the works of edgar allan poe-3-第13章

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of　the　board　（which　was　about　a　foot　above　the　first　cut）；　thus
making　an　aperture　quite　large　enough　to　admit　his　passage　through
with　facility　to　the　main　orlop　deck。　Having　got　here；　he　made　his
way　with　but　little　trouble　to　the　lower　main　hatch；　although　in　so
doing　he　had　to　scramble　over　tiers　of　oil…casks　piled　nearly　as　high
as　the　upper　deck；　there　being　barely　room　enough　left　for　his　body。
Upon　reaching　the　hatch　he　found　that　Tiger　had　followed　him　below；
squeezing　between　two　rows　of　the　casks。　It　was　now　too　late；
however；　to　attempt　getting　to　me　before　dawn；　as　the　chief
difficulty　lay　in　passing　through　the　close　stowage　in　the　lower
hold。　He　therefore　resolved　to　return；　and　wait　till　the　next　night。
With　this　design；　he　proceeded　to　loosen　the　hatch；　so　that　he　might
have　as　little　detention　as　possible　when　he　should　come　again。　No
sooner　had　he　loosened　it　than　Tiger　sprang　eagerly　to　the　small
opening　produced；　snuffed　for　a　moment；　and　then　uttered　a　long
whine；　scratching　at　the　same　time；　as　if　anxious　to　remove　the
covering　with　his　paws。　There　could　be　no　doubt；　from　his　behaviour；
that　he　was　aware　of　my　being　in　the　hold；　and　Augustus　thought　it
possible　that　he　would　be　able　to　get　to　me　if　he　put　him　down。　He
now　hit　upon　the　expedient　of　sending　the　note；　as　it　was　especially
desirable　that　I　should　make　no　attempt　at　forcing　my　way　out　at
least　under　existing　circumstances；　and　there　could　be　no　certainty
of　his　getting　to　me　himself　on　the　morrow　as　he　intended。
After…events　proved　how　fortunate　it　was　that　the　idea　occurred　to
him　as　it　did；　for；　had　it　not　been　for　the　receipt　of　the　note；　I
should　undoubtedly　have　fallen　upon　some　plan；　however　desperate；　of
alarming　the　crew；　and　both　our　lives　would　most　probably　have　been
sacrificed　in　consequence。

　　　　Having　concluded　to　write；　the　difficulty　was　now　to　procure　the
mate。　rials　for　so　doing。　An　old　toothpick　was　soon　made　into　a　pen；
and　this　by　means　of　feeling　altogether；　for　the　between…decks　was　as
dark　as　pitch。　Paper　enough　was　obtained　from　the　back　of　a　letter…　a
duplicate　of　the　forged　letter　from　Mr。　Ross。　This　had　been　the
original　draught；　but　the　handwriting　not　being　sufficiently　well
imitated；　Augustus　had　written　another；　thrusting　the　first；　by　good
fortune；　into　his　coat…pocket；　where　it　was　now　most　opportunely
discovered。　Ink　alone　was　thus　wanting；　and　a　substitute　was
immediately　found　for　this　by　means　of　a　slight　incision　with　the
pen…knife　on　the　back　of　a　finger　just　above　the　nail…　a　copious　flow
of　blood　ensuing；　as　usual；　from　wounds　in　that　vicinity。　The　note
was　now　written；　as　well　as　it　could　be　in　the　dark　and　under　the
circumstances。　It　briefly　explained　that　a　mutiny　had　taken　place；
that　Captain　Barnard　was　set　adrift；　and　that　I　might　expect
immediate　relief　as　far　as　provisions　were　concerned；　but　must　not
venture　upon　making　any　disturbance。　It　concluded　with　these　words：
〃_I　have　scrawled　this　with　blood…　your　life　depends　upon　lying
close。_〃

　　　　This　slip　of　paper　being　tied　upon　the　dog；　he　was　now　put　down
the　hatchway；　and　Augustus　made　the　best　of　his　way　back　to　the
forecastle；　where　be　found　no　reason　to　believe　that　any　of　the　crew
had　been　in　his　absence。　To　conceal　the　hole　in　the　partition；　he
drove　his　knife　in　just　above　it；　and　hung　up　a　pea…jacket　which　he
found　in　the　berth。　His　handcuffs　were　then　replaced；　and　also　the
rope　around　his　ankles。

