Upon a little knoll11 left by the receding12 tide sat a man staring stolidly13 out to sea. As I drew near, my approach making no noise upon the yielding sand, I saw that he was white. By his rig—a shirt and trousers, big grass hat, and bare feet—I took him for a beach-comber. These characters are not often desirable companions—human weeds cast ashore in such places, and getting a precarious15 living in dark and devious16 ways without work. But I felt inclined for company and a rest after my long tramp, so I made for him direct. He raised his head at my nearing him, showing a grizzled beard framing a weather-beaten face as of a man some sixty years old. There was a peculiar17, boiled look about his face, too, as if he had once been drowned, by no means pleasant to see.
He gave me “Good evening!” cheerfully enough as I sat down beside him and offered my plug of tobacco. Cutting himself a liberal quid, he returned it with the query18, “B’long ter wun er the spouters, I persoom?” “Yes,” I replied; “boat-header in the Cachalot.” “Ah,” he replied instantly, “but yew19’re no Yank, neow, air ye?” “No, I’m a Cockney—little as you may think that likely,” said I; “but it’s a fact.” “Wall, I don’no,” he drawled, “I’ve a-met Cockneys good’s I want ter know; ’n’ why not?”
The conversation then drifted desultorily20 from topic to topic in an aimless, time-killing fashion, till at last, feeling better acquainted, I ventured to ask him what had given him that glazy, soaked appearance, so strange and ghastly to see. “Look a-heah, young feller,” said he abruptly21, “heouw old je reckon I mout be?” Without the slightest hesitation22 I replied, “Sixty, or thereabouts.” He gave a quiet chuckle23, and then said slowly, “Wall, I doan’ blame ye, nuther; ’n’ as to feelin’—wall, sumtimes I feel ’s if I’d ben a-livin’ right on frum the beginnin’ ov things. My age, which ’s about the one solid fact I kin14 freeze onter now’days, is thutty-two. Yew won’t b’lieve it, of course; but thet’s nothin’ ter what ye will hear, ef yew wait awhile.
“What I’m goin’ ter tell ye happened—lemme see—wall, I doan’no—mebbe two, mebbe four er five year sence. I wuz mate of a pearlin’ schooner24 b’longin’ ter Levuka, lyin’ daouwn to Rotumah. Ware25 we’d ben workin’ the reef wuz middlin’ deep—deep ’nuf ter make eour b’ys fall on deck when they come up with a load, ’n’ lie there like dead uns fer ’bout ten minnits befo’ they k’d move ag’in. ’Twuz slaughterin’ divin’; but the shell wuz thick, ’n’ no mistake; ’n’ eour ole man wuz a hustler—s’long’s he got shell he didn’t vally a few dern Kanakers peggin’ eout neow ’n’ then. We’d alost three with sharks, ’n’ ef ’twan’t thet th’ b’ys wuz more skeered of old Hardhead than they wuz of anythin’ else I doan reckon we sh’d a-got any more stuff thet trip ’t all. But ’z he warn’t the kind er blossom to play any games on, they kep’ at it, ’n’ we ’uz fillin’ up fast. The land was ’bout ten mile off, ’n’ they wuz ’bout fifty, er mebbe sixty fathom26 water b’tween the reef we wuz fishin’ on ’n’ the neares’ p’int. Wall, long ’bout eight bells in the afternoon I uz a-stannin’ by the galley27 door watchin’ a Kanaker crawlin’ inboard very slow, bein’ ’most done up. Five er six ov ’em uz hangin’ roun’ ’bout ter start below agen, ’n’ th’ ole man uz a-blarsfemion gashly at ’em fer bein’ so slow. Right in the middle of his sermont I seed ’im go green in the face, ’n’ make a step back from the rail, with both hans helt up in front ov ’im ’s if he uz skeered ’most ter de’th. ’N’ he wuz, too. There cum lickin’ inboard after him a long grey slitherin’ thing like a snake ’ith no head but a lot uv saucers stuck onto it bottom up. ’N’ befo’ I’d time ter move, bein’ ’most sort er paralised, several more ov the dern things uz a-sneakin’ around all over the deck. The fust one got the skipper good ’n’ tight ’ith a round turn above his arms, ’n’ I saw him a-slidin’ away. The schooner wuz a-rollin’ ’s if in a big swell—which there warn’t a sign of, ’s I c’d see. But them snaky grey things went quicker ’n’ thinkin’ all over her, ’n’ befo’ yew c’d say ‘knife’ every galoot, includin’ me, wuz agoin’ ’long with ’em back to where they’d come from.
“Say, d’yew ever wake up all alive, ’cep’ yew couldn’ move ner speak, only know all wuts goin’ on, ’n’ do the pow’flest thinkin’ ’bout things yew ever did in yer life? Yes, ’n’ that’s haow I wuz then. When thet cold gristly sarpint cum cuddlin’ roun’ me, ’n’ the saucers got onto me ’s if they’d suck out me very bow’ls, I’d a gi’n Mount Morgan ter died; but I couldn’t ev’n go mad. I saw the head ov the Thing them arms b’long’d ter, ’n’ ’twuz wuss ’n the horrors, ’cause I wuz sane28 ’n’ cool ’n’ collected. The eyes wuz black, ’n’ a foot or more across, ’n’ when I looked into ’em I see meself a-comin’.”
