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~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　8　~~~

CHAPTER　9



　　　　LUCKILY；　just　before　night；　all　four　of　us　had　lashed　ourselves
firmly　to　the　fragments　of　the　windlass；　lying　in　this　manner　as　flat
upon　the　deck　as　possible。　This　precaution　alone　saved　us　from
destruction。　As　it　was；　we　were　all　more　or　less　stunned　by　the
immense　weight　of　water　which　tumbled　upon　us；　and　which　did　not　roll
from　above　us　until　we　were　nearly　exhausted。　As　soon　as　I　could
recover　breath；　I　called　aloud　to　my　companions。　Augustus　alone
replied；　saying：　〃It　is　all　over　with　us；　and　may　God　have　mercy　upon
our　souls！〃　By…and…by　both　the　others　were　enabled　to　speak；　when
they　exhorted　us　to　take　courage；　as　there　was　still　hope；　it　being
impossible；　from　the　nature　of　the　cargo；　that　the　brig　could　go
down；　and　there　being　every　chance　that　the　gale　would　blow　over　by
the　morning。　These　words　inspired　me　with　new　life；　for；　strange　as
it　may　seem；　although　it　was　obvious　that　a　vessel　with　a　cargo　of
empty　oil…casks　would　not　sink；　I　had　been　hitherto　so　confused　in
mind　as　to　have　overlooked　this　consideration　altogether；　and　the
danger　which　I　had　for　some　time　regarded　as　the　most　imminent　was
that　of　foundering。　As　hope　revived　within　me；　I　made　use　of　every
opportunity　to　strengthen　the　lashings　which　held　me　to　the　remains
of　the　windlass；　and　in　this　occupation　I　soon　discovered　that　my
companions　were　also　busy。　The　night　was　as　dark　as　it　could　possibly
be；　and　the　horrible　shrieking　din　and　confusion　which　surrounded　us
it　is　useless　to　attempt　describing。　Our　deck　lay　level　with　the　sea；
or　rather　we　were　encircled　with　a　towering　ridge　of　foam；　a　portion
of　which　swept　over　us　even　instant。　It　is　not　too　much　to　say　that
our　heads　were　not　fairly　out　of　the　water　more　than　one　second　in
three。　Although　we　lay　close　together；　no　one　of　us　could　see　the
other；　or；　indeed；　any　portion　of　the　brig　itself；　upon　which　we　were
so　tempestuously　hurled　about。　At　intervals　we　called　one　to　the
other；　thus　endeavouring　to　keep　alive　hope；　and　render　consolation
and　encouragement　to　such　of　us　as　stood　most　in　need　of　it。　The
feeble　condition　of　Augustus　made　him　an　object　of　solicitude　with　us
all；　and　as；　from　the　lacerated　condition　of　his　right　arm；　it　must
have　been　impossible　for　him　to　secure　his　lashings　with　any　degree
of　firmness；　we　were　in　momentary　expectation　of　finding　that　he　had
gone　overboard　　yet　to　render　him　aid　was　a　thing　altogether　out　of
the　question。　Fortunately；　his　station　was　more　secure　than　that　of
any　of　the　rest　of　us；　for　the　upper　part　of　his　body　lying　just
beneath　a　portion　of　the　shattered　windlass；　the　seas；　as　they
tumbled　in　upon　him；　were　greatly　broken　in　their　violence。　In　any
other　situation　than　this　（into　which　he　had　been　accidentally　thrown
after　having　lashed　himself　in　a　very　exposed　spot）　he　must
inevitably　have　perished　before　morning。　Owing　to　the　brig's　lying　so
much　along；　we　were　all　less　liable　to　be　washed　off　than　otherwise
would　have　been　the　case。　The　heel；　as　I　have　before　stated；　was　to
larboard；　about　one　half　of　the　deck　being　constantly　under　water。
The　seas；　therefore；　which　struck　us　to　starboard　were　much　broken；
by　the　vessel's　side；　only　reaching　us　in　fragments　as　we　lay　flat　on
our　faces；　while　those　which　came　from　larboard　being　what　are　called
back…water　seas；　and　obtaining　little　hold　upon　us　on　account　of　our
posture；　had　not　sufficient　force　to　drag　us　from　our　fastenings。

