the works of edgar allan poe-3-第15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！


completely　dead；　the　blood　issuing　in　a　stream　from　a　deep　wound　in
the　throat；　inflicted；　no　doubt；　by　the　sharp　teeth　of　the　animal。

　　　　It　was　now　about　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　wind　was
still　blowing　tremendously。　The　brig　evidently　laboured　much　more
than　usual；　and　it　became　absolutely　necessary　that　something　should
be　done　with　a　view　of　easing　her　in　some　measure。　At　almost　every
roll　to　leeward　she　shipped　a　sea；　several　of　which　came　partially
down　into　the　cabin　during　our　scuffle；　the　hatchway　having　been　left
open　by　myself　when　I　descended。　The　entire　range　of　bulwarks　to
larboard　had　been　swept　away；　as　well　as　the　caboose；　together　with
the　jollyboat　from　the　counter。　The　creaking　and　working　of　the
mainmast；　too；　gave　indication　that　it　was　nearly　sprung。　To　make
room　for　more　stowage　in　the　afterhold；　the　heel　of　this　mast　had
been　stepped　between　decks　（a　very　reprehensible　practice；
occasionally　resorted　to　by　ignorant　ship…builders）；　so　that　it　was
in　imminent　danger　of　working　from　its　step。　But；　to　crown　all　our
difficulties；　we　plummed　the　well；　and　found　no　less　than　seven　feet
of　water。

　　　　Leaving　the　bodies　of　the　crew　lying　in　the　cabin；　we　got　to　work
immediately　at　the　pumps…　Parker；　of　course；　being　set　at　liberty　to
assist　us　in　the　labour。　Augustus's　arm　was　bound　up　as　well　as　we
could　effect　it；　and　he　did　what　he　could；　but　that　was　not　much。
However；　we　found　that　we　could　just　manage　to　keep　the　leak　from
gaining　upon　us　by　having　one　pump　constantly　going。　As　there　were
only　four　of　us；　this　was　severe　labour；　but　we　endeavoured　to　keep
up　our　spirits；　and　looked　anxiously　for　daybreak；　when　we　hoped　to
lighten　the　brig　by　cutting　away　the　mainmast。

　　　　In　this　manner　we　passed　a　night　of　terrible　anxiety　and　fatigue；
and；　when　the　day　at　length　broke；　the　gale　had　neither　abated　in　the
least；　nor　were　there　any　signs　of　its　abating。　We　now　dragged　the
bodies　on　deck　and　threw　them　overboard。　Our　next　care　was　to　get　rid
of　the　mainmast。　The　necessary　preparations　having　been　made；　Peters
cut　away　at　the　mast　（having　found　axes　in　the　cabin）；　while　the　rest
of　us　stood　by　the　stays　and　lanyards。　As　the　brig　gave　a　tremendous
lee…lurch；　the　word　was　given　to　cut　away　the　weather…lanyards；　which
being　done；　the　whole　mass　of　wood　and　rigging　plunged　into　the　sea；
clear　of　the　brig；　and　without　doing　any　material　injury。　We　now
found　that　the　vessel　did　not　labour　quite　as　much　as　before；　but　our
situation　was　still　exceedingly　precarious；　and　in　spite　of　the
utmost　exertions；　we　could　not　gain　upon　the　leak　without　the　aid　of
both　pumps。　The　little　assistance　which　Augustus　could　render　us　was
not　really　of　any　importance。　To　add　to　our　distress；　a　heavy　sea；
striking　the　brig　to　the　windward；　threw　her　off　several　points　from
the　wind；　and；　before　she　could　regain　her　position；　another　broke
completely　over　her；　and　hurled　her　full　upon　her　beam…ends。　The
ballast　now　shifted　in　a　mass　to　leeward　（the　stowage　had　been
knocking　about　perfectly　at　random　for　some　time）；　and　for　a　few
moments　we　thought　nothing　could　save　us　from　capsizing。　Presently；
however；　we　partially　righted；　but　the　ballast　still　retaining　its
place　to　larboard；　we　lay　so　much　along　that　it　was　useless　to　think
of　working　the　pumps；　which　indeed　we　could　not　have　done　much　longer
in　any　case；　as　our　hands　were　entirely　raw　with　the　excessive　labour
we　had　undergone；　and　were　bleeding　in　the　most　horrible　manner。

　　　　Contrary　to　Parker's　advice；　we　now　proceeded　to　cut　away　the
foremast；　and　at　length　accomplished　it　after　much　difficulty；　owing
to　the　position　in　which　we　lay。　In　going　overboard　the　wreck　took
with　it　the　bowsprit；　and　left　us　a　complete　hulk。

