letters from the cape-第1部分

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Letters　from　the　Cape

by　Lady　Duff　Gordon




LETTER　I　…　THE　VOYAGE



Wednesday；　24th　July。　Off　the　Scilly　Isles；　6　P。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；　4　Bells；　i。e。　2　o'clock；　p。m。　…　When　I　wrote　last；　I　thought　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。　　I　persist　in　thinking　it　a　very　pleasant；　but　utterly　lazy　life。　　I　sleep　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。

It　is　now　blowing　hard　again；　and　we　have　just　been　taken　right　aback。　　Luckily；　I　had　lashed　my　desk　to　my　washing…stand；　or　that　would　have　flown　off；　as　I　did　off　my　chair。　　I　don't　think　I　shall　know　what　to　make　of　solid　ground　under　my　feet。　　The　rolling　and　pitching　of　a　ship　of　this　size；　with　such　tall　masts；　is　quite　unlike　the　little　niggling　sort　of　work　on　a　steamer　…　it　is　the　difference　between　grinding　along　a　bad　road　in　a　four…wheeler；　and　riding　well　to　hounds　in　a　close　country　on　a　good　hunter。　　I　was　horribly　tired　for　about　five　days；　but　now　I　rather　like　it；　and　never　know　whether　it　blows　or　not　in　the　night；　I　sleep　so　soundly。　　The　noise　is　beyond　all　belief；　the　creaking；　trampling；　shouting；　clattering；　it　is　an　incessant　storm。　　We　have　not　yet　got　our　masts　quite　safe；　the　new　wire…rigging　stretches　more　than　was　anticipated　（of　course）；　and　our　main…topmast　is　shaky。　　The　crew　have　very　hard　work；　as　incessant　tacking　is　added　to　all　the　extra　work　incident　to　a　new　ship。　　On　Saturday　morning；　everybody　was　shouting　for　the　carpenter。　　My　cabin　was　flooded　by　a　leak；　and　I　superintended　the　baling　and　swabbing　from　my　cot；　and　dressed　sitting　on　my　big　box。　　However；　I　got　the　leak　stopped　and　cabin　dried；　and　no　harm　done；　as　I　had　put　everything　up　off　the　floor　the　night　before；　suspicious　of　a　dribble　which　came　in。　Then　my　cot　frame　was　broken　by　my　cuddy　boy　and　I　lurching　over　against　S…'s　bunk；　in　taking　it　down。　　The　carpenter　has　given　me　his　own；　and　takes　my　broken　one　for　himself。　　Board　ship　is　a　famous　place　for　tempers。　　Being　easily　satisfied；　I　get　all　I　want；　and　plenty　of　attention　and　kindness；　but　I　cannot　prevail　on　my　cuddy　boy　to　refrain　from　violent　tambourine…playing　with　a　tin　tray　just　at　the　ear　of　a　lady　who　worries　him。　　The　young　soldier…　officers；　too；　I　hear　mentioned　as　'them　lazy　gunners'；　and　they　struggle　for　water　and　tea　in　the　morning　long　after　mine　has　come。　We　have　now　been　ten　days　at　sea；　and　only　three　on　which　we　could　eat　without　the　'fiddles'　（transverse　pieces　of　wood　to　prevent　the　dishes　from　falling　off）。　　Smooth　water　will　seem　quite　strange　to　me。　　I　fear　the　poor　people　in　the　forecastle　must　be　very　wet　and　miserable；　as　the　sea　is　constantly　over　it；　not　in　spray；　but　in　tons　of　green　water。

3d　Aug。　…　We　had　two　days　of　dead　calm；　then　one　or　two　of　a　very　light；　favourable　breeze；　and　yesterday　we　ran　175　miles　with　the　wind　right　aft。　　We　saw　several　ships；　which　signalled　us；　but　we　would　not　answer；　as　we　had　our　spars　down　for　repairs　and　looked　like　a　wreck；　and　fancied　it　would　be　a　pity　to　frighten　you　all　with　a　report　to　that　effect。

Last　night　we　got　all　right；　and　spread　out　immense　studding…sails。　We　are　now　bowling　along；　wind　right　aft；　dipping　our　studding…sail　booms　into　the　water　at　every　roll。　　The　weather　is　still　surprisingly　cold；　though　very　fine；　and　I　have　to　come　below　quite　early；　out　of　the　evening　air。　　The　sun　sets　before　seven　o'clock。　I　still　cough　a　good　deal；　and　the　bad　food　and　drink　are　trying。　But　the　life　is　very　enjoyable；　and　as　I　have　the　run　of　the　charts；　and　ask　all　sorts　of　questions；　I　get　plenty　of　amusement。　S…　is　an　excellent　traveller；　no　grumbling；　and　no　gossiping；　which；　on　board　a　ship　like　ours；　is　a　great　merit；　for　there　is　AD　NAUSEAM　of　both。

Mr。　…　is　writing　a　charade；　in　which　I　have　agreed　to　take　a　part；　to　prevent　squabbling。　　He　wanted　to　start　a　daily　paper；　but　the　captain　wisely　forbade　it；　as　it　must　have　led　to　personalities　and　quarrels；　and　suggested　a　play　instead。　　My　little　white　Maltese　goat　is　very　well；　and　gives　plenty　of　milk；　which　is　a　great　resource；　as　the　tea　and　coffee　are　abominable。　　Avery　brings　it　me　at　six；　in　a　tin　pannikin；　and　again　in　the　evening。　　The　chief　officer　is　well…bred　and　agreeable；　and；　indeed；　all　the　young　gentlemen　are　wonderfully　good　specimens　of　their　class。　　The　captain　is　a　burly　foremast　man　in　manner；　with　a　heart　of　wax　and　every　feeling　of　a　gentleman。　　He　was　in　California；　'HIDE　DROGHING'　with　Dana；　and　he　says　every　line　of　TWO　YEARS　BEFORE　THE　MAST　is　true。　　He　went　through　it　all　himself。　　He　says　that　I　am　a　great　help　to　him；　as　a　pattern　of　discipline　and　punctuality。　People　are　much　inclined　to　miss　meals；　and　then　want　things　at　odd　hours；　and　make　the　work　quite　impossible　to　the　cook