Межзвёздный скиталец

           Themoon,burstingthroughacrackofcloud,showedableakandsavagepicture.Everywherewaswreckedgear,andeverywherewasice.Thesails,ropes,andsparsofthemainmast,whichwasstillstanding,werefringedwithicicles;andtherecameovermeafeelingalmostofreliefinthatneveragainshouldIhavetopullandhaulonthestifftacklesandhammericesothatthefrozenropescouldrunthroughthefrozenshivs.Thewind,blowinghalfagale,cutwiththesharpnessthatisasignoftheproximityoficebergs;andthebigseaswerebittercoldtolookuponinthemoonlight.

           Thelongboatwasloweringawaytolarboard,andIsawmen,strugglingontheice-sheeteddeckwithbarrelsofprovisions,abandonthefoodintheirhastetogetaway.InvainCaptainNichollstrovewiththem.Asea,breachingacrossfromwindward,settledthematterandsentthemleapingovertherailinheaps.Igainedthecaptain’sshoulder,and,holdingontohim,Ishoutedinhisearthatifhewouldboardtheboatandpreventthemenfromcastingoff,Iwouldattendtotheprovisioning.

           Littletimewasgivenme,however.ScarcelyhadImanaged,helpedbythesecondmate,AaronNorthrup,tolowerawayhalf-a-dozenbarrelsandkegs,whenallcriedfromtheboatthattheywerecastingoff.Goodreasontheyhad.Downuponusfromwindwardwasdriftingatoweringice-mountain,whiletoleeward,closeaboard,wasanotherice-mountainuponwhichweweredriving.