The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle

by T. Smollett

  Peregrine arrives at the Garrison, where he receives the lastAdmonitions of Commodore Trunnion, who next Day resigns his Breath, andis buried according to his own Directions--Some Gentlemen in the Countrymake a fruitless Attempt to accommodate Matters betwixt Mr. GamalielPickle and his eldest Son.

  About four o'clock in the morning our hero arrived at the garrison,where he found his generous uncle in extremity, supported in bed byJulia on one side, and Lieutenant Hatchway on the other, while Mr.Jolter administered spiritual consolation to his soul; and betweenwhiles comforted Mrs. Trunnion, who, with her maid, sat by the fire,weeping with great decorum; the physician having just taken his lastfee, and retired, after pronouncing the fatal prognostic, in which heanxiously wished he might be mistaken.

  Though the commodore's speech was interrupted by a violent hiccup, hestill retained the use of his senses; and, when Peregrine approached,stretched out his hand with manifest signs of satisfaction. The younggentleman, whose heart overflowed with gratitude and affection, couldnot behold such a spectacle unmoved. He endeavoured to conceal histenderness, which, in the wildness of his youth, and the pride of hisdisposition, he considered as a derogation from his manhood; but, inspite of all his endeavours, the tears gushed from his eyes, while hekissed the old man's hand; and he was so utterly disconcerted by hisgrief, that, when he attempted to speak, his tongue denied its office;so that the commodore, perceiving his disorder, made a last effort ofstrength, and consoled him in these words:--"Swab the spray from yourbowsprit, my good lad, and coil up your spirits. You must not let thetoplifts of your heart give way, because you see me ready to go down atthese years. Many a better man has foundered before he has made halfmy way; thof I trust, by the mercy of God, I shall be sure in port in avery few glasses, and fast moored in a most blessed riding; for mygood friend Jolter hath overhauled the journal of my sins, and, bythe observation he hath taken of the state of my soul, I hope I shallhappily conclude my voyage, and be brought up in the latitude of heaven.Here has been a doctor that wanted to stow me chock full of physic; but,when a man's hour is come, what signifies his taking his departure witha 'pothecary's shop in his hold? Those fellows come alongside of dyingmen, like the messengers of the Admiralty with sailing orders; butI told him as how I could slip my cable without his direction orassistance, and so he hauled off in dudgeon. This cursed hiccup makessuch a rippling in the current of my speech, that mayhap you don'tunderstand what I say. Now, while the sucker of my wind-pump will go, Iwould willingly mention a few things, which I hope you will set downin the log-book of your remembrance, when I am stiff, d'ye see. There'syour aunt sitting whimpering by the fire; I desire you will keep hertight, warm, and easy in her old age, she's an honest heart in her ownway, and, thof she goes a little crank and humoursome, by being oftenoverstowed with Nantz and religion, she has been a faithful shipmate tome, and I daresay she never turned in with another man since we firstembarked in the same bottom. Jack Hatchway, you know the trim of her aswell as e'er a man in England, and I believe she has a kindness foryou; whereby, if you two will grapple in the way of matrimony, when Iam gone, I do suppose that my godson, for love of me, will allow you tolive in the garrison all the days of your life."

  Peregrine assured him, he would with pleasure comply with any requesthe should make in behalf of two persons whom he esteemed so much.The lieutenant, with a waggish sneer, which even the gravity of thesituation could not prevent, thanked them both for their good-will,telling the commodore, he was obliged to him for his friendship, inseeking to promote him to the command of a vessel which he himself hadworn out in the service; but that, notwithstanding, he should be contentto take charge of her, though he could not help being shy of comingafter such an able navigator.

  Trunnion, exhausted as he was, smiled at this sally, and, after somepause, resumed his admonitions in this manner:--"I need not talk ofPipes, because I know you'll do for him without any recommendation; thefellow has sailed with me in many a hard gale, and I'll warrant him asstout a seaman as ever set face to the weather. But I hope you'll takecare of the rest of my crew, and not disrate them after I am dead,in favour of new followers. As for that young woman, Ned Gauntlet'sdaughter, I'm informed as how she's an excellent wench, and has arespect for you; whereby, if you run her on board in an unlawful way, Ileave my curse upon you, and trust you will never prosper in the voyageof life. But I believe you are more of an honest man, than to behaveso much like a pirate. I beg, of all love, you wool take care of yourconstitution, and beware of running foul of harlots, who are no betterthan so many mermaids, that sit upon rocks in the sea, and hang out afair face for the destruction of passengers; thof I must say, for my ownpart, I never met with any of those sweet singers, and yet I have goneto sea for the space of thirty years. But howsomever, steer your courseclear of all such brimstone b--s. Shun going to law, as you would shunthe devil; and look upon all attorneys as devouring sharks, or ravenousfish of prey. As soon as the breath is out of my body, let minute gunsbe fired, till I am safe under ground. I would also be buried in thered jacket I had on when I boarded and took the Renummy. Let my pistols,cutlass, and pocket-compass be laid in the coffin along with me. Letme be carried to the grave by my own men, rigged in the black caps andwhite shirts which my barge's crew were wont to wear; and they must keepa good look out, that none of your pilfering rascallions may come andheave me up again, for the lucre of what they can get, until the carcaseis belayed by a tombstone. As for the motto, or what you call it, Ileave that to you and Mr. Jolter, who are scholars; but I do desire,that it may not be engraved in the Greek or Latin lingos, and much lessin the French, which I abominate, but in plain English, that, when theangel comes to pipe all hands, at the great day, he may know that I am aBritish man, and speak to me in my mother tongue. And now I have no moreto say, but God in heaven have mercy upon my soul, and send you all fairweather, wheresoever you are bound."

