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Fast in the Ice by Robert Michael Ballantyne, Chapter Two.

Chapter Two.

At Sea—The First Storm.

It is now hundreds of years since the North polar regions began to attract general attention. Men have long felt very inquisitive about that part of the earth, and many good ships, many noble lives have been lost in trying to force a passage through the ice that encumbers the Arctic seas, summer and winter. Britain has done more than other nations in the cause of discovery within the Arctic circle. The last and greatest of her Arctic heroes perished there—the famous Sir John Franklin.

Were I writing a history of those regions I would have much to say of other countries as well as of our own. But such is not my object in this book. I mean simply to follow in the wake of one of Britain's adventurous discoverers, and thus give the reader an idea of the fortunes of those gallant men who risk life and limb for the sake of obtaining knowledge of distant lands. There have always been restless spirits in this country. There have ever been men who, when boys, were full of mischief, and who could “settle to nothing” when they grew up. Lucky for us, lucky for the world, that such is the case! Many of our “restless spirits,” as we call them, have turned out to be our heroes, our discoverers, our greatest men. No doubt many of them have become our drones, our sharpers, our blacklegs. But that is just saying that some men are good, while others are bad—no blame is due to what is called the restlessness of spirit. Our restless men, if good, find rest in action; in bold energetic toil; if bad, they find rest, alas! in untimely graves.

Captain Harvey was one of our restless spirits. He had a deeply learned friend who said to him one day that he felt sure “ there was a sea of open water round the North Pole !” Hundreds of ships had tried to reach that pole without success, because they always found a barrier of thick ice raised against them. This friend said that if a ship could only cut or force its way through the ice to a certain latitude north, open water would be found. Captain Harvey was much interested in this. He could not rest until he had proved it. He had plenty of money, so had his friend. They resolved to buy a vessel and send it to the seas lying within the Arctic circle. Other rich friends helped them; a brig was bought, it was named the Hope , and, as we have seen in the last chapter, it finally set sail under command of Captain Harvey.

Many days and nights passed, and the Hope kept her course steadily toward the coast of North America. Greenland was the first land they hoped to see. Baffin's Bay was the strait through which they hoped to reach the open polar sea. The Hope left England as a whaler, with all the boats, lances, harpoons, lines, and other apparatus used in the whale fishery. It was intended that she should do a little business in that way if Captain Harvey thought it advisable, but the discovery of new lands and seas was their chief end and aim.

At first the weather was fine, the wind fair, and the voyage prosperous. But one night there came a deep calm. Not a breath of air moved over the sea, which was as clear and polished as a looking-glass. The captain walked the deck with the surgeon of the ship, a nephew of his own, named Gregory.

Tom Gregory was a youth of about nineteen, who had not passed through the whole course of a doctor's education, but who was a clever fellow, and better able to cut and carve and physic poor suffering humanity than many an older man who wrote M.D. after his name. He was a fine, handsome, strapping fellow, with a determined manner and a kind heart. He was able to pull an oar with the best man aboard, and could even steer the brig in fine weather, if need be. He was hearty and romantic, and a great favourite with the men. He, too, was a restless spirit. He had grown tired of college life, and had made up his mind to take a year's run into the Polar regions, by way of improving his knowledge of the “outlandish” parts of the world. “I don't like the look of the sky to-day, Tom,” said the captain, glancing at the horizon and then at the sails. “Indeed!” said Tom, in surprise. “It seems to me the most beautiful afternoon we have had since the voyage began. But I suppose you seamen are learned in signs which we landsmen do not understand.”

“Perhaps we are,” replied the captain; “but it does not require much knowledge of the weather to say that such a dead calm as this, and such unusual heat, is not likely to end in a gentle breeze.”

“You don't object to a stiff breeze, uncle?” said the youth. “No, Tom; but I don't like a storm, because it does us no good, and may do us harm.” “Storms do you no good, uncle!” cried Tom; “how can you say so? Why, what is it that makes our sailors such trumps? The British tar would not be able to face danger as he does if there were no storms.”

“True, Tom, but the British tar would not require to face danger at all if there were no storms. What says the barometer, Mr Mansell?” said the captain, looking down the skylight into the cabin, where the first mate—a middle-sized man of thirty-five, or thereabouts—was seated at the table writing up the ship's log-book. “The glass has gone down an inch, sir, and is still falling,” answered the mate.

“Reef the topsail, Mr Dicey,” cried the captain, on hearing this.

“Why such haste?” inquired Gregory.

“Because such a sudden fall in the barometer is a sure sign of approaching bad weather,” answered the captain.

