the life of horatio lord nelson-第3章

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　already　tried　too　often。　No　time　was　to　be　lost；　the　ships　had　driven　into　shoal　water；　having　but　fourteen　fathoms。　Should　they；　or　the　ice　to　which　they　were　fast；　take　the　ground；　they　must　inevitably　be　lost；　and　at　this　time　they　were　driving　fast　toward　some　rocks　on　the　N。E。　Captain　Phipps　sent　for　the　officers　of　both　ships；　and　told　them　his　intention　of　preparing　the　boats　for　going　away。　They　were　immediately　hoisted　out；　and　the　fitting　begun。　Canvas　bread…bags　were　made；　in　case　it　should　be　necessary　suddenly　to　desert　the　vessels；　and　men　were　sent　with　the　lead　and　line　to　N。　and　E。；　to　sound　wherever　they　found　cracks　in　the　ice；　that　they　might　have　notice　before　the　ice　took　the　ground；　for　in　that　case　the　ships　must　instantly　have　been　crushed　or　overset。

On　the　7th　of　August　they　began　to　haul　the　boats　over　the　ice；　Nelson　having　command　of　a　four…oared　　cutter。　The　　men　behaved　excellently　well；　like　true　British　seamen：　they　seemed　reconciled　to　the　thought　of　leaving　the　ships；　and　had　full　confidence　in　their　officers。　About　noon；　the　ice　appeared　rather　more　open　near　the　vessels；　and　as　the　wind　was　easterly；　though　there　was　but　little　of　it；　the　sails　were　set；　and　they　got　about　a　mile　to　the　westward。　They　moved　very　slowly；　and　were　not　now　nearly　so　far　to　the　westward　as　when　they　were　first　beset。　However；　all　sail　was　kept　upon　them；　to　force　them　through　whenever　the　ice　slacked　the　least。　Whatever　exertions　were　made；　it　could　not　be　possible　to　get　the　boats　to　the　water's　edge　before　the　14th；　and　if　the　situation　of　the　ships　should　not　alter　by　that　time；　it　would　not　be　justifiable　to　stay　longer　by　them。　The　commander　therefore　resolved　to　carry　on　both　attempts　together；　moving　the　boats　constantly；　and　taking　every　opportunity　of　getting　the　ships　through。　A　party　was　sent　out　next　day　to　the　westward　to　examine　the　state　of　the　ice：　they　returned　with　tidings　that　it　was　very　heavy　and　close；　consisting　chiefly　of　large　fields。　The　ships；　however；　moved　something；　and　the　ice　itself　was　drifting　westward。　There　was　a　thick　fog；　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　ascertain　what　advantage　had　been　gained。　It　continued　on　the　9th；　but　the　ships　were　moved　a　little　through　some　very　small　openings：　the　mist　cleared　off　in　the　afternoon；　and　it　was　then　perceived　that　they　had　driven　much　more　than　could　have　been　expected　to　the　westward；　and　that　the　ice　itself　had　driven　still　further。　In　the　course　of　the　day　they　got　past　the　boats；　and　took　them　on　board　again。　On　the　morrow　the　wind　sprang　up　to　the　N。N。E。　All　sail　was　set；　and　the　ships　forced　their　way　through　a　great　deal　of　very　heavy　ice。　They　frequently　struck；　and　with　such　force　that　one　stroke　broke　the　shank　of　the　RACEHORSE's　best　bower…　anchor；　but　the　vessels　made　way；　and　by　noon　they　had　cleared　the　ice；　and　were　out　at　sea。　The　next　day　they　anchored　in　Smeerenberg　Harbour；　close　to　that　island　of　which　the　westernmost　point　is　called　Hakluyt's　Headland；　in　honour　of　the　great　promoter　and　compiler　of　our　English　voyages　of　discovery。

Here　they　remained　a　few　days；　that　the　men　might　rest　after　their　fatigue。　No　insect　was　to　be　seen　in　this　dreary　country；　nor　any　species　of　reptilenot　even　the　common　earth…worm。　Large　bodies　of　ice；　called　icebergs；　filled　up　the　valleys　between　high　mountains；　so　dark　as；　when　contrasted　with　the　snow；　to　appear　black。　The　colour　of　the　ice　was　a　lively　light　green。　Opposite　to　the　place　where　they　fixed　their　observatory　was　one　of　these　icebergs；　above　three　hundred　feet　high；　its　side　toward　the　sea　was　nearly　perpendicular；　and　a　stream　of　water　issued　from　it。　Large　pieces　frequently　broke　off　and　rolled　down　into　the　sea。　There　was　no　thunder　nor　lightning　during　the　whole　time　they　were　in　these　latitudes。　The　sky　was　generally　loaded　with　hard　white　clouds；　from　which　it　was　never　entirely　free　even　in　the　clearest　weather。　They　always　knew　when　they　were　approaching　the　ice　long　before　they　saw　it；　by　a　bright　appearance　near　the　horizon；　which　the　Greenlandmen　called　the　blink　of　the　ice。　The　season　was　now　so　far　advanced　that　nothing　more　could　have　been　attempted；　if　indeed　anything　had　been　left　untried；　but　the　summer　had　been　unusually　favourable；　and　they　had　carefully　surveyed　the　wall　of　ice；　extending　for　more　than　twenty　degrees　between　the　latitudes　of　80d　and　81d；　without　the　smallest　appearance　of　any　opening。

