Phil Danks levelled his gun at one of the swimmers and was about to fire, when Jack7 said, "Don't hit him, aim over his head, the noise will frighten them and it is time enough to kill when we are in danger."
"As you like," replied Phil, laughing, "but an odd nigger or two makes but little difference, and it would teach them not to interfere8 with white men in future."
He fired the gun, and the sound had a marvellous effect upon the blacks. Some of them dropped down on their knees on the beach, others turned and fled into the bush; as for the swimmer Phil had intended hitting, he dived and did not come up until he reached shallow water, when he scrambled9 out and ran after the others.
"It's strange they have never heard a gun fire before, this harbour is evidently unknown; we have discovered something during our trip, at any rate; I think we'll call it Redland Bay," said Phil.
Jack laughed, he thought it would be something to boast of on his return to England if a newly discovered harbour was named after him.
The blacks were evidently thoroughly10 frightened for they saw no more of them.
"It seems curious, they have no boats," said Hake Moss, "they can never have been out to sea. I expect always go round the place on land."
"They have canoes hidden somewhere, depend upon it," replied Phil. "There's plenty of fish here and they are generally clever fishermen."
The boats reached the farther side of the bay, and they spent a lively hour or two turning turtle. The huge ungainly creatures seemed to be too lazy to move, and their weight was enormous. Phil Danks said it was quite unusual to see them on the beach in the day time as they generally crawled out of the water at night. It was evidently a favourite breeding place, for the females were there in abundance, and thousands of eggs were to be found.
"The male turtle has more sense," said Phil, "I have never seen one out of the water."
To Jack Redland and his friend, the turning of turtle was a novel experience. Some of them were so heavy that it took their united efforts to throw them on their backs, and once in that position they were helpless. The silvery sand was soon covered with turned turtle, about fifty of them being at the mercy of their captors.
"What are we to do with the beggars?" asked Jack. "We cannot take the lot on board, it would swamp the boats."
"We will take as many as we require, and turn the remainder over again, if they are left on their backs, they will never get on their feet again, and will rot in the sun. Hundreds of them are destroyed in this way by natives and divers11 who seem to do it out of pure devilment."
"What a shame," said Harry12 Marton. "I say, Jack, some of our city aldermen would smack13 their lips over this sight."
"Yes, turtle is cheap enough here, whatever it may be in London," he replied laughing.
"See this fellow," said Danks, kicking one with his boot. "It's what they call a hawk14 bill, they are not fit to eat, but tortoise-shell is obtained from them and that makes them valuable. The others are green turtle. They are all right."
"How much do you think this one weighs?" asked Jack, pointing to a larger one than most of the others.
"It will not be far off three hundred pounds weight," answered Phil.
"The bulk of them average at least a couple of hundred pounds I should say," remarked Hake Moss.
It was no easy matter to get them into the boats, but they succeeded after some difficulty, and the dinghies were almost level with the water.
"We had better put all the turtle in one dinghy and tow her back," said Jack.
"A good idea, we will," replied Phil, and they set to work again until the boat was filled, they then turned the other turtles over, and were about to row back to the schooners18, when a screeching19 attracted their attention and they saw large flocks of birds hovering20 about the tops of the rocks.
"Melton birds and gulls," said Phil, "we may as well have some fresh eggs now we are about it; I reckon there'll be enough to satisfy a whole fleet over there," and he pointed21 to a long stretch of sand in which hundreds of them were settling.
It was a curious sight to see these thousands of birds on the sands, and they did not appear to be at all frightened of the visitors to their haunt. They got out of the dinghies again and walked towards them. On their approach a few of the birds rose and whirled around, uttering hoarse22 cries. But the greater number remained still on their nests, or walked slowly about amongst the stones.
Jack was amused at them, and as he walked, he had frequently to push them out of the way with his foot.
