by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER TWENTY.
SEA-SICK.
The continued motion of the vessel, and the seething sound of the water,which I could hear very plainly, convinced me that we had parted fromthe quay, and were moving onward. I felt completely happy; there was nolonger any fear of my being taken back to the farm. I was now fairlylaunched upon salt-water, and in twenty-four hours would be out on thewide Atlantic--far from land, and in no danger either of being pursuedor sent back. I was in ecstasies of delight at the success of my plan.
I thought it rather strange, their starting _in the night_--for it wasstill quite dark--but I presumed they had a pilot who knew all thechannels of the bay, and who could take them into the open water just aswell by night as by day.
I was still somewhat puzzled to account for the extreme length of thenight--that was altogether mysterious--and I began to think that I musthave slept during the whole of a day, and was awake for two nightsinstead of one. Either that, or some of it must have been a dream.However, I was too much joyed at the circumstance of our having started,to speculate upon the strangeness of the hour. It mattered not to mewhether we had set sail by night or by day, so long as we got safely outinto the great ocean; and I laid myself down again to wait until thetime should arrive, when I might safely show myself on deck.
I was very impatient for the arrival of that crisis, and for two specialreasons. One was, that I had grown very thirsty, and longed for adrink. The cheese and dry crackers had helped to make me so thirsty. Iwas not hungry, for part of the provision was still left, but I wouldgladly have exchanged it for a cup of water.
The other reason why I wanted to get out of my hiding-place was, that mybones had become very sore from lying so long on the hard plank, andalso from the cramped attitude I was compelled to assume, on account ofthe want of space. So full of pain did my joints feel, that I couldhardly turn myself about; and I felt even worse when I continued to liestill. This also strengthened my belief that I must have slept duringthe whole of a day, for a single night upon the naked timbers couldhardly have tired me so much.
What with the thirst, therefore, and the soreness of my bones, I keptfidgeting and wriggling about for several hours, without intermission.
For these two reasons I was very impatient to crawl forth from my narrowquarters, and set my foot upon deck; but for other reasons I deemed itprudent to endure both the thirst and the aching, and remain where I wasfor some time longer.
I had sufficient knowledge of seaport customs to be aware that shipsusually take a pilot a good way out to sea, and in all likelihood therewas one on board. Should I show myself before this functionary had beendismissed, I would certainly be taken back in his pilot-boat; which,after all my success, and all my sufferings, would have been ahumiliating result.
Even had there been no pilot, we were yet in the track of fishing boatsand small coasting vessels; and one of these, inward bound, could easilybe brought alongside, and I might be chucked into it like a coil ofrope, and carried back to the port.
These considerations passed through my mind, and despite the torment ofthirst and the painful aching of my joints, I remained within mylurking-place.
For the first hour or two, the ship moved steadily through the water.It was calm weather, I supposed, and she was yet within the shelter ofthe bay. Then I perceived that she began to sway a little to and fro,and the rushing of the water along her sides became hoarser and moreviolent. Now and then I could hear the loud bumping of waves as theystruck against the bows, and the timbers creaked under the concussions.
These sounds were not displeasing. I reasoned that we had got out ofthe bay, and were passing into the open sea, where I knew the wind wasalways fresher, and the waves larger and bolder. "The pilot," thoughtI, "will soon be dismissed, and then I may safely show myself on deck."
Of course I was not without misgivings as to my reception by the peopleof the ship--in truth, I felt serious apprehension upon that score. Iremembered the harsh brutal mate, and the reckless indifferent crew.They would be indignant at the deception I had practised upon them--perhaps treat me with cruelty--flog me, or commit some other outrage. Iwas far from being easy in my mind about how they would use me, and Iwould fain have avoided the encounter.
But that was clearly impossible. I could not keep concealed for thewhole voyage, for long weeks, ay, months; I had no provisions, no water,and sooner or later I must go on deck, and take my chances.
While speculating upon these chances, I began to feel very miserable,not with mental anguish alone, but with bodily pain. Worse than thirstit was, or the soreness of my bones. A new misery was fast growing uponme. My head swam with dizziness, the sweat started from my brow, and Ifelt sick both at the heart and in the stomach. I experienced asuffocating sensation in my breast and throat, as if my ribs were beingcompressed inwardly, and my lungs had not room enough to expand and letme breathe. My nostrils were filled with a nauseating smell--the smellof "bilge-water"--for being at the bottom of the hold, I was close tothe latter, and could hear it "jabbling" about under the timbers, whereno doubt it had lain for a long time. In all these symptoms I had nodifficulty in telling what ailed me: _sea-sickness_--nothing more.Knowing this, I was not alarmed; but yet I experienced horridsensations, as every one must who is under the infliction of thispeculiar malady. Of course I felt ten times worse, situated as I was,choking with thirst, and no water near; for I fancied that a glass ofpure water would to some extent have relieved me. It might remove thenausea, and give me freer breath. I would have given anything for onemouthful.
In dread of that terrible pilot, I bore my sufferings as long as Icould. But the rocking of the ship every moment became more violent,and the smell of the bilge-water more nauseous. In like proportion rosethe revolt in my stomach, until the sickness and retching became quiteunendurable.
"Surely the pilot must have gone back? Whether or not, I can stand itno longer; I must get upon deck, or I shall die--oh!"
I rose from my recumbent position, and began to grope my way along theside of the great butt. I reached the end of it, and felt for theaperture by which I had squeezed myself in. To my great surprise, Ifound that it was closed up!
I could scarce credit my senses, and I felt again and again, passing myhands upwards and downwards. Beyond a doubt the aperture was shut up!My hands met resistance everywhere, coming in contact with aperpendicular wall, which, I could tell by the "feel," was the side ofan immense box. It blocked up the interval between the butt and theside of the ship so completely, that there was not space enough oneither side to thrust the point of my finger through.
I placed my hands to the box in hopes of being able to push it away, butI could not move it. I laid my shoulder to it, and heaved with all thestrength of my body; I could not even _shake it_! It was a largepacking-case, no doubt filled with heavy goods. A strong man couldscarce have stirred it from the spot, and my puny strength wasaltogether insufficient to move it.
After an effort I desisted from trying, and crept back along the side ofthe butt, hoping I might get out by the other end; but on reaching this,my hopes were dissipated in a moment. There was not the space of aninch between the rim of the great cask and another similar barrel, whichfilled the aperture up to the ribs of the vessel! A mouse could hardlyhave squeezed itself through between.
I next felt along the top of both casks, but with like result. Therewas just space in that direction to admit of passing my hand through,and no more. A huge beam, traversing along the top, was within a fewinches of the rounded sides of the casks, and there was no aperture thatwould have permitted me, small as I was, to have squeezed myselfthrough.
I shall leave you to fancy my feelings, when the conviction broke uponme that I was actually shut in--imprisoned--_built up among themerchandise_!