south sea tales-第32节

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protection；　and　they　were　compelled　to　step　lively　to　avoid　scorching　their

feet。　The　smoke　had　increased　and　grown　more　acrid。　Every　man　on　board　was

suffering　from　inflamed　eyes；　and　they　coughed　and　strangled　like　a　crew　of

tuberculosis　patients。　In　the　afternoon　the　boats　were　swung　out　and　equipped。

The　last　several　packages　of　dried　bananas　were　stored　in　them；　as　well　as　the

instruments　of　the　officers。　Captain　Davenport　even　put　the　chronometer　into

the　longboat；　fearing　the　blowing　up　of　the　deck　at　any　moment。



All　night　this　apprehension　weighed　heavily　on　all；　and　in　the　first　morning

light；　with　hollow　eyes　and　ghastly　faces；　they　stared　at　one　another　as　if　in

surprise　that　the　Pyrenees　still　held　together　and　that　they　still　were　alive。



Walking　rapidly　at　times；　and　even　occasionally　breaking　into　an　undignified

hop…skip…and…run；　Captain　Davenport　inspected　his　ship's　deck。



〃It　is　a　matter　of　hours　now；　if　not　of　minutes；〃　he　announced　on　his　return

to　the　poop。



The　cry　of　land　came　down　from　the　masthead。　From　the　deck　the　land　was

invisible；　and　McCoy　went　aloft；　while　the　captain　took　advantage　of　the

opportunity　to　curse　some　of　the　bitterness　out　of　his　heart。　But　the　cursing

was　suddenly　stopped　by　a　dark　line　on　the　water　which　he　sighted　to　the

northeast。　It　was　not　a　squall；　but　a　regular　breezethe　disrupted　trade

wind；　eight　points　out　of　its　direction　but　resuming　business　once　more。



〃Hold　her　up；　Captain；〃　McCoy　said　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　poop。　〃That's　the

easterly　point　of　Fakarava；　and　we'll　go　in　through　the　passage　full…tilt；　the

wind　abeam；　and　every　sail　drawing。〃



At　the　end　of　an　hour；　the　cocoanut　trees　and　the　low…lying　land　were　visible

from　the　deck。　The　feeling　that　the　end　of　the　PYRENEES'　resistance　was

imminent　weighed　heavily　on　everybody。　Captain　Davenport　had　the　three　boats

lowered　and　dropped　short　astern；　a　man　in　each　to　keep　them　apart。　The

Pyrenees　closely　skirted　the　shore；　the　surf…whitened　atoll　a　bare　two　cable

lengths　away。



And　a　minute　later　the　land　parted；　exposing　a　narrow　passage　and　the　lagoon

beyond；　a　great　mirror；　thirty　miles　in　length　and　a　third　as　broad。



〃Now；　Captain。〃



For　the　last　time　the　yards　of　the　Pyrenees　swung　around　as　she　obeyed　the

wheel　and　headed　into　the　passage。　The　turns　had　scarcely　been　made；　and

nothing　had　been　coiled　down；　when　the　men　and　mates　swept　back　to　the　poop　in

panic　terror。　Nothing　had　happened；　yet　they　averred　that　something　was　going

to　happen。　They　could　not　tell　why。　They　merely　knew　that　it　was　about　to

happen。　'mcCoy　started　forward　to　take　up　his　position　on　the　bow　in　order　to

con　the　vessel　in；　but　the　captain　gripped　his　arm　and　whirled　him　around。



〃Do　it　from　here；〃　he　said。　〃That　deck's　not　safe。　What's　the　matter？〃　he

demanded　the　next　instant。　〃We're　standing　still。〃



McCoy　smiled。



〃You　are　bucking　a　seven…knot　current；　Captain；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　the　way　the

