The frigate--to which he had been
conveyed without further resistance--struck him as smelling extremely
ill below decks; and he was somewhat dashed by the small amount of
room at his service. Moreover, the new suit into which he was
promptly clapped, though brilliant in colour, had been made for a
smaller man, and obstructed his breathing, which would have been
difficult enough in any case. On the gun-deck, where he found
himself, it was impossible to stand upright and equally impossible to
lie at length, every foot of room between the tiers of nine-pounders
being occupied by kits, knapsacks, chests and mattresses littered
about in all conceivable disorder, and the intervals between these
bridged by the legs of his brothers-in-arms. As the Coldstreams were
an exceedingly well-grown regiment, and for the most part deeply
absorbed just then in dicing, quarrelling, chuck-penny and lively
discussions on the forthcoming campaign, Tristram had found the
utmost difficulty in avoiding the sheaves of legs between him and the
empty mattress assigned for his use. In his dejection of spirits it
was a comfort to find that none of his future comrades turned a head
to observe him. He cast himself down on the mattress and gave vent
to a profound sigh.
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