It was not until they had scrambled1 up the beach to safety that the absconders became fully2 aware of the loss of another of their companions. As they stood on the break of the beach, wringing3 the water from their clothes, Gabbett’s small eye, counting their number, missed the stroke oar4.
“Where’s Cox?”
“The fool fell overboard,” said Jemmy Vetch shortly. “He never had as much sense in that skull5 of his as would keep it sound on his shoulders.”
Gabbett scowled6. “That’s three of us gone,” he said, in the tones of a man suffering some personal injury.
They summed up their means of defence against attack. Sanders and Greenhill had knives. Gabbett still retained the axe7 in his belt. Vetch had dropped his musket8 at the Neck, and Bodenham and Cornelius were unarmed.
“Let’s have a look at the tucker,” said Vetch.
There was but one bag of provisions. It contained a piece of salt pork, two loaves, and some uncooked potatoes. Signal Hill station was not rich in edibles9.
“That ain’t much,” said the Crow, with rueful face. “Is it, Gabbett?”
“It must do, any way,” returned the giant carelessly.
The inspection10 over, the six proceeded up the shore, and encamped under the lee of a rock. Bodenham was for lighting11 a fire, but Vetch, who, by tacit consent, had been chosen leader of the expedition, forbade it, saying that the light might betray them. “They’ll think we’re drowned, and won’t pursue us,” he said. So all that night the miserable12 wretches14 crouched15 fireless together.
Morning breaks clear and bright, and — free for the first time in ten years — they comprehend that their terrible journey has begun. “Where are we to go? How are we to live?” asked Bodenham, scanning the barren bush that stretches to the barren sea. “Gabbett, you’ve been out before — how’s it done?”
“We’ll make the shepherds’ huts, and live on their tucker till we get a change o’ clothes,” said Gabbett evading16 the main question. “We can follow the coast-line.”
“Steady, lads,” said prudent17 Vetch; “we must sneak18 round yon sandhills, and so creep into the scrub. If they’ve a good glass at the Neck, they can see us.”
“It does seem close,” said Bodenham; “I could pitch a stone on to the guard-house. Good-bye, you Bloody19 Spot!” he adds, with sudden rage, shaking his fist vindictively20 at the Penitentiary21; “I don’t want to see you no more till the Day o’ Judgment22.”
Vetch divides the provisions, and they travel all that day until dark night. The scrub is prickly and dense23. Their clothes are torn, their hands and feet bleeding. Already they feel out-wearied. No one pursuing, they light a fire, and sleep. The second day they come to a sandy spit that runs out into the sea, and find that they have got too far to the eastward24, and must follow the shore line to East Bay Neck. Back through the scrub they drag their heavy feet. That night they eat the last crumb25 of the loaf. The third day at high noon — after some toilsome walking — they reach a big hill, now called Collins’ Mount, and see the upper link of the earring26, the isthmus27 of East Bay Neck, at their feet. A few rocks are on their right hand, and blue in the lovely distance lies hated Maria Island. “We must keep well to the eastward,” said Greenhill, “or we shall fall in with the settlers and get taken.” So, passing the isthmus, they strike into the bush along the shore, and tightening28 their belts over their gnawing29 bellies30, camp under some low-lying hills.
The fourth day is notable for the indisposition of Bodenham, who is a bad walker, and, falling behind, delays the party by frequent cooees. Gabbett threatens him with a worse fate than sore feet if he lingers. Luckily, that evening Greenhill espies31 a hut, but, not trusting to the friendship of the occupant, they wait until he quits it in the morning, and then send Vetch to forage32. Vetch, secretly congratulating himself on having by his counsel prevented violence, returns bending under half a bag of flour. “You’d better carry the flour,” said he to Gabbett, “and give me the axe.” Gabbett eyes him for a while, as if struck by his puny33 form, but finally gives the axe to his mate Sanders. That day they creep along cautiously between the sea and the hills, camping at a creek34. Vetch, after much search, finds a handful of berries, and adds them to the main stock. Half of this handful is eaten at once, the other half reserved for “to-morrow”. The next day they come to an arm of the sea, and as they struggle northward35, Maria Island disappears, and with it all danger from telescopes. That evening they reach the camping ground by twos and threes; and each wonders between the paroxysms of hunger if his face is as haggard, and his eyes as bloodshot, as those of his neighbour.
On the seventh day, Bodenham says his feet are so bad he can’t walk, and Greenhill, with a greedy look at the berries, bids him stay behind. Being in a very weak condition, he takes his companion at his word, and drops off about noon the next day. Gabbett, discovering this defection, however, goes back, and in an hour or so appears, driving the wretched creature before him with blows, as a sheep is driven to the shambles37. Greenhill remonstrates38 at another mouth being thus forced upon the party, but the giant silences him with a hideous39 glance. Jemmy Vetch remembers that Greenhill accompanied Gabbett once before, and feels uncomfortable. He gives hint of his suspicions to Sanders, but Sanders only laughs. It is horribly evident that there is an understanding among the three.
The ninth sun of their freedom, rising upon sandy and barren hillocks, bristling40 thick with cruel scrub, sees the six famine-stricken wretches cursing their God, and yet afraid to die. All around is the fruitless, shadeless, shelterless bush. Above, the pitiless heaven. In the distance, the remorseless sea. Something terrible must happen. That grey wilderness41, arched by grey heaven stooping to grey sea, is a fitting keeper of hideous secrets. Vetch suggests that Oyster42 Bay cannot be far to the eastward — the line of ocean is deceitfully close — and though such a proceeding43 will take them out of their course, they resolve to make for it. After hobbling five miles, they seem no nearer than before, and, nigh dead with fatigue44 and starvation, sink despairingly upon the ground. Vetch thinks Gabbett’s eyes have a wolfish glare in them, and instinctively45 draws off from him. Said Greenhill, in the course of a dismal46 conversation, “I am so weak that I could eat a piece of a man.”
On the tenth day Bodenham refuses to stir, and the others, being scarce able to drag along their limbs, sit on the ground about him. Greenhill, eyeing the prostrate47 man, said slowly, “I have seen the same done before, boys, and it tasted like pork.”
Vetch, hearing his savage48 comrade give utterance49 to a thought all had secretly cherished, speaks out, crying, “It would be murder to do it, and then, perhaps we couldn’t eat it.”
“Oh,” said Gabbett, with a grin, “I’ll warrant you that, but you must all have a hand in it.”
Gabbett, Sanders and Greenhill then go aside, and presently Sanders, coming to the Crow, said, “He consented to act as flogger. He deserves it.”
“So did Gabbett, for that matter,” shudders50 Vetch.
“Ay, but Bodenham’s feet are sore,” said Sanders, “and ’tis a pity to leave him.”
Having no fire, they make a little breakwind; and Vetch, half-dozing behind this at about three in the morning, hears someone cry out “Christ!” and awakes, sweating ice.
No one but Gabbett and Greenhill would eat that night. That savage pair, however, make a fire, fling ghastly fragments on the embers, and eat the broil51 before it is right warm. In the morning the frightful52 carcase is divided. That day’s march takes place in silence, and at midday halt Cornelius volunteers to carry the billy, affecting great restoration from the food. Vetch gives it to him, and in half an hour afterwards Cornelius is missing. Gabbett and Greenhill pursue him in vain, and return with curses. “He’ll die like a dog,” said Greenhill, “alone in the bush.” Jemmy Vetch, with his intellect acute as ever, thinks that Cornelius may prefer such a death, but says nothing.
The twelfth morning dawns wet and misty53, but Vetch, seeing the provision running short, strives to be cheerful, telling stories of men who have escaped greater peril54. Vetch feels with dismay that he is the weakest of the party, but has some sort of ludicro-horrible consolation55 in remembering that he is also the leanest. They come to a creek that afternoon, and look, until nightfall, in vain for a crossing-place. The next day Gabbett and Vetch swim across, and Vetch directs Gabbett to cut a long sapling, which, being stretched across the water, is seized by Greenhill and the Moocher, who are dragged over.
“What would you do without me?” said the Crow with a ghastly grin.
They cannot kindle56 a fire, for Greenhill, who carries the tinder, has allowed it to get wet. The giant swings his axe in savage anger at enforced cold, and Vetch takes an opportunity to remark privately57 to him what a big man Greenhill is.
On the fourteenth day they can scarcely crawl, and their limbs pain them. Greenhill, who is the weakest, sees Gabbett and the Moocher go aside to consult, and crawling to the Crow, whimpers: “For God’s sake, Jemmy, don’t let ’em murder me!”
“I can’t help you,” says Vetch, looking about in terror. “Think of poor Tom Bodenham.”
“But he was no murderer. If they kill me, I shall go to hell with Tom’s blood on my soul.” He writhes58 on the ground in sickening terror, and Gabbett arriving, bids Vetch bring wood for the fire. Vetch, going, sees Greenhill clinging to wolfish Gabbett’s knees, and Sanders calls after him, “You will hear it presently, Jem.”
The nervous Crow puts his hand to his ears, but is conscious of a dull crash and a groan59. When he comes back, Gabbett is putting on the dead man’s shoes, which are better than his own.
“We’ll stop here a day or so and rest,” said he, “now we’ve got provisions.”
Two more days pass, and the three, eyeing each other suspiciously, resume their march. The third day — the sixteenth of their awful journey — such portions of the carcase as they have with them prove unfit to eat. They look into each other’s famine-sharpened faces, and wonder “who’s next?”
“We must all die together,” said Sanders quickly, “before anything else must happen.”
Vetch marks the terror concealed60 in the words, and when the dreaded61 giant is out of earshot, says, “For God’s sake, let’s go on alone, Alick. You see what sort of a cove36 that Gabbett is — he’d kill his father before he’d fast one day.”
They made for the bush, but the giant turned and strode towards them. Vetch skipped nimbly on one side, but Gabbett struck the Moocher on the forehead with the axe. “Help! Jem, help!” cried the victim, cut, but not fatally, and in the strength of his desperation tore the axe from the monster who bore it, and flung it to Vetch. “Keep it, Jemmy,” he cried; “let’s have no more murder done!”
They fare again through the horrible bush until nightfall, when Vetch, in a strange voice, called the giant to him.
“He must die.”
“Either you or he,” laughs Gabbett. “Give me the axe.”
“No, no,” said the Crow, his thin, malignant62 face distorted by a horrible resolution. “I’ll keep the axe. Stand back! You shall hold him, and I’ll do the job.”
Sanders, seeing them approach, knew his end was come, and submitted, crying, “Give me half an hour to pray for myself.” They consent, and the bewildered wretch13 knelt down and folded his hands like a child. His big, stupid face worked with emotion. His great cracked lips moved in desperate agony. He wagged his head from side to side, in pitiful confusion of his brutalized senses. “I can’t think o’ the words, Jem!”
“Pah,” snarled63 the cripple, swinging the axe, “we can’t starve here all night.”
Four days had passed, and the two survivors65 of this awful journey sat watching each other. The gaunt giant, his eyes gleaming with hate and hunger, sat sentinel over the dwarf66. The dwarf, chuckling67 at his superior sagacity, clutched the fatal axe. For two days they had not spoken to each other. For two days each had promised himself that on the next his companion must sleep — and die. Vetch comprehended the devilish scheme of the monster who had entrapped68 five of his fellow-beings to aid him by their deaths to his own safety, and held aloof69. Gabbett watched to snatch the weapon from his companion, and make the odds70 even once and for ever. In the day-time they travelled on, seeking each a pretext71 to creep behind the other. In the night-time when they feigned72 slumber73, each stealthily raising a head caught the wakeful glance of his companion. Vetch felt his strength deserting him, and his brain overpowered by fatigue. Surely the giant, muttering, gesticulating, and slavering at the mouth, was on the road to madness. Would the monster find opportunity to rush at him, and, braving the blood-stained axe, kill him by main force? or would he sleep, and be himself a victim? Unhappy Vetch! It is the terrible privilege of insanity74 to be sleepless75.
On the fifth day, Vetch, creeping behind a tree, takes off his belt, and makes a noose76. He will hang himself. He gets one end of the belt over a bough77, and then his cowardice78 bids him pause. Gabbett approaches; he tries to evade79 him, and steal away into the bush. In vain. The insatiable giant, ravenous80 with famine, and sustained by madness, is not to be shaken off. Vetch tries to run, but his legs bend under him. The axe that has tried to drink so much blood feels heavy as lead. He will fling it away. No — he dares not. Night falls again. He must rest, or go mad. His limbs are powerless. His eyelids81 are glued together. He sleeps as he stands. This horrible thing must be a dream. He is at Port Arthur, or will wake on his pallet in the penny lodging-house he slept at when a boy. Is that the Deputy come to wake him to the torment82 of living? It is not time — surely not time yet. He sleeps — and the giant, grinning with ferocious83 joy, approaches on clumsy tiptoe and seizes the coveted84 axe.
On the north coast of Van Diemen’s Land is a place called St Helen’s Point, and a certain skipper, being in want of fresh water; landing there with a boat’s crew, found on the banks of the creek a gaunt and blood-stained man, clad in tattered85 yellow, who carried on his back an axe and a bundle. When the sailors came within sight of him, he made signs to them to approach, and, opening his bundle with much ceremony, offered them some of its contents. Filled with horror at what the maniac86 displayed, they seized and bound him. At Hobart Town he was recognized as the only survivor64 of the nine desperadoes who had escaped from Colonel Arthur’s “Natural Penitentiary”.
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1
scrambled
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| 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 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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edibles
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| 可以吃的，可食用的( edible的名词复数 )； 食物 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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vindictively
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| adv.恶毒地；报复地 | |
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penitentiary
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| n.感化院；监狱 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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earring
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| n.耳环，耳饰 | |
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isthmus
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| n.地峡 | |
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tightening
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| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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espies
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| v.看到( espy的第三人称单数 ) | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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shambles
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| n.混乱之处；废墟 | |
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remonstrates
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的第三人称单数 )；告诫 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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shudders
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| n.颤动，打颤，战栗( shudder的名词复数 )v.战栗( shudder的第三人称单数 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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51
broil
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| v.烤，烧，争吵，怒骂；n.烤，烧，争吵，怒骂 | |
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52
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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56
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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writhes
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的第三人称单数 ) | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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60
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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66
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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67
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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72
feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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73
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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74
insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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75
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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76
noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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77
bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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78
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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79
evade
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| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
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80
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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81
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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82
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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83
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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84
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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85
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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86
maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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