large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb_24
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb
English
3098
The weather had now entirely moderated, and the sea was comparatively calm, except that now and then a heavy swell would lift the waterlogged craft and surge about the hull, causing it to groan as though conscious of its approaching fate. THE WEATHER HAD NOW ENTIRELY MODERATED AND THE SEA WAS COMPARATIVELY CALM EXCEPT THAT NOW AND THEN A HEAVY SWELL WOULD LIFT THE WATER LOGGED CRAFT AND SURGE ABOUT THE HULL CAUSING IT TO GROAN AS THOUGH CONSCIOUS OF ITS APPROACHING FATE
 carefully secured, the gripes that secured the boat in its place were cut, leaving it standing upright in its wooden bed, but entirely free from the deck of the ship. Already had the ship sunk so low that all communication with the cabin was cut off, and the poor inebriated wretches who had there sought oblivion in intoxication also found their tomb. Food, water and compass were properly disposed, so that any sudden movement of the boat should not dislodge them, oars and sails in readiness, and a careful examination had, lest some straggling rope might in some way connect the boat with the wreck, so as to draw them under when the floundering mass should at last go down. The crisis which they now expected seemed strangely protracted, and their fearful suspense was almost unbearable. The mate had placed one of his hands at the bows, another amidships, while himself and the two passengers occupied the stern; the precaution having also been taken to secure the ladies by ropes to the boat.  WERE STEPPED AND CAREFULLY SECURED THE GRIPES THAT SECURED THE BOAT IN ITS PLACE WERE CUT LEAVING IT STANDING UPRIGHT IN ITS WOODEN BED BUT ENTIRELY FREE FROM THE DECK OF THE SHIP ALREADY HAD THE SHIP SUNK SO LOW THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WITH THE CABIN WAS CUT OFF AND THE POOR INEBRIATED WRETCHES WHO HAD THERE SOUGHT OBLIVION AND INTOXICATION ALSO FOUND THEIR TOMB FOOD WATER AND COMPASS WERE PROPERLY DISPOSED SO THAT ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENT OF THE BOAT SHOULD NOT DISLODGE THEM OARS AND SAILS IN READINESS AND A CAREFUL EXAMINATION HAD LEST SOME STRAGGLING ROPE MIGHT IN SOME WAY CONNECT THE BOAT WITH THE WRECK SO AS TO DRAW THEM UNDER WHEN THE FLOUNDERING MASTS SHOULD AT LAST GO DOWN THE CRISIS WHICH THEY NOW EXPECTED SEEMED STRANGELY PROTRACTED AND THEIR FEARFUL SUSPENSE WAS ALMOST UNBEARABLE THE MATE HAD PLACED ONE OF HIS HANDS AT THE BOWS ANOTHER AMIDSHIPS WHILE HIMSELF AND THE TWO PASSENGERS OCCUPIED THE STERN THE PRECAUTION HAVING ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO SECURE THE LADIES BY ROPES TO THE BOAT
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb.flac