Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:Afloat and Ashore
.pdf
AFLOAT AND ASHORE
of wretches in the greatest thoroughfares of London, would
gladly exchange their crowded streets and poverty, for my solitude and abundance.”
I began to think Marble was not in a state of mind to reason
with, and changed the subject. The day passed in recreation,
as had been intended; and next morning we set about filling
up the schooner. We struck in all the copper, all the English
goods, and such portions of the Frenchman’s cargo as would be
most valuable in America. Marble, however, had announced to
others his determination to remain behind, to abandon the
seas, and to turn hermit. As his first step, he gave up the command of the Pretty Poll, and I was obliged to restore her, again,
to our old third-mate, who was every way competent to take
care of her. At the end of the week, the schooner was ready,
and despairing of getting Marble off in her, I ordered her to
sail for home, viâ Cape Horn; giving especial instructions not
to attempt Magellan. I wrote to the owners, furnishing an outline of all that had occurred, and of my future plans, simply
remarking that Mr. Marble had declined acting out of motives
of delicacy, since the re-capture of the ship; and that, in future,
their interests must remain in my care. With these despatches
the schooner sailed. Marble and I watched her until her sails
became a white speck on the ocean, after which she suddenly
disappeared.
As for the ship, she was all ready; and my only concern now
was in relation to Marble. I tried the influence of Major Merton; but, unfortunately, that gentleman had already said too
much in favour of our friend’s scheme, in ignorance of its effect, to gain much credit when he turned round, and espoused
411
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
the other side. The arguments of Emily failed, also. In fact, it
was not reason, but feeling that governed Marble; and, in a
bitter hour, he had determined to pass the remainder of his
days where he was. Finding all persuasion useless, and the
season approaching when the winds rendered it necessary to
sail, I was compelled to yield, or resort to force. The last I was
reluctant to think of; nor was I certain the men would have
obeyed me had I ordered them to use it. Marble had been their
commander so long, that he might, at any moment, have reassumed the charge of the ship; and it was not probable his
orders would have been braved under any circumstances that
did not involve illegality, or guilt. After a consultation with
the Major, I found it necessary to yield to this whim, though I
did so with greater reluctance than I ever experienced on any
other occasion.
412
CHAPTER XX
“Pass on relentless world! I grieve
No more for all that thou hast riven!
Pass on, in God’s name – only leave
The things thou never yet hast given. –
”
Lunt.
After every means had been uselessly exhausted to persuade Marble from his design, it only remained to do all we
could to make him comfortable and secure. Of enemies, there
was no danger, and care was not necessary for defence. We
got together, however, some of the timber, planks and other
materials, that were remaining at the shipyard, and built him
a cabin, that offered much better shelter against the tropical
storms that sometimes prevailed, than any tent could yield.
We made this cabin as wide as a plank is long, or twelve feet,
and some five or six feet longer. It was well sided and tightly
roofed, having three windows and a door. The lights of the
wreck supplied the first, and her cabin-door the last. We had
hinges, and everything that was necessary to keep things in
their place. There was no chimney required, fire being unnecessary for warmth in that climate; but the French had brought
their camboose from the wreck, and this we placed under a
413
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
proper covering at a short distance from the hut, the strength
of one man being insufficient to move it. We also enclosed,
by means of ropes, and posts made of the ribs of the wreck, a
plot of ground of two acres in extent, where the land was the
richest and unshaded, so as to prevent the pigs from injuring
the vegetables; and, poor Marble knowing little of gardening,
I had a melancholy pleasure in seeing the whole piece dug,
or rather hoed up, and sown and planted myself, before we
sailed. We put in corn, potatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, radishes,
and several other things, of which we found the seeds in the
French garden. We took pains, moreover, to transport from
the wreck, many articles that it was thought might prove of
use, though they were too heavy for Marble to handle. As there
were near forty of us, all busy in this way for three or four days,
we effected a great deal, and may be said to have got the island
in order. I felt the same interest in the duty, that I should in
bestowing a child for life.
Marble, himself, was not much among us all this time.
He rather complained that I should leave him nothing to do,
though I could see he was touched by the interest we manifested in his welfare. The French launch had been used as the
means of conveyance between the wreck and the beach, and
we found it where it had been left by its original owners, anchored to-leeward of the island, and abreast of the ship. It was
the last thing I meddled with and it was my care to put it in
such a state that, at need, it might be navigated across that
tranquil sea, to some other island, should Marble feel a desire
to abandon his solitude. The disposition I made of the boat was
as follows: –
414
AFLOAT AND ASHORE
The launch was large and coppered, and it carried two lugsails. I had both masts stepped, with the yards, sails, sheets, &c.
prepared, and put in their places; a stout rope was next carried round the entire boat, outside, and a few inches below the
gunwale, where it was securely nailed. From this rope, led a
number of lanyards, with eyes turned into their ends. Through
these eyes I rove a sort of ridge-rope, leading it also through
the eyes of several stancheons that were firmly stepped on the
thwarts. The effect, when the ridge-rope was set up, was to give
the boat the protection of this waist-cloth, which inclined inboard, however, sufficiently to leave an open passage between
the two sides, of only about half the beam of the boat. To the
ridge-rope and lanyards, I had tarpaulins firmly attached, tacking their lower edges strongly to the outer sides of the boat.
By this arrangement, when all was in its place, and properly
secured, a sea might break, or a wave slap against the boat,
without her taking in much water. It doubled her security in
this particular, more than answering the purposes of a halfdeck and wash-board. It is true, a very heavy wave might carry
all away; but very heavy waves would probably fill the boat,
under any circumstances. Such a craft could only find safety in
her buoyancy; and we made her as safe as an undecked vessel
very well could be.
Marble watched me while I was superintending these
changes in the boat, with a good deal of interest; and one evening – I had announced an intention to sail next morning,
the Major and Emily having actually gone on board – that
evening, he got my arm, and led me away from the spot, like
a man who has urgent business. I could see that he was much
415
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
affected, and had strong hopes he intended to announce a
change of purpose. His hand actually trembled, the whole
time it grasped my arm.
“God bless you! Miles – God bless you, dear boy!” he said,
speaking with difficulty, as soon as we were out of earshot from
the others. “If any being could make me pine for the world, it
would be such a friend as you. I could live on without father
or mother, brother or sister, ship or confidence of my owners,
good name even, were I sure of meeting such a lad as yourself
in only every thousandth man I fell in with. But, young as you
are, you know how it is with mankind; and no more need be
said about it. All I ask now is, that you will knock off with
this ‘making him comfortable,’ as you call it, or you’ll leave me
nothing to do for myself. I can fit out that boat as well as e’er a
man in the Crisis, I’d have you to know.”
“I am well aware of that, my friend; but I am not so certain
that you would. In that boat, I am in hopes you will follow us
out to sea, and come on board again, and take your old place
as master.”
Marble shook his head, and I believe he saw by my manner that I had no serious expectations of the sort I named.
We walked some distance farther, in silence, before he again
spoke. Then he said suddenly, and in a way to show how much
his mind was troubled –
“Miles, my dear fellow, you must let me hear from you!”
“Hear from me! By what means, pray? You cannot expect
the Postmaster-General will make a mail-route between New
York and this island?”
416
AFLOAT AND ASHORE
“Poh! I’m getting old, and losing my memory. I was generalizing on friendship, and the like of that, and the idee ran
away with me. I know, of course, when you are out of sight,
that I shall be cut off from the rest of the world – probably
shall never see a human face again. But what of that? My time
cannot be long now, and I shall have the fish, fowls and pigs to
talk to. To tell you the truth, Miles. Miss Merton gave me her
own Bible yesterday, and, at my request, she pointed out that
part which gives the account about Moses in the bulrushes,
and I’ve just been looking it over: it is easy enough, now, to
understand why I was called Moses.”
“But Moses did not think it necessary to go and live in a
desert, or on an uninhabited island, merely because he was
found in those bulrushes.”
“That Moses had no occasion to be ashamed of his parents.
It was fear, not shame, that sent him adrift. Nor did Moses ever
let a set of lubberly Frenchmen seize a fine, stout ship, like the
Crisis, with a good, able-bodied crew of forty men on board
her.”
“Come, Marble, you have too much sense to talk in this
manner. It is, fortunately, not too late to change your mind;
and I will let it be understood that you did so at my persuasion.”
