“How is the wind, Drayton?” said the admiral, at last.
Drayton walked to the port.
“About west-sou’west, sir, I should say.”
The admiral smiled.
“A good omen5. Our smoke will blow over their batteries.”
He raised his cup, drained it, and set it back on its saucer. Then he rose to his feet and walked slowly up and down the cabin, looking first at his watch and then out through the[221] starboard gallery, where the fleet lay. He turned, his genial6 face all aglow7 in the cool light of the morning, and reached to the table for his side-arms.
The moment had arrived.
“Well, Drayton,” he said, “we might as well get under weigh.”
Drayton knew, and Farragut knew, that the momentous8 day before them would decide the fate of the West Gulf9 and of the nation in the South. It was the supreme10 moment in the admiral’s career. But as he clasped his sword-belt his hands were as firm as though on inspection11.
With a cheery “Aye, aye, sir,” Drayton went out of the door and up the companion, and soon the deck above resounded12 with the nimble feet as the men sprang joyfully13 to quarters. Old Knowles, the quartermaster, deftly14 sent his little ball of bunting, ready for an hour, to the yard-arm, and in a moment the row of multi-colored flags, tipped with the glow of the brightened east, fluttered proudly out into the morning breeze.
Then the bright answering pennants15 flew up from all the vessels16 of the fleet, and the black smoke poured from their dusky funnels17 as the white water churned up behind them on their way into line.
[222]
The admiral, on the quarter-deck, glass in hand, saw the black turrets18 of the monitors, with their grim, shiny muzzles20, drift slowly inland towards the batteries, not a ripple21 showing behind them as they moved on their deadly mission towards the frowning battlements of Fort Morgan. Ahead of the “Hartford” was the broad stern of the “Brooklyn,” as she churned her way slowly onward22, her smoke drifting in great clouds over her starboard bow towards the water-batteries. Beside the admiral, one hand on the rail, was Drayton, cool as though on a practice drill, and as he looked over the swarthy backs that shone bare in the morning sun he knew well that the flagship would give a good account of herself.
Behind him stood Watson, Gates, McKinley, and Brownell, watching the progress of the monitors. The calmness of the scene was sublime23. Only an occasional order to the tacklemen, given in a quiet voice by the gun-captains, showed the deadly work ahead.
As the “Hartford” drew into range, the admiral walked over to the main rigging and clambered up into the shrouds24; and his men below him at the batteries lovingly watched their “old man” as step by step he mounted to get a clearer view. They knew him for a gallant25 old sea-dog. They had seen him steam[223] past the batteries at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and they smiled at his sternness at the capture of New Orleans, for they loved him. But at Mobile they learned that he feared nothing above the ocean or under it, if it stood in the way of the cause of his country. At this point Farragut stood a few feet above Jouett, on the wheel-house of the “Metacomet” alongside, and could hail the top above him, where Freeman, his trusty pilot, gave him his soundings and bearings.
At length the battle opened. A great puff26 of white smoke rolled along the water from the turret19 of the “Tecumseh,” and a yellow cloud of dust above the water-batteries marked where the shot had struck. Fort Morgan immediately replied, and, as the gunners got the range, the angry splash of the shots as they skipped across the water came clearly to the crew of the “Hartford,” who stood at their guns silent and motionless. As the shots rained about them and great white splinters were torn from the nettings and flew across the decks, they only looked up at their admiral, who, leaning slightly forward, was slowly scanning the breastworks. In his face there was no impatience27, no irritation28, no sign of anxiety, and while he could calmly wait, they could. The courage of the leader was reflected[224] in his men. It was the very perfection of human discipline.
Would the order to fire never come? Already a fragment of shell had struck a gun-captain in the breast, and they saw him carried past them, moaning piteously. A shot had struck the foremast, and a jagged splinter from the mainmast flew up and lodged29 in the rigging below where the admiral stood. They saw him take the glass from his eyes, and, turning towards Captain Drayton, hold up his hand.
