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Chapter 4
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THE passage from the romantic to the realistic, from thechimerical to the actual, from the child's poeticinterpretation of life to life's practical version of itself,is too gradual to be noticed while the process is going on.

  It is only in the retrospect1 we see the change. There isstill, for yet another stage, the same and even greaterreceptivity, - delight in new experiences, in gratifiedcuriosity, in sensuous2 enjoyment3, in the exercise of growingfaculties. But the belief in the impossible and the bliss4 ofignorance are seen, when looking back, to have assumed almostabruptly a cruder state of maturer dulness. Between thepublic schoolboy and the child there is an essentialdifference; and this in a boy's case is largely due, I fancy,to the diminished influence of woman, and the increasedinfluence of men.

  With me, certainly, the rough usage I was ere long to undergomaterially modified my view of things in general. In 1838,when I was eleven years old, my uncle, Henry Keppel, thefuture Admiral of the Fleet, but then a dashing youngcommander, took me (as he mentions in his Autobiography) tothe Naval6 Academy at Gosport. The very afternoon of myadmittance - as an illustration of the above remarks - I hadthree fights with three different boys. After that the 'newboy' was left to his own devices, - QUA 'new boy,' that is;as an ordinary small boy, I had my share. I have spoken ofthe starvation at Dr. Pinkney's; here it was the terriblebullying that left its impress on me - literally7 its mark,for I still bear the scar upon my hand.

  Most boys, I presume, know the toy called a whirligig, madeby stringing a button on a loop of thread, the twisting anduntwisting of which by approaching and separating the handscauses the button to revolve8. Upon this design, and bysubstituting a jagged disk of slate9 for the button, thesenior 'Bull-dogs' (we were all called 'Burney's bull-dogs')constructed a very simple instrument of torture. One big boyspun the whirligig, while another held the small boy's palmtill the sharp slate-edge gashed11 it. The wound was severe.

  For many years a long white cicatrice recorded the fact in myright hand. The ordeal12 was, I fancy, unique - a prerogativeof the naval 'bull-dogs.' The other torture was, in thosedays, not unknown to public schools. It was to hold a boy'sback and breech as near to a hot fire as his clothes wouldbear without burning. I have an indistinct recollection of aboy at one of our largest public schools being thus exposed,and left tied to chairs while his companions were at church.

  When church was over the boy was found - roasted.

  By the advice of a chum I submitted to the scorching13 withouta howl, and thus obtained immunity14, and admission to theroasting guild15 for the future. What, however, served mebest, in all matters of this kind, was that as soon as I wastwelve years old my name was entered on the books of the'Britannia,' then flag-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, and thoughI remained at the Academy, I always wore the uniform of avolunteer of the first class, now called a naval cadet. Theuniform was respected, and the wearer shared the benefit.

  During the winter of 1839-40 I joined H.M.S. 'Blonde,' a 46-gun frigate16 commanded by Captain Bouchier, afterwards SirThomas, whose portrait is now in the National PortraitGallery. He had seen much service, and had been flag-captainto Nelson's Hardy17. In the middle of that winter we sailedfor China, where troubles had arisen anent the opium18 trade.

  What would the cadet of the present day think of thetreatment we small boys had to put up with sixty or seventyyears ago? Promotion19 depended almost entirely20 on interest.

  The service was entered at twelve or thirteen. After twoyears at sea, if the boy passed his examination, he mountedthe white patch, and became a midshipman. At the end of fouryears more he had to pass a double examination, - one forseamanship before a board of captains, and another fornavigation at the Naval College. He then became a master'smate, and had to serve for three years as such before he waseligible for promotion to a lieutenancy21. Unless an officerhad family interest he often stuck there, and as often had toserve under one more favoured, who was not born when hehimself was getting stale.

  Naturally enough these old hands were jealous of thefortunate youngsters, and, unless exceptionally amiable,would show them little mercy.

  We left Portsmouth in December 1839. It was bitter winter.

  The day we sailed, such was the severity of the gale22 andsnowstorm, that we had to put back and anchor at St. Helensin the Isle23 of Wight. The next night we were at sea. Ithappened to be my middle watch. I had to turn out of myhammock at twelve to walk the deck till four in the morning.

  Walk! I could not stand. Blinded with snow, drenched24 by theseas, frozen with cold, home sick and sea sick beyonddescription, my opinion of the Royal Navy - as a profession -was, in the course of these four hours, seriously subverted25.

  Long before the watch ended. I was reeling about more asleepthan awake; every now and then brought to my senses bybreaking my shins against the carronade slides; or, if I satdown upon one of them to rest, by a playful whack26 with arope's end from one of the crusty old mates aforesaid, whoperhaps anticipated in my poor little personality thearrogance of a possible commanding officer. Oh! those cruelnight watches! But the hard training must have been a usefultonic too. One got accustomed to it by degrees; and hence,indifferent to exposure, to bad food, to kicks and cuffs27, tocalls of duty, to subordination, and to all that constitutesdiscipline.

  Luckily for me, the midshipman of my watch, Jack28 Johnson, wasa trump29, and a smart officer to boot. He was six years olderthan I, and, though thoroughly30 good-natured, was formidableenough from his strength and determination to have his willrespected. He became my patron and protector. Rightly, orwrongly I am afraid, he always took my part, made excuses forme to the officer of our watch if I were caught napping underthe half-deck, or otherwise neglecting my duty. Sometimes hewould even take the blame for this upon himself, and give mea 'wigging31' in private, which was my severest punishment. Hetaught me the ropes, and explained the elements ofseamanship. If it was very cold at night he would make mewear his own comforter, and, in short, took care of me inevery possible way. Poor Jack! I never had a better friend;and I loved him then, God knows. He was one of those whoseadvancement depended on himself. I doubt whether he wouldever have been promoted but for an accident which I shallspeak of presently.

  When we got into warm latitudes32 we were taught not only toknot and splice33, but to take in and set the mizzen royal.

  There were four of us boys, and in all weathers at last wewere practised aloft until we were as active and as smart asany of the ship's lads, even in dirty weather or in suddensqualls.

  We had a capital naval instructor34 for lessons in navigation,and the quartermaster of the watch taught us how to handlethe wheel and con10.

  These quartermasters - there was one to each of the threewatches - were picked men who had been captains of tops orboatswains' mates. They were much older than any of thecrew. Our three in the 'Blonde' had all seen service in theFrench and Spanish wars. One, a tall, handsome old fellow,had been a smuggler35; and many a fight with, or narrow escapefrom, the coast-guard he had to tell of. The other two hadbeen badly wounded. Old Jimmy Bartlett of my watch had ahole in his chest half an inch deep from a boarding pike. Hehad also lost a finger, and a bullet had passed through hischeek. One of his fights was in the 'Amethyst37' frigate when,under Sir Michael Seymour, she captured the 'Niemen' in 1809.

  Often in the calm tropical nights, when the helm could takecare of itself almost, he would spin me a yarn38 about hotactions, cutting-outs, press-gangings, and perils39 which hehad gone through, or - what was all one to me - had invented.

  From England to China round the Cape36 was a long voyage beforethere was a steamer in the Navy. It is impossible todescribe the charm of one's first acquaintance with tropicalvegetation after the tedious monotony unbroken by any eventbut an occasional flogging or a man overboard. The islandsseemed afloat in an atmosphere of blue; their jungles rootingin the water's edge. The strange birds in the daytime, theflocks of parrots, the din5 of every kind of life, the flyingfoxes at night, the fragrant40 and spicy41 odours, captivate thesenses. How delicious, too, the fresh fruits brought off bythe Malays in their scooped-out logs, one's first taste ofbananas, juicy shaddocks, mangoes, and custard apples - aftermonths of salt junk, disgusting salt pork, and biscuit alldust and weevils. The water is so crystal-clear it seems asthough one could lay one's hands on strange coloured fish andcoral beds at any depth. This, indeed, was 'kissing the lipsof unexpected change.' It was a first kiss moreover. Thetropics now have ceased to remind me even of this spell ofnovelty and wonder.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 retrospect xDeys     
n.回顾,追溯;v.回顾,回想,追溯
参考例句:
  • One's school life seems happier in retrospect than in reality.学校生活回忆起来显得比实际上要快乐。
  • In retrospect,it's easy to see why we were wrong.回顾过去就很容易明白我们的错处了。
2 sensuous pzcwc     
adj.激发美感的;感官的,感觉上的
参考例句:
  • Don't get the idea that value of music is commensurate with its sensuous appeal.不要以为音乐的价值与其美的感染力相等。
  • The flowers that wreathed his parlor stifled him with their sensuous perfume.包围著客厅的花以其刺激人的香味使他窒息。
3 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣;享有;享用
参考例句:
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同,我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话,这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
4 bliss JtXz4     
n.狂喜,福佑,天赐的福
参考例句:
  • It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
  • He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴,因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。
5 din nuIxs     
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声
参考例句:
  • The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深,喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
  • They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。
6 naval h1lyU     
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的
参考例句:
  • He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
  • The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
7 literally 28Wzv     
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实
参考例句:
  • He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
  • Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候,她不走到真正要昏厥了,决不肯坐下来。
8 revolve NBBzX     
vi.(使)旋转;循环出现
参考例句:
  • The planets revolve around the sun.行星绕着太阳运转。
  • The wheels began to revolve slowly.车轮开始慢慢转动。
9 slate uEfzI     
n.板岩,石板,石片,石板色,候选人名单;adj.暗蓝灰色的,含板岩的;vt.用石板覆盖,痛打,提名,预订
参考例句:
  • The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
  • What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢?
10 con WXpyR     
n.反对的观点,反对者,反对票,肺病;vt.精读,学习,默记;adv.反对地,从反面;adj.欺诈的
参考例句:
  • We must be fair and consider the reason pro and con.我们必须公平考虑赞成和反对的理由。
  • The motion is adopted non con.因无人投反对票,协议被通过。
11 gashed 6f5bd061edd8e683cfa080a6ce77b514     
v.划伤,割破( gash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He gashed his hand on a sharp piece of rock. 他的手在一块尖石头上划了一个大口子。
  • He gashed his arm on a piece of broken glass. 他的胳膊被玻璃碎片划了一个大口子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 ordeal B4Pzs     
n.苦难经历,(尤指对品格、耐力的)严峻考验
参考例句:
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
  • Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。
13 scorching xjqzPr     
adj. 灼热的
参考例句:
  • a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
  • a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评
14 immunity dygyQ     
n.优惠;免除;豁免,豁免权
参考例句:
  • The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
  • He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。
15 guild 45qyy     
n.行会,同业公会,协会
参考例句:
  • He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
  • You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。
16 frigate hlsy4     
n.护航舰,大型驱逐舰
参考例句:
  • An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
  • I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。
17 hardy EenxM     
adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的
参考例句:
  • The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
  • He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。
18 opium c40zw     
n.鸦片;adj.鸦片的
参考例句:
  • That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
  • Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
19 promotion eRLxn     
n.提升,晋级;促销,宣传
参考例句:
  • The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
  • The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级,加了薪。
20 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
21 lieutenancy 70f73837b4aaba726fd8973fe99a84b5     
n.中尉之职,代理官员
参考例句:
  • Council is the actuator of member congress arise by member congress election, every lieutenancy 3 years. 理事会是会员代表大会的执行机构,由会员代表大会选举产生,每届任期3年。 来自互联网
  • Board of directors of golden hill software thankses to the contribution inside its lieutenancy. 金山软件董事会对其任期内贡献表示感谢。 来自互联网
22 gale Xf3zD     
n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等)
参考例句:
  • We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
  • According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报,明天有大风。
23 isle fatze     
n.小岛,岛
参考例句:
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
24 drenched cu0zJp     
adj.湿透的;充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体)
参考例句:
  • We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨,淋得浑身透湿。
  • The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 subverted 0ea056f007f4bccdd3f72e136b787a55     
v.颠覆,破坏(政治制度、宗教信仰等)( subvert的过去式和过去分词 );使(某人)道德败坏或不忠
参考例句:
  • Their wills could be subverted only by death. 只有死神才能使他们放弃他们的意志。 来自教父部分
  • Indiana State laws deliberately subverted the intent of the constitutions 14th Amendment. 印第安纳州的法律有意歪曲联邦宪法第十四条修正案的愿意。 来自辞典例句
26 whack kMKze     
v.敲击,重打,瓜分;n.重击,重打,尝试,一份
参考例句:
  • After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食,卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
  • He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒,在我背上猛拍一下。
27 cuffs 4f67c64175ca73d89c78d4bd6a85e3ed     
n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • a collar and cuffs of white lace 带白色蕾丝花边的衣领和袖口
  • The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. 他衬衣的袖口磨破了。
28 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
29 trump LU1zK     
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭
参考例句:
  • He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
  • The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手,作为他的王牌。
30 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
31 wigging 2c84e57f60a25363cb220219ab136b80     
n.责备,骂,叱责
参考例句:
  • He got a wigging for being out late last night. 他昨晚因回来太迟而被骂了一顿。 来自互联网
32 latitudes 90df39afd31b3508eb257043703bc0f3     
纬度
参考例句:
  • Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
  • It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。
33 splice irmyA     
v.接合,衔接;n.胶接处,粘接处
参考例句:
  • He taught me to edit and splice film.他教我剪辑和粘接胶片。
  • The film will be spliced with footage of Cypress Hill to be filmed in America.这部电影要和将在美国拍摄的柏树山乐队的音乐片段粘接在一起。
34 instructor D6GxY     
n.指导者,教员,教练
参考例句:
  • The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
  • The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。
35 smuggler 0xFwP     
n.走私者
参考例句:
  • The smuggler is in prison tonight, awaiting extradition to Britain. 这名走私犯今晚在监狱,等待引渡到英国。
  • The smuggler was finally obliged to inform against his boss. 那个走私犯最后不得不告发他的首领。
36 cape ITEy6     
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风
参考例句:
  • I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
  • She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。
37 amethyst ee0yu     
n.紫水晶
参考例句:
  • She pinned a large amethyst brooch to her lapel.她在翻领上别了一枚大大的紫水晶饰针。
  • The exquisite flowers come alive in shades of amethyst.那些漂亮的花儿在紫水晶的映衬下显得格外夺目。
38 yarn LMpzM     
n.纱,纱线,纺线;奇闻漫谈,旅行轶事
参考例句:
  • I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。
  • The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
39 perils 3c233786f6fe7aad593bf1198cc33cbe     
极大危险( peril的名词复数 ); 危险的事(或环境)
参考例句:
  • The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
  • With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难?
40 fragrant z6Yym     
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
参考例句:
  • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
  • The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
41 spicy zhvzrC     
adj.加香料的;辛辣的,有风味的
参考例句:
  • The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
  • Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。


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