Part 58 (1/2)
”We had been three days in the boat, our s, while not a drop of rain had fallen to fill our casks, e sighted this sht afford us soht obtain water, we steered towards it As we approachedthe harbour opening out before us
Though I thought that there would be so the bar, yet I deter of thirst The water appearing to be smoother in the centre, I stood under all sail the boat could carry towards it, for it was still blowing fresh The bar was reached; and I expected the next instant to be in s in, swa Rip away I clambered up on the bottom, when I saw Snarley, who had just co looked about hi his strength, hauled Rip up I,everythat I should have his help, I sprang off and swaers of y hair, and he towed h the surf safely to the shore, where I found Rip already recovered waiting for me He threw his ar in Dutch--'I thought you had gone, mynheer, and that I was left alone; but now you are coe to live'
”He then bestowed his caresses on Snarley for having saved ht and warm, we soon dried our clothes; but hoere to exist was the next question, e had eaten up our pig, as dooer I had no fancy for raw pork, although ht me that before the wreck I put a tin box of ht h the water had got in, I hoped that the sun would restore their efficiency
I laid them out carefully on the rock, and sat down to watch the them over and over, while Rip set off to obtain fuel Pieces of driftwood strewed the shore; and so been thrown up to a distance from the water, were perfectly dry Rip discovered also plenty of rew in the hollows and level parts of the island He had soon a sufficient supply for a good fire I looked anxiously at the matches I was afraid to strike one of thehly dry, as I should otherwise have knocked off the end I selected one from the middle of the box, which appeared never to have been wetted, and getting into a sheltered place, I drew it along the side of the box
ToRip to blow up the fire, I replaced the other matches in the box, which I stowed carefully away in e one on board for cutting up tobacco We both turned our eyes on poor piggy, as grubbing about near us, trying to find roots In a runts and a squeak he was turned into pork
”We did not stop to singe hi before the fire, while Snarley looked wistfully on, giving a hungry sniff every now and then at piggy's carcase It was somewhat lean, as he had been on short co, you deserve so Snarley certain portions which I for one had no inclination to eat
”While ere at our meala cask wash on shore The pork had excited our thirst, and Rip ran down, hoping to find water in it; but it was e that the cask which had soht be sent to us, but it was nowhere to be seen
”'Patience,' I observed; 'weit up where it will be safe' The boat, I should have said, had been tuth it was driven inside the harbour Rip offered to swim off and tow her in I hesitated for fear of sharks, but he declared that in that latitude they were not likely to be found I begged hiot nearer, which she soon did, and then stripping off his clothes, he boldly plunged in
”'You remain on shore, mynheer,' he said; 'you will better be able to help et tired, I can always rest on the bottom of the boat'
”When Snarley saw hi the boat Rip put a rope in the dog's an to tow the boat towards the beach It was hard work, though the as partly in their favour, but at the sa the boat towards the foot of the cliffs opposite the entrance, against which the surf broke heavily, and would soon have knocked her to pieces When Rip got tired, he climbed up, as he intended, on the bottoain took to towing, Snarley all the ti bravely on I never saw an anith the boat was brought near enough to enable Rip to wade, when I going to his assistance, we dragged her up until she grounded A slight examination showed us that without tools we should never be able to repair her, for the whole of one side was crushed in and the other was greatly daly determents to shelter us By this time, however, our thirst became almost unbearable
”'Perhaps water may be found in the hollows of some of the rocks,'
observed Rip
”Snarley was apparently suffering asaway fro-place he ran on ahead
”'He'll find water, if there's any to be found,' said Rip; and I had the same hope We climbed up the rocks, and after some exertion we reached the top of the island, when Snarley dashed forward, and to our great joyhiht of water We ran on, nearly toppling on our noses in our eagerness as weSnarley's example, for a pure pool of water was at our feet, while there were two others close at hand, each about a dozen yards in circuh they were apparently filled with rain water, and not fro, there was a sufficient quantity to supply all our wants Even could it be possible to exhaust the quenched our thirst we stood up to look around us, e caught sight of several aniaze at us They were goats, and soh to last us for years to co them ourselves We felt that Snarley would render us valuable aid in theRefreshed, we set off to take a further survey of the island
