the works of edgar allan poe-3-第36节

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resembling　the　one　delivered　in　the　canoes；　with　the　exception　that
the　Anamoo…moos！　were　now　somewhat　more　strenuously　insisted　upon
than　the　Lama…Lamas！　We　listened　in　profound　silence　until　the
conclusion　of　this　harangue；　when　Captain　Guy　replied　by　assuring　the
chief　of　his　eternal　friendship　and　goodwill；　concluding　what　he　had
to　say　be　a　present　of　several　strings　of　blue　beads　and　a　knife。　At
the　former　the　monarch；　much　to　our　surprise；　turned　up　his　nose　with
some　expression　of　contempt；　but　the　knife　gave　him　the　most
unlimited　satisfaction；　and　he　immediately　ordered　dinner。　This　was
handed　into　the　tent　over　the　heads　of　the　attendants；　and　consisted
of　the　palpitating　entrails　of　a　specials　of　unknown　animal；　probably
one　of　the　slim…legged　hogs　which　we　had　observed　in　our　approach　to
the　village。　Seeing　us　at　a　loss　how　to　proceed；　he　began；　by　way　of
setting　us　an　example；　to　devour　yard　after　yard　of　the　enticing
food；　until　we　could　positively　stand　it　no　longer；　and　evinced　such
manifest　symptoms　of　rebellion　of　stomach　as　inspired　his　majesty
with　a　degree　of　astonishment　only　inferior　to　that　brought　about　by
the　looking…glasses。　We　declined；　however；　partaking　of　the
delicacies　before　us；　and　endeavoured　to　make　him　understand　that　we
had　no　appetite　whatever；　having　just　finished　a　hearty　dejeuner。

　　　　　When　the　monarch　had　made　an　end　of　his　meal；　we　commenced　a
series　of　cross…questioning　in　every　ingenious　manner　we　could
devise；　with　a　view　of　discovering　what　were　the　chief　productions　of
the　country；　and　whether　any　of　them　might　be　turned　to　profit。　At
length　he　seemed　to　have　some　idea　of　our　meaning；　and　offered　to
accompany　us　to　a　part　of　coast　where　he　assured　us　the　biche　de　mer
（pointing　to　a　specimen　of　that　animal）　was　to　be　found　in　great
abundance。　We　were　glad　of　this　early　opportunity　of　escaping　from
the　oppression　of　the　crowd；　and　signified　our　eagerness　to　proceed。
We　now　left　the　tent；　and；　accompanied　by　the　whole　population　of　the
village；　followed　the　chief　to　the　southeastern　extremity　of　the
island；　nor　far　from　the　bay　where　our　vessel　lay　at　anchor。　We
waited　here　for　about　an　hour；　until　the　four　canoes　were　brought
around　by　some　of　the　savages　to　our　station。　the　whole　of　our　party
then　getting　into　one　of　them；　we　were　paddled　along　the　edge　of　the
reef　before　mentioned；　and　of　another　still　farther　out；　where　we　saw
a　far　greater　quantity　of　biche　de　mer　than　the　oldest　seamen　among
us　had　ever　seen　in　those　groups　of　the　lower　latitudes　most
celebrated　for　this　article　of　commerce。　We　stayed　near　these　reefs
only　long　enough　to　satisfy　ourselves　that　we　could　easily　load　a
dozen　vessels　with　the　animal　if　necessary；　when　we　were　taken
alongside　the　schooner；　and　parted　with　Too…wit；　after　obtaining　from
him　a　promise　that　he　would　bring　us；　in　the　course　of　twenty…four
hours；　as　many　of　the　canvass…back　ducks　and　Gallipago　tortoises　as
his　canoes　would　hold。　In　the　whole　of　this　adventure　we　saw　nothing
in　the　demeanour　of　the　natives　calculated　to　create　suspicion；　with
the　single　exception　of　the　systematic　manner　in　which　their　party
was　strengthened　during　our　route　from　the　schooner　to　the　village。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　19　~~~

CHAPTER　20



　　　　THE　chief　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　we　were　soon　plentifully
sup。　plied　with　fresh　provisions。　We　found　the　tortoises　as　fine　as
we　had　ever　seen；　and　the　ducks　surpassed　our　best　species　of　wild
fowl；　being　exceedingly　tender；　juicy；　and　well…flavoured。　Besides
these；　the　savages　brought　us；　upon　our　making　them　comprehend　our
wishes；　a　vast　quantity　of　brown　celery　and　scurvy　grass；　with　a
canoe…load　of　fresh　fish　and　some　dried。　The　celery　was　a　treat
indeed；　and　the　scurvy　grass　proved　of　incalculable　benefit　in
restoring　those　of　our　men　who　had　shown　symptoms　of　disease。　In　a
very　short　time　we　had　not　a　single　person　on　the　sick…list。　We　had
also　plenty　of　other　kinds　of　fresh　provisions；　among　which　may　be
mentioned　a　species　of　shellfish　resembling　the　mussel　in　shape；　but
with　the　taste　of　an　oyster。　Shrimps；　too；　and　prawns　were　abundant；
and　albatross　and　other　birds'　eggs　with　dark　shells。　We　took　in；
too；　a　plentiful　stock　of　the　flesh　of　the　hog　which　I　have　mentioned
before。　Most　of　the　men　found　it　a　palatable　food；　but　I　thought　it
fishy　and　otherwise　disagreeable。　In　return　for　these　good　things　we
presented　the　natives　with　blue　beads；　brass　trinkets；　nails；　knives；
and　pieces　of　red　cloth；　they　being　fully　delighted　in　the　exchange。
We　established　a　regular　market　on　shore；　just　under　the　guns　of　the
schooner；　where　our　barterings　were　carried　on　with　every　appearance
of　good　faith；　and　a　degree　of　order　which　their　conduct　at　the
village　of　_Klock…klock_　had　not　led　us　to　expect　from　the　savages。

　　　　Matters　went　on　thus　very　amicably　for　several　days；　during　which
parties　of　the　natives　were　frequently　on　board　the　schooner；　and
parties　of　our　men　frequently　on　shore；　making　long　excursions　into
the　interior；　and　receiving　no　molestation　whatever。　Finding　the　ease
with　which　the　vessel　might　be　loaded　with　_biche　de　mer_；　owing　to
the　friendly　disposition　of　the　islanders；　and　the　readiness　with
which　they　would　render　us　assistance　in　collecting　it；　Captain　Guy
resolved　to　enter　into　negotiations　with　Too…wit　for　the　erection　of
suitable　houses　in　which　to　cure　the　article；　and　for　the　services　of
himself　and　tribe　in　gathering　as　much　as　possible；　while　he　himself
took　advantage　of　the　fine　weather　to　prosecute　his　voyage　to　the
southward。　Upon　mentioning　this　project　to　the　chief　he　seemed　very
willing　to　enter　into　an　agreement。　A　bargain　was　accordingly　struck；
perfectly　satisfactory　to　both　parties；　by　which　it　was　arranged
that；　after　making　the　necessary　preparations；　such　as　laying　off　the
proper　grounds；　erecting　a　portion　of　the　buildings；　and　doing　some
other　work　in　which　the　whole　of　our　crew　would　be　required；　the
schooner　should　proceed　on　her　route；　leaving　three　of　her　men　on　the
island　to　superintend　the　fulfilment　of　the　project；　and　instruct　the
natives　in　drying　the　_biche　de　mer_。　In　regard　to　terms；　these　were
made　to　depend　upon　the　exertions　of　the　savages　in　our　absence。　They
were　to　receive　a　stipulated　quantity　of　blue　beads；　knives；　red
cloth；　and　so　forth；　for　every　certain　number　of　piculs　of　the　_biche
de　mer_　which　should　be　ready　on　our　return。

　　　　A　description　of　the　nature　of　this　important　article　of
commerce；　and　the　method　of　preparing　it；　may　prove　of　some　interest
to　my　readers；　and　I　can　find　no　more　suitable　place　than　this　for
introducing　an　account　of　it。　The　following　comprehensive　notice　of
the　substance　is　taken　from　a　modern　history　of　a　voyage　to　the　South
Seas。

　　　　〃It　is　that　_mollusca_　from　the　Indian　Seas　which　is　known　to
commerce　by　the　French　name　_bouche　de　mer_　（a　nice　morsel　from　the
sea）。　If　I　am　not　much　mistaken；　the　celebrated　Cuvier　calls　it
_gasteropeda　pulmonifera_。　It　is　abundantly　gathered　in　the　coasts　of
the　Pacific　islands；　and　gathered　especially　for　the　Chinese　market；
where　it　commands　a　great　price；　perhaps　as　much　as　their
much…talked…of　edible　birds'　nests；　which　are　properly　made　up　of　the
gelatinous　matter　picked　up　by　a　species　of　swallow　from　the　body　of
these　molluscae。　They　have　no　shell；　no　legs；　nor　any　prominent　part；
except　an　_absorbing_　and　an　_excretory_；　opposite　organs；　but；　by
their　elastic　wings；　like　caterpillars　or　worms；　they　creep　in
shallow　waters；　in　which；　when　low；　they　can　be　seen　by　a　kind　of
swallow；　the　sharp　bill　of　which；　inserted　in　the　soft　animal；　draws
a　gummy　and　filamentous　substance；　which；　by　drying；　can　be　wrought
into　the　solid　walls　of　their　nest。　Hence　the　name　of　_gasteropeda
pulmonifera_。

　　　　〃This　mollusca　is　oblong；　and　of　different　sizes；　from　three　to
eighteen　inches　in　length；　and　I　have　seen　a　few　that　were　not　less
than　two　feet　long。　They　were　nearly　round；　a　little　flattish　on　one
side；　which　lies　next　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　they　are　from　one
to　eight　inches　thick。　They　crawl　up　into　shallow　water　at　particular
seasons　of　the　year；　probably　for　the　purpose　of　gendering；　as　we
often　find　them　in　pairs。　It　is　when　the　sun　has　the　most　power　on
the　water；　rendering　it　tepid；　that　they　approach　the　shore；　and　they
often　go　up　into　places　so　shallow　that；　on　the　tide's　receding；　they
are　left　dry；　exposed　to　the　beat　of　the　sun。　But　they　do　not　bring
forth　their　young　in　shallow　water；　as　we　never　see　any　of　their
progeny；　and　full…grown　ones　are　always　observed　coming　in　from　deep
water。　They　feed　principally　on　that　class　of　zoophytes　which　produce
the　coral。

　　　　〃The　_biche　de　mer_　is　generally　taken　in　three　or　four　feet　of
water；　after　which　they　are　brought　on　shore；　and　split　at　one　end
with　a　knife；　the　incision　being　one　inch　or　more；　according　to　the
size　of　the　mollusca。　Through　this　opening　the　entrails　are　forced
out　by　pressure；　and　they　are　much　like　those　of　any　other　small
tenant　of　　the　deep。　The　article　is　then　washed；　and　afterward　boiled
to　a　certain　degree；　which　must　not　be　too　much　or　too