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！
Bentham； who met and shook it weakly； and both gazed at me； in their
eyes extending that same hand…clasp。 It was farewell； I knew； for
what chance had creatures so feeble as we to win alive over those
surf…battered rocks to the higher rocks beyond？
Twenty feet from shore the boat was snatched out of my control。 In
a trice it was overturned and I was strangling in the salt。 I never
saw my companions again。 By good fortune I was buoyed by the
steering…oar I still grasped； and by great good fortune a fling of
sea； at the right instant； at the right spot； threw me far up the
gentle slope of the one shelving rock on all that terrible shore。 I
was not hurt。 I was not bruised。 And with brain reeling from
weakness I was able to crawl and scramble farther up beyond the
clutching backwash of the sea。
I stood upright； knowing myself saved； and thanking God； and
staggering as I stood。 Already the boat was pounded to a thousand
fragments。 And though I saw them not； I could guess how grievously
had been pounded the bodies of Captain Nicholl and Arnold Bentham。
I saw an oar on the edge of the foam； and at certain risk I drew it
clear。 Then I fell to my knees； knowing myself fainting。 And yet；
ere I fainted； with a sailor's instinct I dragged my body on and up
among the cruel hurting rocks to faint finally beyond the reach of
the sea。
I was near a dead man myself； that night； mostly in stupor； only
dimly aware at times of the extremity of cold and wet that I
endured。 Morning brought me astonishment and terror。 No plant； not
a blade of grass； grew on that wretched projection of rock from the
ocean's bottom。 A quarter of a mile in width and a half mile in
length； it was no more than a heap of rocks。 Naught could I
discover to gratify the cravings of exhausted nature。 I was
consumed with thirst； yet was there no fresh water。 In vain I
tasted to my mouth's undoing every cavity and depression in the
rocks。 The spray of the gale so completely had enveloped every
portion of the island that every depression was filled with water
salt as the sea。
Of the boat remained nothingnot even a splinter to show that a
boat had been。 I stood possessed of my garments； a stout knife； and
the one oar I had saved。 The gale had abated； and all that day；
staggering and falling； crawling till hands and knees bled； I vainly
sought water。
That night； nearer death than ever； I sheltered behind a rock from
the wind。 A heavy shower of rain made me miserable。 I removed my
various coats and spread them to soak up the rain； but； when I came
to wring the moisture from them into my mouth； I was disappointed；
because the cloth had been thoroughly impregnated with the salt of
the ocean in which I had been immersed。 I lay on my back； my mouth
open to catch the few rain…drops that fell directly into it。 It was
tantalizing； but it kept my membranes moist and me from madness。
The second day I was a very sick man。 I； who had not eaten for so
long； began to swell to a monstrous fatnessmy legs； my arms； my
whole body。 With the slightest of pressures my fingers would sink
in a full inch into my skin； and the depressions so made were long
in going away。 Yet did I labour sore in order to fulfil God's will
that I should live。 Carefully； with my hands； I cleaned out the
salt water from every slight hole； in the hope that succeeding
showers of rain might fill them with water that I could drink。
My sad lot and the memories of the loved ones at Elkton threw me
into a melancholy； so that I often lost my recollection for hours at
a time。 This was a mercy； for it veiled me from my sufferings that
else would have killed me。
In the night I was roused by the beat of rain； and I crawled from
hole to hole； lapping up the rain or licking it from the rocks。
Brackish it was； but drinkable。 It was what saved me； for； toward
morning； I awoke to find myself in a profuse perspiration and quite
free of all delirium。
Then came the sun； the first time since my stay on the island； and I
spread most of my garments to dry。 Of water I drank my careful
fill； and I calculated there was ten days' supply if carefully
husbanded。 It was amazing how rich I felt with this vast wealth of
brackish water。 And no great merchant； with all his ships returned
from prosperous voyages； his warehouses filled to the rafters； his
strong…boxes overflowing； could have felt as wealthy as did I when I
discovered； cast up on the rocks； the body of a seal that had been
dead for many days。 Nor did I fail； first； to thank God on my knees
for this manifestation of His ever…unfailing kindness。 The thing
was clear to me： God had not intended I should die。 From the very
first He had not so intended。
I knew the debilitated state of my stomach； and I ate sparingly in
the knowledge that my natural voracity would surely kill me did I
yield myself to it。 Never had sweeter morsels passed my lips； and I
make free to confess that I shed tears of joy； again and again； at
contemplation of that putrefied carcass。
My heart of hope beat strong in me once more。 Carefully I preserved
the portions of the carcass remaining。 Carefully I covered my rock
cisterns with flat stones so that the sun's rays might not evaporate
the precious fluid and in precaution against some upspringing of
wind in the night and the sudden flying of spray。 Also I gathered
me tiny fragments of seaweed and dried them in the sun for an
easement between my poor body and the rough rocks whereon I made my
lodging。 And my garments were drythe first time in days； so that
I slept the heavy sleep of exhaustion and of returning health。
When I awoke to a new day I was another man。 The absence of the sun
did not depress me； and I was swiftly to learn that God； not
forgetting me while I slumbered； had prepared other and wonderful
blessings for me。 I would have fain rubbed my eyes and looked
again； for； as far as I could see； the rocks bordering upon the
ocean were covered with seals。 There were thousands of them； and in
the water other thousands disported themselves； while the sound that
went up from all their throats was prodigious and deafening。 I knew
it when： I saw itmeat lay there for the taking； meat sufficient
for a score of ships' companies。
I directly seized my oarthan which there was no other stick of
wood on the islandand cautiously advanced upon all that immensity
of provender。 It was quickly guessed by me that these creatures of
the sea were unacquainted with man。 They betrayed no signals of
timidity at my approach； and I found it a boy's task to rap them on
the head with the oar。
And when I had so killed my third and my fourth； I went immediately
and strangely mad。 Indeed quite bereft was I of all judgment as I
slew and slew and continued to slay。 For the space of two hours I
toiled unceasingly with the oar till I was ready to drop。 What
excess of slaughter I might have been guilty of I know not； for at
the end of that time； as if by a signal； all the seals that still
lived threw themselves into the water and swiftly disappeared。
I found the number of slain seals to exceed two hundred； and I was
shocked and frightened because of the madness of slaughter that had
possessed me。 I had sinned by wanton wastefulness； and after I had
duly refreshed myself with this good wholesome food； I set about as
well as I could to make amends。 But first； ere the great task
began； I returned thanks to that Being through whose mercy I had
been so miraculously preserved。 Thereupon I laboured until dark；
and after dark； skinning the seals； cutting the meat into strips；
and placing it upon the tops of rocks to dry in the sun。 Also； I
found small deposits of salt in the nooks and crannies of the rocks
on the weather side of the island。 This I rubbed into the meat as a
preservative。
Four days I so toiled； and in the end was foolishly proud before God
in that no scrap of all that supply of meat had been wasted。 The
unremitting labour was good for my body； which built up rapidly by
means of this wholesome diet in which I did not stint myself。
Another evidence of God's mercy； never； in the eight years I spent
on that barren islet； was there so long a spell of clear weather and
steady sunshine as in the period immediately following the slaughter
of the seals。
Months were to pass ore ever the seals revisited my island。 But in
the meantime I was anything but idle。 I built me a hut of stone；
and； adjoining it； a storehouse for my cured meat。 The hut I roofed
with many seal…skins； so that it was fairly water…proof。 But I
could never cease to marvel； when the rain beat on that roof； that
no less than a king's ransom in the London fur market protected a
castaway sailor from the elements。
I was quickly aware of the importance of keeping some kind of
reckoning of time； without which I was