Life And Adventures Of Peter Wilkins, Vol. I. (of II.)

by Robert Paltock

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  The author's account of his children--Their names--They are exercised in flying--His boat crazy--Youwarkee intends a visit to her father', but first takes another flight to the ship--Sends a boat and chests through the gulf--Clothes her children--Is with child again, so her visit is put off--An inventory of the last freight of goods--The author's method of treating his children--Youwarkee, her son Tommy, with her daughters Patty and Hally-carnie, set out to her father's.

  I had now lived here almost fourteen years, and besides the three sonsbefore mentioned, had three girls and one boy. Pedro, my eldest, hadthe graundee, but too small to be useful; my second son Tommy had itcomplete, so had my three daughters, but Jemmy and David, the youngestsons, none at all. My eldest daughter I named Patty, because I alwayscalled my first wife so. I say my first wife, though I had no otherknowledge of her death than my dream; but am from that as verilypersuaded, if ever I reach England, I shall find it so, as if I hadheard it from her aunt's own mouth. My second daughter my wife desiredmight be called by her sister's name Hallycarnie, and my youngest Inamed Sarah, after my mother. I put you to the trouble of writing downthe names, for as I shall hereafter have frequent occasion to mentionthe children severally, it will be pleasanter for myself and you to callthem by their several names of distinction, than to call them my secondson, or my eldest daughter, and so forth.

  My wife now took great delight in exercising Tommy and Patty (who werebig enough to be trusted) in flighty and would often skim round thewhole island with them before I could walk half through the wood. Andshe would teach them also to swim or sail, I know not which to call it,for sometimes you should see them dart out of the air as if they wouldfall on their faces into the lake, when coming near the surface theywould stretch their legs in a horizontal posture, and in an instant turnon their backs, and then you could see nothing from the bank, to allappearance, but a boat sailing along, the graundee rising at their head,feet, and sides, so like the sides and ends of a boat that you could notdiscern the face or any part of the body. I own I often envied them thisexercise, which they seemed to perform with more ease than I could onlyshake my leg or stir an arm.

  Though we had perpetually swangeans about us, and the voices, as I usedto call them, I could never once prevail on my wife to show herself,or to claim any acquaintance with her country folks. And what is veryremarkable in my children is, that my three daughters and Tommy, who hadthe full graundee, had exactly their mother's sight, Jemmy and David hadjust my sight, and Pedro's sight was between both, though he was nevermuch affected with any light; but I was obliged to make spectacles forTommy and all my daughters when they came to go abroad.

  I had in this time twice enlarged my dwelling, which the increase of myfamily had rendered necessary. The last alteration I was enabled to doin a much better manner, and with more ease, than the first, for bythe return of my flota I had gotten a large collection of useful tools,several of iron, where the handles or wood-work preponderated the iron;but such as was all, or greatest part of that metal, had got either tothe rock, or were so fast fixed to the head of the ship, that it wasdifficult to remove them, so that my wife could get comparatively few ofthis latter sort, though some she did. It was well, truly, I had theseinstruments, which greatly facilitated my labours, for I was forced towork harder now than ever in making provision for us all; and my sonsPedro and Tommy commonly assisted. I had also had another importation ofgoods through the gulf, which still added to my convenience. But my boatmade me shudder every time I went into her; she had leaked again andagain, and I had patched her till I could scarce see a bit of the oldwood. She was of unspeakable use to me, and yet I could not venturemyself in her, but with the utmost apprehension and trembling. I hadbeen intending a good while, now I had such helps, to build a new one,but had been diverted by one avocation or other.

  About this time Youwarkee, who was now upwards of thirty-two years ofage, the fondest mother living, and very proud of her children, hadformed a project of taking a flight to Arndrumnstake, a town in thekingdom of Doorpt Swangeanti, as I called it, where her father, ifliving, was a colamb * under Georigetti, the prince of that country.She imparted her desire to me, asking my leave; and she told me, if Ipleased, she would take Patty and Tommy along with her. I did not muchdislike the proposal, because of the great inclination I had for along time to a knowledge of, and familiarity with, her countrymen andrelations; and now I had so many of her children with me, I could notthink she would ever be prevailed on, but by force, to quit me and heroffspring, and be contented to lose six for the sake of having two withher, especially as she had showed no more love for them than the rest,so I made no hesitation, but told her she should go.

  * Governor.

