Her hull had been made new, her canvas had come direct from the sail-lofts at Boston, and her spars were the stanchest that the American forests could afford. She carried thirty-one long 24-pounders and twenty short 32-pounders,—fifty-one guns in all, throwing six hundred and forty-four pounds of actual weight of metal to a broadside. Her officers knew her sailing qualities, and she was ballasted to a nicety, bowling13 along in a top-gallant14-stu’n-sail breeze at twelve knots an hour.
The long list of her victories over their old-time foe15 had given her men a confidence in the ship and themselves that attained16 almost the measure of a faith; and, had the occasion presented itself, they would have been as willing to match broadsides with a British seventy-four as with a frigate of equal metal with themselves. They were a fine, hearty17 lot, these jack-tars; and, as “Old Ironsides” left the green seas behind and ploughed her bluff18 nose boldly through the darker surges of the broad Atlantic, they vowed19 that the frigate’s last action would not be her least. The “Constitution” would not be dreaded20 by the British in vain.
[75]
For dreaded she was among the officers of the British North Atlantic squadron. As soon as it was discovered by the British Admiralty that she had passed the blockade, instructions were at once given out and passed from ship to ship to the end that every vessel21 of whatever class which spoke22 another on the high seas should report whether or not she had seen a vessel which looked like the “Constitution.” By means of this ocean telegraphy they hoped to discover the course and intention of the great American, and finally to succeed in bringing her into action with a British fleet. By this time they had learned their lesson. Single frigates were given orders to avoid an encounter, while other frigates were directed to hunt for her in pairs!
Charles Stewart had been one of old Preble’s “school-boy captains” before Tripoli, the second in command. He had been one to suggest the expedition to cut out or destroy the “Philadelphia,” the envied command of which fell to Decatur. But he won distinction enough before the batteries there, and afterwards when he captured the French “Experiment,” of a much heavier force and armament than his own, in a brilliant little action. He had entered the merchant service at thirteen, had been captain of a ship in the India trade at[76] nineteen, and thus from his boyhood had been schooled in the finer points of rough-and-ready seamanship.
He was born in Philadelphia, in 1778, at a time when the blood of patriotism23 ran hot in the veins24 of the mothers as well as of the fathers of the race, and he then imbibed25 the principles he afterwards stood for so valiantly26 on sea and on land. On the frigate “United States,” that “nursery of heroes,” he had for mess-mates Stephen Decatur and Richard Somers; and Edward Preble gave him ideas of discipline that later stood him in good stead. He was, like Decatur, of an impetuous disposition27; but he had learned what quick obedience28 meant to the service, and among the men on the “Constitution” it was known that infractions of duty would be quickly punished. The men tumbled quickly to the gear and handled the guns so smartly that with his picked seamen Stewart had not been out of sight of land a week before they attained a proficiency29 in man?uvre rarely surpassed on a man-of-war. It is related that once, having received an order from a superior officer to sail with his ship immediately, Stewart got under weigh, towing behind him his mainmast, which he had not had the opportunity to step.
Stewart was, of course, aware of the orders[77] which had been issued by the Admiralty, but with his ship in fine condition and provisioned for a long cruise he feared nothing that floated, whether one ship or two. In fact, just before leaving his young wife in Boston he had asked her what he should bring her home.
“A British frigate,” said she, patriotically30.
“I will bring you two of them,” he said, smiling.
Stewart sailed to the southward, in the hope of falling in with some vessels31 in the India trade. For two months, in spite of their fitness, the men were daily exercised in all weathers at evolutions with the sails and great guns, and part of the day was given to cutlass-work and pistol-practice. No emergency drill was overlooked, and from reefing topsails to sending up spare spars or setting stu’n-sails they moved like the co-ordinated parts of a great machine. But one prize having been taken, however, Stewart set his course for the coast of Europe, to seek the lion, like Paul Jones, on his own cruising ground.
On February 18, 1815, just two months after leaving Boston, the “Constitution,” being then near the Portuguese32 coast, sighted a large sail, and immediately squared away in pursuit. But hardly were they set on their new course before another sail hove up to leeward33, and[78] Stewart quickly made down for her. Overhauling34 her shortly, she was discovered to be the British merchant ship “Susan,” which he seized as a prize and sent back to Boston. Meanwhile the other sail, which afterwards proved to be the “Elizabeth,” 74, had disappeared.
