in search of the castaways-第96章

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toward　the　land。　It　was　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　there　was　no　time　to　lose。　John　arranged　everything　for　resuming　their　voyage；　and　then　he　ordered　the　anchor　to　be　weighed。　　But　the　anchor　flukes　had　been　so　imbedded　in　the　sand　by　the　repeated　jerks　of　the　cable；　that　without　a　windlass　it　was　impossible　to　detach　it；　even　with　the　tackle　which　Wilson　had　improvised。　Half　an　hour　was　lost　in　vain　efforts。　　John；　impatient　of　delay；　cut　the　rope；　thus　sacrificing　his　anchor；　and　also　the　possibility　of　anchoring　again　if　this　tide　failed　to　carry　them　to　land。　But　he　decided　that　further　delay　was　not　to　be　thought　of；　and　an　ax…blow　committed　the　raft　to　the　mercy　of　the　wind；　assisted　by　a　current　of　two　knots　an　hour。　The　sail　was　spread。　　They　drifted　slowly　toward　the　land；　which　rose　in　gray；　hazy　masses；　on　a　background　of　sky　illumined　by　the　rising　sun。　　The　reef　was　dexterously　avoided　and　doubled；　but　with　the　fitful　breeze　the　raft　could　not　get　near　the　shore。　What　toil　and　pain　to　reach　a　coast　so　full　of　danger　when　attained。　At　nine　o'clock；　the　land　was　less　than　a　mile　off。　It　was　a　steeply…shelving　shore；　fringed　with　breakers；　a　practicable　landing…place　had　to　be　discovered。　Gradually　the　breeze　grew　fainter；　and　then　ceased　en…　V。　IV　Verne　tirely。　　The　sail　flapped　idly　against　the　mast；　and　John　had　it　furled。　　The　tide　alone　carried　the　raft　to　the　shore；　but　steering　had　become　impossible；　and　its　passage　was　impeded　by　immense　bands　of　FUCUS。　At　ten　o'clock　John　found　himself　almost　at　a　stand…still；　not　three　cables'　lengths　from　the　shore。　　Having　lost　their　anchor；　they　were　at　the　mercy　of　the　ebb…tide。　John　clenched　his　hands；　he　was　racked　with　anxiety；　and　cast　frenzied　glances　toward　this　inaccessible　shore。　In　the　midst　of　his　perplexities；　a　shock　was　felt。　The　raft　stood　still。　　It　had　landed　on　a　sand…bank；　twenty…five　fathoms　from　the　coast。　Glenarvan；　Robert；　Wilson；　and　Mulrady；　jumped　into　the　water。　The　raft　was　firmly　moored　to　the　nearest　rocks。　　The　ladies　were　carried　to　land　without　wetting　a　fold　of　their　dresses；　and　soon　the　whole　party；　with　their　arms　and　provisions；　were　finally　landed　on　these　much　dreaded　New　Zealand　shores。

CHAPTER　VII　THE　MAORI　WAR

GLENARVAN　would　have　liked　to　start　without　an　hour's　delay；　and　follow　the　coast　to　Auckland。　　But　since　the　morning　heavy　clouds　had　been　gathering；　and　toward　eleven　o'clock；　after　the　landing　was　effected；　the　vapors　condensed　into　violent　rain；　so　that　instead　of　starting　they　had　to　look　for　shelter。　Wilson　was　fortunate　enough　to　discover　what　just　suited　their　wants：　a　grotto　hollowed　out　by　the　sea　in　the　basaltic　rocks。　Here　the　travelers　took　shelter　with　their　arms　and　provisions。　In　the　cave　they　found　a　ready…garnered　store　of　dried　sea…weed；　which　formed　a　convenient　couch；　for　fire；　they　lighted　some　wood　near　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　and　dried　themselves　as　well　as　they　could。　John　hoped　that　the　duration　of　this　deluge　of　rain　would　be　in　an　inverse　ratio　to　its　violence；　but　he　was　doomed　to　disappointment。　Hours　passed　without　any　abatement　of　its　fury。　　Toward　noon　the　wind　freshened；　and　increased　the　force　of　the　storm。　The　most　patient　of　men　would　have　rebelled　at　such　an　untoward　incident；　but　what　could　be　done；　without　any　vehicle；　they　could　not　brave　such　a　tempest；　and；　after　all；　unless　the　natives　appeared　on　the　scene；　a　delay　of　twelve　hours　was　not　so　much　consequence；　as　the　journey　to　Auckland　was　only　a　matter　of　a　few　days。　During　this　involuntary　halt；　the　conversation　turned　on　the　incidents　of　the　New　Zealand　war。　　But　to　understand　and　appreciate　the　critical　position　into　which　these　MACQUARIE　passengers　were　thrown；　something　ought　to　be　known　of　the　history　of　the　struggle　which　had　deluged　the　island　of　Ika…na…Mani　with　blood。　Since　the　arrival　of　Abel　Tasman　in　Cook's　Strait；　on　the　16th　of　December；　1642；　though　the　New　Zealanders　had　often　been　visited　by　European　vessels；　they　had　maintained　their　liberty　in　their　several　islands。　　No　European　power　had　thought　of　taking　possession　of　this　archipelago；　which　commands　the　whole　Pacific　Ocean。　　The　missionaries　stationed　at　various　points　were　the　sole　channels　of　Christian　civilization。　Some　of　them；　especially　the　Anglicans；　prepared　the　minds　of　the　New　Zealand　chiefs　for　submitting　to　the　English　yoke。　It　was　cleverly　managed；　and　these　chiefs　were　influenced　to　sign　a　letter　addressed　to　Queen　Victoria　to　ask　her　protection。　But　the　most　clearsighted　of　them　saw　the　folly　of　this　step；　and　one　of　them；　after　having　affixed　his　tattoo…mark　to　the　letter　by　way　of　signature；　uttered　these　prophetic　words：　〃We　have　lost　our　country！　henceforth　it　is　not　ours；　soon　the　stranger　will　come　and　take　it；　and　we　shall　be　his　slaves。〃　And　so　it　was；　on　January　29；　1840；　the　English　corvette　HERALD　arrived　to　claim　possession。　From　the　year　1840；　till　the　day　the　DUNCAN　left　the　Clyde；　nothing　had　happened　here　that　Paganel　did　not　know　and　he　was　ready　to　impart　his　information　to　his　companions。　〃Madam；〃　said　he；　in　answer　to　Lady　Helena's　questions；　〃I　must　repeat　what　I　had　occasion　to　remark　before；　that　the　New　Zealanders　are　a　courageous　people；　who　yielded　for　a　moment；　but　afterward　fought　foot　to　foot　against　the　English　invaders。　The　Maori　tribes　are　organized　like　the　old　clans　of　Scotland。　　They　are　so　many　great　families　owning　a　chief；　who　is　very　jealous　of　his　prerogative。　　The　men　of　this　race　are　proud　and　brave；　one　tribe　tall；　with　straight　hair；　like　the　Maltese；　or　the　Jews　of　Bagdad；　the　other　smaller；　thickset　like　mulattoes；　but　robust；　haughty；　and　warlike。　They　had　a　famous　chief；　named　Hihi；　a　real　Vercingetorix；　so　that　you　need　not　be　astonished　that　the　war　with　the　English　has　become　chronic　in　the　Northern　Island；　for　in　it　is　the　famous　tribe　of　the　Waikatos；　who　defend　their　lands　under　the　leadership　of　William　Thompson。〃　〃But；〃　said　John　Mangles；　〃are　not　the　English　in　possession　of　the　principal　points　in　New　Zealand？〃　〃Certainly；　dear　John；〃　replied　Paganel。　　〃After　Captain　Hobson　took　formal　possession；　and　became　governor；　nine　colonies　were　founded　at　various　times　between　1840　and　1862；　in　the　most　favorable　situations。　These　formed　the　nucleus　of　nine　provinces；　four　in　the　North　Island　and　five　in　the　southern　island；　with　a　total　population　of　184；346　inhabitants　on　the　30th　of　June；　1864。〃　〃But　what　about　this　interminable　war？〃　asked　John　Mangles。　〃Well；〃　said　Paganel；　〃six　long　months　have　gone　by　since　we　left　Europe；　and　I　cannot　say　what　may　have　happened　during　that　time；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　facts　which　I　gathered　from　the　newspapers　of　Maryborough　and　Seymour　during　our　Australian　journey。　At　that　time　the　fighting　was　very　lively　in　the　Northern　Island。〃　〃And　when　did　the　war　commence？〃　asked　Mary　Grant。　〃Recommence；　you　mean；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　replied　Paganel；　〃for　there　was　an　insurrection　so　far　back　as　1845。　　The　present　war　began　toward　the　close　of　1863；　but　long　before　that　date　the　Maories　were　occupied　in　making　preparations　to　shake　off　the　English　yoke。　　The　national　party　among　the　natives　carried　on　an　active　propaganda　for　the　election　of　a　M