Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 19
Myheartofhopebeatstronginmeoncemore.CarefullyIpreservedtheportionsofthecarcassremaining.CarefullyIcoveredmyrockcisternswithflatstonessothatthesun’sraysmightnotevaporatethepreciousfluidandinprecautionagainstsomeupspringingofwindinthenightandthesuddenflyingofspray.AlsoIgatheredmetinyfragmentsofseaweedanddriedtheminthesunforaneasementbetweenmypoorbodyandtheroughrockswhereonImademylodging.Andmygarmentsweredry—thefirsttimeindays;sothatIslepttheheavysleepofexhaustionandofreturninghealth.
WhenIawoketoanewdayIwasanotherman.Theabsenceofthesundidnotdepressme,andIwasswiftlytolearnthatGod,notforgettingmewhileIslumbered,hadpreparedotherandwonderfulblessingsforme.Iwouldhavefainrubbedmyeyesandlookedagain,for,asfarasIcouldsee,therocksborderingupontheoceanwerecoveredwithseals.Therewerethousandsofthem,andinthewaterotherthousandsdisportedthemselves,whilethesoundthatwentupfromalltheirthroatswasprodigiousanddeafening.Iknewitwhen:Isawit—meatlaythereforthetaking,meatsufficientforascoreofships’companies.
Idirectlyseizedmyoar—thanwhichtherewasnootherstickofwoodontheisland—andcautiouslyadvanceduponallthatimmensityofprovender.Itwasquicklyguessedbymethatthesecreaturesoftheseawereunacquaintedwithman.
