Now, while the bottle was making its long voyage, Stephen Gaff and his son Billy were exposed to the vicissitudes1 of strange and varied2 fortune.
We left them sound asleep in the stern of the little boat, tossed on the troubled breast of the Pacific.
They never knew how long they slept on that occasion, but when they awoke the sun was high in the heavens, and the breeze had considerably3 abated4.
Gaff was the first to shake off the lethargy that had oppressed him. Gazing round for some time, he seemed to hesitate whether he should lie down again, and looked earnestly once or twice in the face of his slumbering5 boy.
“’Tis pity to rouse him,” he muttered, “but I think we must ha’ had a long sleep, for I feel rested like. Hallo, Billy boy, how are ’ee?”
Billy did not respond to the greeting. Indeed, he refused to be moved by means of shouts of any kind, and only consented to wake up when his father took him by the coat-collar with both hands, and shook him so violently that it seemed as if his head were about to fall off.
“Hallo! faither,” he cried in a sleepy voice, “wot’s up?”
“Ha! you’re roused at last, lad, come, it’s time to have a bit breakfast. It ain’t a heavy un you’ll git, poor boy, but ’tis better than nothin’, and bigger men have throve upon less at times.”
Billy was awake and fully6 alive to his position by this time. He was much depressed7. He would have been more than mortal had he been otherwise, but he resolved to shake off the feeling, and face his fortune like a man.
“Come along, daddy, let’s have a spell at the oars8 before breakfast.”
“No, lad, take a bit first,” said Gaff, opening the sack which contained the biscuit, and carefully measuring out two small portions of the crumbs11. One of the portions was rather larger than the other. Billy observed this, and stoutly12 refused to take his share when Stephen pushed the larger portion towards him.
“No, daddy,” said he, “you’re not a fair divider.”
“Am I not, lad?” said Stephen meekly13. “I thought I’d done it pretty eekal.”
“No, my half is the biggest, so you’ll have to take some of it back.”
Gaff refused, but Billy insisted, and a small piece of the precious biscuit was finally put back into the bag. The meal was then eaten with much display of satisfaction by father and son, (a blessing14 having been first asked on it), and it was prolonged as much as possible in order to encourage the idea that it was not such a small one after all.
Billy had not been particular as to his crusts and fragments of victuals15 in days of yore, but it was wonderful how sharp his eye was on this occasion to note and pick up every minute crumb10, and transfer it to his hungry mouth.
“Now, daddy, I’m ready.”
He swelled16 out his little chest, and gave it a sounding thump17 as he rose, and, rolling up his shirt-sleeves to the shoulder, seized an oar9. Gaff took the other, and both sat down to the slow, dreary18, monotonous19 toil20 of another day.
At first the Bu’ster was chatty, but by degrees his tongue flagged, and ere long it became quite silent.
For six or eight hours they pulled without intermission, except for a few minutes at a time, every hour or so, and Gaff directed the boat’s head in the direction to which the captain had pointed21 when he said the land might be about five hundred miles off.
When the sun was getting low on the horizon, Billy stopped with a sigh—
“Ain’t it time for dinner, daddy, d’ye think?”
“Hold on a bit, lad, I’m goin’ to let ye tak’ a sleep soon, an’ it’ll be best to eat just afore lyin’ down.”
No more was said, and the rowing was continued until the sun had set, and the shades of night were beginning to descend22 on the sea.
“Now, lad, we’ll sup,” said Stephen, with a hearty23 air, as he pulled in his oar.
“Hooray!” cried Billy faintly, as he jumped up and went to the stern, where his father soon produced the biscuit-bag and measured out the two small portions.
“Cheatin’ again, daddy,” cried the Bu’ster with a remonstrative24 tone and look.
“No, I ain’t,” said Gaff sharply, “eat yer supper, you scamp.”
Billy obeyed with alacrity25, and disposed of his portion in three mouthfuls. There was a small quantity of rain-water—about half a pint—which had been collected and carefully husbanded in the baling-dish. It was mingled26 with a little spray, and was altogether a brackish27 and dirty mixture, nevertheless they drank it with as much relish28 as if it had been clear spring water.
“Now, boy, turn in,” said Gaff earnestly; “you’ll need all the sleep ye can git, for, if I know the signs of the sky, we’ll have more wind afore long.”
Poor Billy was too tired to make any objection to this order, so he laid his head on a fold of the wet sail, and almost immediately fell asleep.
Gaff was right in his expectation of more wind. About two hours after sunset it came on to blow so stiffly that he was obliged to awaken29 Billy and set him to bale out the sprays that kept constantly washing over the gunwale. Towards midnight a gale30 was blowing, and Gaff put the boat before the wind, and drove with it.
Hour after hour passed away; still there was no abatement31 in the violence of the storm, and no relaxation32 from baling and steering33, which the father and son took alternately every half hour.
At last Billy’s strength was fairly exhausted34. He flung down the baling-dish, and, sitting down beside his father, laid his head on his breast, and burst into tears. The weakness, (for such Billy deemed it), only lasted a few moments however. He soon repressed his sobs35.
“My poor boy,” said Gaff, patting his son’s head, “it’ll be soon over wi’ us, I fear. May the good Lord help us! The boat can’t float long wi’ such sprays washin’ over her.”
Billy said nothing, but clung closer to his father, while his heart was filled with solemn, rather than fearful, thoughts of death.
Their danger of swamping now became so imminent36 that Gaff endeavoured to prepare his mind to face the last struggle manfully. He was naturally courageous37, and in the heat of action or of battle could have faced death with a smile and an unblanched cheek; but he found it much more difficult to sit calmly in the stern of that little boat hour after hour, and await the blow that seemed inevitable38. He felt a wild, almost irresistible39, desire to leap up and vent40 his feelings in action of some kind, but this was not possible, for it required careful attention to the helm to prevent the little craft from broaching-to and upsetting. In his extremity41 he raised his heart to God in prayer.
While he was thus engaged the roar of the storm increased to such a degree that both father and son started up in expectation of instantaneous destruction. A vivid flash of lightning glared over the angry sea at the moment, and revealed to their horrified42 gaze a reef of rocks close ahead, on which the waves were breaking with the utmost fury. Instant darkness followed the flash, and a deafening43 peal44 of thunder joined in the roar of breakers, intensifying45, if possible, the terrors of the situation.
Gaff knew now that the crisis had certainly arrived, and for the next few moments he exerted every power of eye and ear in order to guide the boat into a channel between the breakers—if such existed.
“Jump for’ard, lad,” he shouted, “and keep yer eye sharp ahead.”
Billy obeyed at once, with the seamanlike46 “Ay, ay, sir,” which he had acquired on board the whaler.
“Port, port! hard-a-port!” shouted the boy a moment after taking his place in the bow.
“Port it is,” answered Gaff.
Before the boat had time, however, to answer the helm, she was caught on the crest47 of a breaker, whirled round like a piece of cork48, and, balancing for one moment on the foam49, capsized.
The moment of hesitation50 was enough to enable Gaff to spring to his son’s side and seize him. Next instant they were buffeting51 the waves together.
It is not necessary to remind the reader that Gaff was an expert swimmer. Billy was also first-rate. He was known among his companions as The Cork, because of his floating powers, and these stood him in good stead at this time, enabling him to cling to his father much more lightly than would have been the case had he not been able to swim.
At first they found it impossible to do more than endeavour to keep afloat, for the surging of the breakers was so great, and the darkness so intense, that they could not give direction to their energies. But the increasing roar of the surf soon told them that they were near the rocks, and in a few seconds they were launched with tremendous force amongst them.
Well was it for them at that moment that the wave which bore them on its crest swept them through a gap in the reef, else had they been inevitably52 dashed to pieces. As it was, they were nearly torn asunder53, and Gaff’s shoulder just grazed a rock as he was whirled past it; but in a few seconds they found themselves in comparatively still water, and felt assured that they had been swept through an opening in the reef. Presently Gaff touched a rock and grasped it.
“Hold on, Billy my lad!” he exclaimed breathlessly, “we’ll be safe ashore54, please God, in a short bit.”
“All right, daddy,” gasped55 the boy; for to say truth, the whirling in the foam had well-nigh exhausted him.
Soon the two were out of the reach of the waves, clinging to what appeared to be the face of a precipice56. Here, although safe from the actual billows, they were constantly drenched57 by spray, and exposed to the full fury of the gale. At first they attempted to scale the cliff, supposing that if once at the top they should find shelter; but this proved to be impossible. Equally impossible was it to get round the promontory58 on which they had been cast. They were therefore compelled to shelter themselves as they best might, in the crevices59 of the exposed point, and cling to each other for warmth.
It was a long long night to those castaways. Minutes appeared to pass like hours, and it seemed to them as if night had finally and for ever settled down on the dreary world. The wind too, although not very cold, was sufficiently60 so to chill them, and long before day began to break they were so much benumbed as to be scarcely able to maintain their position.
During all this time they were harassed61 by uncertainty62 as to the nature of the rock on which they were cast. It might be a mere63 barren islet, perhaps one which the sea covered at high-water, in which case there was the possibility of their being swept away before morning.
When morning came, however, it revealed to them the fact that they were upon a small promontory, which was connected by a narrow neck of sand with the land.
As soon as the light rendered this apparent, Gaff put his hand on Billy’s head and spoke64 softly to him—
“Now then, lad, look up—ye an’t sleepin’, sure, are ye?”
“No, daddy, only dozin’ and dreamin’,” said Billy, rousing himself.
“Well, we must stop dreamin’, and git ashore as fast as we can. I think there’s dry land all the way to the beach; if not, it’ll only be a short swim. Whether it’s an island or what, I don’t know; but let’s be thankful, boy, that it looks big enough to hold us. Come, cheer up!”
To this Billy replied that he was quite jolly, and ready for anything; and, by way of proving his fitness for exertion65, began to crawl over the rocks like a snail66!
“That’ll never do,” said Gaff with a short laugh; “come, wrestle67 with me, youngster.”
The Bu’ster accepted the challenge at once by throwing his arms round his father’s waist, and endeavouring to throw him. Gaff resisted, and the result was that, in ten minutes or so, they were comparatively warm, and capable of active exertion.
Then they clambered over the rocks, traversed the neck of sand, and quickly gained the shore.
Ascending68 the cliffs with eager haste, they reached the summit just as the sun rose and tinged69 the topmost pinnacles70 with a golden hue71. Pushing on towards an elevated ridge72 of rock, they climbed to the top of a mound73, from which they could obtain a view of the surrounding country, and then they discovered that their place of refuge was a small solitary74 island, in the midst of the boundless75 sea.
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1
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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8
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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victuals
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| n.食物；食品 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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remonstrative
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| adj.抗议的，忠告的 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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brackish
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| adj.混有盐的；咸的 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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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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abatement
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| n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销 | |
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relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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40
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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41
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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43
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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44
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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45
intensifying
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉 | |
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46
seamanlike
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| 海员般的，熟练水手似的 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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48
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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49
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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50
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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51
buffeting
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| 振动 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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54
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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56
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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57
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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promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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crevices
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| n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 ) | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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snail
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| n.蜗牛 | |
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wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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