masterman ready-第33部分

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nd　the　bargain　was　made。　I　paid　down　my　two　thousand　pounds　for　my　share；　and　as　soon　as　the　vessel　was　launched；　was　very　busy　with　Sanders；　whom　I　had　chosen　as　first　mate；　in　fitting　her　out。　The　house　which　had　purchased　her　with　me　was　a　West　India　firm；　and　the　ship　was　of　course　intended　for　the　West　India　trade。　I　had　two　or　three　hundred　pounds　left；　after　I　had　paid　my　share　of　the　vessel；　and　this　I　employed　in　purchasing　a　venture　on　my　own　account；　and　providing　nautical　instruments；　&c。　I　also　fitted　myself　out；　for　you　see；　William；　although　Sanders　had　persuaded　me　to　be　rational；　I　was　still　puffed　up　with　pride　at　the　idea　of　being　captain　of　my　own　ship；　it　was　too　great　a　rise　for　one　who　had　just　before　been　a　lad　in　the　mizen…top　of　a　man…of…war。　I　dressed　myself　very　smart　…　wore　white　shirts；　and　rings　on　my　fingers。　Indeed；　as　captain　and　part　owner　of　a　fine　vessel；　I　was　considered　as　somebody；　and　was　often　invited　to　the　table　of　the　other　owners　of　the　vessel。　I　was　well　off；　for　my　pay　was　ten　pounds　a　month；　independent　of　what　my　own　venture　might　produce；　and　my　quarter…share　of　the　profits　of　the　vessel。　This　may　be　considered　as　the　most　prosperous　portion　of　my　life；　and　so；　if　you　please；　we　will　leave　off　here　for　to…night；　for　I　may　as　well　tell　you　at　once　that　it　did　not　last　very　long。〃



Chapter　XLI

For　several　days　after；　they　were　employed　in　clearing　away　the　stumps　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees　in　the　winding　path　to　the　storehouse；　and　as　soon　as　that　work　was　finished；　Ready　put　up　a　lightning…conductor　at　the　side　of　the　storehouse；　like　the　one　which　he　had　put　up　near　to　the　cottage。　They　had　now　got　through　all　the　work　that　they　had　arranged　to　do　during　the　rainy　season。　The　ewes　had　lambed；　but　both　the　sheep　and　the　goats　began　to　suffer　for　want　of　pasture。　For　a　week　they　had　no　rain；　and　the　sun　burst　out　very　powerfully；　and　Ready　was　of　opinion　that　the　rainy　season　was　now　over。　William　had　become　quite　strong　again；　and　he　was　very　impatient　that　they　should　commence　the　survey　of　the　island。　After　a　great　deal　of　consultation；　it　was　at　last　settled；　that　Ready　and　William　should　make　the　first　survey　to　the　southward；　and　then　return　and　report　what　they　had　discovered。　This　was　decided　upon　on　the　Saturday　evening；　and　on　the　Monday　morning　they　were　to　start。　The　knapsacks　were　got　ready；　and　well　filled　with　boiled　salt　pork；　and　flat　cakes　of　bread。　They　were　each　to　have　a　musket　and　ammunition；　and　a　blanket　was　folded　up　to　carry　on　the　shoulders；　that　they　might　sleep　on　it　at　night。　Ready　did　not　forget　his　compass；　or　the　small　axes；　for　them　to　blaze　the　trees　as　they　went　through　the　wood。

