CHAPTER IV.
Peter settles the formality of his father's reception-Description of their march, and alighting; receives his father—Conducts him to his grotto—Offers to beg pardon for his mandate—Is prevented by Pendlehamby—Youwarkee not known in the English habit—Quarters the officers in the tent.
MY mind ran so all night upon the settling the formality with which I should receive Pendlehamby, that I got little or no rest. In the morning I spread my table in as neat a manner as I could, and having dressed myself, Pedro, Jemmy, and David, we marched to the plain; myself carrying a chair, and each of them a stool. I was dressed in a cinnamon-coloured gold-button coat, scarlet waistcoat, velvet breeches, white silk stockings, the campaign-wig flowing, a gold-laced hat and feather, point cravat, silver sword, and over all my cloak; as for my sons, they had the clothes my wife made before she went.
When we heard them coming, I marshalled the children in the order they were to sit, and charged them to do as they saw me do, but to keep rather a half-pace backwarder than me; and then sitting down in my chair, I ordered Pedro to his stool on my right hand, and Jemmy to his on my left, and David to the left of Jemmy.
I then sent two of the messengers to meet them, with instructions to let Youwarkee know where I waited for them, that they might alight at a small distance before they came to me. This she having communicated to her father, the order ran through the whole corps immediately when and where to alight.
It will be impossible for me by words to raise your ideas adequate to the grandeur of the appearance this body of men made coming over the rock; but as I perceive your curiosity is on the stretch to comprehend it, I shall faintly aim at gratifying you.
After we had heard for some time a sound as of distant rumbling thunder, or of a thousand bears in consort, serenading in their hoarsest voices, we could just perceive by the clearness of the dawn gilding on the edge of the rock, a black stream arise above the summit of it, seemingly about forty paces broad; when the noise increasing very much the stream arose broader and broader; and then you might perceive rows of poles, with here and there a streamer; and as soon as ever the main body appeared above the rock, there was such a universal shout as rent the air, and echoing from the opposite rock returned the salute to them again. This was succeeded with a most ravishing sound of voices in song, which continued till they came pretty near me; and then the first line, consisting of all the trumpets, mounting a considerable height, and still blowing, left room for the next ranks, about twenty abreast, to come forward beneath them; each of which dividing in the middle, alighted in ranks at about twenty paces distant from my right and left, making a lane before me, at the farther end of which Pendlehamby and his two daughters alighted with about twenty of his guards behind them, the remainder, consisting of about twenty more, coming forward over my head, and alighting behind me; and during this whole ceremony, the gripsacks sounded with such a din, it was astonishing.
Poor Youwarkee, who knew nothing of my dress, or of the loss of my beard, was thunderstruck when she saw me, not being able to observe any visage I had for my great wig and hat; but putting a good face upon the matter, and not doubting but if the person she saw was not me, she should soon find her husband, for she knew the children by their clothes, she came forward at her father's right hand, I sitting as great as a lord, till they came within about thirty paces of my seat; and then gravely rising, I pulled off my hat and made my obeisance, and again at ten steps forwarder; so that I made my third low bow close at the feet of Pendlehamby, the children all doing the same. I then kneeling with one leg, embraced his right knee; who raising me up, embraced me. Then retiring three steps, and coming forward again, I embraced Youwarkee some time; during which the children observed my pattern with Pendlehamby, who took them up and kissed them.
I whispered Youwarkee to know if any more of her relations were in the train, to whom I ought to pay my compliments; she told me only her sister Hallycarnie, just behind her father. I then saluted her, and stepping forward to the old gentleman's left hand, I ushered him through the lines of guards to my chair; where I caused him to sit down with Youwarkee and Hallycarnie on each side, and myself on the left of Hallycarnie.