Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
Andtherewasnoallayingathirstsogenerated.Tosuckmoreiceorsnowwasmerelytoaggravatetheinflammation.Morethananythingelse,IthinkitwasthisthatcausedthedeathofLishDickery.Hewasoutofhisheadandravingfortwenty-fourhoursbeforehedied.Hediedbabblingforwater,andyethedidnotdieforneedofwater.Iresistedasmuchaspossiblethetemptationtosuckice,contentingmyselfwithashredoftobaccoinmycheek,andmadeoutwithfaircomfort.
Westrippedallclothingfromourdead.Starktheycameintotheworld,andstarktheypassedoutoverthesideofthelongboatanddownintothedarkfreezingocean.Lotswerecastfortheclothes.ThiswasbyCaptainNicholl’scommand,inordertopreventquarrelling.
Itwasnotimeforthefolliesofsentiment.Therewasnotoneofuswhodidnotknowsecretsatisfactionattheoccurrenceofeachdeath.LuckiestofallwasIsraelStickneyincastinglots,sothatintheend,whenhepassed,hewasaveritabletreasuretroveofclothing.Itgaveanewleaseoflifetothesurvivors.
Wecontinuedtoruntothenorth-eastbeforethefreshwesterlies,butourquestforwarmerweatherseemedvain.Everthesprayfrozeinthebottomoftheboat,andIstillchippedbeeranddrinkingwaterwithNorthrup’sknife.MyownknifeIreserved.Itwasofgoodsteel,withakeenedgeandstoutlyfashioned,andIdidnotcaretoperilitinsuchmanner.
