Return to the Sea

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Hold our hands, fix the quarters. I'm a forgot turn barry Let's tam
a b one broad side. Didn'twant it to please Captain Bush point us
on pockets. Since not very passingMichael Redgrave, he has Forester's Indomino Mamma

(00:37):
the Sea Racio hornblower. This periodof time, looking back on what I

(01:59):
had said, spose, I maycall a successful career. I can afford
a smile of the worries which besetme as an ambitious and conscientious captain trying
to muster the crew of the Sutherland. Those difficulties were real and painful enough
of them. I stared gloomily fromthe window of my lodging house and listened

(02:20):
to Lieutenant Push as he read mycarefully worded proclamation to the small and highly
derisive crowd of lunges in the marketsquare. Yea ye, to all young
maid of spirit steamer Lands, forthe boys who wished to strike a blow

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for freedom and make the CAUs ofa tire at which he never dared the
wrath of these pretty dials Hispalace.His ships Sutherland have two gets of seventy
four guns. He's a pleasant commissioninga pimouth and a few vacancies still to
complete her crew. Fool wishes forthe handful of golden the way door for

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price money. I will be fitnessand dancing, everything and provisions and sixteen
answers to the bowl. Yes,what a the best, the best of
play. I'm lugging big day,every day of the week in addition to

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the play under the warrant of hisbirth rageous ninety King John. Pay again,
if you ask for it, getpaid. Not much lucky at you,

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there's so many free get captains.Recruited figures always attract men more than
a ship of the lines. Nobush, they've better chances of prize money.
Well, I'm half percent four lieutenantseach with half a dozen men around
the seven countries. I don't carewhat you'll find, volunteers or pressed member.
I need another fifty seamen and twohundred landsmen and boys. If I

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don't complete my crew, it meansthe loss of the command. You see
to it push them, aye,I say, Master's arms wishes to report
their uh oh, what more indiscipline? He has my orders to flog the
skin of any mutinous seamen. AndI have no unrest at the start of

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a new commission. I don't thinkhe's said so far? Why look here
he comes now, sir? Whata queer looking lot of men. He's
top Williams, the oh good heavens. What creatures are these? Handcuffed together
somewhere in leg irons, all inrags? What am I doing on my
stiff? Or what of the level? Is this your answer? I sign

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their seat of the sugeant? Whatbrought him? Soldiers? Where did these
these scarecrows come from? Exit theirsigns? Sir? H I gotta listen,
sir. Four of them punctures.That one in moleskin breeches these names
waits, he's a sheet stealer.And the one in black with the brewers

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manager for him was took for biggerme. The others is mostly larceny,
sir. Except for them two infront what's in for rick burning? And
the two in irons their robbery withviolence? Turkey of the all together stairs,
and they've chosen service at sea insteadof their sentences. Find addition to

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my ship's company. Budding mutineers,sauke ruffians, half witted KALs s hands,
they are annas maker mercies might beworth trying to win their affection.
Look, why are they handcuffed?Released from at once? Big pardon,
sir, I didn't like to dowithout orders. Seeing what they are,

(06:08):
I remind what they are and inthe King's service now, and I'll have
no man in the hands in myship unless he's given me course to do
it. No, sir, thesemen are recruits in an honorable service with
an honorable future. Performan now,listen, man, any man who does
his duty as best he can hasnothing to fear in this ship and everything
to hope for. Oh, Iwant to see the dirt of the place

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you've come from. Washed off thismiss right, find one of the person's
mates, and see that these menare properly addressed. Ahi aye, sir
ah, mister Bush, that's anotherthirty. Anyway, I think I've won
some of them over. My privateopinion is they've made a bad bargain.
They'd be better off in jail.Oh, let's see a carry. When

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we get the cut on it,we see the carrier plat phones too.
You've got any help? Was tryingto make sellers to you. You'll likely
finish up overside with a shot atyour feet before we make us, said
had a good job too, Thompson. What's the meaning of this? Maybe
buns who we're cleaning a prison dirtand fleet off them, but none of
them might have had a path intheir lives, and they won't be down

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and have pumps. I won't havethose men called Thompson, and I won't
tolerate bully one day. All ourlives may depend on their loyalty. Clean
them by all means, but no, bully. Here, I under the
pump with you. Man, won'thurt you. Let me get to see
You'll see me under that pump everymorning at seven bells? Isn't that so
you are? You're there? Yourname's uh waits, isn't it? Now

