Chapter 9

           Morethanaweekwentby,inwhichtheill-luckthathadhithertopursuedtheCovenantuponthisvoyagegrewyetmorestronglymarked.Somedaysshemadealittleway;others,shewasdrivenactuallyback.Atlastwewerebeatensofartothesouththatwetossedandtackedtoandfrothewholeoftheninthday,withinsightofCapeWrathandthewild,rockycoastoneitherhandofit.Therefollowedonthatacounciloftheofficers,andsomedecisionwhichIdidnotrightlyunderstand,seeingonlytheresult:thatwehadmadeafairwindofafouloneandwererunningsouth.

           Thetenthafternoontherewasafallingswellandathick,wet,whitefogthathidoneendofthebrigfromtheother.Allafternoon,whenIwentondeck,Isawmenandofficerslisteninghardoverthebulwarks—“forbreakers,”theysaid;andthoughIdidnotsomuchasunderstandtheword,Ifeltdangerintheair,andwasexcited.

           Maybeabouttenatnight,IwasservingMr.Riachandthecaptainattheirsupper,whentheshipstrucksomethingwithagreatsound,andweheardvoicessingingout.Mytwomastersleapedtotheirfeet.

           “She’sstruck!”saidMr.Riach.

           “No,sir,”saidthecaptain.“We’veonlyrunaboatdown.”

           Andtheyhurriedout.

           Thecaptainwasintherightofit.Wehadrundownaboatinthefog,andshehadpartedinthemidstandgonetothebottomwithallhercrewbutone.Thisman(asIheardafterwards)hadbeensittinginthesternasapassenger,whiletherestwereonthebenchesrowing.