the days of my life

第48部分 (第2/7頁)

a　theatre；　and　there　appeared　immediately　ahead　black　cliffs　and　all　about　us　rocks　on　which　the　breakers　broke　and　the　water　boiled；　as　it　can　do　after　a　great　gale　in　the　Pentland　Firth　when　the　tide　is　running　I　know　not　how　many　knots　an　hour。　There　was　a　cry：　the　engines　were　reversed；　but　the　current　and　that　terrible　tide　caught　the　Copeland　and　dragged　her　forward。　Then　came　the　sickening　sensation　that　will　be　familiar　to　anyone　who　has　been　aboard　a　vessel　when　she　struck　upon　rocks。　Scrape；　quiver！　—　scrape；　quiver！　and　we　were　fast。　Or　rather　our　forepart　was　fast；　for　the　stern　still　floated　in　deep　water。

Almost　immediately　the　firemen　rushed　up　from　the　engine…room；　which　had　begun　to　flood；　though　I　suppose　that　the　water　did　not　reach　the　boilers　at　first　or　they　would　have　exploded。

Orders　were　given　to　get　out　the　boats；　and　it　was　attempted　with　the　strangest　results。　My　belief　is　that　those　boats　had　never　been　in　the　water　since　the　day　the　ship　was　built。　Some　of　them　went　down　by　the　stern　with　their　bows　hanging　in　the　air；　some　of　them　went　down　by　the　bows　with　their　stern　hanging　in　the　air；　or　would　not　move。　Also　in　certain　instances　the　plugs　could　not　be　found。　Not　one　of　them　was　got　into　the　water：　at　any　rate　at　that　time。

Understanding　that　the　position　was　serious　I　went　to　my　cabin；　packed　what　things　I　could；　then　called　the　steward　and　made　him　bring　me　a　bottle　of　beer；　as　I　did　not　know　when　I　should　get　another。　He；　such　is　the　force　of　habit；　wanted　me　to　sign　a　chit　for　the　same；　but　I　declined。　Whilst　I　was　drinking　the　beer　I　felt　the　vessel　slip　back　several　feet；　it　was　a　most　unpleasant　sensation；　one　moreover　that　suggested　to　me　that　I　might　be　better　on　deck。　Thither　I　went；　to　find　my　fellow　pass