　　　　In　this　frightful　situation　we　lay　until　the　day　broke　so　as　to
show　us　more　fully　the　horrors　which　surrounded　us。　The　brig　was　a
mere　log；　rolling　about　at　the　mercy　of　every　wave；　the　gale　was　upon
the　increase；　if　any　thing；　blowing　indeed　a　complete　hurricane；　and
there　appeared　to　us　no　earthly　prospect　of　deliverance。　For　several
hours　we　held　on　in　silence；　expecting　every　moment　that　our　lashings
would　either　give　way；　that　the　remains　of　the　windlass　would　go　by
the　board；　or　that　some　of　the　huge　seas；　which　roared　in　every
direction　around　us　and　above　us；　would　drive　the　hulk　so　far　beneath
the　water　that　we　should　be　drowned　before　it　could　regain　the
surface。　By　the　mercy　of　God；　however；　we　were　preserved　from　these
imminent　dangers；　and　about　midday　were　cheered　by　the　light　of　the
blessed　sun。　Shortly　afterward　we　could　perceive　a　sensible
diminution　in　the　force　of　the　wind；　when；　now　for　the　first　time
since　the　latter　part　of　the　evening　before；　Augustus　spoke；　asking
Peters；　who　lay　closest　to　him；　if　he　thought　there　was　any
possibility　of　our　being　saved。　As　no　reply　was　at　first　made　to　this
question；　we　all　concluded　that　the　hybrid　had　been　drowned　where　he
lay；　but　presently；　to　our　great　joy；　he　spoke；　although　very　feebly；
saying　that　he　was　in　great　pain；　being　so　cut　by　the　tightness　of
his　lashings　across　the　stomach；　that　he　must　either　find　means　of
loosening　them　or　perish；　as　it　was　impossible　that　he　could　endure
his　misery　much　longer。　This　occasioned　us　great　distress；　as　it　was
altogether　useless　to　think　of　aiding　him　in　any　manner　while　the　sea
continued　washing　over　us　as　it　did。　We　exhorted　him　to　bear　his
sufferings　with　fortitude；　and　promised　to　seize　the　first
opportunity　which　should　offer　itself　to　relieve　him。　He　replied　that
it　would　soon　be　too　late；　that　it　would　be　all　over　with　him　before
we　could　help　him；　and　then；　after　moaning　for　some　minutes；　lay
silent；　when　we　concluded　that　he　had　perished。

　　　　As　the　evening　drew　on；　the　sea　had　fallen　so　much　that　scarcely
more　than　one　wave　broke　over　the　hulk　from　windward　in　the　course　of
five　minutes；　and　the　wind　had　abated　a　great　deal；　although　still
blowing　a　severe　gale。　I　had　not　heard　any　of　my　companions　speak　for
hours；　and　now　called　to　Augustus。　He　replied；　although　very　feebly；
so　that　I　could　not　distinguish　what　he　said。　I　then　spoke　to　Peters
and　to　Parker；　neither　of　whom　returned　any　answer。

　　　　Shortly　after　this　period　I　fell　into　a　state　of　partial
insensibility；　during　which　the　most　pleasing　images　floated　in　my
imagination；　such　as　green　trees；　waving　meadows　of　ripe　grain；
processions　of　dancing　girls；　troops　of　cavalry；　and　other
phantasies。　I　now　remember　that；　in　all　which　passed　before　my　mind's
eye；　motion　was　a　predominant　idea。　Thus；　I　never　fancied　any
stationary　object；　such　as　a　house；　a　mountain；　or　any　thing　of　that
kind；　but　windmills；　ships；　large　birds；　balloons；　people　on
horseback；　carriages　driving　furiously；　and　similar　moving　objects；
presented　themselves　in　endless　succession。　When　I　recovered　from
this　state；　the　sun　was；　as　near　as　I　could　guess；　an　hour　high。　I
had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　bringing　to　recollection　the　various
circumstances　connected　with　my　situation；　and　for　some　time　remained
firmly　convinced　that　I　was　still　in　the　hold　of　the　brig；　near　the
box；　and　that　the　body　of　Parker　was　that　of　Tiger。

　　　　When　I　at　length　completely　came　to　my　senses；　I　found　that　the
wind　blew　no　more　than　a　moderate　breeze；　and　that　the　sea　was
comparatively　calm；　so　much　so　that　it　only　washed　over　the　brig
amidships。　My　left　arm　had　broken　loose　from　its　lashings；　and　was
much　cut　about　the　elbow；　my　right　was　entirely　benumbed；　and　the
hand　and　wrist　swollen　prodigiously　by　the　pressure　of　the　rope；
which　had　worked　from　the　shoulder　downward。　I　was　also　in　great　pain
from　another　rope　which　went　about　my　waist；　and　had　been　drawn　to　an
insufferable　degree　of　tightness。　Looking　round　upon　my　companions；　I
saw　that　Peters　still　lived；　although　a　thick　line　was　pulled　so
forcibly　around　his　loins　as　to　give　him　the　appearance　of　being　cut
nearly　in　two；　as　I　stiffed；　he　made　a　feeble　motion　to　me　with　his
hand；　pointing　to　the　rope。　Augustus　gave　no　indication　of　life
whatever；　and　was　bent　nearly　double　across　a　splinter　of　the
windlass。　Parker　spoke　to　me　when　he　saw　me　moving；　and　asked　me　if　I
had　not　sufficient　strength　to　release　him　from　his　situation；　saying
that　if　I　would　summon　up　what　spirits　I　could；　and　contrive　to　untie
him；　we　might　yet　save　our　lives；　but　that　otherwise　we　must　all
perish。　I　told　him　to　take　courage；　and　I　would　endeavor　to　free　him。
Feeling　in　my　pantaloons'　pocket；　I　got　hold　of　my　penknife；　and；
after　several　ineffectual　attempts；　at　length　succeeded　in　opening
it。　I　then；　with　my　left　hand；　managed　to　free　my　right　from　its
fastenings；　and　afterward　cut　the　other　ropes　which　held　me。　Upon
attempting；　however；　to　move　from　my　position；　I　found　that　my　legs
failed　me　altogether；　and　that　I　could　not　get　up；　neither　could　I
move　my　right　arm　in　any　direction。　Upon　mentioning　this　to　Parker；
he　advised　me　to　lie　quiet　for　a　few　minutes；　holding　on　to　the
windlass　with　my　left　hand；　so　as　to　allow　time　for　the　blood　to
circulate。　Doing　this；　the　numbness　presently　began　to　die　away　so
that　I　could　move　first　one　of　my　legs；　and　then　the　other；　and；
shortly　afterward　I　regained　the　partial　use　of　my　right　arm。　I　now
crawled　with　great　caution　toward　Parker；　without　getting　on　my　legs；
and　soon　cut　loose　all　the　lashings　about　him；　when；　after　a　short
delay；　he　also　recovered　the　partial　use　of　his　limbs。　We　now　lost　no
time　in　getting　loose　the　rope　from　Peters。　It　had　cut　a　deep　gash
through　the　waistband　of　his　woollen　pantaloons；　and　through　two
shirts；　and　made　its　way　into　his　groin；　from　which　the　blood　flowed
out　copiously　as　we　removed　the　cordage。　No　sooner　had　we　removed　it；
however；　than　he　spoke；　and　seemed　to　experience　instant　relief…
being　able　to　move　with　much　greater　ease　than　either　Parker　or
myself…　this　was　no　doubt　owing　to　the　discharge　of　blood。

　　　　We　had　little　hopes　that　Augustus　would　recover；　as　he　evinced　no
signs　of　life；　but；　upon　getting　to　him；　we　discovered　that　he　had
merely　swooned　from　the　loss　of　blood；　the　bandages　we　had　placed
around　his　wounded　arm　having　been　torn　off　by　the　water；　none　of　the
ropes　which　held　him　to　the　windlass　were　drawn　sufficiently　tight　to
occasion　his　death。　Having　relieved　him　from　the　fastenings；　and　got
him　clear　of　the　broken　wood　about　the　windlass；　we　secured　him　in　a
dry　place　to　windward；　with　his　head