登陆注册
4282300000002

第2章

In the present business in which she was engaged, the ship's general model and rig appeared to have undergone no material change from their original warlike and Froissart pattern. However, no guns were seen.

The tops were large, and were railed about with what had once been octagonal net-work, all now in sad disrepair. These tops hung overhead like three ruinous aviaries, in one of which was seen perched, on a ratlin, a white noddy, a strange fowl, so called from its lethargic somnambulistic character, being frequently caught by hand at sea.

Battered and mouldy, the castellated forecastle seemed some ancient turret, long ago taken by assault, and then left to decay. Towards the stern, two high-raised quarter galleries- the balustrades here and there covered with dry, tindery sea-moss- opening out from the unoccupied state-cabin, whose dead lights, for all the mild weather, were hermetically closed and caulked- these tenantless balconies hung over the sea as if it were the grand Venetian canal. But the principal relic of faded grandeur was the ample oval of the shield-like stern-piece, intricately carved with the arms of Castile and Leon, medallioned about by groups of mythological or symbolical devices; uppermost and central of which was a dark satyr in a mask, holding his foot on the prostrate neck of a writhing figure, likewise masked.

Whether the ship had a figure-head, or only a plain beak, was not quite certain, owing to canvas wrapped about that part, either to protect it while undergoing a refurbishing, or else decently to hide its decay. Rudely painted or chalked, as in a sailor freak, along the forward side of a sort of pedestal below the canvas, was the sentence, "Seguid vuestro jefe" (follow your leader); while upon the tarnished head-boards, near by, appeared, in stately capitals, once gilt, the ship's name, "SAN DOMINICK," each letter streakingly corroded with tricklings of copper-spike rust; while, like mourning weeds, dark festoons of sea-grass slimily swept to and fro over the name, with every hearse-like roll of the hull.

As at last the boat was hooked from the bow along toward the gangway amidship, its keel, while yet some inches separated from the hull, harshly grated as on a sunken coral reef. It proved a huge bunch of conglobated barnacles adhering below the water to the side like a wen; a token of baffling airs and long calms passed somewhere in those seas.

Climbing the side, the visitor was at once surrounded by a clamorous throng of whites and blacks, but the latter outnumbering the former more than could have been expected, Negro transportation-ship as the stranger in port was. But, in one language, and as with one voice, all poured out a common tale of suffering; in which the Negresses, of whom there were not a few, exceeded the others in their dolorous vehemence. The scurvy, together with a fever, had swept off a great part of their number, more especially the Spaniards. Off Cape Horn, they had narrowly escaped shipwreck; then, for days together, they had lain tranced without wind; their provisions were low; their water next to none; their lips that moment were baked.

While Captain Delano was thus made the mark of all eager tongues, his one eager glance took in all the faces, with every other object about him.

Always upon first boarding a large and populous ship at sea, especially a foreign one, with a nonde crew such as Lascars or Manilla men, the impression varies in a peculiar way from that produced by first entering a strange house with strange inmates in a strange land. Both house and ship, the one by its walls and blinds, the other by its high bulwarks like ramparts, hoard from view their interiors till the last moment; but in the case of the ship there is this addition: that the living spectacle it contains, upon its sudden and complete disclosure, has, in contrast with the blank ocean which zones it, something of the effect of enchantment. The ship seems unreal; these strange costumes, gestures, and faces, but a shadowy tableau just emerged from the deep, which directly must receive back what it gave.

Perhaps it was some such influence as above is attempted to be described which, in Captain Delano's mind, heightened whatever, upon a staid scrutiny, might have seemed unusual; especially the conspicuous figures of four elderly grizzled Negroes, their heads like black, doddered willow tops, who, in venerable contrast to the tumult below them, were couched sphynx-like, one on the starboard cat-head, another on the larboard, and the remaining pair face to face on the opposite bulwarks above the main-chains. They each had bits of unstranded old junk in their hands, and, with a sort of stoical self-content, were picking the junk into oakum, a small heap of which lay by their sides. They accompanied the task with a continuous, low, monotonous chant; droning and drooling away like so many grey-headed bag-pipers playing a funeral march.

The quarter-deck rose into an ample elevated poop, upon the forward verge of which, lifted, like the oakum-pickers, some eight feet above the general throng, sat along in a row, separated by regular spaces, the cross-legged figures of six other blacks; each with a rusty hatchet in his hand, which, with a bit of brick and a rag, he was engaged like a scullion in scouring; while between each two was a small stack of hatchets, their rusted edges turned forward awaiting a like operation. Though occasionally the four oakum-pickers would briefly address some person or persons in the crowd below, yet the six hatchet-polishers neither spoke to others, nor breathed a whisper among themselves, but sat intent upon their task, except at intervals, when, with the peculiar love in Negroes of uniting industry with pastime, two-and-two they sideways clashed their hatchets together, like cymbals, with a barbarous din. All six, unlike the generality, had the raw aspect of unsophisticated Africans.

