the wreck of the golden mary-第3章

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the　straight　with　time。　　Not　but　what　he　was　on　his　best　behaviour

with　us；　as　everybody　was；　for　we　had　no　bickering　among　us；　for'ard

or　aft。　　I　only　mean　to　say；　he　was　not　the　man　one　would　have

chosen　for　a　messmate。　　If　choice　there　had　been；　one　might　even

have　gone　a　few　points　out　of　one's　course；　to　say；　〃No！　　Not　him！〃

But；　there　was　one　curious　inconsistency　in　Mr。　Rarx。　　That　was；

that　he　took　an　astonishing　interest　in　the　child。　　He　looked；　and　I

may　add；　he　was；　one　of　the　last　of　men　to　care　at　all　for　a　child；

or　to　care　much　for　any　human　creature。　　Still；　he　went　so　far　as　to

be　habitually　uneasy；　if　the　child　was　long　on　deck；　out　of　his

sight。　　He　was　always　afraid　of　her　falling　overboard；　or　falling

down　a　hatchway；　or　of　a　block　or　what　not　coming　down　upon　her　from

the　rigging　in　the　working　of　the　ship；　or　of　her　getting　some　hurt

or　other。　　He　used　to　look　at　her　and　touch　her；　as　if　she　was

something　precious　to　him。　　He　was　always　solicitous　about　her　not

injuring　her　health；　and　constantly　entreated　her　mother　to　be

careful　of　it。　　This　was　so　much　the　more　curious；　because　the　child

did　not　like　him；　but　used　to　shrink　away　from　him；　and　would　not

even　put　out　her　hand　to　him　without　coaxing　from　others。　　I　believe

that　every　soul　on　board　frequently　noticed　this；　and　not　one　of　us

understood　it。　　However；　it　was　such　a　plain　fact；　that　John

Steadiman　said　more　than　once　when　old　Mr。　Rarx　was　not　within

earshot；　that　if　the　Golden　Mary　felt　a　tenderness　for　the　dear　old

gentleman　she　carried　in　her　lap；　she　must　be　bitterly　jealous　of

the　Golden　Lucy。



Before　I　go　any　further　with　this　narrative；　I　will　state　that　our

ship　was　a　barque　of　three　hundred　tons；　carrying　a　crew　of　eighteen

men；　a　second　mate　in　addition　to　John；　a　carpenter；　an　armourer　or

smith；　and　two　apprentices　（one　a　Scotch　boy；　poor　little　fellow）。

We　had　three　boats；　the　Long…boat；　capable　of　carrying　twenty…five

men；　the　Cutter；　capable　of　carrying　fifteen；　and　the　Surf…boat；

capable　of　carrying　ten。　　I　put　down　the　capacity　of　these　boats

according　to　the　numbers　they　were　really　meant　to　hold。



We　had　tastes　of　bad　weather　and　head…winds；　of　course；　but；　on　the

whole　we　had　as　fine　a　run　as　any　reasonable　man　could　expect；　for

sixty　days。　　I　then　began　to　enter　two　remarks　in　the　ship's　Log　and

in　my　Journal；　first；　that　there　was　an　unusual　and　amazing　quantity

of　ice；　second；　that　the　nights　were　most　wonderfully　dark；　in　spite

of　the　ice。



For　five　days　and　a　half；　it　seemed　quite　useless　and　hopeless　to

alter　the　ship's　course　so　as　to　stand　out　of　the　way　of　this　ice。

I　made　what　southing　I　could；　but；　all　that　time；　we　were　beset　by

it。　　Mrs。　Atherfield　after　standing　by　me　on　deck　once；　looking　for

some　time　in　an　awed　manner　at　the　great　bergs　that　surrounded　us；

said　in　a　whisper；　〃O！　Captain　Ravender；　it　looks　as　if　the　whole

solid　earth　had　changed　into　ice；　and　broken　up！〃　　I　said　to　her；

laughing；　〃I　don't　wonder　that　it　does；　to　your　inexperienced　eyes；

my　dear。〃　　But　I　had　never　seen　a　twentieth　part　of　the　quantity；

and；　in　reality；　I　was　pretty　much　of　her　opinion。



However；　at　two　p。m。　on　the　afternoon　of　the　sixth　day；　that　is　to

say；　when　we　were　sixty…six　days　out；　John　Steadiman　who　had　gone

aloft；　sang　out　from　the　top；　that　the　sea　was　clear　ahead。　　Before

four　p。m。　a　strong　breeze　springing　up　right　astern；　we　were　in　open

water　at　sunset。　　The　breeze　then　freshening　into　half　a　gale　of

wind；　and　the　Golden　Mary　being　a　very　fast　sailer；　we　went　before

the　wind　merrily；　all　night。



I　had　thought　it　impossible　that　it　could　be　darker　than　it　had

been；　until　the　sun；　moon；　and　stars　should　fall　out　of　the　Heavens；

and　Time　should　be　destroyed；　but；　it　had　been　next　to　light；　in

comparison　with　what　it　was　now。　　The　darkness　was　so　profound；　that

looking　into　it　was　painful　and　oppressivelike　looking；　without　a

