Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды

           Asaconsequence,thewholeofourfiveshipshithertogetheronthebroadside,tearingherplankingwiththeirunderwaterbeaks,andsinkingherbeforewehadbackedclearfromtheengage.

           Butifwethusbroughttheenemy’snumberdowntofive,andsoequaltoourown,theadvantagedidnotremainwithusforlong.Thethreenimblegalleysformedintoline:theirboatswains’whipscrackedastheslavesbenttotheiroars,andpresentlyoneofourownshipswasgoredandsunk,themenonherbeingkilledinthewaterwithouthopeofrescue.

           Andthencommencedatight-lockedmeleethatwouldhavewarmedtheheartofthegreatestwarrioralive.Theshipsandthegalleyswereforcedtogetherandlaysavagelygrindingoneanotherupontheswells,asthoughtheyhadbeensentientanimals.Themenonboardthemshottheirarrows,slashedwithaxes,thrustandhackedwithswords,andhurledthethrowingfire.Butineverywaythefightconvergeduponthe“Bear.”Itwasonherthattheenemyspentthefiercestoftheirspite;itwastothe“Bear,”thattheothercrewsofTatho’snavyralliedastheirownvesselscaughtfire,orweresunkortaken.

           BattleisanoldacquaintancewithusofthePriestlyClan,andforthoseofuswhohavehadtocarveoutterritoriesforthenewcolonies,itcomeswithenoughfrequencytocloyeventhemostchivalrousappetite.SoIcanspeakhereasamanofexperience.Uptillthattime,forhalfalife-span,Ihadheardmenshout“Deucalion”asabattlecry,andinmydayhadseensomelustyencounters.Butthissea-fightsurprisedevenmeinitssavagefierceness.