masterman ready-第40部分

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　pork　and　flour　from　the　storehouse；　they　completed　the　load　by　spearing　one　of　the　turtles　which　remained；　and　putting　it　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　they　then　set　off　again　for　their　new　residence；　and　arrived　in　time　for　breakfast。

〃What　a　delightful　spot　this　is！〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。　〃I　think　we　ought　always　to　make　it　our　summer　residence；　and　only　go　back　to　the　house　during　the　rainy　season。〃

〃It　is　much　cooler　here；　madam；　during　the　summer；　and　much　more　pleasant；　but　we　are　more　protected　in　the　house　by　the　cocoa…nut　grove。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　true；　and　it　is　very　valuable　during　the　rainy　season；　but　it　makes　it　warmer　in　the　summer　time。　I　like　the　change；　Ready；　and　shall　be　sorry　when　we　have　to　go　back　again。〃

〃Now　I　must　go；　and　help　Juno　to　cut　up　the　turtle；〃　said　Ready。　〃We　must　make　our　larder　among　the　banana　trees。〃

〃But　what　are　we　all　to　do；　Ready？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃We　must　not　be　idle。〃

〃No；　sir；　but　I　think　we　must　give　up　this　day　to　putting　everything　to　rights；　and　making　everything　comfortable　inside　the　tents；　to…morrow　we　will　commence　the　ditch　and　hedge　round　the　yam　plantation。　We　need　not　work　very　hard　at　it；　for　I　don't　think　the　pigs　will　venture　here　again；　as　I　mean　to　tie　up　all　the　dogs　round　the　yam　patch　every　night；　and　their　barking　will　keep　them　off。〃

〃That　will　be　a　very　good　plan；　Ready。　What　beautiful　food　there　is　for　the　sheep　and　goats！〃

〃Yes；　this　must　be　their　future　residence　for　the　best　part　of　the　year。　I　think　to…morrow　we　will　begin　a　piece　of　the　ditch；　and　show　William　how　to　put　in　the　cuttings　of　prickly　pear　for　the　hedge；　and　then；　I　should　propose　that　you　and　I　go　to　the　cove　to　examine　the　stores　and　select　what　it　will　be　necessary　to　bring　round。　I　think　you　said　that　you　must　go　yourself？〃

〃Yes；　Ready；　I　wish　to　go。　When　we　have　made　our　selection；　I　will　return；　and　then　you　and　William；　who　is　more　used　to　the　boat　than　I　am；　can　bring　the　stores　round。　I　presume　we　shall　not　bring　them　here？〃

〃No；　sir；　we　will　take　them　round　to　the　storehouse。　When　we　have　done　that　job；　we　must　then　commence　our　alterations　and　our　stockade。〃



Chapter　XLIX

The　next　morning　they　went　with　their　shovels　to　the　yam　plantation；　and　commenced　their　work。　As　the　ground　was　soft　and　swampy；　the　labour　was　very　easy。　The　ditch　was　dug　nearly　a　yard　wide；　and　the　earth　thrown　up　on　a　bank　inside。　They　then　went　to　where　the　large　patch　of　prickly　pears　grew；　and　cut　a　quantity；　which　they　planted　on　the　top　of　the　bank。　Before　night；　they　had　finished　about　nine　or　ten　yards　of　the　hedge　and　ditch。

〃I　don't　think　that　the　pigs　will　get　over　that　when　it　is　finished；〃　said　Ready；　〃and　William　will　be　able　to　get　on　by　himself　when　we　are　gone；　as　well　as　if　we　were　with　him。〃

〃I'll　try　if　I　cannot　shoot　a　pig　or　two；〃　said　William。

〃Let　it　be　a　young　one；　then；　we　must　not　kill　the　old　ones。　Now　I　think　we　may　as　well　go　back。　Juno　is　carrying　in　the　supper。〃

Before　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　started　on　the　following　morning；　the　latter　gave　William　directions　as　to　the　boat。　The　provisions　and　the　knapsack　having　been　already　prepared；　they　took　leave　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　and　set　off；　each　armed　with　a　musket；　and　Ready　with　his　axe　slung　over　his　shoulder。　They　had　a　long　walk　before　them；　as　they　had　first　to　find　their　way　back　to　the　house；　and　from　thence　had　to　walk　through　the　wood　to　the　cove。

