“At sea.”—How differently do human beings regard that phrase! To one it arouses feelings akin2 to rapture3; to another it is suggestive of heavings and horror. To him whose physical condition is easily and disagreeably affected4 by aquatic5 motion, “at sea” savours of bad smells and misery6. To him who sings of the intensity7 of his love for “a ride on the fierce, foaming8, bursting tide,” “at sea” sounds like the sweet ringing of a silver bell floating towards him, as if from afar, fraught9 with the fragrance10 and melody of distant climes—such as coral isles11, icy mountains, and golden sands.
Let us regard the phrase in its pleasant aspect just now, good reader.
I have always loved the sea myself, from the hour I first set foot on board a man-of-war and skylarked with the middies, to that sad and memorable12 day when, under the strong—I might almost say irresistible—influence of my strong-minded wife, I bade adieu to the royal navy for ever, and retired13 into private life. Alas14! But what is the use of sighing? If a man will get born in his wrong century, he ought to lay his account with being obliged to suffer much from the strange, I had almost said childish, fallacies, follies15, and inconsistencies peculiar16 to the more early period in which his lot has been cast by mistake.
You see, reader, I have accepted my position. There is a bare possibility that those who have assigned it to me may be wrong, but I have long ago ceased to dispute that point.
At sea! Haco’s sloop17 is there now, just out of sight of land, although not far from it, and resting on as glassy a sheet of water as is ever presented by the ocean in a deep dead calm. Haco himself, big, hairy, jovial18, ruddy, is seated on the after skylight, the sole occupant of the deck.
To look at him one might fancy that Neptune19 having found a deserted20 ship, had clambered upon deck and sat him down to take a complacent21 view of his wide domains22, and enjoy a morning pipe.
It is early morning, and the other inhabitants of that floating house are asleep below.
The “Coal-Coffin,” albeit23 an unseaworthy vessel24, is a picturesque25 object. Its dirty sails are of a fine rich colour, because of their very dirtiness. Its weather-worn and filthy26 spars, and hull27 and rigging, possess a harmony of tone which can only be acquired by age. Its cordage being rotten and very limp, hangs, on that account, all the more gracefully28 in waving lines of beauty and elegant festoons; the reef points hang quite straight, and patter softly on the sails—in short, the tout29 ensemble30 of the little craft is eminently31 picturesque—draped, as it were, with the mellowness32 of antiquity33; and the whole—hull, spars, sails, cordage, and reef points,—clearly and sharply reflected in the depths below.
“Wot a splendid mornin’!” said Stephen Gaff, putting his head and shoulders out of the after hatchway, and yawning violently.
“So ’tis, shipmet,” responded the skipper, “a’most too butiful for this world.”
Both men spoke34 in subdued35 tones, as if unwilling36 to disturb the delightful37 stillness of nature. Gaff, having slowly raised himself out of the hole in the deck which served as a door to the bandbox, termed, out of courtesy, the cabin, looked up at the mast-head to see if the vane indicated any wind; then he gazed slowly round the horizon. Meeting with nothing particular there to arrest his eyes, he let them fall on Haco, who was gazing dreamily at the bowl of his German pipe.
“Dead calm,” said Gaff.
“Won’t last long,” said Haco.
“Won’t it?”
“No. Glass fallin’ fast.”
This seemed to be as much mental food as Gaff could comfortably digest at that time, for he made no rejoinder, but, drawing a short black pipe from his vest-pocket, sat down beside his friend, and filled and smoked it in silence.
“How’s the Roosians?” he inquired, after a long pause.
“All square,” said the skipper, who was addicted38 somewhat to figurative language and hyperbole in the form of slang, “another week in the doctor’s hands, an’ the grub of the London Home, will set ’em up taught an’ trim as ever.”
“Goin’ to blow hard, think ’ee?” asked Gaff.
“Great guns,” said Haco, puffing39 a cloud of smoke from his mouth, which was at that time not a bad imitation of a little gun.
“Soon?” inquired Gaff.
“P’r’aps yes, p’r’aps no.”
Once more the seamen40 relapsed into a silence which was not again broken until two of the crew and several Russians came on deck.
Haco gave orders to have the topsail reefed, and then commencing to pace to and fro on the small deck, devoted41 himself entirely42 to smoke and meditation43.
Soon after, there was a loud cheer from Billy Gaff. The Bu’ster had suddenly awakened44 from an unbroken sleep of twelve hours, tumbled incontinently out of his berth45, rushed up the ladder, thrust his head above the hatchway, and, feeling the sweet influences of that lovely morning, vented46 his joy in the cheer referred to.
Billy had begged hard to be taken to London, and his father, thinking that, the sooner he began the seafaring life to which he was destined47, the better, had consented to take him.
Billy willed to accomplish a great number of pieces of mischief during the five minutes which he spent in gazing breathlessly round the ship and out upon the glittering sea; but he was surrounded by so many distracting novelties, and the opportunities for mischief were so innumerable, that, for the first time in his life, he felt perplexed48, and absolutely failed to accomplish anything for a considerable time.
This calm, however, like the calm of nature, was not destined to last long.
“Daddy,” said the cherub49 suddenly, “I’m a-goin’ up the shrouds50.”
“Very good, my lad,” said Gaff, “ye’ll tumble down likely, but it don’t much matter.”
Billy clambered up the side, and seized the shrouds, but missing his foothold at the first step, he fell down sitting-wise, from a height of three feet.
There was a sounding thud on the deck, followed by a sharp gasp51, and the boy sat staring before him, considering, apparently52, whether it were necessary or not to cry in order to relieve his feelings. Finding that it was not, he swallowed his heart with an effort, got up, and tried it again.
The second effort was more successful.
“That’ll do, lad, come down,” said Gaff, when his son had got half-way up the mast, and paused to look down, with a half-frightened expression.
Contrary to all precedent53, Billy came down, and remained quiet for ten minutes. Then he willed to go out on the bowsprit, but, being observed in a position of great danger thereon, was summarily collared by a sailor, and hauled inboard. He was about to hurl54 defiance55 in the teeth of the seaman56, and make a second effort on the bowsprit, when Haco Barepoles thrust his red head up the after-hatch, and sang out—“breakfast!”
“Breakfast, Billy,” repeated Gaff.
To which the cherub responded by rushing aft with a cheer, and descending57 the square hole after his father.
Having been horribly sea-sick the first day of his voyage, and having now quite recovered, Billy was proportionably ravenous58, and it was a long time before he ceased to demand and re-demand supplies of biscuit, butter, and tea. With appetite appeased59 at last, however, he returned to the deck, and, allowing quarter of an hour for digestion60 and reflection, began to consider what should next be done.
The opportunity for some bold stroke was a rare one, for the crew, consisting of five men and a boy, were all forward, earnestly endeavouring to pick acquaintance by means of signs with the convalescent Russians, while Gaff and Haco were still below at breakfast, so that Billy had the after part of the sloop all to himself.
He began operations by attempting to get at the needle of the compass, but finding that this was secured powerfully by means of glass and brass61, he changed his mind, and devoted himself heart and soul to the wheel. Turning it round until the helm was hard down, he looked up at the sails, and with some curiosity awaited the result, but the vessel having no motion no result followed.
Failing in this he forced the wheel round with all his might and let it go suddenly, so that it spun62 round with the recoil63, and narrowly missed knocking him down!
This was a pleasant source of amusement, uniting, as it did, considerable effort and some danger, with the prospect64 of a smash in some of the steering65 tackle, so Billy prepared to indulge himself; but it struck him that the frequent recurrence66 of the accompanying noise would bring the skipper on deck and spoil the fun, so on second thoughts he desisted, and glanced eagerly about for something else, afraid that the golden opportunity would pass by unimproved.
Observing something like a handle projecting from a hole, he seized it, and hauled out a large wooden reel with a log-line on it. With this he at once began to play, dipping the log into the sea and hauling it up repeatedly as though he were fishing, but there was want of variety in this. Looking about him he espied67 a lead-line near the binnacle; he cut the lead from this, and fastening it to the end of the log-line, began forthwith to take deep-sea soundings. This was quite to his taste, for when he stood upon the vessel’s side, in order to let the line run more freely, and held up the reel with both hands, the way in which it spun round was quite refreshing68 to his happy spirit. There must have been a hitch69 in the line, however, for it was suddenly checked in its uncoiling, and the violence of the stoppage wrenched70 the reel from his grasp, and the whole affair disappeared beneath the calm water!
The Bu’ster’s heart smote71 him. He had not meant anything so wicked as that.
“Ha! you young rascal72, I saw you,” said one of the men coming up at that moment.
Billy turned round with a start, and in doing so fell headlong into the sea.
The sailor stood aghast as if paralysed for a moment, then—as Billy rose to the surface with outstretched hands and staring eyes, and uttered a yell which was suddenly quenched73 in a gurgling cry—he recovered himself, and hastily threw a coil of rope towards the boy.
Now it is a curious and quite unaccountable fact, that comparatively few sailors can swim. At all events no one can deny the fact that there are hundreds, ay, thousands, of our seafaring men and boys who could not swim six yards to save their lives. Strange to say, of all the men who stood on the deck of that sloop, at the time of the accident to Billy, (Russians included), not one could swim a stroke. The result was that they rushed to the stern of the vessel and gazed anxiously over the side; some shouting one thing, and some another, but not one venturing to jump overboard, because it was as much as his life was worth to do so!
Several ropes were instantly thrown over the drowning boy, but being blinded both by terror and salt water, he did not see them. Then one of the men hastily fastened the end of a line round his waist, intending to spring over and trust to his comrades hauling him on board. At the same moment several men rushed to the stern boat, intent on lowering her. All this occurred in a few brief seconds. Billy had risen a second time with another wild cry when his father and the skipper sprang up the after-hatch and rushed to the side. Haco dashed his indestructible hat on the deck, and had his coat almost off, when Gaff went overboard, head first, hat, coat, and all, like an arrow, and caught Billy by the hair when he was about four feet below the surface.
Of course Gaff’s re-appearance with his son in his arms was greeted with heartfelt and vociferous74 cheers; and, of course, when they were hauled on board, and Gaff handed Billy to the skipper, in order that he might the more conveniently wring75 a little of the superabundant water from his garments, another and a still more hearty76 cheer was given; but Gaff checked it rather abruptly77 by raising himself and saying sternly—
“Shame on you, lads, for not bein’ able to swim. The child might ha’ drownded for all you could do to help him. A soldier as don’t know how to shoot is not much wuss than a sailor as don’t know how to swim. Why, yer own mothers—yer own sweet-hearts—might be a-drownin’ afore yer eyes, an’ you’d have to run up an’ down like helpless noodles, not darin’ to take to the water, (which ought to be your native element), any more than a blue-nosed Kangaroo. Shame on ye, I say, for not bein’ able to swim.”
“Amen to that, say I,” observed Haco with emphasis. “Shame on stout78 hulkin’ fellers like you for not bein’ able to swim, and shame on them as steers79 the ship o’ State for not teachin’ ye. You can put that in yer pipes and smoke it, lads, an’ if it don’t smoke well, ye can make a quid of it, and chew it. If I could make quids o’ them there sentiments, I’d set up a factory an’ send a inexhaustible supply to the big-wigs in parlymint for perpetooal mastication80. There now, don’t stare, but go for’ard, an’ see, two of you take in another reef o’ the mains’l. If the glass speaks true, we’ll be under my namesake—barepoles—before long; look alive, boys!”
It was something new to the crew of the “Coal-Coffin” to be thus checked in an enthusiastic cheer, and to be rebuked81 by the object of their admiration82 for not being able to swim.
Deep and long was the discussion they had that evening around the windlass on this subject. Some held that it was absurd to blame men for not being able, “when p’raps they couldn’t if they wor to try.” Others thought that they might have tried first before saying that “p’raps they couldn’t.” One admitted that it was nothing but laziness that had prevented him from learning, whereupon another opined that dirtiness had something to do with it too. But all agreed in wishing earnestly that they had learned the noble and useful art, and in regretting deeply that they had not been taught it when young.
The boy, who formed one of the crew, silently congratulated himself that he was young, and resolved in his own mind that he would learn as soon as possible.
The sun set in the west, and the evening star arose to cheer the world with her presence, while the greater luminary83 retired. Slowly the day retreated and dusky night came on. One by one the stars shone out, faintly at first, as if too modest to do more than glimmer84, but stronger and brighter, and more numerous by degrees, until the whole sky became like a great resplendent milky85 way.
Still there was no evidence that a double-reef in the mainsail was necessary; no indication that the weather-glass had told a truthful86 tale.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
akin
|
|
| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
rapture
|
|
| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
aquatic
|
|
| adj.水生的，水栖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
intensity
|
|
| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
foaming
|
|
| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
fraught
|
|
| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
fragrance
|
|
| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
isles
|
|
| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
memorable
|
|
| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
alas
|
|
| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
follies
|
|
| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
sloop
|
|
| n.单桅帆船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
jovial
|
|
| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
Neptune
|
|
| n.海王星 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
complacent
|
|
| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
domains
|
|
| n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
albeit
|
|
| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
filthy
|
|
| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
gracefully
|
|
| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
tout
|
|
| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ensemble
|
|
| n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
eminently
|
|
| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
mellowness
|
|
| 成熟； 芳醇； 肥沃； 怡然 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
antiquity
|
|
| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
addicted
|
|
| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
puffing
|
|
| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
seamen
|
|
| n.海员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
meditation
|
|
| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
berth
|
|
| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
vented
|
|
| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
destined
|
|
| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
perplexed
|
|
| adj.不知所措的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
cherub
|
|
| n.小天使，胖娃娃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
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： |
|
|
|
|
51
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
precedent
|
|
| n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
hurl
|
|
| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
seaman
|
|
| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
descending
|
|
| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
ravenous
|
|
| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
appeased
|
|
| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
digestion
|
|
| n.消化，吸收 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
spun
|
|
| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
recoil
|
|
| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
recurrence
|
|
| n.复发，反复，重现 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
espied
|
|
| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
refreshing
|
|
| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
hitch
|
|
| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
wrenched
|
|
| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
smote
|
|
| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
rascal
|
|
| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
quenched
|
|
| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
vociferous
|
|
| adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
wring
|
|
| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
steers
|
|
| n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
mastication
|
|
| n.咀嚼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
rebuked
|
|
| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
luminary
|
|
| n.名人，天体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
glimmer
|
|
| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
milky
|
|
| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
truthful
|
|
| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |