the works of edgar allan poe-3-第30章

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mentioned　a　species　of　shellfish　resembling　the　mussel　in　shape；　but
with　the　taste　of　an　oyster。　Shrimps；　too；　and　prawns　were　abundant；
and　albatross　and　other　birds'　eggs　with　dark　shells。　We　took　in；
too；　a　plentiful　stock　of　the　flesh　of　the　hog　which　I　have　mentioned
before。　Most　of　the　men　found　it　a　palatable　food；　but　I　thought　it
fishy　and　otherwise　disagreeable。　In　return　for　these　good　things　we
presented　the　natives　with　blue　beads；　brass　trinkets；　nails；　knives；
and　pieces　of　red　cloth；　they　being　fully　delighted　in　the　exchange。
We　established　a　regular　market　on　shore；　just　under　the　guns　of　the
schooner；　where　our　barterings　were　carried　on　with　every　appearance
of　good　faith；　and　a　degree　of　order　which　their　conduct　at　the
village　of　_Klock…klock_　had　not　led　us　to　expect　from　the　savages。

　　　　Matters　went　on　thus　very　amicably　for　several　days；　during　which
parties　of　the　natives　were　frequently　on　board　the　schooner；　and
parties　of　our　men　frequently　on　shore；　making　long　excursions　into
the　interior；　and　receiving　no　molestation　whatever。　Finding　the　ease
with　which　the　vessel　might　be　loaded　with　_biche　de　mer_；　owing　to
the　friendly　disposition　of　the　islanders；　and　the　readiness　with
which　they　would　render　us　assistance　in　collecting　it；　Captain　Guy
resolved　to　enter　into　negotiations　with　Too…wit　for　the　erection　of
suitable　houses　in　which　to　cure　the　article；　and　for　the　services　of
himself　and　tribe　in　gathering　as　much　as　possible；　while　he　himself
took　advantage　of　the　fine　weather　to　prosecute　his　voyage　to　the
southward。　Upon　mentioning　this　project　to　the　chief　he　seemed　very
willing　to　enter　into　an　agreement。　A　bargain　was　accordingly　struck；
perfectly　satisfactory　to　both　parties；　by　which　it　was　arranged
that；　after　making　the　necessary　preparations；　such　as　laying　off　the
proper　grounds；　erecting　a　portion　of　the　buildings；　and　doing　some
other　work　in　which　the　whole　of　our　crew　would　be　required；　the
schooner　should　proceed　on　her　route；　leaving　three　of　her　men　on　the
island　to　superintend　the　fulfilment　of　the　project；　and　instruct　the
natives　in　drying　the　_biche　de　mer_。　In　regard　to　terms；　these　were
made　to　depend　upon　the　exertions　of　the　savages　in　our　absence。　They
were　to　receive　a　stipulated　quantity　of　blue　beads；　knives；　red
cloth；　and　so　forth；　for　every　certain　number　of　piculs　of　the　_biche
de　mer_　which　should　be　ready　on　our　return。

　　　　A　description　of　the　nature　of　this　important　article　of
commerce；　and　the　method　of　preparing　it；　may　prove　of　some　interest
to　my　readers；　and　I　can　find　no　more　suitable　place　than　this　for
introducing　an　account　of　it。　The　following　comprehensive　notice　of
the　substance　is　taken　from　a　modern　history　of　a　voyage　to　the　South
Seas。

　　　　〃It　is　that　_mollusca_　from　the　Indian　Seas　which　is　known　to
commerce　by　the　French　name　_bouche　de　mer_　（a　nice　morsel　from　the
sea）。　If　I　am　not　much　mistaken；　the　celebrated　Cuvier　calls　it
_gasteropeda　pulmonifera_。　It　is　abundantly　gathered　in　the　coasts　of
the　Pacific　islands；　and　gathered　especially　for　the　Chinese　market；
where　it　commands　a　great　price；　perhaps　as　much　as　their
much…talked…of　edible　birds'　nests；　which　are　properly　made　up　of　the
gelatinous　matter　picked　up　by　a　species　of　swallow　from　the　body　of
these　molluscae。　They　have　no　shell；　no　legs；　nor　any　prominent　part；
except　an　_absorbing_　and　an　_excretory_；　opposite　organs；　but；　by
their　elastic　wings；　like　caterpillars　or　worms；　they　creep　in
shallow　waters；　in　which；　when　low；　they　can　be　seen　by　a　kind　of
swallow；　the　sharp　bill　of　which；　inserted　in　the　soft　animal；　draws
a　gummy　and　filamentous　substance；　which；　by　drying；　can　be　wrought
into　the　solid　walls　of　their　nest。　Hence　the　name　of　_gasteropeda
pulmonifera_。

