Afloat and Ashore (49 page)

It is a long road to traverse over half of the Pacific. Weeks and
weeks were thus occupied; Talcott and myself profiting by every
suitable occasion, to enjoy the advantages of the association chance
had thus thrown in our way. I make no doubt I was greatly benefited by
my constant communications with the Mertons; the Major being a
cultivated, though not a particularly brilliant, man; while I conceive
it to be utterly impossible for two young men, of our time of life and
profession, to be daily, almost hourly, in the company of a young
woman like Emily Merton, without losing some of the peculiar roughness
of the sea, and getting, in its place, some small portion of the
gentler qualities of the saloon. I date a certain
a plomb
, an
absence of shyness in the company of females, from this habitual
intercourse with one of the sex who had, herself, been carefully
educated in the conventionalities of respectable, if not of very
elegant or sophisticated society.

At length we reached the China seas, and falling in to windward, we
made a quick run to Canton. It now became necessary for me to attend
to the ship and the interests of my owners; suffering my passengers to
land at Whampoa, with the understanding we were to meet before either
party sailed. I soon disposed of the sandal-wood and skins, and found
no difficulty in procuring teas, nankins, china-ware, and the other
articles pointed out, in the instructions to poor Captain Williams. I
profited by the occasion, also, to make certain purchases on my own
account, that I had a presentiment would be particularly agreeable to
the future mistress of Clawbonny, let that lady turn out to be
whomsoever she might. The dollars obtained on the west coast of South
America enabled me to do this; my instructions giving the necessary
authority to use a few of them on private account. My privilege as
master rendered all proper.

In a word, the residence of six or eight weeks at Canton, proved a
very advantageous affair for those whose money was embarked in the
Crisis. Sandal-wood and sea-otter skins brought particularly high
prices; while teas, and the manufactures of the country, happened to
be low. I had no merit in this; not a particle; and yet I reaped the
advantage, so far as advantage was connected with the mere reputation
of the voyage; success being of nearly as great account in commerce,
as in war. It is true, I worked like a dog; for I worked under an
entirely novel sense of responsibility, and with a feeling I am
certain that could never have oppressed me in the care of my own
property; and I deserved some portion of the credit subsequently
obtained. At all events, I was heartily rejoiced when the hatches
were on, and the ship was once more ready for sea.

It now became a duty, as well as a pleasure, to seek Major Merton,
whom I had seen but once or twice during the last two months. He had
passed that time at Whampao, while I had been either at the factories,
or on board. The Major was occupied when I called; and Emily received
me alone. When she learned that I was ready to sail for home, and had
come to take my leave, it was easy to see that she was uneasy, if not
distressed. I felt unhappy at parting too, and perhaps I had less
scruple about saying as much.

"God only knows, Miss Merton, whether we are ever to be permitted to
see each other again," I remarked, after the preliminary explanations
had been made.

The reader will remember that I am now an old man, and that vanity no
longer has any of that influence over me which it might be supposed to
possess over one of more juvenile hopes and feelings; that I relate
facts, without reference to their effect on myself, beyond the general
salvo of some lingering weaknesses of humanity. I trust, therefore, I
shall be understood in all my necessary allusions to the estimation in
which I was apparently held by others. Emily fairly started when I
made this remark concerning the probable duration of the approaching
separation, and the colour left her cheek. Her pretty white hand
shook, so that she had difficulty in using her needle; and there was
an appearance of agitation and distress about the charming girl, that
I had never before witnessed in one whose manner was usually so
self-possessed and calm. I
now
know the reason why I did not
throw myself on my knees, and beg the charming girl to consent to
accompany me to America, though I wondered at myself afterwards, when
I came to reflect coolly on all that passed, for my stoicism. I will
not affirm that I fancied Emily's agitation to be altogether owing to
myself; but I confess to an inability to account for it, in any other
manner, as agreeable to myself. The appearance of Major Merton at that
instant, however, prevented everything like a scene, and probably
restored us both to a consciousness of the necessity of seeming
calm. As for the Major, himself, he was evidently far from being
unconcerned, something having occurred to disturb him. So very
apparent was this, that I commenced the discourse by asking if he were
unwell.

