the works of edgar allan poe-3-第12章

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conduct　had　been　brought　on；　no　doubt；　by　the　deleterious　quality　of
the　air　of　the　hold；　and　had　no　connexion　with　canine　madness。　I
could　not　sufficiently　rejoice　that　I　had　persisted　in　bringing　him
with　me　from　the　box。　This　day　was　the　thirtieth　of　June；　and　the
thirteenth　since　the　Grampus　made　sad　from　Nantucket。

　　　　On　the　second　of　July　the　mate　came　below　drunk　as　usual；　and　in
an　excessively　good…humor。　He　came　to　Augustus's　berth；　and；　giving
him　a　slap　on　the　back；　asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　behave
himself　if　he　let　him　loose；　and　whether　he　would　promise　not　to　be
going　into　the　cabin　again。　To　this；　of　course；　my　friend　answered　in
the　affirmative；　when　the　ruffian　set　him　at　liberty；　after　making
him　drink　from　a　flask　of　rum　which　he　drew　from　his　coat…pocket。
Both　now　went　on　deck；　and　I　did　not　see　Augustus　for　about　three
hours。　He　then　came　below　with　the　good　news　that　he　had　obtained
permission　to　go　about　the　brig　as　be　pleased　anywhere　forward　of　the
mainmast；　and　that　he　had　been　ordered　to　sleep；　as　usual；　in　the
forecastle。　He　brought　me；　too；　a　good　dinner；　and　a　plentiful　supply
of　water。　The　brig　was　still　cruising　for　the　vessel　from　the　Cape
Verds；　and　a　sail　was　now　in　sight；　which　was　thought　to　be　the　one
in　question。　As　the　events　of　the　ensuing　eight　days　were　of　little
importance；　and　had　no　direct　bearing　upon　the　main　incidents　of　my
narrative；　I　will　here　throw　them　into　the　form　of　a　journal；　as　I　do
not　wish　to　omit　them　altogether。

　　　　July　3。　Augustus　furnished　me　with　three　blankets；　with　which　I
contrived　a　comfortable　bed　in　my　hiding…place。　No　one　came　below；
except　my　companion；　during　the　day。　Tiger　took　his　station　in　the
berth　just　by　the　aperture；　and　slept　heavily；　as　if　not　yet　entirely
recovered　from　the　effects　of　his　sickness。　Toward　night　a　flaw　of
wind　struck　the　brig　before　sail　could　be　taken　in；　and　very　nearly
capsized　her。　The　puff　died　away　immediately；　however；　and　no　damage
was　done　beyond　the　splitting　of　the　foretopsail。　Dirk　Peters　treated
Augustus　all　this　day　with　great　kindness　and　entered　into　a　long
conversation　with　him　respecting　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　the　islands
he　had　visited　in　that　region。　He　asked　him　whether　be　would　not　like
to　go　with　the　mutineers　on　a　kind　of　exploring　and　pleasure　voyage
in　those　quarters；　and　said　that　the　men　were　gradually　coming　over
to　the　mate's　views。　To　this　Augustus　thought　it　best　to　reply　that
he　would　be　glad　to　go　on　such　an　adventure；　since　nothing　better
could　be　done；　and　that　any　thing　was　preferable　to　a　piratical　life。

　　　　July　4th。　The　vessel　in　sight　proved　to　be　a　small　brig　from
Liverpool；　and　was　allowed　to　pass　unmolested。　Augustus　spent　most　of
his　time　on　deck；　with　a　view　of　obtaining　all　the　information　in　his
power　respecting　the　intentions　of　the　mutineers。　They　had　frequent
and　violent　quarrels　among　themselves；　in　one　of　which　a　harpooner；
Jim　Bonner；　was　thrown　overboard。　The　party　of　the　mate　was　gaining
ground。　Jim　Bonner　belonged　to　the　cook's　gang；　of　which　Peters　was　a
partisan。

　　　　July　5th。　About　daybreak　there　came　on　a　stiff　breeze　from　the
west；　which　at　noon　freshened　into　a　gale；　so　that　the　brig　could
carry　nothing　more　than　her　trysail　and　foresail。　In　taking　in　the
foretopsail；　Simms；　one　of　the　common　hands；　and　belonging　also　to
the　cook's　gang；　fell　overboard；　being　very　much　in　liquor；　and　was
drowned…　no　attempt　being　made　to　save　him。　The　whole　number　of
persons　on　board　was　now　thirteen；　to　wit：　Dirk　Peters；　Seymour；　the
of　the　cook's　party；　the　mate；　whose　name　I　never　learned；　Absalom
party；…　besides　Augustus　and　myself。

　　　　July　6th。　The　gale　lasted　all　this　day；　blowing　in　heavy　squalls；
accompanied　with　rain。　The　brig　took　in　a　good　deal　of　water　through
her　seams；　and　one　of　the　pumps　was　kept　continually　going；　Augustus
being　forced　to　take　his　turn。　just　at　twilight　a　large　ship　passed
close　by　us；　without　having　been　discovered　until　within　hail。　The
ship　was　supposed　to　be　the　one　for　which　the　mutineers　were　on　the
lookout。　The　mate　hailed　her；　but　the　reply　was　drowned　in　the
roaring　of　the　gale。　At　eleven；　a　sea　was　shipped　amidships；　which
tore　away　a　great　portion　of　the　larboard　bulwarks；　and　did　some
other　slight　damage。　Toward　morning　the　weather　moderated；　and　at
sunrise　there　was　very　little　wind。

　　　　July　7th。　There　was　a　heavy　swell　running　all　this　day；　during
which　the　brig；　being　light；　rolled　excessively；　and　many　articles
broke　loose　in　the　hold；　as　I　could　hear　distinctly　from　my
hiding…place。　I　suffered　a　great　deal　from　sea…sickness。　Peters　had　a
long　conversation　this　day　with　Augustus；　and　told　him　that　two　of
his　gang；　Greely　and　Allen；　had　gone　over　to　the　mate；　and　were
resolved　to　turn　pirates。　He　put　several　questions　to　Augustus　which
he　did　not　then　exactly　understand。　During　a　part　of　this　evening　the
leak　gained　upon　the　vessel；　and　little　could　be　done　to　remedy　it；
as　it　was　occasioned　by　the　brigs　straining；　and　taking　in　the　water
through　her　seams。　A　sail　was　thrummed；　and　got　under　the　bows；　which
aided　us　in　some　measure；　so　that　we　began　to　gain　upon　the　leak。

　　　　July　8th。　A　light　breeze　sprang　up　at　sunrise　from　the　eastward；
when　the　mate　headed　the　brig　to　the　southwest；　with　the　intention　of
making　some　of　the　West　India　islands　in　pursuance　of　his　piratical
designs。　No　opposition　was　made　by　Peters　or　the　cook…　at　least　none
in　the　hearing　of　Augustus。　All　idea　of　taking　the　vessel　from　the
Cape　Verds　was　abandoned。　The　leak　was　now　easily　kept　under　by　one
pump　going　every　three　quarters　of　an　hour。　The　sail　was　drawn　from
beneath　the　bows。　Spoke　two　small　schooners　during　the　day。

　　　　July　9th。　Fine　weather。　All　hands　employed　in　repairing　bulwarks。
Peters　had　again　a　long　conversation　with　Augustus；　and　spoke　more
plainly　than　he　had　done　heretofore。　He　said　nothing　should　induce
him　to　come　into　the　mate's　views；　and　even　hinted　his　intention　of
taking　the　brig　out　of　his　hands。　He　asked　my　friend　if　he　could
depend　upon　his　aid　in　such　case；　to　which　Augustus　said；　〃Yes；〃
without　hesitation。　Peters　then　said　he　would　sound　the　others　of　his
party　upon　the　subject；　and　went　away。　During　the　remainder　of　the
day　Augustus　had　no　opportunity　of　speaking　with　him　privately。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　6　~~~

