In Plymouth, however, the Swan was regarded as a goodly ship; and Master Diggory Beggs was heartily7 congratulated, by his acquaintances, when the news came that the Swan was sailing up the Sound, having safely returned from a voyage to Genoa.
As soon as the anchor was dropped and the sails were furled, the captain, Reuben Hawkshaw, a cousin of Master Beggs, took his place in the boat, accompanied by his son Roger, a lad of sixteen, and was rowed by two sailors to the landing place. They were delayed for a few minutes there by the number of Reuben's acquaintances, who thronged9 round to shake him by the hand; but as soon as he had freed himself of these, he strode up the narrow street from the quays10 to the house of Master Diggory.
Reuben Hawkshaw was a tall, powerfully built man, weatherbeaten and tanned from his many comings and goings upon the sea; with a voice that could be heard in the loudest storm, and a fierce look--but, as his men knew, gentle and kind at heart, though very daring; and having, as it seemed, no fear of danger either from man or tempest.
Roger was large boned and loosely jointed12, and was likely some day to fill out into as big a man as his father, who stood over six-feet-two without his shoes.
"If a crew were men wholly of my size," he would say, "a ship would be able to carry but a scant15 crew; for, lie they as close as they would, there would not be room for a full complement16 below."
For indeed, in those days space was precious, and on board a ship men were packed well-nigh as close as they could lie; having small thought of comfort, and being well content if there was room to turn, without angering those lying next on either side.
The merchant, who was so stout17 and portly that he offered a strong contrast to his cousin, rose from his desk as the latter entered.
"I am glad, indeed, to see you back, Cousin Reuben; and trust that all has fared well with you."
"Indifferent well, Cousin Diggory. We have a good stock of Italian goods on board; but as, of course, these took up but a small portion of her hold, I put into Cadiz on my way back. There I filled up with three-score barrels of Spanish wine, which will, I warrant me, return good profit on the price I paid for them."
"And you have met with no accidents or adventures, Reuben?"
"Not more than is useful. We had a fight with some Moorish18 pirates, who coveted19 the goods with which, as they doubtless guessed, we were laden20; but we beat them off stoutly21, with a loss of only six men killed among us. We had bad weather coming up the Portugal Coast, and had two men washed overboard; and we had another stabbed in a drunken brawl22 in the street. And besides these there are, of course, many who were wounded in the fight with the Moors23 and in drunken frays24 ashore25; but all are doing well, and the loss of a little blood will not harm them, so our voyage may be termed an easy and pleasant one.
"That is well," the merchant said, in a tone of satisfaction. "We cannot expect a voyage like this to pass without accident.
"And how are you, Roger?" he asked, turning to the boy, who was standing26 near the door with his cap in his hand, until it should please his elders to address him.
"I am well, I thank you, Master Diggory. It is seldom that anything ails8 with me. I trust that Mistress Mercy and my cousins are well."
"You had best go upstairs, and see them for yourself, Roger. Your father and I have weighty matters to talk over, and would fain be alone."
Roger was glad to escape from the merchant's counting house and, bowing to his cousin, went off with a quiet step; which, after he had closed the door behind him, was changed into a rapid bound as he ascended27 the stairs.
"Gently, Roger," Mistress Beggs said, as he entered the room where she and her two daughters were sitting, at work. "We are truly glad to see you, but you must remember that we stay-at-home people are not accustomed to the boisterous28 ways of the sea."
The reproof29 was administered in a kindly30 tone, but Roger colored to the hair; for indeed, in his delight at being back again, he had forgotten the manners that were expected from a lad of his age, on shore. However, he knew that, although Mistress Beggs was somewhat precise in her ways, she was thoroughly31 kind; and always treated him as if he were a nephew of her own, rather than a young cousin of her husband's. He therefore recovered at once from his momentary32 confusion, and stepped forward to receive the salute33 Mistress Beggs always gave him, on his return from his voyages.
"Dorothy, Agnes, you remember your Cousin Roger?"
The two girls, who had remained seated at their work--which had, however, made but little progress since their father had run in, two hours before, to say that the Swan was signaled in the Sound--now rose, and each made a formal courtesy, and then held up her cheek to be kissed, according to the custom of the day; but there was a little smile of amusement on their faces that would have told a close observer that, had their mother not been present, their greeting would have been a warmer and less ceremonious one.
