Робинзон Крузо / Robinson Crusoe
Шрифт:
It happened one time, that going a-fish in a calm morning, a fog rose so thick that, though we were not half a league from the shore, we lost sight of it; we laboured all day, and all the next night and we knew not whether or which way; and when the morning came we found we had pulled off to sea instead of pulling in for the shore; and that we were at least two leagues from the shore. However, we got well in again, though with a great deal of labour [60] and some danger; for the wind began to blow pretty fresh in the morning; but we were all very hungry.
60
with a great deal of labour – приложив немало труда
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more care of himself for the future, therefore took all the measures to stock up with provisions and drinks. In this way, that minor incident gave me a good turn.
Since then, my thoughts of escape became stronger than ever before. I began to prepare to flee [61] .
One day it happened that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in that place [62] , and for whom he had provided extraordinarily, and had, therefore, sent on board a larger store of provisions than ordinary; and had ordered me to get ready three fusees with powder and shot, which were on board his ship, for that they designed some sport of fowling as well as fishing.
61
flee –
62
Moors of some distinction in that place – Мавры, знатные в тех местах
This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into my thoughts, for now I found I was likely to have a little ship at my command. I prepared to furnish myself, not for fishing business, but for a voyage.
All the gunpowder and bullets were kept on pirate’s man-of-war [63] , by which he usually went on looting. So, the master ordered the Moor, called Ismael, who guarded the ship, to give me everything for fowling. And then I went on a little trick. I called to Moor. “Moely,” said I (everyone called Ismael Muley, or Moely), “our patron’s guns are on board of his English ship, can you not get a little more powder and shot? It may be we kill some alcamies (a fowl like our curlews [64] ) for ourselves, for I know we must not presume to eat of our patron’s bread. We can divide all the prey equally!”
63
man-of-war – военный корабль
64
сurlew – кроншнеп (вид птиц)
“Yes,” says he, “I’ll bring some;” and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of powder, or rather more; and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some bullets, and put all aboard the ship.
I conveyed also a great lump of beeswax [65] into the boat, which weighed about half a hundredweight, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which were of great use to us afterwards, especially the wax, to make candles.
65
beeswax – воск
I got all things ready and waited the next morning on board, washed clean, ready to sail; when my patron came on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going from some business that fell out, and ordered me, with the boy, Xury, as usual, to go out with ship and catch them some fish, for that his friends were to sup [66] at his house, and commanded that as soon as I got some fish I should bring it home to his house.
So, I went out to sea alone, out of the port to fish, on board of a ship full of supplies, furnished with everything needful, accompanied only by young Xury and luck.
66
were to sup –
The castle, which was at the entrance of the port, knew who we were, and took no notice of us; and we were not above a mile out of the port before we set us down to fish.
After we had fished for some time and caught nothing – for when I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, I said to the Xury, “This will not do; our master will not be served; we must stand farther off.” He, thinking no harm [67] , agreed, and being in the head of the ship, set the sails.
67
thinking no harm – не заподозрив неладное
When we were about two miles above the shore, I took the gun out of the cabin and went to Xury. When he saw the gun in my hands, a fear reflected on his face. I touched his shoulder and said to him,
“Xury, if you will be faithful to me, I’ll make you a great man; but if you will not be true to me, I must kill you.” The boy smiled in my face, the fear in his eyes immediately disappeared, and spoke so innocently that I could not distrust him, he swore to be faithful to me [68] , and go all over the world with me.
68
swore to be faithful to me – поклялся быть преданным мне
So, I enlisted the full support of Xury and became a full captain of our ship, and a master of one-person crew. In fear, that our ex-patron, pirate from Sallee, could sent us the chase [69] , I decided to make one trick: while our ship was in view from the coast line, I stood out directly to sea with the ship, that they might think me gone towards the Strait of Gibraltar [70] (as indeed any one must have been supposed to do).
69
chase – погоня
70
Strait of Gibraltar – Гибралтарский пролив
But as soon as it grew dusk [71] in the evening, I changed my course, and sailed directly south and by east, bending my course a little towards the east, that I might keep in with the shore; and having a fresh wind, and a smooth, quiet sea, I made such sail that I believe by the next day, at three o’clock in the afternoon, when I first made the land [72] , I could not be less than one hundred and fifty miles south of Sallee.
71
it grew dusk – стало смеркаться
72
when I first made the land – когда я впервые увидел землю
During the next five or six days the tail-wind continued to blow, though I would not stop, or come to an anchor and go on shore, yet such was the fright I had taken of Moors. I concluded, that if any of them were in chase of me, they would now give over, therefore I decided to sail near the coast line.
We sailed along the coast of Africa, close to the shore. Sometimes we heard lions and other wild beasts. We needed fresh water, but we were afraid to go ashore, for fear of wild beasts and savages [73] . However, one day, I came to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew not what, nor where, neither what latitude, what country, what nation, or what river it was. The principal thing I wanted was fresh water.
73
savage – дикарь