the works of edgar allan poe-3-第13节

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！


Having　extricated　himself　as　quickly　as　possible　from　the　labyrinth
of　lumber　by　which　he　was　hemmed　in；　he　at　length　struck　into　an
opening　which　promised　better；　and　finally；　after　a　series　of
struggles；　arrived　at　the　box　in　a　state　of　utter　exhaustion。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　5　~~~

CHAPTER　6



　　　　THE　leading　particulars　of　this　narration　were　all　that　Augustus
communicated　to　me　while　we　remained　near　the　box。　It　was　not　until
afterward　that　he　entered　fully　into　all　the　details。　He　was
apprehensive　of　being　missed；　and　I　was　wild　with　impatience　to　leave
my　detested　place　of　confinement。　We　resolved　to　make　our　way　at　once
to　the　hole　in　the　bulkhead；　near　which　I　was　to　remain　for　the
present；　while　he　went　through　to　reconnoiter。　To　leave　Tiger　in　the
box　was　what　neither　of　us　could　endure　to　think　of；　yet；　how　to　act
otherwise　was　the　question。　He　now　seemed　to　be　perfectly　quiet；　and
we　could　not　even　distinguish　the　sound　of　his　breathing　upon
applying　our　ears　closely　to　the　box。　I　was　convinced　that　he　was
dead；　and　determined　to　open　the　door。　We　found　him　lying　at　full
length；　apparently　in　a　deep　stupor；　yet　still　alive。　No　time　was　to
be　lost；　yet　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　abandon　an　animal　who　had
now　been　twice　instrumental　in　saving　my　life；　without　some　attempt
at　preserving　him。　We　therefore　dragged　him　along　with　us　as　well　as
we　could；　although　with　the　greatest　difficulty　and　fatigue；
Augustus；　during　part　of　the　time；　being　forced　to　clamber　over　the
impediments　in　our　way　with　the　huge　dog　in　his　arms…　a　feat　to　which
the　feebleness　of　my　frame　rendered　me　totally　inadequate。　At　length
we　succeeded　in　reaching　the　hole；　when　Augustus　got　through；　and
Tiger　was　pushed　in　afterward。　All　was　found　to　be　safe；　and　we　did
not　fail　to　return　sincere　thanks　to　God　for　our　deliverance　from　the
imminent　danger　we　had　escaped。　For　the　present；　it　was　agreed　that　I
should　remain　near　the　opening；　through　which　my　companion　could
readily　supply　me　with　a　part　of　his　daily　provision；　and　where　I
could　have　the　advantages　of　breathing　an　atmosphere　comparatively
pure。

　　　　In　explanation　of　some　portions　of　this　narrative；　wherein　I　have
spoken　of　the　stowage　of　the　brig；　and　which　may　appear　ambiguous　to
some　of　my　readers　who　may　have　seen　a　proper　or　regular　stowage；　I
must　here　state　that　the　manner　in　which　this　most　important　duty　had
been　per　formed　on　board　the　Grampus　was　a　most　shameful　piece　of
neglect　on　the　part　of　Captain　Barnard；　who　was　by　no　means　as
careful　or　as　experienced　a　seaman　as　the　hazardous　nature　of　the
service　on　which　he　was　employed　would　seem　necessarily　to　demand。　A
proper　stowage　cannot　be　accomplished　in　a　careless　manner；　and　many
most　disastrous　accidents；　even　within　the　limits　of　my　own
experience；　have　arisen　from　neglect　or　ignorance　in　this　particular。
Coasting　vessels；　in　the　frequent　hurry　and　bustle　attendant　upon
taking　in　or　discharging　cargo；　are　the　most　liable　to　mishap　from
the　want　of　a　proper　attention　to　stowage。　The　great　point　is　to
allow　no　possibility　of　the　cargo　or　ballast　shifting　position　even
in　the　most　violent　rollings　of　the　vessel。　With　this　end；　great
attention　must　be　paid；　not　only　to　the　bulk　taken　in；　but　to　the
nature　of　the　bulk；　and　whether　there　be　a　full　or　only　a　partial
cargo。　In　most　kinds　of　freight　the　stowage　is　accomplished　by　means
of　a　screw。　Thus；　in　a　load　of　tobacco　or　flour；　the　whole　is　screwed
so　tightly　into　the　hold　of　the　vessel　that　the　barrels　or　hogsheads；
upon　discharging；　are　found　to　be　completely　flattened；　and　take　some
time　to　regain　their　original　shape。　This　screwing；　however；　is
resorted　to　principally　with　a　view　of　obtaining　more　room　in　the
hold；　for　in　a　full　load　of　any　such　commodities　as　flour　or　tobacco；
there　can　be　no　danger　of　any　shifting　whatever；　at　least　none　from
which　inconvenience　can　result。　There　have　been　instances；　indeed；
where　this　method　of　screwing　has　resulted　in　the　most　lamentable
consequences；　arising　from　a　cause　altogether　distinct　from　the
danger　attendant　upon　a　shifting　of　cargo。　A　load　of　cotton；　for
example；　tightly　screwed　while　in　certain　conditions；　has　been　known；
through　the　expansion　of　its　bulk；　to　rend　a　vessel　asunder　at　sea。
There　can　be　no　doubt　either　that　the　same　result　would　ensue　in　the
case　of　tobacco；　while　undergoing　its　usual　course　of　fermentation；
were　it　not　for　the　interstices　consequent　upon　the　rotundity　of　the
hogsheads。

　　　　It　is　when　a　partial　cargo　is　received　that　danger　is　chiefly　to
be　apprehended　from　shifting；　and　that　precautions　should　be　always
taken　to　guard　against　such　misfortune。　Only　those　who　have
encountered　a　violent　gale　of　wind；　or　rather　who　have　experienced
the　rolling　of　a　vessel　in　a　sudden　calm　after　the　gale；　can　form　an
idea　of　the　tremendous　force　of　the　plunges；　and　of　the　consequent
terrible　impetus　given　to　all　loose　articles　in　the　vessel。　It　is
then　that　the　necessity　of　a　cautious　stowage；　when　there　is　a
partial　cargo；　becomes　obvious。　When　lying…to　（especially　with　a
small　bead　sail）；　a　vessel　which　is　not　properly　modelled　in　the　bows
is　frequently　thrown　upon　her　beam…ends；　this　occurring　even　every
fifteen　or　twenty　minutes　upon　an　average；　yet　without　any　serious
consequences　resulting；　provided　there　be　a　proper　stowage。　If　this；
however；　has　not　been　strictly　attended　to；　in　the　first　of　these
heavy　lurches　the　whole　of　the　cargo　tumbles　over　to　the　side　of　the
vessel　which　lies　upon　the　water；　and；　being　thus　prevented　from
regaining　her　equilibrium；　as　she　would　otherwise　necessarily　do；　she
is　certain　to　fill　in　a　few　seconds　and　go　down。　It　is　not　too　much
to　say　that　at　least　one…half　of　the　instances　in　which　vessels　have
foundered　in　heavy　gales　at　sea　may　be　attributed　to　a　shifting　of
cargo　or　of　ballast。

　　　　When　a　partial　cargo　of　any　kind　is　taken　on　board；　the　whole；
after　being　first　stowed　as　compactly　as　may　be；　should　be　covered
with　a　layer　of　stout　shifting…boards；　extending　completely　across
the　vessel。　Upon　these　boards　strong　temporary　stanchions　should　be
erected；　reaching　to　the　timbers　above；　and　thus　securing　every　thing
in　its　place。　In　cargoes　consisting　of　grain；　or　any　similar　matter；
additional　precautions　are　requisite。　A　hold　filled　entirely　with
grain　upon　leaving　port　will　be　found　not　more　than　three　fourths
full　upon　reaching　its　destination　　this；　too；　although　the
freight；　when　measured　bushel　by　bushel　by　the　consignee；　will
overrun　by　a　vast　deal　（on　account　of　the　swelling　of　the　grain）　the
quantity　consigned。　This　result　is　occasioned　by　settling　during　the
voyage；　and　is　the　more　perceptible　in　proportion　to　the　roughness　of
the　weather　experienced。　If　grain　loosely　thrown　in　a　vessel；　then；
is　ever　so　well　secured　by　shifting…boards　and　stanchions；　it　will　be
liable　to　shift　in　a　long　passage　so　greatly　as　to　bring　about　the
most　distressing　calamities。　To　prevent　these；　every　method　should　be
employed　before　leaving　port　to　settle　the　cargo　as　much　as　possible；
and　for　this　there　are　many　contrivances；　among　which　may　be
mentioned　the　driving　of　wedges　into　the　grain。　Even　after　all　this
is　done；　and　unusual　pains　taken　to　secure　the　shifting…boards；　no
seaman　who　knows　what　he　is　about　will　feel　altogether　secure　in　a
gale　of　any　violence　with　a　cargo　of　grain　on　board；　and；　least　of
all；　with　a　partial　cargo。　Yet　there　are　hundreds　of　our　coasting
vessels；　and；　it　is　likely；　many　more　from　the　ports　of　Europe；　which
sail　daily　with　partial　cargoes；　even　of　the　most　dangerous　species；
and　without　any　precaution　whatever。　The　wonder　is　that　no　more
accidents　occur　than　do　actually　happen。　A　lamentable　instance　of
this　heedlessness　occurred　to　my　knowledge　in　the　case　of　Captain
Joel　Rice　of　the　schooner　Firefly；　which　sailed　from　Richmond；
Virginia；　to　Madeira；　with　a　cargo　of　corn；　in　the　year　1825。　The
captain　had　gone　many　voyages　without　serious　accident；　although　he
was　in　the　habit　of　paying　no　attention　whatever　to　his　stowage；　more
than　to　secure　it　in　the　ordinary　manner。　He　had　never　before　sailed
with　a　cargo　of　grain；　and　on　this　occasion　had　the　corn　thrown　on
board　loosely；　when　it　did　not　much　more　than　half　fill　the　vessel。
For　the　first　portion　of　the　voyage　he　met　with　nothing　more　than
light　breezes；　but　when　within　a　day's　sail　of　Madeira　there　came　on
a　strong　gale　from　the　N。　N。　E。　which　forced　him　to　lie…to。　He
brought　the　schooner　to　the　wind　under　a　double…reefed　foresail
alone；　when　she　rode　as　well　as　any　vessel　could　be　expected　to　do；
and　shipped　not　a　drop　of　water。　Toward　night　the　gale　somewhat
abated；　and　she　rolled　with　more　unsteadiness　than　before；　but　still
did　very　well；　until　a　heavy　lurch　threw　her　upon　her　beam…ends　to
starboard。　The　corn　was　then　heard　to　shift　bodily；　the　force　of　the
movement　bursting　open　the　main　hatchway。　The　vessel　went　down　like　a
shot。　This　happened　within　hail　of　a　small　sloop　from　Madeira；　which
picked　up　one　of　the　crew　（the　only　person　saved）；　and　which　rode　out
the　gale　in　perfect　security；　as　indeed　a　jolly　boat　might　have　done
under　proper　m