"Always
that,
I fear, Miles," he answered; "my physician has
just told me frankly, unless I get into a cold climate as soon as
possible, my life will not be worth six months' purchase."

"Then sail with me, sir," I cried, with an eagerness and heartiness
that must have proved my sincerity. "Happily, I am not too late to
make the offer; and, as for getting away, I am ready to sail
to-morrow!"

"I am forbidden to go near Bombay," continued the Major, looking
anxiously at his daughter; "and that appointment must be abandoned. If
I could continue to hold it, there is no probability of a chance to
reach my station this half-year."

"So much the better for me, sir. In four or five months from this
moment, I will land you in New York, where you will find the climate
cold enough for any disease. I ask you as friends—as guests—not as
passengers; and to prove it, the table of the upper cabin, in future,
shall be mine. I have barely left room in the lower cabin to sleep or
dress in, having filled it with my own private venture, as is my
right."

"You are as generous as kind, Miles; but what will your owners think
of such an arrangement?"

"They have no right to complain. The cabin and passengers, should any
of the last offer, after deducting a very small allowance for the
ship's portion of the food and water, are mine by agreement. All the
better food I find at my own charge; and, should you insist on
remunerating the owners for the coarser, or such as they find, you can
do so, it will be less than a hundred dollars, at the most."

"On these conditions, then, I shall thankfully profit by your offer;
attaching, however, one more that I trust you may be permitted to
fulfil. It is important to me that I reach England—can you touch at
St. Helena?"

"Willingly, if it be your wish. The health of the crew, moreover, may
render it desirable."

"There, then, I will quit you, if an opportunity offer to proceed to
England. Our bargain is made, dear Miles; and to-morrow I shall be
ready to embark."

I think Emily never looked more beautiful than she did while listening
to this arrangement. It doubtless relieved her mind on the painful
subject of her father's health, and I fancied it relieved it also on
the subject of our own immediate separation. Months must elapse before
we could reach St. Helena; and who could foresee what those months
might bring forth? As I had a good deal to do at such a moment, I took
my leave, with my feelings lightened, as it might be, of a
burthen. The reader will at once infer, I was in love. But he will be
mistaken. I was not in love; though my imagination, to use a cant
phrase of some of the sects, was greatly exercised. Lucy, even then,
had a hold of my
heart
in a way of which I was ignorant myself;
but it was not in nature for a youth, just approaching his majority,
to pass months and months, almost alone, in the society of a lovely
girl who was a year or two his junior, and not admit some degree of
tenderness towards her in big feelings. The circumstances were
sufficient to try the constancy of the most faithful swain that ever
lived. Then, it must be remembered that I had never professed love to
Lucy—was not at all aware that she entertained any other sentiment
towards me than that she entertained towards Rupert; whereas Emily—
but I will not prove myself a coxcomb on paper, whatever I might have
been, at the moment, in my own imagination.

Next day, at the appointed hour, I had the happiness to receive my old
passengers. It struck me that Talcott was as much gratified as I was
myself; for he, too, had both pleasure and improvement in Emily
Morton's society. It has often been said that the English East-India
ships are noted for quarrelling and making love. The quarrels may be
accounted for on the same principle as the love-making, viz.,
propinquity; the same proximity producing hostility in whose sterner
natures, that, in others of a gentler cast, produces its opposite
feeling. We sailed, and it is scarcely necessary to tell the reader
how much the tedium of so long a voyage, and the monotony of a
sea-voyage, was relieved by the graces and gentle intercourse of our
upper cabin. The other apartment being so crowded and hot, I passed
most of my time in the poop, which was both light and airy. Here I
generally found the father and daughter, though often the latter
alone. I played reasonably well on the flute and violin, and had
learned to accompany Emily on her piano, which, it will be remembered,
Mons. Le Compte had caused to be transferred from the Bombay ship to
his own vessel, and which had subsequently been saved from the wreck.

Talcott played also on the flute, far better than I did myself; and we
frequently made a trio, producing very respectable sea-music—better,
indeed, than Neptune often got for his smiles. In this manner, then,
we travelled our long road, sometimes contending with head-winds and
cross-seas, sometimes becalmed, and sometimes slipping along at a rate
that rendered everybody contented and happy.

In passing the Straits of Sunda, I related to Major Merton and Emily
the incidents of the John's affair with the proas, and her subsequent
loss on the island of Madagascar; and was rewarded by the interest
they took in the tale. We all spoke of Marble, as indeed we often did,
and expressed our regrets at his absence. The fate of my old shipmate
was frequently discussed among us, there being a great diversity of
opinion on the subject. As for the Major, he thought poor Marble must
be lost at sea, for he did not perceive how any one man could manage a
boat all alone by himself. Talcott, who had juster notions of what a
seaman could do, was of opinion that our late commander had run to
leeward, in the hope of finding some inhabited island, preferring the
association of even cannibals, when it came to the trying moment, to
total solitude. I thought he had gone to windward, the boat being so
well equipped for that service, and that Marble was in the expectation
of falling in with some of the whalers, who were known to be cruising
in certain latitudes. I was greatly struck, however, by a remark made
by Emily, on the evening of the very day when we passed the Straits of
Sunda.

"Should the truth be ever known, gentlemen," she said, "I am of
opinion it will be found that poor Mr. Marble only left the island to
escape from your importunities, and returned to it after the ship
disappeared; and that he is there at this moment, enjoying all the
happiness of a hermit."

This might be true, and from that hour the thought would occasionally
recur to my mind. As I looked forward to passing at least several more
years at sea, I secretly determined to ascertain the fact for myself,
should occasion ever offer. In the mean time, the Crisis had reached a
part of the ocean where, in those days, it was incumbent on those who
had the charge of a ship to keep a vigilant look-out for enemies. It
seems we were not fated to run the gauntlet of these pirates entirely
unharmed.

Early on the following morning, I was awoke by Talcott's giving me a
hearty shake of the shoulder.

"Turn out at once, Captain Wallingford," cried my mate, "the rascals
are closing around us like crows about a carcase. As bad luck will
have it, we have neither room nor breeze, to spare. Everything looks
like a busy morning for us, sir."

In just three minutes from that moment, I was on deck, where all hands
were soon collected, the men tumbling up, with their jackets in their
hands. Major Merton was already on the poop, surveying the scene with
a glass of his own; while the two mates were clearing away the guns,
and getting the ship in a state to make a suitable defence. To me, the
situation was altogether novel. I had been six times in the presence
of enemies before, and twice as commander; but never under
circumstances that called so imperiously for seamanship and good
conduct. The ocean seemed covered with enemies, Major Merton declaring
that he could count no less than twenty-eight proas, all full of men,
and some of them armed with artillery. These chaps were ahead, astern,
to windward, and to leeward; and, what was worse, they had just wind
enough to suit their purposes, there being about a five-knot
breeze. It was evident that the craft acted in concert, and that they
were desperately bent on our capture, having closed around us in this
manner in the night. Nevertheless, we were a warm ship for a
merchantman; and not a man in the Crisis betrayed any feeling that
indicated any other desire than a wish to resist to the last. As for
Neb, the fellow was in a broad grin, the whole time; he considered the
affair as a bit of fun. Yet this negro was afraid to visit certain
places about the farm in the dark, and could not have been induced to
cross a church-yard alone, under a bright sun, I feel well
persuaded. He was the oddest mixture of superstitious dread and
lion-hearted courage, I ever met with in my life.