the works of edgar allan poe-3-第23章

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destined。　For　this　peculiar　service；　a　larger　vessel；　and　one　of　a
light　proportionate　draught；　is　desirable…　say　a　vessel　of　from　three
hundred　to　three　hundred　and　fifty　tons。　She　should　be　bark…rigged；
and　in　other　respects　of　a　different　construction　from　the　usual
South　Sea　ships。　It　is　absolutely　necessary　that　she　should　be　well
armed。　She　should　have；　say　ten　or　twelve　twelve…pound　carronades；
and　two　or　three　long　twelves；　with　brass　blunderbusses；　and
water…tight　arm…chests　for　each　top。　Her　anchors　and　cables　should　be
of　far　greater　strength　than　is　required　for　any　other　species　of
trade；　and；　above　all；　her　crew　should　be　numerous　and　efficient…　not
less；　for　such　a　vessel　as　I　have　described；　than　fifty　or　sixty
able…bodied　men。　The　Jane　Guy　had　a　crew　of　thirty…five；　all　able
seamen；　besides　the　captain　and　mate；　but　she　was　not　altogether　as
well　armed　or　otherwise　equipped；　as　a　navigator　acquainted　with　the
difficulties　and　dangers　of　the　trade　could　have　desired。

　　　　Captain　Guy　was　a　gentleman　of　great　urbanity　of　manner；　and　of
considerable　experience　in　the　southern　traffic；　to　which　he　had
devoted　a　great　portion　of　his　life。　He　was　deficient；　however；　in
energy；　and；　consequently；　in　that　spirit　of　enterprise　which　is　here
so　absolutely　requisite。　He　was　part　owner　of　the　vessel　in　which　he
sailed；　and　was　invested　with　discretionary　powers　to　cruise　in　the
South　Seas　for　any　cargo　which　might　come　most　readily　to　hand。　He
had　on　board；　as　usual　in　such　voyages；　beads；　looking…glasses；
tinder…works；　axes；　hatchets；　saws；　adzes；　planes；　chisels；　gouges；
gimlets；　files；　spokeshaves；　rasps；　hammers；　nails；　knives；　scissors；
razors；　needles；　thread；　crockery…ware；　calico；　trinkets；　and　other
similar　articles。

　　　　The　schooner　sailed　from　Liverpool　on　the　tenth　of　July；　crossed
the　Tropic　of　Cancer　on　the　twenty…fifth；　in　longitude　twenty　degrees
west；　and　reached　Sal；　one　of　the　Cape　Verd　islands；　on　the
twenty…ninth；　where　she　took　in　salt　and　other　necessaries　for　the
voyage。　On　the　third　of　August；　she　left　the　Cape　Verds　and　steered
southwest；　stretching　over　toward　the　coast　of　Brazil；　so　as　to　cross
the　equator　between　the　meridians　of　twenty…eight　and　thirty　degrees
west　longitude。　This　is　the　course　usually　taken　by　vessels　bound
from　Europe　to　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　or　by　that　route　to　the　East
Indies。　By　proceeding　thus　they　avoid　the　calms　and　strong　contrary
currents　which　continually　prevail　on　the　coast　of　Guinea；　while；　in
the　end；　it　is　found　to　be　the　shortest　track；　as　westerly　winds　are
never　wanting　afterward　by　which　to　reach　the　Cape。　It　was　Captain
Guy's　intention　to　make　his　first　stoppage　at　Kerguelen's　Land…　I
hardly　know　for　what　reason。　On　the　day　we　were　picked　up　the
schooner　was　off　Cape　St。　Roque；　in　longitude　thirty…one　degrees
west；　so　that；　when　found；　we　had　drifted　probably；　from　north　to
south；　_not　less　than　five…and…twenty　degrees！_

　　　　On　board　the　Jane　Guy　we　were　treated　with　all　the　kindness　our
distressed　situation　demanded。　In　about　a　fortnight；　during　which
time　we　continued　steering　to　the　southeast；　with　gentle　breezes　and
fine　weather；　both　Peters　and　myself　recovered　entirely　from　the
effects　of　our　late　privation　and　dreadful　sufferings；　and　we　began
to　remember　what　had　passed　rather　as　a　frightful　dream　from　which　we
had　been　happily　awakened；　than　as　events　which　had　taken　place　in
sober　and　naked　reality。　I　have　since　found　that　this　species　of
partial　oblivion　is　usually　brought　about　by　sudden　transition；
whether　from　joy　to　sorrow　or　from　sorrow　to　joy…　the　degree　of
forgetfulness　being　proportioned　to　the　degree　of　difference　in　the
exchange。　Thus；　in　my　own　case；　I　now　feel　it　impossible　to　realize
the　full　extent　of　the　misery　which　I　endured　during　the　days　spent
upon　the　hulk。　The　incidents　are　remembered；　but　not　the　feelings
which　the　incidents　elicited　at　the　time　of　their　occurrence。　I　only
know；　that　when　they　did　occur；　I　then　thought　human　nature　could
sustain　nothing　more　of　agony。

