a footnote to history-第29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！



Danger　is；　therefore；　on　all　hands。　　The　entrance　gapes　three　

cables　wide　at　the　narrowest；　and　the　formidable　surf　of　the　

Pacific　thunders　both　outside　and　in。　　There　are　days　when　speech　

is　difficult　in　the　chambers　of　shore…side　houses；　days　when　no　

boat　can　land；　and　when　men　are　broken　by　stroke　of　sea　against　the　

wharves。　　As　I　write　these　words；　three　miles　in　the　mountains；　and　

with　the　land…breeze　still　blowing　from　the　island　summit；　the　

sound　of　that　vexed　harbour　hums　in　my　ears。　　Such　a　creek　in　my　

native　coast　of　Scotland　would　scarce　be　dignified　with　the　mark　of　

an　anchor　in　the　chart；　but　in　the　favoured　climate　of　Samoa；　and　

with　the　mechanical　regularity　of　the　winds　in　the　Pacific；　it　

forms；　for　ten　or　eleven　months　out　of　the　twelve；　a　safe　if　hardly　

a　commodious　port。　　The　ill…found　island　traders　ride　there　with　

their　insufficient　moorings　the　year　through；　and　discharge；　and　

are　loaded；　without　apprehension。　　Of　danger；　when　it　comes；　the　

glass　gives　timely　warning；　and　that　any　modern　warship；　furnished　

with　the　power　of　steam；　should　have　been　lost　in　Apia；　belongs　not　

so　much　to　nautical　as　to　political　history。



The　weather　throughout　all　that　winter　（the　turbulent　summer　of　the　

islands）　was　unusually　fine；　and　the　circumstance　had　been　

commented　on　as　providential；　when　so　many　Samoans　were　lying　on　

their　weapons　in　the　bush。　　By　February　it　began　to　break　in　

occasional　gales。　　On　February　10th　a　German　brigantine　was　driven　

ashore。　　On　the　14th　the　same　misfortune　befell　an　American　

brigantine　and　a　schooner。　　On　both　these　days；　and　again　on　the　

7th　March；　the　men…of…war　must　steam　to　their　anchors。　　And　it　was　

in　this　last　month；　the　most　dangerous　of　the　twelve；　that　man's　

animosities　crowded　that　indentation　of　the　reef　with　costly；　

populous；　and　vulnerable　ships。



I　have　shown；　perhaps　already　at　too　great　a　length；　how　violently　

passion　ran　upon　the　spot；　how　high　this　series　of　blunders　and　

mishaps　had　heated　the　resentment　of　the　Germans　against　all　other　

nationalities　and　of　all　other　nationalities　against　the　Germans。　　

But　there　was　one　country　beyond　the　borders　of　Samoa　where　the　

question　had　aroused　a　scarce　less　angry　sentiment。　　The　breach　of　

the　Washington　Congress；　the　evidence　of　Sewall　before　a　sub…

committee　on　foreign　relations；　the　proposal　to　try　Klein　before　a　

military　court；　and　the　rags　of　Captain　Hamilton's　flag；　had　

combined　to　stir　the　people　of　the　States　to　an　unwonted　fervour。　　

Germany　was　for　the　time　the　abhorred　of　nations。　　Germans　in　

America　publicly　disowned　the　country　of　their　birth。　　In　Honolulu；　

so　near　the　scene　of　action；　German　and　American　young　men　fell　to　

blows　in　the　street。　　In　the　same　city；　from　no　traceable　source；　

and　upon　no　possible　authority；　there　arose　a　rumour　of　tragic　news　

to　arrive　by　the　next　occasion；　that　the　NIPSIC　had　opened　fire　on　

the　ADLER；　and　the　ADLER　had　sunk　her　on　the　first　reply。　　

Punctually　on　the　day　appointed；　the　news　came；　and　the　two　

nations；　instead　of　being　plunged　into　war；　could　only　mingle　tears　

over　the　loss　of　heroes。



By　the　second　week　in　March　three　American　ships　were　in　Apia　bay；　

