in search of the castaways-第59章

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gave　an　account　of　the　BRITANNIA'S　voyage　across　the　Pacific。　　Mary　knew　most　of　it　before；　as　news　of　the　ship　had　come　regularly　up　to　the　month　of　May；　1862。　　In　the　course　of　the　year　Harry　Grant　had　touched　at　all　the　principal　ports。　He　had　been　to　the　Hebrides；　to　New　Guinea；　New　Zealand；　and　New　Caledonia；　and　had　succeeded　in　finding　an　important　point　on　the　western　coast　of　Papua；　where　the　establishment　of　a　Scotch　colony　seemed　to　him　easy；　and　its　prosperity　certain。　A　good　port　on　the　Molucca　and　Philippine　route　must　attract　ships；　especially　when　the　opening　of　the　Suez　Canal　would　have　supplanted　the　Cape　route。　　Harry　Grant　was　one　of　those　who　appreciated　the　great　work　of　M。　De　Lesseps；　and　would　not　allow　political　rivalries　to　interfere　with　international　interests。　After　reconnoitering　Papua；　the　BRITANNIA　went　to　provision　herself　at　Callao；　and　left　that　port　on　the　30th　of　May；　1862；　to　return　to　Europe　by　the　Indian　Ocean　and　the　Cape。　　Three　weeks　afterward；　his　vessel　was　disabled　by　a　fearful　storm　in　which　they　were　caught；　and　obliged　to　cut　away　the　masts。　　A　leak　sprang　in　the　hold；　and　could　not　be　stopped。　The　crew　were　too　exhausted　to　work　the　pumps；　and　for　eight　days　the　BRITANNIA　was　tossed　about　in　the　hurricane　like　a　shuttlecock。　She　had　six　feet　of　water　in　her　hold；　and　was　gradually　sinking。　The　boats　had　been　all　carried　away　by　the　tempest；　death　stared　them　in　the　face；　when；　on　the　night　of　the　22d　of　June；　as　Paganel　had　rightly　supposed；　they　came　in　sight　of　the　eastern　coast　of　Australia。　The　ship　soon　neared　the　shore；　and　presently　dashed　violently　against　it。　　Ayrton　was　swept　off　by　a　wave；　and　thrown　among　the　breakers；　where　he　lost　consciousness。　When　he　recovered；　he　found　himself　in　the　hands　of　natives；　who　dragged　him　away　into　the　interior　of　the　country。　Since　that　time　he　had　never　heard　the　BRITANNIA's　name　mentioned；　and　reasonably　enough　came　to　the　conclusion　that　she　had　gone　down　with　all　hands　off　the　dangerous　reefs　of　Twofold　Bay。　This　ended　Ayrton's　recital；　and　more　than　once　sorrowful　exclamations　were　evoked　by　the　story。　　The　Major　could　not；　in　common　justice；　doubt　its　authenticity。　　The　sailor　was　then　asked　to　narrate　his　own　personal　history；　which　was　short　and　simple　enough。　He　had　been　carried　by　a　tribe　of　natives　four　hundred　miles　north　of　the　37th　parallel。　　He　spent　a　miserable　existence　there　not　that　he　was　ill…treated；　but　the　natives　themselves　lived　miserably。　He　passed　two　long　years　of　painful　slavery　among　them；　but　always　cherished　in　his　heart　the　hope　of　one　day　regaining　his　freedom；　and　watching　for　the　slightest　opportunity　that　might　turn　up；　though　he　knew　that　his　flight　would　be　attended　with　innumerable　dangers。　At　length　one　night　in　October；　1864；　he　managed　to　escape　the　vigilance　of　the　natives；　and　took　refuge　in　the　depths　of　immense　forests。　For　a　whole　month　he　subsisted　on　roots；　edible　ferns　and　mimosa　gums；　wandering　through　vast　solitudes；　guiding　himself　by　the　sun　during　the　day　and　by　the　stars　at　night。　　He　went　on；　though　often　almost　despairingly；　through　bogs　and　rivers；　and　across　mountains；　till　he　had　traversed　the　whole　of　the　uninhabited　part　of　the　continent；　where　only　a　few　bold　travelers　have　ventured；　and　at　last；　in　an　exhausted　and　all　but　dying　condition；　he　reached　the　hospitable　dwelling　of　Paddy　O'Moore；　where　he　said　he　had　found　a　happy　home　in　exchange　for　his　labor。　〃And　if　Ayrton　speaks　well　of　me；〃　said　the　Irish　settler；　when　the　narrative　ended；　〃I　have　nothing　but　good　to　say　of　him。　