　　　　〃This　mollusca　is　oblong；　and　of　different　sizes；　from　three　to
eighteen　inches　in　length；　and　I　have　seen　a　few　that　were　not　less
than　two　feet　long。　They　were　nearly　round；　a　little　flattish　on　one
side；　which　lies　next　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　and　they　are　from　one
to　eight　inches　thick。　They　crawl　up　into　shallow　water　at　particular
seasons　of　the　year；　probably　for　the　purpose　of　gendering；　as　we
often　find　them　in　pairs。　It　is　when　the　sun　has　the　most　power　on
the　water；　rendering　it　tepid；　that　they　approach　the　shore；　and　they
often　go　up　into　places　so　shallow　that；　on　the　tide's　receding；　they
are　left　dry；　exposed　to　the　beat　of　the　sun。　But　they　do　not　bring
forth　their　young　in　shallow　water；　as　we　never　see　any　of　their
progeny；　and　full…grown　ones　are　always　observed　coming　in　from　deep
water。　They　feed　principally　on　that　class　of　zoophytes　which　produce
the　coral。

　　　　〃The　_biche　de　mer_　is　generally　taken　in　three　or　four　feet　of
water；　after　which　they　are　brought　on　shore；　and　split　at　one　end
with　a　knife；　the　incision　being　one　inch　or　more；　according　to　the
size　of　the　mollusca。　Through　this　opening　the　entrails　are　forced
out　by　pressure；　and　they　are　much　like　those　of　any　other　small
tenant　of　　the　deep。　The　article　is　then　washed；　and　afterward　boiled
to　a　certain　degree；　which　must　not　be　too　much　or　too　little。　They
are　then　buried　in　the　ground　for　four　hours；　then　boiled　again　for　a
short　time；　after　which　they　are　dried；　either　by　the　fire　or　the
sun。　Those　cured　by　the　sun　are　worth　the　most；　but　where　one　picul
（133　1/3　lbs。）　can　be　cured　that　way；　I　can　cure　thirty　piculs　by　the
fire。　When　once　properly　cured；　they　can　be　kept　in　a　dry　place　for
two　or　three　years　without　any　risk；　but　they　should　be　examined　once
in　every　few　months；　say　four　times　a　year；　to　see　if　any　dampness　is
likely　to　affect　them。

　　　　〃The　Chinese；　as　before　stated；　consider　_biche　de　mer_　a　very
great　luxury；　believing　that　it　wonderfully　strengthens　and　nourishes
the　system；　and　renews　the　exhausted　system　of　the　immoderate
voluptuary。　The　first　quality　commands　a　high　price　in　Canton；　being
worth　ninety　dollars　a　picul；　the　second　quality；　seventy…five
dollars；　the　third；　fifty　dollars；　the　fourth；　thirty　dollars；　the
fifth；　twenty　dollars；　the　sixth；　twelve　dollars；　the　seventh；　eight
dollars；　and　the　eighth；　four　dollars；　small　cargoes；　however；　will
often　bring　more　in　Manilla；　Singapore；　and　Batavia。〃

　　　　An　agreement　having　been　thus　entered　into；　we　proceeded
immediately　to　land　everything　necessary　for　preparing　the　buildings
and　clearing　the　ground。　A　large　flat　space　near　the　eastern　shore　of
the　bay　was　selected；　where　there　was　plenty　of　both　wood　and　water；
and　within　a　convenient　distance　of　the　principal　reefs　on　which　the
_biche　de　mer_　was　to　be　procured。　We　now　all　set　to　work　in　good
earnest；　and　soon；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　savages；　had
felled　a　sufficient　number　of　trees　for　our　purpose；　getting　them
quickly　in　order　for　the　framework　of　the　houses；　which　in　two　or
three　days　were　so　far　under　way　that　we　could　safely　trust　the　rest
of　the　work　to　the　three　men　whom　we　intended　to　leave　behind。　These
were　John　Carson；　Alfred　Harris；　and　___　Peterson　（all　natives　of
London；　I　believe）；　who　volunteered　their　services　in　this　respect。

