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Mark Seaworth, a novel by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 4 |
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_ CHAPTER FOUR. The events I have described in the preceding chapters were afterwards told me by my friends, and I have faithfully given them in the words of the narrators. Of course the commencement of my narrative is somewhat conjectural; but there can be no doubt, from the circumstances I have mentioned, that the main features were perfectly true. The storm blew furiously all that night, and the ship ran on before it; but as day dawned its rage appeared expended, and by noon the waves subsided, and the wind gently as before filled the broad fields of canvas spread to receive it. I slept through it all, for the close air of the cabins, after having been exposed for so many days in the open boat, made me drowsy. I have a faint recollection of opening my eyes in the morning, and finding the sun shining in through the port, and the sweet face of Ellen Barrow hanging over me. When she saw me look up and smile, (for even then I thought such a face ought to be beloved, and must be kind and good, and I felt that I did love her), she covered me with kisses, and, forlorn little foundling though I was, I felt very happy. I have no distinct recollection of anything which happened in the boat; but I remember, as if it were yesterday, that lovely countenance, with the sun just tingeing her auburn locks as my waking eyes first fell on it; and though I do not suppose that I had ever heard of an angel, I had some indefinite sort of notion that she was one; at all events, that she was a being in whom I might place implicit confidence, and who would watch over me, and guard me from danger. I put out my little arms and threw them round her neck, and returned her kisses with right good-will. Dear Mrs Clayton had faithfully fulfilled her promise of carefully nursing my little sister, by holding her half the night in her arms, during the raging of the storm, fearful that any harm should come to her new-found treasure; and it was only when the sea subsided, and the ship was more steady, that she would consent to place her in a little cot which had been slung by her side. In the afternoon all the passengers were again collected together on deck. We, of course, afforded the subject of general conversation and curiosity. Speculations of all sorts were offered as to who we could be--where we could have come from, and how it happened that we were in an open boat, in the condition in which we were found. I was asked all sorts of questions; but to none of them could I return a satisfactory answer. I had some indistinct idea of having been on board another ship, and of there being a great disturbance, and of my crying very much through fear; and I suspect that I must have cried myself to sleep, and remained so when I was put into the boat. Ellen Barrow had taken me under her especial protection, though everybody, more or less, tried to pet me, and I was very happy. Scarcely four-and-twenty hours had passed, it must be remembered, since, without food or human aid, we floated on the open ocean, the dying and the dead our only companions; and now we were on board a well-found ship, and surrounded by kind friends, all vying with each other to do us service. Sir Charles every now and then, as I passed him, patted me on the head; and as I looked up I liked the expression of his countenance, so I stopped and smiled, and frequently ran back to him. In this manner we shortly became great friends. "I wonder what their names can be!" exclaimed Mrs Clayton, as those most interested in us were still sitting together in earnest consultation. "The boy's initials are M.S., and the little girl's E.S., that is certain. If we cannot discover their real names, we must give them some ourselves." "Oh, let them be pretty ones, by all means!" cried Ellen Barrow. "I must not let my pet be called by an ugly name. Let me consider--it must not be romantic either, like invented names found in novels." "I should advise you to choose the surname first for both the children, and then settle the respective Christian names," remarked the judge. "Will you help us, Sir Charles?" asked Miss Barrow. "No, my dear young lady--I propose that our committee abide by your choice, if I am allowed to have a word to say about the Christian name-- so on your shoulders must rest the responsibility," was Sir Charles's answer. "It must begin with S, that is certain," said Ellen Barrow, speaking as she thought on. "Something to do with the sea: Seagrave--I don't like that; Seaton--it might do. What do you think of Seaworth, Sir Charles? It is a pretty name and appropriate--Seaworth--I like Seaworth." "So do I; and I compliment you on the selection," said the judge. "Let the surname of the children be Seaworth from henceforth, till the real name is discovered; and now for a Christian name for the boy. It must begin with M. I do not like long names, and I have a fancy for one in particular--I must beg that he be called Mark. I had a friend of that name, who died early. Do you object to it, Miss Ellen?" "I had not thought of it, certainly," said Ellen Barrow. "I was going to propose Marmaduke; but let me try how it sounds in combination with Seaworth--Mark Seaworth--Mark Seaworth. A very nice name; I like it, and I am sure I shall like it very much in a short time." So, thanks to Sir Charles and Ellen Barrow, I was called Mark Seaworth. Mrs Clayton now claimed the right of naming her little charge. It was a matter, however, of still longer consideration. Emily, and