In good time we were up with the parallel of Rio de Janeiro, and, standing2 in for the land, the mist soon cleared; and high aloft the famed Sugar Loaf pinnacle3 was seen, our bowsprit pointing for it straight as a die.
As we glided4 on toward our anchorage, the bands of the various men-of-war in harbour saluted6 us with national airs, and gallantly7 lowered their ensigns. Nothing can exceed the courteous9 etiquette10 of these ships, of all nations, in greeting their brethren. Of all men, your accomplished11 duellist12 is generally the most polite.
We lay in Rio some weeks, lazily taking in stores and otherwise preparing for the passage home. But though Rio is one of the most magnificent bays in the world; though the city itself contains many striking objects; and though much might be said of the Sugar Loaf and Signal Hill heights; and the little islet of Lucia; and the fortified14 Ihla Dos Cobras, or Isle13 of the Snakes (though the only anacondas and adders15 now found in the arsenals16 there are great guns and pistols); and Lord Wood's Nose—a lofty eminence17 said by seamen18 to resemble his lordship's conch-shell; and the Prays do Flamingo—a noble tract19 of beach, so called from its having been the resort, in olden times, of those gorgeous birds; and the charming Bay of Botofogo, which, spite of its name, is fragrant20 as the neighbouring Larangieros, or Valley of the Oranges; and the green Gloria Hill, surmounted21 by the belfries of the queenly Church of Nossa Senora de Gloria; and the iron-gray Benedictine convent near by; and the fine drive and promenade22, Passeo Publico; and the massive arch-over-arch aqueduct, Arcos de Carico; and the Emperor's Palace; and the Empress's Gardens; and the fine Church de Candelaria; and the gilded23 throne on wheels, drawn24 by eight silken, silver-belled mules25, in which, of pleasant evenings, his Imperial Majesty26 is driven out of town to his Moorish27 villa28 of St. Christova—ay, though much might be said of all this, yet must I forbear, if I may, and adhere to my one proper object, the world in a man-of-war.
Behold29, now, the Neversink under a new aspect. With all her batteries, she is tranquilly30 lying in harbour, surrounded by English, French, Dutch, Portuguese31, and Brazilian seventy-fours, moored32 in the deep-green water, close under the lee of that oblong, castellated mass of rock, Ilha Dos Cobras, which, with its port-holes and lofty flag-staffs, looks like another man-of-war, fast anchored in the way. But what is an insular33 fortress34, indeed, but an embattled land-slide into the sea from the world Gibraltars and Quebecs? And what a main-land fortress but a few decks of a line-of-battle ship transplanted ashore35? They are all one—all, as King David, men-of-war from their youth.
Ay, behold now the Neversink at her anchors, in many respects presenting a different appearance from what she presented at sea. Nor is the routine of life on board the same.
At sea there is more to employ the sailors, and less temptation to violations37 of the law. Whereas, in port, unless some particular service engages them, they lead the laziest of lives, beset38 by all the allurements39 of the shore, though perhaps that shore they may never touch.
Unless you happen to belong to one of the numerous boats, which, in a man-of-war in harbour, are continually plying40 to and from the land, you are mostly thrown upon your own resources to while away the time. Whole days frequently pass without your being individually called upon to lift a finger; for though, in the merchant-service, they make a point of keeping the men always busy about something or other, yet, to employ five hundred sailors when there is nothing definite to be done wholly surpasses the ingenuity41 of any First Lieutenant42 in the Navy.
As mention has just been made of the numerous boats employed in harbour, something more may as well be put down concerning them. Our frigate carried a very large boat—as big as a small sloop—called a launch, which was generally used for getting off wood, water, and other bulky articles. Besides this, she carried four boats of an arithmetical progression in point of size—the largest being known as the first cutter, the next largest the second cutter, then the third and fourth cutters. She also carried a Commodore's Barge43, a Captain's Gig, and a "dingy," a small yawl, with a crew of apprentice44 boys. All these boats, except the "dingy," had their regular crews, who were subordinate to their cockswains—petty officers, receiving pay in addition to their seaman's wages.
