Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 21, 2025
But Captain Maitland was too eager about the sailing of his ship, and paid no heed to the midshipmen's idleness, only thinking as he was of getting round the land in front, and overhauling the stranger, who was now quite out of sight beyond the point, and it took two hours to get within sight again.
The reader may think I was over fastidious when I inform him that I cannot describe the disgust I felt at the licentious impurity of manners which I found in the midshipmen's berth; for although my connection with Eugenia was not sanctioned by religion or morality, it was in other respects pure, disinterested, and, if I may use the expression, patriarchal, since it was unsullied by inconstancy, gross language, or drunkenness.
On descending a ladder to the lower deck, I looked about for the mess, or midshipmen's berth, as it was then called. In one corner of this deck was a dirty little hole about ten feet long and six feet wide, five feet high. It was lighted by two or three dips, otherwise tallow candles, of the commonest description behold the mess!
"You will have opportunities of improving your education, and you need not fear about being well received by the young gentlemen in the midshipmen's berth," observed Mr Saltwell. "Captain Martin and I will make arrangements for giving you an outfit and supplying you with such funds as you will require, besides which you will come in for a midshipman's share of prize-money."
At this answer the first lieutenant and the officers near him burst out a-laughing. "Well, youngster, you must dine with us in the gun-room to-day; and where's Mr Dott?" "Here, sir," said Tommy Dott, coming from the other side of the quarter-deck. "Mr Dott, take this young gentleman down below, and show him the midshipmen's berth. Let me see, who is to take care of his hammock?"
"Yes, sah, dat quite true, Mistah Grenvile," replied our sable attendant. "Well, sah, I find dem all in de steward's pantry where else? Ah, gentleum, dis is wery different from de appearance ob de table in de midshipmen's berth aboard de Shark, eh? No tin cups and plates here, sah; no rusty old bread barge; no battered old coffeepot; no not'ing ob dat sort.
The commander, on thus ascertaining who he was, asked us if we would receive him in the midshipmen's berth, charging us at the same time to set him a good example, by avoiding anything that was wrong, and by teaching him only what was right. Without a dissentient voice we all agreed to the commander's proposal, and Harry Hudson forthwith became a member of our mess.
I, with a sergeant of marines and another seaman, carried him below, covering his face with a handkerchief. We placed him in one of the midshipmen's berths. Then the surgeons came to him. We feared the worst, but it was not generally known what had happened. I can tell you I was glad enough to get on deck again.
His kind and considerate captain was aware, that a lad who creeps in at the hawse-holes i.e., is promoted from before the mast, was not likely to be favourably received in the midshipmen's mess, especially by that part of the community who, from their obscure parentage, would have had least reason to complain. He was therefore consigned to the charge of the gunner.
He was all smiles whenever we met, and he winked at all our young midshipmen's pranks One they played was rather too strong, and roused the fury of the Turks.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking