The week that followed has left me nothing to remember but anxieties and sorrow. Nearly all our party, as well the rescuers as the rescued, were tossing in their sick-bunks, some frozen, others undergoing amputations, several with dreadful premonitions of tetanus. I was myself among the first to be about; the necessities of the others claimed it of me.
Early in the morning of the 7th I was awakened2 by a sound from Baker3’s throat, one of those the most frightful4 and ominous5 that ever startle a physician’s ear. The lock-jaw ? 75 ? had seized him—that dark visitant whose foreshadowings were on so many of us. His symptoms marched rapidly to their result; he died the next day. On the 9th we placed him in his coffin6, and, forming a rude, but heart-full procession, bore him over the broken ice and up the steep side of the ice-foot to Butler Island; then, passing along the snow-level to Fern Rock, and climbing the slope of the Observatory7, we deposited his corpse8 upon the pedestals which had served to support our instruments. We read the service for the burial of the dead, sprinkling over him snow for dust, and repeated the Lord’s Prayer; and then icing up again the opening in the walls we had made to admit the coffin, left him in his narrow house.
The Esquimaux
We were watching in the morning at Baker’s death-bed, when one of our deck-watch, who had been cutting ice for the melter, came hurrying down into the cabin with the report, “People holloaing ashore9!” I went up, followed by as many as could mount the gangway; and there they were, on all sides of our rocky harbour, dotting the snow-shores and emerging from the blackness of the cliffs,—wild and uncouth10, but evidently human beings.
As we gathered on the deck, they rose upon the more elevated fragments of the land-ice, and distributing themselves around almost in a half-circle. They were vociferating as if to attract our attention, or perhaps only to give vent11 to their surprise; but I could make nothing out of their cries, except “Hoah, ha, ha!” and “Ka, k?āh! ka, k?āh!” repeated over and over again.
There was light enough for me to see that they brandished12 no weapons, and were only tossing their heads and arms about in violent gesticulations. A more unexcited inspection13 showed us, too, that their numbers were not as great nor their size as large as some of us had been disposed to ? 76 ? fancy at first. In a word, I was satisfied that they were natives of the country; and, calling Petersen from his bunk1 to be my interpreter, I proceeded unarmed, and waving my open hands, toward a stout14 figure who made himself conspicuous15, and seemed to have a greater number near him than the rest. He evidently understood the movement, for he at once, like a brave fellow, leaped down upon the floe16 and advanced to meet me fully17 half-way.
He was nearly a head taller than myself, extremely powerful and well-built, with swarthy complexion18 and piercing black eyes. His dress was a hooded19 cap?te or jumper of mixed white and blue fox-pelts, arranged with something of fancy, and booted trousers of white bear-skin, which at the end of the foot were made to terminate with the claws of the animal.
I soon came to an understanding with this gallant20 diplomatist. Almost as soon as we commenced our parley21, his companions, probably receiving signals from him, flocked in and surrounded us; but we had no difficulty in making them know positively22 that they must remain where they were, while Metek went with me on board the ship. This gave me the advantage of negotiating with an important hostage.
Although this was the first time he had ever seen a white man, he went with me fearlessly; his companions staying behind on the ice. Hickey took them out what he esteemed23 our greatest delicacies,—slices of good wheat bread and corned pork, with exorbitant24 lumps of white sugar; but they refused to touch them. They had evidently no apprehension25 of open violence from us. I found afterward26 that several among them were singly a match for the white bear and the walrus27, and that they thought us a very pale-faced crew.
? 77 ?
Outfit28 of the Esquimaux
Being satisfied with my interview in the cabin, I sent out word that the rest might be admitted to the ship; and, although they, of course, could not know how their chief had been dealt with, some nine or ten of them followed with boisterous29 readiness upon the bidding. Others in the meantime, as if disposed to give us their company for the full time of a visit, brought up from behind the land-ice as many as fifty-six fine dogs, with their sledges31, and secured them within two hundred feet of the brig, driving their lances into the ice, and picketing32 the dogs to them by the seal-skin traces. The animals understood the operation perfectly33, and lay down as soon as it commenced. The sledges were made up of small fragments of porous34 bone, admirably knit together by thongs35 of hide; the runners, which glistened36 like burnished37 steel, were of highly-polished ivory, obtained from the tusks38 of the walrus.
The only arms they carried were knives, concealed39 in their boots; but their lances, which were lashed41 to the sledges, were quite a formidable weapon. The staff was of the horn of the narwhal, or else of the thigh-bones of the bear, two lashed together, or sometimes the mirabilis of the walrus, three or four of them united. This last was a favourite material also for the cross-bars of their sledges. They had no wood. A single rusty42 hoop43 from a current-drifted cask might have furnished all the knives of the party; but the flame-shaped tips of their lances were of unmistakable steel, and were riveted44 to the tapering45 bony point with no mean skill. I learned afterward that the metal was obtained in traffic from the more southern tribes.
