- end_line
- 1128
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:18.534Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 1069
- text
- breaker astern now dragged the craft horizontally through the air, so
that her tackle ropes strained hard. She quivered like a dolphin.
Nevertheless, had we not feared her loud splash upon striking the wave,
we might have quitted the ship almost as silently as the breath the
body. But this was out of the question, and our plans were laid
accordingly.
“All ready, Jarl?”
“Ready.”
“A man overboard!” I shouted at the top of my compass; and like
lightning the cords slid through our blistering hands, and with a
tremendous shock the boat bounded on the sea’s back. One mad sheer and
plunge, one terrible strain on the tackles as we sunk in the trough of
the waves, tugged upon by the towing breaker, and our knives severed
the tackle ropes—we hazarded not unhooking the blocks—our oars were
out, and the good boat headed round, with prow to leeward.
“Man overboard!” was now shouted from stem to stern. And directly we
heard the confused tramping and shouting of the sailors, as they rushed
from their dreams into the almost inscrutable darkness.
“Man overboard! Man overboard!” My heart smote me as the human cry of
horror came out of the black vaulted night.
“Down helm!” was soon heard from the chief mate. “Back the main-yard!
Quick to the boats! How’s this? One down already? Well done! Hold on,
then, those other boats!”
Meanwhile several seamen were shouting as they strained at the braces.
“Cut! cut all! Lower away! lower away!” impatiently cried the sailors,
who already had leaped into the boats.
“Heave the ship to, and hold fast every thing,” cried the captain,
apparently just springing to the deck. “One boat’s enough. Steward;
show a light there from the mizzen-top. Boat ahoy!—Have you got that
man?”
No reply. The voice came out of a cloud; the ship dimly showing like a
ghost. We had desisted from rowing, and hand over hand were now hauling
in upon the rope attached to the breaker, which we soon lifted into the
boat, instantly resuming our oars.
“Pull! pull, men! and save him!” again shouted the captain.
“Ay, ay, sir,” answered Jarl instinctively, “pulling as hard as ever we
can, sir.”
And pull we did, till nothing could be heard from the ship but a
confused tumult; and, ever and anon, the hoarse shout of the captain,
too distant to be understood.
We now set our sail to a light air; and right into the darkness, and
dead to leeward, we rowed and sailed till morning dawned.
- title
- Chunk 2