the jacket (the star-rover)- 第50部分

Providence；　which；　at　the　very　moment　when　hunger　threatened　me　with

dissolution；　and　when　I　might　easily　have　been　engulfed　in　the　maw

of　the　sea；　had　cast　me　upon　those　barren　rocks；　would　finally

direct　some　one　to　my　relief。



If　deprived　of　the　society　of　my　fellow　creatures；　and　of　the

conveniences　of　life；　I　could　not　but　reflect　that　my　forlorn

situation　was　yet　attended　with　some　advantages。　　Of　the　whole

island；　though　small；　I　had　peaceable　possession。　　No　one；　it　was

probable；　would　ever　appear　to　dispute　my　claim；　unless　it　were　the

amphibious　animals　of　the　ocean。　　Since　the　island　was　almost

inaccessible；　at　night　my　repose　was　not　disturbed　by　continual

apprehension　of　the　approach　of　cannibals　or　of　beasts　of　prey。

Again　and　again　I　thanked　God　on　my　knees　for　these　various　and　many

benefactions。



Yet　is　man　ever　a　strange　and　unaccountable　creature。　　I；　who　had

asked　of　God's　mercy　no　more　than　putrid　meat　to　eat　and　a

sufficiency　of　water　not　too　brackish；　was　no　sooner　blessed　with　an

abundance　of　cured　meat　and　sweet　water　than　I　began　to　know

discontent　with　my　lot。　　I　began　to　want　fire；　and　the　savour　of

cooked　meat　in　my　mouth。　　And　continually　I　would　discover　myself

longing　for　certain　delicacies　of　the　palate　such　as　were　part　of

the　common　daily　fare　on　the　home　table　at　Elkton。　　Strive　as　I

would；　ever　my　fancy　eluded　my　will　and　wantoned　in　day…dreaming　of

the　good　things　I　had　eaten　and　of　the　good　things　I　would　eat　if

ever　I　were　rescued　from　my　lonely　situation。



It　was　the　old　Adam　in　me；　I　supposethe　taint　of　that　first　father

who　was　the　first　rebel　against　God's　commandments。　　Most　strange　is

man；　ever　insatiable；　ever　unsatisfied；　never　at　peace　with　God　or

himself；　his　days　filled　with　restlessness　and　useless　endeavour；

his　nights　a　glut　of　vain　dreams　of　desires　wilful　and　wrong。　　Yes；

and　also　I　was　much　annoyed　by　my　craving　for　tobacco。　　My　sleep　was

often　a　torment　to　me；　for　it　was　then　that　my　desires　took　licence

to　rove；　so　that　a　thousand　times　I　dreamed　myself　possessed　of

hogsheads　of　tobaccoay；　and　of　warehouses　of　tobacco；　and　of

shiploads　and　of　entire　plantations　of　tobacco。



But　I　revenged　myself　upon　myself。　　I　prayed　God　unceasingly　for　a

humble　heart；　and　chastised　my　flesh　with　unremitting　toil。　　Unable

to　improve　my　mind；　I　determined　to　improve　my　barren　island。　　I

laboured　four　months　at　constructing　a　stone　wall　thirty　feet　long；

including　its　wings；　and　a　dozen　feet　high。　　This　was　as　a

protection　to　the　hut　in　the　periods　of　the　great　gales　when　all　the

island　was　as　a　tiny　petrel　in　the　maw　of　the　hurricane。　　Nor　did　I

conceive　the　time　misspent。　　Thereafter　I　lay　snug　in　the　heart　of

calm　while　all　the　air　for　a　hundred　feet　above　my　head　was　one

stream　of　gust…driven　water。



In　the　third　year　I　began　me　a　pillar　of　rock。　　Rather　was　it　a

pyramid；　four…square；　broad　at　the　base；　sloping　upward　not　steeply

to　the　apex。　　In　this　fashion　I　was　compelled　to　build；　for　gear　and

timber　there　was　none　in　all　the　island　for　the　construction　of

scaffolding。　　Not　until　the　close　of　the　fifth　year　was　my　pyramid

complete。　　It　stood　on　the　summit　of　the　island。　　Now；　when　I　state

that　the　summit　was　but　forty　feet　above　the　sea；　and　that　the　peak

