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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“I’d rather be flogged than cursed before my own men,” growled Purcell. “You mind what he called me before my mates in Adventure Bay? And what he said to Christian, with all the people about, the day before they seized the ship?”

“He’s overfree with his tongue,” admitted Fryer. “But what captain is not? The Navy’s no place for thin skins. Hard words and floggings are what seamen understand.” He paused for a moment. “I’ve served under easier captains,” he added. “He’s a hard man to please. But where would we be without him now? Tell me that. Whom would you wish in his place in the launch?”

“I’m not saying he lacks his good points,” the carpenter admitted grudgingly.

When I fell asleep at last, their voices were still murmuring on. I awoke feeling better than for many days past. Nelson was already up, and a party was setting out down the beach in search of new beds of oysters. Bligh was speaking to Purcell.

“I saw some good purau trees near the summit of the island,” he said. “Take your axe and see if you can find us a pair of spare yards.”