when the world shook-第10章

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to　Suva　in　Fiji；　about　1；700　miles　away；　and　after　a　stay　there；

on　to　Hawaii　or　the　Sandwich　Islands；　stopping　perhaps　at　the

Phoenix　Islands　and　the　Central　Polynesian　Sporades；　such　as

Christmas　and　Fanning　Isles。　Then　we　proposed　to　turn　south　again

through　the　Marshall　Archipelago　and　the　Caroline　Islands；　and　so

on　to　New　Guinea　and　the　Coral　Sea。　Particularly　did　we　wish　to

visit　Easter　Island　on　account　of　its　marvelous　sculptures　that

are　supposed　to　be　the　relics　of　a　preeminent…historic　race。　In　truth；

however；　we　had　no　fixed　plan　except　to　go　wherever　circumstance

and　chance　might　take　us。　Chance；　I　may　add；　or　something　else；

took　full　advantage　of　its　opportunities。



We　came　to　Suva　in　safety　and　spent　a　while　in　exploring　the

beautiful　Fiji　Isles　where　both　Bastin　and　Bickley　made　full

inquiries　about　the　work　of　the　missionaries；　each　of　them

drawing　exactly　opposite　conclusions　from　the　same　set　of

admitted　facts。　Thence　we　steamed　to　Samoa　and　put　our　two

natives　ashore　at　Apia；　where　we　procured　some　coal。　We　did　not

stay　long　enough　in　these　islands　to　investigate　them；　however；

because　persons　of　experience　there　assured　us　from　certain

familiar　signs　that　one　of　the　terrible　hurricanes　with　which

they　are　afflicted；　was　due　to　arrive　shortly　and　that　we　should

do　well　to　put　ourselves　beyond　its　reach。　So　having　coaled　and

watered　we　departed　in　a　hurry。



Up　to　this　time　I　should　state　we　had　met　with　the　most

wonderful　good　fortune　in　the　matter　of　weather；　so　good　indeed

that　never　on　one　occasion　since　we　left　Marseilles；　had　we　been

obliged　to　put　the　fiddles　on　the　tables。　With　the　superstition

of　a　sailor　Captain　Astley；　when　I　alluded　to　the　matter；　shook

his　head　saying　that　doubtless　we　should　pay　for　it　later　on；

since　〃luck　never　goes　all　the　way〃　and　cyclones　were　reported　to

be　about。



Here　I　must　tell　that　after　we　were　clear　of　Apia；　it　was

discovered　that　the　Danish　mate　who　was　believed　to　be　in　his

cabin　unwell　from　something　he　had　eaten；　was　missing。　The

question　arose　whether　we　should　put　back　to　find　him；　as　we

supposed　that　he　had　made　a　trip　inland　and　met　with　an　accident；

or　been　otherwise　delayed。　I　was　in　favour　of　doing　so　though　the

captain；　thinking　of　the　threatened　hurricane；　shook　his　head　and

said　that　Jacobsen　was　a　queer　fellow　who　might　just　as　well　have

gone　overboard　as　anywhere　else；　if　he　thought　he　heard　〃the

spirits；　of　whom　he　was　so　fond；〃　calling　him。　While　the　matter

was　still　in　suspense　I　happened　to　go　into　my　own　stateroom　and

there；　stuck　in　the　looking…glass；　saw　an　envelope　in　the　Dane's

handwriting　addressed　to　myself。　On　opening　it　I　found　another

sealed　letter；　unaddressed；　also　a　note　that　ran　as　follows：



〃Honoured　Sir；



〃You　will　think　very　badly　of　me　for　leaving　you；　but　the

enclosed　which　I　implore　you　not　to　open　until　you　have　seen　the

last　of　the　Star　of　the　South；　will　explain　my　reason　and　I　hope

clear　my　reputation。　I　thank　you　again　and　again　for　all　your

kindness　and　pray　that　the　Spirits　who　rule　the　world　may　bless

and　preserve　you；　also　the　Doctor　and　Mr。　Bastin。〃





This　letter；　which　left　the　fate　of　Jacobsen　quite　unsolved；

for　it　might　mean　either　that　he　had　deserted　or　drowned　himself；

I　put　away　with　the　enclosure　in　my　pocket。　Of　course　there　was

no　obligation　on　me　to　refrain　from　opening　the　letter；　but　I

shrank　from　doing　so　both　from　some　kind　of　sense　of　honour　and；

to　tell　the　truth；　for　fear　of　what　it　might　contain。　I　felt　that

this　would　be　disagreeable；　also；　although　there　was　nothing　to

