the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第48节
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excellent seaman。
If our captain had died suddenly I cannot imagine how we should have
found our way in that waste of waters； for it was only he who had the
knowledge which enabled him to mark our place upon the chart。 He had
this fixed upon the cabin wall； and every day he put our course upon it so
that we could see at a glance how far we were from our destination。 It
was wonderful how well he could calculate it； for one morning he said that
we should see the Cape Verd light that very night； and there it was； sure
enough； upon our left front the moment that darkness came。 Next day；
however； the land was out of sight； and Burns； the mate； explained to me
that we should see no more until we came to our port in the Gulf of Biafra。
Every day we flew south with a favouring wind； and always at noon the
pin upon the chart was moved nearer and nearer to the African coast。 I
may explain that palm oil was the cargo which we were in search of； and
that our own lading consisted of coloured cloths； old muskets； and such
other trifles as the English sell to the savages。
At last the wind which had followed us so long died away； and for
several days we drifted about on a calm and oily sea； under a sun which
brought the pitch bubbling out between the planks upon the deck。 We
turned and turned our sails to catch every wandering puff； until at last we
came out of this belt of calm and ran south again with a brisk breeze； the
sea all round us being alive with flying fishes。 For some days Burns
appeared to be uneasy； and I observed him continually shading his eyes
with his hand and staring at the horizon as if he were looking for land。
Twice I caught him with his red head against the chart in the cabin； gazing
at that pin； which was always approaching and yet never reaching the
African coast。 At last one evening； as Captain Fourneau and I were
playing ecarte in the cabin； the mate entered with an angry look upon his
sunburned face。
〃I beg your pardon； Captain Fourneau；〃 said he。
〃But do you know what course the man at the wheel is steering？〃
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〃Due south；〃 the captain answered； with his eyes fixed upon his cards。
〃And he should be steering due east。〃
〃How do you make that out？〃
The mate gave an angry growl。
〃I may not have much education；〃 said he； 〃but let me tell you this；
Captain Fourneau； I've sailed these waters since I was a little nipper of ten；
and I know the line when I'm on it； and I know the doldrums； and I know
how to find my way to the oil rivers。 We are south of the line now； and
we should be steering due east instead of due south if your port is the port
that the owners sent you to。〃
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Gerard。 Just remember that it is my lead；〃 said the
captain； laying down his cards。
〃Come to the map here； Mr。 Burns； and I will give you a lesson in
practical navigation。 Here is the trade wind from the southwest and here
is the line； and here is the port that we want to make； and here is a man
who will have his own way aboard his own ship。〃 As he spoke he seized
the unfortunate mate by the throat and squeezed him until he was nearly
senseless。 Kerouan； the steward； had rushed in with a rope； and between
them they gagged and trussed the man； so that he was utterly helpless。
〃There is one of our Frenchmen at the wheel。 We had best put the
mate overboard；〃 said the steward。
〃That is safest；〃 said Captain Fourneau。
But that was more than I could stand。 Nothing would persuade me to
agree to the death of a helpless man。
With a bad grace Captain Fourneau consented to spare him； and we
carried him to the after…hold； which lay under the cabin。 There he was
laid among the bales of Manchester cloth。
〃It is not worth while to put down the hatch；〃 said Captain Fourneau。
〃Gustav； go to Mr。 Turner and tell him that I would like to have a word
with him。〃
The unsuspecting second mate entered the cabin； and was instantly
gagged and secured as Burns had been。
He was carried down and laid beside his comrade。 The hatch was
then replaced。
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〃Our hands have been forced by that red…headed dolt；〃 said the captain；
〃and I have had to explode my mine before I wished。 However； there is
no great harm done； and it will not seriously disarrange my plans。
〃Kerouan； you will take a keg of rum forward to the crew and tell them
that the captain gives it to them to drink his health on the occasion of
crossing the line。
〃They will know no better。 As to our own fellows； bring them down
to your pantry so that we may me sure that they are ready for business。
Now； Colonel Gerard； with your permission we will resume our game of
ecarte。〃
It is one of those occasions which one does not forget。
This captain； who was a man of iron； shuffled and cut； dealt and
played as if he were in his cafe。 From below we heard the inarticulate
murmurings of the two mates； half smothered by the handkerchiefs which
gagged them。 Outside the timbers creaked and the sails hummed under
the brisk breeze which was sweeping us upon our way。 Amid the splash
of the waves and the whistle of the wind we heard the wild cheers and
shoutings of the English sailors as they broached the keg of rum。 We
played half…a…dozen games and then the captain rose。 〃I think they are
ready for us now；〃 said he。 He took a brace of pistols from a locker； and
he handed one of them to me。
But we had no need to fear resistance； for there was no one to resist。
The Englishman of those days； whether soldier or sailor； was an
incorrigible drunkard。
Without drink he was a brave and good man。 But if drink were laid
before him it was a perfect madness nothing could induce him to take it
with moderation。
In the dim light of the den which they inhabited； five senseless figures
and two shouting； swearing； singing madmen represented the crew of the
Black Swan。 Coils of rope were brought forward by the steward； and
with the help of two French seamen （the third was at the wheel） we
secured the drunkards and tied them up； so that it was impossible for them
to speak or move。 They were placed under the fore…hatch； as their
officers had been under the after one； and Kerouan was directed twice a
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day to give them food and drink。 So at last we found that the Black
Swan was entirely our own。
Had there been bad weather I do not know what we should have done；
but we still went gaily upon our way with a wind which was strong
enough to drive us swiftly south； but not strong enough to cause us alarm。
On the evening of the third day I found Captain Fourneau gazing eagerly
out from the platform in the front of the vessel。 〃Look； Gerard； look！〃 he
cried； and pointed over the pole which stuck out in front。
A light blue sky rose from a dark blue sea； and far away； at the point
where they met； was a shadowy something like a cloud； but more definite
in shape。
〃What is it？〃 I cried。
〃It is land。〃
〃And what land？〃
I strained my ears for the answer； and yet I knew already what the
answer would be。
〃It is St。 Helena。〃
Here； then； was the island of my dreams！ Here was the cage where
our great Eagle of France was confined！
All those thousands of leagues of water had not sufficed to keep
Gerard from the master whom he loved。
There he was； there on that cloud…bank yonder over the dark blue sea。
How my eyes devoured it！ How my soul flew in front of the vesselflew
on and on to tell him that he was not forgot
