perils of certain english prisoners-第1章

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The　Perils　of　Certain　English　Prisoners



by　Charles　Dickens














CHAPTER　　ITHE　ISLAND　OF　SILVER…STORE







It　was　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　forty…

four；　that　I；　Gill　Davis　to　command；　His　Mark；　having　then　the

honour　to　be　a　private　in　the　Royal　Marines；　stood　a…leaning　over

the　bulwarks　of　the　armed　sloop　Christopher　Columbus；　in　the　South

American　waters　off　the　Mosquito　shore。



My　lady　remarks　to　me；　before　I　go　any　further；　that　there　is　no

such　christian…name　as　Gill；　and　that　her　confident　opinion　is；　that

the　name　given　to　me　in　the　baptism　wherein　I　was　made；　&c。；　was

Gilbert。　　She　is　certain　to　be　right；　but　I　never　heard　of　it。　　I

was　a　foundling　child；　picked　up　somewhere　or　another；　and　I　always

understood　my　christian…name　to　be　Gill。　　It　is　true　that　I　was

called　Gills　when　employed　at　Snorridge　Bottom　betwixt　Chatham　and

Maidstone　to　frighten　birds；　but　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　the

Baptism　wherein　I　was　made；　&c。；　and　wherein　a　number　of　things　were

promised　for　me　by　somebody；　who　let　me　alone　ever　afterwards　as　to

performing　any　of　them；　and　who；　I　consider；　must　have　been　the

Beadle。　　Such　name　of　Gills　was　entirely　owing　to　my　cheeks；　or

gills；　which　at　that　time　of　my　life　were　of　a　raspy　description。



My　lady　stops　me　again；　before　I　go　any　further；　by　laughing　exactly

in　her　old　way　and　waving　the　feather　of　her　pen　at　me。　　That　action

on　her　part；　calls　to　my　mind　as　I　look　at　her　hand　with　the　rings

on　itWell！　　I　won't！　　To　be　sure　it　will　come　in；　in　its　own

place。　　But　it's　always　strange　to　me；　noticing　the　quiet　hand；　and

noticing　it　（as　I　have　done；　you　know；　so　many　times）　a…fondling

children　and　grandchildren　asleep；　to　think　that　when　blood　and

honour　were　upthere！　　I　won't！　not　at　present！Scratch　it　out。



She　won't　scratch　it　out；　and　quite　honourable；　because　we　have　made

an　understanding　that　everything　is　to　be　taken　down；　and　that

nothing　that　is　once　taken　down　shall　be　scratched　out。　　I　have　the

great　misfortune　not　to　be　able　to　read　and　write；　and　I　am　speaking

my　true　and　faithful　account　of　those　Adventures；　and　my　lady　is

writing　it；　word　for　word。



I　say；　there　I　was；　a…leaning　over　the　bulwarks　of　the　sloop

Christopher　Columbus　in　the　South　American　waters　off　the　Mosquito

shore：　　a　subject　of　his　Gracious　Majesty　King　George　of　England；

and　a　private　in　the　Royal　Marines。



In　those　climates；　you　don't　want　to　do　much。　　I　was　doing　nothing。

I　was　thinking　of　the　shepherd　（my　father；　I　wonder？）　on　the

hillsides　by　Snorridge　Bottom；　with　a　long　staff；　and　with　a　rough

white　coat　in　all　weathers　all　the　year　round；　who　used　to　let　me

lie　in　a　corner　of　his　hut　by　night；　and　who　used　to　let　me　go　about

with　him　and　his　sheep　by　day　when　I　could　get　nothing　else　to　do；

and　who　used　to　give　me　so　little　of　his　victuals　and　so　much　of　his

staff；　that　I　ran　away　from　himwhich　was　what　he　wanted　all　along；

I　expectto　be　knocked　about　the　world　in　preference　to　Snorridge

Bottom。　　I　had　been　knocked　about　the　world　for　nine…and…twenty

years　in　all；　when　I　stood　looking　along　those　bright　blue　South

American　Waters。　　Looking　after　the　shepherd；　I　may　say。　　Watching

him　in　a　half…waking　dream；　with　my　eyes　half…shut；　as　he；　and　his

flock　of　sheep；　and　his　two　dogs；　seemed　to　move　away　from　the

ship's　side；　far　away　over　the　blue　water；　and　go　right　down　into

the　sky。



〃It's　rising　out　of　the　water；　steady；〃　a　voice　said　close　to　me。　　I

had　been　thinking　on　so；　that　it　like　woke　me　with　a　start；　though

