Кораловий острів

Chapter 22

           Onrecoveringsufficientlytoraisemyselfonmyelbow,Iperceivedthatwewerealreadyoutsidethecoralreefandclosealongsidetheschooner,whichwasofsmallsizeandclipper-built.IhadonlytimetoobservethismuchwhenIreceivedaseverekickonthesidefromoneofthemen,whoorderedme,inaroughvoice,tojumpaboard.Risinghastily,Iclambereduptheside.Inafewminutestheboatwashoistedondeck,thevessel’sheadputclosetothewind,andtheCoralIslanddroppedslowlyasternaswebeatupagainstaheadsea.

           Immediatelyaftercomingaboard,thecrewweretoobusilyengagedinworkingtheshipandgettingintheboattoattendtome;soIremainedleaningagainstthebulwarksclosetothegangway,watchingtheiroperations.Iwassurprisedtofindthattherewerenogunsorcarronadesofanykindinthevessel,whichhadmoretheappearanceofafast-sailingtraderthanapirate.ButIwasstruckwiththeneatnessofeverything.Thebrass-workofthebinnacleandaboutthetiller,aswellasthecopperbelaying-pins,wereasbrightlypolishedasiftheyhadjustcomefromthefoundry.Thedeckswerepurewhiteandsmooth.Themastswereclean-scrapedandvarnished,exceptatthecross-treesandtruck,whichwerepaintedblack.Thestandingandrunningriggingwasinthemostperfectorder,andthesailswhiteassnow.Inshort,everything,fromthesinglenarrowredstripeonherlow,blackhulltothetrucksonhertaperingmasts,evincedanamountofcareandstrictdisciplinethatwouldhavedonecredittoashipoftheRoyalNavy.

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