perils of certain english prisoners-第5章

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mainland　for　a　secret　signal；　though；　of　course；　it　was　not　known　to

such　as　us　what　the　signal　was。



Christian　George　King　had　vanished　before　we　touched　the　ground。

But；　the　word　was　already　passing　from　hut　to　hut　to　turn　out

quietly；　and　we　knew　that　the　nimble　barbarian　had　got　hold　of　the

truth；　or　something　near　it。



In　a　space　among　the　trees　behind　the　encampment　of　us　visitors；

naval　and　military；　was　a　snugly…screened　spot；　where　we　kept　the

stores　that　were　in　use；　and　did　our　cookery。　　The　word　was　passed

to　assemble　here。　　It　was　very　quickly　given；　and　was　given　（so　far

as　we　were　concerned）　by　Sergeant　Drooce；　who　was　as　good　in　a

soldier　point　of　view；　as　he　was　bad　in　a　tyrannical　one。　　We　were

ordered　to　drop　into　this　space；　quietly；　behind　the　trees；　one　by

one。　　As　we　assembled　here；　the　seamen　assembled　too。　　Within　ten

minutes；　as　I　should　estimate；　we　were　all　here；　except　the　usual

guard　upon　the　beach。　　The　beach　（we　could　see　it　through　the　wood）

looked　as　it　always　had　done　in　the　hottest　time　of　the　day。　　The

guard　were　in　the　shadow　of　the　sloop's　hull；　and　nothing　was　moving

but　the　sea；and　that　moved　very　faintly。　　Work　had　always　been

knocked　off　at　that　hour；　until　the　sun　grew　less　fierce；　and　the

sea…breeze　rose；　so　that　its　being　holiday　with　us；　made　no

difference；　just　then；　in　the　look　of　the　place。　　But　I　may　mention

that　it　was　a　holiday；　and　the　first　we　had　had　since　our　hard　work

began。　　Last　night's　ball　had　been　given；　on　the　leak's　being

repaired；　and　the　careening　done。　　The　worst　of　the　work　was　over；

and　to…morrow　we　were　to　begin　to　get　the　sloop　afloat　again。



We　marines　were　now　drawn　up　here　under　arms。　　The　chace…party　were

drawn　up　separate。　　The　men　of　the　Columbus　were　drawn　up　separate。

The　officers　stepped　out　into　the　midst　of　the　three　parties；　and

spoke　so　as　all　might　hear。　　Captain　Carton　was　the　officer　in

command；　and　he　had　a　spy…glass　in　his　hand。　　His　coxswain　stood　by

him　with　another　spy…glass；　and　with　a　slate　on　which　he　seemed　to

have　been　taking　down　signals。



〃Now；　men！〃　says　Captain　Carton；　〃I　have　to　let　you　know；　for　your

satisfaction：　　Firstly；　that　there　are　ten　pirate…boats；　strongly

manned　and　armed；　lying　hidden　up　a　creek　yonder　on　the　coast；　under

the　overhanging　branches　of　the　dense　trees。　　Secondly；　that　they

will　certainly　come　out　this　night　when　the　moon　rises；　on　a

pillaging　and　murdering　expedition；　of　which　some　part　of　the

mainland　is　the　object。　　Thirdlydon't　cheer；　men！that　we　will

give　chace；　and；　if　we　can　get　at　them；　rid　the　world　of　them；

please　God！〃



Nobody　spoke；　that　I　heard；　and　nobody　moved；　that　I　saw。　　Yet　there

was　a　kind　of　ring；　as　if　every　man　answered　and　approved　with　the

best　blood　that　was　inside　of　him。



〃Sir；〃　says　Captain　Maryon；　〃I　beg　to　volunteer　on　this　service；

with　my　boats。　　My　people　volunteer；　to　the　ship's　boys。〃



〃In　His　Majesty's　name　and　service；〃　the　other　answers；　touching　his

hat；　〃I　accept　your　aid　with　pleasure。　　Lieutenant　Linderwood；　how

will　you　divide　your　men？〃



I　was　ashamedI　give　it　out　to　be　written　down　as　large　and　plain

as　possibleI　was　heart　and　soul　ashamed　of　my　thoughts　of　those

two　sick　officers；　Captain　Maryon　and　Lieutenant　Linderwood；　when　I

saw　them；　then　and　there。　　The　spirit　in　those　two　gentlemen　beat

down　their　illness　（and　very　ill　I　knew　them　to　be）　like　Saint

George　beating　down　the　Dragon。　　Pain　and　weakness；　want　of　ease　and

want　of　rest；　had　no　more　place　in　their　minds　than　fear　itself。

Meaning　now　to　express　for　my　lady　to　write　down；　exactly　what　I

felt　then　and　there；　I　felt　this：　　〃You　two　brave　fellows　that　I　had

been　so　grudgeful　of；　I　know　that　if　you　were　dying　you　would　put　it

off　to　get　up　and　do　your　best；　and　then　you　would　be　so　modest　that

in　lying　down　again　to　die；　you　would　hardly　say；　'I　did　it！'〃



It　did　me　good。　　It　really　did　me　good。