  I expected continually I should hear of her departure, but she saying nomore of it, I thought she had dropped her design, and I did not chooseto mention it. But one day, as we were at dinner, looking mightyseriously, she said, "My dear, I have considered of the journey you haveconsented I should take, but in order thereto it is necessary that Iprepare several things for the children, especially those who have nograundee, and I am resolved to finish them before I go, that we mayappear with decency, both here and at Arndrumn-stake; for I am sure myfather, whose temper I am perfectly acquainted with, will, upon sight ofme and my little ones, be so overjoyed, that he will forgive my absenceand marriage, provided he sees reason to believe I have not matchedunworthily, unbecoming my birth; and after keeping me and the childrenwith him, it may be two or three months, will accompany me home againhimself with a great retinue of servants and relations; or, at least, ifhe is either dead or unable for flight, my other relations will come orsend a convoy to take care of me and the children; and, my dear, as Ishall give them all the encomiums I can of you, and of my situation withyou, while I am among them, I would have them a little taken with theelegance of our domestic condition when they come hither, that theymay think me happy in you and my children; for I would not only put myfamily into a condition to appear before them, but to surprise the oldgentleman and his company, who never in their lives saw any part ofmankind with another covering than the graundee." When she had done, Iexpressed my approbation of her whole system, as altogether prudent,and she proceeded immediately to put it in execution. To work she went,opened every chest, and examined their contents. But while she was uponthe hunt, and selecting such things as she thought fit for her purpose,she recollected several articles she had observed in the ship, whichshe judged far more for her turn than any she had at home. Hereupon sheprayed me to let her take another trip to the vessel, and to carry Tommywith her.

  After so many trials, and such happy experience of her wise andfortunate conduct, I consented to her flight, and away went she and herson. Upon their return, which was in a few days, she told me what theyhad been doing, and said, as she so often heard me complain of the ageof my boat, and fear to sail in her, she had fitted me out a littleship, and hoped it would in due time arrive safely. As she passedquickly on to other things, I never once thought of asking her whatshe meant by the little ship she spoke of; but must own that, like afoolishly fond parent, I was more intent on her telling me how Tommy hadfound a hoard of playthings, which he had packed up for his own use.

  As to this last particular, I learned by the sequel of the story,when the spark, proud of his acquisition, came to me, that he had beenpeeping about in the cabin whilst his mother was packing the chests, andseeing a small brass knob in the wainscot, took it for a plaything, andpulling to get it out, opened a little door of a cupboard, where hehad found some very pretty toys that he positively claimed for himself,among which were a small plain gold ring, and a very fine one set withdiamonds, which he showed me upon two of his fingers. I wondered how thechild, who had never before seen such things, or the use of them, shouldhappen to apply these so properly; but he told me in playing withthis, meaning the diamond ring, about his fingers, it slipped over hismiddle-finger joint, and he coul
d not get it off again, so he put theother upon another finger to keep it company.

  We watched daily, as usual on such occasions, for the arrival of ourfleet. It was surprising that none of the chests which Youwarkee shotdown the gulf were ever half so long in their passage as I was myself,but some came in a week, some in a few days more, and even some in less,which I attributed to their following directly the course of the water,shooting from shelf to shelf as the tide sat; and I believe my keepingthe boat I sailed in so strictly and constantly in the middle of thestream, was the reason of my being detained there so long. In less thana fortnight everything came safe but one chest, which, as we never heardof it, I suppose was either sunk or bulged.

  Being one day upon shore, watching to see if anything more was comethrough the cavern, I spied at a distance somewhat looking very blackand very long, and by the colour and shape thereof I took it for a youngwhale. Having observed it some time making very little way, I took myold boat and followed it, but was afraid to go near it, lest a strokewith its tail--which I then fancied I saw move--might endanger my boatand myself too; but creeping nearer and nearer, and seeing it did notstir, I believed it to be dead; whereupon, taking courage, I drew soclose that at length I plainly perceived it was the ship's second boatturned upside down. It is not easy to express the joy I felt on thisdiscovery. It was the very thing I was now, as I have said, in thegreatest want of. I presently laid hold of it and brought it ashore; andit was no small pleasure to find, on examining, that though it had lainso long dry, it was yet quite sound, and all its chinks filled up inits passage; and it proved to me afterwards the most beneficial thing Icould have had from the ship.

  I got all my goods home from the lake to my grotto, by means of thecart, as usual. My wife and daughters waited with impatience for meto unpack, that they might take possession of such things as would beneedful for rigging out the family against the supposed reception ofthe old glumm, and had set all the chests in the order they desired theymight be opened in. But Tommy running to me, with a "Pray, daddy, openmy chest first! pray, give me my playthings first!" it was, to satisfyhim, concluded in favour of his demand. So, he pointing to the chestwhich he regarded as his property, I opened it, whilst his eyes wereready to pierce through it, till I came to his treasure. "There, therethey are, daddy!" says he, as soon as I had uncovered them. And indeed,when I saw them, I could not but much commend the child for his fancy;for the first things that appeared were a silver punch or wine can anda ladle, then a gold watch, a pair of scissors, a small silverchafing-dish and lamp, a large case of mathematical instruments, aflageolet, a terrella or globular loadstone, a small globe, a dozen oflarge silver spoons, and a small case of knives and forks and spoons;in short, there was, I believe, the greatest part of the Portuguesecaptain's valuable effects.

  These Tommy claiming as his own proper chattels, I could not helpinterposing somewhat of my authority in the affair. "Hold, hold, son!"says I, "these things are all mine; but as I have several of you whowill all be equally pleased with them, though, as the first finder, youmay be entitled to the best share, you are not to grasp the whole, youmust all have something like an equality; and as to some things whichmay be equally useful to us all, they must be set up to be used uponoccasion, and are to be considered as mine and your mother's property."I thereupon gave each of them a large silver spoon, and with a fork Iscratched the initials of their names respectively on them, and dividedseveral of the trifles amongst them equally. "And now, Tommy," says I,"you for your pains shall have this more than the rest," offering himthe flageolet. Tommy looked very gloomy, and though he durst not findfault, his dissatisfaction was very visible by coolly taking it, tossingit down, and walking gravely off. "I thought," says I, "Tommy, I hadmade a good choice for you; but, as I find you despise it, here, Pedro,do you take that pretty thing, since your brother slights it" Tommyreplied, speaking but half out, and a little surly, more than I everobserved before, "Let him take it if he will, I can get bits of sticksenough in the wood."

  My method had always been to avoid either beating or scolding at mychildren, for preferring their own opinion to mine; but I ever letthings turn about so, that from their own reason they should perceivethey had erred in opposing my sentiments, by which means they grew sohabituated to submit to my advice and direction, that for the most partmy will was no sooner known to them than it became their own choice; butthen I never willed according to fancy only, but with judgment, to thebest of my skill.

  Tommy, therefore, as I said before, having shown a disapprobation of mydoings; to convince him of his mistake, I took the flageolet from Pedro."And now, Pedro," says I, "let me teach you how to manage this piece ofwood, as Tommy calls it, and then let me see if in all the grove he cancut such another." On this I clapped it to my mouth, and immediatelyplayed several country-dances and hornpipes on it; for though my motherhad scarce taught me to read, I had learnt music and dancing, being, asshe called them, gentlemanlike accomplishments. My wife and children,especially Tommy, all stared as if they were wild, first on me, then onone another, whilst I played a country-dance; but I had no sooner struckup an hornpipe, than their feet, arms, and heads had so many twitchingand convulsive motions, that not one quiet limb was to be seen amongstthem; till having exercised their members as long as I saw fit, I almostlaid them all to sleep with Chevy Chase, and so gave over.

  They no sooner found themselves free from this enchantment, than thechildren all hustled round me in a cluster, all speaking together,and reaching out their little hands to the instrument I gave itPedro. "There," says I to him, "take this slighted favour as no suchcontemptible present."

  Poor Tommy, who had all this while looked very simple, burst into aflood of tears at my last words, as if his heart would have broke; andrunning to me, fell on his knees, and begged my pardon, hoping I wouldforgive him. I took him up, and kissing him, told him he had very littleoffended me; for, as he knew, I had more children to give anything towhich either of the rest despised; it was equal to me who had it, so itwas thankfully received. I found that did not satisfy; still in tears,he said, "Might he not have the stick again, as I gave it to him first?""Tommy," says I, "you know I gave it to you first; but you disapprovingmy kindness, I have now given it Pedro, who, should I against his willtake it from him, would have that reason to complain which you have not,who parted with it by your own consent; and therefore, Tommy, as I amdetermined to acquaint you as near as I can with the strict rules ofjustice, there must no more be said to me of this matter." Such as thiswas my constant practice amongst them; and they having always found meinflexible from this rule, we seldom had any long debates.

  Though I say the affair ended so with regard to what I had to do in it,yet it ended not so with Tommy; for though he knew he had no hopes ofmoving me, he set all his engines at work to recover his stick, as hecalled it, by his mother's and sisters' interest. These solicited Pedrovery strongly to gratify him. At length Pedro--he being a boy of a mosthumane disposition--granted their desire, if I would give leave; and Ihaving signified, that the cause being now out of my hands, he might doas he pleased, he generously yielded it. And indeed he could not havebestowed it more properly; for Tommy had the best ear for music I everknew; and in less than a twelvemonth could far outdo me, his instructor,in softness and easiness of finger; and was also master of every tuneI knew, which were neither inconsiderable in number, nor of the lowestrate.

  Youwarkee, with her daughters, sat close to work, and had but justcompleted her whole design for the family clothing, when she told meshe found herself with child again. As that circumstance ill suited ajourney, she deferred her flight for about fifteen months; in which timeshe was brought to bed, and weaned the infant, which was a boy, whomI named Richard, after my good master at the academy. The little knavethrived amain, and was left to my farther nursing during its mammy'sabsence; who, still firm to her resolution, after she had equippedherself and companions with whatever was necessary to their travelling,and locked up all the apparel she had m
ade till her return, becauseshe would have it appear new when her father came, set out with her sonTommy and my two daughters Patty and Hallycarnie, the last of which bythis time being big enough also to be trusted with her mother.