They were clad much as I have described Metek, in jumpers, boots, and white bear-skin breeches, with their feet decorated like his, en griffe. A strip of knotted ? 78 ? leather worn round the neck, very greasy46 and dirty-looking, which no one could be persuaded to part with for an instant, was mistaken at first for an ornament47 by the crew: it was not until mutual48 hardships had made us better acquainted that we learned its mysterious uses.
When they were first allowed to come on board, they were very rude and difficult to manage. They spoke49 three or four at a time, to each other and to us, laughing heartily50 at our ignorance in not understanding them, and then talking away as before. They were incessantly51 in motion, going everywhere, trying doors, and squeezing themselves through dark passages, round casks and boxes, and out into the light again, anxious to touch and handle everything they saw, and asking for, or else endeavouring to steal, everything they touched. It was the more difficult to restrain them, as I did not wish them to suppose that we were at all intimidated52. But there were some signs of our disabled condition which it was important they should not see; it was especially necessary to keep them out of the forecastle, where the dead body of poor Baker was lying; and, as it was in vain to reason or persuade, we had at last to employ the “gentle laying-on of hands,” which, I believe, the laws of all countries tolerate, to keep them in order.
Our whole force was mustered53 and kept constantly on the alert; but though there may have been something of discourtesy in the occasional shoulderings and bustlings that enforced the police of the ship, things went on good-humouredly. Our guests continued running in and out and about the vessel54, bringing in provisions, and carrying them out again to their dogs on the ice,—in fact, stealing all the time until the afternoon, when, like tired children, they threw themselves down to sleep. I ordered them to ? 79 ? be made comfortable in the hold; and Morton spread a large buffalo-robe for them, not far from a coal-fire in the galley-stove.
Eating Habits
They were lost in barbarous amaze at the new fuel,—too hard for blubber, too soft for firestone,—but they were content to believe it might cook as well as seals’ fat. They borrowed from us an iron pot and some melted water, and parboiled a couple of pieces of walrus-meat; but the real pièce de resistance, some five pounds a head, they preferred to eat raw. Yet there was something of the gourmet55 in their mode of assorting their mouthfuls of beef and blubber Slices of each, or rather strips, passed between the lips, either together or in strict alternation, and with a regularity56 of sequence that kept the molars well to their work.
They did not eat all at once, but each man when and as often as the impulse prompted. Each slept after eating, his raw meat lying beside him on the buffalo-skin; and as he woke, the first act was to eat, and the next to sleep again. They did not lie down, but slumbered57 away in a sitting posture58, with the head declined upon the breast, some of them snoring famously.
In the morning they were anxious to go; but I had given orders to detain them for a parting interview with myself. It resulted in a treaty, brief in its terms, that it might be certainly remembered, and mutually beneficial, that it might possibly be kept. I tried to make them understand what a powerful Prospero they had had for a host, and how beneficent he would prove himself so long as they did his bidding. And, as an earnest of my favour, I bought all the walrus-meat they had to spare, and four of their dogs enriching them in return with needles and beads59, and a treasure of old cask-staves.
In the fulness of their gratitude60, they pledged themselves ? 80 ? emphatically to return in a few days with more meat, and to allow me to use their dogs and sledges for my excursions to the north. I then gave them leave to go. They yoked61 in their dogs in less than two minutes, got on their sledges, cracked their two-fathom-and-a-half-long seal-skin whips, and were off down the ice to the south-west at a rate of seven knots an hour.
They did not return. I had read enough of treaty-makings not to expect them too confidently. But the next day came a party of five, on foot—two old men, one of middle age, and a couple of gawky boys. We had missed a number of articles soon after the first party left us, an axe62, a saw, and some knives. We found afterward that our storehouse at Butler Island had been entered; we were too short-handed to guard it by a special watch. Besides all this, reconnoitring stealthily beyond Sylvia Head, we discovered a train of sledges drawn63 up behind the hummocks64.
There was cause for apprehension in all this; but I felt that I could not afford to break with the rogues65. They had it in their power to molest66 us seriously in our sledge30-travel; they could make our hunts around the harbour dangerous; and my best chance of obtaining an abundant supply of fresh meat, our great desideratum, was by their agency. I treated the new party with marked kindness, and gave them many presents; but took care to make them aware that, until all the missing articles were restored, no member of the tribe would be admitted again as a guest on board the brig. They went off with many pantomimic protestations of innocence67; but M’Gary, nevertheless, caught the incorrigible68 scamps stealing a coal-barrel as they passed Butler Island, and expedited their journey homeward by firing among them a charge of small shot.
