for the term of his natural life-第24章

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ing　a　piece　of　stick　from　the　ground；　he　made　the　calculation　in　the　sand。　Eighteen　days；　and　twenty　miles　a　daythree　hundred　and　sixty　miles。　More　than　enough　to　take　him　to　freedom。　　It　could　be　done！　　With　prudence；　it　could　be　done！　　He　must　be　careful　and　abstemious！　　Abstemious！　He　had　already　eaten　too　much；　and　he　hastily　pulled　a　barely…tasted　piece　of　meat　from　his　mouth；　and　replaced　it　with　the　rest。　　The　action　which　at　any　other　time　would　have　seemed　disgusting；　was；　in　the　case　of　this　poor　creature；　merely　pitiable。

Having　come　to　this　resolution；　the　next　thing　was　to　disencumber　himself　of　his　irons。　　This　was　more　easily　done　than　he　expected。　　He　found　in　the　shed　an　iron　gad；　and　with　that　and　a　stone　he　drove　out　the　rivets。　The　rings　were　too　strong　to　be　〃ovalled〃；*　or　he　would　have　been　free　long　ago。　　He　packed　the　meat　and　bread　together；　and　then　pushing　the　gad　into　his　beltit　might　be　needed　as　a　weapon　of　defencehe　set　out　on　his　journey。

＇Footnote＇*　Ovalled〃To　oval〃　is　a　term　in　use　among　convicts；　and　means　so　to　bend　the　round　ring　of　the　ankle　fetter　that　the　heel　can　be　drawn　up　through　it。

His　intention　was　to　get　round　the　settlement　to　the　coast；　reach　the　settled　districts；　and；　by　some　tale　of　shipwreck　or　of　wandering；　procure　assistance。　　As　to　what　was　particularly　to　be　done　when　he　found　himself　among　free　men；　he　did　not　pause　to　consider。　At　that　point　his　difficulties　seemed　to　him　to　end。　　Let　him　but　traverse　the　desert　that　was　before　him；　and　he　would　trust　to　his　own　ingenuity；　or　the　chance　of　fortune；　to　avert　suspicion。　　The　peril　of　immediate　detection　was　so　imminent　that；　beside　it；　all　other　fears　were　dwarfed　into　insignificance。

Before　dawn　next　morning　he　had　travelled　ten　miles；　and　by　husbanding　his　food；　he　succeeded　by　the　night　of　the　fourth　day　in　accomplishing　forty　more。　　Footsore　and　weary；　he　lay　in　a　thicket　of　the　thorny　melaleuca；　and　felt　at　last　that　he　was　beyond　pursuit。　　The　next　day　he　advanced　more　slowly。　　The　bush　was　unpropitious。　　Dense　scrub　and　savage　jungle　impeded　his　path；　barren　and　stony　mountain　ranges　arose　before　him。　He　was　lost　in　gullies；　entangled　in　thickets；　bewildered　in　morasses。　The　sea　that　had　hitherto　gleamed；　salt；　glittering；　and　hungry　upon　his　right　hand；　now　shifted　to　his　left。　　He　had　mistaken　his　course；　and　he　must　turn　again。　　For　two　days　did　this　bewilderment　last；　and　on　the　third　he　came　to　a　mighty　cliff　that　pierced　with　its　blunt　pinnacle　the　clustering　bush。　　He　must　go　over　or　round　this　obstacle；　and　he　decided　to　go　round　it。　　A　natural　pathway　wound　about　its　foot。　Here　and　there　branches　were　broken；　and　it　seemed　to　the　poor　wretch；　fainting　under　the　weight　of　his　lessening　burden；　that　his　were　not　the　first　footsteps　which　had　trodden　there。　　The　path　terminated　in　a　glade；　and　at　the　bottom　of　this　glade　was　something　that　fluttered。　Rufus　Dawes　pressed　forward；　and　stumbled　over　a　corpse！

In　the　terrible　stillness　of　that　solitary　place　he　felt　suddenly　as　though　a　voice　had　called　to　him。　　All　the　hideous　fantastic　tales　of　murder　which　he　had　read　or　heard　seemed　to　take　visible　shape　in　the　person　of　the　loathly　carcase　before　him；　clad　in　the　yellow　dress　of　a　convict；　and　lying　flung　together　on　the　ground　as　though　struck　down。　Stooping　over　it；　impelled　by　an　irresistible　impulse　to　know　the　worst；　he　found　the　body　was　mangled。　　One　arm　was　missing；　and　the　skull　had　been　beaten　in　by　some　heavy　instrument！　　The　first　thoughtthat　this　heap　of　rags　and　bones　was　a　mute　witness　to　the　folly　of　his　own　undertaking；　the　corpse　of　some　starved　abscondergave　place　to　a　second　more　horrible　suspicion。　　He　recognized　the　number　imprinted　on　the　coarse　cloth　as　that　which　had　designated　the　younger　of　the　two　men　who　had　escaped　with　Gabbett。　　He　was　standing　on　the　place　where　a　murder　had　been　committed！　　A　murder！and　what　else？　　Thank　God　the　food　he　carried　was　not　yet　exhausted！　　He　turned　and　fled；　looking　back　fearfully　as　he　went。　He　could　not　breathe　in　the　shadow　of　that　awful　mountain。