Eliza, and Elizabeth, and a number of others beginning with E were thought of, but none seemed to please. "Give her the name of her mother, then," said Sir Charles. "How do you know it?" exclaimed several voices. "The mother of us all," replied the judge, smiling. "Oh dear, yes! Let her be called Eva rather," exclaimed Mrs Clayton, delighted. "It is a sweetly pretty name, and not often used." "I meant simply Eve; but Eva is an improvement on my idea," said Sir Charles. "Eva, Eva," was pronounced in chorus by all the party; and by that name my little sister was afterwards christened. Thus this important matter was finally arranged. Several days passed away without the occurrence of anything worthy of note, that I have heard of. My little sister slowly gained strength and health under the careful nursing of Mrs Clayton. One fine day, sweet Ellen Barrow was, as usual, romping with me about the deck--now running after me--now catching hold of me to fondle me, and then letting me go for the sake of again chasing me; and though I struggled and screamed when she overtook me, I cannot say that I was either alarmed, or that I disliked the treatment I received. Sir Charles was calmly watching us all the time, with a smile on his countenance. At last the young lady, weary with her exertions, threw herself into a seat, while I came and nestled by her side. After looking at us for a few minutes he came nearer to her. "My dear young lady," he said, "will you answer me a question?" "A hundred, Sir Charles," she answered, "if you are kind enough to ask them; for I do not think you will prove a censorious father confessor." "Well, then, as you give me leave, I may venture to ask you more than one," said Sir Charles. "In the first place, tell me what you propose doing with that little boy when you get ashore." "Doing with him, Sir Charles? Why, I daresay Captain and Mrs Clayton will assist me in taking charge of him," replied Ellen Barrow, with a puzzled expression. "But I do not think, I own, that I had thought at all about the future." "I thought not, my dear Miss Barrow," said Sir Charles, smiling. "The young seldom think of the future; but we old people are taught by many a severe lesson the importance of preparing for it. Now, as Captain and Mrs Clayton can scarcely wish to have the responsibility of taking charge of both your little pet and his sister, and as he has no claim on any here on board in particular, I have resolved to constitute myself his guardian till his natural protectors can be found. Captain Willis, who has a sort of legal right over him, consents to my wish; so I intend to take him with me when we land. Pray, therefore, make the most of him now you have him; but do not fix your heart on him entirely, for though I hope you may often see him, I cannot let you have him altogether." "What! Sir Charles, do you really intend to adopt the dear little fellow?" exclaimed Miss Barrow with animation. "He will, indeed, be fortunate; but I should be very, very sorry if I thought that I was not to see him again," she added, while a tear stood in her bright eye, and, turning round she gave me a hug and a kiss, which I thought very good of her. "Till his rightful guardians are found, I propose to take entire charge of him," said Sir Charles. "I will do my best to fulfil the important duty I have undertaken; it is not a light one, I own. It is not only to train up the boy to perform well his allotted task in this world, to fear God, to act honourably towards his neighbour, to overcome difficulties, and to secure a good place in the rank of fame and fortune among his fellow-men, but to prepare an immortal soul for eternity." Well, indeed, did that good man fulfil his self-imposed duty and utterly beyond all return are the benefits I received from him. Alas! that so few who have the charge of youth should think of their deep responsibilities as he did. How many private tutors I have met with, who think they have done their duty when they have taught their pupils the sufficient knowledge of Latin and Greek, and mathematics to enable them to enter the universities, without a thought beyond--without pointing out to them, clearly and unmistakably, whatever may be their station in life, that they must have responsibilities, and that they should so act in everything they do here, that they may be ever prepared for entering the life which is to endure for ever! I know that, let the tutor be ever so anxious to perform his duty, let the pupil be ever so ready to listen, times will come when good intentions and precepts may be forgotten; but such failings off should not damp the energies of either, but with sorrow for their derelictions, and earnest prayer for strength from above, they should rise to new exertions, and each year will afford to the tutor greater encouragement, as he sees in the lives of his pupils the fruit of his instruction. What I wish you to remember is this, that every one of you--the poorest and humblest as well as the richest--may do a great deal of good to your fellow-creatures, if you will but try to find out the way; and also that you cannot devote yourself to amusement, as so many do, without committing a very grave fault, by neglecting the duties of which I have spoken; while I am very certain that you would lose an unfailing source of happiness, for which no other gratification can afford any recompense. I beg you to think very deeply of what I have said; and now I will go on with my narrative. Sir Charles at once set to work with my education, and Ellen Barrow was, under his directions, my instructress. I do not remember that I was much troubled with the sight