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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The force of the gale increased as it veered back to east and to northeast; it was soon apparent to all hands that our sail was too much to have set.

“We must lighten her, Mr. Fryer!” Bligh shouted above the roar of wind and sea. “Each man may keep two suits of cloathing—jettison the rest! And heave overboard the spare foresail and all but one coil of rope!”

“Aye, sir!” replied the master. “Can we not shorten sail? I fear we’ll drive her under with but a single reef!”

Bligh shook his head. “No, she’ll do. Over with the spare gear!”

His orders were carried out with an alacrity which showed that those under him realized the imminence of our danger. Though the weight of what we cast away would scarcely have exceeded that of a heavy man, the boat rode better for it, and the clearing of the bilges enabled six of us, bailing constantly, to keep her dry. A quarter of a cooked breadfruit, much dirtied and trampled during our naval engagement with the Friendly Islanders, was served out to each man with half a pint of water.