the pathfinder-第50部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


spray；　a　menacing　wash；　and　sullen　surges。　　The　drizzle
made　a　medium　for　the　eye　which　closely　resembled　that
of　a　thin　mist；　softening　and　rendering　mysterious　the　im…
ages　it　revealed；　while　the　genial　feeling　that　is　apt　to　ac…
company　a　gale　of　wind　on　water　contributed　to　aid　the
milder　influences　of　the　moment。　　The　dark　interminable
forest　hove　up　out　of　the　obscurity；　grand；　sombre；　and
impressive；　while　the　solitary；　peculiar；　and　picturesque
glimpses　of　life　that　were　caught　in　and　about　the　fort；
formed　a　refuge　for　the　eye　to　retreat　to　when　oppressed
with　the　more　imposing　objects　of　nature。

〃They　see　us；〃　said　the　Sergeant；　〃and　think　we　have
returned　on　account　of　the　gale；　and　have　fallen　to　leeward
of　the　port。　　Yes；　there　is　Major　Duncan　himself　on　the
north…eastern　bastion；　I　know　him　by　his　height；　and　by
the　officers　around　him。〃

〃Sergeant；　it　would　be　worth　standing　a　little　jeering；　if
we　could　fetch　into　the　river；　and　come　safely　to　an　anchor。
In　that　case；　too；　we　might　land　this　Master　Eau…douce；
and　purify　the　boat。〃

〃It　would　indeed；　but；　as　poor　a　sailor　as　I　am；　I　well
know　it　cannot　be　done。　　Nothing　that　sails　the　lake　can
turn　to　windward　against　this　gale；　and　there　is　no　an…
chorage　outside　in　weather　like　this。〃

〃I　know　it；　I　see　it；　Sergeant；　and　pleasant　as　is　that
sight　to　you　landsmen；　we　must　leave　it。　　For　myself；　I
am　never　so　happy　in　heavy　weather　as　when　I　am　certain
that　the　land　is　behind　me。〃

The　_Scud_　had　now　forged　so　near　in；　that　it　became　in…
dispensable　to　lay　her　head　off　shore　again；　and　the　neces…
sary　orders　were　given。　　The　storm…staysail　was　set　forward；
the　gaff　lowered；　the　helm　put　up；　and　the　light　craft；　that
seemed　to　sport　with　the　elements　like　a　duck；　fell　off　a
little；　drew　ahead　swiftly；　obeyed　her　rudder；　and　was　soon
flying　away　on　the　top　of　the　surges；　dead　before　the　gale。
While　making　this　rapid　flight；　though　the　land　still　re…
mained　in　view　on　her　larboard　beam；　the　fort　and　the
groups　of　anxious　spectators　on　its　rampart　were　swallowed
up　in　the　mist。　　Then　followed　the　evolutions　necessary
to　bring　the　head　of　the　cutter　up　to　the　wind；　when　she
again　began　to　wallow　her　weary　way　towards　the　north
shore。

Hours　now　passed　before　any　further　change　was　made；
the　wind　increasing　in　force；　until　even　the　dogmatical
Cap　fairly　admitted　it　was　blowing　a　thorough　gale　of
wind。　　About　sunset　the　_Scud_　wore　again　to　keep　her　off
the　north　shore　during　the　hours　of　darkness；　and　at　mid…
night　her　temporary　master；　who；　by　questioning　the　crew
in　an　indirect　manner；　had　obtained　some　general　knowl…
edge　of　the　size　and　shape　of　the　lake；　believed　himself　to
be　about　midway　between　the　two　shores。　　The　height　and
length　of　the　seas　aided　this　impression；　and　it　must　be
added　that　Cap　by　this　time　began　to　feel　a　respect　for
fresh　water　which　twenty…four　hours　earlier　he　would　have
derided　as　impossible。　　Just　as　the　night　turned；　the　fury
of　the　wind　became　so　great　that　he　found　it　impossible　to
bear　up　against　it；　the　water　falling　on　the　deck　of　the　lit…
tle　craft　in　such　masses　as　to　cause　it　to　shake　to　the　cen…
tre；　and；　though　a　vessel　of　singularly　lively　qualities；　to
threaten　to　bury　it　beneath　its　weight。　　The　people　of　the
_Scud_　averred　that　never　before　had　they　been　out　in　such
a　tempest；　which　was　true；　for；　possessing　a　perfect　knowl…
edge　of　all　the　rivers　and　headlands　and　havens；　Jasper
would　have　carried　the　cutter　in　shore　long　ere　this；　and
placed　her　in　safety　in　some　secure　anchorage。　　But　Cap
still　disdained　to　consult　the　young　master；　who　continued
below；　determining　to　act　like　a　mariner　of　the　broad
ocean。

