the works of edgar allan poe-3-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


from　the　main　gorge；　and　that　our　companion；　Allen；　was　still
missing；　we　determined　at　once　to　retrace　our　steps　and　look　for　him。
After　a　long　search；　and　much　danger　from　the　farther　caving　in　of
the　earth　above　us；　Peters　at　length　cried　out　to　me　that　he　had　hold
of　our　companion's　foot；　and　that　his　whole　body　was　deeply　buried
beneath　the　rubbish　beyond　the　possibility　of　extricating　him。　I　soon
found　that　what　he　said　was　too　true；　and　that；　of　course；　life　had
been　long　extinct。　With　sorrowful　hearts；　therefore；　we　left　the
corpse　to　its　fate；　and　again　made　our　way　to　the　bend。

　　　　The　breadth　of　the　seam　was　barely　sufficient　to　admit　us；　and；
after　one　or　two　ineffectual　efforts　at　getting　up；　we　began　once
more　to　despair。　I　have　before　said　that　the　chain　of　hills　through
which　ran　the　main　gorge　was　composed　of　a　species　of　soft　rock
resembling　soap。　stone。　The　sides　of　the　cleft　we　were　now　attempting
to　ascend　were　of　the　same　material；　and　so　excessively　slippery；
being　wet；　that　we　could　get　but　little　foothold　upon　them　even　in
their　least　precipitous　parts；　in　some　places；　where　the　ascent　was
nearly　perpendicular；　the　difficulty　was；　of　course；　much　aggravated；
and；　indeed；　for　some　time　we　thought　insurmountable。　We　took
courage；　however；　from　despair；　and　what；　by　dint　of　cutting　steps　in
the　soft　stone　with　our　bowie　knives；　and　swinging　at　the　risk　of　our
lives；　to　small　projecting　points　of　a　harder　species　of　slaty　rock
which　now　and　then　protruded　from　the　general　mass；　we　at　length
reached　a　natural　platform；　from　which　was　perceptible　a　patch　of
blue　sky；　at　the　extremity　of　a　thickly…wooded　ravine。　Looking　back
now；　with　somewhat　more　leisure；　at　the　passage　through　which　we　had
thus　far　proceeded；　we　clearly　saw　from　the　appearance　of　its　sides；
that　it　was　of　late　formation；　and　we　concluded　that　the　concussion；
whatever　it　was；　which　had　so　unexpectedly　overwhelmed　us；　had　also；
at　the　same　moment；　laid　open　this　path　for　escape。　Being　quite
exhausted　with　exertion；　and　indeed；　so　weak　that　we　were　scarcely
able　to　stand　or　articulate；　Peters　now　proposed　that　we　should
endeavour　to　bring　our　companions　to　the　rescue　by　firing　the　pistols
which　still　remained　in　our　girdles…　the　muskets　as　well　as　cutlasses
had　been　lost　among　the　loose　earth　at　the　bottom　of　the　chasm。
Subsequent　events　proved　that；　had　we　fired；　we　should　have　sorely
repented　it；　but　luckily　a　half　suspicion　of　foul　play　had　by　this
time　arisen　in　my　mind；　and　we　forbore　to　let　the　savages　know　of　our
whereabouts。

　　　　After　having　reposed　for　about　an　hour；　we　pushed　on　slowly　up
the　ravine；　and　had　gone　no　great　way　before　we　heard　a　succession　of
tremendous　yells。　At　length　we　reached　what　might　be　called　the
surface　of　the　ground；　for　our　path　hitherto；　since　leaving　the
platform；　had　lain　beneath　an　archway　of　high　rock　and　foliage；　at　a
vast　distance　overhead。　With　great　caution　we　stole　to　a　narrow
opening；　through　which　we　had　a　clear　sight　of　the　surrounding
country；　when　the　whole　dreadful　secret　of　the　concussion　broke　upon
us　in　one　moment　and　at　one　view。

