the uncommercial traveller-第50部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



had　no　part　in　that　new　drill；　either　looked　on　attentively；　or

disported　themselves　in　a　gymnasium　hard　by。　　The　steadiness　of　the

broadsword　boys　on　their　short　legs；　and　the　firmness　with　which

they　sustained　the　different　positions；　was　truly　remarkable。



The　broadsword　exercise　over；　suddenly　there　was　great　excitement

and　a　rush。　　Naval　Drill！



In　the　corner　of　the　ground　stood　a　decked　mimic　ship；　with　real

masts；　yards；　and　sails　…　mainmast　seventy　feet　high。　　At　the　word

of　command　from　the　Skipper　of　this　ship　…　a　mahogany…faced　Old

Salt；　with　the　indispensable　quid　in　his　cheek；　the　true　nautical

roll；　and　all　wonderfully　complete　…　the　rigging　was　covered　with　a

swarm　of　boys：　　one；　the　first　to　spring　into　the　shrouds；

outstripping　all　the　others；　and　resting　on　the　truck　of　the　main…

topmast　in　no　time。



And　now　we　stood　out　to　sea；　in　a　most　amazing　manner；　the　Skipper

himself；　the　whole　crew；　the　Uncommercial；　and　all　hands　present；

implicitly　believing　that　there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose；　that　the

