the works of edgar allan poe-3-第14节

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the　gale　in　perfect　security；　as　indeed　a　jolly　boat　might　have　done
under　proper　management。

　　　　The　stowage　on　board　the　Grampus　was　most　clumsily　done；　if
stowage　that　could　be　called　which　was　little　better　than　a
promiscuous　huddling　together　of　oil…casks　｛*1｝　and　ship　furniture。　I
have　already　spoken　of　the　condition　of　articles　in　the　hold。　On　the
orlop　deck　there　was　space　enough　for　my　body　（as　I　have　stated）
between　the　oil…casks　and　the　upper　deck；　a　space　was　left　open
around　the　main　hatchway；　and　several　other　large　spaces　were　left　in
the　stowage。　Near　the　hole　cut　through　the　bulkhead　by　Augustus　there
was　room　enough　for　an　entire　cask；　and　in　this　space　I　found　myself
comfortably　situated　for　the　present。

　　　　By　the　time　my　friend　had　got　safely　into　the　berth；　and
readjusted　his　handcuffs　and　the　rope；　it　was　broad　daylight。　We　had
made　a　narrow　escape　indeed；　for　scarcely　had　he　arranged　all
matters；　when　the　mate　came　below；　with　Dirk　Peters　and　the　cook。
They　talked　for　some　time　about　the　vessel　from　the　Cape　Verds；　and
seemed　to　be　excessively　anxious　for　her　appearance。　At　length　the
cook　came　to　the　berth　in　which　Augustus　was　lying；　and　seated
himself　in　it　near　the　head。　I　could　see　and　hear　every　thing　from　my
hiding…place；　for　the　piece　cut　out　had　not　been　put　back；　and　I　was
in　momentary　expectation　that　the　negro　would　fall　against　the
pea…jacket；　which　was　hung　up　to　conceal　the　aperture；　in　which　case
all　would　have　been　discovered；　and　our　lives　would；　no　doubt；　have
been　instantly　sacrificed。　Our　good　fortune　prevailed；　however；　and
although　he　frequently　touched　it　as　the　vessel　rolled；　he　never
pressed　against　it　sufficiently　to　bring　about　a　discovery。　The
bottom　of　the　jacket　had　been　carefully　fastened　to　the　bulkhead；　so
that　the　hole　might　not　be　seen　by　its　swinging　to　one　side。　All　this
time　Tiger　was　lying　in　the　foot　of　the　berth；　and　appeared　to　have
recovered　in　some　measure　his　faculties；　for　I　could　see　him
occasionally　open　his　eyes　and　draw　a　long　breath。

　　　　After　a　few　minutes　the　mate　and　cook　went　above；　leaving　Dirk
Peters　behind；　who；　as　soon　as　they　were　gone；　came　and　sat　himself
down　in　the　place　just　occupied　by　the　mate。　He　began　to　talk　very
sociably　with　Augustus；　and　we　could　now　see　that　the　greater　part　of
his　apparent　intoxication；　while　the　two　others　were　with　him；　was　a
feint。　He　answered　all　my　companion's　questions　with　perfect　freedom；
told　him　that　he　had　no　doubt　of　his　father's　having　been　picked　up；
as　there　were　no　less　than　five　sail　in　sight　just　before　sundown　on
the　day　he　was　cut　adrift；　and　used　other　language　of　a　consolatory
nature；　which　occasioned　me　no　less　surprise　than　pleasure。　Indeed；　I
began　to　entertain　hopes；　that　through　the　instrumentality　of　Peters
we　might　be　finally　enabled　to　regain　possession　of　the　brig；　and
this　idea　I　mentioned　to　Augustus　as　soon　as　I　found　an　opportunity。
He　thought　the　matter　possible；　but　urged　the　necessity　of　the
greatest　caution　in　making　the　attempt；　as　the　conduct　of　the　hybrid
appeared　to　be　instigated　by　the　most　arbitrary　caprice　alone；　and；
indeed；　it　was　difficult　to　say　if　be　was　at　any　moment　of　sound
mind。　Peters　went　upon　deck　in　about　an　hour；　and　did　not　return
again　until　noon；　when　he　brought　Augustus　a　plentiful　supply　of　junk
beef　and　pudding。　Of　this；　when　we　were　left　alone；　I　partook
heartily；　without　returning　through　the　hole。　No　one　else　came　down
into　the　forecastle　during　the　day；　and　at　night；　I　got　into
Augustus'　berth；　where　I　slept　soundly　and　sweetly　until　nearly
daybreak；　when　he　awakened　me　upon　hearing　a　stir　upon　deck；　and　I
regained　my　hiding…place　as　quickly　as　possible。　When　the　day　was
fully　broke；　we　found　that　Tiger　had　recovered　his　strength　almost
entirely；　and　gave　no　indications　of　hydrophobia；　drinking　a　little
water　that　was　offered　him　with　great　apparent　eagerness。　During　the
day　he　regained　all　his　former　vigour　and　appetite。　His　strange
conduct　had　been　brought　on；　no　doubt；　by　the　deleterious　quality　of
the　air　of　the　hold；　and　had　no　connexion　with　canine　madness。　I
could　not　sufficiently　rejoice　that　I　had　persisted　in　bringing　him
with　me　from　the　box。　This　day　was　the　thirtieth　of　June；　and　the
thirteenth　since　the　Grampus　made　sad　from　Nantucket。