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set them an example, undre yougo? Come on, yes, sir,
come here Thompson. That welt onweights his shoulder from No, I'm
not hit rope. I had touse my start up. Sure I understand
this. I won't to have apetty officer on my ship who doesn't know

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when to use a starter and whennot to. I'm not soft, but
those men are bewildered and hitting themwon't clear their heads. Not the mistake
of this kind. And I'll dissrage now get followed before I have been
flogged in front of these jailbirds.So it went on all the bodies of

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preparing to see, re rigging,refittling, wondering whether I can nan my
ship in time, and other worriestoo. Mariah, my wife, was
with me in my lodgings, tearful, clawing, affectionate. She had whispered
to me that it was possible wecame to be parents again, a new

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worry for me to take with meto see. And I felt guilty because
well, because I was just overthe shock of the news that Lady Barbara
Wellesley, over whom I had nearlymade a fool of myself aboard the Lydia,
had suddenly married Admiral Layton, theman under whom I was now serving.

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Had my appointment been due to herbenevolent influence or was it a subtle
revenge out of peak? I askedmyself. The question aknew when a boy
brought a letter to my lodgings addressedto my wife and me the angel in

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Plymouth, May the fourth, eighteenhundred and ten, ar Admiral Severercian Lady
Barbara Leyton would esteem it in honorif Captain and Missus Horatio Hornblove would dine
with him, and this addressed tomorrowthe fifth at four o'clock. M M,
my dear, it's almost a commandwe must accept. I've only my

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blue sack gown. Yeah, itlooks perfect. That's what you say about
everything I wear? Tell me?Is she very gent to you? M?
Yeah, no, no, no, I'm who is who? Lady
Barbara? Oh? She traveled homefrom Panama with you and Lydia, didn't
she? Oh? Yes, well, well she's she's Lord Wellington's sister.

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You know, she's a very charmingwoman. I would go down to the
ship, my dear. Oh,oh, racial must you. I was
hoping we could spend the afternoon.To much to be done, so much
to think about, delightful evening,My dear. Lady Barbara's a very genter,

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your persons. But why ever didshe marries her Percy Layton? She
doesn't love him? I didn't knowthat. Who said she doesn't love him?
Nobody said so, dear. Buta woman doesn't need to be told
these things. Why, it's obviousin her every look and gesture. It
is strange for a woman in herposition has no need for social climbing.

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I suspect it was a political marriage. The Layton votes will be valuable to
the Wells list if anything happens tothe poor old king, and then there
would be a regency in well.The Wells Lisa almost the only faction left
with the will to carry on thewar against Bonaparte. They'll need all the
sport they can get. I don'tunderstand these things, but she is a

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very charming woman. As you said, she asked I was to accompany on
this voyage. That I explained itwith the the hopes we're beginning to cherish,
it would be inadvisable what you toldher that, yes, dear,
why should I know? Oh?Oh, no, no reason, why
not? Of course? It's well, it's a shame you can't come with.

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Well, never mind, I'll beback with a bag full of guineas
for prize money before two years areup. Two years. Oh, it
is a lifetime, Horatio. Howis the commissioning proceeding? Have you enough
men in Stall? Nothing like enough? I need fifty more topmen and topman
and not to be picked up outof jails. The flagship Pluto and the
Caligula are almost ready to sail,and the East India Convoy whilch we are

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to escort, are already assembling.I can't see how we're to be ready
in time. Don't worry, so, dear, you'll never sailed. I
could spend all my next quarters payon stores and still not have bought too
much. The Sutherland already shows mypoverty. She's she's been painted by the
dockyard in her usual nickedly fashion.Other captains pay out of their own pocket

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for white and red and gold leaf. I must be content with the dockyard
dull, yellow and black. AndI only wish I could live more cheaply
so that you could spend more onyour ship. Oh no, don't approach
yourself, my dear. No economiesthat you could make it buy the pigs
and fowls and sheep that I need. Let alone the luxuries I must provide

