by E. H. Visiak
“Hi! you fish-glutton,” cried he, “Come you hither; I spied you, you greedy cormorant! I have some work for you.”
But Obadiah did but make the more speed; upon which, the boatswain, flying into a rage, started off in pursuit, bawling to some of our men, that chanced to be in Obadiah’s way, to lay hold on him. But he, charging headlong in between them, set them staggering on either side, some of his fish falling scattered with the shock. Nevertheless, two of them being thoroughly enraged at this rough dealing, quickly recovering themselves, though they could not stop him, availed to fob him off from ‘scaping down the hatchway. They, thereupon, joined in the pursuit with the rest, the boatswain holloing them on; and a fair course they had around the deck; till, at length, apprehended - or rather, tripped up by one that stood in wait for him - Obadiah was delivered to the boatswain.
Others of our men, who had looked on, stood almost splitting their sides with laughing; which not a little increased the boatswain’s wrath.
He, having received charge to repair some damage occasioned to our yards and rigging by the stormy winds, was going to muster his men, among whom was Obadiah, to begin this work forthwith; and he railed on the miserable captive that had hindered him, shaking his fist in his face, with the most insulting epithets. Not less incensed was Obadiah himself, who stood muttering villainous and vile recriminations, with a wretched remnant of his fish dangling in his hand.
Having spended thus the ammunition of his spleen, the boatswain now, with summary words, dispersed those standing round, by sending them about their business, being chiefly aloft in the yards and rigging. But Obadiah he set to mending of a rent topsail on the deck; where, squatting down with the canvas spread over his knees, he began to ply his sail-needle after a vicious, jerking manner. Once I saw him glance his eyes up at the boatswain with a singular look, while his lip writhed in a sort of covert and despiteful laughter. I was not near enough to hear any sound of speech; yet I seemed to myself to hear him say, even more than if I had heard it actually in words, that he would be even with the boatswain and this in such fashion as he could never expect.
One of our men, descending from the masts, cast out a flouting jest, derisively commenting upon that paltry remnant of Obadiah’s fish, that he had set down by his side, enquiring if he designed to make it the daintier morsel by broiling it in the sun, that it might compensate by excellence what it wanted in bulk.
In the same time, another attempted to have taken it from him. But, as if he had expected such a practice jest and had his answer pat - which was his knife - he did return so smart an answer that the jester could not but own (though not with laughter) that it had some point.
And, “Here be a small spare slip of one of your fingers,” said he, flourishing his bloody knife. “If you meddles with my fish again, I’ll carve the whole joint. D’you see this knife, messmates?” said he, grinning broad. “This knife’s an old knife, a good knife; hath known a mort of service. Come on, ye dogs! will you barter flesh for good fish?”
While he spoke Obadiah looked really like a fiend. A wild beast is but a brute creature, however fierce and terrible it may be; but, when a man is subdued unnaturally to the brutish element, he is neither man nor beast, but demoniac, like this vile miscreant, whose knife, in a horrible phantasy, seemed (as it were) to be a part and extension of his hand that held it, a steel and blood-stained claw. But, Obadiah, indeed, with his smooth, round, grinning, malign face, appeared like a foolish and dreadful mime.
Those two seamen recoiled from him, and without more parley went their ways; the one that played that prank on him, betaking himself below to bind his wound, that bled sufficiently; the other returning to his work on on the mainmast.
Soon after, comes the boatswain, having been absent this while; and, stepping, as it chanced, just in the track of the droppings of blood upon the deck, he asked me what it was, in the same time glancing his eyes at Obadiah, who was just returning his knife to his belt. I told him that Obadiah had wounded one of our men; and, Mr Falconer being now come aloft, without waiting to hear any more, he went running to the quarter-deck where he stood, and called out, after an impetuous angry manner, that Obadiah was become a mutinous, dangerous madman, desiring that he would immediately come and deal with him.
Mr Falconer immediately went with him; and, stepping to Obadiah, who now wrought steadily with his needle, he demanded what answer he could make to the boatswain’s accusation of his being so troublesomely and violently turbulent.
Obadiah replied, with a mild tone and humble demeanour, that, as to not stopping when the boatswain called to him, he did but intend to stow away the fish he had bought of the Portuguese fishermen, and would have returned forthwith to have done the boatswain’s bidding; and, as to wounding the man, he had tried to snatch away the sole fish that was left him.
“Howsoever,” added he, “I do own and confess that I be guilty and much amiss, and I be ready to suffer my punishment, even though it should be so heavy as the forfeiting of my going ashore with the rest.”
While he uttered the conclusion of this speech, which I thought very odd, I observed he looked at Mr Falconer extraordinarily hard; and, at the end, to my astonishment, he winked distinctly with his eye; immediately glossing this familiar insolent act by closing and opening his eyes twice and thrice, exclaiming:
“Bless us! begging of your pardon, how the glare do plague my poor eyes!”
“Pity ’tis it don’t plague your tongue also,” said the boatswain testily. “If I was the Captain, I would serve you according to the tenor of your words and debar you from going ashore.”