This was the commencement of a final effort on my part to
induce my friend to abandon his mad project. We conversed
quite an hour, until I had exhausted my breath, as well as my
arguments, indeed; and all without the least success. I pointed
out to him the miserable plight he must be in, in the event of
illness; but it was an argument that had no effect on a man
417
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
who had never had even a headach in his life. As for society, he
cared not a straw for it when ashore, he often boasted; and he
could not yet appreciate the effects of total solitude. Once or
twice, remarks escaped him as if he thought it possible I might
one day return; but they were ventured in pleasantry, rather
than with any appearance of seriousness. I could see that the
self-devoted hermit had his misgivings, but I could obtain no
verbal concession from him to that effect. He was reminded
that the ship must positively sail next day, since it would not
do to trifle with the interests of the owners any longer.
“I know it, Miles,” Marble answered, “and no more need be
said on the subject. Your people are through with their work,
and here comes Neb to report the boat ready to go off. I shall
try my hand ashore to-night, alone; in the morning, I suppose
you would like to take an old shipmate by the hand for the
last time, and you will nat’rally look for me at the water-side.
Good-night! Before we part, however, I may as well thank you
for the supply of clothes I see you have put in my hut. It was
scarcely wanted, as I have enough needles and thread to supply a slop-shop; and the old duck left by the French will keep
me in jackets and trowsers for the remainder of my days. Goodnight, my dear boy! God bless you – God bless you!”
It was nearly dark, but I could see that Marble’s eyes looked
moist, and feel that his hand again trembled. I left him, not
without the hope that the solitude of this night, the first in
which he had been left by himself, would have the effect to
lessen his desire to be a hermit. When I turned in, it was understood that all hands were to be called at daylight, and the
ship unmoored.
418
AFLOAT AND ASHORE
Talcott came to call me, at the indicated moment. I had
made him chief-mate, and taken one of the Philadelphians for
second officer; a young man who had every requisite for the
station, and one more than was necessary, or a love of liquor.
But, drunkards do tolerably well on board a ship in which
reasonable discipline is maintained. For that matter, Neptune
ought to be a profound moralist, as youths are very generally
sent to sea to cure most of the ethical flings. Talcott was directed to unmoor, and heave short. As for myself, I got into a
boat and pulled ashore, with an intention of making a last and
strong appeal to Marble.
No one was visible on the island when we reached it. The
pigs and fowls were already in motion, however, and were
gathering near the door of the hut, where Marble was accustomed to feed them about that hour; the fowls on sugar, principally. I proceeded to the door, opened it, entered the place,
and found it empty! Its late inmate was then up, and abroad.
He had probably passed a sleepless night, and sought relief in
the fresh air of the morning. I looked for him in the adjacent
grove, on the outer beach, and in most of his usual haunts. He
was nowhere visible. A little vexed at having so long a walk before me, at a moment when we were so much pressed for time,
I was about to follow the grove to a distant part of the island,
to a spot that I knew Marble frequented a good deal, when
moody; but my steps were arrested by an accidental glance at
the lagoon. I missed the Frenchman’s launch, or the boat I had:
myself caused to be rigged with so much care, the previous day,
for the intended hermit’s especial advantage. This was a large
boat; one that had been constructed to weigh a heavy anchor;
419
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
and I had left her, moored between a grapnel and the shore, so
securely, as to forbid the idea she could have been moved, in so
quiet a time, without the aid of hands. Rushing to the water, I
got into my own boat, and pulled directly on board.
On reaching the ship, a muster of all hands was ordered.
The result proved that everybody was present, and at duty. It
followed that Marble, alone, had carried the boat out of the
lagoon. The men who had had the anchor-watches during the
past night, were questioned on the subject; but no one had
seen or heard anything of a movement in the launch. Mr. Talcott was told to continue his duty, while I went aloft myself, to
look at the offing. I was soon in the main-top-mast cross-trees,
where a view was commanded of the whole island, a few covers excepted, of all the water within the reef, and of a wide
range without. Nowhere was the boat or Marble to be seen. It
was barely possible that he had concealed himself behind the
wreck, though I did not see how even this could be done, unless he had taken the precaution to strike the launch’s masts.
By this time, our last anchor was aweigh, and the ship was
clear of the bottom. The top-sails had been hoisted before I
went aloft, and everything was now ready for filling away. Too
anxious to go on deck, under such circumstances, and a lofty
position being the best for ascertaining the presence of rocks, I
determined to remain where I was, and conn the ship through
the passes, in my own person. An order was accordingly given
to set the jib, and to swing the head-yards, and get the spanker
on the ship. In a minute, the Crisis was again in motion, moving steadily towards the inlet. As the lagoon was not entirely
free from danger, coral rocks rising in places quite near the
420
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]