…　the　NIPSIC；　the　VANDALIA；　and　the　TRENTON；　carrying　the　flag　of　

Rear…Admiral　Kimberley；　three　German；　…　the　ADLER；　the　EBER；　and　

the　OLGA；　and　one　British；　…　the　CALLIOPE；　Captain　Kane。　　Six　

merchant…men；　ranging　from　twenty…five　up　to　five　hundred　tons；　and　

a　number　of　small　craft；　further　encumbered　the　anchorage。　　Its　

capacity　is　estimated　by　Captain　Kane　at　four　large　ships；　and　the　

latest　arrivals；　the　VANDALIA　and　TRENTON；　were　in　consequence　

excluded；　and　lay　without　in　the　passage。　　Of　the　seven　war…ships；　

the　seaworthiness　of　two　was　questionable：　　the　TRENTON'S；　from　an　

original　defect　in　her　construction；　often　reported；　never　remedied　

…　her　hawse…pipes　leading　in　on　the　berth…deck；　the　EBER'S；　from　an　

injury　to　her　screw　in　the　blow　of　February　14th。　　In　this　

overcrowding　of　ships　in　an　open　entry　of　the　reef；　even　the　eye　of　

the　landsman　could　spy　danger；　and　Captain…Lieutenant　Wallis　of　the　

EBER　openly　blamed　and　lamented；　not　many　hours　before　the　

catastrophe；　their　helpless　posture。　　Temper　once　more　triumphed。　　

The　army　of　Mataafa　still　hung　imminent　behind　the　town；　the　German　

quarter　was　still　daily　garrisoned　with　fifty　sailors　from　the　

squadron；　what　was　yet　more　influential；　Germany　and　the　States；　at　

least　in　Apia　bay；　were　on　the　brink　of　war；　viewed　each　other　with　

looks　of　hatred；　and　scarce　observed　the　letter　of　civility。　　On　

the　day　of　the　admiral's　arrival；　Knappe　failed　to　call　on　him；　and　

on　the　morrow　called　on　him　while　he　was　on　shore。　　The　slight　was　

remarked　and　resented；　and　the　two　squadrons　clung　more　obstinately　

to　their　dangerous　station。



On　the　15th　the　barometer　fell　to　29。11　in。　by　2　P。M。　　This　was　the　

moment　when　every　sail　in　port　should　have　escaped。　　Kimberley；　who　

flew　the　only　broad　pennant；　should　certainly　have　led　the　way：　　he　

clung；　instead；　to　his　moorings；　and　the　Germans　doggedly　followed　

his　example：　　semi…belligerents；　daring　each　other　and　the　violence　

of　heaven。　　Kane；　less　immediately　involved；　was　led　in　error　by　

the　report　of　residents　and　a　fallacious　rise　in　the　glass；　he　

stayed　with　the　others；　a　misjudgment　that　was　like　to　cost　him　

dear。　　All　were　moored；　as　is　the　custom　in　Apia；　with　two　anchors　

practically　east　and　west；　clear　hawse　to　the　north；　and　a　kedge　

astern。　　Topmasts　were　struck；　and　the　ships　made　snug。　　The　night　

closed　black；　with　sheets　of　rain。　　By　midnight　it　blew　a　gale；　and　

by　the　morning　watch；　a　tempest。　　Through　what　remained　of　

darkness；　the　captains　impatiently　expected　day；　doubtful　if　they　

were　dragging；　steaming　gingerly　to　their　moorings；　and　afraid　to　

steam　too　much。



Day　came　about　six；　and　presented　to　those　on　shore　a　seizing　and　

terrific　spectacle。　　In　the　pressure　of　the　squalls　the　bay　was　

obscured　as　if　by　midnight；　but　between　them　a　great　part　of　it　was　

clearly　if　darkly　visible　amid　driving　mist　and　rain。　　The　wind　

blew　into　the　harbour　mouth。　　Naval　authorities　describe　it　as　of　

hurricane　force。　　It　had；　however；　few　or　none　of　the　effects　on　

shore　suggested　by　that　ominous　word；　and　was　successfully　

withstood　by　trees　and　buildings。　　The　agitation　of　the　sea；　on　the　

other　hand；　surpassed　experience　and　description。　　Seas　that　might　

have　awakened　surprise　and　terror　in　the　midst　of　the　Atlantic　

