登陆注册
5241400000033

第33章 CHAPTER XXV

WHILE THERE'S LIFE THERE'S HOPE

NIGHT of December 4. -- Curtis caught young Letourneur again in his arms, and, running with him across the flooded deck, deposited him safely in the starboard shrouds, whither his father and I climbed up beside him.

I now had time to look about me. The night was not very dark, and I could see that Curtis had returned to his post upon the poop; while in the extreme aft near the taff- rail, which was still above water, I could distinguish the forms of Mr. and Mrs. Kear, Miss Herbey, and Mr. Fal- sten. The lieutenant and the boatswain were on the far end of the forecastle; the remainder of the crew in the shrouds and top-masts.

By the assistance of his father, who carefully guided his feet up the rigging, Andre was hoisted into the main-top.

Mrs. Kear could not be induced to join him in his elevated position, in spite of being told that if the wind were to freshen she would inevitably be washed overboard by the waves; nothing could induce her to listen to remonstrances, and she insisted upon remaining on the poop -- Miss Herbey, of course, staying by her side.

As soon as the captain saw the Chancellor was no longer sinking, he set to work to take down all the sails -- yards and all -- and the top-gallants, in the hope that by removing everything that could compromise the equilibrium of the ship he might diminish the chance of her capsizing alto- gether.

"But may she not founder at any moment?" I said to Curtis, when I had joined him for a while upon the poop.

"Everything depends upon the weather," he replied, in his calmest manner; "that, of course, may change at any hour. One thing, however, is certain, the Chancellor pre- serves her equilibrium for the present."

"But do you mean to say," I further asked, "that she can sail with two feet of water over her deck?"

"No, Mr. Kazallon, she can't sail, but she can drift with the wind; and if the wind remains in its present quarter, in the course of a few days we might possibly sight the coast.

Besides, we shall have our raft as a last resource; in a few hours it will be ready, and at daybreak we can embark."

"You have not, then," I added, "abandoned all hope even yet?" I marveled at his composure.

"While there's life there's hope, you know, Mr. Kazallon; out of a hundred chances, ninety-nine may be against us, but perhaps the odd one may be in our favor. Besides, I believe that our case is not without precedent. In the year 1795, a three-master, the Juno, was precisely in the same half-sunk, water-logged condition as ourselves; and yet, with her passengers and crew clinging to her top-masts, she drifted for twenty days, until she came in sight of land, when those who had survived the deprivation and fatigue were saved. So let us not despair; let us hold on to the hope that the survivors of the Chancellor may be equally fortunate."

I was only too conscious that there was not much to be said in support of Curtis's sanguine view of things, and that the force of reason pointed all the other way; but I said nothing, deriving what comfort I could from the fact that the captain did not yet despond of an ultimate rescue.

As it was necessary to be prepared to abandon the ship almost at a moment's notice, Dowlas was making every exertion to hurry on the construction of the raft. A little before midnight he was on the point of conveying some planks for this purpose, when, to his astonishment and horror, he found that the framework had totally disap- peared. The ropes that had attached it to the vessel had snapped as she became vertically displaced, and probably it had been adrift for more than an hour.

The crew were frantic at this new misfortune, and shout- ing "Overboard with the masts!" they began to cut down the rigging preparatory to taking possession of the masts for a new raft.

But here Curtis interposed:

"Back to your places, my men; back to your places. The ship will not sink yet, so don't touch a rope until I give you leave."

The firmness of the captain's voice brought the men to their senses, and although some of them could ill disguise their reluctance, all returned to their posts.

When daylight had sufficiently advanced Curtis mounted the mast, and looked around for the missing raft; but it was nowhere to be seen. The sea was far too rough for the men to venture to take out the whale-boat in search of it, and there was no choice but to set to work and to construct a new raft immediately.

Since the sea has become so much rougher, Mrs. Kear has been induced to leave the poop, and has managed to join M.

Letourneur and his son on the main-top, where she lies in a state of complete prostration. I need hardly add that Miss Herbey continues in her unwearied attendance. The space to which these four people are limited is necessarily very small, nowhere measuring twelve feet across: to prevent them losing their balance some spars have been lashed from shroud to shroud, and for the convenience of the two ladies Curtis has contrived to make a temporary awning of a sail.

Mr. Kear has installed himself with Silas Huntly on the foretop.

A few cases of preserved meat and biscuit and some barrels of water, that floated between the masts after the submersion of the deck, have been hoisted to the top-mast and fastened firmly to the stays. These are now our only provisions.

