voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第39节
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down and eat。
This we were glad enough to do； as we were all hungry。 But we were
both surprised and disappointed when we found that the fish had not been
cooked。 The Indians did not seem to think this extraordinary in the least；
but went ahead gobbling the fish with much relish the way it was； raw。
With many apologies； the Doctor explained to Long Arrow that if they
had no objection we would prefer our fish cooked。
Imagine our astonishment when we found that the great Long Arrow；
so learned in the natural sciences； did not know what the word COOKED
meant！
Polynesia who was sitting on the bench between John Dolittle and
myself pulled the Doctor by the sleeve。
〃I'll tell you what's wrong； Doctor；〃 she whispered as he leant down to
listen to her： 〃THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO FIRES！ They don't know how
to make a fire。 Look outside： It's almost dark； and there isn't a light
showing ii the whole village。 This is a fireless people。〃
THE THIRD CHAPTER
FIRE
THEN the Doctor asked Long Arrow if he knew what fire was；
explaining it to him by pictures drawn on the buckskin table…cloth。 Long
Arrow said he had seen such a thingcoming out of the tops of volcanoes；
but that neither he nor any of the Popsipetels knew how it was made。
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〃Poor perishing heathens！〃 muttered Bumpo。 〃No wonder the old chief
died of cold！〃
At that moment we heard a crying sound at the door。 And turning
round； we saw a weeping Indian mother with a baby in her arms。 She said
something to the Indians which we could not understand； and Long Arrow
told us the baby was sick and she wanted the white doctor to try and cure
it。
〃Oh Lord！〃 groaned Polynesia in my ear〃Just like Puddleby： patients
arriving in the middle of dinner。 Well； one thing： the food's raw； so nothing
can get cold anyway。〃
The Doctor examined the baby and found at once that it was
thoroughly chilled。
〃FireFIRE！ That's what it needs；〃 he said turning to Long Arrow
〃That's what you all need。 This child will have pneumonia if it isn't kept
warm。〃
〃Aye； truly。 But how to make a fire；〃 said Long Arrow〃where to get
it： that is the difficulty。 All the volcanoes in this land are dead。〃
Then we fell to hunting through our pockets to see if any matches had
survived the shipwreck。 The best we could muster were two whole ones
and a half all with the heads soaked off them by salt water。
〃Hark； Long Arrow；〃 said the Doctor： 〃divers ways there be of making
fire without the aid of matches。 One： with a strong glass and the rays of
the sun。 That however； since the sun has set； we cannot now employ。
Another is by grinding a hard stick into a soft logIs the daylight gone
without？Alas yes。 Then I fear we must await the morrow； for besides the
different woods； we need an old squirrel's nest for fuel And that without
lamps you could not find in your forests at this hour。〃
〃Great are your cunning and your skill； oh White Man；〃 Long Arrow
replied。 〃But in this you do us an injustice。 Know you not that all fireless
peoples can see in the dark？ Having no lamps we are forced to train
ourselves to travel through the blackest night； lightless。 I will despatch a
messenger and you shall have your squirrel's nest within the hour。〃
He gave an order to two of our boy…servants who promptly
disappeared running。 And sure enough； in a very short space of time a
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squirrel's nest； together with hard and soft woods； was brought to our door。
The moon had not yet risen and within the house it was practically
pitch…black。 I could feel and hear； however； that the Indians were moving
about comfortably as though it were daylight。 The task of making fire the
Doctor had to perform almost entirely by the sense of touch； asking Long
Arrow and the Indians to hand him his tools when he mislaid them in the
dark。 And then I made a curious discovery： now that I had to； I found that I
was beginning to see a little in the dark myself。 And for the first time I
realized that of course there is no such thing as pitch…dark； so long as you
have a door open or a sky above you。
Calling for the loan of a bow； the Doctor loosened the string； put the
hard stick into a loop and began grinding this stick into the soft wood of
the log。 Soon I smelt that the log was smoking。 Then he kept feeding the
part that was smoking with the inside lining of the squirrel's nest； and he
asked me to blow upon it with my breath。 He made the stick drill faster
and faster。 More smoke filled the room。 And at last the darkness about us
was suddenly lit up。 The squirrel's nest had burst into flame。
The Indians murmured and grunted with astonishment。 At first they
were all for falling on their knees and worshiping the fire。 Then they
wanted to pick it up with their bare hands and play with it。 We had to teach
them how it was to be used； and they were quite fascinated when we laid
our fish across it on sticks and cooked it。 They sniffed the air with relish as；
for the first time in history； the smell of fried fish passed through the
village of Popsipetel。
Then we got them to bring us piles and stacks of dry wood； and we
made an enormous bonfire in the middle of the main street。 Round this；
when they felt its warmth； the whole tribe gathered and smiled and
wondered。 It was a striking sight； one of the pictures from our voyages
that I most frequently remember： that roaring jolly blaze beneath the black
night sky； and all about it a vast ring of Indians； the firelight gleaming on
bronze cheeks； white teeth and flashing eyesa whole town trying to get
warm； giggling and pushing like school…children。
In a little； when we had got them more used to the handling of fire；
the Doctor showed them how it could be taken into their houses if a hole
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were only made in the roof to let the smoke out。 And before we turned in
after that long； long； tiring day； we had fires going in every hut in the
village。
The poor people were so glad to get really warm again that we thought
they'd never go to bed。 Well on into the early hours of the morning the
little town fairly buzzed with a great low murmur： the Popsipetels sitting
up talking of their wonderful pale…faced visitor and this strange good thing
he had brought with himFIRE！
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
WHAT MAKES AN ISLAND FLOAT
VERY early in our experience of Popsipetel kindness we saw that if
we were to get anything done at all； we would almost always have to do it
secretly。 The Doctor was so popular and loved by all that as soon as he
showed his face at his door in the morning crowds of admirers； waiting
patiently outside； flocked about him and followed him wherever he went。
After his fire…making feat； this childlike people expected him； I think； to
be continually doing magic； and they were determined not to miss a trick。
It was only with great difficulty that we escaped from the crowd the
first morning and set out with Long Arrow to explore the island at our
leisure。
In the interior we found that not only the plants and trees were
suffering from the cold： the animal life was in even worse straits。
Everywhere shivering birds were to be seen； their feathers all fluffed out；
gathering together for flight to summer lands。 And many lay dead upon the
ground。 Going down to the shore； we watched land…crabs in large numbers
taking to the sea to find some better home。 While away to the Southeast
we could see many icebergs floating a sign that we were now not far
from the terrible region of the Antarctic。
As we were looking out to sea； we noticed our friends the porpoises
jumping through the waves。 The Doctor hailed them and they came
inshore。
