westward ho-第35节

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deal　better　than　to　their　own　kin；　which　breeds　war　enough；　as　you　may　guess。

〃Well；　sirs；　after　three　days　the　captain　comes　back；　looking　heavy　enough；　and　says；　'We　played　our　trick　once　too　often；　when　we　played　it　once。　　There　is　no　chance　of　stopping　another　reco　（that　is；　a　mule…train；　sirs）　now。　　The　Cimaroons　say　that　since　our　last　visit　they　never　move　without　plenty　of　soldiers；　two　hundred　shot　at　least。　　Therefore；'　he　said；　'my　gallants；　we　must　either　return　empty…handed　from　this；　the　very　market　and　treasury　of　the　whole　Indies；　or　do　such　a　deed　as　men　never　did　before；　which　I　shall　like　all　the　better　for　that　very　reason。'　　And　we；　asking　his　meaning；　'Why；'　he　said；　'if　Drake　will　not　sail　the　South　Seas；　we　will；'　adding　profanely　that　Drake　was　like　Moses；　who　beheld　the　promised　land　afar；　but　he　was　Joshua；　who　would　enter　into　it；　and　smite　the　inhabitants　thereof。　　And；　for　our　confirmation；　showed　me　and　the　rest　the　superscription　of　a　letter：　and　said；　'How　I　came　by　this　is　none　of　your　business：　but　I　have　had　it　in　my　bosom　ever　since　I　left　Plymouth；　and　I　tell　you　now；　what　I　forbore　to　tell　you　at　first；　that　the　South　Seas　have　been　my　mark　all　along！　such　news　have　I　herein　of　plate…ships；　and　gold…ships；　and　what　not；　which　will　come　up　from　Quito　and　Lima　this　very　month；　all　which；　with　the　pearls　of　the　Gulf　of　Panama；　and　other　wealth　unspeakable；　will　be　ours；　if　we　have　but　true　English　hearts　within　us。'

〃At　which；　gentles；　we　were　like　madmen　for　lust　of　that　gold；　and　cheerfully　undertook　a　toil　incredible；　for　first　we　run　our　ship　aground　in　a　great　wood　which　grew　in　the　very　sea　itself；　and　then　took　out　her　masts；　and　covered　her　in　boughs；　with　her　four　cast　pieces　of　great　ordnance　（of　which　more　hereafter）；　and　leaving　no　man　in　her；　started　for　the　South　Seas　across　the　neck　of　Panama；　with　two　small　pieces　of　ordnance　and　our　culverins；　and　good　store　of　victuals；　and　with　us　six　of　those　negroes　for　a　guide；　and　so　twelve　leagues　to　a　river　which　runs　into　the　South　Sea。

〃And　there；　having　cut　wood；　we　made　a　pinnace　（and　work　enough　we　had　at　it）　of　five…and…forty　foot　in　the　keel；　and　in　her　down　the　stream；　and　to　the　Isle　of　Pearls　in　the　Gulf　of　Panama。〃

〃Into　the　South　Sea？　　Impossible！〃　said　Sir　Richard。　　〃Have　a　care　what　you　say；　my　man；　for　there　is　that　about　you　which　would　make　me　sorry　to　find　you　out　a　liar。〃

〃Impossible　or　not；　liar　or　none；　we　went　there；　sir。〃

〃Question　him；　Amyas；　lest　he　turn　out　to　have　been　beforehand　with　you。〃

The　man　looked　inquiringly　at　Amyas；　who　said

〃Well；　my　man；　of　the　Gulf　of　Panama　I　cannot　ask　you；　for　I　never　was　inside　it；　but　what　other　parts　of　the　coast　do　you　know？〃

〃Every　inch；　sir；　from　Cabo　San　Francisco　to　Lima；　more　is　my　sorrow；　for　I　was　a　galley…slave　there　for　two　years　and　more。〃

〃You　know　Lima？〃

〃I　was　there　three　times；　worshipful　gentlemen；　and　the　last　was　February　come　two　years；　and　there　I　helped　lade　a　great　plate…　ship；　the　Cacafuogo；'　they　called　her。〃

Amyas　started。　　Sir　Richard　nodded　to　him　gently　to　be　silent；　and　then

〃And　what　became　of　her；　my　lad？〃

〃God　knows；　who　knows　all；　and　the　devil　who　freighted　her。　　I　broke　prison　six　weeks　afterwards；　and　never　heard　but　that　she　got　safe　into　Panama。〃

〃You　never　heard；　then；　that　she　was　taken？〃

〃Taken；　your　worships？　　Who　should　take　her？〃

〃Why　should　not　a　good　English　ship　take　her　as　well　as　another？〃　said　Amyas。

〃Lord　love　you；　sir；　yes；　faith；　if　they　had　but　been　there。　Many's　the　time　that　I　thought　to　myself；　as　we　went　alongside；　'Oh；　if　Captain　Drake　was　but　here；　well　to　windward；　and　our　old　crew　of　the　〃Dragon〃！'　　Ask　your　pardon；　gentles：　but　how　is　Captain　Drake；　if　I　may　make　so　bold？〃

Neither　could　hold　out　longer。

〃Fellow；　fellow！〃　cried　Sir　Richard；　springing　up；　〃either　thou　art　the　cunningest　liar　that　ever　earned　a　halter；　or　thou　hast　done　a　deed　the　like　of　which　never　man　adventured。　　Dost　thou　not　know　that　Captain　Drake　took　that　'Cacafuogo'　and　all　her　freight；　in　February　come　two　years？〃

〃Captain　Drake！　　God　forgive　me；　sir；　butCaptain　Drake　in　the　South　Seas？　　He　saw　them；　sir；　from　the　tree…top　over　Panama；　when　I　was　with　him；　and　I　too；　but　sailed　them；　sir？sailed　them？〃

〃Yes；　and　round　the　world　too；〃　said　Amyas；　〃and　I　with　him；　and　took　that　very　'Cacafuogo'　off　Cape　San　Francisco；　as　she　came　up　to　Panama。〃

One　glance　at　the　man's　face　was　enough　to　prove　his　sincerity。　The　great　stern　Anabaptist；　who　had　not　winced　at　the　news　of　his　mother's　death；　dropt　right　on　his　knees　on　the　floor；　and　burst　into　violent　sobs。

〃Glory　to　God！　　Glory　to　God！　　O　Lord；　I　thank　thee！　　Captain　Drake　in　the　South　Seas！　　The　blood　of　thy　innocents　avenged；　O　Lord！　The　spoiler　spoiled；　and　the　proud　robbed；　and　all　they　whose　hands　were　mighty　have　found　nothing。　　Glory；　glory！　　Oh；　tell　me；　sir；　did　she　fight？〃

〃We　gave　her　three　pieces　of　ordnance　only；　and　struck　down　her　mizzenmast；　and　then　boarded　sword　in　hand；　but　never　had　need　to　strike　a　blow；　and　before　we　left　her；　one　of　her　own　boys　had　changed　her　name；　and　rechristened　her　the　'Cacaplata。'〃

〃Glory；　glory！　　Cowards　they　are；　as　I　told　them。　　I　told　them　they　never　could　stand　the　Devon　mastiffs；　and　well　they　flogged　me　for　saying　it；　but　they　could　not　stop　my　mouth。　　O　sir；　tell　me；　did　you　get　the　ship　that　came　up　after　her？〃

〃What　was　that？〃

〃A　long　race…ship；　sir；　from　Guayaquil；　with　an　old　gentleman　on　board；Don　Francisco　de　Xararte　was　his　name；　and　by　token；　he　had　a　gold　falcon　hanging　to　a　chain　round　his　neck；　and　a　green　stone　in　the　breast　of　it。　　I　saw　it　as　we　rowed　him　aboard。　　O　tell　me；　sir；　tell　me　for　the　love　of　God；　did　you　take　that　ship？〃

〃We　did　take　that　ship；　and　the　jewel　too；　and　her　majesty　has　it　at　this　very　hour。〃

〃Then　tell　me；　sir；〃　said　he　slowly；　as　if　he　dreaded　an　answer；　〃tell　me；　sir；　and　oh；　try　and　mindwas　there　a　little　maid　aboard　with　the　old　gentleman？〃

〃A　little　maid？　　Let　me　think。　　No；　I　saw　none。〃

The　man　settled　his　features　again　sadly。

〃I　thought　not。　　I　never　saw　her　come　aboard。　　Still　I　hoped；　like；　I　hoped。　　Alackaday！　　God　help　me；　Salvation　Yeo！〃

〃What　have　you　to　do　with　this　little　maid；　then；　good　fellow！〃　asked　Grenville。

〃Ah；　sir；　before　I　tell　you　that；　I　must　go　back　and　finish　the　story　of　Mr。　Oxenham；　if　you　will　believe　me　enough　to　hear　it。〃

〃I　do　believe　thee；　good　fellow；　and　honor　thee　too。〃

〃Then；　sir；　I　can　speak　with　a　free　tongue。　　Where　was　I？〃

〃Where　was　he；　Amyas？〃

〃At　the　Isle　of　Pearls。〃

〃And　yet；　O　gentles；　tell　me　first；　how　Captain　Drake　came　into　the　South　Seas：over　the　neck；　as　we　did？〃

〃Through　the　Straits；　good　fellow；　like　any　Spaniard：　but　go　on　with　thy　story；　and　thou　shalt　have　Mr。　Leigh's　after。〃

〃Through　the　Straits！　　O　glory！　　But　I'll　tell　my　tale。　　Well；　sirs　bothTo　the　Island　of　Pearls　we　came；　we　and　some　of　the　negroes。　We　found　many　huts；　and　Indians　fishing　for　pearls；　and　also　a　fair　house；　with　porches；　but　no　Spaniard　therein；　save　one　man；　at　which　Mr。　Oxenham　was　like　a　man　transported；　and　fell　on　that　Spaniard；　crying；　'Perro；　where　is　your　mistress？　　Where　is　the　bark　from　Lima？'　　To　which　he　boldly　enough；　'What　was　his　mistress　to　the　Englishman？'　　But　Mr。　O。　threatened　to　twine　a　cord　round　his　head　till　his　eyes　burst　out；　and　the　Spaniard；　being　terrified；　said　that　the　ship　from　Lima　was　expected　in　a　fortnight's　time。　　So　for　ten　days　we　lay　quiet；　letting　neither　negro　nor　Spaniard　leave　the　island；　and　took　good　store　of　pearls；　feeding　sumptuously　on　wild　cattle　and　hogs　until　the　tenth　day；　when　there　came　by　a　small　bark；　her　we　took；　and　found　her　from　Quito；　and　on　board　60；000　pezos　of　gold　and　other　store。　　With　which　if　we　had　been　content；　gentlemen；　all　had　gone　well。　　And　some　were　willing　to　go　back　at　once；　having　both　treasure　and　pearls　in　plenty；　but　Mr。　O。；　he　waxed　right　mad；　and　swore　to　slay　any　one　who　made　that　motion　again；　assuring　us　that　the　Lima　ship　of　which　he　had　news　was　far　greater　and　richer；　and　would　make　princes　of　us　all；　which　bark　came　in　sight　on　the　sixteenth　day；　and　was　taken　without　shot　or　slaughter。　　The　taking　of　which　bark；　I　verily　believe；　was　the　ruin　of　every　mother's　son　of　us。〃

And　being　asked　why；　he　answered；　〃First；　because　of　the　discontent　which　was　bred　thereby；　for　on　board　was　found　no　gold；　but　only　100；000　pezos　of　silver。〃

Sir　Richard　Grenville。Thou　greedy　fellow；　and　was　not　that　enough　to　stay　your　stomachs？

Yeo　answered　that　he　would　to　God　it　had　been；　and　that；　moreover；　the　weight　of　that　silver　was　afterwards　a　hindrance　to　them；　and　fresh　cause　of　discontent；　as　he　would　afterwards　declare。　　〃So　that　it　had　been　well　for　us；　sirs；　if　we　had　left　it　behind；　as　Mr。　Drake　left　his　three　years　before；　and　carried　away　the　gold　only。　　In　which　I　do　see　the　evident　hand　of　God；　and　His　just　punishment　for　our　greediness　of　gain；　who　caused　Mr。　Oxenham；　by　whom　we　had　hoped　to　attain　great　wealth；　to　be　a　snare　to　us；　and　a　cause　of　utter　ruin。〃

〃Do　you　think；　then；〃　said　Sir　Richard；　〃that　Mr。　Oxenham　deceived　you　wilfully？〃

〃I　will　never