in search of the castaways-第88章

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ad　visited　Twofold　Bay　on　his　own　account；　and　was　aware　that　there　were　no　means　of　transport　for　Sydney　or　Melbourne。　　But　of　the　three　vessels　anchored　in　the　roadstead　one　was　loading　for　Auckland；　the　capital　of　the　northern　island　of　New　Zealand。　　Paganel's　proposal　was　to　take　the　ship　in　question；　and　get　to　Auckland；　whence　it　would　be　easy　to　return　to　Europe　by　the　boats　of　the　Peninsular　and　Oriental　Company。　This　proposition　was　taken　into　serious　consideration。　Paganel　on　this　occasion　dispensed　with　the　volley　of　arguments　he　generally　indulged　in。　　He　confined　himself　to　the　bare　proposition；　adding　that　the　voyage　to　New　Zealand　was　only　five　or　six　days　the　distance；　in　fact；　being　only　about　a　thousand　miles。　By　a　singular　coincidence　Auckland　is　situated　on　the　self…same　parallel　the　thirty…seventhwhich　the　explorers　had　perseveringly　followed　since　they　left　the　coast　of　Araucania。　　Paganel　might　fairly　have　used　this　as　an　argument　in　favor　of　his　scheme；　in　fact；　it　was　a　natural　opportunity　of　visiting　the　shores　of　New　Zealand。　But　Paganel　did　not　lay　stress　on　this　argument。　　After　two　mistakes；　he　probably　hesitated　to　attempt　a　third　interpretation　of　the　document。　　Besides；　what　could　he　make　of　it？　　It　said　positively　that　a　〃continent〃　had　served　as　a　refuge　for　Captain　Grant；　not　an　island。　　Now；　New　Zealand　was　nothing　but　an　island。　This　seemed　decisive。　　Whether；　for　this　reason；　or　for　some　other；　Paganel　did　not　connect　any　idea　of　further　search　with　this　proposition　of　reaching　Auckland。　　He　merely　observed　that　regular　communication　existed　between　that　point　and　Great　Britain；　and　that　it　was　easy　to　take　advantage　of　it。　John　Mangles　supported　Paganel's　proposal。　　He　advised　its　adoption；　as　it　was　hopeless　to　await　the　problematical　arrival　of　a　vessel　in　Twofold　Bay。　　But　before　coming　to　any　decision；　he　thought　it　best　to　visit　the　ship　mentioned　by　the　geographer。　Glenarvan；　the　Major；　Paganel；　Robert；　and　Mangles　himself；　took　a　boat；　and　a　few　strokes　brought　them　alongside　the　ship　anchored　two　cables'　length　from　the　quay。　It　was　a　brig　of　150　tons；　named　the　MACQUARIE。　　It　was　engaged　in　the　coasting　trade　between　the　various　ports　of　Australia　and　New　Zealand。　　The　captain；　or　rather　the　〃master；〃　received　his　visitors　gruffly　enough。　They　perceived　that　they　had　to　do　with　a　man　of　no　education；　and　whose　manners　were　in　no　degree　superior　to　those　of　the　five　sailors　of　his　crew。　　With　a　coarse；　red　face；　thick　hands；　and　a　broken　nose；　blind　of　an　eye；　and　his　lips　stained　with　the　pipe；　Will　Halley　was　a　sadly　brutal　looking　person。　But　they　had　no　choice；　and　for　so　short　a　voyage　it　was　not　necessary　to　be　very　particular。　〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　Will　Halley；　when　the　strangers　stepped　on　the　poop　of　his　ship。　〃The　captain；〃　answered　John　Mangles。　〃I　am　the　captain；〃　said　Halley。　　〃What　else　do　you　want？〃　〃The　MACQUARIE　is　loading　for　Auckland；　I　believe？〃　〃Yes。　　What　else？〃　〃What　does　she　carry？〃　〃Everything　salable　and　purchasable。　　What　else？〃　〃When　does　she　sail？〃　〃To…morrow　at　the　mid…day　tide。　　What　else？〃　〃Does　she　take　passengers？〃　〃That　depends　on　who　the　passengers　are；　and　whether　they　are　satisfied　with　the　ship's　mess。〃　〃They　would　bring　their　own　provisions。〃　〃What　else？〃　〃What　else？〃　〃Yes。　　How　many　are　there？〃　〃Nine；　two　of　them　are　ladies。〃　〃I　have　no　cabins。〃　〃We　will　manage　with　such　space　as　may　be　left　at　their　disposal。〃　〃What　else？〃　〃Do　you　agree？〃　said　John　Mangles；　who　was　not　in　the　least　put　out　by　the　captain's　peculiarities。　〃We'll　see；〃　said　the　master　of　the　MACQUARIE。　