years
before this, the Sick and Hurt Board had ordained a special uniform for
surgeons, a blue cloth coat with blue cloth lapels, cuffs and embroidered
collar, three buttons on cuffs and pockets, white lining, white cloth waistcoat
and breeches: the garments existed, they having been made by the naval tailor
who had always looked after Jack, but Stephen had doggedly resisted hints that
he should wear them, even when the gunroom gave a ceremonial dinner to welcome
Mr Candish, their new purser.
Now, however, Jack’s argument that for the sake of
the Adriatic cruise and all that it entailed they must both look like grave,
responsible beings, after their call on the Spaniard, when they waited upon
Admiral Fanshawe, his secretary and his political adviser, good relations being
of the first importance - an argument that was expressed with great earnestness
- overcame Stephen’s reluctance, and they both went over the side soberly
magnificent.
‘Lord,’ said Jack, pausing for breath at’the top of
the Pigtail Steps, ‘I must get back to my way of running up to the masthead at
least once every morning. I am growing old, unsound in wind and limb.’
‘You are growing obese: or rather you have grown
obese. You eat far too much. I particularly noticed the shameless way you
indulged in the soused pig’s face at our feast to welcome Mr Candish.’
‘I did so deliberately, to encourage him. He is
somewhat bashful, though he is a very fine fellow. I am delighted to have him:
though how Mr Smith ever came to propose him, I cannot tell.’
‘When the convoy’s captains came aboard there was a
certain lack of candles, as you may recall.’
‘Well, what of it?’
‘And perhaps Mr Smith may have heard one of our
sailors call out “if only we had a real purser, there would not be all this Bedlam
running about and shouting every single time we want a bloody dip”. And one of
the Indiamen’s officers asked “What, ain’t you got a real purser?”
‘Well, whatever you may say I am very glad to have
him. And if only I had a master’s mate of the same competence I should be
gladder still. Poor Wantage. He was one of the most
promising young men I have ever had - a born navigator - had the Requisite
Tables by rote, so that he could give you your position without looking at
them. And he had a very good feeling for Surprise’s likes and dislikes. How I
regret him. And all because of that vile wench.’
In the peace of 1814, the Surprise, setting out on
what was ostensibly an expedition to survey the coasts of Chile, had sailed with a very
moderate ship’s company - no ordinary midshipmen and no youngsters at all. On
her first leg she had carried Sophie Aubrey and her children and Diana Maturin
and her daughter as far as Madeira for a holiday, the plan being that the women
and children should return to England in the packet when the Surprise carried
on to South America. But during this stay, young Wantage, exploring the
mountains, had met a shepherdess. Then, Napoleon having escaped from Elba, the frigate was at once
ordered to Gibraltar. Parties were sent out for
stragglers, guns were fired, the Blue Peter flew to the very last minute before
she sailed, all her people aboard except for Wantage; and it was generally
believed that the shepherd, coming back untimely to the mountain hut, had
killed him.
‘He was indeed a most amiable young man,’ said
Stephen. ‘But I believe that the great house with two sentinels before it is
where Don José lives.’
It was, and Don José was at home. He received them
very kindly: Stephen and he went through the graceful Spanish ceremony of
compliments presented and returned, Jack bowing from time to time, and Don José
accompanied them to the outer door itself.
They were equally well received by Admiral Fanshawe
and his secretary. Jack introduced Stephen: the Admiral said, ‘How do you do, sir? I remember
you well after that horrible affair off Algeciras, when you were so good to
my
before this, the Sick and Hurt Board had ordained a special uniform for
surgeons, a blue cloth coat with blue cloth lapels, cuffs and embroidered
collar, three buttons on cuffs and pockets, white lining, white cloth waistcoat
and breeches: the garments existed, they having been made by the naval tailor
who had always looked after Jack, but Stephen had doggedly resisted hints that
he should wear them, even when the gunroom gave a ceremonial dinner to welcome
Mr Candish, their new purser.
Now, however, Jack’s argument that for the sake of
the Adriatic cruise and all that it entailed they must both look like grave,
responsible beings, after their call on the Spaniard, when they waited upon
Admiral Fanshawe, his secretary and his political adviser, good relations being
of the first importance - an argument that was expressed with great earnestness
- overcame Stephen’s reluctance, and they both went over the side soberly
magnificent.
‘Lord,’ said Jack, pausing for breath at’the top of
the Pigtail Steps, ‘I must get back to my way of running up to the masthead at
least once every morning. I am growing old, unsound in wind and limb.’
‘You are growing obese: or rather you have grown
obese. You eat far too much. I particularly noticed the shameless way you
indulged in the soused pig’s face at our feast to welcome Mr Candish.’
‘I did so deliberately, to encourage him. He is
somewhat bashful, though he is a very fine fellow. I am delighted to have him:
though how Mr Smith ever came to propose him, I cannot tell.’
‘When the convoy’s captains came aboard there was a
certain lack of candles, as you may recall.’
‘Well, what of it?’
‘And perhaps Mr Smith may have heard one of our
sailors call out “if only we had a real purser, there would not be all this Bedlam
running about and shouting every single time we want a bloody dip”. And one of
the Indiamen’s officers asked “What, ain’t you got a real purser?”
‘Well, whatever you may say I am very glad to have
him. And if only I had a master’s mate of the same competence I should be
gladder still. Poor Wantage. He was one of the most
promising young men I have ever had - a born navigator - had the Requisite
Tables by rote, so that he could give you your position without looking at
them. And he had a very good feeling for Surprise’s likes and dislikes. How I
regret him. And all because of that vile wench.’
In the peace of 1814, the Surprise, setting out on
what was ostensibly an expedition to survey the coasts of Chile, had sailed with a very
moderate ship’s company - no ordinary midshipmen and no youngsters at all. On
her first leg she had carried Sophie Aubrey and her children and Diana Maturin
and her daughter as far as Madeira for a holiday, the plan being that the women
and children should return to England in the packet when the Surprise carried
on to South America. But during this stay, young Wantage, exploring the
mountains, had met a shepherdess. Then, Napoleon having escaped from Elba, the frigate was at once
ordered to Gibraltar. Parties were sent out for
stragglers, guns were fired, the Blue Peter flew to the very last minute before
she sailed, all her people aboard except for Wantage; and it was generally
believed that the shepherd, coming back untimely to the mountain hut, had
killed him.
‘He was indeed a most amiable young man,’ said
Stephen. ‘But I believe that the great house with two sentinels before it is
where Don José lives.’
It was, and Don José was at home. He received them
very kindly: Stephen and he went through the graceful Spanish ceremony of
compliments presented and returned, Jack bowing from time to time, and Don José
accompanied them to the outer door itself.
They were equally well received by Admiral Fanshawe
and his secretary. Jack introduced Stephen: the Admiral said, ‘How do you do, sir? I remember
you well after that horrible affair off Algeciras, when you were so good to
my
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