“Nay,” Said Mr Falconer, with a violent loud tone, that was much unlike his usual manner of speaking, “that were indeed fitting, bos’n; and I will go bail that the Captain will be in the same opinion; for I do intend to acquaint him with these disorders. You may, therefore, confidently expect to see this punishment performed.”
Obadiah began to cry out on this, protesting that it was very hard, and the like; while the boatswain stood scratching of his head, with a dubious and troubled countenance; for he was rather hastily choleric by nature, than actually severe, and would threaten worse than he did intend.
“Well, the wounding was no great matter,” said he, “and he had received provocation, that’s true! And, seeing the man is penitent, -“
“Say no more, and let be!” said Mr Falconer, abridging him.
With this, which he spoke in his usual lugubrious tone, he shortly turned ay, and stepped, after his slow and listless manner, towards the quarter-deck, leaving us amazed at his conduct.
“Well, who could have thought?” said the boatswain, staring after him.
Thereupon, glancing round and spying some of our men standing by the bulwarks curiously observing him, he turned sharply on his heel, and betook himself forward. Obadiah, who, since Mr Falconer had finished speaking, sat intent over his work (as it should seem), as if the matter concerned him not at all, looked up, letting fall his needle; and, turning his eyes towards the departing boatswain, he set his thumb to his nose and spread forth his fingers, grimacing with derision.
This odd scene raised not a little my curiosity; and, putting together Mr Falconer’s obliging Obadiah by purveying him some fish on that occasion when we lay off Santa Cruz, and the understanding and compliance that there seemed to be between them in the matter of the punishment (Obadiah appearing, for some reason he had, to be unwilling to go ashore), I sharply conjectured there was something in it of concernment to our voyage - I mean, Mr Huxtable’s adventure - whatever that might be.
Pluming myself upon this acute perception (as I thought it), I was immediately going to acquaint Mr Huxtable; but stopped on the way, bethinking myself that I should be too impetuous to break in upon him at his work. I stood looking landward over the sea, idly expecting to see the Captain’s boat returning, although I knew it could not be for some hours. I saw two or three small craft lading or unlading beside the shore, and a great ship careening - th
at is, being purged by fire of limpets and the like encumbrances - the smoke rising in white puffs in the clear air. After a while, the boatswain blew his whistle to muster the long-boat’s crew; and soon they pulled away, with our empty jars aboard to fill our water.
At last, a little after noon, I spied the Captain’s boat, and went to acquaint Mr Huxtable. The door of his cabin, standing open, I passed within and saw him seated at his desk, having his papers set out before him and a pen in his hand. At my entry, he turned his head and looked upon me with a severe countenance and a staring eye; which, thinking he was in anger, quite confounded me, and I was not a little comforted when, in the next moment, his look changing, showed me that he was but roving in his thoughts.
Having performed my errand, I went on to tell him about Obadiah and the boatswain, and Mr Falconer’s odd conduct; nor did he laugh at my suspicions, which I told him, of there being some secret understanding between Obadiah and Mr Falconer, as, while I was speaking, I was apprehensive he might do, but heard all with a countenance of the deepest gravity, which, as appeared by the look in his eyes, was in no sort affected.
“Well,” said he when I had ended, “you have done well in acquainting me with this. Do you continue to keep your eyes open for anything else that many look strangely, but do not speak of it to anybody, only to me.”
The hour of dinner was struck presently; and, as soon as we sat down, and the Captain had carved the beef, he, in spirits, began to entertain us with relating how he had waited on the Governor, what a fine house he dwelt in, and the handsome compliments he had made him; “In no article differing” (said he) “than if I had been the captain of a King’s ship, or, indeed, for that matter, a member of the English peerage.”
This was, methought, but to angle for another compliment; in which Mr Huxtable civilly indulged him.
“Nay, sir,” said he, “I think it is no marvel though he did; for, you know, you have had some more than ordinary acquaintance with persons of quality, and may be conceived to have taken some colour from their coat.”
“Do you think so?” says the Captain, forgetting to eat, and leaning forward with a flush on his face.
“I do think so indeed,” answered Mr Huxtable, “Do not we emulate where we sedulously love?”
But seeing the Captain looking somewhat doubtful and suspicious, he added:
“Sir, I do not mean only in the outward appearance. We really take on ourselves the nature of that which we sincerely imitate, so we be not actuated by nothing but vanity. You say that the Governor has a large house. Did you observe if it was as fine within? I have heard that the Spanish and Portuguese in these parts abroad do affect to have large houses, but are little curious about their furniture, or having them handsome within.”
“He had some brave pictures,” answered the Captain in brief; and seemed to brood in his mind while he ate, as if Mr Huxtable’s remarks had provided him with some matter for cogitation.
Chapter XI -
The Author Ashore at Pernambuc
After dinner Mr. Huxtable took me ashore, as he had promised to do; but, not to delay my story with any large or particular descriptions (which, indeed, I am not able to furnish), I shall relate only such matters as adhere in my recollection.
First, the town of Pernambuc is of considerable size: the principal streets are large; the houses two or three stories high, strongly built of stone, with massy thick walls, and covered with pantile, some having balconies. There are some considerable buildings, of which (as the Captain had told us) the Governor's house stood very conspicuous; but chiefly churches, and convents, which, with the sound of their bells, seemed to dominate the town, as things papal used to do. The high towers appeared to cast their ecclesiastical and monastic shadows across the small paving-stones of the streets; and hooded friars - black, white, and grey - passed as ghostly visitants among the people. I observed that the soldiers were dressed in brown linen. By far the most in number were the blacks, or negroes, being busied either in quality of porters, carrying goods to or from the landing-place, or serving in the shops. Some went running beside their masters, riding on horseback; others bore them in hammocks.
These hammocks, or palanquins, are a pretty sight. They are carried on the shoulders of two negroes by the means of a long pole, and are made of cotton, mostly blue. A covering comes over the pole quite encurtaining the person thus carried, unless he pleases to put it by, and then you shall see him reposing, having pillows for his head, sometimes saluting his acquaintances whom he meets in the streets.
I observed two of these palanquins at a stand-still alongside each other, those who were within leisurely conversing in a sitting posture, being supported by their pillows, with their legs hanging out over one side. These were stout bulky Portuguese, or Spaniards (I know not which), but their negroes were eased of bearing them up; being performed by strong staves, upon which the pole of the hammock rested, one at each end, having a sharp iron at the foot sticking fast in the ground. They did stand remarkably still and composed, while their masters talked, lifting their arms and hands. You might have fancied them, with their black shiny faces and their lubberly lips and noses to be figures carved out of ebony.
Thee were gardens both within and in the outer parts of the town, planted with fruit trees - especially oranges and lines - flowers, herbs, and saladings; among which I observed cabbages, turnips, and onions. Here were also (as Mr Huxtable discovered to me) various drugs - as sassafras, snake-root, and physick-nuts. Here I saw some comely and curious trees, of which one, having great, broad, slab leaves, brought to my recollection a picture that hung in my grandfather’s parlour of a scene in the Garden of Eden.
Many fowls frequented these gardens, especially turtle-doves and pigeons; and I saw a gaudy parrot, that, from its perch on one of the topmost branches, tore at the leaves, screeching as if it was in a mad fury.
As to fruits, Mr Huxtable told me, that, if the season of the year had not been so late (for ’twas now late autumn), I had seen in this town a surprising great diversity, such as he believed there was not in the world another town or country could show the like: that, besides abundance of oranges, limes, grapes, plums, melons, pineapples, pomegranates, plantains, and bonanoes, there were yet some others which are not met with in other places; and, indeed, there was still some left, and I saw them in the shops; being one, round and green, as big as small orange; another a small red fruit the size of a cherry; it is flat on one side, and hath protuberant ridges.
Both are pleasant refreshing fruits (for we did take of them), though somewhat tart on the tongue.
In the most eminent places of the town, there are parades, which, with the gardens,, do make it the more handsome and spacious. While we walked along one of these, we saw two of our men in company with black women, being a little in advance of us. Upon one of them glancing round his eyes and spying us, we observed they mended their pace; and, arriving the end of the parade, they betook themselves quickly into a narrow side-street, or alley-way; so that we saw them no more.
This, as plainly appeared from his demeanour, was a thing most displeasing to Mr Huxtable, but when I asked him the cause, he said he would tell me another time, which, indeed, he did, opening to me something of the high verity of love and its dark abuser, which dims the soul's bright eye. He said, that, as for the loose and promiscuous consorting with foreign women, especially negresses, commonly practiced by seamen (which was the grounds for his displeasure at seeing those two at Pernambuc), it was of effect to distemper and corrode the healthful garment of the flesh like the moth of hell.
The merchant whom the Captain contracted with to supply our provisions, had agreed to have them conveyed to the landing place an hour before sunset, being the hour that our men should make their return aboard the ship. Accordingly, having promenaded most of the town, and refreshed ourselves in an eating-house with some chocolate and Spanish preserves, very grateful and delicious, Mr Huxtable told me, that, as he was willing to over-see the
lading of the provisions, it was now time we took our way to the shore.
While we went, we saw, in one of the principal streets, a papist procession. As it passed all the church-bells began chiming with the solemn chanting of the choristers; and many large lean dogs rendered their responses (as it should seem) with a tumultuous loud barking.
“’Tis a brave sight,” said I, when it was gone.
“So ’tis,” said he dryly, “a brave sight indeed.”
“Is it nothing but vain show?” said I. “I wonder, sir, if you consider of it so, as you seem to do by your accents, that you should put off your hat, as I saw you did, when it was passing by.”
“No, truly,” answered he, “it is not vain, in one way; for these people do set their trust in it - yea, put upon it a heavy load; not only their virtues and charitable works, but their sins, their cruel oppressive acts, their opprobrious vices: a heavy freight for such an airy craft; for ’tis but a ship of vanity, for all their confidence, and a superstitious fabric, for all its bravery and pomp.”
While he spoke, we passed by a shop wherein were tame monkeys, parrots, parrakites, and other gaudy fowl; which gave me occasion to ask him (what I extremely desired) that he would buy me a parrot.