ray　of　light；　into　a　dense　black　bandage　put　as　close　before　the

eyes　as　it　could　be；　without　touching　them。　　I　doubled　the　look…out；

and　John　and　I　stood　in　the　bow　side…by…side；　never　leaving　it　all

night。　　Yet　I　should　no　more　have　known　that　he　was　near　me　when　he

was　silent；　without　putting　out　my　arm　and　touching　him；　than　I

should　if　he　had　turned　in　and　been　fast　asleep　below。　　We　were　not

so　much　looking　out；　all　of　us；　as　listening　to　the　utmost；　both

with　our　eyes　and　ears。



Next　day；　I　found　that　the　mercury　in　the　barometer；　which　had　risen

steadily　since　we　cleared　the　ice；　remained　steady。　　I　had　had　very

good　observations；　with　now　and　then　the　interruption　of　a　day　or

so；　since　our　departure。　　I　got　the　sun　at　noon；　and　found　that　we

were　in　Lat。　58　degrees　S。；　Long。　60　degrees　W。；　off　New　South

Shetland；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Cape　Horn。　　We　were　sixty…seven

days　out；　that　day。　　The　ship's　reckoning　was　accurately　worked　and

made　up。　　The　ship　did　her　duty　admirably；　all　on　board　were　well；

and　all　hands　were　as　smart；　efficient；　and　contented；　as　it　was

possible　to　be。



When　the　night　came　on　again　as　dark　as　before；　it　was　the　eighth

night　I　had　been　on　deck。　　Nor　had　I　taken　more　than　a　very　little

sleep　in　the　day…time；　my　station　being　always　near　the　helm；　and

often　at　it；　while　we　were　among　the　ice。　　Few　but　those　who　have

tried　it　can　imagine　the　difficulty　and　pain　of　only　keeping　the

eyes　openphysically　openunder　such　circumstances；　in　such

darkness。　　They　get　struck　by　the　darkness；　and　blinded　by　the

darkness。　　They　make　patterns　in　it；　and　they　flash　in　it；　as　if

they　had　gone　out　of　your　head　to　look　at　you。　　On　the　turn　of

midnight；　John　Steadiman；　who　was　alert　and　fresh　（for　I　had　always

made　him　turn　in　by　day）；　said　to　me；　〃Captain　Ravender；　I　entreat

of　you　to　go　below。　　I　am　sure　you　can　hardly　stand；　and　your　voice

is　getting　weak；　sir。　　Go　below；　and　take　a　little　rest。　　I'll　call

you　if　a　block　chafes。〃　　I　said　to　John　in　answer；　〃Well；　well；

John！　　Let　us　wait　till　the　turn　of　one　o'clock；　before　we　talk

about　that。〃　　I　had　just　had　one　of　the　ship's　lanterns　held　up；

that　I　might　see　how　the　night　went　by　my　watch；　and　it　was　then

twenty　minutes　after　twelve。



At　five　minutes　before　one；　John　sang　out　to　the　boy　to　bring　the

lantern　again；　and　when　I　told　him　once　more　what　the　time　was；

entreated　and　prayed　of　me　to　go　below。　　〃Captain　Ravender；〃　says

he；　〃all's　well；　we　can't　afford　to　have　you　laid　up　for　a　single

hour；　and　I　respectfully　and　earnestly　beg　of　you　to　go　below。〃　　The

end　of　it　was；　that　I　agreed　to　do　so；　on　the　understanding　that　if

I　failed　to　come　up　of　my　own　accord　within　three　hours；　I　was　to　be

punctually　called。　　Having　settled　that；　I　left　John　in　charge。　　But

I　called　him　to　me　once　afterwards；　to　ask　him　a　question。　　I　had

been　to　look　at　the　barometer；　and　had　seen　the　mercury　still

perfectly　steady；　and　had　come　up　the　companion　again　to　take　a　last

look　about　meif　I　can　use　such　a　word　in　reference　to　such

darknesswhen　I　thought　that　the　waves；　as　the　Golden　Mary　parted

them　and　shook　them　off；　had　a　hollow　sound　in　them；　something　that

I　fancied　was　a　rather　unusual　reverberation。　　I　was　standing　by　the

quarter…deck　rail　on　the　starboard　side；　when　I　called　John　aft　to

me；　and　bade　him　listen。　　He　did　so　with　the　greatest　attention。

Turning　to　me　he　then　said；　〃Rely　upon　it；　Captain　Ravender；　you

have　been　without　rest　too　long；　and　the　novelty　is　only　in　the

state　of　your　sense　of　hearing。〃　　I　thought　so　too　by　that　time；　and

I　think　so　now；　though　I　can　never　know　for　absolute　certain　in　this

world；　whether　it　was　or　not。



When　I　left　John　Steadiman　in　charge；　the　ship　was　still　going　at　a

great　rate　through　the　water。　　The　wind　still　blew　right　astern。

Though　she　was　making　great　way；　she　was　under　shortened　sail；　and

had　no　more　than　she　could　easily　carry。　　All　was　snug；　and　nothing

complained。　　There　was　a　pretty　sea　running；　b