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第67章

elinor wyllys-2-第67章

小说: elinor wyllys-2 字数: 每页4000字

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One of young de Vaux's crew was taken sick here; and he was obliged to secure another man before leaving the island; it was easy to do so; however; as one who was waiting for a passage to New York soon offered; and the matter was settled。

Early on Monday morning they again made sail; for Martha's Vineyard; from thence the Petrel's head was to be turned southward; and after coasting the eastern shore of Long…Island; they expected to return to the wharf at Broadlawn; as fast as the winds would carry them。 The Vineyard; owing to a more sheltered position; bears a different aspect from the barren sands of Nantucket; parts of the island are well wooded。 Choosing a pleasant bay known to their pilot; where a rude wharf had been built; the party landed and prepared to dine; and pass some hours there。 They were no sooner on shore than Mr。 Stryker made his arrangements for fishing; having secured bait; Dr。 Van Horne and himself; with one of the men; took the Petrel's boat and rowed off from shore; changing their ground occasionally; until they had turned the point which formed the bay on one side; and were no longer in sight。 De Vaux and Smith took their guns and went into the wood; Charlie brought out his sketchbook; and was soon engaged in taking some tints; in watercolours; from a heavy bank of clouds which had been slowly rising in the west for several hours。 Hazlehurst was lying on the grass near him; with a spy…glass; watching a couple of sloops in the distance: turning his head accidentally towards the spot where they were commencing preparations for dinner; Harry saw one of the men; the new recruit; whom he had not yet remarked; looking at him closely。 It struck Hazlehurst that he had met this man before; the sailor saw that he was observed; and after a moment's hesitation he approached; touching his hat with the common salutation of a seaman; and looking as if he wished to speak; but scarcely knew how to begin。

〃Have you anything to say to me; my friend?It strikes me I have seen your face somewhere lately。〃

〃If you are Mr。 Hazlehurst; I guess; sir; you seed me not long since;〃 replied the man; a little embarrassed。

It suddenly flashed upon Harry's mind; that it was during the Stanley trial that he had seen this person; yes; he could not be mistaken; he was one of the witnesses for the plaintiff on that occasion。 Hazlehurst gave him a keen look; the fellow faltered a little; but begged Harry to step aside for a moment; as he wished to speak alone with him。 They moved to the adjoining bank; within the edge of the wood; and a conversation followed of some consequence to Hazlehurst; certainly。 After a few prefatory remarks; this man offered to make important revelations; upon condition that he should be screened from justicebeing considered as state's evidenceand rewarded by Harry for volunteering his services; to which Hazlehurst readily agreed。

We shall tell his story for him; rather as it appeared at a later day; than in the precise words in which it was first given at Martha's Vineyard。 By his disclosures; the villany {sic} of Clapp and his client were placed beyond a doubt; and he himself was good authority; for he was Robert Stebbins; the witness who had sworn to having returned the pocket…book and the accompanying documents to the plaintiff; as their rightful owner; he now confessed that he had perjured himself for a heavy bribe; but stood ready to turn state's evidence; and reveal all he knew of the plot。 Those papers had actually been placed in his care thirteen years since by his own brother; Jonathan Stebbins; who had died of small…pox in an hospital at Marseilles。 This brother had been a favourite companion of William Stanley's from his first voyage; they had shipped together in the Jefferson; and before sailing; Stanley had placed a package of papers and other articles; for safe…keeping; in an old chest of Stebbins's; which was left with the sailor's mother in Massachusetts。 They were wrecked in the Jefferson on the coast of Africa; as had been already reported; but they were not drowned; they both succeeded in reaching the shore; having lashed themselves to the same spar。 It was a desert; sandy coast; and they were almost starved after having reached the land; their only shelter was a small cave in a low ledge of rocks near the beach; they fed upon half…putrid shell…fish thrown upon the sands by the gale; and they drank from the pools of rain…water that had formed on the rock during the storm; for they had saved nothing from the wreck but a sealed bottle; containing their protections as American sailors; some money in an old glove; and a few other papers。 William Stanley had been ill before the gale; and he had not strength to bear up against these hardships; he declined rapidly; and aware that he could not live; the young man charged his companion; if he ever returned to America; to seek his family; relate the circumstances of his death; and show the papers in the bottlean old letter to himself; and within it the notice of his father's marriage; which he had cut from a paper; obtained from an American vessel spoken on the voyageand also the package left on shore in the old chest; as these documents would be considered testimonials of his veracity。 He farther charged Stebbins to say that he asked his father's forgiveness; acknowledging that he died repenting of his past misconduct。 The third day after the gale the young man expired; and Stebbins buried him in the sand near the cave。 The survivor had a hard struggle for life; the rain…water had soon dried away; and he set out at night in search of a spring to relieve his thirst; still keeping in sight of the shore。 As the morning sun rose; when all but exhausted; he discovered on the beach several objects from the wreck; which had drifted in that direction; the wind having changed after the gale。 He found a keg of spirits and some half…spoiled biscuit; and by these means his life was prolonged。 He made a bag of his shirt; bound a few things on his back; and buried others in the sand; to return to if necessary; and then continued to follow the shore northward; in search of some spring or stream。 Fortunately; he soon came to a woody tract which promised water; and climbing a tree he watched the wild animals; hoping to discover where they drank; at length; following a flock of antelopes; he came suddenly upon the bank of a stream of some size; and to his unspeakable joy; saw on the opposite bank a party of white men; the first human beings he had beheld since Stanley's death; they proved to be Swedes belonging to a ship in the offing; and immediately took him into their boat。 The vessel was bound to Stockholm; where she carried young Stanley's shipmate; from there he went to St。 Petersburgh; where he met with the brother who related his story to Hazlehurst; and both soon after enlisted in the Russian navy。 They were sent to the Black Sea; and kept there and in the Mediterranean for five years; until the elder brother; Jonathan Stebbins; died of small…pox in a hospital at Marseilles; having never returned to America since the wreck of the Jefferson。 Before his death; however; he left all his effects and William Stanley's papers to his brother。 This man; Robert Stebbins; seemed to have paid very little attention to the documents; it was by mere chance that he preserved the old letter; and the marriage notice within it; for he confessed that he had torn up the protection; once when he wanted a bit of paper: he had never known William Stanley himself; the inquiries about the young man had ceased before he returned to America; and he had attached no importance whatever to these papers。 He had left them where they had first been placed; in the old sea…chest at his mother's house; near New Bedford; while he led the usual wandering life of a sailor。 He told Harry that he had at last quite forgotten this package; until he accidentally fell in with a man calling himself William Stanley; at a low tavern; only some five or six years since; and; to his amazement; heard him declare he had been wrecked in the Jefferson。

{〃protection〃 = a paper testifying to the American citizenship of a seaman; carried to protect him against being forced into the British Navy as an Englishma

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