第 20 节
作者:
风雅颂 更新:2021-02-27 00:24 字数:9322
d be sure to keep them from taking our hooks; for they would first have them themselves; biting very greedily。 We caught also a monk…fish; of which I brought home the picture。
On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore; that we might the better see any opening; kept sounding; and had about twenty fathom; clean sand。 The 26th day; being about four leagues off shore; the water began gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen fathom。 I was edging in a little towards the land; thinking to have anchored; but presently after the water decreased almost at once; till we had but five fathom。 I durst; therefore; adventure no farther; but steered out the same way that we came in; and in a short time had ten fathom (being then about four leagues and a half from the shore); and even soundings。 I steered away east…north… east; coasting along as the land lies。 This day the sea breezes began to be very moderate again; and we made the best of our way along shore; only in the night edging off a little for fear of shoals。 Ever since we left Shark's Bay we had fair clear weather; and so for a great while still。
The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night; yet we could not see land till one in the afternoon from our topmast…head。 By three we could just discern land from our quarter…deck; we had then sixteen fathom。 The wind was at north; and we steered east…by… north; which is but one point in on the land; yet we decreased our water very fast; for at four we had but nine fathom; the next cast but seven; which frightened us; and we then tacked instantly and steed off; but in a short time the wind coming at north…west and west…north…west; we tacked again and steered north…north…east; and then deepened our water again; and had all night from fifteen to twenty fathom。
The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom。 We saw no land this day; but saw a great many snakes and some whales。 We saw also some boobies and noddy…birds; and in the night caught one of these last。 It was of another shape and colour than any I had seen before。 It had a small long bill; as all of them have; flat feet like ducks' feet; its tail forked like a swallow; but longer and broader; and the fork deeper than that of the swallow; with very long wings; the top or crown of the head of this noddy was coal… black; having also small black streaks round about and close to the eyes; and round these streaks on each side; a pretty broad white circle。 The breast; belly; and under part of the wings of this noddy were white; and the back and upper part of its wings of a faint black or smoke colour。 Noddies are seen in most places between the tropics; as well in the East Indies and on the coast of Brazil; as in the West Indies。 They rest ashore at night; and therefore we never see them far at sea; not above twenty or thirty leagues; unless driven off in a storm。 When they come about a ship they commonly perch in the night; and will sit still till they are taken by the seamen。 They build on cliffs against the sea; or rocks。
The 30th day; being in latitude 18 degrees 21 minutes; we made the land again; and saw many great smokes near the shore; and having fair weather and moderate breezes; I steered in towards it。 At four in the afternoon I anchored in eight fathom water; clear sand; about three leagues and a half from the shore。 I presently sent my boat to sound nearer in; and they found ten fathom about a mile farther in; and from thence still farther in the water decreased gradually to nine; eight; seven; and at two miles distance to six fathom。 This evening we saw an eclipse of the moon; but it was abating before the moon appeared to us; for the horizon was very hazy; so that we could not see the moon till she had been half an hour above the horizon; and at two hours twenty…two minutes after sunset; by the reckoning of our glasses; the eclipse was quite gone; which was not of many digits。 The moon's centre was then 33 degrees 40 minutes high。
The 31st of August; betimes in the morning; I went ashore with ten or eleven men to search for water。 We went armed with muskets and cutlasses for our defence; expecting to see people there; and carried also shovels and pickaxes to dig wells。 When we came near the shore we saw three tall; black; naked men on the sandy bay ahead of us; but as we rowed in; they went away。 When we were landed; I sent the boat with two men in her to lie a little from the shore at an anchor; to prevent being seized; while the rest of us went after the three black men; who were now got on the top of a small hill about a quarter of a mile from us; with eight or nine men more in their company。 They; seeing us coming; ran away。 When we came on the top of the hill where they first stood; we saw a plain savannah; about half a mile from us; farther in from the sea。 There were several things like hay…cocks standing in the savannah; which at a distance we thought were houses; looking just like the Hottentots' houses at the Cape of Good Hope: but we found them to be so many rocks。 We searched about these for water; but could find none; nor any houses; nor people; for they were all gone。 Then we turned again to the place where we landed; and there we dug for water。
While we were at work there came nine or ten of the natives to a small hill a little way from us; and stood there menacing and threatening us; and making a great noise。 At last one of them came towards us; and the rest followed at a distance。 I went out to meet him; and came within fifty yards of him; making to him all the signs of peace and friendship I could; but then he ran away; neither would they any of them stay for us to come nigh them; for we tried two or three times。 At last I took two men with me; and went in the afternoon along by the sea…side; purposely to catch one of them; if I could; of whom I might learn where they got their fresh water。 There were ten or twelve of the natives a little way off; who; seeing us three going away from the rest of our men; followed us at a distance。 I thought they would follow us; but there being for awhile a sand…bank between us and them; that they could not then see us; we made a halt; and hid ourselves in a bending of the sand…bank。 They knew we must be thereabouts; and being three or four times our numbers; thought to seize us。 So they dispersed themselves; some going to the sea…shore; and others beating about the sand…hills。 We knew by what rencounter we had had with them in the morning that we could easily out…run them; so a nimble young man that was with me; seeing some of them near; ran towards them; and they for some time ran away before him; but he soon overtaking them; they faced about and fought him。 He had a cutlass and they had wooden lances; with which; being many of them; they were too hard for him。 When he first ran towards them I chased two more that were by the shore; but fearing how it might be with my young man; I turned back quickly and went to the top of a sand…hill; whence I saw him near me; closely engaged with them。 Upon their seeing me; one of them threw a lance at me; that narrowly missed me。 I discharged my gun to scare them; but avoided shooting any of them; till finding the young man in great danger from them; and myself in some; and that though the gun had a little frightened them at first; yet they had soon learnt to despise it; tossing up their hands and crying; 〃pooh; pooh; pooh;〃 and coming on afresh with a great noise; I thought it high time to charge again; and shoot one of them; which I did。 The rest; seeing him fall; made a stand again; and my young man took the opportunity to disengage himself and come off to me; my other man also was with me; who had done nothing all this while; having come out unarmed; and I returned back with my men; designing to attempt the natives no farther; being very sorry for what had happened already。 They took up their wounded companion; and my young man; who had been struck through the cheek by one of their lances; was afraid it had been poisoned; but I did not think that likely。 His wound was very painful to him; being made with a blunt weapon; but he soon recovered of it。
Among the New Hollanders; whom we were thus engaged with; there was one who by his appearance and carriage; as well in the morning as this afternoon; seemed to be the chief of them; and a kind of prince or captain among them。 He was a young brisk man; not very tall; nor so personable as some of the rest; though more active and courageous: he was painted (which none of the rest were at all) with a circle of white paste or pigment (a sort of lime; as we thought) about his eyes; and a white streak down his nose; from his forehead to the tip of it: and his breast and some part of his arms were also made white with the same paint; not for beauty or ornament; one would think; but as some wild Indian warriors are said to do; he seemed thereby to design the looking more terrible; this his painting adding very much to his natural deformity; for they all of them have the most unpleasant looks and the worst features of any people that ever I saw; though I have seen great variety of savages。 These New Hollanders were probably the same sort of people as those I met with on this c