The following day the “Constitution” was holding a course to the southward from the coast of Spain toward Madeira. A group of her officers stood upon her quarter-deck, watching the scud35 flying to leeward. They were rather a discontented lot. They had been to sea two months, and beyond a few merchant prizes they had nothing to show for their cruise. It was not like the luck of “Old Ironsides.” What they craved36 was action to put a confirmatory test to the metal they were so sure of. The fo’c’s’le was grumbling37, too; and the men who had been in her when she fought the “Guerriere” and the “Java” could no longer in safety boast of the glory of those combats.
Had they but known it, the “Elizabeth,” 74, and the “Tiber,” 38, in command of Captain Dacres, who had lost the “Guerriere,” were but a few hours astern of them; and the “Leander,” 50, the “Newcastle,” 50, and the “Acasta,” 40, whom they had so skilfully38[79] eluded39 at Boston, were dashing along from the westward40 in pursuit. The seas to the eastward41, too, were swarming42 with other frigates (in couples), who were seeking her no less anxiously than she was seeking them.
Stewart was not so easily disheartened as his officers. He knew that the “Constitution” was in the very midst of the ships of the enemy. Had he not known it he would not have been there. He came on deck during the afternoon in a high good humor. He was a believer in presentiments43, and said, jovially,—
“The luck of the ‘Constitution’ isn’t going to fail her this time, gentlemen. I assure you that before the sun rises and sets again you will be engaged in battle with the enemy, and it will not be with a single ship.”
The morning of the next day dawned thick and cloudy. Though well to the southward, the air was cold and damp. The wind was blowing sharply from the northeast, and the choppy seas sent their gray crests44 pettishly45 or angrily upward, where they split into foam46 and were carried down to mingle47 with the blur48 of the fog to leeward. Occasionally, in the wind-squalls, the rain pattered like hail against the bellying49 canvas and ran down into the lee-clews, where it was caught as it fell and whipped out into the sea beyond.
[80]
Two or three officers paced the quarter-deck, looking now and then aloft or to windward to see if the weather were clearing. Saving these, the fellows at the wheel, and the watch on deck, all hands were below on the gun-deck, polishing their arms or loitering in the warmth near the galley50, where the cooks were preparing the mid-day meal.
During the morning watch, Stewart, for some reason which he was unable to give, save an unaccountable impulse, changed the course and sent the ship down sixty miles to the southwest. Shortly after noon the fog fell lower, and so thinned out at the mast-head that the lookout51 on the topsail-yard could soon see along its upper surface. At about one o’clock the welcome sound of “Sail, ho!” came echoing down through the open hatchways. While ordinarily the sighting of a sail so near the coast has no great significance, Stewart’s prediction of a battle had aroused the men to a fever of impatience52; and when they knew that a large sail, apparently53 a frigate, had been raised and that the fog was lifting, the watch below dropped their kits54 and tools and tumbled up on deck to have a glimpse of the stranger. Here and there wider rifts55 appeared in the fog-banks, and the midshipman of the watch, who climbed with a[81] glass into the foretop, soon made her out to be a frigate bearing about two points on the port-bow.
Stewart came up from below and immediately crowded on top-gallant-sails and royals in pursuit. Before long the weather had cleared, so that they could make out the horizon to windward, and from the deck could dimly discern the hazy56 mass of the chase as she hung on the lee-bow, apparently motionless. In less than an hour the man at the mast-head reported another sail ahead of the first one, and noted57 that signals were being exchanged between them.
It was now almost a certainty that the vessels were those of the enemy. Forward the men were slapping one another on the back, and rough jokes and laughter resounded58 from the gun-deck, where the boys and stewards59 were clearing away the mess-dishes and stowing away all gear, in preparation for a possible action. On the quarter-deck wagers60 were freely offered on the character of the vessels, which looked to be frigates of 50 and 38. Stewart glanced aloft at the straining spars and smiled confidently.
By this time the nearer frigate bore down within the range of the glasses, and they could see that she was painted with double[82] yellow lines, and apparently cut for fifty guns. As it afterwards appeared, she had a double gun-streak, false ports having been painted in her waist. Lieutenant61 Ballard, who had been carefully examining her with his glasses, remarked to the captain, who stood at his elbow, that she must at least be a fifty-gun ship. Stewart, after a long look, suggested that she was too small to be a ship of that class. “However,” he continued, “be this as it may, you know I have promised you a fight before the setting of to-morrow’s sun; and if we do not take it, now that it is offered, we may not have another chance. We must flog them when we catch them, whether she has one gun-deck or two.”
