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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“Enough scope, you fools!” roared Bligh, not knowing what had happened. “Damn you, boatswain! What are you about, there?”

“We’ve lost the grapnel, sir!” Cole shouted.

“To the oars!”

The men ran out their oars and pulled with a will, for they realized as well as the captain the dangers of being blown offshore on such a night. Their utmost exertions were just sufficient to gain slowly against current and wind. Bligh made his way forward where Cole was examining the broken line.

“A rotten spot, sir,” said the boatswain; “the rust of the grapnel did it.” He opened his clasp knife and cut away the rotten line.

Bligh was peering down into the water ahead. “Hold her here!” he ordered without turning his head.

There was something ominous about the place, and the wild red sunset; the thought of the monsters we had seen so short a time before would have deterred most men from doing what Bligh now did. He stripped off his ragged shirt and trousers, seized the end of the grapnel line, and plunged into the sea.