for the term of his natural life-第49章

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t　portion　of　the　dried　meat。　　With　what　pangs　this　was　done　can　be　easily　imagined；　for　each　atom　of　food　seemed　to　represent　an　hour　of　life。　　Yet　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　As　Frere　said；　it　was　〃neck　or　nothing　with　them〃。　　They　must　get　away　at　all　hazards。

That　evening　they　camped　at　the　mouth　of　the　Gates；　Dawes　being　afraid　to　risk　a　passage　until　the　slack　of　the　tide；　and　about　ten　o'clock　at　night　adventured　to　cross　the　Bar。　　The　night　was　lovely；　and　the　sea　calm。　It　seemed　as　though　Providence　had　taken　pity　on　them；　for；　notwithstanding　the　insecurity　of　the　craft　and　the　violence　of　the　breakers；　the　dreaded　passage　was　made　with　safety。　　Once；　indeed；　when　they　had　just　entered　the　surf；　a　mighty　wave；　curling　high　above　them；　seemed　about　to　overwhelm　the　frail　structure　of　skins　and　wickerwork；　but　Rufus　Dawes；　keeping　the　nose　of　the　boat　to　the　sea；　and　Frere　baling　with　his　hat；　they　succeeded　in　reaching　deep　water。　A　great　misfortune；　however；　occurred。　　Two　of　the　bark　buckets；　left　by　some　unpardonable　oversight　uncleated；　were　washed　overboard；　and　with　them　nearly　a　fifth　of　their　scanty　store　of　water。　In　the　face　of　the　greater　peril；　the　accident　seemed　trifling；　and　as；　drenched　and　chilled；　they　gained　the　open　sea；　they　could　not　but　admit　that　fortune　had　almost　miraculously　befriended　them。

They　made　tedious　way　with　their　rude　oars；　a　light　breeze　from　the　north…west　sprang　up　with　the　dawn；　and；　hoisting　the　goat…skin　sail；　they　crept　along　the　coast。　　It　was　resolved　that　the　two　men　should　keep　watch　and　watch；　and　Frere　for　the　second　time　enforced　his　authority　by　giving　the　first　watch　to　Rufus　Dawes。　　〃I　am　tired；〃　he　said；　〃and　shall　sleep　for　a　little　while。〃　　　Rufus　Dawes；　who　had　not　slept　for　two　nights；　and　who　had　done　all　the　harder　work；　said　nothing。　　He　had　suffered　so　much　during　the　last　two　days　that　his　senses　were　dulled　to　pain。

Frere　slept　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　and；　when　he　woke；　found　the　boat　still　tossing　on　the　sea；　and　Sylvia　and　her　mother　both　seasick。　　This　seemed　strange　to　him。　　Sea…sickness　appeared　to　be　a　malady　which　belonged　exclusively　to　civilization。　　Moodily　watching　the　great　green　waves　which　curled　incessantly　between　him　and　the　horizon；　he　marvelled　to　think　how　curiously　events　had　come　about。　　A　leaf　had；　as　it　were；　been　torn　out　of　his　autobiography。　　It　seemed　a　lifetime　since　he　had　done　anything　but　moodily　scan　the　sea　or　shore。　　Yet；　on　the　morning　of　leaving　the　settlement；　he　had　counted　the　notches　on　a　calendar…stick　he　carried；　and　had　been　astonished　to　find　them　but　twenty…two　in　number。　　Taking　out　his　knife；　he　cut　two　nicks　in　the　wicker　gunwale　of　the　coracle。　　That　brought　him　to　twenty…four　days。　The　mutiny　had　taken　place　on　the　13th　of　January；　it　was　now　the　6th　of　February。　　〃Surely；〃　thought　he；　〃the　Ladybird　might　have　returned　by　this　time。〃　There　was　no　one　to　tell　him　that　the　Ladybird　had　been　driven　into　Port　Davey　by　stress　of　weather；　and　detained　there　for　seventeen　days。

That　night　the　wind　fell；　and　they　had　to　take　to　their　oars。　Rowing　all　night；　they　made　but　little　progress；　and　Rufus　Dawes　suggested　that　they　should　put　in　to　the　shore　and　wait　until　the　breeze　sprang　up。　But；　upon　getting　under　the　lee　of　a　long　line　of　basaltic　rocks　which　rose　abruptly　out　of　the　sea；　they　found　the　waves　breaking　furiously　upon　a　horseshoe　reef；　six　or　seven　miles　in　length。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　coast　again。　　They　coasted　for　two　days；　without　a　sign　of　a　sail；　and　on　the　third　day　a　great　wind　broke　upon　them　from　the　south…east；　and　drove　them　back　thirty　miles。　　The　coracle　began　to　leak；　and　required　constant　bailing。　　What　was　almost　as　bad；　the　rum　cask；　that　held　the　best　part　of　their　water；　had　leaked　also；　and　was　now　half　empty。　　They　caulked　it；　by　cutting　out　the　leak；　and　then　plugging　the　hole　with　linen。

〃It's　lucky　we　ain't　in　the　tropics；〃　said　Frere。　　Poor　Mrs。　Vickers；　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　wrapped　in　her　wet　shawl；　and　chilled　to　the　bone　with　the　bitter　wind；　had　not　the　heart　to　speak。　Surely　the　stifling　calm　of　the　tropics　could　not　be　worse　than　this　bleak　and　barren　sea。

The　position　of　the　four　poor　creatures　was　now　almost　desperate。　Mrs。　Vickers；　indeed；　seemed　completely　prostrated；　and　it　was　evident　that；　unless　some　help　came；　she　could　not　long　survive　the　continued　exposure　to　the　weather。　　The　child　was　in　somewhat　better　case。　　Rufus　Dawes　had　wrapped　her　in　his　woollen　shirt；　and；　unknown　to　Frere；　had　divided　with　her　daily　his　allowance　of　meat。　　She　lay　in　his　arms　at　night；　and　in　the　day　crept　by　his　side　for　shelter　and　protection。　As　long　as　she　was　near　him　she　felt　safe。　　They　spoke　little　to　each　other；　but　when　Rufus　Dawes　felt　the　pressure　of　her　tiny　hand　in　his；　or　sustained　the　weight　of　her　head　upon　his　shoulder；　he　almost　forgot　the　cold　that　froze　him；　and　the　hunger　that　gnawed　him。

So　two　more　days　passed；　and　yet　no　sail。　　On　the　tenth　day　after　their　departure　from　Macquarie　Harbour　they　came　to　the　end　of　their　provisions。　　The　salt　water　had　spoiled　the　goat…meat；　and　soaked　the　bread　into　a　nauseous　paste。　　The　sea　was　still　running　high；　and　the　wind；　having　veered　to　the　north；　was　blowing　with　increased　violence。　The　long　low　line　of　coast　that　stretched　upon　their　left　hand　was　at　times　obscured　by　a　blue　mist。　　The　water　was　the　colour　of　mud；　and　the　sky　threatened　rain。　　The　wretched　craft　to　which　they　had　entrusted　themselves　was　leaking　in　four　places。　　If　caught　in　one　of　the　frequent　storms　which　ravaged　that　iron…bound　coast；　she　could　not　live　an　hour。　　The　two　men；　wearied；　hungry；　and　cold；　almost　hoped　for　the　end　to　come　quickly。　　To　add　to　their　distress；　the　child　was　seized　with　fever。　　She　was　hot　and　cold　by　turns；　and　in　the　intervals　of　moaning　talked　deliriously。　　Rufus　Dawes；　holding　her　in　his　arms；　watched　the　suffering　he　was　unable　to　alleviate　with　a　savage　despair　at　his　heart。　　Was　she　to　die　after　all？

So　another　day　and　night　passed；　and　the　eleventh　morning　saw　the　boat　yet　alive；　rolling　in　the　trough　of　the　same　deserted　sea。　The　four　exiles　lay　in　her　almost　without　breath。

All　at　once　Dawes　uttered　a　cry；　and；　seizing　the　sheet；　put　the　clumsy　craft　about。　　〃A　sail！　　a　sail！〃　he　cried。　　〃Do　you　not　see　her？〃

Frere's　hungry　eyes　ranged　the　dull　water　in　vain。

〃There　is　no　sail；　fool！〃　he　said。　　〃You　mock　us！〃

The　boat；　no　longer　following　the　line　of　the　coast；　was　running　nearly　due　south；　straight　into　the　great　Southern　Ocean。　Frere　tried　to　wrest　the　thong　from　the　hand　of　the　convict；　and　bring　the　boat　back　to　her　course。　　〃Are　you　mad？〃　he　asked；　in　fretful　terror；　〃to　run　us　out　to　sea？〃

〃Sit　down！〃　returned　the　other；　with　a　menacing　gesture；　and　staring　across　the　grey　water。　　〃I　tell　you　I　see　a　sail！〃

Frere；　overawed　by　the　strange　light　which　gleamed　in　the　eyes　of　his　companion；　shifted　sulkily　back　to　his　place。　　〃Have　your　own　way；〃　he　said；　〃madman！　　It　serves　me　right　for　putting　off　to　sea　in　such　a　devil's　craft　as　this！〃

After　all；　what　did　it　matter？　　As　well　be　drowned　in　mid…ocean　as　in　sight　of　land。

The　long　day　wore　out；　and　no　sail　appeared。　　The　wind　freshened　towards　evening；　and　the　boat；　plunging　clumsily　on　the　long　brown　waves；　staggered　as　though　drunk　with　the　water　she　had　swallowed；　for　at　one　place　near　the　bows　the　water　ran　in　and　out　as　through　a　slit　in　a　wine　skin。　　The　coast　had　altogether　disappeared；　and　the　huge　ocean　vast；　stormy；　and　threateningheaved　and　hissed　all　around　them。　It　seemed　impossible　that　they　should　live　until　morning。　　But　Rufus　Dawes；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　some　object　visible　alone　to　him；　hugged　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　drove　the　quivering　coracle　into　the　black　waste　of　night　and　sea。　　To　Frere；　sitting　sullenly　in　the　bows；　the　aspect　of　this　grim　immovable　figure；　with　its　back…blown　hair　and　staring　eyes；　had　in　it　something　supernatural　and　horrible。　He　began　to　think　that　privation　and　anxiety　had　driven　the　unhappy　convict　mad。

Thinking　and　shuddering　over　his　fate；　he　fellas　it　seemed　to　him　into　a　momentary　sleep；　in　the　midst　of　which　someone　called　to　him。