andersonville-第129章
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venture out； and we were soon battling with the rolling waves； far out of
sight of land。 For awhile the novelty of the scene fascinated me。 I was
at last on the ocean； of which I had heard； read and imagined so much。
The creaking cordage； the straining engine； the plunging ship； the wild
waste of tumbling billows； everyone apparently racing to where our
tossing bark was struggling to maintain herself； all had an entrancing
interest for me； and I tried to recall Byron's sublime apostrophe to the
ocean：
Thou glorious mirror； where the Almighty's form
Classes itself in tempest： in all time；
Calm or convulsed…in breeze； or gale； or storm；
Icing the pole； or in the torrid clime
Dark…heavingboundless； endless； and sublime
The image of eternitythe throne
Of the invisible； even from out thy slime
The monsters of the deep are made； each zone
Obey thee： thou goest forth； dread； fathomless； alone；
Just then； my reverie was broken by the strong hand of the gruff Captain
of； the vessel descending upon my shoulder； and he said：
〃See； here； youngster！ Ain't you the fellow that was put in command of
these men？〃
I acknowledged such to be the case。
〃Well；〃 said the Captain； 〃I want you to 'tend to your business and
straighten them around； so that we can clean off the decks。〃
I turned from the bulwark over which I had been contemplating the vasty
deep； and saw the sorriest； most woe…begone lot that the imagination can
conceive。 Every mother's son was wretchedly sea…sick。 They were paying
the penalty of their overfeeding in Wilmington； and every face looked as
if its owner was discovering for the first time what the real lower
depths of human misery was。 They all seemed afraid they would not die；
as if they were praying for death； but feeling certain that he was going
back on them in a most shameful way。
We straightened them around a little； washed them and the decks off with
a hose； and then I started down in the hold to see how matters were with
the six hundred down there。 The boys there were much sicker than those
on deck。 As I lifted the hatch there rose an odor which appeared strong
enough to raise the plank itself。 Every onion that had been issued to us
in Wilmington seemed to lie down there in the last stages of
decomposition。 All of the seventy distinct smells which Coleridge
counted at Cologne might have been counted in any given cubic foot of
atmosphere； while the next foot would have an entirely different and
equally demonstrative 〃bouquet。〃
I recoiled； and leaned against the bulwark； but soon summoned up courage
enough to go half…way down the ladder； and shout out in as stern a tone
as I could command：
〃here； now！ I want you fellows to straighten around there； right off；
and help clean up！〃
They were as angry and cross as they were sick。 They wanted nothing in
the world so much as the opportunity I had given them to swear at and
abuse somebody。 Every one of them raised on his elbow； and shaking his
fist at me yelled out：
〃O； you go to ； you 。 Just come down another step；
and I'll knock the whole head off 'en you。〃
I did not go down any farther。
Coming back on the deck my stomach began to feel qualmish。 Some wretched
idiot； whose grandfather's grave I hope the jackasses have defiled； as
the Turks would say； told me that the best preventive of sea…sickness was
to drink as much of the milk punch as I could swallow。
Like another idiot； I did so。
I went again to the side of the vessel； but now the fascination of the
scene had all faded out。 The restless billows were dreary； savage；
hungry and dizzying； they seemed to claw at； and tear； and wrench the
struggling ship as a group of huge lions would tease and worry a captive
dog。 They distressed her and all on board by dealing a blow which would
send her reeling in one direction； but before she had swung the full
length that impulse would have sent her； catching her on the opposite
side with a stunning shock that sent her another way； only to meet
another rude buffet from still another side。
I thought we could all have stood it if the motion had been like that of
a swing…backward and forwardor even if the to and fro motion had been
complicated with a side…wise swing； but to be put through every possible
bewildering motion in the briefest space of time was more than heads of
iron and stomachs of brass could stand。
Mine were not made of such perdurable stuff。
They commenced mutinous demonstrations in regard to the milk punch。
I began wondering whether the milk was not the horrible beer swill；
stump…tail kind of which I had heard so much。
And the whisky in it； to use a vigorous Westernism； descriptive of mean
whisky； it seemed to me that I could smell the boy's feet who plowed the
corn from which it was distilled。
Then the onions I had eaten in Wilmington began to rebel； and incite the
bread； meat and coffee to gastric insurrection； and I became so utterly
wretched that life had no farther attractions。
While I was leaning over the bulwark； musing on the complete hollowness
of all earthly things； the Captain of the vessel caught hold of me
roughly； and said：
〃Look here； you're just playin' the very devil a…commandin' these here
men。 Why in don't you stiffen up； and hump yourself around； and
make these men mind； or else belt them over the head with a capstan bar！
Now I want you to 'tend to your business。 D'you understand me？〃
I turned a pair of weary and hopeless eyes upon him； and started to say
that a man who would talk to one in my forlorn condition of 〃stiffening
up；〃 and 〃belting other fellows over the head with a capstan bar；〃 would
insult a woman dying with consumption； but I suddenly became too full for
utterance。
The milk punch； the onions； the bread； and meat and coffee tired of
fighting it out in the narrow quarters where I had stowed them； had
started upwards tumultuously。
I turned my head again to the sea； and looking down into its smaragdine
depths； let go of the victualistic store which I had been industriously
accumulating ever since I had come through the lines。
I vomited until I felt as empty and hollow as a stove pipe。 There was a
vacuum that extended clear to my toe…nails。 I feared that every retching
struggle would dent me in； all over； as one sees tin preserving cans
crushed in by outside pressure； and I apprehended that if I kept on much
longer my shoe…soles would come up after the rest。
I will mention； parenthetically； that； to this day I abhor milk punch；
and also onions。
Unutterably miserable as I was I could not refrain from a ghost of a
smile； when a poor country boy near me sang out in an interval between
vomiting spells：
〃O； Captain； for God's sake； stop the boat and lem'me go ashore； and I
swear I'll walk every step of the way home。〃
He was like old Gonzalo in the 'Tempest：'
Now world I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren
ground； long heath； brown furze； anything。 The wills above be done！
but I would fain die a dry death。
After this misery had lasted about two days we got past Cape Hatteras；
and out of reach of its malign influence； and recovered as rapidly as we
had been prostrated。
We regained spirits and appetites with amazing swiftness； the sun came
out warm and cheerful； we cleaned up our quarters and ourselves as best
we could； and during the remainder of the voyage were as blithe and
cheerful as so many crickets。
The fun in the cabin was rollicking。 The officers had been as sick as
the men； but were wonderfully vivacious when the 'mal du mer' passed off。
In the party was a fine glee club； which had been organized at 〃Camp
Sorgum；〃 the officers' prison at Columbia。 Its leader was a Major of the
Fifth Iowa Cavalry； who possessed a marvelously sweet tenor voice； and
well developed musical powers。 While we were at Wilmington he sang 〃When
Sherman Marched Down to the Sea；〃 to an audience of soldiers that packed
the Opera House densely。
The enthusiasm he aroused was simply indescribable； men shouted； and the
tears ran down t
