the wreck of the golden mary-第3节

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men；　the　Cutter；　capable　of　carrying　fifteen；　and　the　Surf…boat；

capable　of　carrying　ten。　　I　put　down　the　capacity　of　these　boats

according　to　the　numbers　they　were　really　meant　to　hold。



We　had　tastes　of　bad　weather　and　head…winds；　of　course；　but；　on　the

whole　we　had　as　fine　a　run　as　any　reasonable　man　could　expect；　for

sixty　days。　　I　then　began　to　enter　two　remarks　in　the　ship's　Log　and

in　my　Journal；　first；　that　there　was　an　unusual　and　amazing　quantity

of　ice；　second；　that　the　nights　were　most　wonderfully　dark；　in　spite

of　the　ice。



For　five　days　and　a　half；　it　seemed　quite　useless　and　hopeless　to

alter　the　ship's　course　so　as　to　stand　out　of　the　way　of　this　ice。

I　made　what　southing　I　could；　but；　all　that　time；　we　were　beset　by

it。　　Mrs。　Atherfield　after　standing　by　me　on　deck　once；　looking　for

some　time　in　an　awed　manner　at　the　great　bergs　that　surrounded　us；

said　in　a　whisper；　〃O！　Captain　Ravender；　it　looks　as　if　the　whole

solid　earth　had　changed　into　ice；　and　broken　up！〃　　I　said　to　her；

laughing；　〃I　don't　wonder　that　it　does；　to　your　inexperienced　eyes；

my　dear。〃　　But　I　had　never　seen　a　twentieth　part　of　the　quantity；

and；　in　reality；　I　was　pretty　much　of　her　opinion。



However；　at　two　p。m。　on　the　afternoon　of　the　sixth　day；　that　is　to

say；　when　we　were　sixty…six　days　out；　John　Steadiman　who　had　gone

aloft；　sang　out　from　the　top；　that　the　sea　was　clear　ahead。　　Before

four　p。m。　a　strong　breeze　springing　up　right　astern；　we　were　in　open

water　at　sunset。　　The　breeze　then　freshening　into　half　a　gale　of

wind；　and　the　Golden　Mary　being　a　very　fast　sailer；　we　went　before

the　wind　merrily；　all　night。



I　had　thought　it　impossible　that　it　could　be　darker　than　it　had

been；　until　the　sun；　moon；　and　stars　should　fall　out　of　the　Heavens；

and　Time　should　be　destroyed；　but；　it　had　been　next　to　light；　in

comparison　with　what　it　was　now。　　The　darkness　was　so　profound；　that

looking　into　it　was　painful　and　oppressivelike　looking；　without　a

ray　of　light；　into　a　dense　black　bandage　put　as　close　before　the

eyes　as　it　could　be；　without　touching　them。　　I　doubled　the　look…out；

and　John　and　I　stood　in　the　bow　side…by…side；　never　leaving　it　all

night。　　Yet　I　should　no　more　have　known　that　he　was　near　me　when　he

was　silent；　without　putting　out　my　arm　and　touching　him；　than　I

should　if　he　had　turned　in　and　been　fast　asleep　below。　　We　were　not

so　much　looking　out；　all　of　us；　as　listening　to　the　utmost；　both

with　our　eyes　and　ears。



Next　day；　I　found　that　the　mercury　in　the　barometer；　which　had　risen

steadily　since　we　cleared　the　ice；　remained　steady。　　I　had　had　very

good　observations；　with　now　and　then　the　interruption　of　a　day　or

so；　since　our　departure。　　I　got　the　sun　at　noon；　and　found　that　we

were　in　Lat。　58　degrees　S。；　Long。　60　degrees　W。；　off　New　South

Shetland；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Cape　Horn。　　We　were　sixty…seven

days　out；　that　day。　　The　ship's　reckoning　was　accurately　worked　and

made　up。　　The　ship　did　her　duty　admirably；　all　on　board　were　well；

and　all　hands　were　as　smart；　efficient；　and　contented；　as　it　was

possible　to　be。



When　the　night　came　on　again　as　dark　as　before；　it　was　the　eighth

night　I　had　been　on　deck。　　Nor　had　I　taken　more　than　a　very　little

sleep　in　the　day…time；　my　station　being　always　near　the　helm；　and

often　at　it；　while　we　were　among　the　ice。　　Few　but　those　who　have

tried　it　can　imagine　the　difficulty　and　pain　of　only　keeping　the

eyes　openphysically　openunder　such　circumstances；　in　such

darkness。　　They　get　struck　by　the　darkness；　and　blinded　by　the

darkness。　　They　make　patterns　in　it；　and　they　flash　in　it；　as　if

they　had　gone　out　of　your　head　to　look　at　you。　　On　the　turn　of

midnight；　John　Steadiman；　who　was　alert　and　fresh　（for　I　had　always

made　him　turn　in　by　day）；　said　to　me；　〃Captain　Ravender；　I　entreat

of　you　to　go　below。　　I　am　sure　you　can　hardly　stand；　and　your　voice

is　getting　weak；　sir。　　Go　below；　and　take　a　little　rest。　　I'll　call

you　if　a　block　chafes。〃　　I　said　to　John　in　answer；　〃Well；　well；

John！　　Let　us　wait　till　the　turn　of　one　o'clock；　before　we　talk

about　that。〃　　I　had　just　had　one　of　the　ship's　lanterns　held　up；

that　I　might　see　how　the　night　went　by　my　watch；　and　it　was　then

twenty　minutes　after　twelve。



At　five　minutes　before　one；　John　sang　out　to　the　boy　to　bring　the

lantern　again；　and　when　I　told　him　once　more　what　the　time　was；

entreated　and　prayed　of　me　to　go　below。　　〃Captain　Ravender；〃　says

he；　〃all's　well；　we　can't　afford　to　have　you　laid　up　for　a　single

hour；　and　I　respectfully　and　earnestly　beg　of　you　to　go　below。〃　　The

end　of　it　was；　that　I　agreed　to　do　so；　on　the　understanding　that　if

I　failed　to　come　up　of　my　own　accord　within　three　hours；　I　was　to　be

punctually　called。　　Having　settled　that；　I　left　John　in　charge。　　But

I　called　him　to　me　once　afterwards；　to　ask　him　a　question。　　I　had

been　to　look　at　the　barometer；　and　had　seen　the　mercury　still

perfectly　steady；　and　had　come　up　the　companion　again　to　take　a　last

look　about　meif　I　can　use　such　a　word　in　reference　to　such

darknesswhen　I　thought　that　the　waves；　as　the　Golden　Mary　parted

them　and　shook　them　off；　had　a　hollow　sound　in　them；　something　that

I　fancied　was　a　rather　unusual　reverberation。　　I　was　standing　by　the

quarter…deck　rail　on　the　starboard　side；　when　I　called　John　aft　to

me；　and　bade　him　listen。　　He　did　so　with　the　greatest　attention。

Turning　to　me　he　then　said；　〃Rely　upon　it；　Captain　Ravender；　you

have　been　without　rest　too　long；　and　the　novelty　is　only　in　the

state　of　your　sense　of　hearing。〃　　I　thought　so　too　by　that　time；　and

I　think　so　now；　though　I　can　never　know　for　absolute　certain　in　this

world；　whether　it　was　or　not。



When　I　left　John　Steadiman　in　charge；　the　ship　was　still　going　at　a

great　rate　through　the　water。　　The　wind　still　blew　right　astern。

Though　she　was　making　great　way；　she　was　under　shortened　sail；　and

had　no　more　than　she　could　easily　carry。　　All　was　snug；　and　nothing

complained。　　There　was　a　pretty　sea　running；　but　not　a　very　high　sea

neither；　nor　at　all　a　confused　one。



I　turned　in；　as　we　seamen　say；　all　standing。　　The　meaning　of　that

is；　I　did　not　pull　my　clothes　offno；　not　even　so　much　as　my　coat：

though　I　did　my　shoes；　for　my　feet　were　badly　swelled　with　the　deck。

There　was　a　little　swing…lamp　alight　in　my　cabin。　　I　thought；　as　I

looked　at　it　before　shutting　my　eyes；　that　I　was　so　tired　of

darkness；　and　troubled　by　darkness；　that　I　could　have　gone　to　sleep

best　in　the　midst　of　a　million　of　flaming　gas…lights。　　That　was　the

last　thought　I　had　before　I　went　off；　except　the　prevailing　thought

that　I　should　not　be　able　to　get　to　sleep　at　all。



I　dreamed　that　I　was　back　at　Penrith　again；　and　was　trying　to　get

round　the　church；　which　had　altered　its　shape　very　much　since　I　last

saw　it；　and　was　cloven　all　down　the　middle　of　the　steeple　in　a　most

singular　manner。　　Why　I　wanted　to　get　round　the　church　I　don't　know；

but　I　was　as　anxious　to　do　it　as　if　my　life　depended　on　it。　　Indeed；

I　believe　it　did　in　the　dream。　　For　all　that；　I　could　not　get　round

the　church。　　I　was　still　trying；　when　I　came　against　it　with　a

violent　shock；　and　was　flung　out　of　my　cot　against　the　ship's　side。

Shrieks　and　a　terrific　outcry　struck　me　far　harder　than　the　bruising

timbers；　and　amidst　sounds　of　grinding　and　crashing；　and　a　heavy

rushing　and　breaking　of　watersounds　I　understood　too　wellI　made

my　way　on　deck。　　It　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　do；　for　the　ship　heeled

over　frightfully；　and　was　beating　in　a　furious　manner。



I　could　not　see　the　men　as　I　went　forward；　but　I　could　hear　that

they　were　hauling　in　sail；　in　disorder。　　I　had　my　trumpet　in　my

hand；　and；　after　directing　and　encouraging　them　in　this　till　it　was

done；　I　hailed　first　John　Steadiman；　and　then　my　second　mate；　Mr。

William　Rames。　　Both　answered　clearly　and　steadily。　　Now；　I　had

practised　them　and　all　my　crew；　as　I　have　ever　made　it　a　custom　to

practise　all　who　sail　with　me；　to　take　certain　stations　and　wait　my

orders；　in　case　of　any　unexpected　crisis。　　When　my　voice　was　heard

hailing；　and　their　voices　were　heard　answering；　I　was　aware；　through

all　the　noises　of　the　ship　and　sea；　and　all　the　crying　of　the

passengers　below；　that　there　was　a　pause。　　〃Are　you　ready；　Rames？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃〃Then　light　up；　for　God's　sake！〃　　In　a　moment　he　and

another　were　burning　blue…lights；　and　the　ship　and　all　on　board

seemed　to　be　enclosed　in　a　mist　of　light；　under　a　great　black　dome。



The　light　shone　up　so　high　that　I　could　see　the　huge　Iceberg　upon

which　we　had　struck；　cloven　at　the　top　and　down　the　middle；　exactly

like　Penrith　Church　in　my　dream。　　At　the　same　moment　I　could　see　the

watch　last　relieved；　crowding　up　and　down　on　deck；　I　could　see　Mrs。

Atherfield　and　Miss　Coleshaw　thrown　about　on　the　top　of　the

companion　as　they　struggled　to　bring　the　child　up　from　below；　I

could　see　that　the　masts　were　going　with　the　shock　and　the　beating

of　the　ship；　I　could　se