the days of my life

第48部分 (第4/7頁)

Then　came　another　anxious　time；　for　the　question　was　whether　we　could　avoid　a　certain　rock　over　which　the　surf　was　boiling。　Providentially　those　skilled　men　did　avoid　it；　and　soon　we　stood　upon　the　rocky　shores　of　Stroma；　which　personally　I　thought　a　very　pleasant　place。　Had　we　overset　there　was　no　chance　that　we　could　have　lived　a　minute　in　that　racing；　seething　tide。

By　this　time　people　on　the　island　had　seen　what　was　happening　and　were　running　towards　us。　The　first　to　arrive　was　a　gentleman　in　a　rusty　black　coat　and　a　tall　hat；　a　schoolmaster　I　believe。　Somehow　he　had　learned　my　identity；　or　perhaps　he　recognised　me　from　a　photograph。　At　any　rate　he　came　up；　bowed　politely；　took　off　the　tall　hat　with　a　flourish；　and　said；　in　the　best　Scotch；　“The　author　of　‘She’　I　believe？　I　am　verra　glad　to　meet　you。”

For　eight　or　ten　hours　we　sat　upon　that　rock。　The　tide　which　was　high　or　ebbing　when　we　struck　went　down；　the　Copeland　broke　her　back；　of　a　sudden　under　the　fearful　strain　of　her　wire　rigging　her　mast　turned　grey　because　of　the　splinters　driven　outward　by　the　pressure。　Rescuers　got　aboard　of　her　and　saved　many　of　the　ponies；　though　many　more　were　drowned；　including　poor　Hecla；　which　I　had　bought　upon　the　slopes　of　that　volcano。　Others　were　thrown　or　swam　out　of　the　hold　and　maimed。　One　of　the　saddest　things　I　remember　in　connection　with　this　shipwreck　was　the　sight　of　a　poor　animal　with　a　swinging　leg；　standing　upon　a　point　of　rock　until　the　tide　rose　and　drowned　it。　Many　of　these　ponies　swam　ashore　—　being　Icelanders　they　were　accustomed　to　the　water　—　and　probably　they；　or　rather　their　descendants；　now　populate　the　Orkneys。　What　would　have　happened　to　us　if　our　cargo　on　this　occasion　had　been　emigrants　instead　of　ponies　I　cannot　say。　Doubtless　ther