The Argosy — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

The Cruise of the Reserve Squadron. 51 Here we messed. Here we would sit, sometimes in a temperature of 212°. Here we would discuss science, and read aloud learned treatises for the benefit of each other. Here Pyramid would study Sanskrit, and the ever-amiable M.B. would discourse learnedly on the origin of species ; and Van Stoker would sit and sigh and moon by the hour together, and indite sonnets to his lady-love : whole reams of poetry—as I was afterwards to find to my cost. Here the rattle of dice in frivolous hands at frivolous backgammon would be heard from early morn to dewy eve, and here at night we would relax the severe discipline of study with a serious rubber. Punctually at eleven, enter Diogenes with his lantern—a marine whose duty it was to announce the hour—as fatal to us as mid- night to Cinderella. A sort of animated Curfew. A tall, grave figure enveloped in a long cloak, and looking like a walking ghost. A lantern in one hand hanging by his side, the other giving a military salute, as if his life depended on it, and the muffled voice announcing the end of another day. So exact were we; so particular, conscientious and punctilious were the officers, that even if the announcement came in the very middle of a rubber, down would go cards, up we would rise, score our points, out like a flash went the lights, and in solemn procession each would depart to his cabin. If the M.B. gave a ‘‘ small and early” in his own den, the same rigid punctuality was observed. What a beautiful lesson this naval observance of rules and regula- tions sets us landsmen! How we may hide our diminished heads ! We who, not being bound by any particular form or set of codes; being, as it were, our own masters, accountable only to ourselves, are therefore almost more bound by honour to walk in the strict path of duty. And how thoughtful of the Lords of the Admiralty to have instituted this rule, who know how essential it is to health and beauty that man should retire to rest at reasonable hours. The M.B. was the only one on board who ever gave a “small and early,” just alluded to. His servant would take round the invitations, worded as follows. We will quote the first one that comes to hand as an example. It related to the /as¢t “small and early” of the cruise, and was addressed to Pyramid: “The M.B. requests the honour of Captain Pyramid’s company, at a small and early to-night, Thursday, the 2oth July, for purposes of Discussion and Improvement. Subject:—The evil effects of smoking as illustrated by the immoderate use of tobacco on board the other vessels of the Royal Reserve Squadron, against the extreme moderation of the officers of the Defence. N.B.—Fans and smelling bottles not provided. gto11.30. Naval time.” But there is not space in this paper to go into the full particulars of these highly interesting and instructive little réunions. That may come by-and-bye. And now to go back to Portland—not deprived of our liberty, beloved reader, but on the contrary prepared for flight. Standing, indeed, on the long, splendid deck of the Defence, I felt that for EORnnicloooks (SO)