the works of edgar allan poe-3-第27部分

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acceleration　of　the　impetus；　for；　presently　the　heel　became　too
violent　to　allow　of　our　keeping　pace　with　it；　and；　before　either　of
us　knew　what　was　to　happen；　we　found　ourselves　hurled　furiously　into
the　sea；　and　struggling　several　fathoms　beneath　the　surface；　with　the
huge　hull　immediately　above　us。

　　　　In　going　under　the　water　I　had　been　obliged　to　let　go　my　hold
upon　the　rope；　and　finding　that　I　was　completely　beneath　the　vessel；
and　my　strength　nearly　exhausted；　I　scarcely　made　a　struggle　for
life；　and　resigned　myself；　in　a　few　seconds；　to　die。　But　here　again　I
was　deceived；　not　having　taken　into　consideration　the　natural　rebound
of　the　hull　to　windward。　The　whirl　of　the　water　upward；　which　the
vessel　occasioned　in　Tolling　partially　back；　brought　me　to　the
surface　still　more　violently　than　I　had　been　plunged　beneath。　Upon
coming　up　I　found　myself　about　twenty　yards　from　the　hulk；　as　near　as
I　could　judge。　She　was　lying　keel　up；　rocking　furiously　from　side　to
side；　and　the　sea　in　all　directions　around　was　much　agitated；　and
full　of　strong　whirlpools。　I　could　see　nothing　of　Peters。　An　oil…cask
was　floating　within　a　few　feet　of　me；　and　various　other　articles　from
the　brig　were　scattered　about。

　　　　My　principal　terror　was　now　on　account　of　the　sharks；　which　I
knew　to　be　in　my　vicinity。　In　order　to　deter　these；　if　possible；　from
approaching　me；　I　splashed　the　water　vigorously　with　both　hands　and
feet　as　I　swam　towards　the　hulk；　creating　a　body　of　foam。　I　have　no
doubt　that　to　this　expedient；　simple　as　it　was；　I　was　indebted　for　my
preservation；　for　the　sea　all　round　the　brig；　just　before　her　rolling
over；　was　so　crowded　with　these　monsters；　that　I　must　have　been；　and
really　was；　in　actual　contact　with　some　of　them　during　my　progress。
By　great　good　fortune；　however；　I　reached　the　side　of　the　vessel　in
safety；　although　so　utterly　weakened　by　the　violent　exertion　I　had
used　that　I　should　never　have　been　able　to　get　upon　it　but　for　the
timely　assistance　of　Peters；　who；　now；　to　my　great　joy；　made　his
appearance　（having　scrambled　up　to　the　keel　from　the　opposite　side　of
the　hull）；　and　threw　me　the　end　of　a　rope　　one　of　those　which　had
been　attached　to　the　spikes。

　　　　Having　barely　escaped　this　danger；　our　attention　was　now　directed
to　the　dreadful　imminency　of　another　　that　of　absolute　starvation。
Our　whole　stock　of　provision　had　been　swept　overboard　in　spite　of　all
our　care　in　securing　it；　and　seeing　no　longer　the　remotest
possibility　of　obtaining　more；　we　gave　way　both　of　us　to　despair；
weeping　aloud　like　children；　and　neither　of　us　attempting　to　offer
consolation　to　the　other。　Such　weakness　can　scarcely　be　conceived；
and　to　those　who　have　never　been　similarly　situated　will；　no　doubt；
appear　unnatural；　but　it　must　be　remembered　that　our　intellects　were
so　entirely　disordered　by　the　long　course　of　privation　and　terror　to
which　we　had　been　subjected；　that　we　could　not　justly　be　considered；
at　that　period；　in　the　light　of　rational　beings。　In　subsequent
perils；　nearly　as　great；　if　not　greater；　I　bore　up　with　fortitude
against　all　the　evils　of　my　situation；　and　Peters；　it　will　be　seen；
evinced　a　stoical　philosophy　nearly　as　incredible　as　his　present
childlike　supineness　and　imbecility　　the　mental　condition　made　the
difference。

　　　　The　overturning　of　the　brig；　even　with　the　consequent　loss　of　the
wine　and　turtle；　would　not；　in　fact；　have　rendered　our　situation　more
deplorable　than　before；　except　for　the　disappearance　of　the
bedclothes　by　which　we　had　been　hitherto　enabled　to　catch　rainwater；
and　of　the　jug　in　which　we　had　kept　it　when　caught；　for　we　found　the
whole　bottom；　from　within　two　or　three　feet　of　the　bends　as　far　as
the　keel；　together　with　the　keel　itself；　thickly　covered　with　large
barnacles；　which　proved　to　be　excellent　and　highly　nutritious　food。
Thus；　in　two　important　respects；　the　accident　we　had　so　greatly
dreaded　proved　to　be　a　benefit　rather　than　an　injury；　it　had　opened
to　us　a　supply　of　provisions　which　we　could　not　have　exhausted；　using
it　moderately；　in　a　month；　and　it　had　greatly　contributed　to　our
comfort　as　regards　position；　we　being　much　more　at　ease；　and　in
infinitely　less　danger；　than　before。

　　　　The　difficulty；　however；　of　now　obtaining　water　blinded　us　to　all
the　benefits　of　the　change　in　our　condition。　That　we　might　be　ready
to　avail　ourselves；　as　far　as　possible；　of　any　shower　which　might
fall　we　took　off　our　shirts；　to　make　use　of　them　as　we　had　of　the
sheets　　not　hoping；　of　course；　to　get　more　in　this　way；　even　under
the　most　favorable　circumstances；　than　half　a　gill　at　a　time。　No
signs　of　a　cloud　appeared　during　the　day；　and　the　agonies　of　our
thirst　were　nearly　intolerable。　At　night；　Peters　obtained　about　an
hour's　disturbed　sleep；　but　my　intense　sufferings　would　not　permit　me
to　close　my　eyes　for　a　single　moment。

