CHAPTER LXXVIII.
DISMAL TIMES IN THE MESS.
It was on the first day of the long, hot calm which we had on theEquator, that a mess-mate of mine, by the name of Shenly, who had beenfor some weeks complaining, at length went on the sick-list.
An old gunner's mate of the mess--Priming, the man with the hare-lip,who, true to his tribe, was charged to the muzzle with bile, and,moreover, rammed home on top of it a wad of sailor superstition--thisgunner's mate indulged in some gloomy and savage remarks--strangelytinged with genuine feeling and grief--at the announcement of thesick-ness of Shenly, coming as it did not long after the almost fatalaccident befalling poor Baldy, captain of the mizzen-top, anothermess-mate of ours, and the dreadful fate of the amputated fore-top-manwhom we buried in Rio, also our mess-mate.
We were cross-legged seated at dinner, between the guns, when the sadnews concerning Shenly was first communicated.
"I know'd it, I know'd it," said Priming, through his nose. "Blast ye,I told ye so; poor fellow! But dam'me, I know'd it. This comes ofhaving _thirteen_ in the mess. I hope he arn't dangerous, men? PoorShenly! But, blast it, it warn't till White-Jacket there comed into themess that these here things began. I don't believe there'll be more northree of us left by the time we strike soundings, men. But how is henow? Have you been down to see him, any on ye? Damn you, you Jonah! Idon't see how you can sleep in your hammock, knowing as you do that bymaking an odd number in the mess you have been the death of one poorfellow, and ruined Baldy for life, and here's poor Shenly keeled up.Blast you, and your jacket, say I."
"My dear mess-mate," I cried, "don't blast me any more, for Heaven'ssale. Blast my jacket you may, and I'll join you in _that;_ but don'tblast _me;_ for if you do, I shouldn't wonder if I myself was the nextman to keel up."
"Gunner's mate!" said Jack Chase, helping himself to a slice of beef,and sandwiching it between two large biscuits--"Gunner's mate!White-Jacket there is my particular friend, and I would take it as aparticular favour if you would _knock off_ blasting him. It's in badtaste, rude, and unworthy a gentleman."
"Take your back away from that 'ere gun-carriage, will ye now, JackChase?" cried Priming, in reply, just then Jack happening to lean upagainst it. "Must I be all the time cleaning after you fellows? Blastye! I spent an hour on that 'ere gun-carriage this very mornin'. But itall comes of White-Jacket there. If it warn't for having one too many,there wouldn't be any crowding and jamming in the mess. I'm blessed ifwe ar'n't about chock a' block here! Move further up there, I'm sittingon my leg!"
"For God's sake, gunner's mate," cried I, "if it will content you, Iand my jacket will leave the mess."
"I wish you would, and be ---- to you!" he replied.
"And if he does, you will mess alone, gunner's mate," said Jack Chase.
"That you will," cried all.
"And I wish to the Lord you'd let me!" growled Priming, irritablyrubbing his head with the handle of his sheath-knife.
"You are an old bear, gunner's mate," said Jack Chase.
"I am an old Turk," he replied, drawing the flat blade of his knifebetween his teeth, thereby producing a whetting, grating sound.
"Let him alone, let him alone, men," said Jack Chase. "Only keep offthe tail of a rattlesnake, and he'll not rattle."
"Look out he don't bite, though," said Priming, snapping his teeth; andwith that he rolled off, growling as he went.
Though I did my best to carry off my vexation with an air ofindifference, need I say how I cursed my jacket, that it thus seemedthe means of fastening on me the murder of one of my shipmates, and theprobable murder of two more. For, had it not been for my jacket,doubtless, I had yet been a member of my old mess, and so have escapedmaking the luckless odd number among my present companions.
All I could say in private to Priming had no effect; though I oftentook him aside, to convince him of the philosophical impossibility ofmy having been accessary to the misfortunes of Baldy, the buried sailorin Rio, and Shenly. But Priming knew better; nothing could move him;and he ever afterward eyed me as virtuous citizens do some notoriousunderhand villain going unhung of justice.
Jacket! jacket! thou hast much to answer for, jacket!