the works of edgar allan poe-3-第3章

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all。　Thinking　our　boat　（which　it　will　be　remembered　was　dismasted）
some　mere　shell　cut　adrift　as　useless；　the　captain　（Captain　E。　T。　V。
Block；　of　New　London）　was　for　proceeding　on　his　course　without
troubling　himself　further　about　the　matter。　Luckily；　there　were　two
of　the　look…out　who　swore　positively　to　having　seen　some　person　at
our　helm；　and　represented　the　possibility　of　yet　saving　him。　A
discussion　ensued；　when　Block　grew　angry；　and；　after　a　while；　said
that　〃it　was　no　business　of　his　to　be　eternally　watching　for
egg…shells；　that　the　ship　should　not　put　about　for　any　such　nonsense；
and　if　there　was　a　man　run　down；　it　was　nobody's　fault　but　Henderson；
the　first　mate；　now　took　the　matter　up；　being　justly　indignant；　as
well　as　the　whole　ship's　crew；　at　a　speech　evincing　so　base　a　degree
of　heartless　atrocity。　He　spoke　plainly；　seeing　himself　upheld　by　the
men；　told　the　captain　he　considered　him　a　fit　subject　for　the
gallows；　and　that　he　would　disobey　his　orders　if　he　were　hanged　for
it　the　moment　he　set　his　foot　on　shore。　He　strode　aft；　jostling　Block
（who　turned　pale　and　made　no　answer）　on　one　side；　and　seizing　the
helm；　gave　the　word；　in　a　firm　voice；　Hard…a…lee！　The　men　flew　to
their　posts；　and　the　ship　went　cleverly　about。　All　this　had　occupied
nearly　five　minutes；　and　it　was　supposed　to　be　hardly　within　the
bounds　of　possibility　that　any　individual　could　be　saved…　allowing
any　to　have　been　on　board　the　boat。　Yet；　as　the　reader　has　seen；　both
Augustus　and　myself　were　rescued；　and　our　deliverance　seemed　to　have
been　brought　about　by　two　of　those　almost　inconceivable　pieces　of
good　fortune　which　are　attributed　by　the　wise　and　pious　to　the
special　interference　of　Providence。

　　　　While　the　ship　was　yet　in　stays；　the　mate　lowered　the　jolly…boat
and　jumped　into　her　with　the　very　two　men；　I　believe；　who　spoke　up　as
having　seen　me　at　the　helm。　They　had　just　left　the　lee　of　the　vessel
（the　moon　still　shining　brightly）　when　she　made　a　long　and　heavy　roll
to　windward；　and　Henderson；　at　the　same　moment；　starting　up　in　his
seat　bawled　out　to　his　crew　to　back　water。　He　would　say　nothing　else…
repeating　his　cry　impatiently；　back　water！　black　water！　The　men　put
back　as　speedily　as　possible；　but　by　this　time　the　ship　had　gone
round；　and　gotten　fully　under　headway；　although　all　hands　on　board
were　making　great　exertions　to　take　in　sail。　In　despite　of　the　danger
of　the　attempt；　the　mate　clung　to　the　main…chains　as　soon　as　they
came　within　his　reach。　Another　huge　lurch　now　brought　the　starboard
side　of　the　vessel　out　of　water　nearly　as　far　as　her　keel；　when　the
cause　of　his　anxiety　was　rendered　obvious　enough。　The　body　of　a　man
was　seen　to　be　affixed　in　the　most　singular　manner　to　the　smooth　and
shining　bottom　（the　Penguin　was　coppered　and　copper…fastened）；　and
beating　violently　against　it　with　every　movement　of　the　hull。　After
several　ineffectual　efforts；　made　during　the　lurches　of　the　ship；　and
at　the　imminent　risk　of　swamping　the　boat　I　was　finally　disengaged
from　my　perilous　situation　and　taken　on　board…　for　the　body　proved　to
be　my　own。　It　appeared　that　one　of　the　timber…bolts　having　started
and　broken　a　passage　through　the　copper；　it　had　arrested　my　progress
as　I　passed　under　the　ship；　and　fastened　me　in　so　extraordinary　a
manner　to　her　bottom。　The　head　of　the　bolt　had　made　its　way　through
the　collar　of　the　green　baize　jacket　I　had　on；　and　through　the　back
part　of　my　neck；　forcing　itself　out　between　two　sinews　and　just　below
the　right　ear。　I　was　immediately　put　to　bed…　although　life　seemed　to
be　totally　extinct。　There　was　no　surgeon　on　board。　The　captain；
however；　treated　me　with　every　attention…　to　make　amends；　I　presume；
in　the　eyes　of　his　crew；　for　his　atrocious　behaviour　in　the　previous
portion　of　the　adventure。

