when the world shook-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　these　untutored　children　of　Nature　sometimes　eat

missionaries。〃



〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that；〃　said　Bastin；　〃they　bake　them　first　as

they　do　pigs。　But　I　don't　know　that　they　would　care　to　eat　me；〃

and　he　glanced　at　his　bony　limbs；　〃especially　when　you　are　much

plumper。　Anyhow　one　can't　stop　for　a　risk　of　that　sort。〃



Deigning　no　reply；　Bickley　walked　away　to　fetch　some　fine　fish

which　had　been　washed　up　by　the　tidal　wave　and　were　still

flapping　about　in　a　little　pool　of　salt　water。　Then　we　took

counsel　as　to　how　to　make　the　best　of　our　circumstances；　and　as　a

result　set　to　work　to　tidy　up　the　saloon　and　cabins；　which　was

not　difficult　as　what　remained　of　the　ship　lay　on　an　even　keel。

Also　we　got　out　some　necessary　stores；　including　paraffin　for　the

swinging　lamps　with　which　the　ship　was　fitted　in　case　of　accident

to　the　electric　light；　candles；　and　the　guns　we　had　brought　with

us　so　that　they　might　be　handy　in　the　event　of　attack。　This　done；

by　the　aid　of　the　tools　that　were　in　the　storerooms；　Bickley；　who

was　an　excellent　carpenter；　repaired　the　saloon　door；　all　that

was　necessary　to　keep　us　private；　as　the　bulkhead　still　remained。



〃Now；〃　he　said　triumphantly　when　he　had　finished　and　got　the

lock　and　bolts　to　work　to　his　satisfaction；　〃we　can　stand　a　siege

if　needed；　for　as　the　ship　is　iron　built　they　can't　even　burn　us

out　and　that　teak　door　would　take　some　forcing。　Also　we　can　shore

it　up。〃



〃How　about　something　to　eat？　I　want　my　tea；〃　said　Bastin。



〃Then；　my　reverend　friend；〃　replied　Bickley；　〃take　a　couple　of

the　fire　buckets　and　fetch　some　water　from　the　stream。　Also

collect　driftwood　of　which　there　is　plenty　about；　clean　those

fish　and　grill　them　over　the　saloon　stove。〃



〃I'll　try；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　I　never　did　any　cooking　before。〃



〃No；〃　replied　Bickley；　〃on　second　thoughts　I　will　see　to　that

myself；　but　you　can　get　the　fish　ready。〃



So；　with　due　precautions；　Bastin　and　I　fetched　water　from　the

stream　which　we　found　flowed　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff　quite