connect　them　together；　I　bethought　me　of　the　scene　when　Jacobsen

had　smashed　the　planchette。



On　my　return　to　the　deck　I　said　nothing　whatsoever　about　the

discovery　of　the　letter；　but　only　remarked　that　on　reflection　I

had　changed　my　mind　and　agreed　with　the　captain　that　it　would　be

unwise　to　attempt　to　return　in　order　to　look　for　Jacobsen。　So　the

boatswain；　a　capable　individual　who　had　seen　better　days；　was

promoted　to　take　his　watches　and　we　went　on　as　before。　How

curiously　things　come　about　in　the　world！　For　nautical　reasons

that　were　explained　to　me；　but　which　I　will　not　trouble　to　set

down；　if　indeed　I　could　remember　them；　I　believe　that　if　we　had

returned　to　Apia　we　should　have　missed　the　great　gale　and

subsequent　cyclone；　and　with　these　much　else。　But　it　was　not　so

fated。



It　was　on　the　fourth　day；　when　we　were　roughly　seven　hundred

miles　or　more　north　of　Samoa；　that　we　met　the　edge　of　this　gale

about　sundown。　The　captain　put　on　steam　in　the　hope　of　pushing

through　it；　but　that　night　we　dined　for　the　first　time　with　the

fiddles　on；　and　by　eleven　o'clock　it　was　as　much　as　one　could　do

to　stand　in　the　cabin；　while　the　water　was　washing　freely　over

the　deck。　Fortunately；　however；　the　wind　veered　more　aft　of　us；

so　that　by　putting　about　her　head　a　little　（seamen　must　forgive

me　if　I　talk　of　these　matters　as　a　landlubber）　we　ran　almost

before　the　wind；　though　not　quite　in　the　direction　that　we　wished

to　go。



When　the　light　came　it　was　blowing　very　hard　indeed；　and　the

sky　was　utterly　overcast；　so　that　we　got　no　glimpse　of　the　sun；

or　of　the　stars　on　the　following　night。　Unfortunately；　there　was

no　moon　visible；　indeed；　if　there　had　been　I　do　not　suppose　that

it　would　have　helped　us　because　of　the　thick　pall　of　clouds。　For

quite　seventy…two　hours　we　ran　on　beneath　bare　poles　before　that

gale。　The　little　vessel　behaved　splendidly；　riding　the　seas　like

a　duck；　but　I　could　see　that　Captain　Astley　was　growing　alarmed。

When　I　said　something　complimentary　to　him　about　the　conduct　of

the　Star　of　the　South；　he　replied　that　she　was　forging　ahead　all

right；　but　the　question　waswhere　to？　He　had　been　unable　to　take

an　observation　of　any　sort　since　we　left　Samoa；　both　his　patent

logs　had　been　carried　away；　so　that　now　only　the　compass

remained；　and　he　had　not　the　slightest　idea　where　we　were　in　that

great　ocean　studded　with　atolls　and　islands。



I　asked　him　whether　we　could　not　steam　back　to　our　proper

course；　but　he　answered　that　to　do　so　he　would　have　to　travel

dead　in　the　eye　of　the　gale；　and　he　doubted　whether　the　engines

would　stand　it。　Also　there　was　the　question　of　coal　to　be

considered。　However；　he　had　kept　the　fires　going　and　would　do

what　he　could　if　the　weather　moderated。



That　night　during　dinner　which　now　consisted　of　tinned　foods

and　whisky　and　water；　for　the　seas　had　got　to　the　galley　fire；

suddenly　the　gale　dropped；　whereat　we　rejoiced　exceedingly。　The

captain　came　down　into　the　saloon　very　white　and　shaken；　I

thought；　and　I　asked　him　to　have　a　nip　of　whisky　to　warm　him　up；

and　to　celebrate　our　good　fortune　in　having　run　out　of　the　wind。

He　took　the　bottle　and；　to　my　alarm；　poured　out　a　full　half

tumbler　of　spirit；　which　he　swallowed　undiluted　in　two　or　three

gulps。



〃That's　better！〃　he　said　with　a　hoarse　laugh。　〃But　man；　what　is

it　you　are　saying　about　having　run　out　of　the　wind？　Look　at　the

glass！〃



〃We　have；〃　said　Bastin；　〃and　it　is　wonderfully　steady。　About　29

degrees　or　a　little　over；　which　it　has　been　for　the　last　three

days。〃



Again　Astley　laughed　in　a　mirthless　fashion；　as　he　answered：



〃Oh；　that　thing！　That's　the　passengers'　glass。　I　told　the

