the works of edgar allan poe-3-第32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！


accomplish　their　treacherous　ends。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that；　by　the
continuous　line　of　stakes；　a　partial　rupture　of　the　soil　had　been
brought　about　probably　to　the　depth　of　one　or　two　feet；　when　by　means
of　a　savage　pulling　at　the　end　of　each　of　the　cords　（these　cords
being　attached　to　the　tops　of　the　stakes；　and　extending　back　from　the
edge　of　the　cliff）；　a　vast　leverage　power　was　obtained；　capable　of
hurling　the　whole　face　of　the　hill；　upon　a　given　signal；　into　the
bosom　of　the　abyss　below。　The　fate　of　our　poor　companions　was　no
longer　a　matter　of　uncertainty。　We　alone　had　escaped　from　the　tempest
of　that　overwhelming　destruction。　We　were　the　only　living　white　men
upon　the　island。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　21　~~~

CHAPTER　22



　　　　OUR　situation；　as　it　now　appeared；　was　scarcely　less　dreadful
than　when　we　had　conceived　ourselves　entombed　forever。　We　saw　before
us　no　prospect　but　that　of　being　put　to　death　by　the　savages；　or　of
dragging　out　a　miserable　existence　in　captivity　among　them。　We　might；
to　be　sure；　conceal　ourselves　for　a　time　from　their　observation　among
the　fastnesses　of　the　hills；　and；　as　a　final　resort；　in　the　chasm
from　which　we　had　just　issued；　but　we　must　either　perish　in　the　long
polar　winter　through　cold　and　famine；　or　be　ultimately　discovered　in
our　efforts　to　obtain　relief。

　　　　　The　whole　country　around　us　seemed　to　be　swarming　with　savages；
crowds　of　whom；　we　now　perceived；　had　come　over　from　the　islands　to
the　southward　on　flat　rafts；　doubtless　with　a　view　of　lending　their
aid　in　the　capture　and　plunder　of　the　Jane。　The　vessel　still　lay
calmly　at　anchor　in　the　bay；　those　on　board　being　apparently　quite
unconscious　of　any　danger　awaiting　them。　How　we　longed　at　that　moment
to　be　with　them！　either　to　aid　in　effecting　their　escape；　or　to
perish　with　them　in　attempting　a　defence。　We　saw　no　chance　even　of
warning　them　of　their　danger　without　bringing　immediate　destruction
upon　our　own　heads；　with　but　a　remote　hope　of　benefit　to　them。　A
pistol　fired　might　suffice　to　apprise　them　that　something　wrong　had
occurred；　but　the　report　could　not　possibly　inform　them　that　their
only　prospect　of　safety　lay　in　getting　out　of　the　harbour　forthwith…
nor　tell　them　no　principles　of　honour　now　bound　them　to　remain；　that
their　companions　were　no　longer　among　the　living。　Upon　hearing　the
discharge　they　could　not　be　more　thoroughly　prepared　to　meet　the　foe；
who　were　now　getting　ready　to　attack；　than　they　already　were；　and
always　had　been。　No　good；　therefore；　and　infinite　harm；　would　result
from　our　firing；　and　after　mature　deliberation；　we　forbore。

　　　　Our　next　thought　was　to　attempt　to　rush　toward　the　vessel；　to
seize　one　of　the　four　canoes　which　lay　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　and
endeavour　to　force　a　passage　on　board。　But　the　utter　impossibility　of
succeeding　in　this　desperate　task　soon　became　evident。　The　country；
as　I　said　before；　was　literally　swarming　with　the　natives；　skulking
among　the　bushes　and　recesses　of　the　hills；　so　as　not　to　be　observed
from　the　schooner。　In　our　immediate　vicinity　especially；　and
blockading　the　sole　path　by　which　we　could　hope　to　attain　the　shore
at　the　proper　point　were　stationed　the　whole　party　of　the　black　skin
warriors；　with　Too…wit　at　their　head；　and　apparently　only　waiting　for
some　re…enforcement　to　commence　his　onset　upon　the　Jane。　The　canoes；
too；　which　lay　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　were　manned　with　savages；
unarmed；　it　is　true；　but　who　undoubtedly　had　arms　within　reach。　We
were　forced；　therefore；　however　unwillingly；　to　remain　in　our　place
of　concealment；　mere　spectators　of　the　conflict　which　presently
ensued。

