So sudden, dramatic and complete had been the justice dealt out to Pepe that it made quite an imperceptible ripple1 in the steady current of the ship’s routine. In the mind of the beaten man there was, of course, a deep and deadly hatred2 for his chastiser3 as well as for C. B., and schemes of revenge chased one another through his brain continually. But he came of a race that understands and appreciates a good thrashing and has no respect for gentle humanitarian4 methods, and so Pepe’s respect for Mr. Merritt’s prowess was very real and sincere. Also his compatriots in the half-deck were perceptibly less sympathetic than they had been. In fact, they were quite ready to throw him over and openly condemn5 him for doing that which any one of them would have done given a favourable6 opportunity.
In only one thing did they now agree with him, and that was in their hatred of C. B. It is a melancholy7 fact that in an assemblage of bad men anything will be condoned8 but goodness, and the perfectly9 blameless life led by C. B. was a constant offence to men whose only virtues10 were high courage in the performance of their dangerous duties, and endurance in the most tremendous labours that can be imagined when the circumstances called for them. But C. B. was now far happier than he had[Pg 121] been since he first came on board. He had almost unconsciously been craving11 for some human sympathy and fellowship, and now he was in a fair way to get both. He felt himself drawn12 to his saturnine13 chief in a most intimate and affectionate way, while he could not but respect and admire him for his effectual punishment of the dastardly offence committed by Pepe. For C. B. had nothing in common with those curious Christians15 among us whose sympathies are entirely16 with the criminal and never with the victim, who shudder17 at pain being inflicted18 upon the guilty but are quite callous19 to the agonies of the innocent. To his simple ideas these folk would have seemed to be madmen.
Various quiet warnings were conveyed to him to keep a wary20 eye upon Pepe, who would be certain to do him a shrewd turn at the earliest opportunity, but he only laughed cheerily and said—
“I’m not losing any sleep over this matter. If he kills me I am ready to die, and shall not be worse off, but better. If he attacks me openly, he will, I think, get some more sore bones. And that’s all I care about it.”
And then he would change the subject, for he was gradually becoming able to talk about the pure and noble life of his island home to the captain and officers and sometimes to the men, who listened fascinated: as they would, for although most of them had at one time or another heard the Gospel preached in some fashion, they had always looked upon the preacher as one who was paid to say certain things which he did not believe, but which were designed to keep the poor man quiet while the rich man preyed21 upon him.
Some of them had dim recollections of holy lives lived by their parents, of prayers repeated in lisping[Pg 122] tones at a mother’s knee and recalled occasionally in moments of solitude22, but none of them had ever met before a man in the spring of life, strong, eager, and able to do all that might become a man, who spoke24 of God and Christ and love that rules the whole creation as if they were matters of intimate knowledge and infinite importance to him. And while they wondered they admired, and speculated among themselves in blind fashion as to what this portent25 could mean.
Then suddenly an incident occurred that raised C. B. in the estimation of all hands more than anything else could have done. It was when the ship was on the southern edge of the off-shore ground and slowly working north. The weather was what we call dirty; low ragged26 clouds shedding rain at frequent intervals27, with strong winds and irregular lumpy sea. C. B. and one of the Portuguese28 harponeers were working together, when C. B. accidentally dropped a serving mallet29 upon the other man’s bare foot. With a horrible exclamation30 in his own language Louis spat31 in C. B.’s face, and at the same time struck him a violent blow in the jaw32. Not content with that the maddened man drew his knife and was in the act of driving it into C. B.’s chest when the latter seized the upraised wrist in his left hand, caught at the broad leather belt worn by the Portuguese with his right, and with a movement deft33 as that of an acrobat34 twirled him into the air and out over the side into the tormented35 sea. All hands who witnessed the slight scuffle stood aghast, helpless for the moment, as C. B., calmly springing on to the rail, gave a searching glance at the spot where the harponeer was struggling in the foam36, and then shouting “Lower away a boat,” sprang after his late enemy.
