The mate slipped down the fore8 hatchway, making his way over tightly packed bales, empty crates10 and barrels, which were stowed on an extemporized11 half orlop-deck; and, watching his opportunity, Jim Ortop, the 'prentice, descended12 too, for the purpose of getting an hour or two's undisturbed sleep. Discovering a crate9 half-filled with straw, he quietly stole into it, and, almost before the mate reached the deck again, was wrapped in slumber13.
'There are two feet of water, sir, or a little more,' said Mogford, when he reappeared; 'but I don't think there is much wrong, and the weather is moderating.'
'See that there's a good look-out kept,' replied the captain. 'We shall soon, at this rate, be upon the coast.' And scarcely were the words uttered, when a voice was heard from the forecastle, struggling for audience against the humming wind, 'Land on the starboard bow!'
A misty14 line of elevated land was speedily traceable in the distance; and, wishing to avoid proximity15 to such a shore, the captain directed that the vessel16 should be brought up towards the wind. Such, however, was the force of the gale17, and such the difficulty of spreading even a modicum18 of canvas, that Stauncy's seamanship was taxed to the utmost to save the ship from the grasp of that rock-bound coast. They were driven sufficiently19 near to discern, by the dusky moonlight, its frowning precipices20, against which the sea broke heavily with deafening21 roar, sending up jets of spray into nooks and crannies where gulls22 and puffins had sought a roosting-place, and scaring them away to seek, with angry scream, a quieter retreat; but as yet there was no manifest danger.
'We're handy Bude Bay,' said Pickard, who was assisting Cole at the wheel; 'I know the look of that ugly headland well enough. We were coming home from America one time, and by our dead reckoning we ought'—
'Down helm! run up the jib, and shake out the foretopsail,' said the captain sharply. 'We're well in for Bude Bay, and shall hardly clear the land without making all the sail we can.'
The vessel answered well to her helm, springing her luff to Stauncy's satisfaction, but yawed alarmingly when a heavy sea struck her on the beam; so that he perceived at once how much depended on vigorous measures.
Accordingly, the closely-reefed maintopsail and mainsail were set, an experiment which made the Sarah Ann heel over so much that she was well-nigh on her beam ends; but it succeeded, so that the brig was kept at a respectful distance from the grim-looking rocks which scowled24 behind snowy foam; and every heart felt light and hopeful when Hartland Point stood out in the distance, like a huge fog-bank, and the arms of Bideford Bay seemed stretched out rejoicingly, to welcome them back again.
'Sound the pumps again,' said the captain, 'and I'll go below myself.'
'The water has gained on us rapidly, Mr. Mogford,' was his first remark on emerging from the hold, where he had unconsciously disturbed the slumbers25 of Jim Ortop. 'Every time she pitches, it seems to pour in; we'll run up under Lundy, and wait for the tide. Keep the pumps agoing.'
In less than half an hour he descended again, and seemed to examine with some care the state of the seams. The lantern carried in his hand was suddenly extinguished, and the apprentice26, who had fallen into a doze27, was aroused by a harsh rasping sound which startled him, and stirred his curiosity. It went on for some minutes, and then, as though every barrel in the hold had been pierced at once, a gurgling, gushing28 noise assailed29 his ears, which taxed his powers of consideration no little; and, as it lasted for a considerable time, his brain became greatly excited. A scrambling30 over bales and crates succeeded; and, as the captain swung himself up the hatchway, Jim heard him say, 'Mr. Mogford, I've been watching the water below, and it's gaining on us every minute;' and then, in a louder tone, 'All hands to the pumps! Where's that skulking31 Ortop got to?'
Now, Ortop was just beginning to engage in a small expedition on his own account. Creeping quietly down to the part from whence the grating noise had proceeded, he passed his hands inquiringly in all directions; but nothing could he discover save a little trickling32 stream, which seemed to spring from under a projecting trenail, standing33 out from the ship's side like a giant vent-peg. So he made his way to the crate again, and, considering that he might as well be rope's-ended for a long nap as a short one, made himself as comfortable as he could.
Daylight at length began faintly to appear, and the ship rolled and laboured as before; for, though the tempest had spent itself and was hushing up, she had now a considerable depth of water in her, as Stauncy had reported.
'Land ahead, sir!' said the mate.
'I see it, Mogford. Up helm! We'll run round off the cave.'
The brig fell off, and before she had passed Rat Island, to the south of Lundy, the captain made another descent into the hold, guided by the light of a lantern. The candle was extinguished, the old creaking sound followed, and then that self-same rushing, splashing commotion34 which had astonished the apprentice before astonished him again, as though the skipper were tapping the casks for his private gratification. On, and on, and on, the mysterious rush continued; and the captain, having once more groped his way upward, exclaimed, 'Get the boats ready for lowering: we're water-logged, sure enough! See that everything is right, Mr. Mogford, and I'll have another look.'
And, lantern in hand, he visited the mysterious spot once more, and the same harsh notes and hissing35 chorus chimed in with creaking timbers and splashing waves.
By this time the water had gained the aforesaid orlop-deck, and was slushing amongst the stowage; so that, after the captain had again ascended36, the apprentice began to look out for a favourable37 time to accomplish his escape.
'Is all ready?' said Stauncy.
'All ready, sir,' replied the mate.
'Then get what you can out of the ship, all of you, for she's settling down fast.'
The jolly-boat was lowered first, and manned by six of the crew; but the painter snapped before they had settled themselves, and away she went astern, dancing over the billows, soon lost to view in the hazy38 morning twilight39.
'Look sharp there!' said the captain; 'lower away quick!' and the other boat took the water like a gull23. The 'prentice, who had turned up in the nick of time, Sam Pickard, the mate, and Stauncy jumped into her; and scarcely had they cleared the vessel when her death-struggle came on. It was soon over, however. A heavy sea raised her by the stern, and, unable to recover herself, she swayed and writhed40 for a moment, and then sunk headlong into the leaping waters, which closed over her hurriedly, clashing and seething41 amid the moaning of the wind and the booming of the broken surges against the beetling42 cliffs of Lundy Isle43.
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1
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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2
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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3
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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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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7
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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8
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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9
crate
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| vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱 | |
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crates
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| n. 板条箱, 篓子, 旧汽车 vt. 装进纸条箱 | |
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11
extemporized
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| v.即兴创作，即席演奏( extemporize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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16
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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18
modicum
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| n.少量，一小份 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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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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22
gulls
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| n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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24
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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28
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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29
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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30
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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31
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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32
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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33
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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34
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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35
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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36
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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38
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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39
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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40
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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42
beetling
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| adj.突出的，悬垂的v.快速移动( beetle的现在分词 ) | |
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43
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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