Adrift in Pacific and Other Great Adventures – 17 Titles in One Volume (Illustrated Edition). Jules VerneЧитать онлайн книгу.
However," said Briant, " we must not delay our departure beyond the 6th of May."
" Why not ? " asked Gordon.
" Because the day after to-morrow is new moon, and the tides will be higher for a few days after that. The higher they are, the easier we shall get up the river. Just think what a fix we shall be in if we have to tow this heavy raft or pole it up! We could never do it against the current! "
" You are right," said Gordon. " We must be off in three days at the latest."
And all agreed to take no rest until the work was finished.
On the 3rd of May they began to load the raft, being careful to trim it so as to keep it level. Every one was occupied in this work according to his strength. Jenkins, Iverson, Dole, and Costar took charge of the lighter things, the tools, and instruments, and laid them on the deck, where Briant and Baxter stored them under Gordon's directions. The bigger boys busied themselves about the heavier things, such as the stove, the water-tanks, the windlass, the iron-work, the sheathing, &c, the rest of the timbers of the schooner, the ribs, the planking, the deck-rails, etc. In the same way were brought on board the bales of provisions, the casks of wine, ale, and spirits, not forgetting several sacks of salt that had been found among the rocks. To assist in the loading, Baxter had erected two spars which were kept in position by means of four stays. To the end of this crab was fastened a tackle working round one of the yacht's launches, so that the things could be lifted off the ground and laid on the deck gently and quietly.
All went on with so much care that in the afternoon of the 5th of May everything was in its place on board, and nothing remained but to cast off the raft's moorings. That would be done next morning about eight o'clock, when the tide began to rise at the mouth of the stream.
The boys doubtless imagined that their task being over they were to spend the rest of the day in taking things easy. They were destined to be disappointed, for Gordon made a proposal which gave them something else to do.
" My comrades," he said, " we are now going away from this bay, and will no more be able to look out over the sea, and if any ship comes in sight of the island, we shall not be able to signal to her. It will therefore be best, I think to rig tip a mast on the cliff, and hoist one of our flags and keep it flying. That will probably be enough to attract the attention of any ship that may pass within sight of it."
The idea having been adopted, the schooner's topmast, which had not been used in the raft, was dragged to the foot of the cliff where the slope by the river-bank was not too great, and it required a good deal of effort to get it up the rugged slope of the ridge. Success came at last, however, and the mast was firmly fixed in the ground. Then with a halliard Baxter hoisted the British flag, and the same moment Donagan saluted it by firing his gun.
"Hallo!" said Gordon to Briant. "There is Donagan taking possession of the island in the name of Great Britain!"
" I shall be much astonished if it doesn't belong to Great Britain already," said Briant.
Gordon's reply was a grimace, and by his always speaking of it as " his island " it seemed as though he had claimed it for the United States.
Next morning at sunrise all were astir. The tent was taken down and the bedding carried on board the raft, with the sail put over it to protect it from the weather, which, however, promised to be favourable enough, although a change in the direction of the wind had brought a good deal of mist in from the sea.
By seven o'clock everything was ready. The raft had been so loaded that it gave accommodation for the company for two or three days, and Moko had cooked enough food to last, so that a fire would not be needed.
At half-past eight the boys all gathered on the raft.
The bigger ones, armed with poles and spars, took up their places ready to steer it, for a rudder would have been no use in going with the stream.
A little before nine o'clock the tide began to make itself felt, and the framework began to creak and groan.
" Attention ! " shouted Briant.
" Ready ! " said Baxter.
These were at the ropes which moored the raft fore and aft by the river-bank.
" We are all ready ! " said Donagan, who with Wilcox was in the front of the raft.
Soon the raft was afloat.
" Cast off ! " said Briant.
Away went the ropes and the heavily-loaded mass began to drift up stream, towing the yawl astern.
Every one was pleased when the raft began to move. If the boys had built a sea-going ship they could not have been more satisfied with themselves I And their little sentiment of vanity may be forgiven them !
The right bank of the river was bordered with trees, and higher than the left, which ran along by the marsh. Briant, Baxter, Donagan, Wilcox, and Moko used every effort to keep the raft away from the banks, for it would never do to run aground, but at the same time they did not cross the stream, for the tide was stronger along the right bank, and the height of the bank gave better holding to their poles.
Two hours after their departure they had floated about a mile. They had not grounded once or run ashore. But according to Briant's estimate the river was quite six miles long, and as they could not hope to advance more than two miles with each tide, it would take them several tides to reach their destination.
In fact, about eleven o'clock, the ebb began to declare itself, and the boys had to bestir themselves to get the raft moored so that it did not drift back to the sea.
Evidently the raft would make a fresh start in the evening, but to venture with it then would be dangerous.
" I think it would be unwise," said Gordon. " We would expose the raft to the chances of collision or grounding, and the shock might smash it up. I think we had better wait till to-morrow, and go on with the day tide."
' The proposal was too sensible not to meet with general approval. They might have to wait twenty-four hours, but the delay was preferable to risking the safety of the valuable cargo.
Half a day and the whole of the night were thus passed in this place.
Donagan and his sporting friends, accompanied by Fan, were soon ashore on the river-bank.
Gordon advised them not to get far away, and they adopted his advice; and as they brought back two brace of fat bustards and a string of tinamous, their vanity was satisfied. Moko took charge of the game, to keep it for the first meal—breakfast, dinner, or supper—after reaching French Den.
During the day Donagan had seen no trace of the ancient or recent presence of man in the forest. He had, however, seen some tall birds running off, which he had failed to recognize.
During the night Baxter, Webb, and Cross were on the look-out, ready if necessary to double the hawsers, or give them a little slack when the tide turned. All went well. Next morning at a quarter to ten, the tide had risen high enough for the navigation to be resumed. The night had been cold, so was the day. The sooner the raft reached its destination the better. What would the boys do if the river froze, or if an iceberg came down from lie lake to enter the bay ? Here was something to think about, something they did not cease to worry over till they reached French Den.
But it was impossible to go quicker than the flood-tide, impossible to go against the stream when the tide failed, impossible to advance more than a mile in an hour and a half. They reached the half of their journey. About one o'clock in the afternoon a halt was made at the opening of the swamp which Briant had had to go round in returning to the wreck. Advantage was taken of the halt to explore the part adjoining the river. For a mile and a half Moko, Donagan, and Wilcox in the yawl rowed away to the north, and stopped only when the water became too shallow. The swamp was a part of the marsh, which extended along the left bank. It seemed very rich in water-fowl, and Donagan was able to shoot a few snipe to add to the bustards and tinamous in the larder on board.
The night was very still and cold, with a quiet biting breeze that almost died away as it crossed the river-valley.