　　　　So　far　we　had　had　reason　to　rejoice　in　the　escape　of　our
longboat；　which　had　received　no　damage　from　any　of　the　huge　seas
which　had　come　on　board。　But　we　had　not　long　to　congratulate
ourselves；　for　the　foremast　having　gone；　and；　of　course；　the　foresail
with　it；　by　which　the　brig　had　been　steadied；　every　sea　now　made　a
complete　breach　over　us；　and　in　five　minutes　our　deck　was　swept　from
stern　to　stern；　the　longboat　and　starboard　bulwarks　torn　off；　and
even　the　windlass　shattered　into　fragments。　It　was；　indeed；　hardly
possible　for　us　to　be　in　a　more　pitiable　condition。

　　　　At　noon　there　seemed　to　be　some　slight　appearance　of　the　gale's
abating；　but　in　this　we　were　sadly　disappointed；　for　it　only　lulled
for　a　few　minutes　to　blow　with　redoubled　fury。　About　four　in　the
afternoon　it　was　utterly　impossible　to　stand　up　against　the　violence
of　the　blast；　and；　as　the　night　closed　in　upon　us；　I　had　not　a　shadow
of　hope　that　the　vessel　would　hold　together　until　morning。

　　　　By　midnight　we　had　settled　very　deep　in　the　water；　which　was　now
up　to　the　orlop　deck。　The　rudder　went　soon　afterward；　the　sea　which
tore　it　away　lifting　the　after　portion　of　the　brig　entirely　from　the
water；　against　which　she　thumped　in　her　descent　with　such　a
concussion　as　would　be　occasioned　by　going　ashore。　We　had　all
calculated　that　the　rudder　would　hold　its　own　to　the　last；　as　it　was
unusually　strong；　being　rigged　as　I　have　never　seen　one　rigged　either
before　or　since。　Down　its　main　timber　there　ran　a　succession　of　stout
iron　hooks；　and　others　in　the　same　manner　down　the　stern…post。
Through　these　hooks　there　extended　a　very　thick　wrought…iron　rod；　the
rudder　being　thus　held　to　the　stern…post　and　swinging　freely　on　the
rod。　The　tremendous　force　of　the　sea　which　tore　it　off　may　be
estimated　by　the　fact；　that　the　hooks　in　the　stern…post；　which　ran
entirely　through　it；　being　clinched　on　the　inside；　were　drawn　every
one　of　them　completely　out　of　the　solid　wood。

　　　　We　had　scarcely　time　to　draw　breath　after　the　violence　of　this
shock；　when　one　of　the　most　tremendous　waves　I　had　then　ever　known
broke　right　on　board　of　us；　sweeping　the　companion…way　clear　off；
bursting　in　the　hatchways；　and　firing　every　inch　of　the　vessel　with
water。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　8　~~~

CHAPTER　9



　　　　LUCKILY；　just　before　night；　all　four　of　us　had　lashed　ourselves
firmly　to　the　fragments　of　the　windlass；　lying　in　this　manner　as　flat
upon　the　deck　as　possible。　This　precaution　alone　saved　us　from
destruction。　As　it　was；　we　were　all　more　or　less　stunned　by　the
immense　weight　of　water　which　tumbled　upon　us；　and　which　did　not　roll
from　above　us　until　we　were　nearly　exhausted。　As　soon　as　I　could
recover　breath；　I　called　aloud　to　my　companions。　Augustus　alone
replied；　saying：　〃It　is　all　over　with　us；　and　may　God　have　mercy　upon
our　souls！〃　By…and…by　both　the　others　were　enabled　to　speak；　when
they　exhorted　us　to　take　courage；　as　there　was　still　hope；　it　being
impossible；　from　the　nature　of　the　cargo；　that　the　brig　could　go
down；　and　there　being　every　chance　that　the　gale　would　blow　over　by
the　morning。　These　words　inspired　me　with　new　life；　for；　strange　as
it　may　seem；　although　it　was　obvious　that　a　vessel　with　a　cargo　of
empty　oil…casks　would　not　sink；　I　had　been　hitherto　so　confused　in
mind　as　to　have　overlooked　this　consideration　altogether；　and　the
danger　which　I　had　for　some　time　regarded　as　the　most　imminent　was
that　of　foundering。　As　hope　revived　within　me；　I　made　use　of　every
opportunity　to　strengthen　the　lashings　which　held　me　to　the　remains
of　the　windlass；　and　in　this　occupation　I　soon　discovered　that　my
companions　were　also　busy。　The　night　was　as　dark　as　it　could　possibly
be；　and　the　horrible　shrieking　din　and　confusion　which　surrounded　us
it　is　useless　to　attempt　describing。　Our　deck　lay　level　with　the　sea；
or　rather　we　were　encircled　with　a　towering　ridge　of　foam；　a　portion
of　which　swept　over　us　even　instant。　It　is　not　too　much　to　say　that
our　heads　were　not　fairly　out　of　the　water　more　than　one　second　in
three。　Although　we　lay　close　together；　no　one　of　us　could　see　the
other；　or；　indeed；　any　portion　of　the　brig　itself；　upon　which　we　were
so　tempestuously　hurled　about。　At　intervals　we　called　one　to　the
other；　thus　endeavouring　to　keep　alive　hope；　and　render　consolation
and　encouragement　to　such　of　us　as　stood　most　in　need　of　it。　The
feeble　condition　of　Augustus　made　him　an　object　of　solicitude　with　us
all；　and　as；　from　the　lacerated　condition　of　his　right　arm；　it　must
have　been　impossible　for　him　to　secure　his　lashings　with　any　degree
of　firmness；　we　were　in　momentary　expectation　of　finding　that　he　had
gone　overboard　　yet　to　render　him　aid　was　a　thing　altogether　out　of
the　question。　Fortunately；　his　station　was　more　secure　than　that　of
any　of　the　rest　of　us；　for　the　upper　part　of　his　body　lying　just
beneath　a　portion　of　the　shattered　windlass；　the　seas；　as　they
tumbled　in　upon　him；　were　greatly　broken　in　their　violence。　In　any
other　situation　than　this　（into　which　he　had　been　accidentally　thrown
after　having　lashed　himself　in　a　very　exposed　spot）　he　must
inevitably　have　perished　before　morning。　Owing　to　the　brig's　lying　so
much　along；　we　were　all　less　liable　to　be　washed　off　than　otherwise
would　have　been　the　case。　The　heel；　as　I　have　before　stated；　was　to
larboard；　about　one　half　of　the　deck　being　constantly　under　water。
The　seas；　therefore；　which　struck　us　to　starboard　were　much　broken；
by　the　vessel's　side；　only　reaching　us　in　fragments　as　we　lay　flat　on
our　faces；　while　those　which　came　from　larboard　being　what　are　called
back…water　seas；　and　obtaining　little　hold　upon　us　on　account　of　our
posture；　had　not　sufficient　force　to　drag　us　from　our　fastenings。

　　　　In　this　frightful　situation　we　lay　until　the　day　broke　so　as　to
show　us　more　fully　the　horrors　which　surrounded　us。　The　brig　was　a
mere　log；　rolling　about　at　the　mercy　of　every　wave；　the　gale　was　upon
the　increase；　if　any　thing；　blowing　indeed　a　complete　hurricane；　and
there　appeared　to　us　no　earthly　prospect　of　deliverance。　For　several
hours　we　held　on　in　silence；　expecting　every　moment　that　our　lashings
would　either　give　way；　that　the　remains　of　the　windlass　would　go　by
the　board；　or　that　some　of　the　huge　seas；　which　roared　in　every
direction　around　us　and　above　us；　would　drive　the　hulk　so　far　beneath
the　water　that　we　should　be　drowned　before　it　could　regain　the
surface。　By　the　mercy　of　God；　however；　we　were　preserved　from　these
imminent　dangers；　and　about　midday　were　cheered　by　the　light　of　the
blessed　sun。　Shortly　afterward　we　could　perceive　a　sensible
diminution　in　the　force　of　the　wind；　when；　now　for　the　first　time
since　the　latter　part　of　the　evening　before；　Augustus　spoke；　asking
Peters；　who　lay　closest　to　him；　if　he　thought　there　was　any
possibility　of　our　being　saved。　As　no　reply　was　at　first　made　to　this
question；　we　all　concluded　that　the　hybrid　had　been　drowned　where　he
lay；　but　presently；　to　our　great　joy；　he　spoke；　although　very　feebly；
saying　that　he　was　in　great　pain；　being　so　cut　by　the　tightness　of
his　lashings　across　the　stomach；　that　he　must　either　find　means　of
loosening　them　or　perish；　as　it　was　impossible　that　he　could　endure
his　misery　much　longer。　This　occasioned　us　great　distress；　as　it　was
altogether　useless　to　think　of　aiding　him　in　any　manner　while　the　sea
continued　washing　over　us　as　it　did。　We　exhorted　him　to　bear　his
sufferings　with　fortit