　　　　These　arrangements　were　scarcely　completed　when　Dirk　Peters　came
below；　very　drunk；　but　in　excellent　humour；　and　bringing　with　him　my
friend's　allowance　of　provision　for　the　day。　This　consisted　of　a
dozen　large　Irish　potatoes　roasted；　and　a　pitcher　of　water。　He　sat
for　some　time　on　a　chest　by　the　berth；　and　talked　freely　about　the
mate　and　the　general　concerns　of　the　brig。　His　demeanour　was
exceedingly　capricious；　and　even　grotesque。　At　one　time　Augustus　was
much　alarmed　by　odd　conduct。　At　last；　however；　he　went　on　deck；
muttering　a　promise　to　bring　his　prisoner　a　good　dinner　on　the
morrow。　During　the　day　two　of　the　crew　（harpooners）　came　down；
accompanied　by　the　cook；　all　three　in　nearly　the　last　stage　of
intoxication。　Like　Peters；　they　made　no　scruple　of　talking
unreservedly　about　their　plans。　It　appeared　that　they　were　much
divided　among　themselves　as　to　their　ultimate　course；　agreeing　in　no
point；　except　the　attack　on　the　ship　from　the　Cape　Verd　Islands；　with
which　they　were　in　hourly　expectation　of　meeting。　As　far　as　could　be
ascertained；　the　mutiny　had　not　been　brought　about　altogether　for　the
sake　of　booty；　a　private　pique　of　the　chief　mate's　against　Captain
Barnard　having　been　the　main　instigation。　There　now　seemed　to　be　two
principal　factions　among　the　crew…　one　headed　by　the　mate；　the　other
by　the　cook。　The　former　party　were　for　seizing　the　first　suitable
vessel　which　should　present　itself；　and　equipping　it　at　some　of　the
West　India　Islands　for　a　piratical　cruise。　The　latter　division；
however；　which　was　the　stronger；　and　included　Dirk　Peters　among　its
partisans；　were　bent　upon　pursuing　the　course　originally　laid　out　for
the　brig　into　the　South　Pacific；　there　either　to　take　whale；　or　act
otherwise；　as　circumstances　should　suggest。　The　representations　of
Peters；　who　had　frequently　visited　these　regions；　had　great　weight；
apparently；　with　the　mutineers；　wavering；　as　they　were；　between
half…engendered　notions　of　profit　and　pleasure。　He　dwelt　on　the　world
of　novelty　and　amusement　to　be　found　among　the　innumerable　islands　of
the　Pacific；　on　the　perfect　security　and　freedom　from　all　restraint
to　be　enjoyed；　but；　more　particularly；　on　the　deliciousness　of　the
climate；　on　the　abundant　means　of　good　living；　and　on　the　voluptuous
beauty　of　the　women。　As　yet；　nothing　had　been　absolutely　determined
upon；　but　the　pictures　of　the　hybrid　line…manager　were　taking　strong
hold　upon　the　ardent　imaginations　of　the　seamen；　and　there　was　every
possibility　that　his　intentions　would　be　finally　carried　into　effect。

　　　　The　three　men　went　away　in　about　an　hour；　and　no　one　else　entered
the　forecastle　all　day。　Augustus　lay　quiet　until　nearly　night。　He
then　freed　himself　from　the　rope　and　irons；　and　prepared　for　his
attempt。　A　bottle　was　found　in　one　of　the　berths；　and　this　he　filled
with　water　from　the　pitcher　left　by　Peters；　storing　his　pockets　at
the　same　time　with　cold　potatoes。　To　his　great　joy　he　also　came
across　a　lantern；　with　a　small　piece　of　tallow　candle　in　it。　This　he
could　light　at　any　moment；　as　be　had　in　his　possession　a　box　of
phosphorus　matches。　When　it　was　quite　dark；　he　got　through　the　hole
in　the　bulkhead；　having　taken　the　precaution　to　arrange　the
bedclothes　in　the　berth　so　as　to　convey　the　idea　of　a　person　covered
up。　When　through；　he　hung　up　the　pea…jacket　on　his　knife；　as　before；
to　conceal　the　aperture…　this　manoeuvre　being　easily　effected；　as　he
did　not　readjust　the　piece　of　plank　taken　out　until　afterward。　He　was
now　on　the　main　orlop　deck；　and　proceeded　to　make　his　way；　as　before；
between　the　upper　deck　and　the　oil…casks　to　the　main　hatchway。　Having
reached　this；　he　lit　the　piece　of　candle；　and　descended；　groping　with
extreme　difficulty　among　the　compact　stowage　of　the　hold。　In　a　few
moments　he　became　alarmed　at　the　insufferable　stench　and　the
closeness　of　the　atmosphere。　He　could　not　think　it　possible　that　I
had　survived　my　confinement　for　so　long　a　period　breathing　so
oppressive　an　air。　He　called　my　name　repeatedly；　but　I　made　him　no
reply；　and　his　apprehensions　seemed　thus　to　be　confirmed。　The　brig
was　rolling　violently；　and　there　was　so　much　noise　in　consequence；
that　it　was　useless　to　listen　for　any　weak　sound；　such　as　those　of　my
breathing　or　snoring。　He　threw　open　the　lantern；　and　held　it　as　high
as　possible；　whenever　an　opportunity　occurred；　in　order　that；　by
observing　the　light；　I　might；　if　alive；　be　aware　that　succor　was
approaching。　Still　nothing　was　heard　from　me；　and　the　supposition　of
my　death　began　to　assume　the　character　of　certainty。　He　determined；
nevertheless；　to　force　a　passage；　if　possible；　to　the　box；　and　at
least　ascertain　beyond　a　doubt　the　truth　of　his　surmises。　He　pushed
on　for　som