of　my　pyramid　was　forty　feet　above　the　summit；　it　will　be　conceived

that　I；　without　tools；　had　doubled　the　stature　of　the　island。　　It

might　be　urged　by　some　unthinking　ones　that　I　interfered　with　God's

plan　in　the　creation　of　the　world。　　Not　so；　I　hold。　　For　was　not　I

equally　a　part　of　God's　plan；　along　with　this　heap　of　rocks

upjutting　in　the　solitude　of　ocean？　　My　arms　with　which　to　work；　my

back　with　which　to　bend　and　lift；　my　hands　cunning　to　clutch　and

holdwere　not　these　parts　too　in　God's　plan？　　Much　I　pondered　the

matter。　　I　know　that　I　was　right。



In　the　sixth　year　I　increased　the　base　of　my　pyramid；　so　that　in

eighteen　months　thereafter　the　height　of　my　monument　was　fifty　feet

above　the　height　of　the　island。　　This　was　no　tower　of　Babel。　　It

served　two　right　purposes。　　It　gave　me　a　lookout　from　which　to　scan

the　ocean　for　ships；　and　increased　the　likelihood　of　my　island　being

sighted　by　the　careless　roving　eye　of　any　seaman。　　And　it　kept　my

body　and　mind　in　health。　　With　hands　never　idle；　there　was　small

opportunity　for　Satan　on　that　island。　　Only　in　my　dreams　did　he

torment　me；　principally　with　visions　of　varied　foods　and　with

imagined　indulgence　in　the　foul　weed　called　tobacco。



On　the　eighteenth　day　of　the　month　of　June；　in　the　sixth　year　of　my

sojourn　on　the　island；　I　descried　a　sail。　　But　it　passed　far　to

leeward　at　too　great　a　distance　to　discover　me。　　Rather　than

suffering　disappointment；　the　very　appearance　of　this　sail　afforded

me　the　liveliest　satisfaction。　　It　convinced　me　of　a　fact　that　I　had

before　in　a　degree　doubted；　to　wit：　　that　these　seas　were　sometimes

visited　by　navigators。



Among　other　things；　where　the　seals　hauled　up　out　of　the　sea；　I

built　wide…spreading　wings　of　low　rock　walls　that　narrowed　to　a　cul

de　sac；　where　I　might　conveniently　kill　such　seals　as　entered

without　exciting　their　fellows　outside　and　without　permitting　any

wounded　or　frightening　seal　to　escape　and　spread　a　contagion　of

alarm。　　Seven　months　to　this　structure　alone　were　devoted。



As　the　time　passed；　I　grew　more　contented　with　my　lot；　and　the　devil

came　less　and　less　in　my　sleep　to　torment　the　old　Adam　in　me　with

lawless　visions　of　tobacco　and　savoury　foods。　　And　I　continued　to

eat　my　seal　meat　and　call　it　good；　and　to　drink　the　sweet　rainwater

of　which　always　I　had　plenty；　and　to　be　grateful　to　God。　　And　God

heard　me；　I　know；　for　during　all　my　term　on　that　island　I　knew　never

a　moment　of　sickness；　save　two；　both　of　which　were　due　to　my

gluttony；　as　I　shall　later　relate。



In　the　fifth　year；　ere　I　had　convinced　myself　that　the　keels　of

ships　did　on　occasion　plough　these　seas；　I　began　carving　on　my　oar

minutes　of　the　more　remarkable　incidents　that　had　attended　me　since

I　quitted　the　peaceful　shores　of　America。　　This　I　rendered　as

intelligible　and　permanent　as　possible；　the　letters　being　of　the

smallest　size。　　Six；　and　even　five；　letters　were　often　a　day's　work

for　me；　so　painstaking　was　I。



And；　lest　it　should　prove　my　hard　fortune　never　to　meet　with　the

long…wished　opportunity　to　return　to　my　friends　and　to　my　family　at

Elkton；　I　engraved；　or　nitched；　on　the　broad　end　of　the　oar；　the

legend　of　my　ill　fate　which　I　have　already　quoted　near　the　beginning

of　this　narrative。



This　oar；　which　had　proved　so　serviceable　to　me　in　my　destitute

