Books: The Little Savage
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Captain Marryat >> The Little Savage
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"That I will as soon as I am well enough; but now I am too ill--you
must wait a day or two, till the fever has left me."
Satisfied with Jackson's promise, I tended him carefully, and washed
and dressed his wound for the two following days. He said that he
felt himself much better, and his language to me was so kind and
conciliatory, that I hardly knew what to make of it; but this is
certain, that it had a good effect upon me, and gradually the hatred
and ill-will that I bore to him wore off, and I found myself handling
him tenderly, and anxious not to give him more pain than was
necessary, yet without being aware that I was prompted by better
feelings. It was on the third morning that he said,--
"I can talk to you now; what do you want to know?"
"I want to know the whole story of how we came to this island, who
my father and mother were, and why you said that you hated me and my
name?"
"That," said Jackson, after a silence of a few minutes, "will take
some time. I could soon tell it you if it were not for the last
question,--why I hated your name? But the history of your father is
so mixed up with mine, that I cannot well tell one without the other.
I may as well begin with my own history, and that will be telling you
both."
"Then tell it me," replied I, "and do not tell me what is not true."
"No; I will tell you exactly what it was," replied Jackson; "you may
as well know it as not.--Your father and I were both born in England,
which you know is your country by birth, and you also know that the
language we talk is English."
"I did not know it. Tell me something about England before you say
any more."
I will not trouble the reader with Jackson's description of England,
or the many questions which I put to him. It was night-fall before he
had finished answering, and before I was satisfied with the
information imparted. I believe that he was very glad to hold his
tongue, for he complained of being tired, and I dressed his wound and
wetted the bandage with cold water for him before he went to sleep.
I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which this
uninterrupted flow of language had upon me; I was excited in a very
strange way, and for many nights after could not sleep for hours. I
may say here, I did not understand a great proportion of the meaning
of the words used by Jackson; but I gathered it from the context, as
I could not always be interrupting him.
It is astonishing how fast ideas breed ideas, and how a word, the
meaning of which I did not understand when it was first used, became
by repetition clear and intelligible; not that I always put the right
construction on it, but if I did not find it answer when used at
another time to my former interpretation of it, I would then ask and
obtain an explanation. This did not however occur very often. As for
this first night, I was positively almost drunk with words, and
remained nearly the whole of it arranging and fixing the new ideas
that I had acquired. My feelings towards Jackson also were changed--
that is, I no longer felt hatred or ill-will against him. These were
swallowed up in the pleasure which he had afforded me, and I looked
upon him as a treasure beyond all price,--not but that many old
feelings towards him returned at intervals, for they were not so
easily disposed of, but still I would not for the world have lost him
until I had obtained from him all possible knowledge; and if his
wound did not look well when I removed the bandage, I was much more
distressed than he was. Indeed, there was every prospect of our
ultimately being friends, from our mutual dependence on each other.
It was useless on his part, in his present destitute condition, to
nourish feelings of animosity against one on whose good offices he
was now so wholly dependant, or on my part, against one who was
creating for me, I may say, new worlds for imagination and thought to
dwell on. On the following morning, Jackson narrated in substance (as
near as I can recollect) as follows:--
"I was not intended for a sailor. I was taught at a good school, and
when I was ten years old, I was put into a house of business as a
clerk, where I remained at the desk all day long, copying into
ledgers and day-books, in fact, writing what was required of me. This
house was connected with the South American trade."
"Where is South America?" said I.
"You had better let me tell my story," replied Jackson, "and after I
have done, you can ask any questions you like, but if you stop me, it
will take a week to finish it; yesterday we lost the whole day."
"That's very true," replied I, "then I will do so."
"There were two other clerks in the counting-house--the head clerk,
whose name was Manvers, and your father, who was in the counting-house
but a few months before me. Our master, whose name was Evelyn, was
very particular with both your father and myself, scanning our
work daily, and finding fault when we deserved it. This occasioned a
rivalry between us, which made us both very active, and I received
praise quite as often as he did. On Sunday, Mr Evelyn used to ask
your father and me to spend the day. We went to church in the
forenoon and dined with him. He had a daughter a little younger than
we were. She was your mother. Both of us, as we grew up, were very
attentive to her, and anxious to be in her good graces. I cannot say
which was preferred at first, but I rather think that if anything I
was the favourite, during the first two years of our being acquainted
with her. I was more lively and a better companion than your father,
who was inclined to be grave and thoughtful. We had been about four
years in the counting-house, when my mother died--my father had been
dead some time before I went into it--and at her death I found my
share of her property to amount to about L2500. But I was not yet
twenty-one years of age. I could not receive it for another year. Mr
Evelyn, who had till then every reason to be satisfied with my
conduct, used to joke with me, and say that as soon as I was of age,
he would allow me, if I chose it, to put the money in the business,
and thus obtain a small share in it--and such was my intention, and I
looked forward to bright prospects and the hope of one day being
married to your mother, and I have no doubt but such would have been
the case, had I still conducted myself properly. But, before I was of
age, I made some very bad acquaintances, and soon ran into expenses
which I could not afford--and the worst was, that I contracted a
habit of sitting up late at night, and drinking to excess, which I
never have since got over, which proved my ruin then, and has proved
my ruin through life. This little fortune of mine not only gave me
consequence, but was the cause of my thinking very highly of myself.
I now was more particular in my attentions to Miss Evelyn, and was
graciously received by her father; neither had I any reason to
complain of my treatment from the young lady. As for your father, he
was quite thrown into the back-ground. He had no property nor hope of
any, except what he might hereafter secure by his diligence and good
conduct; and the attention I received from Mr Evelyn, and also the
head clerk, who had an idea that I was to be a partner and
consequently would become his superior, made him very melancholy and
unhappy--for I believe that then he was quite as much in love with
Miss Evelyn as I was myself; and I must tell you, that my love for
her was unbounded, and she well deserved it. But all these happy
prospects were overthrown by my own folly. As soon as it was known
that I had property left to me, I was surrounded by many others who
requested to be introduced to me, and my evenings were passed in what
I considered very good company, but which proved the very reverse. By
degrees I took to gambling, and after a time, lost more money than I
could afford to pay. This caused me to have recourse to a Jew, who
advanced me loans at a large interest to be repaid at my coming of
age. Trying to win back my money, I at last found myself indebted to
the Jew for the sum of nearly L1000. The more that I became involved,
the more reckless I became. Mr Evelyn perceived that I kept late
hours, and looked haggard, as I well might; indeed, my position had
now become very awkward. Mr Evelyn knew well the sum that had been
left me, and how was I to account to him for the deficiency, if he
proposed that I should put it into the business? I should be ruined
in his opinion, and he never, I was convinced, would entrust the
happiness of his daughter to a young man who had been guilty of such
irregularities. At the same time, my love for her nearly amounted to
adoration. Never was there a more miserable being than I was for the
last six months previous to my coming of age, and to drown my misery
I plunged into every excess, and seldom, if ever, went to bed but in
a state of intoxication. Scheme after scheme did I propose to enable
me to conceal my fault, but I could hit upon nothing. The time
approached; I was within a few days of coming of age, when Mr Evelyn
sent for me and then spoke to me seriously, saying, that out of
regard to the memory of my father, with whom he had been very
intimate, he was willing to allow me to embark my little capital in
the business, and that he hoped that by my good conduct and
application I might soon become a useful partner. I stammered some
reply which surprised him; and he asked me to be more explicit. I
stated that I considered my capital too small to be of much use in
such a business as his, and that I preferred trying some quick method
of doubling it; that as soon as I had so done I would accept his
offer with gratitude. 'As you please,' replied he coolly; 'but take
care, that in risking all, you do not lose all. Of course, you are
your own master,' and so saying, he left me, apparently much
displeased and mortified. But circumstances occurred, which exposed
the whole affair. When in company with my evening companions, I
stated my intentions of trying my fortune in the East Indies, not
seriously, but talking at random. This came to the ears of the Jew of
whom I had borrowed the money; he thought that I intended to leave
the kingdom without taking up my bonds, and immediately repaired to
Mr Evelyn's counting-house, to communicate with the head clerk, and
ascertain if the report was correct, stating also the sums I was
indebted to him. The head clerk informed Mr Evelyn, and on the day
upon which I became twenty-one years of age, he sent for me into his
private room, and, after some remonstrances, to which I replied very
haughtily, it ended in my being dismissed. The fact was, that Mr
Evelyn had, since his last interview with me, made inquiries, and
finding out I had been living a very riotous life, he had determined
upon my leaving his service. As soon as my first burst of indignation
was over, I felt what I had lost; my attachment to Miss Evelyn was
stronger than ever, and I bitterly deplored my folly, but after a
time, as usual, I had recourse to the bottle, and to drowning my
cares in intemperance. I tried very hard to obtain an interview with
Miss Evelyn previous to my quitting the house, but this Mr Evelyn
would not permit, and a few days after, sent his daughter away, to
reside, for a time with a relation in the country. I embarked my
capital in the wine trade, and, could I have restrained myself from
drinking, should have been successful, and in a short time might have
doubled my property, as I stated to Mr Evelyn; but now, I had become
an irreclaimable drunkard, and when that is the case, all hope is
over. My affairs soon became deranged, and, at the request of my
partner, they were wound up, and I found myself with my capital of
L1500 reduced to L1000. With this, I resolved to try my fortune in
shipping; I procured a share in a brig, and sailed in her myself.
After a time, I was sufficiently expert to take the command of her,
and might have succeeded, had not my habit of drinking been so
confirmed. When at Ceylon, I fell sick, and was left behind. The brig
was lost, and as I had forgotten to insure my portion of her, I was
ruined. I struggled long, but in vain--intemperance was my curse, my
bane, the millstone at my neck, which dragged me down: I had
education, talents, and energy, and at one time, capital, but all
were useless; and thus did I sink down, from captain of a vessel to
mate, from mate to second mate, until I at last found myself a
drunken sailor before the mast. Such is my general history; to-morrow,
I will let you know how, and in what way, your father and I met again,
and what occurred, up to this present time."
But I was too much bewildered and confused with what he had told me,
to allow him to proceed, as he proposed.
"No, no," replied I. "I now recollect all you have said, although I
do not understand. You must first answer my questions, as to the
meaning of words I never heard of before. I cannot understand what
money is, what gaming is, and a great many more things you have
talked about, but I recollect, and can repeat every word that you
have said. To-morrow, I will recall it all over, and you shall tell
me what I cannot make out; after that, you can go on again."
"Very well," replied he, "I don't care how long it takes me to
answer your questions, for I am not very anxious to tell all about
your father and myself."
Chapter VI
I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which these
conversations with Jackson had upon me at first. If a prisoner were
removed from a dark cell, and all at once introduced into a garden
full of fruit and flowers, which he never before had an idea were in
existence, he could not have been more filled with wonder, surprise,
and pleasure. All was novelty and excitement, but, at the same time,
to a great degree, above my comprehension. I had neither language nor
ideas to meet it, and yet, I did, to a certain degree, comprehend. I
saw not clearly, but sometimes as through a mist, at others through a
dark fog, and I could discern little. Every day, however, my
increased knowledge of language and terms gave me an increased
knowledge of ideas. I gained more by context than I did by any other
means, and as I was by degrees enlightened, so my thirst for
information and knowledge became every day more insatiable.
That much that I considered I understood was erroneous, is certain,
for mine was a knowledge, as yet, of theory only. I could imagine to
myself, as far as the explanation I received, what such an object
might be, and, having made up my ideas on the matter, I was content;
further knowledge, would however incline me to think, and
occasionally to decide, that the idea I had formed was incorrect, and
I would alter it. Thus did I flounder about in a sea of uncertainty,
but still of exciting interest.
If any one who has been educated, and has used his eyes in a
civilised country, reads an account of people and things hitherto
unknown to him, he can, from the description and from his own general
knowledge, form a very correct idea of what the country contains. But
then he has used his eyes--he has seen those objects, between which
the parallel or the difference has been pointed out. Now I had not
that advantage. I had seen nothing but the sea, rocks, and sea-birds,
and had but one companion. Here was my great difficulty, which, I may
say, was never surmounted, until I had visited and mixed with
civilisation and men. The difficulty, however, only increased my
ardour. I was naturally of an ingenious mind, I had a remarkable
memory, and every increase of knowledge was to me a source of
delight. In fact, I had now something to live for, before I had not;
and I verily believe, that if Jackson had been by any chance removed
from me at this particular time, I should soon have become a lunatic,
from the sudden drying up of the well which supplied my inordinate
thirst for knowledge.
Some days passed before I asked Jackson to continue his narrative,
during which we lived in great harmony. Whether it was that he was
deceiving me, and commanding his temper till he had an opportunity of
revenge, or whether it was that his forlorn and helpless condition
had softened him down, I could not say, but he appeared gradually to
be forming an attachment to me; I was however on my guard at all
times. His wounded wrist had now healed up, but his hand was quite
useless, as all the tendons had been severed. I had therefore less to
fear from him than before. At my request that he would continue his
history, Jackson related as follows:--
"After sailing in vessel after vessel, and generally dismissed after
the voyage for my failing of intemperance, I embarked on board a ship
bound to Chili, and after having been on the coast for nearly a year,
we were about to proceed home with a cargo, when we anchored at
Valdivia, previous to our homeward voyage, as we had some few
articles to ship at that port. We were again ready for sea, when we
heard from the captain, that he had agreed to take two passengers, a
gentleman and his wife, who wished to proceed to England. The cabin
was cleared out, and every preparation made to receive them on board,
and in the evening the boat was sent on shore for the luggage. I went
in the boat, as I thought it likely that the gentleman would give the
boat's crew something to drink; nor was I wrong--he gave us four
dollars, which we spent immediately in one of the ventas, and were
all more or less intoxicated. It had been arranged that the luggage
should first be carried on board, and after that, we were to return
for the passengers, as we were to sail early in the morning. We
pulled off with the luggage, but on our arrival on board, I was so
drunk, that the captain would not allow me to return in the boat, and
I knew nothing of what had passed until I was roused up the next
morning to assist in getting the ship under weigh. We had been under
weigh two or three hours, and were clearing the land fast, when the
gentleman passenger came on neck; I was then coiling down a rope on
the quarter-deck, and as he passed by me, I looked at him, and I
recognised him immediately as your father. Years had passed--from a
stripling he had grown a man, but his face was not to be mistaken.
There he was, apparently a gentlemen of property and consideration;
and I, what was I? a drunken sailor. All I hoped was, that he would
not recognise me. Shortly afterwards he went down again, and returned
escorting his wife on deck. Again I took a furtive curious glance,
and perceived at once that she was that Miss Evelyn whom I had once
so loved, and by my folly had lost. This was madness. As they stood
on the deck enjoying the cool sea breeze, for the weather was
delightfully fine, the captain came up and joined them. I was so
confused at my discovery, that I knew not what I was about, and I
presume was doing something very awkwardly; for the captain said to
me--'Jackson, what are you about, you drunken hound? I suppose you
are not sober yet.' At the mention of my name, your father and mother
looked at me, and as I lifted up my head to reply to the captain,
they eyed me earnestly, and then spoke to each other in a low tone;
after which they interrogated the captain. I could not hear what they
said, but I was certain they were talking about me, and that they had
suspected, if they had not recognised me. I was ready to sink to the
deck, and, at the same time, I felt a hatred of your father enter my
heart, of which, during his life, I never could divest myself. It was
as I supposed; your father had recognised me, and the following
morning he came up to me as I was leaning over the gunwale
amidships, and addressed me,--'Jackson,' said he, 'I am sorry to
find you in this situation. You must have been very unfortunate to
have become so reduced. If you will confide your history to me,
perhaps I may, when we arrive in England, be able to assist you, and
it really will give me great pleasure.' I cannot say that I replied
very cordially. 'Mr Henniker,' said I, 'you have been fortunate by
all appearances, and can therefore afford compassion to those who
have not been so; but, sir, in our positions, I feel as if pity was
in reality a sort of triumph, and an offer of assistance an insult. I
am content with my present position, and will at all events not
change it by your interference. I earn my bread honestly. You can do
no more. Times may change yet. It's a long road that has no turning
to it. I wish you a good morning.' So saying, I turned from him, and
walked away forward, with my heart full of bitterness and anger. From
that hour he never spoke to me or noticed me again, but the captain
was more severe upon me, and I ascribed his severity most unjustly to
your father. We were about to go round Cape Horn, when the gale from
the S.E. came on, which ended in the loss of the vessel. For several
days we strove up against it, but at last the vessel, which was old,
leaked so much from straining, that we were obliged to bear up and
run before it, which we did for several days, the wind and sea
continuing without intermission. At last we found ourselves among
these islands, and were compelled occasionally to haul to the wind to
clear them. This made her leak more and more, until at last she
became water logged, and we were forced to abandon her in haste
during the night, having no time to take anything with us; we left
three men on board, who were down below. By the mercy of Heaven we
ran the boat into the opening below, which was the only spot where we
could have landed. I think I had better stop now, as I have a good
deal to tell you yet."