There were thousands of eggs, and they filled two large sacks with them, choosing those which were apparently23 freshly laid. It was not difficult to tell them as they were perfectly24 clean, and had a peculiar25 sticky feel, quite unlike the eggs that had been sat upon.
"Are the birds fit to eat?" asked Jack.
"Melton birds are not bad, the others are no good, a man must be fairly on the verge26 of starvation to tackle them," replied Moss.
"There does not appear to be much fear of starving here," laughed Jack.
"Perhaps not, but the diet would soon become monotonous," replied Harry.
It was time to return to the schooners, as they had been absent all day, and it was not advisable to leave them for a longtime. It was tedious work running out of the bay, and rather dangerous, as the tide was much lower and here and there sharp pieces of coral stood out of the water. Had one of the boats struck on such a projection27 it would have speedily ripped open the bottom, or the side.
Phil Danks, however, was a careful steerer and navigated28 them into the open sea, the dinghy in tow having one or two narrow escapes.
When the blacks saw the boat load of turtle, they gave vent4 to their joy and danced about the deck.
"You'll see how they gorge29 themselves to-night," said Phil, "it is enough to make a man cry off turtle for ever to watch them."
"Then I propose we leave them to it," said Jack. "I do not want to spoil my appetite."
The cargo30 was hauled on board, and the schooners were soon under weigh, Harry Marton remaining on the "Heron" for the night.
There was very little breeze, and the movement was scarcely perceptible. It was a glorious night, the sun shining on the water and illuminating31 the coast line. The air was pure and cool, and as Jack Redland sat alone at the stern of the schooner17, his thoughts commenced to wander to a far different scene thousands of miles away.
He wondered what Sir Lester and Winifred were doing, and what she would have thought of such an experience as he had just gone through. What a contrast it all was to the beautiful Sussex landscape over which he had so often looked from The Downs. Here he was on a pearling schooner, nearing the northernmost point of Australia, and yet his mind was very far away, and his memory lingered over the sights and sounds of Brighton, and the hum of the racecourse. Certainly he was dozing32, yet he was half awake; he knew he was smoking, and that the wreaths from his pipe were curling away in the wake of the schooner, and yet he fancied he scented33 the smell of new mown hay, and in a dim sort of light saw banks covered with primroses34 and hedgerows budding green, the trees opening out their leaves, the birds nesting, others teaching their young to fly. It mattered not that primroses and new mown hay did not harmonise, it was what he felt and saw, jumbled36 together in a delightful37 tangle38 from which he made no effort to extricate39 himself.
Now he was on Lewes racecourse and felt the wind whistle past his face, and buzz in his ears, as he made a desperate effort to land Topsy Turvy first past the post. He heard the shouts of the crowd, the roar of the excited backers, and then the next moment he knew he had won, and Sir Lester was congratulating him, and better than all, Winifred was there, all smiles. He heard Job Seagrave's sonorous40 voice, and smiled in his half awake land of dreams.
He was sitting down on a primrose35 bank and a gypsy stood looking at him. He held out his hand and she read his fate, he was to claim his own at last. He saw a fair young girl with arms outstretched pleading for him to stay and not venture forth41 upon his mad quest. He felt her warm form as he pressed her to him, snatched a kiss, and hurried away.
His pipe dropped, and the noise startled him from his reverie. He sat up and looked around wonderingly, hardly realising his whereabouts. A moment ago he was in Sussex, now he was in reality coasting in North-West Australia, and the little schooner was making good headway.
It had been a pleasant enchantment42 while it lasted; we should be very lonely, very dissatisfied with the ordinary duties of life if we had no dreams.
He looked round and smiled as he saw Harry Marton and Phil Danks fast asleep in their comfortable chairs. Let them sleep on, he was contented43 with his little romance, he would go through it all over again now he was wide awake.