　　　　We　continued　our　voyage　for　some　weeks　without　any　incidents　of
greater　moment　than　the　occasional　meeting　with　whaling…ships；　and
more　frequently　with　the　black　or　right　whale；　so　called　in
contradistinction　to　the　spermaceti。　These；　however；　were　chiefly
found　south　of　the　twenty…fifth　parallel。　On　the　sixteenth　of
September；　being　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　the
schooner　encountered　her　first　gale　of　any　violence　since　leaving
Liverpool。　In　this　neighborhood；　but　more　frequently　to　the　south　and
east　of　the　promontory　（we　were　to　the　westward）；　navigators　have
often　to　contend　with　storms　from　the　northward；　which　rage　with
great　fury。　They　always　bring　with　them　a　heavy　sea；　and　one　of　their
most　dangerous　features　is　the　instantaneous　chopping　round　of　the
wind；　an　occurrence　almost　certain　to　take　place　during　the　greatest
force　of　the　gale。　A　perfect　hurricane　will　be　blowing　at　one　moment
from　the　northward　or　northeast；　and　in　the　next　not　a　breath　of　wind
will　be　felt　in　that　direction；　while　from　the　southwest　it　will　come
out　all　at　once　with　a　violence　almost　inconceivable。　A　bright　spot
to　the　southward　is　the　sure　forerunner　of　the　change；　and　vessels
are　thus　enabled　to　take　the　proper　precautions。

　　　　It　was　about　six　in　the　morning　when　the　blow　came　on　with　a
white　squall；　and；　as　usual；　from　the　northward。　By　eight　it　had
increased　very　much；　and　brought　down　upon　us　one　of　the　most
tremendous　seas　I　had　then　ever　beheld。　Every　thing　had　been　made　as
snug　as　possible；　but　the　schooner　laboured　excessively；　and　gave
evidence　of　her　bad　qualities　as　a　seaboat；　pitching　her　forecastle
under　at　every　plunge　and　with　the　greatest　difficulty　struggling　up
from　one　wave　before　she　was　buried　in　another。　just　before　sunset
the　bright　spot　for　which　we　had　been　on　the　look…out　made　its
appearance　in　the　southwest；　and　in　an　hour　afterward　we　perceived
the　little　headsail　we　carried　flapping　listlessly　against　the　mast。
In　two　minutes　more；　in　spite　of　every　preparation；　we　were　hurled　on
our　beam…ends；　as　if　by　magic；　and　a　perfect　wilderness　of　foam　made
a　clear　breach　over　us　as　we　lay。　The　blow　from　the　southwest；
however；　luckily　proved　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　squall；　and　we　had
the　good　fortune　to　right　the　vessel　without　the　loss　of　a　spar。　A
heavy　cross　sea　gave　us　great　trouble　for　a　few　hours　after　this；　but
toward　morning　we　found　ourselves　in　nearly　as　good　condition　as
before　the　gale。　Captain　Guy　considered　that　he　had　made　an　escape
little　less　than　miraculous。

　　　　On　the　thirteenth　of　October　we　came　in　sight　of　Prince　Edward's
Island；　in　latitude　46　degrees　53'　S。；　longitude　37　degrees　46'　E。
Two　days　afterward　we　found　ourselves　near　Possession　Island；　and
presently　passed　the　islands　of　Crozet；　in　latitude　42　degrees　59'
S。；　longitude　48　degrees　E。　On　the　eighteenth　we　made　Kerguelen's　or
Desolation　Island；　in　the　Southern　Indian　Ocean；　and　came　to　anchor
in　Christmas　Harbour；　having　four　fathoms　of　water。