He　is　an　honest；　intelligent　fellow　and　a　good　V。　IV　Verne　worker；　and　as　long　as　he　pleases；　Paddy　O'Moore's　house　shall　be　his。〃　Ayrton　thanked　him　by　a　gesture；　and　waited　silently　for　any　fresh　question　that　might　be　put　to　him；　though　he　thought　to　himself　that　he　surely　must　have　satisfied　all　legitimate　curiosity。　What　could　remain　to　be　said　that　he　had　not　said　a　hundred　times　already。　　Glenarvan　was　just　about　to　open　a　discussion　about　their　future　plan　of　action；　profiting　by　this　rencontre　with　Ayrton；　and　by　the　information　he　had　given　them；　when　Major　McNabbs；　addressing　the　sailor　said；　〃You　were　quartermaster；　you　say；　on　the　BRITANNIA？〃　〃Yes；〃　replied　Ayrton；　without　the　least　hesitation。　But　as　if　conscious　that　a　certain　feeling　of　mistrust；　however　slight；　had　prompted　the　inquiry；　he　added；　〃I　have　my　shipping　papers　with　me；　I　saved　them　from　the　wreck。〃　He　left　the　room　immediately　to　fetch　his　official　document；　and；　though　hardly　absent　a　minute；　Paddy　O'Moore　managed　to　say；　〃My　Lord；　you　may　trust　Ayrton；　I　vouch　for　his　being　an　honest　man。　　He　has　been　two　months　now　in　my　service；　and　I　have　never　had　once　to　find　fault　with　him。　I　knew　all　this　story　of　his　shipwreck　and　his　captivity。　He　is　a　true　man；　worthy　of　your　entire　confidence。〃　Glenarvan　was　on　the　point　of　replying　that　he　had　never　doubted　his　good　faith；　when　the　man　came　in　and　brought　his　engagement　written　out　in　due　form。　　It　was　a　paper　signed　by　the　shipowners　and　Captain　Grant。　　Mary　recognized　her　father's　writing　at　once。　It　was　to　certify　that　〃Tom　Ayrton；　able…bodied　seaman；　was　engaged　as　quartermaster　on　board　the　three…mast　vessel；　the　BRITANNIA；　Glasgow。〃　There　could　not　possibly　be　the　least　doubt　now　of　Ayrton's　identity；　for　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　account　for　his　possession　of　the　document　if　he　were　not　the　man　named　in　it。　〃Now　then；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃I　wish　to　ask　everyone's　opinion　as　to　what　is　best　to　be　done。　　Your　advice；　Ayrton；　will　be　particularly　valuable；　and　I　shall　be　much　obliged　if　you　would　let　us　have　it。〃　After　a　few　minutes'　thought；　Ayrton　replied〃I　thank　you；　my　Lord；　for　the　confidence　you　show　towards　me；　and　I　hope　to　prove　worthy　of　it。　I　have　some　knowledge　of　the　country；　and　the　habits　of　the　natives；　and　if　I　can　be　of　any　service　to　you〃　〃Most　certainly　you　can；〃　interrupted　Glenarvan。　〃I　think　with　you；〃　resumed　Ayrton；　〃that　the　captain　and　his　two　sailors　have　escaped　alive　from　the　wreck；　but　since　they　have　not　found　their　way　to　the　English　settlement；　nor　been　seen　any　where；　I　have　no　doubt　that　their　fate　has　been　similar　to　my　own；　and　that　they　are　prisoners　in　the　hands　of　some　of　the　native　tribes。〃　〃That's　exactly　what　I　have　always　argued；〃　said　Paganel。　〃The　shipwrecked　men　were　taken　prisoners；　as　they　feared。　But　must　we　conclude　without　question　that；　like　yourself；　they　have　been　dragged　away　north　of　the　37th　parallel？〃　〃I　should　suppose　so；　sir；　for　hostile　tribes　would　hardly　remain　anywhere　near　the　districts　under　the　British　rule。〃　〃That　will　complicate　our　search；〃　said　Glenarvan；　somewhat　disconcerted。　〃How　can　we　possibly　find　traces　of　the　captives　in　the　heart　of　so　vast　a　continent？〃　No　one　replied；　though　Lady　Helena's　questioning　glances　at　her　companions　seemed　to　press　for　an　answer。　　Paganel　even　was　silent。　His　ingenuity　for　once　was　at　fault。　　John　Mangles　paced　the　cabin　with　great　strides；　as　if　he　fancied　himself　on　the　deck　of　his　ship；　evidently　quite　nonplussed。　〃And　you；　Mr。　Ayrton；〃　said　Lady　Helena　at　last；　〃what　would　you　do？〃　〃Madam；〃　replied　Ayrton；　readily　enough；　〃I　should　re…embark　in　the