【英文读物】The Crew of the Water Wagtail.docx

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1、【英文读物】The Crew of the Water Wagtail One. A Rough Beginning. It is well that mankind cannot pry into the secrets of futurity. At all events, it is certain that if the crew of the Water Wagtail had known what was in store for them when they set sail from Bristol, one fine spring morning at the beginni

2、ng of the sixteenth century, most of them would have remained at homethough it is not improbable that, even with full knowledge of coming events, some of the romantic among them, and a few of the reckless, might have decided to go on. Undoubtedly Paul Burns would have scorned to draw back, for he wa

3、s a “hero of romance;” an enthusiast of the deepest dye, with an inquiring mind, a sanguine disposition, and a fervent belief in all things great and good and grand. He was also a six-footer in his socks, a horse in constitution, a Hercules in frame, with a hook nose and a hawk eye and a strong jawa

4、nd all the rest of it. Paul had a good brain, too, and was well educatedas education went in those days. Yes, there can be little doubt that even though Paul Burns had been able to see into the future, he would have deliberately chosen to go on that voyage. So would Oliver Trench, for Oliver worship

5、ped Paul! He loved him as if he had been an elder brother. He admired him, afar off, as a rare specimen of human perfection. He looked up to him, physically as well as mentally, for Oliver was at that time little more than a boy of medium size, but bold as a bull-dog and active as a weasel. Yes, we

6、are safe to say that a revelation of the disasters, dangers, sufferings, etcetera, in store, would not have deterred Oliver Trench. He would have gone on that voyage simply because Paul Burns went. That was reason enough for him. The devotion of Ruth to Naomi was mild compared with that of Oliver to

7、 Paulif words are a test of feelingsfor Ruths beautiful language could not compare with the forcible expressions with which Oliver assured his friend that he would stick to him, neck or nothing, through thick and thin, to the latest hour of life! As for the rest of the crewBig Swinton, Little Stubbs

8、, George Blazer, Squill, and the likeit was well, as we have said, that they could not see into the future. There were forty of them, all told, including the cook and the cabin-boy. We do not include Paul Burns or Oliver Trench, because the former was naturalist to the expeditiona sort of semi-scien

9、tific freelance; and the latter, besides being the masters, or skippers, son, was a free-and-easy lance, so to speak, whose duties were too numerous to mention, and too indefinite to understand. Most of the men were what is expressed by the phrase “no better than they should be.” Some of them, indee

10、d, were even worse than that. The wars of the period had rendered it difficult to obtain good seamen at that particular time, so that merchant skippers had to content themselves with whatever they could get. The crew of the Water Wagtail was unusually bad, including, as it did, several burglars and

11、a few pickpockets, besides loafers and idlers; so that, before leaving Bristol, a friend of the skipper, whose imagination was lively, styled it a crew of forty thieves. The coast of Norway was the destination of the Water Wagtail. She never reached the coast ofbut we must not anticipate. What her o

12、bject was in reference to Norway we cannot tell. Ancient records are silent on the point. The object of Paul Burns was to gather general information. At that period the world was not rich in general information. To discover, to dare, to doif need were, to diewas the intention of our big hero. To be

13、similarly circumstanced in a small way was our little heros ambition. “Goin to blow,” remarked Skipper Trench, on the evening of the day on which he sailed, as he paced the deck with his hands in his pockets, and, as his son Oliver said, his “weather-eye” open. It seemed as though the weather, havin

14、g overheard the prophecy, was eager to fulfil it, for a squall could be seen bearing down on the ship even while the words were being uttered. “Close reef to-o-o-p-sls!” roared Master Trench, with the energy of a man who means what he says. We are not sure of the precise nautical terms used, but the

15、 result was a sudden and extensive reduction of canvas; and not a moment too soon, for the operation had scarcely been completed when the squall struck the ship, almost capsized her, and sent her careering over the billows “like a thing of life.” This was the first of a succession of squalls, or gal

16、es, which blew the Water Wagtail far out upon the Atlantic Ocean, stove in her bulwarks, carried away her bowsprit and foretopmast, damaged her skylights, strained her rudder, and cleared her decks of loose hamper. After many days the weather moderated a little and cleared up, enabling Master Trench

17、 to repair damages and shape his course for Norway. But the easterly gales returned with increased violence, undid all the repairs, carried away the compass, and compelled these ancient mariners to run westward under bare poleslittle better than a wreck for winds and waves to play with. In these adv

