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！
before I die。 Do you know； my boy； I don't believe in
the quest； but I do believe in big game； and really；
on the whole； if； after thinking it over； you make up
your mind to go； I will take a holiday； and come with
you。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Leo； 〃I thought that you would not lose
such a chance。 But how about money？ We shall want a
good lot。〃
〃You need not trouble about that；〃 I answered。 〃There
is all your income that has been accumulating for
years； and besides that I have saved two thirds of
what your father left me； as I consider； in trust for
you。 There is plenty of cash。〃
〃Very well； then； we may as well stow these things
away and go up to town to see about our guns。 By the
way； Job； are you coming too？ It's time you began to
see the world。〃
〃Well； sir；〃 answered Job； stolidly； 〃I don't hold
much with foreign parts； but if both you gentlemen are
going you will want somebody to look after you； and I
am not the man to stop behind after serving you for
twenty years。〃
〃That's right； Job；〃 said I。 〃You won't find out
anything wonderful； but you will get some good
shooting。 And now look here； both of you。 I won't have
a word said to a living soul about this nonsense；〃 and
I pointed to the potsherd。 〃If it got out； and
anything happened to me； my next of kin would dispute
my will on the ground of insanity； and I should become
the laughing…stock of Cambridge。〃
That day three months we were on the ocean； bound for
Zanzibar。
CHAPTER IV
THE SQUALL
How different is the scene that I have now to tell
from that which has just been told！ Gone are the quiet
college rooms； gone the wind…swayed English elms and
cawing rooks； and the familiar volumes on the shelves；
and in their place there rises a vision of the great
calm ocean gleaming in shaded silver lights beneath
the beams of the full African moon。 A gentle breeze
fills the huge sails of our dhow； and draws us through
the water that ripples musically against our sides。
Most of the men are sleeping forward； for it is near
midnight； but a stout； swarthy Arab； Mahomed by name；
stands at the tiller； lazily steering by the stars。
Three miles or more to our starboard is a low dim
line。 It is the eastern shore of Central Africa。 We
are running to the southward； before the northeast
monsoon； between the mainland and the reef that for
hundreds of miles fringes that perilous coast。 The
night is quiet； so quiet that a whisper can be heard
fore and aft the dhow； so quiet that a faint booming
sound rolls across the water to us from the distant
land。
The Arab at the tiller holds up his hand； and says one
word： 〃Simba （lion）！〃
We all sit up and listen。 Then it comes again； a slow；
majestic sound； that thrills us to the marrow。
〃To…morrow by ten o'clock；〃 I say； 〃we ought； if the
captain is not out in his reckoning； which I think
very probable； to make this mysterious rock with a
man's head； and begin our shooting。〃
〃And begin our search for the ruined city and the Fire
of Life；〃 corrected Leo； taking his pipe from his
mouth； and laughing a little。
〃Nonsense！〃 I answered。 〃You were airing your Arabic
with that man at the tiller this afternoon。 What did
he tell you？ He has been trading （slave…trading
probably） up and down these latitudes for half of his
iniquitous life； and once landed on this very 'man'
rock。 Did he ever hear anything of the ruined city or
the caves？〃
〃No；〃 answered Leo。 〃He says that the country is all
swamp behind； and full of snakes； especially pythons；
and game； and that no man lives there。 But then there
is a belt of swamp all along the East African coast；
so that does not go for much。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said； 〃it doesit goes for malaria。 You see
what sort of an opinion these gentry have of the
country。 Not one of them will go with us。 They think
that we are mad； and upon my word I believe that they
are right。 If ever we see old England again I shall be
astonished。 However； it does not greatly matter to me
at my age； but I am anxious for you； Leo； and for Job。
It's a Tom Fool's business； my boy。〃
〃All right； Uncle Horace。 So far as I am concerned； I
am willing to take my chance。 Look！ What is that
cloud？〃 and he pointed to a dark blotch upon the
starry sky； some miles astern of us。
〃Go and ask the man at the tiller；〃 I said。
He rose； stretched his arms； and went。 Presently he
returned。
〃He says it is a squall； but it will pass far on one
side of us。〃
Just then Job came up； looking very stout and English
in his shooting…suit of brown flannel； and with a sort
of perplexed appearance upon his honest round face
that had been very common with him since he got into
these strange waters。
〃Please； sir；〃 he said； touching his sun hat； which
was stuck on to the back of his head in a somewhat
ludicrous fashion； 〃as we have got all those guns and
things in the whale…boat astern； to say nothing of the
provisions in the lockers； I think it would be best if
I got down and slept in her。 I don't like the looks〃
（here he dropped his voice to a portentous whisper）
〃of these black gentry； they have such a wonderful
thievish way about them。 Supposing now that some of
them were to slip into the boat at night and cut the
cable； and make off with her！ That would be a pretty
go； that would。〃
The whale…boat； I may explain； was one specially built
for us at Dundee； in Scotland。 We had brought it with
us； as we knew that this coast was a network of
creeks； and that we might require something to
navigate them with。 She was a beautiful boat； thirty
feet in length； with a centre…board for sailing；
copper…bottomed to keep the worm out of her； and full
of watertight compartments。 The captain of the dhow
had told us that when we reached the rock； which he
knew； and which appeared to be identical with the one
described upon the sherd and by Leo's father； he would
probably not be able to run up to it on account of the
shallows and breakers。 Therefore we had employed three
hours that very morning； while we were totally
becalmed； the wind having dropped at sunrise； in
transferring most of our goods and chattels to the
whale…boat； and placing the guns； ammunition； and
preserved provisions in the water…tight lockers
specially prepared for them； so that when we did sight
the fabled rock we should have nothing to do but step
into the boat and run her ashore。 Another reason that
induced us to take this precautionary step was that
Arab captains are apt to run past the point that they
are making； either from carelessness or owing to a
mistake in its identity。 Now； as sailors know； it is
quite impossible for a dhow which is only rigged to
run before the monsoon to beat back against it。
Therefore we got our boat ready to row for the rock at
any moment。
〃Well； Job；〃 I said； 〃perhaps it would be as well。
There are lots of blankets there； only be careful to
keep out of the moon； or it may turn your head or
blind you。〃
〃Lord； sir！ I don't think it would much matter if it
did； it is that turned already with the sight of these
blackamoors