The Boats of the Glen Carrig by William Hope Hodgson Read Free Book Online

cover. Nothing save the
interminable, thundering swoop of the boat downwards, and then the halt
and upward hurl, and the occasional plunges and surges to larboard or
starboard, occasioned, I can only suppose, by the indiscriminate might
of the seas.
    I would make mention here, how that I had little thought all this while
for the peril of the other boat, and, indeed, I was so very full of our
own that it is no matter at which to wonder. However, as it proved, and
as this is a most suitable place in which to tell it, the boat that held
Josh and the rest of the crew came through the storm with safety; though
it was not until many years afterwards that I had the good fortune to
hear from Josh himself how that, after the storm, they were picked up by
a homeward-bound vessel, and landed in the Port of London.
    And now, to our own happenings.

VI - The Weed-Choked Sea
*
    It was some little while before midday that we grew conscious that the
sea had become very much less violent; and this despite the wind roaring
with scarce abated noise. And, presently, everything about the boat,
saving the wind, having grown indubitably calmer, and no great water
breaking over the canvas, the bo'sun beckoned me again to assist him lift
the after part of the cover. This we did, and put forth our heads to
inquire the reason of the unexpected quietness of the sea; not knowing
but that we had come suddenly under the lee of some unknown land. Yet,
for a space, we could see nothing, beyond the surrounding billows; for
the sea was still very furious, though no matter to cause us concern,
after that through which we had come.
    Presently, however, the bo'sun, raising himself, saw something, and,
bending cried in my ear that there was a low bank which broke the force
of the sea; but he was full of wonder to know how that we had passed it
without shipwreck. And whilst he was still pondering the matter I raised
myself, and took a look on all sides of us, and so I discovered that
there lay another great bank upon our larboard side, and this I pointed
out to him. Immediately afterwards, we came upon a great mass of seaweed
swung up on the crest of a sea, and, presently, another. And so we
drifted on, and the seas grew less with astonishing rapidity, so that, in
a little, we stripped off the cover so far as the midship thwart; for the
rest of the men were sorely in need of the fresh air, after so long a
time below the canvas covering.
    It was after we had eaten, that one of them made out that there was
another low bank astern upon which we were drifting. At that, the bo'sun
stood up and made an examination of it, being much exercised in his mind
to know how we might come clear of it with safety. Presently, however, we
had come so near to it that we discovered it to be composed of seaweed,
and so we let the boat drive upon it, making no doubt but that the other
banks, which we had seen, were of a similar nature.
    In a little, we had driven in among the weed; yet, though our speed was
greatly slowed, we made some progress, and so in time came out upon the
other side, and now we found the sea to be near quiet, so that we hauled
in our sea anchor—which had collected a great mass of weed about it—and
removed the whaleback and canvas coverings, after which we stepped the
mast, and set a tiny storm-foresail upon the boat; for we wished to have
her under control, and could set no more than this, because of the
violence of the breeze.
    Thus we drove on before the wind, the bo'sun steering, and avoiding all
such banks as showed ahead, and ever the sea grew calmer. Then, when it
was near on to evening, we discovered a huge stretch of the weed that
seemed to block all the sea ahead, and, at that, we hauled down the
foresail, and took to our oars, and began to pull, broadside on to it,
towards the West. Yet so strong was the breeze, that we were being driven
down rapidly upon it. And then, just before sunset, we opened out the
end of it, and drew in our oars, very thankful