the crusade of the excelsior-第11章

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correctness　of　Mr。　Banks；　and　the　lighter　foppishness　of　Winslow

and　Crosby；　not　to　mention　Senor　Perkins'　more　pronounced

unconventionality；　appeared　as　burlesques　of　their　own　characters

in　a　play。　　The　crowning　contrast　was　reached　by　Captain　Bunker；

who；　in　accordance　with　the　habits　of　the　mercantile　marine　of　that

period　when　in　port；　wore　a　shore…going　suit　of　black　broadcloth；

with　a　tall　hat；　high　shirt　collar；　and　diamond　pin。　　Seated　next

to　the　Commander；　it　was　no　longer　Don　Miguel　who　looked　old…

fashioned；　it　was　Captain　Bunker　who　appeared　impossible。



Nevertheless；　as　the　meal　progressed；　lightened　by　a　sweet　native

wine　made　from　the　Mission　grape；　and　stimulated　by　champagnea

present　of　Captain　Bunker　from　the　cabin　lockers　of　the　Excelsior

this　contrast；　and　much　of　the　restraint　that　it　occasioned；　seemed

to　melt　away。　　The　passengers　became　talkative；　the　Commander　and

his　friends　unbent；　and　grew　sympathetic　and　inquiring。　　The

temptation　to　recite　the　news　of　the　last　half　century；　and　to

recount　the　wonderful　strides　of　civilization　in　that　time；　was　too

great　to　be　resisted　by　the　Excelsior　party。　　That　some　of　them

notwithstanding　the　caution　of　Senor　Perkinsapproached

dangerously　near　the　subject　of　the　late　war　between　the　United

States　and　Mexico；　of　which　Todos　Santos　was　supposed　to　be　still

ignorant；　or　that　Crosby　in　particular　seized　upon　this　opportunity

for　humorous　exaggeration；　may　be　readily　imagined。　　But　as　the

translation　of　the　humorist's　speech；　as　well　as　the　indiscretions

of　his　companions；　were　left　to　the　Senor；　in　Spanish；　and　to　Mrs。

Brimmer　and　Miss　Keene；　in　French；　any　imminent　danger　to　the

harmony　of　the　evening　was　averted。　　Don　Ramon　Ramirez；　the

Alcalde；　a　youngish　man　of　evident　distinction；　sat　next　to　Miss

Keene；　and　monopolized　her　conversation　with　a　certain　curiosity

that　was　both　grave　and　childish　in　its　frank　trustfulness。　　Some

of　his　questions　were　so　simple　and　incompatible　with　his　apparent

intelligence　that　she　unconsciously　lowered　her　voice　in　answering

them；　in　dread　of　the　ridicule　of　her　companions。　　She　could　not

resist　the　impression；　which　repeatedly　obtruded　upon　her

imagination；　that　the　entire　population　of　Todos　Santos　were　a

party　of　lost　children；　forgotten　by　their　parents；　and　grown　to

man　and　womanhood　in　utter　ignorance　of　the　world。



The　Commander　had；　half　informally；　drunk　the　health　of　Captain

Bunker；　without　rising　from　his　seat；　when；　to　Miss　Keene's　alarm；

Captain　Bunker　staggered　to　his　feet。　　He　had　been　drinking　freely；

as　usual；　but　he　was　bent　on　indulging　a　loquacity　which　his

discipline　on　shipboard　had　hitherto　precluded；　and　which　had；

perhaps；　strengthened　his　solitary　habit。　　His　speech　was　voluble

and　incoherent；　complimentary　and　tactless；　kindly　and　aggressive；

courteous　and　dogmatic。　　It　was　left　to　Senor　Perkins　to　translate

it　to　the　eye　and　ear　of　his　host　without　incongruity　or　offense。

This　he　did　so　admirably　as　to　elicit　not　only　the　applause　of　the

foreigners　who　did　not　understand　English；　but　of　his　own

countrymen　who　did　not　understand　Spanish。



〃I　feel；〃　said　Senor　Perkins；　in　graceful　peroration；　〃that　I　have

done　poor　justice　to　the　eloquence　of　this　gallant　sailor。　　My

unhappy　translation　cannot　offer　you　that　voice；　at　times　trembling

with　generous　emotion；　and　again　inaudible　from　excessive　modesty

in　the　presence　of　this　illustrious　assemblythose　limbs　that

waver　and　bend　under　the　undulations　of　the　chivalrous　sentiment

which　carries　him　away　as　if　he　were　still　on　that　powerful　element

he　daily　battles　with　and　conquers。〃



But　when　coffee　and　sweets　were　reached；　the　crowning　triumph　of

Senor　Perkins'　oratory　was　achieved。　　After　an　impassioned　burst　of

enthusiasm　towards　his　hosts　in　their　own　tongue；　he　turned　towards

his　own　party　with　bland　felicity。



〃And　how　is　it　with　us；　dear　friends？　　We　find　ourselves　not　in　the

port　we　were　seeking；　not　in　the　goal　of　our　ambition；　the　haven　of

our　hopes；　but　on　the　shores　of　the　decaying　past。　　'Ever　drifting'

on　one　of　those





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'Shifting

　　　　　Currents　of　the　restless　main；'





if　our　fascinating　friend　Mrs。　Brimmer　will　permit　us　to　use　the

words　of　her　accomplished　fellow…townsman；　H。　W。　Longfellow；　of

Bostonwe　find　ourselves　borne　not　to　the　busy　hum　and　clatter　of

modern　progress；　but　to　the　soft　cadences　of　a　dying　crusade；　and

the　hush　of　ecclesiastical　repose。　　In　place　of　the　busy　marts　of

commerce　and　the　towering　chimneys　of　labor；　we　have　the　ruined

embattlements　of　a　warlike　age；　and　the　crumbling　church　of　an

ancient　Mission。　　Towards　the　close　of　an　eventful　voyage；　during

which　we　have　been　guided　by　the　skillful　hand　and　watchful　eye　of

that　gallant　navigator　Captain　Bunker；　we　have　turned　aside　from

our　onward　course　of　progress　to　look　back　for　a　moment　upon　the

faded　footprints　of　those　who　have　so　long　preceded　us；　who　have


lived　according　to　their　lights；　and　whose　record　is　now　before　us。

As　I　have　just　stated；　our　journey　is　near　its　end；　and　we　may；　in

some　sense；　look　upon　this　occasion；　with　its　sumptuous

entertainment；　and　its　goodly　company　of　gallant　men　and　fair

women；　as　a　parting　banquet。　　Our　voyage　has　been　a　successful　one。

I　do　not　now　especially　speak　of　the　daring　speculations　of　the

distinguished　husband　of　a　beautiful　lady　whose　delightful　society

is　known　to　us　allneed　I　say　I　refer　to　Quincy　Brimmer；　Esq。；　of

Boston〃　（loud　applause）〃whose　successful　fulfillment　of　a

contract　with　the　Peruvian　Government；　and　the　landing　of　munitions

of　war　at　Callao；　has　checked　the　uprising　of　the　Quinquinambo

insurgents？　　I　do　not　refer　especially　to　our　keen…sighted　business

friend　Mr。　Banks〃　（applause）；　〃who；　by　buying　up　all　the　flour　in

Callao；　and　shipping　it　to　California；　has　virtually　starved　into

submission　the　revolutionary　party　of　AriquipaI　do　not　refer　to

these　admirable　illustrations　of　the　relations　of　commerce　and

politics；　for　this；　my　friendsthis　is　history；　and　beyond　my

feeble　praise。　　Let　me　rather　speak　of　the　social　and　literary

triumphs　of　our　little　community；　of　our　floating　Arcadiamay　I

say　Olympus？　　Where　shall　we　find　another　Minerva　like　Mrs。

Markham；　another　Thalia　like　Miss　Chubb；　another　Juno　like　Mrs。

Brimmer；　worthy　of　the　Jove…like　Quincy　Brimmer；　another　Queen　of

Love　and　Beauty　likelike〃continued　the　gallant　Senor；　with　an

effective　oratorical　pause；　and　a　profound　obeisance　to　Miss　Keene；

〃like　one　whose　mantling　maiden　blushes　forbid　me　to　name？〃

（Prolonged　applause。）　　〃Where　shall　we　find　more　worthy　mortals　to

worship　them　than　our　young　friends；　the　handsome　Brace；　the

energetic　Winslow；　the　humorous　Crosby？　　When　we　look　back　upon　our

concerts　and　plays；　our　minstrel　entertainments；　with　the

incomparable　performances　of　our　friend　Crosby　as　Brother　Bones；

our　recitations；　to　which　the　genius　of　Mrs。　M'Corkle；　of　Peoria；

Illinois；　has　lent　her　charm　and　her　manuscript〃　（a　burlesque　start

of　terror　from　Crosby）；　〃I　am　forcibly　impelled　to　quote　the

impassioned　words　from　that　gifted　woman；





　　　　　'When　idly　Life's　barque　on　the　billows　of　Time；

　　　　　　　　Drifts　hither　and　yon　by　eternity's　sea；

　　　　　　On　the　swift　feet　of　verse　and　the　pinions　of　rhyme

　　　　　　　　My　thoughts；　Ulricardo；　fly　ever　to　thee！'〃





〃Who's　Ulricardo？〃　interrupted　Crosby；　with　assumed　eagerness；

followed　by　a　〃hush！〃　from　the　ladies。



〃Perhaps　I　should　have　anticipated　our　friend's　humorous　question；〃

said　Senor　Perkins；　with　unassailable　good…humor。　　〃Ulricardo；

though　not　my　own　name；　is　a　poetical　substitute　for　it；　and　a　mere

figure　of　apostrophe。　　The　poem　is　personal　to　myself；〃　he

continued；　with　a　slight　increase　of　color　in　his　smooth　cheek

which　did　not　escape　the　attention　of　the　ladies；〃purely　as　an

exigency　of　verse；　and　that　the　inspired　authoress　might　more

easily　express　herself　to　a　friend。　　My　acquaintance　with　Mrs。

M'Corkle　has　been　only　epistolary。　　Pardon　this　digression；　my

friends；　but　an　allusion　to　the　muse　of　poetry　did　not　seem　to　me

to　be　inconsistent　with　our　gathering　here。　　Let　me　briefly

conclude　by　saying　that　the　occasion　is　a　happy　and　memorable　one；

I　think　I　echo　the　sentiment　of　all　present　when　I　add　that　it　is

one　which　will　not　be　easily　forgotten　by　either　the　grateful

guests；　whose　feelings　I　have　tried　to　express；　or　the　chivalrous

hosts；　whose　kindness　I　have　already　so　feebly　translated。〃



In　the　applause　that　followed；　and　the　clicking　of　glasses；　Senor

Perkins　slipped　away。　　He　mingled　a　moment　with　some　of　the　other

guests　who　had　already　withdrawn　to　the　corridor；　lit　a　cigar；　and

then　passed　through　a　narrow　doorway　on　to　the　ramparts。　　Here　he

strolled　to　some　distance；　as　if　in　deep　thought；　until　he　reached

a　spot　where　the　crumbling　wall　and　its　fallen　debris　afforded　an

easy　descent　into　the　ditch。　　Following　the　ditch；　he　turned　an

angle；　and　came　upon　the　beach；　and　the　low　sound　of　oars　in　the

invisible　offing。　　A　whistle　brought　the　boat　to　his　feet；　and

without　a　word　he　stepped　into　the　stern　sheets。　　A　few　strokes　of

the　oars　showed　him　that　the　fog　had　lifted　slightly　from　the

water；　and　a　green　light　hanging　from　the　side　of　the　Excelsior

could　be　plainly　seen。　　Ten　minutes'　more　steady　pulling　placed　him

on　her　deck；　where　the　second　officer　stood　with　a　number　of　the

sailors　listlessly　grouped　around　him。



〃The　landing　has　been　completed？〃　said　Senor　Perkins　interrogatively。



〃All　except　one　boat…load　more；　which　waits　to　take　your　final

instructions；〃　said　the　mate。　　〃The　men　have　growled　a　little　about

it；〃　he　added；　in　a　lower　tone。　　〃They　don't　want　to　lose　anything；

it　seems；〃　he　continued；　with　a　half　sarcastic　laugh。



Senor　Perkins　smiled　peculiarly。



〃I　am　sorry　to　disappoint　them。　　Who's　that　in　the　boat？〃　he　asked

suddenly。



The　mate　followed　the　Senor's　glance。



〃It　is　Yoto。　　He　says　he　is　going　ashore；　and　you　will　not　forbid

him。〃



Senor　Perkins　approached　the　ship's　side。



〃Come　here；〃　he　said　to　the　man。



The　Peruvian　sailor　rose；　but　did　not　make　the　slightest　movement

to　obey　the　command。



〃You　say　you　are　going　ashore？〃　said　Perkins　blandly。



〃Yes；　Patrono。〃



〃What　for？〃



〃To　follow　himthe　thief；　the　assassinwho　struck　me　here；〃　he

pointed　to　his　head。　　〃He　has　escaped　again　with　his　booty。〃



〃You　are　very　foolish；　my　Yoto；　he　is　no　thief；　and　has　no　booty。

They　will　put　YOU　in　prison；　not　him。〃



〃YOU　say　so；〃　said　the　man　surlily。　　〃Perhaps　they　will　hear　me

for　other　things；〃　he　added　significantly。



〃And　for　this　you　would　abandon　the　cause？〃



The　man　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃Why　not？〃　he　glanced　meaningly　at　two　of　his　companions；　who　had

approached　the　side；　〃perhaps　others　would。　　Who　is　sending　the