WHAT ODD LEGS!

PAIN IN A PLEASURE-BOAT.
A SEA ECLOGUE.
“I apprehend¹ you!”—SCHOOL OF REFORM.
BOATMAN.
SHOVE off there!—ship the rudder, Bill—cast off! she’s under way!
 MRS. F.
She’s under what?—I hope she’s not! good gracious, what a spray!
[Pg 108]
BOATMAN.
Run out the jib, and rig the boom! keep clear of those two brigs!
 MRS. F.
I hope they don’t intend some joke by running of their rigs!
 
SEE-VIEW:—BROAD STARES.
BOATMAN.
Bill, shift them bags of ballast aft—she’s rather out of trim!
 MRS. F.
Great bags of stones! they’re pretty things to help a boat to swim!
BOATMAN.
The wind is fresh—if she don’t scud², it’s not the breeze’s fault!
 MRS. F.
Wind fresh, indeed, I never felt the air so full of salt!
[Pg 109]
BOATMAN.
That Schooner³, Bill, harn’t left the roads, with oranges and nuts!
 MRS. F.
If seas have roads, they’re very rough—I never felt such ruts!
BOATMAN.
It’s neap, ye see, she’s heavy lade, and couldn’t pass the bar.
 MRS. F.
The bar! what, roads with turnpikes too? I wonder where they are!
BOATMAN.
Ho! brig ahoy! hard up! hard up! that lubber cannot steer⁴!
 MRS. F.
Yes, yes,—hard up upon a rock! I know some danger’s near!
Lord, there’s a wave! it’s coming in! and roaring like a bull!
BOATMAN.
Nothing, Ma’am, but a little slop! go large, Bill! keep her full!
 MRS. F.
What, keep her full! what daring work! when full, she must go down!
BOATMAN.
Why, Bill, it lulls⁵! ease off a bit—it’s coming off the town!
Steady your helm! we’ll clear the Pint⁶! lay right for yonder pink!
 MRS. F.
Be steady—well, I hope they can! but they’ve got a pint of drink!
BOATMAN.
Bill, give that sheet another haul—she’ll fetch it up this reach.
 MRS. F.
I’m getting rather pale, I know, and they see it by that speech!
I wonder what it is, now, but——I never felt so queer!
[Pg 110]
BOATMAN.
Bill, mind your luff—why Bill, I say, she’s yawing—keep her near!
 MRS. F.
Keep near! we’re going further off; the land’s behind our backs.

1 apprehend   

vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑

参考例句：

• I apprehend no worsening of the situation.我不担心局势会恶化。
• Police have not apprehended her killer.警察还未抓获谋杀她的凶手。

2 scud   

n.疾行；v.疾行

参考例句：

• The helpers came in a scud.救援者飞奔而来。
• Rabbits scud across the turf.兔子飞快地穿过草地。

3 schooner   

n.纵帆船

参考例句：

• The schooner was driven ashore.那条帆船被冲上了岸。
• The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate.急流正以同样的速度将小筏子和帆船一起冲向南方。

4 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

5 lulls   

n.间歇期（lull的复数形式）vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• It puts our children to sleep and lulls us into a calm, dreamlike state. 摇晃能让孩子进入梦乡，也能将我们引人一种平静的、梦幻般的心境。 来自互联网
• There were also comedy acts, impromptu skits, and DJ music to fill the lulls between acts. 也有充满在行为之间的间歇的喜剧行为，即兴之作若干，和DJ音乐。 来自互联网

6 pint   

n.品脱

参考例句：

• I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
• In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前，花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。