy at large and on the

particular degree of the distemper under which I labored; I was

obliged to stop him short; for the wind was changed; and the

captain in the utmost hurry to depart; and to desire him; instead

of his opinion; to assist me with his execution。  I was now once

more delivered from my burden; which was not indeed so great as I

had apprehended; wanting two quarts of what was let out at the

last operation。



While the surgeon was drawing away my water the sailors were

drawing up the anchor; both were finished at the same time; we

unfurled our sails and soon passed the Berry…head; which forms

the mouth of the bay。



We had not however sailed far when the wind; which; had though

with a slow pace; kept us company about six miles; suddenly

turned about; and offered to conduct us back again; a favor which;

though sorely against the grain; we were obliged to accept。



Nothing remarkable happened this day; for as to the firm

persuasion of the captain that he was under the spell of

witchcraft; I would not repeat it too often; though indeed he

repeated it an hundred times every day; in truth; he talked of

nothing else; and seemed not only to be satisfied in general of

his being bewitched; but actually to have fixed with good

certainty on the person of the witch; whom; had he lived in the

days of Sir Matthew Hale; he would have infallibly indicted; and

very possibly have hanged; for the detestable sin of witchcraft;

but that law; and the whole doctrine that supported it; are now

out of fashion; and witches; as a learned divine once chose to

express himself; are put down by act of parliament。  This witch;

in the captain's opinion; was no other than Mrs。 Francis of Ryde;

who; as he insinuated; out of anger to me for not spending more

money in her house than she could produce anything to exchange

for; or ally pretense to charge for; had laid this spell on his ship。



Though we were again got near our harbor by three in the

afternoon; yet it seemed to require a full hour or more before we

could come to our former place of anchoring; or berth; as the

captain called it。  On this occasion we exemplified one of the

few advantages which the travelers by water have over the

travelers by land。  What would the latter often give for the

sight of one of those hospitable mansions where he is assured

THAT THERE IS GOOD ENTERTAINMENT FOR MAN AND HORSE; and where

both may consequently promise themselves to assuage that hunger

which exercise is so sure to raise in a healthy constitution。



At their arrival at this mansion how much happier is the state of

the horse than that of the master!  The former is immediately led

to his repast; such as it is; and; whatever it is; he falls to it

with appetite。  But the latter is in a much worse situation。  His

hunger; however violent; is always in some degree delicate; and

his food must have some kind of ornament; or; as the more usual

phrase is; of dressing; to recommend it。  Now all dressing

requires time; and therefore; though perhaps the sheep might be

just killed before you came to the inn; yet in cutting him up;

fetching the joint; which the landlord by mistake said he had in

the house; from the butcher at two miles' distance; and

afterwards warming it a little by the fire; two hours at least

must be consumed; while hunger; for want of better food; preys

all the time on the vitals of the man。



How different was the case with us!  we carried our provision;

our kitchen; and our cook with us; and we were at one and the

same time traveling on our road; and sitting down to a repast of

fish; with which the greatest table in London can scarce at any

rate be supplied。



Friday。As we were disappointed of our wind; and obliged to

return back the preceding evening; we resolved to extract all the

good we could out of our misfortune; and to add considerably to

our fresh stores of meat and bread; with which we were very

indifferently provided when we hurried away yesterday。  By the

captain's advice we likewise laid in some stores of butter; which

we salted and potted ourselves; for our use at Lisbon; and we had

great reason afterwards to thank him for his advice。



In the afternoon I persuaded my wife whom it was no easy matter

for me to force from my side; to take a walk on shore; whither

the gallant captain declared he was ready to attend her。

Accordingly the ladies set out; and left me to enjoy a sweet and

comfortable nap after the operation of the preceding day。



Thus we enjoyed our separate pleasures full three hours; when we

met again; and my wife gave the foregoing account of the

gentleman whom I have before compared to Axylus; and of his

habitation; to both which she had been introduced by the captain;

in the style of an old friend and acquaintance; though this

foundation of intimacy seemed to her to be no deeper laid than in

an accidental dinner; eaten many years before; at this temple of

hospitality; when the captain lay wind…bound in the same bay。



Saturday。Early this morning the wind seemed inclined to change

in our favor。  Our alert captain snatched its very first motion;

and got under sail with so very gentle a breeze that; as the tide

was against him; he recommended to a fishing boy to bring after

him a vast salmon and some other provisions which lay ready for

him on shore。



Our anchor was up at six; and before nine in the morning we had

doubled the Berry…head; and were arriv

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