with lee in virginia-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Never　mind；　Dan；〃　Vincent　said　cheerfully。　　〃You　will　be　better

after　this。〃



〃Me　not　seasick；　massa；　de　sea　have　nuffin　to　do　with　it；。　　It's　de

boat　dat　will　jump　up　and　down　instead　of　going　quiet。〃



〃It's　all　the　same　thing；　Dan；　and　I　hope　she　won't　jump　about　more

before　we　get　into　the　river。〃



But；　in　another　half　hour　Vincent　had　to　bring　the　boat's　head　up　to

the　wind；　lower　the　lug；　and　tie　down　the　last；　reef。



〃There；　she　goes　easier　now；　Dan；〃　he　said；　as　the　boat　resumed

her　course；　but　Dan；　who　was　leaning　helplessly　over　the　side　of

the　boat；　could　see　no　difference。



Vincent；　however；　felt　that；　under　her　close　sail　the　boat　was　doing

better；　and　rising　more　easily　on　the　waves；　which　were　now

higher　and　farther　apart　than　before。　　In　another　hour　the　whole　of

the　shore…line　was　visible；　but　the　wind　had　risen　so　much　that；

even　under　her　reduced　sail；　the　boat　had　as　much　as　she　could

carry；　and　often　heeled　over　until　her　gunwale　was　nearly　under

water。　Another　hour　and　the　shore　was　but　some　four　miles　away；

but　Vincent　felt；　he　could　no　longer　hold　on。



In　the　hands　of　an　experienced　sailor；　who　would　have　humored

the　boat　and　eased　her　up　a　little　to　meet　the　seas；　the　entrance　to

the　York　River　could　no　doubt；　have　been　reached　with　safety；　but

Vincent　was　ignorant　of　the　art　of　sailing　a　boat　in　the　sea；　and　she

was　shipping　water　heavily。　　Dan　had　for　some　time　been　bailing；

having　only　undertaken　the　work　in　obedience　to　Vincent's　angry

orders；　being　too　ill　to　care　much　what　became　of　them。



〃Now；　Dan；　I　am　going　to　bring　her　head　up　to　the　wind；　so　get

ready　to　throw　off　that　halyard　and　gather　in　the　sail　as　it；　comes

down。　　That's　right；　man；　now　down　with　the　mast；。〃



Vincent　had　read　that；　the　best；　plan　when　caught　in　an　open　boat

in　a　gale；　was　to　tie　the　oars　and　mast；　if　she　had　one；　together；　and

to　throw　them　overboard　with　the　head　rope　tied　to　them；　as　by

that　means　the　boat　would　ride　head　to　sea。　　The　oars；　sculls；　mast；

and　sail　were　firmly　tied　together　and　launched　overboard；　the

rope　being　first　taken　off　the　anchor　and　tied　round　the　middle　of

the　clump　of　spars。



Vincent　carefully　played　out　the　rope　till　some　fifteen　yards　were

over；　then　he　fastened　it　to　the　ring　of　the　head　rope；　and　had　the

satisfaction　of　finding　that　the　boat　rode　easily　to　the　floating

anchor；　rising　lightly　over　the　waves；　and　not　shipping　a　drop　of

water。　　He　then　took　the　baler　and　got　rid　of　the　water　that　had

found　its　way　on　board；　Dan；　after　getting　down　the　sail；　having

collapsed　utterly。



〃Now；　Dan；　sit　up；　there；　man；　the　motion　is　much　easier　now；　and

we　are　taking　no　water　on　board。　I　will　give　you　a　glass　of　rum；

that　will　put　new　strength　into　you。　　It's　lucky　we　put　it　in　the

basket　in　ease　of　emergency。〃



The　negro；　whose　teeth　were　chattering　from　cold；　fright；　and

exhaustion；　eagerly　drank　off　the　spirit。　　Vincent；　who　was　wet　to

the　skin　with　the　spray；　took　a　little　himself；　and　then　settled

himself　as　comfortably　as　he　could　on　the　floor…hoards　in　the　stern

of　the　boat；　and　quietly　thought　out　the　position。　　The　wind　was

still　rising；　and　a　thick　haze　obscured　the　land。　　He　had　no　doubt

that　by　night　it　would　be　blowing　a　gale；　but　the　boat　rode　so　easily

and　lightly　that　he　believed　she　would　get　through　it。



They　might；　it　was　true；　he　blown　many　miles　off　the　shore；　and

not　be　able　to　get　back　for　some　time；　for　the　gale　might　last　two

or　three　days。　　The　basket　of　provisions　was；　however；　a　large　one。　

Dan　had　received　orders　to　bring　plenty　and　had　obeyed　them

literally；　and　Vincent　saw　that　the　supply　of　food；　if　carefully

husbanded；　would　last；　without　difficulty　for　a　week。　　The　supply

of　liquor　was　less　satisfactory。　　There　was　the　bottle　of　rum；　two

bottles　of　claret；　and　a　two…gallon　jar；　nearly　half　empty；　of　water。　

The　cold　tea　was　finished。



〃That　would　be　a　poor　supply　for　a　week　for　two　of　us；〃　Vincent；

muttered；　as　he　removed　the　contents　of　the　basket　and　stored

them　carefully　in　the　locker；　〃however；　if　it's　going　to　be　a　gale

there　is　sure　to　be　some　rain　with　it；　so　1　think　we　shall　manage

very　well。〃



By　night　it　was　blowing　really　heavily；　but　although　the　waves

were　high　the　boat　shipped　but　little　water。　　Dan　had　fallen　off　to

sleep；　and　Vincent　had　been　glad　to　wrap　himself　in　the　thick　coat

he　had　brought　with　him　as　a　protection　against　the　heavy　dews

when　sleeping　on　the　river。　　At；　times　sharp　rain　squalls　burst　upon

them；　and　Vincent　had　no　difficulty　in　filling　up　the　water…bottle

again　with　the　baler。



The　water　was　rather　brackish；　but　nor　sufficiently　so　to　be　of

consequence。　　All　night　the　heat　was　tossed　heavily　on　the　waves。　

Vincent　dozed　off　at　times；　rousing　himself　occasionally　and

baling　out　the　water；　which　came　in　the　shape　of　spray　and　rain。　

The　prospect；　in　the　morning　was　not　cheering。　　Gray　clouds

covered　the　sky　and　seemed　to　come　down　almost　on　to　the　water；

the　angry　sea　was　crested　with　white　heads；　and　it；　seemed　to

Vincent　wonderful　that　the　boat　should　live　in　such　a　sea。



〃Now；　Dan；　wake　yourself　up　and　get　some　breakfast；〃　Vincent

said；　stirring　up　the　negro　with　his　foot。



〃Oh　Lor'！〃　Dan　groaned；　raising　himself　into　a　sitting　position　from

the　bottom　of　the　boat；　〃dis　am　awful；　we　neber　see　the　shore　no

more；　massa。〃



〃Nonsense；　man；〃　Vincent　said　cheerily；　〃we　are　getting　on

capitally。〃



〃It　hab　been　an　awful　night；　sah。〃



〃An　awful　night！　　You　lazy　rascal；　you　slept　like　a　pig　all　night；

while　I　have　been　baling　the　boat　and　looking　out　for　you。　　It　is

your　turn　now；　I　can　tell　you。　　Well；　do　you　feel　ready　for　your

breakfast？〃



Dan；　after　a　moment's　consideration；　declared　that　he　was。　　The

feeling　of　seasickness　had　passed　off；　and　except　that　he　was　wet

through　and　miserable；　he　felt　himself　again；　and　could　have　eaten

four　times　the　allowance　of　food　that　Vincent　handed　him。　　A

pannikin　of　rum　and　water　did　much　to　restore　his　life　and　vitality；

and　he　was　soon；　with　the　light…heartedness　of　his　race；　laughing

and　chatting　cheerfully。



〃How　long　dis　go　on；　you　tink；　sah？〃



〃Not　long；　I　hope；　Dan。　　I　was　afraid　last　night　it　was　going　to　be　a

big　gale；　but　I　do　not　think　it　is　blowing　so　hard　now　as　it；　was　in

the　night。〃



〃Where　have　we　get　to　now；　sah？〃



〃I　don't　exactly　know；　Dan；　but　I　do　not　suppose　that　we　are　very

many　miles　away　from　shore。　　The　mast　and　oars　prevent　our

drifting　fast；　and　I　don't　think　we　are　further　off　now　than　we　were

when　we　left　that　ship　yesterday。　　But　even　if　we　were　four　or　five

times　as　far　as　that；　we　should　not　take　very　long　in　sailing　back

again　when　the　wind　drops；　and　as　we　have　got　enough　to　eat　for　a

week　we　need　not　be　uncomfortable　about　that。〃



〃Not　much　food　for　a　week；　Massa　Vincent。〃



〃Not　a　very　great　deal；　Dan；　but　quite　enough　to　keep　us　going。　

You　can　make　up　for　lost　time　when　you　get　to　shore　again。〃



In　a　few　hours　it　was　certain　that　the　wind　was　going　down。　　By

midday　the　clouds　began　to　break　up；　and　an　hour　later　the　sun　was

shining　brightly。　　The　wind　was　still　blowing　strongly；　hr　t　the　sea

had　a　very　different　appearance　in　the　bright　light　of　the　sun　to　that

which　it　had　borne　under　the　canopy　of　dark　gray　clouds。　　Standing

'up　in　the　boat　two　hours　later；　Vincent　could　see　no　signs　of　land。



〃How　shall　we　find　our　way　back；　Massa　Vincent？〃



〃We　have　got　a　compass；　besides；　we　should　manage　very　well

even　if　we　had　not。　　Look　at　the　sun；　Dan。　There　it；　is　right　ahead

of　us。　　So；　you　know；　that's　the　west…that's　the　way　we　have　to　go。〃



〃That　very　useful　oh　de　sun；　sah；　but　suppose　we　not　live　in　de

west　do　sun　not　point　de　way　den。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　he　would；　just　the　same；　Dan。　　We　should　know　whether

to　go　away　from　him；　or　to　keep　him　en　the　right　hand　or　on　the

left。〃



This　was　beyond　Dan。　　〃And　I　s'pose　the　moon　will　show　de　way　at

night；　massa？〃



〃The　moon　would　show　the　way　if　she　were　'up；　but　she　is　not

always　up；　but　I　have　got　a　compass　here；　and　so　whether　we　have

the　sun　or　the　moon；　or　neither　of　them；　I　can　find　my　way　back　to

land。〃



Dan　had　never　seen　a　compass；　and　for　an　hour　amused　himself

turning　it　round　and　round　and　trying　to　get　it　to　point　in　some

other　direction　than　the　north。



〃Now；　Dan；〃　Vincent　said　at　last；　〃give　me　that　compass；　and　get

out　the　food。　　We　will　have　a　better　meal　than　we　did　this　morning；

for　now　that　the　wind　is　going　down　there's　no　chance　of　food

running　short。　　When　we　have　had　dinner　we　will　get　up　the　sail

again。　　The　sea　is　not　so　rough　as　it　was；　and　it　is　certainly　not　so

high　as　it　was　before　we　lowered　the　sail　yesterday。〃



〃De　waves　berry　big；　massa。〃



〃They　are　big；　Dan；　but　they　are　not　so　angry。　　The　heads　are　not

breaking　over　as　they　did　last　night；　and　the　boat　will　go　better

over　those　long　waves　than　she　did　through　the　choppy　sea　at　the

beginning　of　the　gale。〃



Accordingly　the　bundle　of　spars　was　pulled　up　alongside　and

lifted。　　The　mast　was　set　up　and　the　sail　hoisted。　Dan　in　a　few

minutes　forgot　his　fears　and　lost　even　his　sense　of　uneasiness　as　he

found　the　boat　mounted　wave　after　wave　without　shipping　water。　

Several　times；　indeed；　a　shower　of　spray　flew　high　up　in　the　air；

but　the　gusts　no　longer　buried　her　so　that　the　water　came　over　the

gunwale；　and　it　was　a　long　time　before　there　was　any　occasion　to

use　the　baler。　　As　the　sun　set　it　could　be　seen　that　there　was　a　dark

line　between　it　and　the　water。



〃There　is　the　land；　Dan；　and　I　do　not　suppose　it　is　more　than

twenty　miles　away；　for　most　of　the　coast　lies　low。〃



〃But　how　we　find　do　York　River；　massa？　Will　de　compass　tell　you

dat？〃



〃No；　Dan。　　I　don't　know　whether　we　have　drifted　north　or　south　of

it。　　At　ordinary　times　the　current　runs　up　the　coast；　but　the　wind

this　morning　was　blowing　from　the　north　of　west；　and　may　have

been　doing　so　all　through　the　night　for　anything　I　know。　　Well；　the

great　thing　is　to　make　land。　　We　are　almost　sure　to　come　across

some　fishing…boats；　but；　if　not；　we　must　run　ashore　and　find　a

house。〃



They　continued　sailing　until　Vincent's　watch　told　him　it　was

twelve　o'clock；　by　which　time　the　coast　was　quite　close。　　The　wind

now　almost　dropped；　and；　lowering　their　sail；　they　rowed　in　until；

on　lowering　the　anchor；　they　found　that　it　touched　the　ground。　

Then　they　lay　down　and　slept；　till　morning。　　Dan　was　the　first　to

waken。



〃Dar　are　some　houses　dere　close　down　by　the　shore；　sah；　and　some

men　getting　out　a　boat；。〃



〃That's　all　right；　Dan；〃　Vincent　said　as　he　roused　himself　and

looked　over。　　〃We　shall　learn　soon　where　we　are。〃



In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　fishing…boat　put　off；　and　the　lads　at　once

rowed　to　it。



〃How　far　are　we　from　the　mout