[Pg 123]
A few vigorous fish-like strokes brought him to the side of the Portuguese, who was evidently in great pain and only feebly endeavouring to keep himself afloat, although these men are all splendid swimmers. Throwing himself upon his back, C. B. seized the man by the collar of his strong serge shirt and held him easily head to sea, rising and falling on the waves like a piece of drift-wood. There was no delay in picking the pair up; indeed, in ten minutes from the time that Louis went flying overboard they were on board again, and C. B. sprang lightly on deck and assisted his aggressor down.
“What does this mean, Christmas?” sternly demanded the captain, who had seen the whole affair. In brief, unimpassioned words C. B. told what had happened, and then turning to Louis the skipper demanded his version. Foolishly but naturally the Portuguese lied, making C. B. out the aggressor, at which the skipper smiled sardonically37, saying—
“Ah, I thought so. You Portagees are as bad as they make ’em. But what’s wrong with yer hand?” seeing that he held it tenderly and was evidently in pain.
“I doan know, sir, feels all broke.” An examination proved that the wrist was dislocated, and the skipper’s rough-and-ready surgery was immediately put in force, after which the groaning38 and completely discomfited39 man retired40 below, too miserable41 to curse his bad luck as he called it.
“Now, Christmas,” said the skipper severely42 when they were alone, “I don’t know what t’ say t’ ye. You really mustn’t go heaving my harponeers overboard like rubbidge, nor yet get t’ breaking ’em all up. Nor yet you mustn’t let ’em go sticking knives in you. Confound you, why[Pg 124] are you always in the right and yet getting into some scrape or another? I shipped a handful of hot stuff when I took you aboard, I can see, and I wish I hadn’t, yet I’m beginning to feel that I’d rather lose anybody than you, you ’mazing muscular Christian14.”
“I’m sorry I hurt the man, sir,” modestly replied C. B., “and I didn’t intend to do so. But if I hadn’t been quicker than he was, he would have probably put me out of action for longer than he’ll be now, while I only thought of defending myself, and a dip overboard can’t possibly do anybody any harm.”
With a cross between a grunt43 and a laugh the skipper turned away, leaving C. B. standing44 quietly to receive the curt45 congratulations of Mr. Merritt, and be the centre of admiring glances from all the crew that were on deck. The matter formed the principal, in fact almost the only topic of conversation on board for the next three days, during which C. B. went on his simple accustomed way, except that he was assiduous in his attention to the suffering man, who, in addition to the pain of his wrist, had sustained a severe rick to his spine46, making it very painful for him to get in and out of his bunk47. And as none of his compatriots thought of doing anything for him, he would have fared very badly but for the man he intended to kill.
By the time that Louis was able to resume work they had been nearly three weeks on the ground and no spout48 of sperm49 or right whales had been seen. It was just the fortune of the fishery, but as usual it bred a good deal of peevishness50 among the crew, whose monotonous52 life grew very irksome. I know of few conditions more trying to the active[Pg 125] mind than to be on board of a clumsy old whaleship always on a wind tacking53 from side to side of a great lonely expanse of sea, shortening sail every night to a close-reefed main topsail and fore23 topmast staysail and making sail again at daylight. No books to read, no new topics to talk about, nothing to do but the same things over and over again, week in week out, with never another sail in sight. It is a life that unless a man has mental resources of no common kind tends to stultification54 of the intellect, and especially makes him peevish51, irritable55 and intolerant even of himself.
The usual bounty56 had been doubled, and the men were so keen that they hardly cared to go below when their turn came to do so. The only men on board who seemed unmoved by the long spell of inaction were Captain Taber and C. B. The first was that fine type of man, as I hope I have suggested, that is even now, thank God, to be found in many New England towns, who, though not making any special profession of religion, are in a very real sense not far from the Kingdom of God. Honest, brave and honourable57; combining in a curious way the astuteness58 of the man of the world with the sweet simplicity59 of a little child, they are the salt of the United States, and their lives and work stand out in brilliant contrast to those of the money-grubbers and professional politicians who are making the noble name of the Great Republic a byword and a hissing60 among the nations.