Will　Halley　took　two　or　three　turns　on　the　poop；　making　it　resound　with　iron…heeled　boots；　and　then　he　turned　abruptly　to　John　Mangles。　〃What　would　you　pay？〃　said　he。　〃What　do　you　ask？〃　replied　John。　〃Fifty　pounds。〃　Glenarvan　looked　consent。　〃Very　good！　　Fifty　pounds；〃　replied　John　Mangles。　〃But　passage　only；〃　added　Halley。　〃Yes；　passage　only。〃　〃Food　extra。〃　〃Extra。〃　〃Agreed。　　And　now；〃　said　Will；　putting　out　his　hand；　〃what　about　the　deposit　money？〃　〃Here　is　half　of　the　passage…money；　twenty…five　pounds；〃　said　Mangles；　counting　out　the　sum　to　the　master。　〃All　aboard　to…morrow；〃　said　he；　〃before　noon。　　Whether　or　no；　I　weigh　anchor。〃　〃We　will　be　punctual。〃　This　said；　Glenarvan；　the　Major；　Robert；　Paganel；　and　John　Mangles　left　the　ship；　Halley　not　so　much　as　touching　the　oilskin　that　adorned　his　red　locks。　〃What　a　brute；〃　exclaimed　John。　〃He　will　do；〃　answered　Paganel。　　〃He　is　a　regular　sea…wolf。〃

〃A　downright　bear！〃　added　the　Major。　〃I　fancy；〃　said　John　Mangles；　〃that　the　said　bear　has　dealt　in　human　flesh　in　his　time。〃　〃What　matter？〃　answered　Glenarvan；　〃as　long　as　he　commands　the　MACQUARIE；　and　the　MACQUARIE　goes　to　New　Zealand。　　From　Twofold　Bay　to　Auckland　we　shall　not　see　much　of　him；　after　Auckland　we　shall　see　him　no　more。〃　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　Grant　were　delighted　to　hear　that　their　departure　was　arranged　for　to…morrow。　Glenarvan　warned　them　that　the　MACQUARIE　was　inferior　in　comfort　to　the　DUNCAN。　　But　after　what　they　had　gone　through；　they　were　indifferent　to　trifling　annoyances。　Wilson　was　told　off　to　arrange　the　accommodation　on　board　the　MACQUARIE。　　Under　his　busy　brush　and　broom　things　soon　changed　their　aspect。　Will　Halley　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　let　the　sailor　have　his　way。　Glenarvan　and　his　party　gave　him　no　concern。　　He　neither　knew；　nor　cared　to　know；　their　names。　　His　new　freight　represented　fifty　pounds；　and　he　rated　it　far　below　the　two　hundred　tons　of　cured　hides　which　were　stowed　away　in　his　hold。　　Skins　first；　men　after。　　He　was　a　merchant。　As　to　his　sailor　qualification；　he　was　said　to　be　skillful　enough　in　navigating　these　seas；　whose　reefs　make　them　very　dangerous。　As　the　day　drew　to　a　close；　Glenarvan　had　a　desire　to　go　again　to　the　point　on　the　coast　cut　by　the　37th　parallel。　　Two　motives　prompted　him。　He　wanted　to　examine　once　more　the　presumed　scene　of　the　wreck。　Ayrton　had　certainly　been　quartermaster　on　the　BRITANNIA；　and　the　BRITANNIA　might　have　been　lost　on　this　part　of　the　Australian　coast；　on　the　east　coast　if　not　on　the　west。　　It　would　not　do　to　leave　without　thorough　investigation；　a　locality　which　they　were　never　to　revisit。　And　then；　failing　the　BRITANNIA；　the　DUNCAN　certainly　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　convicts。　　Perhaps　there　had　been　a　fight？　There　might　yet　be　found　on　the　coast　traces　of　a　struggle；　a　last　resistance。　　If　the　crew　had　perished　among　the　waves；　the　waves　probably　had　thrown　some　bodies　on　the　shore。　Glenarvan；　accompanied　by　his　faithful　John；　went　to　carry　out　the　final　search。　　The　landlord　of　the　Victoria　Hotel　lent　them　two　horses；　and　they　set　out　on　the　northern　road　that　skirts　Twofold　Bay。　It　was　a　melancholy　journey。　　Glenarvan　and　Captain　John　trotted　along　without　speaking；　but　they　understood　each　other。　The　same　thoughts；　the　same　anguish　harrowed　both　their　hearts。　They　looked　at　the　sea…worn　rocks；　they　needed　no　words　of　question　or　answer。　　John's　well…tried　zeal　and　intelligence　were　a　guarantee　that　every　point　was　scrupulously　examined；　the　least　likely　places；　as　well　as　the　sloping　beaches　and　sandy　plains　where　even　the　slight　tides　of　the　Pacific　might　have　thrown　some　fragmen