第43章 THE VOYAGE(31)

Nothing remarkable happened this day;for as to the firm persuasion of the captain that he was under the spell of witchcraft,I would not repeat it too often,though indeed he repeated it an hundred times every day;in truth,he talked of nothing else,and seemed not only to be satisfied in general of his being bewitched,but actually to have fixed with good certainty on the person of the witch,whom,had he lived in the days of Sir Matthew Hale,he would have infallibly indicted,and very possibly have hanged,for the detestable sin of witchcraft;but that law,and the whole doctrine that supported it,are now out of fashion;and witches,as a learned divine once chose to express himself,are put down by act of parliament.This witch,in the captain's opinion,was no other than Mrs.Francis of Ryde,who,as he insinuated,out of anger to me for not spending more money in her house than she could produce anything to exchange for,or ally pretense to charge for,had laid this spell on his ship.

Though we were again got near our harbor by three in the afternoon,yet it seemed to require a full hour or more before we could come to our former place of anchoring,or berth,as the captain called it.On this occasion we exemplified one of the few advantages which the travelers by water have over the travelers by land.What would the latter often give for the sight of one of those hospitable mansions where he is assured THAT THERE IS GOOD ENTERTAINMENT FOR MAN AND HORSE;and where both may consequently promise themselves to assuage that hunger which exercise is so sure to raise in a healthy constitution.

At their arrival at this mansion how much happier is the state of the horse than that of the master!The former is immediately led to his repast,such as it is,and,whatever it is,he falls to it with appetite.But the latter is in a much worse situation.His hunger,however violent,is always in some degree delicate,and his food must have some kind of ornament,or,as the more usual phrase is,of dressing,to recommend it.Now all dressing requires time,and therefore,though perhaps the sheep might be just killed before you came to the inn,yet in cutting him up,fetching the joint,which the landlord by mistake said he had in the house,from the butcher at two miles'distance,and afterwards warming it a little by the fire,two hours at least must be consumed,while hunger,for want of better food,preys all the time on the vitals of the man.

How different was the case with us!we carried our provision,our kitchen,and our cook with us,and we were at one and the same time traveling on our road,and sitting down to a repast of fish,with which the greatest table in London can scarce at any rate be supplied.

Friday.--As we were disappointed of our wind,and obliged to return back the preceding evening,we resolved to extract all the good we could out of our misfortune,and to add considerably to our fresh stores of meat and bread,with which we were very indifferently provided when we hurried away yesterday.By the captain's advice we likewise laid in some stores of butter,which we salted and potted ourselves,for our use at Lisbon,and we had great reason afterwards to thank him for his advice.

In the afternoon I persuaded my wife whom it was no easy matter for me to force from my side,to take a walk on shore,whither the gallant captain declared he was ready to attend her.

Accordingly the ladies set out,and left me to enjoy a sweet and comfortable nap after the operation of the preceding day.

Thus we enjoyed our separate pleasures full three hours,when we met again,and my wife gave the foregoing account of the gentleman whom I have before compared to Axylus,and of his habitation,to both which she had been introduced by the captain,in the style of an old friend and acquaintance,though this foundation of intimacy seemed to her to be no deeper laid than in an accidental dinner,eaten many years before,at this temple of hospitality,when the captain lay wind-bound in the same bay.

Saturday.--Early this morning the wind seemed inclined to change in our favor.Our alert captain snatched its very first motion,and got under sail with so very gentle a breeze that,as the tide was against him,he recommended to a fishing boy to bring after him a vast salmon and some other provisions which lay ready for him on shore.

Our anchor was up at six,and before nine in the morning we had doubled the Berry-head,and were arrived off Dartmouth,having gone full three miles in as many hours,in direct opposition to the tide,which only befriended us out of our harbor;and though the wind was perhaps our friend,it was so very silent,and exerted itself so little in our favor,that,like some cool partisans,it was difficult to say whether it was with us or against us.The captain,however,declared the former to be the case during the whole three hours;but at last he perceived his error,or rather,perhaps,this friend,which had hitherto wavered in choosing his side,became now more determined.The captain then suddenly tacked about,and,asserting that he was bewitched,submitted to return to the place from whence he came.