The Maori War

           GLENARVANwouldhavelikedtostartwithoutanhour’sdelay,andfollowthecoasttoAuckland.Butsincethemorningheavycloudshadbeengathering,andtowardeleveno’clock,afterthelandingwaseffected,thevaporscondensedintoviolentrain,sothatinsteadofstartingtheyhadtolookforshelter.

           Wilsonwasfortunateenoughtodiscoverwhatjustsuitedtheirwants:agrottohollowedoutbytheseainthebasalticrocks.Herethetravelerstookshelterwiththeirarmsandprovisions.Inthecavetheyfoundaready-garneredstoreofdriedsea-weed,whichformedaconvenientcouch;forfire,theylightedsomewoodnearthemouthofthecavern,anddriedthemselvesaswellastheycould.

           Johnhopedthatthedurationofthisdelugeofrainwouldbeinaninverseratiotoitsviolence,buthewasdoomedtodisappointment.Hourspassedwithoutanyabatementofitsfury.Towardnoonthewindfreshened,andincreasedtheforceofthestorm.Themostpatientofmenwouldhaverebelledatsuchanuntowardincident;butwhatcouldbedone;withoutanyvehicle,theycouldnotbravesuchatempest;and,afterall,unlessthenativesappearedonthescene,adelayoftwelvehourswasnotsomuchconsequence,asthejourneytoAucklandwasonlyamatterofafewdays.Duringthisinvoluntaryhalt,theconversationturnedontheincidentsoftheNewZealandwar.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 474 из 658