south sea tales- 第24部分

like　a　mill　pond。〃



〃But　we're　here；　ain't　we？〃　the　first　mate　demanded。　〃That's　the　point。　We're

here；　and　we've　got　to　do　something。〃



McCoy　shook　his　head　kindly。



〃You　can　do　nothing　here。　There　is　no　beach。　There　isn't　even　anchorage。〃



〃Gammon！〃　said　the　mate。　〃Gammon！〃　he　repeated　loudly；　as　the　captain　signaled

him　to　be　more　soft　spoken。　〃You　can't　tell　me　that　sort　of　stuff。　Where　d'ye

keep　your　own　boats；　heyyour　schooner；　or　cutter；　or　whatever　you　have？　Hey？

Answer　me　that。〃



McCoy　smiled　as　gently　as　he　spoke。　His　smile　was　a　caress；　an　embrace　that

surrounded　the　tired　mate　and　sought　to　draw　him　into　the　quietude　and　rest　of

McCoy's　tranquil　soul。



〃We　have　no　schooner　or　cutter；〃　he　replied。　〃And　we　carry　our　canoes　to　the

top　of　the　cliff。〃



〃You've　got　to　show　me；〃　snorted　the　mate。　〃How　d'ye　get　around　to　the　other

islands；　heh？　Tell　me　that。〃



〃We　don't　get　around。　As　governor　of　Pitcairn；　I　sometimes　go。　　When　I　was

younger；　I　was　away　a　great　dealsometimes　on　the　trading　schooners；　but

mostly　on　the　missionary　brig。　But　she's　gone　now；　and　we　depend　on　passing

vessels。　Sometimes　we　have　had　as　high　as　six　calls　in　one　year。　At　other

times；　a　year；　and　even　longer；　has　gone　by　without　one　passing　ship。　Yours　is

the　first　in　seven　months。〃



〃And　you　mean　to　tell　me〃　the　mate　began。



But　Captain　Davenport　interfered。



〃Enough　of　this。　We're　losing　time。　What　is　to　be　done；　Mr。　McCoy？〃



The　old　man　turned　his　brown　eyes；　sweet　as　a　woman's；　shoreward；　and　both

captain　and　mate　followed　his　gaze　around　from　the　lonely　rock　of　Pitcairn　to

the　crew　clustering　forward　and　waiting　anxiously　for　the　announcement　of　a

decision。　'mcCoy　did　not　hurry。　He　thought　smoothly　and　slowly；　step　by　step；

with　the　certitude　of　a　mind　that　was　never　vexed　or　outraged　by　life。



〃The　wind　is　light　now；〃　he　said　finally。　〃There　is　a　heavy　current　setting　to

the　westward。〃



〃That's　what　made　us　fetch　to　leeward；〃　the　captain　interrupted；　desiring　to

vindicate　his　seamanship。



〃Yes；　that　is　what　fetched　you　to　leeward；〃　McCoy　went　on。　　〃Well；　you　can't

work　up　against　this　current　today。　And　if　you　did；　there　is　no　beach。　Your

ship　will　be　a　total　loss。〃



He　paused；　and　captain　and　mate　looked　despair　at　each　other。



〃But　I　will　tell　you　what　you　can　do。　The　breeze　will　freshen　tonight　around

midnightsee　those　tails　of　clouds　and　that　thickness　to　windward；　beyond　the

point　there？　That's　where　she'll　come　from；　out　of　the　southeast；　hard。　It　is

three　hundred　miles　to　Mangareva。　Square　away　for　it。　There　is　a　beautiful　bed

for　your　ship　there。〃



The　mate　shook　his　head。



〃Come　in　to　the　cabin；　and　we'll　look　at　the　chart；〃　said　the　captain。



McCoy　found　a　stifling；　poisonous　atmosphere　in　the　pent　cabin。　　Stray

waftures　of　invisible　gases　bit　his　eyes　and　made　them　sting。　The　deck　was

hotter；　almost　unbearably　hot　to　his　bare　feet。　The　sweat　poured　out　of　his

body。　He　looked　almost　with　apprehension　about　him。　This　malignant；　internal

heat　was　astounding。　It　was　a　marvel　that　the　cabin　did　not　burst　into　flames。

He　had　a　feeling　as　if　of　being　in　a　huge　bake　oven　where　the　heat　might　at

any　moment　increase　tremendously　and　shrivel　him　up　like　a　blade　of　grass。



