Obeying this order , we found , or rather I found -- for the gamekeeper was a poor hand at reading anything but print -- the following important news : Old Anchor Inn , Bristol , March 1 , 17 -- Dear Livesey -- As I do not know whether you are at the hall or still in London , I send this in double to both places . The ship is bought and fitted . She lies at anchor , ready for sea . You never imagined a sweeter schooner -- a child might sail her -- two hundred tons ; name , HISPANIOLA . I got her through my old friend , Blandly , who has proved himself throughout the most surprising trump . The admirable fellow literally slaved in my interest , and so , I may say , did everyone in Bristol , as soon as they got wind of the port we sailed for -- treasure , I mean . `` Redruth , '' said I , interrupting the letter , `` Dr. Livesey will not like that . The squire has been talking , after all . '' `` Well , who 's a better right ? '' growled the gamekeeper . `` A pretty rum go if squire ai n't to talk for Dr. Livesey , I should think . '' At that I gave up all attempts at commentary and read straight on : Blandly himself found the HISPANIOLA , and by the most admirable management got her for the merest trifle . There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly . They go the length of declaring that this honest creature would do anything for money , that the HISPANIOLA belonged to him , and that he sold it me absurdly high -- the most transparent calumnies . None of them dare , however , to deny the merits of the ship . So far there was not a hitch . The workpeople , to be sure -- riggers and what not -- were most annoyingly slow ; but time cured that . It was the crew that troubled me . I wished a round score of men -- in case of natives , buccaneers , or the odious French -- and I had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much as half a dozen , till the most remarkable stroke of fortune brought me the very man that I required . I was standing on the dock , when , by the merest accident , I fell in talk with him .
I found he was an old sailor , kept a public-house , knew all the seafaring men in XXXXX , had lost his health ashore , and wanted a good berth as cook to get to sea again .
Bristol French HISPANIOLA Livesey London Redruth accident calumnies deuce workpeople