As Captain Taber used to say so frequently, “This thing” (the scarcity61 of whales within an area where they should be found) “runs in streaks62; we’ll get all we want and more also dreckly.” He was a highly educated man but loved the vernacular64, and occasionally lapsed65 into it from his grave Elizabethan[Pg 126] English. And so it proved, for one morning before it was light he came on deck, and sauntering up to C. B., who was enjoying a pannikin of coffee and biscuit, he said casually—
“Now you fellers ’at don’t smoke are supposed to have the sense of smell more highly developed than us misbul degenerates66 who do, don’t yer nose tell yer nothin’ now?”
“Yes, sir,” brightly replied C. B., “it’s been telling me ever since I came on deck at eight bells that we’re in the thick of either a big shoal of fish or a school of whales of some sort. The air’s quite heavy with fish smell.”
“Ah! an’ I suppose you couldn’t indicate the kind o’ whale that’s possibly around, could ye?” inquired the skipper drily.
“Hardly, sir, although I’ve heard of it being done,” replied C. B. “But I’ve never believed it. I feel sure, though, that the fellows who are stealing up to the crow’s-nest now, sir—look at ’em—will start their music at the first streak63 of dawn.”
“So long as they see sperm whales I’m willing, or even right whale,” murmured the skipper, “for this thing’s growing quite monotonous to me. I want the boys to get some amusement too. Oh well, I must go below and fill my pipe again. However a grown man like you can get along without tobacco I don’t know.” And he glanced quizzically at C. B., who only smiled and resumed his eager watch to windward.
There was not a cloud in the sky from horizon to horizon, nor as far as could be seen was there a trace of haze67. So that when the first tremulous throbbings of dawn made themselves felt it was as if an indefinite weight had been lifted, the displacement68 of shadow by light. And then the whole[Pg 127] dome69 above began to glow in sombre tones, at first duplicated below a shade or two deeper. It was like the birth of colour, and even the eager watchers poised70 in mid71 air forgot their desire for a moment at the amazing sight. Then, as at a celestial72 signal, the sea-rim in the east brimmed with liquid gold, a blazing disc appeared, and it was day.
Simultaneously73 with the upward leap of the sun four voices rang out in the thrilling cry of “Blo-o-o-o-w.” Indeed it was a stirring sight. Far as the eye could reach from horizon to horizon there appeared to be bursting from the sea an endless succession of jets of smoke, each one denoting the presence of a monster sperm whale. Only twice in my life have I ever seen such a sight, once off the Solander Rock, Foveaux Straits, New Zealand, and there the horizon was restricted by land on two sides, and once when on a passage to Gibraltar from London in the P. & O. ss. Arabia, Captain Parfitt, who, if he sees these lines, will doubtless remember that the previous day at dinner we had had a slight controversy74 about the quantity of whales now to be seen at sea. I held that whales were more plentiful75 than ever, he asserted that they were nearly extinct, and the next morning the splendid ship steamed for an hour at sixteen knots through one immense school of sperm whales which must have numbered many thousands.
The captain only took one glance round at the mighty76 concourse, then shouted, “’Way down from aloft. Mr. Winsloe, we’ll lower all five boats to-day, and each one act independently of the rest. These whales are all feeding and I don’t anticipate any trouble, but the first boat that kills, stick a wheft in the whale and get back to the ship. She’ll want handling and that smartly too. Shipkeepers[Pg 128] keep her to windward, that’s all you’ve got to do, and look out for boats coming back. Now then, away for good greasy77 money.”
Whirr, whirr, splash went the five boats, and as soon as they struck the water each boat pushed out from the ship using paddles only, for the whales were quite near, and each singling out a whale for themselves. Within fifteen minutes every boat was fast, that is, the barbed harpoon79 had established a connexion between boat and whale that would only cease by accident or design when the whale was dead. And then that placid80 sea became the scene of a Titanic81 conflict, wherein the puny82 men in their frail83 craft joined battle with the mightiest84 of God’s creatures on most unequal terms. To and fro they flew, those pigmy boats amidst the crowding hundreds of leviathans, who, filled with wild dismay at this sudden calamity85, knew not whither to flee and moved aimlessly and harmlessly. And owing to the immense spaces in which they wallowed they were not now even as dangerous as a herd86 of bullocks would be in a field, for there a man might get crushed to death by accident; here, although to a novice87 the scene appeared dangerous, the older hands knew that an accident was now far less likely than when whales were few and far between.
