Reading Help Treasure Island Ch.IV-VI
voice of Captain Flint and even thought I could make `
` out the bird by her bright plumage as she sat perched `
` upon her master's wrist. `
` `
` Soon after, the jolly-boat shoved off and pulled for `
` shore, and the man with the red cap and his comrade `
` went below by the cabin companion. `
` `
` Just about the same time, the sun had gone down behind `
` the Spy-glass, and as the fog was collecting rapidly, `
` it began to grow dark in earnest. I saw I must lose no `
` time if I were to find the boat that evening. `
` `
` The white rock, visible enough above the brush, was `
` still some eighth of a mile further down the spit, and `
` it took me a goodish while to get up with it, crawling, `
` often on all fours, among the scrub. Night had almost `
` come when I laid my hand on its rough sides. Right `
` below it there was an exceedingly small hollow of green `
` turf, hidden by banks and a thick underwood about knee- `
` deep, that grew there very plentifully; and in the centre `
` of the dell, sure enough, a little tent of goat- skins, `
` like what the gipsies carry about with them in England. `
` `
` I dropped into the hollow, lifted the side of the tent, `
` and there was Ben Gunn's boat--home-made if ever `
` anything was home-made; a rude, lop-sided framework of `
` tough wood, and stretched upon that a covering of goat- `
` skin, with the hair inside. The thing was extremely `
` small, even for me, and I can hardly imagine that it `
` could have floated with a full-sized man. There was `
` one thwart set as low as possible, a kind of stretcher `
` in the bows, and a double paddle for propulsion. `
` `
` I had not then seen a coracle, such as the ancient Britons `
` made, but I have seen one since, and I can give you no `
` fairer idea of Ben Gunn's boat than by saying it was like `
` the first and the worst coracle ever made by man. But the `
` great advantage of the coracle it certainly possessed, for `
` it was exceedingly light and portable. `
` `
` Well, now that I had found the boat, you would have `
` thought I had had enough of truantry for once, but in `
` the meantime I had taken another notion and become so `
` obstinately fond of it that I would have carried it `
` out, I believe, in the teeth of Captain Smollett `
` himself. This was to slip out under cover of the `
` night, cut the HISPANIOLA adrift, and let her go `
` ashore where she fancied. I had quite made up my mind `
` that the mutineers, after their repulse of the morning, `
` had nothing nearer their hearts than to up anchor and `
` away to sea; this, I thought, it would be a fine thing `
` to prevent, and now that I had seen how they left their `
` watchmen unprovided with a boat, I thought it might be `
` done with little risk. `
` `
` Down I sat to wait for darkness, and made a hearty meal `
` of biscuit. It was a night out of ten thousand for my `
` purpose. The fog had now buried all heaven. As the `
` last rays of daylight dwindled and disappeared, absolute `
` blackness settled down on Treasure Island. And when, `
` at last, I shouldered the coracle and groped my way `
` stumblingly out of the hollow where I had supped, there `
` were but two points visible on the whole anchorage. `
` `
` One was the great fire on shore, by which the defeated `
` pirates lay carousing in the swamp. The other, a mere `
` blur of light upon the darkness, indicated the position `
` of the anchored ship. She had swung round to the ebb-- `
` her bow was now towards me--the only lights on board `
` were in the cabin, and what I saw was merely a `
` reflection on the fog of the strong rays that flowed `
` from the stern window. `
` `
` The ebb had already run some time, and I had to wade `
` through a long belt of swampy sand, where I sank `
` several times above the ankle, before I came to the `
` edge of the retreating water, and wading a little way `
` in, with some strength and dexterity, set my coracle, `
` keel downwards, on the surface. `
` `
` `
` `
` 23 `
` `
` The Ebb-tide Runs `
` `
` THE coracle--as I had ample reason to know before I was `
` done with her--was a very safe boat for a person of my `
` height and weight, both buoyant and clever in a sea- `
` way; but she was the most cross-grained, lop-sided `
` craft to manage. Do as you pleased, she always made `
` more leeway than anything else, and turning round and `
` round was the manoeuvre she was best at. Even Ben Gunn `
` himself has admitted that she was "queer to handle till `
` you knew her way." `
` `
` Certainly I did not know her way. She turned in every `
` direction but the one I was bound to go; the most part `
` of the time we were broadside on, and I am very sure I `