The first man on the shrouds and out upon the main-topsail yard was Sam Baker, whose active movements and hearty manner showed that he had quite recovered his health without the use of physic. He was quickly followed by some of his shipmates, all of whom were picked men—able in body and ready for anything.

In a few minutes sail was reduced. Soon after that clouds began to rise on the horizon and spread over the sky. Before half an hour had passed the breeze came—came far stronger than had been expected—and the order to take in sail had to be repeated. Baker was first again. He was closely followed by Joe Davis and Jim Croft, both of them sturdy fellows—good specimens of the British seaman. Davy Butts, who came next, was not so good a specimen. He was nearly six feet high, very thin and loosely put together, like a piece of bad furniture. But his bones were big, and he was stronger than he looked. He would not have formed one of such a crew had he not been a good man. The rest of the crew, of whom there were eighteen, not including the officers, were of all shapes, sizes, and complexions.

The sails had scarcely been taken in when the storm burst on the brig in all its fury. The waves rose like mountains and followed after her, as if they were eager to swallow her up. The sky grew dark overhead as the night closed in, the wind shrieked through the rigging, and the rag of canvas that they ventured to hoist seemed about to burst away from the yard. It was an awful night. Such a night as causes even reckless men to feel how helpless they are—how dependent on the arm of God. The gale steadily increased until near midnight, when it blew a perfect hurricane.

“It's a dirty night,” observed the captain, to the second mate, as the latter came on deck to relieve the watch. “It is, sir,” replied Mr Dicey, as coolly as if he were about to sit down to a good dinner on shore. Mr Dicey was a remarkably matter-of-fact man. He looked upon a storm as he looked upon a fit of the toothache—a thing that had to be endured, and was not worth making a fuss about.

“It won't last long,” said the captain. “No, sir; it won't,” answered Mr Dicey. As Mr Dicey did not seem inclined to say more, the captain went below and flung himself on a locker, having given orders that he should be called if any change for the worse took place in the weather. Soon afterward a tremendous sea rose high over the stern, and part of it fell on the deck with a terrible crash, washing Mr Dicey into the lee-scuppers, and almost sweeping him overboard. On regaining his feet, and his position beside the wheel, the second mate shook himself and considered whether he ought to call the captain. Having meditated some time, he concluded that the weather was no worse, although it had treated him very roughly, so he did not disturb the captain's repose. Thus the storm raged all that night. It tossed the Hope about like a cork; it well-nigh blew the sails off the masts, and almost blew Mr Dicey's head off his shoulders! then it stopped as it had begun—suddenly.


Chapter Two. Capítulo II.

At Sea—The First Storm.

It is now hundreds of years since the North polar regions began to attract general attention. 距北极地区开始受到普遍关注已有数百年的历史。 Men have long felt very inquisitive about that part of the earth, and many good ships, many noble lives have been lost in trying to force a passage through the ice that encumbers the Arctic seas, summer and winter. Britain has done more than other nations in the cause of discovery within the Arctic circle. The last and greatest of her Arctic heroes perished there—the famous Sir John Franklin.

Were I writing a history of those regions I would have much to say of other countries as well as of our own. But such is not my object in this book. I mean simply to follow in the wake of one of Britain's adventurous discoverers, and thus give the reader an idea of the fortunes of those gallant men who risk life and limb for the sake of obtaining knowledge of distant lands. 我的意思只是追随英国一位冒险的发现者,从而让读者了解那些为了获得远方知识而冒着生命危险和肢体危险的英勇人物的命运。 There have always been restless spirits in this country. There have ever been men who, when boys, were full of mischief, and who could “settle to nothing” when they grew up. 曾经有一些男人,在孩提时代充满了恶作剧,长大后可以“安于现状”。 Lucky for us, lucky for the world, that such is the case! Many of our “restless spirits,” as we call them, have turned out to be our heroes, our discoverers, our greatest men. No doubt many of them have become our drones, our sharpers, our blacklegs. 毫无疑问,他们中的许多人已经成为我们的无人机,我们的锐器,我们的黑腿。 But that is just saying that some men are good, while others are bad—no blame is due to what is called the restlessness of spirit. Our restless men, if good, find rest in action; in bold energetic toil; if bad, they find rest, alas! in untimely graves. 在不合时宜的坟墓里。

Captain Harvey was one of our restless spirits. 哈维船长是我们不安分的精神之一。 He had a deeply learned friend who said to him one day that he felt sure “ there was a sea of open water round the North Pole !” Hundreds of ships had tried to reach that pole without success, because they always found a barrier of thick ice raised against them. This friend said that if a ship could only cut or force its way through the ice to a certain latitude north, open water would be found. Captain Harvey was much interested in this. He could not rest until he had proved it. He had plenty of money, so had his friend. 他有很多钱,他的朋友也有。 They resolved to buy a vessel and send it to the seas lying within the Arctic circle. 他们决定购买一艘船并将其送往北极圈内的海域。 Other rich friends helped them; a brig was bought, it was named the Hope , and, as we have seen in the last chapter, it finally set sail under command of Captain Harvey. 其他有钱的朋友帮助了他们;买了一艘双桅船,它被命名为希望号,正如我们在上一章中看到的,它终于在哈维船长的指挥下启航了。

Many days and nights passed, and the  Hope kept her course steadily toward the coast of North America. Greenland was the first land they hoped to see. 格陵兰岛是他们希望看到的第一块土地。 Baffin's Bay was the strait through which they hoped to reach the open polar sea. 巴芬湾是他们希望到达开阔的极地海域的海峡。 The  Hope left England as a whaler, with all the boats, lances, harpoons, lines, and other apparatus used in the whale fishery. It was intended that she should do a little business in that way if Captain Harvey thought it advisable, but the discovery of new lands and seas was their chief end and aim.

At first the weather was fine, the wind fair, and the voyage prosperous. 起初天气晴朗,风平浪静,航行顺利。 But one night there came a deep calm. 但有一天晚上,那里出现了深深的平静。 Not a breath of air moved over the sea, which was as clear and polished as a looking-glass. 大海上没有一丝空气流动,海水清澈如镜,光彩照人。 The captain walked the deck with the surgeon of the ship, a nephew of his own, named Gregory. 船长和船上的外科医生,他自己的侄子格雷戈里一起走在甲板上。

Tom Gregory was a youth of about nineteen, who had not passed through the whole course of a doctor's education, but who was a clever fellow, and better able to cut and carve and physic poor suffering humanity than many an older man who wrote M.D. 汤姆·格雷戈里(Tom Gregory)是一个大约十九岁的年轻人,他没有完成整个医生教育,但他是一个聪明的人,比许多写医学博士的年长者更能切割、雕刻和治疗贫困的人类。 after his name. He was a fine, handsome, strapping fellow, with a determined manner and a kind heart. 他是一个英俊、帅气、身材魁梧的小伙子,性格坚定,心地善良。 He was able to pull an oar with the best man aboard, and could even steer the brig in fine weather, if need be. 他能够与船上最好的人一起拉桨,如果需要的话,甚至可以在晴朗的天气里驾驶双桅船。 He was hearty and romantic, and a great favourite with the men. 他热情而浪漫,是男人们的最爱。 He, too, was a restless spirit. He had grown tired of college life, and had made up his mind to take a year's run into the Polar regions, by way of improving his knowledge of the “outlandish” parts of the world. “I don't like the look of the sky to-day, Tom,” said the captain, glancing at the horizon and then at the sails. “我不喜欢今天的天空,汤姆,”船长说,看了看地平线,又看了看帆。 “Indeed!” said Tom, in surprise. “It seems to me the most beautiful afternoon we have had since the voyage began. But I suppose you seamen are learned in signs which we landsmen do not understand.” 但我想你们海员的学识是我们陆上人不明白的。”

“Perhaps we are,” replied the captain; “but it does not require much knowledge of the weather to say that such a dead calm as this, and such unusual heat, is not likely to end in a gentle breeze.” “也许我们是,”船长回答。 “但不需要对天气有太多了解,就可以说像这样死一般的平静,如此异常的高温,不可能以微风结束。”

“You don't object to a stiff breeze, uncle?” said the youth. “你不反对强风吗,叔叔?”青年说。 “No, Tom; but I don't like a storm, because it does us no good, and may do us harm.” “Storms do you no good, uncle!” cried Tom; “how can you say so? “暴风雨对你没有好处,叔叔!”汤姆叫道; “你怎么能这样说? Why, what is it that makes our sailors such trumps? 为什么,是什么让我们的水手如此胜任? The British tar would not be able to face danger as he does if there were no storms.” 如果没有暴风雨,英国焦油将无法像他那样面对危险。”

“True, Tom, but the British tar would not require to face danger at all if there were no storms. “没错,汤姆,但如果没有暴风雨,英国焦油根本不需要面对危险。 What says the barometer, Mr Mansell?” said the captain, looking down the skylight into the cabin, where the first mate—a middle-sized man of thirty-five, or thereabouts—was seated at the table writing up the ship's log-book. 晴雨表显示什么,曼塞尔先生?”船长说,从天窗往船舱里望去,大副——一个三十五岁左右的中型男人——正坐在桌子旁,正在写船的航海日志。 “The glass has gone down an inch, sir, and is still falling,” answered the mate. “玻璃已经下沉了一英寸,先生,还在下落,”大副回答说。