18、erse circumstances the skipper did what too many men are apt to do in their day of sorrowhe sought comfort in the bottle. Love of strong drink was Master Trenchs weakest point. It was one of the few points on which he and his friend Burns disagreed. “Now, my dear man,” said Paul, seating himself one

19、 evening at the cabin table and laying his hand impressively on his friends arm, “do let me lock up this bottle. You cant navigate the ship, you know, when youve got so much of that stuff under your belt.” “O yes, I can,” said the skipper, with an imbecile smile, for his friend had a winning way wit

20、h him that conciliated even while he rebuked. “Dont you fear, Paul, IIm all right!” The half-offended idiotic expression of the mans face was intensely ludicrous, but Paul could not see the ludicrous at that time. He only saw his usually sedate, manly, generous friend reduced to a state of imbecilit

21、y. “Come, now, Master Trench,” he said persuasively, taking hold of the case-bottle, “let me put it away.” “N-no, I wont” said the captain sharply, for he was short of temper. The persuasive look on Pauls face suddenly vanished. He rose, grasped the bottle firmly, went to the open hatch, and sent it

22、 whizzing up into the air with such force that it went far over the stern of the ship and dropped into the sea, to the unutterable amazement of the man at the helm, who observed the bottles unaccountable flight with an expression of visage all his own. There is no accounting for the rapid transition

23、s of thought and feeling in drunken men. The skipper sprang up, clenched his right hand, and gazed in fierce astonishment at his friend, who advanced towards him with a benignant smile, quite regardless of consequences. Even in the act of striking, the captain restrained his arm and opened his hand.

24、 Paul met it with a friendly grasp, while the faces of both men expanded in smiling goodwill. “Y-youre a trump, P-Paul,” said the captain. “IIwont drink a-another dop!” And Master Trench kept his word. From that day forth, till circumstances rendered drinking impossible, he drank nothing stronger th

25、an water. Soon after this event the weather improved, damages were again repaired, and the skipperin whom there was much of the spirit of the old vikingsonce more laid his course for Norway, resolving to steer, as the said vikings were wont to do, by the stars. But a spirit of mutiny was abroad in t

26、he forecastle by that time. If hard work, hard fare, and hard fortune are trying even to good men and true, what must they be to bad men and false? “Heres how it lays, men,” said Big Swinton, in a subdued voice, to a knot of friends around him. “Blowin hard as it has bin ever since we left England,

27、it stands to reason that we must have pretty nigh got across the western sea to that noo land discovered by that man wi the queer nameI cant remember rightly” “Columbus, you mean,” cried George Blazer. “Why, my father sailed with Columbus on his first voyage.” “No, it wasnt Columbus,” returned Swint

28、on, in a sharp tone, “an you neednt speak as if we was all deaf, Blazer. It was John Cabot I was thinkin of, who, with his son Sebastian, discovered land a long way to the norard o Columbuss track. They called it Newfoundland. Well, as I was sayin, we must be a long way nearer to that land than to N

29、orway, an it will be far easier to reach it. Moreover, the Cabots said that the natives there are friendly and peaceable, so its my opinion that we should carry on as we go till we reach Newfoundland, an see whether we cant lead a jollier life there than we did in Old England.” “But its my opinion,”

30、 suggested Little Stubbs, “that the skippers opinion on that point will have to be found out first, Swinton, for its of more importance than yours. You aint skipper yet, you know.” “Thats so, Stubbs,” said Squill, with a nod. “Let your tongues lie still,” retorted Swinton, in an undertoned growl. “O

31、f course I know Im not skipper yet, but if you men have the courage of rabbits Ill be skipper before another sun risesor whoever you choose to appoint.” A sudden silence ensued for a few moments, for, although there had been mutinous whisperings before, no one had, up to that time, ventured to make

32、a distinct proposal that action should be taken. “What! steal the ship?” exclaimed a huge black-bearded fellow named Grummidge. “NayIll have no hand in that.” “Of course not; we have no intention to steal the ship,” retorted Swinton, before any one else had time to express an opinion; “we are all up

33、right honourable men here. We only mean to take the loan of her. After all we have suffered we are entitled surely to a pleasure-trip, and when thats over we can return the ship to the ownersif so disposed. Youll join us in that, Grummidge, wont you? And well make you skipperor first mate, if youre

34、too modest to take command.” This sally was received with a subdued laugh, and with marks of such decided approval, that Grummidge was carried with the currentat all events, he held his tongue after that. An earnest undertoned discussion followed, and it was finally arranged that Big Swinton should

35、sound Master Trench about the propriety of running to Newfoundland instead of returning on their track to Norway. The seaman was not slow to act. That afternoon, while at the helm, he made the suggestion to the skipper, but met with a sharp rebuke and an order to attend to his duty. No word did Big

36、Swinton reply, but that very night he entered the cabin with a dozen men and seized the skipper, his son, and Paul Burns, while they slept. Of course, being greatly outnumbered, they were overcome and bound. The two officers of the vessel were also seized by another party on deck, and all the five w

37、ere imprisoned in the hold. Next morning they were brought on deck, and made to stand in a row before Big Swinton, who had, in the meantime, been appointed by the mutineers to the command of the ship. “Now, Master Trench,” said Swinton, “we are no pirates. We have no desire to kill you, so that whet

38、her you are killed or not will depend on yourself. If you agree to navigate this ship to Newfoundlandgood; if not we will heave you overboard.” “Heave away then,” growled the skipper, his nature being such that the more he was defied the more defiant he became. “Well, Master Trench, you shall have y

39、our way. Get the plank ready, boys,” said Swinton, turning to the men. “Now stand aside and let the first mate choose.” The same question being put to the two mates, they returned similar answers, and were ordered to prepare to walk the plank. “You dont understand navigation, I fancy, Master Burns,”

40、 said Swinton to Paul, “but as you can set broken bones, and things of that sort, we will spare you if you agree to serve us.” “Thank you,” replied Paul, with quiet urbanity. “I prefer to accompany Master Trench, if you have no objection.” There was a slight laugh at the coolness of this reply, whic

41、h enraged the new skipper. “Say you so?” he exclaimed, jumping up. “Come, then, shove out the plank, lads, and bring them on one at a time.” “Stop!” cried little Oliver, at this point. “Youve forgot me.” “No, my little man, I havent,” returned Swinton, with a cynical smile. “You shall accompany your

42、 amiable father; but first Ill give you a fair chance,” he added, in a bantering tone: “will you navigate the ship?” “Yes, I will,” answered Oliver promptly. “Indeed!” exclaimed the new skipper, taken aback by the boys boldness, and at a loss for a reply. “Yes, indeed,” retorted Oliver, “only put me

43、 in command, with an auger, and Ill navigate the ship to the bottom of the sea, with you and all your cowardly crew on board of her!” “Well said, little master,” cried Grummidge, while a general laugh of approval went round. Seeing that there was a symptom of better feeling among some of the men, Ma

44、ster Trench was about to make an appeal to them, when “Land ho!” was shouted by the look-out in stentorian tones.Chapter Two. The Adventurers Land on the Island. The excitement caused by the sight of land was tremendous. Nearly every one ran to the bow or leaped on the bulwarks, and the prisoners we

45、re left unguarded. Seeing this, Grummidge quietly cut their bonds unobserved, and then hurried forward to gaze with the rest. Even the man at the tiller left his post for a moment to get a better view of the land. On returning, he found Master Trench occupying his place, and Paul Burns standing besi

46、de him with a handspike in his grasp. Oliver had also armed himself with a marlinespike in default of a better weapon. “Go forard, my man,” said the skipper, in a quiet voice, “an tell your mates to get ready the anchor and stand by the cable. Haste ye, if you value life.” The man slunk away without

47、 a word. “We seem far from land yet, Master Trench; why such haste?” asked Paul. “Look over the stern,” was the skippers curt reply. Paul and Oliver both did so, and saw that another squall was bearing down on them. “Is it Newfoundland?” asked Paul. “Ay, and an ugly coast to make in a squall. Hallo!

48、 thereif ye would not be food for fishes lay aloft and take in all sail!” The skipper, as his wont was, gave the order in a stern tone of command, and resigned the tiller to Grummidge, who came aft at the moment. The men saw with surprise that a heavy squall was bearing down on them from the eastward. Mutiny flew, as it were, out at the hawseholes, while discipline re-entered by the cabin windows. Even Big Swinton was cowed for the moment. It may be that the peculiar way in which Paul Burns eyed him and toyed with the handspike had some ef