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！
On the next day they were both washed up at different parts of the bay。 Or rather； the remains left by the shark and barracuda。
At this point in Strangeways's narrative； Bond interrupted him。
'Just a minute；' he said。 'What's all this about shark and barracuda？ They're not generally savage in these waters。 There aren't very many of them round Jamaica and they don't often feed at night。 Anyway； I don't believe either of them attack humans unless there's blood in the water。 Occasionally they might snap at a white foot out of curiosity。 Have they ever behaved like this round Jamaica before？'
'Never been a case since a girl got a foot bitten off in Kingston harbour in 1942；' said Strangways。 'She was being towed by a speedboat； flipping her feet up and down。 The white feet must have looked particularly appetising。 Travelling at just the right speed too。 Everyone agrees with your theory。 And my men had harpoons and knives。 I thought I'd done everything to protect them。 Dreadful business。 You can imagine how I felt about it。 Since then we've done nothing except try to get legitimate access to the island via the Colonial Office and Washington。 You see； it belongs to an American now。 Damn slow business； particularly as there's nothing against these people。 They seem to have pretty good protection in Washington and some smart international lawyers。 We're absolutely stuck。 London told me to hang on until you came。' Strangways took a pull at his whisky and looked expectantly at Bond。
'What are the Secatur's movements ？' asked Bond。
'Still in Cuba。 Sailing in about a week； according to the CIA。'
'How many trips has she done？'
'About twenty。'
Bond multiplied one hundred and fifty thousand dollars by twenty。 If his guess was right； Mr。 Big had already taken a million pounds in gold out of the island。
'I've made some provisional arrangements for you；' said Strangways。 'There's the house at Beau Desert。 I've got you a car； Sunbeam Talbot coupe。 New tyres。 Fast。 Right car for these roads。 I've got a good man to act as your factotum。 A Cayman Islander called Quarrel。 Best swimmer and fisherman in the Caribbean。 Terribly keen。 Nice chap。 And I've borrowed the West Indian Citrus pany's rest…house at Manatee Bay。 It's the other end of the island。 You could rest up there for a week and get in a bit of training until the Secatur es in。 You'll need to be fit if you're going to try to get over to Surprise； and I honestly believe that's the only answer。 Anything else I can do？ I'll be about； of course； but I'll have to stay around Kingston to keep up munications with London and Washington。 They'll want to know everything we do。 Anything else you'd like me to fix up？'
Bond had been making up his mind。
'Yes；' he said。 'You might ask London to get the Admiralty to lend us one of their frogmen suits plete with pressed…air bottles。 Plenty of spares。 And a couple of good underwater harpoon guns。 The French ones called ''Champion〃 are the best。 Good underwater torch。 A mando dagger。 All the dope they can get from the Natural History Museum on barracuda and shark。 And some of that shark…repellent stuff the Americans used in the Pacific。 Ask B o A c to fly it all out on their direct service。'
Bond paused。 'Oh yes；' he said。 'And one of those things our saboteurs used against ships in the war。 Limpet mine； with assorted fuses。'
CHAPTER XVII
THE UNDERTAKER'S WIND
PAW…PAW with a slice of green lime； a dish piled with red bananas； purple star…apples and tangerines； scrambled eggs and bacon； Blue Mountain coffee … the most delicious in the world … Jamaican marmalade； almost black； and guava jelly。
As Bond； wearing shorts and sandals； had his breakfast on the veranda and gazed down on the sunlit panorama of Kingston and Port Royal； he thought how lucky he was and what wonderful moments of consolation there were for the darkness and danger of his profession。
Bond knew Jamaica well。 He had been there on a long assignment just after the war when the munist headquarters in Cuba was trying to infiltrate the Jamaican labour unions。 It had been an untidy and inconclusive job but he had grown to love the great green island and its staunch； humorous people。 Now he was glad to be back and to have a whole week of respite before the grim work began again。
After breakfast； Strangways appeared on the veranda with a tall brown…skinned man in a faded blue shirt and old brown twill trousers。
This was Quarrel； the Cayman Islander； and Bond liked him immediately。 There was the blood of Cromwellian soldiers and buccaneers in him and his face was strong and angular and his mouth was almost severe。 His eyes were grey。 It was only the spatulate nose and the pale palms of his hands that were negroid。
Bond shook him by the hand。
'Good morning； Captain；' said Quarrel。 ing from the most famous race of seamen in the world； this was the highest title he knew。 But there was no desire to please； or humility； in his voice。 He was speaking as mate of the ship and his manner was straightforward and candid。
That moment defined their relationship。 It remained that of a Scots laird with his head stalker； authority was unspoken and there was no room for servility。
After discussing their plans； Bond took the wheel of the little car Quarrel had brought up from Kingston and they started on up the Junction Road； leaving Strangways to busy himself with Bond's requirements。
They had got off before nine and it was still cool as they crossed the mountains that run along Jamaica's back like the central ridges of a crocodile's armour。 The road wound down towards the northern plains through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world； the tropical vegetation changing with the altitude。 The green flanks of the uplands； all feathered with bamboo interspersed with the dark； glinting green of breadfruit and the sudden Bengal fire of Flame of the Forest； gave way to the lower forests of ebony； mahogany； mahoe and logwood。 And when they reached the plains of Agualta Vale the green sea of sugar…cane and bananas stretched away to where the distant fringe of glittering shrapnel bursts marked the palm…groves along the north coast。
Quarrel was a good panion on the drive and a wonderful guide。 He talked about the trap…door spiders as they passed through the famous palm…gardens of Castle…ton； he told abovit a fight he had witnessed between a giant centipede and a scorpion and he explained the difference between the male and female paw…paw。 He described the poisons of the forest and the healing properties of tropical herbs； the pressure the palm kernel develops to break open its coconut； the length of a humming…bird's tongue； and how crocodiles carry their young in their mouths laid lengthways like sardines in a tin。
He spoke exactly but without expertise； using Jamaican language in which plants'strive' or 'quail'； moths are 'bats'； and 'love' is used instead of 'like'。 As he talked he would raise his hand in greeting to the people on the road and they would wave back and shout his name。
'You seem to know a lot of people；' said Bond as the driver of a bulging bus with ROMANCE in large letters over the windshield gave him a couple of weling blasts on his wind…horn。
'I bin watching Surprise for tree muns； Cap'n；' answered Quarrel； ' 'n I been travelling this road twice a week。 Everyone soon know you in Jamaica。 They got good eyes。'
By half…past ten they had passed through Port Maria and branched off along the little parochial road that runs down to Shark Bay。 Round a turning they suddenly came on it below them and Bond stopped the car and they got out。
The bay was crescent shaped； perhaps three…quarters of a mile wide at its arms。 Its blue surface was ruffled by a light breeze blowing from the north…east； the edge of the Trade Winds that are born five hundred miles away in the Gulf of Mexico and then go on their long journey round the world。
A mile from where they stood； a long line of breakers showed the reef just outside the bay and the narrow untroubled waters of the passage which was the only entrance to the anchorage。 In the centre of the crescent； the Isle of Surprise rose a hundred feet sheer out of the water； small waves creaming against its easterly base； calm waters in its lee。
It was nearly round； and it looked like a tall grey cake topped with green icing on a blue china plate。
They had stopped about a hundred feet above the little cluster of fishermen's huts behind the palm…fringed beach of the bay and they were level with the flat green top of the island； half a mile away。 Quarrel pointed out the thatched roofs of the wattle…and…daub shanties among the trees in the centre of the island。 Bond examined them through Quarrel's binoculars。 There was no sign of life except a thin wisp of smoke blowing away with the breeze。
Below them； the water of the bay was pale green on the white sand。 Then it deepened to dark blue just before the broken brown of a submerged fringe of inner reef that made a wide semicircle a hundred yards from the island。 Then it was dark blue again with patches of lighter blue and aquamarine。 Quarrel said that the depth of the Secatur's anchorage was about thirty feet。
To their left； in the middle of the western arms of the bay； deep among the trees behind a tiny white sand beach； was their base of operations； Beau Desert。 Quarrel described its layout and Bond stood for ten minutes examining the three…hundred…yard stretch of sea between it and the Secatur's anchorage up against the island。
In all； Bond spent an hour reconnoitring the place； then； without going near their house or the village； they turned the car and got back on the main coast road。
They drove on through the beautiful little banana port of Oracabessa and Ocho Rios with its huge new bauxite plant； along the north shore to Montego Bay； two hours away。 It was now February and the season was in full swing。 The little village and the straggle of large hotels were bathed in the four months gold…rush that sees them through the whole year。 They stopped at a rest…house on the other side of the wide bay and had lunch and then drove on through the heat of the afternoon to the western tip of the island； two hours further on。
Here； because of the huge coastal swamps； nothing has happened since Columbus used Manatee Bay as a casual anchorage。 Jamaican fishermen have taken the place of the Arawak Indians； but otherwise there is the impression that time has stood still。
Bond thought it the most beautiful beach he had ever seen； five miles of white sand sloping easily into the breakers and； behind； the palm trees marching in graceful disarray to the horizon。 Under them； the grey canoes were pulled up beside pink mounds of discarded conch shells； and among them smoke rose from the palm thatch cabins of the fishermen in the shade between the swamp…lands and the sea。
In a clearing among the cabins； set on a rough lawn of Bahama grass； was the house on stilts built as a weekend cottage for the employees of the West Indian Citrus pany。 It was built on stilts to keep the termites at bay and it was closely wired against mosquito and sand…fly。 Bond drove off the rough track and parked under the house。 While Quarrel chose two rooms and made them fortable Bond put a towel round his waist and walked through the palm trees to the sea； twenty yards away。
For an hour he swam and lazed in the warm buoyant water； thinking of Surprise and its secret； fixing these three hundred yards in his mind； wondering about the shark and barracuda and the other hazards of the sea； that great library of books one cannot read。
Walking back to the little wooden bungalow； Bond picked up his first sandfly bites。 Quarrel chuckled when he saw the flat bumps on his back that would soon start to itch maddeningly。
'Can't do nuthen to keep them away； Cap'n；' he said。 'But Ah kin stop them ticklin'。 You best take a shower first to git the salt off。 They only bites hard for an hour in the evenin' and then they likes salt with their dinner。'
When Bond came out of the shower Quarrel produced an old medicine bottle and swabbed the bites with a brown liquid that smelled of creosote。
'We get more skeeters and sandfly in the Caymans than anywheres else in the world；' he said； 'b