wind　had　that　instant　chopped　round　and　sprung　up　fair；　and　that　we

were　away　on　a　voyage　round　the　world。　　Get　all　sail　upon　her！

With　a　will；　my　lads！　　Lay　out　upon　the　main…yard　there！　　Look

alive　at　the　weather　earring！　　Cheery；　my　boys！　　Let　go　the　sheet；

now！　　Stand　by　at　the　braces；　you！　　With　a　will；　aloft　there！

Belay；　starboard　watch！　　Fifer！　　Come　aft；　fifer；　and　give　'em　a

tune！　　Forthwith；　springs　up　fifer；　fife　in　hand　…　smallest　boy

ever　seen　…　big　lump　on　temple；　having　lately　fallen　down　on　a

paving…stone　…　gives　'em　a　tune　with　all　his　might　and　main。　　Hoo…

roar；　fifer！　　With　a　will；　my　lads！　　Tip　'em　a　livelier　one；　fifer！

Fifer　tips　'em　a　livelier　one；　and　excitement　increases。　　Shake　'em

out；　my　lads！　　Well　done！　　There　you　have　her！　　Pretty；　pretty！

Every　rag　upon　her　she　can　carry；　wind　right　astarn；　and　ship

cutting　through　the　water　fifteen　knots　an　hour！



At　this　favourable　moment　of　her　voyage；　I　gave　the　alarm　'A　man

overboard！'　（on　the　gravel）；　but　he　was　immediately　recovered；　none

the　worse。　　Presently；　I　observed　the　Skipper　overboard；　but

forbore　to　mention　it；　as　he　seemed　in　no　wise　disconcerted　by　the

accident。　　Indeed；　I　soon　came　to　regard　the　Skipper　as　an

amphibious　creature；　for　he　was　so　perpetually　plunging　overboard

to　look　up　at　the　hands　aloft；　that　he　was　oftener　in　the　bosom　of

the　ocean　than　on　deck。　　His　pride　in　his　crew　on　those　occasions

was　delightful；　and　the　conventional　unintelligibility　of　his

orders　in　the　ears　of　uncommercial　landlubbers　and　loblolly　boys；

though　they　were　always　intelligible　to　the　crew；　was　hardly　less

pleasant。　　But　we　couldn't　expect　to　go　on　in　this　way　for　ever；

dirty　weather　came　on；　and　then　worse　weather；　and　when　we　least

expected　it　we　got　into　tremendous　difficulties。　　Screw　loose　in

the　chart　perhaps　…　something　certainly　wrong　somewhere　…　but　here

we　were　with　breakers　ahead；　my　lads；　driving　head　on；　slap　on　a

lee　shore！　　The　Skipper　broached　this　terrific　announcement　in　such

great　agitation；　that　the　small　fifer；　not　fifeing　now；　but

standing　looking　on　near　the　wheel　with　his　fife　under　his　arm；

seemed　for　the　moment　quite　unboyed；　though　he　speedily　recovered

his　presence　of　mind。　　In　the　trying　circumstances　that　ensued；　the

Skipper　and　the　crew　proved　worthy　of　one　another。　　The　Skipper　got

dreadfully　hoarse；　but　otherwise　was　master　of　the　situation。　　The

man　at　the　wheel　did　wonders；　all　hands　（except　the　fifer）　were

turned　up　to　wear　ship；　and　I　observed　the　fifer；　when　we　were　at

our　greatest　extremity；　to　refer　to　some　document　in　his　waistcoat…

pocket；　which　I　conceived　to　be　his　will。　　I　think　she　struck。　　I

was　not　myself　conscious　of　any　collision；　but　I　saw　the　Skipper　so

very　often　washed　overboard　and　back　again；　that　I　could　only

impute　it　to　the　beating　of　the　ship。　　I　am　not　enough　of　a　seaman

to　describe　the　manoeuvres　by　which　we　were　saved；　but　they　made

the　Skipper　very　hot　（French　polishing　his　mahogany　face）　and　the

crew　very　nimble；　and　succeeded　to　a　marvel；　for；　within　a　few

minutes　of　the　first　alarm；　we　had　wore　ship　and　got　her　off；　and

were　all　a…tauto　…　which　I　felt　very　grateful　for：　　not　that　I　knew

what　it　was；　but　that　I　perceived　that　we　had　not　been　all　a…tauto

lately。　　Land　now　appeared　on　our　weather…bow；　and　we　shaped　our

course　for　it；　having　the　wind　abeam；　and　frequently　changing　the

man　at　the　helm；　in　order　that　every　man　might　have　his　spell。　　We

worked　into　harbour　under　prosperous　circumstances；　and　furled　our

sails；　and　squared　our　yards；　and　made　all　ship…shape　and　handsome；

and　so　our　voyage　ended。　　When　I　complimented　the　Skipper　at

parting　on　his　exertions　and　those　of　his　gallant　crew；　he　informed

me　that　the　latter　were　provided　for　the　worst；　all　hands　being

taught　to　swim　and　dive；　and　he　added　that　the　able　seaman　at　the

main…topmast　truck　especially；　could　dive　as　deep　as　he　could　go

high。



The　next　adventure　that　befell　me　in　my　visit　to　the　Short…Timers；

was　the　sudden　apparition　of　a　military　band。　　I　had　been

inspecting　the　hammocks　of　the　crew　of　the　good　ship；　when　I　saw

with　astonishment　that　several　musical　instruments；　brazen　and　of

great　size；　appeared　to　have　suddenly　developed　two　legs　each；　and

to　be　trotting　about　a　yard。　　And　my　astonishment　was　heightened

when　I　observed　a　large　drum；　that　had　previously　been　leaning

helpless　against　a　wall；　taking　up　a　stout　position　on　four　legs。

