This "maladie-de-pays" is a horrible sensation, worse than sea-sickness, I ween, and I can fully sympathize with the poor Swiss, who are said to have fallen victims to it in the armies of Napoleon. He should have allowed pens, ink, and any quantity of writing paper; they might have relieved their minds by scribbling. Music is also said to be a capital cure, although the "Ranz des Vaches" did not succeed; but I judge from the cheerful countenances of those of their countrymen who are in the habit of parading our streets with a hand organ and monkey, and enlivening us with the air of
"Arouse thee, arouse thee, my merry Swiss boy."
For myself I have only experienced the malady twice. The first attack occurred, when with a heart rather more tender than at the present writing, I was left amongst a parcel of strange inquisitive boys, at a boarding-school in the country, at what then appeared to my unsophisticated mind away "'tother side of yonder;"—I shall never forget, although I may laugh at it now, the feeling of utter desolateness that came over me, or how low sank my little heart, even to the very soles of my stockings, when the Dominie, whose face was fast forgetting the smiles it had worn in my good parents' presence, inquired in a tone half hypocritical, half ironical: "What does the young gentleman want now?" and I blubberingly answered, "I—want—to—go—go—home." I recovered from that attack with the aid of counter irritation by the application of birch, and emollients in the shape of scribbling verses to the metre of "dulce—dulce domum." The effects of the second are now before the reader, from which I opine he is the greatest sufferer, and this is dispersed by music, for the "retreat" has just been beaten, and I shall turn in.
CHAPTER XXI.
Haul up all standing—Boat Races—Interest in the sport—Excitement general—Arrangements—Jockeyism—Regatta—Preparations—The Start—The Race—The Result—Launch and First Cutter—Race described con-amore—Suggestion of an Old Salt—Satan and Sailors.
But I must cease my digressions, lest my sickness become epidemic, and extend to my readers, in which event I should fear they would not be "at home" to me. To continue:
To fill up the time, and give some relaxation to the men, had boat races between the different crews in the "Typa."
It was surprising to see with what interest the sailors entered into the sport, and the excitement produced by the contests; bets ran high amongst them, and Tattersalls, previous to the great St. Leger Stake, could not produce a greater scene of excitement than did our top-gallant forecastle and forward gangways, during the preparations for a race; the claims of different candidates for an oar would be carefully canvassed, and the coxswains became, for the nonce, men of vast importance, for upon their ipse dixit in selecting the crews, the success of the boats was thought mainly to depend. Then the non-combatants had their favorite boats and men, and their suggestions would be strongly urged.