THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第9章

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r　change　which　had　　e　over　the　very　noise　the　wind；　drinian　cried；　〃all　hands　on　deck。〃　in　a　moment　　everyone　became　frantically　busy。　the　hatches　wet　battened　down；　the　galley　fire　was　put　　out；　men　went　aloft　to　reef　the　sail。　before　they　had　finished　the　storm　struck　them。　it　　seemed　to　lucy　that　a　great　valley　in　the　sea　opened　just　before　their　bows；　and　they　　rushed　down　in　it；　deeper　down　than　she　would　have　believed　possible。　a　great　grey　hill　of　　water；　far　higher　than　the　mast；　rushed　to　meet　them；　it　looked　certain　death　but　they　were　　tossed　to　the　top　of　it。　then　the　ship　seemed　to　spin　round。　a　cataract　of　water　poured　over　　the　deck；　the　poop　and　forecastle　were　like　two　islands　with　a　fierce　sea　between　them。　　aloft　the　sailors　were　lying　out　along　the　yard　desperate　trying　to　get　control　of　the　sail。　　a　broken　rope　stood　out　sideways　in　the　wind　as　straight　and　stiff　as　if　it　was　poker。

〃get　below；　maam；〃　bawled　drinian。　and　lucy　knowing　that　landsmen　…　and　landswomen　…　are　a　nuisance　to　the　crew；　began　to　obey。　it　was　not　easy。　　the　dawn　treader　was　listing　terribly　to　starboard　and　the　deck　sloped　like　the　roof　　of　a　house。　she　had　to　clamber　round　to　the　top　of　the　ladder；　holding　on　to　the　rail；　and　　the　stand　by　while　two　men　climbed　up　it；　and　then　get　down　as　best　she　could。　it　was　　well　she　was　already　holding　tight　for　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder　another　wave　roar　　across　the　deck；　up　to　her　shoulders。　she　was　already　almost　wet　through　with　spray　and　rain　but　　this　was　colder。　then　she　made　a　dash　for　the　cabin　door　and　got　in　and　shut　out　for　　a　moment　the　appalling　sight　of　the　speed　with　which　they　were　rushing　into　the　dark；　　but　not　of　course　the　horrible　confusion　of　creakings；　groanings；　snappings；　clatterings；　　roarings　and　boomings　which　only　sounded　more　alarming　below　than　they　had　done　on　the　　poop。

and　all　next　day　and　all　the　next　it　went　on。　it　went　on　till　one　could　　hardly　even　remember　a　time　before　it　had　begun。　and　there　always　had　to　be　three　men　　at　the　tiller　and　it　was　as　much　as　three　could　do　to　keep　any　kind　of　a　course。　and　　there　always　had　to　be　men　at　the　pump。　and　there　was　hardly　any　rest　for　anyone；　and　　nothing　could　be　cooked　and　nothing　could　be　dried；　and　one　man　was　lost　overboard；　and　they　　never　saw　the　sun。

when　it　was　over　eustace　made　the　following　entry　in　his　diary。

〃3　september。　the　first　day　for　ages　when　i　have　been　able　to　write。　we　had　　been　driven　before　a　hurricane　for　thirteen　days　and　nights。　i　know　that　because　i　kept　　a　careful　count；　though　the　others　all　say　it　was　only　twelve。　pleasant　to　be　embarked　on　a　　dangerous　voyage　with　people　who　cant　even　count　right！　i　have　had　a　ghastly　time；　　up　and　down　enormous　waves　hour　after　hour；　usually　wet　to　the　skin；　and　not　even　an　　attempt　at　giving　us　proper　meals。　needless　to　say　theres　no　wireless　or　even　a　　rocket；　so　no　chance　of　signalling　anyone　for　help。　it　all　proves　what　i　keep　on　telling　them；　　the　madness　of　setting　out　in　a　rotten　little　tub　like　this。　it　would　be　bad　enough　even　　if　one　was　with　　

