The ship was plunging1 into a mountainous sea, with nothing on her except the three narrow bands of lower topsails and forestaysail. She was heeling over to the gale3 until her lee deckstrake was level with the sea, while the deep roar of the wind, as it tore its way through the rigging, told plainly of the pressure on the canvas.
The flying, swirling4 drift struck the face so hard that it was impossible to look but for a moment to windward. I noticed Brown had turned out and was sheltering himself as best he might while he clung to the lee mizzen rigging. Captain Crojack was on deck, and O’Toole had gone forward to call{63} all hands. We had been hove to all the morning on the port track, but, as the barometer6 fell steadily7, the skipper saw, as soon as the wind began to chop around to the eastward8, that he was nearing the centre of the cyclone9. All hands were then called to wear ship.
As the men took their places at the braces11, the skipper gave the order to put the wheel hard up, when the forestaysail, which had held during all the morning, parted from the stay with a loud crack and was gone.
The heavy ship wore slowly under the three lower topsails, but finally came up on the starboard tack12, heading almost due north.
When she first headed the sea, a big fellow caught her a little forward of the starboard beam and bore her down until her lee rail was well under water. Then, with a sudden lurch13, she righted, sending the flood across the deck and filling the forward cabin and alleyways. The main-deck was full of water, and under the extra load the clipper settled almost to her deck amidships.
The ports in the bulwarks14 were nailed up{64} and the water would not get clear fast enough through the scuppers. The men were called aft on the poop, while O’Toole and myself, armed with handspikes, started to break out the bulwarks in the waist.
In a few moments we were joined by the third mate, who stood knee-deep in the foam15 and strove lustily to force the heavy planks16 from the vessel17’s timbers.
While we worked I felt the ship take a heave to windward, and at the same instant heard Crojack’s voice bawling18 out something.
I turned my head just in time to see a blue hill of water rise high above the weather-rail.
Then, with a tremendous, smothering19 crash, it fell on deck and rolled over us.
I had just time to grasp the main brace10 when my feet were swept from under me and I felt myself beneath the surface.
Holding on with both hands, I tried to get my head out of the water, and in a moment the ship righted, jerking me back on to the main-deck.
As soon as I could see anything, I looked{65} for O’Toole and Brown. And then, yes, and then I must confess how weak a strong man is, I looked aft to see if a bright face was enjoying the excitement.
There, in the lee scuppers, lay the red-headed giant holding fast to the topsail brace with one hand while the other was fast in the collar of the third mate’s jacket.
O’Toole was up to his armpits in the swirl5, but his freckled21 face and red hair shone like a beacon22 in the surrounding waste of whiteness, while his deep voice, half-choked with salt water, spluttered out a string of oaths as he dragged Brown to his feet.
“Ef it’s swimmin’ ye’re afther, ’twill be hard to keep up with us,” he roared into the third mate’s ear, “an’ it’s a divin’-bell ye’ll be wantin’ if yer goin’ to help us here, so git on to th’ poop before another sea washes ye clane out av yer skin.” So saying, he released the young man and, grabbing his handspike that floated near, began to start the planking with powerful blows.
The third mate seemed reluctant to leave, but, as his handspike had gone overboard on{66} that sea, there was nothing else for him to do. He climbed on to the poop and held on to the lee rigging. In a few moments we stove out the ports, and the vessel began to relieve herself of the load on her main-deck. Then we climbed back on the poop and held on, watching the lower topsails as they tugged23 and strained at the clews.
Captain Crojack stood near the wheel, and his seamed and lined face wore an anxious look as he strove to pierce the cloud of flying drift and spray which bore down on the staggering ship.
I remember watching him and the pretty face in the companionway alternately. There was much of the sturdy sailor’s nature expressed in the soft face of the young girl. And I have always found much to admire in strong, sturdy characters.
Even, as is often the case, if the strong personality has a coarse fibre, and lacks the soft and delicate traceries of sentiment of the weaker, I have always felt that more reliance could be placed in the former than in the latter, and under any circumstances.{67}
Old Crojack’s strong, lined face and puckered24 eyes, as he stood there trying to look to windward, was a study of resolute25 responsibility.
All of a sudden there was a loud crack, and the maintopsail seemed to melt away from the yard-arm as if it were a sheet of ice under a tropic sun. Then, almost instantly, the wind began to fall until in a few moments a candle would have burned on deck.
“Clew down the mizzentopsail,” roared the skipper, as he sprang for the halyards, and in a moment the watch were all struggling with that bit of canvas and had it rolled snug26 on the yard in less time than it takes to tell it.
“Keep her northeast b’ north,” he sung out again, as the ship, becoming unmanageable, began switching and plunging into a high lumpy sea that seemed to come from all points of the compass at once. All around us hung low, thick banks of heavy, dark, and oily-looking clouds, their lower edges almost resting on the heaving ocean. The air had{68} become as warm as if we had suddenly entered the tropics. In the dull, uncertain light I thought I noticed something white on the water to the southward. Then, above the thundering of the seas that fell on the ship’s deck, I could hear a deepening murmur27. It swelled28 into a deep roaring as the hurricane, driving the tops of the seas before it until they were as level as a plain of driven snow, bore down on our starboard quarter.
With a rush that made every shroud29 and backstay sing to the strain, until the booming roar was deafening30, it struck us and away we went before it.
The foretopsail held long enough to get the ship’s head off before it; then it parted from the clews and jackstay and disappeared like a giant bird into the drift ahead.
It blew so hard that it almost lifted me from my feet as I crossed the deck.
Captain Crojack fastened the cabin door and pulled the slide to the companionway, for he knew that, running deep as we were, it would only be a few minutes before the sea would begin to board us.{69}
“By th’ sowl av Saint Patrick, we struck th’ cintre av it this time, sure,” said O’Toole, who, with Brown and a couple of hands in my watch, sheltered themselves behind the mizzen.
“It puts me in moind av th’ time we had on th’ Eagle frigate31 whin we struck into th’ cintre av one o’ thim circular storms ter th’ north’ard av th’ Bermudas. There was a parrot on board owned by an Irishman in my mess, and ivery time a sea would strike an’ board us th’ baste32 would laugh outrajis. Th’ fellow was so scared av th’ oncanny cratur that he thought it was Davy Jones himself. So he took him ter th’ spar-deck in his cage an’ opens th’ door, an’ says, ‘Scat, ye baste!’ an’ th’ burd was gone t’ leeward33 like a streak34 av green lightnin’.
“‘Now laugh, ye divil incarnate35!’ he yelled, ’an’ thank yer stars me conscience previnted me from wringing36 yer bloody37 neck!’
“Do yer know, ’pon me whurd, for a fact, the wind fell so that by dark we were ready t’ loose th’ maint’gallantsail. The fellow{70} that owned th’ burd was th’ first on th’ yard, an’ th’ first thing he saw there, lookin’ down at him from th’ r’yal truck, was a big pair o’ green eyes. Th’ next minute a wild, oncanny laugh broke out from th’ heavens above to th’ earth beneath.
“He gave one yell an’ let go, an’, if it hadn’t been for th’ belly38 av th’ mainsail being tight as a board, he would have broke his neck. As it was, he slid right down on to th’ main-deck an’ landed on his feet, but he wouldn’t go aloft again till they’d caught th’ burd.
“Now, both ye, Mr. Brown and yersilf, are friendly with th’ ladies, an’ I’m thinking if ye could loose that cockatoo av th’ older one’s, there would be nothin’ but good come from it. Hold hard!” and suiting the action to the yell, he sprang on to the saddle of the spanker boom. The rest of us grabbed whatever came within reach, for we saw a great hill of water high above the stern, and we knew its combing crest39 would go over us.
The men at the wheel jumped around forward{71} of it, as, with a thundering crash, the mass of green water rolled over the poop.
It tore the bitt-coverings to match-wood and crashed through the cabin door. A glimpse of struggling arms in the smother20 of foam that went over the port side told the fate of one of the quartermasters.
“All hands save ship!” roared old Crojack, as soon as the flood had passed over. “Good God! Mr. Gore40, she won’t stand another like that; she’s half up in the wind now,” and we sprang to the wheel to keep her from broaching41 to.
“Lay aft, bullies42!” I bawled43, and, followed by O’Toole, Brown, and a dozen sailors, I made my way as rapidly as possible to the lazarette to procure44 a tarpaulin45.
We carried it into the mizzen rigging and, by dint46 of hard work, managed to lash47 it up and down the ratlines just as another sea boarded us and half-filled the cabin.
Shrieks49 issued from below, but there was no time to see what was the matter. Captain Crojack was almost drowned at the wheel, but he and the sailor left there held{72} on. The man was the heavy-set German whose shoulders had felt the weight of my rope’s-end. When I saw how bravely the fellow held the racing50 ship up to her course, I was almost sorry that I had been so hasty.
As soon as we had the tarpaulin in the mizzen, and the bare yards braced51 for the starboard tack, the wheel was put down and the clipper rolled up in the trough of the sea. She managed to head up, however, although she took a comber into her waist that stove two men, who were at the braces, so heavily against the t’gallant-rail, that one died by the time he was taken forward, and the other had two ribs52 broken and was crippled for weeks afterward53.
Luckily the wind began to haul to the westward54, and we found that on the starboard tack, with nothing but the tarpaulin in the mizzen, she would head up within four points of the sea, while the hauling wind drove the spray over her in clouds but two points forward of the weather beam.
Dripping wet and half-blinded with salt, I made my way aft to where the skipper{73} stood at the wheel. The cries continued to come up the smashed companionway, and, as I drew near, Crojack motioned for me to go below and see what was wrong.
I scrambled55 down into the cabin, and almost immediately found Mrs. Waters in my arms.
She was hysterical56 with fright, and begged me never to leave her.
