登陆注册
5192200000009

第9章

The Waiting Place"HOW DID YOU manage with the rest of that rough voyage on the Minerva?" I asked.

"I shall be glad to explain to you," said Captain Littlepage, forgetting his grievances for the moment."If I had a map at hand I could explain better.We were driven to and fro 'way up toward what we used to call Parry's Discoveries, and lost our bearings.

It was thick and foggy, and at last I lost my ship; she drove on a rock, and we managed to get ashore on what I took to be a barren island, the few of us that were left alive.When she first struck, the sea was somewhat calmer than it had been, and most of the crew, against orders, manned the long-boat and put off in a hurry, and were never heard of more.Our own boat upset, but the carpenter kept himself and me above water, and we drifted in.I had no strength to call upon after my recent fever, and laid down to die;but he found the tracks of a man and dog the second day, and got along the shore to one of those far missionary stations that the Moravians support.They were very poor themselves, and in distress; 'twas a useless place.There were but few Esquimaux left in that region.There we remained for some time, and I became acquainted with strange events.

The captain lifted his head and gave me a questioning glance.

I could not help noticing that the dulled look in his eyes had gone, and there was instead a clear intentness that made them seem dark and piercing.

"There was a supply ship expected, and the pastor, an excellent Christian man, made no doubt that we should get passage in her.He was hoping that orders would come to break up the station; but everything was uncertain, and we got on the best we could for a while.We fished, and helped the people in other ways;there was no other way of paying our debts.I was taken to the pastor's house until I got better; but they were crowded, and Ifelt myself in the way, and made excuse to join with an old seaman, a Scotchman, who had built him a warm cabin, and had room in it for another.He was looked upon with regard, and had stood by the pastor in some troubles with the people.He had been on one of those English exploring parties that found one end of the road to the north pole, but never could find the other.We lived like dogs in a kennel, or so you'd thought if you had seen the hut from the outside; but the main thing was to keep warm; there were piles of bird-skins to lie on, and he'd made him a good bunk, and there was another for me.'Twas dreadful dreary waitin' there; we begun to think the supply steamer was lost, and my poor ship broke up and strewed herself all along the shore.We got to watching on the headlands; my men and me knew the people were short of supplies and had to pinch themselves.It ought to read in the Bible, 'Man cannot live by fish alone,' if they'd told the truth of things;'taint bread that wears the worst on you! First part of the time, old Gaffett, that I lived with, seemed speechless, and I didn't know what to make of him, nor he of me, I dare say; but as we got acquainted, I found he'd been through more disasters than I had, and had troubles that wa'n't going to let him live a great while.

It used to ease his mind to talk to an understanding person, so we used to sit and talk together all day, if it rained or blew so that we couldn't get out.I'd got a bad blow on the back of my head at the time we came ashore, and it pained me at times, and my strength was broken, anyway; I've never been so able since."Captain Littlepage fell into a reverie.

"Then I had the good of my reading," he explained presently.

"I had no books; the pastor spoke but little English, and all his books were foreign; but I used to say over all I could remember.

The old poets little knew what comfort they could be to a man.I was well acquainted with the works of Milton, but up there it did seem to me as if Shakespeare was the king; he has his sea terms very accurate, and some beautiful passages were calming to the mind.I could say them over until I shed tears; there was nothing beautiful to me in that place but the stars above and those passages of verse.

"Gaffett was always brooding and brooding, and talking to himself; he was afraid he should never get away, and it preyed upon his mind.He thought when I got home I could interest the scientific men in his discovery: but they're all taken up with their own notions; some didn't even take pains to answer the letters I wrote.You observe that I said this crippled man Gaffett had been shipped on a voyage of discovery.I now tell you that the ship was lost on its return, and only Gaffett and two officers were saved off the Greenland coast, and he had knowledge later that those men never got back to England; the brig they shipped on was run down in the night.So no other living soul had the facts, and he gave them to me.There is a strange sort of a country 'way up north beyond the ice, and strange folks living in it.Gaffett believed it was the next world to this.""What do you mean, Captain Littlepage?" I exclaimed.The old man was bending forward and whispering; he looked over his shoulder before he spoke the last sentence.

同类推荐
  • 永安县志-顺治本

    永安县志-顺治本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蕲黄四十八砦纪事

    蕲黄四十八砦纪事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大方等无想经

    大方等无想经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编人事典遇合部

    明伦汇编人事典遇合部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 人参谱

    人参谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 补脑健脑食谱

    补脑健脑食谱

    现代人脑力消耗过大,无论学生、上班族或是老人都需要对大脑进行充足地补养,根据大脑所需营养素进行饮食搭配,让您了解大脑需求,吃对食物更健康。
  • 其实韶光依旧

    其实韶光依旧

    时瑾,从来没有认为自己能力不够,可直到看到那一幕的时候她才明白:我还差的很远
  • 名门婚宠:顾少漫漫追妻路

    名门婚宠:顾少漫漫追妻路

    一场阴谋,她被生父和未婚夫送到老色鬼的床上,好不容易碰到个救美的英雄,却是个蒙了层皮的狼。一夜缠绵,清醒后的她却连大色狼的脸都没记清……再归故里,她被任命去勾搭俊美如涛的市长大人。可初次见面,市长大人就躺在床上逼她轮了他,吓得她小心脏差点没停了!色狼先生和市长大人身形重叠,又气又惊的夏又晴差点咬碎了一口银牙。眸光流转,柳眉微蹙,做出一副为难又担忧的模样。“既然顾市长这么迫不及待,那我立刻给您找几个精壮的男人过来,只不过,一次一百遍,您老身子受得了吗?”男人的脸色阴冷了一些,嘴角却微微上扬,一抹邪气的笑容显现。不及她反应过来,直接动身扑倒。
  • 精灵之孤独

    精灵之孤独

    在这个煌煌大世中,不去拼搏一番,是会遭雷劈的!盛世之下,唯有废物!盛世之上,只剩天才!(爽文!但不会太爽!目前以决定有至少三只一级神!)
  • 神医嫡妃

    神医嫡妃

    堂姐处心谋害,枕边人冰冷无情,庶伯的阴险狡诈,当满门抄斩她才知道眼前所谓的安稳不过是浮云。再次醒来,她依旧是叶府嫡女,为保家人她学医,为求安稳她步步为营,说她心狠手辣她丝毫不在乎,重活一世她要的是锦绣一生。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 圣邪子

    圣邪子

    龙星生活在一个叫做圣邪大陆的世界,他在挫折中成长,突破一个又一个的瓶颈,最终走向巅峰!圣邪十族、魔界生物、圣天学院,无数强者、势力围绕在龙星身边,这是为何?无数的谜团等待着他去解开!所有的一切,就在一个偏僻的小山村中,拉开序幕.....
  • 星际战士列传

    星际战士列传

    希望就似黑暗中的一丝光亮。无尽的星空里,追逐光是我们的本能。
  • 抗日神剧很科学

    抗日神剧很科学

    他到底是在活着..还是在等死?这问题只有诺贝在穿越之前吃饱了撑着时才会去想。现在,他知道,对于这个世界的所有人来说,诺贝以前想的这个问题是不存在的:等死对于他们来说就是活着。鱼人,食人魔,巨魔,狼人,娜迦,甚至巨龙.....曾经,人类面对各种族都几乎是作为奴隶苟延残喘。既然人族需要未来,那么他就是人族的未来!欢迎加入书友群:980323996
  • 首富的初恋:双面女友

    首富的初恋:双面女友

    世界首富,游荡在花丛中的花花公子申仲磊,对待商业对手冷酷无情,对待美丽女人占有多情...冷傲多智,却放荡不羁的单小雅.究竟是天使还是魔鬼?温文尔雅,风流倜傥的张世杰...帅气十足,叱咤风云的韩永吉...爱一个人可以爱多久?恨一个人可以恨多久?生生世世,天荒地老,海枯石烂?由爱生恨~那是虐的开始;由恨生爱~那是悲的开始;爱恨皆无~那是空的开始;爱恨皆有~那是喜的开始...内容回顾:张世杰从不相信自己对女人会有心跳的感觉,游戏花丛的自己更不相信一见钟情.可是当自己看清那个妆扮特别女子的长相时,心跳却在加速,它所发出的'怦怦'声是自己有生以来认为最好听的声音.她的美貌和灵动把自己征服,愣在当场......一种不真实的感觉充满心头.她是真实的吗???单小雅没想到他竟会这样认真.止住了脚步,沉默的盯着他好半天...最终无情的说:"我是一个超现实的女孩,喜欢有身份地位,财富背景的男人,你只是一个学生,远达不到我的标准.所以你放弃吧!"韩永吉很受伤的看着单小雅...最终想要拍上她肩膀的手停在了空中,尴尬且有风度的说:"谢谢你对我说实话,祝你幸福!我们永远是朋友."说完便快速跑开...单小雅看着他落漠的背影,忍不住叹了口气......她突然的顺从与热情令申仲磊有些措手不及.不适应的搂住了怀中的柔软.想到她的这种热情曾在无数个男人的身前释放,心中有着及陌生的不舒服...不自觉的皱起了眉头,若有所思且嫉妒的抱起怀中的她.把头埋进她的颈间.要挟道:"我知道你想干什么,你的这种小伎俩对付别人还行.如果你想继续下去,我奉陪."说着便要吻上她的香唇...申仲磊看着她停滞而空洞的眼眸;听着她悠远而飘渺的声音;感觉她像是一缕幽幽孤魂,仿佛不曾真实的存在过,随时都有有可能被风卷走...心脏猛然一缩,心疼与不舍就这么从心底溢出...抓不住她的感觉无助而恐怖...抱住她的双手不断的收紧......~~~~~~香烟的内容简介写的不好,请大家多多原谅.走过,路过的亲们别忘了留下你们的足迹...在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《首富的初恋:双面女友》
  • 邪少狂妻:逆天嫡女

    邪少狂妻:逆天嫡女

    上一世,她一心为了天下苍生,却被冠以祸事妖星之名,死于平生挚爱之手。这一世,她是顶尖世家唯一的嫡女,本以为能得到幸福,可等着她的却是宠妾灭妻的父亲,冷血势利的家族。污蔑诋毁,用刑追杀,最后被逼得跳崖求生……哼,且看浴火重生的她,如何坐拥第一杀手组织,炼得了绝品丹药,布得出惊世阵法,搅动大陆风云!