CHAPTER LI.
ONE OF "THE PEOPLE" HAS AN AUDIENCE WITH THE COMMODORE AND THE CAPTAINON THE QUARTER-DECK.
We had not lain in Rio long, when in the innermost recesses of themighty soul of my noble Captain of the Top--incomparable JackChase--the deliberate opinion was formed, and rock-founded, that ourship's company must have at least one day's "_liberty_" to go ashoreere we weighed anchor for home.
Here it must be mentioned that, concerning anything of this kind, nosailor in a man-of-war ever presumes to be an agitator, unless he is ofa rank superior to a mere able-seaman; and no one short of a pettyofficer--that is, a captain of the top, a quarter-gunner, orboatswain's mate--ever dreams of being a spokesman to the supremeauthority of the vessel in soliciting any kind of favor for himself andshipmates.
After canvassing the matter thoroughly with several old quarter-mastersand other dignified sea-fencibles, Jack, hat in hand, made hisappearance, one fine evening, at the mast, and, waiting till CaptainClaret drew nigh, bowed, and addressed him in his own off-hand,polished, and poetical style. In his intercourse with the quarter-deck,he always presumed upon his being such a universal favourite.
"Sir, this Rio is a charming harbour, and we poor mariners--your trustysea-warriors, valiant Captain! who, with _you_ at their head, wouldboard the Rock of Gibraltar itself, and carry it by storm--we poorfellows, valiant Captain! have gazed round upon this ravishinglandscape till we can gaze no more. Will Captain Claret vouchsafe oneday's liberty, and so assure himself of eternal felicity, since, in ourflowing cups, he will be ever after freshly remembered?"
As Jack thus rounded off with a snatch from Shakspeare, he saluted theCaptain with a gallant flourish of his tarpaulin, and then, bringingthe rim to his mouth, with his head bowed, and his body thrown into afine negligent attitude, stood a picture of eloquent but passiveappeal. He seemed to say, Magnanimous Captain Claret, we fine fellows,and hearts of oak, throw ourselves upon your unparalleled goodness.
"And what do you want to go ashore for?" asked the Captain, evasively,and trying to conceal his admiration of Jack by affecting somehaughtiness.
"Ah! sir," sighed Jack, "why do the thirsty camels of the desert desireto lap the waters of the fountain and roll in the green grass of theoasis? Are we not but just from the ocean Sahara? and is not this Rio averdant spot, noble Captain? Surely you will not keep us alwaystethered at anchor, when a little more cable would admit of ourcropping the herbage! And it is a weary thing, Captain Claret, to beimprisoned month after month on the gun-deck, without so much assmelling a citron. Ah! Captain Claret, what sings sweet Waller:
'But who can always on the billows lie? The watery wilderness yields no supply.'
compared with such a prisoner, noble Captain,
'Happy, thrice happy, who, in battle slain, Press'd in Atrides' cause the Trojan pain!'
Pope's version, sir, not the original Greek."
And so saying, Jack once more brought his hat-rim to his mouth, andslightly bending forward, stood mute.
At this juncture the Most Serene Commodore himself happened to emergefrom the after-gangway, his gilded buttons, epaulets, and the gold laceon his chapeau glittering in the flooding sunset. Attracted by thescene between Captain Claret and so well-known and admired a commoneras Jack Chase he approached, and assuming for the moment an air ofpleasant condescension--never shown to his noble barons the officers ofthe ward-room--he said, with a smile, "Well, Jack, you and yourshipmates are after some favour, I suppose--a day's liberty, is it not?"
Whether it was the horizontal setting sun, streaming along the deck,that blinded Jack, or whether it was in sun-worshipping homage of themighty Commodore, there is no telling; but just at this juncture nobleJack was standing reverentially holding his hat to his brow, like a manwith weak eyes.
"Valiant Commodore," said he, at last, "this audience is indeed anhonour undeserved. I almost sink beneath it. Yes, valiant Commodore,your sagacious mind has truly divined our object. Liberty, sir; libertyis, indeed, our humble prayer. I trust your honourable wound, receivedin glorious battle, valiant Comodore, pains you less today than common."
"Ah! cunning Jack!" cried the Commodore, by no means blind to the boldsortie of his flattery, but not at all displeased with it. In morerespects than one, our Commodore's wound was his weak side.
"I think we must give them liberty," he added, turning to CaptainClaret; who thereupon, waving Jack further off, fell into confidentialdiscourse with his superior.
"Well, Jack, we will see about it," at last cried the Commodore,advancing. "I think we must let you go."
"To your duty, captain of the main-top!" said the Captain, ratherstiffly. He wished to neutralise somewhat the effect of the Commodore'scondescension. Besides, he had much rather the Commodore had been inhis cabin. His presence, for the time, affected his own supremacy inhis ship. But Jack was nowise cast down by the Captain's coldness; hefelt safe enough; so he proceeded to offer his acknowledgments.
"'Kind gentlemen,'" he sighed, "your pains are registered where everyday I turn the leaf to read'--Macbeth, valiant Commodore andCaptain!--what the Thane says to the noble lords, Ross and Angus."
And long and lingeringly bowing to the two noble officers, Jack backedaway from their presence, still shading his eyes with the broad rim ofhis hat.
"Jack Chase for ever!" cried his shipmates, as he carried the gratefulnews of liberty to them on the forecastle. "Who can talk to Commodoreslike our matchless Jack!"