In　two　hours　after　leaving　the　house　they　reached　the　spot　where　they　had　first　landed。　The　rocks　near　to　it　were　strewed　with　timber　and　planks；　which　lay　bleaching　in　the　sun；　or　half…buried　in　the　sand。　Mr。　Seagrave　sat　down；　and　sighed　deeply　as　he　said；　〃Ready；　the　sight　of　these　timbers；　of　which　the　good　ship　Pacific　was　built；　recalls　feelings　which　I　had　hoped　to　have　dismissed　from　my　mind；　but　I　cannot　help　them　rising　up。　The　remains　of　this　vessel　appear　to　me　as　the　last　link　between　us　and　the　civilised　world；　which　we　have　been　torn　from；　and　all　my　thoughts　of　home　and　country；　and　I　may　say　all　my　longing　for　them；　are　revived　as　strong　as　ever。〃

〃And　very　natural　that　they　should；　Mr。　Seagrave；　I　feel　it　also。　I　am　content；　it　is　true；　because　I　have　nothing　to　wish　or　look　forward　to；　but　still　I　could　not　help　thinking　of　poor　Captain　Osborn　and　my　shipmates；　as　I　looked　upon　the　wreck；　and　wishing　that　I　might　take　them　by　the　hand　again。　It　is　very　natural　that　one　should　do　so。　Why；　sir；　do　you　know　that　I　feel　unhappy　even　about　the　poor　ship。　We　sailors　love　our　vessels；　especially　when　they　have　good　qualities；　and　the　Pacific　was　as　fine　a　vessel　as　ever　was　built。　Now；　sir；　I　feel　quite　melancholy　when　I　see　her　planks　and　timbers　lying　about　here。　But；　sir；　if　we　cannot　help　feeling　as　we　do；　it　is　our　duty　to　check　the　feeling；　so　that　it　does　not　get　the　mastery　over　us。　We　can　do　no　more。〃

〃Very　true；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　rising　up；　〃it　is　not　only　useless；　but　even　sinful　to　indulge　in　them；　as　they　only　can　lead　to　our　repining　at　the　decrees　of　heaven。　Let　us　now　examine　the　rocks；　and　see　if　anything　has　been　thrown　up　that　may　be　of　use　to　us。〃

They　walked　round；　but；　with　the　exception　of　spars　and　a　barrel　or　two　of　tar；　they　could　find　nothing　of　value。　There　was　no　want　of　staves　and　iron　hoops　of　broken　casks；　and　these；　Ready　observed；　would　make　excellent　palings　for　the　garden　when　they　had　time　to　bring　them　round。

After　they　had　returned；　they　sat　down　to　rest　themselves；　and　then　they　went　to　the　tents　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　in　which　they　had　collected　the　articles　thrown　up　when　the　ship　went　to　pieces。

〃Why；　the　pigs　have　been　at　work　here！〃　said　Ready；　〃they　have　contrived　to　open　one　cask　of　flour　somehow　or　another；　look；　sir　…　I　suppose　it　must　have　been　shaky；　or　they　could　not　have　routed　into　it；　the　canvas　is　not　good　for　much；　I　fear；　fortunately；　we　have　several　bolts　of　new；　which　I　brought　on　shore。　Now；　sir；　we　will　see　what　condition　the　stores　are　in。　All　these　are　casks　of　flour；　and　we　run　no　risk　in　opening　them；　and　seeing　if　they　are　in　good　order。〃

The　first　cask　which　was　opened　had　a　cake　round　it　as　hard　as　a　board；　but　when　it　was　cut　through　with　the　axe；　the　inside　was　found　in　a　good　state。

〃That's　all　right；　sir；　and　I　presume　the　others　will　be　the　same；　the　salt　water　has　got　in　so　far　and　made　a　crust；　which　has　preserved　the　rest。　But　now　let　us　go　to　dinner；　and　to　work　afterwards。〃



Chapter　L

After　dinner　they　resumed　their　labour。　〃I　wonder　what's　in　this　case？〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　pointing　to　the　first　at　hand。　Ready　set　to　work　with　his　axe；　and　broke　off　the　lid；　and　found　a　number　of　pasteboard　boxes　full　of　tapes；　narrow　ribbons；　stay…laces；　whalebones；　and　cottons　on　reels。

〃This　has　been　sent　out　for　some　Botany　Bay　milliner；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃I　presume；　however；　we　must　confiscate　it　for　the　benefit　of　Mrs。　Seagrave　and　Miss　Caroline。　We　will　take　them　to　them　as　soon　as　we　have　time。〃