"Well, well, Roger," Mistress Beggs went on, "it is marvelous to see how fast you grow! Why, it is scarce six months since you sailed away, and you seem half a head taller than you were when you went! And so the Swan has returned safely, without damage or peril34?"
"No damage to speak of, Cousin Mercy, save for a few shot holes in her hull35, and a good many patches on her side--the work of a Moorish corsair, with whom we had a sharp brush by the way."
"And was there loss of life, Roger?"
"We have come back nine hands shorter than we sailed with, and there are a few on board still unfit for hard work."
"And did you fight, Cousin Roger?" Dorothy Beggs asked.
"I did what I could with my bow, until I got alongside, and then joined in the melee36 as well as I could. The heathen fought bravely, but they were not a match for our men; being wanting in weight and strength, and little able to stand up against the crushing blows of our axes. But they are nimble and quick with their curved swords; and the fierceness of their faces, and their shouting, would have put men out of countenance37 who had less reason to be confident than ours."
"And the trading has gone well?" asked Mistress Beggs, who was known to have a keen eye to the main chance.
"I believe that my father's well satisfied, Cousin Mercy, and that the venture has turned out fully11 as well as he looked for."
"That is well, Roger.
"Do you girls go on with your work. You can sew while you are listening. I will go and see that the preparations for dinner are going on regularly, for the maids are apt to give way to talk and gossip, when they know that the Swan is in."
Roger receives a less formal salute from his cousins
As soon as she had left the room, the two girls threw down their work and, running across to Roger, saluted38 him most heartily.
"That is a much better welcome," Roger said, "than the formal greetings you before gave me. I wonder what Cousin Mercy would have said, had she chanced to come in again."
"Mother guessed well enough what it would be, when we were alone together," Dorothy said, laughing. "She always thinks it right on special occasions to keep us to our manners, and to make us sure that we know how it is becoming to behave; but you know well, Roger, that she is not strict with us generally, and likes us to enjoy ourselves. When we are staying up at the farm with Aunt Peggy, she lets us run about as we will; and never interferes40 with us, save when our spirits carry us away altogether. I think we should be glad if we always lived in the country.
"But now, Roger, let us hear much more about your voyage, and the fight with the Moors. Are they black men?"
"Not at all, Dorothy. They are not very much darker than our own fishermen, when they are bronzed by the sun and wind. There are black men who live somewhere near their country, and there were several of these fighting with them. These blacks are bigger men than the Moors, and have thick lips and wide mouths. I believe that they live as slaves among the Moors, but those who were with them fought as bravely as they did; and it needed a man with a stout heart to engage with them, so ugly were their faces."
"Were you not terrified, Roger?"
"I was frightened at first, Dorothy, and felt a strange weakness in my knees, as they began to swarm41 up the ship's side; but it passed off when the scuffle began. You see, there was no time to think about it. We all had to do our best, and even had I been frightened ever so badly, I hope that I should not have showed it, for it would have brought shame upon my father as well as myself; but in truth I thought little about it, one way or the other. There they were on the deck, and had to be driven back again; and we set about the work like Englishmen and honest men and, thanks to our pikes and axes, we had not very much trouble about it; especially when we once became fairly angered, on seeing some of our friends undone42 by the heathen.
"I myself would rather go through two or three such fights, than encounter such another storm as we had off the coast of Portugal, for four days. It seemed that we must be lost, the waves were of such exceeding bigness--far surpassing anything I had ever seen before. My heart was in my mouth scores of times, and over and over again I thought that she would never rise again, so great was the weight of water that poured over her. Truly it was the mercy of God which alone saved us, for I believe that even my father thought the ship would be beaten to pieces, though he kept up a show of confidence in order to inspirit the men. However, at the end of the fourth day the gale43 abated44; but it was days before the great sea went down, the waves coming in long regular hills, which seemed to me as big as those which we have here in Devonshire; but smooth and regular, so that while we rolled mightily, there was naught45 to fear from them."
"I should not like to be a sailor," Agnes said. "It would be far better, Roger, were you to come into our father's counting house. You know he would take you into his business, did Cousin Reuben desire it."
Roger laughed.
"I should make but a poor penman, Agnes. I love the sea dearly, and it is seldom that we have such gales46 to meet as that; and after all, it is no worse to be drowned than it is to come to any other death. I am well content, cousin, with matters as they are; and would not stay ashore and spend my life in writing, not to be as rich as the greatest merchant in Plymouth. I almost wish, sometimes, I had been born a Spaniard or a Portugal; for then I might have a chance of sailing to wondrous47 new countries, instead of voyaging only in European waters."
"It seems to me that you have plenty to see as it is, Roger," Dorothy said.
"I do not say nay48 to that," Roger assented49; "but I do not see why Spain and Portugal should claim all the Indies, East and West, and keep all others from going there."
"But the pope has given the Indies to them," Dorothy said.
"I don't see that they were the pope's to give," Roger replied. "That might do for the king, and his minister Wolsey, and the bishops50; but when in time all the people have read, as we do, Master Wycliffe's Bible, they will come to see that there is no warrant for the authority the pope claims; and then we may, perhaps, take our share of these new discoveries."
"Hush51, Roger! You should not speak so loud about the Bible. You know that though there are many who read it, it is not a thing to be spoken of openly; and that it would bring us all into sore trouble, were anyone to hear us speak so freely as you have done. There has been burning of Lollards, and they say that Wolsey is determined53 to root out all the followers54 of Wycliffe."
"It will take him some trouble to do that," Roger said, shrugging his shoulders. "Still, I will be careful, Dorothy, for I would not on any account bring trouble upon you, here. But, thank Heaven, England is not Spain, where men are forever being tortured and burned for their religion. The English would never put up with that. It may be that there will be persecution55, but methinks it is rather those whose opinions lead them to make speeches that are regarded as seditious, and who stir up the people into discontent, who fall into trouble; and that, as long as folks hold their own opinions in peace and quiet, and trouble not others, neither king nor cardinal56 will seek to interfere39 with them.
"It is not so in Spain. There, upon the slightest suspicion that a man or woman holds views differing from those of the priests, he is dragged away and thrown into the prisons of the Inquisition, and tortured and burned."
Mistress Mercy now returned, and she and the girls busied themselves in laying the table for dinner.
That evening, after Mistress Mercy, the girls, and Roger had retired57 to bed, Reuben Hawkshaw and his cousin had a long talk together, concerning the next voyage of the Swan. After Master Diggory had discussed the chances of a voyage to the low countries, or another trip to the Mediterranean58, Reuben, who had been silently listening to him, said:
"Well, Cousin Diggory, to tell you the truth, I have been turning over a project that seems to me to offer a chance of greater profit, though I deem it not without risk. That is the case, of course, with all trading affairs; and, as you know, the greater the risk the greater the profit, so the question to be considered is whether the profit is in fair proportion to the risk run. I think that it is, in this case, and I am ready to risk my life in carrying it out. It is for you to consider whether you are ready to risk your venture."
"What is it, Reuben? There are no other voyages that I know of; unless, indeed, you think of sailing up to Constantinople, and trading with the Grand Turk."
"My thoughts go farther afield still, Diggory. It is a matter I have thought over for some time, and when I was at Cadiz the other day I made many inquiries59, and these have confirmed me in my opinions on the matter. You know that the Spaniards are gaining huge wealth from the Indies, and I heard at Cadiz that, after the conquest they made, a year since, of the island they call Cuba, the stores of precious things brought home were vast indeed. As you know, they bring from there gold and spices and precious woods, and articles of native workmanship of all kinds."
"I know all that, Reuben; and also that, like dogs in the manger, they suffer none others to sail those seas; and that no English ship has ever yet traversed those waters."
"That is so, Diggory; but by all I hear the number of islands is large, and there are reports that there lies, farther west, a great land from which it is they procure60, chiefly, the gold and silver and precious things. Now it seems to me that, were the matter secretly conducted, so that no news could be sent to Spain, a ship might slip out and cruise there, dealing61 with the natives, and return richly stored with treasures.
"The Swan is a fast sailer and, did she fall in with the Spanish ships, would show them a clean pair of heels. Of course she would avoid the places where the Spaniards have forts and garrisons62, and touch only at those at which, I hear, they trade but little;" and he took out a scroll63 from his bosom64, unrolled it, and showed it to be a map.
"This I purchased, for ten gold pieces, of a Spanish captain who had come to poverty and disgrace from his ship being cast away, while he was asleep in liquor, in his cabin--a fault which is rare among the Spaniards, and therefore thought all the more of. I met him in Cadiz, at a wine shop near the port. He told me his story as we drank together, for he spoke52 Dutch, having traded much with the Low Countries.
"He took out a map, to show me some of the places at which he had had adventures. I said that the thing was curious, and would buy it of him, if he was disposed to sell. He said that it would be as much as his life were worth to part with it, to an Englishman; and, indeed, that it was only captains of ships trading in those seas who were allowed to have them, seeing that all matters connected with the islands were held as a state secret. After some trouble and chaffering, however, he agreed to make me an exact copy, and to sell it me for ten gold pieces.
"This is the copy. It is exact, for I compared it with the original, before I paid for it. Now here, you see, are laid down the position and bearing of all the islands, together with all the ports and places where the Spaniards have their settlements. This line over here represents the mainland, but it is, as you see, but vaguely65 drawn66; seeing that, except at one or two points, the Spaniards themselves have but little knowledge of it. Now it seems that, with the help of this, I might so navigate67 the Swan as to avoid much risk of falling in with the Dons; and might yet make a shift to fill up the ship with goods of all kinds, such as would sell here for great prices. I know, of course, that were we taken we should be killed without mercy; but in the first place they would have to catch us, which would not be easy; and in the second to capture us, which, methinks would be more difficult still, seeing that a crew of stout Devonshire lads, fighting with halters round their necks, would give a good account of themselves, even if overhauled68 by a great Spanish galleon69.
"What think you of the scheme, Cousin Diggory?"
"It is a perilous70 one, certainly, Reuben," the merchant replied, after a long silence. "There is the risk of the loss of the ship and all her freight, and there is the risk of the loss of your life and of those of the crew; and I would rather lose even the Swan, Reuben, than that harm should come to you and Roger. Then it may well be that, even if you carried the scheme to a successful end, and returned laden with wealth, the king and his counselors71, when the matter came to their ears--which it would be sure to do on your return, for it would make a prodigious72 talk--might be grievously offended, accuse us of embroiling73 England with Spain, confiscate75 the cargo4, visit me with fine and imprisonment76, and treat you and the crew as pirates."
"I do not fear that," Reuben said. "Our relations with Spain have grown cold, lately, and there is a talk of peace between us and France. In the next place, I should say that the king would be mightily glad to see a chance of us English having a finger in this pie, that the Spaniards want to keep to themselves; and that he will perceive that great advantage will arise, from our obtaining a share of the trade with the Indies. There is a rare jealousy77 in the country, at the Spaniards and Portugals keeping all the trade of both the Indies in their hands; and methinks that, even if he judged it necessary to make a show of displeasure against the men who led the way in this matter, there would in the end be much honor, as well as profit, in this venture."
"It is a grave matter, Reuben, and one not to be undertaken without much thought and calculation. Still, I own that the proposal is a tempting78 one, and that the possession of this map, which I will examine at my leisure, would help you much in your enterprise. Truly, as you say, although the king might frown, there would be much honor as well as profit in being the first English merchant to dispatch a ship to the Spanish main. I love not the Spaniards and, like all Englishmen who think as I do on matters of religion, have viewed with much disfavor our alliance with men who are such cruel persecutors of all who are not of their religion."
"I hate them," Reuben Hawkshaw said, energetically. "They swagger as if they were the lords of the world, and hold all others as of no account beside them. If you resolve on this enterprise I shall, of course, do my utmost to avoid them; but should they try to lay hand on us, I shall be right glad to show them that we Englishmen hold ourselves fully a match for them."
"Well, well, we must not think of that," Diggory Beggs said, hastily; "but, nevertheless, cousin, if the Swan sails for those seas, I will see that she is well provided with ordnance79 and small arms, so that she shall be able to hold her own with those who would meddle80 with her."
"That is all I ask, Diggory. We shan't meddle with them, if they do not meddle with us; but if they treat us as pirates, to be slain81 without form of trial, they must not blame us if we act as pirates when they come upon us. They hold that they are beyond the law, when they are once beyond sight of land, going westward82; and we have only to take them at their word.
"As to piracy83, if the things that are whispered as to their cruelty to the natives be true, pirates are an innocent and kindly folk compared to them. They openly proclaim that all found in these seas, which they claim as their own, will be treated as enemies and slain without mercy; and we shall be, therefore, fully justified84 in treating as an enemy any Spanish ship that we may come across; and holding her as a fair prize, if we are strong enough to take her."
"But you must not go out with that intent, Reuben. If I fit out the Swan to go to the Indies, it is that she may trade honestly with such natives as are ready to trade with her, and not that she may wage war against the Spaniards."
"I quite understand that, Cousin Diggory," Reuben Hawkshaw said, with a grim smile; "and that also is my intent, if the Spaniards will but let me adhere to it; only if we are attacked, we must defend ourselves. If they try to capture us, and we beat them, it is but natural that we should capture them."
"Against that I have nothing to say, Reuben. I can find no authority, in Scripture85, for the Spaniards claiming a portion of the seas as their right. The world is all, as it seems to me, open to trade, and neither the pope nor anyone else has a right to parcel it out, for the exclusive use of one or two nations. As we all know, the seas within a mile or two of shore are held to belong, naturally, to those who own the land; but that is a different thing, altogether, to holding that more than half the seas, inasmuch as we know of them, are to be held as private property by Spaniards and Portugals.
"Well, we will say no more about it, at present. There is plenty of time to think it over, while the Swan is unloading. I certainly do not like to take so great a risk as this would be on my own shoulders; but if I could get two or three others to join me, I should be willing enough to embark86 upon it."
"I need not tell you, Diggory, that it behooves87 you to be right careful as to those to whom you may broach88 it. Remember that an incautious word might ruin the enterprise altogether. If so much as a whisper of it reached the ear of the Spanish ambassador in London, he would apply to the king to put a stop to it; and whatever King Harry89 might think of it, he could hardly permit the Swan to sail in the face of such a remonstrance90, for to do so would assuredly embroil74 him with Spain."
"I will be careful, Reuben; for I see this as well as you do, and shall only speak to men who have, before now, worked with me in joint13 adventures, and on whose discretion91 I can surely rely. I will talk the matter over with them, Reuben, first; and if they appear favorably disposed, you shall meet them here, show them your map, and explain your intentions fully to them. If three others join me, in equal shares, I shall propose that, as it is your idea, and as you have obtained this map, you shall have an equal share with each of us in the business; and shall, in addition to your pay as master, take one-fifth of the profits, after payment of expenses. Will that content you?"
"Right well, Cousin Diggory; and from this moment I shall, I can tell you, regard myself as a rich man."
The unloading of the Swan occupied some time. There was no undue92 haste, in those days. The bales were hoisted93 by whips from the hold, and then carried up to Master Beggs' warehouse94. The sailors had earned a fair time for repose95, after the hardships of the voyage, and took matters easily, and it was more than a week before the Swan's hold was empty.
During that time the merchant had not made any allusion96, to Reuben, as to their conversation on the evening after the Swan came into port. But Reuben was neither surprised nor anxious at this silence. He knew that his cousin although an enterprising was a cautious man, and had hardly hoped to find his proposal so favorably entertained. He had looked for absolute refusal at first, and expected that he would only arrive at his end after long disputes and discussion. Therefore he doubted not that Diggory was turning the matter over and over in his mind, settling the details, and perhaps broaching97 the matter to the merchants he had spoken of.
The Swan, once empty, was laid up on the shore; where she dried at low tide, so that she could have her seams caulked98, and a coat of pitch laid on below the waterline, and be made tight and sound for any voyage on which she might be dispatched. Reuben Hawkshaw had lost his wife years before and, when in port at Plymouth, always occupied lodgings99 in a house a short distance from that of his cousin; spending his evenings mostly at Master Diggory's, but refusing to take his breakfast or dinner there.
"I know what is what, cousin," he would say, when the merchant pressed him and Roger to come to breakfast or dinner. "Women are women and, as is only right, they hold to the nicety of things; and nothing displeases100 them more than for people to come in late for their meals. When I am at work I work, and if when the clock strikes the hour for meals I am in the middle of a job, I see that it is finished before the men knock off. Then there is the matter of washing and cleaning up, for one gathers much dust and dirt in the hold of a ship; so that, do what I would, Roger and I could never reckon upon being punctual, and the matter would weigh on my mind when I ought to be thinking of other things. No, no, Diggory, we will be free men, taking our bite and sup on board, as we can make shift to get them; and then, when work is over, coming with clean hands and a clear mind, to supper with you. When the Swan's hold is empty, it will be time enough to talk about amusement."