situation；　and　which　now　contained　a　record　of　my　own　fate　and　that

of　my　shipmates；　I　spared　no　pains　to　preserve。　　No　longer　did　I

risk　it　in　knocking　seals　on　the　head。　　Instead；　I　equipped　myself

with　a　stone　club；　some　three　feet　in　length　and　of　suitable

diameter；　which　occupied　an　even　month　in　the　fashioning。　　Also；　to

secure　the　oar　from　the　weather　（for　I　used　it　in　mild　breezes　as　a

flagstaff　on　top　of　my　pyramid　from　which　to　fly　a　flag　I　made　me

from　one　of　my　precious　shirts）　I　contrived　for　it　a　covering　of

well…cured　sealskins。



In　the　month　of　March　of　the　sixth　year　of　my　confinement　I

experienced　one　of　the　most　tremendous　storms　that　was　perhaps　ever

witnessed　by　man。　　It　commenced　at　about　nine　in　the　evening；　with

the　approach　of　black　clouds　and　a　freshening　wind　from　the　south…

west；　which；　by　eleven；　had　become　a　hurricane；　attended　with

incessant　peals　of　thunder　and　the　sharpest　lightning　I　had　ever

witnessed。



I　was　not　without　apprehension　for　the　safety　of　the　island。　　Over

every　part　the　seas　made　a　clean　breach；　except　of　the　summit　of　my

pyramid。　　There　the　life　was　nigh　beaten　and　suffocated　out　of　my

body　by　the　drive　of　the　wind　and　spray。　　I　could　not　but　be

sensible　that　my　existence　was　spared　solely　because　of　my　diligence

in　erecting　the　pyramid　and　so　doubling　the　stature　of　the　island。



Yet；　in　the　morning；　I　had　great　reason　for　thankfulness。　　All　my

saved　rainwater　was　turned　brackish；　save　that　in　my　largest　vessel

which　was　sheltered　in　the　lee　of　the　pyramid。　　By　careful　economy　I

knew　I　had　drink　sufficient　until　the　next　rain；　no　matter　how

delayed；　should　fall。　　My　hut　was　quite　washed　out　by　the　seas；　and

of　my　great　store　of　seal　meat　only　a　wretched；　pulpy　modicum

remained。　　Nevertheless　I　was　agreeably　surprised　to　find　the　rocks

plentifully　distributed　with　a　sort　of　fish　more　nearly　like　the

mullet　than　any　I　had　ever　observed。　　Of　these　I　picked　up　no　less

than　twelve　hundred　and　nineteen；　which　I　split　and　cured　in　the　sun

after　the　manner　of　cod。　　This　welcome　change　of　diet　was　not

without　its　consequence。　　I　was　guilty　of　gluttony；　and　for　all　of

the　succeeding　night　I　was　near　to　death's　door。



In　the　seventh　year　of　my　stay　on　the　island；　in　the　very　same　month

of　March；　occurred　a　similar　storm　of　great　violence。　　Following

upon　it；　to　my　astonishment；　I　found　an　enormous　dead　whale；　quite

fresh；　which　had　been　cast　up　high　and　dry　by　the　waves。　　Conceive

my　gratification　when　in　the　bowels　of　the　great　fish　I　found　deeply

imbedded　a　harpoon　of　the　common　sort　with　a　few　fathoms　of　new　line

attached　thereto。



Thus　were　my　hopes　again　revived　that　I　should　finally　meet　with　an

opportunity　to　quit　the　desolate　island。　　Beyond　doubt　these　seas

were　frequented　by　whalemen；　and；　so　long　as　I　kept　up　a　stout

heart；　sooner　or　later　I　should　be　saved。　　For　seven　years　I　had

lived　on　seal　meat；　so　that　at　sight　of　the　enormous　plentitude　of

different　and　succulent　food　I　fell　a　victim　to　my　weakness　and　ate

of　such　quantities　that　once　again　I　was　well　nigh　to　dying。　　And

yet；　after　all；　this；　and　the　affair　of　the　small　fish；　were　mere

indispositions　due　to　the　foreignness　of　the　food　to　my　stomach；

which　had　learned　to　prosper　on　seal　meat　and　on　no