The general had been invited, with Captain and Mrs. Sharp, to join the party of her consort in the business of sight-seeing; and Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava had united with Captain Ringgold in the invitation. The commander of the Blanche had visited the party on shore; but he was engaged in making some changes on board of his ship which required his attention. The Mohammedan magnates had kept the general very busy, night and day, and fêted him like a king.
Lord Tremlyn had taken care of the engineers and other people of the wrecked3 steam-yacht, and had treated everybody in a subordinate capacity with princely liberality. He and his Indian associate were both multi-millionaires, with fortunes inherited from their ancestors and other relatives; and unitedly they had placed a large sum of money in the hands of the captains of the two steamers, to be equitably4 distributed among their ships' companies. Captain Ringgold remonstrated5 against this lavish6 gift to his own people.
"It is a sailor's duty, and a large part of his religion, to assist those in peril7 and distress8 on the sea, the poor and the rich alike, and I dislike to have my men rewarded in money for a service of this kind," said he rather warmly.
"It was the good Father in heaven who sent your ship to our aid when we were perishing; but he works through human agencies, and I feel it to be a solemn duty to recognize my obligations to those so providentially sent to save us," replied his lordship, taking the hand of the commander with much feeling in his tone and manner. "I shall never cease to be grateful to Heaven for this interposition in my favor, and that of my companions; for all of us were in the very jaws9 of death."
"I can understand your feelings, my Lord; but all my people, as well as myself, may soon require the same service we have rendered to others, and I desire to let what we have done be placed to our credit against the possible debt of the future," added the captain.
"I shall feel better and happier when I have done, in connection with Sir Modava, what I propose, and I beg you will withdraw your objections," persisted the viscount.
They argued the question for some time; but at last the commander yielded the point. Every seaman10, fireman, and waiter received five pounds, and every officer a larger sum, in proportion to his rank, after the manner in which prize-money is distributed on board of ships of war. The same apportionment was made on board of both steamers, and Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava were most vigorously cheered by the two ships' companies.
Due notice had been given to Captain Sharp of the intention to sail for Surat on Tuesday; and on the day before the cabin party of the Blanche, which included Dr. Henderson, the surgeon of the ship, came to dine with their friends at the Victoria Hotel. General Noury, who had been taking leave of his Mussulman hosts, was attended by three of them, who were at once invited by his lordship to join them at dinner, and the band of the Blanche had been sent on shore for the occasion.
The general had been taken about the city and its vicinity by his host, and they were anxious to retain him longer in Bombay. He was on excellent terms with Lord Tremlyn, who, though a strict Churchman, was not a bigot; and his connection with the affairs of India had brought him into intimate association with men of all religions, and there were about thirteen million Mohammedans in the Punjab.
His lordship renewed his invitation to the general to join the party who were going across India, and he seemed to be inclined to accept it. His Mussulman friends declared that he would be most cordially welcomed by all the people of their faith, especially if attended by such excellent Christian11 people; and they appeared to have none of the bigotry12 so often found among the followers13 of the Prophet.
"I don't quite understand your plan, Captain Ringgold," said Captain Sharp. "You go to Surat, and from there across the country;" for the conductors had decided14 not to go to Kurrachee. "But what becomes of the ships?"
"The Guardian-Mother will proceed to Calcutta, as soon as we land, in charge of Mr. Boulong," replied Captain Ringgold. "We shall join her there."
The commander of the Blanche shook his head; and after some discussion he declined to join the tourists, and his wife would not go without him. Doubtless he had some strong reasons for his decision, though he did not state them; but probably he had not as much confidence in his first officer as Captain Ringgold had in Mr. Boulong. The question was settled that the general should go, and he insisted that Dr. Henderson should go with him; and with three physicians in the excursion they appeared to be provided for any emergency.
The dinner was a very merry affair. The band played to the delight of all; and one of the general's friends declared that they had no such music in Bombay, to which he replied that he had engaged the best he could find in Italy. The company retired15 to the parlor16, and the band played on the veranda17 for an hour longer. Some of the most distinguished18 of the civil and military officers located in the city called at this hour by invitation of the viscount, to pay their respects to the visitors; and Mrs. Blossom declared that she was never so "frustrated19" in all her life.
"I should like to take my band with me," said General Noury, when the officials had all departed. "I am very fond of music, and I think it will afford us all a great deal of pleasure; of course I mean at my own expense."
"I beg your pardon, General Noury, but it must be at my expense," interposed Lord Tremlyn. "I was thinking myself what an addition it would be to have such excellent music on our way, and I am sure it will add a great deal to the earnestness of the welcome we shall everywhere receive. As to the expense, I hope and beg that not another word will be said about it. The entire party are the guests of Sir Modava and myself."
"I protest"--Captain Ringgold began.
"Pardon me, my dear Captain; you are all our guests, and protests are entirely20 out of order," interposed Lord Tremlyn.
It was a very pleasant and friendly dispute that followed, and his lordship had carried his point at the close of it. The commander had been to the landlord, and asked for his bill; but the worthy21 Parsee informed him that it had already been paid. He had remonstrated with the hosts; but they had been inflexible22. It was finally decided that nothing more should be said about expense; for his lordship declared that it was a very disagreeable subject to him. The captain believed that he was entirely sincere; and though he had never encountered such extreme liberality before, he gave up the point.
"You can tie your purse-strings with a hard knot, Uncle Moses, for you will not have occasion to undo23 them again for a month," said Captain Ringgold. "I don't quite like it."
"I don't know that I wonder at the generosity24 of our hosts," replied the trustee, as he put his fat arm around the neck of Louis, who stood next to him. "If this young man had been in the situation of Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava when you picked them up, I am very sure I should not have grumbled25 if I had been called upon to disburse26 a sum equal to what this trip will cost them, if they, or any one, had picked him up. There are two sides to this question, Captain."
"Then you fight on the other side, though you hold the purse-strings," said the commander.
"Would I give a hundred thousand dollars for saving Sir Louis's life? His mother would give ten times that sum, and all the rest of the young man's fortune. That is a matter about which we must not be mean; and the other side take that view of it. I quite agree that not another word ought to be said about expense," responded Uncle Moses, giving the young millionaire another hug.
"Uncle Moses is not a bit like the miser27 that could not afford a candle at his death-bed in the night," added Louis. "If they had done as much for us as we have for them, I should be glad to take them all around the world, and pay for an Italian band of music all the way."
"That's right, Sir Louis! Do as you would be done by," chuckled28 the trustee.
"It just occurs to me, Captain Sharp," said the commander of the Guardian-Mother, as the former was about to leave, "that there is no reason for your going to Surat, for we can take the general, Dr. Henderson, and the band along with us. You have a voyage of two thousand miles before you."
"Which I can make in seven or eight days without hurrying," replied the captain of the Blanche. "I could get to Calcutta before you do if I sailed two weeks hence."
"Just as you please."
But General Noury seemed to like the idea of getting on board of the Guardian-Mother even for a day, and adopted the suggestion of Captain Ringgold.
"There is next to nothing to be seen at Surat, and we shall go from there immediately to Baroda, on our way to Lahore," interposed Lord Tremlyn. "The Maharajah of Gwalior is an old friend of Sir Modava, and I am well acquainted with him. I have no doubt we shall be very hospitably29 treated there, and that you will be introduced to many things that will interest you. If Captain Sharp desires to see some Indian sports, he can go with us to Baroda, stay a week, and then return to his ship here by railway."
"I like that idea, as my wife wishes to see a little more of India on shore, though she does not wish to take the long journey you are to make," added Captain Sharp.
This plan was accepted, and the party separated. The next morning the carriages conveyed them to the Apollo Bunder, and at seven o'clock the Guardian-Mother was under way. The band was playing on the promenade30, and the party were taking their last view of Bombay and its surroundings. Captain Sharp and his wife were on board. The three doctors formed a trio by themselves, and were discussing jungle fever, which existed in the low lands beyond Byculla.
The sea outside was smooth; and at four o'clock in the afternoon the steamer was among the Malacca shoals, in the Gulf31 of Cambay, with a pilot on board. She soon entered the Tapti River, fifteen miles from its mouth. The band had scattered32 after the noonday concert, and the party took the chairs in Conference Hall.
"I suppose you wish to know something about the places you visit, ladies and gentlemen," said Lord Tremlyn, rising before them, and bowing at the applause with which he was heartily33 greeted. "This is Surat, a hundred and sixty miles north of Bombay, on the Tapti River, which you may spell with a double e at the end if you prefer. It has a population of a hundred and ten thousand. It extends about a mile along this river, with the government buildings in the centre.
"The streets are well paved, and the houses are packed very closely together. There are four very handsome Mohammedan mosques34 here, so our friend the general will have a place to go to on our Friday." The Mussulman bowed, and gave the speaker one of his prettiest smiles. "The Parsees, of whom a few families own half the place, are prominent in business, as in Bombay; and they supply the most skilful35 mechanics, the liveliest clerks, and the quickest boys in the schools. They have two fire-temples here. The Hindus, especially the Buniahs and the Jains, are as prominent as in Bombay. The city was founded before 1512; for then it was burned by the Portuguese36, who did it again eighteen years later.
"It had a very extensive commerce in its earlier years, and flourished on its cotton trade during the American war. In 1811 it had a population of two hundred and fifty thousand; but five and thirty years later it had less than one-third of that; but has gained somewhat up to the present time. Nearly a hundred years ago it was the most populous37 city of India. But I do not propose to exhaust the subject, and now you may see for yourselves."
His lordship and the Hindu gentleman, since their liberality had been whispered through the ship, were exceedingly popular, and both were warmly applauded whenever they opened their mouths. The party found enough to occupy their attention till the ship came to anchor, with its brass38 band in full blast, off the public buildings. A steam-launch came off for the passengers; for the hosts had written to every place they were to visit, and carriages were in readiness for them when they landed.
They rode over the town after a collation39 at a clubhouse, and saw all that was to be seen. They were quartered for the night at private residences, and there was almost a struggle to know who should receive them.
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1
consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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equitably
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| 公平地 | |
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remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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6
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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9
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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bigotry
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| n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等 | |
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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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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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18
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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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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undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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24
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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disburse
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| v.支出，拨款 | |
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miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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34
mosques
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| 清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 ) | |
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35
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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36
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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populous
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| adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的 | |
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38
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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collation
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| n.便餐；整理 | |
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