SAILORS AND THE SMALL BOAT.

 It is a curious fact that few seamen¹ can handle a small boat with facility. This applies chiefly to the crews of sailing craft, as the large steamship² corporations long ago realized this failing among sailors, and instituted a series of boat drills on their steamships³ that have been productive of excellent results. Knowledge of the workings of small boats is a requisite⁴ that every seaman⁵ should possess, and young men intending to follow the sea for a livelihood⁶ should acquire it before they tread the decks of a vessel⁷, as they will have but little opportunity afterwards.

The wise forethought of steamship corporations on having their crews drilled saved many lives at the wreck⁸ of the steamer Denmark, as something like 734 persons were transferred from her to the Missouri without a single accident in mid-ocean during a heavy swell⁹. It follows, therefore, that those who seek recreation on the water would do well not to go in any boat, unless it is in charge of an experienced boatman, and is amply supplied with life-preservers. Boats ought to be ballasted with fresh water in small casks, instead of stones or iron, so that, in the event of being capsized, the ballast may help to keep them afloat. A young man who may have been only a very few times in a boat, under favorable circumstances, assumes he can manage one. He makes up a party, the wind freshens or a squall ensues, he loses his head, a capsize takes place, the boat sinks, and the chances are that he and his companions will be drowned. Those who go boat-sailing ought to leave as little to chance as possible.

 

1 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

2 steamship   

n.汽船，轮船

参考例句：

• The return may be made on the same steamship.可乘同一艘汽船当天回来。
• It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving the port.雾很大，汽艇差点把一只正在离港的小船撞沉。

3 steamships   

n.汽船，大轮船( steamship的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Berths on steamships can be booked a long while in advance. 轮船上的床位可以提前多日预订。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The sailing ships were superseded by the steamships. 帆船已被汽船所取代。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 requisite   

adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。
• Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。

5 seaman   

n.海员，水手，水兵

参考例句：

• That young man is a experienced seaman.那个年轻人是一个经验丰富的水手。
• The Greek seaman went to the hospital five times.这位希腊海员到该医院去过五次。

6 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

7 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

8 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

9 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。