Across India; Or, Live Boys in the Far East

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER VIII

  AN INTERVIEW IN THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN

  "Our log-book indicates that we passed a steamer to the northward of us atfour bells in the mid-watch," said Captain Ringgold, when Dr. Ferrolanfinished his narrative. "She was headed about west by south; and verylikely it was the one which ran into the Travancore, for no other wasreported."

  "She was a vessel of about four hundred tons," added the viscount. "I wasin the pilot-house at the time, though the weather was so thick that Icould hardly make her out as she slipped off from our starboard bow, andwent on her course."

  "Didn't she hail you, and offer to stand by you?"inquired the commander.

  "I heard something like a shout coming from her, and in a moment she wasbeyond hailing-distance. I supposed we were going to the bottom in a fewminutes, and had my hands full, so that I had no time to look out for her,though I supposed she would come about and render assistance; but we didnot hear from her again."

  "It is possible that she did so, and was unable to find you, for it wasvery dark, and the sea was very rough," suggested the commander. "But herconduct looks heathenish, and I will warrant that she was not an Englishsteamer; for the British tars never pass by their fellow-beings on theocean in distress without rendering assistance."

  "It was a new experience to me," added his lordship, "and perhaps Ineglected something I ought to have done."

  "I think not; for your first and supreme duty at that time was to look outfor the safety of your own vessel," replied Captain Ringgold.

  "So far as that was concerned, I believe I did all I could do to repair themischief," continued the viscount. "The chief engineer reported to me thatthe side of the yacht was stove in near the bow, and that the water waspouring into the hull. He suggested that a double sailcloth be hauled underthe vessel. We had no sails, but we promptly made use of an awning, and wesucceeded in drawing it under the bottom, and covering the aperture."

  "That was precisely the right thing to do," said the commander.

  "Probably it enabled us to float a short time longer than we shouldotherwise have done; but the yacht had taken in too much water before weapplied the remedy, for suddenly, on the top of a huge wave, she made aheavy roll, capsized, and came up with her keel in the air. I am onlyafraid that I did not do all that might have been done."

  "I could have done no more if I had been there with all my ship's company,"the commander declared; for the amateur captain of the Travancore was aconscientious man, and desired to relieve his mind of all blame for hisconduct; and he had really done all that could be done, though the remedyapplied was a failure.

  "My chief engineer was an experienced man, and I followed his counsels ineverything," added the viscount.

  "His lordship did all that it was possible for any man to do in such acase," interposed the chief engineer of the Travancore, who was seated onthe platform. "I can only thank God that we were all saved, and I am surethat no one is to blame."

  "I am told that our cabin waiter and four coolies were picked up by theother steamer," said Lord Tremlyn, as he looked about him.

  "That is true, sir," interposed Mr. Boulong, who stood on the deck by theplatform. "Sir Modava told me there were eleven persons on board of thewreck. I saw that number saved myself."

  The details of the wreck of the Travancore were fully explained, thoughindividuals continued to talk about it until lunch-time. At the mid-dayrepast the commander gave up his plan of seating the party, and invited themembers of it to select their own places; and they all took those they hadoccupied at breakfast. In the afternoon the rough sea had almost entirelysubsided under the influence of the north-east monsoon, and the motion ofthe steamer was easy and pleasant.

  The company assembled in the music-room after a walk on deck, and thecaptain, with the three notable guests, joined them after they had finishedtheir cigars; for all of them smoked. The "Gospel Hymns" and other hymn andtune books were distributed. It was the usual time for singing, and thetrio from the Travancore contributed largely to the volume of tone on theoccasion. The new third officer had been stationed in the watch with Mr.Boulong, and Scott had the first part of the afternoon watch. The officersand engineers not on duty, as well as the members of the party from thewreck, gathered at the windows of the music-room, and the commander invitedthem to take seats in the apartment, thus adding still more to the volumeof the harmony. The music was all sacred, and nothing purely secular waspermitted by the captain.

  Dr. Ferrolan, who had a fine bass voice, was invited to sing "Rocked in theCradle of the Deep," at the suggestion of Lord Tremlyn. His lordship sang"Oh that I had Wings!" and Mrs. Belgrave, who was the pianist of theoccasion, gave a solo, while Sir Modava sang the "Missionary Hymn," whichis still a favorite in England and America, translated into the Hindulanguage. The party who could not understand him followed in thehymn-books.

  "I wonder who wrote that beautiful hymn," said Mrs. Blossom, when there wasa pause as the singer finished. "It says Heber in my book, but I don't knowwho he was."

  "Reginald Heber was an English clergyman and poet, born in 1783. He was astudent in an Oxford college; I forget which," replied Sir Modava.

  "Brasenose," prompted the viscount.

  "As a student in this college he wrote 'Palestine,' for which he obtainedthe prize; and it still holds a place in the literature of England. He soonobtained a living, and occupied a prominent position among the clergy ofhis native island. In 1823 he was made Bishop of Calcutta.

  "Three years later, in the midst of his zealous labors in the service ofhis Master, he died at Trichinopoly of apoplexy, greatly lamented. Perhaps

  'From Greenland's icy mountains, From India's coral strand,'

  which you have sung this afternoon, is the widest-known of Bishop Heber'shymns; but will you indulge me if I ask you to sing another of them, whichI find in the book I hold in my hand?--

  'Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid.'"

  The hymn was sung to Mozart's music by about twenty voices, and the effectwas exceedingly agreeable. Sir Modava seemed to be in a rapture, as thepiece was his favorite, and came from one who was connected with his nativeland.

  He was a rather tall and slender man, and all the ladies declared that hewas very handsome; and his slightly dusky hue added to, rather than tookfrom, the beauty of his countenance. He wore a small mustache, but no otherbeard. He was a nervous and highly sensitive person, and there was always asmile on his face. He had already become a favorite among the gentlemen aswell as the ladies.

  Another meeting was held in the evening, which was varied by some speakingon the part of the gentlemen, including the guests, Uncle Moses, Dr.Hawkes, and the commander. At the conclusion of the exercises, Sir Modavabegged the company to close by singing another of Bishop Heber's verses,which he repeated from memory, though it was in one of the books:--

  "God that madest earth and heaven, Darkness and light; Who the day for toil hast given, For rest the night,-- May thine angel guards defend us, Slumber sweet thy mercy send us, This livelong night!"

  With this musical prayer on their lips, the company retired. Most of themwent to their staterooms; for the guests were very tired, and the regularinmates of the cabin had left their berths at an unusually early hour inthe morning. All of them, whether technically religious or not, had beengreatly impressed by the music and the speaking of the evening. Dr.Ferrolan was a more inveterate smoker than his companions in misfortune,and he went with the commander to the deck, and was invited to thecaptain's cabin, where he was provided with cigars.

  "As you have already learned, Doctor, I am greatly interested in theeducational feature of my ship," said Captain Ringgold, after they hadconversed a while. "I desire to make it as attractive as possible, and Ihave studied to vary
it all I could."

  "You have turned your ship into a noble and useful institution," repliedthe guest. "Lord Tremlyn and Sir Modava have both spoken in the highestterms of this feature. And these lectures are mainly for the benefit of Mr.Belgrave, your owner?"

  "The plan was introduced principally on his account; but it has grown intoan exercise for all the cabin party, and most of them are speakers as wellas listeners; for it makes all of them feel a greater interest in theconferences," replied the commander. "To-morrow we are to begin upon India,dwelling upon its geography, civilization, government, and history. Now, Iwish to ask you, Doctor, if there would be any impropriety in my asking themembers of your party berthed in the cabin to take part in theseexercises?"

  "Not the slightest, Captain Ringgold."

  "Probably you are all better informed in regard to the affairs of thepeninsula than any three other men I could find if I were to search forthem here and in England," added the commander.

  "You are not far from right, sir, as far as my associates are concerned;for officially or unofficially they have visited every part of India, andstudied up in detail everything relating to the people, the country, thearmy, and the institutions, both native and British."

  "As you have been with Lord Tremlyn in his travels, you must be veryfamiliar with the affairs of India, Doctor."

  "Reasonably familiar; but not so well acquainted with them as mycompanions," answered the physician. "Perhaps I do not violate anyconfidence in saying that his lordship and his Hindu friend had aconversation just before dinner to-day, in which they were discussing inwhat manner they could best assist you in seeing India. As you suggest,they are the two men who know more of India than any others I think of, notexcepting the governor-general and his subordinates."

  "I came to this conclusion when I learned the nature of their mission."

  "Sir Modava is personally acquainted with all the native princes; and heand his lordship are regarded by them as second only to the viceroy, as heis often unofficially designated. Every door in India, except those of afew mosques and Parsee temples, open to them, and procure for them andtheir friends all the privileges that can reasonably be expected. Werespect the religious exclusiveness of the sects, and do not ask them toexempt our people from the operation of their rules and customs. TheBritish government rules India in the spirit of kindness and toleration,and interferes with the religious, or even political, institutions only sofar as humanity and progressive civilization require. Both of them proposeto volunteer to attend you in your travels in the peninsula, if agreeableto you."

  "We should be delighted to have such conductors, and I shall gladly pay allthe expenses incurred," the commander declared, with an earnestness thatattested his sincerity.

  "The expense is a matter of no consequence to the two gentlemen; for bothof them would be multimillionaires in America, though pounds don't count sonumerously as dollars. I am not at all sure they wouldn't gladly pay theexpenses of your party as well as their own; but I am not authorized tospeak on this point. I advise you not to mention expense to either of myassociates. But you can form no idea of the depths of gratitude in thehearts of the three quartered in your cabin for the timely and skilfulservice you rendered in saving us from certain death. I base my views onwhat I have heard them say, and what I feel myself," said the doctor withenthusiasm. "I am certain that any suggestion in regard to expense wouldhurt the feelings of my friends and companions."

  "I thank you, Dr. Ferrolan, for the frankness with which you have spoken,and I shall assuredly profit by what you have said," added the commander.

  "In what I said about expense I have been moved by what I should do myselfif I had the control of the matter, and were as able as Sir Modava and hislordship to incur a heavy outlay; though I have a sufficient income tosupport a bachelor, I am a poor man compared with them."

  The interview closed, and the doctor retired at the end of his cigar. Thenext morning Captain Ringgold obtained the ready assent of the twogentlemen to take part in the conference appointed for half-past nine, andlater that of Dr. Ferrolan.