he was somewhere to the northward of the Line. One morning upon handling the pumps according to daily usage, it was observed that she made more water in her hold than common. They supposed a sword-fish had stabbed her, gentlemen. But the captain, having some unusual reason for believing that rare good luck awaited him in those latitudes; and therefore being very averse to quit them, and the leak not being then considered at all dangerous, though, indeed, they could not find it after searching the hold as low down as was possible in rather heavyweather, the ship still continued her cruisings, the mariners working at the pumps at wide and easy intervals;but no good luck came; more days went by and not only was the leak yet undiscovered, but it sensibly increased. So much so, that now taking some alarm, the captain, making all sail, stood away for the nearest harbor among the islands, there to have his hull hove out and repaired.
它是要駛到赤道以北的什么地方去的。有一天早晨,按照日常老規(guī)矩,正在使用幫浦抽水的時候,發(fā)現(xiàn)從艙里抽出來的水比平常多。各位先生,他們以為船讓劍魚給戳穿了??墒?,那個船長卻有一種異乎尋常的看法,認(rèn)為在這一帶難得有好運(yùn)道在等著他,因此由于不愿意離開這地方,而且當(dāng)時根本不認(rèn)為那個漏洞很危險(xiǎn),在那種相當(dāng)壞的天氣里,他們雖然盡量摸到船底里,確實(shí)也找不到漏洞,于是,那艘船還是繼續(xù)它的巡游,水手們也隔了好久才去隨便地抽一下水??墒牵眠\(yùn)道并沒有到來,過了好幾天,不但漏洞還沒有發(fā)現(xiàn),而且漏洞顯然越來越大了。這時連那個船長也驚惶起來了,他叫人加帆急駛,趕快駛到群島中最近的一個港口去,以便到那里把船殼翻過來修理一番。
Though no small passage was before her, yet, if the commonest chance favoured, he did not at all fear that hisship would founder by the way, because his pumps were of the best, and being periodically relieved at them, those six-and-thirty men of his could easily keep the ship free; never mind if the leak should double on her.
雖然前面還有不少航程,然而,如果天賜最平常的機(jī)運(yùn),他根本也不用擔(dān)心他那艘船會在半途中沉下去,因?yàn)榇系膸推侄际亲詈玫?,又是定期換班抽水,就算漏洞再大一倍也無所謂,船上三十六個人手盡可以輕而易舉地把船救住。