the works of edgar allan poe-3-第25节

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us。　Peters　and　Augustus；　not　being　able　to　restrain　their　appetite；
swallowed　theirs　upon　the　instant；　but　I　was　more　cautious；　and　ate
but　a　small　portion　of　mine；　dreading　the　thirst　which　I　knew　would
ensue。　We　now　rested　a　while　from　our　labors；　which　had　been
intolerably　severe。

　　　　By　noon；　feeling　somewhat　strengthened　and　refreshed；　we　again
renewed　our　attempt　at　getting　up　provisions；　Peters　and　myself　going
down　alternately；　and　always　with　more　or　less　success；　until
sundown。　During　this　interval　we　had　the　good　fortune　to　bring　up；
altogether；　four　more　small　jars　of　olives；　another　ham；　a　carboy
containing　nearly　three　gallons　of　excellent　Cape　Madeira　wine；　and；
what　gave　us　still　more　delight；　a　small　tortoise　of　the　Gallipago
breed；　several　of　which　had　been　taken　on　board　by　Captain　Barnard；
as　the　_Grampus_　was　leaving　port；　from　the　schooner　_Mary　Pitts_；
just　returned　from　a　sealing　voyage　in　the　Pacific。

　　　　In　a　subsequent　portion　of　this　narrative　I　shall　have　frequent
occasion　to　mention　this　species　of　tortoise。　It　is　found
principally；　as　most　of　my　readers　may　know；　in　the　group　of　islands
called　the　Gallipagos；　which；　indeed；　derive　their　name　from　the
animal　　the　Spanish　word　Gallipago　meaning　a　fresh…water　terrapin。
From　the　peculiarity　of　their　shape　and　action　they　have　been
sometimes　called　the　elephant　tortoise。　They　are　frequently　found　of
an　enormous　size。　I　have　myself　seen　several　which　would　weigh　from
twelve　to　fifteen　hundred　pounds；　although　I　do　not　remember　that　any
navigator　speaks　of　having　seen　them　weighing　more　than　eight
hundred。　Their　appearance　is　singular；　and　even　disgusting。　Their
steps　are　very　slow；　measured；　and　heavy；　their　bodies　being　carried
about　a　foot　from　the　ground。　Their　neck　is　long；　and　exceedingly
slender；　from　eighteen　inches　to　two　feet　is　a　very　common　length；
and　I　killed　one；　where　the　distance　from　the　shoulder　to　the
extremity　of　the　head　was　no　less　than　three　feet　ten　inches。　The
head　has　a　striking　resemblance　to　that　of　a　serpent。　They　can　exist
without　food　for　an　almost　incredible　length　of　time；　instances
having　been　known　where　they　have　been　thrown　into　the　hold　of　a
vessel　and　lain　two　years　without　nourishment　of　any　kind…　being　as
fat；　and；　in　every　respect；　in　as　good　order　at　the　expiration　of　the
time　as　when　they　were　first　put　in。　In　one　particular　these
extraordinary　animals　bear　a　resemblance　to　the　dromedary；　or　camel
of　the　desert。　In　a　bag　at　the　root　of　the　neck　they　carry　with　them
a　constant　supply　of　water。　In　some　instances；　upon　killing　them
after　a　full　year's　deprivation　of　all　nourishment；　as　much　as　three
gallons　of　perfectly　sweet　and　fresh　water　have　been　found　in　their
bags。　Their　food　is　chiefly　wild　parsley　and　celery；　with　purslain；
sea…kelp；　and　prickly　pears；　upon　which　latter　vegetable　they　thrive
wonderfully；　a　great　quantity　of　it　being　usually　found　on　the
hillsides　near　the　shore　wherever　the　animal　itself　is　discovered。
They　are　excellent　and　highly　nutritious　food；　and　have；　no　doubt；
been　the　means　of　preserving　the　lives　of　thousands　of　seamen
employed　in　the　whale…fishery　and　other　pursuits　in　the　Pacific。

　　　　The　one　which　we　had　the　good　fortune　to　bring　up　from　the
storeroom　was　not　of　a　large　size；　weighing　probably　sixty…five　or
seventy　pounds。　It　was　a　female；　and　in　excellent　condition；　being
exceedingly　fat；　and　having　more　than　a　quart　of　limpid　and　sweet
water　in　its　bag。　This　was　indeed　a　treasure；　and；　falling　on　our
knees　with　one　accord；　we　returned　fervent　thanks　to　God　for　so
seasonable　a　relief。

　　　　We　had　great　difficulty　in　getting　the　animal　up　through　the
opening；　as　its　struggles　were　fierce　and　its　strength　prodigious。　It
was　upon　the　point　of　making　its　escape　from　Peter's　grasp；　and
slipping　back　into　the　water；　when　Augustus；　throwing　a　rope　with　a
slipknot　around　its　throat；　held　it　up　in　this　manner　until　I　jumped
into　the　hole　by　the　side　of　Peters；　and　assisted　him　in　lifting　it
out。

　　　　The　water　we　drew　carefully　from　the　bag　into　the　jug；　which；　it
will　be　remembered；　had　been　brought　up　before　from　the　cabin。　Having
done　this；　we　broke　off　the　neck　of　a　bottle　so　as　to　form；　with　the
cork；　a　kind　of　glass；　holding　not　quite　half　a　gill。　We　then　each
drank　one　of　these　measures　full；　and　resolved　to　limit　ourselves　to
this　quantity　per　day　as　long　as　it　should　hold　out。

　　　　During　the　last　two　or　three　days；　the　weather　having　been　dry
and　pleasant；　the　bedding　we　had　obtained　from　the　cabin；　as　well　as
our　clothing；　had　become　thoroughly　dry；　so　that　we　passed　this　night
（that　of　the　twenty…third）　in　comparative　comfort；　enjoying　a
tranquil　repose；　after　having　supped　plentifully　on　olives　and　ham；
with　a　small　allowance　of　the　wine。　Being　afraid　of　losing　some　of
our　stores　overboard　during　the　night；　in　the　event　of　a　breeze
springing　up；　we　secured　them　as　well　as　possible　with　cordage　to　the
fragments　of　the　windlass。　Our　tortoise；　which　we　were　anxious　to
preserve　alive　as　long　as　we　could；　we　threw　on　its　back；　and
otherwise　carefully　fastened。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　12　~~~

CHAPTER　13



　　　　JULY　24。　This　morning　saw　us　wonderfully　recruited　in　spirits　and
strength。　Notwithstanding　the　perilous　situation　in　which　we　were
still　placed；　ignorant　of　our　position；　although　certainly　at　a　great
distance　from　land；　without　more　food　than　would　last　us　for　a
fortnight　even　with　great　care；　almost　entirely　without　water；　and
floating　about　at　the　mercy　of　every　wind　and　wave　on　the　merest
wreck　in　the　world；　still　the　infinitely　more　terrible　distresses　and
dangers　from　which　we　had　so　lately　and　so　providentially　been
delivered　caused　us　to　regard　what　we　now　endured　as　but　little　more
than　an　ordinary　evil…　so　strictly　comparative　is　either　good　or　ill。

　　　　At　sunrise　we　were　preparing　to　renew　our　attempts　at　getting　up
something　from　the　storeroom；　when；　a　smart　shower　coming　on；　with
some　lightning；　we　turn　our　attention　to　the　catching　of　water　by
means　of　the　sheet　we　had　used　before　for　this　purpose。　We　had　no
other　means　of　collecting　the　rain　than　by　holding　the　sheet　spread
out　with　one　of　the　forechain…plates　in　the　middle　of　it。　The　water；
thus　conducted　to　the　centre；　was　drained　through　into　our　jug。　We
had　nearly　filled　it　in　this　manner；　when；　a　heavy　squall　coming　on
from　the　northward；　obliged　us　to　desist；　as　the　hulk　began　once　more
to　roll　so　violently　that　we　could　no　longer　keep　our　feet。　We　now
went　forward；　and；　lashing　ourselves　securely　to　the　remnant　of　the
windlass　as　before；　awaited　the　event　with　far　more　calmness　than
could　have　been　anticipated　or　would　have　been　imagined　possible
under　the　circumstances。　At　noon　the　wind　had　freshened　into　a
two…reef　breeze；　and　by　night　into　a　stiff　gale；　accompanied　with　a
tremendously　heavy　swell。　Experience　having　taught　us；　however；　the
best　method　of　arranging　our　lashings；　we　weathered　this　dreary　night
in　tolerable　security；　although　thoroughly　drenched　at　almost　every
instant　by　the　sea；　and　in　momentary　dread　of　being　washed　off。
Fortunately；　the　weather　was　so　warm　as　to　render　the　water　rather
grateful　than　otherwise。

　　　　July　25。　This　morning　the　gale　had　diminished　to　a　mere　ten…knot
breeze；　and　the　sea　had　gone　down　with　it　so　considerably　that　we
were　able　to　keep　ourselves　dry　upon　the　deck。　To　our　great　grief；
however；　we　found　that　two　jars　of　our　olives；　as　well　as　the　whole
of　our　ham；　had　been　washed　overboard；　in　spite　of　the　careful　manner
in　which　they　had　been　fastened。　We　determined　not　to　kill　the
tortoise　as　yet；　and　contented　ourselves　for　the　present　with　a
breakfast　on　a　few　of　the　olives；　and　a　measure　of　water　each；　which
latter　we　mixed　half　and　half；　with　wine；　finding　great　relief　and
strength　from　the　mixture；　without　the　distressing　intoxication　which
had　ensued　upon　drinking　the　port。　The　sea　was　still　far　too　rough
for　the　renewal　of　our　efforts　at　getting　up　provision　from　the
storeroom。　Several　articles；　of　no　importance　to　us　in　our　present
situation；　floated　up　through　the　opening　during　the　day；　and　were
immediately　washed　overboard。　We　also　now　observed　that　the　hulk　lay
more　along　than　ever；　so　that　we　could　not　stand　an　instant　without
lashing　ourselves。　On　this　account　we　passed　a　gloomy　and
uncomfortable　day。　At　noon　the　sun　appeared　to　be　nearly　vertical；
and　we　had　no　doubt　that　we　had　been　driven　down　by　the　long
succession　of　northward　and　northwesterly　winds　into　the　near
vicinity　of　the　equator。　Toward　evening　saw　several　sharks；　and　were
somewhat　alarmed　by　the　audacious　manner　in　which　an　enormously　large
one　approached　us。　At　one　time；　a　lurch　throwing　the　deck　very　far
beneath　the　water；　the　monster　actually　swam　in　upon　us；　floundering
for　some　moments　just　over　the　companion…hatch；　and　striking　Peters
violently　with　his　tail。　A　heavy　sea　at　length　hurled　him　overboard；
much　to　our　relief。　In　moderate　weather　we　might　have　easily　captured
him。

　　　　July　26。　This　morning；　the　wind　having　greatly　abated；　and　the
sea　not　being　very　rough；　we　determined　to　renew　our　exertions　in　the
store