To add to the confusion and apparent danger existing, the sea appeared to be alive with immense sharks, who in some mysterious way had gathered to that stupendous feast. In fact, the enormous amount of marine88 life peopling that remote ocean breeds a feeling of dismay in some minds, a sense of being out of place, weaklings in the midst of unimaginable forces of destruction. Not, of course, that this thought occurred to the old whalemen. They revelled89 in the gigantic slaughter90, and incurred91 [Pg 129]unnecessary danger by being unable to resist the temptation to lance loose whales passing by. The frenzy92 of killing93 was upon them, and they lunged right and left indiscriminately, heedless of consequences.
In half an hour from the time of leaving the ship Captain Taber had his whale dead, and sticking a wheft (a small flag with a pointed95 end to its staff) in the carcass he bade his crew give way for the ship with all speed. Arriving on board he took charge, and as there was a good working breeze he was able so to handle his ship as to keep well to windward of the whole flotilla of boats, which soon began to hoist96 their whefts in token of having killed each one his whale. There was no need to discriminate94, for all had done well, five big whales had been killed in less than two hours; and now came the hardest part of the great day’s work, and one calling for the greatest amount of seamanship. For when once the first whale had been secured to the ship, she became sluggish97 in her movements, as indeed she well might with a floating mass of some eighty tons attached to her. Those boats that were farthest away, realizing the difficulty, attempted to tow their prizes, an immense task in itself, but now, hampered98 as they were on every side by the bewildered monsters, who wallowed aimlessly, as having lost all sense of direction or power of flight, wellnigh impossible.
Yet in some strange and apparent come-by-chance fashion the whole five whales were secured to the ship, all five boats were hoisted99 into their places, and the utterly100 exhausted101 men went to their food, full of satisfaction with their morning’s work. And while they fed and rested the ship was left in charge of the cook and steward102, who gazed over the side at the strange scene with mingled103 feelings, in which real alarm predominated. Indeed, it was a sight[Pg 130] calculated to terrify. The huge carcasses attached to the ship by hawsers104 floated around her like a concourse of submerged wrecks105 bottom up. Around and between them blundered bewildered whales lost to all their usual instincts, and all the spaces in between the living and the dead monsters were thronged106 with hordes107 of sharks countless108 in number.
To complete the amazing scene there had drifted out of the void great flocks of sea-birds, albatrosses, mallemauks, Cape109 hens, Cape pigeons, fulmars and others, which kept up an incessant110 screaming, fluttering, rising and falling, all ravenous111 and impatient for the cutting in to begin. It was indeed a wonderful revelation of the abundance of life in mid-ocean, such as is only vouchsafed112 to these deep-sea wanderers, the whalemen.
Two hours’ rest was allowed, and then Captain Taber, sauntering towards his mate, said—
“Mr. Winsloe, we’ve got a big thing in hand, but the best of weather for it. We’ll take each whale alongside and get the heads off first, lettin’ them all tow astern as we cut them off. Then we’ll put all our vim113 into gettin’ the carcasses skinned, and if the boys only work as they ought, I think we might get the back of the work broken by eight bells to-night.”
Now it would be quite easy for me to take an entire chapter in the attempt to explain the nature and progress of the gigantic task that was accomplished115 by those forty men, toiling117 almost incessantly118 from noon until daylight the next morning; but as the great business has nothing adventurous119 or thrilling about it, I fear I could not make it interesting. Only I feel that I would like you to realize the scene.[Pg 131] The immense masses of blubber being hove inboard by the full power of the crew at the windlass, the great tackles groaning and the ship canting over under the load, the unwearying thrust and recover of the long-handled spades as the toiling officers and harponeers laboured to disjoint the huge heads or scarph the blubber so that it would strip easily from the carcasses, the fitful weird120 glare of the cressets of blazing “scrap” (pieces of blubber from which the oil has been boiled disposed about the ship to give light to the toilers), and just outside that tiny circle of human labour the solemn vastness of the darkling ocean, the loneliness of that untraversed sea.
But I should do scant121 justice to the picture if I failed to note how, within that apparently122 charmed circle which had the ship for its centre, the deep was alive, luminous123 and vivid. The ceaseless come and go of the ravenous sea-scavengers, striving with all their wonderful energy to get a share of the great feast that was spread, was in itself a sight to linger in the memory as long as life should last, had the workers but time to look at it. And to complete the uncanny interest of the whole strange scene, there was the uneasy passings and melancholy voices of the sea-birds, flitting whitely through the gloom, impatiently waiting for the day.
Daylight saw the huge task completed, and the ship’s deck from one end to the other blocked with the mighty masses of case and junk and blanket pieces. The blubber-room, as the square of the main-hatch down to the ’tween decks and for about ten feet on either side of it is called, was choked full of blubber, not another slice could be got down, and in consequence all the rest had to be piled on deck. Old whalemen will doubt the possibility of such a[Pg 132] feat124 as the cutting in of five sperm whales in twenty hours until I explain that none of the whales were too large to have the case lifted inboard, and that, of course, makes all the difference; for I have been twenty-four hours engaged in cutting in one whale, and with a smart man in charge too. But then that whale was so huge that many time-wasting things had to be done that were unnecessary in the case I am relating.
As the last case was hove on board and secured, the skipper gave a long sigh of relief and cried—
“Spell ho! all hands. Mr. Winsloe, give the boys three hours’ rest, good, and then we’ll start blubber watches (six hours on and six hours off); and say, you cook-man, just you see to it that the men get the best breakfast that can be scared up in the ship.” And as he turned away towards the stern the oil dripped from his hair, his clothing, and squished out of his sea-boots, for the captains of those ships, if they drove their crews, drove themselves hardest of all, and no man could say that his skipper could only drive, not lead.
Now, impossible as it may seem to us, there was no attempt made to change clothing. Just a perfunctory wipe of hands and face with oakum wads preliminary to a wolfish devouring125 of food, for all were outrageously126 hungry. That everything eaten and even the tobacco smoked afterwards was reeking127 with oil nobody minded, for in truth the product of the sperm whale when absolutely fresh as this was is as bland128 and pleasant as the purest olive oil: it is only when it gets stale and rancid that its unpleasant taste and odour become manifest.
The short respite129 worked wonders for the toilers, although those of them who had to resume work at[Pg 133] 10 a.m., four bells, thought longingly130 of the greasy bunks131 in which the fortunate members of the watch below were recuperating132 from their heavy labours. But a spirit of emulation133 was aboard, and there was no cursing or driving; every man therefore did his best to reduce the chaos134 on deck to something like order. The huge cases were split open one after the other, the spermaceti baled out and passed into tanks below, and as each was scraped dry it was hauled to the waist and pushed through the open gangway into the sea, where, in spite of the vast banquet given them in the carcasses of the whales during the night, there were thousands of gaping135 candidates for more.
As the fierce sun came out and beat down upon the piles of blubber the oil exuded136 and filled the decks, for all the scuppers and wash-ports were closed tightly, and there was no time to bale or place to bale the oil into until the fires in the try-works should be started. But by dint137 of the hardest, most unremitting toil116, at midday enough of a clearance138 had been made to start the fires and the work of boiling down began. And here I must leave the business for a while because, although it has not its parallel in any other work ashore139, it is dirty, greasy, smelly; full of sordid140 discomforts141, and difficult indeed to see the romance of except to the privileged few who have strong imaginations.
Throughout the following week all hands toiled142 nobly to stow away their great catch, but the captain and officers had a pretty bad time, for every day small pods of sperm whales would come nosing around, quite close to the ship, as if they knew (and perhaps they did) that her crew was unable to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity through having their hands so abundantly filled. Then when at last the whole catch had been reduced into the[Pg 134] comparatively small compass of nearly 600 barrels, or 60 tons of oil, and the lash78 rails all round the ship were fully143 occupied by huge casks full of oil getting cool, the harponeers of each boat made haste to refit their boats, sharpen their weapons, and make all ready for the next opportunity, thinking at the same time how very unlikely it was that those visiting whales would happen along again now that they might look for a cordial reception.