What if this pearling venture turned out a failure? It was merely a start, the first step on the voyage to wealth and Winifred. If it was not a success he would lose nothing, except time, and that was precious; he could not ask her to wait too long, he had not asked her at all, at least not in words. He must hustle44, as an American friend told him, if he meant to get ahead of his fellow men. He smiled as he thought it would be a difficult job to make Phil Danks hustle, the skipper of the "Heron" was a man who made time his slave, not his master, and he looked contented on it.
Pearls; he would at any rate secure some for Winifred even if he had none for himself. He remembered she was fond of pearls, and had a very old chain of them left her by her grandmother. If he had his will the depths of the sea should give up pearls of great price for her gratification, and he would send her them as a token he had not forgotten her. That was a good idea, the first fine pearls he had as his share of the venture should be sent direct to her. Would it look like bribery45, a gift to induce her to wait for him, and not regard offers from others with favour? He thought not, she would understand her old playmate wished to prove he was loyal, and would be glad he remembered she loved pearls.
But the pearls were as yet at the bottom of the sea, and he was on the schooner, and they were dawdling46 along at a very slow pace, quite in keeping with their aldermanic repast on Redland Bay turtle. If he did nothing else the name of that bay would abide47 for ever as a memory of his trip to the land of chances and dashed hopes.
There was the Great Tom mine, he wondered how that had turned out. Sir Lester's five hundred was sunk in it, he hoped it would bring him luck. Supposing the shares went up to two pounds, that would be a thousand, and he had heard that a great financier once said any man ought to be able to make a fortune with a capital of a thousand pounds. Then he suddenly recollected48 that same financier, who had made millions, came to a terrible end, the only way out of his trouble being death by his own hand. It was not an alluring49 prospect50 after all, this amassing51 of wealth, there must be something a good deal better in the world. He concluded a modest income with an abundance of domestic happiness would be more to his taste.
The Great Tom mine share might go up to three pounds, even four or five.
He commenced to reckon up what he would do with his money when he had sold out for five times the amount he had invested. He'd ask Barry Tuxford's advice, it was he who made the money for him, and it was only natural he should give him a wrinkle what to do with it. Then he remembered he and Harry Marton were to go halves; it was his own suggestion and he would stick to it, but if he made a fortune and Harry failed it would be rather rough on the lucky one. He laughed to himself as he pictured Harry Marton's dismay when he handed him over half his wealth, which he did not yet possess. Harry would refuse to take it, and there must be a compromise, but he was determined52 if he was successful his friend should also be a gainer.
The "Heron" sailed on in sight of the "Wild Cat," and Jack Redland, young and active, was full of hope and eager anticipation53. The search for fortune is more enchanting54, more enthralling55, than the actual realisation, which, however successful it may prove is always insufficient56 to stave off the craving57 for more.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
savages
|
|
| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
frantically
|
|
| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
vent
|
|
| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
divers
|
|
| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
smack
|
|
| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hawk
|
|
| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
schooner
|
|
| n.纵帆船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
schooners
|
|
| n.（有两个以上桅杆的）纵帆船( schooner的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
screeching
|
|
| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
hovering
|
|
| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
verge
|
|
| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
projection
|
|
| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
navigated
|
|
| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
gorge
|
|
| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
illuminating
|
|
| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
dozing
|
|
| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
scented
|
|
| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
primroses
|
|
| n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
primrose
|
|
| n.樱草，最佳部分， | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
jumbled
|
|
| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
tangle
|
|
| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
extricate
|
|
| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
sonorous
|
|
| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
enchantment
|
|
| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
hustle
|
|
| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
bribery
|
|
| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
dawdling
|
|
| adj.闲逛的，懒散的v.混（时间）( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
abide
|
|
| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
recollected
|
|
| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
alluring
|
|
| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
amassing
|
|
| v.积累，积聚( amass的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
anticipation
|
|
| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
enchanting
|
|
| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
enthralling
|
|
| 迷人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
insufficient
|
|
| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
craving
|
|
| n.渴望,热望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |