the wreck of the golden mary-第5节

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either　deliverance。　　I　then　sang　out　to　him；　so　as　all　might　hear；

that　if　we　two　boats　could　live　or　die　together；　we　would；　but；　that

if　we　should　be　parted　by　the　weather；　and　join　company　no　more；

they　should　have　our　prayers　and　blessings；　and　we　asked　for　theirs。

We　then　gave　them　three　cheers；　which　they　returned；　and　I　saw　the

men's　heads　droop　in　both　boats　as　they　fell　to　their　oars　again。



These　arrangements　had　occupied　the　general　attention　advantageously

for　all；　though　（as　I　expressed　in　the　last　sentence）　they　ended　in

a　sorrowful　feeling。　　I　now　said　a　few　words　to　my　fellow…voyagers

on　the　subject　of　the　small　stock　of　food　on　which　our　lives

depended　if　they　were　preserved　from　the　great　deep；　and　on　the

rigid　necessity　of　our　eking　it　out　in　the　most　frugal　manner。　　One

and　all　replied　that　whatever　allowance　I　thought　best　to　lay　down

should　be　strictly　kept　to。　　We　made　a　pair　of　scales　out　of　a　thin

scrap　of　iron…plating　and　some　twine；　and　I　got　together　for　weights

such　of　the　heaviest　buttons　among　us　as　I　calculated　made　up　some

fraction　over　two　ounces。　　This　was　the　allowance　of　solid　food

served　out　once　a…day　to　each；　from　that　time　to　the　end；　with　the

addition　of　a　coffee…berry；　or　sometimes　half　a　one；　when　the

weather　was　very　fair；　for　breakfast。　　We　had　nothing　else　whatever；

but　half　a　pint　of　water　each　per　day；　and　sometimes；　when　we　were

coldest　and　weakest；　a　teaspoonful　of　rum　each；　served　out　as　a

dram。　　I　know　how　learnedly　it　can　be　shown　that　rum　is　poison；　but

I　also　know　that　in　this　case；　as　in　all　similar　cases　I　have　ever

read　ofwhich　are　numerousno　words　can　express　the　comfort　and

support　derived　from　it。　　Nor　have　I　the　least　doubt　that　it　saved

the　lives　of　far　more　than　half　our　number。　　Having　mentioned　half　a

pint　of　water　as　our　daily　allowance；　I　ought　to　observe　that

sometimes　we　had　less；　and　sometimes　we　had　more；　for　much　rain

fell；　and　we　caught　it　in　a　canvas　stretched　for　the　purpose。



Thus；　at　that　tempestuous　time　of　the　year；　and　in　that　tempestuous

part　of　the　world；　we　shipwrecked　people　rose　and　fell　with　the

waves。　　It　is　not　my　intention　to　relate　（if　I　can　avoid　it）　such

circumstances　appertaining　to　our　doleful　condition　as　have　been

better　told　in　many　other　narratives　of　the　kind　than　I　can　be

expected　to　tell　them。　　I　will　only　note；　in　so　many　passing　words；

that　day　after　day　and　night　after　night；　we　received　the　sea　upon

our　backs　to　prevent　it　from　swamping　the　boat；　that　one　party　was

always　kept　baling；　and　that　every　hat　and　cap　among　us　soon　got

worn　out；　though　patched　up　fifty　times；　as　the　only　vessels　we　had

for　that　service；　that　another　party　lay　down　in　the　bottom　of　the

boat；　while　a　third　rowed；　and　that　we　were　soon　all　in　boils　and

blisters　and　rags。



The　other　boat　was　a　source　of　such　anxious　interest　to　all　of　us

that　I　used　to　wonder　whether；　if　we　were　saved；　the　time　could　ever

come　when　the　survivors　in　this　boat　of　ours　could　be　at　all

indifferent　to　the　fortunes　of　the　survivors　in　that。　　We　got　out　a

tow…rope　whenever　the　weather　permitted；　but　that　did　not　often

happen；　and　how　we　two　parties　kept　within　the　same　horizon；　as　we

did；　He；　who　mercifully　permitted　it　to　be　so　for　our　consolation；

only　knows。　　I　never　shall　forget　the　looks　with　which；　when　the

morning　light　came；　we　used　to　gaze　about　us　over　the　stormy　waters；

for　the　other　boat。　　We　once　parted　company　for　seventy…two　hours；

and　we　believed　them　to　have　gone　down；　as　they　did　us。　　The　joy　on

both　sides　when　we　came　within　view　of　one　another　again；　had

something　in　a　manner　Divine　in　it；　each　was　so　forgetful　of

individual　suffering；　in　tears　of　delight　and　sympathy　for　the

people　in　the　other　boat。



I　have　been　wanting　to　get　round　to　the　individual　or　personal　part

of　my　subject；　as　I　call　it；　and　the　foregoing　incident　puts　me　in

the　right　way。　　The　patience　and　good　disposition　aboard　of　us；　was

wonderful。　　I　was　not　surprised　by　it　in　the　women；　for　all　men　born

of　women　know　what　great　qualities　they　will　show　when　men　will

fail；　but；　I　own　I　was　a　little　surprised　by　it　in　some　of　the　men。

Among　one…and…thirty　people　assembled　at　the　best　of　times；　there

will　usually；　I　should　say；　be　two　or　three　uncertain　tempers。　　I

knew　that　I　had　more　than　one　rough　temper　with　me　among　my　own

people；　for　I　had　chosen　those　for　the　Long…boat　that　I　might　have

them　under　my　eye。　　But；　they　softened　under　their　misery；　and　were

as　considerate　of　the　ladies；　and　as　compassionate　of　the　child；　as

the　best　among　us；　or　among　menthey　could　not　have　been　more　so。

I　heard　scarcely　any　complaining。　　The　party　lying　down　would　moan　a

good　deal　in　their　sleep；　and　I　would　often　notice　a　mannot　always

the　same　man；　it　is　to　be　understood；　but　nearly　all　of　them　at　one

time　or　othersitting　moaning　at　his　oar；　or　in　his　place；　as　he

looked　mistily　over　the　sea。　　When　it　happened　to　be　long　before　I

could　catch　his　eye；　he　would　go　on　moaning　all　the　time　in　the

dismallest　manner；　but；　when　our　looks　met；　he　would　brighten　and

leave　off。　　I　almost　always　got　the　impression　that　he　did　not　know

what　sound　he　had　been　making；　but　that　he　thought　he　had　been

humming　a　tune。



Our　sufferings　from　cold　and　wet　were　far　greater　than　our

sufferings　from　hunger。　　We　managed　to　keep　the　child　warm；　but；　I

doubt　if　any　one　else　among　us　ever　was　warm　for　five　minutes

together；　and　the　shivering；　and　the　chattering　of　teeth；　were　sad

to　hear。　　The　child　cried　a　little　at　first　for　her　lost　playfellow；

the　Golden　Mary；　but　hardly　ever　whimpered　afterwards；　and　when　the

state　of　the　weather　made　it　possible；　she　used　now　and　then　to　be

held　up　in　the　arms　of　some　of　us；　to　look　over　the　sea　for　John

Steadiman's　boat。　　I　see　the　golden　hair　and　the　innocent　face　now；

between　me　and　the　driving　clouds；　like　an　angel　going　to　fly　away。



It　had　happened　on　the　second　day；　towards　night；　that　Mrs。

Atherfield；　in　getting　Little　Lucy　to　sleep；　sang　her　a　song。　　She

had　a　soft；　melodious　voice；　and；　when　she　had　finished　it；　our

people　up　and　begged　for　another。　　She　sang　them　another；　and　after

it　had　fallen　dark　ended　with　the　Evening　Hymn。　　From　that　time；

whenever　anything　could　be　heard　above　the　sea　and　wind；　and　while

she　had　any　voice　left；　nothing　would　serve　the　people　but　that　she

should　sing　at　sunset。　　She　always　did；　and　always　ended　with　the

Evening　Hymn。　　We　mostly　took　up　the　last　line；　and　shed　tears　when

it　was　done；　but　not　miserably。　　We　had　a　prayer　night　and　morning；

also；　when　the　weather　allowed　of　it。



Twelve　nights　and　eleven　days　we　had　been　driving　in　the　boat；　when

old　Mr。　Rarx　began　to　be　delirious；　and　to　cry　out　to　me　to　throw

the　gold　overboard　or　it　would　sink　us；　and　we　should　all　be　lost。

For　days　past　the　child　had　been　declining；　and　that　was　the　great

cause　of　his　wildness。　　He　had　been　over　and　over　again　shrieking

out　to　me　to　give　her　all　the　remaining　meat；　to　give　her　all　the

remaining　rum；　to　save　her　at　any　cost；　or　we　should　all　be　ruined。

At　this　time；　she　lay　in　her　mother's　arms　at　my　feet。　　One　of　her

little　hands　was　almost　always　creeping　about　her　mother's　neck　or

chin。　　I　had　watched　the　wasting　of　the　little　hand；　and　I　knew　it

was　nearly　over。



The　old　man's　cries　were　so　discordant　with　the　mother's　love　and

submission；　that　I　called　out　to　him　in　an　angry　voice；　unless　he

held　his　peace　on　the　instant；　I　would　order　him　to　be　knocked　on

the　head　and　thrown　overboard。　　He　was　mute　then；　until　the　child

died；　very　peacefully；　an　hour　afterwards：　　which　was　known　to　all

in　the　boat　by　the　mother's　breaking　out　into　lamentations　for　the

first　time　since　the　wreckfor；　she　had　great　fortitude　and

constancy；　though　she　was　a　little　gentle　woman。　　Old　Mr。　Rarx　then

became　quite　ungovernable；　tearing　what　rags　he　had　on　him；　raging

in　imprecations；　and　calling　to　me　that　if　I　had　thrown　the　gold

overboard　（always　the　gold　with　him！）　I　might　have　saved　the　child。

〃And　now；〃　says　he；　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃we　shall　founder；　and　all

go　to　the　Devil；　for　our　sins　will　sink　us；　when　we　have　no　innocent

child　to　bear　us　up！〃　　We　so　discovered　with　amazement；　that　this

old　wretch　had　only　cared　for　the　life　of　the　pretty　little　creature

dear　to　all　of　us；　because　of　the　influence　he　superstitiously　hoped

she　might　have　in　preserving　him！　　Altogether　it　was　too　much　for

the　smith　or　armourer；　who　was　sitting　next　the　old　man；　to　bear。

He　took　him　by　the　throat　and　rolled　him　under　the　thwarts；　where　he

lay　still　enough　for　hours　afterwards。



All　that　thirteenth　night；　Miss　Coleshaw；　lying　across　my　knees　as　I

kept　the　helm；　comforted　and　supported　the　poor　mother。　　Her　child；

covered　with　a　pea…jacket　of　mine；　lay　in　her　lap。　　It　troubled　me

all　night　to　think　that　there　was　no　Prayer…Book　among　us；　and　that

I　could　remember　but　ve