full　ebb　runs　out　of　this　passage。〃



At　the　end　of　another　hour　the　Pyrenees　had　scarcely　gained　her　length；　but

the　wind　freshened　and　she　began　to　forge　ahead。



〃Better　get　into　the　boats；　some　of　you；〃　Captain　Davenport　commanded。



His　voice　was　still　ringing；　and　the　men　were　just　beginning　to　move　in

obedience；　when　the　amidship　deck　of　the　Pyrenees；　in　a　mass　of　flame　and

smoke；　was　flung　upward　into　the　sails　and　rigging；　part　of　it　remaining　there

and　the　rest　falling　into　the　sea。　The　wind　being　abeam；　was　what　had　saved

the　men　crowded　aft。　They　made　a　blind　rush　to　gain　the　boats；　but　McCoy's

voice；　carrying　its　convincing　message　of　vast　calm　and　endless　time；　stopped

them。



〃Take　it　easy；〃　he　was　saying。　Everything　is　all　right。　Pass　that　boy　down

somebody；　please。〃



The　man　at　the　wheel　had　forsaken　it　in　a　funk；　and　Captain　Davenport　had

leaped　and　caught　the　spokes　in　time　to　prevent　the　ship　from　yawing　in　the

current　and　going　ashore。



〃Better　take　charge　of　the　boats；〃　he　said　to　Mr。　Konig。　〃Tow　one　of　them

short；　right　under　the　quarter。　。　。　。　When　I　go　over；　it'll　be　on　the　jump。〃



Mr。　Konig　hesitated；　then　went　over　the　rail　and　lowered　himself　into　the

boat。



〃Keep　her　off　half　a　point；　Captain。〃



Captain　Davenport　gave　a　start。　He　had　thought　he　had　the　ship　to　himself。



〃Ay；　ay；　half　a　point　it　is；〃　he　answered。



Amidships　the　Pyrenees　was　an　open　flaming　furnace；　out　of　which　poured　an

immense　volume　of　smoke　which　rose　high　above　the　masts　and　completely　hid　the

forward　part　of　the　ship。　'mcCoy；　in　the　shelter　of　the　mizzen…shrouds；

continued　his　difficult　task　of　conning　the　ship　through　the　intricate

channel。　The　fire　was　working　aft　along　the　deck　from　the　seat　of　explosion；

while　the　soaring　tower　of　canvas　on　the　mainmast　went　up　and　vanished　in　a

sheet　of　flame。　Forward；　though　they　could　not　see　them；　they　knew　that　the

head…sails　were　still　drawing。



〃If　only　she　don't　burn　all　her　canvas　off　before　she　makes　inside；：〃　the

captain　groaned。



〃She'll　make　it；〃　McCoy　assured　him　with　supreme　confidence。　　〃There　is　plenty

of　time。　She　is　bound　to　make　it。　And　once　inside；　we'll　put　her　before　it；

that　will　keep　the　smoke　away　from　us　and　hold　back　the　fire　from　working

aft。〃



A　tongue　of　flame　sprang　up　the　mizzen；　reached　hungrily　for　the　lowest　tier

of　canvas；　missed　it；　and　vanished。　From　aloft　a　burning　shred　of　rope　stuff

fell　square　on　the　back　of　Captain　Davenport's　neck。　He　acted　with　the

celerity　of　one　stung　by　a　bee　as　he　reached　up　and　brushed　the　offending　fire

from　his　skin。



〃How　is　she　heading；　Captain？〃



〃Nor'west　by　west。〃



〃Keep　her　west…nor…west。〃



Captain　Davenport　put　the　wheel　up　and　steadied　her。



〃West　by　north；　Captain。〃



〃West　by　north　she　is。〃



〃And　now　west。〃



Slowly；　point　by　point；　as　she　entered　the　lagoon；　the　PYRENEES　described　the

circle　that　put　her　before　the　wind；　and　point　by　point；　with　all　the　calm

certitude　of　a　thousand　years　of　time　to　spare；　McCoy　chanted　the　changing

course。



〃Another　point；　Captain。〃



〃A　point　it　is。〃



Captain　Davenport　whirled　several　spokes　over；　suddenly　reversing　and　coming

back　one　to　check　her。



〃Steady。〃



〃Steady　she　isright　on　it。〃



Despite　the　fact　that　the　wind　was　now　astern；　the　heat　was　so　intense　that

Captain　Davenport　was　compelled　to　steal　sidelong　glances　into　the　binnacle；

letting　go　the　wheel　now　with　one　hand；　now　with　the　other；　to　rub　or　shield

his　blistering　cheeks。



McCoy's　beard　was　crinkling　and　shriveling　and　the　smell　of　it；　strong　in　the

other's　nostrils；　compelled　him　to　look　toward　McCoy　with　sudden　solicitude。

Captain　Davenport　was　letting　go　the　spokes　alternately　with　his　hands　in

order　to　rub　their　blistering　backs　against　his　trousers。　Every　sail　on　the

mizzenmast　vanished　in　a　rush　of　flame；　compelling　the　two　men　to　crouch　and

shield　their　faces。



〃Now；〃　said　McCoy；　stealing　a　glance　ahead　at　the　low　shore；　〃four　points　up；

Captain；　and　let　her　drive。〃



Shreds　and　patches　of　burning　rope　and　canvas　were　falling　about　them　and　upon

them。　The　tarry　smoke　from　a　smouldering　piece　of　rope　at　the　captain's　feet

set　him　off　into　a　violent　coughing　fit；　during　which　he　still　clung　to　the

spokes。



The　Pyrenees　struck；　her　bow　lifted　and　she　ground　ahead　gently　to　a　stop。　A

shower　of　burning　fragments；　dislodged　by　the　shock；　fell　about　them。　The　ship

moved　ahead　again　and　struck　a　second　time。　She　crushed　the　fragile　coral

under　her　keel；　drove　on；　and　struck　a　third　time。



〃Hard　over；〃　said　McCoy。　〃Hard　over？〃　he　questioned　gently；　a　minute　later。



〃She　won't　answer；〃　was　the　reply。



〃All　right。　She　is　swinging　around。〃　'mcCoy　peered　over　the　side。　〃Soft；　white

sand。　Couldn't　ask　better。　A　beautiful　bed。〃



As　the　Pyrenees　swung　around　her　stern　away　from　the　wind；　a　fearful　blast　of

smoke　and　flame　poured　aft。　Captain　Davenport　deserted　the　wheel　in　blistering

agony。　He　reached　the　painter　of　the　boat　that　lay　under　the　quarter；　then

looked　for　McCoy；　who　was　standing　aside　to　let　him　go　down。



〃You　first；〃　the　captain　cried；　gripping　him　by　the　shoulder　and　almost

throwing　him　over　the　rail。　But　the　flame　and　smoke　were　too　terrible；　and　he

followed　hard　after　McCoy；　both　men　wriggling　on　the　rope　and　sliding　down

into　the　boat　together。　A　sailor　in　the　bow；　without　waiting　for　orders；

slashed　the　painter　through　with　his　sheath　knife。　The　oars；　poised　in

readiness；　bit　into　the　water；　and　the　boat　shot　away。



〃a　beautiful　bed；　Captain；〃　McCoy　murmured；　looking　back。



〃Ay；　a　beautiful　bed；　and　all　thanks　to　you；〃　was　the　answer。



The　three　boats　pulled　away　for　the　white　beach　of　pounded　coral；　beyond

which；　on　the　edge　of　a　cocoanut　grove；　could　be　seen　a　half　dozen　grass

houses　and　a　score　or　more　of　excited　natives；　gazing　wide…eyed　at　the

conflagration　that