登陆注册
15397700000015

第15章 ACTUAL WARFARE.OUR FIRST WHALE(3)

Suddenly our boat fell backward from her "slantindicular"position with a jerk, and the mate immediately shouted, "Haul line, there! look lively, now, you--so on, etcetera, etcetera"(he seemed to invent new epithets on every occasion).The line came in hand over hand, and was coiled in a wide heap in the stern sheets, for silky as it was, it could not be expected in its wet state to lie very close.As it came flying in the mate kept a close gaze upon the water immediately beneath us, apparently for the first glimpse of our antagonist.When the whale broke water, however, he was some distance off, and apparently as quiet as a lamb.Now, had Mr.Count been a prudent or less ambitious man, our task would doubtless have been an easy one, or comparatively so; but, being a little over-grasping, he got us all into serious trouble.We were hauling up to our whale in order to lance it, and the mate was standing, lance in hand, only waiting to get near enough, when up comes a large whale right alongside of our boat, so close, indeed, that I might have poked my finger in his little eye, if I had chosen.The sight of that whale at liberty, and calmly taking stock of us like that, was too much for the mate.He lifted his lance and hurled it at the visitor, in whose broad flank it sank, like a knife into butter, right up to the pole-hitches.The recipient disappeared like a flash, but before one had time to think, there was an awful crash beneath us, and the mate shot up into the air like a bomb from a mortar.He came down in a sitting posture on the mast-thwart; but as he fell, the whole framework of the boat collapsed like a derelict umbrella.Louis quietly chopped the line and severed our connection with the other whale, while in accordance with our instructions we drew each man his oar across the boat and lashed it firmly down with a piece of line spliced to each thwart for the purpose.This simple operation took but a minute, but before it was completed we were all up to our necks in the sea.Still in the boat, it is true, and therefore not in such danger of drowning as if we were quite adrift; but, considering that the boat was reduced to a mere bundle of loose planks, I, at any rate, was none too comfortable.Now, had he known it, was the whale's golden opportunity; but he, poor wretch, had had quite enough of our company, and cleared off without any delay, wondering, no doubt, what fortunate accident had rid him of our very unpleasant attentions.

I was assured that we were all as safe as if we were on board the ship, to which I answered nothing; but, like Jack's parrot, I did some powerful thinking.Every little wave that came along swept clean over our heads, sometimes coming so suddenly as to cut a breath in half.If the wind should increase--but no--I wouldn't face the possibility of such a disagreeable thing.I was cool enough now in a double sense, for although we were in the tropics, we soon got thoroughly chilled.

By the position of the sun it must have been between ten a.m.and noon, and we, of the crew, had eaten nothing since the previous day at supper, when, as usual, the meal was very light.

Therefore, I suppose we felt the chill sooner than the better-nourished mate and harpooner, who looked rather scornfully at our blue faces and chattering teeth.

同类推荐
  • 幼科发挥

    幼科发挥

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 医方集宜

    医方集宜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • KIM

    KIM

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 刘蕺山集

    刘蕺山集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Jasmin

    Jasmin

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 高冷王爷废材妃

    高冷王爷废材妃

    他是无人亲近的高冷王爷!她是从现代穿越的过去的天才!会擦出怎样的火花?
  • 一皇二帝三天道

    一皇二帝三天道

    十个警察九个帅,剩下的一个不是傻就是非常帅。他楚天身为二十一世纪又帅又多金的警察,竟然被一老神棍骗来个叫梦回大陆的地方扫地?什么?你说你是唐僧?我还玉皇大帝咧!丢失的恋人,飘渺的故土,迷惘的人生。敢问路在何方?路漫漫其修远兮,不如我们去打的。
  • DNF之失心少年

    DNF之失心少年

    一个佧修派对错不分的恶徒,一个恃强凌弱,临阵脱逃的懦夫,一个崇拜魔皇夏勒弗兹的疯狂法师。生前什么也没得到,死后却得到了近乎永恒的新生,但殊不知这新生背后阴谋重重……失去心灵得到虚伪的永生,真的,有意义吗?有!
  • 恒星坠落之琉璃

    恒星坠落之琉璃

    她是白黑两面,她能看见你们看不见的东西,她是救世者,也会是毁世者。她身上有着数不清的秘密,就连她自己也不清楚,她会慢慢探寻。这是一本宠文,也有一些虐,不过会慢慢好的。
  • 霸道皇后,皇上已折服

    霸道皇后,皇上已折服

    一次非常戏剧性的穿越,她到了古代,更让她欲哭无泪的是,她成了皇后,万一皇上是个大腹便便的丑男人怎么办?可第一次相见,差点喷了鼻血……
  • 朔月照暗影

    朔月照暗影

    神奇的命运,正邪的对立。他该怎样游走?是终止江湖纷争?还是携美逍遥天地?他该如何选择?也许他只能寂寥的一个人,一个影子。
  • 每个人心中都有一个齐天大圣

    每个人心中都有一个齐天大圣

    《西游记》是我们一代人儿时最美好的回忆,孙悟空更是我们心中的英雄,长大以后,开始幻想,我心中的孙大圣。
  • 兼职黑客

    兼职黑客

    沐阳曾是二十一世纪一名纵横网络的黑客之神,因为某种原因(穿越或着重生)而来到另一个平行的时空——华国。在这里,他变成一个手无缚鸡之力的高中生,经历过人生的曲折起伏他只想着做一个平平淡淡的高中生,完成自己的学业做一个质朴的市民,但命运的转盘却再次将他拉回人生的轨道。他雄厚的歌声让歌迷的心脏随之跳动,他磁性的嗓音让听众为之沉醉,盗窃而来的一首首金曲让他成为歌坛天王。面对无可匹敌黑客no.1的挑衅,他淡然一笑,双手在键盘上打出的具有魔力的歌谱,摧枯拉朽的攻势将他瞬间瓦解;面对外国黑客的侵犯,他不屑一笑,一串串代码的输入将他们对电脑的控制权架空。欢迎加入书友会477263264
  • 穿越之这个女主不靠谱

    穿越之这个女主不靠谱

    简介:治愈萌文,当廖小寺醒来的时候居然发现自己的灵魂附在了一条蛇身上后,她彻底的囧了。当去绍湖参加集会的时候,高冷小蛇遇上高冷九皇子和腹黑六皇子之后,开始了皇宫之旅。小寺:老天不惜让我就算是借身于一条蛇妖身上,也要让我穿越到这里来的目的到底是什么?妖精之界的华丽与我何干?皇室兄弟之间的仇怨与我何干?我只是想心中不留愧疚的,不欠任何人恩情的,坦坦荡荡的在这个世界简单的活下去。欢迎加入催更群,号:197649964
  • 剑逐江湖情

    剑逐江湖情

    十年前,他纵横江湖,因情归隐出关,十年后,踏上归程,苦寻挚爱。