同类推荐
  • 医学从众录

    医学从众录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 易外别传

    易外别传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 锦州府志

    锦州府志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Amphitryon

    Amphitryon

    Amphitryon was played for the first time in Paris, at the Theatre du Palais-Royal, January 13, wkkk.net was successfully received, holding the boards until the 18th of March, when Easter intervened.汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 采芹录

    采芹录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 玄沙师备禅师广录

    玄沙师备禅师广录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 缘分让我嫁给你

    缘分让我嫁给你

    她和他的结束是她和他的开始很多年之后,他那样回忆,睁开眼看到你的脸,阳光中安逸的模样,那一瞬间没理由的就爱上了因为爱上就无法再想离开,欧阳家族的男人都有专情的优点,但同时也是最大的缺点。但是在他们的新婚之夜她却说不知道爱不爱他他知道她深深地爱着别人,即使那么痛苦还是爱着。为了等她爱上他,几乎用尽所有力气。等到死心决定要离开,她却对他说,我们回家看山茶花开吧,我想在这个季节昭告天下我爱你。难道···其实不管想的有多么美好,很多事已经命中注定如果那就是注定要误会,我们就注定要分开如果那就是注定要偶遇,我们就注定要在一起比较轻松地文,记录生活的点滴,透尽人间的人情冷暖。
  • 台湾割据志

    台湾割据志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三国大榜单:巅峰对决的历史余味

    三国大榜单:巅峰对决的历史余味

    基于《三国志》的“史料三国杀”,以榜单的形式书写三国历史!三国英雄的榜单有着值得挖掘的深意,他们的强弱盛衰之别,总蕴含着内在的逻辑与通则。任何高等级的博弈,都是一场智与力的综合角逐。一旦有人做出误判,强弱的转换总是立竿见影,由盛到衰往往转眼之间,新的博弈也势必随之重建。对历史有浓厚兴趣的人,请不要因为一部小说而轻视了正史。此份三国群英榜帮你解读三国间的博弈与均衡,解读三国史!
  • 时空冒险传奇

    时空冒险传奇

    我是空间的旅人,时间的行者;我追逐真理,寻觅起源;我行走诸天,求真万界;我是传道者,亦是冒险家。另外,我真的很凶,超凶(看封面)!声明1:本书尽量走合理认知世界的路线,有自己的观点、设定,不喜勿扰!声明2:本书中的内容并不真科学,并不全合理,因为没有实际基础,纯属作者菌的蘑菇想法,作者也写不出全无bug的小说。
  • Rhymes a la Mode

    Rhymes a la Mode

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 寒时夜归人

    寒时夜归人

    大漠孤烟直,长河落日圆。客官,里面请。江湖茶楼讲江湖事,南来北往闯东西,上蹿下跳潜四海,有酒有肉有故事,说一个心中的武侠。
  • 了不起的红颈环

    了不起的红颈环

    当红颈环还 是一只小松鸡的时候,它跟着聪明的松鸡妈妈学到了 很多东西,比如如何觅食、躲避天敌等,逐渐成长为 一只机智聪慧的红颈环松鸡。它离开松鸡妈妈独自生 活后遇到了心爱的妻子,和妻子一起悉心照顾自己的 孩子。不幸的是,妻子死在猎人的枪弹下,剩下红颈 环一人抚养幸存的孩子。在残酷的大自然和猎人的双 重考验下,红颈环一次次失去自己的孩子,就算如此 ,红颈环仍未放弃希望,一直努力的生活着……
  • 悬崖山庄奇案

    悬崖山庄奇案

    山崖上的古宅拥有一位年轻漂亮的主人:尼克·巴克利小姐。她热爱这幢祖屋,然而当她住在这里时却怪事频发,威胁到她的生命。她床头的油画莫名其妙地掉落,车子刹车突然失灵,走在小路上也差点被巨石砸中……
  • 人人都能成功

    人人都能成功

    本书是根据全世界成功学鼻祖式人物拿破仑·希尔收集的不同人的成功经验、分析其成功哲学编撰而成,是拿破仑·希尔留给每个一奋斗着的人的瑰宝。本书选取多个个体成功的案例,通过典型案例解读的方法,发挥成功人士榜样的力量,让每一个读者能够参照榜样,找到解决日常中面临问题的方法,以及实现梦想的驱动力。相信任何一个有梦想的男人,都希望自己能够像拿破仑·希尔一样,把普普通通的人生故事变成轰轰烈烈的传奇!任何一个男人,都有机会成功;任何一个男人,都有办法富有。而成功致富的机会和方法,就藏在本书中。