in search of the castaways-第123章

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ated　themselves。　　A　hind　quarter　of　a　goat；　nardou　bread；　several　bowls　of　milk；　two　or　three　roots　of　wild　endive；　and　pure　fresh　water；　composed　the　simple　repast；　worthy　of　the　shepherds　of　Arcadia。　Paganel　was　enchanted。　　His　old　fancies　about　Robinson　Crusoe　revived　in　full　force。　　〃He　is　not　at　all　to　be　pitied；　that　scoundrel；　Ayrton！〃　he　exclaimed；　enthusiastically。　〃This　little　isle　is　just　a　paradise！〃　〃Yes；〃　replied　Harry　Grant；　〃a　paradise　to　these　poor；　shipwrecked　fellows　that　Heaven　had　pity　on；　but　I　am　sorry　that　Maria　Theresa　was　not　an　extensive　and　fertile　island；　with　a　river　instead　of　a　stream；　and　a　port　instead　of　a　tiny　bay　exposed　to　the　open　sea。〃　〃And　why；　captain？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃Because　I　should　have　made　it　the　foundation　of　the　colony　with　which　I　mean　to　dower　Scotland。〃　〃Ah；　Captain　Grant；　you　have　not　given　up　the　project；　then；　which　made　you　so　popular　in　our　old　country？〃　〃No；　my　Lord；　and　God　has　only　saved　me　through　your　efforts　that　I　might　accomplish　my　task。　　My　poor　brothers　in　old　Caledonia；　all　who　are　needy　must　have　a　refuge　provided　for　them　in　another　land　against　their　misery；　and　my　dear　country　must　have　a　colony　of　her　own；　for　herself　alone；　somewhere　in　these　seas；　where　she　may　find　that　independence　and　comfort　she　so　lacks　in　Europe。〃　〃Ah；　that　is　very　true；　Captain　Grant；〃　said　Lady　Helena。　　〃This　is　a　grand　project　of　yours；　and　worthy　of　a　noble　heart。　But　this　little　isle〃　〃No；　madam；　it　is　a　rock　only　fit　at　most　to　support　a　few　settlers；　while　what　we　need　is　a　vast　country；　whose　virgin　soil　abounds　in　untouched　stores　of　wealth；〃　replied　the　captain。　〃Well；　captain；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃the　future　is　ours；　and　this　country　we　will　seek　for　together。〃　And　the　two　brave　Scotchmen　joined　hands　in　a　hearty　grip　and　so　sealed　the　compact。　A　general　wish　was　expressed　to　hear；　while　they　were　on　the　island；　the　account　of　the　shipwreck　of　the　BRITANNIA；　and　of　the　two　years　spent　by　the　survivors　in　this　very　place。　Harry　Grant　was　delighted　to　gratify　their　curiosity；　and　commenced　his　narration　forthwith。　〃My　story；〃　he　said；　〃is　that　of　all　the　Robinson　Cru…soes　cast　upon　an　island；　with　only　God　and　themselves　to　rely　on；　and　feeling　it　a　duty　to　struggle　for　life　with　the　elements。　〃It　was　during　the　night　of　the　26th　or　27th　of　June；　1862；　that　the　BRITANNIA；　disabled　by　a　six　days'　storm；　struck　against　the　rocks　of　Maria　Theresa。　　The　sea　was　mountains　high；　and　lifeboats　were　useless。　　My　unfortunate　crew　all　perished；　except　Bob　Learce　and　Joe　Bell；　who　with　myself　managed　to　reach　shore　after　twenty　unsuccessful　attempts。　〃The　land　which　received　us　was　only　an　uninhabited　island；　two　miles　broad　and　five　long；　with　about　thirty　trees　in　the　interior；　a　few　meadows；　and　a　brook　of　fresh　water；　which　fortunately　never　dried　up。　　Alone　with　my　sailors；　in　this　corner　of　the　globe；　I　did　not　despair。　　I　put　my　trust　in　God；　and　accustomed　myself　to　struggle　resolutely　for　existence。　Bob　and　Joe；　my　brave　companions　in　misfortune；　my　friends；　seconded　me　energetically。　〃We　began　like　the　fictitious　Robinson　Crusoe　of　Defoe；　our　model；　by　collecting　the　planks　of　the　ship；　the　tools；　a　little　powder；　and　firearms；　and　a　bag　of　precious　seeds。　The　first　few　days　were　painful　enough；　but　hunting　and　fishing　soon　afforded　us　a　sure　supply　of　food；　for　wild　goats　were　in　abundance　in　the　interior　of　the　island；　and　marine　animals　abounded　on　the　coast。　　By　degrees　we　fell　into　regular　ways　and　habits　of　life。　