　　　　In　the　meantime；　Henderson　had　again　put　off　from　the　ship；
although　the　wind　was　now　blowing　almost　a　hurricane。　He　had　not　been
gone　many　minutes　when　he　fell　in　with　some　fragments　of　our　boat；
and　shortly　afterward　one　of　the　men　with　him　asserted　that　he　could
distinguish　a　cry　for　help　at　intervals　amid　the　roaring　of　the
tempest。　This　induced　the　hardy　seamen　to　persevere　in　their　search
for　more　than　half　an　hour；　although　repeated　signals　to　return　were
made　them　by　Captain　Block；　and　although　every　moment　on　the　water　in
so　frail　a　boat　was　fraught　to　them　with　the　most　imminent　and　deadly
peril。　Indeed；　it　is　nearly　impossible　to　conceive　how　the　small
jolly　they　were　in　could　have　escaped　destruction　for　a　single
instant。　She　was　built；　however；　for　the　whaling　service；　and　was
fitted；　as　I　have　since　had　reason　to　believe；　with　air…boxes；　in　the
manner　of　some　life…boats　used　on　the　coast　of　Wales。

　　　　After　searching　in　vain　for　about　the　period　of　time　just
mentioned；　it　was　determined　to　get　back　to　the　ship。　They　had
scarcely　made　this　resolve　when　a　feeble　cry　arose　from　a　dark　object
that　floated　rapidly　by。　They　pursued　and　soon　overtook　it。　It　proved
to　be　the　entire　deck　of　the　Ariel's　cuddy。　Augustus　was　struggling
near　it；　apparently　in　the　last　agonies。　Upon　getting　hold　of　him　it
was　found　that　he　was　attached　by　a　rope　to　the　floating　timber。　This
rope；　it　will　be　remembered；　I　had　myself　tied　around　his　waist；　and
made　fast　to　a　ringbolt；　for　the　purpose　of　keeping　him　in　an　upright
position；　and　my　so　doing；　it　appeared；　had　been　ultimately　the　means
of　preserving　his　life。　The　Ariel　was　slightly　put　together；　and　in
going　down　her　frame　naturally　went　to　pieces；　the　deck　of　the　cuddy；
as　might　have　been　expected；　was　lifted；　by　the　force　of　the　water
rushing　in；　entirely　from　the　main　timbers；　and　floated　（with　other
fragments；　no　doubt）　to　the　surface…　Augustus　was　buoyed　up　with　it；
and　thus　escaped　a　terrible　death。

　　　　It　was　more　than　an　hour　after　being　taken　on　board　the　Penguin
before　he　could　give　any　account　of　himself；　or　be　made　to　comprehend
the　nature　of　the　accident　which　had　befallen　our　boat。　At　length　he
became　thoroughly　aroused；　and　spoke　much　of　his　sensations　while　in
the　water。　Upon　his　first　attaining　any　degree　of　consciousness；　he
found　himself　beneath　the　surface；　whirling　round　and　round　with
inconceivable　rapidity；　and　with　a　rope　wrapped　in　three　or　four
folds　tightly　about　his　neck。　In　an　instant　afterward　he　felt　himself
going　rapidly　upward；　when；　his　head　striking　violently　against　a
hard　substance；　he　again　relapsed　into　insensibility。　Upon　once　more
reviving　he　was　in　fuller　possession　of　his　reason…　this　was　still；
however；　in　the　greatest　degree　clouded　and　confused。　He　now　knew
that　some　accident　had　occurred；　and　that　he　was　in　the　water；
although　his　mouth　was　above　the　surface；　and　he　could　breathe　with
some　freedom。　Possibly；　at　this　period　the　deck　was　drifting　rapidly
before　the　wind；　and　drawing　him　after　it；　as　he　floated　upon　his
back。　Of　course；　as　long　as　he　could　have　retained　this　position；　it
would　have　been　nearly　impossible　that　he　should　be　drowned。
Presently　a　surge　threw　him　directly　athwart　the　deck；　and　this　post
he　endeavored　to　maintain；　screaming　at　intervals　for　help。　just
before　he　was　discovered　by　Mr。　Henderson；　he　had　been　obliged　to
relax　his　hold　through　exhaustion；　and；　falling　into　the　sea；　had
given　himself　up　for　lost。　During　the　whole　period　of　his　struggles
he　had　not　the　faintest　recollection　of　the　Ariel；　nor　of　the　matters
in　connexion　with　the　source　of　his　disaster。　A　vague　feeling　of
terror　and　despair　had　taken　entire　possession　of　his　faculties。　When
he　was　finally　picked　up；　every　power　of　his　mind　had　failed　him；
and；　as　before　said；　it　was　nearly　an　hour　after　getting　on　board　the
Penguin　before　he　became　fully　aware　of　his　condition。　In　regard　to
myself…　I　was　resuscitated　from　a　state　bordering　very　nearly　upon
death　（and　after　every　other　means　had　been　tried　in　vain　for　three
hours　and　a　half）　by　vigorous　friction　with　flannels　bathed　in　hot
oil…　a　proceeding　suggested　by　Augustus。　The　wound　in　my　neck；
although　of　an　ugly　appearance；　proved　of　little　real　consequence；
and　I　soon　recovered　from　its　effects。

　　　　The　Penguin　got　into　port　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；
after