the works of edgar allan poe-3-第14章

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least　ascertain　beyond　a　doubt　the　truth　of　his　surmises。　He　pushed
on　for　some　time　in　a　most　pitiable　state　of　anxiety；　until；　at
length；　he　found　the　pathway　utterly　blocked　up；　and　that　there　was
no　possibility　of　making　any　farther　way　by　the　course　in　which　he
had　set　out。　Overcome　now　by　his　feelings；　he　threw　himself　among　the
lumber　in　despair；　and　wept　like　a　child。　It　was　at　this　period　that
he　heard　the　crash　occasioned　by　the　bottle　which　I　had　thrown　down。
Fortunate；　indeed；　was　it　that　the　incident　occurred…　for；　upon　this
incident；　trivial　as　it　appears；　the　thread　of　my　destiny　depended。
Many　years　elapsed；　however；　before　I　was　aware　of　this　fact。　A
natural　shame　and　regret　for　his　weakness　and　indecision　prevented
Augustus　from　confiding　to　me　at　once　what　a　more　intimate　and
unreserved　communion　afterward　induced　him　to　reveal。　Upon　finding
his　further　progress　in　the　hold　impeded　by　obstacles　which　he　could
not　overcome；　he　had　resolved　to　abandon　his　attempt　at　reaching　me；
and　return　at　once　to　the　forecastle。　Before　condemning　him　entirely
on　this　head；　the　harassing　circumstances　which　embarrassed　him
should　be　taken　into　consideration。　The　night　was　fast　wearing　away；
and　his　absence　from　the　forecastle　might　be　discovered；　and　indeed
would　necessarily　be　so；　if　be　should　fail　to　get　back　to　the　berth
by　daybreak。　His　candle　was　expiring　in　the　socket；　and　there　would
be　the　greatest　difficulty　in　retracing　his　way　to　the　hatchway　in
the　dark。　It　must　be　allowed；　too；　that　he　had　every　good　reason　to
believe　me　dead；　in　which　event　no　benefit　could　result　to　me　from
his　reaching　the　box；　and　a　world　of　danger　would　be　encountered　to
no　purpose　by　himself。　He　had　repeatedly　called；　and　I　had　made　him
no　answer。　I　had　been　now　eleven　days　and　nights　with　no　more　water
than　that　contained　in　the　jug　which　he　had　left　with　me…　a　supply
which　it　was　not　at　all　probable　I　had　boarded　in　the　beginning　of　my
confinement；　as　I　had　every　cause　to　expect　a　speedy　release。　The
atmosphere　of　the　hold；　too；　must　have　appeared　to　him；　coming　from
the　comparatively　open　air　of　the　steerage；　of　a　nature　absolutely
poisonous；　and　by　far　more　intolerable　than　it　had　seemed　to　me　upon
my　first　taking　up　my　quarters　in　the　box…　the　hatchways　at　that　time
having　been　constantly　open　for　many　months　previous。　Add　to　these
considerations　that　of　the　scene　of　bloodshed　and　terror　so　lately
witnessed　by　my　friend；　his　confinement；　privations；　and　narrow
escapes　from　death；　together　with　the　frail　and　equivocal　tenure　by
which　he　still　existed…　circumstances　all　so　well　calculated　to
prostrate　every　energy　of　mind…　and　the　reader　will　be　easily
brought；　as　I　have　been；　to　regard　his　apparent　falling　off　in
friendship　and　in　faith　with　sentiments　rather　of　sorrow　than　of
anger。

　　　　The　crash　of　the　bottle　was　distinctly　heard；　yet　Augustus　was
not　sure　that　it　proceeded　from　the　hold。　The　doubt；　however；　was
sufficient　inducement　to　persevere。　He　clambered　up　nearly　to　the
orlop　deck　by　means　of　the　stowage；　and　then；　watching　for　a　lull　in
the　pitchings　of　the　vessel；　he　called　out　to　me　in　as　loud　a　tone　as
he　could　command；　regardless；　for　the　moment；　of　being　overheard　by
the　crew。　It　will　be　remembered　that　on　this　occasion　the　voice
reached　me；　but　I　was　so　entirely　overcome　by　violent　agitation　as　to
be　incapable　of　reply。　Confident；　now；　that　his　worst　apprehensions
were　well　founded；　be　descended；　with　a　view　of　getting　back　to　the
forecastle　without　loss　of　time。　In　his　haste　some　small　boxes　were
thrown　down；　the　noise　occasioned　by　which　I　heard；　as　will　be
recollected。　He　had　made　considerable　progress　on　his　return　when　the
fall　of　the　knife　again　caused　him　to　hesitate。　He　retraced　his　steps
immediately；　and；　clambering　up　the　stowage　a　second　time；　called　out
my　name；　loudly　as　before；　having　watched　for　a　lull。　This　time　I
found　voice　to　answer。　Overjoyed　at　discovering　me　to　be　still　alive；
he　now　resolved　to　brave　every　difficulty　and　danger　in　reaching　me。
Having　extricated　himself　as　quickly　as　possible　from　the　labyrinth
of　lumber　by　which　he　was　hemmed　in；　he　at　length　struck　into　an
opening　which　promised　better；　and　finally；　after　a　series　of
struggles；　arrived　at　the　box　in　a　state　of　utter　exhaustion。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　5　~~~