of books; but she drew a number of pictures of various objects, and made me repeat their names, and then she cut out the alphabet in cardboard, by which means I very soon knew my letters. If I was sick she never attempted to teach me, so that all the means offered me of gaining knowledge were pleasurable, and I thus took at once a strong liking to learning, which has never deserted me. Before the termination of the voyage. I could express myself in English, so as to be understood as well as are most children of my age; and as Sir Charles would not allow me to be taught nonsense, I put a right signification upon the words I used. One morning, at daybreak, a cry was heard from the mast-head of "Land ahead!" and so true had been the observations of Captain Willis, that a few hours afterwards, with a fine breeze, we were entering Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope. The Cape of Good Hope colony is, as most of my young readers are well aware, now an English settlement. It once belonged to the Dutch; but we took it from them during the last war, when they sided with the republican French. It is most celebrated for its sheep pastures; but it also produces wine, and corn, and oil, and affords ample room for the establishment of numbers of our countrymen, who cannot find employment at home. The climate is very healthy; but there are very strong winds, and sometimes droughts which destroy the labours of the husbandman. However, people who settle there become much attached to the country; and those fond of chasing wild beasts may gratify their tastes to the full in the interior; but they must remember that they cannot, at the same time, attend properly to their farming operations, which must, of necessity, be carried on in more settled districts. It is on many accounts a very valuable colony to Great Britain, and, among others, because it is on the high road to her extensive possessions in Australasia and that in its harbours the numerous shipping which sail thither may find shelter in time of war, and at all times may replenish their water and provisions. It affords a home to thousands of our countrymen, and it supplies the raw material, wool, to our manufacturers; and its inhabitants, by using a large quantity of British manufactures, afford employment to thousands of persons at home, who would otherwise of necessity be idle. By my calculations, every three or four Englishmen who go to one of our southern colonies, and are prosperous, afford employment to one person of those remaining at home; and we thus see how immediately the mother country is benefited by an extensive colonisation. Those very emigrants, or those who have taken their places, had they remained, it must be borne in mind, might have been idle and paupers; while the money which is now circulating, usefully affording employment to others, would have been employed in supporting them in idleness. However, the subject is irrelevant to my history: I mention it because I want to draw the attention of my young friends to the value of our colonial possessions, that when they become men, they may do their utmost to increase the prosperity of the colonies, being assured that they cannot turn their attention to a more patriotic subject. We remained several days in Table Bay; during which time most of the passengers lived on shore, and some even ventured a considerable way into the interior. Cape Town extends along the shores of the bay at the foot of the far-famed Table Mountain, towards which the ground gradually rises from the waters. The streets are straight, regularly constructed, and run at right angles to each other. They are lined with elm and oak trees, which in summer afford a grateful shade. There is a clean nice look about the place, which reminds one of an English town. I visited it many years after the time of which I am now speaking, for which reason I am able to describe it. The squares are well laid out, and the public edifices are numerous and substantial. The private houses are built chiefly of red brick or stone, with a terrace before the door shaded by trees. Here not only the Dutch, but the English, as was once the custom in the old country in days long gone by, delight to sit and work in the shade, when the sun is hot, or in the evening to enjoy the fresh breeze from the open sea. There are upwards of 25,000 inhabitants, half of whom are white, the majority being Dutch or of Dutch descent. Cape Town is strongly fortified. The entrance to the bay is commanded by a battery called the _Mouille_. There is a castle to the left of the town, and several other forts and batteries. The colony is divided into two provinces--the Western Province, of which Cape Town is the capital; and the Eastern Province, of which Graham's Town is the capital. Each province is divided into districts, many of which retain the old Dutch names; indeed, nearly all the places in the long settled parts are called by the appellations given them by the early possessors of the colony. There are no navigable rivers; and as the country is wild and mountainous, the means of communication are not easy. To the east, about five hundred miles from the frontier, is the new settlement of Natal, which, from its beautiful climate, and many excellent qualities, promises some day to become a very valuable possession. Having got our stores on board, the Blue Peter was hoisted, our passengers again collected in their accustomed places, full of all the things they had seen and heard, and once more we were ploughing the ocean towards the mouth of the wealth-bearing Hoogly. _ |
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