But；　to　go　back　to　where　I　broke　off。　　Says　Captain　Carton　to

Lieutenant　Linderwood；　〃Sir；　how　will　you　divide　your　men？　　There　is

not　room　for　all；　and　a　few　men　should；　in　any　case；　be　left　here。〃



There　was　some　debate　about　it。　　At　last；　it　was　resolved　to　leave

eight　Marines　and　four　seamen　on　the　Island；　besides　the　sloop's　two

boys。　　And　because　it　was　considered　that　the　friendly　Sambos　would

only　want　to　be　commanded　in　case　of　any　danger　（though　none　at　all

was　apprehended　there）；　the　officers　were　in　favour　of　leaving　the

two　non…commissioned　officers；　Drooce　and　Charker。　　It　was　a　heavy

disappointment　to　them；　just　as　my　being　one　of　the　left　was　a　heavy

disappointment　to　methen；　but　not　soon　afterwards。　　We　men　drew

lots　for　it；　and　I　drew　〃Island。〃　　So　did　Tom　Packer。　　So　of　course；

did　four　more　of　our　rank　and　file。



When　this　was　settled；　verbal　instructions　were　given　to　all　hands

to　keep　the　intended　expedition　secret；　in　order　that　the　women　and

children　might　not　be　alarmed；　or　the　expedition　put　in　a　difficulty

by　more　volunteers。　　The　assembly　was　to　be　on　that　same　spot　at

sunset。　　Every　man　was　to　keep　up　an　appearance；　meanwhile；　of

occupying　himself　in　his　usual　way。　　That　is　to　say；　every　man

excepting　four　old　trusty　seamen；　who　were　appointed；　with　an

officer；　to　see　to　the　arms　and　ammunition；　and　to　muffle　the

rullocks　of　the　boats；　and　to　make　everything　as　trim　and　swift　and

silent　as　it　could　be　made。



The　Sambo　Pilot　had　been　present　all　the　while；　in　case　of　his　being

wanted；　and　had　said　to　the　officer　in　command；　five　hundred　times

over　if　he　had　said　it　once；　that　Christian　George　King　would　stay

with　the　So…Jeers；　and　take　care　of　the　booffer　ladies　and　the

booffer　childsbooffer　being　that　native's　expression　for

beautiful。　　He　was　now　asked　a　few　questions　concerning　the　putting

off　of　the　boats；　and　in　particular　whether　there　was　any　way　of

embarking　at　the　back　of　the　Island：　　which　Captain　Carton　would

have　half　liked　to　do；　and　then　have　dropped　round　in　its　shadow　and

slanted　across　to　the　main。　　But；　〃No；〃　says　Christian　George　King。

〃No；　no；　no！　　Told　you　so；　ten　time。　　No；　no；　no！　　All　reef；　all

rock；　all　swim；　all　drown！〃　　Striking　out　as　he　said　it；　like　a

swimmer　gone　mad；　and　turning　over　on　his　back　on　dry　land；　and

spluttering　himself　to　death；　in　a　manner　that　made　him　quite　an

exhibition。



The　sun　went　down；　after　appearing　to　be　a　long　time　about　it；　and

the　assembly　was　called。　　Every　man　answered　to　his　name；　of　course；

and　was　at　his　post。　　It　was　not　yet　black　dark；　and　the　roll　was

only　just　gone　through；　when　up　comes　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage　with

his　Diplomatic　coat　on。



〃Captain　Carton；〃　says　he；　〃Sir；　what　is　this？〃



〃This；　Mr。　Commissioner〃　（he　was　very　short　with　him）；　〃is　an

expedition　against　the　Pirates。　　It　is　a　secret　expedition；　so

please　to　keep　it　a　secret。〃



〃Sir；〃　says　Commissioner　Pordage；　〃I　trust　there　is　going　to　be　no

unnecessary　cruelty　committed？〃



〃Sir；〃　returns　the　officer；　〃I　trust　not。〃



〃That　is　not　enough；　sir；〃　cries　Commissioner　Pordage；　getting

wroth。　　〃Captain　Carton；　I　give　you　notice。　　Government　requires　you

to　treat　the　enemy　with　great　delicacy；　consideration；　clemency；　and

forbearance。〃



〃Sir；〃　says　Captain　Carton；　〃I　am　an　English　officer；　commanding

English　Men；　and　I　hope　I　am　not　likely　to　disappoint　the

Government's　just　expectations。　　But；　I　presume　you　know　that　these

villains　under　their　black　flag　have　despoiled　our　countrymen　of

their　property；　burnt　their　homes；　barbarously　murdered　them　and

their　little　children；　and　worse　than　murdered　their　wives　and

daughters？〃



〃Perhaps　I　do；　Captain　Carton；〃　answers　Pordage；　waving　his　hand；

with　dignity；　〃perhaps　I　do　not。　　It　is　not　customary；　sir；　for

Government　to　commit　itself。〃



〃It　matters　very　little；　Mr。　Pordage；　whether　or　no。　　Believing　that

I　hold　my　commission　by　the　allowance　of　God；　and　not　that　I　hav