The　whole　of　Saturday　was　occupied　in　making　their　preparations。　After　supper；　Ready　said；　〃Now；　William；　before　we　start　on　our　travels；　I　think　I　may　as　well　wind　up　my　history。　I　haven't　a　great　deal　more　to　tell；　as　my　good　fortune　did　not　last　long；　and　after　my　remaining　so　long　in　a　French　prison；　my　life　was　one　continued　chapter　of　from　bad　to　worse。　Our　ship　was　soon　ready；　and　we　sailed　with　convoy　for　Barbadoes。　Sanders　proved　a　good　navigator；　and　from　him；　before　we　arrived　at　Barbadoes；　I　gained　all　the　knowledge　which　I　required　to　enable　me　to　command　and　navigate　my　vessel。　Sanders　attempted　to　renew　our　serious　conversation；　but　my　property　had　made　me　vain；　and　now　that　I　felt　I　could　do　without　his　assistance；　I　not　only　kept　him　at　a　distance；　but　assumed　the　superior。　This　was　a　very　ungrateful　return　for　his　kindness　to　me；　but　it　is　too　often　the　case　in　this　world。　Sanders　was　very　much　annoyed；　and　on　our　arrival　at　Barbadoes；　he　told　me　that　it　was　his　intention　to　quit　the　vessel。　I　replied　very　haughtily；　that　he　might　do　as　he　pleased；　the　fact　is；　I　was　anxious　to　get　rid　of　him；　merely　because　I　was　under　obligations　to　him。　Well；　sir；　Sanders　left　me；　and　I　felt　quite　happy　at　his　departure。　My　ship　was　soon　with　a　full　cargo　of　sugar　on　board　of　her；　and　we　waited　for　convoy　to　England。　When　at　Barbadoes；　I　had　an　opportunity　to　buy　four　brass　guns；　which　I　mounted　on　deck；　and　had　a　good　supply　of　ammunition　on　board。　I　was　very　proud　of　my　vessel；　as　she　had　proved　in　the　voyage　out　to　be　a　very　fast　sailer：　indeed；　she　sailed　better　than　some　of　the　men…of…war　which　convoyed　us；　and　now　that　I　had　guns　on　board；　I　considered　myself　quite　safe　from　any　of　the　enemies'　privateers。　While　we　were　waiting　for　convoy；　which　was　not　expected　for　a　fortnight；　it　blew　a　very　heavy　gale；　and　my　ship；　as　well　as　others；　dragged　their　anchors；　and　were　driven　out　of　Carlisle　Bay。　We　were　obliged　to　make　sail　to　beat　into　the　bay　again；　it　still　blowing　very　fresh。　What　with　being　tired　waiting　so　long　for　convoy；　and　the　knowledge　that　arriving　before　the　other　West　Indiamen　would　be　very　advantageous；　I　made　up　my　mind　that；　instead　of　beating　up　into　the　bay　again；　I　would　run　for　England　without　protection；　trusting　to　the　fast　sailing　of　my　vessel　and　the　guns　which　I　had　on　board。　I　forgot　at　the　time　that　the　insurance　on　the　vessel　was　made　in　England　as　‘sailing　with　convoy'；　and　that　my　sailing　without　would　render　the　insurance　void；　if　any　misfortune　occurred。　Well；　sir；　I　made　sail　for　England；　and　for　three　weeks　everything　went　on　well。　We　saw　very　few　vessels；　and　those　which　did　chase　us　could　not　come　up　with　us；　but　as　we　were　running　with　a　fair　wind　up　channel；　and　I　had　made　sure　of　being　in　port　before　night；　a　French　privateer　hove　in　sight　and　gave　chase。　We　were　obliged　to　haul　our　wind；　and　it　blowing　very　fast；　we　carried　away　our　main…top　mast。　This　accident　was　fatal；　the　privateer　came　alongside　of　us　and　laid　us　by　the　board；　and　that　night　I　was　in　a　French　prison；　and；　I　may　say；　a　pauper；　for　the　insurance　of　the　vessel　was　void；　from　my　having　sailed　without　convoy。　I　felt　that　I　had　no　one　to　thank　but　myself　for　the　unfortunate　position　I　was　in；　at　all　events；　I　was　severely　punished；　for　I　remained　a　prisoner　for　nearly　six　years。　I　contrived　to　escape　with　three　or　four　others；　we　suffered　dreadfully；　and　at　last　arrived　in　England；　in　a　Swedish　vessel；　without　money；　or　even　clothes　that　would　keep　out　the　weather。　Of　course；　I　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　look　out　for　a　berth　on　board　of　a　ship；　and　I　tried　for　that　of　second　mate；　but　without　success；　I　was　too　ragged　and　looked　too　miserable；　so　I　determined；　as　I　was　starving；　to　go　before　the　mast。　There　was　a　fine　vessel　in　the　port；　I　went　on　board　to　offer　myself；　the　mate　went　down　to　the　captain；　who　came　on　deck；　and　who　should　he　be　but　Sanders？　I　hoped　that　he　would　not　remember　me；　but　he　did　immediately；　and　held　out　his　hand。　I　never　did　feel　so　ashamed　in　my　life　as　I　did　then。　Sanders　perceived　it；　and　asked　me　down　into　the　cabin。　I　then　told　him　all　that　had　happened；　and　he　appeared　to　forget　that　I　had　behaved　so　ill　to　him；　he　offered　me　a　berth　on　board；　and　money　in　advance　to　fit　me　out。　But　if　he　would　not　remember　my　conduct；　I　could　not　forget　it；　and　I　told　him　so；　and　begged　his　forgiveness。　Well；　sir；　that　good　man；　as　long　as　he　lived；　was　my　friend。　I　became　his　second　mate　before　he　died；　and　we　were　again　very　intimate。　My　misfortunes　had　humbled　me；　and　I　once　more　read　the　Bible　with　him；　and　I　have；　I　trust；　done　so　ever　since。　When　he　died；　I　continued　second　mate　for　some　time；　and　then　was　displaced。　Since　that；　I　have　always　been　as　a　common　seaman　on　board　of　different　vessels；　but　I　have　been　well　treated　and　respected；　and　I　may　add；　I　have　not　been　unhappy；　for　I　felt　that　property　would　have　only　led　me　into　follies；　and　have　made　me　forget；　that　in　this　world　we　are　to　live　so　as　to　prepare　ourselves　for　another。　Now；　William；　you　have　the　history　of　Masterman　Ready；　and　I　hope　that　there　are　portions　of　it　which　may　prove　useful　to　you。　To…morrow　we　must　be　off　betimes；　and　as　we　are　all　to　breakfast　early　together；　why；　I　think　the　sooner　we　go　to　bed　the　better。〃

