However, I followed my instructions, keeping well in toward the coast, and so crept steadily4 down to Key West.
Here an important proposition confronted us: whether to enter the Gulf5 of Mexico and follow its great circle near to the shore—a method that would require weeks—or run across to Cuba and then attempt the passage of the Caribbean by the short cut to Colon6 or Porto Bella. We had canvassed7 this alternative before I left harbor; but Mr. Harlan had maintained that I must decide the question for myself, being guided by the actions of the bark and the condition of the weather.
57
Both these requirements seemed favorable for the short cut. The ship had behaved so far much better than I had expected, and the good weather seemed likely to hold for some time longer.
So after a conference with Ned Britton—for Uncle Naboth refused to “mix up in the business” or even to offer an opinion—I decided8 to take the chances and follow the shortest route. After reaching Colon I would keep close to land way down to the Horn.
So we stood out to sea, made Cuba easily, and skirted its western point to the Isles9 de Pinos. Still the skies were clear and the breeze favorable, and with good courage we headed south in a bee-line for Colon.
58
And now we were in the Caribbean, that famous sea whose very name breathes romance. It recalls to us the earliest explorers, the gold seekers and buccaneers, the fact that scarce an inch of its rippling10 surface is unable to boast some tragedy or adventure in the days of the Spanish Main, when ships of all nations thronged11 the waters of the West Indies.
For three whole days luck was our bedfellow; then, as Uncle Naboth drily remarked, it “went a fishin’” and left us to take care of ourselves.
With gentle sighs our hitherto faithful breeze deserted12 us and our sails flapped idly for a time and then lay still, while the ship floated upon a sheet of brilliant blue glass, the tropic sun beat fiercely down upon us, and all signs of life and animation13 came to an end.
No sailor is partial to calms. A gale14 he fights with a sense of elation15 and a resolve to conquer; a favoring breeze he considers his right; but a glassy sea and listless, drooping16 sails are his especial horror. Nevertheless, he is accustomed to endure this tedium17 and has learned by long experience how best to enliven such depressing periods.
Our men found they possessed18 a violinist—not an unskilled fiddler by any means—and to his accompanying strains they sang and danced like so many happy children.
59
Uncle Naboth and Ned Britton played endless games of penocle under the deck awning19 and I brought out my favorite books and stretched myself in a reclining chair to enjoy them.
Duncan Moit paced deliberately20 up and down for the first two days, engrossed21 in his own musings; then he decided to go over his machine and give it a careful examination. He removed the cover, started his engines, and let them perform for the amusement of the amazed sailors, who formed a curious but respectful group around him.
Finally they cleared a space on the deck and Moit removed the guy-ropes that anchored his invention and ran his auto22 slowly up and down, to the undisguised delight of the men. He would allow six or eight to enter the car and ride—sixteen feet forward, around the mainmast, and sixteen feet back again—and it was laughable to watch the gravity of their faces as they held fast to the edge, bravely resolving to endure the dangers of this wonderful mode of locomotion23. Not one had ever ridden in an automobile24 before, and although Moit merely allowed it to crawl over its confined course, the ride was a strange and fascinating experience to them.
60
I must allow that the performances of this clever machine astonished me. The inventor was able to start it from his seat, by means of a simple lever, and it was always under perfect control. The engines worked so noiselessly that you had to put your ear close in order to hear them at all, and the perfection of the workmanship could not fail to arouse my intense admiration25.
“If this new metal is so durable26 as you claim,” I said to Moit, “the machine ought to last for many years.”
“My claim is that it is practically indestructible,” he answered, in a tone of conviction.
“But you have still the tire problem,” I remarked. “A puncture27 will put you out of business as quickly as it would any other machine.”
“A puncture!” he exclaimed. “Why, these tires cannot puncture, sir.”
“Why not?”
“What then?”
61
“It is another of my inventions, Mr. Steele. Inside each casing is a mass of sponge-rubber, of a peculiarly resilient and vigorous character. And within the casing itself is embedded30 a net of steel wire, which will not allow the vulcanized rubber to be cut to any depth. The result is an excellent tire that cannot be punctured31 and has great permanency.”
“You do not seem to have overlooked any important point,” I observed, admiringly.
“Ah, that is the one thing that now occupies my mind,” he responded, quickly. “That is why I have been testing the machine today, even in the limited way that is alone possible. I am haunted by the constant fear that I have over-looked some important point, which another might discover.”
“And have you found such a thing?”
“No; to all appearances the device is perfect. But who can tell what may yet develop?”
“Not I,” with a smile; “you have discounted my mechanical skill already. To my mind the invention seems in every way admirable, Mr. Moit.”
62
For nine days we lay becalmed, with cloudless skies above and a tranquil32 sea around us. During the day we rested drowsily33 in the oppressive heat, but the nights were always cooler and myriads34 of brilliant stars made it nearly as light as day. Ned had taken in every yard of canvas except a square sail which he rigged forward, and he took the added precaution to lash35 every movable thing firmly to its place.
“After this, we’ve got to expect ugly weather,” he announced; and as he knew the Caribbean well this preparation somewhat dismayed me. I began to wish we had entered the Gulf of Mexico and made the roundabout trip; but it was too late for regrets now, and we must make the best of our present outlook.
Personally I descended36 into the hold and examined with care the seams, finding that the calking had held securely so far and that we were as right and tight as when we had first sailed. But even this assurance was not especially encouraging, for we had met with no weather that a canoe might not have lived through without shipping37 more than a few drops of sea.
63
The ninth day was insufferably hot, and the evening brought no relief. Ned Britton’s face looked grave and worried, and I overheard him advising Duncan Moit to add several more anchor ropes to those that secured his machine.
We awaited the change in the weather anxiously enough, and toward midnight the stars began to be blotted38 out until shortly a black pall39 overhung the ship. The air seemed vibrant40 and full of an electric feel that drew heavily upon one’s nerves; but so far there had been no breath of wind.
At last, when it seemed we could wait no longer, a distant murmur41 was heard, drawing ever nearer and louder until its roar smote42 our ears like a discharge of artillery43. The ship began to roll restlessly, and then the gale and the waves broke upon us at the same instant and with full force.
64
Heavily weighted and lazy as the bark was, she failed to rise to the first big wave, which washed over her with such resistless power that it would have swept every living soul away had we not clung desperately44 to the rigging. It seemed to me that I was immersed in a wild, seething45 flood for several minutes; but they must have been seconds, instead, for presently the water was gone and the wind endeavoring to tear me from my hold.
The square sail held, by good luck, and the ship began to stagger onward46, bowing her head deep and submitting to constant floods that washed her from end to end. There was not much that could be done to ease her, and the fervid47 excitement of those first hours kept us all looking after our personal safety. Along we went, scudding48 before the gale, which maintained its intensity49 unabated and fortunately drove us along the very course we had mapped out.
The morning relieved the gloom, but did not lessen50 the force of the storm. The waves were rolling pretty high, and all faces were serious or fearful, according to the disposition51 of their owners. In our old Saracen, or even the Flipper52, I would not have minded the blow or the sea, but here was a craft of a different sort, and I did not know how she might stand such dreadful weather.
65
I got Ned into the cabin, where we stood like a couple of drenched53 rats and discussed the situation. On deck our voices could not be heard.
“Are the small boats ready to launch?” I asked.
“All ready, sir; but I doubt if they’d live long,” he replied. “However, this ’ere old hulk seems to be doin’ pretty decent. She lies low, bein’ so heavy loaded, an’ lets the waves break over her. That saves her a good deal of strain, Sam. If she don’t spring a-leak an’ the cargo54 holds steady, we’ll get through all right.”
“Tried the pumps?”
“Yes; only bilge, so far.”
“Very good. How long will the gale last?”
“Days, perhaps, in these waters. There’s no rule to go by, as I knows of. It’ll just blow till it blows itself out.”
He went on deck again, keeping an eye always on the ship and trying to carry just enough canvas to hold her steady.
66
Duncan Moit and Uncle Naboth kept to the cabin and were equally unconcerned. The latter was an old voyager and realized that it was best to be philosophical55; the former had never been at sea before and had no idea of our danger.
On the third morning of this wild and persistent56 tempest the boatswain came to where Ned and I clung to the rigging and said:
“She’s leaking, sir.”
“Badly?”
“Pretty bad, sir.”
“Get the pumps manned, Ned,” said I; “I’ll go below and investigate.”
I crawled into the hold through the forecastle cubby, as we dared not remove the hatches. I took along a sailor to carry the lantern, and we were not long in making the discovery that the Gladys H. was leaking like a sieve57. Several of the seams that Mr. Harlan had caused to be calked so carefully had reopened and the water was spurting58 through in a dozen streams.