同类推荐
  • 前七国志

    前七国志

    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。
  • Arizona Sketches

    Arizona Sketches

    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。
  • 萨真人得道咒枣记

    萨真人得道咒枣记

    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。
  • 佛说十二品生死经

    佛说十二品生死经

    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。
  • The Soul of the Far East

    The Soul of the Far East

    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
  • 裁决

    裁决

    一个外表天真纯朴,一脸迷糊的大头男孩,却是一个跟着暴躁矮人学了好脾气,跟着傲慢精灵学了谦虚,跟着爱撒谎的侏儒学会了诚实,跟着野蛮人学会了礼仪的小混蛋。当这个无法修炼斗气的乡巴佬,从南方小城走上舞台的时候,他要成为最伟大的骑士。
  • 赶马的老三

    赶马的老三

    本书是“韩少功作品系列”第三卷,收录作者1994年-2009年发表的中短篇小说十七部。《赶马的老三》获2010年度《人民文学》优秀作品奖。《怒目金刚》获2009年度《小说选刊》优秀作品奖。《赶马的老三》是韩少功的中篇小说,由“找个四类分子来”“几代鸡由几代人赔”“一个人十分钟轮着咒”“阎王的加油站在哪里”“上门服务的合理收费”“好容易有了次出名的机会”六个故事成功塑造了一个非常有意思的村官——老三,他文化水平低,见识少,说话直来直去,工作方法非常独特,但常常能够歪打正着地解决工作上的事情,他不理会政策和法规法律,常用让人摸不着头脑的方法解决村子里的矛盾。
  • 重生后我把夫君休了

    重生后我把夫君休了

    大婚夜被人设计,第二天她便被新婚夫君休出门。半年后,她查清真相,带着一个粉雕玉琢的娃儿揪出了幕后黑手。原来当初陷害她的人竟然是……“娘亲,他说他是我爹爹。”宝宝指着俊美邪气的妖界之王满眼好奇,她冷冷一瞥,眼神陌然,“宝贝,我们走,不要跟陌生人说话。”
  • 风水葬天

    风水葬天

    天地鸿蒙,宇宙初开。诞生第一批神魔,以及三千圣灵......人族从来不是天之骄子,从来不是食物链的最顶端,面对神族,魔族,以及大千万族。白夜,一名普通的人族,踩踏在鲜血之上,行走在尸体之旁,引领人族,最终站立在宇宙之巅。挡我道者,无论神、魔、人、妖、亦或是万族……
  • 零之元界

    零之元界

    以耀光为初始,以神奇作为创世,千年盛华抵不过你回萌一笑时的千娇百媚,胜者为王,败者为寇,世世代代永恒不变,时空轮回,耀星划空,重回巅峰欢迎来到元素世界这里有着你意想不到的神奇力量哟
  • 理想的激励(优秀人才成长方案)

    理想的激励(优秀人才成长方案)

    此套书撷英采华,精心分类,不但为处于青少年时期的孩子创造了一个欢乐、轻松的成长环境,而且更陶冶了青少年的情操,可以说是一套让青少年全面提高、全面发展的青春励志经典读物。
  • 彼岸流年歌未央

    彼岸流年歌未央

    【新文《易烊千玺:北海以北的等待》已发,欢迎入坑】 她曾经小心地、卑微地、无畏地爱了他很久很久。趁着她的酒意,他问她“累吗?”她脱口而口“累啊,当然累啊”他心疼的摸了摸她眼角未干的泪水“既然累,为什么还要继续呢?”她笑着说“因为喜欢啊”问她的包里为什么总带把伞,她说“如果下雨的话,没有人接也没有人愿意陪你淋雨,站也不是,走也不是,像个可怜的笑话。”
  • 穿越之魔武大帝

    穿越之魔武大帝

    投身行伍的孤儿刘夺,训练中险些丧命,却在一位自称是他亲姐的美女怀中醒来……
  • 浮城

    浮城

    小时,父母没空管千惠,把她扔回老家寡居多年的大姑家,他们或许以为这并不是麻烦她,而是对她的一种体恤。千惠在大姑那度过若干寒暑假,大姑喜欢给她梳头,配上各种廉价小发饰。每回接千惠回家,千惠妈都要抱怨大姑把千惠打扮得花里胡哨,像个“女雀子”。“女雀子”是当地骂人的话,形容女人花枝招展,不正经,妖。不幸的是,千惠12岁那年,千惠爸被一个“女雀子”勾引,且把命搭上了。千惠爸是单位司机,有次他约了个女人出去兜风,他们相好一段时日了。两人去了郊外,回程夜深,疲劳过头的千惠爸出了车祸。他的这个死因大大降低了妻子的悲痛,但激起了另一种耻辱。她本来常犯头晕,一下躺倒。
  • Indian Why Stories

    Indian Why Stories

    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。