masterman ready-第23章

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a　musket　or　two；　and　ammunition；　for；　you　see；　we　had　money；　as；　when　the　Indiaman　was　first　taken；　the　captain　divided　a　keg　of　rupees；　which　was　on　board；　among　the　officers　and　men；　in　proportion　to　the　wages　due　to　them；　thinking　it　was　better　for　the　crew　to　have　the　money　than　to　leave　it　for　the　Frenchmen；　and　we　had　spent　very　little　while　in　prison。　There　was　also　another　reason　why　he　persuaded　us　to　go　to　the　Table　Mountain；　which　was；　that　as　soon　as　our　escape　was　found　out；　they　would　send　parties　to　look　for　us；　thinking；　of　course；　that　we　had　made　for　the　interior；　and　we　should　have　less　chance　of　being　retaken　if　we　travelled　after　the　first　search　was　over。　The　soldiers　had　told　us　of　the　lions；　and　other　wild　animals；　and　how　dangerous　it　was　to　travel；　and　Hastings　said；　that　not　finding　us；　they　would　suppose　we　had　been　destroyed　by　the　wild　beasts；　and　would　not　look　for　us　any　more。〃

〃Foolish　indeed；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃to　set　off　you　knew　not　where；　in　a　country　full　of　wild　beasts　and　savages。〃

〃True　enough；　madam；〃　replied　Ready。　〃We　ran　at　first　until　we　were　out　of　breath；　and　then　we　walked　on　as　fast　as　we　could　…　not　going　right　up　the　mountain；　but　keeping　a　slanting　direction　to　the　south…west；　so　as　to　get　away　from　the　town；　and　more　towards　False　Bay。

〃We　had　walked　about　four　hours；　and　began　to　feel　very　tired；　when　the　day　dawned；　and　then　we　looked　out　for　a　place　to　conceal　ourselves　in。　We　soon　found　a　cave　with　a　narrow　entrance；　large　enough　inside　to　hold　half…a…dozen　of　such　lads　as　we　were；　and　we　crawled　in。　It　was　quite　dry；　and；　as　we　were　very　tired；　we　lay　down　with　our　heads　on　our　bundles；　intending　to　take　a　nap；　but　we　had　hardly　made　ourselves　comfortable　and　shut　our　eyes；　when　we　heard　such　a　screaming　and　barking　that　we　were　frightened　out　of　our　lives　almost。　We　could　not　think　what　it　could　be。　At　last　Hastings　peeped　out；　and　began　to　laugh；　so　Homer　and　I　looked　out　also；　and　there　we　saw　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　large　baboons　leaping　and　tumbling　about　in　such　a　way　as　I　never　saw；　they　were　bigger　than　we　were　…　indeed；　when　they　stood　on　their　hind　legs　they　were　much　taller；　and　they　had　very　large　white　tusks。　Some　of　them　were　females；　with　young　ones　on　their　backs；　and　they　were　just　as　active　as　the　males。　At　last　they　played　such　antics；　that　we　all　burst　out　into　a　loud　laugh；　and　we　had　not　ceased　when　we　found　the　grinning　face　of　one　of　the　largest　of　those　brutes　close　to　our　own。　He　had　dropped　from　the　rock　above　us；　like　magic。　We　all　three　backed　into　the　cave；　very　much　frightened；　for　the　teeth　of　the　animal　were　enormous；　and　he　looked　very　savage。　He　gave　a　shrill　cry；　and　we　perceived　all　the　rest　of　the　herd　coming　to　him　as　fast　as　they　could。　I　said　that　the　cave　was　large　enough　to　hold　six　of　us；　but　there　was　a　sort　of　inner　cave　which　we　had　not　gone　into；　as　the　entrance　was　much　smaller。　Homer　cried　out；　‘Let　us　go　into　the　inside　cave　…　we　can　get　in　one　by　one；'　and　he　backed　in；　Hastings　followed　with　his　bundle；　and　I　hurried　in　after　him　just　in　time；　for　the　baboons；　who　had　been　chattering　to　each　other　for　half　a　minute；　came　into　the　outer　cave　just　as　I　crawled　into　the　inner。　Five　or　six　of　them　came　in；　all　males；　and　very　large。　The　first　thing　they　did　was　to　lay　hold　of　Homer's　bundle；　which　they　soon　opened　…　at　once　they　seized　his　provisions　and　rammed　them　into　their　pouches；　and　then　they　pulled　out　the　other　things　and　tore　them　all　to　pieces。　As　soon　as　they　had　done　with　the　bundle；　two　of　them　came　towards　the　inner　cave　and　saw　us。　One　put　his　long　paw　in　to　seize　us；　but　Hastings　gave　him　a　slash　with　his　knife；　and　the　animal　took　his　paw　out　again　fast　enough。　It　was　laughable　to　see　him　hold　out　his　hand　to　the　others；　and　then　taste　the　blood　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　and　such　a　chattering　I　never　heard　…　they　were　evidently　very　angry；　and　more　came　into　the　cave　and　joined　them；　then　another　put　in　his　hand；　and　received　a　cut　just　as　before。　At　last；　two　or　three　at　once　tried　to　pull　us　out；　but　we　beat　them　all　off　with　our　knives；　wounding　them　all　very　severely。　For　about　an　hour　they　continued　their　attempts；　and　then　they　went　away　out　of　the　cave；　but　remained　at　the　mouth　shrieking　and　howling。　We　began　to　be　very　tired　of　this　work；　and　Homer　said　that　he　wished　he　was　back　in　prison　again；　and　so　did　I；　I　can　assure　you；　but　there　was　no　getting　out；　for　had　we　gone　out　the　animals　would　have　torn　us　to　pieces。　We　agreed　that　we　had　no　chance　but　the　animals　becoming　tired　and　going　away；　and　most　anxious　we　were；　for　the　excitement　had　made　us　very　thirsty；　and　we　wanted　water。　We　remained　for　two　hours　in　this　way　imprisoned　by　baboons；　when　all　of　a　sudden　a　shrill　cry　was　given　by　one　of　the　animals；　and　the　whole　herd　went　galloping　off　as　fast　as　they　could；　screaming　louder　than　ever。　We　waited　for　a　short　time　to　see　if　they　would　return；　and　then　Hastings　crawled　out　first；　and　looking　out　of　the　cave　very　cautiously；　said　that　they　were　all　gone；　and　that　he　could　see　nothing　but　a　Hottentot　sitting　down　watching　some　cattle；　we　therefore　all　came　out；　very　happy　at　our　release。　That　was　our　first　adventure；　we　had　plenty　afterwards；　but　I　think　it　is　now　time　we　should　go　to　bed。　It　is　my　opinion　we　shall　have　a　fine　day　to…morrow；　sir；　but　there's　no　saying。〃

〃I　do　so　want　to　hear　what　happened　to　you　afterwards；　Ready；〃　said　William。

〃Well；　so　you　shall；　but　there's　a　time　for　everything；　and　this　is　bed…time；　unless　you　like　to　go　with　me；　the　weather　has　cleared　up；　and　I　want　to　catch　a　fish　or　two　for　to…morrow。〃



Chapter　XXXV

As　Ready　had　predicted；　the　weather　set　in　fine　after　the　violent　storm　of　which　we　have　made　mention。　For　a　fortnight；　with　little　intermission；　it　continued　fine；　and　during　that　time；　Ready；　Mr。　Seagrave；　and　William　worked　from　daylight　till　dusk　at　the　storehouse；　which　they　were　so　anxious　to　complete；　and　were　so　tired　when　their　work　was　over；　that　even　William　did　not　ask　Ready　to　go　on　with　his　history。　At　last　the　storehouse　was　complete；　thatched　and　wattled　in　on　three　sides；　leaving　one　open　for　ventilation；　the　lower　part；　which　had　been　arranged　for　the　folding　of　the　stock　at　night　and　during　the　rainy　season；　was　also　wattled　in　with　cocoa…nut　boughs　on　three　sides；　and　made　a　very　comfortable　retreat　for　the　animals。　The　winding　path　to　the　storehouse　was　also　cut　through　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　but　the　stumps　were　not　removed；　as　they　could　not　spare　the　time。　All　the　stores　that　they　had　brought　round　were　put　into　the　storehouse；　and　they　were　now　ready　to　take　up　some　other　job。　It　was；　however；　agreed　that；　on　the　day　after　the　building　was　finished；　they　should　all　have　a　day's　holiday；　which　they　certainly　did　require。　William　caught　some　fish；　a　turtle　was　speared　and　wheeled　up　to　the　house；　and　they　not　only　had　a　holiday；　but　a　feast。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　had　been　walking　on　the　beach　with　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　the　children；　while　Ready　was　assisting　Juno　in　cutting　up　the　turtle；　they　had　shown　Mrs。　Seagrave　the　storehouse；　and　the　goats　with　the　four　kids　had　been　led　there；　as　there　was　no　longer　any　occasion　for　them　to　remain　in　the　house。　The　weather　was　beautiful；　and　they　agreed　to　go　and　examine　the　garden。　They　found　that　the　seeds　had　not　yet　commenced　sprouting；　notwithstanding　the　heavy　rains。

