酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

Records of a Family of Engineers-Part17_ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON(1850-1894)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
overboard. Some trifling parts of the quarter boards were



damaged by the breach of the sea; and one of the boats upon

deck was about one-third full of water, the oyle-hole or drain



having been accidently stopped up, and part of her gunwale had

received considerableinjury. These observations were hastily



made, and not without occasionally shutting the companion, to

avoid being wetted by the successive seas which broke over the



bows and fell upon different parts of the deck according to

the impetus with which the waves struck the vessel. By this



time it was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and the

gale, which had now continued with unabated force for twenty-



seven hours, had not the least appearance of going off.

In the dismalprospect of undergoing another night like



the last, and being in imminenthazard of parting from our

cable, the writer thought it necessary to advise with the



master and officers of the ship as to the probable event of

the vessel's drifting from her moorings. They severally gave



it as their opinion that we had now every chance of riding out

the gale, which, in all probability, could not continue with



the same fury many hours longer; and that even if she should

part from her anchor, the storm-sails had been laid to hand,



and could be bent in a very short time. They further stated

that from the direction of the wind being N.E., she would sail



up the Firth of Forth to Leith Roads. But if this should

appear doubtful, after passing the Island and Light of May, it



might be advisable at once to steer for Tyningham Sands, on

the western side of Dunbar, and there run the vessel ashore.



If this should happen at the time of high-water, or during the

ebbing of the tide, they were of opinion, from the flatness



and strength of the floating light, that no danger would

attend her taking the ground, even with a very heavy sea. The



writer, seeing the confidence which these gentlemen possessed

with regard to the situation of things, found himself as much



relieved with this conversation as he had previously been with

the seemingindifference of the forecastle men, and the smile



of the watch upon deck, though literally lashed to the

foremast. From this time he felt himself almost perfectly at



ease; at any rate, he was entirely resigned to the ultimate

result.



About six o'clock in the evening the ship's company was

heard moving upon deck, which on the present occasion was



rather the cause of alarm. The writeraccordingly rang his

bell to know what was the matter, when he was informed by the



steward that the weather looked considerably better, and that

the men upon deck were endeavouring to ship the smoke-funnel



of the galley that the people might get some meat. This was a

more favourable account than had been anticipated. During the



last twenty-one hours he himself had not only had nothing to

eat, but he had almost never passed a thought on the subject.



Upon the mention of a change of weather, he sent the steward

to learn how the artificers felt, and on his return he stated



that they now seemed to be all very happy, since the cook had

begun to light the galley-fire and make preparations for the



suet-pudding of Sunday, which was the only dish to be

attempted for the mess, from the ease with which it could both



be cooked and served up.

The principal change felt upon the ship as the wind



abated was her increased rolling motion, but the pitching was

much diminished, and now hardly any sea came farther aft than



the foremast: but she rolled so extremely hard as frequently

to dip and take in water over the gunwales and rails in the



waist. By nine o'clock all hands had been refreshed by the

exertions of the cook and steward, and were happy in the



prospect of the worst of the gale being over. The usual

complement of men was also now set on watch, and more



quietness was experienced throughout the ship. Although the

previous night had been a very restless one, it had not the



effect of inducing repose in the writer's berth on the

succeeding night; for having been so much tossed about in bed



during the last thirty hours, he found no easy spot to turn

to, and his body was all sore to the touch, which ill accorded



with the unyielding materials with which his bed-place was

surrounded.






文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号