　　　　August　5。　To…day；　a　gentle　breeze　springing　up　carried　us　through
a　vast　quantity　of　seaweed；　among　which　we　were　so　fortunate　as　to
find　eleven　small　crabs；　which　afforded　us　several　delicious　meals。
Their　shells　being　quite　soft；　we　ate　them　entire；　and　found　that
they　irritated　our　thirst　far　less　than　the　barnacles。　Seeing　no
trace　of　sharks　among　the　seaweed；　we　also　ventured　to　bathe；　and
remained　in　the　water　for　four　or　five　hours；　during　which　we
experienced　a　very　sensible　diminution　of　our　thirst。　Were　greatly
refreshed；　and　spent　the　night　somewhat　more　comfortably　than　before；
both　of　us　snatching　a　little　sleep。

　　　　August　6。　This　day　we　were　blessed　by　a　brisk　and　continual　rain；
lasting　from　about　noon　until　after　dark。　Bitterly　did　we　now　regret
the　loss　of　our　jug　and　carboy；　for；　in　spite　of　the　little　means　we
had　of　catching　the　water；　we　might　have　filled　one；　if　not　both　of
them。　As　it　was；　we　contrived　to　satisfy　the　cravings　of　thirst　by
suffering　the　shirts　to　become　saturated；　and　then　wringing　them　so
as　to　let　the　grateful　fluid　trickle　into　our　mouths。　In　this
occupation　we　passed　the　entire　day。

　　　　August　7。　Just　at　daybreak　we　both　at　the　same　instant　descried　a
sail　to　the　eastward；　and　_evidently　coming　towards　us！_　We　hailed
the　glorious　sight　with　a　long；　although　feeble　shout　of　rapture；　and
began　instantly　to　make　every　signal　in　our　power；　by　flaring　the
shirts　in　the　air；　leaping　as　high　as　our　weak　condition　would
permit；　and　even　by　hallooing　with　all　the　strength　of　our　lungs；
although　the　vessel　could　not　have　been　less　than　fifteen　miles
distant。　However；　she　still　continued　to　near　our　hulk；　and　we　felt
that；　if　she　but　held　her　present　course；　she　must　eventually　come　so
close　as　to　perceive　us。　In　about　an　hour　after　we　first　discovered
her；　we　could　clearly　see　the　people　on　her　decks。　She　was　a　long；
low；　and　rakish…looking　topsail　schooner；　with　a　black　ball　in　her
foretopsail；　and　had；　apparently；　a　full　crew。　We　now　became　alarmed；
for　we　could　hardly　imagine　it　possible　that　she　did　not　observe　us；
and　were　apprehensive　that　she　meant　to　leave　us　to　perish　as　we　were
　an　act　of　fiendish　barbarity；　which；　however　incredible　it　may
appear；　has　been　repeatedly　perpetuated　at　sea；　under　circumstances
very　nearly　similar；　and　by　beings　who　were　regarded　as　belonging　to
the　human　species。　｛*2｝　In　this　instance；　however；　by　the　mercy　of
God；　we　were　destined　to　be　most　happily　deceived；　for；　presently　we
were　aware　of　a　sudden　commotion　on　the　deck　of　the　stranger；　who
immediately　afterward　ran　up　a　British　flag；　and；　hauling　her　wind；
bore　up　directly　upon　us。　In　half　an　hour　more　we　found　ourselves　in
her　cabin。　She　proved　to　be　the　Jane　Guy；　of　Liverpool；　Captain　Guy；
bound　on　a　sealing　and　trading　voyage　to　the　South　Seas　and　Pacific。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　13　~~~

CHAPTER　14



　　　　　　THE　_Jane　Guy_　was　a　fine…looking　topsail　schooner　of　a　hundred
and　eighty　tons　burden。　She　was　unusually　sharp　in　the　bows；　and　on　a
wind；　in　moderate　weather；　the　fastest　sailer　I　have　ever　seen。　Her
qualities；　however；　as　a　rough　sea…boat；　were　not　so　good；　and　her
draught　of　water　was　by　far　too　great　for　the　trade　to　which　she　was
destined。　For　this　peculiar　service；　a　larger　vessel；　and　one　of　a
light　proportionate　draught；　is　desirable…　say　a　vessel　of　from　three
hundred　to　three　hundred　and　fifty　tons。　She　should　be　bark…rigged；
and　in　other　respects　of　a　different　construction　from　the　usual
South　Sea　ships。　It　is　absolutely　necessary　that　she　should　be　well
armed。　She　should　have；　say　ten　or　twelve　twelve…pound　carronades；
and　two　or　three　long　twelves；　with　brass　blunderbusses；　and
water…tight　arm…chests　for　each　top。　Her　anchors　and　cables　should　be
of　far　greater　strength　than　is　required　for　any　other　species　of
trade；　and；　above　all；　her　crew　should　be　numerous　and　efficient…　not
less；　for　such　a　vessel　as　I　have　described；　than　fifty　or　sixty
able…bodied　men。　The　Jane　Guy　had　a　crew　of　thirty…five；　all　able
seamen；　besides　the　captain　and　mate；　but　she　was　not　altogether　as
well　armed　or　otherwise　equipped；　as　a　navigator　acquainted　with　the
difficulties　and　dangers　of　the　trade　could　have　desired。

　　　　Captain　Guy　was　a　gentleman　of　great　urbanity　of　manner；　and　of
considerable　experienc