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Updated: June 27, 2025
They had not been long asleep when all hands were aroused by a report like thunder, which came up from the vast lake boiling beneath them. Everybody started up; Billy Blueblazes, seizing hold of Desmond, alongside whom he was sleeping, exclaimed "Is the volcano going to burst out and smother us? Won't it be better to run for it?"
Now, if we happened to have all been like Billy Blueblazes there, who, from the quantity of beef he consumes, is undoubtedly a heavy cost to her Majesty, our captain might have considered it his duty to leave us to find our own grub for the future, and thus save our beloved country a heavy expense."
The whale, which was a large one, gave, the captain told them, eighty barrels of oil. It took the crew upwards of two days to try out and stow away that quantity. "I should have to be precious hard up before I turned whaler," observed Billy Blueblazes. "It is hot work at night, but it must be terrible in a calm, with the blazing sun beating down on the poor fellows' heads."
It was no trifling work in which they were about to engage, for they could see a long line of fortifications extending across the whole front of the city, the flag of Prince Satsuma flying from one of them. The guns, however, remained silent. "We shall soon knock that place to pieces," said Billy Blueblazes, as he surveyed it with a look of contempt.
"I confess that we always call him `Billy' in the berth, but on duty we address him with due respect as `Lieutenant Blewitt'; the other lieutenants, however, always speak of him as `Billy Blueblazes, and he likes the name, he has got so accustomed to it." Meantime, as far as could be ascertained by those in the boat, the fire continued burning on board the ship.
The engineers did their best to urge the steamer along, but the wind was so light that the sails were wholly useless. Billy Blueblazes and Dicky Duff, who were somewhat jealous of Tom and Archie having been on shore, were eager to be there to see the "fun," as they called it.
"I see," said the mate with a wink, discovering that Tom was not a person out of whom he could take much change. "And pray may I ask if that young gentleman's name is really Billy Blueblazes? It's a curious sounding one, at all events." "It's the name by which he is known among us, at all events," answered Tom.
"The captain may in his supreme wisdom call him Mr William Blewitt, or when he is gazetted, on obtaining his lieutenancy, he may possibly be designated by the last-mentioned appellation; but Billy Blueblazes he will be called by his messmates while he remains afloat."
Billy Blueblazes, who came to act the part of his best man, fell head over ears in love with the eldest not the first Englishman under similar circumstances who has been captivated by one of Erin's fair daughters, and she, discovering attractions which satisfied her, and the counsellor ascertaining that he was heir to a good estate, no objections were raised, and Billy became a happy benedict, quitting the service as a retired commander.
"The Vice Admiral has got a hint from Sir , to kick that wild splice, young Cringle, about a bit. It seems he is a nephew of Old Blueblazes, and as he has taken a fancy to the lad, he has promised his mother that he will do his utmost to give him opportunities of being knocked on the head, for all of which the old lady has professed herself wonderfully indebted.
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