The guns, already trained, belched30 forth31 their iron greeting to the gunboats, and the battle was on in earnest. Calm before, the men were calmer now, and they went about their work as though at target practice. The powder-boys flew like sprites, and the gunners sponged and loaded with rapidity. It was as if each gun and its crew were parts of one mechanism32.
“Steady, boys, steady. Left tackle a little. So! so!”
And then came another broadside, followed by an eager cheer as the enemy were driven away from their water-battery.
THE ADMIRAL LASHED TO THE RIGGING
As the smoke from the broadsides increased and obscured his view, the admiral, ratline by ratline, ascended33 the rigging until he found[225] himself partly above the futtock bands and holding on to the futtock shrouds. The watchful34 eye of Drayton saw him perched high up, all unconscious of himself, thinking only of the great movements about him. A shock, and he would be thrown into the sea. The captain gave an order to Knowles, the quartermaster, who lay aloft briskly with a piece of lead-line. The admiral did not even see him, and only when Knowles passed the line around him did Farragut take his glasses down. “Never mind,” said he, with a smile, “I’m all right.” But the quartermaster lashed him, nevertheless, and lay below.
Then from his lofty position the admiral saw a magnificent but terrible thing. The monitor “Tecumseh” was up well with the fort, and drawing slowly on, when, without a warning, a great column of water shot up under her starboard bow. She heeled over to port and went down with every soul on board. She had struck a torpedo35. Captain Craven, in his eagerness to engage the “Tennessee” in battle, had passed to the west of the fatal buoy36.
This disaster was not immediately realized by the men. Some supposed the “Tennessee” had been sunk, and cheer after cheer was taken up and echoed along the line.
But the admiral knew the danger that was[226] coming. His anxiety was not decreased when the “Brooklyn,” just ahead of him, suddenly stopped. The frown on his brows deepened, and loudly he hailed his pilot, Freeman, in the top, a few feet above him,—
“What’s the matter with the Brooklyn?” he shouted. “She must have plenty of water there.”
Freeman’s head appeared promptly37 at the lubber’s hole.
“Plenty and to spare, admiral,” he answered.
Then the admiral knew. Captain Alden had seen the “Tecumseh” go down, and the heavy line of torpedoes38 across the channel made him pause. The backing screw churned up the water, and the “Hartford” every moment was bearing down on her. The vessels in the rear, pressing on those in the van, created a terrible confusion, and in the uncertainty39 the batteries of Farragut’s ships ceased fire, while the whole of Mobile Point was a living flame. Disaster was imminent40.
But not a second did Farragut pause. A harsh voice from the “Hartford” broke the brief but ominous41 silence.
“What’s the trouble?”
Then Alden’s voice from the “Brooklyn” answered,—
[227]
“Torpedoes.”
“Damn the torpedoes!” shouted the admiral. “Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead. Jouett, full speed.”
And the “Hartford” dashed forward, passed the “Brooklyn,” and assumed the head of the column.
Over the line of mines they flew at full speed, and the men below could hear them as they scraped along the hull42. It was the one way out of the difficulty, and a second’s hesitation43 would have closed even this escape from a frightful44 calamity45. The admiral looked astern at the man?uvring of his vessels with a smile of satisfaction. It was a magnificent sight. At first they appeared to be fouling46 each other in dire47 confusion, at the mercy of the guns which still belched forth a merciless fire. But as the “Hartford” dashed forward, one by one, as if by magic, they took their places. And he knew a grand tactical movement had been accomplished48.
Nor did he forget the poor men of the “Tecumseh,” struggling in the water where their ship had gone down, but, going down the rigging, ordered Jouett to lower a boat immediately and pick up the survivors49.
