Part 13 (2/2)
For several days after, they were e away the stu path to the storehouse; and as soon as that as finished, Ready put up a lightning-conductor at the side of the storehouse, like the one which he had put up near to the cottage They had now got through all the work that they had arranged to do during the rainy season The ewes had laan to suffer for want of pasture For a week they had no rain, and the sun burst out very powerfully; and Ready was of opinion that the rainy season was now over Williaain, and he was very impatient that they should coreat deal of consultation, it was at last settled, that Ready and William should make the first survey to the southward, and then return and report what they had discovered This was decided upon on the Saturday evening, and on the Monday ot ready, and well filled with boiled salt pork, and flat cakes of bread They were each to have a musket and ammunition, and a blanket was folded up to carry on the shoulders, that they et his compass, or the sh the wood
The whole of Saturday was occupied intheir preparations After supper, Ready said, ”Now, William, before we start on our travels, I think I reat deal ; and afterin a French prison, my life was one continued chapter of from bad to worse Our shi+p was soon ready, and we sailed with convoy for Barbadoes Sanders proved a good navigator, and froained all the knowledge which I required to enable ate my vessel Sanders attempted to renew our serious conversation, but my property had made me vain; and now that I felt I could do without his assistance, I not only kept him at a distance, but assurateful return for his kindness to me; but it is too often the case in this world Sanders was very much annoyed, and on our arrival at Barbadoes, he told me that it was his intention to quit the vessel I replied very haughtily, that he et rid of hiations to him Well, sir, Sanders left me, and I felt quite happy at his departure My shi+p was soon with a full cargo of sugar on board of her, and aited for convoy to England When at Barbadoes, I had an opportunity to buy four brass guns, which I ood supply of ammunition on board I was very proud of e out to be a very fast sailer: indeed, she sailed better than souns on board, I considered myself quite safe fro for convoy, which was not expected for a fortnight, it blew a very heavy gale, and ed their anchors, and were driven out of Carlisle Bay We were obliged tovery fresh What with being tired waiting so long for convoy, and the knowledge that arriving before the other West Indiaeous, I ain, I would run for England without protection, trusting to the fast sailing of ot at the tiland as `sailing with convoy', and thatwithout would render the insurance void, if any land, and for three weeks everything went on well We saw very few vessels, and those which did chase us could not co with a fair wind up channel, and I had ht, a French privateer hove in sight and gave chase We were obliged to haul our wind, and it blowing very fast, we carried away our main-top side of us and laid us by the board, and that night I was in a French prison, and, I may say, a pauper; for the insurance of the vessel was void, fro sailed without convoy I felt that I had no one to thank but myself for the unfortunate position I was in; at all events, I was severely punished, for I remained a prisoner for nearly six years I contrived to escape with three or four others; we suffered dreadfully, and at last arrived in England, in a Swedish vessel, without money, or even clothes that would keep out the weather Of course, I had nothing to do but to look out for a berth on board of a shi+p, and I tried for that of second ed and looked too o before the mast There was a fine vessel in the port; I went on board to offer myself; the mate went down to the captain, who came on deck, and who should he be but Sanders? I hoped that he would not remember me, but he did immediately, and held out his hand I never did feel so ashamed in my life as I did then Sanders perceived it, and asked me down into the cabin I then told hiet that I had behaved so ill to him; he offered me a berth on board, and money in advance to fit me out But if he would not reet it, and I told hioodas he lived, was my friend I becaain very intimate My misfortunes had humbled me, and I once more read the Bible with him; and I have, I trust, done so ever since When he died, I continued second mate for some time, and then was displaced Since that, I have always been as a common seaman on board of different vessels; but I have been well treated and respected, and I may add, I have not been unhappy, for I felt that property would have only led et, that in this world we are to live so as to prepare ourselves for another Now, William, you have the history of Masterman Ready; and I hope that there are portions of it which may prove useful to you To-morroe ether, why, I think the sooner we go to bed the better”
”Very true,” replied Mr Seagrave, ”Willia me the Bible”
Chapter XLII
They were all up early the next uns, and the other requisites for the journey, were all prepared; Willia an affectionate leave of Mr and Mrs Seagrave, they started on their journey The sun was shi+ning brilliantly, and the weather had becohtly, as its waters danced, and the cocoa-nut trees racefully to the breeze They set off in high spirits, and having called the two shepherd dogs, and driven back Vixen, ould have joined the party, they passed the storehouse, and ascending the hill on the other side, they got their hatchets ready to blaze the trees; and Ready having set his course by his pocket compass, they were fairly on their way For some time they continued to cut the bark of the trees with their hatchets, without speaking, and then Ready stopped again to look at his compass
”I think the wood is thicker here than ever, Ready,” observed William
”Yes, sir, it is; but I suspect we are now in the thickest part of it, right in the middle of the island; however, we shall soon see We et on as fast as we can We shall have less work by and by, and then we can talk better”
For half-an-hour they continued their way through the wood, and, as Ready had observed, the trees became more distant fro before the the trees every second, and their foreheads were moist with the exertion
”I think we had better pull up for a few minutes, William; you will be tired”
”I have not been so used to exercise, Ready, and therefore I feel ithis face with his handkerchief ”I should like to stop a fewdo you think it will be before we are out of the wood?”
”Not half-an-hour more, sir, I should think; even before that, perhaps”
”What do you expect to find, Ready?”
”That's a difficult question to answer I can tell you what I hope to find, which is, a good space of clear ground between the beach and the wood, where we oats; and perhaps we may find some other trees besides cocoa-nuts: at present, you knoe have seen only them and the castor-oil beans, that To what new seeds ht here by birds, or by the winds and waves”
”But will those seeds grow?”
”Yes, William; I have been told that seeds round, and come up afterwards when exposed to the heat”
They continued their way, and had not walked for more than a quarter of an hour, when William cried out, ”I see the blue sky, Ready; we shall soon be out; and glad shall I be, for ”
”I dare say it does, sir I a the trees; however, we must continue to mark, or we shall not find our way back ant it”
In ten rove, and found theher than their heads; so that they could not see how far they were fro down his hatchet, ”I'o any further”
”I' down by the side of William; ”I feel h the wood, after we set off fros; lie down”
”The weather is very fine, Ready”
”Yes, now it is; but Ito the health, and I suppose I have not recovered froular fever, and, of course, do not feel strong; but a reat deal fros now”
”I think that before we go on, Ready, we had better have our dinner; that will do us good”
”Well, ill take an early dinner, and we shall get rid of one bottle of water, at all events; indeed, I think that, as we o back by the same e ca but our guns under these trees; I dare say we shall sleep here too, for I told Mr Seagrave positively not to expect us back to-night I did not like to say so before your mother, she is so anxious about you”
They opened their knapsacks, andin for their share; after which they again started on their discoveries For about ten h the thick and high bushes, till at last they broke out clear of them, and then looked around the The sea was about half aland was clear, with fresh blades of grass just bursting out of the earth, co a fine piece of pasture of at least fifty acres, here and there broken with small patches of trees and brushwood; there was no sandy beach, but the rocks rose froh, and were in one or two places covered with so which looked as white as snow
”Well, Ready,” said William, ”there will be no want of pasture for our flock, even if it increases to ten times its number”
”No,” replied Ready, ”we are very fortunate, and have great reason to be thankful; this is exactly e required; and now let us go on a little, and examine these patches of wood, and see what they are I see a bright green leaf out there, which, if my eyes do not fail me, I have seen many a time before” When they arrived at the clump of trees which Ready had pointed out, he said, ”Yes, I was right Look there, this is the banana; it is just bursting out now, and will soon be ten feet high, and bearing fruit which is excellent eating; besides which the stem is capital fodder for the beasts”
”Here is a plant I never saw before,” said Willia it to Ready
”But I have, William It is what they call the bird's-eye pepper; they make Cayenne pepper out of it Look, the pods are just for, as we have no pepper left You see, William, we must have some birds on the island; at least it is most probable, for all the seeds of these plants and trees ht here by them The banana and the pepper are the food ofup in this spot; there will be a little forest of the sort of shrub out there, Ready?”
”I can't see so well as you, William, so let us walk up to it Oh, I know it now; it is what they call the prickly pear in the West Indies I alad to have found that, for it will be very useful to us”
”Is it good eating, Ready?”
”Not particularly; and the little spikes run into your fingers, and are very difficult to get rid of; but it is not bad by way of a change No, the use it will be to us is to hedge in our garden, and protect it frorows very fast, and without trouble Now let us go on to that patch of trees, and see what they are”
”What is this plant, Ready?”
”I don't know, William”
”Then I think I had better make a collection of all those you don't know, and take theood botanist”
William pulled a branch of the plant off, and carried it with him On their arrival at the next patch of trees, Ready looked at theht to know that tree,” said he ”I have often seen it in hot countries Yes, it's the guava”
”What! is it the fruit they uava jelly of?” said William
”Yes, the very same”
”Let us noalk in the direction of those five or six trees,” said William; ”and from there down to the rocks; I want to find out how it is that they are so white”
”Be it so, if you wish,” replied Ready
”Why, Ready, what noise is that? Hark! such a chattering, it must be monkeys”