　　　　On　the　second　of　July　the　mate　came　below　drunk　as　usual；　and　in
an　excessively　good…humor。　He　came　to　Augustus's　berth；　and；　giving
him　a　slap　on　the　back；　asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　behave
himself　if　he　let　him　loose；　and　whether　he　would　promise　not　to　be
going　into　the　cabin　again。　To　this；　of　course；　my　friend　answered　in
the　affirmative；　when　the　ruffian　set　him　at　liberty；　after　making
him　drink　from　a　flask　of　rum　which　he　drew　from　his　coat…pocket。
Both　now　went　on　deck；　and　I　did　not　see　Augustus　for　about　three
hours。　He　then　came　below　with　the　good　news　that　he　had　obtained
permission　to　go　about　the　brig　as　be　pleased　anywhere　forward　of　the
mainmast；　and　that　he　had　been　ordered　to　sleep；　as　usual；　in　the
forecastle。　He　brought　me；　too；　a　good　dinner；　and　a　plentiful　supply
of　water。　The　brig　was　still　cruising　for　the　vessel　from　the　Cape
Verds；　and　a　sail　was　now　in　sight；　which　was　thought　to　be　the　one
in　question。　As　the　events　of　the　ensuing　eight　days　were　of　little
importance；　and　had　no　direct　bearing　upon　the　main　incidents　of　my
narrative；　I　will　here　throw　them　into　the　form　of　a　journal；　as　I　do
not　wish　to　omit　them　altogether。

　　　　July　3。　Augustus　furnished　me　with　three　blankets；　with　which　I
contrived　a　comfortable　bed　in　my　hiding…place。　No　one　came　below；
except　my　companion；　during　the　day。　Tiger　took　his　station　in　the
berth　just　by　the　aperture；　and　slept　heavily；　as　if　not　yet　entirely
recovered　from　the　effects　of　his　sickness。　Toward　night　a　flaw　of
wind　struck　the　brig　before　sail　could　be　taken　in；　and　very　nearly
capsized　her。　The　puff　died　away　immediately；　however；　and　no　damage
was　done　beyond　the　splitting　of　the　foretopsail。　Dirk　Peters　treated
Augustus　all　this　day　with　great　kindness　and　entered　into　a　long
conversation　with　him　respecting　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　the　islands
he　had　visited　in　that　region。　He　asked　him　whether　be　would　not　like
to　go　with　the　mutineers　on　a　kind　of　exploring　and　pleasure　voyage
in　those　quarters；　and　said　that　the　men　were　gradually　coming　over
to　the　mate's　views。　To　this　Augustus　thought　it　best　to　reply　that
he　would　be　glad　to　go　on　such　an　adventure；　since　nothing　better
could　be　done；　and　that　any　thing　was　preferable　to　a　piratical　life。

　　　　July　4th。　The　vessel　in　sight　proved　to　be　a　small　brig　from
Liverpool；　and　was　allowed　to　pass　unmolested。　Augustus　spent　most　of
his　time　on　deck；　with　a　view　of　obtaining　all　the　information　in　his
power　respecting　the　intentions　of　the　mutineers。　They　had　frequent
and　violent　quarrels　among　themselves；　in　one　of　which　a　harpooner；
Jim　Bonner；　was　thrown　overboard。　The　party　of　the　mate　was　gaining
ground。　Jim　Bonner　belonged　to　the　cook's　gang；　of　which　Peters　was　a
partisan。

　　　　July　5th。　About　daybreak　there　came　on　a　stiff　breeze　from　the
west；　which　at　noon　freshened　into　a　gale；　so　that　the　brig　could
carry　nothing　more　than　her　trysail　and　foresail。　In　taking　in　the
foretopsail；　Simms；　one　of　the　common　hands；　and　belonging　also　to
the　cook's　gang；　fell　overboard；　being　very　much　in　liquor；　and　was
drowned…　no　attempt　being　made　to　save　him。　The　whole　number　of
persons　on　board　was　now　thirteen；　to　wit：　Dirk　Peters；　Seymour；　the
of　the　cook's　party；　the　mate；　whose　name　I　never　learned；　Absalom
party；…　besides　Augustus　and　myself。

　　　　July　6th。　The　gale　lasted　all　this　day；　blowing　in　heavy　squalls；
accompanied　with　rain。　The　brig　took　in　a　good　deal　of　water　through
her　seams；　and　one　of　the　pumps　was　kept　continually　going；　Augustus
being　forced　to　take　his　turn。　just　at　twilight　a　large　ship　passed
close　by　us；　without　having　been　discovered　until　within　hail。　The
ship　was　supposed　to　be　the　one　for　which　the　mutineers　were　on　the
lookout。　The　mate　hailed　her；　but　the　reply　was　drowned　in　the
roaring　of　the　gale。　At　eleven；　a　sea　was　shipped　amidships；　which
tore　away　a　great　portion　of　the　larboard　bulwarks；　and　did　some
other　slight　damage。　Toward　morning　the　weather　moderated；　and　at
sunrise　there　was　very　little　wind。

　　　　July　7th。　There　was　a　heavy　swell　running　all　this　day；　during
which　the　brig；　being　light；　rolled　excessively；　and　many　articles
broke　loose　in　the　hold；　as　I　could　hear　distinctly　from　my
hiding…place。　I　suffered　a　great　deal　from　sea…sickness。　Peters　had　a
long　conversation　this　day　with　Augustus；　and　told　him　that　two　of
his　gang；　Greely　and　Allen；　had　gone　over　to　the　mate；　and　were
resolved　to　turn　pirates。　He　put　several　questions　to　Augustus　which
he　did　not　then　exactly　understand。　During　a　part　of　this　evening　the
leak　gained　upon　the　vessel；　and　little　could　be　done　to　remedy　it；
as　it　was　occasioned　by　the　brigs　straining；　and　taking　in　the　water
through　her　seams。　A　sail　was　thrummed；　and　got　under　the　bows；　which
aided　us　in　some　measure；　so　that　we　began　to　gain　upon　the　l