the malay archipelago-2-第56章

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he　should　return　to　Wahai；　and　find　that　I　had　left　there　long　before；　and　had　not　since　been　heard　of。　Such　an　event　as　our　missing　an　island　forty　miles　long　would　hardly　occur　to　him；　and　he　would　conclude　either　that　our　boat　had　foundered；　or　that　my　crew　had　murdered　me　and　run　away　with　her。　However；　as　it　was　physically　impossible　now　for　me　to　reach　him；　the　only　thing　to　be　done　was　to　make　the　best　of　my　way　to　Waigiou；　and　trust　to　our　meeting　some　traders；　who　might　convey　to　him　the　news　of　my　safety。

Finding　on　my　map　a　group　of　three　small　islands；　twenty…five　miles　north　of　Poppa；　I　resolved；　if　possible；　to　rest　there　a　day　or　two。　We　could　lay　our　boat's　head　N。E。　by　N。；　but　a　heavy　sea　from　the　eastward　so　continually　beat　us　off　our　course；　and　we　made　so　much　leeway；　that　I　found　it　would　be　as　much　as　we　could　do　to　reach　them。　It　was　a　delicate　point　to　keep　our　head　in　the　best　direction；　neither　so　close　to　the　wind　as　to　stop　our　way；　or　so　free　as　to　carry　us　too　far　to　leeward。　I　continually　directed　the　steersman　myself；　and　by　incessant　vigilance　succeeded；　just　at　sunset；　in　bringing　our　boat　to　an　anchor　under　the　lee　of　the　southern　point　of　one　of　the　islands。　The　anchorage　was；　however；　by　no　means　good；　there　being　a　fringing　coral　reef；　dry　at　low　water；　beyond　which；　on　a　bottom　strewn　with　masses　of　coral；　we　were　obliged　to　anchor。　We　had　now　been　incessantly　tossing　about　for　four　days　in　our　small　undecked　boat；　with　constant　disappointments　and　anxiety；　and　it　was　a　great　comfort　to　have　a　night　of　quiet　and　comparative　safety。　My　old　pilot　had　never　left　the　helm　for　more　than　an　hour　at　a　time；　when　one　of　the　others　would　relieve　him　for　a　little　sleep；　so　I　determined　the　next　morning　to　look　out　for　a　secure　and　convenient　harbour；　and　rest　on　shore　for　a　day。

In　the　morning；　finding　it　would　be　necessary　for　us　to　get　round　a　rocky　point；　I　wanted　my　men　to　go　on　shore　and　cut　jungle…　rope；　by　which　to　secure　us　from　being　again　drafted　away；　as　the　wind　was　directly　off　shore。　I　unfortunately；　however；　allowed　myself　to　be　overruled　by　the　pilot　and　crew；　who　all　declared　that　it　was　the　easiest　thing　possible；　and　that　they　would　row　the　boat　round　the　point　in　a　few　minutes。　They　accordingly　got　up　the　anchor；　set　the　jib；　and　began　rowing；　but；　just　as　I　had　feared；　we　drifted　rapidly　off　shore；　and　had　to　drop　anchor　again　in　deeper　water；　and　much　farther　off。　The　two　best　men；　a　Papuan　and　a　Malay　now　swam　on　shore；　each　carrying　a　hatchet；　and　went　into　the　jungle　to　seek　creepers　for　rope。　After　about　an　hour　our　anchor　loosed　hold；　and　began　to　drag。　This　alarmed　me　greatly；　and　we　let　go　our　spare　anchor；　and；　by　running　out　all　our　cable；　appeared　tolerably　secure　again。　We　were　now　most　anxious　for　the　return　of　the　men；　and　were　going　to　fire　our　muskets　to　recall　them；　when　we　observed　them　on　the　beach；　some　way　off；　and　almost　immediately　our　anchors　again　slipped；　and　we　drifted　slowly　away　into　deep　water。　We　instantly　seized　the　oars；　but　found　we　could　not　counteract　the　wind　and　current；　and　our　frantic　cries　to　the　men　were　not　heard　till　we　had　got　a　long　way　off；　as　they　seemed　to　be　hunting　for　shell…fish　on　the　beach。　Very　soon；　however；　they　stared　at　us；　and　in　a　few　minutes　seemed　to　comprehend　their　situation；　for　they　rushed　down　into　the　water；　as　if　to　swim　off；　but　again　returned　on　shore；　as　if　afraid　to　make　the　attempt。　We　had　drawn　up　our　anchors　at　first　not　to　check　our　rowing；　but　now；　finding　we　could　do　nothing；　we　let　them　both　hang　down　by　the　full　length　of　the　cables。　This　stopped　our　way　very　much；　and　we　drifted　from　shore　very　slowly；　and　hoped　the　men　would　hastily　form　a　raft；　or　cut　down　a　soft…wood　tree；　and　paddle　out；　to　us；　as　we　were　still　not　more　than　a　third　of　a　mile　from　shore。　They　seemed；　however；　to　have　half　lost　their　senses；　gesticulating　wildly　to　us；　running　along　the　beach；　then　going　unto　the　forest；　and　just　when　we　thought　they　had　prepared　some　mode　of　making　an　attempt　to　reach　us；　we　saw　the　smoke　of　a　fire　they　had　made　to　cook　their　shell…fish！　They　had　evidently　given　up　all　idea　of　coming　after　us；　and　we　were　obliged　to　look　to　our　own　position。

