masterman ready-第4章

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〃Captain　Osborn；　it's　not　for　me　to　contradict　Mr。　Mackintosh；　but　that's　of　little　consequence　in　a　time　like　this：　I　should　have　held　to　my　opinion；　had　it　not　been　that　the　gentleman　passenger　and　his　son　were　standing　by；　but　now；　as　the　coast　is　clear；　I　tell　you　that　we　shall　have　something　worse　than　a　gale　of　wind。　I　have　been　in　these　latitudes　before；　and　I　am　an　old　seaman；　as　you　know。　There's　something　in　the　air；　and　there　has　been　something　during　the　last　three　days　of　calm；　which　reminds　me　too　well　of　what　I　have　seen　here　before；　and　I　am　sure　that　we　shall　have　little　better　than　a　hurricane；　as　far　as　wind　goes　…　and　worse　in　one　point；　that　it　will　last　much　longer　than　hurricanes　generally　do。　I　have　been　watching；　and　even　the　birds　tell　me　so；　and　they　are　told　by　their　nature；　which　is　never　mistaken。　That　calm　has　been　nothing　more　than　a　repose　of　the　winds　previous　to　their　being　roused　up　to　do　their　worst；　and　that　is　my　real　opinion？〃

〃Well；　and　I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　you；　Ready；　so　we　must　send　topgallant　yards　down　on　deck；　and　all　the　small　sails　and　lumber　out　of　the　tops。　Get　the　trysail　aft　and　bent；　and　lower　down　the　gaff。　I　will　go　forward。〃

Their　preparations　were　hardly　complete　before　the　wind　had　settled　to　a　fierce　gale　from　the　north…east。　The　sea　rose　rapidly；　topsail　after　topsail　was　furled；　and　by　dusk　the　Pacific　was　flying　through　the　water　with　the　wind　on　her　quarter；　under　reefed　foresail　and　storm　staysail。　It　was　with　difficulty　that　three　men　at　the　wheel　could　keep　the　helm；　such　were　the　blows　which　the　vessel　received　from　the　heavy　seas　on　the　quarter。　Not　one　seaman　in　the　ship　took　advantage　of　his　watch　below　to　go　to　sleep　that　night；　careless　as　they　generally　are；　the　storm　was　too　dreadful。　About　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　wind　suddenly　subsided；　it　was　but　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　it　again　burst　on　the　vessel　from　another　quarter　of　the　compass；　as　Ready　had　foretold；　splitting　the　foresail　into　fragments；　which　lashed　and　flogged　the　wind　till　they　were　torn　away　by　it；　and　carried　far　to　leeward。　The　heavens　above　were　of　a　pitchy　darkness；　and　the　only　light　was　from　the　creaming　foam　of　the　sea　on　every　side。　The　shift　of　wind；　which　had　been　to　the　west…north…west；　compelled　them　to　alter　the　course　of　the　vessel；　for　they　had　no　chance　but　to　scud；　as　they　now　did；　under　bare　poles；　but　in　consequence　of　the　sea　having　taken　its　run　from　the　former　wind；　which　had　been　north…east；　it　was；　as　sailors　call　it；　cross；　and　every　minute　the　waves　poured　over　the　ship；　sweeping　all　before　their　weight　of　waters。　One　poor　man　was　washed　overboard；　and　any　attempt　made　to　save　him　would　have　been　unavailing。　Captain　Osborn　was　standing　by　the　weather　gunnel；　holding　on　by　one　of　the　belaying…pins；　when　he　said　to　Mackintosh：

〃How　long　will　this　last；　think　you？〃

〃Longer　than　the　ship　will；〃　replied　the　mate　gravely。

〃I　should　hope　not；〃　replied　the　captain；　〃still　it　cannot　look　worse。　What　do　you　think；　Ready？〃

〃Far　more　fear　from　above　than　from　below　just　now；〃　replied　Ready；　pointing　to　the　yard…arms　of　the　ship；　to　each　of　which　were　little　balls　of　electric　matter　attached；　flaring　out　to　a　point。　〃Look　at　those　two　clouds；　sir；　rushing　at　each　other；　if　I〃

Ready　had　not　time　to　finish　what　he　would　have　said；　before　a　blaze　of　light；　so　dazzling　that　it　left　them　all　in　utter　darkness　for　some　seconds　afterwards；　burst　upon　their　vision；　accompanied　with　a　peal　of　thunder；　at　which　the　whole　vessel　trembled　fore　and　aft。　A　crash　…　a　rushing　forward　…　and　a　shriek　were　heard；　and　when　they　had　recovered　their　eyesight；　the　foremast　had　been　rent　by　the　lightning　as　if　it　had　been　a　lath；　and　the　ship　was　in　flames：　the　men　at　the　wheel；　blinded　by　the　lightning；　as　well　as　appalled；　could　not　steer；　the　ship　broached　to　…　away　went　the　mainmast　over　the　side　…　and　all　was　wreck；　confusion；　and　dismay。

Fortunately　the　heavy　seas　which　poured　over　the　forecastle　soon　extinguished　the　flames；　or　they　all　must　have　perished；　but　the　ship　lay　now　helpless；　and　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves　beating　violently　against　the　wrecks　of　the　masts　which　floated　to　leeward；　but　were　still　held　fast　to　the　vessel　by　their　rigging。　As　soon　as　they　could　recover　from　the　shock；　Ready　and　the　first　mate　hastened　to　the　wheel　to　try　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind；　but　this　they　could　not　do；　as；　the　foremast　and　mainmast　being　gone；　the　mizenmast　prevented　her　paying　off　and　answering　to　the　helm。　Ready；　having　persuaded　two　of　the　men　to　take　the　helm；　made　a　sign　to　Mackintosh　（for　now　the　wind　was　so　loud　that　they　could　not　hear　each　other　speak）；　and；　going　aft；　they　obtained　axes；　and　cut　away　the　mizen…rigging；　the　mizen…topmast　and　head　of　the　mizenmast　went　over　the　side；　and　then　the　stump　of　the　foremast　was　sufficient　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind　again。　Still　there　was　much　delay　and　confusion；　before　they　could　clear　away　the　wreck　of　the　masts；　and；　as　soon　as　they　could　make　inquiry；　they　found　that　four　of　the　men　had　been　killed　by　the　lightning　and　the　fall　of　the　foremast；　and　there　were　now　but　eight　remaining；　besides　Captain　Osborn　and　his　two　mates。



Chapter　V

Sailors　are　never　discouraged　by　danger　as　long　as　they　have　any　chance　of　relieving　themselves　by　their　own　exertions。　The　loss　of　their　shipmates；　so　instantaneously　summoned　away；　…　the　wrecked　state　of　the　vessel；　…　the　wild　surges　burying　them　beneath　their　angry　waters；　…　the　howling　of　the　wind；　the　dazzling　of　the　lightning；　and　the　pealing　of　the　thunder；　did　not　prevent　them　from　doing　what　their　necessity　demanded。　Mackintosh；　the　first　mate；　rallied　the　men；　and　contrived　to　fix　a　block　and　strap　to　the　still　smoking　stump　of　the　foremast；　a　rope　was　rove　through　the　block；　and　the　main…topgallant　sail　hoisted；　so　that　the　vessel　might　run　faster　before　the　gale；　and　answer　her　helm　better　than　she　did。

The　ship　was　again　before　the　wind；　and　comparatively　safe；　notwithstanding　the　heavy　blows　she　now　received　from　the　pursuing　waves。　Night　again　came　on；　but　there　was　no　repose；　and　the　men　were　worn　out　with　exposure　and　fatigue。

The　third　day　of　the　gale　dawned；　but　the　appearances　were　as　alarming　as　ever：　the　continual　breaking　of　the　seas　over　the　stern　had　washed　away　the　binnacles；　and　it　was　impossible　now　to　be　certain　of　the　course　the　ship　had　been　steered；　or　the　distance　which　had　been　run；　the　leaky　state　of　the　vessel　proved　how　much　she　had　already　suffered　from　the　violent　shocks　which　she　had　received；　and　the　certainty　was　apparent；　that　if　the　weather　did　not　abate；　she　could　not　possibly　withstand　the　force　of　the　waves　much　longer。

The　countenance　of　Captain　Osborn　showed　great　anxiety：　he　had　a　heavy　responsibility　on　his　shoulders　…　he　might　lose　a　valuable　ship；　and　still　more　valuable　cargo；　even　if　they　did　not　all　lose　their　lives；　for　they　were　now　approaching　where　the　sea　was　studded　with　low　coral　islands；　upon　which　they　might　be　thrown　by　the　waves　and　wind；　without　having　the　slightest　power　to　prevent　it　in　their　present　disabled　condition。

Ready　was　standing　by　him　when　Captain　Osborn　said

〃I　don't　much　like　this；　Ready；　we　are　now　running　on　danger　and　have　no　help　for　it。〃

〃That's　true　enough；〃　replied　Ready：　〃we　have　no　help　for　it；　it　is　God's　will；　sir；　and　His　will　be　done。〃

〃Amen！〃　replied　Captain　Osborn　solemnly；　and　then　he　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃There　were　many　captains　who　envied　me　when　I　obtained　command　of　this　fine　ship；　…　would　they　change　with　me　now？〃

〃I　should　rather　think　not；　Captain　Osborn；　but　you　never　know　what　the　day　may　bring　forth。　You　sailed　with　this　vessel；　full　of　hope　…　you　now；　not　without　reason；　feel　something　approaching　to　despair；　but　who　knows？　it　may　please　the　Almighty　to　rebuke　those　angry　winds　and　waves；　and　to…morrow　we　may　again　hope　for　the　best；　at　all　events　you　have　done　your　duty　…　no　man　can　do　more。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Captain　Osborn；　〃but　hold　hard；　Ready；　that　sea's　aboard　of　us。〃

Ready　had　just　time　to　cling　with　both　hands　to　the　belaying…pins　when　the　sea　poured　over　the　vessel；　with　a　volume　of　water　whic