“Ah, Mr Simple, poor dear Mr Trotter—he’s gone. Poor fellow, no what with his drinking, and his love for me—and his jealousy—(do you recollect how jealous he was, Mr Simple?)—he wore himself out at last. No wonder, considering what he had been accustomed to, after keeping his carriage and dogs with everybody, to be reduced to see his wife go a bumming. It broke his heart, poor fellow! and, Mr Simple, I’ve been much happier ever since, for I could not bear to see him fretting. Lord, how jealous he was—and all about nothing! Don’t you want some fresh meat for the gun-room? I’ve a nice leg of mutton in the boat, and some milk for tea.”
“Recollect, Mrs Trotter, I shall not overlook your bringing spirits on board.”
“Lord, Mr Simple, how could you think of such a thing? It’s very true that these very common people do it, but the company I have kept, the society I have been in, Mr Simple! Besides, you must recollect, that I never drank anything but water.”
I could not exactly coincide with her, but I did not contradict her.
“Would you like the Portsmouth paper, Mr Simple?” taking one out of her pocket; “I know gentlemen are fond of the news. Poor Trotter used never to stir from the breakfast-table until he had finished the daily paper—but that was when we lived in very different style. Have you any clothes to wash, Mr Simple,—or have any of the gentlemen?”
“I fear we have no time, we sail too soon,” replied I; “we go with the convoy.”
“Indeed!” cried Mrs Trotter, who walked to the main hatchway and called to her man Bill. I heard her give him directions to sell nothing upon trust in consequence of the intelligence of our immediate sailing.
“I beg your pardon, Mr Simple, I was only desiring my head man to send for your steward, that he might be supplied with the best, and to save some milk for the gun-room.”
“And I must beg your pardon, Mrs Trotter, for I must attend to my duty.” Mrs Trotter made her curtsy and walked down the main ladder to attend to her duty, and we separated. I was informed she had a great deal of custom, as she understood how to manage the officers, and made herself generally useful to them. She had been a bumboat woman for six years, and had made a great deal of money. Indeed, it was reported, that if a first lieutenant wanted forty or fifty pounds, Mrs Trotter would always lend it to him, without requiring his promissory note.
The captain came on board in the evening, having dined with the admiral, and left directions for having all ready for unmooring and heaving short at daylight. The signal was made from the frigate at sunrise, and before twelve o’clock we were all under weigh, and running past St. Helen’s with a favourable wind. Our force consisted of the Acasta frigate, the Isis ship, sloop, mounting twenty guns, the Reindeer, eighteen, and our own brig. The convoy amounted to nearly two hundred. Although the wind was fair, and the water smooth, we were more than a week before we made Anholt light, owing to the bad sailing and inattention of many of the vessels belonging to the convoy. We were constantly employed repeating signals, firing guns, and often sent back to tow up the sternmost vessels. At last we passed the Anholt light, with a light breeze; and the next morning, the mainland was to be distinguished on both bows.