The sight of that noble scene cured all the woes11 and discomfitures of sea-sickness at once, and if there were any need to communicate such secrets to the public, one might tell of much more good that the pleasant morning-watch effected; but there are a set of emotions about which a man had best be shy of talking lightly — and the feelings excited by contemplating12 this vast, magnificent, harmonious13 Nature are among these. The view of it inspires a delight and ecstasy14 which is not only hard to describe, but which has something secret in it that a man should not utter loudly. Hope, memory, humility15, tender yearnings towards dear friends, and inexpressible love and reverence16 towards the Power which created the infinite universe blazing above eternally, and the vast ocean shining and rolling around — fill the heart with a solemn humble17 happiness, that a person dwelling18 in a city has rarely occasion to enjoy. They are coming away from London parties at this time: the dear little eyes are closed in sleep under mother’s wing. How far off city cares and pleasures appear to be! how small and mean they seem, dwindling19 out of sight before this magnificent brightness of Nature! But the best thoughts only grow and strengthen under it. Heaven shines above, and the humble spirit looks up reverently20 towards that boundless21 aspect of wisdom and beauty. You are at home, and with all at rest there, however far away they may be; and through the distance the heart broods over them, bright and wakeful like yonder peaceful stars overhead.
The day was as fine and calm as the night; at seven bells, suddenly a bell began to toll10 very much like that of a country church, and on going on deck we found an awning22 raised, a desk with a flag flung over it close to the compass, and the ship’s company and passengers assembled there to hear the Captain read the Service in a manly23 respectful voice. This, too, was a novel and touching24 sight to me. Peaked ridges25 of purple mountains rose to the left of the ship — Finisterre and the coast of Galicia. The sky above was cloudless and shining; the vast dark ocean smiled peacefully round about, and the ship went rolling over it, as the people within were praising the Maker26 of all.
In honour of the day, it was announced that the passengers would be regaled with champagne27 at dinner; and accordingly that exhilarating liquor was served out in decent profusion28, the company drinking the Captain’s health with the customary orations29 of compliment and acknowledgment. This feast was scarcely ended, when we found ourselves rounding the headland into Vigo Bay, passing a grim and tall island of rocky mountains which lies in the centre of the bay.
Whether it is that the sight of land is always welcome to weary mariners30, after the perils31 and annoyances32 of a voyage of three days, or whether the place is in itself extraordinarily33 beautiful, need not be argued; but I have seldom seen anything more charming than the amphitheatre of noble hills into which the ship now came — all the features of the landscape being lighted up with a wonderful clearness of air, which rarely adorns34 a view in our country. The sun had not yet set, but over the town and lofty rocky castle of Vigo a great ghost of a moon was faintly visible, which blazed out brighter and brighter as the superior luminary35 retired36 behind the purple mountains of the headland to rest. Before the general background of waving heights which encompassed37 the bay, rose a second semicircle of undulating hills, as cheerful and green as the mountains behind them were grey and solemn. Farms and gardens, convent towers, white villages and churches, and buildings that no doubt were hermitages once, upon the sharp peaks of the hills, shone brightly in the sun. The sight was delightfully38 cheerful, animated40, and pleasing.
Presently the Captain roared out the magic words, “Stop her!” and the obedient vessel41 came to a stand-still, at some three hundred yards from the little town, with its white houses clambering up a rock, defended by the superior mountain whereon the castle stands. Numbers of people, arrayed in various brilliant colours of red, were standing42 on the sand close by the tumbling, shining, purple waves: and there we beheld43, for the first time, the Royal red and yellow standard of Spain floating on its own ground, under the guardianship45 of a light blue sentinel, whose musket46 glittered in the sun. Numerous boats were seen, incontinently, to put off from the little shore.
