in search of the castaways-第92章

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　For　half　a　minute　the　starboard　side　of　the　vessel　was　turned　toward　them；　and；　in　spite　of　the　darkness；　John　could　discern　a　line　of　foam　which　moaned　and　gleamed　four　fathoms　away。　At　this　moment；　Will　Halley；　comprehending　the　danger；　lost　his　head。　His　sailors；　hardly　sobered；　could　not　understand　his　orders。　His　incoherent　words；　his　contradictory　orders　showed　that　this　stupid　sot　had　quite　lost　his　self…control。　He　was　taken　by　surprise　at　the　proximity　of　the　land；　which　was　eight　miles　off；　when　he　thought　it　was　thirty　or　forty　miles　off。　The　currents　had　thrown　him　out　of　his　habitual　track；　and　this　miserable　slave　of　routine　was　left　quite　helpless。　Still　the　prompt　maneuver　of　John　Mangles　succeeded　in　keeping　the　MACQUARIE　off　the　breakers。　　But　John　did　not　know　the　position。　For　anything　he　could　tell　he　was　girdled　in　by　reefs。　The　wind　blew　them　strongly　toward　the　east；　and　at　every　lurch　they　might　strike。　In　fact；　the　sound　of　the　reef　soon　redoubled　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　bow。　　They　must　luff　again。　　John　put　the　helm　down　again　and　brought　her　up。　　The　breakers　increased　under　the　bow　of　the　vessel；　and　it　was　necessary　to　put　her　about　to　regain　the　open　sea。　Whether　she　would　be　able　to　go　about　under　shortened　sail；　and　badly　trimmed　as　she　was；　remained　to　be　seen；　but　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done。　〃Helm　hard　down！〃　cried　Mangles　to　Wilson。　The　MACQUARIE　began　to　near　the　new　line　of　reefs：　in　another　moment　the　waves　were　seen　dashing　on　submerged　rocks。　It　was　a　moment　of　inexpressible　anxiety。　　The　spray　was　luminous；　just　as　if　lit　up　by　sudden　phosphorescence。　The　roaring　of　the　sea　was　like　the　voice　of　those　ancient　Tritons　whom　poetic　mythology　endowed　with　life。　Wilson　and　Mulrady　hung　to　the　wheel　with　all　their　weight。　Some　cordage　gave　way；　which　endangered　the　foremast。　It　seemed　doubtful　whether　she　would　go　about　without　further　damage。　Suddenly　the　wind　fell　and　the　vessel　fell　back；　and　turning　her　became　hopeless。　　A　high　wave　caught　her　below；　carried　her　up　on　the　reefs；　where　she　struck　with　great　violence。　The　foremast　came　down　with　all　the　fore…rigging。　The　brig　rose　twice；　and　then　lay　motionless；　heeled　over　on　her　port　side　at　an　angle　of　30　degrees。　The　glass　of　the　skylight　had　been　smashed　to　powder。　The　passengers　rushed　out。　　But　the　waves　were　sweeping　the　deck　from　one　side　to　the　other；　and　they　dared　not　stay　there。　John　Mangles；　knowing　the　ship　to　be　safely　lodged　in　the　sand；　begged　them　to　return　to　their　own　quarters。　〃Tell　me　the　truth；　John；〃　said　Glenarvan；　calmly。　〃The　truth；　my　Lord；　is　that　we　are　at　a　standstill。　Whether　the　sea　will　devour　us　is　another　question；　but　we　have　time　to　consider。〃　〃It　is　midnight？〃　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　and　we　must　wait　for　the　day。〃　〃Can　we　not　lower　the　boat？〃　〃In　such　a　sea；　and　in　the　dark；　it　is　impossible。　And；　besides；　where　could　we　land？〃　〃Well；　then；　John；　let　us　wait　for　the　daylight。〃　Will　Halley；　however；　ran　up　and　down　the　deck　like　a　maniac。　His　crew　had　recovered　their　senses；　and　now　broached　a　cask　of　brandy；　and　began　to　drink。　　John　foresaw　that　if　they　became　drunk；　terrible　scenes　would　ensue。　The　captain　could　not　be　relied　on　to　restrain　them；　the　wretched　man　tore　his　hair　and　wrung　his　hands。　His　whole　thought　was　his　uninsured　cargo。　　〃I　am　ruined！　I　am　lost！〃　he　would　cry；　as　he　ran　from　side　to　side。　John　Mangles　did　not　waste　time　on　him。　　He　armed　his　two　companions；　and　they　all　held　themselves　in　readiness　to　resist　the　sailors　who　were　filling　themselves　with　brandy；　seasoned　with　fearful　blasphemies。　