Signals were now constantly interchanged between the vessels, and by three o’clock the “Constitution” had come so near that they were plainly made out to be two small frigates, or a frigate and a sloop-of-war, both close hauled on the starboard tack62. The “Constitution,” having the windward gauge63, now man?uvred more carefully, and, hauling her sheets flat aft, pointed64 up so as to keep the advantage of position.
“NO ‘DUTCH COURAGE’ ON THIS SHIP”
As the vessels came nearer and an action became certain, the stewards came on deck with the grog-buckets, in accordance with the[83] time-honored rule on men-of-war by which the liquor is served before a fight. Instructions had been given that, as the battle was to be with two ships, a double portion of the drink should be served. But just as the stewards were about to ladle it out an old quartermaster rolled down from forward, and saying, “We don’t want any ‘Dutch courage’ on this ship,” with a great kick sent the bucket and its contents flying into the scuppers.
About four o’clock the westernmost ship signalled her consort65 and bore down to leeward to join her. The “Constitution” now set her stu’n-sails and went bearing down after them at a strain that seemed to menace her spars. She was rapidly drawing up with them when, just as she got well within range of the long guns, there was a sharp crack far aloft and the royal-mast snapped off at the cap. It was a doubtful moment, for the Englishmen crowded on all sail to escape, and rapidly drew together, flinging out their English ensigns as though in triumph.
But they did not reckon on the superb seamanship of the “Constitution.” In a trice the men were aloft with their axes, the wreck67 was cleared away, new gear was rove, and in half an hour a new mast was aloft and another royal was spread to the breeze.
[84]
But the ships had been enabled to close with each other, and Stewart had lost the opportunity of attacking them separately. They made one ineffectual effort to get the weather-gauge, but, finding that the “Constitution” outpointed them, they settled back in line of battle and cleared ship for action. Stewart immediately showed his colors and beat to quarters.
The fog had blown away and the sun had set behind a lowering bank of clouds. The wind still blew briskly, but the “Constitution” only pitched slightly, and offered a fairly steady platform for the guns, which were now trained upon the nearest vessel, but a few hundred yards broad off the port-bow. The darkness fell rapidly, and the moon came out from behind the fast-flying cloud-bank and silvered the winter twilight68, gleaming fitfully on the restless water, a soft reproach upon the bloody69 work that was to follow.
At a few moments past six the long guns of the “Constitution’s” port-battery opened fire, and the battle was on. Both ships responded quickly to the fire, and for fifteen minutes the firing was so rapid that there was not a second’s pause between the reverberations. The English crews cheered loudly. But the gunners of the “Constitution” went on grimly with[85] their work, sponging and loading as though at target-practice, content to hear the splintering of the timbers of the nearest vessel as the double-shotted thirty-twos went crashing into her. Before long the smoke became so thick that the gunners could not see their adversaries70; and Stewart, ordering the batteries to cease firing, drew ahead and ranged abeam71 of the foremost ship, with his port-battery reloaded and double-shotted. He waited until he was well alongside before giving the order to fire, when he delivered such a terrible hail of round-shot, grape, and canister that the enemy staggered and halted like an animal mortally wounded. For the moment her battery was entirely72 silenced, and during the lull73 they could hear the cries of the wounded as they were carried below to the cockpit. The English cheered no longer. Another such a broadside might have finished her; but before Stewart could repeat it he saw that the other ship was luffing up so as to take a raking position under the stern of the “Constitution.”
Nowhere did the wonderful presence of mind of Stewart and the splendid seamanship of his crew show to better advantage than in the man?uvre which followed. He quickly braced74 his main- and mizzen-topsails flat to the mast, let fly all forward, and actually backed[86] down upon the other enemy, who, instead of being able to rake the “Constitution,” found her emerging from the smoke abreast75 his bows in a position to effectually rake him. The “Constitution’s” guns by this time had all been reloaded, and a terrific fire swept fore9 and aft along the decks of the Englishman, tearing and splintering her decks and dismounting many of the guns of both batteries. So terrible was the blow that she faltered76 and fell off. Before she could recover from the first, another terrible broadside was poured into her.
The other vessel now tried to luff up and rake the “Constitution” from the bows. But the American filled away immediately and let them have her other broadside. Side by side the “Constitution” and the larger ship sailed, firing individually and by battery as fast as they could sponge and load. Here and there a shot would strike within the stout77 bulwarks78 of the American; and one of these tore into the waist, killing79 two men and smashing through a boat in which two tigers were chained. A sailor named John Lancey, of Cape66 Ann, was carried below horribly mutilated. When the surgeon told him he only had a few moments to live, he said, “Yes, sir, I know it; but I only want to know that the[87] ship has struck.” Soon after, when he heard the cheers at her surrender, he rose from his cot, and, waving the stump80 of his blood-stained arm in the air, gasped81 out three feeble cheers and fell back lifeless.
Having silenced the larger vessel, Stewart immediately hurried to the smaller one, which had been firing through the smoke at the gun-flashes. The “Constitution” fell off, and, gathering82 headway, succeeded in getting again across her stern, where she poured in two raking broadsides, which practically cut her rigging to pieces. Returning to the larger vessel, Stewart rounded to on her port-quarter and delivered broadside after broadside with such a telling effect that at 6.50 she struck her colors.
The other vessel having in a measure refitted, came down gallantly83 but foolishly to the rescue of her consort. The “Constitution” met her with another broadside, which she tried to return, and then spread all sail to get away. But the American ship could outsail as well as outpoint her, and under the continuous fire of the bow-chasers of the “Constitution” she became practically helpless, and at about ten o’clock, when the dreaded broadside was about to be put into play again, she surrendered.
[88]
It was a wonderful battle. In a fight between one sailing-ship and two the odds84 were four-fold on the side of the majority. For it was deemed next to impossible to rake without being doubly raked in return. This obvious disadvantage was turned by Stewart to his own account by what critics throughout the world consider to be the finest man?uvring ever known in an American ship in action. He fought both his broadsides alternately, and luffed, wore, or backed his great vessel as though she had been a pleasure-boat. Neither of his adversaries succeeded in delivering one telling raking broadside. She seemed to be playing with them, and skilfully presented her reloaded guns to each vessel as it attempted to get her at a disadvantage.
The larger vessel was discovered to be the “Cyane,” 32, Captain Gordon Falcon85, and the smaller one the sloop-of-war “Levant,” 21, Captain George Douglass. The “Constitution” had fifty-one guns, while the Englishmen had fifty-three; but of the “Constitution’s” crew four were killed and ten wounded. On the “Cyane” and “Levant” thirty-five were killed and forty-two were wounded.
After the battle, while the two English captains were seated in Stewart’s cabin dining with their victor, a discussion arose between[89] them in regard to the part each had borne in the battle, while Stewart listened composedly. Their words became warmer and warmer, and each accused the other in plain terms of having been responsible for the loss of the vessels. At a point when it seemed as though the bitterness of their remarks bade fair to result in blows, Stewart arose and said, dryly,—
“Gentlemen, there is no use getting warm about it; it would have been all the same, whatever you might have done. If you doubt that, I will put you all on board again, and we can try it over.”
The invitation was declined in silence.
For this gallant action Congress awarded Stewart a sword and a gold medal, and “Old Ironsides” soon after the war was over was temporarily put out of commission. Her day of fighting was over. But years after, refitted and remodelled86, she served her country in peace as gracefully87 as she had served it gloriously in war.
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1
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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frigates
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| n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 ) | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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15
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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imbibed
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| v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 )；喝；吸取；吸气 | |
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valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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patriotically
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| 爱国地；忧国地 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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scud
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| n.疾行；v.疾行 | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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presentiments
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| n.（对不祥事物的）预感( presentiment的名词复数 ) | |
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crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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pettishly
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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49
bellying
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| 鼓出部；鼓鼓囊囊 | |
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50
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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51
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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52
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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53
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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kits
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| 衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件 | |
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rifts
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| n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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wagers
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| n.赌注，用钱打赌( wager的名词复数 )v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的第三人称单数 )；保证，担保 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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gauge
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| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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adversaries
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| n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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abeam
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| adj.正横着(的) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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81
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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falcon
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| n.隼，猎鹰 | |
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remodelled
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| v.改变…的结构[形状]( remodel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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