I have not made any special mention of my hero in connexion with this great piece of work, because he did only what every one else did, his best, and at a time like that the slightest softness or slacking-off of a man in a position of authority is noted144 at once, not merely by his compeers but by his subordinates. Through this really severe ordeal145 C. B. passed triumphantly146 in spite of the novelty of much of the work to him, and by the time it was over there really seemed to be a tacit agreement on the part of the men who hated him to let him alone, since he had proved in the most satisfactory way that he was entirely capable, willing and cheerful, and that the men forward would jump more eagerly at his slightest pleasantest word than they would at a bitter curse weighing a threat from one of the truculent147 Portuguese. In fact, although no one told him so in so many words, all the circumstances attending this great catch went to place C. B. in the position in the esteem148 of his fellows that he deserved to occupy, and lasting149 peace seemed assured.
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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chastiser
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| n.惩罚者，儆戒者 | |
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humanitarian
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| n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者 | |
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condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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condoned
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| v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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saturnine
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| adj.忧郁的，沉默寡言的，阴沉的，感染铅毒的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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preyed
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| v.掠食( prey的过去式和过去分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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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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portent
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| n.预兆；恶兆；怪事 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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mallet
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| n.槌棒 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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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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33
deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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34
acrobat
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| n.特技演员，杂技演员 | |
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35
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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36
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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37
sardonically
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| adv.讽刺地，冷嘲地 | |
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38
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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39
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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40
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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41
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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42
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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43
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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44
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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45
curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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46
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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47
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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48
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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49
sperm
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| n.精子，精液 | |
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50
peevishness
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| 脾气不好；爱发牢骚 | |
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51
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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52
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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53
tacking
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| （帆船）抢风行驶，定位焊[铆]紧钉 | |
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54
stultification
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| n.使显得愚笨，使变无效 | |
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55
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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56
bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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57
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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58
astuteness
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| n.敏锐；精明；机敏 | |
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59
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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60
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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61
scarcity
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| n.缺乏，不足，萧条 | |
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62
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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63
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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64
vernacular
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| adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名 | |
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65
lapsed
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| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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66
degenerates
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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67
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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68
displacement
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| n.移置，取代，位移，排水量 | |
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69
dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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70
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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71
mid
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| adj.中央的，中间的 | |
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72
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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73
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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74
controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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75
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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76
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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77
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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78
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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79
harpoon
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| n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获 | |
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80
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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81
titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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82
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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83
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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84
mightiest
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| adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的 | |
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85
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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86
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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87
novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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88
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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89
revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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90
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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91
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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92
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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93
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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94
discriminate
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| v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待 | |
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95
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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96
hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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97
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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98
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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99
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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100
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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101
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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102
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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103
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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104
hawsers
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| n.（供系船或下锚用的）缆索，锚链( hawser的名词复数 ) | |
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105
wrecks
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| n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉 | |
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106
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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107
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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108
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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109
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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110
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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111
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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112
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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113
vim
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| n.精力，活力 | |
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114
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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115
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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116
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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117
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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118
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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119
adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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120
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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121
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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122
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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123
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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124
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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125
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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126
outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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127
reeking
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| v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的现在分词 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象） | |
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128
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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129
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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130
longingly
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| adv. 渴望地 热望地 | |
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131
bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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132
recuperating
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| v.恢复（健康、体力等），复原( recuperate的现在分词 ) | |
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133
emulation
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| n.竞争；仿效 | |
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134
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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135
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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136
exuded
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| v.缓慢流出，渗出，分泌出( exude的过去式和过去分词 )；流露出对（某物）的神态或感情 | |
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137
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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138
clearance
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| n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理 | |
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139
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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140
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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141
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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142
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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143
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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144
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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145
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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146
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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147
truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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148
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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149
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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