　　　　The　spot　from　which　we　looked　was　not　far　from　the　summit　of　the
highest　peak　in　the　range　of　the　soapstone　hills。　The　gorge　in　which
our　party　of　thirty…two　had　entered　ran　within　fifty　feet　to　the　left
of　us。　But；　for　at　least　one　hundred　yards；　the　channel　or　bed　of
this　gorge　was　entirely　filled　up　with　the　chaotic　ruins　of　more　than
a　million　tons　of　earth　and　stone　that　had　been　artificially　tumbled
within　it。　The　means　by　which　the　vast　mass　had　been　precipitated
were　not　more　simple　than　evident；　for　sure　traces　of　the　murderous
work　were　yet　remaining。　In　several　spots　along　the　top　of　the
eastern　side　of　the　gorge　（we　were　now　on　the　western）　might　be　seen
stakes　of　wood　driven　into　the　earth。　In　these　spots　the　earth　had
not　given　way；　but　throughout　the　whole　extent　of　the　face　of　the
precipice　from　which　the　mass　had　fallen；　it　was　clear；　from　marks
left　in　the　soil　resembling　those　made　by　the　drill　of　the　rock
blaster；　that　stakes　similar　to　those　we　saw　standing　had　been
inserted；　at　not　more　than　a　yard　apart；　for　the　length　of　perhaps
three　hundred　feet；　and　ranging　at　about　ten　feet　back　from　the　edge
of　the　gulf。　Strong　cords　of　grape　vine　were　attached　to　the　stakes
still　remaining　on　the　hill；　and　it　was　evident　that　such　cords　had
also　been　attached　to　each　of　the　other　stakes。　I　have　already　spoken
of　the　singular　stratification　of　these　soapstone　hills；　and　the
description　just　given　of　the　narrow　and　deep　fissure　through　which
we　effected　our　escape　from　inhumation　will　afford　a　further
conception　of　its　nature。　This　was　such　that　almost　every　natural
convulsion　would　be　sure　to　split　the　soil　into　perpendicular　layers
or　ridges　running　parallel　with　one　another；　and　a　very　moderate
exertion　of　art　would　be　sufficient　for　effecting　the　same　purpose。
Of　this　stratification　the　savages　had　availed　themselves　to
accomplish　their　treacherous　ends。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that；　by　the
continuous　line　of　stakes；　a　partial　rupture　of　the　soil　had　been
brought　about　probably　to　the　depth　of　one　or　two　feet；　when　by　means
of　a　savage　pulling　at　the　end　of　each　of　the　cords　（these　cords
being　attached　to　the　tops　of　the　stakes；　and　extending　back　from　the
edge　of　the　cliff）；　a　vast　leverage　power　was　obtained；　capable　of
hurling　the　whole　face　of　the　hill；　upon　a　given　signal；　into　the
bosom　of　the　abyss　below。　The　fate　of　our　poor　companions　was　no
longer　a　matter　of　uncertainty。　We　alone　had　escaped　from　the　tempest
of　that　overwhelming　destruction。　We　were　the　only　living　white　men
upon　the　island。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　21　~~~

CHAPTER　22



　　　　OUR　situation；　as　it　now　appeared；　was　scarcely　less　dreadful
than　when　we　had　conceived　ourselves　entombed　forever。　We　saw　before
us　no　prospect　but　that　of　being　put　to　death　by　the　savages；　or　of
dragging　out　a　miserable　existence　in　captivity　among　them。　We　might；
to　be　sure；　conceal　ourselves　for　a　time　from　their　observation　among
the　fastnesses　of　the　hills；　and；　as　a　final　resort；　in　the　chasm
from　which　we　had　just　issued；　but　we　must　either　perish　in　the　long
polar　winter　through　cold　and　famine；　or　be　ultimately　discovered　in
our　efforts　to　obtain　relief。

　　　　　The　whole　country　around　us　seemed　to　be　swarming　with　savages；
crowds　of　whom；　we　now　perceived；　had　come　over　from　the　islands　to
the　southward　on　flat　rafts；　doubtless　with　a　view　of　lending　their
aid　in　the　capture　and　plunder　of　the　Jane。　The　vessel　still　lay
calmly　at　anchor　in　the　bay；　those　on　board　being　apparently　quite
unconscious　of　any　danger　awaiting　them。　How　we　longed　at　that　moment
to　be　with　them！　either　to　aid　in　effecting　their　escape；　or　to
perish　with　them　in　attempting　a　defence。　We　saw　no　chance　even　of
warning　them　of　their　danger　without　bringing　immediate　destruction
upon　our　own　heads；　with　but　a　remote　hope　of　benefit　to　them。　A
pistol　fired　might　suffice　to　apprise　them　that　something　wrong　had
occurred；　but　the　report　could　not　possibly　inform　them　that　their
only　prospect　of　safety　lay　in　getting　out　of　the　harbour　forthwith…
nor　tell　them　no　principles　of　honour　now　bound　them　to　remain；　that
their　companions　were　no　longer　among　the　living。　Upon　hearing　the
discharge　they　could　not　be　more　thoroughly　prepared　to　meet　the　foe；
who　were　now　getting　ready　to　attack；　than　they　already　were；　and
always　had　been。　No　good；　therefore；　and　infinite　harm；　would　result
from　our　firing；　and　after　mature　deliberation；　we　forbore。

　　　　Our　next　thought　was　to　attempt　to　rush　toward　the　vessel；　to
seize　one　of　the　four　canoes　which　lay　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　and
endeavour　to　force　a　passage　on　board。　But　the　utter　impossibility　of
succeeding　in　this　desperate　task　soon　became　evident。　The　country；
as　I　said　before；　was　literally　swarming　with　the　natives；　skulking
among　the　bushes　and　recesses　of　the　hills；　so　as　not　to　be　observed
from　the　schooner。　In　our　immediate　vicinity　especially；　and
blockading　the　sole　path　by　which　we　could　hope　to　attain　the　shore
at　the　proper　point