Crashing　through　scrub　and　brake；　torn；　bleeding；　and　wild　with　terror；　he　reached　a　spur　on　the　range；　and　looked　around　him。　　Above　him　rose　the　iron　hills；　below　him　lay　the　panorama　of　the　bush。　　The　white　cone　of　the　Frenchman's　Cap　was　on　his　right　hand；　on　his　left　a　succession　of　ranges　seemed　to　bar　further　progress。　　A　gleam；　as　of　a　lake；　streaked　the　eastward。　　Gigantic　pine　trees　reared　their　graceful　heads　against　the　opal　of　the　evening　sky；　and　at　their　feet　the　dense　scrub　through　which　he　had　so　painfully　toiled；　spread　without　break　and　without　flaw。　　It　seemed　as　though　he　could　leap　from　where　he　stood　upon　a　solid　mass　of　tree…tops。　　He　raised　his　eyes；　and　right　against　him；　like　a　long　dull　sword；　lay　the　narrow　steel…blue　reach　of　the　harbour　from　which　he　had　escaped。　　One　darker　speck　moved　on　the　dark　water。　It　was　the　Osprey　making　for　the　Gates。　　It　seemed　that　he　could　throw　a　stone　upon　her　deck。　　A　faint　cry　of　rage　escaped　him。　During　the　last　three　days　in　the　bush　he　must　have　retraced　his　steps；　and　returned　upon　his　own　track　to　the　settlement！　　More　than　half　his　allotted　time　had　passed；　and　he　was　not　yet　thirty　miles　from　his　prison。　Death　had　waited　to　overtake　him　in　this　barbarous　wilderness。　As　a　cat　allows　a　mouse　to　escape　her　for　a　while；　so　had　he　been　permitted　to　trifle　with　his　fate；　and　lull　himself　into　a　false　security。　Escape　was　hopeless　now。　　He　never　could　escape；　and　as　the　unhappy　man　raised　his　despairing　eyes；　he　saw　that　the　sun；　redly　sinking　behind　a　lofty　pine　which　topped　the　opposite　hill；　shot　a　ray　of　crimson　light　into　the　glade　below　him。　　It　was　as　though　a　bloody　finger　pointed　at　the　corpse　which　lay　there；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　shuddering　at　the　dismal　omen；　averting　his　face；　plunged　again　into　the　forest。

For　four　days　he　wandered　aimlessly　through　the　bush。　　He　had　given　up　all　hopes　of　making　the　overland　journey；　and　yet；　as　long　as　his　scanty　supply　of　food　held　out；　he　strove　to　keep　away　from　the　settlement。　Unable　to　resist　the　pangs　of　hunger；　he　had　increased　his　daily　ration；　and　though　the　salted　meat；　exposed　to　rain　and　heat；　had　begun　to　turn　putrid；　he　never　looked　at　it　but　he　was　seized　with　a　desire　to　eat　his　fill。　The　coarse　lumps　of　carrion　and　the　hard　rye…loaves　were　to　him　delicious　morsels　fit　for　the　table　of　an　emperor。　　Once　or　twice　he　was　constrained　to　pluck　and　eat　the　tops　of　tea…trees　and　peppermint　shrubs。　　These　had　an　aromatic　taste；　and　sufficed　to　stay　the　cravings　of　hunger　for　a　while；　but　they　induced　a　raging　thirst；　which　he　slaked　at　the　icy　mountain　springs。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　frequency　of　these　streams；　he　must　have　died　in　a　few　days。　At　last；　on　the　twelfth　day　from　his　departure　from　the　Coal　Head；　he　found　himself　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Direction；　at　the　head　of　the　peninsula　which　makes　the　western　side　of　the　harbour。　　His　terrible　wandering　had　but　led　him　to　make　a　complete　circuit　of　the　settlement；　and　the　next　night　brought　him　round　the　shores　of　Birches　Inlet　to　the　landing…place　opposite　to　Sarah　Island。　　His　stock　of　provisions　had　been　exhausted　for　two　days；　and　he　was　savage　with　hunger。　He　no　longer　thought　of　suicide。　　His　dominant　idea　was　now　to　get　food。　He　would　do　as　many　others　had　done　before　himgive　himself　up　to　be　flogged　and　fed。　　When　he　reached　the　landing…place；　however；　the　guard…house　was　empty。　　He　looked　across　at　the　island　prison；　and　saw　no　sign　of　life。　　The　settlement　was　deserted！　　The　shock　of　this　discovery　almost　deprived　him　of　reason。　　For　days；　that　had　seemed　centuries；　he　had　kept　life　in　his　jaded　and　lacerated　body　solely　by　the　strength　of　his　fierce　determination　to　reach　the　settlement；　and　now　that　he　had　reached　it；　after　a　journey　of　unparalleled　horror；　he　found　it　deserted。　　He　struck　himself　to　see　if　he　was　not　dreaming。　He　refused　to　believe　his　eyesight。　　He　shouted；　screamed；　and　waved　his　tattered　garments　in　the　air。　　Exhausted　by　these　paroxysms；　he　said　to　himself；　quite　calmly；　that　the　sun　beating　on　his　unprotected　head　had　dazed　his　brain；　and　that　in　a　few　minutes　he　should　see　well…remembered　boats　pulling　towards　him。　　Then；　when　no　boat　came；　he　argued　that　he　was　mistaken　in　the　place；　the　island　yonder　was　not　Sarah　Island；　but　some　other　island　like　it；　and　that　in　a　second　or　so　he　would　be　able　to　detect　the　difference。　　But　the　inexorable　mountains；　so　hideously　familiar　for　six　weary　years；　made　mute　reply；　and　the　sea；　crawling　at　his　feet；　seemed　to　grin　at　him　with　a　thin…lipped；　hungry　mouth。　Yet　the　fact　of　the　desertion　seemed　so　inexplicable　that　he　could　not　realize　it。　　He　felt　as　might　have　felt　that　wanderer　in　the　enchanted　mountains；　who；　returning　in　the　morning　to　look　for　his　companions；　found　them　turned　to　stone。