　　　　By　the　last　of　the　month　we　had　everything　in　readiness　for
departure。　We　had　agreed；　however；　to　pay　a　formal　visit　of
leave…taking　to　the　village；　and　Too…wit　insisted　so　pertinaciously
upon　our　keeping　the　promise　that　we　did　not　think　it　advisable　to
run　the　risk　of　offending　him　by　a　final　refusal。　I　believe　that　not
one　of　us　had　at　this　time　the　slightest　suspicion　of　the　good　faith
of　the　savages。　They　had　uniformly　behaved　with　the　greatest　decorum；
aiding　us　with　alacrity　in　our　work；　offering　us　their　commodities；
frequently　without　price；　and　never；　in　any　instance；　pilfering　a
single　article；　although　the　high　value　they　set　upon　the　goods　we
had　with　us　was　evident　by　the　extravagant　demonstrations　of　joy
always　manifested　upon　our　making　them　a　present。　The　women
especially　were　most　obliging　in　every　respect；　and；　upon　the　whole；
we　should　have　been　the　most　suspicious　of　human　beings　had　we
entertained　a　single　thought　of　perfidy　on　the　part　of　a　people　who
treated　us　so　well。　A　very　short　while　sufficed　to　prove　that　this
apparent　kindness　of　disposition　was　only　the　result　of　a　deeply　laid
plan　for　our　destruction；　and　that　the　islanders　for　whom　we
entertained　such　inordinate　feelings　of　esteem；　were　among　the　most
barbarous；　subtle；　and　bloodthirsty　wretches　that　ever　contaminated
the　face　of　the　globe。

　　　　It　was　on　the　first　of　February　that　we　went　on　shore　for　the
purpose　of　visiting　the　village。　Although；　as　said　before；　we
entertained　not　the　slightest　suspicion；　still　no　proper　precaution
was　neglected。　Six　men　were　left　in　the　schooner；　with　instructions
to　permit　none　of　the　savages　to　approach　the　vessel　during　our
absence；　under　any　pretence　whatever；　and　to　remain　constantly　on
deck。　The　boarding…nettings　were　up；　the　guns　double…shotted　with
grape　and　canister；　and　the　swivels　loaded　with　canisters　of
musket…balls。　She　lay；　with　her　anchor　apeak；　about　a　mile　from　the
shore；　and　no　canoe　could　approach　her　in　any　direction　without　being
distinctly　seen　and　exposed　to　the　full　fire　of　our　swivels
immediately。

　　　　The　six　men　being　left　on　board；　our　shore…party　consisted　of
thirty。　two　persons　in　all。　We　were　armed　to　the　teeth；　having　with
us　muskets；　pistols；　and　cutlasses；　besides；　each　had　a　long　kind　of
seaman's　knife；　somewhat　resembling　the　bowie　knife　now　so　much　used
throughout　our　western　and　southern　country。　A　hundred　of　the　black
skin　warriors　met　us　at　the　landing　for　the　purpose　of　accompanying
us　on　our　way。　We　noticed；　however；　with　some　surprise；　that　they
were　now　entirely　without　arms；　and；　upon　questioning　Too…wit　in
relation　to　this　circumstance；　he　merely　answered　that　_Mattee　non　we
pa　pa　si_　　meaning　that　there　was　no　need　of　arms　where　all　were
brothers。　We　took　this　in　good　part；　and　proceeded。

　　　　We　had　passed　the　spring　and　rivulet　of　which　I　before　spoke；　and
were　now　entering　upon　a　narrow　gorge　leading　through　the　chain　of
soapstone　hills　among　which　the　village　was　situated。　This　gorge　was
very　rocky　and　uneven；　so　much　so　that　it　was　with　no　little
difficulty　we　scrambled　through　it　on　our　first　visit　to　Klock…klock。
The　whole　length　of　the　ravine　might　have　been　a　mile　and　a　half；　or
probably　two　miles。　It　wound　in　every　possible　direction　through　the
hills　（having　apparently　formed；　at　some　remote　period；　the　bed　of　a
torrent）；　in　no　instance　proceeding　more　than　twenty　yards　without　an
abrupt　turn。　The　sides　of　this　dell　would　have　averaged；　I　am　sure；
seventy　or　eighty　feet　in　perpendicular　altitude　throughout　the　whole
of　their　extent；　and　in　some　portions　they　arose　to　an　astonishing
height；　overshadowing　the　pass　so　completely　that　but　little　of　the
light　of　day　could　penetrate。　The　general　width　was　about　forty　feet；
and　occasionally　it　diminished　so　as　not　to　allow　the　passage　of　more
than　five　or　six　persons　abreast。　In　short；　there　could　be　no　place
in　the　world　better　adapted　for　the　consummation　of　an　ambuscade；　and
it　was　no　more　than　natural　that　we　should　look　carefully　to　our