The launch was manned by the old Tritons of the fore-castle, who were no ways particular about their dress, while the other boats—commissioned for genteeler duties—were rowed by young follows, mostly, who had a dandy eye to their personal appearance. Above all, the officers see to it that the Commodore's Barge and the Captain's Gig are manned by gentlemanly youths, who may do credit to their country, and form agreeable objects for the eyes of the Commodore or Captain to repose45 upon as he tranquilly sits in the stern, when pulled ashore by his barge-men or gig-men, as the case may be. Some sailors are very fond of belonging to the boats, and deem it a great honour to be a Commodore's barge-man; but others, perceiving no particular distinction in that office, do not court it so much.
On the second day after arriving at Rio, one of the gig-men fell sick, and, to my no small concern, I found myself temporarily appointed to his place.
"Come, White-Jacket, rig yourself in white—that's the gig's uniform to-day; you are a gig-man, my boy—give ye joy!" This was the first announcement of the fact that I heard; but soon after it was officially ratified46.
I was about to seek the First Lieutenant, and plead the scantiness47 of my wardrobe, which wholly disqualified me to fill so distinguished48 a station, when I heard the bugler49 call away the "gig;" and, without more ado, I slipped into a clean frock, which a messmate doffed50 for my benefit, and soon after found myself pulling off his High Mightiness51, the Captain, to an English seventy-four.
As we were bounding along, the cockswain suddenly cried "Oars52!" At the word every oar36 was suspended in the air, while our Commodore's barge floated by, bearing that dignitary himself. At the sight, Captain Claret removed his chapeau, and saluted profoundly, our boat lying motionless on the water. But the barge never stopped; and the Commodore made but a slight return to the obsequious53 salute5 he had received.
We then resumed rowing, and presently I heard "Oars!" again; but from another boat, the second cutter, which turned out to be carrying a Lieutenant ashore. If was now Captain Claret's turn to be honoured. The cutter lay still, and the Lieutenant off hat; while the Captain only nodded, and we kept on our way.
This naval54 etiquette is very much like the etiquette at the Grand Porte of Constantinople, where, after washing the Sublime55 Sultan's feet, the Grand Vizier avenges56 himself on an Emir, who does the same office for him.
When we arrived aboard the English seventy-four, the Captain was received with the usual honours, and the gig's crew were conducted below, and hospitably57 regaled with some spirits, served out by order of the officer of the deck.
Soon after, the English crew went to quarters; and as they stood up at their guns, all along the main-deck, a row of beef-fed Britons, stalwart-looking fellows, I was struck with the contrast they afforded to similar sights on board of the Neversink.
For on board of us our "quarters" showed an array of rather slender, lean-checked chaps. But then I made no doubt, that, in a sea-tussle, these lantern-jawed varlets would have approved themselves as slender Damascus blades, nimble and flexible; whereas these Britons would have been, perhaps, as sturdy broadswords. Yet every one remembers that story of Saladin and Richard trying their respective blades; how gallant8 Richard clove58 an anvil59 in twain, or something quite as ponderous60, and Saladin elegantly severed61 a cushion; so that the two monarchs62 were even—each excelling in his way—though, unfortunately for my simile63, in a patriotic64 point of view, Richard whipped Saladin's armies in the end.
There happened to be a lord on board of this ship—the younger son of an earl, they told me. He was a fine-looking fellow. I chanced to stand by when he put a question to an Irish captain of a gum; upon the seaman's inadvertently saying sir to him, his lordship looked daggers65 at the slight; and the sailor touching66 his hat a thousand times, said, "Pardon, your honour; I meant to say my lord, sir!"
I was much pleased with an old white-headed musician, who stood at the main hatchway, with his enormous bass67 drum full before him, and thumping68 it sturdily to the tune69 of "God Save the King!" though small mercy did he have on his drum-heads. Two little boys were clashing cymbals70, and another was blowing a fife, with his cheeks puffed71 out like the plumpest of his country's plum-puddings.
When we returned from this trip, there again took place that ceremonious reception of our captain on board the vessel72 he commanded, which always had struck me as exceedingly diverting.
In the first place, while in port, one of the quarter-masters is always stationed on the poop with a spy-glass, to look out for all boats approaching, and report the same to the officer of the deck; also, who it is that may be coming in them; so that preparations may be made accordingly. As soon, then, as the gig touched the side, a mighty73 shrill74 piping was heard, as if some boys were celebrating the Fourth of July with penny whistles. This proceeded from a boatswain's mate, who, standing at the gangway, was thus honouring the Captain's return after his long and perilous75 absence.
The Captain then slowly mounted the ladder, and gravely marching through a lane of "side-boys," so called—all in their best bibs and tuckers, and who stood making sly faces behind his back—was received by all the Lieutenants76 in a body, their hats in their hands, and making a prodigious77 scraping and bowing, as if they had just graduated at a French dancing-school. Meanwhile, preserving an erect78, inflexible79, and ram-rod carriage, and slightly touching his chapeau, the Captain made his ceremonious way to the cabin, disappearing behind the scenes, like the pasteboard ghost in Hamlet.
But these ceremonies are nothing to those in homage80 of the Commodore's arrival, even should he depart and arrive twenty times a day. Upon such occasions, the whole marine81 guard, except the sentries82 on duty, are marshalled on the quarter-deck, presenting arms as the Commodore passes them; while their commanding officer gives the military salute with his sword, as if making masonic signs. Meanwhile, the boatswain himself—not a boatswain's mate—is keeping up a persevering83 whistling with his silver pipe; for the Commodore is never greeted with the rude whistle of a boatswain's subaltern; that would be positively84 insulting. All the Lieutenants and Midshipmen, besides the Captain himself, are drawn up in a phalanx, and off hat together; and the side-boys, whose number is now increased to ten or twelve, make an imposing85 display at the gangway; while the whole brass86 band, elevated upon the poop, strike up "See! the Conquering Hero Comes!" At least, this was the tune that our Captain always hinted, by a gesture, to the captain of the band, whenever the Commodore arrived from shore.
It conveyed a complimentary87 appreciation88, on the Captain's part, of the Commodore's heroism89 during the late war.
To return to the gig. As I did not relish90 the idea of being a sort of body-servant to Captain Claret—since his gig-men were often called upon to scrub his cabin floor, and perform other duties for him—I made it my particular business to get rid of my appointment in his boat as soon as possible, and the next day after receiving it, succeeded in procuring91 a substitute, who was glad of the chance to fill the position I so much undervalued.
And thus, with our counterlikes and dislikes, most of us men-of-war's-men harmoniously92 dove-tail into each other, and, by our very points of opposition93, unite in a clever whole, like the parts of a Chinese puzzle. But as, in a Chinese puzzle, many pieces are hard to place, so there are some unfortunate fellows who can never slip into their proper angles, and thus the whole puzzle becomes a puzzle indeed, which is the precise condition of the greatest puzzle in the world—this man-of-war world itself.
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1
frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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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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3
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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11
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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duellist
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| n.决斗者；[体]重剑运动员 | |
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13
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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14
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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15
adders
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| n.加法器，（欧洲产）蝰蛇（小毒蛇），（北美产无毒的）猪鼻蛇( adder的名词复数 ) | |
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arsenals
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| n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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insular
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| adj.岛屿的，心胸狭窄的 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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violations
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| 违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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allurements
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| n.诱惑( allurement的名词复数 )；吸引；诱惑物；有诱惑力的事物 | |
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plying
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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42
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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barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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45
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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46
ratified
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| v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
scantiness
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| n.缺乏 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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49
bugler
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| 喇叭手； 号兵； 吹鼓手； 司号员 | |
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50
doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
mightiness
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| n.强大 | |
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52
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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53
obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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54
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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56
avenges
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的第三人称单数 )；为…报复 | |
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57
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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58
clove
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| n.丁香味 | |
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59
anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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60
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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simile
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| n.直喻，明喻 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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66
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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68
thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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69
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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cymbals
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| pl.铙钹 | |
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71
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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72
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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73
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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80
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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81
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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82
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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83
persevering
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| a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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84
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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85
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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86
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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87
complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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88
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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89
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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90
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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91
procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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92
harmoniously
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| 和谐地，调和地 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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