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第38节

masterman ready-第38节

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 small patches of trees and brushwood; there was no sandy beach; but the rocks rose from the sea about twenty to thirty feet high; and were in one or two places covered with something which looked as white as snow。

〃Well; Ready;〃 said William; 〃there will be no want of pasture for our flock; even if it increases to ten times its number。〃

〃No;〃 replied Ready; 〃we are very fortunate; and have great reason to be thankful; this is exactly what we required; and now let us go on a little; and examine these patches of wood; and see what they are。 I see a bright green leaf out there; which; if my eyes do not fail me; I have seen many a time before。〃 When they arrived at the clump of trees which Ready had pointed out; he said; 〃Yes; I was right。 Look there; this is the banana; it is just bursting out now; and will soon be ten feet high; and bearing fruit which is excellent eating; besides which the stem is capital fodder for the beasts。〃

〃Here is a plant I never saw before;〃 said William; pulling off a piece of it; and showing it to Ready。

〃But I have; William。 It is what they call the bird's…eye pepper; they make Cayenne pepper out of it。 Look; the pods are just formed; it will be useful to us in cooking; as we have no pepper left。 You see; William; we must have some birds on the island; at least it is most probable; for all the seeds of these plants and trees must have been brought here by them。 The banana and the pepper are the food of many birds。 What a quantity of bananas are springing up in this spot; there will be a little forest of them in a few weeks。〃

〃What is that rough…looking sort of shrub out there; Ready?〃

〃I can't see so well as you; William; so let us walk up to it。 Oh; I know it now; it is what they call the prickly pear in the West Indies。 I am very glad to have found that; for it will be very useful to us。〃

〃Is it good eating; Ready?〃

〃Not particularly; and the little spikes run into your fingers; and are very difficult to get rid of; but it is not bad by way of a change。 No; the use it will be to us is to hedge in our garden; and protect it from the animals; it makes a capital fence; and grows very fast; and without trouble。 Now let us go on to that patch of trees; and see what they are。〃

〃What is this plant; Ready?〃

〃I don't know; William。〃

〃Then I think I had better make a collection of all those you don't know; and take them back to father; he is a good botanist。〃

William pulled a branch of the plant off; and carried it with him。 On their arrival at the next patch of trees; Ready looked at them steadfastly for some time。

〃I ought to know that tree;〃 said he。 〃I have often seen it in hot countries。 Yes; it's the guava。〃

〃What! is it the fruit they make guava jelly of?〃 said William。

〃Yes; the very same。〃

〃Let us now walk in the direction of those five or six trees;〃 said William; 〃and from there down to the rocks; I want to find out how it is that they are so white。〃

〃Be it so; if you wish;〃 replied Ready。

〃Why; Ready; what noise is that? Hark! such a chattering; it must be monkeys。〃

〃No; they are not monkeys; but I'll tell you what they are; although I cannot see them; they are parrots … I know their noise well。 You see; William; it's not very likely that monkeys should get here; but birds can; and it is the birds that we have to thank for the bananas and guavas; and other fruits we may find here。〃

As soon as they came under the trees; there was a great rioting and fluttering; and then away flew; screaming as loud as they could; a flock of about three hundred parrots; their beautiful green and blue feathers glistening in the beams of the sun。

〃I told you so; well; we'll have some capital pies out of them; William。〃

〃Pies! do they make good pies; Ready?〃

〃Yes; excellent; and very often have I had a good dinner from one in the West Indies; and in South America。 Stop; let us come a little this way; I see a leaf which I should like to examine。〃

〃The ground is very swampy just here; Ready; is it not?〃

〃Yes; there's plenty of water below; I don't doubt。 So much the better for the animals; we must dig some pools when they come here。

〃Oh! I thought I was not wrong。 Look! this is the best thing I have found yet … we now need not care so much about potatoes。〃

〃Why; what are they; Ready?〃

〃Yams; which they use instead of potatoes in the West Indies。 Indeed; potatoes do not remain potatoes long; when planted in hot climates。〃

〃How do you mean; Ready?〃

〃They turn into what they call sweet…potatoes; after one or two crops: yams are better things; in my opinion。〃

At this moment the dogs dashed among the broad yam leaves; and commenced baying; there was a great rustling and snorting。

〃What's that?〃 cried William; who had been stooping down to examine the yam plant; and who was startled at the noise。

Ready laughed heartily。 〃It isn't the first time that they've made you jump; William。〃

〃Why; it's our pigs; isn't it?〃 replied William。

〃To be sure; they're in the yam patch; very busy feeding on them; I'll be bound。〃

Ready gave a shout; and a grunting and rushing were heard among the broad leaves; and; very soon; out rushed; instead of the six; about thirty pigs large and small; who; snorting and twisting their tails; galloped away at a great rate; until they gained the cocoa…nut grove。

〃How wild they are; Ready!〃 said William。

〃Yes; and they'll be wilder every day; but we must fence these yams from them; or we shall get none ourselves。〃

〃But they'll beat down the fence before it grows up。〃

〃We must pale it with cocoa…nut palings; and plant the prickly pears outside。 Now; we'll go down to the sea…side。〃

As they neared the rocks; which were bare for about fifty yards from the water's edge; Ready said; 〃I can tell you now what those white patches on the rocks are; William; they are the places where the sea…birds come to every year to make their nests; and bring up their young。 They always come to the same place every year; if they are not disturbed。〃 They soon arrived at the spot; and found it white with the feathers of birds; mixed up with dirt。

〃I see no nests; Ready; nor the remains of any。〃

〃No; they do not make any nests; further than scratching a round hole; about half an inch deep; in the soil; and there they lay their eggs; sitting quite close to one another; they will soon be here; and begin to lay; and then we will come and take the eggs; if we want any; for they are not bad eating。〃

〃Why; Ready; what a quantity of good things we have found out already! This has been a very fortunate expedition of ours。〃

〃Yes; it has; and we may thank God for his goodness; who thus provides for us so plentifully in the wilderness。〃

〃Do you know; Ready; I cannot help thinking that we ought to have built our house here。〃

〃Not so; William; we have not the pure water; recollect; and we have not the advantages of the sandy beach; where we have our turtle… and fish…pond。 No; we may feed our stock here; we may gather the fruit; taking our share of it with the poor birds; we may get our yams; and every other good provided for us; but our house and home must be where it is now。〃

〃You are right; Ready; but it will be a long walk。〃

〃Not when we are accustomed to it; and have made a beaten path; besides; we may bring the boat round; perhaps。〃

Then they walked along the sea…side for about a quarter of a mile; until they came to where the rocks were not so high; and there they discovered a little basin; completely formed in the rocks; with a narrow entrance。

〃See; William; what a nice little harbour for our boat! we may here load it with yams and take it round to the bay; provided we can find an entrance through the reefs on the southern side of it; which we have not looked for yet; because we have not required it。〃

〃Yes; Ready … it is; indeed; a nice; smooth little place for the boat。 What is that thing on the bottom; there?〃 said William; pointing in the direction。

〃That is a sea crawfish; quite as good eating as a lobster。 I wonder if I could make a lobster…pot; we should catch plenty; and very good they are。〃

〃And what are those little rough things on the rock?〃

〃They are a very nice little sort of oyster; not like those we have in England; but much better … they are so delicate。〃

〃Why; Ready; we have two more good things for our table; again;〃 replied William; 〃how rich we shall be!〃

〃Yes; but we have to catch them; recollect: there is nothing to be had in this world without labour。〃

〃Ready;〃 said William; 〃we have good three hours' daylight; suppose we go back and tell what we have seen: my mother will be so glad to see us。〃

〃I agree with you; William。 We have done well for one day; and may safely go back again; and remain for another week。 There are no fruits at present; and all I care about are the yams; I should like to protect them from the pigs。 But let us go home and talk the matter over with Mr。 Seagrave。〃

They found out the spot where they had left their knapsacks and hatchets; and again took their path through the cocoa…nut trees; following the blaze which they had made in the morning。 One hour before sunset they arrived at the house; where they found Mr。 and Mrs。 Seagrave s

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