the jacket (the star-rover)-第63章

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In　the　fifth　year；　ere　I　had　convinced　myself　that　the　keels　of

ships　did　on　occasion　plough　these　seas；　I　began　carving　on　my　oar

minutes　of　the　more　remarkable　incidents　that　had　attended　me　since

I　quitted　the　peaceful　shores　of　America。　　This　I　rendered　as

intelligible　and　permanent　as　possible；　the　letters　being　of　the

smallest　size。　　Six；　and　even　five；　letters　were　often　a　day's　work

for　me；　so　painstaking　was　I。



And；　lest　it　should　prove　my　hard　fortune　never　to　meet　with　the

long…wished　opportunity　to　return　to　my　friends　and　to　my　family　at

Elkton；　I　engraved；　or　nitched；　on　the　broad　end　of　the　oar；　the

legend　of　my　ill　fate　which　I　have　already　quoted　near　the　beginning

of　this　narrative。



This　oar；　which　had　proved　so　serviceable　to　me　in　my　destitute

situation；　and　which　now　contained　a　record　of　my　own　fate　and　that

of　my　shipmates；　I　spared　no　pains　to　preserve。　　No　longer　did　I

risk　it　in　knocking　seals　on　the　head。　　Instead；　I　equipped　myself

with　a　stone　club；　some　three　feet　in　length　and　of　suitable

diameter；　which　occupied　an　even　month　in　the　fashioning。　　Also；　to

secure　the　oar　from　the　weather　（for　I　used　it　in　mild　breezes　as　a

flagstaff　on　top　of　my　pyramid　from　which　to　fly　a　flag　I　made　me

from　one　of　my　precious　shirts）　I　contrived　for　it　a　covering　of

well…cured　sealskins。



In　the　month　of　March　of　the　sixth　year　of　my　confinement　I

experienced　one　of　the　most　tremendous　storms　that　was　perhaps　ever

witnessed　by　man。　　It　commenced　at　about　nine　in　the　evening；　with

the　approach　of　black　clouds　and　a　freshening　wind　from　the　south…

west；　which；　by　eleven；　had　become　a　hurricane；　attended　with

incessant　peals　of　thunder　and　the　sharpest　lightning　I　had　ever

witnessed。



I　was　not　without　apprehension　for　the　safety　of　the　island。　　Over

every　part　the　seas　made　a　clean　breach；　except　of　the　summit　of　my

pyramid。　　There　the　life　was　nigh　beaten　and　suffocated　out　of　my

body　by　the　drive　of　the　wind　and　spray。　　I　could　not　but　be

sensible　that　my　existence　was　spared　solely　because　of　my　diligence

in　erecting　the　pyramid　and　so　doubling　the　stature　of　the　island。



Yet；　in　the　morning；　I　had　great　reason　for　thankfulness。　　All　my

saved　rainwater　was　turned　brackish；　save　that　in　my　largest　vessel

which　was　sheltered　in　the　lee　of　the　pyramid。　　By　careful　economy　I

knew　I　had　drink　sufficient　until　the　next　rain；　no　matter　how

delayed；　should　fall。　　My　hut　was　quite　washed　out　by　the　seas；　and

of　my　great　store　of　seal　meat　only　a　wretched；　pulpy　modicum

remained。　　Nevertheless　I　was　agreeably　surprised　to　find　the　rocks

plentifully　distributed　with　a　sort　of　fish　more　nearly　like　the

mullet　than　any　I　had　ever　observed。　　Of　these　I　picked　up　no　less

than　twelve　hundred　and　nineteen；　which　I　split　and　cured　in　the　sun

after　the　manner　of　cod。　　This　welcome　change　of　diet　was　not

without　its　consequence。　　I　was　guilty　of　gluttony；　and　for　all　of

the　succeeding　night　I　was　near　to　death's　door。



In　the　seventh　year　of　my　stay　on　the　island；　in　the　very　same　month

of　March；　occurred　a　similar　storm　of　great　violence。　　Following

upon　it；　to　my　astonishment；　I　found　an　enormous　dead　whale；　quite

fresh；　which　had　been　cast　up　high　and　dry　by　the　waves。　　Conceive

my　gratification　when　in　the　bowels　of　the　great　fish　I　found　deeply

imbedded　a　harpoon　of　the　common　sort　with　a　few　fathoms　of　new　line

attached　thereto。



Thus　were　my　hopes　again　revived　that　I　should　finally　meet　with　an

opportunity　to　quit　the　desolate　island。　　Beyond　doubt　these　seas

were　frequented　by　whalemen；　and；　so　long　as　I　kept　up　a　stout

heart；　sooner　or　later　I　should　be　saved。　　For　seven　years　I　had

lived　on　seal　meat；　so　that　at　sight　of　the　enormous　plentitude　of

different　and　succulent　food　I　fell　a　victim　to　my　weakness　and　ate

of　such　quantities　that　once　again　I　was　well　nigh　to　dying。　　And

yet；　after　all；　this；　and　the　affair　of　the　small　fish；　were　mere

indispositions　due　to　the　foreignness　of　the　food　to　my　stomach；

which　had　learned　to　prosper　on　seal　meat　and　on　nothing　but　seal

meat。



Of　that　one　whale　I　preserved　a　full　year's　supply　of　provision。

Also；　under　the　sun's　rays；　in　the　rock　hollows；　I　tried　out　much　of

the　oil；　which；　with　the　addition　of　salt；　was　a　welcome　thing　in

which　to　dip　my　strips　of　seal…meat　whilst　dining。　　Out　of　my

precious　rags　of　shirts　I　could　even　have　contrived　a　wick；　so　that；

with　the　harpoon　for　steel　and　rock　for　flint；　I　might　have　had　a

light　at　night。　　But　it　was　a　vain　thing；　and　I　speedily　forwent　the

thought　of　it。　　I　had　no　need　for　light　when　God's　darkness

descended；　for　I　had　schooled　myself　to　sleep　from　sundown　to

sunrise；　winter　and　summer。



I；　Darrell　Standing；　cannot　refrain　from　breaking　in　on　this　recital

of　an　earlier　existence　in　order　to　note　a　conclusion　of　my　own。

Since　human　personality　is　a　growth；　a　sum　of　all　previous

existences　added　together；　what　possibility　was　there　for　Warden

Atherton　to　break　down　my　spirit　in　the　inquisition　of　solitary？　　I

am　life　that　survived；　a　structure　builded　up　through　the　ages　of

the　pastand　such　a　past！　　What　were　ten　days　and　nights　in　the

jacket　to　me？to　me；　who　had　once　been　Daniel　Foss；　and　for　eight

years　learned　patience　in　that　school　of　rocks　in　the　far　South

Ocean？





At　the　end　of　my　eighth　year　on　the　island　in　the　month　of

September；　when　I　had　just　sketched　most　ambitious　plans　to　raise　my

pyramid　to　sixty　feet　above　the　summit　of　the　island；　I　awoke　one

morning　to　stare　out　upon　a　ship　with　topsails　aback　and　nearly

within　hail。　　That　I　might　be　discovered；　I　swung　my　oar　in　the　air；

jumped　from　rock　to　rock；　and　was　guilty　of　all　manner　of

livelinesses　of　action；　until　I　could　see　the　officers　on　the

quarter…deck　looking　at　me　through　their　spyglasses。　　They　answered

by　pointing　to　the　extreme　westerly　end　of　the　island；　whither　I

hastened　and　discovered　their　boat　manned　by　half　a　dozen　men。　　It

seems；　as　I　was　to　learn　afterward；　the　ship　had　been　attracted　by

my　pyramid　and　had　altered　its　course　to　make　closer　examination　of

so　strange　a　structure　that　was　greater　of　height　than　the　wild

island　on　which　it　stood。



But　the　surf　proved　to　be　too　great　to　permit　the　boat　to　land　on　my

inhospitable　shore。　　After　divers　unsuccessful　attempts　they

signalled　me　that　they　must　return　to　the　ship。　　Conceive　my　despair

at　thus　being　unable　to　quit　the　desolate　island。　　I　seized　my　oar

（which　I　had　long　since　determined　to　present　to　the　Philadelphia

Museum　if　ever　I　were　preserved）　and　with　it　plunged　headlong　into

the　foaming　surf。　　Such　was　my　good　fortune；　and　my　strength　and

agility；　that　I　gained　the　boat。



I　cannot　refrain　from　telling　here　a　curious　incident。　　The　ship　had

by　this　time　drifted　so　far　away；　that　we　were　all　of　an　hour　in

getting　aboard。　　During　this　time　I　yielded　to　my　propensities　that

had　been　baffled　for　eight　long　years；　and　begged　of　the　second

mate；　who　steered；　a　piece　of　tobacco　to　chew。　　This　granted；　the

second　mate　also　proffered　me　his　pipe；　filled　with　prime　Virginia

leaf。　　Scarce　had　ten　minutes　passed　when　I　was　taken　violently

sick。　　The　reason　for　this　was　clear。　　My　system　was　entirely　purged

of　tobacco；　and　what　I　now　suffered　was　tobacco　poisoning　such　as

afflicts　any　boy　at　the　time　of　his　first　smoke。　　Again　I　had　reason

to　be　grateful　to　God；　and　from　that　day　to　the　day　of　my　death；　I

neither　used　nor　desired　the　foul　weed。





I；　Darrell　Standing；　must　now　complete　the　amazingness　of　the

details　of　this　existence　which　I　relived　while　unconscious　in　the

strait…jacket　in　San　Quentin　prison。　　I　often　wondered　if　Daniel

Foss　had　been　true　in　his　resolve　and　deposited　the　carved　oar　in

the　Philadelphia　Museum。



It　is　a　difficult　matter　for　a　prisoner　in　solitary　to　communicate

with　the　outside　world。　　Once；　with　a　guard；　and　once　with　a　short…

timer　in　solitary；　I