The　next　was　a　box　without　a　lock；　the　lid　was　forced　up；　and　they　found　a　dozen　half…gallon　square　bottles　of　gin　stored　in　divisions。

〃That's　Hollands；　sir；　I　know；〃　said　Ready；　〃what　shall　we　do　with　it？〃

〃We　will　not　destroy　it；　Ready；　but　at　the　same　time　we　will　not　use　it　but　as　a　medicine；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃we　have　been　so　long　used　to　spring…water；　that　it　would　be　a　pity　to　renew　a　taste　for　spirituous　liquors。〃

〃I　trust　we　shall　never　want　to　drink　a　drop　of　it；　sir；　either　as　a　medicine　or　otherwise。　Now　for　this　cask　with　wooden　hoops。〃

The　head　was　soon　out；　and　discovered　a　dinner　set　of　painted　china　with　gold　edges。

〃This；　Mr。　Seagrave；　may　be　useful；　for　we　are　rather　short　of　plates　and　dishes。　Common　white　would　have　served　as　well。〃

〃And　be　more　suitable　with　our　present　outfit；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Here's　a　box　with　your　name　on　it；　sir；〃　said　Ready；　〃do　you　know　what　is　in　it？〃

〃I　have　no　idea；　Ready；　but　your　axe　will　decide　the　point。〃

When　the　box　was　opened；　everything　appeared　in　a　sad　mouldy　state　from　the　salt　water　which　had　penetrated；　but　on　removing　the　brown　paper　and　pasteboard；　it　was　found　to　contain　stationery　of　all　sorts；　and；　except　on　the　outside；　it　was　very　little　injured。

〃This　is　indeed　a　treasure；　Ready。　I　recollect　now；　this　is　paper；　pens；　and　everything　requisite　for　writing；　besides　children's　books；　copy…books；　paint…boxes；　and　a　great　many　other　articles　in　the　stationery　line。〃

〃Well；　sir；　that　is　fortunate。　Now　we　may　set　up　our　school；　and　as　the　whole　population　of　the　island　will　attend　it；　it　will　really　be　a　National　School。〃

〃Very　true；　Ready。　Now　for　that　cask。〃

〃I　can　tell　what　that　is　by　the　outside；　it　is　oil；　and　very　acceptable；　for　our　candles　are　nearly　out。　Now　we　come　to　the　most　valuable　of　all　our　property。〃

〃What　is　that；　Ready？〃

〃All　the　articles　which　I　brought　on　shore　in　the　different　trips　I　took　in　the　boat　before　the　ship　went　to　pieces；　for　you　see；　sir；　iron　don't　swim；　and；　therefore；　what　I　looked　after　most　was　ironware　of　all　sorts；　and　tools。　Here　are　three　kegs　of　small　nails；　besides　two　bags　of　large；　and　there　are　several　axes；　hammers；　and　other　tools；　besides　hanks　of　twine；　sailing　needles；　and　bees'…wax。〃

〃They　are　indeed　valuable；　Ready。〃

〃Here's　some　more　of　my　plunder；　as　the　Americans　say。　All　these　are　wash…deck　buckets；　this　a　small　harness　cask　for　salting　meat；　and　here's　the　cook's　wooden　trough　for　making　bread；　which　will　please　Miss　Juno；　and　in　it；　you　see；　I　have　put　all　the　galley…hooks；　ladles；　and　spoons；　and　the　iron　trivets；　and　here's　two　lamps。　I　think　I　put　some　cotton　wicks　somewhere　…　I　know　I　did；　we　shall　find　them　by　and　by。　Here's　the　two　casks；　one　of　cartridges　made　up；　and　the　other　of　gunpowder；　and　the　other　six　muskets。〃

〃These　are　really　treasures；　Ready；　and　yet　how　well　we　have　done　without　them。〃

〃Very　true；　sir；　but　we　shall　do　better　with　them；　and　when　we　fit　up　the　storehouse　for　a　dwelling；　Mr。　Seagrave；　we　shall　be　able　to　make　it　a　little　more　comfortable　in　every　respect　than　the　present　one；　for　you　see　there；　all　the　fir…planking　and　deals；　which　William　and　I　buried　in　the　sand。〃

〃I　really　had　quite　forgotten　them；　R