He was silent for a minute, but shaking as if with palsy. I laid my hand on his arm, not knowing what to say, and he looked up wistfully, saying, “Thenks, shipmate; thet’s good.” Then he went on again.
“The whole thing went back’ards, takin’ us along; ’n I remember thinkin’ ez we went of[355] the other Kanakers below thet hedn’t come back. I he’rd the bubbles ’s each of us left the sunshine, but never a cry, never another soun’. The las’ thing I remember seein’ ’bove me wuz th’ end of the schooner’s mainboom, which wuz guyed out to larberd some, ’n’ looked like a big arm struck stiff an’ helpless, though wishful to save. Down I went, that clingin’ snaky coil round me tighter ’n my skin. But wut wuz strangest ter me wuz the fact that not only I didn’t drown, but I felt no sort er disconvenience frum bein’ below the water. ’N’ at last when I reached the coral, though I dessay I looked corpse29 enough, ’twuz only my looks, fur I felt, lackin’ my not bein’ able ter move, breathe, er speak, ez peart ’n’ fresh ez I dew naow. The clutch thet hed ben squeezin’ me so all-fired tight begun to slack, ’n’ I felt more comf’ble; ’n’ ef ’t ’adn’t ben fer the reck’lection uv them eyes ’n’ thet berryin’-groun’ ov a mouth, I doan’no but wut I might ha’ been a’most happy. But I lay thar, with the rest uv my late shipmates, sort er ready fer consumpshun, like the flies in the corner of a spider’s web; ’n’ thet guv me a pow’ful heap ov a bad time.
“After a while the quiet of the place begun ter breed strange noshuns in my hed—jest like ’s if I wuz dreamin’, though wide awake ’s ever I wuz in all my life. I jest ’peared to be ’way back at the beginnin’ uv things, befo’ they wuz anythin’ else but water, ’n’ wut life there wuz in them early days hed ter dew ’ithout air er sun er light. I’d read the Bible some—not ter say frequent, ’n’, bein’ but a poor skollar, Jennersez wuz ’bout ’s fur ’s I got. But onct a Blue-nose I uz shipmates with wuz pow’ful fond uv one er the Bible yarns31 he called the Book of Jobe, ’n’ he use’ ter read thet off ter me ’twell I nearly got it through my he’d solid. Anyway, much ov it kem back ter me neow—bits ’beout the foundayshons ov the world, ’n’ the boun’s ov the sea, ’n’ suchlike.
“’N’ all the time overright me in the mouth ov a gret cave, with them res’less thutty-foot feelers ever a-twistin’ ’n’ wrigglin’ aroun’, wuz the Thing itself, them awful eyes jest a-showin’, like moons made ov polished jet, in the dimness. Some ov my shipmates wuz gone, the skipper among ’em; but some, like me, wuz layin’ quiet ’n’ straight; while all about us the fish, ov every shape ’n’ size, wuz a-gliden’ slow ’n’ stealthy, like as if ever on the watch ’gainst some enemy er anuther.
“It seemed so long I laid thar thet I felt able to remember every bush ’n’ bough32 ov coral, every boulder33, that in queerest shapes yew ever see lay scattered34 aroun’. At last, never havin’ quite los’ sight of thet horrible ungodly Thing in the cave yander, I see It kem eout. I never knowed thar wuz a God till then. Sence thet time, whenever I hear some mouthy critter provin’ ez he calls it, poor child! thet ther ain’t, ’n’ cain’t be, any God, I feel thet sorry fer him I c’d jest sail right in ’n’ lam the foggy blether out’n his fool-skull. But ez I wuz a-sayin, eout kem the Thing till I see the hull35 gret carcass ov It, bigger ’n the bigges’ sparm whale I ever see, jest a haulin’ ’n’ a warpin’ along by them wanderin’ arms over the hills ’n’ hallers ov the reef t’ords me. It floated between me ’n’ wut light ther wuz, which wuz suthin’ ter be thankful fer, fer I’d a gi’n my life ter be able to shet my eyes from it ’n’ wut wuz comin’. It hung right over me, ’n’ I felt the clingin’ suckers closin’ all aroun’ me, when all of a sudden they left me ag’in. The gret black shadder moved ter one side ’n’ daown through that clear water cum a sparm whale, graceful36 ’n’ easy’s an albacore. I never thought much of old squar’head’s looks before, but I’m tellin’ ye, then he looked like a shore-nough angel ’longside thet frightful37 crawlin’ clammy bundle of sea sarpients.