As　he　lifted　one　foot　and　rubbed　the　hot　sole　against　the　leg　of　his　trousers；

the　mate　laughed　in　a　savage；　snarling　fashion。



〃The　anteroom　of　hell；〃　he　said。　〃Hell　herself　is　right　down　there　under　your

feet。〃



〃It's　hot！〃　McCoy　cried　involuntarily；　mopping　his　face　with　a　bandana

handkerchief。



〃Here's　Mangareva；〃　the　captain　said；　bending　over　the　table　and　pointing　to　a

black　speck　in　the　midst　of　the　white　blankness　of　the　chart。　〃And　here；　in

between；　is　another　island。　Why　not　run　for　that？〃



McCoy　did　not　look　at　the　chart。



〃That's　Crescent　Island；〃　he　answered。　〃It　is　uninhabited；　and　it　is　only　two

or　three　feet　above　water。　Lagoon；　but　no　entrance。　No；　Mangareva　is　the

nearest　place　for　your　purpose。〃



〃Mangareva　it　is；　then；〃　said　Captain　Davenport；　interrupting　the　mate's

growling　objection。　〃Call　the　crew　aft；　Mr。　Konig。〃



The　sailors　obeyed；　shuffling　wearily　along　the　deck　and　painfully　endeavoring

to　make　haste。　Exhaustion　was　evident　in　every　movement。　The　cook　came　out　of

his　galley　to　hear；　and　the　cabin　boy　hung　about　near　him。



When　Captain　Davenport　had　explained　the　situation　and　announced　his　intention

of　running　for　Mangareva；　an　uproar　broke　out。　　Against　a　background　of

throaty　rumbling　arose　inarticulate　cries　of　rage；　with　here　and　there　a

distinct　curse；　or　word；　or　phrase。　A　shrill　Cockney　voice　soared　and

dominated　for　a　moment；　crying：　〃Gawd！　After　bein'　in　ell　for　fifteen

daysan'　now　e　wants　us　to　sail　this　floatin'　ell　to　sea　again？〃



The　captain　could　not　control　them；　but　McCoy's　gentle　presence　seemed　to

rebuke　and　calm　them；　and　the　muttering　and　cursing　died　away；　until　the　full

crew；　save　here　and　there　an　anxious　face　directed　at　the　captain；　yearned

dumbly　toward　the　green　clad　peaks　and　beetling　coast　of　Pitcairn。



Soft　as　a　spring　zephyr　was　the　voice　of　McCoy：



〃Captain；　I　thought　I　heard　some　of　them　say　they　were　starving。〃



〃Ay；〃　was　the　answer；　〃and　so　we　are。　I've　had　a　sea　biscuit　and　a　spoonful　of

salmon　in　the　last　two　days。　We're　on　whack。　You　see；　when　we　discovered　the

fire；　we　battened　down　immediately　to　suffocate　the　fire。　And　then　we　found

how　little　food　there　was　in　the　pantry。　But　it　was　too　late。　We　didn't　dare

break　out　the　lazarette。　Hungry？　I'm　just　as　hungry　as　they　are。〃



He　spoke　to　the　men　again；　and　again　the　throat　rumbling　and　cursing　arose；

their　faces　convulsed　and　animal…like　with　rage。　　The　second　and　third　mates

had　joined　the　captain；　standing　behind　him　at　the　break　of　the　poop。　Their

faces　were　set　and　expressionless；　they　seemed　bored；　more　than　anything　else；

by　this　mutiny　of　the　crew。　Captain　Davenport　glanced　questioningly　at　his

first　mate；　and　that　person　merely　shrugged　his　shoulders　in　token　of　his

helplessness。



〃You　see；〃　the　captain　said　to　McCoy；　〃you　can't　compel　sailors　to　leave　the

safe　land　and　go　to　sea　on　a　burning　vessel。　She　has　been　their　floating

coffin　for　over　two　weeks　now。　They　are　worked　out；　and　starved　out；　and

they've　got　enough　of　her。　　We'll　beat　up　for　Pitcairn。〃



But　the　wind　was　light；　the　Pyrenees'　bottom　was　foul；　and　she　could　not　beat

up　against　the　strong　westerly　current。　At　the　end　of　two　hours　she　had　lost

three　miles。　The　sailors　worked　eagerly；　as　if　by　main　strength　they　could

