16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
The seamen – a savage looking crew with
their long hair still wild about them – the seamen
cheered, a strangely happy sound as the
frigate glided in towards those embattled
ships: roaring shouts, the clash of bitter fighting
clear and clearer over the narrowing sea.
He stepped to the wheel, his heavy sword
dangling from his wrist by a strap and he took
her shaving in, his heart beating high and his
face gleaming, until her yards caught in the
Alastor's shrouds and the ships ground together.
'Follow me, follow me,' he cried, leaping
across, and on either side of him there were
Surprises, swarming over with cutlasses, pistols,
boarding-axes. Bonden was at his right
hand, Awkward Davies on his left, already
foaming at the mouth. The Alastors came at
them with furious spirit and in the very first
clash, halfway across the deck, one shot Jack's