Дні мрій
A Saga Of The Seas
Thenextday,whichwasnearlyalltakenupwithshiftingourquartersintothenewfrigate,sohonourablyandeasilyacquired,wasaverypleasantone,aseveryonewhohasgoneupintheworldandmovedintoalargerhousewillreadilyunderstand.AtlastIhadgrim,blackgunsallalongeachside,insteadofarottenbrasscarronade;atlastIhadasquare-riggedship,withrealyards,andaproperquarter-deck.Infact,nowthatIhadsoaredashighascouldbehopedinasinglevoyage,itseemedabouttimetogohomeandcutadashandshowoffabit.Theworstofthisocean-theatrewas,itheldnoproperaudience.Itwashard,ofcourse,torelinquishalltheadventuresthatstilllayuntouchedintheseSouthernseas.Whaling,forinstance,hadnotyetbeenenteredupon;thejoysofexploration,andstrangeinlandcitiesinnocentofthewhiteman,stillawaitedme;andthebookofwrecksandrescueswasnotyetevenopened.ButIhadachievedafrigateandaPrincess,andthatwasnotsobadforabeginning,andmorethanenoughtoshowoffwithbeforethosedullunadventurousfolkwhocontinuedontheirmill-horseroundathome.
Thevoyagehomewasarecordone,sofarasmerespeedwasconcerned,andalladventureswerescornfullyleftbehind,aswerattledalong,forotheradventurerswhohadstilltheirlaurelstowin.HardlylaterthanthenoonofnextdaywedroppedanchorinPlymouthSound,andheardtheintoxicatingclamourofbells,theroarofartillery,andthehoarsecheersofanexcitedpopulacesurgingdowntothequays,thattolduswewerebeingappreciatedatsomethinglikeourtruemerits.