CHAPTER　6



　　　　THE　leading　particulars　of　this　narration　were　all　that　Augustus
communicated　to　me　while　we　remained　near　the　box。　It　was　not　until
afterward　that　he　entered　fully　into　all　the　details。　He　was
apprehensive　of　being　missed；　and　I　was　wild　with　impatience　to　leave
my　detested　place　of　confinement。　We　resolved　to　make　our　way　at　once
to　the　hole　in　the　bulkhead；　near　which　I　was　to　remain　for　the
present；　while　he　went　through　to　reconnoiter。　To　leave　Tiger　in　the
box　was　what　neither　of　us　could　endure　to　think　of；　yet；　how　to　act
otherwise　was　the　question。　He　now　seemed　to　be　perfectly　quiet；　and
we　could　not　even　distinguish　the　sound　of　his　breathing　upon
applying　our　ears　closely　to　the　box。　I　was　convinced　that　he　was
dead；　and　determined　to　open　the　door。　We　found　him　lying　at　full
length；　apparently　in　a　deep　stupor；　yet　still　alive。　No　time　was　to
be　lost；　yet　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　abandon　an　animal　who　had
now　been　twice　instrumental　in　saving　my　life；　without　some　attempt
at　preserving　him。　We　therefore　dragged　him　along　with　us　as　well　as
we　could；　although　with　the　greatest　difficulty　and　fatigue；
Augustus；　during　part　of　the　time；　being　forced　to　clamber　over　the
impediments　in　our　way　with　the　huge　dog　in　his　arms…　a　feat　to　which
the　feebleness　of　my　frame　rendered　me　totally　inadequate。　At　length
we　succeeded　in　reaching　the　hole；　when　Augustus　got　through；　and
Tiger　was　pushed　in　afterward。　All　was　found　to　be　safe；　and　we　did
not　fail　to　return　sincere　thanks　to　God　for　our　deliverance　from　the
imminent　danger　we　had　escaped。　For　the　present；　it　was　agreed　that　I
should　remain　near　the　opening；　through　which　my　companion　could
readily　supply　me　with　a　part　of　his　daily　provision；　and　where　I
could　have　the　advantages　of　breathing　an　atmosphere　comparatively
pure。

　　　　In　explanation　of　some　portions　of　this　narrative；　wherein　I　have
spoken　of　the　stowage　of　the　brig；　and　which　may　appear　ambiguous　to
some　of　my　readers　who　may　have　seen　a　proper　or　regular　stowage；　I
must　here　state　that　the　manner　in　which　this　most　important　duty　had
been　per　formed　on　board　the　Grampus　was　a　most　shameful　piece　of
neglect　on　the　part　of　Captain　Barnard；　who　was　by　no　means　as
careful　or　as　experienced　a　seaman　as　the　hazardous　nature　of　the
service　on　which　he　was　employed　would　seem　necessarily　to　demand。　A
proper　stowage　cannot　be　accomplished　in　a　careless　manner；　and　many
most　disastrous　accidents；　even　within　the　limits　of　my　own
experience；　have　arisen　from　neglect　or　ignorance　in　this　particular。
Coasting　vessels；　in　the　frequent　hurry　and　bustle　attendant　upon
taking　in　or　discharging　cargo；　are　the　most　liable　to　mishap　from
the　want　of　a　proper　attention　to　stowage。　The　great　point　is　to
allow　no　possibility　of　the　cargo　or　ballast　shifting　position　even
in　the　most　violent　rollings　of　the　vessel。　With　this　end；　great
attention　must　be　paid；　not　only　to　the　bulk　taken　in；　but　to　the
nature　of　the　bulk；　and　whether　there　be　a　full　or　only　a　partial
cargo。　In　most　kinds　of　freight　the　stowage　is　accomplished　by　means
of　a　screw。　Thus；　in　a　load　of　tobacco　or　flour；　the　whole　is　screwed
so　tightly　into　the　hold　of　the　vessel　that　the　barrels　or　hogsheads；
upon　discharging；　are　found　to　be　completely　flattened；　and　take　some
time　to　regain　their　original　shape。　This　screwing；　however；　is
resorted　to　principally　with　a　view　of　obtaining　more　room　in　the
hold；　for　in　a　full　load　of　any　such　commodities　as　flour　or　tobacco；
there　can　be　no　danger　of　any　shifting　whatever；　at　least　none　from
which　inconvenience　can　result。　There　have　been　instances；　indeed；
where　this　method　of　screwing　has　resulted　in　the　most　lamentable
consequences；　arising　from　a　cause　altogether　distinct　from　the
danger　attendant　upon　a　shifting　of