At　last　the　dreadful　truth　forced　itself　upon　him；　he　retired　a　few　paces；　and　then；　with　a　horrible　cry　of　furious　despair；　stumbled　forward　towards　the　edge　of　the　little　reef　that　fringed　the　shore。　Just　as　he　was　about　to　fling　himself　for　the　second　time　into　the　dark　water；　his　eyes；　sweeping　in　a　last　long　look　around　the　bay；　caught　sight　of　a　strange　appearance　on　the　left　horn　of　the　sea　beach。　A　thin；　blue　streak；　uprising　from　behind　the　western　arm　of　the　little　inlet；　hung　in　the　still　air。　　It　was　the　smoke　of　a　fire！

The　dying　wretch　felt　inspired　with　new　hope。　　God　had　sent　him　a　direct　sign　from　Heaven。　　The　tiny　column　of　bluish　vapour　seemed　to　him　as　glorious　as　the　Pillar　of　Fire　that　led　the　Israelites。　　There　were　yet　human　beings　near　him！and　turning　his　face　from　the　hungry　sea；　he　tottered　with　the　last　effort　of　his　failing　strength　towards　the　blessed　token　of　their　presence。




CHAPTER　IX。

THE　SEIZURE　OF　THE　〃OSPREY〃



Frere's　fishing　expedition　had　been　unsuccessful；　and　in　consequence　prolonged。　The　obstinacy　of　his　character　appeared　in　the　most　trifling　circumstances；　and　though　the　fast　deepening　shades　of　an　Australian　evening　urged　him　to　return；　yet　he　lingered；　unwilling　to　come　back　empty…handed。　At　last　a　peremptory　signal　warned　him。　　It　was　the　sound　of　a　musket　fired　on　board　the　brig：　　Mr。　Bates　was　getting　impatient；　and　with　a　scowl；　Frere　drew　up　his　lines；　and　ordered　the　two　soldiers　to　pull　for　the　vessel。

The　Osprey　yet　sat　motionless　on　the　water；　and　her　bare　masts　gave　no　sign　of　making　sail。　　To　the　soldiers；　pulling　with　their　backs　to　her；　the　musket　shot　seemed　the　most　ordinary　occurrence　in　the　world。　Eager　to　quit　the　dismal　prison…bay；　they　had　viewed　Mr　Frere's　persistent　fishing　with　disgust；　and　had　for　the　previous　half　hour　longed　to　hear　the　signal　of　recall　which　had　just　startled　them。　　Suddenly；　however；　they　noticed　a　change　of　expression　in　the　sullen　face　of　their　commander。　Frere；　sitting　in　the　stern　sheets；　with　his　face　to　the　Osprey；　had　observed　a　peculiar　appearance　on　her　decks。　　The　bulwarks　were　every　now　and　then　topped　by　strange　figures；　who　disappeared　as　suddenly　as　they　came；　and　a　faint　murmur　of　voices　floated　across　the　intervening　sea。　Presently　the　report　of　another　musket　shot　echoed　among　the　hills；　and　something　dark　fell　from　the　side　of　the