the jacket (the star-rover)-第45章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



toiled　unceasingly　with　the　oar　till　I　was　ready　to　drop。　　What

excess　of　slaughter　I　might　have　been　guilty　of　I　know　not；　for　at

the　end　of　that　time；　as　if　by　a　signal；　all　the　seals　that　still

lived　threw　themselves　into　the　water　and　swiftly　disappeared。



I　found　the　number　of　slain　seals　to　exceed　two　hundred；　and　I　was

shocked　and　frightened　because　of　the　madness　of　slaughter　that　had

possessed　me。　　I　had　sinned　by　wanton　wastefulness；　and　after　I　had

duly　refreshed　myself　with　this　good　wholesome　food；　I　set　about　as

well　as　I　could　to　make　amends。　　But　first；　ere　the　great　task

began；　I　returned　thanks　to　that　Being　through　whose　mercy　I　had

been　so　miraculously　preserved。　　Thereupon　I　laboured　until　dark；

and　after　dark；　skinning　the　seals；　cutting　the　meat　into　strips；

and　placing　it　upon　the　tops　of　rocks　to　dry　in　the　sun。　　Also；　I

found　small　deposits　of　salt　in　the　nooks　and　crannies　of　the　rocks

on　the　weather　side　of　the　island。　　This　I　rubbed　into　the　meat　as　a

preservative。



Four　days　I　so　toiled；　and　in　the　end　was　foolishly　proud　before　God

in　that　no　scrap　of　all　that　supply　of　meat　had　been　wasted。　　The

unremitting　labour　was　good　for　my　body；　which　built　up　rapidly　by

means　of　this　wholesome　diet　in　which　I　did　not　stint　myself。

Another　evidence　of　God's　mercy；　never；　in　the　eight　years　I　spent

on　that　barren　islet；　was　there　so　long　a　spell　of　clear　weather　and

steady　sunshine　as　in　the　period　immediately　following　the　slaughter

of　the　seals。



Months　were　to　pass　ore　ever　the　seals　revisited　my　island。　　But　in

the　meantime　I　was　anything　but　idle。　　I　built　me　a　hut　of　stone；

and；　adjoining　it；　a　storehouse　for　my　cured　meat。　　The　hut　I　roofed

with　many　seal…skins；　so　that　it　was　fairly　water…proof。　　But　I

could　never　cease　to　marvel；　when　the　rain　beat　on　that　roof；　that

no　less　than　a　king's　ransom　in　the　London　fur　market　protected　a

castaway　sailor　from　the　elements。



I　was　quickly　aware　of　the　importance　of　keeping　some　kind　of

reckoning　of　time；　without　which　I　was　sensible　that　I　should　soon

lose　all　knowledge　of　the　day　of　the　week；　and　be　unable　to

distinguish　one　from　the　other；　and　not　know　which　was　the　Lord's

day。



I　remembered　back　carefully　to　the　reckoning　of　time　kept　in　the

longboat　by　Captain　Nicholl；　and　carefully；　again　and　again；　to　make

sure　beyond　any　shadow　of　uncertainty；　I　went　over　the　tale　of　the

days　and　nights　I　had　spent　on　the　island。　　Then；　by　seven　stones

outside　my　hut；　I　kept　my　weekly　calendar。　　In　one　place　on　the　oar

I　cut　a　small　notch　for　each　week；　and　in　another　place　on　the　oar　I

notched　the　months；　being　duly　careful　indeed；　to　reckon　in　the

additional　days　to　each　month　over　and　beyond　the　four　weeks。



Thus　I　was　enabled　to　pay　due　regard　to　the　Sabbath。　　As　the　only

mode　of　worship　I　could　adopt；　I　carved　a　short　hymn；　appropriate　to

my　situation；　on　the　oar；　which　I　never　failed　to　chant　on　the

Sabbath。　　God；　in　His　all…mercy；　had　not　forgotten　me；　nor　did　I；　in

those　eight　years；　fail　at　all　proper　times　to　remember　God。



It　was　astonishing　the　work　required；　under　such　circumstances；　to

supply　one's　simple　needs　of　food　and　shelter。　　Indeed；　I　was　rarely

idle；　that　first　year。　　The　hut；　itself　a　mere　lair　of　rocks；

nevertheless　took　six　weeks　of　my　time。　　The　tardy　curing　and　the

endless　scraping　of　the　sealskins；　so　as　to　make　them　soft　and

pliable　for　garments；　occupied　my　spare　moments　for　months　and

months。



Then　there　was　the　matter　of　my　water　supply。　　After　any　heavy　gale；

the　flying　spray　salted　my　saved　rainwater；　so　that　at　times　I　was

grievously　put　to　live　through　till　fresh　rains　fell　unaccompanied

by　high　winds。　　Aware　that　a　continual　dropping　will　wear　a　stone；　I

selected　a　large　stone；　fine　and　tight　of　texture　and；　by　means　of

smaller　stones；　I　proceeded　to　pound　it　hollow。　　In　five　weeks　of

most　arduous　toil　I　managed　thus　to　make　a　jar　which　I　estimated　to

hold　a　gallon　and　a　half。　　Later；　I　similarly　made　a　four…gallon

jar。　　It　took　me　nine　weeks。　　Other　small　ones　I　also　made　from　time

to　time。　　One；　that　would　have　contained　eight　gallons；　developed　a

flaw　when　I　had　worked　seven　weeks　on　it。



But　it　was　not　until　my　fourth　year　on　the　island；　when　I　had　become

reconciled　to　the　possibility　that　I　might　continue　to　live　there

for　the　term　of　my　natural　life；　that　I　created　my　masterpiece。　　It

took　me　eight　months；　but　it　was　tight；　and　it　held　upwards　of

thirty　gallons。　　These　stone　vessels　were　a　great　gratification　to

meso　much　so；　that　at　times　I　forgot　my　humility　and　was　unduly

vain　of　them。　　Truly；　they　were　more　elegant　to　me　than　was　ever　the

costliest　piece　of　furniture　to　any　queen。　　Also；　I　made　me　a　small

rock　vessel；　containing　no　more　than　a　quart；　with　which　to　convey

water　from　the　catching…places　to　my　large　receptacles。　　When　I　say

that　this　one…quart　vessel　weighed　all　of　two　stone；　the　reader　will

realize　that　the　mere　gathering　of　the　rainwater　was　no　light　task。



Thus；　I　rendered　my　lonely　situation　as　comfortable　as　could　be

expected。　　I　had　completed　me　a　snug　and　secure　shelter；　and；　as　to

provision；　I　had　always　on　hand　a　six　months'　supply；　preserved　by

salting　and　drying。　　For　these　things；　so　essential　to　preserve

life；　and　which　one　could　scarcely　have　expected　to　obtain　upon　a

desert　island；　I　was　sensible　that　I　could　not　be　too　thankful。



Although　denied　the　privilege　of　enjoying　the　society　of　any　human

creature；　not　even　of　a　dog　or　a　cat；　I　was　far　more　reconciled　to

my　lot　than　thousands　probably　would　have　been。　　Upon　the　desolate

spot；　where　fate　had　placed　me；　I　conceived　myself　far　more　happy

than　many；　who；　for　ignominious　crimes；　were　doomed　to　drag　out

their　lives　in　solitary　confinement　with　conscience　ever　biting　as　a

corrosive　canker。



However　dreary　my　prospects；　I　was　not　without　hope　that　that

Providence；　which；　at　the　very　moment　when　hunger　threatened　me　with

dissolution；　and　when　I　might　easily　have　been　engulfed　in　the　maw

of　the　sea；　had　cast　me　upon　those　barren　rocks；　would　finally

direct　some　one　to　my　relief。



If　deprived　of　the　society　of　my　fellow　creatures；　and　of　the

conveniences　of　life；　I　could　not　but　reflect　that　my　forlorn

situation　was　yet　attended　with　some　advantages。　　Of　the　whole

island；　though　small；　I　had　peaceable　possession。　　No　one；　it　was

probable；　would　ever　appear　to　dispute　my　claim；　unless　it　were　the

amphibious　animals　of　the　ocean。　　Since　the　island　was　almost

inaccessible；　at　night　my　repose　was　not　disturbed　by　continual

apprehension　of　the　approach　of　cannibals　or　of　beasts　of　prey。

Again　and　again　I　thanked　God　on　my　knees　for　these　various　and　many

benefactions。



Yet　is　man　ever　a　strange　and　unaccountable　creature。　　I；　who　had

asked　of　God's　mercy　no　more　than　putrid　meat　to　eat　and　a

sufficiency　of　water　not　too　brackish；　was　no　sooner　blessed　with　an

abundance　of　cured　meat　and　sweet　water　than　I　began　to　know

discontent　with　my　lot。　　I　began　to　want　fire；　and　the　savour　of

cooked　meat　in　my　mouth。　　And　continually　I　would　discover　myself

longing　for　certain　delicacies　of　the　palate　such　as　were　part　of

the　common　daily　fare　on　the　home　table　at　Elkton。　　Strive　as　I

would；　ever　my　fancy　eluded　my　will　and　wantoned　in　day…dreaming　of

the　good　things　I　had　eaten　and　of　the　good　things　I　would　eat　if

ever　I　were　rescued　from　my　lonely　situation。



It　was　the　old　Adam　in　me；　I　supposethe　taint　of　that　first　father

who　was　the　first　rebel　against　God's　commandments。　　Most　strange　is

man；　ever　insatiable；　ever　unsatisfied；　never　at　peace　with　God　or

himself；　his　days　filled　with　restlessness　and　useless　endeavour；

his　nights　a　glut　of　vain　dreams　of　desires　wilful　and　wrong。　　Yes；

and　also　I　was　much　annoyed　by　my　craving　for　tobacco。　　My　sleep　was

often　a　torment　to　me；　for　it　was　then　that　my　desires　took　licence

to　rove；　so　that　a　thousand　times　I　dreamed　myself　possessed　of

hogsheads　of　tobaccoay；　and　of　warehouses　of　tobacco；　and　of

shiploads　and　of　entire　plantations　of　tobacco。



But　I　revenged　myself　upon　myself。　　I　prayed　God　unceasingly　for　a

humble　heart；　and　chastised　my　flesh　with　unremitting　toil。　　Unable

to　improve　my　mind；　I　determined　to　improve　my　barren　island。　　I

laboured　four　months　at　constructing　a　stone　wall　thirty　feet　long；

including　its　wings；　and　a　dozen　feet　high。　　This　was　as　a

protection　to　the　hut　in　the　periods　of　the　great　gales　when　all　the

island　was　as　a　tiny　petrel　in　the　maw　of　the　hurricane。　　Nor　did　I

conceive　the　time　misspent。　　Thereafter　I　lay　snug　in　the　heart　of

calm　while　all　the　air　for　a　hundred　feet　above　my　head　was　one

stream　of　gust…driven　water。



In　the　third　year　I　began　me　a　pillar　of　rock。　　Rather　was　it　a

pyramid；　four…square；　broad　at　the　base；　sloping　upward　not　steeply

to　the　apex。　　In　this　fashion　I　was　compelled　to　build；　for　gear　and

timber　there　was　none　in　all　the　island　for　the　construction　of

scaffolding。　　Not　until　the　close　of　the　fifth　year　was　my　pyramid

complete。　　It　stood　on　the　summit　of　the　island。　　Now；　when　I　state

that　the　summit　was　but　forty　feet　above　the　sea；　and　that　the　peak

of　my　pyramid　was　forty　feet　above　the　summit；　it　will　be　conceived

that　I；　without　tools；　had　doubled　the　stature　of　the　island。　　It

might　be　urged　by　some　unthinking　ones　that　I　interfered　with　God's

plan　in　the　creation　of　the　world。　　Not　so；　I　hold。　　For　was　not　I

equally　a　part　of　God's　plan；　along　with　this　heap　of　rocks

upjutting　in　the　solitude　of　ocean？　　My　arms　with　which　to　work；　my

back　with　which　to　bend　and　lift；　my　hands　cunning　to　clutch　and

holdwere　not　these　parts　too　in　God's　plan？　　Much　I　pondered　the

matter。　　I　know　that　I　was　right。



In　the　sixth　year　I　increased　the　base　of　my　pyramid；　so　that　in

eighteen　months　thereafter　the　height　of　my　monument　was　fifty　feet

above　the　height　of　the　island。　　This　was　no　tower　of　Babel。　　It

served　two　right　purposes。　　It　gave　me　a　lookout　from　which　to　scan

the　ocean　for　ships；　and　increased　the　likelihood　of　my　island　being

sighted　by　the　careless　roving　eye　of　any　seaman。　　And　it　kept　my

body　and　mind　in　health。　　With　hands　never　idle；　there　was　small

opportunity　for　Satan　on　that　island。　　Only　in　my　dreams　did　he

torment　me；　principally　with　visions　of　varied　foods　and　with

imagined　indulgence　in　the　foul　weed　called　tobacco。



On　the　eighteenth　day　of　the　month　of　June；　in　the　sixth　year　of　my

sojourn　on　the　island；　I　descried　a　sail。　　But　it　passed　far　to

leeward　at　too　great　a　distance　to　discover　me。　　Rather　than

suffering　disappointment；　the　very　appearance　of　this　sail　afforded

me　the　liveliest　satisfaction。　　It　convinced　me　of　a　fact　that　I　had

before　in　a　degree　doubted；　to　wit：　　that　these　seas　were　sometimes

visited　by　navigators。



Among　other　things；　where　the　seals　hauled　up