perils of certain english prisoners-第9章

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them　our　one　little　volley　at　short　distance。　　〃Then；〃　says　he；

〃receive　them　behind　your　breastwork　on　the　bayonet；　and　at　least

let　every　man　of　you　pin　one　of　the　cursed　cockchafers　through　the

body。〃



We　checked　them　by　our　fire；　slight　as　it　was；　and　we　checked　them

at　the　breastwork。　　However；　they　broke　over　it　like　swarms　of

devilsthey　were；　really　and　truly；　more　devils　than　menand　then

it　was　hand　to　hand；　indeed。



We　clubbed　our　muskets　and　laid　about　us；　even　then；　those　two

ladiesalways　behind　mewere　steady　and　ready　with　the　arms。　　I

had　a　lot　of　Maltese　and　Malays　upon　me；　and；　but　for　a　broadsword

that　Miss　Maryon's　own　hand　put　in　mine；　should　have　got　my　end　from

them。　　But；　was　that　all？　　No。　　I　saw　a　heap　of　banded　dark　hair　and

a　white　dress　come　thrice　between　me　and　them；　under　my　own　raised

right　arm；　which　each　time　might　have　destroyed　the　wearer　of　the

white　dress；　and　each　time　one　of　the　lot　went　down；　struck　dead。



Drooce　was　armed　with　a　broadsword；　too；　and　did　such　things　with

it；　that　there　was　a　cry；　in　half…a…dozen　languages；　of　〃Kill　that

sergeant！〃　as　I　knew；　by　the　cry　being　raised　in　English；　and　taken

up　in　other　tongues。　　I　had　received　a　severe　cut　across　the　left

arm　a　few　moments　before；　and　should　have　known　nothing　of　it；

except　supposing　that　somebody　had　struck　me　a　smart　blow；　if　I　had

not　felt　weak；　and　seen　myself　covered　with　spouting　blood；　and；　at

the　same　instant　of　time；　seen　Miss　Maryon　tearing　her　dress　and

binding　it　with　Mrs。　Fisher's　help　round　the　wound。　　They　called　to

Tom　Packer；　who　was　scouring　by；　to　stop　and　guard　me　for　one

minute；　while　I　was　bound；　or　I　should　bleed　to　death　in　trying　to

defend　myself。　　Tom　stopped　directly；　with　a　good　sabre　in　his　hand。



In　that　same　momentall　things　seem　to　happen　in　that　same　moment；

at　such　a　timehalf…a…dozen　had　rushed　howling　at　Sergeant　Drooce。

The　Sergeant；　stepping　back　against　the　wall；　stopped　one　howl　for

ever　with　such　a　terrible　blow；　and　waited　for　the　rest　to　come　on；

with　such　a　wonderfully　unmoved　face；　that　they　stopped　and　looked

at　him。



〃See　him　now！〃　cried　Tom　Packer。　　〃Now；　when　I　could　cut　him　out！

Gill！　　Did　I　tell　you　to　mark　my　words？〃



I　implored　Tom　Packer　in　the　Lord's　name；　as　well　as　I　could　in　my

faintness；　to　go　to　the　Sergeant's　aid。



〃I　hate　and　detest　him；〃　says　Tom；　moodily　wavering。　　〃Still；　he　is

a　brave　man。〃　　Then　he　calls　out；　〃Sergeant　Drooce；　Sergeant　Drooce！

Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard；　and　are　sorry　for　it。〃



The　Sergeant；　without　turning　his　eyes　from　his　assailants；　which

would　have　been　instant　death　to　him；　answers。



〃No。　　I　won't。〃



〃Sergeant　Drooce！〃　cries　Tom；　in　a　kind　of　an　agony。　　〃I　have　passed

my　word　that　I　would　never　save　you　from　Death；　if　I　could；　but

would　leave　you　to　die。　　Tell　me　you　have　driven　me　too　hard　and　are

sorry　for　it；　and　that　shall　go　for　nothing。〃



One　of　the　group　laid　the　Sergeant's　bald　bare　head　open。　　The

Sergeant　laid　him　dead。



〃I　tell　you；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　breathing　a　little　short；　and

waiting　for　the　next　attack；　〃no。　　I　won't。　　If　you　are　not　man

enough　to　strike　for　a　fellow…soldier　because　he　wants　help；　and

because　of　nothing　else；　I'll　go　into　the　other　world　and　look　for　a

better　man。〃



Tom　swept　upon　them；　and　cut　him　out。　　Tom　and　he　fought　their　way

through　another　knot　of　them；　and　sent　them　flying；　and　came　over　to

where　I　was　beginning　again　to　feel；　with　inexpressible　joy；　that　I

had　got　a　sword　in　my　hand。



They　had　hardly　come　to　us；　when　I　heard；　above　all　the　other

noises；　a　tremendous　cry　of　women's　voices。　　I　also　saw　Miss　Maryon；

with　quite　a　new　face；　suddenly　clap　her　two　hands　over　Mrs。

Fisher's　eyes。　　I　looked　towards　the　silver…house；　and　saw　Mrs。

Venningstanding　upright　on　the　top　of　the　steps　of　the　trench；

with　her　gray　hair　and　her　dark　eyeshide　her　daughter's　child

behind　her；　among　the　folds　of　her　dress；　strike　a　pirate　with　her

other　hand；　and　fall；　shot　by　his　pistol。



The　cry　arose　again；　and　there　was　a　terrible　and　confusing　rush　of

the　women　into　the　midst　of　the　struggle。　　In　another　moment；

something　came　tumbling　down　upon　me　that　I　thought　was　the　wall。

It　was　a　heap　of　Sambos　who　had　come　over　the　wall；　and　of　four　men

who　clung　to　my　legs　like　serpents；　one　who　clung　to　my　right　leg

was　Christian　George　King。



〃Yup；　So…Jeer；〃　says　he；　〃Christian　George　King　sar　berry　glad　So…

Jeer　a　prisoner。　　Christian　George　King　been　waiting　for　So…Jeer

sech　long　time。　　Yup；　yup！〃



What　could　I　do；　with　five…and…twenty　of　them　on　me；　but　be　tied

hand　and　foot？　　So；　I　was　tied　hand　and　foot。　　It　was　all　over　now

boats　not　come　backall　lost！　　When　I　was　fast　bound　and　was　put　up

against　the　wall；　the　one…eyed　English　convict　came　up　with　the

Portuguese　Captain；　to　have　a　look　at　me。



〃See！〃　says　he。　　〃Here's　the　determined　man！　　If　you　had　slept

sounder；　last　night；　you'd　have　slept　your　soundest　last　night；　my

determined　man。〃



The　Portuguese　Captain　laughed　in　a　cool　way；　and　with　the　flat　of

his　cutlass；　hit　me　crosswise；　as　if　I　was　the　bough　of　a　tree　that

he　played　with：　　first　on　the　face；　and　then　across　the　chest　and

the　wounded　arm。　　I　looked　him　steady　in　the　face　without　tumbling

while　he　looked　at　me；　I　am　happy　to　say；　but；　when　they　went　away；

I　fell；　and　lay　there。



The　sun　was　up；　when　I　was　roused　and　told　to　come　down　to　the　beach

and　be　embarked。　　I　was　full　of　aches　and　pains；　and　could　not　at

first　remember；　but；　I　remembered　quite　soon　enough。　　The　killed

were　lying　about　all　over　the　place；　and　the　Pirates　were　burying

their　dead；　and　taking　away　their　wounded　on　hastily…made　litters；

to　the　back　of　the　Island。　　As　for　us　prisoners；　some　of　their　boats

had　come　round　to　the　usual　harbour；　to　carry　us　off。　　We　looked　a

wretched　few；　I　thought；　when　I　got　down　there；　still；　it　was

another　sign　that　we　had　fought　well；　and　made　the　enemy　suffer。



The　Portuguese　Captain　had　all　the　women　already　embarked　in　the

boat　he　himself　commanded；　which　was　just　putting　off　when　I　got

down。　　Miss　Maryon　sat　on　one　side　of　him；　and　gave　me　a　moment's

look；　as　full　of　quiet　courage；　and　pity；　and　confidence；　as　if　it

had　been　an　hour　long。　　On　the　other　side　of　him　was　poor　little

Mrs。　Fisher；　weeping　for　her　child　and　her　mother。　　I　was　shoved

into　the　same　boat　with　Drooce　and　Packer；　and　the　remainder　of　our

party　of　marines：　　of　whom　we　had　lost　two　privates；　besides

Charker；　my　poor；　brave　comrade。　　We　all　made　a　melancholy　passage；

under　the　hot　sun　over　to　the　mainland。　　There；　we　landed　in　a

solitary　place；　and　were　mustered　on　the　sea　sand。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。

Macey　and　their　children　were　amongst　us；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Pordage；　Mr。

Kitten；　Mr。　Fisher；　and　Mrs。　Belltott。　　We　mustered　only　fourteen

men；　fifteen　women；　and　seven　children。　　Those　were　all　that

remained　of　the　English　who　had　lain　down　to　sleep　last　night；

unsuspecting　and　happy；　on　the　Island　of　Silver…Store。







CHAPTER　III　｛1｝THE　RAFTS　ON　THE　RIVER







We　contrived　to　keep　afloat　all　that　night；　and；　the　stream　running

strong　with　us；　to　glide　a　long　way　down　the　river。　　But；　we　found

the　night　to　be　a　dangerous　time　for　such　navigation；　on　account　of

the　eddies　and　rapids；　and　it　was　therefore　settled　next　day　that　in

future　we　would　bring…to　at　sunset；　and　encamp　on　the　shore。　　As　we

knew　of　no　boats　that　the　Pirates　possessed；　up　at　the　Prison　in　the

Woods；　we　settled　always　to　encamp　on　the　opposite　side　of　the

stream；　so　as　to　have　the　breadth　of　the　river　between　our　sleep　and

them。　　Our　opinion　was；　that　if　they　were　acquainted　with　any　near

way　by　land　to　the　mouth　of　this　river；　they　would　come　up　it　in

force；　and　retake　us　or　kill　us；　according　as　they　could；　but　that

if　that　was　not　the　case；　and　if　the　river　ran　by　none　of　their

secret　stations；　we　might　escape。