  So saying, he regarded every individual around him with a look ofcomplacency, and closing his eye, composed himself to rest, while thewhole audience, Pipes himself not excepted, were melted with sorrow; andMrs. Trunnion consented to quit the room, that she might not be exposedto the unspeakable anguish of seeing him expire.

  His last moments, however, were not so near as they imagined. He beganto doze, and enjoyed small intervals of ease, till next day in theafternoon; during which remissions, he was heard to pour forth manypious ejaculations, expressing his hope, that, for all the heavy cargoof his sins, he should be able to surmount the puttock-shrouds ofdespair, and get aloft to the cross-trees of God's good favour. At lasthis voice sunk so low as not to be distinguished; and, having lain aboutan hour, almost without any perceptible signs of life, he gave up theghost with a groan which announced his decease.

  Julia was no sooner certified of this melancholy event, than she ran toher aunt's chamber, weeping aloud; and immediately a very decent concertwas performed by the good widow and her attendants. Peregrine andHatchway retired till the corpse should be laid out; and Pipes havingsurveyed the body, with a face of rueful attention,--"Well fare thysoul! old Hawser Trunnion," said he: "man and boy I have known theethese five-and-thirty years, and sure a truer heart never broke biscuit.Many a hard gale hast thou weathered; but now thy spells are all over,and thy hull fairly laid up. A better commander I'd never desire toserve; and who knows but I may help to set up thy standing rigging inanother world?"

  All the servants of the house were affected with the loss of their oldmaster; and the poor people in the neighbourhood assembled at the gate,and, by repeated howlings, expressed their sorrow for the death of theircharitable benefactor. Peregrine, though he felt everything whichlove and gratitude could inspire on this occasion, was not so muchoverwhelmed with affliction as to be incapable of taking the managementof the family into his own hands. He gave directions about the funeralwith great discretion, after having paid the compliments of condolenceto his aunt, whom he consoled with the assurance of his inviolableesteem and affection. He ordered a suit of mourning
to be made for everyperson in the garrison, and invited all the neighbouring gentlemen tothe burial, not even excepting his father and brother Gam, who did not,however, honour the ceremony with their presence; nor was his motherhumane enough to visit her sister-in-law in her distress.

  In the method of interment, the commodore's injunctions were obeyed to atitle; and at the same time our hero made a donation of fifty pounds tothe poor of the parish, as a benefaction which his uncle had forgotto bequeath. Having performed these obsequies with the most piouspunctuality, he examined the will, to which there was no addition sinceit had first been executed, adjusted the payment of all the legacies,and, being sole executor, took an account of the estate to which hehad succeeded, which, after all deductions, amounted to thirty thousandpounds. The possession of such a fortune, of which he was absolutemaster, did not at all contribute to the humiliation of his spirit, butinspired him with new ideas of grandeur and magnificence, and elevatedhis hope to the highest pinnacle of expectation.

  His domestic affairs being settled, he was visited by almost allthe gentlemen of the county, who came to pay their compliments ofcongratulation on his accession to the estate; and some of them offeredtheir good offices towards a reconciliation betwixt his father and him,induced by the general detestation which was entertained for his brotherGam, who was by this time looked upon by his neighbours as a prodigyof insolence and malice. Our young squire thanked them for their kindproposal, which he accepted; and old Gamaliel, at their entreaties,seemed very well disposed to any accommodation: but as he would notventure to declare himself before he had consulted his wife, hisfavourable disposition was rendered altogether ineffectual, by theinstigations of that implacable woman; and our hero resigned allexpectation of being reunited to his father's house. His brother,as usual, took all opportunities of injuring his character, by falseaspersions, and stories misrepresented, in order to prejudice hisreputation; nor was his sister Julia suffered to enjoy her good fortunein peace. Had he undergone such persecution from an alien to his blood,the world would have heard of his revenge; but, notwithstandinghis indignation, he was too much tinctured by the prejudices ofconsanguinity, to lift his arm in judgment against the son of his ownparents; and this consideration abridged the term of his residence atthe garrison, where he had proposed to stay for some months.

  VOLUME II.

  CHAPTER LXXIV.