Volume I Part 3 (1/2)
Though I can not repress a shudder when I think of that old shi+p's end, it is i her could have been in any way instrumental in her loss
Nevertheless, I would to heaven the Arcturion still floated; that it was given me once more to tread her familiar decks
CHAPTER VIII They Push Off, Velis Et Reel, and a thousand e
It was an; andon was of course to be avoided On some plausible pretense, I induced our solitary watch myself untra of hi a rather fat fellow, an enorood reason supposed to be the son of a farmer, I made no doubt, he would pursue his old course and fall to nodding over the wheel As for the leader of the watch--our harpooner--he fell heir to the nest of old jackets, under the lee of the mizzen-ht was even blacker than we had anticipated; there was no trace of a ht near the Line, half shrouded the stars fro about twenty one below, I motioned to Jarl, and we slipped our shoes from our feet He then descended into the forecastle, and I sauntered aft toward the quarter-deck All was still Thrice did I passlubber at the helht of the binnacle
Mark, the harpooneer, was not so easily sounded I feared to approach hih; but asleep or awake, no more delay Risks must be run, when time presses And our ears were a pointer's to catch a sound
To ent, without hurry, but swiftly and silently Our various stores were dragged fro from the shi+p's lee side, the side depressed in the water, an indispensable requisite to an atteh at sundown the boat was to ard, yet, as we had foreseen, the vessel having been tacked during the first watch, brought it to leeward
Endeavoring to manhandle our clumsy breaker, and lift it into the boat, we found, that by reason of the intervention of the shrouds, it could not be done without, risking a jar; besides straining the craft in lowering An expedient, however, though at the eleventh hour, was hit upon Fastening a long rope to the breaker, which was perfectly tight, we cautiously dropped it overboard; paying out enough line, to insure its towing astern of the shi+p, so as not to strike against the copper The other end of the line we then secured to the boat's stern
Fortunately, this was the last thing to be done; for the breaker, acting as a clog to the vessel's way in the water, so affected her steering as to fling her perceptibly into the wind And by causing the helm to work, this must soon rouse the lubber there stationed, if not already awake But our dropping overboard the breaker greatly aided us in this respect: it diht breeze had not been very great at any ti without first arresting the vessel's progress, would have been little short of ht achieved, consisted in our lowering ahile the shi+p yet clove the brine, though butin, the lashi+ngs adrift, and the boat fairly suspended; when, seizing the ends of the tackle ropes, we silently stepped into it, one at each end The dead weight of the breaker astern now dragged the craft horizontally through the air, so that her tackle ropes strained hard She quivered like a dolphin Nevertheless, had we not feared her loud splash upon striking the wave, we ht have quitted the shi+p almost as silently as the breath the body But this was out of the question, and our plans were laid accordingly
”All ready, Jarl?”
”Ready”
”A man overboard!” I shouted at the top of h our blistering hands, and with a tremendous shock the boat bounded on the sea's back One e, one terrible strain on the tackles as we sunk in the trough of the waves, tugged upon by the towing breaker, and our knives severed the tackle ropes--we hazarded not unhooking the blocks--our oars were out, and the good boat headed round, with prow to leeward
”Man overboard!” was now shouted fro and shouting of the sailors, as they rushed from their dreams into the almost inscrutable darkness
”Man overboard! Man overboard!” My heart smote me as the huht
”Down helm!” was soon heard from the chief mate ”Back the main-yard!
Quick to the boats! How's this? One down already? Well done! Hold on, then, those other boats!”
Meanwhile several sea as they strained at the braces
”Cut! cut all! Loay! loay!” impatiently cried the sailors, who already had leaped into the boats
”Heave the shi+p to, and hold fast every thing,” cried the captain, apparently just springing to the deck ”One boat's enough Steward; show a light there froot that man?”
No reply The voice cahost We had desisted fro in upon the rope attached to the breaker, which we soon lifted into the boat, instantly resuain shouted the captain
”Ay, ay, sir,” answered Jarl instinctively, ”pulling as hard as ever we can, sir”