〃The　first　of　these　wretches　that　comes　near　the　ladies；　I　will　shoot　like　a　dog；〃　said　the　Major；　quietly。　The　sailors　doubtless　saw　that　the　passengers　were　determined　to　hold　their　own；　for　after　some　attempts　at　pillage；　they　disappeared　to　their　own　quarters。　　John　Mangles　thought　no　more　of　these　drunken　rascals；　and　waited　impatiently　for　the　dawn。　The　ship　was　now　quite　motionless。　　The　sea　became　gradually　calmer。　The　wind　fell。　　The　hull　would　be　safe　for　some　hours　yet。　At　daybreak　John　examined　the　landing…place；　the　yawl；　which　was　now　their　only　boat；　would　carry　the　crew　and　the　passengers。　It　would　have　to　make　three　trips　at　least；　as　it　could　only　hold　four。　As　he　was　leaning　on　the　skylight；　thinking　over　the　situation　of　affairs；　John　Mangles　could　hear　the　roaring　of　the　surf。　He　tried　to　pierce　the　darkness。　　He　wondered　how　far　it　was　to　the　land　they　longed　for　no　less　than　dreaded。　A　reef　sometimes　extends　for　miles　along　the　coast。　Could　their　fragile　boat　hold　out　on　a　long　trip？　While　John　was　thus　ruminating　and　longing　for　a　little　light　from　the　murky　sky；　the　ladies；　relying　on　him；　slept　in　their　little　berths。　The　stationary　attitude　of　the　brig　insured　them　some　hours　of　repose。　Glenarvan；　John；　and　their　companions；　no　longer　disturbed　by　the　noise　of　the　crew　who　were　now　wrapped　in　a　drunken　sleep；　also　refreshed　themselves　by　a　short　nap；　and　a　profound　silence　reigned　on　board　the　ship；　herself　slumbering　peacefully　on　her　bed　of　sand。　Toward　four　o'clock　the　first　peep　of　dawn　appeared　in　the　east。　The　clouds　were　dimly　defined　by　the　pale　light　of　the　dawn。　John　returned　to　the　deck。　　The　horizon　was　veiled　with　a　curtain　of　fog。　　Some　faint　outlines　were　shadowed　in　the　mist；　but　at　a　considerable　height。　　A　slight　swell　still　agitated　the　sea；　but　the　more　distant　waves　were　undistinguishable　in　a　motionless　bank　of　clouds。　John　waited。　　The　light　gradually　increased；　and　the　horizon　acquired　a　rosy　hue。　　The　curtain　slowly　rose　over　the　vast　watery　stage。　Black　reefs　rose　out　of　the　waters。　　Then　a　line　became　defined　on　the　belt　of　foam；　and　there　gleamed　a　luminous　beacon…light　point　behind　a　low　hill　which　concealed　the　scarcely　risen　sun。　There　was　the　land；　less　than　nine　miles　off。　〃Land　ho！〃　cried　John　Mangles。　His　companions；　aroused　by　his　voice；　rushed　to　the　poop；　and　gazed　in　silence　at　the　coast　whose　outline　lay　on　the　horizon。　Whether　they　were　received　as　friends　or　enemies；　that　coast　must　be　their　refuge。　〃Where　is　Halley？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃I　do　not　know；　my　Lord；〃　replied　John　Mangles。　〃Where　are　the　sailors？〃　〃Invisible；　like　himself。〃　〃Probably　dead　drunk；　like　himself；〃　added　McNabbs。　〃Let　them　be　called；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃we　cannot　leave　them　on　the　ship。〃　Mulrady　and　Wilson　went　down　to　the　forecastle；　and　two　minutes　after　they　returned。　　The　place　was　empty！　They　then　searched　between　decks；　and　then　the　hold。　But　found　no　trace　of　Will　Halley　nor　his　sailors。　〃What！　no　one？〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　〃Could　they　have　fallen　into　the　sea？〃　asked　Paganel。　〃Everything　is　possible；〃　replied　John　Mangles；　who　was　getting　uneasy。　Then　turning　toward　the　stern：　　〃To　the　boat！〃　said　he。　Wilson　and　Mulrady　followed　to　launch　the　yawl。　　The　yawl　was　gone。

CHAPTER　V　CANNIBALS

WILL　HALLEY　and　his　crew；　taking　advantage　of　the　darkness　of　night　and　the　sleep　of　the　passengers；　had　fled　with　the　only　boat。　There　could　be　no　doubt　about　it。　　The　captain；　whose　duty　would　have　kept　him　on　board　to　the　last；　had　been　the　first　to　quit　the　ship。　〃The　cowards　are　off！〃　said　John　Mangles。　　〃Well；　my　Lord；　so　much　the　better。　　They　have