perils of certain english prisoners-第3部分

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would　keep　her　free；　and　what　between　the　two　fears　that　she　would

go　down　in　the　harbour；　and　that；　even　if　she　did　not；　all　the

supplies　she　had　brought　for　the　little　colony　would　be　destroyed　by

the　sea…water　as　it　rose　in　her；　there　was　great　confusion。　　In　the

midst　of　it；　Captain　Maryon　was　heard　hailing　from　the　beach。　　He

had　been　carried　down　in　his　hammock；　and　looked　very　bad；　but　he

insisted　on　being　stood　there　on　his　feet；　and　I　saw　him；　myself；

come　off　in　the　boat；　sitting　upright　in　the　stern…sheets；　as　if

nothing　was　wrong　with　him。



A　quick　sort　of　council　was　held；　and　Captain　Maryon　soon　resolved

that　we　must　all　fall　to　work　to　get　the　cargo　out；　and　that　when

that　was　done；　the　guns　and　heavy　matters　must　be　got　out；　and　that

the　sloop　must　be　hauled　ashore；　and　careened；　and　the　leak　stopped。

We　were　all　mustered　（the　Pirate…Chace　party　volunteering）；　and　told

off　into　parties；　with　so　many　hours　of　spell　and　so　many　hours　of

relief；　and　we　all　went　at　it　with　a　will。　　Christian　George　King

was　entered　one　of　the　party　in　which　I　worked；　at　his　own　request；

and　he　went　at　it　with　as　good　a　will　as　any　of　the　rest。　　He　went

at　it　with　so　much　heartiness；　to　say　the　truth；　that　he　rose　in　my

good　opinion　almost　as　fast　as　the　water　rose　in　the　ship。　　Which

was　fast　enough；　and　faster。



Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage　kept　in　a　red…and…black　japanned　box；　like

a　family　lump…sugar　box；　some　document　or　other；　which　some　Sambo

chief　or　other　had　got　drunk　and　spilt　some　ink　over　（as　well　as　I

could　understand　the　matter）；　and　by　that　means　had　given　up　lawful

possession　of　the　Island。　　Through　having　hold　of　this　box；　Mr。

Pordage　got　his　title　of　Commissioner。　　He　was　styled　Consul　too；

and　spoke　of　himself　as　〃Government。〃



He　was　a　stiff…jointed；　high…nosed　old　gentleman；　without　an　ounce

of　fat　on　him；　of　a　very　angry　temper　and　a　very　yellow　complexion。

Mrs。　Commissioner　Pordage；　making　allowance　for　difference　of　sex；

was　much　the　same。　　Mr。　Kitten；　a　small；　youngish；　bald；　botanical

and　mineralogical　gentleman；　also　connected　with　the　minebut

everybody　there　was　that；　more　or　lesswas　sometimes　called　by　Mr。

Commissioner　Pordage；　his　Vice…commissioner；　and　sometimes　his

Deputy…consul。　　Or　sometimes　he　spoke　of　Mr。　Kitten；　merely　as　being

〃under　Government。〃



The　beach　was　beginning　to　be　a　lively　scene　with　the　preparations

for　careening　the　sloop；　and　with　cargo；　and　spars；　and　rigging；　and

water…casks；　dotted　about　it；　and　with　temporary　quarters　for　the

men　rising　up　there　out　of　such　sails　and　odds　and　ends　as　could　be

best　set　on　one　side　to　make　them；　when　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage

comes　down　in　a　high　fluster；　and　asks　for　Captain　Maryon。　　The

Captain；　ill　as　he　was；　was　slung　in　his　hammock　betwixt　two　trees；

that　he　might　direct；　and　he　raised　his　head；　and　answered　for

himself。



〃Captain　Maryon；〃　cries　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage；　〃this　is　not

official。　　This　is　not　regular。〃



〃Sir；〃　says　the　Captain；　〃it　hath　been　arranged　with　the　clerk　and

supercargo；　that　you　should　be　communicated　with；　and　requested　to

render　any　little　assistance　that　may　lie　in　your　power。　　I　am　quite

certain　that　hath　been　duly　done。〃



〃Captain　Maryon；〃　replied　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage；　〃there　hath　been