? 81 ?
Still, one peculiar69 worthy—we thought it must have been the venerable of the party, whom I knew afterwards as a staunch friend, old Shang-hu—managed to work round in a westerly direction, and to cut to pieces my India-rubber boat, which had been left on the floe since Mr Brook’s disaster, and to carry off every particle of the wood.
“Myouk”
A few days after this, an agile70, elfin youth drove up to our floe in open day. He was sprightly71 and good-looking, and had quite a neat turn-out of sledge and dogs. He told his name with frankness,—“Myouk, I am,”—and where he lived. We asked him about the boat; but he denied all knowledge of it, and refused either to confess or repent72. He was surprised when I ordered him to be confined to the hold. At first he refused to eat, and sat down in the deepest grief; but after a while he began to sing, and then to talk and cry, and then to sing again; and he kept crying, singing, and talking by turns, till a late hour of the night. When I turned in, he was still noisily disconsolate73.
There was a simplicity74 and bonhommie about this boy that interested me much; and I confess that when I made my appearance next morning—I could hardly conceal40 it from the gentleman on duty, whom I affected75 to censure—I was glad my bird had flown. Some time during the morning-watch he had succeeded in throwing off the hatch and escaping. We suspected that he had confederates ashore, for his dogs had escaped with as much address as himself. I was convinced, however, that I had the truth from him, where he lived, and how many lived with him—my cross-examination on these points having been very complete and satisfactory.
It was a sad business for some time after these Esquimaux left us, to go on making and registering our observations ? 82 ? at Fern Rock. Baker’s corpse still lay in the vestibule, and it was not long before another was placed by the side of it. We had to pass the bodies as often as we went in or out; but the men, grown feeble and nervous, disliked going near them in the night-time. When the summer thaw76 came, and we could gather stones enough, we built up a grave on a depression of the rocks, and raised a substantial cairn above it.
“April 19.—I have been out on the floe again, breaking in my dogs. My reinforcement from the Esquimaux makes a noble team for me. For the last five days I have been striving with them, just as often and as long as my strength allowed me; and to-day I have my victory. The Society for Preventing Cruelty to Animals would have put me in custody77 if they had been near enough; but, thanks to a merciless whip freely administered, I have been dashing along twelve miles in the last hour, and am back again; harness, sledge, and bones all unbroken. I am ready for another journey.
“April 22.—Schubert has increasing symptoms of erysipelas around his amputated stump78; and every one on board is depressed79 and silent except himself. He is singing in his bunk, as joyously80 as ever. Poor fellow! I am alarmed about him: it is a hard duty which compels me to take the field, while my presence might cheer his last moments.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
bunk
|
|
| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
baker
|
|
| n.面包师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
ominous
|
|
| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
coffin
|
|
| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
observatory
|
|
| n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
corpse
|
|
| n.尸体，死尸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
uncouth
|
|
| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
vent
|
|
| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
brandished
|
|
| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
conspicuous
|
|
| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
floe
|
|
| n.大片浮冰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
complexion
|
|
| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
hooded
|
|
| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
parley
|
|
| n.谈判 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
esteemed
|
|
| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
exorbitant
|
|
| adj.过分的；过度的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
apprehension
|
|
| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
walrus
|
|
| n.海象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
outfit
|
|
| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
boisterous
|
|
| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
sledge
|
|
| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
sledges
|
|
| n.雪橇，雪车( sledge的名词复数 )v.乘雪橇( sledge的第三人称单数 )；用雪橇运载 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
picketing
|
|
| [经] 罢工工人劝阻工人上班，工人纠察线 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
porous
|
|
| adj.可渗透的，多孔的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
thongs
|
|
| 的东西 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
glistened
|
|
| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
burnished
|
|
| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
tusks
|
|
| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
concealed
|
|
| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
rusty
|
|
| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
hoop
|
|
| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
riveted
|
|
| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
tapering
|
|
| adj.尖端细的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
greasy
|
|
| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ornament
|
|
| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
incessantly
|
|
| ad.不停地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
intimidated
|
|
| v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
mustered
|
|
| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
gourmet
|
|
| n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
regularity
|
|
| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
slumbered
|
|
| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
posture
|
|
| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
gratitude
|
|
| adj.感激，感谢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
yoked
|
|
| 结合（yoke的过去式形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
axe
|
|
| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
hummocks
|
|
| n.小丘，岗( hummock的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
rogues
|
|
| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
molest
|
|
| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
incorrigible
|
|
| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
agile
|
|
| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
sprightly
|
|
| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
repent
|
|
| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
disconsolate
|
|
| adj.忧郁的，不快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
thaw
|
|
| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
custody
|
|
| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
stump
|
|
| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
depressed
|
|
| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
joyously
|
|
| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |