The Boy Slaves. Майн Рид

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Forty Nine.

       Chapter Fifty.

       Chapter Fifty One.

       Chapter Fifty Two.

       Chapter Fifty Three.

       Chapter Fifty Four.

       Chapter Fifty Five.

       Chapter Fifty Six.

       Chapter Fifty Seven.

       Chapter Fifty Eight.

       Chapter Fifty Nine.

       Chapter Sixty.

       Chapter Sixty One.

       Chapter Sixty Two.

       Chapter Sixty Three.

       Chapter Sixty Four.

       Chapter Sixty Five.

       Chapter Sixty Six.

       Chapter Sixty Seven.

       Chapter Sixty Eight.

       Chapter Sixty Nine.

       Chapter Seventy.

       Chapter Seventy One.

       Chapter Seventy Two.

       Chapter Seventy Three.

       Chapter Seventy Four.

       Chapter Seventy Five.

       Chapter Seventy Six.

       Chapter Seventy Seven.

       Chapter Seventy Eight.

       Chapter Seventy Nine.

       Chapter Eighty.

       Chapter Eighty One.

       Chapter Eighty Two.

Chapter Two.

       Table of Contents

      Types of the Triple Kingdom.

      Near the tip of this tongue, almost within “licking” distance, on an evening in the month of June, 18—, a group of the kind last alluded to—three or four castaways upon a spar—might have been seen by any eye that chanced to be near.

      Fortunately for them, there was none sufficiently approximate to make out the character of that dark speck, slowly approaching the white sandspit, like any other drift carried upon the landward current of the sea.

      It was just possible for a person standing upon the summit of one of the sand “dunes” that, like white billows, rolled off into the interior of the continent, it was just possible for a person thus placed to have distinguished the aforesaid speck without the aid of a glass; though with one it would have required a prolonged and careful observation to have discovered its character.

      The sandspit was full three miles in length. The hills stood back from the shore another. Four miles was sufficient to screen the castaways from the observation of any one who might be straying along the coast.

      For the individuals themselves it appeared very improbable that there could be any one observing them. As far as eye could reach—east, north, and south, there was nothing save white sand. To the west, nothing but the blue water. No eye could be upon them, save that of the Creator. Of his creatures, tame or wild, savage or civilised, there seemed not one within a circuit of miles: for within that circuit there was nothing visible that could afford subsistence either to man or animal, bird or beast. In the white substratum of sand, gently shelving far under the sea, there was not a sufficiency of organic matter to have afforded food for fish—even for the lower organisms of mollusca. Undoubtedly were these castaways alone; as much so as if their locality had been the centre of the Atlantic, instead of its coast!

      We are privileged to approach them near enough to comprehend their character, and learn the cause that has thus isolated them so far from the regions of animated life.

      There are four of them, astride a spar; which also carries a sail, partially reefed around it, and partially permitted to drag loosely through the water.

      At a glance a sailor could have told that the spar on which they are supported is a topsail-yard, which has been detached from its masts in such a violent manner as to unloose some of the reefs that had held the sail—partially releasing the canvas. But it needed not a sailor to tell why this had been done. СКАЧАТЬ