masterman ready-第29部分

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out　there；　and　they　understood　us；　and　said　that　there　was；　in　a　direction　which　they　pointed　out　to　us；　to　the　north…east。　We　offered　them　a　present　if　they　would　show　us　the　way。　Two　of　the　men　agreed　to　go　with　us；　the　rest　of　the　tribe；　with　the　women　and　children；　went　southward。　The　next　day　we　arrived　at　a　Dutch　settlement　of　three　or　four　farmhouses；　called　Graaff　Reinet；　but　I　must　leave　off　now；　for　it　is　past　bed…time。〃



Chapter　XXXVIII

The　construction　of　the　fish…pond　proceeded　rapidly；　and　on　the　third　day　it　was　nearly　complete。　As　soon　as　all　the　walls　were　finished；　Ready　threw　out　sand　and　shingle；　so　as　to　make　the　part　next　to　the　beach　nearly　as　deep　as　the　other；　so　that　there　might　be　sufficient　water　to　prevent　the　gulls　and　man…of…war　birds　from　darting　down；　and　striking　the　fish。　While　Ready　was　thus　employed；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　collected　more　rocks；　so　as　to　divide　the　pond　into　four　parts；　at　the　same　time　allowing　a　communication　between　each　part。　These　inside　walls；　as　well　as　the　outside；　were　made　of　sufficient　width　to　walk　upon；　by　which　means　they　would　have　all　the　fish　within　reach　of　the　spear；　in　case　they　wished　to　take　them　out。　The　day　after　the　pond　was　completed　the　weather　changed。　The　rain　poured　down　with　great　force；　but　it　was　not　accompanied　with　such　terrific　thunder　and　lightning；　nor　were　the　storms　of　so　long　continuance；　as　at　the　commencement　of　the　rainy　season。　In　the　intervals　of　fine　weather　they　caught　a　great　many　fish；　which　they　put　into　the　pond；　so　that　it　was　well　stocked。　But　a　circumstance　occurred；　which　was　the　occasion　of　great　alarm　to　them　all；　which　was；　that　one　evening　William　was　taken　with　a　shivering；　and　complained　very　much　of　a　pain　in　his　head。　Ready　had　promised　to　continue　his　narrative　on　that　evening；　but　William　was　too　ill　to　sit　up。　He　was　put　into　bed；　and　the　next　morning　he　was　in　a　violent　fever。　Mr。　Seagrave　was　much　alarmed；　as　the　symptoms　were　worse　every　hour；　and　Ready；　who　had　sat　up　with　him　during　the　night；　called　Mr。　Seagrave　out　of　the　house；　and　said；　〃This　is　a　bad　case；　sir：　William　was　working　yesterday　with　his　hat　off；　and　I　fear　that　he　has　been　struck　by　the　sun。〃

The　poor　boy　was　for　many　days　in　great　danger；　and　the　cheerful　house　was　now　one　of　gloom　and　silence。　How　fervent　were　now　the　morning　and　evening　prayers；　how　often　during　the　day　did　his　parents　offer　up　a　petition　to　heaven　for　their　dear　boy's　recovery。　The　weather　became　finer　every　day；　and　it　was　almost　impossible　to　keep　Tommy　quiet：　Juno　went　out　with　him　and　Albert　every　morning；　and　kept　them　with　her　while　she　cooked；　and；　fortunately；　Vixen　had　some　young　ones；　and　when　Juno　could　no　longer　amuse　them；　she　brought　them　two　of　the　puppies　to　play　with。　As　for　the　quiet；　meek　little　Caroline；　she　would　remain　during　the　whole　day　holding　her　mother's　hand；　and　watching　her　brother；　or　working　with　her　needle　by　the　side　of　his　bed。

Ready；　who　could　not　be　idle；　had　taken　the　hammer　and　cold　chisel　to　make　the　salt…pan；　at　which　he　worked　during　those　portions　of　the　day　in　which　his　services　were　not　required　indoors；　and　as　he　sat　chipping　away　the　rock；　his　thoughts　were　ever　upon　William；　for　he　dearly　loved　the　boy　for　his　amiable　disposition　and　his　cleverness；　and　many　a　time　during　the　day　would　he　stop　his　work；　and　the　tears　would　run　down　his　cheeks　as　he　offered　up　his　petition　to　the　Almighty　that　the　boy　might　be　spared　to　his　afflicted　parents。　And　those　prayers　were　heard；　for　on　the　ninth　day　William　was　pronounced　by　Ready　and　Mr。　Seagrave　to　have　much　less　fever；　and　shortly　afterwards　it　left　him　altogether；　but　he　was　so　weak　that　he　could　not　raise　himself　in　his　bed　for　two　or　three　days；　and　it　was　not　till　more　than　a　fortnight　after　the　fever　had　left　him　that　he　could　go　out　of　the　house。　The　joy　that　was　expressed　by　them　all　when　the　change　took　place　may　be　imagined：　nor　were　the　thanksgivings　less　fervent　than　had　been　the　prayers。

During　his　convalescence；　as　there　was　nothing　else　to　do；　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready；　who　now　went　gladly　to　their　work；　determined；　as　the　salt…pan　was　finished；　that　they　would　make　a　bathing…place。　Juno　came　to　their　assistance；　and　was　very　useful　in　assisting　to　drag　the　wheels　which　brought　the　rocks　and　stones；　and　Tommy　was　also　brought　down；　that　he　might　be　out　of　the　way　while　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Caroline　watched　the　invalid。　By　the　time　that　William　was　able　to　go　out　of　the　house；　the　bathing…place　was　finished；　and　there　was　no　longer　any　fear　of　the　sharks。　William　came　down　to　the　beach　with　his　mother；　and　looked　at　the　work　which　had　been　done；　he　was　much　pleased　with　it；　and　said；　〃Now；　Ready；　we　have　finished　everything　at　home　for　the　present；　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　explore　the　island；　and　to　go　to　the　cove　and　examine　our　collection　from　the　wreck。〃

〃Very　true；　William；　and　the　weather　has　been　so　fine；　that　I　think　we　may　venture　upon　one　or　the　other　in　a　few　days　more；　but　not　till　you　are　stronger。〃

〃I　shall　soon　be　strong　again；　Ready。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　it；　William；　and　we　have　good　reason　to　thank　God；　for　we　could　ill　spare　you。〃

〃It's　a　long　while　since　you　have　gone　on　with　your　story；　Ready；〃　said　William；　after　they　had　taken　their　supper；　〃I　wish　you　would　do　so　now；　as　I　am　sure　I　shall　not　be　tired。〃

〃With　pleasure；　William；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　can　you　remember　where　I　left　off；　for　my　memory　is　none　of　the　best？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　if　you　recollect；　you　had　just　arrived　at　a　Dutch　farmer's　house；　in　company　with　the　savages；　at　a　place　called　Graaff　Reinet；　I　think。〃

〃Well　then；　the　Dutch　farmer　came　out　when　he　saw　us　coming；　and　asked　us　who　we　were。　We　told　him　that　we　were　English　prisoners；　and　that　we　wished　to　give　ourselves　up　to　the　authorities。　He　took　away　our　arms　and　ammunition；　and　said　that　he　was　the　authority　in　that　part；　which　was　true　enough；　and　then　he　said；　‘You'll　not　run　away　without　arms　and　ammunition；　that's　certain。　As　for　sending　you　to　the　Cape；　that　I　may　not　be　able　to　do　for　months；　so　if　you　wish　to　be　fed　well；　you　must　work　well　while　you're　here。'　We　replied；　that　we　should　be　very　glad　to　make　ourselves　useful；　and　then　he　sent　us　some　dinner　by　a　Hottentot　girl。　But　we　soon　found　out　that　we　had　to　deal　with　an　ill…tempered；　brutal　fellow；　and　that　he　gave　us　plenty　of　hard　work；　but　by　no　means　plenty　of　food。　He　would　not　trust　us　with　guns；　so　the　Hottentots　went　out　with　the　cattle；　but　he　gave　us　plenty　of　work　to　do　about　the　house；　and　at　last　he　treated　us　very　cruelly。　When　he　was　short　of　provisions　for　the　Hottentots　and　other　slaves；　of　whom　he　bad　a　good　many；　he　would　go　out　with　the　other　farmers　who　lived　near　him；　and　shoot　quaggas　for　them　to　eat。　Nobody　but　a　Hottentot　could　live　upon　such　flesh。〃

〃What　is　quagga？〃

〃A　wild　ass；　partly　covered　with　stripes；　but　not　so　much　as　the　zebra；　a　pretty　animal　to　look　at；　but　the　flesh　is　very　bad。　At　last　he　would　give　us　nothing　to　eat　but　quaggas；　the　same　as　the　Hottentots；　while　he　and　his　family　…　for　he　had　a　wife　and　five　children　…　lived　upon　mutton　and　the　flesh　of　the　antelope；　which　is　very　excellent　eating。　We　asked　him　to　allow　us　a　gun　to　procure　better　food；　and　he　kicked　Romer　so　unmercifully；　that　he　could　not　work　for　two　days　afterwards。　Our　lives　became　quite　a　burden　to　us；　we　were　employed　all　day　on　the　farm；　and　every　day　he　was　more　brutal　towards　us。　At　last　we　agreed　that　we　would　stand　it　no　longer；　and　one　evening　Hastings　told　him　so。　This　put　him　into　a　great　rage；　and　he　called　two　of　the　slaves；　and　ordered　them　to　tie　him　to　the　waggon　wheel；　swearing　that　he　would　cut　every　bit　of　skin　off　his　body；　and　he　went　into　his　house　to　get　his　whip。　The　slaves　had　hold　of　Hastings；　and　were　tying　him　up；　for　they　dared　not　disobey　their　master；　when　he　said　to　us；　‘If　I　am　flogged　this　way；　it　will　be　all　over　with　us。　Now's　your　time；　run　back　behind　the　house；　and　when　he　comes　out　with　the　whip；　do　you　go　in　and　seize　the　muskets；　which　are　always　ready　loaded。　Hold　him　at　bay　till　I　get　clear；　and　then　we　will　get　away　somehow　or　other。　You　must　do　it；　for　I　am　sure　he　will　flog　me　till　I　am　dead；　and　he　will　shoot　you；　as　runaway　prisoners；　as　he　did　his　two　Hottentots　the　other　day。'　As　Romer　and　I　thought　this　very　probable；　we　did　as　Hastings　told　us；　and　when　the　Dutchman　had　gone　towards　him　where　he　was　tied　up；　about　fifty　yards　from　the　house；　we　went　in。　The　farmer's　wife　was　in　bed；　having　just　had　an　addition　to　her　family；　and　the　children　we　cared　not　for。　We　seized　two　muskets　and　a　large　knife；　and　came　out　just　as　the　Dutchman　had　struck　the　first　blow　with　the　rhinoceros　whip；　which　was　so　severe；　that　it　took　away　poor　Hastings'　breath。　We　went　up；　he　turned　round　and　saw　us：　we　levelled　our　muskets　at　him；　and　he　stopped。　‘Another　blow；　and　we'll　shoot　you；'　cried　Romer。　‘Yes；'　cried　I；　‘we　are　only　boys；　but　you've　Englishmen　to　deal　with。'　When　we　came　up；　Romer　kept　his　piece　levelled　at　the　Dutchman；　while　I　passed　him；　and　with　the　knife　cut　the　thongs　which　bound　Hastings。　The　Dutchman　turned　pale　and　did　not　speak；　he　was　so　frightened；　and　the　slaves　ran　away。　As　soon　as　Hastings　was　free；　he　seized　a　large　wooden　mallet；　used　for　driving　in　stakes；　and　struck　the　Dutchman　down　to　the　earth；　crying　out；　‘That　for　flogging　an　Englishman；　you　rascal！'

〃While　the　man　lay　senseless　or　dead　…　I　didn't　know　which　at　the　time　…　we　tied　him　to　the　waggon　wheels；　and　returning　to　the　house；　seized　some　ammunition　and　other　articles　which　might　be　useful。　We　then　went　to　the　stables；　and　took　the　three　best　horses　which　the　Dutchman　had；　put　some　corn　in　a　sack　for　each　of　them；　took　some　cord　for　halters；　mounted；　and　rode　away　as　fast　as　we　could。　As　we　knew　that　we　should　be　pursued；　we　first　galloped　away　as　if　we　were　going　eastward　to　the　Cape；　and　then；　as　soon　as　we　were　on　ground　which　would　not　show　the　tracks　of　our　horses'　hoofs；　we　turned　round　to　the　northward；　in　the　direction　of　the　Bushman　country。　It　was　dark　soon　after　we　had　altered　our　course；　but　we　travelled　all　night；　and　although　we　heard　the　roaring　of　the　lions　at　a　distance；　we　met　with　no