close　at　hand　into　a　beautiful　coral　basin　that　might　have　been

designed　for　a　bath　of　the　nymphs。　Indeed　one　at　a　time；　while

the　other　watched；　we　undressed　and　plunged　into　it；　and　never

was　a　tub　more　welcome　than　after　our　long　days　of　tempest。　Then

we　returned　to　find　that　Bickley　had　already　set　the　table　and

was　engaged　in　frying　the　fish　very　skilfully　on　the　saloon

stove；　which　proved　to　be　well　adapted　to　the　purpose。　He　was

cross；　however；　when　he　found　that　we　had　bathed　and　that　it　was

now　too　late　for　him　to　do　likewise。



While　he　was　cleaning　himself　as　well　as　he　could　in　his　cabin

basin　and　Bastin　was　boiling　water　for　tea；　suddenly　I　remembered

the　letter　from　the　Danish　mate　Jacobsen。　Concluding　that　it

might　now　be　opened　as　we　had　certainly　parted　with　most　of　the

Star　of　the　South　for　the　last　time；　I　read　it。　It　was　as

follows：





〃The　reason；　honoured　Sir；　that　I　am　leaving　the　ship　is　that

on　the　night　I　tore　up　the　paper；　the　spirit　controlling　the

planchette　wrote　these　words：　'After　leaving　Samoa　the　Star　of

the　South　will　be　wrecked　in　a　hurricane　and　everybody　on　board

drowned　except　A。　B。　and　B。　Get　out　of　her！　Get　out　of　her！　Don't

be　a　fool；　Jacob；　unless　you　want　to　come　over　here　at　once。　Take

our　advice　and　get　out　of　her　and　you　will　live　to　be　old。

SKOLL。〃





〃Sir；　I　am　not　a　coward　but　I　know　that　this　will　happen；　for

that　spirit　which　signs　itself　Skoll　never　tells　a　lie。　I　did　try

to　give　the　captain　a　hint　to　stop　at　Apia；　but　he　had　been

drinking　and　openly　cursed　me　and　called　me　a　sneaking　cheat。　So

I　am　going　to　run　away；　of　which　I　am　very　much　ashamed。　But　I　do

not　wish　to　be　drowned　yet　as　there　is　a　girl　whom　I　want　to

marry；　and　my　mother　I　support。　You　will　be　safe　and　I　hope　you

will　not　think　too　badly　of　me。JACOB　JACOBSEN。



〃P。S。It　is　an　awful　thing　to　know　the　future。　Never　try　to

learn　that。〃





I　gave　this　letter　to　Bastin　and　Bickley　to　read　and　asked　them

what　they　thought　of　it。



〃Coincidence；〃　said　Bickley。　〃The　man　is　a　weak…minded　idiot

and　heard　in　Samoa　that　they　expected　a　hurricane。〃



〃I　think；〃　chimed　in　Bastin；　〃that　the　devil　knows　how　to　look

after　his　own　at　any　rate　for　a　little　while。　I　dare　say　it　would

have　been　much　better　for　him　to　be　drowned。〃



〃At　least　he　is　a　deserter　and　failed　in　his　duty。　I　never　wish

to　hear　of　him　again；〃　I　said。



As　a　matter　of　fact　I　never　have。　But　the　incident　remains

quite　unexplained　either　by　Bickley　or　Bastin。







Chapter　VII



The　Orofenans





To　our　shame　we　had　a　very　pleasant　supper　that　night　off　the

grilled　fish；　which　was　excellent；　and　some　tinned　meat。　I　say　to

our　shame；　in　a　sense；　for　on　our　companions　the　sharks　were

supping　and　by　rights　we　should　have　been　sunk　in　woe。　I　suppose

that　the　sense　of　our　own　escape　intoxicated　us。　Also；

notwithstanding　his　joviality；　none　of　us　had　cared　much　for　the

captain；　and　his　policy　had　been　to　keep　us　somewhat　apart　from

the　crew；　of　whom　therefore　we　knew　but　little。　It　is　true　that

Bastin　held　services　on　Sundays；　for　such　as　would　attend；　and

Bickley　had　doctored　a　few　of　them　for　minor　ailments；　but　there；

except　for　a　little　casual　conversation；　our　intercourse　began

and　ended。



Now　the　sad　fact　is　that　it　is　hard　to　be　overwhelmed　with

grief　for　those　with　whom　we　are　not　intimate。　We　were　very　sorry

and　that　is　all　that　can　be　said；　except　that　Bastin；　being　High

Church；　announced　in　a　matter…of…fact　way　that　he　meant　to　put　up

some　petitions　for　the　welfare　of　their　souls。　To　this　Bickley

retorted　that　from　what　he　had　seen　of　their　bodies　he　was　sure

they　needed　them。



Yes；　it　was　a　pleasant　supper；　not　made　less　so　by　a　bottle　of

champagne　which　Bickley　and　I　shared。　Bastin　stuck　to　his　tea；

not　because　he　did　not　like　champagne；　but　because；　as　he

explained；　having　now　come　in　contact　with　the　heathen　it　would

never　do　for　him　to　set　them　an　example　in　the　use　of　spirituous

liquors。



〃However　much　we　may　differ；　Bastin；　I　respect　you　for　that

sentiment；〃　commented　Bickley。



〃I　don't　know　why　you　should；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃but　if　so；　you

might　follow　my　example。〃



That　night　we　slept　like　logs；　trusting　to　our　teak　door　which

we　barricaded；　and　to　Tommy；　who　was　a　most　excellent　watch…dog；

to　guard　us　against　surprise。　At　any　rate　we　took　the　risk。　As　a

matter　of　fact；　nothing　happened；　though　before　dawn　Tommy　did

growl　a　good　deal；　for　I　heard　him；　but　as　he　sank　into　slumber

again　on　my　bed；　I　did　not　get　up。　In　the　morning　I　found　from

fresh　footprints　that　two　or　three　men　had　been　prowling　about

the　ship；　though　at　a　little　distance。



We　rose　early；　and　taking　the　necessary　precautions；　bathed　in

the　pool。　Then　we　breakfasted；　and　having　filled　every　available

receptacle　with　water；　which　took　us　a　long　time　as　these

included　a　large　tank　that　supplied　the　bath；　so　that　we　might

have　at　least　a　week's　supply　in　case　of　siege；　we　went　on　deck

and　debated　what　we　should　do。　In　the　end　we　determined　to　stop

where　we　were　and　await　events；　because；　as　I　pointed　out；　it　was

necessary　that　we　should　discover　whether　these　natives　were

hostile　or　friendly。　In　the　former　event　we　could　hold　our　own　on

the　ship；　whereas　away　from　it　we　must　be　overwhelmed；　in　the

latter　there　was　always　time　to　move　inland。



About　ten　o'clock　when　we　were　seated　on　stools　smoking；　with

our　guns　by　our　sidefor　here；　owing　to　the　overhanging　cliff　in

which　it　will　be　remembered　the　prow　of　the　ship　was　buried；　we

could　not　be　reached　by　missiles　thrown　from　abovewe　saw

numbers　of　the　islanders　advancing　upon　us　along　the　beach　on

either　side。　They　were　preceded　as　before　by　women　who　bore　food

on　platters　and　in　baskets。　These　people；　all　talking　excitedly

and　laughing　after　their　fashion；　stopped　at　a　distance；　so　we

took　n