　　　　　In　about　half　an　hour　we　saw　some　sixty　or　seventy　rafts；　or
flatboats；　with　outriggers；　filled　with　savages；　and　coming　round　the
southern　bight　of　the　harbor。　They　appeared　to　have　no　arms　except
short　clubs；　and　stones　which　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　rafts。
Immediately　afterward　another　detachment；　still　larger；　appeared　in
an　opposite　direction；　and　with　similar　weapons。　The　four　canoes；
too；　were　now　quickly　filled　with　natives；　starting　up　from　the
bushes　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　and　put　off　swiftly　to　join　the　other
parties。　Thus；　in　less　time　than　I　have　taken　to　tell　it；　and　as　if
by　magic；　the　Jane　saw　herself　surrounded　by　an　immense　multitude　of
desperadoes　evidently　bent　upon　capturing　her　at　all　hazards。

　　　　　That　they　would　succeed　in　so　doing　could　not　be　doubted　for　an
instant。　The　six　men　left　in　the　vessel；　however　resolutely　they
might　engage　in　her　defence；　were　altogether　unequal　to　the　proper
management　of　the　guns；　or　in　any　manner　to　sustain　a　contest　at　such
odds。　I　could　hardly　imagine　that　they　would　make　resistance　at　all；
but　in　this　was　deceived；　for　presently　I　saw　them　get　springs　upon
the　cable；　and　bring　the　vessel's　starboard　broadside　to　bear　upon
the　canoes；　which　by　this　time　were　within　pistol　range；　the　rafts
being　nearly　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　windward。　Owing　to　some　cause
unknown；　but　most　probably　to　the　agitation　of　our　poor　friends　at
seeing　themselves　in　so　hopeless　a　situation；　the　discharge　was　an
entire　failure。　Not　a　canoe　was　hit　or　a　single　savage　injured；　the
shots　striking　short　and　ricocheting　over　their　heads。　The　only
effect　produced　upon　them　was　astonishment　at　the　unexpected　report
and　smoke；　which　was　so　excessive　that　for　some　moments　I　almost
thought　they　would　abandon　their　design　entirely；　and　return　to　the
shore。　And　this　they　would　most　likely　have　done　had　our　men　followed
up　their　broadside　by　a　discharge　of　small　arms；　in　which；　as　the
canoes　were　now　so　near　at　hand；　they　could　not　have　failed　in　doing
some　execution；　sufficient；　at　least；　to　deter　this　party　from　a
farther　advance；　until　they　could　have　given　the　rafts　also　a
broadside。　But；　in　place　of　this；　they　left　the　canoe　party　to
recover　from　their　panic；　and；　by　looking　about　them；　to　see　that　no
injury　had　been　sustained；　while　they　flew　to　the　larboard　to　get
ready　for　the　rafts。

　　　　　The　discharge　to　larboard　produced　the　most　terrible　effect。　The
star　and　double…headed　shot　of　the　large　guns　cut　seven　or　eight　of
the　rafts　completely　asunder；　and　killed；　perhaps；　thirty　or　forty　of
the　savages　outright；　while　a　hundred　of　them；　at　least；　were　thrown
into　the　water；　the　most　of　them　dreadfully　wounded。　The　remainder；
frightened　out　of　their　senses；　commenced　at　once　a　precipitate
retreat；　not　even　waiting　to　pick　up　their　maimed　companions；　who
were　swimming　about　in　every　direction；　screaming　and　yelling　for
aid。　This　great　success；　however；　came　too　late　for　the　salvation　of
our　devoted　people。　The　canoe　party　were　already　on　board　the
schooner　to　the　number　of　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty；　the　most　of
them　having　succeeded　in　scrambling　up　the　chains　and　over　the
boarding…netting　even　before　the　matches　had　been　applied　to　the
larboard　guns。　Nothing　now　could　withstand　their　brute　rage。　Our　men
were　borne　down　at　once；　overwhelmed；　trodden　under　foot；　and
absolutely　torn　to　pieces　in　an　instant。

　　　　　Seeing　this；　the　savages　on　the　rafts　got　the　better　of　their
fears；　and　came　up　in　shoals　to　the　plunder。　In　five　minutes　the　Jane
was　a　pitiable　scene　indeed　of　havoc　and　tumultuous　outrage。　The
decks　were　split　open　and　ripped　up；　the　cordage；　sails；　and
everything　movable　on　deck　demolished　as　if　by　magic；　while；　by　dint
of　pushing　at　the　stern；　towing　with　the　canoes；　and　hauling　at　the
sides；　as　they　swam　in　thousands　around　the　vessel；　the　wretches
finally　forced　her　on　shore　（the　cable　having　been　slipped）；　and
delivered　her　over　to　the　good　offices　of　Too…wit；　who；　during　the
whole　of　the　engagement；　had　maintained；　like　a　skilful　general；　his
post　of　security　and　reconnaissance　among　the　hills；　but；　now　that
the　victory　was　completed　to　his　satisfaction；　condescended　to
scamper　down　with　his　warriors　of　the　black　skin；　and　become　a
partaker　in　the　spoils。

　　　　　Too…wit's　descent　left　us　at　liberty　to　quit　our　hiding　place
and　reconnoitre　the　hill　in　the　vicinity　of　the　chasm。　At　about　fifty
yards　from　the　mouth　of　it　we　saw　a　small　spring　of　water；　at　which
we　slaked　the　burning　thirst　that　now　consumed　us。　Not　far　from　the
spring　we　discovered　several　of　the　filbert…bushes　which　I　mentioned
before。　Upon　tasting　the　nuts　we　found　them　palatable；　and　very
nearly　resembling　in　flavour　the　common　English　filbert。　We　collected
our　hats　full　immediately；　deposited　them　within　the　ravine；　and
returned　for　more。　While　we　were　busily　employed　in　gathering　these；
a　rustling　in　the　bushes　alarmed　us；　and　we　were　upon　the　point　of
stealing　back　to　our　covert；　when　a　large　black　bird　of　the　bittern
species　strugglingly　and　slowly　arose　above　the　shrubs。　I　was　so　much
startled　that　I　could　do　nothing；　but　Peters　had　sufficient　presence
of　mind　to　run　up　to　it　before　it　could　make　its　escape；　and　seize　it
by　the　neck。　Its　struggles　and　screams　were　tremendous；　and　we　had
thoughts　of　letting　it　go；　lest　the　noise　should　alarm　some　of　the
savages　who　might　be　still　lurking　in　the　neighbourhood。　A　stab　with
a　bowie　knife；　however；　at　length　brought　it　to　the　ground；　and　we
dragged　it　into　the　ravine；　congratulating　ourselves　that；　at　all
events；　we　had　thus　obtained　a　supply　of　food　enough　to　last　us　for　a
week。

　　　　　We　now　went　out　again　to　look　about　us；　and　ventured　a
considerable　distance　down　the　southern　declivity　of　the　hill；　but
met　with　nothing　else　which　could　serve　us　for　food。　We　therefore
collected　a　quantity　of　dry　wood　and　returned；　seeing　one　or　two
large　parties　of　the　natives　on　their　way　to　the　village；　laden　with
the　plunder　of　the　vessel；　and　who；　we　were　apprehensive；　might
discover　us　in　passing　beneath　the　hill。

　　　　　Our　next　care　was　to　render　our　place　of　concealment　as　secure
as　possible；　and　with　this　object；　we　arranged　some　brushwood　over
the　aperture　which　I　have　before　spoken　of　as　the　one　through　which
we　saw　the　patch　of　blue　sky；　on　reaching　the　platform　from　the
interior　of　the　chasm。　We　left　only　a　very　small　opening　just　wide
enough　to　admit　of　our　seeing　the；　bay；　without　the　risk　of　being
discovered　from　below。　Having　done　this；　we　congratulated　ourselves
upon　the　security　of　the　position；　for　we　were　now　completely
excluded　from　observation；　as　long　as　we　chose　to　remain　within　the
ravine　itself；　and　not　venture　out　upon　the　hill；　We　could　perceive
no　traces　of　the　savages　having　ever　been　within　this　hollow；　but；
indeed；　when　we　came　to　reflect　upon　the　probability　that　the　fissure
through　which　we　attained　it　had　been　only　just　now　created　by　the
fall　of　the　cliff　opposite；　and　that　no　other　way　of　attaining　it
could　be　perceived；　we　were　not　so　much　rejoiced　at　the　thought　of
being　secure　from　molestation　as　fearful　lest　there　should　be
absolutely　no　means　left　us　for　descent。　We　resolved　to　explore　the
summit　of　the　hill　thoroughly；　when　a　good　opportunity　should　offer。
In　the　meantime　we　watched　the　motions　of　the　savages　through　our
loophole。

　　　　　They　had　already　made　a　complete　wreck　of　the　vessel；　and　were
now　preparing　to　set　her　on　fire。　In　a　little　while　we　saw　the　smoke
ascending　in　huge　volumes　from　her　main　hatchway；　and；　sho