The necessary bows were exchanged, and Mr Williams, the first-mate, desired to show the officers to their respective accommodations, when he would be able to ascertain what part of their luggage was required, and be enabled to strike the remainder down into the after-hold.
As the officers followed the first-mate down the companion-ladder, Captain Oughton looked at Mr Ansell, and observed to Newton, “That fellow would peel well.”
The Windsor Castle sailed, and in a few days was clear of the channel. Newton, whose thoughts were of Isabel Revel, felt not that regret at quitting the country, usually attached to those who leave all dear to them behind. He knew that it was by following up his profession alone that he ever could have a chance of obtaining her; and this recollection, with the hopes of again beholding the object of his affections, lightened his heart to joy, as the ship scudded across the Bay of Biscay, before a North East gale. That he had little chance at present of possessing her, he knew; but hope leads us on, and no one more than the youth who is in love.
The table of Captain Oughton was liberally supplied, and the officers embarked proved (as they almost invariably do) to be pleasant gentlemanlike companions. The boxing-gloves were soon produced by Captain Oughton, who soon ascertained that in the officer who “would peel so well,” he had found his match. The mornings were passed away in sparring, fencing, reading, walking the deck, or lolling on the hen-coops upon the poop. The announcement of the dinner-hour was a signal for rejoicing; and they remained late at the table, doing ample justice to the captain’s excellent claret. The evening was finished with cards, cigars, and brandy pawnee. Thus passed the time away for the first three weeks of the passage, during which period all parties had become upon intimate terms.
But the voyage is in itself most tedious, and more tedious to those who not only have no duty to perform, but have few resources. As soon as the younger officers thought they might take a liberty, they examined the hen-coops, and selecting the most promising looking cocks, trimmed them for fighting; chose between themselves as their own property those which they most approved of, and for some days fed and sparred them to get them into wind, and ascertain the proper way in which they should be spurred. In the mean time, two pair of spurs were by their directions clandestinely made by the armourer of the ship, and when ready, they took advantage of the time when Captain Oughton was every day employed with the ship’s reckoning, and the poulterer was at his dinner (viz, from twelve to one), to fight a main. The cocks which were killed in these combats were returned to the hen-coops, and supposed by the poulterer, who very often had a glass of grog, to have quarrelled within the bars.
“Steward,” said Captain Oughton, “why the devil do you give us so many fowls for dinner? the stock will never last out the voyage: two roast fowls, two boiled fowls, curried fowl, and chicken pie! What can you be thinking of?”
“I spoke to the poulterer on the subject, sir: he constantly brings me down fowls, and he tells me that they kill each other fighting.”
“Fighting! never heard of fowls fighting in a coop before. They must be all game fowls.”
“That they are, most of them,” said Mr Petres; “I have often seen them fighting when I have been on the poop.”
“So have I,” continued Ansell? “I have seen worse cocks in the pit.”