CHAPTER SEVEN.
ON BOARD THE "JUNO."
My short stay with my great-uncle, Sir Peregrine, proved to be a sourceof very great mutual satisfaction. He was a confirmed old bachelor,with a perfect horror of women and children, and by his persistentavoidance of both had gained for himself a character for moroseness andill-temper. My mother, however, happened to be somewhat of a favouritewith him--if a man possessed of such an unpromising character could beconsidered capable of so much warmth of feeling as to justify theexpression--and having, for her sake, interested himself so far as tolaunch me in my profession, curiosity prompted him to keep me in view.He was greatly gratified to see my name appear in connexion with thecapture of the "Sans-Culotte;" and when the "Scourge" arrived inPlymouth so speedily with her second prize, and he heard of my beingwounded, he posted down from town, determined to see Captain Brisac forhimself, and ascertain by actual word of mouth how I had behaved. Mykind skipper was so lavish with his praises that Sir Peregrine was in anecstasy of delight; and from that time he became a different man; inconsequence, I presume, of his having stumbled upon an object whichexcited within him a genuine interest. During the week of my stay withhim in town he went everywhere with me, though his normal condition wasthat of martyrdom to gout; and on my receiving my appointment to the"Juno" he insisted on presenting me with an entire new rig-out from stemto stern; including a very fine and powerful telescope, the best sextantthat could be bought for money, and one or two other matters of use inmy profession. It had been intimated to me that, in consideration of myscarcely-healed wound, I need not join my ship until the last moment;but Sir Peregrine insisted on my going down at once, in order that Imight not lose the chance which the fitting-out of the ship presentedfor increasing my knowledge of practical seamanship. "It is not that Iam tired of your company, Ralph: do not think that, my dear boy," heearnestly said; "but you have now an opportunity which may perhaps neveroccur again for acquiring knowledge which is only to be gained in thisway; and it is a species of knowledge which may at any moment be of theutmost service to you. You will have to endure a week or two ofdiscomfort, but that is a trifling matter compared with the lastingadvantage which you will thereby obtain, and you will live to bless theday when your old uncle hurried you away from the pleasures of town tothe discomforts of a ship passing through the riggers' hands. One wordmore, my boy. Your father cannot, I suppose, afford you a very liberalallowance of pocket-money; I shall therefore supplement what he givesyou by an allowance of a hundred a year out of my own pocket for thepresent, that being in my opinion quite as much as a lad of your ageought to spend. At the same time, understand me, if you should by anychance be in difficulties and require a further sum, you may freely drawon me; provided of course that the difficulty is not of your own making,or of a dishonourable nature--but there, I do not think I need fear thatof you, Ralph."
This was on the day previous to my starting for Portsmouth. It wasarranged that I should go down by the coach; Sir Peregrine at that timestrongly disapproving of midshipmen driving down in private carriages,or even posting down to join their ships--"it would be quite time enoughfor that sort of thing when I had a ship of my own," he considered. Wewere both accordingly on the move early next morning, the old gentlemaninsisting on going with me to the coach-office, and seeing me fairlyunder way. While sitting at breakfast he handed me a letter for CaptainHood, my new skipper, who it appeared was an intimate friend of SirPeregrine's--with the contents of which, however, I was not madeacquainted. He ate very little, devoting the limited time at ourdisposal to the bestowal upon me of such good advice as his knowledgeand experience of the service suggested--advice, the value and benefitof which, I had frequent after occasion to acknowledge. As we rose fromthe table, he opened a drawer in his secretary, and drew from it asealed packet which he handed me, saying, "Slip this into your pocket,Ralph, and take care of it; you may open it as soon as you like afteryou have joined your ship."
We drove to the coach-office in his own carriage, both of us beingunusually silent on the way. For my own part, I candidly confess I feltthe parting keenly, the dear old boy having completely won my heart byhis altogether unexpected kindness; and that organ was too full topermit of my then entering upon a light and trivial conversation; whilefalse shame prevented my giving utterance to those feelings of reverenceand regard which were agitating my breast. Just at the last moment SirPeregrine brightened up again, seeming to have a lot of things to saywhich he had forgotten until then; his last injunction, however, was, tostick by the ship until she should be "all ataunto;" when I might applywith a clear conscience for leave to run home for a day, just to saygood-bye previous to sailing.
Punctual to the second, our coach weighed, and stood out of the inn-yardin tow of four spanking bays, who rattled and jolted us over the stonesat the rate of a good honest twelve knots an hour. The morning--earlyin June--was brilliantly fine; the air delightfully warm and pleasant;and as we left town behind us, mother earth, arrayed in delicate green,was looking her loveliest. The roads were in splendid condition, asmart thunder-shower or two during the previous night having thoroughlylaid the dust, from which, therefore, we suffered no annoyance whatever.The rain had also washed every particle of dust from the hedges and thefoliage of the trees, while it had refreshed the flowers in the villaand cottage-gardens which were scattered along the roadside, causingthem to diffuse their sweets so bountifully that the atmosphere washeavy with perfume. The sun shone brilliantly; the sky was a dazzlingblue, flecked here and there with thin white fleecy clouds, the shadowsof which, chasing each other over the landscape, imparted additionalvariety and charm to the scene. My depression of spirits soon yieldedto the exhilarating influence of the day, and enabled me to enjoythoroughly the drive down, the pleasure of which left upon my mind anagreeable impression, to which I often afterwards reverted with muchsatisfaction.
We reached Portsmouth about 3 p.m., and the coach stopping at the"George," I decided to stop there also, for that night at least; Iaccordingly ordered dinner and a room; and then strolled down to theharbour while the former was being got ready. As, however, I had nointention of reporting myself until the following day, I satisfiedmyself with ascertaining the whereabouts of my new ship, and taking adistant look at her; after which I returned to the hotel, sat down todinner, strolled as far as Southsea Common afterwards, and got back tothe hotel and turned in about ten o'clock, determined to make a goodlong night of it, as I did not know when I should next have theopportunity of taking a whole night's undisturbed repose.
I was on board the "Juno" by nine o'clock the next morning, and reportedmyself to Mr Annesley, the first lieutenant, who, early as it was,already appeared to have been hard at work for some time.
"So you are come down to join?" he said, on my presenting myself. "I amvery glad to see you, Mr Chester; and I wish one or two more of theyoung gentlemen would follow your example. I am entirely alone here;not a soul to help me, and I am wanted in half-a-dozen places at once;so I shall really be glad of your assistance. I suppose you areprepared to commence duty at once? That's right; then be good enough totake the launch, and go to the dockyard with this order for stores, andbring them off as quickly as possible. Just give them an overhaul,however, before taking them over, and satisfy yourself that they aregood, sound, serviceable stuff. Those dockyard people have been tryingto palm off upon me a lot of old junk, which must have been in store forthe last twelve years at least. It is simply rotten, and would go likeso much burnt thread in our first breeze of wind. Of course I refusedto receive it, and have consumed a great deal of valuable time ingetting sound stuff in place of it. Do not let them take you in; but_insist_ on having everything of the best. Now go; get back as quicklyas possible, and remember, I shall trust to you to do your very best forthe ship."
The boat was alongside, ready manned. I accordingly slipped down theside, and took command, with the feeling that I had suddenly become apersonage of considerable importance.
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On reaching the dockyard I found that I was only one of many who werethere upon a similar errand to my own, and I had to await my properturn. This occasioned a very serious loss of time; and when at lengthmy turn came, the stuff which they offered me was so unmistakably bad,that even my comparative inexperience was not to be imposed upon, and Irefused point-blank to accept it. I was thereupon told in a very off-hand way that I was quite at liberty to please myself as to whether Itook or left it; but if I declined what was offered me, I should getnothing else; and without waiting for a reply, the storekeepers coollyleft me, and began issuing to the midshipman whose turn came after mine.So thorough a snubbing as this clearly showed me that my own unaidedefforts would be wholly insufficient to enable me to carry out myinstructions to Mr Annesley's satisfaction, and I was debating withinmyself whether it would not be better to go on board again and report mynon-success, when an officer who was passing stopped, eyed me sharply,and then held out his hand. It was my old skipper, Captain Brisac.
"Ah, Chester!" he exclaimed; "I am glad to see you, my lad--glad toothat you are on your pins once more, though you are looking very thinand pale about the gills. How is the wound; pretty well healed up?That's right; but you ought not to be standing about in this hot sun.Are you here on duty?"
I told him I was, mentioning at the same time the annoyance andinconvenience to which I had just been subjected.
"Where is the stuff they offered you?" said he; "I should like to have alook at it."
It was still lying on the wharf, close at hand, and I pointed it out tohim. It was a quantity of hemp cordage, for use principally asstanding-rigging. He turned it over, inspecting it carefully, layingopen the strands here and there, and testing its quality both by sightand smell. Finally he turned upon one of the storekeepers who happenedto be passing, and said,--
"Here, you sir, is this the best stuff you have in store?"
The man hesitated and looked confused for a moment; then put a bold faceupon the matter, and replied, "Yes, sir, it is; and rare good stuff itis, too; it's the best that's made."
"Oh! it is, is it?" retorted the skipper. "Then I think it is abouttime that the Admiral's attention should be directed to the quality ofthe rigging upon which the safety of his Majesty's ships and the livesof their seamen depend. Just lay that coil aside for half an hour, ifyou please; and if any one asks why you have done so, you may say it wasat the request of Captain Brisac of the `Audacious.'"
The man's visage lengthened out to a portentous extent. He saw he hadbrought his pigs to the wrong market for once, and he hurriedlyexclaimed,--
"Beg pardon, sir, I'm very sorry the stuff is not to your liking; but Ithink we _can_ suit you, if you'll be so good as to step this way.Perhaps that other _is_ rather old, but we've a lot of it in store, andwe're bound to get rid of it somehow. Now here, sir, is some cordagethat was only brought in fresh last week from the ropemaker's; how'llthat do, sir?"
"Ah!" said the captain, examining it critically, "that is nearer themark, decidedly. That ought to do for you, ought it not, Mr Chester?"turning to me.
"Perfectly well, sir," I replied. "I should be quite satisfied to beserved with rope of that quality."
"Have you your order with you?" asked Captain Brisac.
"Yes, sir," I replied; "here it is."
"Then serve this young gentleman at once," he said authoritatively tothe storekeeper; "and be careful what you are about with that old`junk,' or you will be getting yourselves into serious trouble over it."
The storekeeper went away to get some assistance, and while he was gone,I availed myself of the opportunity to thank the skipper for the servicehe had just rendered me; after which he shook hands, saying he was in agreat hurry: but if I could get leave that evening, he would be veryhappy if I would dine with him at the "George" at six, sharp. I thankedhim duly for his kind invitation, but declined it, as I felt that myabsence might possibly be a source of inconvenience to Mr Annesley,which I explained.
"Quite right, Mr Chester--quite right," returned he; "_never_ allowpleasure to interfere with duty, if you wish to make headway in yourprofession. I shall perhaps be seeing Captain Hood--who is your newcaptain, I believe--this evening, and if so, I will put a spoke in yourwheel for you. Good-bye!"
I was alongside the "Juno" with my cargo, just in time to get it hoistedout before the men went to dinner. Mr Annesley met me at the gangway,as I climbed up the side, and asked me how I had got on, and what sortof stuff I had brought with me? I related my morning's adventures, andtold him how Captain Brisac had helped me out of my difficulty with thedockyard storekeepers, winding up by calling his attention to thequality of the rope, which was just then being hoisted in.
"Capital!" he exclaimed; "nothing could be better. This is by far thebest we have ever had served out to us; it is of first-rate quality, asevery inch of rope served out to the navy should be. One can trust tothis upon a pinch, without much fear of being disappointed. I am verymuch obliged to you, Mr Chester, for the way in which you have executedyour first duty on board here. I hope you will discharge all yourduties equally well; and if you do, I feel sure we shall get oncapitally together. I believe I have rather a reputation for strictnessand severity, but no one who strives to do his duty well will find meeither strict or severe. But are you the Mr Chester who was withCaptain Brisac in the `Scourge' during his last cruise?"
I replied simply that I was.
"Upon my word, young gentleman, I am glad to hear it," said MrAnnesley; "for I shall have the satisfaction of knowing that I have atleast _one_ midshipman of promise under me, whatever the rest may be.Now come down into the gun-room, and get something to eat; we are theonly officers on board, so I thought it was not worth while to lay out acouple of tables. And while we are eating, you may as well give me anaccount of your action with, the French frigate, which, by the way, has,I see, been purchased into our own navy, and given to Captain Brisac."
I, of course, gladly accepted so kind an invitation; and, as we ate, Idescribed as graphically as I could every incident of the action, beingfrequently interrupted in the course of my narrative by questions whichshowed how keenly interested my interrogator was in every detail,particularly those relating to the handling of the two ships.
"Thank you, Mr Chester," said Mr Annesley, when I had finished; "youhave interested me much, and instructed me somewhat, also: one or two ofthe evolutions which you have so clearly described were very cleverlyconceived, and as boldly carried out. I hope you will remember then, asmost certainly _I_ shall, it is knowledge of this kind which is so pre-eminently useful to a naval officer. Courage is of course anindispensable quality in every one who has to fight his Majesty'sbattles, whether on sea or land; but the ability to manoeuvre a ship inthe heat of battle, so as to place her in the most advantageoussituation with regard to her antagonist, is of fully equal importance;and without the knowledge necessary to effect this, the most conspicuouscourage, both of officers and crew, may become of no avail. Rememberthis, my lad, and lose no opportunity for perfecting yourself in thescience of practical seamanship. Now let us go on deck again, as I hearthe hands have turned to."