The　ships　were　paid　off　shortly　after　their　return　to　England；　and　Nelson　was　then　placed　by　his　uncle　with　Captain　Farmer；　in　the　SEAHORSE；　of　twenty　guns；　then　going　out　to　the　East　Indies　in　the　squadron　under　Sir　Edward　Hughes。　He　was　stationed　in　the　foretop　at　watch　and　watch。　His　good　conduct　attracted　the　attention　of　the　master　（afterwards　Captain　Surridge）；　in　whose　watch　he　was；　and　upon　his　recommendation　the　captain　rated　him　as　midshipman。　At　this　time　his　countenance　was　florid；　and　his　appearance　rather　stout　and　athletic；　but　when　he　had　been　about　eighteen　months　in　India；　he　felt　the　effects　of　that　climate；　so　perilous　to　European　constitutions。　The　disease　baffled　all　power　of　medicine；　he　was　reduced　almost　to　a　skeleton；　the　use　of　his　limbs　was　for　some　time　entirely　lost；　and　the　only　hope　that　remained　was　from　a　voyage　home。　Accordingly　he　was　brought　home　by　Captain　Pigot；　in　the　DOLPHIN；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　attentive　and　careful　kindness　of　that　officer　on　the　way；　Nelson　would　never　have　lived　to　reach　his　native　shores。　He　had　formed　an　acquaintance　with　Sir　Charles　Pole；　Sir　Thomas　Troubridge；　and　other　distinguished　officers；　then；　like　himself；　beginning　their　career：　he　had　left　them　pursuing　that　career　in　full　enjoyment　of　health　and　hope；　and　was　returning；　from　a　country　in　which　all　things　were　to　him　new　and　interesting；　with　a　body　broken　down　by　sickness；　and　spirits　which　had　sunk　with　his　strength。　Long　afterwards；　when　the　name　of　Nelson　was　known　as　widely　as　that　of　England　itself；　he　spoke　of　the　feelings　which　he　at　this　time　endured。　〃I　felt　impressed；〃　said　he；　〃with　a　feeling　that　I　should　never　rise　in　my　profession。　My　mind　was　staggered　with　a　view　of　the　difficulties　I　had　to　surmount　and　the　little　interest　I　possessed。　I　could　discover　no　means　of　reaching　the　object　of　my　ambition。　After　a　long　and　gloomy　reverie；　in　which　I　almost　wished　myself　overboard；　a　sudden　glow　of　patriotism　was　kindled　within　me；　and　presented　my　king　and　country　as　my　patron。　'Well　then；'　I　exclaimed；　'I　will　be　a　hero！　and；　confiding　in　Providence；　I　will　brave　every　danger！'〃

Long　afterwards　Nelson　loved　to　speak　of　the　feelings　of　that　moment；　and　from　that　time；　he　often　said；　a　radiant　orb　was　suspended　in　his　mind's　eye；　which　urged　him　onward　to　renown。　The　state　of　mind　in　which　these　feelings　began；　is　what　the　mystics　mean　by　their　season　of　darkness　and　desertion。　If　the　animal　spirits　fail；　they　represent　it　as　an　actual　temptation。　The　enthusiasm　of　Nelson's　nature　had　taken　a　different　direction；　but　its　essence　was　the　same。　He　knew　to　what　the　previous　state　of　dejection　was　to　be　attributed；　that　an　enfeebled　body；　and　a　mind　depressed；　had　cast　this　shade　over　his　soul；　but　he　always　seemed　willing　to　believe　that　the　sunshine　which　succeeded　bore　with　it　a　prophetic　glory；　and　that　the　light　which　led　him　on　was　〃light　from　heaven。〃

His　interest；　however；　was　far　better　than　he　imagined；　During　his　absence；　Captain　Suckling　had　been　made　Comptroller　of　the　Navy；　his　health　had　materially　improved　upon　the　voyage；　and　as　soon　as　the　DOLPHIN　was　paid　off；　he　was　appointed　acting　lieutenant　in　the　WORCESTER；　sixty…four；　Captain　Mark　Robinson；　then　going　out　with　convoy　to　Gibraltar。　Soon　after　his　return；　on　the　8th　of　April　1777；　he　passed　his　examination　for　a　lieutenancy。　Captain　Suckling　sat　at　the　head　of　the　board；　and　when　the　examination　had　ended；　in　a　manner　highly　honourable　to　Nelson；　rose　from　his　seat；　and　introduced　him　to　the　examining　captains　as　his　nephew。　They　expressed　their　wonder　that　he　had　not　informed　them　of　this　relationship　before；　he　replied　that　he　did　not　wish　the　younker　to　be　favoured；　he　knew　his　nephew　would　pass　a　good　examination；　and　he　had　not