The “Hartford” was nearly a mile ahead before the line could be straightened, and[228] single-handed she fought the batteries and the gunboats, making straight for Buchanan’s invincible50 ram51, the “Tennessee.” Amid the fire of shot and bursting shell the admiral walked calmly back to his quarter-deck, giving a word of advice here and an order there. But soon the other vessels were able to pour in a storm of shot and shell that completely silenced the batteries.
One by one he saw the gunboats sink, until only the “Tennessee” had to be accounted for. The admiral tried to ram her, and the solid shot of his broadsides rolled down her iron sides; but she slipped away, pouring in a terrific fire at close range. She riddled52 the “Brooklyn,” “Richmond,” and “Monongahela,” all three of which dashed at her, bows on, at fearful speed. The admiral again struck her a fearful blow, but apparently53 with no effect whatever.
The ram had one great advantage: she was surrounded by enemies and could fire continually, while the union vessels had to use the utmost care not to fire into or collide with one another. An accident of this kind now happened to Farragut’s ship. The “Hartford” and the “Lackawanna” were both making at full speed for the ram. The “Hartford” had the better position; and the “Lackawanna,”[229] sheering off to avoid another ship, ran into the quarter of the flagship, just where the admiral was standing54, cutting her down nearly to the water’s edge. The shock of the impact nearly took him off his feet, but in a moment he was climbing over the side to see what damage had been done.
His crew thought he was looking out for himself. Immediately there was a cry, “Get the admiral out of the ship.” The whole thought of his crew, unmindful of themselves, was to get him to a place of safety. It was a mere55 sudden impulse. But Farragut was not the man to look to himself. Having satisfied himself that the “Hartford” could last, he again gave the order, “Full speed,” and set his prow56 again for the “Tennessee.”
But in the meanwhile the monitors had been hammering away at her with their heavy shot. Her rudder and smoke-stack were shot away, and her shutters57 jammed, and as the “Hartford” bore down upon her for the third time she showed her white flag and surrendered.
The “Hartford” was greatly cut up,—twenty-five killed and twenty-eight wounded,—but the admiral had not a scratch to show for his deadly encounters. He came on deck just as the poor fellows who had been killed were[230] being carefully laid out on the port side of the quarter-deck.
“It was a great victory, Drayton,” said he, sadly, “but——”
And the men saw him turn aside, tears coursing down his cheeks.
In truth, “there is nothing half so melancholy58 as a battle lost, except a battle won.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
streaks
|
|
| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sipping
|
|
| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
shrill
|
|
| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
omen
|
|
| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
genial
|
|
| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
aglow
|
|
| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
momentous
|
|
| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
gulf
|
|
| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
resounded
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
joyfully
|
|
| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
deftly
|
|
| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
pennants
|
|
| n.校旗( pennant的名词复数 )；锦标旗；长三角旗；信号旗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
vessels
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
funnels
|
|
| 漏斗( funnel的名词复数 )； （轮船，火车等的）烟囱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
turrets
|
|
| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
turret
|
|
| n.塔楼，角塔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
muzzles
|
|
| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
ripple
|
|
| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
onward
|
|
| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
sublime
|
|
| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
shrouds
|
|
| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
puff
|
|
| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
impatience
|
|
| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
irritation
|
|
| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
lodged
|
|
| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
belched
|
|
| v.打嗝( belch的过去式和过去分词 )；喷出，吐出；打（嗝）；嗳（气） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
mechanism
|
|
| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
ascended
|
|
| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
watchful
|
|
| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
torpedo
|
|
| n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
buoy
|
|
| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
torpedoes
|
|
| 鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
uncertainty
|
|
| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
imminent
|
|
| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
ominous
|
|
| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
calamity
|
|
| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
fouling
|
|
| n.（水管、枪筒等中的）污垢v.使污秽( foul的现在分词 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
dire
|
|
| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
survivors
|
|
| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
invincible
|
|
| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
ram
|
|
| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
riddled
|
|
| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
prow
|
|
| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
shutters
|
|
| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
melancholy
|
|
| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |