Idle Days in Patagonia
AT LAST, PATAGONIA!
The wind had blown a gale all night, and I had been hourly expecting that
the tumbling, storm-vexed old steamer, in which I had taken passage to the
Rio Negro, would turn over once for all and settle down beneath that
tremendous tumult of waters. For the groaning sound of its straining
timbers, and the engine throbbing like an overtasked human heart, had made
the ship seem a living thing to me; and it was tired of the struggle, and
under the tumult was peace. But at about three o'clock in the morning the
wind began to moderate, and, taking off coat and boots, I threw myself into
my bunk for a little sleep.
Ours, it must be said, was a very curious boat, reported ancient and much
damaged; long and narrow in shape, like a Viking's ship, with the
passengers' cabins ranged like a row of small wooden cottages on the deck:
it was as ugly to look at as it was said to be unsafe to voyage in. To make
matters worse our captain, a man over eighty years old, was lying in his
cabin sick unto death, for, as {p 2} a fact, he died not many days after our
mishap; our one mate was asleep, leaving only the men to navigate the
steamer on that perilous coast, and in the darkest hour of a tempestuous
night.
I was just dropping into a doze when a succession of bumps, accompanied by
strange grating and grinding noises, and shuddering motions of the ship,
caused me to start up again and rush to the cabin door. The night was still
black and starless, with wind and rain, but for acres round us the sea was
whiter than milk. I did not step out; close to me, half-way between my
cabin door and the bulwarks, where our only boat was fastened, three of the
sailors were standing together talking in low tones. "We are lost," I heard
one say; and another answer, "Ay, lost for ever!" Just then the mate,
roused from sleep, came running to them. "Good God, what have you done with
the steamer!" he exclaimed sharply; then, dropping his voice, he added,
"Lower the boat -- quick!"
"1114749610"
The wind had blown a gale all night, and I had been hourly expecting that
the tumbling, storm-vexed old steamer, in which I had taken passage to the
Rio Negro, would turn over once for all and settle down beneath that
tremendous tumult of waters. For the groaning sound of its straining
timbers, and the engine throbbing like an overtasked human heart, had made
the ship seem a living thing to me; and it was tired of the struggle, and
under the tumult was peace. But at about three o'clock in the morning the
wind began to moderate, and, taking off coat and boots, I threw myself into
my bunk for a little sleep.
Ours, it must be said, was a very curious boat, reported ancient and much
damaged; long and narrow in shape, like a Viking's ship, with the
passengers' cabins ranged like a row of small wooden cottages on the deck:
it was as ugly to look at as it was said to be unsafe to voyage in. To make
matters worse our captain, a man over eighty years old, was lying in his
cabin sick unto death, for, as {p 2} a fact, he died not many days after our
mishap; our one mate was asleep, leaving only the men to navigate the
steamer on that perilous coast, and in the darkest hour of a tempestuous
night.
I was just dropping into a doze when a succession of bumps, accompanied by
strange grating and grinding noises, and shuddering motions of the ship,
caused me to start up again and rush to the cabin door. The night was still
black and starless, with wind and rain, but for acres round us the sea was
whiter than milk. I did not step out; close to me, half-way between my
cabin door and the bulwarks, where our only boat was fastened, three of the
sailors were standing together talking in low tones. "We are lost," I heard
one say; and another answer, "Ay, lost for ever!" Just then the mate,
roused from sleep, came running to them. "Good God, what have you done with
the steamer!" he exclaimed sharply; then, dropping his voice, he added,
"Lower the boat -- quick!"
Idle Days in Patagonia
AT LAST, PATAGONIA!
The wind had blown a gale all night, and I had been hourly expecting that
the tumbling, storm-vexed old steamer, in which I had taken passage to the
Rio Negro, would turn over once for all and settle down beneath that
tremendous tumult of waters. For the groaning sound of its straining
timbers, and the engine throbbing like an overtasked human heart, had made
the ship seem a living thing to me; and it was tired of the struggle, and
under the tumult was peace. But at about three o'clock in the morning the
wind began to moderate, and, taking off coat and boots, I threw myself into
my bunk for a little sleep.
Ours, it must be said, was a very curious boat, reported ancient and much
damaged; long and narrow in shape, like a Viking's ship, with the
passengers' cabins ranged like a row of small wooden cottages on the deck:
it was as ugly to look at as it was said to be unsafe to voyage in. To make
matters worse our captain, a man over eighty years old, was lying in his
cabin sick unto death, for, as {p 2} a fact, he died not many days after our
mishap; our one mate was asleep, leaving only the men to navigate the
steamer on that perilous coast, and in the darkest hour of a tempestuous
night.
I was just dropping into a doze when a succession of bumps, accompanied by
strange grating and grinding noises, and shuddering motions of the ship,
caused me to start up again and rush to the cabin door. The night was still
black and starless, with wind and rain, but for acres round us the sea was
whiter than milk. I did not step out; close to me, half-way between my
cabin door and the bulwarks, where our only boat was fastened, three of the
sailors were standing together talking in low tones. "We are lost," I heard
one say; and another answer, "Ay, lost for ever!" Just then the mate,
roused from sleep, came running to them. "Good God, what have you done with
the steamer!" he exclaimed sharply; then, dropping his voice, he added,
"Lower the boat -- quick!"
The wind had blown a gale all night, and I had been hourly expecting that
the tumbling, storm-vexed old steamer, in which I had taken passage to the
Rio Negro, would turn over once for all and settle down beneath that
tremendous tumult of waters. For the groaning sound of its straining
timbers, and the engine throbbing like an overtasked human heart, had made
the ship seem a living thing to me; and it was tired of the struggle, and
under the tumult was peace. But at about three o'clock in the morning the
wind began to moderate, and, taking off coat and boots, I threw myself into
my bunk for a little sleep.
Ours, it must be said, was a very curious boat, reported ancient and much
damaged; long and narrow in shape, like a Viking's ship, with the
passengers' cabins ranged like a row of small wooden cottages on the deck:
it was as ugly to look at as it was said to be unsafe to voyage in. To make
matters worse our captain, a man over eighty years old, was lying in his
cabin sick unto death, for, as {p 2} a fact, he died not many days after our
mishap; our one mate was asleep, leaving only the men to navigate the
steamer on that perilous coast, and in the darkest hour of a tempestuous
night.
I was just dropping into a doze when a succession of bumps, accompanied by
strange grating and grinding noises, and shuddering motions of the ship,
caused me to start up again and rush to the cabin door. The night was still
black and starless, with wind and rain, but for acres round us the sea was
whiter than milk. I did not step out; close to me, half-way between my
cabin door and the bulwarks, where our only boat was fastened, three of the
sailors were standing together talking in low tones. "We are lost," I heard
one say; and another answer, "Ay, lost for ever!" Just then the mate,
roused from sleep, came running to them. "Good God, what have you done with
the steamer!" he exclaimed sharply; then, dropping his voice, he added,
"Lower the boat -- quick!"
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Idle Days in Patagonia
Idle Days in Patagonia
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940016321066 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | WDS Publishing |
| Publication date: | 03/02/2013 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 179 KB |
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