11.6 揣一个安全 ê 退路

11.6 Chhōe chi̍t-ê án-choân ê thè-lō͘

Chit-chióng su-sióng ê hūn-loān, hō͘ góa kui-mê khùn bē-khì, it-ti̍t kàu thàu-chá chiah khùn-khì, in-ūi siūⁿ-tang siūⁿ-sai, thiám kah cheng-sîn chīn-pōng, tian-tò khùn kah chin tîm, chhéⁿ lâi ê sî pí í-chêng lóng khah pêng-chēng. Chit-sî, góa khai-sí léng-chēng su-khó, keng-kòe hām ka-tī ê cheng-piān, góa tit-tio̍h kiat-lūn: chit-ê tó khì-hāu sek-tong, bu̍t-sán hong-hù, koh lī tāi-lio̍k bô hn̄g, bô chhiūⁿ góa só͘ siūⁿ ê hiah-nī ko͘-choa̍t. Sui-jiân bô kò͘-tēng ê ki-bîn, m̄-koh tùi-hōaⁿ ê chûn ū-sî khó-lêng ē lâi-kàu chia, nā m̄-sī choan-kang lâi tō sī hō͘ ge̍k-hong chhoe lâi ê. Góa í-keng tī chia tòa 15 nî, m̄-bat khòaⁿ kòe lâng ê iáⁿ-jiah, khó-lêng sī in-ūi múi-kái in nā hō͘ hong chhoe lâi chia, in tō sûi chīn-chá tńg-khì, in-ūi in jīn-ûi chia án-chóaⁿ to bô sek-ha̍p in tēng-ki. Góa jīn-ûi siōng tōa ê hûi-hiám, sī ùi tāi-lio̍k ngó͘-jiân tī chia chiūⁿ-hōaⁿ ê chió-sò͘ lâng. Che khó-lêng sī hō͘ hong chhoe lâi, m̄-sī in pún-sin ê ì-goān, só͘-tì bē lâu lo̍h-lâi. In chin kín tō koh lī-khui, in-ūi kiaⁿ bē-hù hái-tiâu, bē-hù thiⁿ-àm chêng, in chin chío tī chia keh-mê. Só͘-tì, góa só͘ su-iàu chò ê, put-kò sī chhōe chi̍t-ê an-choân ê thè-lō͘, hó-thang tī khòaⁿ tio̍h chheⁿ-hoan chiūⁿ-hōaⁿ ê sî sú-iōng.

Chit-chūn, góa khai-sí hoán-hóe kā soaⁿ-tōng óe kah hiah tōa, koh ke khui chi̍t-ê mn̂g, khui tī ûi-chhiûⁿ hām chio̍h-piah sio-chiap ê gōa-kháu. Chū án-ne, keng-kòe it-chài khó-lī, góa koat-tēng koh ûi chi̍t-ê pòaⁿ-îⁿ hêng ê kang-sū, lī goân-pún ê ûi-chhiûⁿ chi̍t-tōaⁿ kī-lī, its góa kóng kòe, 12-nî chêng góa chèng nn̄g-pâi chhiū-á hia. Chiah-ê chhiū-á in-ūi chèng kah chin cha̍t, kan-ta su-iàu an-chhah kúi-ki thiāu-á, tō koh-khah ba̍t, koh-khah ióng, ûi-chhiûⁿ chin kín tō oân-sêng. 

Só͘-í, taⁿ góa ū nn̄g-tó͘ ûi-chhiûⁿ, gōa-chhiûⁿ kō͘ chhâ-kho͘, lám-soh, tt siūⁿ ē-kàu ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ lâi ka-kiông, ke kāu-tō͘. Tiong-kan ū chhun-chhiú ē-tit chhut-khì ê chhit-ê sió khang. Tī lāi-hiòng, góa kā ûi-chhiûⁿ kāu-tō͘ cheng-ka kàu cpt 10 eng-chhioh [3 bí], kō͘ kè-sio̍k ùi soaⁿ-tōng óe ê thô͘ thūn chhiûⁿ-á kha, koh tī téng-bīn ta̍h. Hit chhit-ê khang, góa siat-hoat kā an musket tn̂g-chhèng, che sī góa ùi phòa chûn chah chiūⁿ-hōaⁿ ê. Góa kā an-chong chò góa ê hóe-phàu, kō͘ kè-á kā kò͘-tēng, án-ne góa tō ē-tàng tī nn̄g hun-cheng khui chhit-chhèng. Góa sin-khó͘ kúi-ā kò goe̍h chiah oân-sêng chit-tó͘ chhiûⁿ, it-ti̍t kàu chò-hó, góa chiah kám-kak ka-tī an-choân. 

