large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb_18
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_06_ballou_64kb
English
3098
Again the heavy swell caused the hull to lurch and pitch until her bows were almost buried, and the water was even with the scuppers  the moment was approaching. AGAIN THE HEAVY SWELL CAUSED THE HULL TO LURCH AND PITCH UNTIL HER BOWS WERE ALMOST BURIED AND THE WATER WAS EVEN WITH THE SCUPPERS THE MOMENT WAS APPROACHING
o 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. 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. Moments assumed the length of hours now, and the countenance of each was a picture of agonized suspense and momentary expectation, no one spoke above their breath. PERLY 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 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 MOMENTS ASSUMED THE LENGTH OF HOURS NOW AND THE COUNTENANCE OF EACH WAS A PICTURE OF AGONIZED SUSPENSE AND MOMENTARY EXPECTATION NO ONE SPOKE ABOVE THEIR BREATH
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