"Do then," replied I; "and now I think of it, I will bring up the
chest and all the things which were in it, and you shall tell me what
they are."
I went down and returned with the clothes and linen. There were
eight pair of trousers, nine shirts, besides the one I had torn up to
bandage his wounds with, two pair of blue trousers, and two jackets,
four white duck frocks, some shoes, and stockings. Jackson felt them
one by one with his hands, and told me what they were, and how worn.
"Why don't you wear some of them?" inquired I.
"If you will give me leave, I will," replied he. "Let me have a duck
frock and a pair of trousers."
I handed the articles to him, and then went back for the rest which
I had left on the rocks.
When I returned, with my arms full, I found that he had put them on,
and his other clothes were beside him. "I feel more like a Christian
now," said he.
"A Christian," said I, "what is that?"
"I will tell you by-and-bye. It is what I have not been for a long,
long while," replied he. "Now, what have you brought this time?"
"Here," said I, "what is this?"
"This is a roll of duck, to make into frocks and trousers," replied
he. "That is bees'-wax." He then explained to me all the tools,
sailing-needles, fish-hooks, and fishing-lines, some sheets of
writing-paper, and two pens, I had brought up with me. "All these are
very valuable," said he, after a pause, "and would have added much to
our comfort, if I had not been blind."
"There are more things yet," said I; "I will go and fetch them."
This time I replaced the remaining articles, and brought up the
chest. It was a heavy load to carry up the rocks, and I was out of
breath when I arrived and set it down on the cabin-floor.
"Now, I have the whole of them," said I. "Now, what is this?"
"That is a spy-glass--but, alas! I am blind--but I will show you how
to use it, at all events."
"Here are two books," said I.
"Give them to me," said he, "and let me feel them. This one is a
Bible, I am quite sure by its shape, and the other is, I think, a
Prayer-book."
"What is a Bible, and what is a Prayer-book?" replied I.
"The Bible is the Word of God, and the Prayer-book teaches us how to
pray to him."
"But who is God? I have often heard you say, 'O God!' and 'God damn'
--but who is he?"
"I will tell you to-night before we go to sleep," replied Jackson,
gravely.
"Very well, I shall remind you. I have found a little box inside the
chest, and it is full of all manner of little things--strings and
sinews."
"Let me feel them?"
I put a bundle into his hand.
"These are needles and thread for making and mending clothes--they
will be useful bye-and-bye."
At last the whole contents of the chest were overhauled and
explained: I could not well comprehend the glass bottles, or how they
were made, but I put them with the pannikins, and everything else,
very carefully into the chest again, and hauled the chest to the
farther end of the cabin, out of the way. Before we went to bed that
night, Jackson had to explain to me who God was, but as it was only
the commencement of several conversations on the subject, I shall not
at present trouble the reader with what passed between us. Jackson
appeared to be very melancholy after the conversation we had had on
religious matters, and was frequently agitated and muttering to
himself.
Chapter VII
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