“Reef the topsail, Mr Dicey,” cried the captain, on hearing this. “戴上顶帆,戴雪先生,”船长听到这话叫道。

“Why such haste?” inquired Gregory. “为什么这么急?”格雷戈里问。

“Because such a sudden fall in the barometer is a sure sign of approaching bad weather,” answered the captain. “因为晴雨表突然下降是恶劣天气即将来临的明确信号,”船长回答。

The first man on the shrouds and out upon the main-topsail yard was Sam Baker, whose active movements and hearty manner showed that he had quite recovered his health without the use of physic. He was quickly followed by some of his shipmates, all of whom were picked men—able in body and ready for anything.

In a few minutes sail was reduced. Soon after that clouds began to rise on the horizon and spread over the sky. Before half an hour had passed the breeze came—came far stronger than had been expected—and the order to take in sail had to be repeated. 半小时前,微风袭来——比预想的要强得多——不得不再次下令开船。 Baker was first again. He was closely followed by Joe Davis and Jim Croft, both of them sturdy fellows—good specimens of the British seaman. Davy Butts, who came next, was not so good a specimen. 紧随其后的戴维·巴茨(Davy Butts)并不是一个很好的样本。 He was nearly six feet high, very thin and loosely put together, like a piece of bad furniture. 他将近六英尺高,非常瘦弱,松散地组合在一起,就像一件坏家具。 But his bones were big, and he was stronger than he looked. He would not have formed one of such a crew had he not been a good man. 如果他不是一个好人,他就不会组成这样一个团队。 The rest of the crew, of whom there were eighteen, not including the officers, were of all shapes, sizes, and complexions.

The sails had scarcely been taken in when the storm burst on the brig in all its fury. The waves rose like mountains and followed after her, as if they were eager to swallow her up. The sky grew dark overhead as the night closed in, the wind shrieked through the rigging, and the rag of canvas that they ventured to hoist seemed about to burst away from the yard. It was an awful night. Such a night as causes even reckless men to feel how helpless they are—how dependent on the arm of God. 这样的夜晚,即使是鲁莽的人也会感到自己是多么的无助——多么依赖上帝的臂膀。 The gale steadily increased until near midnight, when it blew a perfect hurricane. 狂风一直在增加,直到接近午夜时,它刮起了一场完美的飓风。

“It's a dirty night,” observed the captain, to the second mate, as the latter came on deck to relieve the watch. “It is, sir,” replied Mr Dicey, as coolly as if he were about to sit down to a good dinner on shore. “是的,先生,”戴雪先生回答说,冷酷无情,仿佛他正要在岸上坐下来享用一顿丰盛的晚餐。 Mr Dicey was a remarkably matter-of-fact man. 戴雪先生是一个非常实事求是的人。 He looked upon a storm as he looked upon a fit of the toothache—a thing that had to be endured, and was not worth making a fuss about. 他看着暴风雨,就像看着牙痛一样——这是必须忍受的事情,不值得大惊小怪。

“It won't last long,” said the captain. “No, sir; it won't,” answered Mr Dicey. “不,先生;不会的,”戴西先生回答。 As Mr Dicey did not seem inclined to say more, the captain went below and flung himself on a locker, having given orders that he should be called if any change for the worse took place in the weather. 由于戴雪先生似乎不想多说,船长走到下面,把自己扔到一个储物柜上,并下令如果天气发生任何恶化,就应该叫他来。 Soon afterward a tremendous sea rose high over the stern, and part of it fell on the deck with a terrible crash, washing Mr Dicey into the lee-scuppers, and almost sweeping him overboard. 不久之后,一片巨大的海浪从船尾高高升起,一部分海浪在可怕的撞击声中掉到甲板上,把戴西先生冲进了下风口,几乎把他卷到了海里。 On regaining his feet, and his position beside the wheel, the second mate shook himself and considered whether he ought to call the captain. 重新站稳脚跟,回到方向盘旁边的位置后,二副晃了晃自己,考虑是否应该叫船长。 Having meditated some time, he concluded that the weather was no worse, although it had treated him very roughly, so he did not disturb the captain's repose. 沉思了片刻,他得出结论,虽然天气对他很粗暴,但天气并没有更糟,所以他没有打扰船长的休息。 Thus the storm raged all that night. It tossed the  Hope about like a cork; it well-nigh blew the sails off the masts, and almost blew Mr Dicey's head off his shoulders! 它像软木塞一样摇晃着希望;它几乎把桅杆上的帆吹掉了,几乎把戴西先生的头从他的肩膀上吹下来! then it stopped as it had begun—suddenly.