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for entertaining other captains, or perhapsthe Admiral himself. Apples, cigars,
raisins, cheese, poor cherry madeirapeppers, cloths or spice, brunes,
figs, a chest of tea,wax, candles, a dozen shirts,
four more pairs of silk stodes,or are you going endosy Oh, that's

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good to sleep, my dear.The problem will keep till tomorrow. That
fast, I said, the fast, you'll have to use lands to the
person. They're not seamen yet.They don't know what a mask or believe

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me, I love us, don'tknow what anything makes Sir, Hey stop,
I should simper. It's not sheep. Can man birst you empty you
your college? I see you knowwhat m king mind Now it's brain you
want, not wrong. You'd raiseyour endemy with this cat. You're gonna

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sleep before I kick your fishing?Yeah, where they will turn out shore.
I don't think they'll never make stemenof supper arms, sir, until
I arrested that cornishman for attempting tostrike as appear Sir. No, mister
Puss too or to realize what Newtonyentails at the moment, Harrison's method is
best. After a week or twothey will settle down a bit hole.

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The better I'll there'll be some floggingsor hanging. I'll keep the man out
of it. Mister Bush has willgo below and study my orders. Excuse

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me, sir. Mister Bush sentme to say the last of the stores
are coming aboard, Sir, verywell. Thank you. Wait a moment,
your Midshipman Longley, aren't you misterGerard's nebiw Yes, sir, my
first boy, sir. Well,mister Longley, attend to your work and
do your duty in or you maybe a captain sunday. Mm hmm.

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I'll very well tell mister Busher,I'll be our prisoner, yes, sir,
and mister Longley. Yes, sir, I'm a sorry boy. Come
in and stand still. What wasit you said last? I said,
I said, sir, mister Bush, No, no, no, what
did you say last last? Moh? I said, yes, sir

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sir? What ought to do?Sir? I? I ser very good?
Well, remember that you were certainquickness of understanding. You learn how
to handle men, and you'll makea useful oneant officer. Here we go,
I I ser. When I wentup to the quarter deck a few

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moments later and gave Bush the orderto make sale, I found the decks
in a horrible muddle. As theofficers drove, the wretched crew made more
stupid than usual with weariness to theMizzen rigging ash. Look at the lovers
ch already. Why the Marines arebetter sailors? The windows back easterly randing
Devil's point on not easy race thoseyards run Ah, well upset, look

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at those pools of transports, misterBore scattering before the windows if they actually
wanted to be snapped up by aprivate year Ah, the flagship short things,
say, I get our royals inhi Isaac. It's the caligula,
make more sail, make spasing aheadof convoy. Oh yeah, it's Captain
Bolton has got that job. Anda we have to run down to hiling

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distance and perhaps fire a gun beforethose transports are begging and nevers of him.
Well the damn Now the Indieman areshortening sail and as though the convoy
wasn't scattered enough. Admill signing forthe Indiaman's mate sale I Betty's raven match.
Btty can't court marshalom. But thoseIndia captains make five thousand pounds out
of a voyage, But do theycare about an admiral. I make the

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mind of harbor in command. Nightcoming on, and that convoys scattered almost
before it started. Then I beganto feel that the Admiral was not showing

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to the best advantage. As Iconsidered it that This is duty to keep
the convoy together, whatever the difficulties. I felt a cold chill spring to
my forehead and a slight trembling inmy legs. I knew what was coming.
It happened at the start of almostevery voyage, but I loathed and

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feared it. I would not givein. I would not another signal,
sir, negship was other eight nightseason? Well acknowledged, mister Bush take
eye, I said, quarter mileof windward of convoys, But you're going

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to fall. I've not quite foundmy sea legs. Mister Busher, you
know it's not too long. LordNelson was just the same set for the
first day of each boy. He'dstumbled like a baby. Can talk of
that feeling, you, sir?And resistance was at an end, blind

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lad, drunken there, I staggeredto the companion rail, lurched down to
the half deck and along to thedoor of the arter. Kevin Paul Wheel,
my steward, was laying dinner atthe table. Get out, Paul,
will are you fretting? Will write? Can I do anything for you?
Sir? Yes? Paul? Willyou can obey an order? What's

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that say? Get out a ratioHornblower starring Michael Redgrave, is based on
the novels by C. S.Furnaster Music composers and conducted by Sydney Torn

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Produced by Harry Allen Carris,