masterman ready-第26章

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erefore；　that　very　soon　we　should　have　to　trust　to　our　guns　for　procuring　food。　As　soon　as　we　had　finished　our　meal；　we　lay　down　by　the　fire；　with　our　muskets　loaded　close　to　us；　and　our　ammunition　placed　out　of　danger。　We　were　so　tired　that　we　were　soon　fast　asleep。　It　had　been　agreed　that　Romer　should　keep　the　first　watch；　and　Hastings　the　middle；　and　I　the　morning；　but　Romer　fell　asleep；　and　the　consequence　was；　that　the　fire　was　not　kept　up。　It　was　about　midnight　that　I　was　awakened　by　something　breathing　hard　in　my　face；　and　just　as　I　could　recall　my　senses　and　open　my　eyes；　I　found　myself　lifted　up　by　my　waistband；　and　the　teeth　of　some　animal　pinching　my　flesh。　I　tried　to　catch　at　my　musket；　but　I　put　out　my　wrong　hand；　and　laid　hold　of　a　still　lighted　brand　out　of　the　fire；　which　I　darted　into　the　animal's　face；　it　let　me　drop　directly；　and　ran　away。〃

〃What　a　providential　escape！〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　it　was；　ma'am；　the　animal　was　a　hyena。　Fortunately　they　are　a　very　cowardly　sort　of　beast；　still；　had　it　not　been　for　the　lighted　stick；　it　would　have　carried　me　off；　for　I　was　very　small　then；　and　it　lifted　me　up　as　if　I　was　a　feather　in　its　mouth。　The　shout　I　gave　woke　Hastings；　who　seized　his　musket　and　fired。　I　was　very　much　frightened；　as　you　may　suppose。　As　for　Romer；　he　never　woke　till　we　pushed　him　hard；　he　was　so　completely　knocked　up。　This　affair；　of　course；　made　us　more　cautious；　and　afterwards　we　lighted　two　fires；　and　slept　between　them；　one　always　remaining　on　the　watch。　For　a　week　we　travelled　on；　and　as　soon　as　we　were　over　the　mountains；　we　turned　our　heads　to　the　northward。　Our　provisions　were　all　gone；　and　we　were　one　day　without　any；　but　we　killed　an　antelope　called　a　spring…bock；　which　gave　us　provisions　for　three　or　four　days：　there　was　no　want　of　game　after　we　had　descended　into　the　plain。　I　forgot　to　mention；　however；　a　narrow　escape　we　had；　just　before　we　had　left　an　extensive　forest　on　the　side　of　the　mountain。　We　had　walked　till　past　noon；　and　were　very　much　tired；　we　decided　upon　taking　our　dinner　under　a　large　tree；　and　we　threw　ourselves　down　in　the　shade。　Hastings　was　lying　on　his　back；　with　his　eyes　looking　upwards；　when　he　perceived　on　the　lower　branch　of　the　tree　a　panther；　which　lay　along　it；　his　green　eyes　fixed　upon　us；　and　ready　to　spring；　he　seized　his　musket；　and　fired　it　without　taking　aim；　for　there　was　no　time；　but　the　ball　entered　the　stomach　of　the　animal；　and；　as　it　appeared；　divided　its　back…bone。　Down　came　the　beast；　within　three　or　four　feet　of　where　we　lay；　with　a　loud　roar；　and　immediately　crouched　to　spring　upon　Romer；　but　it　could　not；　for　the　back…bone　being　broken；　it　had　not　any　power　in　its　hinder　quarters；　so　it　raised　up　its　fore　quarters；　and　then　dropped　down　again。　I　never　saw　such　rage　and　fury　in　an　animal　in　my　life。　At　first　we　were　too　much　frightened　to　fire；　but；　perceiving　that　the　beast　could　not　spring；　Hastings　snatched　the　musket　from　Romer　and　shot　it　through　the　head。

〃We　were　now　obliged　to　hunt　for　our　livelihood；　and　we　became　bolder　than　ever。　Our　clothes　were　all　in　rags；　but　we　had　plenty　of　powder　and　ammunition；　there　were　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　antelopes　and　gnus　in　the　plain　…　indeed；　sometimes　it　was　impossible　to　count　them。　But　this　plentiful　supply　of　game　was　the　cause　of　our　being　in　greater　danger；　for　now；　for　the　first　time；　we　heard　the　roar　of　the　lions　every　night。　We　made　large　fires　to　keep　them　off；　but　they　often　made　us　tremble　when　they　came　near　to　us。〃