“But I hedn’t much time ter reflec’, fer thet whale had come on bizness, ’n’ ther wa’n’t any percrastinatin’ ’bout him. When he got putty cluss up to the Thing that wuz backin’ oneasily away, he sorter rounded to like a boat comin’ ’longside, only ’sted ov comin’ roun’ he come over, clar he’d over flukes. His jaw38 wuz hangin’ daown baout twenty foot with all the big teeth a shinin’, ’n’ next I knew he’d got thet gol-durned Thing in his mouth with a grip right behin’ them awful Eyes. Roun’ come the tangle5 of arms like the sails of a windmill lacin’, clutchin’, tearin’ at the whale’s head. But they might so well hev hugged the Solander Rock. It made no sorter diffrunce ter him, ’n’ his jaw kep’ on workin’ fer all it wuz worth a-sawin’ off the tremenjus he’d of the Thing. Then the light went eout. My gosh! thet water wuz jest turned inter6 ink, ’n’ though yew c’d feel the sway ’n’ swirl39 ov thet gret struggle like the screw race ov some big liner ther wa’n’t nothin’ ter be seen. So I reckon the Thing I’d been puzzlin’ ter fine a name fer wuz jest the Gret Mogul ov all the cuttle-fish, ’n’ bein’ kinder hard prest wuz a-sheddin’ the hull contents ov his ink-tank.
“Wall, I wuz sorter int’rested in this mush ’n’ very much wanted ter see it through, but thet satisfacshun wuz denied me. All the churnin’ ’n’ thrashin’ went on jest above me in pitch-dark ’n’ grave-quiet. Bimeby the water ceased to bile aroun’ ’n’ got clearer, till after a while I c’d see gret shadders above movin’ swiffly. The sea took on anuther colour quite femiliar ter me, sorter yaller, a mixin’ ov red ’n’ blue. Funniest thing wuz the carm way I wuz a takin’ ov it all, jest like a man lookin’ out’n a b’loon at a big fight, er a spectayter in a g’lanty show hevin’ no pusnal concern in the matter ’t all. Presently sneakin along comes a white streak40 cluss ter me. Long befo’ it touched me I knew it fer wut it wuz, ’n’ then I wuz in de’dly fear less the hope uv life after all sh’d rouse me eout uv thish yer trance or whatever it wuz. ’Twuz a whale-line frum some whaleship’s boat a-fishin’ overhe’d. It kem right to me. It teched me ’n’ I felt ’s’if I must come to ’n’ die right there ’n’ then. But it swep’ right under me, ’n’ then settled daown coil after coil till I wuz fair snarled41 erp in it. By this time the water’d got so soupy thet I could’n’ see nothin’, but ’twa’n’t long befo’ I felt myself a-risin’—eout uv the belly42 uv Hell ez Jonah sez.
“Up I kem at a good lick till all uv a sudden I sees God’s light, smells His air, ’n’ hears voices uv men. Gosh, but wa’n’t they gallied when they see me. Blame ef I did’n’ half think they’d lemme go ag’in. The fust one ter git his brains ter work wuz the bow oarsman, a nigger, who leaned over the gunnel, his face greeny-grey with fright, ’n’ grabbed me by the hair. Thet roused the rest, ’n’ I wuz hauled in like a whiz. Then their tongues got ter waggin’, ’n’ yew never heard so many fool things said in five minutes outside er Congress.
“It didn’ seem ter strike any ov ’em thet I moutn’t be so very dead after all, though fortnitly fer me they conclooded ter take me aboard with ’em. So I laid thar in the bottom ov the boat while they finished haulin’ line. Ther wuz a clumsy feller among ’em thet made a slip, hittin’ me an ugly welt on the nose as he wuz fallin’. Nobody took any notice till presently one ov ’em hollers, ‘Why dog my cats ef thet corpse ain’t got a nosebleed.’ This startled ’em all, fer I never met a galoot so loony ez ter think a de’d man c’d bleed. Hows’ever they jest lit eout fer the ship like sixty ’n’ h’isted me aboard. ’Twuz er long time befo’ they got my works a-tickin’ ag’in, but they done it at last, ’n’ once more I wuz a livin’ man amon’ livin’ men.
“Naow ov course yew doan’ b’lieve my yarn30—yew cain’t, tain’t in nacher, but, young feller, thar’s an all-fired heap o’ things in the world that cain’t be beleft in till yew’ve ’speriunced ’em yerself thet ’s trew’s gospel fer all thet.”
I politely deprecated his assumption of my disbelief in his yarn, but my face belied43 me, I know; so, bidding him “S’long” with a parting present of my plug of tobacco (it was all I had to give), I left him and by the failing light made all speed I could back to my ship.
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1
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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2
ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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3
questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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4
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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5
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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6
inter
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| v.埋葬 | |
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7
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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8
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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9
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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10
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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11
knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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12
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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13
stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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14
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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15
precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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16
devious
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| adj.不坦率的，狡猾的；迂回的，曲折的 | |
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17
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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18
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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19
yew
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| n.紫杉属树木 | |
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20
desultorily
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| adv. 杂乱无章地, 散漫地 | |
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21
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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22
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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23
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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24
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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25
ware
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| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
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26
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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27
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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28
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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29
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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30
yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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31
yarns
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| n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事 | |
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32
bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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33
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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34
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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35
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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36
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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37
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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38
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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39
swirl
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| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
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40
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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41
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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42
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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43
belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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