the red one(红色的那人)-第24章
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brings in a white man's head takes the pot。 If there aren't openers for a
long time； the pot grows to tremendous proportions。 Beastly funny； isn't
it？
〃I know。 Didn't a Holland mate die on me of blackwater？ And
didn't I win a pot myself？ It was this way。 We were lying at Lango…lui
at the time。 I never let on； and arranged the affair with Johnny； my boat…
steerer。 He was a kinky…head himself from Port Moresby。 He cut the
dead mate's head off and sneaked ashore in the might； while I whanged
away with my rifle as if I were trying to get him。 He opened the pot with
the mate's head； and got it； too。 Of course； next day I sent in a landing
boat； with two covering boats； and fetched him off with the loot。〃
〃How big was the pot？〃 Whiskers asked。 〃I heard of a pot at Orla
worth eighty quid。〃
〃To commence with；〃 Slim answered； 〃there were forty fat pigs； each
worth a fathom of prime shell…money； and shell…money worth a quid a
fathom。 That was two hundred dollars right there。 There were ninety…
eight fathoms of shell…money； which is pretty close to five hundred in
itself。 And there were twenty…two gold sovereigns。 I split it four ways：
one…fourth to Johnny； one…fourth to the ship； one…fourth to me as owner；
and one…fourth to me as skipper。 Johnny never complained。 He'd never
had so much wealth all at one time in his life。 Besides； I gave him a
couple of the mate's old shirts。 And I fancy the mate's head is still there
decorating the canoe… house。〃
〃Not exactly Christian burial of a Christian；〃 Whiskers observed。
〃But a lucrative burial；〃 Slim retorted。 〃I had to feed the rest of the
mate over…side to the sharks for nothing。 Think of feeding an eight…
hundred…dollar head along with it。 It would have been criminal waste
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and stark lunacy。
〃Well； anyway； it was all beastly funny； over there to the westward。
And； without telling you the scrape I got into at Taki… Tiki； except that I
sailed away with two hundred kinky…heads for Queensland labour； and for
my manner of collecting them had two British ships of war combing the
Pacific for me； I changed my course and ran to the westward thinking to
dispose of the lot to the Spanish plantations on Bangar。
〃Typhoon season。 We caught it。 The MERRY MIST was my
schooner's name； and I had thought she was stoutly built until she hit that
typhoon。 I never saw such seas。 They pounded that stout craft to pieces；
literally so。 The sticks were jerked out of her； deckhouses splintered to
match…wood； rails ripped off； and； after the worst had passed； the covering
boards began to go。 We just managed to repair what was left of one boat
and keep the schooner afloat only till the sea went down barely enough to
get away。 And we outfitted that boat in a hurry。 The carpenter and I
were the last； and we had to jump for it as he went down。 There were
only four of us … 〃
〃Lost all the niggers？〃 Whiskers inquired。
〃Some of them swam for some time；〃 Slim replied。 〃But I don't
fancy they made the land。 We were ten days' in doing it。 And we had a
spanking breeze most of the way。 And what do you think we had in the
boat with us？ Cases of square…face gin and cases of dynamite。 Funny；
wasn't it？ Well； it got funnier later on。 Oh； there was a small beaker of
water； a little salt horse； and some salt…water…soaked sea biscuit … enough
to keep us alive to Tagalag。
〃Now Tagalag is the disappointingest island I've ever beheld。 It
shows up out of the sea so as you can make its fall twenty miles off。 It is
a volcano cone thrust up out of deep sea； with a segment of the crater wall
broken out。 This gives sea entrance to the crater itself； and makes a fine
sheltered harbour。 And that's all。 Nothing lives there。 The outside and
the inside of the crater are too steep。 At one place； inside； is a patch of
about a thousand coconut palms。 And that's all； as I said； saving a few
insects。 No four…legged thing； even a rat； inhabits the place。 And it's
funny； most awful funny； with all those coconuts； not even a coconut crab。
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The only meat…food living was schools of mullet in the harbour … fattest；
finest； biggest mullet I ever laid eyes on。
〃And the four of us landed on the little beach and set up housekeeping
among the coconuts with a larder full of dynamite and square…face。 Why
don't you laugh？ It's funny； I tell you。 Try it some time。 … Holland gin
and straight coconut diet。 I've never been able to look a confectioner's
window in the face since。 Now I'm not strong on religion like Chauncey
Delarouse there； but I have some primitive ideas； and my concept of hell is
an illimitable coconut plantation； stocked with cases of square…face and
populated by ship…wrecked mariners。 Funny？ It must make the devil
scream。
〃You know； straight coconut is what the agriculturists call an
unbalanced ration。 It certainly unbalanced our digestions。 We got so
that whenever hunger took an extra bite at us； we took another drink of gin。
After a couple of weeks of it； Olaf； a squarehead sailor； got an idea。 It
came when he was full of gin； and we； being in the same fix； just watched
him shove a cap and short fuse into a stick of dynamite and stroll down
toward the boat。
〃It dawned on me that he was going to shoot fish if there were any
about； but the sun was beastly hot； and I just reclined there and hoped he'd
have luck。
〃About half an hour after he disappeared we heard the explosion。 But
he didn't come back。 We waited till the cool of sunset； and down on the
beach found what had become of him。 The boat was there all right；
grounded by the prevailing breeze； but there was no Olaf。 He would
never have to eat coconut again。 We went back； shakier than ever； and
cracked another square…face。
〃The next day the cook announced that he would rather take his
chance with dynamite than continue trying to exist on coconut； and that；
though he didn't know anything about dynamite； he knew a sight too much
about coconut。 So we bit the detonator down for him； shoved in a fuse；
and picked him a good fire…stick； while he jolted up with a couple more
stiff ones of gin。
〃It was the same programme as the day before。 After a while we
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heard the explosion and at twilight went down to the boat； from which we
scraped enough of the cook for a funeral。
〃The carpenter and I stuck it out two days more； then we drew straws
for it and it was his turn。 We parted with harsh words； for he wanted to
take a square…face along to refresh himself by the way； while I was set
against running any chance of wasting the gin。 Besides； he had more than
he could carry then； and he wobbled and staggered as he walked。
〃Same thing； only there was a whole lot of him left for me to bury；
because he'd prepared only half a stick。 I managed to last it out till next
day； when； after duly fortifying myself； I got sufficient courage to tackle
the dynamite。 I used only a third of a stick … you know； short fuse； with
the end split so as to hold the head of a safety match。 That's where I
mended my predecessors' methods。 Not using the match…head； they'd too…
long fuses。 Therefore； when they spotted a school of mullet； and lighted
the fuse； they had to hold the dynamite till the fuse burned short before
they threw it。 If they threw it too soon； it wouldn't go off the instant it hit
the water； while the splash of it would frighten the mullet away。 Funny
stuff dynamite。 At any rate； I still maintain mine was the safer method。
〃I picked up a school of mullet before I'd been rowing five minutes。
Fine big fat ones they were； and I could smell them over the fire。 When I
stood up； fire…stick in one hand； dynamite stick in the other； my knees
were knocking together。 Maybe it was the gin； or the anxiousness； or the
weakness and the hunger； and maybe it was the result of all of them； but at
any rate I was all of a shake。 Twice I failed to touch the fire…stick to the
dynamite。 Then I did； heard the match…head splutter； and let her go。
〃Now I don't know what happened to the others； but I know what I did。
I got turned about。 Did you ever stem a strawberry and throw the
strawberry away and pop the stem into your mouth？ That's what I did。
I threw the fire…stick into the water after the mullet and held on to the
dynamite。 And my arm went off with the stick when it went off。 。 。 。 〃
Slim investigated the tomato…can for water to mix himself a drink； but
found it empty。 He stood up。
〃Heigh ho；〃 he yawned； and started down the path to the river。
In several minutes he was back。 He mixed the due quantity of river
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slush with the alcohol； took a long； solitary drink； and stared with bitter
moodiness into the fire。
〃Yes； but 。 。 。 〃 Fatty suggested。 〃What happened then？〃
〃Oh；〃 sad Slim。 〃Then the princess married me； of course。〃
〃But you were the only person left； and there wasn't any princess 。 。 。 〃
Whiskers cried out abruptly； and then let his voice trail away to
em