〃Very　true；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃William；　dear；　bring　me　the　Bible。〃



Chapter　XLII

They　were　all　up　early　the　next　morning；　and　breakfasted　at　an　early　hour。　The　knapsacks　and　guns；　and　the　other　requisites　for　the　journey；　were　all　prepared；　William　and　Ready　rose　from　the　table；　and　taking　an　affectionate　leave　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Seagrave；　they　started　on　their　journey。　The　sun　was　shining　brilliantly；　and　the　weather　had　become　warm；　the　ocean　in　the　distance　gleamed　brightly；　as　its　waters　danced；　and　the　cocoa…nut　trees　moved　their　branches　gracefully　to　the　breeze。　They　set　off　in　high　spirits；　and　having　called　the　two　shepherd　dogs；　and　driven　back　Vixen；　who　would　have　joined　the　party；　they　passed　the　storehouse；　and　ascending　the　hill　on　the　other　side；　they　got　their　hatchets　ready　to　blaze　the　trees；　and　Ready　having　set　his　course　by　his　pocket　compass；　they　were　fairly　on　their　way。　For　some　time　they　continued　to　cut　the　bark　of　the　trees　with　their　hatchets；　without　speaking；　and　then　Ready　stopped　again　to　look　at　his　compass。

〃I　think　the　wood　is　thicker　here　than　ever；　Ready；〃　observed　William。

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is；　but　I　suspect　we　are　now　in　the　thickest　part　of　it；　right　in　the　middle　of　the　island；　however；　we　shall　soon　see。　We　must　keep　a　little　more　away　to　the　southward。　We　had　better　get　on　as　fast　as　we　can。　We　shall　have　less　work　by　and　by；　and　then　we　can　talk　better。〃

For　half…an…hour　they　continued　their　way　through　the　wood；　and；　as　Ready　had　observed；　the　trees　became　more　distant　from　each　other；　still；　however；　they　could　not　see　anything　before　them　but　the　stems　of　the　cocoa…nuts。　It　was　hard　work；　chopping　the　trees　every　second；　and　their　foreheads　were　moist　with　the　exertion。

〃I　think　we　had　better　pull　up　for　a　few　minutes；　William；　you　will　be　tired。〃

〃I　have　not　been　so　used　to　exercise；　Ready；　and　therefore　I　feel　it　more；〃　replied　William；　wiping　his　face　with　his　handkerchief。　〃I　should　like　to　stop　a　few　minutes。　How　long　do　you　think　it　will　be　before　we　are　out　of　the　wood？〃

〃Not　half…an…hour　more；　sir；　I　should　think；　even　before　that；　perhaps。〃

〃What　do　you　expect　to　find；　Ready？〃

〃That's　a　difficult　question　to　answer。　I　can　tell　you　what　I　hope　to　find；　which　is；　a