in search of the castaways-第89章

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g　beaches　and　sandy　plains　where　even　the　slight　tides　of　the　Pacific　might　have　thrown　some　fragments　of　wreck。　But　no　indication　was　seen　that　could　suggest　further　search　in　that　quarterall　trace　of　the　wreck　escaped　them　still。　As　to　the　DUNCAN；　no　trace　either。　　All　that　part　of　Australia；　bordering　the　ocean；　was　desert。　Still　John　Mangles　discovered　on　the　skirts　of　the　shore　evident　traces　of　camping；　remains　of　fires　recently　kindled　under　solitary　Myall…trees。　Had　a　tribe　of　wandering　blacks　passed　that　way　lately？　No；　for　Glenarvan　saw　a　token　which　furnished　incontestable　proof　that　the　convicts　had　frequented　that　part　of　the　coast。　This　token　was　a　grey　and　yellow　garment　worn　and　patched；　an　ill…omened　rag　thrown　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree。　　It　bore　the　convict's　original　number　at　the　Perth　Penitentiary。　　The　felon　was　not　there；　but　his　filthy　garments　betrayed　his　passage。　This　livery　of　crime；　after　having　clothed　some　miscreant；　was　now　decaying　on　this　desert　shore。　〃You　see；　John；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃the　convicts　got　as　far　as　here！　and　our　poor　comrades　of　the　DUNCAN〃　〃Yes；〃　said　John；　in　a　low　voice；　〃they　never　landed；　they　perished！〃　〃Those　wretches！〃　cried　Glenarvan。　　〃If　ever　they　fall　into　my　hands　I　will　avenge　my　crew〃　Grief　had　hardened　Glenarvan's　features。　　For　some　minutes　he　gazed　at　the　expanse　before　him；　as　if　taking　a　last　look　at　some　ship　disappearing　in　the　distance。　　Then　his　eyes　became　dim；　he　recovered　himself　in　a　moment；　and　without　a　word　or　look；　set　off　at　a　gallop　toward　Eden。　The　wanderers　passed　their　last　evening　sadly　enough。　　Their　thoughts　recalled　all　the　misfortunes　they　had　encountered　in　this　country。　They　remembered　how　full　of　well…warranted　hope　they　had　been　at　Cape　Bernouilli；　and　how　cruelly　disappointed　at　Twofold　Bay！　Paganel　was　full　of　feverish　agitation。　　John　Mangles；　who　had　watched　him　since　the　affair　at　Snowy　River；　felt　that　the　geographer　was　hesitating　whether　to　speak　or　not　to　speak。　A　thousand　times　he　had　pressed　him　with　questions；　and　failed　in　obtaining　an　answer。　But　that　evening；　John；　in　lighting　him　to　his　room；　asked　him　why　he　was　so　nervous。　〃Friend　John；〃　said　Paganel；　evasively；　〃I　am　not　more　nervous　to…night　than　I　always　am。〃　〃Mr。　Paganel；〃　answered　John；　〃you　have　a　secret　that　chokes　you。〃　〃Well！〃　cried　the　geographer；　gesticulating；　〃what　can　I　do？　It　is　stronger　than　I！〃　〃What　is　stronger？〃　〃My　joy　on　the　one　hand；　my　despair　on　the　other。〃　〃You　rejoice　and　despair　at　the　same　time！〃　〃Yes；　at　the　idea　of　visiting　New　Zealand。〃　〃Why！　have　you　any　trace？〃　asked　John；　eagerly。　　〃Have　you　recovered　the　lost　tracks？〃　〃No；　friend　John。　　No　one　returns　from　New　Zealand；　but　still　you　know　human　nature。　　All　we　want　to　nourish　hope　is　breath。　My　device　is　'_Spiro　spero_；'　and　it　is　the　best　motto　in　the　world！〃

CHAPTER　II　NAVIGATORS　AND　THEIR　DISCOVERIES

NEXT　day；　the　27th　of　January；　the　passengers　of　the　MACQUARIE　were　installed　on　board　the　brig。　　Will　Halley　had　not　offered　his　cabin　to　his　lady　passengers。　　This　omission　was　the　less　to　be　deplored；　for　the　den　was　worthy　of　the　bear。　At　half　past　twelve　the　anchor　was　weighed；　having　been　loosed　from　its　holding…ground　with　some　difficulty。　A　moderate　breeze　was　blowing　from　the　southwest。　The　sails　were　gradually　unfurled；　the　five　hands　made　slow　work。　Wilson　offered　to　assist　the　crew；　but　Halley　begged　him　to　be　quiet　and　not　to　interfere　with　what　did　not　concern　him。　He　was　accustomed　to　manage　his　own　affairs；　and　required　neither　assistance　nor　advice。　This　was　aimed　at　John　Mangles；　who　had　smiled　at　the　clumsiness　of　some　maneuver。　　John　took　the　hint；　but　mentally　resolved　that　he　would　nevertheless　hold　himself　in　readiness　in　case　the　incapacity　of　the　crew　should　endanger　the　safety　of　the　vessel。　However；　in　time；　the　sails　were　adjusted　by　the　five　sailors；　aided　by　the　stimulus　of　the　captain's　oaths。　The　MACQUARIE　stood　out　to　sea　on　the　larboard　tack；　under　all　her　lower　sails；　topsails；　topgallants；　cross…jack；　and　jib。　By　and　by；　the　other　sails　were　hoisted。　　But　in　spite　of　this　additional　canvas　the　brig　made　very　little　way。　Her　rounded　bow；　the　width　of　her　hold；　and　her　heavy　stern；　made　her　a　bad　sailor；　the　perfect　type　of　a　wooden　shoe。　They　had　to　make　the　best　of　it。　　Happily；　five　days；　or；　at　most；　six；　would　take　them　to　Auckland；　no　matter　how　bad　a　sailor　the　MACQUARIE　was。　At　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　the　Australian　coast　and　the　lighthouse　of　the　port　of　Eden　had　faded　out　of　sight。　　The　ship　labored　on　the　lumpy　sea；　and　rolled　heavily　in　the　trough　of　the　waves。　The　passengers　below　suffered　a　good　deal　from　this　motion。　But　it　was　impossible　to　stay　on　deck；　as　it　rained　violently。　Thus　they　were　condemned　to　close　imprisonment。　Each　one　of　them　was　lost　in　his　own　reflections。　　Words　were　few。　Now　and　then　Lady　Helena　and　Miss　Grant　exchanged　a　few　syllables。　Glenarvan　was　restless；　he　went　in　and　out；　while　the　Major　was　impassive。　　John　Mangles；　followed　by　Robert；　went　on　the　poop　from　time　to　time；　to　look　at　the　weather。　　Paganel　sat　in　his　corner；　muttering　vague　and　incoherent　words。　What　was　the　worthy　geographer　thinking　of？　　Of　New　Zealand；　the　country　to　which　destiny　was　leading　him。　　He　went　mentally　over　all　his　history；　he　called　to　mind　the　scenes　of　the　past　in　that　ill…omened　country。　But　in　all　that　history　was　there　a　fact；　was　there　a　solitary　incident　that　could　justify　the　discoverers　of　these　islands　in　considering　them　as　〃a　continent。〃　　Could　a　modern　geographer　or　a　sailor　concede　to　them　such　a　designation。　Paganel　was　always　revolving　the　meaning　of　the　document。　He　was　possessed　with　the　idea；　it　became　his　ruling　thought。　After　Patagonia；　after　Australia；　his　imagination；　allured　by　a　name；　flew　to　New　Zealand。　　But　in　that　direction；　one　point；　and　only　one；　stood　in　his　way。　〃_Contincontin_；〃　he　repeated；　〃that　must　mean　continent！〃　And　then　he　resumed　his　mental　retrospect　of　the　navigators　who　made　known　to　us　these　two　great　islands　of　the　Southern　Sea。　It　was　on　the　13th　of　December；　1642；　that　the　Dutch　navigator　Tasman；　after　discovering　Van　Diemen's　Land；　sighted　the　unknown　shores　of　New　Zealand。　　He　coasted　along　for　several　days；　and　on　the　17th　of　December　his　ships　penetrated　into　a　large　bay；　which；　terminating　in　a　narrow　strait；　separated　the　two　islands。　The　northern　island　was　called　by　the　natives　Ikana…Mani；　a　word　which　signifies　the　fish　of　Mani。　　The　southern　island　was　called　Tavai…Pouna…Mou；　〃the　whale　that　yields　the　green…stones。〃　Abel　Tasman　sent　his　boats　on　shore；　and　they　returned　accompanied　by　two　canoes　and　a　noisy　company　of　natives。　These　savages　were　middle　height；　of　brown　or　yellow　complexion；　angular　bones；　harsh　voices；　and　black　hair；　which　was　dressed　in　the　Japanese　manner；　and　surmounted　by　a　tall　white　feather。　This　first　interview　between　Europeans　and　aborigines　seemed　to　promise　amicable　and　lasting　intercourse。　　But　the　next　day；　when　one　of　Tasman's　boats　was　looking　for　an　anchorage　nearer　to　the　land；　seven　canoes；　manned　by　a　great　number　of　natives；　attacked　them　fiercely。　　The　boat　capsized　and　filled。　　The　quartermaster　in　command　was　instantl