Approaching　this　drum　and　looking　over　it；　I　found　two　boys　behind

it　（it　was　too　much　for　one）；　and　then　I　found　that　each　of　the

brazen　instruments　had　brought　out　a　boy；　and　was　going　to

discourse　sweet　sounds。　　The　boys　…　not　omitting　the　fifer；　now

playing　a　new　instrument　…　were　dressed　in　neat　uniform；　and　stood

up　in　a　circle　at　their　music…stands；　like　any　other　Military　Band。

They　played　a　march　or　two；　and　then　we　had　Cheer　boys；　Cheer；　and

then　we　had　Yankee　Doodle；　and　we　finished；　as　in　loyal　duty　bound；

with　God　save　the　Queen。　　The　band's　proficiency　was　perfectly

wonderful；　and　it　was　not　at　all　wonderful　that　the　whole　body

corporate　of　Short…Timers　listened　with　faces　of　the　liveliest

interest　and　pleasure。



What　happened　next　among　the　Short…Timers？　　As　if　the　band　had

blown　me　into　a　great　class…room　out　of　their　brazen　tubes；　IN　a

great　class…room　I　found　myself　now；　with　the　whole　choral　force　of

Short…Timers　singing　the　praises　of　a　summer's　day　to　the

harmonium；　and　my　small　but　highly　respected　friend　the　fifer

blazing　away　vocally；　as　if　he　had　been　saving　up　his　wind　for　the

last　twelvemonth；　also　the　whole　crew　of　the　good　ship　Nameless

swarming　up　and　down　the　scale　as　if　they　had　never　swarmed　up　and

down　the　rigging。　　This　done；　we　threw　our　whole　power　into　God

bless　the　Prince　of　Wales；　and　blessed　his　Royal　Highness　to　such

an　extent　that；　for　my　own　Uncommercial　part；　I　gasped　again　when

it　was　over。　　The　moment　this　was　done；　we　formed；　with　surpassing

freshness；　into　hollow　squares；　and　fell　to　work　at　oral　lessons　as

if　we　never　did；　and　had　never　thought　of　doing；　anything　else。



Let　a　veil　be　drawn　over　the　self…committals　into　which　the

Uncommercial　Traveller　would　have　been　betrayed　but　for　a　discreet

reticence；　coupled　with　an　air　of　absolute　wisdom　on　the　part　of

that　artful　personage。　　Take　the　square　of　five；　multiply　it　by

fifteen；　divide　it　by　three；　deduct　eight　from　it；　add　four　dozen

to　it；　give　me　the　result　in　pence；　and　tell　me　how　many　eggs　I

could　get　for　it　at　three　farthings　apiece。　　The　problem　is　hardly

stated；　when　a　dozen　small　boys　pour　out　answers。　　Some　wide；　some

very　nearly　right；　some　worked　as　far　as　they　go　with　such

accuracy；　as　at　once　to　show　what　link　of　the　chain　has　been

dropped　in　the　hurry。　　For　the　moment；　none　are　quite　right；　but

behold　a　labouring　spirit　beating　the　buttons　on　its　corporeal

waistcoat；　in　a　process　of　internal　calculation；　and　knitting　an

accidental　bump　on　its　corporeal　forehead　in　a　concentration　of

mental　arithmetic！　　It　is　my　honourable　friend　（if　he　will　allow　me

to　call　him　so）　the　fifer。　　With　right　arm　eagerly　extended　in

token　of　being　inspired　with　an　answer；　and　with　right　leg

foremost；　the　fifer　solves　the　mystery：　　then　recalls　both　arm　and

leg；　and　with　bump　in　ambush　awaits　the　next　poser。　　Take　the

square　of　three；　multiply　it　by　seven；　divide　it　by　four；　add　fifty

to　it；　take　thirteen　from　it；　multiply　it　by　two；　double　it；　give

me　the　result　in　pence；　and　say　how　many　halfpence。　　Wise　as　the

serpent　is　the　four　feet　of　performer　on　the　nearest　approach　to

that　instrument；　whose　right　arm　instantly　appears；　and　quenches

this　arithmetical　fire。　　Tell　me　something　about　Great　Britain；

tell　me　something　about　its　principal　productions；　tell　me

something　about　its　ports；　tell　me　something　about　its　seas　and

rivers；　tell　me　something　about　coal；　iron；　cotton；　timber；　tin；

and　turpentine。　　The　hollow　square　bristles　with　extended　right

arms；　but　ever　faithful　to　fact　is　the　fifer；　ever　wise　as　the

serpent　is　the　performer　on　that　instrument；　ever　prominently

buoyant　and　brilliant　are　all　members　of　the　band。　　I　observe　the

player　of　the　cymbals　to　dash　at　a　sounding　answer　now　and　then

rather　than　not　cut　in　at　all；　but　I　take　that　to　be　in　the　way　of

his　instrument。　　All　these　questions；　and　many　such；　are　put　on　the

spur　of　the　moment；　and　by　one　who　has　never　examined　these　boys。

The　Uncommercial；　invited　to　add　another；　falteringly　demands　how

many　birthdays　a　man　born　on　the　twenty…ninth　of　February　will　have

had　on　completing　his　fiftieth　year？　　A　general　perception　of　trap

and　pitfall　instantly　arises；　and　the　fifer　is　seen　to　retire

behind　the　corduroys　of　his　next　neighbours；　as　perceiving　special

necessity　for　collecting　himself　and　communing　with　his　mind。

Meanwhile；　the　wisdom　of　the　serpent