The evening after the unlading of the cargo was completed, Master Diggory said to his wife:
"Get the table cleared as soon as you can, Mercy, and bring two flasks101 of that last batch102 of Spanish wine out of the cellar, and put them and some cups on the board. I have two or three friends coming in, to talk over a matter of business with Reuben and me."
As soon as the table was cleared, Roger asked permission of his aunt to take his cousins for a walk upon the Hoe. This was readily granted, as there was no other room in which they could well be bestowed103; and having set the wine upon the table, Dame104 Mercy retired to look after domestic matters, of which she always found an abundance to occupy her.
In a short time Master Turnbull, Master Streatham, and Master Winslow, three worshipful traders of Plymouth, arrived.
"Cousin Reuben," Master Diggory said, "I have spoken to these good friends of mine in respect of that venture which you proposed to me, and they would fain hear more of it, from your own lips. You can speak with confidence before them; for, whether they agree to cast in their lot with us or not, no word of this matter will pass their lips."
Reuben addressed himself to his task, and that at much greater detail than he had given, when first speaking of the matter to Diggory. He told them what he had gathered from the sea captains, and others, as to the articles with which the Dons traded with the natives. That they were for the most part cheap and common, and that the amount required for a sufficient stock of such merchandise would be very small. Small hand mirrors, strings105 of colored glass beads106, brass107 rings and trinkets, colored handkerchiefs and bright cloths, were the articles chiefly used in barter108. Knives and axes were greatly prized, the natives considering iron to be more valuable than silver or gold. Small bells and brass vessels109 were also valued, and iron spear and arrow heads were eagerly sought for; but the Spaniards were chary110 of providing such goods, seeing that they might be used in conflicts against themselves.
Then he produced a list of the stores that would be required for the ship and crew.
"In this matter," he said, "you will think, perhaps, that my demands are excessive; but I am of opinion that money in this way would be well spent. As a rule--though I say it before men accustomed to victualing ships--our crews are vilely111 provided for. Salt meat they must eat, for no other can be obtained at sea; but it should be of good quality, likewise the other provisions. I want not biscuits that are alive with maggots, nor moldy112 flour, nor peas or other things that cattle would turn up their noses at. I want everything to be the very best of its kind, with cider good, and sound, and in fair abundance.
"This is not an ordinary voyage. We shall be away for many months, maybe for a year or two; and unless the men are well fed they will assuredly lose their health, and likely enough become mutinous113. If we come upon a Spanish ship when three parts of the crew are weak with scurvy114, we shall make but a poor fight of it. Therefore, I want to keep my men in good strength and in good heart, and to do this they must be well fed. Such a voyage as this no English ship has ever made before and, cooped up as we shall be in the Swan--for we must carry a great crew--everything depends upon there being no fair ground for grumbling115. Many a ship has been lost from the crew being weakened by scurvy, and if you are to bring this enterprise to a good end, I say that there must be no stint116 in the matter of provisions, and that all must be the very best of their kind.
"I trust that, once out there, we shall be able to obtain an abundance of fruit and vegetables from the natives; for these are things, above all, necessary to keep men's blood sweet on shipboard.
"Then, as to arms. I think we should carry twelve pieces, six of a side; of which four should be of good size, and yet not too large to be quickly handled. In the matter of weight, the Spaniards are sure to have the advantage of us; but if we can shoot much more quickly than they can, it will equalize matters. Then, of course, there will be bows and arrows. I do not hold greatly to the new musketoons--a man can shoot six arrows while he can fire one of them, and that with a straighter and truer aim, though it is true they can carry somewhat farther. Then, of course, there will be pikes, and boarding axes, and a good stock of powder and balls for the cannon117. These are the complete lists I have made out.
"Now I hold that we should carry from eighty to a hundred men. These I should pay only the ordinary rate of wage, but each should have an interest in the venture, according to his rank. As to the profits, I would leave it to you, my masters, to reckon; but seeing that in fair trade one can get gold, to say nothing of silver, weight for weight for iron; and other things in proportion; you can judge for yourselves what it will amount to--to say nothing of the chance of our falling in with a Spanish treasure ship, which may be rash enough, regarding us an easy prize, to fall foul118 of us."