　　　　This　island；　or　rather　group　of　islands；　bears　southeast　from　the
Cape　of　Good　Hope；　and　is　distant　therefrom　nearly　eight　hundred
leagues。　It　was　first　discovered　in　1772；　by　the　Baron　de　Kergulen；
or　Kerguelen；　a　Frenchman；　who；　thinking　the　land　to　form　a　portion
of　an　extensive　southern　continent　carried　home　information　to　that
effect；　which　produced　much　excitement　at　the　time。　The　government；
taking　the　matter　up；　sent　the　baron　back　in　the　following　year　for
the　purpose　of　giving　his　new　discovery　a　critical　examination；　when
the　mistake　was　discovered。　In　1777；　Captain　Cook　fell　in　with　the
same　group；　and　gave　to　the　principal　one　the　name　of　Desolation
Island；　a　title　which　it　certainly　well　deserves。　Upon　approaching
the　land；　however；　the　navigator　might　be　induced　to　suppose
otherwise；　as　the　sides　of　most　of　the　hills；　from　September　to
March；　are　clothed　with　very　brilliant　verdure。　This　deceitful
appearance　is　caused　by　a　small　plant　resembling　saxifrage；　which　is
abundant；　growing　in　large　patches　on　a　species　of　crumbling　moss。
Besides　this　plant　there　is　scarcely　a　sign　of　vegetation　on　the
island；　if　we　except　some　coarse　rank　grass　near　the　harbor；　some
lichen；　and　a　shrub　which　bears　resemblance　to　a　cabbage　shooting
into　seed；　and　which　has　a　bitter　and　acrid　taste。

　　　　The　face　of　the　country　is　hilly；　although　none　of　the　hills　can
be　called　lofty。　Their　tops　are　perpetually　covered　with　snow。　There
are　several　harbors；　of　which　Christmas　Harbour　is　the　most
convenient。　It　is　the　first　to　be　met　with　on　the　northeast　side　of
the　island　after　passing　Cape　Francois；　which　forms　the　northern
shore；　and；　by　its　peculiar　shape；　serves　to　distinguish　the　harbour。
Its　projecting　point　terminates　in　a　high　rock；　through　which　is　a
large　hole；　forming　a　natural　arch。　The　entrance　is　in　latitude　48
degrees　40'　S。；　longitude　69　degrees　6'　E。　Passing　in　here；　good
anchorage　may　be　found　under　the　shelter　of　several　small　islands；
which　form　a　sufficient　protection　from　all　easterly　winds。
Proceeding　on　eastwardly　from　this　anchorage　you　come　to　Wasp　Bay；　at
the　head　of　the　harbour。　This　is　a　small　basin；　completely
landlocked；　into　which　you　can　go　with　four　fathoms；　and　find
anchorage　in　from　ten　to　three；　hard　clay　bottom。　A　ship　might　lie
here　with　her　best　bower　ahead　all　the　year　round　without　risk。　To
the　westward；　at　the　head　of　Wasp　Bay；　is　a　small　stream　of　excellent
water；　easily　procured。

　　　　Some　seal　of　the　fur　and　hair　species　are　still　to　be　found　on
Kerguelen's　Island；　and　sea　elephants　abound。　The　feathered　tribes
are　discovered　in　great　numbers。　Penguins　are　very　plenty；　and　of
these　there　are　four　different　kinds。　The　royal　penguin；　so　called
from　its　size　and　beautiful　plumage；　is　the　largest。　The　upper　part
of　the　body　is　usually　gray；　sometimes　of　a　lilac　tint；　the　under
portion　of　the　purest　white　imaginable。　The　head　is　of　a　glossy　and
most　brilliant　black；　the　feet　also。　The　chief　beauty　of　plumage；
however；　consists　in　two　broad　stripes　of　a　gold　color；　which　pass
along　from　the　head　to　the　breast。　The　bill　is　long；　and　either　pink
or　bright　scarlet。　These　birds　walk　erect；　with　a　stately　carriage。
They　carry　their　heads　high　with　their　wings　drooping　like　two　arms；
and；　as　their　tails　project　from　their　body　in　a　line　with　the　legs；
the　resemblance　to　a　human　figure　is　very　striking；　and　would　be　apt
to　deceive　the　spectator　at　a　casual　glance　or　in　the　gloom　of　the
evening。　The　royal　penguins　which　we　met　with　on　Kerguelen's　Land
were　rather　larger　than　a　goose。　The　other　kinds　are　the　macaroni；
the　jackass；　and　the　rookery　penguin。　These　are　much　smaller；　less
beautiful　in　plumage；　and　different　in　other　respects。

　　　　Besides　the　penguin　many　other　birds　are　here　to　be　found；　among
which　may　be　mentioned　sea…hens；　blue　peterels；　teal；　ducks；　Port
Egmont　hens；　shags；　Cape　pigeons；　the　nelly；　sea　swallows；　terns；　sea
gulls；　Mother　Carey's　chickens；　Mother　Carey's　geese；　or　the　great
peterel；　and；　lastly；　the　albatross。

　　　　The　great　peterel　is　as　large　as　the　common　albatross；　and　is
carnivorou