16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
'Never in life,' said Stephen, bringing himself
to look over the edge again: and having
looked, 'Tell me, brother, do people ever
come this way voluntarily? I mean, apart from
those that ply up and down the American
coast?'
'Oh yes. With the steady westerlies and the
west-wind drift this is the quickest way from
New South Wales to the Cape. Oh dear me,
yes. They began using it at the very beginning
of the infernal colony, you remember, and the
Navy still... I tell you what, Stephen: there is
something very nasty blowing up in the south.
The swell is already with us and I fear a deadly
storm. Bonden. Bonden, there. Clap on to the
line: I am sending the Doctor down. Bear a
hand, bear a hand.'
It was a cruel hard blow, and the Surprise
clawed off from Diego Ramírez and its long