"There is no doubt that the profits will be great, if you return safely home, Master Hawkshaw," Nicholas Turnbull said; "but the chances of that seem but small."
"I think that the chances are good enough to risk my life upon, Master Turnbull," Reuben replied; "and no man can show greater confidence than that. This is the map of which my Cousin Diggory has no doubt spoken to you. You see that the islands are many, and some of them great; and that the places at which the Spaniards have ports are few, in comparison. We have to avoid these, but anywhere else we can open trade with the natives. If we are chased, and find the place too hot for us, we can make away to the mainland and, cruising along there, may come upon places that the Spaniards have never visited, and may there gather great store of gold and silver, without danger. But I wish no one, and certainly not my Cousin Diggory, to enter upon this affair unless with confidence and good heart. I would far rather take a horse and travel to Bristol, and lay my scheme before some of the traders there."
This idea was most distasteful to the traders, for Plymouth regarded Bristol with great jealousy; and Diggory Beggs at once said:
"No, no, Reuben. My friend Master Nicholas Turnbull did not mean that he regarded your scheme as hopeless, only that the risks were doubtless great. But we all know that to earn great profit one must run such risk; and the venture, divided between four of us, would not be a very heavy one--that is to say, not beyond what we are justified in periling119.
"Would you leave us for a while, Reuben? We will examine these lists that you have made, and reckon up the total cost; and we shall then see the better how much we shall each have to contribute, to make up our venture."
Reuben nodded and, putting on his hat, left the room, saying, "In an hour I will return;" and then strolled over to a tavern120 much frequented by the masters of the ships in the port.
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seaport
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| n.海港，港口，港市 | |
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3
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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4
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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cargoes
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| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
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6
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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8
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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9
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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11
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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12
jointed
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| 有接缝的 | |
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13
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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14
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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15
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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16
complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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18
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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19
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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20
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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21
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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22
brawl
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| n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂 | |
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23
moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24
frays
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| n.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的名词复数 )v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的第三人称单数 ) | |
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25
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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26
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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27
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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29
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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30
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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31
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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32
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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33
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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34
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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35
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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36
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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37
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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38
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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39
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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40
interferes
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| vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉 | |
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41
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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42
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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43
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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44
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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45
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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46
gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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47
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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48
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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49
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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51
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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52
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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53
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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54
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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55
persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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56
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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57
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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58
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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59
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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60
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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61
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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62
garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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63
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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64
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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65
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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66
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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67
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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68
overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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69
galleon
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| n.大帆船 | |
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70
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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71
counselors
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| n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师 | |
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72
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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73
embroiling
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| v.使（自己或他人）卷入纠纷( embroil的现在分词 ) | |
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74
embroil
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| vt.拖累；牵连；使复杂 | |
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75
confiscate
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| v.没收(私人财产)，把…充公 | |
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76
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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77
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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78
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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79
ordnance
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| n.大炮，军械 | |
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80
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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81
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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82
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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83
piracy
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| n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害 | |
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84
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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85
scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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86
embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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87
behooves
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| n.利益，好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 ) | |
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88
broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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89
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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90
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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91
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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92
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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93
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
warehouse
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| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
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95
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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96
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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97
broaching
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| n.拉削；推削；铰孔；扩孔v.谈起( broach的现在分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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98
caulked
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| v.堵（船的）缝( caulk的过去式和过去分词 )；泥…的缝；填塞；使不漏水 | |
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99
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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100
displeases
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| 冒犯，使生气，使不愉快( displease的第三人称单数 ) | |
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101
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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102
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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103
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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104
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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105
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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106
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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107
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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108
barter
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| n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易 | |
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109
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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110
chary
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| adj.谨慎的，细心的 | |
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111
vilely
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| adv.讨厌地，卑劣地 | |
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112
moldy
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| adj.发霉的 | |
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113
mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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114
scurvy
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| adj.下流的，卑鄙的，无礼的；n.坏血病 | |
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115
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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116
stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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117
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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118
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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119
periling
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| 置…于危险中（peril的现在分词形式） | |
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120
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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