CHAPTER　7



　　　　JULY　10。　Spoke　a　brig　from　Rio；　bound　to　Norfolk。　Weather　hazy；
with　a　light　baffling　wind　from　the　eastward。　To…day　Hartman　Rogers
died；　having　been　attacked　on　the　eighth　with　spasms　after　drinking　a
glass　of　grog。　This　man　was　of　the　cook's　party；　and　one　upon　whom
Peters　placed　his　main　reliance。　He　told　Augustus　that　he　believed
the　mate　had　poisoned　him；　and　that　he　expected；　if　he　did　not　be　on
the　look…out；　his　own　turn　would　come　shortly。　There　were　now　only
himself；　Jones；　and　the　cook　belonging　to　his　own　gang…　on　the　other
side　there　were　five。　He　had　spoken　to　Jones　about　taking　the　command
from　the　mate；　but　the　project　having　been　coolly　received；　he　had
been　deterred　from　pressing　the　matter　any　further；　or　from　saying
any　thing　to　the　cook。　It　was　well；　as　it　happened；　that　he　was　so
prudent；　for　in　the　afternoon　the　cook　expressed　his　determination　of
siding　with　the　mate；　and　went　over　formally　to　that　party；　while
Jones　took　an　opportunity　of　quarrelling　with　Peters；　and　hinted　that
he　would　let　the　mate　know　of　the　plan　in　agitation。　There　was　now；
evidently；　no　time　to　be　lost；　and　Peters　expressed　his　determination
of　attempting　to　take　the　vessel　at　all　hazards；　provided　Augustus
would　lend　him　his　aid。　My　friend　at　once　assured　him　of　his
willingness　to　enter　into　any　plan　for　that　purpose；　and；　thinking
the　opportunity　a　favourable　one；　made　known　the　fact　of　my　being　on
board。　At　this　the　hybrid　was　not　more　astonished　than　delighted；　as
he　had　no　reliance　whatever　upon　Jones；　whom　he　already　considered　as
belonging　to　the　party　of　the　mate。　They　went　below　immediately；　when
Augustus　called　to　me　by　name；　and　Peters　and　myself　were　soon　made
acquainted。　It　was　agreed　that　we　should　attempt　to　retake　the　vessel
upon　the　first　good　opportunity；　leaving　Jones　altogether　out　of　our
councils。　In　the　event　of　success；　we　were　to　run　the　brig　into　the
first　port　that　offered；　and　deliver　her　up。　The　desertion　of　his
party　had　frustrated　Peters'　design　of　going　into　the　Pacific…　an
adventure　which　could　not　be　accomplished　without　a　crew；　and　he
depended　upon　either　getting　acquitted　upon　trial；　on　the　score　of
insanity　（which　he　solemnly　avowed　had　actuated　him　in　lending　his
aid　to　the　mutiny）；　or　upon　obtaining　a　pardon；　if　found　guilty；
through　the　representations　of　Augustus　and　myself。　Our　deliberations
were　interrupted　for　the　present　by　the　cry　of；　〃All　hands　take　in
sail；〃　and　Peters　and　Augustus　ran　up　on　deck。

　　　　As　usual；　the　crew　were　nearly　all　drunk；　and；　before　sail　could
be　properly　taken　in；　a　violent　squall　laid　the　brig　on　her
beam…ends。　By　keeping　her　away；　however；　she　righted；　having　shipped
a　good　deal　of　water。　Scarcely　was　everything　secure；　when　another
squall　took　the　vessel；　and　immediately　afterward　another…　no　damage
being　done。　There　was　every　appearance　of　a　gale　of　wind；　which；
indeed；　shortly　came　on；　with　great　fury；　from　the　northward　and
westward。　All　was　made　as　snug　as　possible；　and　we　laid…to；　as　usual；
under　a　close…reefed　foresail。　As　night　drew　on；　the　wind　increased
in　violence；　with　a　remarkably　heavy　sea。　Peters　now　came　into　the
forecastle　with　Augustus；　and　we　resumed　our　deliberations。

　　　　We　agreed　that　no　opportunity　could　be　more　favourable　than　the
present　for　carrying　our　designs　into　effect；　as　an　attempt　at　such　a
moment　would　never　be　anticipated。　As　the　brig　was　snugly　laid…to；
there　would　be　no　necessity　of　manoeuvring　her　until　good　weather；
when；　if　we　succeeded　in　our　attempt；　we　might　liberate　one；　or
perhaps　two　of　the　men；　to　aid　us　in　taking　her　into　port。　The　main
difficulty　was　the　great　disproportion　in　our　forces。　There　were　only
three　of　us；　and　in　the　cabin　there　were　nine。　All　the　arms　on　board；
too；　were　in　their　possession；　with　the　exception　of　a　pair　of　small
pistols　which　Peters　had　concealed　about　his　person；　and　the　large
seaman's　knife　which　he　always　wore　in　the　waistband　of　his
pantaloons。　From　certain　indications；　too…　such；　for　example；　as
there　being　no　such　thing　as　an　axe　or　a　handspike　lying　in　their
customary　places　　we　began　to　fear　that　the　mate　had　his
suspicions；　at　least　in　regard　to　Peters；　and　that　he　would　let　slip
no　opportunity　of　getting　rid　of　him。　It　was　clear；　indeed；　that　what
we　should　determine　to　do　could　not　be　done　too　soon。　Still　the　odds
were　too　much　against　us　to　allow　of　our　proceeding　without　the
greatest　caution。

　　　　Peters　proposed　that　he　should　go　up　on　deck；　and　enter　into
conversation　with　the　watch　（Allen）；　when　he　would　be　able　to　throw
him　into　the　sea　without　trouble；　and　without　making　any　disturbance；
by　seizing　a　good　opportunity；　that　Augustus　and　myself　should　then
come　up；　and　endeavour　to　provide　ourselves　with　some　kind　of　weapons
from　the　deck；　and　that　we　s