16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
would have let a well-charged whaler go? The
Surprise cared for neither flight nor fight: but
still he did not want her scratched, nor any of
her precious sailcloth and cordage hurt, and
few sights would be more welcome than the
Franklin.
Her top-lantern had vanished during the first
three squalls of the night, reappearing in her
due station on the starboard beam as each
cleared, as much as it did clear in this thick
weather. Yet after the long-lasting fourth it was
no longer to be seen. At that time the wind
was right aft, and this was the one point of
sailing in which the Franklin, a remarkably
well-built little craft, could draw away from the
Surprise'. Tom Pullings, the soul of rectitude,
would never mean to do so, but with such a
following sea the log-line was a most fallible
guide and Jack therefore gazed steadily
through the murk forward, over the starboard