The King's Own Part 46

As soon as the snake had bitten him, he replaced it in the chatty, and at the same time that he continued to swallow the leaves, rubbed the wounded part with some of the heap which he had masticated, and laid down beside him.

There was a silence, and a degree of painful anxiety, on the part of the spectators, during the process. The man appeared to be sick and giddy, and lay down, but gradually recovered, and making a low salaam, received his largess, handed the snake, in the chatty, to Macallan, and departed.

"A most curious fact--an excessively curious fact," observed the doctor, putting up his tablets, and a handful of the leaves, which he had taken the precaution to obtain.

"Now, gentlemen, dinner all ready," observed the interpreter.

The dinner had been spread out on the little mount pointed out by Courtenay. It rose, isolated from the plain, to the height of about thirty feet, with a steep and regular ascent on every side. The summit was flat, and in the centre the acacia waved its graceful and pendent flowers to the breeze, each moment altering the position of the bright spot of suns.h.i.+ne, which pierced through its branches, and reflected on the gra.s.s beneath. The party (consisting of the officers of the s.h.i.+p, the grave deputy, and his immediate suite, about fifteen in number), whose appet.i.tes were keen from their morning exercise and excitement, gladly hailed the summons, and seating themselves in a circle round the viands, which were spread under the tree, crossed their legs, after the Mahometan custom, and made a furious attack upon the provender.

Macallan, to secure his newly-acquired treasure, hung the chatty, by its string, upon one of the long thorns of the acacia, and then took his seat with the rest. Ample justice having been done to what had been placed before them, mirth and good-humour prevailed. Courtenay had just persuaded the grave old deputy to break through the precepts of his religion, and partake of the forbidden cup, in the shape of a tumbler of madeira, when the chatty, which the doctor had suspended aloft, by the constant waving of the tree to the wind, worked off the thorn, and falling down in the very centre of the circle, smashed into atoms, and the cobra di capella met their gaze, reared upon the very tip of his tail, his hood expanded to the utmost in his wrath, hissing horribly, and darting out his forked tongue,--wavering, among the many, upon whom first to dart.

Never was a convivial party so suddenly dispersed. For one, and but one moment, they were all paralysed; no one attempted to get up and run away--then, as if by a simultaneous thought, they all threw themselves back, tossing their heels over their heads, and continuing their eccentric career. Mussulmen and Europeans all tumbled backwards, heels over heads, down the descent, diverging in every point of the compa.s.s, until they reached their respective situations at the bottom of the mount; while the cobra di capella still remained in his menacing att.i.tude, as if satisfied with the universal homage paid to his dreadful powers.

They all recovered their legs (as they had gained the bottom of the hill) about the same time. Courtenay and Seymour, now that the danger was over, were convulsed with laughter--Macallan in amazement--Prose, with his eyes starting out of his head, uttering his usual "I do declare"--the deputy as grave as ever--and the remainder, fortunately, more frightened than they were hurt.

One of the native servants put an end to the scene, by reascending the hill with a long bamboo, with which he struck the animal to the ground, and subsequently despatched him. By this time all had recovered from their alarm, and in a few minutes their seats were resumed. The doctor, who was vexed at the loss of his snake, commenced an examination of the body, and was still more mortified to find that the wily Hindoo had deceived him, the venomous fangs having been already extracted.

"It is positively a fact," observed he to Courtenay, in ill-humour, "he has cheated me."

"A most curious fact," replied Courtenay, shrugging up his shoulders, and lowering the corners of his mouth. "Now, Macallan, what's the use of your memoranda about time of biting, appearance of patient, etcetera?

Allow, for once, that there are some things which are 'excessively annoying.'"

The party soon after remounted, and proceeded to the town. The next morning they repaired on board, and the queen having, at last, concocted the letter of thanks, the _Aspasia_ weighed, and proceeded to Bombay.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

An you like a _ready_ knave, here is one of most approved convenience: he will cheat you moreover to your heart's content. If you believe me not, try him.

_The Colony, 1635_.

The _Aspasia_ continued her pa.s.sage with light but favourable winds. As the s.h.i.+p made but little progress, Captain M--- stood into Goa Bay, as he pa.s.sed by that relic of former grandeur and prosperity--alas! like the people who raised it, how fallen from its "high estate." The town still covers the same vast extent of ground; the churches still rear their heads above the other buildings in their beautiful proportions; the Palace of the Inquisition still lours upon you in its fanatical gloom and ma.s.sive iron bars. But where is the wealth, the genius, the enterprise, the courage, and religious enthusiasm which raised these majestic piles? A scanty population, of mixed Hindoo and Portuguese blood, or of half-converted Indians, are the sole occupiers of this once splendid city of the East. Read the history of the Moors when in Spain, their chivalry, and their courage, their learning and advancement in the arts,--and now view their degraded posterity on the African coast.

Reflect upon the energy and perseverance of the Spaniards, at the time when they drove out those conquerors of their country after a struggle of so many years--their subsequent discovery and possession of a western world--and behold them now. Turn to the Portuguese, who, setting an example of perseverance and activity to the nations of Europe, in vessels in which we should now think it almost insanity to make the attempt, forced their pa.s.sage round the Stormy Cape, undeterred by disasters or by death, and grasped the empire of the East. What are they in the scale of nations now?

How rapid these transitions! Two hundred years have scarcely rolled away--other nations, with the fabrics they have raised, have been precipitated to the dust; but they have departed, full of years, and men and things have run their race together. But here, the last in all their splendour, while the energies of the former have decayed, remain; and where have we a more melancholy picture of humanity, either in an individual or in a nation, than when we survey the body that has outlived the mind?

Since the world began, history is but the narrative of kingdoms and states progressing to maturity or decay. Man himself is but an epitome of the nations of men. In youth, all energy; in prime of life, all enterprise and vigour; in senility, all weakness and second childhood.

Then, England, learn thy fate from the unerring page of time. Sooner or later, it shall arrive that thou shalt be tributary to some nation, hitherto, I trust, unborn; and thy degenerate sons shall read that liberty was once the watchword of the isle, and yet not even feel a longing to be free.

As the _Aspasia_ lay nearly becalmed at the entrance of the harbour, a small boat, rowed by two men, pulled towards her, and the occupant of the stern-sheets, as he came alongside, stated, in bad English, that he brought "present for captain," and was allowed to come up the side by the first-lieutenant, who was on deck. He was a native friar, and disgusting as the dress is, when worn by an European in a northern clime, it appeared still more so, enveloping a black under the torrid zone. He carried a little covered basket in his hand, and stated that he had been sent by the superior of the convent, which he pointed to, on the headland at the mouth of the harbour. The first-lieutenant went down into the cabin, and reported to the captain.

"A present!" observed Captain M---; "I hope it is not a monkey. '_Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes_.'"

The first-lieutenant, who had forgotten his Latin, made no answer, but returned on deck, where he was shortly after followed by Captain M---.

The sable votary of St. Francis made his bow, and opening the lid of his basket, pulled out a cabbage with a long stalk and four or five flagging leaves, but no heart to it. "Superior send present to Inglez capitown."

And having laid it carefully on the carronade slide, fumbled in his pocket for some time, and eventually produced a dirty sheet of paper, on which, written in execrable English, was a pet.i.tion to a.s.sist the wants of the convent.

"I expected as much," observed Captain M---, smiling, as he ran over the ridiculous wording of the pet.i.tion. "Desire the purser's steward to get up a bag of biscuit, and put into the boat."

The bread was handed on the gangway, when the friar, observing it, went up to the captain, and said, "Superior like rum, sar; suppose you no rum, then like money."

"Perhaps he may," replied Captain M---; "but it is against my rules to give the first, and if I recollect right, against those of your order to receive the second."

Finding that nothing more was to be obtained, the friar was about to depart, when, perceiving the cabbage lying unnoticed where he had deposited it, he observed--"Capitown, non quer cabbage--not want?"

"Not particularly," replied Captain M---, surveying it with rather a contemptuous smile.

"Then take it ash.o.r.e, plant it again--do for 'nother s.h.i.+p;" and he replaced the present in his basket, made his bow, and departed.

Reader, cabbages are scarce articles in India. I have seen them at Pondicherry, growing in flower-pots, as curious exotics.

Two days afterwards, the _Aspasia_ came to an anchor at Bombay, and having saluted the admiral, Captain M--- went on sh.o.r.e to pay his respects in person. The s.h.i.+p was soon crowded with a variety of people, who came off to solicit the was.h.i.+ng, etcetera, of the officers. The gun-room officers had just finished their dinner, and the cloth had been removed, when our friend Billy Pitts entered, introducing a slim personage, attired in a robe of spotless white, with the dark turban peculiar to the Pa.r.s.ees, and bringing in his hand a small basket of fruit.

"Ma.s.sa Courtenay, here mulatta fellow want to speak to officers. Call himself Dubash--look in dictionary, and no such word in English language."

"It means a washerman, I suppose," observed Price.

"No, sir," answered the man for himself, with a graceful bow, "not a washerman, but at same time get all your clothes washed. Dubash go to market, supply gentlemen with everything they want--run everywhere for them--bring off meat and fish, and everything else--everybody have dubash here--I dubash to all the s.h.i.+ps come here--got very good certificate, sir," continued the Pa.r.s.ee, drawing a thin book from his vest, and presenting it to Courtenay with a low bow.

"Well, Mr Dubash, let us see what your character may be," said Courtenay, opening the book.

"Yes, sir, you please to read them, and I go speak to young gentlemen, before other dubash come on board; I bring gentlemen little fruit," and laying the basket respectfully on the table, with another low salaam the man quitted the gun-room.

Courtenay read for a minute, and then burst into a fit of laughter.

"Very good certificates, indeed," observed he, "only hear--

"First.--This is to certify, that Hommajee Baba served the gun-room mess of his Majesty's s.h.i.+p _Flora_, and cheated us most d.a.m.nably.

"Signed Peter Hicks, 1st Lieut.

"Jonas Smith, Purser.

"Second.--Hommajee Baba served me as dubash during my stay in this port.

He is a useful fellow, but a great scoundrel. I gave him one half of his bill, and he was perfectly satisfied. I recommend others to do the same.

"Signed Andrew Thompson, Company's s.h.i.+p _Clio_.

"Third.--I perfectly agree with the above remarks; but as all the other dubashes are as great thieves, and not half so intelligent, I conscientiously recommend Hommajee Baba.

"Signed Peter Phillips, Captain Honbl. Company's cruiser _Vestal_.

"Fourth.--Of all the scoundrels that I ever had to deal with, in this most rascally quarter of a most knavish world, Hommajee Baba is the greatest. Never give him any money, as he will find it; but when you go away, pay him one-third of his bill, and you will still have paid him too much.

"Signed Billy Helflame, Captain H.M.S. _Spitfire_."

About a dozen pages of the book were filled with certificates to the above effect, which the dubash, although he spoke English fluently, not being able to read, considered as he had been informed at the time, to be decidedly in his favour. They were so far valuable, that they put newcomers upon their guard, and prevented much extortion on the part of the said Hommajee.