records of a family of engineers-第22部分

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anner。　　It　seemed　to　be　only　those　seas　which　caught　her　in　the　act　of　rising　which　struck　her　with　so　much　violence　and　threw　such　quantities　of　water　aft。　　On　deck　there　was　only　one　solitary　individual　looking　out；　to　give　the　alarm　in　the　event　of　the　ship　breaking　from　her　moorings。　　The　seaman　on　watch　continued　only　two　hours；　he　who　kept　watch　at　this　time　was　a　tall；　slender　man　of　a　black　complexion；　he　had　no　greatcoat　nor　over…all　of　any　kind；　but　was　simply　dressed　in　his　ordinary　jacket　and　trousers；　his　hat　was　tied　under　his　chin　with　a　napkin；　and　he　stood　aft　the　foremast；　to　which　he　had　lashed　himself　with　a　gasket　or　small　rope　round　his　waist；　to　prevent　his　falling　upon　deck　or　being　washed　overboard。　　When　the　writer　looked　up；　he　appeared　to　smile；　which　afforded　a　further　symptom　of　the　confidence　of　the　crew　in　their　ship。　　This　person　on　watch　was　as　completely　wetted　as　if　he　had　been　drawn　through　the　sea；　which　was　given　as　a　reason　for　his　not　putting　on　a　greatcoat；　that　he　might　wet　as　few　of　his　clothes　as　possible；　and　have　a　dry　shift　when　he　went　below。　　Upon　deck　everything　that　was　movable　was　out　of　sight；　having　either　been　stowed　below；　previous　to　the　gale；　or　been　washed　overboard。　　Some　trifling　parts　of　the　quarter　boards　were　damaged　by　the　breach　of　the　sea；　and　one　of　the　boats　upon　deck　was　about　one…third　full　of　water；　the　oyle…hole　or　drain　having　been　accidently　stopped　up；　and　part　of　her　gunwale　had　received　considerable　injury。　　These　observations　were　hastily　made；　and　not　without　occasionally　shutting　the　companion；　to　avoid　being　wetted　by　the　successive　seas　which　broke　over　the　bows　and　fell　upon　different　parts　of　the　deck　according　to　the　impetus　with　which　the　waves　struck　the　vessel。　　By　this　time　it　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　the　gale；　which　had　now　continued　with　unabated　force　for　twenty…　seven　hours；　had　not　the　least　appearance　of　going　off。

In　the　dismal　prospect　of　undergoing　another　night　like　the　last；　and　being　in　imminent　hazard　of　parting　from　our　cable；　the　writer　thought　it　necessary　to　advise　with　the　master　and　officers　of　the　ship　as　to　the　probable　event　of　the　vessel's　drifting　from　her　moorings。　　They　severally　gave　it　as　their　opinion　that　we　had　now　every　chance　of　riding　out　the　gale；　which；　in　all　probability；　could　not　continue　with　the　same　fury　many　hours　longer；　and　that　even　if　she　should　part　from　her　anchor；　the　storm…sails　had　been　laid　to　hand；　and　could　be　bent　in　a　very　short　time。　　They　further　stated　that　from　the　direction　of　the　wind　being　N。E。；　she　would　sail　up　the　Firth　of　Forth　to　Leith　Roads。　　But　if　this　should　appear　doubtful；　after　passing　the　Island　and　Light　of　May；　it　might　be　advisable　at　once　to　steer　for　Tyningham　Sands；　on　the　western　side　of　Dunbar；　and　there　run　the　vessel　ashore。　If　this　should　happen　at　the　time　of　high…water；　or　during　the　ebbing　of　the　tide；　they　were　of　opinion；　from　the　flatness　and　strength　of　the　floating　light；　that　no　danger　would　attend　her　taking　the　ground；　even　with　a　very　heavy　sea。　　The　writer；　seeing　the　confidence　which　these　gentlemen　possessed　with　regard　to　the　situation　of　things；　found　himself　as　much　relieved　with　this　conversation　as　he　had　previously　been　with　the　seeming　indifference　of　the　forecastle　men；　and　the　smile　of　the　watch　upon　deck；　though　literally　lashed　to　the　foremast。　　From　this　time　he　felt　himself　almost　perfectly　at　ease；　at　any　rate；　he　was　entirely　resigned　to　the　ultimate　result。

About　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　the　ship's　company　was　heard　moving　upon　deck；　which　on　the　present　occasion　was　rather　the　cause　of　alarm。　　The　writer　accordingly　rang　his　bell　to　know　what　was　the　matter；　when　he　was　informed　by　the　steward　that　the　weather　looked　considerably　better；　and　that　the　men　upon　deck　were　endeavouring　to　ship　the　smoke…funnel　of　the　galley　that　the　people　might　get　some　meat。　　This　was　a　more　favourable　account　than　had　been　anticipated。　　During　the　last　twenty…one　hours　he　himself　had　not　only　had　nothing　to　eat；　but　he　had　almost　never　passed　a　thought　on　the　subject。　Upon　the　mention　of　a　change　of　weather；　he　sent　the　steward　to　learn　how　the　artificers　felt；　and　on　his　return　he　stated　that　they　now　seemed　to　be　all　very　happy；　since　the　cook　had　begun　to　light　the　galley…fire　and　make　preparations　for　the　suet…pudding　of　Sunday；　which　was　the　only　dish　to　be　attempted　for　the　mess；　from　the　ease　with　which　it　could　both　be　cooked　and　served　up。

