Part 9 (1/2)
CHAPTER TEN.
ASh.o.r.e--INVALIDED.
I have a hazy recollection of suddenly finding myself on deck, still in my hammock; and then, a few minutes later, of being in a boat. Finally, when I next came to myself I discovered that I was no longer in my hammock, but in a bed--a delightful s.p.a.cious comfortable bed in which there was room for one to stretch oneself, change from one side to the other, and otherwise obtain a little temporary relief when lying long in one posture had become wearisome. Then, instead of being enveloped in stiflingly hot blankets, I lay upon one fragrant, cool, snow-white sheet, with another over me, the bed enclosed by mosquito-netting, and a deliciously cool breeze streaming into the long ward through several wide-open, lofty windows, one of which, immediately opposite the foot of my bed, afforded me an excellent view of a considerable portion of Port Royal harbour, with the Apostles' Battery, crouching at the foot of the Salt Pond Hills, almost immediately opposite, on the other side of the water. One of the hospital orderlies, who was on duty in the ward, came to the side of my bed at once upon finding that I was awake, and gave me a long, satisfying draught of lemonade, cool and exquisitely refres.h.i.+ng, after which I think he must have summoned the doctor to me, for a few minutes later that individual came lightly to the side of my bed, thrust his hand beneath the sheet and felt my pulse.
I afterward learned that this was Dr Loder, chief of the medical staff in the Port Royal Naval Hospital. And oh! what a difference there was between him and Wilson, the _Europa's_ surgeon. The latter was bluff, hearty, and slightly inclined to be boisterous in manner; while Dr Loder's every word and every movement, nay his whole appearance, suggested peace, quietness, and perfect restfulness, as well as--by some subtlety of manner--a vague but none the less distinct impression that things were going well with one. He was a tall and rather thin man, with dark-brown hair, beard, and moustache; he was bald on the top of his head, and wore gold-rimmed spectacles through which his fine dark eyes beamed down upon his patients with an expression of sympathy that was in itself as good as a tonic. He asked me a few questions in a quiet, almost caressing tone of voice, gave the orderly who had me in charge certain instructions, and then, patting me gently upon the shoulder, a.s.sured me that I should soon be all right again, in a tone of voice that, quiet as it was, somehow seemed to carry absolute conviction with it.
As a matter of fact I really did begin to mend practically from that moment--so rapidly indeed that on the twenty-third day after my admission the wound in my head had so far healed that the bandages were discarded--and three weeks later I was discharged into the guards.h.i.+p cured, the _Europa_ having gone to sea again some time before.
But the guards.h.i.+p was no place for me, weak and shaken as I then was by my long and serious spell of illness; and although the Admiral might well, in the press of daily affairs, have been excused had he forgotten so unimportant a detail as the state of my health, he did not; on the contrary, he invited me to spend a week at the Pen, to recuperate, during which his wife, Lady Agnes, was a second mother to me and a hospital nurse combined. From that moment there was no lack of invitations for me to go into the country and regain my strength, my former acquaintances one and all hunting me up and reminding me of several almost forgotten promises that I would visit them.
As the frigate was not expected to return to Port Royal for at least two months, and as, although discharged from the hospital, I was as yet by no means fit for duty, I had not the slightest difficulty in obtaining a month's leave, which I spent most enjoyably with friends whose estates were situated in Saint Thomas-in-the-East and on the northern slopes of the Blue Mountain Range. It is no part of my purpose to enter into a detailed description of life on a Jamaican sugar plantation, nor will I attempt to convey to the reader any definite idea of the Jamaicans'
hospitality. Let it suffice to say that I never spent a happier month anywhere, and that the planters, with all their jollity, light-heartedness, and love of fun, were the most genial, kindly, hospitable folk I ever met with, each of them vieing with all the rest in an amicable contest who should show me the most kindness and attention. I went among them an almost total stranger; when I left, I felt as though I were parting with as many brothers and sisters.
Upon reporting myself to the Admiral, at his office, he received me very kindly, asked whether I felt fit to return to duty--to which I replied with a most emphatic Yes--informed me that the _Europa_ was not expected for another month at least; then invited me to dine with him that evening at the Pen, and spend the night there.
His table was, as usual, well filled with guests, but they were all civilians, excepting some three or four military officers over from Up Park Camp. The navy was entirely unrepresented, save by myself, the reason being, as I soon learned, that the French, Dutch, and Spanish were all exceedingly active in and about the Caribbean, and there were not enough of our own s.h.i.+ps to cope with them; consequently every available craft of any sort flying the British pennant had been sent to sea, and was being kept there.
At length, when all the guests had left the Pen, and Lady Agnes had retired for the night, Sir Peter invited me to accompany him to the broad gallery, covered by a veranda, which stretched right athwart the front of the house, from end to end, and directed one of his negro servants to carry out to it a small table, a box of cigars, a jug of sangaree, and two wicker basket-chairs wherein we seated ourselves preparatory, as I surmised, to a more or less confidential chat of some sort, though what, of such a nature, so important a personage as the Port Admiral could possibly have to say to an insignificant mid like myself, I could not divine.
Sir Peter, however, was not the sort of man to beat about the bush; if he had anything to say he generally said it without any circ.u.mlocution, and he did so now. Selecting with care a cigar for himself, lighting it, and pouring out a couple of tumblers of sangaree, he settled himself in his chair, and began by remarking:
”Well, young gentleman, so you have quite recovered from the effects of your wound, eh?--and feel fit and ready for duty once more?”
”Yes, to both questions, Sir Peter,” I answered. ”But I think I understood you to say that the _Europa_ is not expected to return to Port Royal for at least another month--”
”So I did,” interrupted the Admiral; ”and the question is, What are you going to do with yourself meanwhile? This is no time for an officer to idle about ash.o.r.e, you know.”
”No, sir,” I responded, ”it certainly is not, and I am exceedingly glad that you have broached the subject, for it affords me an early opportunity to do what I have had it in my mind to do, namely, to ask you whether you cannot find me some better employment than kicking my heels aboard the guards.h.i.+p until the frigate returns.”
”Ah!” commented Sir Peter, ”so that was what you had in your mind, was it? Have you served your time yet?”
”Yes, sir,” I replied, ”with nearly three months to spare.”
”Good!” remarked my companion. ”But of course you have not pa.s.sed yet?
You have not had an opportunity. Have you your log-books with you?”
”Yes, sir,” I answered. ”When I was sent ash.o.r.e to the hospital, Captain Vava.s.sour was good enough to send with me all my belongings.”
”Where are they--the log-books, I mean--now?” demanded Sir Peter.
”They are aboard the guards.h.i.+p, with the rest of my things,” I answered.
”Very well,” returned my companion. ”You had better go down to Port Royal with me in the morning, and bring your log-books ash.o.r.e for me to look at. I have a scheme in my head for employing you, but I am not at all sure whether you are fit to undertake a duty of so exceedingly responsible a character as that which I have in my mind; although I don't hesitate to tell you, youngster, that Captain Vava.s.sour gave you a most excellent character in every respect. What sort of a navigator are you? I suppose, like most other young gentlemen, you can fudge a day's work well enough to pa.s.s muster, eh?”
I laughed. ”I am afraid, sir,” I replied, ”that too many of us would rather fudge than take the trouble to do our day's work properly. But I got out of that lazy trick some time ago; and now I will not turn my back upon any lad of my own age, whether mids.h.i.+pman, or master's-mate, where navigation is concerned.”
”Ah!” he remarked, ”that sounds all right. Tell me, what can you do in navigation problems?”
”I can do Plane, Traverse, Middle-Lat.i.tude, and Mercator's Sailing,” I answered. ”I can also do a Day's Work; I can use my quadrant with accuracy; can find the Lat.i.tude by a meridian alt.i.tude of the sun, moon, or a star; can find the error and rate of the chronometer, and also the longitude by it; can determine the variation of the compa.s.s; can find the longitude by a 'lunar'; can do the Pole Star problem; and--well, I think that is about all, sir, thus far.”