And now our attention was withdrawn47 from the land to a sight of great splendour on board. This was Lieutenant48 Bundy, the guardian44 of Her Majesty49’s mails, who issued from his cabin in his long swallow-tailed coat with anchor buttons; his sabre clattering50 between his legs; a magnificent shirt-collar, of several inches in height, rising round his good-humoured sallow face; and above it a cocked hat, that shone so, I thought it was made of polished tin (it may have been that or oilskin), handsomely laced with black worsted, and ornamented51 with a shining gold cord. A little squat52 boat, rowed by three ragged53 gallegos, came bouncing up to the ship. Into this Mr. Bundy and Her Majesty’s Royal mail embarked54 with much majesty; and in the twinkling of an eye, the Royal standard of England, about the size of a pocket-handkerchief — and at the bows of the boat, the man-of-war’s pennant55, being a strip of bunting considerably56 under the value of a farthing — streamed out.
“They know that flag, sir,” said the good-natured old tar4, quite solemnly, in the evening afterwards: “they respect it, sir.” The authority of Her Majesty’s lieutenant on board the steamer is stated to be so tremendous, that he may order it to stop, to move, to go larboard, starboard, or what you will; and the captain dare only disobey him suo periculo.
It was agreed that a party of us should land for half-an-hour, and taste real Spanish chocolate on Spanish ground. We followed Lieutenant Bundy, but humbly57 in the providor’s boat; that officer going on shore to purchase fresh eggs, milk for tea (in place of the slimy substitute of whipped yolk58 of egg which we had been using for our morning and evening meals), and, if possible, oysters59, for which it is said the rocks of Vigo are famous.
It was low tide, and the boat could not get up to the dry shore. Hence it was necessary to take advantage of the offers of sundry60 gallegos, who rushed barelegged into the water, to land on their shoulders. The approved method seems to be, to sit upon one shoulder only, holding on by the porter’s whiskers; and though some of our party were of the tallest and fattest men whereof our race is composed, and their living sedans exceedingly meagre and small, yet all were landed without accident upon the juicy sand, and forthwith surrounded by a host of mendicants, screaming, “I say, sir! penny, sir! I say, English! tam your ays! penny!” in all voices, from extreme youth to the most lousy and venerable old age. When it is said that these beggars were as ragged as those of Ireland, and still more voluble, the Irish traveller will be able to form an opinion of their capabilities61.
Through this crowd we passed up some steep rocky steps, through a little low gate, where, in a little guard-house and barrack, a few dirty little sentinels were keeping a dirty little guard; and by low-roofed whitewashed63 houses, with balconies, and women in them — the very same women, with the very same head-clothes, and yellow fans and eyes, at once sly and solemn, which Murillo painted — by a neat church into which we took a peep, and, finally, into the Plaza64 del Constitucion, or grand place of the town, which may be about as big as that pleasing square, Pump Court, Temple. We were taken to an inn, of which I forget the name, and were shown from one chamber65 and storey to another, till we arrived at that apartment where the real Spanish chocolate was finally to be served out. All these rooms were as clean as scrubbing and whitewash62 could make them; with simple French prints (with Spanish titles) on the walls; a few rickety half-finished articles of furniture; and, finally, an air of extremely respectable poverty. A jolly, black-eyed, yellow-shawled Dulcinea conducted us through the apartment, and provided us with the desired refreshment66.
Sounds of clarions drew our eyes to the Place of the Constitution; and, indeed, I had forgotten to say, that that majestic67 square was filled with military, with exceedingly small firelocks, the men ludicrously young and diminutive68 for the most part, in a uniform at once cheap and tawdry — like those supplied to the warriors69 at Astley’s, or from still humbler theatrical70 wardrobes: indeed, the whole scene was just like that of a little theatre; the houses curiously71 small, with arcades72 and balconies, out of which looked women apparently73 a great deal too big for the chambers74 they inhabited; the warriors were in ginghams, cottons, and tinsel; the officers had huge epaulets of sham75 silver lace drooping76 over their bosoms77, and looked as if they were attired78 at a very small expense. Only the general — the captain-general (Pooch, they told us, was his name: I know not how ’tis written in Spanish)— was well got up, with a smart hat, a real feather, huge stars glittering on his portly chest, and tights and boots of the first order. Presently, after a good deal of trumpeting79, the little men marched off the place, Pooch and his staff coming into the very inn in which we were awaiting our chocolate.