it　was　no　stranger　voice　than　the　voice　of　Harry　Charker；　my　own

comrade。



〃What's　rising　out　of　the　water；　steady？〃　I　asked　my　comrade。



〃What？〃　says　he。　　〃The　Island。〃



〃O！　　The　Island！〃　says　I；　turning　my　eyes　towards　it。　　〃True。　　I

forgot　the　Island。〃



〃Forgot　the　port　you're　going　to？　　That's　odd；　ain't　it？〃



〃It　is　odd；〃　says　I。



〃And　odd；〃　he　said；　slowly　considering　with　himself；　〃ain't　even。

Is　it；　Gill？〃



He　had　always　a　remark　just　like　that　to　make；　and　seldom　another。

As　soon　as　he　had　brought　a　thing　round　to　what　it　was　not；　he　was

satisfied。　　He　was　one　of　the　best　of　men；　and；　in　a　certain　sort　of

a　way；　one　with　the　least　to　say　for　himself。　　I　qualify　it；

because；　besides　being　able　to　read　and　write　like　a　Quarter…master；

he　had　always　one　most　excellent　idea　in　his　mind。　　That　was；　Duty。

Upon　my　soul；　I　don't　believe；　though　I　admire　learning　beyond

everything；　that　he　could　have　got　a　better　idea　out　of　all　the

books　in　the　world；　if　he　had　learnt　them　every　word；　and　been　the

cleverest　of　scholars。



My　comrade　and　I　had　been　quartered　in　Jamaica；　and　from　there　we

had　been　drafted　off　to　the　British　settlement　of　Belize；　lying　away

West　and　North　of　the　Mosquito　coast。　　At　Belize　there　had　been

great　alarm　of　one　cruel　gang　of　pirates　（there　were　always　more

pirates　than　enough　in　those　Caribbean　Seas）；　and　as　they　got　the

better　of　our　English　cruisers　by　running　into　out…of…the…way　creeks

and　shallows；　and　taking　the　land　when　they　were　hotly　pressed；　the

governor　of　Belize　had　received　orders　from　home　to　keep　a　sharp

look…out　for　them　along　shore。　　Now；　there　was　an　armed　sloop　came

once　a…year　from　Port　Royal；　Jamaica；　to　the　Island；　laden　with　all

manner　of　necessaries；　to　eat；　and　to　drink；　and　to　wear；　and　to　use

in　various　ways；　and　it　was　aboard　of　that　sloop　which　had　touched

at　Belize；　that　I　was　a…standing；　leaning　over　the　bulwarks。



The　Island　was　occupied　by　a　very　small　English　colony。　　It　had　been

given　the　name　of　Silver…Store。　　The　reason　of　its　being　so　called；

was；　that　the　English　colony　owned　and　worked　a　silver…mine　over　on

the　mainland；　in　Honduras；　and　used　this　Island　as　a　safe　and

convenient　place　to　store　their　silver　in；　until　it　was　annually

fetched　away　by　the　sloop。　　It　was　brought　down　from　the　mine　to　the

coast　on　the　backs　of　mules；　attended　by　friendly　Indians　and

guarded　by　white　men；　from　thence　it　was　conveyed　over　to　Silver…

Store；　when　the　weather　was　fair；　in　the　canoes　of　that　country；

from　Silver…Store；　it　was　carried　to　Jamaica　by　the　armed　sloop　once

a…year；　as　I　have　already　mentioned；　from　Jamaica；　it　went；　of

course；　all　over　the　world。



How　I　came　to　be　aboard　the　armed　sloop；　is　easily　told。　　Four…and…

twenty　marines　under　command　of　a　lieutenantthat　officer's　name

was　Linderwoodhad　been　told　off　at　Belize；　to　proceed　to　Silver…

Store；　in　aid　of　boats　and　seamen　stationed　there　for　the　chase　of

the　Pirates。　　The　Island　was　considered　a　good　post　of　observation

against　the　pirates；　both　by　land　and　sea；　neither　the　pirate　ship

nor　yet　her　boats　had　been　seen　by　any　of　us；　but　they　had　been　so

much　heard　of；　that　the　reinforcement　was　sent。　　Of　that　party；　I

was　one。　　It　included　a　corporal　and　a　sergeant。　　Charker　was

corporal；　and　the　sergeant's　name　was　Drooce。　　He　was　the　most

tyrannical　non…commissioned　officer　in　His　Majesty's　service。



The　night　came　on；　soon　after　I　had　had　the　foregoing　words　with

Charker。　　All　the　wonderful　bright　colours　went　out　of　the　sea　and

sky　in　a　few　minutes；　and　all　the　stars　in　the　Heavens　seemed　to

shine　out　together；　and　to　look　down　at　themselves　in　the　sea；　over

