westward ho-第82节

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mb；　and　West　Dart；　and　thereby　purging　Plymouth　harbor　from　the　silt　of　the　mines　whereby　it　has　been　choked　of　late　years；　and　giving　pure　drink　not　only　to　the　townsmen；　but　to　the　fleets　of　the　queen's　majesty；　which　if　I　do；　I　shall　both　make　some　poor　return　to　God　for　all　His　unspeakable　mercies；　and　erect　unto　myself　a　monument　better　than　of　brass　or　marble；　not　merely　honorable　to　me；　but　useful　to　my　countrymen。〃*　　Whereon　Frank　sent　Drake　a　pretty　epigram；　comparing　Drake's　projected　leat　to　that　river　of　eternal　life　whereof　the　just　would　drink　throughout　eternity；　and　quoting　（after　the　fashion　of　those　days）　John　vii。　38；　while　Amyas　took　more　heed　of　a　practical　appendage　to　the　same　letter；　which　was　a　list　of　hints　scrawled　for　his　use　by　Captain　John　Hawkins　himself；　on　all　sea　matters；　from　the　mounting　of　ordnance　to　the　use　of　vitriol　against　the　scurvy；　in　default　of　oranges　and　〃limmons；〃　all　which　stood　Amyas　in　good　stead　during　the　ensuing　month；　while　Frank　grew　more　and　more　proud　of　his　brother；　and　more　and　more　humble　about　himself。


*　This　noble　monument　of　Drake's　piety　and　public　spirit　still　remains　in　full　use。


For　he　watched　with　astonishment　how　the　simple　sailor；　without　genius；　scholarship；　or　fancy；　had　gained；　by　plain　honesty；　patience；　and　common　sense；　a　power　over　the　human　heart；　and　a　power　over　his　work；　whatsoever　it　might　be；　which　Frank　could　only　admire　afar　off。　　The　men　looked　up　to　him　as　infallible；　prided　themselves　on　forestalling　his　wishes；　carried　out　his　slightest　hint；　worked　early　and　late　to　win　a　smile　from　him；　while　as　for　him；　no　detail　escaped　him；　no　drudgery　sickened　him；　no　disappointment　angered　him；　till　on　the　15th　of　November；　1583；　dropped　down　from　Bideford　Quay　to　Appledore　Pool　the　tall　ship　Rose；　with　a　hundred　men　on　board　（for　sailors　packed　close　in　those　days）；　beef；　pork；　biscuit；　and　good　ale　（for　ale　went　to　sea　always　then）　in　abundance；　four　culverins　on　her　main　deck；　her　poop　and　forecastle　well　fitted　with　swivels　of　every　size；　and　her　racks　so　full　of　muskets；　calivers；　long　bows；　pikes；　and　swords；　that　all　agreed　so　well…appointed　a　ship　had　never　sailed　〃out　over　Bar。〃

The　next　day　being　Sunday；　the　whole　crew　received　the　Communion　together　at　Northam　Church；　amid　a　mighty　crowd；　and　then　going　on　board　again；　hove　anchor　and　sailed　out　over　the　Bar　before　a　soft　east　wind；　to　the　music　of　sacbut；　fife；　and　drum；　with　discharge　of　all　ordnance；　great　and　small；　with　cheering　of　young　and　old　from　cliff　and　strand　and　quay；　and　with　many　a　tearful　prayer　and　blessing　upon　that　gallant　bark；　and　all　brave　hearts　on　board。

And　Mrs。　Leigh　who　had　kissed　her　sons　for　the　last　time　after　the　Communion　at　the　altar…steps　（and　what　more　fit　place　for　a　mother's　kiss？）　went　to　the　rocky　knoll　outside　the　churchyard　wall；　and　watched　the　ship　glide　out　between　the　yellow　denes；　and　lessen　slowly　hour　by　hour　into　the　boundless　West；　till　her　hull　sank　below　the　dim　horizon；　and　her　white　sails　faded　away　into　the　gray　Atlantic　mist；　perhaps　forever。

And　Mrs。　Leigh　gathered　her　cloak　about　her；　and　bowed　her　head　and　worshipped；　and　then　went　home　to　loneliness　and　prayer。



CHAPTER　XVII

HOW　THEY　CAME　TO　BARBADOS；　AND　FOUND　NO　MEN　THEREIN


〃The　sun's　rim　dips；　the　stars　rush　out；　At　one　stride　comes　the　dark。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COLERIDGE。


Land！　land！　land！　　Yes；　there　it　was；　far　away　to　the　south　and　west；　beside　the　setting　sun；　a　long　blue　bar　between　the　crimson　sea　and　golden　sky。　　Land　at　last；　with　fresh　streams；　and　cooling　fruits；　and　free　room　for　cramped　and　scurvy…weakened　limbs。　　And　there；　too；　might　be　gold；　and　gems；　and　all　the　wealth　of　Ind。　Who　knew？　　Why　not？　　The　old　world　of　fact　and　prose　lay　thousands　of　miles　behind　them；　and　before　them　and　around　them　was　the　realm　of　wonder　and　fable；　of　boundless　hope　and　possibility。　　Sick　men　crawled　up　out　of　their　stifling　hammocks；　strong　men　fell　on　their　knees　and　gave　God　thanks；　and　all　eyes　and　hands　were　stretched　eagerly　toward　the　far　blue　cloud；　fading　as　the　sun　sank　down；　yet　rising　higher　and　broader　as　the　ship　rushed　on　before　the　rich　trade…wind；　which　whispered　lovingly　round　brow　and　sail；　〃I　am　the　faithful　friend　of　those　who　dare！〃　　〃Blow　freshly；　freshlier　yet；　thou　good　trade…wind；　of　whom　it　is　written　that　He　makes　the　winds　His　angels；　ministering　breaths　to　the　heirs　of　His　salvation。　Blow　freshlier　yet；　and　save；　if　not　me　from　death；　yet　her　from　worse　than　death。　　Blow　on；　and　land　me　at　her　feet；　to　call　the　lost　lamb　home；　and　die！〃

So　murmured　Frank　to　himself；　as　with　straining　eyes　he　gazed　upon　that　first　outlier　of　the　New　World　which　held　his　all。　　His　cheeks　were　thin　and　wasted；　and　the　hectic　spot　on　each　glowed　crimson　in　the　crimson　light　of　the　setting　sun。　　A　few　minutes　more；　and　the　rainbows　of　the　West　were　gone；　emerald　and　topaz；　amethyst　and　ruby；　had　faded　into　silver…gray；　and　overhead；　through　the　dark　sapphire　depths；　the　Moon　and　Venus　reigned　above　the　sea。

〃That　should　be　Barbados；　your　worship；〃　said　Drew；　the　master；　〃unless　my　reckoning　is　far　out；　which；　Heaven　knows；　it　has　no　right　to　be；　after　such　a　passage；　and　God　be　praised。〃

〃Barbados？　　I　never　heard　of　it。〃

〃Very　like；　sir：　but　Yeo　and　I　were　here　with　Captain　Drake；　and　I　was　here　after；　too；　with　poor　Captain　Barlow；　and　there　is　good　harborage　to　the　south　and　west　of　it；　I　remember。〃

〃And　neither　Spaniard；　cannibal；　or　other　evil　beast；〃　said　Yeo。　〃A　very　garden　of　the　Lord；　sir；　hid　away　in　the　seas；　for　an　inheritance　to　those　who　love　Him。　　I　heard　Captain　Drake　talk　of　planting　it；　if　ever　he　had　a　chance。〃

〃I　recollect　now；〃　said　Amyas；　〃some　talk　between　him　and　poor　Sir　Humphrey　about　an　island　here。　　Would　God　he　had　gone　thither　instead　of　to　Newfoundland！〃

〃Nay；　then；〃　said　Yeo；　〃he　is　in　bliss　now　with　the　Lord；　and　you　would　not　have　kept　him　from　that；　sir？〃

〃He　would　have　waited　as　willingly　as　he　went；　if　he　could　have　served　his　queen　thereby。　　But　what　say　you；　my　masters？　　How　can　we　do　better　than　to　spend　a　few　days　here；　to　get　our　sick　round；　before　we　make　the　Main；　and　set　to　our　work？〃

All　approved　the　counsel　except　Frank；　who　was　silent。

〃Come；　fellow…adventurer；〃　said　Cary；　〃we　must　have　your　voice　too。〃

〃To　my　impatience；　Will；〃　said　he；　aside　in　a　low　voice；　〃there　is　but　one　place　on　earth；　and　I　am　all　day　longing　for　wings　to　fly　thither：　but　the　counsel　is　right。　　I　approve　it。〃

So　the　verdict　was　announced；　and　received　with　a　hearty　cheer　by　the　crew；　and　long　before　morning　they　had　run　along　the　southern　shore　of　the　island；　and　were　feeling　their　way　into　the　bay　where　Bridgetown　now　stands。　　All　eyes　were　eagerly　fixed　on　the　low　wooded　hills　which　slept　in　the　moonlight；　spangled　by　fireflies；　with　a　million　dancing　stars；　all　nostrils　drank　greedily　the　fragrant　air；　which　swept　from　the　land；　laden　with　the　scent　of　a　thousand　flowers；　all　ears　welcomed；　as　a　grateful　change　from　the　monotonous　whisper　and　lap　of　the　water；　the　hum　of　insects；　the　snore　of　the　tree…toads；　the　plaintive　notes　of　the　shore…fowl；　which　fill　a　tropic　night　with　noisy　life。

At　last　she　stopped；　at　last　the　cable　rattled　through　the　hawsehole；　and　then；　careless　of　the　chance　of　lurking　Spaniard　or　Carib；　an　instinctive　cheer　burst　from　every　throat。　　Poor　fellows！　Amyas　had　much　ado　to　prevent　them　going　on　shore　at　once；　dark　as　it　was；　by　reminding　them　that　it　wanted　but　two　hours　of　day。

〃Never　were　two　such　long　hours；〃　said　one　young　lad；　fidgeting　up　and　down。

〃You　never　were　in　the　Inquisition；〃　said　Yeo；　〃or　you'd　know　better　how　slow　time　can　run。　　Stand　you　still；　and　give　God　thanks　you're　where　you　are。〃

〃I　say；　Gunner；　be　there　goold　to　that　island？〃

〃Never　heard　of　none；　and　so　much　the　better　for　it；〃　said　Yeo；　dryly。

〃But；　I　say；　Gunner；〃　said　a　poor　scurvy…stricken　cripple；　licking　his　lips；　〃be　there　oranges　and　limmons　there？〃

〃Not　of　my　seeing；　but　plenty　of　good　fruit　down　to　the　beach；　thank　the　Lord。　　There　comes　the　dawn　at　last。〃

Up　flushed　the　rose；　up　rushed　the　sun；　and　the　level　rays　glittered　on　the　smooth　stems　of　the　palm…trees；　and　threw　rainbows　across　the　foam　upon　the　coral…reefs；　and　gilded　lonely　uplands　far　away；　where　now　stands　many　a　stately　country…seat　and　busy　engine…　house。　　Long　lines　of　pelicans　went　clanging　out　to　sea；　the　hum　of　the　insects　hushed；　and　a　thousand　birds　burst　into　jubilant　song；　a　thin　blue　mist　crept　upward　toward　the　inner　downs；　and　vanished；　leaving　them　to　quiver　in　the　burning　glare；　the　land…breeze；　which　had　blown　fresh　out　to　sea　all　night；　died　away　into　glassy　calm；　and　the　tropic　day　was　begun。

The　sick　were　lifted　over　the　side；　and　landed　boat…load　after　boat…load　on　the　beach；　to　stretch　themselves　in　the　shade　of　the　palms；　and　in　half…an…hour　the　whole　crew　were　scattered　on　the　shore；　except　some　dozen　worthy　men；　who　had　volunteered　to　keep　watch　and　ward　on　board　till　noon。

And　now　the　first　instinctive　cry　of　nature　was　for　fruit！　fruit！　fruit！　　The　poor　lame　wretches　crawled　from　place　to　place　plucking　greedily　the　violet　grapes　of　the