How did we get up there? says the boatman next day, when I was asking him about the accident how did we get up there? Goodness only knows; for, when the paddle beat our boat under, I didnt seem to know anything more till we were down in the cabin.
And so the passenger that he was bringing aboard said when he came down and thanked me for what he called my gallantry; just as if it was anything to go and help a poor fellow in distress. And so it always seems to be that, in the great peril of an accident itself, there is not so much horror and dread as in the expectation and waiting for it to happen; but I know that I suffered enough hanging there in the dark on that paddle-wheel, and thought enough to have driven me out of my senses in another half-hour.
Chapter Fifteen. A Sea Breeze
LysanderFour years out in the Pacific we were, and more than one brush we had with the Rooshians up there at Petropaulovski, but mostly it was very dull cruising about. True, we used to get a change now and then; once or twice we had a turn in Vancouvers Island, and had a shooting party or two after the pretty little quails, handsome little birds with a crest, and prime eating. Then, one night, we sailed into the beautiful harbour at Nukuheva, in the Marquesas, as lovely a spot as it is possible to imagine; and as I saw it then by moonlight, such a sight as I can never forget all moonlight on the beautiful trees, with cascades falling from the larger rocks; just in front the belt of white sand, and the sea gently wash-wash and curling over in creamy breakers. Another time it would be the Sandwich Islands, and when some of us were ashore there, Im blest if it wasnt as good as a play, and you couldnt hardly believe it. Why, there was a regular civilised town, with the names of the streets up in their lingo; and as to the shops, they were as right as could be, specially where they sold prog; while the chemists was quite the thing, all glass, and varnish, and coloured bottles; and Charley Gordon, my mate, actually went in and bought two ounces of Epsom salts, and the man asked him if he didnt want any senny.
It quite knocked a man over, you know, for you went there expecting to meet with nothing but savages of the same breed as killed Captain Cook; but though he was killed there, let me tell you its a precious sore subject with them, and they wont talk about it if they can help it; and I believe, after all, it was through a mistake
that the poor fellow was killed.
Now again wed go to Callao, or Valparaiso, or Juan Fernandez, and lying idle off one of the ports, see them bring out their convicts and chaps to punish. One dodge they had was to put so many of em into a leaky boat right out in the harbour, and there theyd have to keep on pump pump pump and work hard, too, to keep themselves afloat; for if they hadnt kept at it, down they must have gone, and as my mate said Life was sweet, even to a convict. Sometimes weve seen them punish men by lashing em to a spar, and then sousing em overboard till theyre half drowned, when up theyd come again, choking and sputtering to get their breath; then down again once more, and then up, till one of our chaps began to swear, and be as savage as could be, at what he called such cowardly humbugging ways.
Why, says he Why cant they give a fellow his four dozen and done with it? But its just like them beggarly chattermonkey furreneering coves. I should just like ter
And here he began squaring about, Tom Sayers fashion, as if hed have liked to have a set to with some of em.
Now just about that time we used to have a wonderful sight of flogging on board our ship. For two years I dont believe there was a chap had up; and for why? because our captain was one of the right sort, and I believe loved his men. He was a Tartar, too, and hed have everything right up to the mark, and done like lightning, stamping up and down there with a trumpet under his arm; but then hed a way with him which the men liked, and theyd do anything for him. Why, I dont believe there was a smarter ship and crew in the service; and though we never had a regular set to with a Russian, except boat service on shore, Im thinking we should have shown what the Lysander could do if called upon. There was no flogging then, for a bit of grog stopping did nearly always, and the men used to take a pride in themselves and their ship, as is the case everywhere when the officers are gentlemen.
When I say a gentleman, I dont mean a silver-spoon man, but one who, having men under him, treats them as they should be treated, and though strict and stern, knows when a kind words right, and after making them work like trumps, sees that theyre comfortable and well-fed. Why, Ive known our captain and first lieutenant do anything sooner than get the men wet if it rained keeping sail on till it was really obliged to be taken in.
Capital prime beef and biscuit we always had, and first-class old rum, and what dodges we used to have to get a drop extra sometimes. Charley, my mate, used to be generally pretty wide-awake; and taking notice how the rum used to be pumped out of the cask by the pursers steward with a bright brass pump, he says to him one day