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