compel　the　PYRENEES　against　the　adverse　elements。　But　steadily；　port　tack　and

starboard　tack；　she　sagged　off　to　the　westward。　The　captain　paced　restlessly

up　and　down；　pausing　occasionally　to　survey　the　vagrant　smoke　wisps　and　to

trace　them　back　to　the　portions　of　the　deck　from　which　they　sprang。　The

carpenter　was　engaged　constantly　in　attempting　to　locate　such　places；　and；

when　he　succeeded；　in　calking　them　tighter　and　tighter。



〃Well；　what　do　you　think？〃　the　captain　finally　asked　McCoy；　who　was　watching

the　carpenter　with　all　a　child's　interest　and　curiosity　in　his　eyes。



McCoy　looked　shoreward；　where　the　land　was　disappearing　in　the　thickening

haze。



〃I　think　it　would　be　better　to　square　away　for　Mangareva。　With　that　breeze

that　is　coming；　you'll　be　there　tomorrow　evening。〃



〃But　what　if　the　fire　breaks　out？　It　is　liable　to　do　it　any　moment。〃



〃Have　your　boats　ready　in　the　falls。　The　same　breeze　will　carry　your　boats　to

Mangareva　if　the　ship　burns　out　from　under。〃



Captain　Davenport　debated　for　a　moment；　and　then　McCoy　heard　the　question　he

had　not　wanted　to　hear；　but　which　he　knew　was　surely　coming。



〃I　have　no　chart　of　Mangareva。　On　the　general　chart　it　is　only　a　fly　speck。　I

would　not　know　where　to　look　for　the　entrance　into　the　lagoon。　Will　you　come

along　and　pilot　her　in　for　me？〃



McCoy's　serenity　was　unbroken。



〃Yes；　Captain；〃　he　said；　with　the　same　quiet　unconcern　with　which　he　would

have　accepted　an　invitation　to　dinner；　〃I'll　go　with　you　to　Mangareva。〃



Again　the　crew　was　called　aft；　and　the　captain　spoke　to　them　from　the　break　of

the　poop。



〃We've　tried　to　work　her　up；　but　you　see　how　we've　lost　ground。　　She's　setting

off　in　a　two…knot　current。　This　gentleman　is　the　Honorable　McCoy；　Chief

Magistrate　and　Governor　of　Pitcairn　Island。　He　will　come　along　with　us　to

Mangareva。　So　you　see　the　situation　is　not　so　dangerous。　He　would　not　make

such　an　offer　if　he　thought　he　was　going　to　lose　his　life。　Besides；　whatever

risk　there　is；　if　he　of　his　own　free　will　come　on　board　and　take　it；　we　can　do

no　less。　What　do　you　say　for　Mangareva？〃



This　time　there　was　no　uproar。　'mcCoy's　presence；　the　surety　and　calm　that

seemed　to　radiate　from　him；　had　had　its　effect。　They　conferred　with　one

another　in　low　voices。　There　was　little　urging。　They　were　virtually　unanimous；

and　they　shoved　the　Cockney　out　as　their　spokesman。　That　worthy　was

overwhelmed　with　consciousness　of　the　heroism　of　himself　and　his　mates；　and

with　flashing　eyes　he　cried：



〃By　Gawd！　If　'e　will；　we　will！〃



The　crew　mumbled　its　assent　and　started　forward。



〃One　moment；　Captain；〃　McCoy　said；　as　the　other　was　turning　to　give　orders　to

the　mate。　〃I　must　go　ashore　first。〃



Mr。　Konig　was　thunderstruck；　staring　at　McCoy　as　if　he　were　a　madman。



〃Go　ashore！〃　the　captain　cried。　〃What　for？　It　will　take　you　three　hours　to　get

there　in　your　canoe。〃



McCoy　measured　the　distance　of　the　land　away；　and　nodded。



〃Yes；　it　is　six　now。　I　won't　get　ashore　till　nine。　The　people　cannot　be

assembled　earlier　than　ten。　As　the　breeze　freshens　up　tonight；　you　can　begin

to　work　up　against　it；　and　pick　me　up　at　daylight　tomorrow　morning。〃



〃In　the　name　of　reason　and　common　sense；〃　the　captain　burst　forth；　〃what　do

you　want　to　assemble　the　people