67
I got back to my cabin and made a careful examination of the chart. According to my calculations we could not be far from the coast of Panama. If I was right, another six hours would bring us to the shore; but I was not sure of my reckoning since that fearful gale had struck us. So the question whether or no the ship could live six hours longer worried me considerably59, for the pumps were of limited capacity and the water was gaining on us every minute.
I told Uncle Naboth our difficulty, and Duncan Moit, who stood by, listened to my story with lively interest.
“Of course, sir, if we manage to float long enough to reach the land. That is the best I can hope for now. By good luck the coast of Panama is low and marshy61, and if we can drive the tub aground there the cargo may be saved to the owners.”
“Ain’t much of a country to land in, Sam; is it?”
“Not a very lovely place, Uncle, I’m told.”
“It’s where they’re diggin’ the canal, ain’t it?”
“I believe so.”
68
“Well, we may get a chance to see the ditch. This ’ere travellin’ is full of surprises, Mr. Moit. I never thought to ’a’ brung a guide book o’ Panama, or we could tell exactly where they make the hats.”
The inventor appeared ill at ease. I could understand the man’s disappointment and anxiety well enough. To beach his beloved machine on a semi-barbarous, tropical shore was not what he had anticipated, and I had time to feel sorry for him while thinking upon my own troubles.
He followed me on deck, presently, and I saw him take a good look at the sea and shake his head despondently62. The Convertible63 Automobile might work in ordinary water, but it was not intended for such mammoth64 waves as these.
Then he watched the men at the pumps. They worked with a will, but in that cheerless way peculiar29 to sailors when they are forced to undertake this desperate duty. The ocean was pushing in and they were trying to keep it out; and such a pitiful struggle usually results in favor of the ocean.
69
Suddenly Moit conceived a brilliant idea. He asked for a length of hose, and when it was brought he threw off the covering of his machine and succeeded in attaching the hose to his engines. The other end we dropped into the hold, and presently, despite the lurching and plunging65 of the ship, the engines started and a stream the full size of the hose was sucked up and sent flowing into the scruppers. It really did better work than the ship’s pumps, and I am now positive that this clever arrangement was all that enabled us to float until we made the coast.
In the afternoon, while the gale seemed to redouble its force, we sighted land—low, murky66 and uninteresting, but nevertheless land—and made directly for it.
Darkness came upon us swiftly, but we held our course, still pumping for dear life and awaiting with tense nerves the moment of impact.
What this shore, of which we had caught a glimpse, might be like I did not know, more than that it was reported low and sandy at the ocean’s edge and marshy in the interior. There were a few rocky islands at the south of the isthmus67, and there might be rocks or breakers at any point, for all we knew. If the ship struck one of these we were surely doomed68.
70
On and on we flew, with blackness all round us, until on a sudden the bow raised and our speed slackened so abruptly69 that we were all thrown prostrate70 upon the deck. The mainmast snapped and fell with a deafening71 crash, and slowly the ship rolled to starboard until the deck stood at a sharp angle, and trembled a few brief moments, and then lay still.
The voyage of the Gladys H. was at an end.
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收听单词发音
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1
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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2
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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3
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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4
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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5
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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colon
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| n.冒号，结肠，直肠 | |
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7
canvassed
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| v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的过去式和过去分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查 | |
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8
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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9
isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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10
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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11
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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13
animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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14
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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15
elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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16
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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17
tedium
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| n.单调；烦闷 | |
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18
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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19
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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20
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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21
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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22
auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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23
locomotion
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| n.运动，移动 | |
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24
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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25
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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26
durable
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| adj.持久的，耐久的 | |
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27
puncture
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| n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破 | |
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28
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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29
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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30
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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31
punctured
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| v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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32
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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33
drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
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34
myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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35
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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36
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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37
shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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38
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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39
pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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40
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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41
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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42
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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43
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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44
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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45
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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46
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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47
fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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48
scudding
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| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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49
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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50
lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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51
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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52
flipper
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| n. 鳍状肢，潜水用橡皮制鳍状肢 | |
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53
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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54
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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55
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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56
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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57
sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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58
spurting
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| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的现在分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺； 溅射 | |
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59
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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60
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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61
marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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62
despondently
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| adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地 | |
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63
convertible
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| adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车 | |
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64
mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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65
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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66
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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67
isthmus
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| n.地峡 | |
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68
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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69
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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70
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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71
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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