”As we passed along the cliffs overlooking the harbour, we caught sight in a little bay of three boats, hauled up on the beach, with a couple of huts, but no huht possibly not reach the spot It was evident, at all events, that the island had at some time or other been inhabited, but at that distance we could not judge of the condition of the boats or the huts, so that it ht have been years before As ished to be housed before night,returned to the landing-place, discovering on our way, arass, some leaves which tasted like spinach I felt sure that they would serve as vegetable diet, which it was important to obtain The h we had not strength enough to drag her up entire, we got hold of them and put up a sht We were thankful even for this protection, for after sunset the atood spirits, and thankful to Heaven that we had found the ht it probable, too, that before long a vessel would appear and take us off Snarley, who had dried hi about, crawled into our tent and assisted to keep us ware fire blazing at our feet We did not keep watch, for our island did not certainly contain any savage inhabitants or wild beasts, so that we slept soundly with a sense of perfect security
”Nexton pork and sorrel leaves, which we ate raw, for want ofthe walk round to where the huts were; as we expected, we found theh they had not, we judged, been used for several months, were still serviceable Without tools, however, we could not repair even one of thee While exa the huts, we discovered an iron pot, which was likely to prove of the greatest value to us Rip immediately set to work to scrape it clean On our way back we filled it ater The rest of the day was spent in pulling to pieces the wreck of the boat, and carrying them up to the spot we had selected for our habitation, which we preferred to those we had discovered near the boats
”As soon as we had finished our pork, which lasted us for ten days or more, we set off in search of a kid, which we felt sure Snarley would help us to catch We were not disappointed, though its poor ht bravely in its defence As she stopped until we got up, we captured her also, and soon ed to tame her sufficiently to afford usour habitation, in hunting a goat anted one, and in collecting sorrel, which enabled us to ot in abundance from the crevices of the rocks, and manufactured spoons out of drift-wood, and wooden platters and cups We also brought materials from the other huts to improve our own I think you'll say, when you see it, that it is a very respectable abode for a couple of bachelors I own that very often I longed for a loaf of soft tack and a glass of soed to keepabout in the huts during one of our early visits, he discovered in a corner a bag containing a pal-hooks and other articles The hooks were likely to prove of great value We i a piece of goat's flesh as bait, we scrambled out to the end of a rock, belohich the water was deep, to try our luck That day we caught ten fine fish We had an additional cause to be thankful, for our health required a change of diet We no longer had the slightest apprehension of starving Still after a few et away We rigged the flag-staff you saw, and hoisted the Dutch flag, one we had found in the locker of the boat
”Day after day I looked out for a sail, but none appeared, and I began to think that I was doomed to spend the remainder of my life on this desert spot At last our clothes wore out To replace theed ourselves out in the strange costume in which Green discovered me I had often when a boy fancied that it would be very pleasant to live on an island by myself, or with one companion; but faith! I found the reality very different, and I would gladly have given up my title and estates to escape 'It is an ill wind that blows no one good' I can assure you that my heart leaped intoat the tierous condition to which she had been reduced I own, however, that I shall be very glad to see her safe inside the harbour”
After soain stood back to the mouth of the harbour, and cao A boat now came off, with a sufficient supply of coal to enable her to cross the bar Adair began to fear that it would be iain begun to gain on the pumps in spite of the efforts of the crew to keep the water under The larger the quantity of water which got into the shi+p, the lower she would be, and the less able to cross As the surf had considerably gone down, the boats were again e stores But every time they returned loaded over the bar, they ran a considerable risk of being swamped
Adair was seated in his cabin, the day's work being over, with his nephehen the carpenter desired to speak with hi their best, and I have done my best; but it is my opinion and my duty to express it: the shi+p won't swier,” said Mr Gimlet ”All hands are ready to work on at the pumps and with the buckets until we drop, but the water is rushi+ng in faster than we can puain, no human power can keep the shi+p afloat”
Adair was not offended at the freedom hich the warrant officer spoke
”You and all the hands have done your very best, Mr Gie to keep the shi+p fro, at the top of high tide, ill attempt to take her over the bar It is a question whether we shall succeed, and I am very loth to lose her, but the risk must be run”
”No doubt about that, sir,” answered the carpenter ”If she once strikes on that bar, she'll never get off again, except piece to the bottoood many men had been landed, a sufficient number remained to work the pumps, watch and watch, and Adair and Des with the a one, to the captain at all events, as any yet passed To-morrow must decide the fate of the shi+p, whether she would be cast a helpless wreck on the reef or be carried into sht be possible to repair her