It　was　one　in　the　morning　when　the　storm…staysail　was
again　got　on　the　_Scud_；　the　head　of　the　mainsail　lowered；
and　the　cutter　put　before　the　wind。　　Although　the　canvas
now　exposed　was　merely　a　rag　in　surface；　the　little　craft
nobly　justified　the　use　of　the　name　she　bore。　　For　eight
hours　did　she　scud　in　truth；　and　it　was　almost　with　the
velocity　of　the　gulls　that　wheeled　wildly　over　her　in　the
tempest；　apparently　afraid　to　alight　in　the　boiling　caldron
of　the　lake。　　The　dawn　of　day　brought　little　change；　for
no　other　horizon　became　visible　than　the　little　circle　of
drizzling　sky　and　water　already　described；　in　which　it
seemed　as　if　the　elements　were　rioting　in　a　sort　of　chaotic
confusion。　　During　this　time　the　crew　and　passengers　of
the　cutter　were　of　necessity　passive。　　Jasper　and　the　pilot
remained　below；　but；　the　motion　of　the　vessel　having　be…
come　easier；　nearly　all　the　rest　were　on　deck。　　The　morn…
ing　meal　had　been　taken　in　silence；　and　eye　met　eye；　as　if
their　owners　asked　each　other；　in　dumb　show；　what　was　to
be　the　end　of　this　strife　in　the　elements。　　Cap；　however；
was　perfectly　composed；　and　his　face　brightened；　his　step
grew　firmer；　and　his　whole　air　more　assured；　as　the　storm
increased；　making　larger　demands　on　his　professional　skill
and　personal　spirit。　　He　stood　on　the　forecastle；　his　arms
crossed；　balancing　his　body　with　a　seaman's　instinct；　while
his　eyes　watched　the　caps　of　the　seas；　as　they　broke　and
glanced　past　the　reeling　cutter；　itself　in　such　swift　motion；
as　if　they　were　the　scud　flying　athwart　the　sky。　　At　this
sublime　instant　one　of　the　hands　gave　the　unexpected　cry
of　〃A　sail！〃

There　was　so　much　of　the　wild　and　solitary　character　of
the　wilderness　about　Ontario；　that　one　scarcely　expected
to　meet　with　a　vessel　on　its　waters。　　The　_Scud_　herself；　to
those　who　were　in　her；　resembled　a　man　threading　the
forest　alone；　and　the　meeting　was　like　that　of　two　solitary
hunters　beneath　the　broad　canopy　of　leaves　that　then　cov…
ered　so　many　millions　of　acres　on　the　continent　of　America。
The　peculiar　state　of　the　weather　served　to　increase　the
romantic；　almost　supernatural　appearance　of　the　passage。
Cap　alone　regarded　it　with　practised　eyes；　and　even　he　felt
his　iron　nerves　thrill　under　the　sensations　that　were　awak…
ened　by　the　wild　features　of　the　scene。

The　strange　vessel　was　about　two　cables'　length　ahead　of
the　_Scud_；　standing　by　the　wind　athwart　her　bows；　and
steering　a　course　to　render　it　probable　that　the　latter　would
pass　within　a　few　yards　of　her。　　She　was　a　full…rigged　ship；
and；　seen　through　the　misty　medium　of　the　tempest；　the
most　experienced　eye　could　detect　no　imperfection　in　her
gear　or　construction。　　The　only　canvas　she　had　set　was　a
close…reefed　main…topsail；　and　two　small　storm…staysails；
one　forward　and　the　other　aft。　　Still　the　power　of　the
wind　pressed　so　hard　upon　her　as　to　bear　her　down　nearly
to　her　beam…ends；　whenever　the　hull　was　not　righted　by
the　buoyancy　of　some　wave　under　her　lee。　　Her　spars　were
all　in　their　places；　and　by　her　motion　through　the　water；
which　might　have　equalled　four　knots　in　the　hour；　it　was
apparent　that　she　steered　a　little　free。

〃The　fellow　must　know　his　position　well；〃　said　Cap；　as
the　cutter　flew　down　towards　the　ship　with　a　velocity
almost　equalling　that　of　the　gale；　〃for　he　is　standing　boldly
to　the　southward；　where　he　expects　to　find　anchorage　or　a
haven。　　No　man　in　his　senses　would　run　off　free　in　that
fashion；　that　was　not　driven　to　scudding；　like　ourselves；
who　did　not　perfectly　understand　where　he　was　going。〃

〃We　have　made　an　awful　run；　captain；〃　returned　the
man　to　whom　this　remark　had　been　addressed。　　〃That　is
the　French　king's　ship；　Lee…my…calm　（_Le　Montcalm_）；　and
she　is　standing　in　for　the　Niagara；　where　her　owner　has　a
garrison　and　a　port。　　We've　made　an　awful　run　of　it！〃

〃Ay；　bad　luck　to　him！　　Frenchman…like；　he　skulks　into
port　the　moment　he　sees　an　English　bottom。〃

〃It　might　be　well　for　us　if　we　could　follow　him；〃　re…
turned　the　man；　shaking　his　head　despondingly；　〃for　we
are　getting　into　the　end　of　a　bay　up　here　at　the　head　of
the　lake；　and　it　is　uncertain　whether　we　ever　get　out　of　it
again！〃

〃Pooh；　man；　pooh！　　We　have　plenty　of　sea　room；　and　a
good　English　hull　beneath　us。　　We　are　no　Johnny　Crapauds
to　hide　ourselves　behind　a　point　or　a　fort　on　account　of　a
puff　of　wind。　　Mind　your　helm；　sir！〃

The　order　was　given　on　account　of　the　menacing　appear…
ance　of　the　approaching　passage。　　The　_Scud_　was　now　head…
ing　directly　for　the　fore…foot　of　the　Frenchman；　and；　the
distance　between　the　two　vessels　having　diminished　to　a
hundred　yards；　it　was　momentarily　questionable　if　there
was　room　to　pass。

〃Port；　sir；　port；〃　shouted　Cap。　　〃Port　your　helm　and
pass　astern！〃

The　crew　of　the　Frenchman　were　seen　assembling　to
windward；　and　a　few　muskets　were　pointed；　as　if　to　order
the　people　of　the　_Scud_　to　keep　off。　　Gesticulations　were
observed；　but　the　sea　was　too　wild　and　menacing　to　admit
of　the　ordinary　expedients　of　war。　　The　water　was　drip…
ping　from　the　muzzles　of　two　or　three　light　guns　on　board
the　ship；　but　no　one　thought　of　loosening　them　for　service
in　such　a　tempest。　　Her　black　sides；　as　they　emerged　from
a　wave；　glistened　and　seemed　to　frown；　but　the　wind
howled　through　her　rigging；　whistling　the　thousand　notes
of　a　ship；　and　the　hails　and　cries　that　escape　a　Frenchman
with　so　much　readiness　were　inaudible。

〃Let　him　halloo　himself　hoarse！〃　growled　Cap。　　〃This
is　no　weather　to　whisper　secrets　in。　　Port；　sir；　port！〃

The　man　at　the　helm　obeyed；　and　the　next　send　of　the
sea　drove　the　_Scud_　down　upon　the　quarter　of　the　ship；　so
near　her　that　the　old　mariner　himself　recoiled　a　step；　in　a
vague　expectation　that；　at　the　next　surge　ahead；　she　would
drive　bows　foremost　directly　into　the　planks　of　the　other
vessel。　　But　this　was　not　to　be：　rising　from　the　crouching
posture　she　had　taken；　like　a　panther　about　to　leap；　the
cutter　dashed　onward；　and　at　the　next　instant　she　was
glancing　past　the　stern　of　her　enemy；　just　clearing　the　end
of　her　spanker…boom　with　her　own　lower　yard。

The　young　Frenchman　who　commanded　the　_Montcalm_
leaped　on　the　taffrail；　and；　with　that　high…toned　courtesy
which　relieves　even　the　worst　acts　of　his　countrymen；　he
raised　his　cap　and　smiled　a　salutation　as　the　_Scud_　shot
past。　　There　were　_bonhomie_　and　good　taste　in　this　act　of
courtesy；　when　circumstances　allowed　of　no　other　commu…
nications；　but　they　were　lost　o