〃I　had　saved　my　instruments　from　the　wreck；　and　knew　exactly　the　position　of　the　island。　　I　found　we　were　out　of　the　route　of　vessels；　and　could　not　be　rescued　unless　by　some　providential　chance。　I　accepted　our　trying　lot　composedly；　always　thinking；　however；　of　my　dear　ones；　remembering　them　every　day　in　my　prayers；　though　never　hoping　to　see　them　again。　〃However；　we　toiled　on　resolutely；　and　before　long　several　acres　of　land　were　sown　with　the　seed　off　the　BRITANNIA；　potatoes；　endive；　sorrel；　and　other　vegetables　besides；　gave　wholesome　variety　to　our　daily　fare。　We　caught　some　young　kids；　which　soon　grew　quite　tame。　　We　had　milk　and　butter。　　The　nardou；　which　grew　abundantly　in　dried　up　creeks；　supplied　us　with　tolerably　substantial　bread；　and　we　had　no　longer　any　fears　for　our　material　life。　〃We　had　built　a　log　hut　with　the　DEBRIS　of　the　BRITANNIA；　and　this　was　covered　over　with　sail　cloth；　carefully　tarred　over；　and　beneath　this　secure　shelter　the　rainy　season　passed　comfortably。　Many　a　plan　was　discussed　here；　and　many　a　dream　indulged　in；　the　brightest　of　which　is　this　day　realized。　〃I　had　at　first　the　idea　of　trying　to　brave　the　perils　of　the　ocean　in　a　canoe　made　out　of　the　spars　of　the　ship；　but　1；500　miles　lay　between　us　and　the　nearest　coast；　that　is　to　say　the　islands　of　the　Archipelago　of　Pomotou。　　No　boat　could　have　stood　so　long　a　voyage。　I　therefore　relinquished　my　scheme；　and　looked　for　no　deliverance　except　from　a　divine　hand。　〃Ah；　my　poor　children！　how　often　we　have　stood　on　the　top　of　the　rocks　and　watched　the　few　vessels　passing　in　the　distance　far　out　at　sea。　During　the　whole　period　of　our　exile　only　two　or　three　vessels　appeared　on　the　horizon；　and　those　only　to　disappear　again　immediately。　Two　years　and　a　half　were　spent　in　this　manner。　　We　gave　up　hoping；　but　yet　did　not　despair。　　At　last；　early　yesterday　morning；　when　I　was　standing　on　the　highest　peak　of　the　island；　I　noticed　a　light　smoke　rising　in　the　west。　　It　increased；　and　soon　a　ship　appeared　in　sight。　It　seemed　to　be　coming　toward　us。　　But　would　it　not　rather　steer　clear　of　an　island　where　there　was　no　harbor。　〃Ah；　what　a　day　of　agony　that　was！　　My　heart　was　almost　bursting。　My　comrades　kindled　a　fire　on　one　of　the　peaks。　　Night　came　on；　but　no　signal　came　from　the　yacht。　　Deliverance　was　there；　however。　Were　we　to　see　it　vanish　from　our　eyes？　〃I　hesitated　no　longer。　　The　darkness　was　growing　deeper。　The　ship　might　double　the　island　during　the　night。　I　jumped　into　the　sea；　and　attempted　to　make　my　way　toward　it。　Hope　trebled　my　strength；　I　cleft　the　waves　with　superhuman　vigor；　and　had　got　so　near　the　yacht　that　I　was　scarcely　thirty　fathoms　off；　when　it　tacked　about。　〃This　provoked　me　to　the　despairing　cry；　which　only　my　two　children　heard。　　It　was　no　illusion。　〃Then　I　came　back　to　the　shore；　exhausted　and　overcome　with　emotion　and　fatigue。　　My　two　sailors　received　me　half　dead。　It　was　a　horrible　night　this　last　we　spent　on　the　island；　and　we　believed　ourselves　abandoned　forever；　when　day　dawned；　and　there　was　the　yacht　sailing　nearly　alongside；　under　easy　steam。　Your　boat　was　loweredwe　were　savedand；　oh；　wonder　of　Divine　goodness；　my　children；　my　beloved　children；　were　there　holding　out　their　arms　to　me！〃　Robert　and　Mary　almost　smothered　their　father　with　kisses　and　caresses　as　he　ended　his　narrative。　It　was　now　for　the　first　time　that　the　captain　heard　that　he　owed　his　deliverance　to　the　somewhat　hieroglyphical　V。　IV　Verne　document　which　he　had　placed　in　a　bottle　and　confined　to　the　mercy　of　the　ocean。　But　what　were　Jacques　Paganel's　thoughts　during　Captain　Grant's　recital？　The　worthy　geographer　was　turning　over　in　his　brain　for　the　thousandth　time　the　words　of　the　doc