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Are you still not reading these books?
Now it was the turn of the pressed men, several right seamen among them, some taken far out in the offing from homeward-bound merchant ships by Mowett in the barge, others captured ashore by the gang. The first of them, a man called Yeats, looked more like a prosperous gardener, which indeed he was, as he explained to the lieutenant: a nurseryman. He had half an acre under his glass -- his business was going well -- would be ruined if he were pressed -- his wife did not understand the trade, and she was expecting. His extreme distress was evident; so was his sincerity.
"What is that anchor mark doing on your hand?" asked Pullings, pointing to the mark, tattooed blue and red. "You have been to sea: do not deny it."
Yes, he had been to sea when he was a boy, five months in Hermione, sick almost all the time, and when she was paid off here in Hamoaze he had walked inland as far as ever he could and had never come near the shore again until Thursday, when the press-gang took him as he was crossing the bridge to visit an important customer at Saltash. His business would be ruined if he did not go home.
"Well, I am sorry for it, Yeats," said Pullings. "But the law is the law: any man that has used the sea may be pressed." In cases like this some officers would make observations about the necessity for manning the fleet, about serving -- preserving -- the country, even about patriotism, for the general edification of the ship's company: others would turn harsh or gruff. Pullings only said, "Go along with the Doctor," shaking his head. Yeats cast a desperate look at the seated men, clasped his hands, and went alone without another word, too disheartened to speak.
Behind the canvas screen Stephen told him to take off his clothes, poked him in the belly and groin, and said, "You lift heavy weights in your trade."
"Oh no, sir," said Yeats in a low spiritless voice, "we only carry -- "
"Do not presume to contradict me," said Stephen sharply. "You answer questions when they are asked and not before, do you hear?"
"Beg pardon, sir," said Yeats, closing his eyes.
"You lift heavy weights. Here are the signs of an incipient hernia. I am afraid we shall have to refuse you. It is not serious yet, but you are to drink very little ale or wine, and no strong waters at all; you are to forswear tobacco, that nasty vice, and are to be let blood three times a year."
"What is that anchor mark doing on your hand?" asked Pullings, pointing to the mark, tattooed blue and red. "You have been to sea: do not deny it."
Yes, he had been to sea when he was a boy, five months in Hermione, sick almost all the time, and when she was paid off here in Hamoaze he had walked inland as far as ever he could and had never come near the shore again until Thursday, when the press-gang took him as he was crossing the bridge to visit an important customer at Saltash. His business would be ruined if he did not go home.
"Well, I am sorry for it, Yeats," said Pullings. "But the law is the law: any man that has used the sea may be pressed." In cases like this some officers would make observations about the necessity for manning the fleet, about serving -- preserving -- the country, even about patriotism, for the general edification of the ship's company: others would turn harsh or gruff. Pullings only said, "Go along with the Doctor," shaking his head. Yeats cast a desperate look at the seated men, clasped his hands, and went alone without another word, too disheartened to speak.
Behind the canvas screen Stephen told him to take off his clothes, poked him in the belly and groin, and said, "You lift heavy weights in your trade."
"Oh no, sir," said Yeats in a low spiritless voice, "we only carry -- "
"Do not presume to contradict me," said Stephen sharply. "You answer questions when they are asked and not before, do you hear?"
"Beg pardon, sir," said Yeats, closing his eyes.
"You lift heavy weights. Here are the signs of an incipient hernia. I am afraid we shall have to refuse you. It is not serious yet, but you are to drink very little ale or wine, and no strong waters at all; you are to forswear tobacco, that nasty vice, and are to be let blood three times a year."
- Patrick O'Brian, The Ionian Mission, p.32-33
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I assure you, it's on my Wishlist.
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Anyway, are there any decent second-hand bookshops around? For whatever reason, I've had really good luck with finding this series second-hand (a good half the books); it just seems to be one of those things that places always have a couple of volumes of, like Pratchett. Just something that might be worth keeping an eye out for.
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Mission accomplished.
Now if you can tear yourself away from Jack & Stephen for a moment ;) . . . .I've posted about the Riverside T-shirts on my LJ, and the lions are roaring for more! Any chance of getting your designs there back up?