inca.gold-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　　　　Slightly　after　three　in　the　afternoon；　the　Nuestra　Senora　de　la　Concepcion　came　about　on　a　parallel　course　to　the　northwest　again　and　ranged　toward　the　Golden　Hind's　port　quarter。　Torres　climbed　the　ladder　to　his　ship's　forecastle　and　shouted　across　the　water。
　　　　〃What　ship　are　you？〃
　　　　Numa　de　Silva；　a　Portuguese　pilot　Drake　had　appropriated　after　capturing　de　Silva's　ship　off　Brazil；　replied　in　Spanish；　〃San　Pedro　de　Paula　out　of　Valparaiso。〃　The　name　of　a　vessel　Drake　had　seized　three　weeks　earlier。
　　　　Except　for　a　few　crew　members　who　were　dressed　as　Spanish　sailors；　Drake　had　hidden　the　mass　of　his　men　below　decks　and　armed　them　with　protective　coats　of　mail　and　an　arsenal　of　pikes；　pistols；　muskets；　and　cutlasses。　Grappling　hooks　attached　to　stout　ropes　were　stowed　along　the　bulwarks　on　the　top　deck。　Crossbowmen　were　secretly　stationed　in　the　fighting　tops　above　the　mainyards　of　the　masts。　Drake　forbade　firearms　in　the　fighting　tops　where　musket　fire　could　easily　ignite　the　sails　into　sheets　of　flame。　The　mainsails　were　hauled　up　and　furled　to　give　the　bowmen　an　unobscured　line　of　vision。　Only　then　did　he　relax　and　patiently　wait　for　the　moment　to　attack。　The　fact　that　his　Englishmen　numbered　eighty…eight　against　the　Spanish　crew　of　nearly　two　hundred　bothered　him　not　at　all。　It　was　not　the　first　time　nor　the　last　he　would　ignore　superior　odds。　His　renowned　fight　against　the　Spanish　Armada　in　the　English　Channel　was　yet　to　e。
　　　　From　his　view；　de　Anton　saw　no　unusual　activity　on　the　decks　of　the　seemingly　friendly　and　businesslike　ship。　The　crew　looked　to　be　going　about　their　duties　without　undue　curiosity　toward　the　Concepcion。　The　captain；　he　observed；　leaned　casually　against　the　railing　of　the　quarterdeck　and　saluted　de　Anton。　The　newer　seemed　deceptively　innocent　as　it　unobtrusively　angled　closer　to　the　big　treasure　galleon。
　　　　When　the　gap　between　the　two　ships　had　narrowed　to　30　meters　（97　feet）；　Drake　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　nod；　and　his　ship's　finest　sharpshooter；　who　lay　concealed　on　the　gun　deck；　fired　his　musket　and　struck　the　Concepcion's　steersman　in　the　chest。　In　unison　the　crossbowmen　in　the　fighting　tops　began　picking　off　the　Spaniards　manning　the　sails。　Then；　with　the　galleon　losing　control　of　its　steerageway；　Drake　ordered　his　helmsman　to　run　the　Hind　alongside　the　bigger　vessel's　high　sloping　hull。
　　　　As　the　ships　crushed　together　and　their　beams　and　planking　groaned　in　protest；　Drake　roared　out；　〃Win　her　for　good　Queen　Bess　and　England；　my　boys！〃
　　　　Grappling　hooks　soared　across　the　railings；　clattered　and　caught　on　the　Concepcion's　bulwarks　and　rigging；　binding　the　two　vessels　together　in　a　death　grip。　Drake's　crew　poured　onto　the　galleon's　deck；　screaming　like　banshees。　His　bandsmen　added　to　the　terror　by　beating　on　drums　and　blaring　away　on　trumpets。　Musket　balls　and　arrows　showered　the　dumbfounded　Spanish　crew　as　they　stood　frozen　in　shock。
　　　　It　was　over　minutes　after　it　began。　A　third　of　the　galleon's　crew　fell　dead　or　wounded　without　firing　a　shot　in　their　defense。　Stunned　by　confusion　and　fear　they　dropped　to　their　knees　in　submission　as　Drake's　crew　of　boarders　brushed　them　aside　and　charged　below　decks。
　　　　Drake　rushed　up　to　Captain　de　Anton；　pistol　in　one　hand；　cutlass　in　the　other。　〃Yield　in　the　name　of　Her　Majesty　Queen　Elizabeth　of　England！〃　he　bellowed　above　the　din。
　　　　Dazed　and　incredulous；　de　Anton　surrendered　his　ship。　〃I　yield；〃　he　shouted　back。　〃Take　mercy　on　my　crew。〃
　　　　〃I　do　not　deal　in　atrocities；〃　Drake　informed　him。
　　　　As　the　English　took　control　of　the　galleon；　the　dead　were　thrown　overboard　and　the　surviving　crew　and　their　wounded　were　confined　in　a　hold。　Captain　de　Anton　and　his　officers　were　escorted　across　a　plank　laid　between　the　two　ships　onto　the　deck　of　the　Golden　Hind。　Then；　with　the　characteristic　courtesy　that　Drake　always　displayed　toward　his　captives；　he　gave　Captain　de　Anton　a　personally　guided　tour　of　the　Golden　Hind。　Afterward　he　treated　all　the　galleon's　officers　to　a　gala　dinner；　plete　with　musicians　playing　stringed　instruments；　solid　silver　tableware；　and　the　finest　of　recently　liberated　Spanish　wines。
　　　　Even　while　they　were　dining；　Drake's　crewmen　turned　the　ships　to　the　west　and　sailed　beyond　Spanish　sea　lanes。　The　following　morning　they　heaved　to；　trimming　the　sails　so　that　the　ship's　speed　fell　off　but　they　maintained　enough　headway　to　keep　the　bows　up　to　the　seas。　The　next　four　days　were　spent　transferring　the　fantastic　treasure　trove　from　the　cargo　holds　of　the　Concepcion　to　the　Golden　Hind。　The　vast　plunder　included　thirteen　chests　of　royal　silver　plate　and　coins；　eighty　pounds　of　gold；　twenty…six　tons　of　silver　bullion；　hundreds　of　boxes　containing　pearls　and　jewels；　mostly　emeralds；　and　a　great　quantity　of　food　stores　such　as　fruits　and　sugar。　The　catch　was　to　be　the　richest　prize　taken　by　a　privateer　for　several　decades。
　　　　There　was　also　a　hold　full　of　precious　and　exotic　Inca　artifacts　that　were　being　transported　to　Madrid　for　the　personal　pleasure　of　His　Catholic　Majesty；　Philip　II；　the　King　of　Spain。　Drake　studied　the　artifacts　with　great　astonishment。　He　had　never　seen　anything　like　them。　Reams　of　intricately　embroidered　Andean　textiles　filled　one　section　of　the　hold　from　deck　to　ceiling。　Hundreds　of　crates　contained　intricately　sculpted　stone　and　ceramic　figures　mingled　with　highly　crafted　masterpieces　of　carved　jade；　superb　mosaics　of　turquoise　and　shell；　all　plundered　from　sacred　religious　temples　of　the　Andean　civilizations　overrun　by　Francisco　Pizarro　and　succeeding　armies　of　gold…hungry　conquistadors。　It　was　a　glimpse　of　magnificent　artistry　that　Drake　never　dreamed　existed。　Oddly；　the　item　that　interested　him　most　was　not　a　masterwork　of　three…dimensional　art　inlaid　with　precious　stones　but　rather　a　simple　box　carved　from　jade　with　the　mask　of　a　man　for　a　lid。　The　masked　lid　sealed　so　perfectly　the　interior　was　nearly　airtight。　Inside　was　a　multicolored　tangle　of　long　cords　of　different　thicknesses　with　over　a　hundred　knots。
　　　　Drake　took　the　box　back　to　his　cabin　and　spent　the　better　part　of　a　day　studying　the　intricate　display　of　cords　tied　to　lesser　cords　in　vibrantly　dyed　colors　with　the　knots　tied　at　strategic　intervals。　A　gifted　navigator　and　an　amateur　artist；　Drake　realized　that　it　was　either　a　mathematical　instrument　or　a　method　of　recording　dates　as　a　calendar。　Intrigued　by　the　enigma；　he　tried　unsuccessfully　to　determine　the　meaning　behind　the　colored　strands　and　the　different　disposition　of　the　knots。　The　solution　was　as　obscure　to　him　as　to　a　native　trying　to　interpret　latitude　and　longitude　on　a　navigational　chart。
　　　　Drake　finally　gave　up　and　wrapped　the　jade　box　in　linen。　Then　he　called　for　Cuttill。
　　　　〃The　Spaniard　rides　higher　in　the　water　with　most　of　her　riches　relieved；〃　Cuttill　announced　jovially　as　he　entered　the　captain's　cabin。
　　　　〃You　have　not　touched　the　artworks？〃　Drake　asked。
　　　　〃As　you　ordered；　they　remain　in　the　galleon's　hold。〃
　　　　Drake　rose　from　his　worktable　and　walked　over　to　the　large　window　and　stared　at　the　Concepcion。　The　galleon's　sides　were　still　wet　several　feet　above　her　present　waterline。　〃The　art　treasures　were　meant　for　King　Philip；〃　he　said。　〃Better　they　should　go　to　England　and　be　presented　to　Queen　Bess。〃
　　　　〃The　Hind　is　already　dangerously　overladen；〃　Cuttill　protested。　〃By　the　time　another　five　tons　are　loaded　aboard；　the　sea　will　be　lapping　at　our　lower　gunports；　and　she　won't　answer　the　helm。　She'll　founder　sure　as　heaven　if　we　take　her　back　through　the　tempest　of　Magellan　Strait。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　intend　to　return　through　the　strait；〃　said　Drake。　〃My　plan　is　to　head　north　in　search　of　a　northwest　passage　to　England。　If　that　is　not　successful；　I'll　follow　in　Magellan's　wake　across　the　Pacific　and　around　Africa。〃
　　　　〃The　Hind　will　never　see　England；　not　with　her　cargo　holds　busting　their　seams。〃
　　　　〃We'll　jettison　the　bulk　of　the　silver　on　Cano　Island　off　Ecuador；　where　we　can　salvage　it　on　a　later　voyage。　The　art　goods　will　remain　on　the　Conception。〃
　　　　〃But　what　of　your　plan　to　give　them　to　the　queen？〃
　　　　〃That　still　stands；〃　Drake　assured　him。　〃You；　Thomas；　will　take　ten　men　from　the　Hind　and　sail　the　galleon　to　Plymouth。〃