south sea tales-第26部分

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I'd　held　her　up　that　other　half…point；〃　he　confessed　a　moment　later。　〃This

cursed　current　plays　the　devil　with　a　navigator。〃



〃The　old　navigators　called　the　Paumotus　the　Dangerous　Archipelago；〃　McCoy

said；　when　they　had　regained　the　poop。　〃This　very　current　was　partly

responsible　for　that　name。〃



〃I　was　talking　with　a　sailor　chap　in　Sydney；　once；〃　said　Mr。　Konig。　〃He'd　been

trading　in　the　Paumotus。　He　told　me　insurance　was　eighteen　per　cent。　Is　that

right？〃



McCoy　smiled　and　nodded。



〃Except　that　they　don't　insure；〃　he　explained。　〃The　owners　write　off　twenty

per　cent　of　the　cost　of　their　schooners　each　year。〃



〃My　God！〃　Captain　Davenport　groaned。　〃That　makes　the　life　of　a　schooner　only

five　years！〃　He　shook　his　head　sadly；　murmuring；　〃Bad　waters！　Bad　waters！〃



Again　they　went　into　the　cabin　to　consult　the　big　general　chart；　but　the

poisonous　vapors　drove　them　coughing　and　gasping　on　deck。



〃Here　is　Moerenhout　Island；〃　Captain　Davenport　pointed　it　out　on　the　chart；

which　he　had　spread　on　the　house。　〃It　can't　be　more　than　a　hundred　miles　to

leeward。〃



〃A　hundred　and　ten。〃　'mcCoy　shook　his　head　doubtfully。　〃It　might　be　done；　but

it　is　very　difficult。　I　might　beach　her；　and　then　again　I　might　put　her　on　the

reef。　A　bad　place；　a　very　bad　place。〃



〃We'll　take　the　chance；〃　was　Captain　Davenport's　decision；　as　he　set　about

working　out　the　course。



Sail　was　shortened　early　in　the　afternoon；　to　avoid　running　past　in　the　night；

and　in　the　second　dog…watch　the　crew　manifested　its　regained　cheerfulness。

Land　was　so　very　near；　and　their　troubles　would　be　over　in　the　morning。



But　morning　broke　clear；　with　a　blazing　tropic　sun。　The　southeast　trade　had

swung　around　to　the　eastward；　and　was　driving　the　PYRENEES　through　the　water

at　an　eight…knot　clip。　Captain　Davenport　worked　up　his　dead　reckoning；

allowing　generously　for　drift；　and　announced　Moerenhout　Island　to　be　not　more

than　ten　miles　off。　The　Pyrenees　sailed　the　ten　miles；　she　sailed　ten　miles

more；　and　the　lookouts　at　the　three　mastheads　saw　naught　but　the　naked；

sun…washed　sea。



〃But　the　land　is　there；　I　tell　you；〃　Captain　Davenport　shouted　to　them　from

the　poop。



McCoy　smiled　soothingly；　but　the　captain　glared　about　him　like　a　madman；

fetched　his　sextant；　and　took　a　chronometer　sight。



〃I　knew　I　was　right；　he　almost　shouted；　when　he　had　worked　up　the　observation。

〃Twenty…one；　fifty…five；　south；　one…thirty…six；　two；　west。　There　you　are。

We're　eight　miles　to　windward　yet。　What　did　you　make　it　out；　Mr。　Konig？〃



The　first　mate　glanced　at　his　own　figures；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：



