The Young Rajah

The Young Rajah, by W.H.G.
Kingston

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Title: The Young Rajah
Author: W.H.G. Kingston
Illustrator: W.G.C. Gruine
Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21485]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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YOUNG RAJAH ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Young Rajah
by W.H.G. Kingston

CHAPTER ONE.
THE "GLAMORGAN CASTLE" ON HER VOYAGE TO
INDIA--HER PASSENGERS--OUR HERO--COMBINED EFFECTS
OF A KICK AND A ROLL--VIOLET ROSS--CUPID AT
WORK--OUR HERO'S GALLANT EXPLOIT--THE SHIP REACHES
THE HOOGHLY--PARTING OF REGINALD AND VIOLET.
The stout old Glamorgan Castle, with studding-sails on either side, was
running before the trade-wind on her course to India. The passengers
were lounging about on the poop, sheltered by an awning from the
burning rays of the sun, which struck down with no inconsiderable
force, making even the well-seasoned Indians grumble and incline to be
quarrelsome. Of passengers the ship had her full complement, for all
the cabins were full. There were among them generals, and judges, and
officers of all ranks; as well as married dames returning to their
husbands, and young ladies committed to their care; but few of them
need be noticed. There were Colonel Ross, with his sweet, blooming
daughter Violet; and Major Molony and his pretty little round wife, to
whom he had lately been married; and Captain Hawkesford, going out
to rejoin his regiment,--a handsome-looking man, but with a
countenance not altogether prepossessing, for it betokened selfishness
and want of feeling, or the lines about his firm set mouth, and large
grey eyes, belied him.
The commander, Captain Lyford, was a fine specimen of a sailor. He
made himself agreeable to his passengers, and kept his ship's company
in good order. When nothing occurred to excite him, his face was calm
and unimpassioned; but it lighted up in a moment, and his clear, ringing
voice when issuing an order to the crew showed that there was no lack
of courage and determination in his composition.
There were the usual disputes and misunderstandings on board, which
gave the good skipper, who always acted as peacemaker, no little
trouble to settle. The ladies not infrequently fell out; and their quarrels,
he confessed, were the hardest matters to put to rights, especially when
jealousy set them by the ears. Mrs Brigadier Bomanjoy considered that

she did not receive the same attention which was paid to Mrs Lexicon,
the wife of the judge; and Miss Martha Pelican, who was making her
second expedition to the East, complained that the officers neglected
her, while they devoted themselves to silly Miss Prettyman, who had
no other qualifications than her pink cheeks and blue eyes to
recommend her. The "griffins" not infrequently had warm disputes; but
the captain quickly managed to settle their more noisy quarrels, and
restore them to good-humour.
"Come, come, lads," he used to say, "let's hear what it's all about, and
then we will get the whole matter into a nut-shell. It can be stowed
away in less space than that, I've no doubt; and when it's there, we'll
heave it overboard. Now then, shake hands, and forget all about it."
He did not, however, venture to interfere when husband and wife fell
out, considering that a third person would only make matters worse;
and more especially did he avoid interfering in the everlasting
squabbles of Major and Mrs Molony--which were indeed rather
amusing than otherwise, the object of the little lady being apparently to
bring her lord and master under the complete subjection of her
imperious will, to which he, good-tempered as he was, had no intention
of yielding.
There were several very nice girls, of whom Miss Violet Ross was
universally considered the most charming. She was young, and very
pretty; fair as a lily, with blue eyes and rich auburn hair. But she had a
good deal more than her beauty to recommend her. She was
sweet-tempered, gentle, and high principled. Mrs Brigadier Bomanjoy
declared that she was puritanical and prudish; but she was in reality
truly religious and modest, without a particle of nonsense in her
composition. Captain Hawkesford, generally supposed to be indifferent
to female charms,--at least, to those of his own countrywomen,--paid
her more attention than he did to any one else, although she evidently
offered him no encouragement.
There was another person on board who must now be mentioned. Many
inquiries had been made of the captain who he was, but no satisfactory
answer had been given.