when the world shook-第14章

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me　if　I　talk　of　these　matters　as　a　landlubber）　we　ran　almost

before　the　wind；　though　not　quite　in　the　direction　that　we　wished

to　go。



When　the　light　came　it　was　blowing　very　hard　indeed；　and　the

sky　was　utterly　overcast；　so　that　we　got　no　glimpse　of　the　sun；

or　of　the　stars　on　the　following　night。　Unfortunately；　there　was

no　moon　visible；　indeed；　if　there　had　been　I　do　not　suppose　that

it　would　have　helped　us　because　of　the　thick　pall　of　clouds。　For

quite　seventy…two　hours　we　ran　on　beneath　bare　poles　before　that

gale。　The　little　vessel　behaved　splendidly；　riding　the　seas　like

a　duck；　but　I　could　see　that　Captain　Astley　was　growing　alarmed。

When　I　said　something　complimentary　to　him　about　the　conduct　of

the　Star　of　the　South；　he　replied　that　she　was　forging　ahead　all

right；　but　the　question　waswhere　to？　He　had　been　unable　to　take

an　observation　of　any　sort　since　we　left　Samoa；　both　his　patent

logs　had　been　carried　away；　so　that　now　only　the　compass

remained；　and　he　had　not　the　slightest　idea　where　we　were　in　that

great　ocean　studded　with　atolls　and　islands。



I　asked　him　whether　we　could　not　steam　back　to　our　proper

course；　but　he　answered　that　to　do　so　he　would　have　to　travel

dead　in　the　eye　of　the　gale；　and　he　doubted　whether　the　engines

would　stand　it。　Also　there　was　the　question　of　coal　to　be

considered。　However；　he　had　kept　the　fires　going　and　would　do

what　he　could　if　the　weather　moderated。



That　night　during　dinner　which　now　consisted　of　tinned　foods

and　whisky　and　water；　for　the　seas　had　got　to　the　galley　fire；

suddenly　the　gale　dropped；　whereat　we　rejoiced　exceedingly。　The

captain　came　down　into　the　saloon　very　white　and　shaken；　I

thought；　and　I　asked　him　to　have　a　nip　of　whisky　to　warm　him　up；

and　to　celebrate　our　good　fortune　in　having　run　out　of　the　wind。

He　took　the　bottle　and；　to　my　alarm；　poured　out　a　full　half

tumbler　of　spirit；　which　he　swallowed　undiluted　in　two　or　three

gulps。



〃That's　better！〃　he　said　with　a　hoarse　laugh。　〃But　man；　what　is

it　you　are　saying　about　having　run　out　of　the　wind？　Look　at　the

glass！〃



〃We　have；〃　said　Bastin；　〃and　it　is　wonderfully　steady。　About　29

degrees　or　a　little　over；　which　it　has　been　for　the　last　three

days。〃



Again　Astley　laughed　in　a　mirthless　fashion；　as　he　answered：



〃Oh；　that　thing！　That's　the　passengers'　glass。　I　told　the

'steward　to　put　it　out　of　gear　so　that　you　might　not　be

frightened；　it　is　an　old　trick。　Look　at　this；〃　and　he　produced

one　of　the　portable　variety　out　of　his　pocket。



We　looked；　and　it　stood　somewhere　between　27　degrees　and　28

degrees。



〃That's　the　lowest　glass　I　ever　saw　in　the　Polynesian　or　any

other　seas　during　thirty　years。　It's　right；　too；　for　I　have

tested　it　by　three　others；〃　he　said。



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　I　asked　rather　anxiously。



〃South　Sea　cyclone　of　the　worst　breed；〃　he　replied。　〃That

cursed　Dane　knew　it　was　coming　and　that's　why　he　left　the　ship。

Pray　as　you　never　prayed　before；〃　and　again　he　stretched　out　his

hand　towards　the　whisky　bottle。　But　I　stepped　between　him　and　it；

shaking　my　head。　Thereon　he　laughed　for　the　third　time　and　left

the　cabin。　Though　I　saw　him　once　or　twice　afterwards；　these　were

really　the　last　words　of　intelligible　conversation　that　I　ever

had　with　Captain　Astley。



〃It　seems　that　we　are　in　some　danger；〃　said　Bastin；　in　an

unmoved　kind　of　way。　〃I　think　that　was　a　good　idea　of　the

captain's；　to　put　up　a　petition；　I　mean；　but　as　Bickley　will

scarcely　care　to　join　in　it　I　will　go　into　the　cabin　and　do　so

myself。〃



Bickley　snorted；　then　said：



〃Confound　that　captain！　Why　did　he　play　such　a　trick　upon　us

about　the　barometer？　Humphrey；　I　believe　he　had　been　drinking。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　I　said；　looking　at　the　whisky　bottle。　〃Otherwise；

after　taking　those　precautions　to　keep　us　in　the　dark；　he　would

not　have　let　on　like　that。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bickley；　〃he　can't　get　to　the　liquor；　except

through　this　saloon；　as　it　is　locked　up　forward　with　the　other

stores。〃



〃That's　nothing；〃　I　replied；　〃as　doubtless　he　has　a　supply　of

his　own；　rum；　I　expect。　We　must　take　our　chance。〃



Bickley　nodded；　and　suggested　that　we　should　go　on　deck　to　see

what　was　happening。　So　we　went。　Not　a　breath　of　wind　was

stirring；　and　even　the　sea　seemed　to　be　settling　down　a　little。

At　least；　so　we　judged　from　the　motion；　for　we　could　not　see

either　it　or　the　sky；　everything　was　as　black　as　pitch。　We　heard

the　sailors；　however；　engaged　in　rigging　guide　ropes　fore　and

aft；　and　battening　down　the　hatches　with　extra　tarpaulins　by　the

light　of　lanterns。　Also　they　were　putting　ropes　round　the　boats

and　doing　something　to　the　spars　and　topmasts。



Presently　Bastin　joined　us；　having；　I　suppose；　finished　his

devotions。



〃Really；　it　is　quite　pleasant　here；〃　he　said。　〃One　never　knows

how　disagreeable　so　much　wind　is　until　it　stops。〃



I　lit　my　pipe；　making　no　answer；　and　the　match　burned　quite

steadily　there　in　the　open　air。



〃What　is　that？〃　exclaimed　Bickley；　staring　at　something　which

now　I　saw　for　the　first　time。　It　looked　like　a　line　of　white

approaching　through　the　gloom。　With　it　came　a　hissing　sound；　and

although　there　was　still　no　wind；　the　rigging　began　to　moan

mysteriously　like　a　thing　in　pain。　A　big　drop　of　water　also　fell

from　the　sides　into　my　pipe　and　put　it　out。　Then　one　of　the

sailors　cried　in　a　hoarse　voice：



〃Get　down　below；　governors；　unless　you　want　to　go　out　to　sea！〃



〃Why？〃　inquired　Bastin。



〃Why？　Becos　the　'urricane　is　coming；　that's　all。　Coming　as

though　the　devil　had　kicked　it　out　of　'ell。〃



Bastin　seemed　inclined　to　remonstrate　at　this　sort　of　language；

but　we　pushed　him　down　the　companion　and　followed；　propelling　the

spaniel　Tommy　in　front　of　us。　Next　moment　I　heard　the　sailors

battening　the　hatch　with　hurried　blows；　and　when　this　was　done　to

their　satisfaction；　heard　their　feet　also　as　they　ran　into

shelter。



Another　instant　and　we　were　all　lying　in　a　heap　on　the　cabin

floor　with　poor　Tommy　on　top　of　us。　The　cyclone　had　struck　the

ship！　Above　the　wash　of　water　and　the　screaming　of　the　gale　we

heard　other　mysterious　sounds；　which　doubtless　were　caused　by　the

yards　hitting　the　seas；　for　the　yacht　was　lying　on　her　side。　I

thought　that　all　was　over；　but　presently　there　came　a　rending；

crashing　noise。　The　masts；　or　one　of　them；　had　gone；　and　by

degrees　we　righted。



〃Near　thing！〃　said　Bickley。　〃Good　heavens；　what's　that？〃



I　listened；　for　the　electric　light　had　temporarily　gone　out；

owing；　I　suppose；　to　the　dynamo　having　stopped　for　a　moment。　A

most　unholy　and　hollow　sound　was　rising　from　the　cabin　floor。　It

might　have　been　caused　by　a　bullock　with　its　windpipe　cut；　trying

to　get　its　breath　and　groaning。　Then　the　light　came　on　again　and

we　saw　Bastin　lying　at　full　length　on　the　carpet。



〃He's　broken　his　neck　or　something；〃　I　said。



Bickley　crept　to　him　and　having　looked；　sang　out：



〃It's　all　right！　He's　only　sea…sick。　I　thought　it　would　come　to

that　if　he　drank　so　much　tea。〃



〃Sea…sick；〃　I　said　faintly〃sea…sick？〃



〃That's　all；〃　said　Bickley。　〃The　nerves　of　the　stomach　acting

on　the　brain　or　vice…versathat　is；　if　Bastin　has　a　brain；〃　he

added　sotto　voce。



〃Oh！〃　groaned　the　prostrate　clergyman。　〃I　wish　that　I　were

dead！〃



〃Don't　trouble　about　that；〃　answered　Bickley。　〃I　expect　you

soon　will　be。　Here；　drink　some　whisky；　you　donkey。〃



Bastin　sat　up　and　obeyed；　out　of　the　bottle；　for　it　was

impossible　to　pour　anything　into　a　glass；　with　results　too

dreadful　to　narrate。



〃I　call　that　a　dirty　trick；〃　he　said　presently；　in　a　feeble

voice；　glowering　at　Bickley。



〃I　expect　I　shall　have　to　play　you　a　dirtier　before　long；　for

you　are　a　pretty　bad　case；　old　fellow。〃



As　a　matter　of　fact　he　had；　for　once　Bastin　had　begun　really　we

thought　that　he　was　going　to　die。　Somehow　we　got　him　into　his

cabin；　which　opened　off　the　saloon；　and　as　he　co