decent　people　instead　of　fiends　in　human　form。　caspian　and　edmund　are　　simply　brutal　to　me。　the　night　we　lost　our　mast　（theres　only　a　stump　left　now）；　though　i　　was　not　at　all　well；　they　forced　me　to　e　on　deck　and　work　like　a　slave。　lucy　shoved　her　　oar　in　by　saying　that　reepicheep　was　longing　to　go　only　he　was　too　small。　i　wonder　　she　doesnt　see　that　everything　that　little　beast　does　is　all　for　the　sake　of　showing　off。　　even　at　her　age　she　ought　to　have　that　amount　of　sense。　today　the　beastly　boat　is　level　at　last　　and　the　suns　out　and　we　have　all　been　jawing　about　what　to　do。　we　have　food　enough；　　pretty　beastly　stuff　most　of　it；　to　last　for　sixteen　days。　（the　poultry　were　all　washed　　overboard。　even　if　they　hadnt　been；　the　storm　would　have　stopped　them　laying。）　the　real　　trouble　is　water。

two　casks　seem　to　have　got　a　leak　knocked　in　them　and　are　empty。　（narnian　　efficiency　again。）　on　short　rations；　half　a　pint　a　day　each；　weve　got　enough　for　　twelve　days。

（theres　still　lots　of　rum　and　wine　but　even　they　realize　that　would　only　　make　them　thirstier。）

〃if　we　could；　of　course；　the　sensible　thing　would　be　to　turn　west　at　once　　and　make　for　the　lone　islands。　but　it　took　us　eighteen　days　to　get　where　we　are；　running　　like　mad　with　a　gale　behind　us。　even　if　we　got　an　east　wind　it　might　take　us　far　longer　to　　get　back。　and　at　present　theres　no　sign　of　an　east　wind　…　in　fact　theres　no　wind　at　all。　　as　for　rowing　back；　it　would　take　far　too　long　and　caspian　says　the　men　couldnt　row　on　half　a　　pint　of　water　a　day。　im　pretty　sure　this　is　wrong。　i　tried　to　explain　that　perspiration　　really　cools　people　down；　so　the　men　would　need　less　water　if　they　were　working。　he　didnt　take　　any　notice　of　this；　which　is　always　his　way　when　he　cant　think　of　an　answer。　the　　others　all　voted　for　going　on　in　the　hope　of　finding　land。　i　felt　it　my　duty　to　point　out　　that　we　didnt　know　there　was　any　land　ahead　and　tried　to　get　them　to　see　the　dangers　of　　wishful　thinking。

instead　of　producing　a　better　plan　they　had　the　cheek　to　ask　me　what　i　　proposed。　so　i　just　explained　coolly　and　quietly　that　i　had　been　kidnapped　and　brought　away　on　　this　idiotic　voyage　without　my　consent；　and　it　was　hardly　my　business　to　get　them　out　of　　their　scrape。

〃4　september。　still　becalmed。　very　short　rations　for　dinner　and　i　got　less　　than　anyone。

caspian　is　very　clever　at　helping　and　thinks　i　dont　see！　lucy　for　some　　reason　tried　to　make　up　to　me　by　offering　me　some　of　hers　but　that　interfering　prig　edmund　　wouldnt　let　her。　pretty　hot　sun。　terribly　thirsty　all　evening。

〃5　september。　still　becalmed　and　very　hot。　feeling　rotten　all　day　and　am　　sure　ive　got　a　temperature。　of　course　they　havent　the　sense　to　keep　a　thermometer　on　　board。

〃6　september。　a　horrible　day。　woke　up　in　the　night　knowing　i　was　feverish　　and　must　have　a　drink　of　water。　any　doctor　would　have　said　so。　heaven　knows　im　the　　last　person　to　try　to　get　any　unfair　advantage　but　i　never　dreamed　that　this　water…　rationing　would　be　meant　to　apply　to　a　sick　man。　in　fact　i　would　have　woken　the　others　up　and　　asked　for　some　only　i　thought　it　would　be　selfish　to　wake　them。　so　i　got　up　and　took　　my　cup　and　tiptoed　out　of　the　black　hole　we　slept　in；　taking　great　care　not　to　disturb　　caspian　and　edmund；　for　theyve　been　sleeping　badly　since　the　heat　and　the　short　water　　began。　i　always　try　to　consider　others　whether　they　are　nice　to　me　or　not。　i　got　out　　all　right　into　the　big　room；　if　you　can　call　it　a　room；　where　the　rowing　benches　and　the　　luggage　are。　the　　

thing　of　water　is　at　this　end。　all　was　going　beautifully；　but　before　id　　drawn　a　cupful　who　should　catch　me　but　that　little　spy　reep。　i　tried　to　explain　that　i　was　　going　on　deck　for　a　breath　of　air　（the　business　about　the　water　had　nothing　to　do　with　him）　and　　he　asked　me　why　i　had　a　cup。　he　made　such　a　noise　that　the　whole　ship　was　roused。　they　　treated　me　scandalously。　i　asked；　as　i　think　anyone　would　have；　why　reepicheep　was　　sneaking　about　the　water　cask　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　he　said　that　as　he　was　too　small　　to　be　any　use　on　deck；　he　did　sentry　over　the　water　every　night　so　that　one　more　man　　could　go　to　sleep。

now　es　their　rotten　unfairness：　they　all　believed　him。　can　you　beat　it？

〃i　had　to　apologize　or　the　dangerous　little　brute　would　have　been　at　me　　with　his　sword。

and　then　caspian　showed　up　in　his　true　colours　as　a　brutal　tyrant　and　said　　out　loud　for　everyone　to　hear　that　anyone　found　〃stealing〃　water　in　future　would　〃get　　two　dozen〃。　i　didnt　know　what　this　meant　till　edmund　explained　to　me。　it　es　in　the　　sort　of　books　those　pevensie　kids　read。

〃after　this　cowardly　threat　caspian　changed　his　tune　and　started　being　　patronizing。　said　he　was　sorry　for　me　and　that　everyone　felt　just　as　feverish　as　i　did　and　we　　must　all　make　the　best　of　it；　etc。；　etc。　odious　stuck…up　prig。　stayed　in　bed　all　day　　today。

〃7　september。　a　little　wind　today　but　still　from　the　west。

made　a　few　miles　eastward　with　part　of　the　sail；　set　on　what　drinian　calls　　the　jury…mast…that　means　the　bowsprit　set　upright　and　tied　（they　call　it　〃lashed〃）　to　the　　stump　of　the　real　mast。　still　terribly　thirsty。

〃8　september。　still　sailing　east。　i　stay　in　my　bunk　all　day　now　and　see　no　　one　except　lucy　till　the　two　fiends　e　to　bed。　lucy　gives　me　a　little　of　her　water　　ration。　she　says　girls　dont　get　as　thirsty　as　boys。　i　had　often　thought　this　but　it　ought　　to　be　more　generally　known　at　sea。

〃9　september。　land　in　sight；　a　very　high　mountain　a　long　way　off　to　the　　south…east。

〃10　september。　the　mountain　is　bigger　and　clearer　but　still　a　long　way　off。　　gulls　again　today　for　the　first　time　since　i　dont　know　how　long。

〃11　september。　caught　some　fish　and　had　them　for　dinner。　dropped　anchor　at　　about　7　p。m。　in　three　fathoms　of　water　in　a　bay　of　this　mountainous　island。　that　　idiot　caspian　wouldnt　let　us　go　ashore　because　it　was　getting　dark　and　he　was　afraid　of　　savages　and　wild　beasts。　extra　water　ration　tonight。”

what　awaited　them　on　this　island　was　going　to　concern　eustace　more　than　　anyone　else；　but　it　cannot　be　told　in　his　words　because　after　september　11　he　forgot　　about　keeping　his　diary　for　a　long　tim