Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
4. The Welcome Of Phorenice
Clearitseemedalsothattheywouldnotletuspasswithoutafight,andinthistherewasnothinguncommon;fornolawcarriesoutovertheseas,andabrotherinoneshipfeelsquitefreetoharryhisbrotherinanothervesselifhemeetshimoutofearshotofthebeach—moreespeciallyifthatotherbrotherbecominghomeladenfromforayortradingtour.SoTob,withsystemandmethod,gotourvesselintofightingtrim,andtheotherfourcaptainsdidthelikewiththeirs,anddrewcloseintoustoformacompactsquadron.Theyhadnowishtosmellslavery,nowthatthevoyagehadcomesoneartoitsend.
OurLordtheSunshonebrilliantly,givingfullspeedtothemachines,asthoughHewasfullywillingfortheaffairtoproceed,andthetwonaviesapproachedoneanotherwithquickness,thethreegalleysholdingbacktostayinlinewiththeirconsorts.Butwhensomebarehundredship-lengthsseparatedus,theothernavyhalted,andoneofthegalleys,drawingahead,flewgreenbranchesfromhermasts,seekingforaparley.
Thecoursewasunusual,butwe,inoursea-batteredstate,werenonavytoinviteafightunnecessarily.Soinhoarsesea-bawlswordwaspassed,andwetoohalted,andTobhoistedawitheredstick(whichhadtododutyforgreenery),toshowthatwewerereadyfortalk,andwouldrespectthepersonofanambassador.
Thegalleydrewon,swunground,andbackedtillitssternraspedonourshieldrail,andoneofherpeopleclamberedupandjumpeddownuponourdecks.