no　written　correspondence。　　No　documents　have　passed；　no　memoranda

have　been　made；　no　minutes　have　been　made；　no　entries　and　counter…

entries　appear　in　the　official　muniments。　　This　is　indecent。　　I　call

upon　you；　sir；　to　desist；　until　all　is　regular；　or　Government　will

take　this　up。〃



〃Sir；〃　says　Captain　Maryon；　chafing　a　little；　as　he　looked　out　of

his　hammock；　〃between　the　chances　of　Government　taking　this　up；　and

my　ship　taking　herself　down；　I　much　prefer　to　trust　myself　to　the

former。〃



〃You　do；　sir？〃　cries　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage。



〃I　do；　sir；〃　says　Captain　Maryon；　lying　down　again。



〃Then；　Mr。　Kitten；〃　says　the　Commissioner；　〃send　up　instantly　for　my

Diplomatic　coat。〃



He　was　dressed　in　a　linen　suit　at　that　moment；　but；　Mr。　Kitten

started　off　himself　and　brought　down　the　Diplomatic　coat；　which　was

a　blue　cloth　one；　gold…laced；　and　with　a　crown　on　the　button。



〃Now；　Mr。　Kitten；〃　says　Pordage；　〃I　instruct　you；　as　Vice…

commissioner；　and　Deputy…consul　of　this　place；　to　demand　of　Captain

Maryon；　of　the　sloop　Christopher　Columbus；　whether　he　drives　me　to

the　act　of　putting　this　coat　on？〃



〃Mr。　Pordage；〃　says　Captain　Maryon；　looking　out　of　his　hammock

again；　〃as　I　can　hear　what　you　say；　I　can　answer　it　without

troubling　the　gentleman。　　I　should　be　sorry　that　you　should　be　at

the　pains　of　putting　on　too　hot　a　coat　on　my　account；　but；

otherwise；　you　may　put　it　on　hind…side　before；　or　inside…out；　or

with　your　legs　in　the　sleeves；　or　your　head　in　the　skirts；　for　any

objection　that　I　have　to　offer　to　your　thoroughly　pleasing

yourself。〃



〃Very　good；　Captain　Maryon；〃　says　Pordage；　in　a　tremendous　passion。

〃Very　good；　sir。　　Be　the　consequences　on　your　own　head！　　Mr。　Kitten；

as　it　has　come　to　this；　help　me　on　with　it。〃



When　he　had　given　that　order；　he　walked　off　in　the　coat；　and　all　our

names　were　taken；　and　I　was　afterwards　told　that　Mr。　Kitten　wrote

from　his　dictation　more　than　a　bushel　of　large　paper　on　the　subject；

which　cost　more　before　it　was　done　with；　than　ever　could　be

calculated；　and　which　only　got　done　with　after　all；　by　being　lost。



Our　work　went　on　merrily；　nevertheless；　and　the　Christopher

Columbus；　hauled　up；　lay　helpless　on　her　side　like　a　great　fish　out

of　water。　　While　she　was　in　that　state；　there　was　a　feast；　or　a

ball；　or　an　entertainment；　or　more　properly　all　three　together；

given　us　in　honour　of　the　ship；　and　the　ship's　company；　and　the

other　visitors。　　At　that　assembly；　I　believe；　I　saw　all　the

inhabitants　then　upon　the　Island；　without　any　exception。　　I　took　no

particular　notice　of　more　than　a　few；　but　I　found　it　very　agreeable

in　that　little　corner　of　the　world　to　see　the　children；　who　were　of

all　ages；　and　mostly　very　prettyas　they　mostly　are。　　There　was　one

handsome　elderly　lady；　with　very　dark　eyes　and　gray　hair；　that　I

inquired　about。　　I　was　told　that　her　name　was　Mrs。　Venning；　and　her

married　daughter；　a　fair　slight　thing；　was　pointed　out　to　me　by　the

name　of　Fanny　Fisher。　　Quite　a　child　she　looked；　with　a　little　copy

of　herself　holding　to　her　dress；　and　her　husband；　just　come　back

from　the　mine；　exceeding　proud　of　her。　　They　were　a　good…looking　set

of　people　on　the　whole；　but　I　didn't　like　them。　　I　was　out　of　sorts；

in　conversation　with　Charker；　I　found　fault　with　all　of　them。　　I

said　of　Mrs。　Venning；　she　was　proud；　of　Mrs。　Fisher；　she　was　a

delicate　little　baby…fool。　　What　did　I　think　of　this　one？　　Why；　he

was　a　fine　gentleman。　　What　did　I　say　to　that　one？　　Why；　she　was　a

fine　lady。　　What　could　you　expect　them　to　be　（I　asked　Charker）；

nursed　in　that　climate；　with　the　tropical　night　shining　for　them；

musical　instruments　playing　to　them；　great　trees　bending　over　them；

soft　lamps　lighting　them；　fire…flies　sparkling　in　among　them；　bright

flowers　and　birds　brought　into　existence　to　please　their　eyes；

delicious　drinks　to　be　had　for　the　pouring　out；　delicious　fruits　to

be　got　for　the　picking；　and　every　one　dancing　and　murmuring　happily

in　the　scented　air；　with　the　sea　breaking　low　on　the　reef　for　a

pleasant　chorus。



〃Fine　gentlemen　and　fine　ladies；　Harry？〃　I　says　to　Charker。　　〃Yes；　I

think　so！　　Dolls！　　Dolls！　　Not　the　sort　of　stuff　for　wear；　that

comes　of　poor　private　soldiering　in　the　Royal　Marines！〃



However；　I　could　not　gainsay　that　they　were　very　hospitable　people；

and　that　they　treated　us　uncommonly　well。　　Every　man　of　us　was　at

the　entertainment；　and　Mrs。　Belltott　had　more　partners　than　she

could　dance　with：　　though　she　danced　all　night；　too。　　As　to　Jack

（whether　of　the　Christopher　Columbus；　or　of　the　Pirate　pursuit

party；　it　made　no　difference）；　he　danced　with　his　brother　Jack；

danced　with　himself；　danced　with　the　moon；　the　stars；　the　trees；　the

prospect；　anything。　　I　didn't　greatly　take　to　the　chief…officer　of

that　party；　with　his　bright　eyes；　brown　face；　and　easy　figure。　　I

didn't　much　like　his　way　when　he　first　happened　to　come　where　we

were；　with　Miss　Maryon　on　his　arm。　　〃O；　Captain　Carton；〃　she　says；

〃here　are　two　friends　of　mine！〃　　He　says；　〃Indeed？　　These　two

Marines？〃meaning　Charker　and　self。　　〃Yes；〃　says　she；　〃I　showed

these　two　friends　of　mine　when　they　first　came；　all　the　wonders　of

Silver…Store。〃　　He　gave　us　a　laughing　look；　and　says　he；　〃You　are　in

luck；　men。　　I　would　be　disrated　and　go　before　the　mast　to…morrow；　to

be　shown　the　way　upward　again　by　such　a　guide。　　You　are　in　luck；

men。〃　　When　we　had　saluted；　and　he　and　the　lady　had　waltzed　away；　I

said；　〃You　are　a　pretty　follow；　too；　to　talk　of　luck。　　You　may　go　to

the　Devil！〃



Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage　and　Mrs。　Commissioner；　showed　among　the

company　on　that　occasion　like　the　King　and　Queen　of　a　much　Greater

Britain　than　Great　Britain。　　Only　two　other　circumstances　in　that

jovial　night　made　much　separate　impression　on　me。　　One　was　this。　　A

man　in　our　draft　of　marines；　named　Tom　Packer；　a　wild　unsteady　young

fellow；　but　the　son　of　a　respectable　shipwright　in　Portsmouth　Yard；

and　a　good　scholar　who　had　been　well　brought　up；　comes　to　me　after　a

spell　of　dancing；　and　takes　me　aside　by　the　elbow；　and　says；

swearing　angrily：



〃Gill　Davis；　I　hope　I　may　not　be　the　death　of　Sergeant　Drooce　one

day！〃



Now；　I　knew　Drooce　had　always　borne　particularly　hard　on　this　man；

and　I　knew　this　man　to　be　of　a　very　hot　temper：　　so；　I　said：



〃Tut；　nonsense！　don't　talk　so　to　me！　　If　there's　a　man　in　the　corps

who　scorns　the　name　of　an　assassin；　that　man　and　Tom　Packer　are

one。〃



Tom　wipes　his　head；　being　in　a　mortal　sweat；　and　says　he：



〃I　hope　so；　but　I　can't　answer　for　myself　when　he　lords　it　over　me；

as　he　has　just　now　done；　before　a　w