Tán che chò-hó liáu-āu, góa tī ûi-chhiûⁿ gōa-kháu thô͘-kha, múi chi̍t hong-hiòng lóng chhah móa liú-chhiū hit-lūi ê khi̍t-á, che chin hó oa̍h, mā khiā chin chāi, chóng-sò͘ chiong-kīn 2 bān ki. Chiah-ê khi̍t-á hām ûi-chhiûⁿ tiong-kan lâu chi̍t-ê tōa khong-kan, án-ne góa chiah khòaⁿ ē-tio̍h te̍k-jîn, tī in boeh chiap-kīn ûi-chhiûⁿ ê sî, mā bē-tàng kō͘ chhiū-á cha̍h ka-tī.

Án-ne kòe nn̄g-nî góa tō ū chi̍t-ê ba̍t-ba̍t ê chhiū-nâ-á, kòe gō͘/la̍k nî, góa ê chhù thâu-chêng tō ū chi̍t-phiàn chhiū-nâ, cha̍t thōng-thōng koh ióng chòng-chòng, khak-si̍t sī kheh to kheh bē-kòe. M̄-koán siáⁿ-mih lâng mā siūⁿ bē-kàu chhiū-nâ gōa sī siáⁿ, koh-khah bián kóng siūⁿ tio̍h ū khiā-ke. Tī chhiū-nâ, góa bô lâu lō͘, só͘-í góa ê chhut-ji̍p sī iōng nn̄g-ê thui: chi̍t-ê kè tī chio̍h-piah khah kē ê só͘-chāi, hia ū chi̍t-ê lap-o, tú-hó ē-tit khǹg tē-jī ê thui. Tán nn̄g-ê thui lóng the̍h-cháu ê sî, bô-lâng ē-tit chiap-kīn góa ê siâⁿ-pó bô seng siong-tio̍h ka-tī. Tō-kóng in lo̍h-lâi, in mā iáu tī gōa-kháu [?lāi-bīn] ûi-chhiûⁿ ê gōa-bīn.

Só͘-í, góa chhái-chhú jîn-lūi kín-sīn siūⁿ ē-kàu ê it-chhè hoat-tō͘ lâi pó-hō͘ ka-tī, chiong-kî-bóe lán ē khòaⁿ tio̍h, che m̄-sī bô lí-iû. Sui-jiân hit-sî góa iáu bô ī-kiàn ū siáⁿ hûi-hiám, kan-ta sī ka-tī sim-koaⁿ teh kiaⁿ. 

(2023-5-1)

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11.6 揣一个安全 ê 退路

這種思想 ê 混亂, 予我規暝睏袂去, 一直到透早才睏去, 因為想東想西, 忝 kah 精神盡磅, 顛倒睏 kah 真沉, 醒來 ê 時比以前 lóng 較平靜. 這時, 我開始冷靜思考, 經過和家己 ê 爭辯, 我得著結論: 這个島氣候適當, 物產豐富, koh 離大陸無遠, 無像我所想 ê hiah-nī 孤絕. 雖然無固定 ê 居民, m̄-koh 對岸 ê 船有時可能會來到 chia, 若毋是專工來 tō 是予逆風吹來 ê. 我已經 tī chia 蹛 15 年, m̄-bat 看過人 ê 影跡, 可能是因為每改 in 若予風吹來 chia, in tō 隨盡早轉去, 因為 in 認為 chia 按怎 to 無適合 in 定居. 我認為上大 ê 危險, 是 ùi 大陸偶然 tī chia 上岸 ê 少數人. 這可能是予風吹來, 毋是 in 本身 ê 意願, 所致袂留落來. In 真緊 tō koh 離開, 因為驚袂赴海潮, 袂赴天暗前, in 真少 tī chia 隔暝. 所致, 我所需要做 ê, 不過是揣一个安全 ê 退路, hó-thang tī 看著生番上岸 ê 時使用.

這陣, 我開始反悔 kā 山洞挖 kah hiah 大, koh 加開一个門, 開 tī 圍牆和石壁相接 ê 外口. 自 án-ne, 經過一再考慮, 我決定 koh 圍一个半圓形 ê 工事, 離原本 ê 圍牆一段距離, its 我講過, 12 年前我種兩排樹仔 hia. Chiah-ê 樹仔因為種 kah 真 cha̍t, 干焦需要安插幾支柱仔, tō 閣較密, 閣較勇, 圍牆真緊 tō 完成. 

所以, 今我有兩堵圍牆, 外牆 kō͘ 柴箍, 纜索, tt 想會到 ê 物件來加強, 加厚度. 中間有伸手會得出去 ê 七个小空. Tī 內向, 我 kā 圍牆厚度增加到 cpt 10 英尺 [3 米], kō͘ 繼續 ùi 山洞挖 ê 塗坉牆仔跤, koh tī 頂面踏. 彼七个空, 我設法 kā 安 musket 長銃, 這是我 ùi 破船扎上岸 ê. 我 kā 安裝做我 ê 火炮, kō͘ 架仔 kā 固定, án-ne 我 tō 會當 tī 兩分鐘開七銃. 我辛苦幾若個月才完成這堵牆, 一直到做好, 我才感覺家己安全. 