` never should have made the ship at all but for the `
` tide. By good fortune, paddle as I pleased, the tide `
` was still sweeping me down; and there lay the `
` HISPANIOLA right in the fairway, hardly to be missed. `
` `
` First she loomed before me like a blot of something yet `
` blacker than darkness, then her spars and hull began to `
` take shape, and the next moment, as it seemed (for, the `
` farther I went, the brisker grew the current of the `
` ebb), I was alongside of her hawser and had laid hold. `
` `
` The hawser was as taut as a bowstring, and the current `
` so strong she pulled upon her anchor. All round the `
` hull, in the blackness, the rippling current bubbled `
` and chattered like a little mountain stream. One cut `
` with my sea-gully and the HISPANIOLA would go `
` humming down the tide. `
` `
` So far so good, but it next occurred to my recollection `
` that a taut hawser, suddenly cut, is a thing as dangerous `
` as a kicking horse. Ten to one, if I were so foolhardy `
` as to cut the HISPANIOLA from her anchor, I and the coracle `
` would be knocked clean out of the water. `
` `
` This brought me to a full stop, and if fortune had not `
` again particularly favoured me, I should have had to `
` abandon my design. But the light airs which had begun `
` blowing from the south-east and south had hauled round `
` after nightfall into the south-west. Just while I was `
` meditating, a puff came, caught the HISPANIOLA, and `
` forced her up into the current; and to my great joy, I `
` felt the hawser slacken in my grasp, and the hand by `
` which I held it dip for a second under water. `
` `
` With that I made my mind up, took out my gully, opened `
` it with my teeth, and cut one strand after another, `
` till the vessel swung only by two. Then I lay quiet, `
` waiting to sever these last when the strain should be `
` once more lightened by a breath of wind. `
` `
` All this time I had heard the sound of loud voices from `
` the cabin, but to say truth, my mind had been so `
` entirely taken up with other thoughts that I had `
` scarcely given ear. Now, however, when I had nothing `
` else to do, I began to pay more heed. `
` `
` One I recognized for the coxswain's, Israel Hands, that `
` had been Flint's gunner in former days. The other was, `
` of course, my friend of the red night-cap. Both men `
` were plainly the worse of drink, and they were still `
` drinking, for even while I was listening, one of them, `
` with a drunken cry, opened the stern window and threw `
` out something, which I divined to be an empty bottle. `
` But they were not only tipsy; it was plain that they `
` were furiously angry. Oaths flew like hailstones, and `
` every now and then there came forth such an explosion `
` as I thought was sure to end in blows. But each time `
` the quarrel passed off and the voices grumbled lower `
` for a while, until the next crisis came and in its turn `
` passed away without result. `
` `
` On shore, I could see the glow of the great camp-fire `
` burning warmly through the shore-side trees. Someone `
` was singing, a dull, old, droning sailor's song, with a `
` droop and a quaver at the end of every verse, and `
` seemingly no end to it at all but the patience of the `
` singer. I had heard it on the voyage more than once `
` and remembered these words: `
` `
` "But one man of her crew alive, `
` What put to sea with seventy-five." `
` `
` And I thought it was a ditty rather too dolefully `
` appropriate for a company that had met such cruel `
` losses in the morning. But, indeed, from what I saw, `
` all these buccaneers were as callous as the sea they `
` sailed on. `
` `
` At last the breeze came; the schooner sidled and drew `
` nearer in the dark; I felt the hawser slacken once `
` more, and with a good, tough effort, cut the last `
` fibres through. `
` `
` The breeze had but little action on the coracle, and I `
` was almost instantly swept against the bows of the `
` HISPANIOLA. At the same time, the schooner began to `
` turn upon her heel, spinning slowly, end for end, `
` across the current. `
` `
` I wrought like a fiend, for I expected every moment to `
` be swamped; and since I found I could not push the `
` coracle directly off, I now shoved straight astern. At `
` length I was clear of my dangerous neighbour, and just `
` as I gave the last impulsion, my hands came across a `
` light cord that was trailing overboard across the stern `
` bulwarks. Instantly I grasped it. `
` `
` Why I should have done so I can hardly say. It was at `
` first mere instinct, but once I had it in my hands and `
` found it fast, curiosity began to get the upper hand, `
