Abandoned by William Clark Russell

Author:William Clark Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: reynolds, crown, abandoned, goodhart, lucretia, captain, ship, edited, featherbridge, exclaimed, captain reynolds, flying spur, offers marriage, goodhart offers, general literature, medical certificate, fresh water, boats crew, public domain, poor fellow
Publisher: Methuen
Published: 1904-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

" Den she vhas annudder."

" I don't reckon you've done much smoking 'ere, sir," said Johnnie. " It's always baccy that men miss most when they're locked up. I've got a pipe and baccy on me 'ere. Would you like a draw?" he added with a sailor's politeness.

"I have not smoked for many months," answered Reynolds, '' and, thanking you much, will not start just now." He sent an impatient look at the island for Frost " I have had no news for nearly two years," said he, after a pause. " Have you any to give me ? What's happened in all these months ? "

"There was a strike on amongst the sailors at Hobart, when we sailed," said Johnnie. "I don't believe in Unions myself."

" It vhas der same 'ere," said the Swede.

"They make you pay to become members," said Johnnie, " and then keeps you out of work."

" No European, no English news ? " asked Reynolds.

"I reads a piece in a paper before I leaf, how dot they hov open a new dock at Cartiff, und dot a French tramp roons into der Goodwin lightship und sink her."

Reynolds could not forbear a smile. After twenty months of ocean solitude, this was to be his news of the world!

"One thing you'll find ain't much changed since you was wrecked," said Johnnie, "and that's sailors' wages."

" Und sailors' groob," said the Swede.

" Them's a nice show of oysters," exclaimed Johnnie, looking at a richly dyed cluster on some rocks projecting from the shore of the creek.

"Jump on that rock," said Reynolds, "and you'll

mo ABANDONED

find a stone shaped like a cucumber. Knock them ofT with it. They are good eating.**

He did not need to ask if they had knives; each man carried a blade in a sheath, belted to his hip. They sprang ashore, and were soon busy in hammering 0]^ers and swallowing morsels truly delicious after pease-soup and salt pork.

It would be impossible to describe, though not hard to imagine, the dance of sensations, passions^ and emotions in the mind of Reynolds whilst he sat waiting for the others in that boat The island uprose before him, Goodhart was there in memory, and himself in his solitude; and again he beheld, with the vision of the spirit, the shadowless form that had walked bareheaded in the delL How often had he watched those cascades^ those birds out yonder, the ponderous coil of the surf rushing its load of splendour up the beach ? He thought of the gloomy cave, his bed in the fissure the stars beyond which his thoughts had winged to God, the grave he had dug, the cross he had made, the words he had cut upon it And now he was to be rescued I He was seated in the boat Men were hammering and swallowing and talking hard by. Yonder was a brig to bear him back to civilization and liberty, and the life of man in town or country. It was so

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