The Adventures of Roderick Random

The Man on the Hencoop

The Man on the Hencoop Believing themselves near Cape Tiberon, the ship lies to with intent to water. A drunken sailor falls overboard and is lost despite every effort to save him. About two hours later, a voice rises from the sea hailing the ship; the crew, astonished, cries out that it must be the drowned man. Roderick jumps into the boat, rows toward the sound, and finds a man riding a hencoop. The mate, declaring the fellow must be the devil, orders the boat back to the ship, but Roderick insists on rescuing him. The stranger proves to be a sailor from the Vesuvio man-of-war, fallen overboard a full day before; his own ship had tossed him the hencoop rather than heave to. Delighted by his unconcerned manner, Don Rodrigo and Captain Bowling restore him to the Vesuvio two days later, when the warship is met as he expected.

Arrival in England

Arrival in England The vessel beats successfully through the windward passage, catches a westerly wind, and in eight weeks reaches the soundings; two days later the Lizard is sighted. Roderick’s joy at the sight of English ground is matched by Don Rodrigo’s emotion, and even Strap weeps for gladness. The crew benefits from the passengers’ liberality, filling the shoe nailed to the mast. Although Captain Bowling intends to run into the Downs, a shifting wind off the Isle of Wight forces him into St. Helen’s and Spithead, where thirty of the crew are immediately pressed into a man-of-war.

Riding Across the Country

Riding Across the Country Roderick and Don Rodrigo go ashore at Portsmouth, leaving Strap with the captain to bring the ship round with their effects. Roderick’s impatience to see Narcissa is so obvious that his father permits him to ride post across the country to her brother’s house, while Don Rodrigo follows more leisurely by hired post-chaise to a rendezvous in London. Fired with passion, Roderick takes post that very night and by morning reaches an inn three miles from the squire’s house, where he waits in rapture and apprehension until the following morning, his hopes and fears heightened by an eighteen-month absence.

Mrs. Sagely’s Intelligence of Narcissa

Mrs. Sagely’s Intelligence of Narcissa Arriving in darkness at Mrs. Sagely’s cottage, Roderick scarcely dares to knock, fearing the worst. The good old woman opens the door in tearful affection and reassures him that Narcissa is as beautiful, healthy, and devoted as ever. She explains that Narcissa is now in London lodged with Miss Williams, awaiting his return; that the squire has been married a year to Melinda, who has estranged him from his sister; that Narcissa, ill-treated by her sister-in-law, has used her freedom and gone to town; and that Lord Quiverwit, repulsed in his addresses, has at last married elsewhere. The squire and Melinda, she adds, live in mutual discord, quarrelling openly before servants and company.

A Gift for Mrs. Sagely

A Gift for Mrs. Sagely To confirm Narcissa’s constancy, Mrs. Sagely shows Roderick the last letter her mistress wrote, in which he is mentioned with such tenderness and concern that he resolves to ride through the night. The venerable matron gently reminds him of the generous resolutions he carried abroad and warns him not to prejudice Narcissa’s fortune by his own selfish eagerness. Roderick thanks her, briefly describes his flourishing situation, and offers to make her old age comfortable by taking her to live with himself and Narcissa. Though moved to tears and grateful for his offer, she declines out of attachment to her lonely cottage. He then presses thirty guineas upon her, promises the same sum annually, and takes his leave.

Reunion with Morgan at Canterbury

Reunion with Morgan at Canterbury Having ridden all night, Roderick reaches Canterbury in the morning and, spying the name Morgan over an apothecary’s shop, discovers that his old messmate has settled there, married to a widow with three thousand pounds. He enters as a stranger, is at first coldly received, then recognised amid mortar, pestle, turpentine, and egg yolks, and embraced with effusion. Morgan relates that he returned from the West Indies a widower, served as surgeon in the navy, and now enjoys peace, money, and a comfortable trade. He is delighted by Roderick’s good fortune, initially exults over Mackshane’s distress but soon forgives him, laments Captain Oakum’s soul, and is overjoyed to learn that Thompson still lives. After breakfast with Morgan and his wife, Roderick takes his leave and presses on toward London.