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Article THE FIRST CRUISE OF THE " VIXEN." ← Page 12 of 23 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The First Cruise Of The " Vixen."
a spare loft , which Avas usually occupied by the muleteers . In half an hour Ave xvere seated in this unsavoury chamber , endeavouring to sup on a foxxd which looked , as Tom justly observed , to hax'e a cross of the greyhound in its breed , and had evidently been boiled in oil . " Allthere's one comfort" cried Darcydisplaying his huge
, , , limbs over the floor , and composing himself to rest , " there's one mighty satisfaction I have , there ' s no cook can spoil sleep . I can get that pure in any country . " " And this is the native countwy of Cataxvina , " saicl Fin ; " I bweathe the same air xvith her . I shall clxveam that her gxveat eyes are fixed upon me . Ah ! xvhat luxuxvy ! "
" Hold youi' cater-xvauling , Fin , and let me go to sleep , " roared Tom . Fin muttered some plaintive remonstrance , to xvhich Tom replied by an imprecation . Darcy cut into the conx'ersation xvith a snore like a trombone , ancl xve all sank into slumber . I had not slept ten minutes , xvhen I Avas awakened by Avhat seemed to be a leakage in the roof . I heard the
drops of water pattering on the floor , ancl some fell on the boat-cloak which served me as a coverlet . The leak appeared to gain on the roof rapidly , for it seemed at length to rain a sliOAver into the loft . Fortunately , I hacl brought with me an umbrella , designed to keep off the sun , ancl silently opening it , 1 established myself securely under its cover . I laid doAvn
, therefore , snug enough , Avhile I listened to the peppering drops AX'lhch resounded upon my silken roof . I had nearly enfolded myself in the arms of Morpheus once more , when a shout from Darcy brought us all up to our feet .
" AVhat's the matter V Ave all cried , AA'hile Pat delivered himself of a volley of expletives . The alarm xvas not Avithout cause ; for by the light of the lantern AA'hich Ave hacl fortunately left burning , xve discovered that the floor Avas alive xvith a myriad of enormous bugs . The vermin , secreted in the roof , but attracted by the Aiands and the light , hacl dropped in thousands from
above , and this Avas the shoxver xxdiich I had mistaken for rain , ancl from xxdiich I had endeavoured to protect myself with my umbrella . Let me not attempt to describe that dreadful night , and xvith xvhat gratitude xve greeted the first rays of morning . We escaped from Ox'idos after an early breakfast , and xvhen xve had secured mules to coirvey us to Lisbon .
An unexpected pleasure noxv axvaitecl us , xxdiich amply repaid us for our night of suffering . On the road to Lisbon from Ox'idos , every foot of the xvay is historic ground to the English traveller . First xve hacl to pass Rolica , Vimiera , Torres Vedras , and Cintra . Here Fin xvas of great use to us ; he hacl" the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The First Cruise Of The " Vixen."
a spare loft , which Avas usually occupied by the muleteers . In half an hour Ave xvere seated in this unsavoury chamber , endeavouring to sup on a foxxd which looked , as Tom justly observed , to hax'e a cross of the greyhound in its breed , and had evidently been boiled in oil . " Allthere's one comfort" cried Darcydisplaying his huge
, , , limbs over the floor , and composing himself to rest , " there's one mighty satisfaction I have , there ' s no cook can spoil sleep . I can get that pure in any country . " " And this is the native countwy of Cataxvina , " saicl Fin ; " I bweathe the same air xvith her . I shall clxveam that her gxveat eyes are fixed upon me . Ah ! xvhat luxuxvy ! "
" Hold youi' cater-xvauling , Fin , and let me go to sleep , " roared Tom . Fin muttered some plaintive remonstrance , to xvhich Tom replied by an imprecation . Darcy cut into the conx'ersation xvith a snore like a trombone , ancl xve all sank into slumber . I had not slept ten minutes , xvhen I Avas awakened by Avhat seemed to be a leakage in the roof . I heard the
drops of water pattering on the floor , ancl some fell on the boat-cloak which served me as a coverlet . The leak appeared to gain on the roof rapidly , for it seemed at length to rain a sliOAver into the loft . Fortunately , I hacl brought with me an umbrella , designed to keep off the sun , ancl silently opening it , 1 established myself securely under its cover . I laid doAvn
, therefore , snug enough , Avhile I listened to the peppering drops AX'lhch resounded upon my silken roof . I had nearly enfolded myself in the arms of Morpheus once more , when a shout from Darcy brought us all up to our feet .
" AVhat's the matter V Ave all cried , AA'hile Pat delivered himself of a volley of expletives . The alarm xvas not Avithout cause ; for by the light of the lantern AA'hich Ave hacl fortunately left burning , xve discovered that the floor Avas alive xvith a myriad of enormous bugs . The vermin , secreted in the roof , but attracted by the Aiands and the light , hacl dropped in thousands from
above , and this Avas the shoxver xxdiich I had mistaken for rain , ancl from xxdiich I had endeavoured to protect myself with my umbrella . Let me not attempt to describe that dreadful night , and xvith xvhat gratitude xve greeted the first rays of morning . We escaped from Ox'idos after an early breakfast , and xvhen xve had secured mules to coirvey us to Lisbon .
An unexpected pleasure noxv axvaitecl us , xxdiich amply repaid us for our night of suffering . On the road to Lisbon from Ox'idos , every foot of the xvay is historic ground to the English traveller . First xve hacl to pass Rolica , Vimiera , Torres Vedras , and Cintra . Here Fin xvas of great use to us ; he hacl" the