按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
It promised to be a messy passage； even if we did make it in the two or three
days that would have been required if the southeast trades had been blowing
fresh。 But they weren't blowing fresh。 After the first five hours the trade
died away in a dozen or so gasping fans。 The calm continued all that night and
the next dayone of those glaring； glassy； calms； when the very thought of
opening one's eyes to look at it is sufficient to cause a headache。
The second day a man diedan Easter Islander； one of the best divers that
season in the lagoon。 Smallpoxthat is what it was； though how smallpox could
come on board； when there had been no known cases ashore when we left
Rangiroa； is beyond me。 There it was； thoughsmallpox； a man dead； and three
others down on their backs。
There was nothing to be done。 We could not segregate the sick； nor could we
care for them。 We were packed like sardines。 There was nothing to do but rot
and diethat is； there was nothing to do after the night that followed the
first death。 On that night； the mate； the supercargo； the Polish Jew； and four
native divers sneaked away in the large whale boat。 They were never heard of
again。 In the morning the captain promptly scuttled the remaining boats； and
there we were。
That day there were two deaths； the following day three； then it jumped to
eight。 It was curious to see how we took it。 The natives； for instance； fell
into a condition of dumb； stolid fear。 The captainOudouse； his name was； a
Frenchmanbecame very nervous and voluble。 He actually got the twitches。 He
was a large fleshy man； weighing at least two hundred pounds； and he quickly
became a faithful representation of a quivering jelly…mountain of fat。
The German； the two Americans； and myself bought up all the Scotch whiskey；
and proceeded to stay drunk。 The theory was beautifulnamely； if we kept
ourselves soaked in alcohol； every smallpox germ that came into contact with
us would immediately be scorched to a cinder。 And the theory worked； though I
must confess that neither Captain Oudouse nor Ah Choon were attacked by the
disease either。 The Frenchman did not drink at all； while Ah Choon restricted
himself to one drink daily。
It was a pretty time。 The sun； going into northern declination； was straight
overhead。 There was no wind； except for frequent squalls； which blew fiercely
for from five minutes to half an hour； and wound up by deluging us with rain。
After each squall； the awful sun would come out； drawing clouds of steam from
the soaked decks。
The steam was not nice。 It was the vapor of death； freighted with millions and
millions of germs。 We always took another drink when we saw it going up from
the dead and dying； and usually we took two or three more drinks； mixing them
exceptionally stiff。 Also； we made it a rule to take an additional several
each time they hove the dead over to the sharks that swarmed about us。
We had a week of it； and then the whiskey gave out。 It is just as well； or I
shouldn't be alive now。 It took a sober man to pull through what followed； as
you will agree when I mention the little fact that only two men did pull
through。 The other man was the heathenat least； that was what I heard
Captain Oudouse call him at the moment I first became aware of the heathen's
existence。 But to come back。
It was at the end of the week； with the whiskey gone； and the pearl buyers
sober； that I happened to glance at the barometer that hung in the cabin
companionway。 Its normal register in the Paumotus was 29。90； and it was quite
customary to see it vacillate between 29。85 and 30。00； or even 30。05； but to
see it as I saw it； down to 29。62； was sufficient to sober the most drunken
pearl buyer that ever incinerated smallpox microbes in Scotch whiskey。
I called Captain Oudouse's attention to it； only to be informed that he had
watched it going down for several hours。 There was little to do； but that
little he did very well； considering the circumstances。 He took off the light
sails； shortened right down to storm canvas； spread life lines； and waited for
the wind。 His mistake lay in what he did after the wind came。 He hove to on
the port tack； which was the right thing to do south of the Equator； ifand
there was the rubIF one were NOT in the direct path of the hurricane。
We were in the direct path。 I could see that by the steady increase of the
wind and the equally steady fall of the barometer。 I wanted him to turn and
run with the wind on the port quarter until the barometer ceased falling； and
then to heave to。 We argued till he was reduced to hysteria； but budge he
would not。 The worst of it was that I could not get the rest of the pearl
buyers to back me up。 Who was I； anyway； to know more about the sea and its
ways than a properly qualified captain？ was what was in their minds； I knew。
Of course； the sea rose with the wind frightfully； and I shall never forget
the first three seas the Petite Jeanne shipped。 She had fallen off； as vessels
do at times when hove to； and the first sea made a clean breach。 The life
lines were only for the strong and well； and little good were they even for
them when the women and children； the bananas and cocoanuts； the pigs and
trade boxes； the sick and the dying； were swept along in a solid； screeching；
groaning mass。
The second sea filled the Petite Jeanne'S decks flush with the rails； and； as
her stern sank down and her bow tossed skyward； all the miserable dunnage of
life and luggage poured aft。 It was a human torrent。 They came head first；
feet first； sidewise； rolling over and over； twisting； squirming； writhing；
and crumpling up。 Now and again one caught a grip on a stanchion or a rope；
but the weight of the bodies behind tore such grips loose。
One man I noticed fetch up； head on and square on； with the starboard bitt。
His head cracked like an egg。 I saw what was coming； sprang on top of the
cabin； and from there into the mainsail itself。 Ah Choon and one of the
Americans tried to follow me； but I was one jump ahead of them。 The American
was swept away and over the stern like a piece of chaff。 Ah Choon caught a
spoke of the wheel； and swung in behind it。 But a strapping Raratonga vahine
（woman）she must have weighed two hundred and fiftybrought up against him；
and got an arm around his neck。 He clutched the kanaka steersman with his
other hand； and just at that moment the schooner flung down to starboard。
The rush of bodies and sea that was coming along the port runway between the
cabin and the rail turned abruptly and poured to starboard。 Away they
wentvahine； Ah Choon； and steersman； and I swear I saw Ah Choon grin at me
with philosophic resignation as he cleared the rail and went under。
The third seathe biggest of the threedid not do so much damage。 By the
time it arrived nearly everybody was in the rigging。 On deck perhaps a dozen
gasping； half…drowned； and half…stunned wretches were rolling about or
attempting to c