登陆注册
19596900000001

第1章 LETTER I(1)

THE VOYAGE

Wednesday,24th July.

Off the Scilly Isles,6P.M.

When I wrote last Sunday,we put our pilot on shore,and went down Channel.It soon came on to blow,and all night was squally and rough.Captain on deck all night.Monday,I went on deck at eight.Lovely weather,but the ship pitching as you never saw a ship pitch -bowsprit under water.By two o'clock a gale came on;all ordered below.Captain left dinner,and,about six,a sea struck us on the weather side,and washed a good many unconsidered trifles overboard,and stove in three windows on the poop;nurse and four children in fits;Mrs.T-and babies afloat,but good-humoured as usual.Army-surgeon and I picked up children and bullied nurse,and helped to bale cabin.Cuddy window stove in,and we were wetted.Went to bed at nine;could not undress,it pitched so,and had to call doctor to help me into cot;slept sound.The gale continues.My cabin is water-tight as to big splashes,but damp and dribbling.I am almost ashamed to like such miseries so much.The forecastle is under water with every lurch,and the motion quite incredible to one only acquainted with steamers.If one can sit this ship,which bounds like a tiger,one should sit a leap over a haystack.Evidently,I can never be sea-sick;but holding on is hard work,and writing harder.

Life is thus:-Avery -my cuddy boy -brings tea for S-,and milk for me,at six.S-turns out;when she is dressed,I turn out,and sing out for Avery,who takes down my cot,and brings a bucket of salt water,in which I wash with vast danger and difficulty;get dressed,and go on deck at eight.Ladies not allowed there earlier.Breakfast solidly at nine.Deck again;gossip;pretend to read.Beer and biscuit at twelve.The faithful Avery brings mine on deck.Dinner at four.Do a little carpentering in cabin,all the outfitters'work having broken loose.I am now in the captain's cabin,writing.We have the wind as ever,dead against us;and as soon as we get unpleasantly near Scilly,we shall tack and stand back to the French coast,where we were last night.

Three soldiers able to answer roll-call,all the rest utterly sick;three middies helpless.Several of crew,ditto.Passengers very fairly plucky;but only I and one other woman,who never was at sea before,well.The food on board our ship is good as to meat,bread,and beer;everything else bad.Port and sherry of British manufacture,and the water with an incredible BORACHIO,essence of tar;so that tea and coffee are but derisive names.

To-day,the air is quite saturated with wet,and I put on my clothes damp when I dressed,and have felt so ever since.I am so glad I was not persuaded out of my cot;it is the whole difference between rest,and holding on for life.No one in a bunk slept at all on Monday night;but then it blew as heavy a gale as it can blow,and we had the Cornish coast under our lee.So we tacked and tumbled all night.The ship being new,too,has the rigging all wrong;and the confusion and disorder are beyond description.The ship's officers are very good fellows.The mizen is entirely worked by the 'young gentlemen';so we never see the sailors,and,at present,are not allowed to go forward.All lights are put out at half-past ten,and no food allowed in the cabin;but the latter article my friend Avery makes light of,and brings me anything when I am laid up.The young soldier-officers bawl for him with expletives;but he says,with a snigger,to me,'They'll just wait till their betters,the ladies,is looked to.'I will write again some day soon,and take the chance of meeting a ship;you may be amused by a little scrawl,though it will probably be very stupid and ill-written,for it is not easy to see or to guide a pen while I hold on to the table with both legs and one arm,and am first on my back and then on my nose.Adieu,till next time.I have had a good taste of the humours of the Channel.

29th July,4Bells,i.e.2o'clock,p.m.-When I wrote last,Ithought we had had our share of contrary winds and foul weather.

Ever since,we have beaten about the bay with the variety of a favourable gale one night for a few hours,and a dead calm yesterday,in which we almost rolled our masts out of the ship.

However,the sun was hot,and I sat and basked on deck,and we had morning service.It was a striking sight,with the sailors seated on oars and buckets,covered with signal flags,and with their clean frocks and faces.To-day is so cold that I dare not go on deck,and am writing in my black-hole of a cabin,in a green light,with the sun blinking through the waves as they rush over my port and scuttle.The captain is much vexed at the loss of time.Ipersist in thinking it a very pleasant,but utterly lazy life.Isleep a great deal,but don't eat much,and my cough has been bad;but,considering the real hardship of the life -damp,cold,queer food,and bad drink -I think I am better.When we can get past Finisterre,I shall do very well,I doubt not.

The children swarm on board,and cry unceasingly.A passenger-ship is no place for children.Our poor ship will lose her character by the weather,as she cannot fetch up ten days'lost time.But she is evidently a race-horse.We overhaul everything we see,at a wonderful rate,and the speed is exciting and pleasant;but the next long voyage I make,I'll try for a good wholesome old 'monthly'tub,which will roll along on the top of the water,instead of cutting through it,with the waves curling in at the cuddy skylights.We tried to signal a barque yesterday,and send home word 'all well';but the brutes understood nothing but Russian,and excited our indignation by talking 'gibberish 'to us;which we resented with true British spirit,as became us.

同类推荐
  • 吴文肃公摘稿

    吴文肃公摘稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 耕樵问答

    耕樵问答

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 巫庙

    巫庙

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 释疑宝卷

    释疑宝卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The American Claimant

    The American Claimant

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 猫咪情缘

    猫咪情缘

    汤小米今天三十二岁,名副其实的齐天大剩,人漂亮不说,是非也多,这是非多的女子,自然也是无人问津,招来的也都是嘲笑的白眼。这不汤小米又升职了。企宣部的经理荣升为鼎盛集团的副总经理,这任职通知一下,又引起来轩然大波……
  • 最强婚宠:腹黑总裁高冷妻

    最强婚宠:腹黑总裁高冷妻

    “他们不是说你那啥无能,是废物吗?还能把我怎么样?”她骄傲地看着他。“不试试怎么知道?”他邪恶一笑,倏地将她扑倒!因妹妹脚踏两只船惹上恶魔总裁,只要他一声令下,她们便永不见天日,她被迫代替妹妹嫁给废物总裁,本以为他不行,谁知道他在某一夜却化身为狼,将她吃干抹净!
  • 会稽记

    会稽记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 写给青少年的中华上下五千年(写给青少年的书)

    写给青少年的中华上下五千年(写给青少年的书)

    《写给青少年的中华上下五千年》将这些人物和事件丰润、真切地介绍给青少年读者,无疑可以开阔他们的眼界,启发他们的智慧,培养他们的民族自豪感和爱国热情。《写给青少年的中华上下五千年》是一部中国历史的通俗性普及读本,采用编年体例,按历史顺序编写,以历史故事为叙述单位,完整再现了中华五千年历史文化的精髓,让读者直观清晰地感受到中国历史的演进过程,全面掌握中华文明的发展脉络,真切地感受到中华五千年历史文化的光辉灿烂。社会生活需要进步,历史就是动力。关注历史,读点历史吧,它就像埋没于泥土中的金子,在拂去尘埃后越发显示出其光芒和价值。
  • 盛宠替身千金

    盛宠替身千金

    被男友蒙眼送到别人床上,又流产被小三赶出家门,程逸然觉得或许没有比自己更加悲剧的女人了。陆迟野在大雪漫天中出现,一句“我娶你”让她彻底翻身啪啪打那对狗男女的脸。一颗心,跌跌撞撞的陷进去,本以为是柳暗花明又一村,哪里知道是穷途末路。他拥住那个女人残酷的说:“你不过是一个替代品。”曾经的深情,一朝成为笑话····--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 谁在走廊

    谁在走廊

    光盘,广西第四、六、七届签约作家,中国作家协会会员、广西作家协会理事。获广西、全国报纸副刊好作品二等奖以上30余次。创作及出版长篇小说6部,在花城、上海文学、作家、钟山、北京文学等中国核心刊物发表作品若干,迄今共发表各类作品150余万字。
  • 杨帆:对话《时代智商》

    杨帆:对话《时代智商》

    本书记录的二十几个人物,既有中国顶尖的商业领袖,也有大名鼎鼎的社会名流,还有在天津这座北方经济中心城市开拓奋进的领军人物。改革开放三十多年,中国社会发生了波澜壮阔的巨变,很多普通人的命运也赢得了转机。他们以特有的机智与洞察力和顽强的拼搏精神,创造了一个又一个人生传奇。
  • 韩尚宫

    韩尚宫

    一代平民,在后宫中步步升职,终成为一代尚宫,后宫女官的心酸升级记事,打动你的心旋,引起你的同情,本书不同于陆贞传奇的快不升职,并且女主也没那摩好的运气,且看女主如何一步步攀升最终成为一代尚宫
  • 烟云楼阁

    烟云楼阁

    她是封家大小姐的贴身丫鬟,再一次随大夫人迎接在国外读书归来的大小姐的时候,以自己的身体为大夫人挡了致命的一枪,被大夫人收为了干女儿,为她招婿入赘。他兄弟姐妹五个,但家境贫寒,父母为了生活只有将他送到了封家入赘,从此他与她相依为命,受尽折辱。在封家这个充满欲望与阴谋的大院里,他从一开始的善良无知变得阴狠毒辣……
  • 戒律

    戒律

    这大地有太多不平,这世间有太多不公。但人总是要有希望。所以有这么一个组织。以清规为心,以戒律为刃。斩断这世间的罪恶。