CHAPTER XXIV
HOW WE CAME TO BLACK BARTLEMY'S ISLAND
"Martin, Martin--look!"
I started up, and rubbing sleep from my eyes, turned to gaze whithershe pointed; and there, faint and far, above the rolling blue of theseas rose a blue shape. "'Tis the island, Martin! Our voyaging is nighended."
"Aye, 'tis the island!" says I.
"'Tis like an island of dream, Martin."
"Nay, 'tis real enough!" quoth I, "And solitary!"
"There is a perspective glass in the locker, yonder, Martin."
"Master Adam was vastly thoughtful!" quoth I, bitterly. And reachingthe glass I gave it to her.
"Will you not look at the island?" she questioned wonderingly.
"Nay, I shall see more than enough of it ere long! Do you give me thetiller and view it as you will."
"I see rocks!" says she, after some while.
"Ha, a barren place, as I thought."
"Nay, there are trees--many trees! O 'tis wonderful!" And so she satviewing it all untiring, every moment discovering some new marvel; butI fell to my old, black humour, since to me this island was no betterthan a prison.
By mid-day we were come so close that I might see the place very well;a smallish island with sheer cliffs very jagged and grim where the seasbroke in foam and crowned with many and divers trees, beyond which rosegreeny slopes with more trees that mounted up and up to a lofty summitof rocks and brush. Being within some two miles of these forbiddingcliffs I steered to fetch a compass about the island, and so presentlyopened a bay of white sand with tree-clad cliffs beyond, and before asheet of placid water or lagoon shut off from the sea by a semicircularbarrier-reef, such as Adam had described in his story.
And now, bethinking me that (by his account) this was the only means oflanding upon the island, I stood for this reef, against which thefoaming seas dashed with a mighty roaring, looking for that narrowchannel through the reef, that opening amid these breakers whereby wemight steer into those calm waters beyond.
And presently, sure enough, I espied it well-nigh in the middle of thereef, even as Adam had said, and, putting up the helm, ran for itstraightway. An evil enough place it looked, perilously narrow andwith mighty seas that broke in thunderous spray to right and left ofit; insomuch that heedful of Adam's warning (and all too late) I wasminded to bear up and stand away, plying off and on, until the wavesshould have moderated. But in my folly I had sailed too near and now,swept onward by some current, the boat, responding no more to her helm,was borne on at ever-increasing speed. So thus helpless and at mercyof the seas we drove straight for this perilous channel until I hadsome desperate hope that she might make it; on we sped, nearer andnearer, until the spume of the breakers was all about us and Iwell-nigh deafened by their roar; but this roar was pierced suddenly bya cry:
"O Martin! God pity us--look!" Turning my head, I saw a hugeous wavehard upon us, felt my companion's arms about me, and then--deafened,blinded, choking, I was whirled aloft on this mighty sea, tossed,buffeted, hurled into blinding sunlight, buried beneath green deepsand, expectant of death, suddenly found myself face down on warm sandswherein my griping fingers clutched desperately against the back-rushof the sea.
So lay I gasping and gripping this kindly earth and waited to do battlefor what remained of life, hearkening for the fierce hiss of that greatwave that was to bear me back to the horror of those green deeps thewhich should bury me for ever; instead I heard the gentle, drowsylapping of water all about me, and opening my eyes beheld myself lyingon the edge of those white sands that bordered the lagoon, while behindme the seas thundered impotent against the reef. And now, little bylittle, I saw that the great wave must have borne me hither inmiraculous fashion; and lying thus bruised and spent I must needsremember how Adam had experienced the like.
But all at once I staggered up to my feet and began staring hither andthither; then as my brain cleared and strength came back, I took torunning along the edge of the lagoon like one demented, staring downinto those placid waters and searching the white sands with eyes ofdreadful expectancy, yet nowhere could I discover sign or trace of mycompanion. None the less I continued to run aimlessly back and forth,heedless of my going, slipping and stumbling and often falling, butnever staying my search until the sweat poured from me. And ever as Iran I kept repeating these words to myself over and over again, viz.,"Adam's comrade, Nicholas Frant, was cast safe ashore with him!" Thus Iran to and fro gasping these words to myself until, tripping over apiece of driftwood I lay bruised and well-nigh spent. Howbeit, Iforced myself up again and re-commenced my search, and this time withmore method, for I swore to myself that I would find her or perishalso. To this end I determined to get me out upon the reef; now tocome thither I must needs climb over certain rocks, so came I thitherand, breathless with haste, made shift to mount these rocks heedless ofbruises or bleeding hands, and reaching the summit at last, paused allat once.
She lay face down almost below these rocks, outstretched within alittle cove and her long, wet hair wide-tossed like drifted seaweed allabout her. Now, seeing how still she lay, a great sickness seized meso that I sank weakly to my knees and crouched thus a while, and withno strength nor will to move. At last, and very slowly, I made my waya-down the rocks, and being within the little cove, found myself alltrembling and holding my breath. Then, though the soft sand deadenedall sound of my going, I crept forward. So came I where she lay, herwet draperies clinged fast about her; and standing above this stillyform I looked down upon her slender shapeliness yet feared to touchher. And now I saw that one sleeve was torn away and upon her round,white arm the marks my cruel hands had wrought.
"Damaris!" says I, falling on my knees beside her, and the word was agroan. And in that moment she raised her head and looked at me, and inher eyes methought to read wonder and a sudden, great joy:
"Martin!" she whispered, "O thank God!" And so hid her face again.Now, being yet on my knees, I looked from her to the blue heaven andround about me like one that wakes upon a new world.
Black Bartlemy's Treasure Page 25