Читать книгу Men Against the Sea – Book Set. The Greatest Maritime Adventure Novels: The Bounty Trilogy, Lost Island, The Hurricane, Botany Bay, The Far Lands, Tales of the South Seas… онлайн

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“What prevented him and Purcell from murdering each other, cooped up as they were in a small boat?”

“It was a near thing, a very near thing. Matters came to a head at a small island on the Great Barrier Reef. We were in a desperate situation and had put in there for the night. I’ve forgotten how the dispute started, but I remember Bligh and Purcell standing on a sandy beach facing each other like a couple of old bulls. We were damn near dead of hunger and thirst, but these two still had fight in ’em. Bligh made a stride to the boat, took two of our four cutlasses, and handed one to the carpenter. ‘Now, sir,’ he said, ‘defend yourself or forever hold your peace!’ The rest of us scarecrows stood looking on; we were too wretched to care what might happen. And Purcell backed down. He apologized. That was the only time there was ever a question of Bligh’s authority.”

“Do you remember Coupang, Tinkler?”

“Coupang! That heaven on earth! Let me tell you how we came in. It was about three in the morning ... but wait a minute! How about filling my glass? As a host, Byam, you leave something to be desired.”