of reprisals; but before any measures for that purpose could be taken,
they disappeared, leaving us with no other resource than to await our
fate with such patience and resignation as we could command. The wind
having entirely failed, there was nothing that we could do to change our
situation--absolutely nothing. This forced inaction, with no occupation
for mind or body, no object of effort, contributed to enhance whatever
was painful in our condition, by leaving us to brood over it. The dead
calm which had fallen upon the sea, seemed all that was necessary to
complete our misery. We were all stiff and sore, from the exceedingly
uncomfortable sleeping accommodations of the last two nights; but this
was a comparatively trifling evil. Johnny had a severe cold, his eyes
were inflamed and bloodshot, and he exhibited also strong symptoms of
fever. Nevertheless, silent and uncomplaining, he came and sat down
quietly by the side of Arthur in the stern.
As the day advanced, the heat became dreadful. We had not suffered much
from it the day before, on account of the fresh breeze which had
prevailed; but now, not a breath of air was stirring, and the glassy sea
reflected back upon us the scorching rays of the sun, with increased
intensity. Towards noon, it exceeded any thing I had ever experienced.
The whole arch of the heavens glowed with a hot and coppery glare. It
seemed as though instead of one sun, there were ten thousand, covering
all the sky, and blending their rays into a broad canopy of fire. The
air was like that of an oven: the water had no coolness, no refreshing
quality; it was tepid and stagnant: no living thing was to be seen near
the surface, for life could not be sustained there; and the fishes,
great and small, kept themselves in the cooler depths, far below.
Almost stifled by the heat, we began to experience the first real and
extreme suffering that most of us had ever known. At Arthur's
suggestion, we disengaged the now useless sail from the mast, and
contrived a kind of awning, by fastening two of the oars upright in the
boat, with the mast extending between them, throwing the sail over the
latter, and securing the ends to the gunwales. This, although it could
not protect us from the sultry and suffocating air, warded off the
blistering beams of the sun, and during the greater part of the day, we
lay crouched beneath it, a miserable company; one or another of us
crawling out occasionally, to take a survey. Towards the close of the
afternoon, my sufferings from thirst grew absolutely intolerable, and
amounted to torment. My blood became fevered; my brain seemed on fire;
my shrunk and shrivelled tongue, was like a dry stick in my mouth. The
countenances of my companions, their bloodshot eyes, and cracked and
swollen lips, shewed what they were undergoing. Johnny lay in the
bottom of the boat with his eyes shut enduring all, with as much
fortitude as the rest of us, except that now and then a half suppressed
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account