the works of edgar allan poe-3-第33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！


ascending　in　huge　volumes　from　her　main　hatchway；　and；　shortly
afterward；　a　dense　mass　of　flame　burst　up　from　the　forecastle。　The
rigging；　masts　and　what　remained　of　the　sails　caught　immediately；　and
the　fire　spread　rapidly　along　the　decks。　Still　a　great　many　of　the
savages　retained　their　stations　about　her；　hammering　with　large
stones；　axes；　and　cannon　balls　at　the　bolts　and　other　iron　and　copper
work。　On　the　beach；　and　in　canoes　and　rafts；　there　were　not　less；
altogether；　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　the　schooner；　than　ten
thousand　natives；　besides　the　shoals　of　them　who；　laden　with　booty；
were　making　their　way　inland　and　over　to　the　neighbouring　islands。　We
now　anticipated　a　catastrophe；　and　were　not　disappointed。　First　of
all　there　came　a　smart　shock　（which　we　felt　as　distinctly　where　we
were　as　if　we　had　been　slightly　galvanized）；　but　unattended　with　any
visible　signs　of　an　explosion。　The　savages　were　evidently　startled；
and　paused　for　an　instant　from　their　labours　and　yellings。　They　were
upon　the　point　of　recommencing；　when　suddenly　a　mass　of　smoke　puffed
up　from　the　decks；　resembling　a　black　and　heavy　thundercloud…　then；
as　if　from　its　bowels；　arose　a　tall　stream　of　vivid　fire　to　the
height；　apparently；　of　a　quarter　of　a　mile…　then　there　came　a　sudden
circular　expansion　of　the　flame…　then　the　whole　atmosphere　was
magically　crowded；　in　a　single　instant；　with　a　wild　chaos　of　wood；
and　metal；　and　human　limbs…and；　lastly；　came　the　concussion　in　its
fullest　fury；　which　hurled　us　impetuously　from　our　feet；　while　the
hills　echoed　and　re…echoed　the　tumult；　and　a　dense　shower　of　the
minutest　fragments　of　the　ruins　tumbled　headlong　in　every　direction
around　us。

　　　　　The　havoc　among　the　savages　far　exceeded　our　utmost　expectation；
and　they　had　now；　indeed；　reaped　the　full　and　perfect　fruits　of　their
treachery。　Perhaps　a　thousand　perished　by　the　explosion；　while　at
least　an　equal　number　were　desperately　mangled。　The　whole　surface　of
the　bay　was　literally　strewn　with　the　struggling　and　drowning
wretches；　and　on　shore　matters　were　even　worse。　They　seemed　utterly
appalled　by　the　suddenness　and　completeness　of　their　discomfiture；
and　made　no　efforts　at　assisting　one　another。　At　length　we　observed　a
total　change　in　their　demeanour。　From　absolute　stupor；　they　appeared
to　be；　all　at　once；　aroused　to　the　highest　pitch　of　excitement；　and
rushed　wildly　about；　going　to　and　from　a　certain　point　on　the　beach；
with　the　strangest　expressions　of　mingled　horror；　rage；　and　intense
curiosity　depicted　on　their　countenances；　and　shouting；　at　the　top　of
their　voices；　〃Tekeli…li！　Tekeli…li！〃

　　　　　Presently　we　saw　a　large　body　go　off　into　the　hills；　whence　they
returned　in　a　short　time；　carrying　stakes　of　wood。　These　they　brought
to　the　station　where　the　crowd　was　the　thickest；　which　now　separated
so　as　to　afford　us　a　view　of　the　object　of　all　this　excitement。　We
perceived　something　white　lying　upon　the　ground；　but　could　not
immediately　make　out　what　it　was。　At　length　we　saw　that　it　was　the
carcass　of　the　strange　animal　with　the　scarlet　teeth　and　claws　which
the　schooner　had　picked　up　at　sea　on　the　eighteenth　of　January。
Captain　Guy　had　had　the　body　preserved　for　the　purpose　of　stuffing
the　skin　and　taking　it　to　England。　I　remember　he　had　given　some
directions　about　it　just　before　our　making　the　island；　and　it　had
been　brought　into　the　cabin　and　stowed　away　in　one　of　the　lockers。　It
had　now　been　thrown　on　shore　by　the　explosion；　but　why　it　had
occasioned　so　much　concern　among　the　savages　was　more　than　we　could
comprehend。　Although　they　crowded　around　the　carcass　at　a　little
distance；　none　of　them　seemed　willing　to　approach　it　closely。
By…and…by　the　men　with　the　stakes　drove　them　in　a　circle　around　it；
and　no　sooner　was　this　arrangement　completed；　than　the　whole　of　the
vast　assemblage　rushed　into　the　interior　of　the　island；　with　loud
screams　of　〃Tekeli…li！　Tekeli…li！〃