The　principal　change　felt　upon　the　ship　as　the　wind　abated　was　her　increased　rolling　motion；　but　the　pitching　was　much　diminished；　and　now　hardly　any　sea　came　farther　aft　than　the　foremast：　but　she　rolled　so　extremely　hard　as　frequently　to　dip　and　take　in　water　over　the　gunwales　and　rails　in　the　waist。　　By　nine　o'clock　all　hands　had　been　refreshed　by　the　exertions　of　the　cook　and　steward；　and　were　happy　in　the　prospect　of　the　worst　of　the　gale　being　over。　　The　usual　complement　of　men　was　also　now　set　on　watch；　and　more　quietness　was　experienced　throughout　the　ship。　　Although　the　previous　night　had　been　a　very　restless　one；　it　had　not　the　effect　of　inducing　repose　in　the　writer's　berth　on　the　succeeding　night；　for　having　been　so　much　tossed　about　in　bed　during　the　last　thirty　hours；　he　found　no　easy　spot　to　turn　to；　and　his　body　was　all　sore　to　the　touch；　which　ill　accorded　with　the　unyielding　materials　with　which　his　bed…place　was　surrounded。

＇Monday；　7th　Sept。＇

This　morning；　about　eight　o'clock；　the　writer　was　agreeably　surprised　to　see　the　scuttle　of　his　cabin　sky…light　removed；　and　the　bright　rays　of　the　sun　admitted。　　Although　the　ship　continued　to　roll　excessively；　and　the　sea　was　still　running　very　high；　yet　the　ordinary　business　on　board　seemed　to　be　going　forward　on　deck。　　It　was　impossible　to　steady　a　telescope；　so　as　to　look　minutely　at　the　progress　of　the　waves　and　trace　their　breach　upon　the　Bell　Rock；　but　the　height　to　which　the　cross…running　waves　rose　in　sprays　when　they　met　each　other　was　truly　grand；　and　the　continued　roar　and　noise　of　the　sea　was　very　perceptible　to　the　ear。　　To　estimate　the　height　of　the　sprays　at　forty　or　fifty　feet　would　surely　be　within　the　mark。　　Those　of　the　workmen　who　were　not　much　afflicted　with　sea…sickness；　came　upon　deck；　and　the　wetness　below　being　dried　up；　the　cabins　were　again　brought　into　a　habitable　state。　　Every　one　seemed　to　meet　as　if　after　a　long　absence；　congratulating　his　neighbour　upon　the　return　of　good　weather。　　Little　could　be　said　as　to　the　comfort　of　the　vessel；　but　after　riding　out　such　a　gale；　no　one　felt　the　least　doubt　or　hesitation　as　to　the　safety　and　good　condition　of　her　moorings。　　The　master　and　mate　were　extremely　anxious；　however；　to　heave　in　the　hempen　cable；　and　see　the　state　of　the　clinch　or　iron　ring　of　the　chain…cable。　　But　the　vessel　rolled　at　such　a　rate　that　the　seamen　could　not　possibly　keep　their　feet　at　the　windlass　nor　work　the　hand…spikes；　though　it　had　been　several　times　attempted　since　the　gale　took　off。

About　twelve　noon；　however；　the　vessel's　motion　was　observed　to　be　considerably　less；　and　the　sailors　were　enabled　to　walk　upon　deck　with　some　degree　of　freedom。　　But；　to　the　astonishment　of　every　one；　it　was　soon　discovered　that　the　floating　light　was　adrift！　　The　windlass　was　instantly　manned；　and　the　men　soon　gave　out　that　there　was　no　strain　upon　the　cable。　　The　mizzen　sail；　which　was　bent　for　the　occasional　purpose　of　making　the　vessel　ride　more　easily　to　the　tide；　was　immediately　set；　and　the　other　sails　were　also　hoisted　in　a　short　time；　when；　in　no　small　consternation；　we　bore　away　about　one　mile　to　the　south…westward　of　the　former　station；　and　there　let　go　the　best　bower　anchor　and　cable　in　twenty　fathoms　water；　to　ride　until　the　swell　of　the　sea　should　fall；　when　it　might　be　practicable　to　grapple　for　the　moorings；　and　find　a　better　anchorage　for　the　ship。

＇Tuesday；　15th　Sept。＇

This　morning；　at　five　a。m。；　the　bell　rung　as　a　signal　for　landing　upon　the　rock；　a　sound　which；　after　a　lapse　of　ten　days；　it　is　believed　was　welcomed　by　every　one　on　board。　There　being　a　heavy　breach　of　sea　at　the　eastern　creek；　we　landed；　though　not　without　difficulty；　on　the　western　side；　every　one　seeming　more　eager　than　another　to　get　upon　the　rock；　and　never　did　hungry　men　sit　down　to　a　hearty　meal　with　more　appetite　than　the　artificers　began　to　pick　the　dulse　from　the　rocks。　　This　marine　plant　had　the　effect　of　reviving　the　sickly；　and　seemed　to　be　no　less　relished　by　those　who　were　more　hardy。

While　the　water　was　ebbing；　and　the　men　were　roaming　in　quest　of　their　favourite　morsel；　the　writer　was　examining　the　effects　of　the　storm　upon　the　forge　and　loose　apparatus　left　upon　the　rock。　　Six　large　blocks　of　granite　which　had　been　landed；　by　way　of　experiment；　on　the　1st　instant；　were　now　removed　from　their　places　and；　by　the　force　of　the　sea；　thrown　over　a　rising　ledge　into　a　hole　at　the　distance　of　twelve　or　fifteen　paces　from　the　place　on　which　they　had　been　landed。　This　was　a　pretty　good　evidence　both　of　the　violence　of　the　storm　and　the　agitation　of　the　sea　upon　the　rock。　　The　safety　of　the　smith's　forge　was　always　an　object　of　essential　regard。　The　ash…pan　of　the　hearth　or