Then we had an opportunity of seeing some of the civilians80 of the town. Three or four ladies passed, with fan and mantle81; to them came three or four dandies, dressed smartly in the French fashion, with strong Jewish physiognomies. There was one, a solemn lean fellow in black, with his collars extremely turned over, and holding before him a long ivory-tipped ebony cane82, who tripped along the little place with a solemn smirk83, which gave one an indescribable feeling of the truth of “Gil Blas,” and of those delightful39 bachelors and licentiates who have appeared to us all in our dreams.
In fact we were but half-an-hour in this little queer Spanish town; and it appeared like a dream, too, or a little show got up to amuse us. Boom! the gun fired at the end of the funny little entertainment. The women and the balconies, the beggars and the walking Murillos, Pooch and the little soldiers in tinsel, disappeared, and were shut up in their box again. Once more we were carried on the beggars’ shoulders out off the shore, and we found ourselves again in the great stalwart roast-beef world; the stout84 British steamer bearing out of the bay, whose purple waters had grown more purple. The sun had set by this time, and the moon above was twice as big and bright as our degenerate85 moons are.
The providor had already returned with his fresh stores, and Bundy’s tin hat was popped into its case, and he walking the deck of the packet denuded86 of tails. As we went out of the bay, occurred a little incident with which the great incidents of the day may be said to wind up. We saw before us a little vessel, tumbling and plunging87 about in the dark waters of the bay, with a bright light beaming from the mast. It made for us at about a couple of miles from the town, and came close up, flouncing and bobbing in the very jaws88 of the paddle, which looked as if it would have seized and twirled round that little boat and its light, and destroyed them for ever and ever. All the passengers, of course, came crowding to the ship’s side to look at the bold little boat.
“I SAY!” howled a man; “I say! — a word! — I say! Pasagero! Pasagero! Pasage-e-ero!” We were two hundred yards ahead by this time.
“Go on,” says the captain.
“You may stop if you like,” says Lieutenant Bundy, exerting his tremendous responsibility. It is evident that the lieutenant has a soft heart, and felt for the poor devil in the boat who was howling so piteously “Pasagero!”
But the captain was resolute89. His duty was NOT to take the man up. He was evidently an irregular customer — someone trying to escape, possibly.
The lieutenant turned away, but did not make any further hints. The captain was right; but we all felt somehow disappointed, and looked back wistfully at the little boat, jumping up and down far astern now; the poor little light shining in vain, and the poor wretch90 within screaming out in the most heartrending accents a last faint desperate “I say! Pasagero-o!”
We all went down to tea rather melancholy91; but the new milk, in the place of that abominable92 whipped egg, revived us again; and so ended the great events on board the “Lady Mary Wood” steamer, on the 25th August, 1844.
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1
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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2
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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4
tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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6
orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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9
tolling
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| [财]来料加工 | |
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toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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11
woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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12
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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13
harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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14
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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15
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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16
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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17
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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18
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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19
dwindling
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| adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 ) | |
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20
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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21
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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22
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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23
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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24
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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orations
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| n.（正式仪式中的）演说，演讲( oration的名词复数 ) | |
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30
mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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32
annoyances
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| n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 )；烦恼；打扰；使人烦恼的事 | |
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33
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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34
adorns
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| 装饰，佩带( adorn的第三人称单数 ) | |
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luminary
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| n.名人，天体 | |
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36
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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37
encompassed
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| v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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38
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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40
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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41
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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42
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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43
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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44
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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45
guardianship
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| n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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46
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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47
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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48
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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49
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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50
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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51
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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53
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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54
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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55
pennant
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| n.三角旗；锦标旗 | |
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56
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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57
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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58
yolk
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| n.蛋黄，卵黄 | |
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59
oysters
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| 牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 ) | |
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60
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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61
capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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62
whitewash
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| v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰 | |
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63
whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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67
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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69
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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70
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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71
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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72
arcades
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| n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物 | |
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73
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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74
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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75
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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76
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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77
bosoms
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| 胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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78
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
trumpeting
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| 大声说出或宣告（trumpet的现在分词形式） | |
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80
civilians
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| 平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓 | |
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81
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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82
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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83
smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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85
degenerate
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| v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者 | |
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86
denuded
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| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
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87
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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88
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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89
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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90
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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91
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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92
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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