The young man at the wheel of the power boat had turned her nose about as it became evident that the ship intended passing over us, and now he still held her in futile3 pursuit of the Coldwater.
"Bring her about, Snider," I directed, "and hold her due east. We can't catch the Coldwater, and we can't cross the Atlantic in this. Our only hope lies in making the nearest land, which, unless I am mistaken, is the Scilly Islands, off the southwest coast of England. Ever heard of England, Snider?"
"There's a part of the United States of North America that used to be known to the ancients as New England," he replied. "Is that where you mean, sir?"
"No, Snider," I replied. "The England I refer to was an island off the continent of Europe. It was the seat of a very powerful kingdom that flourished over two hundred years ago. A part of the United States of North America and all of the Federated States of Canada once belonged to this ancient England."
"Europe," breathed one of the men, his voice tense with excitement. "My grandfather used to tell me stories of the world beyond thirty. He had been a great student, and he had read much from forbidden books."
"In which I resemble your grandfather," I said, "for I, too, have read more even than naval4 officers are supposed to read, and, as you men know, we are permitted a greater latitude5 in the study of geography and history than men of other professions.
"Among the books and papers of Admiral Porter Turck, who lived two hundred years ago, and from whom I am descended6, many volumes still exist, and are in my possession, which deal with the history and geography of ancient Europe. Usually I bring several of these books with me upon a cruise, and this time, among others, I have maps of Europe and her surrounding waters. I was studying them as we came away from the Coldwater this morning, and luckily I have them with me."
"You are going to try to make Europe, sir?" asked Taylor, the young man who had last spoken.
"It is the nearest land," I replied. "I have always wanted to explore the forgotten lands of the Eastern Hemisphere. Here's our chance. To remain at sea is to perish. None of us ever will see home again. Let us make the best of it, and enjoy while we do live that which is forbidden the balance of our race—the adventure and the mystery which lie beyond thirty."
Taylor and Delcarte seized the spirit of my mood but Snider, I think, was a trifle sceptical.
"It is treason, sir," I replied, "but there is no law which compels us to visit punishment upon ourselves. Could we return to Pan-America, I should be the first to insist that we face it. But we know that's not possible. Even if this craft would carry us so far, we haven't enough water or food for more than three days.
"We are doomed7, Snider, to die far from home and without ever again looking upon the face of another fellow countryman than those who sit here now in this boat. Isn't that punishment sufficient for even the most exacting8 judge?"
Even Snider had to admit that it was.
"Very well, then, let us live while we live, and enjoy to the fullest whatever of adventure or pleasure each new day brings, since any day may be our last, and we shall be dead for a considerable while."
I could see that Snider was still fearful, but Taylor and Delcarte responded with a hearty9, "Aye, aye, sir!"
They were of different mold. Both were sons of naval officers. They represented the aristocracy of birth, and they dared to think for themselves.
Snider was in the minority, and so we continued toward the east. Beyond thirty, and separated from my ship, my authority ceased. I held leadership, if I was to hold it at all, by virtue10 of personal qualifications only, but I did not doubt my ability to remain the director of our destinies in so far as they were amenable11 to human agencies. I have always led. While my brain and brawn12 remain unimpaired I shall continue always to lead. Following is an art which Turcks do not easily learn.
It was not until the third day that we raised land, dead ahead, which I took, from my map, to be the isles13 of Scilly. But such a gale14 was blowing that I did not dare attempt to land, and so we passed to the north of them, skirted Land's End, and entered the English Channel.
I think that up to that moment I had never experienced such a thrill as passed through me when I realized that I was navigating15 these historic waters. The lifelong dreams that I never had dared hope to see fulfilled were at last a reality—but under what forlorn circumstances!
Never could I return to my native land. To the end of my days I must remain in exile. Yet even these thoughts failed to dampen my ardor16.
My eyes scanned the waters. To the north I could see the rockbound coast of Cornwall. Mine were the first American eyes to rest upon it for more than two hundred years. In vain, I searched for some sign of ancient commerce that, if history is to be believed, must have dotted the bosom17 of the Channel with white sails and blackened the heavens with the smoke of countless18 funnels19, but as far as eye could reach the tossing waters of the Channel were empty and deserted20.
Toward midnight the wind and sea abated21, so that shortly after dawn I determined22 to make inshore in an attempt to effect a landing, for we were sadly in need of fresh water and food.
According to my observations, we were just off Ram23 Head, and it was my intention to enter Plymouth Bay and visit Plymouth. From my map it appeared that this city lay back from the coast a short distance, and there was another city given as Devonport, which appeared to lie at the mouth of the river Tamar.
However, I knew that it would make little difference which city we entered, as the English people were famed of old for their hospitality toward visiting mariners24. As we approached the mouth of the bay I looked for the fishing craft which I expected to see emerging thus early in the day for their labors25. But even after we rounded Ram Head and were well within the waters of the bay I saw no vessel26. Neither was there buoy27 nor light nor any other mark to show larger ships the channel, and I wondered much at this.
The coast was densely28 overgrown, nor was any building or sign of man apparent from the water. Up the bay and into the River Tamar we motored through a solitude29 as unbroken as that which rested upon the waters of the Channel. For all we could see, there was no indication that man had ever set his foot upon this silent coast.
I was nonplused, and then, for the first time, there crept over me an intuition of the truth.
Here was no sign of war. As far as this portion of the Devon coast was concerned, that seemed to have been over for many years, but neither were there any people. Yet I could not find it within myself to believe that I should find no inhabitants in England. Reasoning thus, I discovered that it was improbable that a state of war still existed, and that the people all had been drawn30 from this portion of England to some other, where they might better defend themselves against an invader31.
But what of their ancient coast defenses? What was there here in Plymouth Bay to prevent an enemy landing in force and marching where they wished? Nothing. I could not believe that any enlightened military nation, such as the ancient English are reputed to have been, would have voluntarily so deserted an exposed coast and an excellent harbor to the mercies of an enemy.
I found myself becoming more and more deeply involved in quandary32. The puzzle which confronted me I could not unravel33. We had landed, and I now stood upon the spot where, according to my map, a large city should rear its spires34 and chimneys. There was nothing but rough, broken ground covered densely with weeds and brambles, and tall, rank, grass.
Had a city ever stood there, no sign of it remained. The roughness and unevenness35 of the ground suggested something of a great mass of debris36 hidden by the accumulation of centuries of undergrowth.
I drew the short cutlass with which both officers and men of the navy are, as you know, armed out of courtesy to the traditions and memories of the past, and with its point dug into the loam37 about the roots of the vegetation growing at my feet.
The blade entered the soil for a matter of seven inches, when it struck upon something stonelike. Digging about the obstacle, I presently loosened it, and when I had withdrawn38 it from its sepulcher39 I found the thing to be an ancient brick of clay, baked in an oven.
Delcarte we had left in charge of the boat; but Snider and Taylor were with me, and following my example, each engaged in the fascinating sport of prospecting40 for antiques. Each of us uncovered a great number of these bricks, until we commenced to weary of the monotony of it, when Snider suddenly gave an exclamation41 of excitement, and, as I turned to look, he held up a human skull42 for my inspection43.
I took it from him and examined it. Directly in the center of the forehead was a small round hole. The gentleman had evidently come to his end defending his country from an invader.
Snider again held aloft another trophy44 of the search—a metal spike45 and some tarnished46 and corroded47 metal ornaments49. They had lain close beside the skull.
With the point of his cutlass Snider scraped the dirt and verdigris50 from the face of the larger ornament48.
"An inscription," he said, and handed the thing to me.
They were the spike and ornaments of an ancient German helmet. Before long we had uncovered many other indications that a great battle had been fought upon the ground where we stood. But I was then, and still am, at loss to account for the presence of German soldiers upon the English coast so far from London, which history suggests would have been the natural goal of an invader.
I can only account for it by assuming that either England was temporarily conquered by the Teutons, or that an invasion of so vast proportions was undertaken that German troops were hurled51 upon the England coast in huge numbers and that landings were necessarily effected at many places simultaneously52. Subsequent discoveries tend to strengthen this view.
We dug about for a short time with our cutlasses until I became convinced that a city had stood upon the spot at some time in the past, and that beneath our feet, crumbled53 and dead, lay ancient Devonport.
I could not repress a sigh at the thought of the havoc54 war had wrought55 in this part of England, at least. Farther east, nearer London, we should find things very different. There would be the civilization that two centuries must have wrought upon our English cousins as they had upon us. There would be mighty56 cities, cultivated fields, happy people. There we would be welcomed as long-lost brothers. There would we find a great nation anxious to learn of the world beyond their side of thirty, as I had been anxious to learn of that which lay beyond our side of the dead line.
I turned back toward the boat.
"Come, men!" I said. "We will go up the river and fill our casks with fresh water, search for food and fuel, and then tomorrow be in readiness to push on toward the east. I am going to London."
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1
futility
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| n.无用 | |
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conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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amenable
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| adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的 | |
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brawn
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| n.体力 | |
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isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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14
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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15
navigating
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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16
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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funnels
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| 漏斗( funnel的名词复数 )； （轮船，火车等的）烟囱 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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buoy
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| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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30
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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32
quandary
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| n.困惑，进迟两难之境 | |
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33
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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34
spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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35
unevenness
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| n. 不平坦，不平衡，不匀性 | |
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36
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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37
loam
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| n.沃土 | |
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38
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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39
sepulcher
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| n.坟墓 | |
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prospecting
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| n.探矿 | |
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41
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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42
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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43
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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44
trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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45
spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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46
tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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47
corroded
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| 已被腐蚀的 | |
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48
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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49
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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50
verdigris
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| n.铜锈；铜绿 | |
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51
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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52
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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53
crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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54
havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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55
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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56
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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