〃Did　you　ever　meet　with　one　in　the　day…time？〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　sir；　we　often　saw　them；　but　they　never　attacked　us；　and　we　were　too　much　afraid　to　fire　at　them。　Once　we　met　one　face　to　face。　We　had　killed　an　antelope　called　a　hartebeest；　and；　with　our　muskets　on　our　shoulders；　were　running　to　secure　it。　Just　as　we　came　up　to　the　spot；　we　beard　a　roar；　and　found　ourselves　not　ten　yards　from　a　lion；　who　was　lying　on　the　top　of　the　beast　we　had　killed；　his　eyes　flashing　fire　at　us；　and　half　raising　himself；　as　if　ready　for　a　spring。　We　all　took　to　our　heels　as　fast　as　we　could。　I　never　looked　back　till　I　was　out　of　breath：　but　the　lion　was　content　with　our　running　away；　and　did　not　take　the　trouble　to　follow　us。　Well；　sir；　we　had　been　travelling；　we　really　hardly　knew　where；　but　certainly　in　a　northerly　direction；　for　three　weeks；　and　were　quite　worn　out：　we　now　all　agreed　that　we　had　done　a　very　foolish　thing；　and　would　gladly　have　gone　back　again。　For　my　part；　I　declare　that　I　was　willing　to　lie　down　and　die；　if　I　could　have　so　done；　and　I　became　quite　indifferent　to　the　roaring　of　the　lions；　and　felt　as　if　I　should　be　glad　if　one　would　have　made　a　meal　of　me。　At　length；　one　morning；　we　fell　in　with　a　party　of　natives。　They　were　of　the　Karroo　tribe；　as　they　told　us　by　pointing　to　themselves；　and　saying；　‘Karroos'；　and　then　they　pointed　to　us；　and　said　‘Dutch'。　We　shot　game；　and　gave　it　to　them；　which　pleased　them　very　much；　and　they　remained　with　us　for　five　or　six　days。　We　tried　by　signs　to　inquire　of　them；　if　there　were　any　Dutch　settlement　about　there；　and　they　understood　us；　and　said　that　there　was；　in　a　direction　which　they　pointed　out　to　us；　to　the　north…east。　We　offered　them　a　present　if　they　would　show　us　the　way。　Two　of　the　men　agreed　to　go　with　us；　the　rest　of　the　tribe；　with　the　women　and　children；　went　southward。　The　next　day　we　arrived　at　a　Dutch　settlement　of　three　or　four　farmhouses；　called　Graaff　Reinet；　but　I　must　leave　off　now；　for　it　is　past　bed…time。〃



Chapter　XXXVIII

The　construction　of　the　fish…pond　proceeded　rapidly；　and　on　the　third　day　it　was　nearly　complete。　As　soon　as　all　the　walls　were　finished；　Ready　threw　out　sand　and　shingle；　so　as　to　make　the　part　next　to　the　beach　nearly　as　deep　as　the　other；　so　that　there　might　be　sufficient　water　to　prevent　the　gulls　and　man…of…war　birds　from　darting　down；　and　striking　the　fish。　While　Ready　was　thus　employed；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　collected　more　rocks；　so　as　to　divide　the　pond　into　four　parts；　at　the　same　time　allowing　a　communication　between　each　part。　These　inside　walls；　as　well　as　the　outside；　were　made　of　sufficient　width　to　walk　upon；　by　which　means　they　would　have　all　the　fish　within　reach　of　the　spear；　in　case　they　wished　to　take　them　out。　The　day　after　the　pond　was　completed　the　weather　changed。　The　rain　poured　down　with　great　force；　but　it　was　not　accompanied　with　such　terrific　thunder　and　lightning；　nor　were　the　storms　of　so　long　continuance；　as　at　the　commencement　of　the　rainy　season。　In　the　intervals　of　fine　weather　they　caught　a　great　many　fish；　which　they　put　into　the　pond；　so　that　it　was　well　stocked。　But　a　circumstance　occurred；　which　was　the　occasion　of　great　alarm　to　them　all；　which　was；　that　one　evening　William　was　taken　with　a　shivering；　and　complained　very　much　of　a　pain　in　his　head。　Ready　had　promised　to　continue　his　narrative　on　that　evening；　but　William　was　too　ill　to　sit　up。　He　was　put　into　bed；　and　the　next　morning　he　was　in　a　violent　fever。　Mr。　Seagrave　was　much　alarmed；　as　the　symptoms　were　worse　every　hour；　and　Ready；　who　had　sat　up　with　him　during　the　night；　called　Mr。　Seagrave　out　of　the　house；　and　said；　〃This　is　a　bad　case；　sir：　William　was　working　yesterday　with　his　hat　off；　and　I　fear　that　he　has　been　struck　by　the　sun。〃

The　poor　boy　was　for　many　days　in　great　danger；　and　the　cheerful　house　was　now　one　of　gloom　and　silence。　How　fervent　were　now　the　morning　and　evening　prayers；　how　often　during　the　day　did　his　parents　offer　up　a　petition　to　heaven　for　their　dear　boy's　recovery。　The　weather　became　finer　every　day；　and　it　was　almost　impossible　to　keep　Tommy　quiet：　Juno　went　out　with　him　and　Albert　every　morning；　and　kept　them　with　her　while　she　cooked；　and；　fortunately；　Vixen　had　some　young　ones；　and　when　Juno　could　no　longer　amuse　them；　she　brought　them　two　of　the　puppies　to　play　with。　As　for　the　quiet；　meek　little　Caroline；　she　would　remain　during　the　whole　day　holding　her　mother's　hand；　and　watching　her　brother；　or　working　with　her　needle　by　the　side　of　his　bed。

Ready；　who　could　not　be　idle；　had　taken　the　hammer　and　cold　chisel　to　make　the　salt…pan；　at　which　he　worked　during　those　portions　of　the　day　in　which　his　services　were　not　required　indoors；　and　as　he　sat　chipping　away　the　rock；　his　thoughts　were　ever　upon　William；　for　he　dearly　loved　the　boy　for　his　amiable　disposition　and　his　cleverness；　and　many　a　time　during　the　day　would　he　stop　his　work；　and　the　tears　would　run　down　his　cheeks　as　he　offered　up　his　petition　to　the　Almighty　that　the　boy　might　be　spared　to　his　afflicted　parents。　And　those　prayers　were　heard；　for　on　the　ninth　day　William　was　pronounced　by　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　to　have　much　less　fever；　and　shortly　afterwards　it　left　him　altogether；　but　he　was　so　weak　that　he　could　not　raise　himself　in　his　bed　for　two　or　three　days；　and　it　was　not　till　more　than　a　fortnight　after　the　fever　had　left　him　that　he　could　go　out　of　the　house。　The　joy　that　was　expressed　by　them　all　when　the　change　took　place　may　be　imagined：　nor　were　the　thanksgivings　less　fervent　than　had　been　the　prayers。

During　his　convalescence；　as　there　was　nothing　else　to　do；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready；　who　now　went　gladly　to　their　work；　determined；　as　the　salt…pan　was　finished；　that　they　would　make　a　bathing…place。　Juno　came　to　their　assistance；　and　was　very　useful　in　assisting　to　drag　the　wheels　which　brought　the　rocks　and　stones；　and　Tommy　was　also　brought　down；　that　he　might　be　out　of　the　way　while　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Caroline　watched　the　invalid。　By　the　time　that　William　was　able　to　go　out　of　the　house；　the　bathing…place　was　finished；　and　there　was　no　longer　any　fear　of　the　sharks。　William　came　down　to　the　beach　with　his　mother；　and　looked　at　the　work　which　had　been　done；　he　was　much　pleased　with　it；　and　said；　〃Now；　Ready；　we　have　finished　everything　at　home　for　the　present；　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　explore　the　island；　and　to　go　to　the　cove　and　examine　our　collection　from　the　wreck。〃

〃Very　true；　William；　and　the　weather　has　been　so　fine；　that　I　think　we　may　venture　upon　one　or　the　other　in　a　few　days　more；　but　not　till　you　are　stronger。〃

〃I　shall　soon　be　strong　again；　Ready。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；　William；　and　we　have　good　reason　to　thank　God；　for　we　could　ill　spare　you。〃

〃It's　a　long　while　since　you　have　gone　on　with　your　story；　Ready；〃　said　William；　after　they　had　taken　their　supper；　〃I　wish　you　would　do　so　now；　as　I　am　sure　I　shall　not　be　tired。〃

〃With　pleasure；　William；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　can　you　remember　where　I　left　off；　for　my　memory　is　none　of　the　best？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　if　you　recollect；　you　had　just　arrived　at　a　Dutch　farmer's　house；　in　company　with　the　savages；　at　a　place　called　Graaff　Reinet；　I　think。〃

〃Well　then；　the　Dutch　farmer　came　out　when　he　saw　us　coming；　and　asked　us　who　we　were。　We　told　him　that　we　were　English　prisoners；　and　that　we　wished　to　give　ourselves　up　to　the　authorities。　He　took　away　our　arms　and　ammunition；　and　said　that　he　was　the　authority　in　that　part；　which　was　true　enough；　and　then　he　said；　‘You'll　not　run　away　without　arms　and　ammunition；　that's　certain。　As　for　sending　you　to　the　Cape；　that　I　may　not　be　able　to　do　for　months；　so　if　you　wish　to　be　fed　well；　you　must　work　well　while　you're　here。'　We　replied；　that　we　shou