the cruise of the jasper b.-第27章

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All　were　acquainted　with　the　hymn；　the　pastor　grasped　a　capstan

bar　and　struck　up　the　song　in　an　agreeable　tenor　voice；　they　put

their　backs　into　the　work　and　their　hearts　into　the　song；　and　the

anchors　of　the　Jasper　B。　came　out　of　mud　to　the　stirring　notes　of

〃Onward　Christian　Soldiers；　marching　as　to　war！〃



While　they　were　so　engaged　the　breeze　strengthened　perceptibly。　

Looking　towards　the　west；　Cleggett　perceived　the　sun　sinking

below　the　horizon。　　A　long；　blue；　low…lying　bank　of　clouds　seemed

to　engulf　it；　for　a　moment　the　top　of　this　cloud　was　shot　through

with　a　golden　color；　then　a　mass　of　quicker　moving；　nearer　vapors

from　the　north　seemed　to　leap　suddenly　nearer　still；　to　extend

itself　at　a　bound　over　almost　a　third　of　the　sky；　in　a　breath　the

day　was　gone；　a　storm　threatened。



The　rising　wind　made　the　task　of　getting　the　canvas　on　the　poles

extraordinarily　difficult。　　Cleggett　was　well　aware　that　the

usual　method　of　procedure；　in　the　presence　of　a　storm；　is　rather

to　take　in　sail　than　to　crack　on；　but；　always　the　original；　he

decided　in　this　case　to　reverse　the　common　custom。　　Ashore　or　at

sea；　he　never　permitted　himself　to　be　the　slave　of

conventionalities。　　The　Jasper　B。　had　lain　so　long　in　one　spot

that　it　would　undoubtedly　take　more　than　a　capful　of　wind　to　move

her。　Cleggett　did　not　know　when　he　would　get　such　a　strong　wind

again；　coming　from　the　right　direction；　and　determined　to　make

the　most　of　this　one　while　he　had　it。　　Genius　partly　consists　in

the　acuteness　which　grasps　opportunities。



From　the　struggles　of　Cap'n　Abernethy　and　the　crew　with　the

canvas；　which　he　saw　none　too　clearly　through　the　increasing　dusk

from　his　post　at　the　wheel；　Cleggett　judged　that　the　wind　was

indeed　strong　enough　for　his　purpose。　　Yards；　sheets　and　sails

seemed　to　be　acting　in　the　most　singular　manner。　　He　could　not

remember　reading　of　any　parallel　case　in　the　treatises　on

navigation　which　he　had　perused。　　Every　now　and　then　the　Cap'n　or

one　of　the　crew　would　be　jerked　clean　off　his　feet　by　some　quick

and　unexpected　motion　of　a　sail　and　flung　into　the　water。　　When

this　occurred　the　person　who　had　been　ducked　crawled　out　on　the

bank　of　the　canal　again　and　went　on　board　by　way　of　the

gangplank；　returning　stubbornly　to　his　task。



The　booms　in　particular　were　possessed　of　a　restless　and　unstable

spirit。　　They　made　sudden　swoops；　sweeps；　and　dashes　in　all

directions。　　Sometimes　as　many　as　three　of　the　crew　of　the　Jasper

B。　would　be　knocked　to　the　deck　or　into　the　water　by　a　boom　at

the　same　time。　　But　Cleggett　noted　with　satisfaction　that　they

were　plucky；　they　stuck　valiantly　to　the　job。　　A　doubt　assailed

Cleggett　as　to　the　competence　of　Cap'n　Abernethy；　but　he　was

loyal　and　fought　it　down。



Finally　Cap'n　Abernethy　hit　upon　a　novel　and　ingenious　idea。　　He

tied　stout　lines　to　the　ends　of　the　booms。　　The　other　ends　of

these　ropes　he　ran　through　the　eyes　of　a　couple　of　spare　anchors。

Taking　the　anchors　ashore；　he　made　them　fast　to　the　wooden

platform　which　was　alongside　the　Jasper　B。　　Then　he　took　up　the

slack　in　the　lines；　pulling　them　taut　and　fastening　them　tightly。



Thus　the　booms　were　held　fast　and　stiff　in　position；　and　the　crew

could　get　the　canvas　spread　without　being　endangered　by　their

strange　and　unaccountable　actions。



This　brilliant　idea　of　anchoring　the　booms　to　the　land　would　not

have　been　practicable　had　it　not　been　for　a　whimsical　cessation

of　the　wind；　a　lull　such　as　incident　to　the　coming　of　spring

storms　in　these　latitudes。　　While　the　wind　was　in　abeyance　the

men　got　the　sails　spread。　　Then　the　Captain　untied　the　lines；

brought　the　spare　anchors　on　board；　knocked　the　gangplank　loose

with　a　few　blows　of　his　ax；　and　waited　for　the　wind　to　resume。



When　the　wind　did　blow　again　it　came　in　a　gust　which　was

accompanied　by　a　twinkle　of　lightening　over　the　whole　sky　and

grumble　of　thunder。　　A　whirl　of　dust　and　fine　gravel　enveloped

the　Jasper　B。　　For　a　moment　it　was　like　a　sandstorm。　　A　few　large

drops　of　water　fell。　　The　gust　was　violent；　the　sails　filled　with

it　and　struggled　like　kites　to　be　free；　here　and　there　a　strand

of　rope　snapped；　the　masts　bent　and　creaked；　the　booms　jumped　and

swung　round　like　live　things；　the　whole　ship　from　bowsprit　to

rudder　shook　and　trembled　with　the　assault。



Cleggett；　watchful　at　the　wheel；　prepared　to　turn　her　nose　away

from　the　bank；　but　he　was　astonished　to　perceive　that　in　spite　of

her　quaking　and　shivering　the　Jasper　B。　did　not　move　one　inch

forward　from　her　position。　　He　was　prepared　for　a　certain

stability　on　the　part　of　the　Jasper　B。；　but　not　for　quite　so　much

of　it。



With　the　next　gust　the　storm　was　on　them　in　earnest。　　This　blast

came　with　zigzag　flashes　of　lightning　that　showed　the　heavens

riotous　with　battalions　of　charging　clouds；　it　came　with

deafening　thunder　and　a　torrential　discharge　of　rain。　　One　would

have　thought　the　power　of　the　wind　sufficient　to　set　a　steel

battleship　scudding　before　it　like　a　wooden　shoe。　　And　yet　the

extraordinary　Jasper　B。；　although　she　shrieked　and　groaned　and

seemed　to　stagger　with　the　force　of　the　blow；　did　not　move　either

forward　or　sidewise。



She　flinched；　but　she　stood　her　ground。



Second　by　second　the　storm　increased　in　fury；　in　a　moment　it　was

no　longer　merely　a　storm；　it　was　a　tempest。　　Cleggett；　alarmed

for　the　safety　of　his　masts；　now　ordered　his　men　to　take　in　sail。



But　even　as　he　gave　the　order　he　realized　that　it　could　no　longer

be　done。　　A　cloudburst；　a　hurricane；　an　electrical　bombardment；

struck　the　Jasper　B。　all　at　once。　　One　could　not　hear　one's　own

voice。　　In　the　glare　of　the　lightning　Cleggett　saw　the　rigging

tossing　in　an　indescribable　confusion　of　canvas；　spars；　and

ropes。　　Both　masts　and　the　bowsprit　snapped　at　almost　the　same

instant。　　The　whole　chaotic　mass　was　lifted；　it　writhed　in　the

air　a　moment；　and　then　it　came　crashing　down；　partly　on　the　deck

and　partly　in　the　seething　waters　of　the　canal；　where　it　lay　and

whipped　ship　and　water　with　lashing　tentacles　of　wreckage。



But　still　the　unusual　Jasper　B。　had　not　moved　from　her　position。



Cleggett's　men　had　had　warning　enough　to　save　themselves。　　They

gathered　around　him　to　wait　for　orders。　　More　than　one　of　them

cast　anxious　glances　towards　the　land。　　Shouting　to　them　to

attack　the　debris　with　axes；　and　setting　the　example　himself；

Cleggett　soon　saw　the　deck　clear　again；　and　the　Jasper　B。；　to　all

intents；　the　same　hulk　she　had　been　when　he　bought　her。　　But　such

was　the　fury　of　the　tempest　that　even　with　the　big　kites　gone　the

Jasper　B。　continued　to　shake　and　quiver　where　she　lay。　　Speech

was　almost　impossible　on　deck；　but　Cap'n　Abernethy　signed　to

Cleggett　that　he　had　something　important　to　say　to　him。



The　whole　company　adjourned　to　the　cabin；　and　there；　shouting　to

make　himself　heard；　the　Cap'n　cried　out：



〃Her　timbers　have　been　strained　something　terrible；　Mr。　Cleggett。



She　ain't　what　I　would　call　safe　and　seaworthy　any　more。　　The'

don't　seem　to　be　any　danger　of　her　sailin'　off；　but　that's　no

sign　she　can't　be　blowed　over　onto　her　beam　ends　and　sunk　with

all　on　board。　　If　you　was　to　ask　me；　Mr。　Cleggett；　I'd　say　the

time　had　come　to　leave　the　Jasper　B。　〃



The　anxiety　depicted　on　the　faces　of　the　little　circle　about　him

might　have　communicated　itself　to　a　less　intrepid　nature。　　The

old　Cap'n　himself　was　no　coward。　　Indeed；　in　owning　to　his　alarm

he　had　really　done　a　brave　thing；　since　few　have　the　moral

courage　to　proclaim　themselves　afraid。　　But　Cleggett　was　a　man　of

iron。　　Although　the　tempest　smote　the　hulk　with　blow　after　blow；

although　both　earth　and　water　seemed　to　lie　prostrate　and

trampled　beneath　its　unappeasable　fury；　Cleggett　had　no　thought

of　yielding。



Unconsciously　he　drew　himself　up。　　It　seemed　to　his　crew　that　he

actually　gained　in　girth　and　height。　The　soul；　in　certain　great

moments；　seems　to　have　power　to　expand