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　22　~~~

CHAPTER　23



　　　　DURING　　the　six　or　seven　days　immediately　following　we　remained
in　our　hiding…place　upon　the　hill；　going　out　only　occasionally；　and
then　with　the　greatest　precaution；　for　water　and　filberts。　We　had
made　a　kind　of　penthouse　on　the　platform；　furnishing　it　with　a　bed　of
dry　leaves；　and　placing　in　it　three　large　flat　stones；　which　served
us　for　both　fireplace　and　table。　We　kindled　a　fire　without　difficulty
by　rubbing　two　pieces　of　dry　wood　together；　the　one　soft；　the　other
hard。　The　bird　we　had　taken　in　such　good　season　proved　excellent
eating；　although　somewhat　tough。　It　was　not　an　oceanic　fowl；　but　a
species　of　bittern；　with　jet　black　and　grizzly　plumage；　and
diminutive　wings　in　proportion　to　its　bulk。　We　afterward　saw　three　of
the　same　kind　in　the　vicinity　of　the　ravine；　apparently　seeking　for
the　one　we　had　captured；　but；　as　they　never　alighted；　we　had　no
opportunity　of　catching　them。

　　　　As　long　as　this　fowl　lasted　we　suffered　nothing　from　our
situation；　but　it　was　now　entirely　consumed；　and　it　became　absolutely
necessary　that　we　should　look　out　for　provision。　The　filberts　would
not　satisfy　the　cravings　of　hunger；　afflicting　us；　too；　with　severe
gripings　of　the　bowels；　and；　if　freely　indulged　in；　with　violent
headache。　We　had　seen　several　large　tortoises　near　the　seashore　to
the　eastward　of　the　hill；　and　perceived　they　might　be　easily　taken；
if　we　could　get　at　them　without　the　observation　of　the　natives。　It
was　resolved；　therefore；　to　make　an　attempt　at　descending。

　　　　We　commenced　by　going　down　the　southern　declivity；　which　seemed
to　offer　the　fewest　difficulties；　but　had　not　proceeded　a　hundred
yards　before　（as　we　had　anticipated　from　appearances　on　the　hilltop）
our　progress　was　entirely　arrested　by　a　branch　of　the　gorge　in　which
our　companions　had　perished。　We　now　passed　along　the　edge　of　this　for
about　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　when　we　were　again　stopped　by　a　precipice
of　immense　depth；　and；　not　being　able　to　make　our　way　along　the　brink
of　it；　we　were　forced　to　retrace　our　steps　by　the　main　ravine。

　　　　We　now　pushed　over　to　the　eastward；　but　with　precisely　similar
fortune。　After　an　hour's　scramble；　at　the　risk　of　breaking　our　necks；
we　discovered　that　we　had　merely　descended　into　a　vast　pit　of　black
granite；　with　fine　dust　at　the　bottom；　and　whence　the　only　egress　was
by　the　rugged　path　in　which　we　had　come　down。　Toiling　again　up　this
path；　we　now　tried　the　northern　edge　of　the　hill。　Here　we　were
obliged　to　use　the　greatest　possible　caution　in　our　maneuvers；　as　the
least　indiscretion　would　expose　us　to　the　full　view　of　the　savages　in
the　village。　We　crawled　along；　therefore；　on　our　hands　and　knees；
and；　occasionally；　were　even　forced　to　throw　ourselves　at　full
length；　dragging　our　bodies　along　by　means　of　the　shrubbery。　In　this
careful　manner　we　had　proceeded　but　a　little　way；　when　we　arrived　at
a　chasm　far　deeper　than　any　we　had　yet　seen；　and　leading　directly
into　the　main　gorge。　Thus　our　fears　were　fully　confirmed；　and　we
found　ourselves　cut　off　entirely　from　access　to　the　world　below。
Thoroughly　exhausted　by　our　exertions；　we　made　the　best　of　our　way
back　to　the　platform；　and　throwing　ourselves　upon　the　bed　of　leaves；
slept　sweetly　and　soundly　for　some　hours。

　　　　For　several　days　after　this　fruitless　search　we　were　occupied　in
exploring　every　part　of　the　summit　of　the　hill；　in　order　to　inform
ourselves　of　its　actual　resources。　We　found　that　it　would　afford　us
no　food；　with　the　exception　of　the　unwholesome　filberts；　and　a　rank
species　of　scurvy　grass；　which　grew　in　a　little　patch　of　not　more
than　four　rods　square；　and　would　be　soon　exhausted。　On　the　fifteenth
of　February；　as　near　as　I　can　remember；　there　was　not　a　blade　of　this
left；　and　the　nuts　were　growing　scarce；　our　situation；　therefore；
could　hardly　be　more　lamentable。　｛*5｝　On　the　sixteenth　we　again　went
round　the　walls　of　our　prison；　in　hope　of　finding　some　avenue　of
escape；　but　to　no　purpose。　We　also　descended　the　chasm　in　which　we
had　been　overwhelmed；　with　the　faint　expectation　of　discovering；
through　this　channel；　some　opening　to　the　main　ravine。　Here；　too；　we
were　disappointed；　although　we　found　and　brought　up　with　us　a　musket。

　　　　On　the　seventeenth　we　set　out　with　the　determination　of　examining
more　thoroughly　the　chasm　of　black　granite　into　which　we　had　made　our
way　in　the　first　search。　We　remembered　that　one　of　the　fissures　in
the　sides　of　this　pit　had　been　but　partially　looked　into；　and　we　were
anxious　to　explore　it；　although　with　no　expectation　of　discovering
here　any　opening。

　　　　We　found　no　great　difficulty　in　reaching　the　bottom　of　the　hollow
as　before；　and　were　now　sufficiently　calm　to　survey　it　with　some
attention。　It　was；　indeed；　one　of　the　most　singular…looking　places
imaginable；　and　we　could　scarcely　bring　ourselves　to　believe　it
altogether　the　work　of　nature。　The　pit；　from　its　eastern　to　its
western　extremity；　was　about　five　hundred　yards　in　length；　when　all
its　windings　were　threaded；　the　distance　from　east　to　west　in　a
straight　line　not　being　more　（I　should　suppose；　having　no　means　of
accurate　examination）　than　forty　or　fifty　yards。　Upon　first
descending　into　the　chasm；　that　is　to　say；　for　a　hundred　feet
downward　from　the　summit　of　the　hill；　the　sides　of　the　abyss　bore
little　resemblance　to　each　other；　and；　apparently；　had　at　no　time
been　connected；　the　one　surface　being　of　the　soapstone；　and　the　other
of　marl；　granulated　with　some　metallic　matter。　The　average　breadth　or
interval　between　the　two　cliffs　was　probably　here　sixty　feet；　but
there　seemed　to　be　no　regularity　of　formation。　Passing　down；　however；
beyond　the　limit　spoken　of；　the　interval　rapidly　contracted；　and　the
sides　began　to　run　parallel；　although；　for　some　distance　farther；
they　were　still　dissimilar　in　their　material　and　form　of　surface。
Upon　arriving　within　fifty　feet　of　the　bottom；　a　perfect　regularity
commenced。　The　sides　were　now　entirely　uniform　in　substance；　in
colour；　and　in　lateral　direction；　the　material　being　a　very　black　and
shining　granite；　and　the　distance　between　the　two　sides；　at　all
points　facing　each　other；　exactly　twenty　yards。　The　precise　formation
of　the　chasm　will　be　best　understood　by　means　of　a　delineation　taken
upon　the　spot；　for　I　had　luckily　with　me　a　pocketbook　and　pencil；
which　I　preserved　with　great　care　through　a　long　series　of　subsequent
adventure；　and　to　which　I　am　indebted　for　memoranda　of　many　subjects
which　would　otherwise　have　been　crowded　from　my　remembrance。

　　　　This　figure　（see　figure　1）　｛image｝　gives　the　general　outlines　of
the　chasm；　without　the　minor　cavities　in　the　sides；　of　which　there
were　several；　each　cavity　having　a　corresponding　protuberance
opposite。　The　bottom　of　the　gulf　was　covered　to　the　depth　of　three　or
four　inches　with　a　powder　almost　impalpable；　beneath　which　we　found　a
continuation　of　the　black　granite。　To　the　right；　at　the　lower
extremity；　will　be　noticed　the　appearance　of　a　small　opening；　this　is
the　fissure　alluded　to　above；　and　to　examine　which　more　minutely　than
before　was　the　object　of　our　second　visit。　We　now　pushed　into　it　with
vigor；　cutting　away　a　quantity　of　brambles　which　impeded　us；　and
removing　a　vast　heap　of　sharp　flints　somewhat　resembling　arrowheads