第 9 节
作者:疯狂热线      更新:2021-12-07 09:33      字数:9322
  empty houses to make fires to warm themselves。 They began to die of hunger
  as well as by Indian arrows。 On went the winter; and every day some died。
  Tales of cannibalism are told 。 。 。 。This was the Starving Time。
  When the leaves were red and gold; England…in…America had a population of
  four hundred and more。 When the dogwood and the strawberry bloomed;
  England…in…America had a population of but sixty。
  Somewhat later than this time there came from the pen of Shakespeare a play
  dealing with a tempest and shipwreck and a magical isle and rescue thereon。
  The bright spirit Ariel speaks of 〃the still…vex'd Bermoothes。〃 These were
  islands 〃two hundred leagues from any continent;〃 named after a Spanish
  Captain Bermudez who had landed there。 Once there had been Indians; but
  these the Spaniards had slain or taken as slaves。 Now the islands were
  desolate; uninhabited; 〃forlorn and unfortunate。〃 Chance vessels might
  touch; but the approach was dangerous。 There grew rumors of pirates; and
  then of demons。 〃The Isles of Demons;〃 was the name given to them。 〃The
  most forlorn and unfortunate place in the world〃 was the description that
  fitted them in those distant days:
  All torment; trouble; wonder and amazement Inhabits here: some heavenly
  power guide us Out of this fearful country。
  When Shakespeare so wrote; there was news in England and talk went to and
  fro of the shipwreck of the Sea Adventure upon the rocky teeth of the
  Bermoothes; 〃uninhabitable and almost inaccessible;〃 and of the escape and
  dwelling there for months of Gates and Somers and the colonists in that
  ship。 It is generally assumed that this incident furnished timber for the
  framework of The Tempest。
  The storm that broke on St。 James's Day; scattering the ships of the third
  supply; drove the Sea Adventure here and there at will。 Upon her watched
  Gates and Somers and Newport; above a hundred men; and a few women and
  children。 There sprang a leak; all thought of death。 Then rose a cry 〃Land
  ho!〃 The storm abated; but the wind carried the Sea Adventure upon this
  shore and grounded her upon a reef。 A certain R。 Rich; gentleman; one of
  the voyagers; made and published a ballad upon the whole event。 If it is
  hardly Shakespearean music; yet it is not devoid of interest。
  。 。 。 The Seas did rage; the windes did blowe;
  Distressed were they then;
  Their shippe did leake; her tacklings breake;
  In daunger were her men;
  But heaven was pylotte in this storme;
  And to an Iland neare;
  Bermoothawes called; conducted them;
  Which did abate their feare。
  Using the ship's boats they got to shore; though with toil and
  danger。 Here they found no sprites nor demons; nor even men; but
  a fair; half…tropical verdure and; running wild; great numbers of
  swine。
  And then on shoare the iland came
  Inhabited by hogges;
  Some Foule and tortoyses there were;
  They only had one dogge;
  To kill these swyne; to yield them foode;
  That little had to eate。
  Their store was spent and all things scant;
  Alas! they wanted meate。
  They did not; however; starve。
  A thousand hogges that dogge did kill
  Their hunger to sustaine。
  Ten months the Virginia colonists lived among the 〃still…vex'd Bermoothes。〃
  The Sea Adventure was but a wreck pinned between the reefs。 No sail was
  seen upon the blue water。 Where they were thrown; there Gates and Somers
  and Newport and all must stay for a time and make the best of it。 They
  builded huts and thatched them; and they brought from the wrecked ship;
  pinned but half a mile from land; stores of many kinds。 The clime proved of
  the blandest; fairest; with fishing and hunting they maintained themselves。
  Days; weeks; and months went by。 They had a minister; Master Buck。 They
  brought from the ship a bell and raised it for a church…bell。 A marriage; a
  few deaths; the birth of two children these were events on the island。 One
  of these children; the daughter of John Rolfe; gentleman; and his wife; was
  christened Bermuda。 Gates and Somers held kindly sway。 The colonists lived
  in plenty; peace; and ease。 But for all that; they were shipwrecked folk;
  and far; far out of the world; and they longed for the old ways and their
  own kin。 Day followed day; but no sail would show to bear them thence; and
  so at last; taking what they could from the forests of the island; and from
  the Sea Adventure; they set about to become shipwrights。
  And there two gallant pynases;
  Did build of Seader…tree;
  The brave Deliverance one was call'd;
  Of seaventy tonne was shee;
  The other Patience had to name;
  Her burthen thirty tonne 。 。 。 。
  。 。 。 The two and forty weekes being past
  They hoyst sayle and away;
  Their shippes with hogges well freighted were;
  Their harts with mickle joy。
  And so to Virginia came 。 。 。
  What they found when they came to Virginia was dolor enough。 On Jamestown
  strand they beheld sixty skeletons 〃who had eaten all the quick things that
  weare there; and some of them had eaten snakes and adders。〃 Somers; Gates;
  and Newport; on entering the town; found it 〃rather as the ruins of some
  auntient fortification than that any people living might now inhabit it。〃
  A pitiable outcome; this; of all the hopes of fair 〃harbours and
  habitations;〃 of golden dreams; and farflung dominion。 All those whom
  Raleigh had sent to Roanoke were lost or had perished。 Those who had named
  and had first dwelled in Jamestown were in number about a hundred。 To these
  had been added; during the first year or so; perhaps two hundred more。 And
  the ships that had parted from the Sea Adventure had brought in three
  hundred。 First and last; not far from seven hundred English folk had come
  to live in Virginia。 And these skeletons eating snakes and adders were all
  that remained of that company; all those others had died miserably and
  their hopes were ashes with them。
  What might Sir Thomas Gates; the Governor; do? 〃That which added most to
  his sorowe; and not a little startled him; was the impossibilitie。 。 how to
  amend one whitt of this。 His forces were not of habilitie to revenge upon
  the。 Indian; nor his owne supply (now brought from the Bermudas) sufficient
  to relieve his people。〃 So he called a Council and listened in turn to Sir
  George Somers; to Christopher Newport; and to 〃the gentlemen and Counsaile
  of the former Government。〃 The end and upshot was that none could see other
  course than to abandon the country。 England…in…America had tried and
  failed; and had tried again and failed。 God; or the course of Nature; or
  the current of History was against her。 Perhaps in time stronger forces and
  other attempts might yet issue from England。 But now the hour had come to
  say farewell!
  Upon the bosom of the river swung two pinnaces; the Discovery and the
  Virginia; left by the departing ships months before; and the Deliverance
  and the Patience; the Bermuda pinnaces。 Thus the English abandoned the
  little town that was but three years old。 Aboard the four small ships they
  went; and down the broad river; between the flowery shores; they sailed away。
  Doubtless under the trees on either hand were Indians watching this retreat of
  the invaders of their forests。 The plan of the departing colonists was to turn
  north; when they had reached the sea; and make for Newfoundland; where they
  might perhaps meet with English fishing ships。 So they sailed down the river;
  and doubtless many hearts were heavy and sad; but others doubtless were full
  of joy and thankfulness to be going back to an older home than Virginia。
  The river broadened toward Chesapeakeand then; before them; what did they
  see? What deliverance for those who had held on to the uttermost? They saw
  the long boat of an English ship coming toward them with flashing oars;
  bringing news of comfort and relief。 There; indeed; off Point Comfort lay
  three ships; the De La Warr; the Blessing; and the Hercules; and they
  brought; with a good company and good stores; Sir Thomas West; Lord De La
  Warr; appointed; over Gates; Lord Governor and CaptainGeneral; by land and
  sea; of the Colony of Virginia。
  The Discovery; the Virginia; the Patience; and the Deliverance thereupon
  put back to that shore they thought to have left forever。 Two days later;
  on Sunday the 10th of June; 1610; there anchored before Jamestown the De La
  Warr; the Blessing; and the Hercules; and it was thus that the new Lord
  Governor wrote home: 〃I 。 。 。 in the afternoon went ashore; where after a
  sermon made by Mr。 Buck 。 。 。 I caused my commission to be read; upon which
  Sir Thomas Gates delivered up '。。unto me his owne commission; both patents;
  and 'the counsell seale; and then I delivered some few wordes unto the
  Company 。。 。 。 and after 。 。 。 did constitute and give place of office and
  chardge to divers Captaines and gentlemen and elected unto me a counsaile。〃
  The dead was alive again。 Saith Rich's ballad:
  And to the adventurers* thus he writes;
  〃Be not dismayed at all;
  For scandall cannot doe us wrong;
  God will not let us fall。
  Let England knowe our willingnesse;
  For that our worke is good;
  WE HOPE TO PLANT A NATION
  WHERE NONE BEFORE HATH STOOD。〃
  * The Virginia Company。
  CHAPTER VI。 SIR THOMAS DALE
  In a rebuilded Jamest