Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
The Call of the Primitive
ItdidnottaketheFrenchofficerlongtolearnwhathadcausedtheterribleconditionaboard;forwhenwaterandbrandyweresoughttorestorethemen,itwasfoundthattherewasnone,norevenfoodofanydescription.
Heimmediatelysignalledtothecruisertosendwater,medicine,andprovisions,andanotherboatmadetheperiloustriptotheArrow.
Whenrestorativeshadbeenappliedseveralofthemenregainedconsciousness,andthenthewholestorywastold.ThatpartofitweknowuptothesailingoftheArrowafterthemurderofSnipes,andtheburialofhisbodyabovethetreasurechest.
ItseemsthatthepursuitbythecruiserhadsoterrorizedthemutineersthattheyhadcontinuedoutacrosstheAtlanticforseveraldaysafterlosingher;butondiscoveringthemeagersupplyofwaterandprovisionsaboard,theyhadturnedbacktowardtheeast.
Withnooneonboardwhounderstoodnavigation,discussionssoonaroseastotheirwhereabouts;andasthreedays’sailingtotheeastdidnotraiseland,theyboreofftothenorth,fearingthatthehighnorthwindsthathadprevailedhaddriventhemsouthofthesouthernextremityofAfrica.
Theykeptonanorth-northeasterlycoursefortwodays,whentheywereovertakenbyacalmwhichlastedfornearlyaweek.Theirwaterwasgone,andinanotherdaytheywouldbewithoutfood.
Conditionschangedrapidlyfrombadtoworse.Onemanwentmadandleapedoverboard.
