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第42章

masterman ready-第42章

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Chapter XLII

They were all up early the next morning; and breakfasted at an early hour。 The knapsacks and guns; and the other requisites for the journey; were all prepared; William and Ready rose from the table; and taking an affectionate leave of Mr。 and Mrs。 Seagrave; they started on their journey。 The sun was shining brilliantly; and the weather had become warm; the ocean in the distance gleamed brightly; as its waters danced; and the cocoa…nut trees moved their branches gracefully to the breeze。 They set off in high spirits; and having called the two shepherd dogs; and driven back Vixen; who would have joined the party; they passed the storehouse; and ascending the hill on the other side; they got their hatchets ready to blaze the trees; and Ready having set his course by his pocket compass; they were fairly on their way。 For some time they continued to cut the bark of the trees with their hatchets; without speaking; and then Ready stopped again to look at his compass。

〃I think the wood is thicker here than ever; Ready;〃 observed William。

〃Yes; sir; it is; but I suspect we are now in the thickest part of it; right in the middle of the island; however; we shall soon see。 We must keep a little more away to the southward。 We had better get on as fast as we can。 We shall have less work by and by; and then we can talk better。〃

For half…an…hour they continued their way through the wood; and; as Ready had observed; the trees became more distant from each other; still; however; they could not see anything before them but the stems of the cocoa…nuts。 It was hard work; chopping the trees every second; and their foreheads were moist with the exertion。

〃I think we had better pull up for a few minutes; William; you will be tired。〃

〃I have not been so used to exercise; Ready; and therefore I feel it more;〃 replied William; wiping his face with his handkerchief。 〃I should like to stop a few minutes。 How long do you think it will be before we are out of the wood?〃

〃Not half…an…hour more; sir; I should think; even before that; perhaps。〃

〃What do you expect to find; Ready?〃

〃That's a difficult question to answer。 I can tell you what I hope to find; which is; a good space of clear ground between the beach and the wood; where we may pasture our sheep and goats; and perhaps we may find some other trees besides cocoa…nuts: at present; you know; we have seen only them and the castor…oil beans; that Tommy took such a dose of。 You see; William; there is no saying what new seeds may have been brought here by birds; or by the winds and waves。〃

〃But will those seeds grow?〃

〃Yes; William; I have been told that seeds may remain hundreds of years under…ground; and come up afterwards when exposed to the heat。〃

They continued their way; and had not walked for more than a quarter of an hour; when William cried out; 〃I see the blue sky; Ready; we shall soon be out; and glad shall I be; for my arm aches with chopping。〃

〃I dare say it does; sir。 I am just as glad as you are; for I'm tired of marking the trees; however; we must continue to mark; or we shall not find our way back when we want it。〃

In ten minutes more they were clear of the cocoa…nut grove; and found themselves among brushwood higher than their heads; so that they could not see how far they were from the shore。

〃Well;〃 said William; throwing down his hatchet; 〃I'm glad that's over; now let us sit down a little before we go any further。〃

〃I'm of your opinion; sir;〃 replied Ready; sitting down by the side of William; 〃I feel more tired to…day than I did when we first went through the wood; after we set off from the cove。 I suppose it's the weather。 Come back; dogs; lie down。〃

〃The weather is very fine; Ready。〃

〃Yes; now it is; but I meant to have said that the rainy season is very trying to the health; and I suppose I have not recovered from it yet。 You have had a regular fever; and; of course; do not feel strong; but a man may have no fever; and yet his health suffer a great deal from it。 I am an old man; William; and feel these things now。〃

〃I think that before we go on; Ready; we had better have our dinner; that will do us good。〃

〃Well; we will take an early dinner; and we shall get rid of one bottle of water; at all events; indeed; I think that; as we must go back by the same way we came; we may as well leave our knapsacks and everything but our guns under these trees; I dare say we shall sleep here too; for I told Mr。 Seagrave positively not to expect us back to…night。 I did not like to say so before your mother; she is so anxious about you。〃

They opened their knapsacks; and made their meal; the two dogs coming in for their share; after which they again started on their discoveries。 For about ten minutes they continued to force their way through the thick and high bushes; till at last they broke out clear of them; and then looked around them for a short time without speaking。 The sea was about half a mile distant; and the intervening land was clear; with fresh blades of grass just bursting out of the earth; composing a fine piece of pasture of at least fifty acres; here and there broken with small patches of trees and brushwood; there was no sandy beach; but the rocks rose from the sea about twenty to thirty feet high; and were in one or two places covered with something which looked as white as snow。

〃Well; Ready;〃 said William; 〃there will be no want of pasture for our flock; even if it increases to ten times its number。〃

〃No;〃 replied Ready; 〃we are very fortunate; and have great reason to be thankful; this is exactly what we required; and now let us go on a little; and examine these patches of wood; and see what they are。 I see a bright green leaf out there; which; if my eyes do not fail me; I have seen many a time before。〃 When they arrived at the clump of trees which Ready had pointed out; he said; 〃Yes; I was right。 Look there; this is the banana; it is just bursting out now; and will soon be ten feet high; and bearing fruit which is excellent eating; besides which the stem is capital fodder for the beasts。〃

〃Here is a plant I never saw before;〃 said William; pulling off a piece of it; and showing it to Ready。

〃But I have; William。 It is what they call the bird's…eye pepper; they make Cayenne pepper out of it。 Look; the pods are just formed; it will be useful to us in cooking; as we have no pepper left。 You see; William; we must have some birds on the island; at least it is most probable; for all the seeds of these plants and trees must have been brought here by them。 The banana and the pepper are the food of many birds。 What a quantity of bananas are springing up in this spot; there will be a little forest of them in a few weeks。〃

〃What is that rough…looking sort of shrub out there; Ready?〃

〃I can't see so well as you; William; so let us walk up to it。 Oh; I know it now; it is what they call the prickly pear in the West Indies。 I am very glad to have found that; for it will be very useful to us。〃

〃Is it good eating; Ready?〃

〃Not particularly; and the little spikes run into your fingers; and are very difficult to get rid of; but it is not bad by way of a change。 No; the use it will be to us is to hedge in our garden; and protect it from the animals; it makes a capital fence; and grows very fast; and without trouble。 Now let us go on to that patch of trees; and see what they are。〃

〃What is this plant; Ready?〃

〃I don't know; William。〃

〃Then I think I had better make a collection of all those you don't know; and take them back to father; he is a good botanist。〃

William pulled a branch of the plant off; and carried it with him。 On their arrival at the next patch of trees; Ready looked at them steadfastly for some time。

〃I ought to know that tree;〃 said he。 〃I have often seen it in hot countries。 Yes; it's the guava。〃

〃What! is it the fruit they make guava jelly of?〃 said William。

〃Yes; the very same。〃

〃Let us now walk in the direction of those five or six trees;〃 said William; 〃and from there down to the rocks; I want to find out how it is that they are so white。〃

〃Be it so; if you wish;〃 replied Ready。

〃Why; Ready; what noise is that? Hark! such a chattering; it must be monke

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