等這做好了後, 我 tī 圍牆外口塗跤, 每一方向 lóng 插滿柳樹彼類 ê 杙仔, 這真好活, mā 徛真在, 總數將近 2 萬支. Chiah-ê 杙仔和圍牆中間留一个大空間, án-ne 我才看會著敵人, tī in 欲接近圍牆 ê 時, mā 袂當 kō͘ 樹仔閘家己.

Án-ne 過兩年我 tō 有一个密密 ê 樹林仔, 過五六年, 我 ê 厝頭前 tō 有一遍樹林, cha̍t thōng-thōng koh 勇 chòng-chòng, 確實是 kheh to kheh 袂過. 毋管啥物人 mā 想袂到樹林外是啥, 閣較免講想著有徛家. Tī 樹林, 我無留路, 所以我 ê 出入是用兩个梯: 一个架 tī 石壁較低 ê 所在, hia 有一个 lap-o, 拄好會得囥第二个梯. 等兩个梯 lóng 提走 ê 時, 無人會得接近我 ê 城堡無先傷著家己. Tō 講 in 落來, in mā 猶 tī 外口 [?內面] 圍牆 ê 外面.

所以, 我採取人類謹慎想會到 ê 一切法度來保護家己, 終其尾咱會看著, 這毋是無理由. 雖然彼時我猶無預見有啥危險, 干焦是家己心肝 teh 驚. 

(2023-5-1)

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11.6

This confusion of my thoughts kept me awake all night; but in the morning I fell asleep; and having, by the amusement of my mind, been as it were tired, and my spirits exhausted, I slept very soundly, and waked much better composed than I had ever been before. And now I began to think sedately; and, upon debate with myself, I concluded that this island (which was so exceedingly pleasant, fruitful, and no farther from the mainland than as I had seen) was not so entirely abandoned as I might imagine; that although there were no stated inhabitants who lived on the spot, yet that there might sometimes come boats off from the shore, who, either with design, or perhaps never but when they were driven by cross winds, might come to this place; that I had lived there fifteen years now and had not met with the least shadow or figure of any people yet; and that, if at any time they should be driven here, it was probable they went away again as soon as ever they could, seeing they had never thought fit to fix here upon any occasion; that the most I could suggest any danger from was from any casual accidental landing of straggling people from the main, who, as it was likely, if they were driven hither, were here against their wills, so they made no stay here, but went off again with all possible speed; seldom staying one night on shore, lest they should not have the help of the tides and daylight back again; and that, therefore, I had nothing to do but to consider of some safe retreat, in case I should see any savages land upon the spot.

Now, I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so large as to bring a door through again, which door, as I said, came out beyond where my fortification joined to the rock: upon maturely considering this, therefore, I resolved to draw me a second fortification, in the manner of a semicircle, at a distance from my wall, just where I had planted a double row of trees about twelve years before, of which I made mention: these trees having been planted so thick before, they wanted but few piles to be driven between them, that they might be thicker and stronger, and my wall would be soon finished. /

So that I had now a double wall; and my outer wall was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and everything I could think of, to make it strong; having in it seven little holes, about as big as I might put my arm out at. In the inside of this I thickened my wall to about ten feet thick with continually bringing earth out of my cave, and laying it at the foot of the wall, and walking upon it; and through the seven holes I contrived to plant the muskets, of which I took notice that I had got seven on shore out of the ship; these I planted like my cannon, and fitted them into frames, that held them like a carriage, so that I could fire all the seven guns in two minutes’ time; this wall I was many a weary month in finishing, and yet never thought myself safe till it was done.

When this was done I stuck all the ground without my wall, for a great length every way, as full with stakes or sticks of the osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow, as they could well stand; insomuch that I believe I might set in near twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty large space between them and my wall, that I might have room to see an enemy, and they might have no shelter from the young trees, if they attempted to approach my outer wall.

Thus in two years’ time I had a thick grove; and in five or six years’ time I had a wood before my dwelling, growing so monstrously thick and strong that it was indeed perfectly impassable: and no men, of what kind soever, could ever imagine that there was anything beyond it, much less a habitation. As for the way which I proposed to myself to go in and out (for I left no avenue), it was by setting two ladders, one to a part of the rock which was low, and then broke in, and left room to place another ladder upon that; so when the two ladders were taken down no man living could come down to me without doing himself mischief; and if they had come down, they were still on the outside of my outer wall.

Thus I took all the measures human prudence could suggest for my own preservation; and it will be seen at length that they were not altogether without just reason; though I foresaw nothing at that time more than my mere fear suggested to me.

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