We　were　now　about　a　mile　from　shore；　and　midway　between　two　of　the　islands；　but　we　were　slowly　drifting　out；　to　sea　to　the　westward；　and　our　only　chance　of　yet　saving　the　men　was　to　reach　the　opposite　shore。　We　therefore　sot　our　jib　and　rowed　hard；　but　the　wind　failed；　and　we　drifted　out　so　rapidly　that　we　had　some　difficulty　in　reaching　the　extreme　westerly　point　of　the　island。　Our　only　sailor　left；　then　swam　ashore　with　a　rope；　and　helped　to　tow　us　round　the　point　into　a　tolerably　safe　and　secure　anchorage；　well　sheltered　from　the　wind；　but　exposed　to　a　little　swell　which　jerked　our　anchor　and　made　us　rather　uneasy。　We　were　now　in　a　sad　plight；　having　lost　our　two　best　men；　and　being　doubtful　if　we　had　strength　left　to　hoist　our　mainsail。　We　had　only　two　days'　water　on　board；　and　the　small；　rocky；　volcanic　island　did　not　promise　us　much　chance　of　finding　any。　The　conduct　of　the　men　on　shore　was　such　as　to　render　it　doubtful　if　they　would　make　any　serious　attempt　to　reach　us；　though　they　might　easily　do　so；　having　two　good　choppers；　with　which　in　a　day　they　could　male　a　small　outrigger　raft　on　which　they　could　safely　cross　the　two　miles　of　smooth　sea　with　the　wind　right　aft；　if　they　started　from　the　east　end　of　the　island；　so　as　to　allow　for　the　current。　I　could　only　hope　they　would　be　sensible　enough　to　make　the　attempt；　and　determined　to　stay　as　long　as　I　could　to　give　them　the　chance。

We　passed　an　anxious　night；　fearful　of　again　breaking　our　anchor　or　rattan　cable。　In　the　morning　（23d）；　finding　all　secure；　I　waded　on　shore　with　my　two　men；　leaving　the　old　steersman　and　the　cook　on　board；　with　a　loaded　musketto　recall　us　if　needed。　We　first　walked　along　the　beach；　till　stopped　by　the　vertical　cliffs　at　the　east　end　of　the　island；　finding　a　place　where　meat　had　been　smoked；　a　turtle…shell　still　greasy；　and　some　cut　wood；　the　leaves　of　which　were　still　green；　showing　that　some　boat　had　been　here　very　recently。　We　then　entered　the　jungle；　cutting　our　way　up　to　the　top　of　the　hill；　but　when　we　got　there　could　see　nothing；　owing　to　the　thickness　of　the　forest。　Returning；　we　cut　some　bamboos；　and　sharpened　them　to　dig　for　water　in　a　low　spot　where　some　sago　…trees　were　growing；　when；　just　as　we　were　going　to　begin；　Hoi；　the　Wahai　man；　called　out　to　say　he　had　found　water。　It　was　a　deep　hole　among　the　Sago　trees；　in　stiff　black　clay；　full　of　water；　which　was　fresh；　but　smelt　horribly　from　the　quantity　of　dead　leaves　and　sago　refuse　that　had　fallen　in。　Hastily　concluding　that　it　was　a　spring；　or　that　the　water　had　filtered　in；　we　baled　it　all　out　as　well　as　a　dozen　or　twenty　buckets　of　mud　and　rubbish；　hoping　by　night　to　have　a　good　supply　of　clean　water。　I　then　went　on　board　to　breakfast；　leaving　my　two　men　to　make　a　bamboo　raft　to　carry　us　on　shore　and　back　without　wading。　I　had　scarcely　finished　when　our　cable　broke；　and　we　bumped　against　the　rocks。　Luckily　it　was　smooth　and　calm；　and　no　damage　was　done。　We　searched　for　and　got　up　our　anchor；　and　found　teat　the　cable　had　been　cut　by　grating　all　night　upon　the　coral。　Had　it　given　way　in　the　night；　we　might　have　drifted　out　to　sea　without　our　anchor；　or　been　seriously　damaged。　In　the　evening　we　went　to　fetch　water　from　the　well；　when；　greatly　to　our　dismay；　we　found　nothing　but　a　little　liquid　mud　at　the　bottom；　and　it　then　became　evident　that　the　hole　was　one　which　had　been　made　to　collect　rain　water；　and　would　never　fill　again　as　long　as　the　present　drought　continued。　As　we　did　not　know　what　we　might　suffer　for　want　of　water；　we　filled　our　jar　with　this　muddy　stuff　so　that　it　might　settle。　In　the　afternoon　I　crossed　over　to　the　other　side　of　the　island；　and　made　a　large　fire；　in　order　that　our　men　might　see　we　were　still　there。

The　next　day　（24th）　I　determined　to　have　another　search　for　water；　and　when　the　tide　was　out　rounded　a　rocky　point　and　went　to　the　extremity　of　the　island　without　finding　any　sign　of　the　smallest　stream。　On　our　way　back；　noticing　a　very　small　dry　bed　of　a　watercourse；　I　went