ranged　bodily　and　（it　seemed　to　observers）　almost　without　

diminution　into　the　belly　of　that　flask…shaped　harbour；　and　the　

war…ships　were　alternately　buried　from　view　in　the　trough；　or　seen　

standing　on　end　against　the　breast　of　billows。



The　TRENTON　at　daylight　still　maintained　her　position　in　the　neck　

of　the　bottle。　　But　five　of　the　remaining　ships　tossed；　already　

close　to　the　bottom；　in　a　perilous　and　helpless　crowd；　threatening　

ruin　to　each　other　as　they　tossed；　threatened　with　a　common　and　

imminent　destruction　on　the　reefs。　　Three　had　been　already　in　

collision：　　the　OLGA　was　injured　in　the　quarter；　the　ADLER　had　lost　

her　bowsprit；　the　NIPSIC　had　lost　her　smoke…stack；　and　was　making　

steam　with　difficulty；　maintaining　her　fire　with　barrels　of　pork；　

and　the　smoke　and　sparks　pouring　along　the　level　of　the　deck。　　For　

the　seventh　war…ship　the　day　had　come　too　late；　the　EBER　had　

finished　her　last　cruise；　she　was　to　be　seen　no　more　save　by　the　

eyes　of　divers。　　A　coral　reef　is　not　only　an　instrument　of　

destruction；　but　a　place　of　sepulchre；　the　submarine　cliff　is　

profoundly　undercut；　and　presents　the　mouth　of　a　huge　antre　in　

which　the　bodies　of　men　and　the　hulls　of　ships　are　alike　hurled　

down　and　buried。　　The　EBER　had　dragged　anchors　with　the　rest；　her　

injured　screw　disabled　her　from　steaming　vigorously　up；　and　a　

little　before　day　she　had　struck　the　front　of　the　coral；　come　off；　

struck　again；　and　gone　down　stern　foremost；　oversetting　as　she　

went；　into　the　gaping　hollow　of　the　reef。　　Of　her　whole　complement　

of　nearly　eighty；　four　souls　were　cast　alive　on　the　beach；　and　the　

bodies　of　the　remainder　were；　by　the　voluminous　outpouring　of　the　

flooded　streams；　scoured　at　last　from　the　harbour；　and　strewed　

naked　on　the　seaboard　of　the　island。



Five　ships　were　immediately　menaced　with　the　same　destruction。　　The　

EBER　vanished　…　the　four　poor　survivors　on　shore　…　read　a　dreadful　

commentary　on　their　danger；　which　was　swelled　out　of　all　proportion　

by　the　violence　of　their　own　movements　as　they　leaped　and　fell　

among　the　billows。　　By　seven　the　NIPSIC　was　so　fortunate　as　to　

avoid　the　reef　and　beach　upon　a　space　of　sand；　where　she　was　

immediately　deserted　by　her　crew；　with　the　assistance　of　Samoans；　

not　without　loss　of　life。　　By　about　eight　it　was　the　turn　of　the　

ADLER。　　She　was　close　down　upon　the　reef；　doomed　herself；　it　might　

yet　be　possible　to　save　a　portion　of　her　crew；　and　for　this　end　

Captain　Fritze　placed　his　reliance　on　the　very　hugeness　of　the　seas　

that　threatened　him。　　The　moment　was　watched　for　with　the　anxiety　

of　despair；　but　the　coolness　of　disciplined　courage。　　As　she　rose　

on　the　fatal　wave；　her　moorings　were　simultaneously　slipped；　she　

broached　to　in　rising；　and　the　sea　heaved　her　bodily　upward　and　

cast　her　down　with　a　concussion　on　the　summit　of　the　reef；　where　

she　lay　on　her　beam…ends；　her　back　broken；　buried　in　breaching　

seas；　but　safe。　　Conceive　a　table：　　the　EBER　in　the　darkness　had　

been　smashed　against　the　rim　and　flung　below；　the　ADLER；　cast　free　

in　the　nick　of　opportunity；　had　been　thrown　upon　the　top。　　Many　

were　injured　in　the　concussion；　many　tossed　into　the　water；　twenty　

perished。　　The　survivors　crept　again　on　board　their　ship；　as　it　now　

lay；　and　as　it　still　remains；　keel　to　the　waves；　a　monument　of　the　

sea's　potency。　　In　stil