'steward　to　put　it　out　of　gear　so　that　you　might　not　be

frightened；　it　is　an　old　trick。　Look　at　this；〃　and　he　produced

one　of　the　portable　variety　out　of　his　pocket。



We　looked；　and　it　stood　somewhere　between　27　degrees　and　28

degrees。



〃That's　the　lowest　glass　I　ever　saw　in　the　Polynesian　or　any

other　seas　during　thirty　years。　It's　right；　too；　for　I　have

tested　it　by　three　others；〃　he　said。



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　I　asked　rather　anxiously。



〃South　Sea　cyclone　of　the　worst　breed；〃　he　replied。　〃That

cursed　Dane　knew　it　was　coming　and　that's　why　he　left　the　ship。

Pray　as　you　never　prayed　before；〃　and　again　he　stretched　out　his

hand　towards　the　whisky　bottle。　But　I　stepped　between　him　and　it；

shaking　my　head。　Thereon　he　laughed　for　the　third　time　and　left

the　cabin。　Though　I　saw　him　once　or　twice　afterwards；　these　were

really　the　last　words　of　intelligible　conversation　that　I　ever

had　with　Captain　Astley。



〃It　seems　that　we　are　in　some　danger；〃　said　Bastin；　in　an

unmoved　kind　of　way。　〃I　think　that　was　a　good　idea　of　the

captain's；　to　put　up　a　petition；　I　mean；　but　as　Bickley　will

scarcely　care　to　join　in　it　I　will　go　into　the　cabin　and　do　so

myself。〃



Bickley　snorted；　then　said：



〃Confound　that　captain！　Why　did　he　play　such　a　trick　upon　us

about　the　barometer？　Humphrey；　I　believe　he　had　been　drinking。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　I　said；　looking　at　the　whisky　bottle。　〃Otherwise；

after　taking　those　precautions　to　keep　us　in　the　dark；　he　would

not　have　let　on　like　that。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bickley；　〃he　can't　get　to　the　liquor；　except

through　this　saloon；　as　it　is　locked　up　forward　with　the　other

stores。〃



〃That's　nothing；〃　I　replied；　〃as　doubtless　he　has　a　supply　of

his　own；　rum；　I　expect。　We　must　take　our　chance。〃



Bickley　nodded；　and　suggested　that　we　should　go　on　deck　to　see

what　was　happening。　So　we　went。　Not　a　breath　of　wind　was

stirring；　and　even　the　sea　seemed　to　be　settling　down　a　little。

At　least；　so　we　judged　from　the　motion；　for　we　could　not　see

either　it　or　the　sky；　everything　was　as　black　as　pitch。　We　heard

the　sailors；　however；　engaged　in　rigging　guide　ropes　fore　and

aft；　and　battening　down　the　hatches　with　extra　tarpaulins　by　the

light　of　lanterns。　Also　they　were　putting　ropes　round　the　boats

and　doing　something　to　the　spars　and　topmasts。



Presently　Bastin　joined　us；　having；　I　suppose；　finished　his

devotions。



〃Really；　it　is　quite　pleasant　here；〃　he　said。　〃One　never　knows

how　disagreeable　so　much　wind　is　until　it　stops。〃



I　lit　my　pipe；　making　no　answer；　and　the　match　burned　quite

steadily　there　in　the　open　air。



〃What　is　that？〃　exclaimed　Bickley；　staring　at　something　which

now　I　saw　for　the　first　time。　It　looked　like　a　line　of　white

approaching　through　the　gloom。　With　it　came　a　hissing　sound；　and

although　there　was　still　no　wind；　the　rigging　began　to　moan

mysteriously　like　a　thing　in　pain。　A　big　drop　of　water　also　fell

from　the　sides　into　my　pipe　and　put　it　out。　Then　one　of　the

sailors　cried　in　a　hoarse　voice：



〃Get　down　below；　governors；　unless　you　want　to　go　out　to　sea！〃



〃Why？〃　inquired　Bastin。



〃Why？　Becos　the　'urricane　is　coming；　that's　all。　Coming　as

though　the　devil　had　kicked　it　out　of　'ell。〃



Bastin　seemed　inclined　to　remonstrate　at　this　sort　of　language；

but　we　pushed　him　down　the　companion　and　followed；　propelling　the

spaniel　Tommy　in　front　of　us。　Next　moment　I　heard　the　sailors

battening　the　hatch　with　hurried　blows；　and　when　this　was　done　to

their　satisfaction；　heard　their　feet　also　as　they　ran　into

shelter。



Another　instant　and　we　were　al