〃Twenty…one；　fifty…five　all　right；　but　my　longitude's　one…thirty…six；

forty…eight。　That　puts　us　considerably　to　leeward〃



But　Captain　Davenport　ignored　his　figures　with　so　contemptuous　a　silence　as　to

make　Mr。　Konig　grit　his　teeth　and　curse　savagely　under　his　breath。



〃Keep　her　off；〃　the　captain　ordered　the　man　at　the　wheel。　〃Three

pointssteady　there；　as　she　goes！〃



Then　he　returned　to　his　figures　and　worked　them　over。　The　sweat　poured　from

his　face。　He　chewed　his　mustache；　his　lips；　and　his　pencil；　staring　at　the

figures　as　a　man　might　at　a　ghost。　Suddenly；　with　a　fierce；　muscular　outburst；

he　crumpled　the　scribbled　paper　in　his　fist　and　crushed　it　under　foot。　'mr。

Konig　grinned　vindictively　and　turned　away；　while　Captain　Davenport　leaned

against　the　cabin　and　for　half　an　hour　spoke　no　word；　contenting　himself　with

gazing　to　leeward　with　an　expression　of　musing　hopelessness　on　his　face。



〃Mr。　McCoy；〃　he　broke　silence　abruptly。　〃The　chart　indicates　a　group　of

islands；　but　not　how　many；　off　there　to　the　north'ard；　or　nor'…nor'westward；

about　forty　milesthe　Acteon　Islands。　What　about　them？〃



〃There　are　four；　all　low；〃　McCoy　answered。　〃First　to　the　southeast　is

Matueruino　people；　no　entrance　to　the　lagoon。　　Then　comes　Tenarunga。　There

used　to　be　about　a　dozen　people　there；　but　they　may　be　all　gone　now。　Anyway；

there　is　no　entrance　for　a　shiponly　a　boat　entrance；　with　a　fathom　of　water。

Vehauga　and　Teua…raro　are　the　other　two。　No　entrances；　no　people；　very　low。

There　is　no　bed　for　the　Pyrenees　in　that　group。　She　would　be　a　total　wreck。〃



〃Listen　to　that！〃　Captain　Davenport　was　frantic。　〃No　people！　No　entrances！

What　in　the　devil　are　islands　good　for？



〃Well；　then；　he　barked　suddenly；　like　an　excited　terrier；　〃the　chart　gives　a

whole　mess　of　islands　off　to　the　nor'west。　What　about　them？　What　one　has　an

entrance　where　I　can　lay　my　ship？〃



McCoy　calmly　considered。　He　did　not　refer　to　the　chart。　All　these　islands；

reefs；　shoals；　lagoons；　entrances；　and　distances　were　marked　on　the　chart　of

his　memory。　He　knew　them　as　the　city　dweller　knows　his　buildings；　streets；　and

alleys。



〃Papakena　and　Vanavana　are　off　there　to　the　westward；　or　west…nor'westward　a

hundred　miles　and　a　bit　more；〃　he　said。　〃One　is　uninhabited；　and　I　heard　that

the　people　on　the　other　had　gone　off　to　Cadmus　Island。　Anyway；　neither　lagoon

has　an　entrance。　　Ahunui　is　another　hundred　miles　on　to　the　nor'west。　No

entrance；　no　people。〃



〃Well；　forty　miles　beyond　them　are　two　islands？〃　Captain　Davenport　queried；

raising　his　head　from　the　chart。



McCoy　shook　his　head。



〃Paros　and　Manuhungino　entrances；　no　people。　Nengo…Nengo　is　forty　miles

beyond　them；　in　turn；　and　it　has　no　people　and　no　entrance。　But　there　is　Hao

Island。　It　is　just　the　place。　The　lagoon　is　thirty　miles　long　and　five　miles

wide。　There　are　plenty　of　people。　You　can　usually　find　water。　And　any　ship　in

the　world　can　go　through　the　entrance。〃



He　ceased　and　gazed　solicitously　at　Captain　Davenport；　who；　bending　over　the

chart　with　a　pair　of　dividers　in　hand；　had　just　emitted　a　low　groan。



〃Is　there　any　lagoon　with　an　entrance　anywhere　nearer　than　Hao　Island？〃　he

asked。



〃No；　Captain；　that　is　the　nearest。〃



〃Well；　it's　three　hundred　and　forty　miles。〃　Captain　Davenport　was　speaking

very　slowly；　with　decision。　〃I　won't　risk　the　responsibility　of　all　these

lives。　I'll　wreck　her　on　the　Acteons。　And　she's　a　good　ship；　too；〃　he　added

regretfully；　after　altering　the　course；　this　time　making　more　allowance　than

ever　for　the　westerly　current。



An　hour　later　the　sky　was　overcast。　The　southeast　trade　still　held；　but　the

ocean　was　a　checker　board　of　squalls。



〃We'll　be　there　by　one　o'clock；〃　Captain　Davenport　announced　confidently。　〃By

two　o'clock　at　the　outside。　'mcCoy；　you　put　her　ashore　on　the　one　where　the

people　are。〃



The　sun　did　not　appear　again；　nor；　at　one　o'clock；　was　any　land　to　be　seen。

Captain　Davenport　looked　astern　at　the　Pyrenees'　canting　wake。



〃Good　Lord！〃　he　cried。　〃An　easterly　current？　Look　at　that！〃



Mr。　Konig　was　incredulous。　'mcCoy　was　noncommittal；　though　he　said　that　in　the

Paumotus　there　was　no　reason　why　it　should　not　be　an　easterly　current。　A　few

minutes　later　a　squall　robbed　the　Pyrenees　temporarily　of　all　her　wind；　and

she　was　left　rolling　heavily　in　the　trough。



〃Where's　that　deep　lead？　Over　with　it；　you　there！〃　Captain　Davenport　held　the

lead　line　and　watched　it　sag　off　to　the　northeast。　〃There；　look　at　that！　Take

hold　of　it　for　yourself。〃



McCoy　and　the　mate　tried　it；　and　felt　the　line　thrumming　and　vibrating

savagely　to　the　grip　of　the　tidal　stream。



〃A　four…knot　current；〃　said　Mr。　Konig。



〃An　easterly　current　instead　of　a　westerly；〃　said　Captain　〃Davenport；　glaring

accusingly　at　McCoy；　as　if　to　cast　the　blame　for　it　upon　him。



〃That　is　one　of　the　reasons；　Captain；　for　insurance　being　eighteen　per　cent　in

these　waters；〃　McCoy　answered　cheerfully。　　〃You　can　never　tell。　The　currents

are　always　changing。　There　was　a　man　who　wrote　books；　I　forget　his　name；　in

the　yacht　Casco。



He　missed　Takaroa　by　thirty　miles　and　fetched　Tikei；　all　because　of　the

shifting　currents。　You　are　up　to　windward　now；　and　you'd　better　keep　off　a　few

points。〃



〃But　how　much　has　this　current　set　me？〃　the　captain　demanded　irately。　〃How　am

I　to　know　how　much　to　keep　off？〃



〃I　don't　know；　Captain；〃　McCoy　said　with　great　gentleness。



The　wind　returned；　and　the　PYRENEES；　her　deck　smoking　and　shimmering　in　the

bright　gray　light；　ran　off　dead　to　leeward。　　Then　she　worked　back；　port　tack

and　starboard　tack；　crisscrossing　her　track；　combing　the　sea　for　the　Acteon

Islands；　which　the　masthead　lookouts　failed　to　sight。



Captain　Davenport　was　beside　himself。　His　rage　took　the　form　of　sullen

silence；　and　he　spent　the　afternoon　in　pacing　the　poop　or　leaning　against　the

weather　shrouds。　At　nightfall；　without　even　consulting　McCoy；　he　squared　away

and　headed　into　the　northwest。　　Mr。　Konig；　surreptitiously　consulting　chart

and　binnacle；　and　McCoy；　openly　and　innocently　consulting　the　binnacle；　knew

that　they　were　running　for　Hao　Island。　By　midnight　the　squalls　ceased；　and　the

stars　came　out。　Captain　Davenport　was　cheered　by　the　promise　of　a　clear　day。



〃I'll　get　an　observation　in　the　morning；〃　he　told　McCoy；　〃though　what　my

latitude　is；　is　a　puzzler。　But　I'll　use　the　Sumner　method；　and　settle　that。　Do

you　know　the　Sumner　line？〃



And　thereupon　he　explained　it　in　detail　to　McCoy。



The　day　proved　clear；　the　trade　blew　steadily　out　of　the　east；　and　the

Pyrenees　just　as　steadily　logged　her　nine　knots。　Both　the　captain　and　mate

worked　out　the　position　on　a　Sumner　line；　and　agreed；　and　at　noon　agreed

again；　and　verified　the　morning　sights　by　the　noon　sights。



〃Another　twenty…four　hours　and　we'll　be　there；〃　Captain　Davenport　assured

McCoy。　：〃It's　a　miracle　the　way　the　old　girl's　decks　hold　out。　But　they　can't

last。　They　can't　last。　Look　at　them　smoke；　more　and　more　every　day。　Yet　it　was

a　tight　deck　to　begin　with；　fresh…calked　in　Frisco。　I　was　surprised　when　the

fire　first　broke　out　and　we　battened　down。　Look　at　that！〃



He　broke　off　to　gaze　with　dropped　jaw　at　a　spiral　of　smoke　that　coiled　and

twisted　in　the　lee　of　the　mizzenmast　twenty　feet　above　the　d