〃I　should　have　thought　that　so　much　rain　would　have　made　them　come　up；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃No；　my　dear；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃they　require　more　of　the　sun　than　they　will　have　till　the　rainy　season　is　nearly　over；　a　few　days　like　this；　and　they　will　soon　be　above…ground。〃

〃Let　us　sit　down　on　this　knoll；　it　is　quite　dry；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃I　little　thought；〃　continued　she；　〃that　I　could　have　been　so　happy　in　a　desert　island。　I　thought　I　should　feel　the　loss　of　books　very　severely；　but　I　really　do　not　think　that　I　could　have　found　time　to　read。〃

〃Employment　is　a　source　of　happiness；　especially　when　you　are　usefully　employed。　An　industrious　person　is　always　a　happy　person；　provided　he　is　not　obliged　to　work　too　hard；　and　even　where　you　have　cause　for　unhappiness；　nothing　makes　you　forget　it　so　soon　as　occupation。〃

〃But；　mamma；　we　shall　not　always　have　so　much　to　do　as　we　have　now；〃　said　William。

〃Of　course　not；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　then　we　shall　find　our　books　a　great　source　of　enjoyment。　I　am　anxious　to　go　to　the　other　side　of　the　island；　and　see　what　have　been　spared　to　us；　and　whether　they　have　been　much　damaged；　but　that　cannot　be　until　after　the　rains　are　over；　and　we　can　use　the　boat　again。

〃Look　at　this　minute　insect　which　is　crawling　on　my　finger；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　turning　to　William：　〃what　a　number　of　legs　it　has！〃

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　something　like　it　in　old　books。　How　fast　it　runs　with　its　little　legs；　thinner　than　hairs　…　how　wonderful！〃

〃Yes；　William；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃we　have　only　to　examine　into　any　portion；　however　small；　of　creation；　and　we　are　immediately　filled　with　wonder。　There　is　nothing　which　points　out　to　us　the　immensity　and　the　omniscience　of　the　Almighty　more　than　the　careful　provision　which　has　been　made　by　Him　for　the　smallest　and　most　insignificant　of　created　beings。　This　little　animal　is　perhaps　one　of　many　millions；　who　have　their　term　of　existence；　and　their　enjoyment；　as　well　as　we　have。　What　is　it？　…　an　insect　of　the　minutest　kind；　a　nothing　in　creation；　yet　has　the　same　care　been　bestowed　upon　its　formation：　these　little　legs；　hardly　visible；　have　their　muscles　and　their　sinews；　and　every　other　portion　of　its　body　is　as　complete；　as　fearfully　and　wonderfully　fashioned；　as　our　own。　Such　is　his　will；　and　what　insects　we　ought　to　feel　ourselves；　when　compared　to　the　God　of　power　and　of　love！〃

〃Let　me　also　point　out　to　you；　William；〃　continued　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃the　infinity　of　his　creative　power；　displayed　in　endless　variety。　Amongst　the　millions　of　men　that　have　been　born；　and　died；　if　ever　yet　were　there　seen　two　faces　or　two　bodies　exactly　alike；　nay；　if　you　could　examine　the　leaves　upon　the　trees；　although　there　may　be　millions　upon　millions　in　a　forest；　you　could　not　discover　two　leaves　of　precisely　the　same　form　and　make。〃

〃I　have　often　tried　in　vain；〃　replied　William；　〃yet　some　animals　are　so　much　alike；　that　I　cannot　perceive　any　difference　between　them　…　sheep；　for　instance。〃

〃Very　true；　you　cannot　tell　the　difference；　because　you　have　not　examined　them；　but　a　shepherd；　if　he　has　seven　hundred　sheep　under　his　care；　will　know　every　one　of　them　from　the　others；　which　proves　that　there　must　be　a　great　difference　between　them；　although　not　perceptible　to　the　casual　observer；　and　the　same；　no　doubt；　is　the　case　with　all　other　classes　of　animals。〃

〃Yes；　William；〃　observed　Ready；　〃I　have　often　wondered　over　the　things　that　I　have　seen；　and　I　have　even　in　my　ignorance　felt　what　your　papa　has　now　told　you；　and　it　has　brought　into　my　mind　the　words　of　Job：　‘When　I　consider；　I　am　afraid　of　him'。〃

〃Papa；〃　said　William；　after　a　pause　in　the　conversation；　〃you　have　referred　to　the　variety　…　the　wonderful　variety　…　shown　in　the　works　of　the　Deity。　Tell　me　some　other　prominent　feature　in　creation。〃

〃One　of　the　most　remark