Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

28 Pickwick Abroad. Foreland light—a flat-bottomed ship, well moored at the extremity of the Goodwin Sands. To one of those destinations must you now be consigned. Choose, therefore, between the rock and the ship.” ‘Well, this zs a go!” thought Mr. Weller; and his faithtul histo- rian does not scruple to acknowledge that the valet of the illustrious Pickwick was somewhat dismayed at the prospect of vegetating on a barren rock till the wreck of a ship should afford him salt pork and biscuit, or of passing the remainder of his existence in a miserable tenement of frail boards afloat on the surface of a lawless ocean. ‘* Decide !”” exclaimed the gendarme, drawing a mighty sword from his belt, while the harlequin quietly reminded Mr. Weller that he should be turned into a cat or a rabbit if he did not obey the command last uttered. . ‘Pray, is there any grub aboard o’ that ’ere ship?” enquired Sam, now more terrified than ever. ** Yes,” replied the gendarme; “‘ihere are provisions enough for six months in that vessel.” ‘¢Somethink must turn up in the meantime,” thought Mr. Weller within himself; ‘‘and although I don’t ex-actly vant to be made a sort o’ sea Robinson Crusoe, nevertheless I. must yield to necessity, as the eel thought as the man vos about to skin him. _ Well, have you decided ?” asked the harlequin; ‘‘ or will you become a cat ?” | ‘“Not by no means,” returned Mr. Weller; and after a little hesita- tion, he pronounced in favour of the ship. | To the ship the seamen accordingly rowed the boat, and in the almost incredible time of five minutes they were along-side the North- Foreland light. It was a red-brick-coloured vessel, with one mast, and had a most gloomy-looking appearance. ‘“* Mount!’ cried the gendarme, pointing to a rope that hung from the gangway, and beckoning to Mr, Weller at the same time. ‘“ Mount, I say—young man.” | “Or—” began the harlequin; but Sam did not give him time to finish his sentence, for in a moment he stood upon the deck of the solitary vessel. He glanced around him, to take a survey of his new quarters, and then looked over the side to address a few words to the individuals who had so mysteriously and unlawfully conducted him thither: but the boat had disappeared, and the dark green waters were all that met his eye. | He went down into the cabin, and was about to give himself up to the most profound melancholy, when a sudden rustling of garments attracted his attention. He turned round, and a little white-headed old man met his view. ‘You have forgotten to hang up the lamp, young chap,” said the venerable stranger, taking a copious pitch of snuff out of a large barrel that stood in one corner of the cabin. | ‘“‘'You’re a good customer to the bakkinists’, you air,” thought Mr. Weller. Then in a loud voice, he said, ‘“‘ And, pray, my ancient, vere am I to hang that i-dentical lamp ?” “To the mast-head, to he sure, young man,” replied the old one: ‘¢and when you have so done, return to this cabin, and [ will tell you the dreadful effects of neglect on board of a vessel like this.” ECORNIELOOOKS EO)