The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader - And what befell their Passengers and Crews.

William Henry Giles Kingston

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• Publié par: argu
• Publié le: 01 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 18
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader, by
W.H.G. Kingston
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Title: The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader
And what befell their Passengers and Crews.
Author: W.H.G. Kingston
Release Date: February 22, 2008 [EBook #24666]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VOYAGES OF THE RANGER ***
Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
W.H.G. Kingston
"The Voyages of the Ranger and Crusader"
Chapter One.
The Family Party.
“Harry, my boy; another slice of beef?” said Major Shafto, addressing his fine
young sailor-son, a passed midshipman, lately come home from sea.
“No, thank you, since I could not, if I took it, pay due respect to the mince-pies
and plum-pudding; but Willy here can manage another slice, I daresay. He has a
notion, that he will have to feed for the future on ‘salt junk’ and ‘hard tack.’”
Willy Dicey was going to sea, and had just been appointed to Harry Shafto’s ship,
the “Ranger.”
Among the large party of family friends collected at Major Shafto’s house on that
Christmas Day not many years ago, was Lieutenant Dicey, a friend and
neighbour of the Major’s, who had served with him in the same regiment for
many years. The Lieutenant had lost a leg, and, unable to purchase his company,
had retired from the army. His eldest son, Charles, and two of his daughters,
Emily and May, had arranged to go out and settle in New Zealand; and they
expected shortly to sail. The Lieutenant would gladly have gone with them, but
he had a delicate wife and several other children, and thought it wiser, therefore,
to remain at home. The party was a happy and cheerful one. The fire burned
brightly, showing that there was a hard frost outside. The lamp shed a brilliant
light over the well-covered table, and the Major did his best to entertain his
guests. The first course was removed, and then came a wonderful plum-pudding,and such dishes of mince-pies! And then the brandy was brought and poured
over them, and set on fire; and Harry Shafto and Willy Dicey tried if they could
not eat them while still blazing, and, of course, burned their mouths, eliciting
shouts of laughter; and the whole party soon thought no more of the future, and
were happy in the present. How Mrs Clagget’s tongue did wag! She was a tall, old
lady, going out to a nephew in New Zealand; and, as she was to be the
companion of the young Diceys on the voyage, she had been asked to join the
Christmas party.
Dinner was just over when voices were heard in the hall singing a Christmas
carol, and all the guests went out to listen to the words which told of the glorious
event which had, upwards of eighteen hundred years before, occurred in the
distant East, and yet was of as much importance to all the human race, and will
be to the end of time, as then. Ringers came next, and lastly mummers played
their parts, according to an ancient custom, which some might consider “more
honoured in the breach than in the observance.” After this there was blind-man’s
buff, in which all the maid-servants as well as the children joined, and Mrs
Clagget’s own maid and the Diceys’ Susan, who had come with the children. Well
was that Christmas Day remembered by most of the party.
Soon after this the Diceys began to make active preparations for their intended
voyage. Charles went up to London and engaged a passage for himself and
sisters, and for Mrs Clagget, on board the “Crusader.” He came back, describing
her as a very fine vessel, and he seemed well pleased with her commander,
Captain Westerway.
As the time for parting approached, the young people began to feel that it would
prove a greater trial than they had expected. While talking of their future life in
the colony, and anticipating the various novel scenes and the new existence they
were to enjoy, they had scarcely considered the wrench to their feelings which
they would have to endure. Mr and Mrs Dicey had felt this, probably, from the
first; and therefore, when the trial came, they were better prepared for it. Willy
was the first to be got ready to start with his friend, Harry Shafto. We will,
therefore, follow their fortunes before we accompany our other friends on their
voyage.
Chapter Two.
The “Ranger” sails.
Harry and Willy leave home—Journey to Portsmouth—The “Blue Posts”—
Midshipmen’s tricks—On board the “Ranger”—The soldier-officers—The
sergeant’s wife—Mrs Morley and her family—Mrs Rumbelow nurses Willy—
Cape of Good Hope—Sent to land troops—The “Ranger” in danger—Driving
towards shore—The last anchor holds—Sail made—Mrs Rumbelow’s
sermon—Troops carried on.
One bright morning at the end of January, the Portsmouth coach drove up to
Major Shafto’s door. The Diceys were breakfasting at the house, for Harry
Shafto’s leave was up, and he was to take Willy with him on board the “Ranger,”
then lying in Portsmouth harbour. Farewells were said, fond embraces
exchanged, for Harry, though a tall young man, was not ashamed to kiss his
mother again and again, and his dear young sisters; nor did Willy mind the tears
which trickled unbidden from his eyes. His heart was very full; though he had so
longed to go to sea, now that he was actually going, he felt that he should be
ready, if required, to give up all his bright hopes, and stay at home.
In spite of the cold, the whole family came out and stood at the door while the
two young sailors mounted to the top of the coach. “All right,” shouted the
guard, as the last article of luggage was handed up. The coachman gave a
gentle lash to his horses, and the lads, standing up, turned round to give a last
fond look at all those they loved so well.This, it must be understood, was some time before Charles Dicey and his sisters
started on their more important expedition. The young sailors expected to be
home again in little more than a year, or perhaps even in less time, for the
“Ranger” was a Government troop-ship, with the usual officers and crew,
however, of a sloop-of-war. Harry Shafto would have preferred being in a
dashing frigate, but, at the same time, he was glad to serve under so worthy a
captain as Commander Newcombe.
Harry and his young companion, on their arrival at Portsmouth, went to the “Blue
Posts,”—not an aristocratic hotel, certainly, but one resorted to in those days by
the junior officers of the service. Willy felt very proud of his new uniform, and
could not help handling his dirk as he sat by Harry Shafto’s side in the coffee-
room. Several midshipmen and masters’ assistants came in. Two or three who
took their seats at the same table asked Willy to what ship he belonged. “To the
‘Ranger’,” he answered proudly; “and a very fine ship she is.”
“Oh, ay, a lobster carrier,” observed a young midshipman, in a squeaky voice. “I
have heard of old Newcombe. He is the savage fellow who tars and feathers his
midshipmen if they get the ship in irons, or cannot box the compass when he
tells them to do it.”
“I have been told, on the contrary, that he is a very kind man,” answered Willy;
“and as to getting the ship in irons or boxing the compass, I do not think he
would allow either the one thing or the other.”
“What! do you mean to call my word in question, youngster?” exclaimed the
midshipman. “Do you know who I am?”
“Tell him you think he has eaten a good deal of the stuff they feed geese on,”
whispered Harry.
Willy did as he was advised. The midshipman on this got very angry, especially
when all his companions laughed at him, and advised him to let the “young chip”
alone, as there was evidently an “old block” at his elbow, who was not likely to
stand nonsense. At last the midshipman, who said that his name was Peter
Patch, acknowledged that he himself had just been appointed to the “Ranger,”
and that he believed old Newcombe to be a very good sort of a fellow,
considering what officers generally are.
Next morning, after breakfast, Harry and his young companion went on board
their ship, and Harry reported himself and Willy to the first-lieutenant, Mr Tobin.
Captain Newcombe was on board; and when Harry, accompanied by Willy, went
up and spoke to him on the quarterdeck, he received them very kindly.
Willy, by Harry’s advice, set to work at once to learn his duty. Peter Patch,
though fond of practical jokes, was very good-natured, and assisted him as far as
he could, telling him the names of the ropes, and showing him how to knot and
splice, and the principle of sailing and steering a ship. Willy, who was a sharp li