She was a plump, good-looking woman, and I own that I felt a little flattered at this show of absolute confidence. I took her to the weather side of the cabin, clear of the water, and strove to quiet her, and in a short time she was silent. I then thought that it was about time that I should go on deck and attend to my duties.
As soon as I started to leave, she became nervous again and grasped me tightly.
“You’ll never leave me here alone, Mr. Gore; you’ll never leave me?” she cried.
“No,” said I, mechanically, “I’ll never leave you,” and the words were no sooner out of my mouth than I was aware of a stateroom{74} door being open and a half-smiling, half-frightened face regarding us intently.
“Mr. Gore!” bawled Captain Crojack down the companionway.
“Ay, ay, sir!” I answered, and, freeing myself, I made my way on deck.
The skipper eyed me curiously57.
“Better see about getting a new maintopsail ready for bending, and get the foresail close reefed,” he said, with some energy. And I immediately went forward.
During the dog-watch that evening we bent58 new fore2 and main lower topsails and were soon riding comfortably enough. After supper we kept away and drove off to the eastward, with the wind astern and enough canvas on the ship to keep her clear of the running hill behind us.
The carpenter was sent aft to mend the cabin door and clear away the wreck59 in the after cabin.
So much water had poured down the companionway that many movable things were washed clear into the forward cabin. Among these I noticed a book which I thought I{75} recognized, by its peculiar60 cover, as my private log-book. I remember wondering how it could have floated out of my room, but I picked it up and laid it carefully in my bunk61 to dry.
When I took my watch below, I opened it to see if it was damaged by the water, and was astonished to find neat entries made in it by an unmistakably feminine hand.
On the first page were a few terse62 lines, thus: “April 16th, left New York. Am a little seasick63. Am much amused at the antics of the ogling64 first officer. His name is Gore, an abbreviation of gorilla65. He certainly looks like one,” etc.
I was a little cut at this. I am not handsome, and that made it hurt all the more.
I closed the book and looked out my door into the forward cabin. It was empty. Noiselessly I stole to the door in the bulkhead and looked into the after cabin. It was empty also, and from the sounds that came from the skipper’s room it appeared that he and the passengers were absorbed in conversation over our recent danger. Here was my{76} chance. I went softly to Mrs. Waters’s door and turned the latch66. It opened and I saw that all was dark within, so I quickly deposited the book into what I supposed was the empty bunk and turned to flee. Instantly I felt my hair seized from behind and a piercing shriek48 rent the air close to my ear. I struggled frantically67 to escape, and had just gained the centre of the cabin when Crojack’s door flew open and he and his niece rushed out into the room.
The two staterooms were directly opposite and opened into the main cabin, so it was evident that he had heard the shriek and had sprung to the rescue.
He was upon me in an instant, and I believe would certainly have killed me before I could have said a word of explanation, had it been in his power to do so.
As it was, I gripped him around the body, holding his arms to his sides and strove to explain matters.
Mrs. Waters tugged lustily at my hair and screamed at the top of her voice, while her daughter looked on in consternation68.{77}
In a few moments the good lady let go my hair and very properly fainted. Then I soon had Crojack listening to reason.
When matters were straightened out a little, I went back to my bunk and lay there all the rest of my watch below, cursing my ill luck.
I said, in the beginning, that I was broad-minded, and I’ve always believed that, if there is an all-good and all-powerful Creator, there can be no wrong deduced from any action. He could and would prevent it.
Therefore, from this logical standpoint, there can be no wrong, for every one must believe in an all-good and all-powerful Creator.
From a social or religious standpoint the matter is quite different. A person can do much wrong from this standpoint.
This is not entirely69 a new line of reasoning, perhaps, but I’ve since come to the conclusion that it might have appeared so to Crojack and his niece at that time. Both of those looked upon that absurd affair from an illogical standpoint. Which goes to show{78} how much wrong can be done a man by being more religious than logical. Why do good women always suspect wrong of good men? Bah!
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1
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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2
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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3
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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4
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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swirl
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| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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7
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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8
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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9
cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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10
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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11
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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12
tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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13
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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14
bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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15
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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17
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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18
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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19
smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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20
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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21
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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23
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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26
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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27
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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28
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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29
shroud
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| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
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30
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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31
frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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32
baste
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| v.殴打，公开责骂 | |
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33
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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34
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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35
incarnate
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| adj.化身的，人体化的，肉色的 | |
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36
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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37
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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38
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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39
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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40
gore
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| n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶 | |
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41
broaching
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| n.拉削；推削；铰孔；扩孔v.谈起( broach的现在分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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42
bullies
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| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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43
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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44
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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45
tarpaulin
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| n.涂油防水布，防水衣，防水帽 | |
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46
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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47
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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48
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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49
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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50
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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51
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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52
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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53
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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54
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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55
scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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56
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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57
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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59
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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60
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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61
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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62
terse
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| adj.(说话，文笔)精炼的，简明的 | |
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63
seasick
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| adj.晕船的 | |
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64
ogling
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| v.（向…）抛媚眼，送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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65
gorilla
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| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
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66
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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67
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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68
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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69
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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