the mirror of the sea-第15节
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the ship in the most stormy latitudes we had passed through； never
made him miss one single morning ever since we left the Channel。
The fact must be that a commander cannot possibly shave himself
when his ship is aground。 I have commanded ships myself； but I
don't know； I have never tried to shave in my life。
He did not offer to help me or himself till I had coughed markedly
several times。 I talked to him professionally in a cheery tone；
and ended with the confident assertion：
〃We shall get her off before midnight； sir。〃
He smiled faintly without looking up； and muttered as if to
himself：
〃Yes； yes； the captain put the ship ashore and we got her off。〃
Then； raising his head； he attacked grumpily the steward； a lanky；
anxious youth with a long； pale face and two big front teeth。
〃What makes this soup so bitter？ I am surprised the mate can
swallow the beastly stuff。 I'm sure the cook's ladled some salt
water into it by mistake。〃
The charge was so outrageous that the steward for all answer only
dropped his eyelids bashfully。
There was nothing the matter with the soup。 I had a second
helping。 My heart was warm with hours of hard work at the head of
a willing crew。 I was elated with having handled heavy anchors；
cables； boats without the slightest hitch； pleased with having laid
out scientifically bower； stream； and kedge exactly where I
believed they would do most good。 On that occasion the bitter
taste of a stranding was not for my mouth。 That experience came
later； and it was only then that I understood the loneliness of the
man in charge。
It's the captain who puts the ship ashore； it's we who get her off。
XXII。
It seems to me that no man born and truthful to himself could
declare that he ever saw the sea looking young as the earth looks
young in spring。 But some of us； regarding the ocean with
understanding and affection； have seen it looking old； as if the
immemorial ages had been stirred up from the undisturbed bottom of
ooze。 For it is a gale of wind that makes the sea look old。
From a distance of years； looking at the remembered aspects of the
storms lived through； it is that impression which disengages itself
clearly from the great body of impressions left by many years of
intimate contact。
If you would know the age of the earth； look upon the sea in a
storm。 The grayness of the whole immense surface； the wind furrows
upon the faces of the waves； the great masses of foam； tossed about
and waving； like matted white locks； give to the sea in a gale an
appearance of hoary age； lustreless； dull； without gleams； as
though it had been created before light itself。
Looking back after much love and much trouble； the instinct of
primitive man； who seeks to personify the forces of Nature for his
affection and for his fear； is awakened again in the breast of one
civilized beyond that stage even in his infancy。 One seems to have
known gales as enemies； and even as enemies one embraces them in
that affectionate regret which clings to the past。
Gales have their personalities； and； after all； perhaps it is not
strange； for； when all is said and done； they are adversaries whose
wiles you must defeat； whose violence you must resist； and yet with
whom you must live in the intimacies of nights and days。
Here speaks the man of masts and sails； to whom the sea is not a
navigable element； but an intimate companion。 The length of
passages； the growing sense of solitude； the close dependence upon
the very forces that； friendly to…day； without changing their
nature； by the mere putting forth of their might； become dangerous
to…morrow； make for that sense of fellowship which modern seamen；
good men as they are； cannot hope to know。 And； besides； your
modern ship which is a steamship makes her passages on other
principles than yielding to the weather and humouring the sea。 She
receives smashing blows； but she advances； it is a slogging fight；
and not a scientific campaign。 The machinery； the steel； the fire；
the steam； have stepped in between the man and the sea。 A modern
fleet of ships does not so much make use of the sea as exploit a
highway。 The modern ship is not the sport of the waves。 Let us
say that each of her voyages is a triumphant progress； and yet it
is a question whether it is not a more subtle and more human
triumph to be the sport of the waves and yet survive； achieving
your end。
In his own time a man is always very modern。 Whether the seamen of
three hundred years hence will have the faculty of sympathy it is
impossible to say。 An incorrigible mankind hardens its heart in
the progress of its own perfectability。 How will they feel on
seeing the illustrations to the sea novels of our day； or of our
yesterday？ It is impossible to guess。 But the seaman of the last
generation； brought into sympathy with the caravels of ancient time
by his sailing…ship； their lineal descendant； cannot look upon
those lumbering forms navigating the naive seas of ancient woodcuts
without a feeling of surprise； of affectionate derision； envy； and
admiration。 For those things； whose unmanageableness； even when
represented on paper； makes one gasp with a sort of amused horror；
were manned by men who are his direct professional ancestors。
No； the seamen of three hundred years hence will probably be
neither touched nor moved to derision； affection； or admiration。
They will glance at the photogravures of our nearly defunct
sailing…ships with a cold； inquisitive and indifferent eye。 Our
ships of yesterday will stand to their ships as no lineal
ancestors； but as mere predecessors whose course will have been run
and the race extinct。 Whatever craft he handles with skill； the
seaman of the future shall be； not our descendant； but only our
successor。
XXIII。
And so much depends upon the craft which； made by man； is one with
man； that the sea shall wear for him another aspect。 I remember
once seeing the commander … officially the master； by courtesy the
captain … of a fine iron ship of the old wool fleet shaking his
head at a very pretty brigantine。 She was bound the other way。
She was a taut； trim； neat little craft； extremely well kept； and
on that serene evening when we passed her close she looked the
embodiment of coquettish comfort on the sea。 It was somewhere near
the Cape … THE Cape being； of course； the Cape of Good Hope； the
Cape of Storms of its Portuguese discoverer。 And whether it is
that the word 〃storm〃 should not be pronounced upon the sea where
the storms dwell thickly； or because men are shy of confessing
their good hopes； it has become the nameless cape … the Cape TOUT
COURT。 The other great cape of the world； strangely enough； is
seldom if ever called a cape。 We say； 〃a voyage round the Horn〃；
〃we rounded the Horn〃； 〃we got a frightful battering off the Horn〃；
but rarely 〃Cape Horn；〃 and； indeed； with some reason； for Cape
Horn is as much an island as a cape。 The third stormy cape of the
world； which is the Leeuwin； receives generally its full name； as
if to console its second…rate dignity。 These are the capes that
look upon the gales。
The little brigantine； then； had doubled the Cape。 Perhaps she was
coming from Port Elizabeth； from East London … who knows？ It was
many years ago； but I remember well the captain of the wool…clipper
nodding at her with the words； 〃Fancy having to go about the sea in
a thing like that！〃
He was a man brought up in big deep…water ships； and the size of
the craft under his feet was a part of his conception of the sea。
His own ship was certainly big as ships went then。 He may have
thought of the size of his cabin； or … unconsciously； perhaps …
have conjured up a vision of a vessel so small tossing amongst the
great seas。 I didn't inquire； and to a young second mate the
captain of the little pretty brigantine； sitting astride a camp
stool with his chin resting on his hands that were crossed upon the
rail； might have appeared a minor king amongst men。 We passed her
within earshot； without a hail； reading each other's names with the
naked eye。
Some years later； the second mate； the recipient of that almost
involuntary mutter； could have told his captain that a man brought
up in big ships may yet take a peculiar delight in what we should
both then have called a small craft。 Probably the captain of the
big ship would not have understood very well。 His answer would
have been a gruff； 〃Give me size；〃 as I heard another man reply to
