Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 204: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT, 191 touched in the brain, and has got the fancy in his} was heard with fearful plainness,—the sounds head that his relations are his mortal enemies.” “Well, but being a little touched,’ observed | quick trampling of the sailors’ feet. mingling with the rattling of cordage and the T heard like- another passenger, “don’t you think it was rather | wise yoices shouting through the stormy air— too bad for his uncle to let him drink himself into a state of complete unconsciousness P” | “Why, I dare say,’ responded the former | loud “ Aye, aye, sir!’ of the mariners. orders being given 1a voice that vibrated upon the sweeping gale, and were responded to with the For a few speaker, “that the uncle didn’t know the glass he | minutes my situation had so much of wild and gave him would have such an effect. Indeed, he said as much when he brought him on board. Heayens, what a gale! It’s blowing great guns now, as the sailors say. And what a stifling heat! Ah! I dare say it’s all pleasant enough for the chief cabin passengers; but for us poor devils of emigrants that hayeg to go in the steerage - Here the man’s speech was cut short by another tremendous lurch which the ship gave; and I was seized with such a wild terror—for I thought we were going to the bojtom—that I sprang out of the berth. “Hallo, youngster! is that you?” ejaculated the same voice that had last been speaking. “So it’s startled you up—has it? Well, how do you feel this morning? Slept off the wine, or brandy and-water—or whatever it was—eh ?” : “Yes—thank you,” I answered, scarcely know- ing what I said, as I clung to the ledge of the berth from which I had just emerged: for the motion of the vessel would have otherwise ren- dered it impossible for me to keep my feet. “I “J have a bad» headache—but I dare say it will soon pass. I suppose I may go upon deck if I choose ?” |»? “Oh, to bé sure you may!” was the response. * And I should think,’ added the speaker, with a coarse significant laugh, “the fresh air would do you good: for if anything can blow away a headache after a boozing-bout, this wind would.” The heat and stench of the steerage-cabin were intolerable; and I longed to escape thence. It seemed as if I were in my coffin. Moreover, my feelings were in such a perturbed, agitated condi- tion, that I was anxious to speak to the captain— represent to him that I was an unwilling passen- ger—and insist upon being put ashore. The con- versation I had overheard, revealed to me the diabolical arts with which Mr. Lanover had sought to account to my fellow-passengers for the state of stupor in which I had been brought aboard—as well as to prepare them for whatsoever declarations I might make in respect to my presence amongst them. He had evidently made them believe I was tipsy—indeed, in a most helpless and bru- talized state of intoxication; that I was not alto- gether right in my mind—and that I looked upon my relatives as my enemies. But I saw that it was useless to take the trouble of undeceiving those persons upon these several points: they could not assist me: it was to the captain of the ship that I must address myself—and there ought to be no delay in taking this step. I accordingly ascended the ladder and reached another deck. There the atmosphere, though hot, was less stifling and foul than in the steerage-cabin : but the port-holes were all closed, and the hatch- ways were covered up. I now saw enough on this deck which I had reached, to convince me that it was a large ship in which I had been em- barked. The wind was increasing into a gale: Ln exciting novelty in it, as actually to absorb some portion of the bitterness of my feelings: and be- sides, I thought to myself that if I gave the fullest explanations to the captain, he would not dare detain me on board, no matter what might have been the nature of the assurances, representations, and bribes that had emanated from Mr. Lanover. But still, amidst all this whirl of perturbed emo- tions, excited feelings, and varied reflections, con - tinuously arose the question—wherefore was I thus treated by that detestable humpback ? how was it that he was so deeply interested either in taking my life, or in sending me to the nethermost regions of the earth? No possible conjecture could an- swer these queries. Availing myself of a moment when the slip was comparatively still, though lymg very much on one side, I ascended another ladder; and just at that moment, the hatchway at the head of it was opened to the distance of about a foot and a half. “ Hallo, youngster!” said a sailor, who was about to descend. ‘‘ You had better not come up here—you won't keep your legs long, I can tell you.” x “ But I am stifled below,” I exclaimed, having to ihise my voice to its highest pitch in order that my words might reach the man’s ears amidst the din caused by the sweeping of the wind, the rat- tlng of the cordage, and the numerous other sounds which made up the sum of that almost deafening and terrific roar. ‘“ Besides, I want to speak to the captain.” “Oh, well—come along then!” quickly rejoined the sailor. “ But make up your mind for a good ducking. Here! give us your hand:’ —and in a moment he whirled me upon the deck. A scene that was terrific, but at the same time full of awe-inspiring astoundment, burst upon my view. The sailor made me clutch hold of an iron pin attached to a mast clo8e by which I had emerged,—he instantaneously disappearing down the ladder, and closing the hatchway after lim. The ship appeared to be immense—mucbh larger than L had possibly conceived, even when ere now judging it to be of no mean size. The three masts towered high aloft: only a few sails were set—and these were bellyimg with the wind that swept furiously over the water. And the sea itself—heavens, what a spectacle! To my idea, the phrase of “ the waves rolling mountains high,” which I had often encountered in books and in newspapers, now seemed to be far from hyper- bolic; and those billows were everywhere covered with foam, as if the vessel were labouring in an enormous cauldron the contents of which surged and boiled around. On the right there was land at no very great distance: but on the left and straight ahead no land was to be seen—nothing but the wide open sea—and this sea lashed up into fury by the violence of the wind. The sailors were hurrying about in every direction; and this the dashing of the waves upon the deck overhead, | circumstance at first enhanced my alarm: for me- LT OC A A ett reat le = s 2 . — CORNICLOO cS (CO) i