` and I determined I should have one look through the `
`
` out the bird by her bright plumage as she sat perched `
` upon her master's wrist. `
` `
` Soon after, the jolly-boat shoved off and pulled for `
` shore, and the man with the red cap and his comrade `
` went below by the cabin companion. `
` `
` Just about the same time, the sun had gone down behind `
` the Spy-glass, and as the fog was collecting rapidly, `
` it began to grow dark in earnest. I saw I must lose no `
` time if I were to find the boat that evening. `
` `
` The white rock, visible enough above the brush, was `
` still some eighth of a mile further down the spit, and `
` it took me a goodish while to get up with it, crawling, `
` often on all fours, among the scrub. Night had almost `
` come when I laid my hand on its rough sides. Right `
` below it there was an exceedingly small hollow of green `
` turf, hidden by banks and a thick underwood about knee- `
` deep, that grew there very plentifully; and in the centre `
` of the dell, sure enough, a little tent of goat- skins, `
` like what the gipsies carry about with them in England. `
` `
` I dropped into the hollow, lifted the side of the tent, `
` and there was Ben Gunn's boat--home-made if ever `
` anything was home-made; a rude, lop-sided framework of `
` tough wood, and stretched upon that a covering of goat- `
` skin, with the hair inside. The thing was extremely `
` small, even for me, and I can hardly imagine that it `
` could have floated with a full-sized man. There was `
` one thwart set as low as possible, a kind of stretcher `
` in the bows, and a double paddle for propulsion. `
` `
` I had not then seen a coracle, such as the ancient Britons `
` made, but I have seen one since, and I can give you no `
` fairer idea of Ben Gunn's boat than by saying it was like `
` the first and the worst coracle ever made by man. But the `
` great advantage of the coracle it certainly possessed, for `
` it was exceedingly light and portable. `
` `
` Well, now that I had found the boat, you would have `
` thought I had had enough of truantry for once, but in `
` the meantime I had taken another notion and become so `
` obstinately fond of it that I would have carried it `
` out, I believe, in the teeth of Captain Smollett `
` himself. This was to slip out under cover of the `
` night, cut the HISPANIOLA adrift, and let her go `
` ashore where she fancied. I had quite made up my mind `
` that the mutineers, after their repulse of the morning, `
` had nothing nearer their hearts than to up anchor and `
` away to sea; this, I thought, it would be a fine thing `
` to prevent, and now that I had seen how they left their `
` watchmen unprovided with a boat, I thought it might be `
` done with little risk. `
` `
` Down I sat to wait for darkness, and made a hearty meal `
` of biscuit. It was a night out of ten thousand for my `
` purpose. The fog had now buried all heaven. As the `
` last rays of daylight dwindled and disappeared, absolute `
` blackness settled down on Treasure Island. And when, `
` at last, I shouldered the coracle and groped my way `
` stumblingly out of the hollow where I had supped, there `
` were but two points visible on the whole anchorage. `
` `
` One was the great fire on shore, by which the defeated `
` pirates lay carousing in the swamp. The other, a mere `
` blur of light upon the darkness, indicated the position `
` of the anchored ship. She had swung round to the ebb-- `
` her bow was now towards me--the only lights on board `
` were in the cabin, and what I saw was merely a `
` reflection on the fog of the strong rays that flowed `
` from the stern window. `
` `
` The ebb had already run some time, and I had to wade `
` through a long belt of swampy sand, where I sank `
` several times above the ankle, before I came to the `
` edge of the retreating water, and wading a little way `
` in, with some strength and dexterity, set my coracle, `
` keel downwards, on the surface. `
` `
` `
` `
` 23 `
` `
` The Ebb-tide Runs `
` `
` THE coracle--as I had ample reason to know before I was `
` done with her--was a very safe boat for a person of my `
` height and weight, both buoyant and clever in a sea- `
` way; but she was the most cross-grained, lop-sided `
` craft to manage. Do as you pleased, she always made `
` more leeway than anything else, and turning round and `
` round was the manoeuvre she was best at. Even Ben Gunn `
` himself has admitted that she was "queer to handle till `
` you knew her way." `
` `
` Certainly I did not know her way. She turned in every `
` direction but the one I was bound to go; the most part `
` of the time we were broadside on, and I am very sure I `
` never should have made the ship at all but for the `
` tide. By good fortune, paddle as I pleased, the tide `
` was still sweeping me down; and there lay the `
` HISPANIOLA right in the fairway, hardly to be missed. `
` `
` First she loomed before me like a blot of something yet `
` blacker than darkness, then her spars and hull began to `
` take shape, and the next moment, as it seemed (for, the `
` farther I went, the brisker grew the current of the `
` ebb), I was alongside of her hawser and had laid hold. `
` `
` The hawser was as taut as a bowstring, and the current `
` so strong she pulled upon her anchor. All round the `
` hull, in the blackness, the rippling current bubbled `
` and chattered like a little mountain stream. One cut `
` with my sea-gully and the HISPANIOLA would go `
` humming down the tide. `
` `
` So far so good, but it next occurred to my recollection `
` that a taut hawser, suddenly cut, is a thing as dangerous `
` as a kicking horse. Ten to one, if I were so foolhardy `
` as to cut the HISPANIOLA from her anchor, I and the coracle `
` would be knocked clean out of the water. `
` `
` This brought me to a full stop, and if fortune had not `
` again particularly favoured me, I should have had to `
` abandon my design. But the light airs which had begun `
` blowing from the south-east and south had hauled round `
` after nightfall into the south-west. Just while I was `
` meditating, a puff came, caught the HISPANIOLA, and `
` forced her up into the current; and to my great joy, I `
` felt the hawser slacken in my grasp, and the hand by `
` which I held it dip for a second under water. `
` `
` With that I made my mind up, took out my gully, opened `
` it with my teeth, and cut one strand after another, `
` till the vessel swung only by two. Then I lay quiet, `
` waiting to sever these last when the strain should be `
` once more lightened by a breath of wind. `
` `
` All this time I had heard the sound of loud voices from `
` the cabin, but to say truth, my mind had been so `
` entirely taken up with other thoughts that I had `
` scarcely given ear. Now, however, when I had nothing `
` else to do, I began to pay more heed. `
` `
` One I recognized for the coxswain's, Israel Hands, that `
` had been Flint's gunner in former days. The other was, `
` of course, my friend of the red night-cap. Both men `
` were plainly the worse of drink, and they were still `
` drinking, for even while I was listening, one of them, `
` with a drunken cry, opened the stern window and threw `
` out something, which I divined to be an empty bottle. `
` But they were not only tipsy; it was plain that they `
` were furiously angry. Oaths flew like hailstones, and `
` every now and then there came forth such an explosion `
` as I thought was sure to end in blows. But each time `
` the quarrel passed off and the voices grumbled lower `
` for a while, until the next crisis came and in its turn `
` passed away without result. `
` `
` On shore, I could see the glow of the great camp-fire `
` burning warmly through the shore-side trees. Someone `
` was singing, a dull, old, droning sailor's song, with a `
` droop and a quaver at the end of every verse, and `
` seemingly no end to it at all but the patience of the `
` singer. I had heard it on the voyage more than once `
` and remembered these words: `
` `
` "But one man of her crew alive, `
` What put to sea with seventy-five." `
` `
` And I thought it was a ditty rather too dolefully `
` appropriate for a company that had met such cruel `
` losses in the morning. But, indeed, from what I saw, `
` all these buccaneers were as callous as the sea they `
` sailed on. `
` `
` At last the breeze came; the schooner sidled and drew `
` nearer in the dark; I felt the hawser slacken once `
` more, and with a good, tough effort, cut the last `
` fibres through. `
` `
` The breeze had but little action on the coracle, and I `
` was almost instantly swept against the bows of the `
` HISPANIOLA. At the same time, the schooner began to `
` turn upon her heel, spinning slowly, end for end, `
` across the current. `
` `
` I wrought like a fiend, for I expected every moment to `
` be swamped; and since I found I could not push the `
` coracle directly off, I now shoved straight astern. At `
` length I was clear of my dangerous neighbour, and just `
` as I gave the last impulsion, my hands came across a `
` light cord that was trailing overboard across the stern `
` bulwarks. Instantly I grasped it. `
` `
` Why I should have done so I can hardly say. It was at `
` first mere instinct, but once I had it in my hands and `
` found it fast, curiosity began to get the upper hand, `
` and I determined I should have one look through the `
`