one　another's　shoulders；　millions　deep。　　Next　morning；　we　cast

anchor　off　the　Island。　　There　was　a　snug　harbour　within　a　little

reef；　there　was　a　sandy　beach；　there　were　cocoa…nut　trees　with　high

straight　stems；　quite　bare；　and　foliage　at　the　top　like　plumes　of

magnificent　green　feathers；　there　were　all　the　objects　that　are

usually　seen　in　those　parts；　and　I　am　not　going　to　describe　them；

having　something　else　to　tell　about。



Great　rejoicings；　to　be　sure；　were　made　on　our　arrival。　　All　the

flags　in　the　place　were　hoisted；　all　the　guns　in　the　place　were

fired；　and　all　the　people　in　the　place　came　down　to　look　at　us。　　One

of　those　Sambo　fellowsthey　call　those　natives　Sambos；　when　they

are　half…negro　and　half…Indianhad　come　off　outside　the　reef；　to

pilot　us　in；　and　remained　on　board　after　we　had　let　go　our　anchor。

He　was　called　Christian　George　King；　and　was　fonder　of　all　hands

than　anybody　else　was。　　Now；　I　confess；　for　myself；　that　on　that

first　day；　if　I　had　been　captain　of　the　Christopher　Columbus；

instead　of　private　in　the　Royal　Marines；　I　should　have　kicked

Christian　George　Kingwho　was　no　more　a　Christian　than　he　was　a

King　or　a　Georgeover　the　side；　without　exactly　knowing　why；　except

that　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do。



But；　I　must　likewise　confess；　that　I　was　not　in　a　particularly

pleasant　humour；　when　I　stood　under　arms　that　morning；　aboard　the

Christopher　Columbus　in　the　harbour　of　the　Island　of　Silver…Store。

I　had　had　a　hard　life；　and　the　life　of　the　English　on　the　Island

seemed　too　easy　and　too　gay　to　please　me。　　〃Here　you　are；〃　I　thought

to　myself；　〃good　scholars　and　good　livers；　able　to　read　what　you

like；　able　to　write　what　you　like；　able　to　eat　and　drink　what　you

like；　and　spend　what　you　like；　and　do　what　you　like；　and　much　you

care　for　a　poor；　ignorant　Private　in　the　Royal　Marines！　　Yet　it's

hard；　too；　I　think；　that　you　should　have　all　the　half…pence；　and　I

all　the　kicks；　you　all　the　smooth；　and　I　all　the　rough；　you　all　the

oil；　and　I　all　the　vinegar。〃　　It　was　as　envious　a　thing　to　think　as

might　be；　let　alone　its　being　nonsensical；　but；　I　thought　it。　　I

took　it　so　much　amiss；　that；　when　a　very　beautiful　young　English

lady　came　aboard；　I　grunted　to　myself；　〃Ah！　you　have　got　a　lover；

I'll　be　bound！〃　　As　if　there　was　any　new　offence　to　me　in　that；　if

she　had！



She　was　sister　to　the　captain　of　our　sloop；　who　had　been　in　a　poor

way　for　some　time；　and　who　was　so　ill　then　that　he　was　obliged　to　be

carried　ashore。　　She　was　the　child　of　a　military　officer；　and　had

come　out　there　with　her　sister；　who　was　married　to　one　of　the　owners

of　the　silver…mine；　and　who　had　three　children　with　her。　　It　was

easy　to　see　that　she　was　the　light　and　spirit　of　the　Island。　　After

I　had　got　a　good　look　at　her；　I　grunted　to　myself　again；　in　an　even

worse　state　of　mind　than　before；　〃I'll　be　damned；　if　I　don't　hate

him；　whoever　he　is！〃



My　officer；　Lieutenant　Linderwood；　was　as　ill　as　the　captain　of　the

sloop；　and　was　carried　ashore；　too。　　They　were　both　young　men　of

about　my　age；　who　had　been　delicate　in　the　West　India　climate。　　I

even　took　that　in　bad　part。　　I　thought　I　was　much　fitter　for　the

work　than　they　were；　and　that　if　all　of　us　had　our　deserts；　I　should

be　both　of　them　rolled　into　one。　　（It　may　be　imagined　what　sort　of

an　officer　of　marines　I　should　have　made；　without　the　power　of

reading　a　written　order。　　And　as　to　any　knowledge　how　to　command　the

sloopLord！　　I　should　have　sunk　her　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour！）



However；　such　were　my　reflections；　and　when　we　men　were　ashore　and

dismissed；　I　strolled　about　the　pla