the lost continent-第4部分

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s　upon　it　who　were　in　full　sympathy　with　Johnson；　for；　though　no　charges　had　been　preferred　against　him；　the　board　went　out　of　its　way　specifically　to　exonerate　him　in　its　findings。

All　this　time　we　were　drifting　almost　due　east。　　The　work　upon　the　engines　had　progressed　to　such　an　extent　that　within　a　few　hours　we　might　expect　to　be　able　to　proceed　under　our　own　power　westward　in　the　direction　of　Pan…　American　waters。

To　relieve　the　monotony　I　had　taken　to　fishing；　and　early　that　morning　I　had　departed　from　the　Coldwater　in　one　of　the　boats　on　such　an　excursion。　　A　gentle　west　wind　was　blowing。　The　sea　shimmered　in　the　sunlight。　　A　cloudless　sky　canopied　the　west　for　our　sport；　as　I　had　made　it　a　point　never　voluntarily　to　make　an　inch　toward　the　east　that　I　could　avoid。　　At　least；　they　should　not　be　able　to　charge　me　with　a　willful　violation　of　the　dead　lines　regulation。

I　had　with　me　only　the　boat's　ordinary　complement　of　men　three　in　all；　and　more　than　enough　to　handle　any　small　power　boat。　　I　had　not　asked　any　of　my　officers　to　accompany　me；　as　I　wished　to　be　alone；　and　very　glad　am　I　now　that　I　had　not。　　My　only　regret　is　that；　in　view　of　what　befell　us；　it　had　been　necessary　to　bring　the　three　brave　fellows　who　manned　the　boat。

Our　fishing；　which　proved　excellent；　carried　us　so　far　to　the　west　that　we　no　longer　could　see　the　Coldwater。　　The　day　wore　on；　until　at　last；　about　mid…afternoon；　I　gave　the　order　to　return　to　the　ship。

We　had　proceeded　but　a　short　distance　toward　the　east　when　one　of　the　men　gave　an　exclamation　of　excitement；　at　the　same　time　pointing　eastward。　　We　all　looked　on　in　the　direction　he　had　indicated；　and　there；　a　short　distance　above　the　horizon；　we　saw　the　outlines　of　the　Coldwater　silhouetted　against　the　sky。

〃They've　repaired　the　engines　and　the　generators　both；〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　men。

It　seemed　impossible；　but　yet　it　had　evidently　been　done。　Only　that　morning；　Lieutenant　Johnson　had　told　me　that　he　feared　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　repair　the　generators。　I　had　put　him　in　charge　of　this　work；　since　he　always　had　been　accounted　one　of　the　best　gravitation…screen　men　in　the　navy。　　He　had　invented　several　of　the　improvements　that　are　incorporated　in　the　later　models　of　these　generators；　and　I　am　convinced　that　he　knows　more　concerning　both　the　theory　and　the　practice　of　screening　gravitation　than　any　living　Pan…American。

At　the　sight　of　the　Coldwater　once　more　under　control；　the　three　men　burst　into　a　glad　cheer。　　But；　for　some　reason　which　I　could　not　then　account；　I　was　strangely　overcome　by　a　premonition　of　personal　misfortune。　　It　was　not　that　I　now　anticipated　an　early　return　to　Pan…America　and　a　board　of　inquiry；　for　I　had　rather　looked　forward　to　the　fight　that　must　follow　my　return。　　No；　there　was　something　else；　something　indefinable　and　vague　that　cast　a　strange　gloom　upon　me　as　I　saw　my　ship　rising　farther　above　the　water　and　making　straight　in　our　direction。

I　was　not　long　in　ascertaining　a　possible　explanation　of　my　depression；　for；　though　we　were　plainly　visible　from　the　bridge　of　the　aero…submarine　and　to　the　hundreds　of　men　who　swarmed　her　deck；　the　ship　passed　directly　above　us；　not　five　hundred　feet　from　the　water；　and　sped　directly　westward。

We　all　shouted；　and　I　fired　my　pistol　to　attract　their　attention；　though　I　knew　full　well　that　all　who　cared　to　had　observed　us；　but　the　ship　moved　steadily　away；　growing　smaller　and　smaller　to　our　view　until　at　last　she　passed　completely　out　of　sight。



2


What　could　it　mean？　　I　had　left　Alvarez　in　command。　　He　was　my　most　loyal　subordinate。　　It　was　absolutely　beyond　the　pale　of　possibility　that　Alvarez　should　desert　me。　　No；　there　was　some　other　explanation。　　Something　occurred　to　place　my　second　officer；　Porfirio　Johnson；　in　command。　　I　was　sure　of　it　but　why　speculate？　　The　futility　of　conjecture　was　only　too　palpable。　　The　Coldwater　had　abandoned　us　in　midocean。　　Doubtless　none　of　us　would　survive　to　know　why。

The　young　man　at　the　wheel　of　the　power　boat　had　turned　her　nose　about　as　it　became　evident　that　the　ship　intended　passing　over　us；　and　now　he　still　held　her　in　futile　pursuit　of　the　Coldwater。

〃Bring　her　about；　Snider；〃　I　directed；　〃and　hold　her　due　east。　　We　can't　catch　the　Coldwater；　and　we　can't　cross　the　Atlantic　in　this。　　Our　only　hope　lies　in　making　the　nearest　land；　which；　unless　I　am　mistaken；　is　the　Scilly　Islands；　off　the　southwest　coast　of　England。　　Ever　heard　of　England；　Snider？〃

〃There's　a　part　of　the　United　States　of　North　America　that　used　to　be　known　to　the　ancients　as　New　England；〃　he　replied。　　〃Is　that　where　you　mean；　sir？〃

〃No；　Snider；〃　I　replied。　　〃The　England　I　refer　to　was　an　island　off　the　continent　of　Europe。　　It　was　the　seat　of　a　very　powerful　kingdom　that　flourished　over　two　hundred　years　ago。　　A　part　of　the　United　States　of　North　America　and　all　of　the　Federated　States　of　Canada　once　belonged　to　this　ancient　England。〃

〃Europe；〃　breathed　one　of　the　men；　his　voice　tense　with　excitement。　　〃My　grandfather　used　to　tell　me　stories　of　the　world　beyond　thirty。　　He　had　been　a　great　student；　and　he　had　read　much　from　forbidden　books。〃

〃In　which　I　resemble　your　grandfather；〃　I　said；　〃for　I；　too；　have　read　more　even　than　naval　officers　are　supposed　to　read；　and；　as　you　men　know；　we　are　permitted　a　greater　latitude　in　the　study　of　geography　and　history　than　men　of　other　professions。

〃Among　the　books　and　papers　of　Admiral　Porter　Turck；　who　lived　two　hundred　years　ago；　and　from　whom　I　am　descended；　many　volumes　still　exist；　and　are　in　my　possession；　which　deal　with　the　history　and　geography　of　ancient　Europe。　Usually　I　bring　several　of　these　books　with　me　upon　a　cruise；　and　this　time；　among　others；　I　have　maps　of　Europe　and　her　surrounding　waters。　　I　was　studying　them　as　we　came　away　from　the　Coldwater　this　morning；　and　luckily　I　have　them　with　me。〃

〃You　are　going　to　try　to　make　Europe；　sir？〃　asked　Taylor；　the　young　man　who　had　last　spoken。

〃It　is　the　nearest　land；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　have　always　wanted　to　explore　the　forgotten　lands　of　the　Eastern　Hemisphere。　Here's　our　chance。　　To　remain　at　sea　is　to　perish。　　None　of　us　ever　will　see　home　again。　　Let　us　make　the　best　of　it；　and　enjoy　while　we　do　live　that　which　is　forbidden　the　balance　of　our　racethe　adventure　and　the　mystery　which　lie　beyond　thirty。〃

Taylor　and　Delcarte　seized　the　spirit　of　my　mood　but　Snider；　I　think；　was　a　trifle　sceptical。

〃It　is　treason；　sir；〃　I　replied；　〃but　there　is　no　law　which　compels　us　to　visit　punishment　upon　ourselves。　　Could　we　return　to　Pan…America；　I　should　be　the　first　to　insist　that　we　face　it。　　But　we　know　that's　not　possible。　　Even　if　this　craft　would　carry　us　so　far；　we　haven't　enough　water　or　food　for　more　than　three　days。

〃We　are　doomed；　Snider；　to　die　far　from　home　and　without　ever　again　looking　upon　the　face　of　another　fellow　countryman　than　those　who　sit　here　now　in　this　boat。　　Isn't　that　punishment　sufficient　for　even　the　most　exacting　judge？〃

Even　Snider　had　to　admit　that　it　was。

〃Very　well；　then；　let　us　live　while　we　live；　and　enjoy　to　the　fullest　whatever　of　adventure　or　pleasure　each　new　day　brings；　since　any　day　may　be　our　last；　and　we　shall　be　dead　for　a　considerable　while。〃

I　could　see　that　Snider　was　still　fearful；　but　Taylor　and　Delcarte　responded　with　a　hearty；　〃Aye；　aye；　sir！〃

They　were　of　different　mold。　　Both　were　sons　of　naval　officers。　　They　represented　the　aristocracy　of　birth；　and　they　dared　to　think　for　themselves。

Snider　was　in　the　minority；　and　so　we　continued　toward　the　east。　　Beyond　thirty；　and　separated　from　my　ship；　my　authority　ceased。　　I　held　leadership；　if　I　was　to　hold　it　at　all；　by　virtue　of　personal　qualifications　only；　but　I　did　not　doubt　my　ability　to　remain　the　director　of　our　destinies　in　so　far　as　they　were　amenable　to　human　agencies。　　I　have　always　led。　　While　my　brain　and　brawn　remain　unimpaired　I　shall　continue　always　to　lead。　　Following　is　an　art　which　Turcks　do　not　easily　learn。

It　was　not　until　the　third　day　that　we　raised　land；　dead　ahead；　which　I　took；　from　my　map；　to　be　the　isles　of　Scilly。　But　such　a　gale　was　blowing　that　I　did　not　dare　attempt　to　land；　and　so　we　passed　to　the　north　of　them；　skirted　Land's　End；　and　entered　the　English　Channel。

I　think　that　up　to　that　moment　I　had　never　experienced　such　a　thrill　as　passed　through　me　when　I　realized　that　I　was　navigating　these　historic　waters。　　The　lifelong　dreams　that　I　never　had　dared　hope　to　see　fulfilled　were　at　last　a　realitybut　under　what　forlorn　circumstances！

Never　could　I　return　to　my　native　land。　　To　the　end　of　my　days　I　must　remain　in　exile。　　Yet　even　these　thoughts　failed　to　dampen　my　ardor。

My　eyes　scanned　the　waters。　　To　the　north　I　could　see　the　rockbound　coast　of　Cornwall。　　Mine　were　the　first　American　eyes　to　rest　upon　it　for　more　than　two　hundred　years。　　In　vain；　I　searched　for　some　sign　of　ancient　commerce　that；　if　history　is　to　be　believed；　must　have　dotted　the　bosom　of　the　Channel　with　white　sails　and　blackened　the　heavens　with　the　smoke　of　countless　funnels；　but　as　far　as　eye　could　reach　the　tossing　waters　of　the　Channel　were　empty　and　deserted。

Toward　midnight　the　wind　and　sea　abated；　so　that　shortly　after　dawn　I　determined　to　make　inshore　in　an　attempt　to　effect　a　landing；　for　we　were　sadly　in　need　of　fresh　water　and　food。

According　to　my　observations；　we　were　just　off　Ram　Head；　and　it　was　my　intention　to　enter　Plymouth　Bay　and　visit　Plymouth。　　From　my　map　it　appeared　that　this　city　lay　back　from　the　coast　a　short　distance；　and　there　was　another　city　given　as　Devonport；　which　appeared　to　lie　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　Tamar。

However；　I　knew　that　it　would　make　little　difference　which　city　we　entered；　as　the　English　people　were　famed　of　old　for　their　hospitality　toward　visiting　mariners。　　As　we　approached　the　mouth　of　the　bay　I　looked　for　the　fishing　craft　which　I　expected　to　see　emerging　thus　early　in　the　day　for　their　labors。　　But　even　after　we　rounded　Ram　Head　and　were　well　within　the　waters　of　the　bay　I　saw　no　vessel。　Neither　was　there　buoy　nor　light　nor　any　other　mark　to　show　larger　ships　the　channel；　and　I　wondered　much　at　this。

The　coast　was　densely　overgrown；　nor　was　any　building　or　sign　of　man　apparent