the days of my life

第48部分 (第3/7頁)

engers　gathered　in　an　anxious　group　staring　at　each　other。　Presently　I　observed　a　large　boat　appear　from　the　island　and　lie　to　at　a　good　distance　from　the　ship；　which　she　did　not　seem　to　dare　to　approach　because　of　the　surrounding　rocks。

We　consulted。　It　was　evident　that　we　should　never　get　off　in　our　own　boats；　so　this　one　from　the　island　seemed　our　only　chance。　I　went　to　the　captain　on　the　bridge　and　asked　if　we　might　hail　it。

“Aye；　Mr。　Haggard；”　answered　the　distracted　man；　“do　anything　you　can　to　save　your　lives。”

Then　I　understood　how　imminent　was　our　peril。　I　returned　and　hailed。

“Can　you　take　us　off？”

My　voice　being　very　powerful　I　managed　to　make　the　boatmen　hear　me。　They　shouted　back　that　they　dared　not　approach　the　ship。

“Have　a　try；”　I　suggested；　and　in　the　end　those　brave　fellows　did　try　and　succeeded；　knowing　the　tide　and　the　current　and　where　each　rock　was　hidden　beneath　the　surface。　They　got　aboard　us；　somewhere　forward；　or　one　of　them　did。　Presently　he　came　running　aft；　a　big　blue…eyed　man　whose　great　beard　seemed　to　bristle　with　terror。

“For　God’s　sake　get　out　of　this；”　he　roared　in　his　strange　dialect；　“ye’ve　five　feet　of　water　in　your　hold　and　sixty　fathom　under　your　stern！　Ye’ll　slip　off　the　rock　and　sink！”

We　did　not　need　a　second　invitation；　but　when　we　were　all；　or　almost　all　of　us　in　the　boat；　it　was　suddenly　remembered　that　an　Icelandic　woman　occupied　one　of　the　cabins。　She　had　entered　that　cabin　at　Rejkjavik；　and　never　having　been　seen　since；　was　not　unnaturally　overlooked。　Well；　she　was　fetched；　and　came　quite　posed　and　smiling　down　the　ladder。　The　poor　soul　was　not　in　the　least　aware　that　anything　out　of　the　way　had　happened　and　imagined　that　this　was　the　proper　way　to　leave　the　ship。